On a drive back down from Clingmans Dome, this was a view that caught my eye. After years of photographing the Smokies, I decided it was time to do an oil painting of the Smoky Mountains again. It was the sun breaking through the clouds plus the low handing clouds that made this view so amazing. I feel a strong emotional connection to the Smokies. This painting is as much about how I feel about this place as it is the actual scene.