Storytelling In Words and Pictures. Can you name a town in Pennsylvania that was once home to 13 millionaires - more per capita than any other place in America at the time? Do you know where legions of Confederate soldiers were headed when they were ensnared in the Battle of Gettysburg? Or the town that was home to the world's first roller coaster?

The place formerly known as Mauch Chunk, or Lenape Indian for "Sleeping Bear," this is Jim Thorpe, home of robber barons, rabble-rousers and now a place where artists and educators will congregate for an intensive 5-day workshop starting June 21st. The second annual Jim Thorpe Project will be held in this quirky Victorian town where artists will find inspiration in the mountains that once brought James Audubon here to paint nature and wildlife.

Denise Chevalier, who participated in the first Jim Thorpe Project, says it was "a great opportunity to take a week and focus on making images that tell a story. The town was a fascinating place to research a variety of historical stories and sketch." Above: Two pages from her sketchbooks, copyright the artist, courtesy CCCP.

Artist/illustrator/educator Anthony Freda says, "I was amazed to find this town where you could really sense its railroading and coal mining history just by walking around. It's set in a valley, where some of the important buildings from its glory days still stand, surrounded by mountains, where the railroad magnates built their mansions. There's not a MacDonald's anywhere to spoil the views." As well as teaching the workshop, Anthony will also lead participants on tours of the village and its surroundings.

The daily workshop schedule will consist of tours of local landmarks, group discussions, guest speakers, presentations and critiques. The objective is for artists to distill a diverse array of experiences into work that expresses their personal vision.

Instructors include: Marshall Arisman, Chairman of the M.F.A. Illustration program at School of Visual Arts, widely regarded as one of the greatest educators of the last half century; Anthony Freda, whose illustrations appear in major national publications, is a member of the graduate mentorship program at School of Visual Arts, a lecturer at Pratt Institute and judge for Society of Illustrator annual competitions; and Victor Stabin, whose illustrations have appeared on U.S. Postal stamps, rock albums and more, and who with his wife Joan founded the Carbon County Cultural Project where The Jim Thorpe Project takes place.

The Jim Thorpe Project: Storytelling In Words and Pictures. June 21 - 25, 2010 at The Carbon County Cultural Project, 268 West Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. Please visit the website for information and registration.

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