NEWS
Art History and Modern Art in Italy and America
By Meredith McBrideJun 15, 2023 FEATURE: Preserving a Picturesque America: PAPA’s Commitment to Saving Natural and Historic Places Through Art Scott “Doc” Varn set out for a hike at Yosemite National Park with the essentials—food, water, and a 28-pound book....
SC native seeks to recreate, preserve America’s ‘unspoiled landscapes’ from 150-year-old book
By Stephanie Allen Special to Free TimesFeb 22, 2024 To South Carolina native Scott “Doc” Varn, cutting an image out of a book is an inexcusable offense. His nonprofit, Preserving a Picturesque America, wouldn’t exist without this so-called act of sacrilege. A...
America: the Land We Live In on PBS
Join “Doc” and co-host/photojournalist Sophia Michelin, along with many local personalities, on their quest to find the exact sites that inspired the original artwork of the 1870s. This PBS show traces the rediscovery of the beautiful places that had been featured in the original, 150-year-old publication, Picturesque America.
Artists Begin Historic 80-mile Journey at Chimney Rock
In 1870, artist Harry Fenn trekked 80 miles along the French Broad River to sketch and document 12 beautiful natural places for the publication Picturesque America. This month, two artists are following in his footsteps to recreate this artwork, and they began their journey here at Chimney Rock State Park.
Artists Reimagine 19th Century WNC in Tour
French Broad – Artist and conservationist Scott “Doc” Varn aims to preserve national and historic places, including our own French Broad river, through the power of art.
Capturing America’s Beauty Then and Now
A challenging comment from his 11-year-old son propelled Scott Varn on an exploration that has taken him around the country in an effort to preserve the beauty of America’s landscapes.
His journey led him to Peekskill recently where he found the modern day tableau of two scenes depicted in the mid 19th century magazine “Preserving A Picturesque America.”
2021 in review: Arts leaders reflect on a tumultuous year
2021 in review: Arts leaders reflect on a tumultuous year Posted on December 26, 2021 by Edwin Arnaudin Xpress asked eight local members of the arts community to discuss the highs and lows of an unpredictable year. Featured below are reflections from Davaion “Spaceman...
GivingTuesday 2021
GivingTuesday is the international day of generosity happening on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. Save this beautiful piece of ancient history! Paint Rock is North Carolina’s best-known example of an American Indian pictograph from 5,000 years ago. In 1880,...
Using Art to Preserve Nature
Fairview artist and printmaker Scott “Doc” Varn’s journey of discovery began in 2011 when he bought a few classic engravings of the French Broad River from an online estate auction.