An Open Letter to My Neighbor:
Dear Neighbor,
My husband, David, and I recently received a postcard from a Cashiers realtor informing us about the sale of a 246 acre tract of land up in the Big Ridge area of western North Carolina. We own a 99 acre parcel adjacent to this land, which we affectionately call “Slatten Creek”. We have found out that your company was the purchaser of this property, as well as several other large adjacent tracts, and so we would like to introduce ourselves as your new “neighbors”. We live in Savannah full time, but we have a cabin about one mile away from Slatten Creek. We travel up to our property every chance that we get, and one day hope to live up there full time.
The tracts of land that your company now owns up in Big Ridge are absolutely beautiful pieces of property. Approximately eight or nine years ago, I had the pleasure of touring these properties when they were previously for sale. I remember one section, called the “Hooper” tract, which was covered in large, old growth trees. I also remember the beauty of the tract called the “Bear Creek / Hennessee” tract, with its myriad of streams and springs, along with a few bear footprints along the ground. Occasionally, I have hiked the paved road up to the top of Big Knob while visiting Slatten Creek, to enjoy the spectacular view.
As you are probably aware, all of your tracts of land up in Big Ridge were once slated to become U.S. Forest Service property. You have most likely seen the Forest Service signs that still adorn the property boundaries. However, several weeks prior to the closing date, the deal fell through due to financing issues.
David and I are very attached to our property, so much so that we recently placed our land in a conservation easement with the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee. Our land is an important watershed area, filled with springs and streams. It is also a prime example of a high elevation mountain farm. Our research indicates it was settled as early as the mid-1800s by an individual named John Slatten and his wife and eight children. It is believed the Slatten family was one of three families who originally settled this area of Jackson County and made their living off subsistence farming. Judging from the amount of arrowheads and other Native American artifacts that can be found, this area was also an important area to the Cherokee indians.
I have taken numerous photographs of the wildlife and of the plant life up there, and have found that this area is home to a number of important and threatened species. Some of my favorite plant species I have found include a field of pink and yellow lady slipper orchids, and several large Turk’s Cap Lilies. I would love to share some of these pictures with you, and have taken the liberty of including a few pictures along with this letter. There seems to be evidence that bears come to our pond in the summer to cool off and take a “bath”. However, I have yet to capture that on film.
In any event, I wanted to touch base with you to let you know who we are, and to hopefully establish contact with you. Your land is environmentally significant - not only is it close in proximity to Panthertown Valley National Forest and the Robinson Creek Gorge, but it serves as the headwaters to the Little Tennessee River watershed. It is also one of the last, if not the only last, large swatch of undeveloped ridge line in the Big Ridge area of Jackson County.
I would love to meet you in person, if at all possible. If you are interested in talking to me about conservation easements, I can hopefully answer any questions you might have. As I am sure you already know, conservation easements not only protect land, but provide very significant tax advantages to the grantor of the easement.
You may call me at any time at the phone numbers I have sent to you. I hope I haven’t been too forward in introducing myself. David and I just love this area of North Carolina, and we are passionate advocates for preserving its beauty. Take care, and I hope to meet you soon.
Sincerely,
Laura W. Adams
David and Pup on their way to Slatten Creek
View Along the Road to Slatten Creek
Field of Yellow Lady Slipper Orchids
Eight Foot Tall Turk's Cap Lilies
Black Bear by Slatten Pond
RECENT EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS:
"From Bee Balm to Bears, the Conservation of a High Mountain Farm" new collage work by Laura W. Adams, two person show, The Artists House tOO! Gallery, Main Street, Bryson City, North Carolina, July 2008; opening reception, Friday, July 11, 6:00-9:00 pm www.theartistshousegallery.com
Bellevue Museum ArtsFair, Bellevue, (Seattle) Washington, juried show, July 25-27, 2008 www.bellevuearts.org
"No Place Left to Go" solo exhibition, Gallery Espresso, 234 Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia, October 2008; opening reception, Thursday, October 9, 6:00-9:00 pm www.galleryespresso.com
An American Craftsman Gallery, Sheraton Manhattan Hotel, 790 7th Avenue, corner 52nd Street New York, NY (212) 399-2555; Rockefeller Center 60 West 50th Street, New York, NY (212) 307-7161; 36 Main Street, Stockbridge Massachusetts 01262 (413) 298-0175; NEW LOCATION: 223 West Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401 (912) 2398989 www.anamericancraftsman.com, since March, 2008
Ann Jacob Gallery, Main Street, Highlands, North Carolina (828) 526-5550 www.annjacob.com, since March, 2008
Catherine Kelleghan Gallery, 309 East Paces Ferry Road, Suite 130 - Aaron Building, Atlanta, Georgia (404) 841-2345; www.catherinekelleghangallery.com, beginning in August, 2008
Hospice Savannah Art Gallery, 1352 Eisenhower Dr., Savannah, “Vanishings – a Pictorial Narrative of an Endangered Earth,” solo exhibition July – August 2007
Off the Wall Gallery at 45 Bistro, Marshall House Hotel, 123 East Broughton Street, Savannah, “The Architecture of Nature,” solo exhibition November – December 2006. Work is now on permanent display at this gallery
Gallery 209, River Street, Savannah, GA, 2006
Jewish Educational Alliance, 5111 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA, “Low Country Treks and Monkey John Trails, the Art of Found Wood and Recycled Trees, new works by Kurt Hupe and Laura W. Adams, April 1-30, 2005
Gallery Espresso, 232 Bull Street, Savannah, GA, “Nantahala,” solo exhibition, November 11-December 2, 2004
The Starlander Coffeehouse and Gallery, 11 E. 41st St., Savannah, GA, “Panthertown, Interpretations of a Southern Rain Forest,” solo exhibition, January 30-February 27, 2004
The Gallery, 20 Jefferson St., City Market, Savannah, GA, (912)231-2025 partner in gallery March, 2002 - April, 2008
Pluff Mudd Gallery, Calhoun Street, Bluffton, SC, 2003-2006
Telfair Museum of Art Juried Exhibition, November 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, Savannah, GA. Awarded Second Place, 2001, juror Joseph Schenk, Director of the Mobile Museum of Art, Merit Award, 2003, juror Elizabeth Fleming, Director of the Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, South Carolina
Hospice Savannah, Savannah, GA, “Nature’s Mosaics,” solo exhibition October 5-31st, 2001
Th’ Barn Restaurant and Gift Shop, Cashiers, NC, “Appalachian Spring, Wildflower Interpretations,” solo exhibition July 6-31st, 2001
Virginia Highlands Summerfest, Juried Exhibition, June 2006, 2001, 2000, 1999, Atlanta, GA. First place, Photography, 1999
Artworks, Juried Exhibition, April 2000, 1999, 1998, Jacksonville, FL
Artscape, Juried Exhibition, May 2000, Raleigh, NC
Bothwell Gallery, Savannah, GA, 1995-2001, exhibiting artist, “Two Artists, Two Impressions,” works of Laura W. Adams and Diane Hull, May 2000, “Possessed by Art,” 1997 group show, “Garden Art,” 1997 group show
Marty Whaley Adams Gallery, “Natural Worlds,” group exhibition, Charleston, SC, August, 1996
Coastal Group Sierra Club Photography Exhibition, 3d place award, October 1996