Artwork by Gordan and Jan Brugman; image courtesy of the artist

Artwork by Gordan and Jan Brugman; image courtesy of the artist

SEVIERVILLE, TN - The Sevier County Public Library System (SCPLS) is hosting a duo of artists, Gordan and Jan Brugman, in the Makerspace gallery at the SCPLS King Family Library during October. Gordan and wife, Jan, are the Sevier County professional landscape and wildlife photographers behind Smoky Moments Photography who have taken their love for their adopted Smoky Mountains ‘backyard’ and made it the inspiration for their beautiful images. Currently over 30 of the couples’ wildlife and landscape images are gracing the walls of the Makerspace Gallery at the King Family Library.

Having moved to Gatlinburg from the Detroit area in the mid-70s as a working museum-trained craftsperson, Gordan was a charter member of the Great Smokies Arts & Crafts Community organization. Brugman worked in several crafts from tinsmithing to wooden toy making to building primitive pine-style furniture. Along the way, fellow Gatlinburg craftsperson and friend, Dick McHugh (another Detroit area transplant) gifted Gordan with his first 35mm camera. Capturing and sharing the beauty he found in the Smokies became Gordan’s passion. Teaching himself, he had the local one-hour photo lab process over 15,000 images in his first two years as a serious photographer. In the following 35+ years he has honed his skills and shared his knowledge with his wife, Jan, herself the daughter of an accomplished portrait photographer. In addition, Brugram worked as the Staff Photographer for The Mountain Press for several years. Brugman’s Smoky Mountain images have found their way into regional and international publications, juried gallery showings and widely shared social media posts. Follow the couple’s work on Facebook.

Gordan and Jan love to share their appreciation of iconic Smokies vistas and the heritage of the settlers who first made their way to these mountains. While displaying their works at art and crafts festivals, Gordan will ‘talk shop’ at the drop of a hat, sharing his wealth of experience capturing memorable mountain scenes and offering tips for great locations and techniques so others can capture their own “Smoky Moments”.

Take the time to explore the art gallery to support local art and artists in our communities. For more information about upcoming exhibits or about reserving the art exhibit space for your own artworks, please call 865-453-3532. The library system encourages local artists to showcase their artworks free of charge each month in the gallery space on the third floor.