We are pleased to announce that Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade has been selected as the 2026 Flame Azalea Festival poster artist.
Dayna’s work is rooted in careful observation and a deep respect for the landscape. She approaches place through study –whether it is the ever shifting color racing along the ridgeline or the architecture of tiniest of wildflowers. Her work does not simply depict nature; it displays time spent in it’s woods and fields.
During her Great Smoky Mountains National Park residency, Dayna immersed herself in field study – hiking, sketching, documenting botanical forms, and translating those observations into a thoughtful body of work. That experience strengthened her commitment as an artist to honor the character of a place rather than imposing her point of view upon it.
The flame azaleas of Hooper Bald are not just a group among a number of native azaleas across Western North Carolina; they are residents of a specific elevation, soil, climate, and seasonal rhythm unique to this particular location. Dayna’s sensitivity to ecosystems and attention to detail makes her especially suited to interpret this landscape in a way that feels authentic and enduring.
We look forward to watching Dayna’s design journey unfold and to the unveiling the 2026 poster – an artwork sure to be shaped by observation, rooted in place, and reflective of the rare stand of native flame azaleas on Hooper Bald that define the Flame Azalea Festival celebration.
