Lee James Pantas

Lee James Pantas, born in 1941, has lived in the mountains near Asheville NC area since 1989. An artist and author, he also has a master’s degree in Ecology (University of Vermont, 1966) and is active in environmental causes. He is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Asheville & the Western North Carolina mountains, a best-selling illustrated travel guide and an award-winning illustrated book Wild & Furry Animals of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. As an artist, he has also completed more than 2,000 architectural pen & ink drawings of private homes as well as more than 500 historical buildings, inns, churches, and animals. As a painter, he is well known for his visionary and fantasy paintings. His work has been exhibited in galleries nationwide and is found in many private and public collections. In 2014 he completed a series of imaginary coral reef paintings entitled Liza’s Reef to draw attention to the plight of oceans worldwide caused by pollution, overfishing and global warming. In 1978 he founded a Catholic soup kitchen New Covenant House in Stamford Ct. to feed homeless people. Since then it has grown into an 8000 sq. ft. center now known as New Covenant Center that serves over 700,000 meals a year to needy persons along with a wide range of other social services. Mr. Pantas has also coached track & field for the A.C. Reynolds Middle and High Schools for over 25 years and has established a reputation as one of the top high school hurdles coaches in America. In 2003 he co-founded the Blue Ridge Classic and has helped grow this annual event into the largest high school track and field meet in North Carolina.