Through the seasons of 2024 and 2025, a group of talented painters have been capturing the beauty of Franklin’s public park system in watercolors, acrylics and oils. On Nov. 6 – 9, The Chestnut Group and Friends of Franklin Parks will unveil the collection of works as part of The second annual “Painting the Parks,” a fundraising art show and sale held at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm.
The Chestnut Group, a non-profit collective of artists who have been “painting to preserve” in Tennessee for more than two decades, paint the landscapes of middle Tennessee en plein air, or outside in the environment. They then sell their paintings to support efforts to protect and enhance these cherished lands. This year, they partnered with Friends of Franklin Parks to present an art show and sale beginning Thursday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Art Crawl), Saturday, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, and Sunday, Nov 9 from 12-4 p.m.
Visitors can expect to see a variety of landscapes, historic structures, wildlife and engaging natural scenes. Several paint-out events, where Chestnut Group members gather in a specific part of the park to paint, will allow attendees to see these moments captured through the artists’ eyes and talents.
“Painting the Parks gives our artists an incredible opportunity to capture the wide variety of scenes cared for by the Franklin Parks Department,” said Judson Newbern, President of Community Outreach for The Chestnut Group. “The changing seasons and lighting at Harlinsdale Farm alone could inspire compositions for years to come.”
The event is free and open to the public, with participating Chestnut artists generously donating a portion of their sales to benefit Friends of Franklin Parks.
For the first time, the exhibition will also be part of the Franklin Art Crawl on Friday, November 7. The event is free and open to the public, taking place November 6–9, 2025, at the historic Hayes House, 331 Franklin Road in Franklin. Parking will be available.
For details on Franklin Parks’ “Painting the Parks,” visit friendsoffranklinparks.org/paintingtheparks.
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