Throughout the centuries the rising peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bedford County have called to passing travelers, adventurers, dreamers and artists.

Abundant with wildlife, flora and fauna, these tallest three mountain peaks have represented a multifaceted historical dialogue, involving Native Americans, early pioneers who wrote of "the Peaked Mountains" as early as the seventeenth century, and modern day travelers seeking the peaceful solitude and strength of their majesty.

History of the Civil War struggles, Thomas Jefferson's beloved Poplar Forest retreat home, the magnetic appeal of the lost treasure of Thomas Jefferson Beale, the healing waters of Villamont springs and other such stories echo across the hills and valleys of this wondrous land.

Bower Center for the Arts and the Bedford Welcome Center are offering artists a chance to create a lasting work of art, delving into the very soul of these locally revered mountains. We are seeking more than a figurative rendition of its landscapes. We want the heart and soul, presented in a wide variety of media.

To be juried by nationally known artists, the selected work will be exhibited at Bower Center, the Bedford Area Welcome Center and throughout the city of Bedford's Arts and Antiques District.  The selected work will also be published on this website.