Effingham June July 2016

June/July 2016

DALLAS

McCorkendale

Jazz On The Side

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CONTRIBUTORS

Cindy Burbage

is a native of Richmond Hill. She began writing in college and took a hiatus to raise her four beautiful children. Cindy enjoys traveling and is always ready for a road trip. She believes that faith is greater than fear.

Katrice Williams

is a married mother of two. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Business Administration Degree. Interestingly enough, at the time, she also had an interest in writing. She and her family moved to Pooler in 2003 from the Atlanta Metro Area. She later decided to pursue her writing interests. Katrice appreciates The Lord Jesus Christ and the many blessings that He has bestowed upon her. She loves spending time with her family.

David Pena was a Language Arts teacher in the Georgia public school system for over twenty years. Also a professional musician on the weekends, he enjoys writing about local happenings and the interesting, diverse mix of cultures that make up the Southeast. He loves to spend time with his son Carter, golf and play tennis.

Jeff Whitten

Lea Allen

Tonya Chester Perry is a married mother of two children.

She is a full time photographer with a studio based in Rincon. She graduated from college with a degree in business. She is originally from Louisiana, after living in different states, she now resides in Effingham County. She is a Maternity, Newborn, Child, High School Senior and Wedding Photographer. When not working she enjoys spending her time with her husband & kids.

Lane Leopard

Luke Smith is a full time photographer and single father based out of

Rincon. Having grown up in Cajun country in Louisiana, Luke feels right at home on the Georgia coast and has for the last 10 years. When he’s not doing freelance photography for commercial clients, Luke is spending time with his son.

Natalie McAllister is a life long Effingham resident. She has a great love of photography. Taking photos of family and friends sparked Natalie’s desire to become a professional photographer. Since then, her passion has grown to child and newborn photography. She is a wife and mother of two.

She volunteers her time weekly to a local food bank. Natalie is also an Avon representative.

Marsha Stewart

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in this issue June/July 2016

features

08 14 17 22 28 34

Dallas McCorkendale Jazz On The Side

08

14

17

22

28

34

Kenza Murray Making Memorable Melodies At Ebenezer Middle School

Martin Carper & Nathan “Nate” Dickey Two Talents...Sensational Sounds

Steven Nisbet Rincon’s Very Own Rembrandt

Aaron Sabo One Man Band

Thomas Jackson Reality With A Twist

departments

07

Publisher’s Page

39

Let’s Do Business

43

Real Estate

06 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

Music And Arts in Effingham County Julie Hales owner/publisher julie@idpmagazines.com Jeff Whitten editor jeff@idpmagazines.com Lane Leopard graphic designer lane@idpmagazines.com Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com DiAnna Jenkins account executive dianna@idpmagazines.com Marsha Stewart account executive marsha@idpmagazines.com

Effingham Magazine is proudly produced by:

108 International Drive P.O. Box 1742 Rincon, GA 3126 (912) 826-2760

Our annual Music and Arts issue is one of my favorites. It really gives us an opportunity to dig into the community and find out more about our amazing local talent.

Our search this year was no different. It brought us a fabulous array of local musicians and artists.

I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of them, hearing their tales and sharing a laugh or two.....and, in some cases, three or four.

Now, I have had the privilege of reading their stories. What an amazing group of talent we have had the opportunity to bring to our readers this year. I am sure each of you will enjoy their stories as much as I have.

Effingham is certainly known for a lot of things..... and local talent should be right at the top of that list.

Our cover story, Dallas McCorkendale is an amazing local musician. Dallas is also a recent graduate of South Effingham High School where he took honors Julie Hales, PUBLISHER as their STAR student this year.

Dallas will be attending Georgia Tech soon on academic\ scholarships, but his love for music will be a part of his life as well. Read the story of this talented jazz musician and see his plans for the future.

We also have a great story about Ebenezer Middle School’s award winning band, along with profiles on two of their students that received some of those top honors, Nate Dickey and Martin Carper. Kenza Murray, Ebenezer Middle Band Director, tells us about all of their achievements.

We also have a story on a very talented Rincon artist, Steve Nisbet. Steve has been called “Rincon’s Very Own Rembrandt.” His beautiful pieces speak for themselves.

We have other great stories as well. I hope you will read every page....you don’t want to miss anything about this array of local talent.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Write to us and tell us what you think. Effingham Magazine welcomes all letters to the editor.

Please send all letters via email to Jeff Whitten at jeff@idpmagazines.com, or mail letters to P.O. Box 1742, Rincon, GA 31326. Letters to the editor must have a phone number and name of contact. Phone numbers will not be published.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Effingham Magazine welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Jeff Whitten at jeff@idpmagazines.com Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Effingham.

June/July 2016

DALLAS

McCorkendale

Jazz On The Side

ABOUT THE COVER Dallas McCorkendale, SEHS Star Student and Gifted Jazz Guitarist Photo by Natalie McAllister

CIRCULATION: Effingham Magazine is publlished bi-monthly (six issues a year), printing 10,000 copies and distributed to over 180 locations.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. www.Effingham

Magazine.com | February/March 2016 07

08 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

Dallas McCorkendale:

Jazz

on the side

D

allas McCorkendale is one of Effingham County’s most gifted students, South Effingham’s STAR student. He will soon begin attending Georgia Tech on academic scholarships to study chemical engineering.

McCorkendale, 18, is also one of the area’s more talented young guitarists, and one who has already played professionally in Savannah and on Hilton Head. Still, one has one’s priorities.

“I think it’s a lot easier to pursue my academic interests and pursue jazz on the side than it would be to pursue jazz full time and pursue chemical engineering on the side,” says McCorkendale, a Governor’s Honors Program finalist in jazz.

That’s right, jazz. Not the Kenny G. “smooth jazz” Muzak that gained popularity in the 90s, but the genuine article, the real thing. We’re talking the music of Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell and Chet Baker, for starters.

McCorkendale, 18, was introduced to jazz by South Effingham assistant band director Michael Nestor about four years ago and the music struck an immediate chord.

“He told me I should listen to Wes Montgomery’s ‘Smoking at the Half Note,’” McCorkendale recalls. “It’s been downhill ever since.”

Given that jazz, widely considered an art, is also just as widely ignored by much of America, the odds were against McCorkendale discovering his passion for the music without Nestor’s suggestion. McCorkendale is just glad it happened.

“I immediately liked it, I felt it,” McCorkendale said. “All of a sudden I was seriously listening to Wes and Miles Davis and John Coltrane and Kenny Burrell and Grant Green, and last summer when I made the Governor’s Honors jazz band I spent a month in Valdosta, that really opened my eyes to a lot of great musicians and there was a lot of broadening of horizons there.”

McCorkendale subsequently was named All State in band, and in February performed with other talented high school musicians under the direction of noted jazz musician Don Braden. There’s video of their performances on Youtube, and

story by jeff whitten photos by natalie mcallister

you can tell McCorkendale knows his way around a six string guitar. But he’s still just scratching the surface of his own ability, in a sense, and is still developing what someday may be known as the Dallas McCorkendale Sound.

“Right now I’m trying to listen to as much as I can and take in as much as I can and then apply what I can,” McCorkendale said. “I think it kind of develops organically over time.”

Not that he lacks confidence. McCorkendale launched a handful of jazz combos in high school, though whether he made new jazz fans is an open question. He, meanwhile, says he doesn’t want to oversell his own ability.

“I’m pretty realistic about what I can and can’t do,” McCorkendale said. “I can play at the professional level, but I’m not some world-class, going-on-a-world-tour jazz musician. I can hang. I can usually pick it up and if I have time to practice on it I feel like I can play it pretty well.”

Jazz is widely considered to be America’s most original art form, but it’s hardly commercial and tends to resonate most with musicians and those who appreciate it as much on an intellectual level as they do emotionally. So why do some like jazz and others avoid it like the plague? What is it about jazz that seems to draw mostly strong reactions? And why is it so popular in Europe but not the United States?

And why is McCorkendale so much a fan of jazz?

“That’s a hard question to answer,” McCorkendale said, then gave it a shot anyway. “I think besides the obvious, which is that it sounds so good, it’s also a very emotional music. Its roots come from the African American community and when it was oppressed, jazz became an artistic outlet and they were able to channel a lot of things through the music. You hear a lot of stories in jazz, a lot of profound emotions, good emotions, bad emotions, regardless of whether you’re a musician or non musician, whether you like jazz or don’t like jazz, I think on that level alone most can appreciate jazz.”

Those who don’t get the music probably don’t spend time listening to it; either that, or they’re introduced to more outthere avant garde jazz, which can sound like so much noise to the novice ear. But some jazz can sound like noise to more www.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 09

“You hear a lot of stories in jazz, a lot of profound emotions, good emotions, bad emotions, regardless of whether you’re a musician or non musician, whether you like jazz or don’t like jazz, I think on that level alone most can appreciate jazz..”

experienced ears, as well.

“At a realistic level, some of it is noise,” McCorkendale says. “You kind of have to suspend your disbelief and find the stories and emotions in it. And, when you listen to that kind of music you have to know it’s something planned out and thought through and there’s a lot of musicianship involved. If you go into it with the attitude it’s just noise or somebody messing around, you’re missing the entire point of the improvisation.”

There are easily around 50 jazz genres, from acid jazz and bebop to cool jazz to Dixieland to European free jazz to jazz rap and jazz blues and jazz rock and orchestral jazz and West Coast jazz, some of it with roots stretching back to the 1920s, others

10 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

of a more recent vintage.

There’s no right kind of jazz, however, though McCorkendale suggests newcomers should probably start by checking out traditional jazz, especially jazz standards from the late 1950s or early 1960s. Listen to music from his influences, which in addition to Montgomery includes Burrell, Davis, Dexter Gorden and McCoy Tyner.

Despite it’s occasional inaccessibility, jazz keeps finding a way to stay relevant locally, thanks to the non-profit Coastal Jazz Association, and find its way on the airwaves. Savannah State University’s FM 90.3 occasionally airs jazz standards and offers a weekly online podcast called Jazzscape, and Savannah has its own jazz festival, now in its 35th year. It will be held

in September and Braden, whom McCorkendale got to work with when he was with All State band earlier this year, will be in the lineup.

By then, McCorkendale will be at Georgia Tech. He’ll still play, though how much will depend on classes. And then there’s what to do after he graduates from Tech armed with the degree in chemical engineering -- unless between now and then he finds another academic discipline more suited to his talents.

But then, he’s only 18. There’s time.

“I’m still kind of figuring that out in a lot of ways,” McCorkendale said. “I definitely don’t want playing music to be my only source of income, I don’t want it to be my career. But I want it to be an active part of my life. I want to be a professional musician without having to do it professionally.”

There’s wisdom there. Wes Montgomery reportedly said that once he felt he was good enough to play professionally, he went on the road with a group. They starved. But Montgomery, one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever, knew what mattered in the end.

“Regardless of what you play, the biggest thing is keeping the feel going,” he said.

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Kenza Murray: Making Memorable Melodies at Ebenezer Middle School

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot be silent.” ~Victor Hugo

T

story by katrice williams photos by natalie mcallister

o most, teachers are an invaluable commodity.

Regardless of their field of expertise, many of them positively impact young lives in countless ways. Kenza Murray moved to Effingham in 2006. She has been the Ebenezer Middle School Band Director for over eight years now. Kenza, a Jesup, Georgia native, lives in the local area, along with her husband Tony and their three-year-old bundle of joy Colton. Interestingly enough, Tony is the band director at Effingham County Middle School. How’s that for beautiful irony?

Kenza’s musical endeavors actually date back to age nine, when she first began piano lessons. She later joined her middle school band, where she played the flute; she continued playing it throughout middle and high school. While in high school, Kenza aspired to be a band director, largely due to a huge inspiration in her life--her high school band director, Ms. Elizabeth Taylor.

Regarding Ms. Taylor, Kenza states, “She really instilled a passion. Ever since high school, it’s what I wanted to do.” She later adds, “Seeing how she impacted so many students in the program had such a positive impact on me. It really just motivated me to do the same thing and help others the way she does.”

Kenza earned her Undergraduate Degree in Music Education from Georgia Southern University and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia. She majored on the flute while in college, as she could major on only one instrument.

Kenza began her teaching career in 2005 at Effingham County High School, where she was a student teacher for the band. She accepted a position as their assistant band director the following school year. Throughout her two-year tenure there, Kenza helped with the Effingham County Middle School and Ebenezer Middle School Band activities as well.

She comments, “As part of my job at the high school, I came, and I helped with the middle school every day. So, that’s when I fell in love with the middle school kids.”

Moreover, after two years at the high school, Kenza was offered the position of band director for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at Ebenezer Middle School.

“Once I got into it, I loved it,” she remarks.

Ebenezer’s Band has several notable accomplishments over the

past few years. Kenza is the director of the entire middle school band, including three grade-level bands (6th, 7th and 8th grade), jazz band and Eagle Winds Honor Band. Both of the latter require auditions as part of an overall selection process. Musicians in either 7th or 8th grade who excel in their class band are able to audition for Eagle Winds, while still remaining in the class band.

Auditions are held once per school year. Eagle Winds normally practice outside of normal school hours, usually on weekday mornings before school. Established only three years ago, Ebenezer’s Eagle Winds has competed at an impressively high level.

For the past two school terms in particular, the band has “earned a lot of accolades” and has been recognized for their phenomenal talent at various competitions and conferences. They were one of only five middle school bands in the state accepted to play at the University of Georgia Middle School Band Festival, which was held in Athens, GA in December 2014. In addition, the band was bestowed the honor of performing at the Georgia Music Educators Association State Conference in Athens in January 2016, an in-service educators’ conference where only three middle school bands from around the state were selected to perform for an array of educators. Also, in March, the band was chosen to exhibit their skills at the Southeastern United States Music for All Festival, which was held in Atlanta and revealed the talents of eight middle school bands from across the Southeastern United States.

What’s more, Eagle Winds accomplished an incredible feat in May by earning the Georgia Music Educators Exemplary Performance Award, an honor given each year to only one middle school and one high school band in the entire state. A large group performance evaluation was done in March, where each band was carefully evaluated for superiority on every level of performance.

A superior rating from four different judges was required. This was in addition to an earlier, extensive application process, where each competing band was evaluated across a variety of categories and achievements, including earning placement into the District Honor Band, the All State Band and earning superior ratings at the Solo and Ensemble Festival. In the end, Kenza was appreciative and flattered for her group to receive such an extraordinary honor. www.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 15

Kenza is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to teach all the kids she has been privileged to instruct over the years.

“I spend three years with the kids; most middle school teachers only spend one.

I watch them grow; watching them grow from 6th to 8th grade is one of coolest experiences for me. They’re a part of my life, and I know I’m a part of their life.

They don’t realize how much they actually bless me through their time there. All the students do wonderful things. I just feel like a proud mom, because even though those are not my children, I love them like they’re my children. I really do care about them,” Kenza says.

As the children go on to begin their high school careers, parting ways is often bitter-sweet, but Kenza is truly proud to see the children grow and accomplish wonderful things.

She mentions, “They become a part of your life, and you’re really sad when it’s time for them to move on.”

Kenza holds the kids’ talents and musical potential in the highest regard and feels that she is merely a means of help along the way.

She insists, “I just like for it to be all about the kids. They’re the ones that have accomplished all of this.”

Further, Kenza likes to play her flute in some of her spare moments. In fact, she really enjoys playing it along with the rest of the orchestra at Rincon First Baptist, her church home.

She states, “I still play my flute every Sunday at church.”

Kenza loves to listen to Christian praise and worship music. One of her favorite groups is Casting Crowns, especially since they sing her favorite song - “Glorious Day.” She is touched by the truth and beauty found within the song and even used it as a lullaby for her son Colton “for about two years straight.”

Kenza states, “For the longest time, every night that I sang my child to sleep, I would sing that song for him.” She laughs and says, “I eventually had to find a new song to sing, because it became too monotonous to sing every night.”

Kenza is pleased to find time to help with the South Effingham High School Mustang’s Marching Band; she assists with the band activities during football season.

Kenza is not sure “what the future holds,” but she is grateful that she can be an instrumental part of the lives of those who are our future. She knows that she has been blessed with the ability to touch a multitude of lives through her gift of music, and she has no plans of taking that for granted.

16 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

Martin Carper & Nathan “Nate” Dickey:

Two Talents…

Sensational Sounds story by katrice williams photos by natalie mcallister

www.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 17

Nathan “Nate” Dickey

N

ate Dickey is excited to begin next school year as a freshman at Effingham County High School, as he just finished up his middle school career at Ebenezer Middle School. Nate and his family have been in the local area since 2008, after moving from Calhoun, Georgia, where he was born.

He has been a skilled, versatile and impressive musician for quite a while now. He learned the piano at a young age, played the recorder in both 4th and 5th grade and is currently a young trumpet aficionado. Nate actually played the trumpet all throughout middle school. He has been musically inspired by several individuals throughout his life.

Nate remarks, “My mom was a pretty big inspiration. She taught me the piano when I was young.” He goes on to mention the gratitude that he has for the South Effingham Middle School Band Director Mr. Agan, who has provided a great amount of assistance with his musical endeavors. He is also thankful for his elementary school teacher Ms. Gonzales, who he feels was a good role model and says “was a very big inspiration.”

He has an enormous amount of appreciation for Mrs. Murray, who he thinks directed the Ebenezer Middle School Band

18 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

in a truly admirable way. Even Nate’s mom Julie speaks of the director’s “humility and meekness” feeling that “without her leadership, the kids would not have excelled.”

Nate auditioned for his school’s Eagle Wind’s Band, along with District Honor Band and All State Band. He was honored to be selected for all of them, as he takes immense pride in striving to consistently perform at very high levels. He feels fortunate that he was able to take part in every major band event that was held. Nate is incredibly grateful for all of his noteworthy accomplishments.

He declares, “They were all really cool.”

He, too, is quite proud of Eagle Wind’s achievement in receiving the Georgia Music Educators Exemplary Performance Award. He knows that it speaks volumes about the type of band that Ebenezer Middle School has.

Nate, like his fellow cohort Martin Carper, was one of the seven rising 9th grade band students selected to be a part of the Effingham County High School Wind Ensemble. He is excited about that and considers it to be an outstanding privilege and honor.

He aspires to obtain a Master of Science Degree in Engineering, as math and science are his favorite subjects. Nate would like to attend a university “with a good band.” That is definitely an achievable feat

for him. He reveals that he is proud to have attained honor roll all throughout middle school and was even selected to be a part of a 10th grade science class, which he also did very well in and was allowed to receive high school credit for.

The apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree. Nate’s dad Brian has also been a skilled trumpet player throughout the years, and if that’s not enough, his paternal granddad Charles Dickey could also deliver some melodious tunes.

Julie, Nate’s mom, smiles and says, “It’s a heritage thing.”

Nate spoke of one very special honor that he was bestowed. He was selected to perform the famous “Taps” song for his middle school on Veteran’s Day. It is a historically ceremonial song, usually played at military funerals and other special armed service memorial events. The song was created to honor the unforgettable sacrifice of United States fallen soldiers. The occasion was quite heartfelt to Nate, because his maternal grandfather Mike Johnson is a Vietnam Veteran who he is very thankful for.

Nate Dickey is a truly gifted young musician and scholar. It is beyond evident that the best is yet to come for this accomplished young man.

Martin Carper

F

ourteen-year-old Martin Carper, an Effingham native, is a rising high school freshman.

Martin just completed his middle school career at Ebenezer Middle School, and he’s looking forward to attending Effingham County High School.

Under the leadership of Mrs. Murray, Martin was a member of the Ebenezer Middle School Band, where he played the trumpet in 6th, 7th and 8th grade. Martin diligently sought to reach new musical heights each year. Mrs. Murray noticed his impressively consistent level of growth and development. He was selected to try out for the school’s special audition-based Eagle Wind’s band, allowing him to perform on an even higher level. Martin attributes a great deal of his success to Mrs. Murray’s extraordinary guidance and leadership.

He asserts, “Mrs. Murray is good about teaching the kids how to do the basics… everything you need to know to do and

get better. If you focus on it and listen to what Mrs. Murray is trying to tell you, then you’ll succeed every time.”

Regarding his participation in the band, Martin states, “It was definitely a major part of middle school…band and academics. These were the two main things I focused on.”

Moreover, he is extremely pleased that Eagle Wind’s received The Georgia Music Educators Exemplary Performance Award, which he knows is a tremendous honor. He feels privileged to have been a part of the exceptional group that earned the award for Ebenezer Middle School.

Martin also found time to play tennis and soccer each year, two sports that he really enjoys; he looks forward to the opportunities offered in high school.

He is grateful for two very special mentors in his life—his mom Pam and dad John. He is truly thankful for their love, guidance and support. He, too, appreciates all the individuals who have supported him

over the years, including Mrs. Murray, his pastor, coaches, teachers and many others.

“My mom and dad were good supporters. Everything I do, there’s always someone to lead me to be the best I can be.” Martin comments.

He is thankful for two great inspirations---his brother Ben and sister Jacalyn.

They were a big reason why he became interested in playing in the band. Ben was a very talented percussionist all throughout high school, and Jacalyn has been a gifted flutist for a long time now.

Martin enjoys spending time at church and is honored to participate in church activities.

His mom Pam affirms, “He’s pretty active in church too. He plays in the orchestra.”

Martin feels that middle school went well; his 6th and 7th grade years were good. Though his 8th grade year was a very busy one, it was undeniably memorable.

He truly enjoys the fact that his class was the “seniors” of the school.

“You’re at the top of the food chain; you’re the big dawgs in the school,” Martin declares.

He talks about some unforgettable experiences during his 8th grade year. He broke his finger right before District Honor Band Tryouts, which were held at Armstrong State University. Here, a select group of young people from all over the district were chosen to audition for an honor band.

Upon selection, they were able to practice together in order to collectively perform in concert. Because of his injured finger, Martin had to wear a cast, which covered his ring and pinky fingers; this could pose a challenge to almost any trumpeter, but Martin triumphed. Thereafter, he participated in All State Band Tryouts held at the University of Georgia, where the best talents in the state were chosen and were able to rehearse together in order to showcase their combined talents. Martin was chosen to be one of those talents.

Further, he was one of seven rising 9th grade band students selected for Effingham County High School’s Wind Ensemble, a top-notch band ensemble that performs at high levels. He looks forward to participating in marching band as well.

Martin aspires to pursue criminal law in the future. He plans to take courses later in high school that will prepare him for that.

Martin Carper is a talented young man with an undeniably bright and promising future. He appreciates all that he has achieved thus far. He plans to continue striving to do his best. Above all, he humbly says that he “gives all the glory to God.” www.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 19

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Magazine.com | June/July 2016 21

Steve Nisbet

Rincon’s Very Own Rembrandt

story by david pena photos by luke smith

22 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

I

n the art world, some iconic names conjure up visions of their masterful works that few artists, if any, could hope to replicate, even after a lifetime of effort. Rembrandt.

Picasso. Pollack. Renoir.... Nisbet? If that last name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you may be familiar with him and his work fairly soon. Steve Nisbet, a forty-eight year old Rincon resident originally from New Zealand, is looking to make his impact upon the art world soon. From vibrating, light-filled passages to richly colored transparent darks, from cascading wet washes to staccato dry brush effects, Steve has attempted all types of mediums and styles of painting. However, his palette took some time to fill.

Born in Perth, Australia but raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Steve enjoyed the beautiful vistas and natural scenes of his native land. In his early days, as he puts it, the only strokes he’d be doing would be in a pool and not on a canvas. “We lived near a large horse and sheep farm, so I spent a large amount of time exploring that,” he recalls. “I was also a competitive swimmer early on and spent morning and night in a pool, with not much time for anything else.” However, that seemed to change when he discovered one relative’s impressive artistic talent. “My grandfather Phil was a clever artist who painted with a passion. He even had a couple of his works exhibited in a museum in New Zealand, and as a child I used to watch him paint. I remember being really fascinated with his talent. He also traveled for months to photograph indigenous scenery that he would ultimately paint at home, which I thought was nice. That’s probably where I developed an interest in art.”

Thus, as Steve entered his teen years, he decided to pursue his love of art in an academic way, or so he thought. “I enrolled in an art class, but after a few weeks my dad convinced me to take a more practical approach, so I quickly changed to mechanical drafting, a specialist profession that concentrates on blueprints of machines and machine components used by engineers, and that’s where I started to understand perspective,” he explains. At the college level, he furthered his studies with computer-aided drafting classes, but always doodled in his spare time. It was around this time that the “traveling bug” bit him hard.

“I was working for an investment company at the time, and I liked it very much, but I had always wanted to see the U.S. My other grandfather is originally from Mississippi and moved to western Australia after the war, so my mother was an automatic U.S. citizen, which would make my move easier,” he reflects.

Steve abruptly told his family at the dinner table one night that he was planning to move to the states, but the news was met with understandable skepticism. About a year later, however, he made it happen and moved to Pensacola Florida. This is not altogether uncommon because, according to Steve, New Zealanders frequently travel abroad and it’s quite common for them to live up to a year or more outside of their country before returning home.

Steve attributes this wanderlust to living in a small, isolated place. “It’s almost expected of the younger generation to want to travel, usually to Europe. In fact, if the company you work for is fairly large, they will frequently save your position, if you’re a valued employee, and welcome you with open arms upon your return.” Must be nice, eh?

Soon after Steve made the move to Florida in 1990, he met his wife of twenty-four years, Janis, who he says has always motivated him to pursue his art. In fact, his ever-present doodling was not something he was conscious of at all; ironically, it was his wife’s interest in his drawings that made him pay attention to it at all. “She’s always been the one that’s encouraged me, taking me to art shows and being supportive of my craft.” Janis and Steve soon found that his artwork proved not only to be an interesting diversion but also a healthy one. “A few years ago, I was having a lot of

severe migraines, and nothing seemed to make them subside. One day we were out, and I decided to buy some paint and brushes.

When we got home, I really didn’t know what I was doing, but I started painting. I went from oils to acrylics to gauche to watercolors, just trying anything. I seemed to stick to watercolors, and I noticed that when I worked on a piece of art, my headaches would go away.” This unexpected health improvement helped validate the money spent on supplies, according to Janis. “When it helped Steve’s headaches, it sort of gave him the freedom to invest in art supplies, which weren’t in our budget at the time,” she says with a laugh.

After the couple moved to Rincon four years ago, Steve began work at a financial investment company, but continues to paint or draw every day after work when he can and on weekends. As he progressed, he drew upon his instruction at school where he first gained an understanding of perspective, which is an illusion of three-dimensions (depth and space) on a two-dimensional, flat surface. He also began to have an understanding on how to create depth in his current art, but he never lost sight of the grandfather who inspired him to first pick up a brush. “Even though he didn’t technically ‘teach’ me anything specific, nor did I ask, it was something that was ingrained in my subconscious, I guess, that I never lost,” he explains. Along with his grandfather, there are two Youtube artists, Sheldene Visagie and Lisa Clough, that also inspire and influence Steve’s current work.

Now primarily working with watercolor, graphite and colored pencils, Steve says he’s really progressed nicely in the short amount of time he’s devoted to his passion. However, it wasn’t always the case with other mediums. “Because of my grandfather, I went straight to oil painting, but that proved to be really messy and it takes forever to dry. My impatience led me to acrylic, but www.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 23

“When I’m drawing or painting, I’m not thinking about anything else. Time really flies by, and I’m just in that moment. It takes my mind away from the rest of the world, not to mention it also helped me with my earlier struggles with migraines,”

a lack of training with it made me quickly move to watercolor, which seems to be the medium I have stuck with, along with colored pencils.” Steve has also progressed to photo realistic painting, a genre in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another medium. Janis has seen quite a difference in the level of the quality of his work as well. “We both thought that the first couple of paintings he did were nice, but where he’s at now is night and day from then. It’s been amazing to see his progression,” she says.

Emboldened by his progress, Steve has begun to display some of his works that are up for sale at The Cottage of Art and Picture Framing. And in the near future, he plans to exhibit and ultimately sell more of his pieces, but he says he’s not in any hurry. For now, it’s a much-needed escape from the daily grind and gives him a peaceful and stress-free outlet for creativity, which he says has been a means to improve his health. “When I’m drawing or

24 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

painting, I’m not thinking about anything else. Time really flies by, and I’m just in that moment. It takes my mind away from the rest of the world, not to mention it also helped me with my earlier struggles with migraines,” he says.

Few artistic professions carry more mystique and romance than that of the painter. We often visit their work in hushed galleries and museums, and read colorful stories about their lives and passions. However, we rarely learn much about what happens “down in the trenches,” or what made them follow their passion and develop it. Steve’s journey to rediscovering his childhood passion is one such story. Through trial and error, he’s learned that what may appear simple in execution can take years to perfect, and this quality often discourages all but those artists like Steve who have the determination and discipline to undertake the challenge of learning to paint.

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Magazine.com | June/July 2016 25

Browher, Scott Serve Rincon

F

story by jeff whitten

ew things are as important in our day to day lives as good local government. City councils, county commissions, planning and zoning boards, all are part of the glue that holds a commumity together.

Without local government, we’d have no local fire protection, police departments, garbage pickup, and in many cases utility services such as water and sewer. That’s why it’s important to have people willing to devote their time and energy to serving the community through local government.

It’s also important that residents know those in office and why they serve. That’s why Effingham Magazine is spotlighting local government officials each issue. Up this issue: Rincon council memberfs Reese Browher and Levi Scott.

My dad and my mom, Betty, are the two people that have had the greatest influence on my life. God has blessed me abundantly in my life, and for that I am truly grateful.

EM: Why did you first run for council?

RB: I decided to run for council because I enjoy people and enjoy being involved in local government.

EM: What are some of the things you feel you’ve helped accomplish while serving?

RB: I was instrumental in working with Councilman Frank Owens to secure funding to completely refurbish Rincon Jaycees Veteran’s Memorial Park, and I worked closely with Councilman Levi Scott in the planning and construction of Peter J. Giles Park.

It is imperative that council sets a budget and policies that not only plan for the present, but also ensures that our future needs are met. There are 435 incorporated cities and towns in Georgia, and Rincon is 1 of only 4 that does not have a property tax. I am very proud of our past and current councils for maintaining this prestigious position since 1998.

EM: What are some of the things you want to see done while you’re on council?

RB: It is my utmost priority to keep Rincon’s mileage rate at zero.

However, the most rewarding aspect of serving on council is being in a position to help citizens with whatever problems or issues they have. I have always and will continue to take each concern/ complaint seriously. I will not promise you a certain outcome, but I promise you I will contact you back and do all that I can to help you. After all, I work for the people and it was them that entrusted me with the privilege to serve on council.

Levi Scott Jr.

Reese Browher

Effingham Magazine: First, please tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

Browher: I have had the honor and privilege of serving on Rincon City Council since 2000. I appreciate the citizens of Rincon allowing me to serve. My wife, Aleece, and I have been married for 10 years and have two beautiful daughters. Ella is 8 years old and Ava is 7 years old. I teach Advanced Placement American Government at my alma mater, Effingham County High School.

In 1998, I earned a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Armstrong State University, and in 2011, I earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Georgia Southern University.

My family moved to Rincon in 1983 when I was 7 years old. My dad, Roger Browher, Jr., served as pastor of Rincon Baptist Temple for nearly 20 years. My family and I still worship there today.

26 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

Effingham Magazine: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

Levi Scott: I was born to the late Levi Scott Sr. and Jessie Mae Gray Scott and raised in Effingham County. I was educated in Effingham County public schools. My wife is Bertha Scott, Staff Development Coordinator at Effingham Health Systems. We have a daughter, Nakia Scott-Norman; a son, Levi A. Scott, and four grandsons, Dashod, Hunter, Tyler and Zack. I am self employed as an Environmental Services Consultant. I am a member of Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church in Rincon, and serve on the Deacon Board.

I have an Ethics in Government certificate from Kerry College of the University of Georgia and certification from the Harold F. Holtz Carl Vinson Municipal Training Institute for Elected Officials at the University of Georgia. I have faithfully served a number of organizations, including the Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Association; the NAACP; Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia; HYPE (Helping Young People Excel); ALM (Association of Linen Management) and I am a member of the Georgia Municipal Association.

I have also served as lieutenent governor of Optimist International Georgia District; as president of the Evening Optimists Club of Springfield; as CEO of Effingham Victim Witness Program and as a member of the Private Industrial Council of Georgia. I

have served on the Effingham Development Authority, the YMCA Board of Directors; as Vice Chairman of the Rincon Planning and Zoning Commission; as a member of the Regional Development Council and as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Rincon. I’m also founder of the Peter J. Giles Community Park.

In my leisure time I enjoy spending time with my family, gardening, reading, traveling, sports and being active.

This is my fifth term on Rincon City Council and it ends in December 2017. It’s a little too soon to tell if I will seek re-election.

EM: Why did you first run for council? What’s kept you running for re-election?

LS: I did not feel like the citizens had a voice to represent them in the direction the city was heading. Realizing the growth potential of our community and encouragement from the citizens has motivated me to continue the challenge. Also, a desire to continue to represent and play a productive part in our community as it strives and continues to grow.

EM: What are some of the things you feel you’ve helped accomplish while serving?

LS: I have helped accomplish better shopping choices within the community, improved recreation for the youth and seniors, improved roads and sidewalks and eliminated property taxes.

EM: What are some of the things you still hope to see done while you’re on council?

LS: I would like to see more family restaurants, places that promote more family activities, increases in shopping choices, an upgrade of older sections of the city infrastructure and drainage. I would also like to see the completion of our sidewalk project.

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One Man BAND

story by david pena photos by luke smith

H

ormone surges. Moodiness. Up and down relationships. All night gaming sessions... Ah, the life of an average teen. They can amazingly make time for television, social media and friends, but not for school. Many typical teens only do the minimum required to get by, flying under the radar of official “trouble” while causing their parents plenty of grief and aggravation. However, eighteen-year-old Aaron Sabo is clearly not your typical teen. Having recently won the Effingham Community Orchestra’s Academic Scholarship Award, Aaron recently discussed his family’s musical legacy, his love for underwater photography, and how he learned to play over thirty musical instruments.

Born in Savannah, but having lived in Rincon since the age of four, Aaron remembers growing up in a home filled with music.

“My mom and dad were always musicians, and they were both in bands when they were younger so music has always been a part of my life, it seems.” As his mother Tami remembers, “My husband and I were professional musicians, and we always had a house filled with music and instruments that Aaron would often fiddle with.” Not surprisingly, when Aaron was around seven years old, his mother attempted to get her son interested in actually taking up the guitar, but to no avail. “I just wasn’t interested at the time,” he recalls. However, his apparent lack of musical appreciation would soon subside with an epiphany three years later. “In about fifth grade, for whatever reason, I told them that I wanted to learn how to play an instrument, so I joined my school band, learning to play saxophone to start with, which I’ve been playing ever since.” Midway through his eighth grade year, Aaron started to play with the Effingham Community Orchestra. Andrea Huff, founder and director of the orchestra, remembers meeting Aaron for the first time. “I have been a music instructor for forty-five years, and occasionally I encounter a rare type of individual like Aaron. We normally do not take people his age (into the orchestra) but we decided to give him a trial run because I felt like he was really very musically inclined from the moment I met and talked with him.” At the onset, however, joining the orchestra was understandably intimidating to the then thirteen-year-old. “It was nerve wracking at first because it was a big group of adults and I was just this little kid,” Aaron states. However, as time progressed, the experience of playing with much more experienced musicians had a great impact on Aaron, according to Huff. “Since then, he has thrived on being part of a group of advanced musicians, absorbing everything.” His mother Tami says the experience has really made a significant impact on the young musician. “He has taken (being in the orchestra) really seriously since he’s always been very serious about his music. Being surrounded by adults, I think, helped because they had the same attitude (toward music) that he did, even at his early age.”

In his junior year of high school, Aaron took off from the public school system to learn at home online, and there was one particular class that was a pivotal turning point to the talented musician. “I was accepted into a music theory class presented through Julliard called the Living Music Class, which really interested me. Honestly, the other classes online didn’t really motivate me; this class was the reason I wanted to do (online classes) so badly. It taught musical composition and chord structures that you don’t learn in band class. It also taught how the key signatures work as well as the majors and minors, all the technical stuff that you don’t usually get taught. It was a really cool learning experience.” Since Aaron was already an

advanced musician, he was allowed to forgo the first course and advance to the highly skilled second course, which dealt more with musical theory. According to Sabo, the Julliard class opened his mind to the possibility of playing other instruments besides the ones he’d already mastered, since it required the students to compose advanced pieces of music that required them. “Since I had to compose for a grade, I really wanted to play the instruments that were part of the composition I was writing. In a roundabout way, that’s how I was introduced to the French horn, trumpet, euphonium (smaller tuba) and some of the others that I now play,” he stated. Additionally, Living Music Class required its students to combine instruments that were in different keys, so the young musician was required to compose intricate works that involved multi-layered sounds. “I tried composing when I was younger, and sometimes it would sound good; most other times it would just end with weird sounds. After taking this class, I now know how to combine harmonies that could eventually work into a composition,” he says proudly. After his online learning was completed, Aaron returned to the public school system for his senior year. “I wanted to return to the marching band since I really missed doing that, as well as the concert season band. Plus, I didn’t want to miss the social experience of being a senior and all of the activities at school,” he adds.

Emboldened by his newly-acquired composing skills, Aaron’s open-minded approach to trying new things was put to use when he was asked by Ms. Huff to play the baritone for the full orchestra because, in his words, they “were missing a lot of low brass stability.” Huff was impressed with his ability to quickly adapt to new instrumentation but not really surprised.

“He’s the type of musician that can take what he’s learned on one instrument and apply it to another one really easily. He’s not discouraged with a musical bump in the road or venturing into unknown territory, and anything you want him to try, he’s willing to do it.” According to Aaron , though, learning how to play a new instrument just comes with the territory of being a musician. He says, “It was fairly easy since the baritone is pretty much the same as a smaller tuba, so it’s been going well.”

Aaron still found time to learn yet another instrument, formally at least. “I started taking piano lessons from Miss Andrea, although I sort of taught myself to play before then. I now play about thirty instruments,” he beams. For his efforts, Aaron received the orchestra’s academic scholarship in April, and this clearly was a point of pride to the young talent. He stated, “It was the best feeling to receive that award. It’s nice to get the validation (from the orchestra) after playing with them for so long, in addition to the money that will help pay for my education.”

While music has been a huge part of Aaron’s life for so long, surprisingly it’s quite a different path than the one he plans to travel in the near future. “I really do want to pursue my dream of being an underwater photographer since I already have my scuba license,” he enthusiastically says. In the fall, Sabo plans to begin his photography associates degree from the New York Institute of Photography. Aaron’s love affiar with the sea began with his first scuba diving course at the ripe old age of twelve, where he was captivated by the beauty of the unknown world of the sea. “I just love the fish, the coral, the depths of the sea, and I developed a passion for it. I watched Animal Planet as a young kid and developed a fascination with the sea and everything in it, so after taking the class I made up my mind to do it.” However, while Aaron does plan to pursue photography as a profeswww.Effingham

Magazine.com | June/July 2016 29

sion, he does stress that music will continue to be a major part of his life. “Underwater photography is something I’d like to make a living at and fall back on, while music is a passion that I’ll always have,” he emphasizes.

While the scholarship money will undoubtedly come in handy as far as Aaron’s photography degree is concerned, ask any parent of a child in school band and they’ll tell you that these days band instruments don’t come cheap. For example, the price for a new trumpet for a beginner is somewhere between $300 and $500, while the price for a beginner’s French horn can vary between $350 and $4000 or more. For someone like Aaron, who can play around thirty instruments, one would think that the Sabo family budget would be busting at the seams trying to keep up with cost of all of his instruments. Not so, says the young talent. “We actually find really good deals on Craigslist. I also love to go to flea markets to find stuff. I’m kind of a collector, and once I find something, I go online to check what it’s worth. In fact, just recently I got a clarinet as a graduation present, and it turned out to be 75

30 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

years old!” Tami says that his love of vintage instruments is no surprise, given his upbringing. “He literally has been surrounded by music and instruments all his life, so it’s a natural progression that he’s collected them. Any vintage instrument sparks his interest,” she explains.

“Aaron is a true musician. Music is innately part of his very being. Regardless of whatever else he may choose to do in his life, at the core of his being he is a musician,” states Andrea Huff about her award-winning pupil. So whether he chooses to snap photos from the dark depths of the sea or play a pitch perfect Brandenburg concerto in some packed concert hall, Aaron Sabo’s future is a sonata waiting to be played. As Tami Sabo expressed about her prodigious son, “He’s just a natural. He doesn’t know any different.” By all accounts, Aaron is truly one of the rare individuals that has been blessed with superior ability as well as the motivation to succeed, so his parents have no need to worry. The Sabo musical legacy is firmly intact and seemingly knows no limitation.

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THOMAS JACKSON: REALISM WITH A

P

Twist

story by cindy burbage

erception of art is in the eye of the beholder. There are various genres of art, but they all follow the same trail of perception-the first gander of the art piece, one’s impression of the art, and finally the inspiration the art delivers to the beholder. At the young age of seventeen, Effingham resident Thomas Jackson, knows how to identify with art and truly appreciate the craft.

This rising senior at Effingham County High School has always had a knack for drawing, but it wasn’t until he was a freshman that his talent was truly revealed. Although his first love was drawing

photos by tonya chester perry

with colored pencils and charcoal pencils, once introduced to water colors and the technique of oil pastel, he found his true calling. The artistry of oil pastel, or sometimes referred to as wax oil crayon, is a painting that can be done on various surfaces. “I prefer textured paper, and I always blend and layer colors”, the blooming artisan confessed. The oil pastel and textured surface give the finished product a more dimensional effect. Anime is also an area in which the adroit craftsman dabbled. This art form is a Japanese form of cartoons, with lively graphics, vivacious characters and fantastical themes. In spite of the attraction to Anime, it is slowly fad-

ing out as an art form.

Thomas’ most desired motif to create is that of the surrealism-a literary and artistic style based on a dreamlike quality of fantasy. He explains, “A realistic look, but the subject matter is fantasy or strange. For example a fish head on a person’s body.”

Studying his art work, the detail is impeccable, a true vision of a surreal situation.

With a roaring fire blazing in the fireplace, a distinguished fox in a grayish-blue suit enjoys his glass of wine while resting in a plush executive chair. The fox takes on characteristics of a man with his facial expressions, down to his monocle. His next piece portrays what appears to be two

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“I would like my art work to inspire people.

Hopefully have people get the same look at art as I have. I see it as something that helps improve other aspects of your life. Such as creativity and in a way, leadership. I have used my art to help others with theirs.”

young boys showing a mischievous grin.

What pops out at the spectator are the fish eyes bulging out of their faces, adding humor to such a sweet image. Respecting the freedom of surreal, Thomas confessed his inspiration for the fantasy, “I can do whatever I want in surrealism.”

Competition is another area the seventeen year old is comfortable. In the earlier part of 2016, Thomas took part in the Georgia Mock Trial Competition. For

36 June/July 2016 | www.Effingham Magazine.Com

more than 28 years, high school students from across the state compete against one another while participating in an imitation court trial. In 1996, the Georgia Mock Trial Competition joined with Savannah College of Art and Design, and SCAD sponsored a court artist, Craig Harding for this prestigious contest. After his untimely death, in 1998 they held their first statewide court artist contest for high school students, respectfully named the Craig Harding

Memorial Court Artist contest. For 2016, representing the 14th region of Savannah, Thomas Jackson brought home the prize.

His prize winning masterpiece was on display in Atlanta. This year has proven to be a productive year for competitions for the adolescent, this summer before entering his last year in high school, he will be participating in the Governor’s Honor Program. He has shown his art work in local art shows, but with the help of his neighbor, one Effingham County landmark spotted his natural talent and chose to display. The gifted artist has produced two postcards for the Salzburger Museum at Ebenezer in Rincon. The first one is a portrayal of the eighteenth century historic Jerusalem Lutheran Church, which he captured true to architectural form. The Salzburger Museum, nestled in the mature hovering Pine trees in the beautiful peaceful Effingham County is the other exhibit.

From as early as his freshman year, Thomas discovered his admiration for art.

He has taken full advantage of the opportunities his school system has offered. The gifted scholar takes his classes serious, participating in Advanced Placement (AP) classes to earn college credits while still in high school. In spite of the demanding work load from the AP classes, Thomas does not feel the strain, maintaining honor roll. “After high school, I plan to apply to Georgia Tech for engineering. I know it’s not art, but I do like to design and would like to get the engineer side of things. I would continue to do art as a hobby,” he related. Managing his scholastic career does not consume all of his time, Thomas also is a member of Art Club and Beta Club at Effingham County High School. “I enjoy the community service projects that my Art teacher, Donna Holder finds for us, which have included painting a mural at the Springfield Animal Shelter, one for McDonald’s and face painting for the Special Olympics.” He also attends Savannah Christian Church Youth group on Wednesday evenings.

With the support of his Dad, Mom and younger brother, Thomas Jackson’s future in art is encouraging. He elaborates, “I would like my art work to inspire people.

Hopefully have people get the same look at art as I have. I see it as something that helps improve other aspects of your life.

Such as creativity and in a way, leadership. I have used my art to help others with theirs.” The abundant talent that this young man possesses is natural, and has been fine-tuned with proper guidance; his skills have kept him focused on his passion, but also kept him humble.

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