Art for a Cause 2025: Earth School at Forest Fauna Farm
FADE Initiative
Art and Design Education for Everyone.
Make a Difference
By joining FADE, you help remove barriers, fund meaningful learning experiences, and strengthen a creative community built on generosity, growth, and shared opportunity. And there’s benefits for you!
Upcoming Events
From beginner-friendly classes to creative meetups and community experiences, our events are designed to help you learn, connect, and create—without intimidation or pressure. Join us in person or online and be part of something intentionally welcoming.
About Us
The FADE Initiative is a community-driven creative organization focused on making formal art and design education more accessible, approachable, and sustainable. Through classes, publications, mentorship, and events, we support creatives at every stage—especially those who didn’t have access to traditional pathways.
A Guided Introduction to Plein Air Painting
Don’t miss an amazing opportunity to learn to paint in the mountains of East Tennessee, where fresh air, real landscapes, and guided instruction come together. Designed especially for new and beginning artists of all ages, these relaxed half-day plein air excursions offer a supportive, low-pressure introduction to painting outdoors with an experienced instructor by your side.
You’ll learn the fundamentals of painting what you see while enjoying beautiful locations like Unaka Mountain, Watauga Lake, and Kate Day Blooms—perfectly paced to complement a day of exploring the region. A beginner-friendly painting kit is provided, so no prior experience or supplies are needed.
I went into Plein Air in the Mountains with almost no painting experience, but Becca, our instructor, made it very easy to learn. She was friendly and happy to answer our beginner questions, which made everything easier. I went home with some more confidence in my artistic abilities as well as a piece I was proud of.