2023 NC Year of the Trail celebrates North Carolina’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways which showcase our diverse landscapes – grand mountain vistas, quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the piedmont.

Artists were challenged to create artwork themed around the story of “why trails are important to North Carolinians and our visitors.” The artwork created brings out the unique style of each artist, boldly focusing on what Year of the Trail means to them.

James McInvale is a freelance artist/illustrator based in Charlotte, NC, and a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design. He creates his travel and nature-inspired artworks in a combination of pen and ink drawing, acrylic ink painting, digital media, and “whatever else gets the job done.”

He’s inspired by the endless beauty and diversity of North Carolina’s natural resources, from the mountains to the coast. Frequent trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Outer Banks as a child left a lasting impression on James, and he wanted to capture that sense of wonder and awe while inspiring others to go discover what North Carolina has to offer for themselves. 

Print measures 11 x 14.

Printed on Astroparch Cover 80# with a Matt Aqueous coating.

Ships rolled in a sturdy cardboard tube