Land of Blue Shadows Author Event

George Ellison was an iconic writer of Western North Carolina and lived directly adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation. The Land of Blue Shadows is a posthumous collection of his poetry that was collected and illustrated by his descendants, Elizabeth and Quentin Ellison. Elizabeth and Quentin will visit the Pack Library and give a presentation about the book and the processes they used to curate the poetry and create the artwork it is composed of. Participants can buy copies of the book on site through Malaprop's Bookstore. Register in advance to guarantee a seat.

About the Book:

Nestled outside Bryson City, on the doorstep of the Great Smoky Mountains, lies the home of George and Elizabeth Ellison. For more than forty years, their permanent camp was more than a homestead—it was the inspiration for a world of beauty found within their poems and paintings. In this posthumous tribute to George, the legacy of his poetry is presented alongside special galleries of Elizabeth’s breathtaking paintings and daughter Quintin Ellison’s stunning photography. As the region continues to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, these ruminations on living among the Smokies, depictions of Western North Carolina culture and interpretations of its untamed natural domain reveal life in the land of blue shadows through the work of some of the region’s most cherished artists.