GEORGE AND ELIZABETH ELLISON
TO SPEAK AT WCU LUNCHTIME SERIES

Naturalist/author George Ellison and artist Elizabeth Ellison will be the featured presenters as the fall Appalachian Cultural Lunchtime Series continues Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Western Carolina University's Mountain Heritage Center.

The Ellisons will present selections from their recent publication “Blue Ridge Nature Journal” during the event, which will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the museum auditorium.

George Ellison's columns appear regularly in the Asheville Citizen-Times and Smoky Mountain News. His recent honors include a first-place Award of Excellence from the National Park Service for his contributions to “Discovering the Smokies: A Science Journal.” He also wrote the introductions for reissues of two Southern Appalachian classics – Horace Kephart's “Our Southern Highlanders” in 1976, and James Mooney's “History, Myths and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees” in 1992.

The presentation will be supplemented by an exhibit of Elizabeth Ellison's art, and a selection of her work that appears in “Blue Ridge Nature Journal” will be on display in the museum lobby. Elizabeth Ellison operates an art gallery in Bryson City , and she has exhibited and sold her works across the nation for more than 30 years. She utilizes both traditional and oriental techniques to depict the wildflowers, animals, human inhabitants and landscapes of the Smokies region and beyond.

The Mountain Heritage Center and Ron Rash, WCU's Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies, sponsor the lunchtime series. Guests are encouraged to bring their lunch. The event includes a 30-minute talk or performance, followed by a chance for guests to meet with the presenter.

For more information, contact the Mountain Heritage Center at (828) 227-7129.