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August 2019 • Vol. 22, Number 12
THE OLDEST AND MOST READ ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE IN WNC
FINE ART
Elizabeth Albright “defaces” classical art through reinvention of the past BY STAFF REPORTS • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
tocrats, performers, and farm folk who drink, sing, and cavort. These characters live in a world of romantic historical narratives in her oil paintencounters and lighthearted youthful ings by “defacing” classic art. revelry, all idyllically Elizabeth’s last solo portrayed using passhow, “Noble Beasts,” tels and soft lines. explored the symbolic Although the myth connections between of Dionysus and the historical figures and Rococo art movement animals by transare separated by forming renaissance centuries, conceptually royalty into the animal they are very similar. that best represented So why not marry the them. two and create a new Her next show, “The narrative? Why not Children of Dionysus,” imagine what it would will focus on the more be like if the Dionysus “The Swing” conceptual idea of myth were told in 18th how mythological themes century AD rather than 17th century relate to concepts in classic art. BCE? In France, instead of Greece? For this show, Albright will be Since the beginning of time, transforming the figures in Rococo humans have been telling the same paintings into animals associated stories over and over again. With with the Greek God Dionysus. “The Children of Dionysus,” ElizaWhy Rococo? Why Dionysus? beth hopes to tell another old story In Greek mythology, Dionysus, in a new way. worshiped as early as 1500 BCE, was the God of wine, fertility, ecstasy, and all those other things that IF Elizabeth Albright YOU go along with frivolity and excess. GO Opening Reception for “The Dionysus’ sacred animals were the Children of Dionysus” in the panther, leopard, tiger, bull, horse, ZaPow Gallery Taproom, August 9, goat, donkey, and serpent. from 7-9pm. Free drinks, music, masRococo painting, which originated querade ball, prizes, parlor games, in early 18th century Paris, emand cake (let them eat cake!). The braced similar concepts. The artists show runs from August 9-September focused on pastoral or boudoir 8. For more information, visit Elizabetableaus populated by carefree aristhAlbrightArt.com. Since 2018 Elizabeth Albright has been reinventing mythological and
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ART SHOW
Sculptures by Hoss Haley
North Carolina Sculptor Hoss Haley at the Penland Gallery BY STAFF REPORTS • SPRUCE PINE
When visitors walk into the new exhibition at the Penland Gallery, they may feel a bit overshadowed. The six large steel sculptures by Hoss Haley are almost out of scale with the room, and their complex forms seem precariously balanced—as though they might tumble, roll, or shift at any moment. Titled “Correction Line,” the show runs through September 15 with an opening reception on Saturday, August 3, from 4:30-6:30 PM. The exhibition’s title refers to a land surveyor’s technique that Haley was familiar with from his childhood on a Kansas farm. Beginning in the late 18th century, Midwestern land
was divided into 640-acre squares that did not take into account the curvature of the earth. The solution was to periodically shift the placement of the squares, introducing what was called a “correction line.” Haley remembers this as a feeling that the orderly geometry of his family’s fields did not entirely reflect the shape of the earth. “I had a sense as a child that I was on an orb even though everything around me was flat,” he says. The forms in this show are characterized by planes and straight corners that resolve into sections of spheres, possibly evoking the geometric and geographic tension that was addressed
‘Penland’ continued on page 23
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 3
FINE ART NEWS ‘Icons in Transformation,’ by Ludmila Pawlowska, held over into August BY STAFF REPORTS • WAYNESVILLE
through Wednesday, June 26th. Beginning Saturday, national exhibition June 30th, visitors of paintings and may see the partial sculptural works by installation in the Russian-born artist, church and narthex Ludmila Pawlowska. entry space. These This show, intwo areas contain stalled at Grace the most significant Abstract work Church in the by Ludmila Pawlowska and most dramatic Mountains Waynesville, pieces. This section was initially set to close on June of the exhibit will continue to offer 16, is now extended into August. docent hours through Saturday, The complete exhibit, comprised August 10. . of 152 pieces, is open to visitors, Fifteen special events were held free of charge, on Wednesdays, from April-June to enrich the icons 1-3 pm, and on Saturdays, 2-5 pm, viewing experience. These includ‘Icons in Transformation’ is the inter-
ed lectures, concerts, workshops in art and sacred dance, an icon writing retreat, and special worship services of Evensong and Taizé. One remaining event open to the public will be “A Closing Conversation with the Artist,” on Sunday, August 11, 9:15. Response to the exhibit has been enthusiastic and grateful that the artwork is available for all to experience at no charge. Tours outside of regular docent hours may be arranged by contacting Rob Viau at (478) 456-2844, or Grace Church in the Mountains at (828) 456-6029
INFO
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CONTENTS August 2019 • Volume 22, NO. 12
ON OUR COVER
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Art of the local landscape Into pein air Nature and landscape photography exhibit August 9 NorthLight Studios offers an array of landscape genres Landscape art focusing on color and light — The art of Joyce Schlapkohl
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310 Art: Sisters in the arts
Art Classes Asheville Gallery of Art: “Simple Moment” features the work of Sahar Fakhoury Cover: Revered local artist, Richard Baker, opens Waynesville Gallery Downtown Asheville: Create beautiful realistic folds of clothing with watercolor and finish it with glass Wild About Waynesville Health: Dangers of children re-breaking bones
East End/Valley Street Community Heritage Festival, August 23-25 “Contemplating the Land” Spartanburg artist’s landscape exhibit depict Georgia and the Carolinas AmiciMusic presents “JAZZICAL 5” and “FABULOUS FEMALES” in August ‘Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter)’ playing at 35below August 9-25 Hoot and Holler weave together timeless melodies and virtuosic playing on August 11
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CONTACT US: Rapid River’s Arts and Culture Magazine is a monthly publication in WNC. Mail: 85 N. Main St. Canton NC 28716 Email: Info@rapidrivermagazine.com Phone: (828) 712-4752 • 828-646-0071
www.rapidrivermagazine.com Online NOW
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Bill Walz: Born in a star Summer Reading: Four fantastic books to spend some time with this August Books: Karen Abbott presents ‘Ghosts of Eden Park’ in conversation with Denise Kiernan on August 27 Black Mountain: The Lazybirds and Appalucians, American roots and folk bands, perform live August 3 Rapid River Magazine’s Comics Summer Art: Local artist group meets for weekly “paint-outs”
*Red # Landscape Art in WNC Publisher/Layout and Design/Editor: Dennis Ray
“RIdge Line” oil 11 x 14 by Richard Baker
NorthLight Studios offers an array of landscape genres
NEXT MONTH
COLUMNS / DEPARTMENTS
ART AND MORE FEATURES
Detail of the painting “Swimming Hole” oil 16 x 20 by Richard Baker
Distribution: Dennis Ray/Rick Hills Marketing: Dennis Ray/Rick Hills ADVERTISING SALES: Downtown Asheville and other areas — Dennis Ray (828) 712-4752 Dining Guide, Hendersonville, Waynesville — Rick Hills (828) 452-0228 rick@rapidrivermagazine.com
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“Contemplating the Land” depicting Georgia and the Carolinas
SERPTEMBER 2019 EXPLORING LIGHT AND COLOR THROUGH ART! FEATURING JOYCE SCHLAPKOHL All Materials contained herein are owned and copyrighted © by Rapid River’s Arts & Culture Magazine and the individual contributors unless otherwise stated. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rapid River’s Arts and Culture Magazine or the advertisers herein. © ‘Rapid River’s Arts & Culture Magazine’ August 2019 • Vol. 22, No. 12
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 5
RAD FINE ART Art of the local landscape
BY STAFF REPORTS • RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, ASHEVILLE Artists in the River Arts District cannot deny the influence of the local landscapes. From foggy morning vistas, urban scenes to dramatic panaromatic views of mountain ridges seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway, the local environment influences the art. From realism to abstraction, the majesty of the mountains and the colorful urbanscapes influences the art created here. Open 7 days a week, with a free trolley on the Second Saturday of each month. Some of the artists had a few words to say about it.
memory, and spark the imagination. LYNDA SONDLES, ECO-DEPOT MARKETPLACE “View from Mount Mitchell NC” Ever since I moved to by Lynda Sondles North Carolina I have been fascinated and inspired by the vistas on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I can’t get enough of them. And so I try to make quilts that reflect the changing light and color.
NADINE CHARLSEN, 310 BEN HAMBURGER, ART AT RIVERRIVERVIEW STATION, VIEW STATION STUDIO 280 I paint watercolor When painting, I engage landscapes, trains in a dialogue with the and industry. The constantly changing en“RAD Roundabout,” 22x30 by Nadine Charlsen RAD Roundabout vironment, making decisions (now gone) is a about how to translate it onto watercolor from a photo I took in the River Arts District. canvas. Throughout the process, I love the moods of my senses become place, time of day and heightened and I betime of year. Winter come aware of subtle always reveals more of colors, the shift of light, the landscape and the shadows, and even lives we live within it. sounds and smells. CINDY LOU CHENARD, 362 DEPOT STREET STUDIOS “Craggy Spring Rhododendrons I try to portray what I 3D-139,” Acrylic on Layers of Wood by Cindy Lou Chenard see in simple lines, and in soft and bold colors. I create my dimensional landscapes by using layers of wood which I paint in the colors of the mountains and sunsets/sunrises. Viewers of my landscapes often say “It is so peaceful and calming and yet vibrant!” CHERYL KEEFER, 310 ART AT RIVERVIEW STATION Rainy days inspire me - a lady walking with a colorful umbrella, the moist reflection of a streetlight, the mood created by a misty afternoon. Each painting is a story intended to appeal to the emotions “Rainscape,” oil, by Cheryl Keefer of the viewer, conjure a
“Winter Reflections,” 36x48 inches by Ben Hamburger
FLETA MONAGHAN, 310 ART AT RIVERVIEW STATION I grab onto color combinations and shapes and sail away in my “Mountain Fusion,” oil 36x36, by Fleta Monaghan imagination into a fantasy place of mystery, secret doorways and dreamy urban scenes. Is it a doorway in the sky or a trick of the light? You can make of it what you see in your own imagination. Everything I see goes into landscape paintings in some way. PHIL DEANGELO, WEDGE BUILDING, 1ST FLOOR “Last of Light” was inspired by my drive “Last of Light,” Acrylic, by home through the Phil DeAngelo Leicester countryside where the Blue Ridge mountains provide a breathtaking backdrop for
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RAD FINE ART old family farms. CLAUDIA MOORE FIELD, MOUNTAIN ROOTS STUDIO, ECO DEPOT MARKETPLACE #100 Using wire and metal I recreate the beauty of the “Windblown,” wire, by trees and the animals that Claudia Moore Field are here in my own backyard. My work is representative of the flora and fauna that I see all around me everyday here in WNC. ERIN KEANE, 310 ART, RIVERVIEW STATION My adventures in hiking, canoeing, camping, creek stomping, star gazing, and porch sitting become embedded personally into my imagery. “Harness the Sun,” encaustic, 25.5x25.5 inches, by Erin Peter Roux, Riverview Station Keane Studio #265 I love creating spaces, and the local landscape of the area lends so much inspiration and reference- mountains, dramatic cloud formations, even quiet spaces by the French Broad. I often find these quiet and hidden spaces to be the most compelling- they have an intimacy and specificity to them that is of endless fascination to me. SUSAN SINYAI, 310 ART AT RIVERVIEW STATION These landscapes represent for me the subtle and transcendent beauty of ev“Streaks of Light,” oil, 9x12 inches, by Susan Sinyai eryday scenes – those that we walk or ride by that may appear so ordinary and unassuming, but that are transformed into something of splendor for that short moment of perfect light. My hope is that my visual interpretations can bring joy and a sense of serenity, make our fast-paced and tumultuous world small and comfortable, if even for a moment. WENDY WHITSON, NORTHLIGHT STUDIOS, 357 DEPOT ST. I have many favorite spots which I have painted numerous times; vistas on the parkway, hiking trails, a creek at Biltmore, a curvy road at Penland. They feel like old friends to me now. Though the subject
matter - the “bones” of the painting are similar, the time of day, the season, and the technique I use create an entirely unique impression. MARK BETTIS, MARK BETTIS STUDIO & GALLERY, WEDGE BUILDING When I do landscapes, I don’t do realism, but instead try and incorporate textural elements and movement into my paintings, creating a form of ‘abstracted realism’.
“Santeetlah View,” 42x60 inches by Mark Bettis
DENISE MARKBREIT, 310 ART AND STUDIO 216 AT RIVERVIEW STATION Working in watercolor monotype allows me to be spontaneous and “Sunrise over the Mountains,” 12x8 explorative of the by Denise Markbreit glorious surrounding landscapes. The monotype process allows me to rework, overlap and make changes to the lightest prints and create variants on the original artwork. CINDY WALTON, WEDGE SECOND FLOOR AND 310 ART My works are abstracted interpretations of the nature of my youth: the springs
“Mountain View,” 6x6 inches, oil and cold wax on panel, by Cindy Walton
of Florida, the rivers we tubed, Gulf Hammocks I hiked, and tidaly pools I explored. Now I incorporate these memories and the mountain environments I am still discovering.
“Distant Rain,” by Wendy Whitson
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FINE ART
A SVFAL member capturing a forest path for a future Red Houuse Studio & Gallery art show in Black Mountian.
Water is especially hard to capture with the ever-changing sunlight
Into pein air
BY CANDY BEARMAN • WNC
Drive along any of our winding mountain roads after sundown, and you’ll see specks of golds and silver flashes: lights, fireflies everywhere. Twilight, that stack of sleepy minutes that welcome all sorts of magic, is the best time to catch the fireflies in their energetic glory. Sparks of light here! There! With the shapely outlines of looming hills fading, and the rhododendron blossoms appearing only as shades of muddied white, the fireflies become brilliant. They swirl in preparation for their hovering dance, navigating bushes, and trees, grasses, leaves. It seems they embody nature’s great beauty secret: it’s all about finding the right light. At twilight plein air painters begin packing up their tools for the day, rhythmically folding canvases, coercing creaky traveling easels back into accordioned blocks of wood. For them too, it’s all about romancing the elusive “right light.” And mostly, save the brave few souls who challenge moonlight, plein air painting requires the sun playing along too. “Plein air” is a French term that translates to “open-air.” In much the same vein as the meandering driver exploring a countryside at different times of day, a plein air painter aims to capture the ever-evolving light of the sun and how it bounces and plays on what’s being painted.
That light also transforms the physical canvas. Shapes, shadows, colors, dimensions shift endlessly under ever-changing light conditions. The images that result from this style of creation are as vast as one can imagine. New colors are created and meld before your eyes when the sun takes a break. Grass that was shadowed and deep green is suddenly a blanket of medium-toned blue-green rolled out under a passing cloud. Plein air artists are adventurers of the purest sort. Imagine packing up shop, or studio as it were, and heading out into the field — no neat washbasins with running water, no desks or tilting tabletops designed for drafting. Hidden old barns or even petting zoos can be rendered brightly and convey a sunnier emotional quality when the painter is sitting right there. It takes courage and a healthy dose of confidence to challenge cloud cover, reflections, wind, passing cars, birds- life itself, for an artist. The studio can be a space of refinement and control, while the good old outdoors always offers an adventurous array of circumstances. I’ve found myself saying the hell with it all- changing a stoic tree study into a finger painting, heading home with something more fit for refrigerator
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continued next page
FINE ART Nature and landscape photography exhibit Aug. 9 BY STAFF REPORTS • SYLVA
She has furthered her education by going to workshops, including a photography workshop at the PenTaking after her father, who land School of Craft. loves nature photography, Corbin Corbin enjoys taking always knew the career path she pictures of nature and wanted. While pursuing a degree Nature photography by Tia Corbin objects but has phofrom Southwestern Community tographed weddings and College in Advertising and Graphic Design, she portraits. She enjoys traveling and has traveled took a few photography classes and immediateto Europe and plans to take photos around the ly fell in love with the art. She received several world. She currently works at Western Carolina awards for her signs and ads for the community. University using her graphic arts and photograShe graduated from Southwestern Community phy skills. Corbin resides in Sylva, but her goal is College with an Associate Degree in May 2018. Corbin works with a variety of cameras, includ- to move to the western part of the U.S. Born and raised in Sylva, N.C., Tia Corbin, since a very young age, enjoyed experimenting with cameras.
ing those that need a dark room to process film. As much as she loves digital photography, she will always admire the process of developing in a dark room.
hanging than framing and stained green fingers to boot. The plein air artist wrangles one of life’s greatest truisms- maybe there is no “perfect,” no “right.” Perhaps the beauty is inaptly representing the landscapes of our surroundings as they are: ever-changing, often equally gloomy, then bright. It’s interesting to think that the modernization of materials, tubes for paint, for example, allowed plein air painters to get up and out, shaping the serene, outdoor work of French expressionists. Before supplies were made to travel, artists used what was close by. Think of the dark still-life scenes of old master’s work, think of the portraits deep in dense jeweled toned color, with what luminosity being expressed being that of the skin, coming from within. Now think dreamy light-filled landscapes and rolling countryside scenes, with fresh flowers and thatched happy roofs. Think ponds of light reflections, light lavenders, and peppy blues, and you’ll begin to see in your
Reception for show that will be housed August 9th through the end of September. Opening — August 9 with a reception beginning at 5 pm. 604 West Main St., Sylva.
IF YOU GO
mind’s eye the unique qualities embodied by the early plein air painters. The first schools of plein air painter’s work serve as proof that a dose of nature and sunshine can boost creativity in all types of artistic expression. If packing up paints isn’t your thing, try a good hillside yodel. Take a deep breath of our fresh mountain air. Notice how the light flashes all around you. Feel the deep scarlet blindfold of sunshine on your eyelids when you close them. Take a friend, hold hands, watch the water change, and flow. And remember, if you’re a real trooper, hang out until dusk when the fireflies come out. Take in as much of summer as you can, because before long it too fades. Captured only by those who wandered into plein air.
INFO
Combining color and whimsy in painting and writing, Candy Bearman is a smiling member of the Swannanoa Valley Fine Art League.
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 9
310 ART Sisters in the arts
BY FLETA MONAGHAN AND SARAH ROLLAND • RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, ASHEVILLE
Fleta Monaghan (painter and owner of 310 ART) and Sarah Wells Rolland (potter and owner of The Village Potters) are true sisters in the arts. Two of seven siblings, they were even born on the same day a few years apart. Today they run neighboring studios at Riverview Station. Here are a few tips they have for being a successful and thriving artist. 1) Make the Best Art You Can: Always be on a path of learning and experimentation. Keep your message and point of view clear. Become best friends with your materials. Learn from and gain inspiration from mentors and colleagues. Strive to make your work unique
2) Act Your Wage: If your lifestyle exceeds your income, you will not even be surviving. Be frugal and invest in your art career first. Only borrow toward the growth of your art business, not to sustain it and certainly not for a lifestyle above your means. 3) Be Prepared: You always want to be prepared, so you do not miss opportunities. Make a list of all the things you need to present yourself to the world as a professional artist. Bio, resume, web site, social media activity, and photos of your work are just some of the practical Pottery by Sarah Wells Rolland ‘must-haves’ on the list. 4) Dream Big and Make a Plan: When you dream big, it is both exciting and terrifying, so do it even if you are scared. Be open to change, as nothing ever works out as planned. Practice patience. You cannot do it all at once. Choose what is important to you now and always keep the task of making the art priority number one. 5) Get Your Art Out There: Find every opportunity to show your work and let it be seen! Enter juried shows, group shows, make your shows with friends! Think Sarah Wells Rolland outside the usually perceived models of how
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S h o p , L e a r n , E x p l o r e . . . E v e r y d a y , A l l Ye a r R o u n d an art career develops. Today artists are making their opportunities so be creative. 6) Create Strong Contacts: Nurture your friendships and contribute to the strong community of artists and patrons around you. Share and be generous, and others will give to you in return. There is no such thing as being “self-employed.” You work for your clients, exhibitors, teachers, collectors, students, mentors, and others who provide you with support and livelihood. 7) Listen to Others: Take every opportunity to get to know your collectors and those who might support you and your life’s mission. If you are genuinely interested in your patrons and possible collectors, they will be interested in you right back. Remember that the relationship between artist “Shadowland”-portrait of the and collector is artist by Fleta Monaghan 20x16
‘Sisters’ continued on page 23
Classes at 310 ART
Fleta Monaghan
310 ART AT RIVERVIEW STATION
Marvelous Mondays with Lorelle and Nadine
Beginner and Up! Open art studios Mondays with instructor to guide you - start and continue year round in our Monday classes, 9:30-12:30pm and 1-4pm. Come the dates that work for you! See 310art.com for schedule and sign up. Beginners welcomed!
Workshops: Coming Soon Wire Wrapped Jewelry - Aug 8
Nature Printing and Encaustic _ Aug 10,11 Take the Fear out of Watercolor - Aug 24 Bind Your Beeswax, Sept 14, 15 Eco Printing 2 day - Sept 21, 22
Don’t be Afraid of the Dark, watercolor Sept 28
Most or all materials are provided in our workshops! 2019 Workshops now online at 310art.com Classes for adults at 310 ART, 191 Lyman Street, #310, Asheville, NC 28801
www.310art.com gallery@310art.com (828)776-2716 Adult classes, beginner and up, most materials provided. Register online or at the studio. VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 11
RAD ART
NorthLight Studios offers an array of landscape genres BY WENDY WHITSON • RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, ASHEVILLE
keen discernment in her landscape paintings. “In my landscapes, I seek to convey a feeling of the vastness and drama of nature. While the scenes are not specific, they evoke a sense of the familiar.”
NorthLight Studios
is home to six artists, five of whom create
landscape paintings,
among other genres.
All have their particular slant, both in their view of the
world and their technique.
Sandy Lear “Beach House,” 30x30
Sandy Lear, whose work is primarily abstract expressionism, also ventures into the world of landscapes. These colorful and rhythmic efforts take on a certain enchanting vibration. She builds up, then removes layers and adds bursts of shapes and color. Living in the Great Smokey Mountains, she is continuously inspired by her natural surroundings. Bill George, who is a master of portraiture and still life (including a passion for Bill George “Approaching vintage cars), is at home Storm,” 48x36 painting large canvases depicting the weather. His painting, called “Approaching Storm,” illustrates our vulnerability to severe weather and the increasing number of storms due to climate change. Bernadette St. Pierre-George, whose still-lifes and florals create a real sense of serenity, also portrays a
Bernadette St.Pierre-George “Appalachian Green,” Oil on canvas
Nan Davis is inspired by dark and light, color, and texture, which are the elements of her landscape paintings. She wants to create a painting that draws you in to look closely and see the mystery of its creation. The Nan Davis “Have You Seen the Sun?” 36x46 WNC mountain location and nature inspires many of her paintings. Wendy Whitson, whose landscapes are both atmospheric and transitional, is focused on conveying the essence of a landscape while eliminating much of its detail. She is particularly interested in the development Wendy Whitson “Blue Ridge of a composition; Morning,” 36x36 how does the viewer enter the canvas and explore? She is continually inspired by living in WNC, and from growing up in and visiting coastal Carolina. IF YOU GO
NorthLight Studios 357 Depot St, Asheville (828) 423-4567 www.northlightstudiosasheville.com
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FINE ART
“Monet Inspiration” 24x30
“Autumn Reflections” 18x24.
“Summer Window”
Landscape art focusing on color and light BY JOYCE SCHLAPKOHL • WNC
Living in WNC lends itself to seeing and painting our natural world. There is an abundance of subjects that I paint, including cloudscapes, flowers, mountains, streams, animals, and so much more. Every scene is inspiring and motivational, and I want to paint it all. For many years, I painted and taught watercolor. After moving to NC 20 years ago, I felt the need to capture my interests in oil in a realistic
painterly manner. In both mediums, I strive for a strong focal point, light, and robust design. The gift of painting continues to amaze and excite me for which I am so forever grateful. For information regarding bookings, purchases, workshops and exhibits email: joyce@ joycepaints.com • joycepaints.com. Her work can be seen at Seven Sisters, Twigs and Leaves, and Asheville Gallery of Art. IF YOU GO
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 13
Asheville’s Longest Established Fine Art Gallery with 31 Regional Artists
Asheville Gallery of Art 's August Artist
“Shadows,” oil on canvas, 16 x 16” by Sahar Fakhoury
“Beautiful Morning,” oil on canvas, 12”x12” by Sahar Fakhoury
“At the Window,” oil on Canvas, 12 x 12” by Sahar Fakhoury
“Simple Moment” features the work of Sahar Fakhoury BY STAFF REPORTS • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
why the moment took place.” The majority of Fakhoury’s subjects are people she encounters on the street or by chance. “Sometimes, I look for people because I have a certain idea in mind; at other times, I see a person who inspires an idea for a painting.” “I am interested in and fascinated with the She portrays human figure to record figures in motion or the history of a moment. Moving figures represent the instability simple positions. “To In this series of new me, moving figures of our lives. We are always changing works, I explore the art represent the instaof portrait with a twist. I directions. — Sahar Fakhoury bility of our lives. We infuse the paintings with are always changing vivid light and color, but directions. We might still, maintain the likeness and essence of the subjects that I paint. I take my move to another city or country, change jobs, or experience a sudden change in our health.” subjects out of the original context, leaving room Fakhoury has lived in the Asheville area for 29 for the viewer’s imagination to interpret where and years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Asheville Gallery of Art’s August show, “Simple Moment,” features the work of Sahar Fakhoury, whose paintings strike a pleasing balance between the classical and the contemporary in depicting the human condition.
“
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UNC Asheville and has exhibited her work in solo and group shows throughout the United States and abroad. Her work hangs in both public and private collections around the world. She also teaches oil painting in her studio in Asheville’s River Arts District. Asheville Gallery of Art For further information about this show, contact Asheville Gallery of Art at (828) 251-5796, visit the gallery website at www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com, or go to the gallery Facebook page. The show runs August 1-31 during gallery hours, 11-6 pm Monday — Saturday and 11-4 pm Sunday. A reception for the artist will be held August 2, from 5-8 pm at the gallery, 82 Patton Avenue. IF YOU GO
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A u g u s t ' s C ove r A r t i s t — R i c h a rd B a ke r
“Mount Lyn Lorwry” oil 30 x 40
“Swimming Hole” oil 16 x 20
Revered local artist, Richard Baker, opens Waynesville Gallery BY STAFF REPORTS • WAYNESVILLE
Artist Richard Baker recently opened the Balsam Ridge Gallery in downtown Waynesville and has begun filling its 1700 square feet with the Southern Appalachian landscapes for which he is well-known in WNC and beyond. Haywood County’s backroads, the Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway are among Baker’s favorite places to paint. He likes to say he’s painting his “backyard.” A recent series depicts the highest peaks in Western North Carolina, including Mount Mitchell, Clingmans Dome, and Waterrock Knob. “The older I get, the more I want to paint exactly what I see,” Baker says. “I guess you could
call my style more Mountains. He paints mainly painterly realism.” He in oils. His influences include and a group of friends the Hudson River School, get out every TuesCalifornia Impressionism and day morning for plein contemporary artists of the air painting sessions American West like Clyde Asat Haywood’s many pevig and Matt Smith. scenic spots. Artists A self-taught artist, Baker, interested in coming has painted all of his life. He along on the outis humbled, he says, at the ings are welcome to thought of his paintings going “Hot Springs” 11 x 14 oil contact Baker for more all over the US and overseas. “It’s information. an honor that people will hang my paintings in Baker is known for his realistic paintings of waterways and atmosphere in the Blue Ridge ‘Baker’ continued on page 19
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 15
More of what Makes Asheville Special: Dining • Shopping • Galleries • Music • Fun
Downtown Asheville
Create beautiful realistic folds of clothing with watercolor and finish it with glass BY STAFF REPORTS • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
beautiful realistic folds of clothing with watercolor, finishing it with glass. Her artwork is exhibited across the US, Lebanon, Italy, Canada, and Greece. She is the winner of Oueijan is a fine artist working in five public art projects in the City of Santa mosaics, watercolors and oils. Cruz, Temecula, on five locations in the Oueijan has received numerous City of Temple City, Bellflower, and recently international art awards (the installed Bob Bartlett Memorial sculpture most recent being her Temple Work by Carole Choucair for the City of Monrovia. Over the last five City Public Art Project which Oueijan years, Oueijan has taught classes around the was awarded “Best Site-Specifworld. She is a sought-expert teacher, and ic Mosaic,” from the Society of her workshops fill quickly. Join her this SeptemAmerican Mosaic Artists in 2017). Oueijan’s mober 27-29. saics have a “painterly” mosaic style that seamPopular mosaic artist, Laura Rendlen, returns lessly blends realism with abstraction. October 26-27, with her new workshop, “Don’t Under her direction, create
LO CO CA LO L R
Carole Choucair Oueijan will be here for a three-day immersion into Mosaic Drapery.
Be Afraid of the Dark.” Open to all levels, this class discusses color theory, dimension, light and dark, all without using black. Traditional and contemporary Andamento in concert with color theory concepts is explored using glass or smalti. Linda Pannullo has a new workshop, Lazy Susan Mosaic workshop Sept. 14-15 — a great class for beginners to learn the basics and create a FUNctional piece of art. All workshops are held at Majik Studios; please register at lindapannullomosaics.com and contact Linda Pannullo (828) 337-6749 if you need more information.
IF YOU GO
WORD DEFINITION:
ANDAMENTO IS THE VISUAL FLOW AND DIRECTION WITHIN A MOSAIC PRODUCED BY THE PLACEMENT OF ROWS OF TESSERAE.
FINE JEWELRY & DESIGN STUDIO
828-254-5088 63 Haywood St. Downtown Asheville www.jewelsthatdance.com
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Downtown Asheville
East End/Valley Street Community Heritage Festival, August 23-25 toric Valley Street) to MLK Park. The 2019 East End/ East End/Valley Valley Street Street Comis Asheville’s munity HeriCourtesy of the East End/Valley oldest Afritage Festival Street Neighborhood Association can-Amerwill take place August 23-25 in MLK Park in ican neighborhood. An alcohol free, family friendly Asheville. festival. Come celebrate with There will be live music, us. Everyone is welcome. vendors, food trucks, and “Unity in Community!”
a children’s area. Hours are The Community Heritage Festival Parade and Car Show on MLK Drive starts at 11am on Saturday from South Charlotte Street (His-
Heritage Festival Friday, August 23, 69pm, Saturday, August 24, 10- 9pm, and Sunday, August 25, 10-6pm. IF YOU GO
VOL. 22, NO. 12 — AUGUST 2019 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 17
WILD ABOUT WAYNESVILLE
Handcrafted greeting cards workshop Make your greeting cards. These all oc-
* Extra Virgin Olive Oils * White & Dark Balsamic Vinegar * Infused Olive Oils * Specialty Oil & Vinegar * Bread Dip Seasonings * Specialty Salts & Rubs * Seasonings * Handcrafted Pottery
224 Branner Ave. Waynesville, N.C. 828-246-6868 www.cornerstationoliveoil.com
casion greeting cards are handcrafted with a desired crafted look.
The print plates are designed by the artist and can be used many times with varied results depending on the colors chosen and the pressure application.
The class is led by Betina Morgan, BFA, Gallery Coordinator for the Haywood County Arts Council. Betina’s paintings are on display for sale the ‘Gallery & Gifts’ of the Arts Council, as well as the Stecoah Valley Center for the Arts, and the Fig Tree in Waynesville. Monday, August 12, 2-4:30 pm, First Baptist Church, 100 S. Main St., Waynesville. $35 includes all supplies. Contact Char at (828) 456-9197 or charspaintings@msn.com to register or for more information. INFO
Support Clean / recyclable Newsprint
Simple, delicious food with vegetarian options, Craft beer on draft, great wines, kids menu, to go menu, daily specials.
112374 7376 Firefly 18 01 17
We’re bringing brunch downtown! Sundays 10:30 til 2:00. Open daily except Wednesdays 11:30-9:00 454-5400 128 N Main Street, Downtown Waynesville
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WILD ABOUT WAYNESVILLE Anna Thibeault is Haywood County’s 2019 Volunteer of the Year BY STAFF REPORTS • WAYNESVILLE
Anna Thibeault comes from a family of talented visual artists but decided early on that she would pursue a different artistic endeavor.
After a brief interest in the drum, she settled on flute in middle school, and that decision led her to a highly successful and rewarding musical career. She has earned her living teaching flute to university students while often performing with such notable cultural institutions as the Atlanta Symphony, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, the English Symphony Orchestra, and others. Despite maintaining a busy professional schedule, she found time
to create and direct the Wildacres Flute Retreat in Little Switzerland, NC. Anna currently lives in Maggie Valley with her novelist husband and a clutch of cats. As advocates for the latter, she and her husband often volunteer at FUR (Feline Anna Thibeault Urgent Rescue). For some time now, Anna has also been devoting considerable time to the Haywood County Arts Council. Her hours spent as a docent in Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery as well as her work on Council events and special projects are many and noteworthy. In recognition of her dedication and contribution to the HCAC, Anna was recognized as “2019
Docent of the Year” at the Council’s annual meeting in July of this year. Kudos to Anna for her significant contribution to another successful year for the Haywood County Arts Council! About the Haywood County Arts Council The Haywood County Arts Council is a non-profit agency that serves all artists and arts organizations in Haywood County. As an affiliate of the North Carolina Arts Council, the Haywood County Arts Council seeks to fulfill its mission to build partnerships that promote art and artists, explore new cultural opportunities, and preserve mountain artistic heritage. Visit the Haywood County Arts Council and its Gallery & Gifts located at 86 N. Main Street in Waynesville. For more information, call (828) 452-0593, email info@haywoodarts.org, or visit HaywoodArts.org.
INFO
‘Baker’ continued from page 15 their home or collections,” he says. He welcomes commissioned works of favorite properties and views. Visitors are welcome to drop by Balsam Ridge Gallery where they will find Baker painting every day. “There’s something so special about standing on top of these mountains and painting these views,” he says.
To learn more, visit BalsamRidgeGallery.com or call (828) 234-1616. Find Baker on Facebook and Instagram @BalsamRidgeGallery. Balsam Ridge Gallery is located at 44 North Main St in Waynesville and is open every day from 11-6 pm. INFO
HART presents the side-splitting comedy “A Facility for Living” opening August 2 BY STAFF REPORTS • WAYNESVILLE
Nest.” When a new resident arrives and shakes things up, this band of misfits hatch an outrageous plan to break all the rules and in the process rediscover purpose and dignity in the face of a system stacked against them.
This comedy is set in the not so distant future when the health care system has fallen apart.
For the residents of Federal Nursing Home #273, every day is a monotonous cycle of pills, old Ronald Reagan movies, and mandatory bedtimes all overseen by the killjoy head nurse. If it sounds familiar, the show is billed as “The Golden Girls” meets “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s
A Facility for Living August 2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 at 7:30 pm and August 4, 11, and 18 at 2 pm. HART (828) 456-6322, TuesSat. 1-5pm. 250 Pigeon St. in Waynesville. IF YOU GO
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DANGERS OF CHILDREN RE-BREAKING BONES Mark sat on the examining table, his broken cast on his arm cradled in his lap. His mother sat in a rigid, straight-backed chair, her face full of anxiety and discomfort, not so much by the chair as by her son’s carelessness and her negligence. Dr. Surratt entered ER Room #10, chart in hand, obviously busy and in a hurry to deal with the next case. “So, what have we here? A broken cast? Hmmm. I understood you had a broken arm.” “That was two weeks ago,” Mark said, holding up his left arm and cast with his right hand. “Hmmm.” Dr. Surratt flipped back through the chart until he found the ER record from two weeks ago. “So, you did.” He read the few lines on the chart. “Motocross injury . . . Colles’ fracture of the radius, left wrist, cast in a good position.” He put down the chart. “So, what happened?” “He went riding again with his friends – out behind our barn.” His mother twisted uncomfortably on her rigid chair. Dr. Surratt looked from the mother to the young patient for any signs of understanding as to how dangerous this little adventure could have been.
— Photo by Séan Gorman “I didn’t think it would hurt anything, seeing as how it had been two weeks already,” she said. “Besides, there’s a cast on my arm – to hold everything together, right?” Mark was more de-
Your Health
By Max Hammonds, MD
termined than his mother to defend his choice to go riding with his friends. Dr. Surratt punched a few buttons on his I-pad and blue-toothed to the TV screen on the wall. Today’s x-ray with the broken cast and the x-ray from two weeks ago were displayed side by side. “The good news and the bad news – actually not so bad,” he said. “In your x-ray from two weeks ago – the fracture of your arm is in a good position, which is why they were able to cast it without surgery. In the x-ray from today, you can see the cloudiness surrounding the area of the fracture – we call it a “callous” – which indicates the bone is beginning to heal. The good news is that the fracture is still in a good position. It’s good news because – if it had moved if you had broken the callous with your little episode, we would have had to do surgery to put it back in place.” Mother caught her breath at the thought, and Mark visibly drew his arm closer to his body. “The not-so-bad news – it takes six weeks to heal a fracture. It takes six weeks for the body to heal itself from almost every injury.” Dr. Surratt turned a severe eye toward Mark. “Six weeks,” he repeated, “before you can ride again.
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‘Health’ continued on page 29
BORN IN A STAR
ZEN PHILOSOPHY WITH BILL WALZ
“Like vanishing dew, a passing apparition or the sudden flash of lightning — already gone — thus should one regard one’s self.” —Ikkyu The Japanese Zen monk and poet, Ikkyu, wrote these words nearly six centuries ago; his intent, generally considered to be the extolling of selflessness and focusing our minds upon the impermanence of all things, including ourselves. Yet there is another, and perhaps even deeper, insight to be had in the recognition that just as these images represent manifestations of Nature, so too, we are manifestations of Nature, perhaps with more substance than dew, but still, just as the dew consists of atoms of hydrogen and oxygen combined to create water, we too are essentially a combination of atoms – all born billions of years ago in the furnace of a far-off star. Just as the flash of lightening is a discharge of energy when atmospheric conditions are conducive, so too, we are energy discharged into the world because conditions are conducive for this combination of atoms to be breathed with life into the creation of a person – and in the vastness of the Universe, a single human life is no more than a passing apparition, a flash of lightning – and yet – an expression of the totality of the Universe, just as is the flash of lightning. It took the Universe over 14 billion years to create human life, an absolute miracle of an evolutionary process of increasing complexification occurring within a unified organism. For instance, when we look at our own hand, we are looking at a miracle of evolution. That our thumb sits in an opposed position to our fingers is a truly remarkable advancement in biological technology, allowing for a level of manual dexterity possessed only by creatures of the primate family that includes humans. That we can consider the implications and importance of this opposable-thumbed hand is an even greater evolutionary triumph by the Universe, the sole domain of the species hominid, for the cerebral cortex of a human with its trillions of neurons and connecting pathways is the most complex organization of biological matter allowing for the most complex and advanced awareness and creative relationship with our world of any creature on Earth. Yet, this complexity and dexterity of hand and mind seems to be working against the flourishing of life on our world. Some have come to view humanity almost as a devolutionary and destructive force, like a highly advanced virus infecting the organism that is the planet, killing off the intricate web of life-forms necessary for the Earth to be healthy and support life. The question is – is this so, or is this really only a phase in a larger process? Could it be that this perfect and balanced Universe created an imperfect and unbalanced being, or is a larger view
needed to make sense of this? It cannot be denied that humanity and all life on this planet is suffering because modern civilization lives from a dysfunctional view of humanity’s place within the Universe. The evolution of the human species has led to what amounts to a geologic force such as no other animal could possibly pose. Humanity is now capable of altering the conditions on this planet so as to diminish the possibilities for the continuation of the flourishing of the vast diversity of life that co-inhabits this planet with humans. Our civilization and way of life face an existential threat such as has never been seen before as we are confronted by twin catastrophic possibilities of a nuclear wasteland caused by war and environmental catastrophe caused by our consumer-materialism style of living and relationship (or non-relationship) with Nature. Could humanity be but a passing apparition in the life of the Universe, the 350,000 years of Homo sapiens life on this planet being no more than a flash in the 14+ billion years life of the Universe? Yet, born in the stars, actually born with the Universe itself in a pinprick flash of unfathomably dense photonic energy that expanded into the totality of the Universe, first as hydrogen and helium atoms, and then into dense hydrogen/helium clouds that condensed into stars and then into the entire spectrum of atoms formed in the fire of these stars that then exploded into the vastness to form the material for planets and moons and comets and meteors and all forms, including life-forms on the planet Earth that then evolved into human beings. In a very real sense, we could consider that our existence is as old as the Universe; that we have always been - for the totality of the Universe is present in the atoms and molecules and cells of these human bodies. In this expandingly intricate dance of evolution of over 14+ billion years, the result of joining atoms in ever more elaborate combination has all led to this most complex of all things, the human brain. And along with this complexification of matter, there has evolved through this human species increasingly complex systems of understanding of the nature of the Universe and humanity’s place within it from ancient mythic representations to modern scientific understandings. We have evolved cosmologies from nature-based representations of Spirit manifesting Life, through pantheisms of human-like gods, through medieval notions of a human and Earth-centered Universe with God-the-creator in Heaven (which despite a vague sense of evolution and a solar system and galaxy based universe, largely remains the modern common person’s underlying experiential belief) to astronomical, quantum and field theoretical physics, which now see a vast integrated Universe in which
the properties of consciousness can be found operating at the sub-atomic level everywhere. Astonishingly, the mystery of consciousness is being found at the very foundational level of all matter, pervading the Universe, with immense implications for human relationship to the entire Universe. In these new models, which intriguingly mirror ancient mythic cosmologies, the question becomes vivid - where do we actually begin as conscious beings and where do we end? Is there actually a continuity of consciousness existence that transcends a physical life-span, for just as physical matter-energy cannot die, only recombine, could this be true for consciousness-energy as well? The ancients answered, “Yes,” and we now, as modern science-based rational beings, have to give this possibility real consideration. In shifting our focus from an anthropocentric view based on individual lives that come and go, to a view centered on the Universe itself in which we are a continuation of a billions-of-years process of increasing complexification of matter and consciousness in a Universe that seems to be intent on creative realization of itself, bridging the gulf of the manifested world of matter with the unmanifested world of consciousness, our current seemingly purposeless individual and collective lives take on a cosmic purpose. To view each human life as an evolving organism within the evolving human species organism that is an integral expression of the evolving organism that is the planet Earth that is an integral expression of the evolving Universe, is to give new and vital perspective to this human expression. We have labored for centuries with the delusional cosmology that we humans, as we are, represent the final expression of Creation, whether Divine or Natural, and this view carries with it a karmic consequence of exactly the kind of cataclysmic destiny we are currently shaping. But – what if we adopt a new cosmology based in our new sciences that sees and experiences our individual existences as enfolded within larger and larger macro-existences? And what if we come to understand the human species as continually evolving, much like an individual human evolves through developmental stages of life, and we can identify that the current egocentric, materialistic human culture, deficient in empathy and compassion, stumbling self-indulgently through existence without much thought to the consequences of this behavior can be seen to be very similar to the way an early adolescent human behaves and views themselves in the world? What if we could see that our true task as individuals and as a species is to evolve into our adult stage as responsible co-creators with the Universe? As we look at our current circumstance and appropri-
‘Walz’ continued on page 23
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ART EVENT “Contemplating the Land” Spartanburg artist’s landscape exhibit depicts Georgia and the Carolinas BY STEVE WONG • SPARTANBURG, S.C.
Carol Story’s love of nature will be on display in her solo art exhibition Contemplating the Land at West Main Artists Co-op in Spartanburg, S.C., August 6-31. The representational oil paintings of landscapes in Georgia and the Carolinas will be free for public viewing Monday-Saturday, 10 am until 4 pm. Also, she will have a free and public reception on Thursday, August 15, 5 - 9 pm, during the city’s monthly ArtWalk. “This collection of landscapes marries my enjoyment of the painting experience and my love for the out-of-doors,” the Co-op member said. “Many of these works are representative of my ramblings in Georgia, North, and South Carolina — even our own Spartanburg County. Others are from travels further afield. Whether riotous color or subtlety of shadow, the variety of beauty and insights to be learned from the land, sea, and sky are like no other inspiration to me.” Painting is a relatively new pursuit for the career teacher, writer, and community service volunteer. The Georgia native is over 70 years old and has lived in Spartanburg for nearly 40 years. As the wife of a retired cardiologist, most of her life was focused on her family of three children and now eight grandchildren. It wasn’t until her “grandmother years” that she began to take art classes and produce her representational paintings. Professionally, she was a school teacher. “While my father headed art departments at two Georgia colleges, my genes never prompted any pursuit of art myself until a few years ago. In the past ten years, I have taken oil painting classes at Spartanburg Art Museum and workshops with various artists, including plein air painter Jim
Carson in Saluda, N.C.,” she said. “I have been a member of West Main Artist Co-op in Spartanburg for nearly four years and have a studio
“something familiar — hopefully something that resonates with a memory, an emotion, or their imagination — an appreciation of natural landscapes and even the natural qualities reflected in man-made creation.” Most of the paintings of various sizes will be for sale, ranging in price $200 to $400. Story recently won a second-place award in the current Cherokee County Alliance of Visual Arts Show for her painting “Goats at Play.” “As a life-long student of the spoken and written word, it is both a joy and a challenge to represent these landscapes in a visual language by Paintings by Carol Story contemplating the created work of God there for displaying my work. I am blessed by the or constructed work of man,” Story said. “Seeing encouragement of this generous community of first and then seeking to capture the movement artists and appreciate the opportunity to grow in of clouds, reflections on water, or a palette of my craft and to exhibit there. colors, I strive to communicate truth and beauty “Being able to exhibit at the Co-op is a buckto each viewer, however differently. I hope to et-list ambition fulfilled,” she continued. “As arouse emotion, elicit a memory, or challenge members, we have such great exposure, espeone’s imagination.” cially for someone like me, who still considers West Main Artists Co-op usually has three art herself somewhat of a novice. I am able, not only exhibitions each month, showcasing the work to have a one-woman show but to rent studio of its members and guest artists. It is one of space, which displays some-20 of my paintings Spartanburg’s leading nonprofit art agencies, all the time. with more than 50 members, of which about “I have spent my life teaching something to 30 have studios in what was once a three-story someone: public school elementary and middle Baptist church on West Main Street. Most of the grades, Girl Scout leader, and 25-plus years members are visual artists, both 2-D, and 3-D. leading and teaching Bible studies, Story said. However, some are performing artists. The build“I have served on several boards in the Spartaning also houses a ceramics studio, a printery, burg community and volunteered, as well. While three galleries, two performance stages, and a I love to paint and would like to paint more, it two-room gift shop. takes a back seat to my family.” Her work is usually considered to be represenThe Co-op has the most extensive collecWHEN YOU tational, and this exhibit is in keeping with her tion of locally made art that is continually GO established style. “This work is still in my wheelchanging and is available Tuesday-Saturhouse of representational painting, but some are day, 10 - 4 pm. For more information, please visit a bit looser than previous work,” she said. She online: WestMainArtists.org. 578 West Main St., hopes when people see her exhibit they will find Spartanburg, SC 29301 • (864) 804 - 6501
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CONTINUED ‘Sisters’ continued from page 11 a true collaboration. Both of you together sustain and honor the importance of art in our culture. 8) Go to Work: You must practice discipline. Create a work schedule and then follow it. Plan your work schedule carefully and reasonably. Make to-do lists. Reserve time to create and schedule it in your daily planner. Teach your friends and family that your work time is very precious. Turn off the phone, walk away from the computer, set aside time to work in solitude. 9) Have Fun: Remember to rest and play. You can turn some areas that you might dread into fun. Are you
shy and have trouble speaking in public? If so, nurture an inner performer. You want to be remembered. Develop your authentic style, practice talking to your clients until it feels natural, and step out of your shell a little if you are uncomfortable in crowds. 10) Kick the inner critic out the door: Nothing can defeat you more than fear. Everyone starts at the beginning, and everyone is working from one day to the next. Keep at it. Be tenacious and don’t give up. If you have a setback, a show where nothing sells, a day where nothing you paint
or carve or design is successful, then start fresh the next day with wild optimism. See the work of Fleta Monaghan and Sarah Rolland at their studios at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman St #310, Asheville, NC 28801. Check out their education venues. Opened seven days a week! 310art.com and thevillagepotters. com • Studio #310 and #180 (both ground floor neighboring studios)
WHEN YOU GO
‘Walz’ continued from page 21 ately ask - Could humanity be a mistake? - Could we not see that just as a world of only thirteen-year-olds would make no sense, the world we shape now with much the same egocentricity and callousness of a thirteen-year-old requires our collective growing up to begin to make sense? Born in the stars, journeying for billions of years, matter and consciousness evolving with a destiny to reflect and manifest the perfect harmony that all the Universe expresses, can we not see our existence in this way and take responsibility for our place among the stars on this beautiful and unique planet where the Universe has brought together a collection of
atoms in a most propitious environment for life to flourish? Born in the stars, can we take our place among the stars as mature tenders of a beautiful and abundant expression of the Universe’s evolution? Yes, like dew, our individual lives pass like apparitions in the vast unfolding of the Universe – yet – in ways we are only beginning to comprehend, the matter and consciousness that combine to create this one human life has always been, and so, will also always be, journeying in co-creation with the Universe. Perhaps, “Thus should one regard one’s self.”
Bill Walz has taught meditation and mindfulness in university and public forums and is a private-practice meditation teacher and guide for individuals in mindfulness, personal growth and consciousness. Information on classes, talks, personal growth and healing instruction, or phone consultations at (828)258-3241, e-mail at healing@billwalz.com Learn more, see past columns, video and audio programs at www.billwalz.com
‘Penland’ continued from page 3 by the correction lines. Haley’s farm roots also connect directly to his choice of material. Steel is ubiquitous on a farm, and farm steel is always rusting and being repaired. Early in life, Haley developed a facility for working with the material, and he has retained a lifelong love for the aesthetic of rust. This aesthetic and a remarkable level of skill are both evident in the pieces in this show, all of which Haley and his assistant fabricated in his Mitchell County studio. Although these pieces are large for a gallery exhibition, they are not the largest that Haley has executed during his more than 20 years working in North Carolina. He designed and built the beautiful fountain in Asheville’s Pack Square, and he has created enormous public works for Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte Area Transit
System, and the Charlotte Douglas Airport. His work is also in the collections of the Asheville Art Museum, the Mint Museum, and North Carolina State University. He has had a long relationship with Penland School of Craft as a resident artist and instructor. Also currently on view at the Penland Gallery is a show of contemporary jewelry made from a variety of materials. Around the building are outdoor sculptures by ceramic artist Catherine White and steel sculptor Daniel T. Beck and an interactive mixed-media installation by Jeff Goodman. The Penland Gallery and Visitors Center is located at Penland School of Craft on Conley Ridge Road, just off Penland Road in Mitchell County (near the town of Spruce Pine). It is the first building on the right as you enter
WHEN YOU GO
the Penland campus. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10-5 pm and Sunday, Noon-5 pm; it is closed on Mondays. (828) 765-6211 • penland.org/gallery. Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Located in Western North Carolina, Penland offers workshops in books and paper, clay, drawing and painting, glass, iron, metals, printmaking and letterpress, photography, textiles, and wood. The school also sponsors artists’ residencies, an outreach program, and a gallery and visitors center. Penland is a nonprofit, tax-exempt institution which receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. More information at penland.org.
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BOOKS Four fantastic books to spend some time with this August EDITED AND COMPILED BY DENNIS RAY • USA
AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING by Hank Green In his wildly entertaining debut novel, Hank Green—cocreator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow—spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she’s part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined. Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship—like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor—April and her best friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world—from Beijing to Buenos Aires—and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. And all eyes are on April to figure out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us. Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring for the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye. The beginning of an exciting fiction career, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a bold and insightful novel of now.
AMERICA’S RELUCTANT PRINCE by Steven M. Gillon A major new biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. from a leading historian who was also a close friend, America’s Reluctant Prince is a deeply researched, personal, surprising, and revealing portrait of the Kennedy heir the world lost too soon. Through the lens of their decades-long friendship and including exclusive interviews and details from previously classified documents, noted historian and New York Times bestselling author Steven M. Gillon examines John F. Kennedy Jr.’s life and legacy from before his birth to the day he died. Gillon covers the highs, the lows, and the surprising incidents, viewpoints, and relationships that John never discussed publicly, revealing the full story behind JFK Jr.’s complicated and rich life. In the end, Gillon proves that John’s life was far more than another tragedy—rather, it’s the true key to understanding both the Kennedy legacy and how America’s First Family continues to shape the world we live in today. THE LOOMING TOWER by Lawrence Wright The bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the history of 9/11: the basis for the original Hulu series starring Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, Jeff Daniels, and Tahar Rahim. A gripping narrative that spans five decades, The Looming Tower explains in unprecedented detail the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, the rise of al-Qaeda, and the intelligence failures that culminated in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Lawrence Wright re-creates firsthand the transformation of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri from incompetent and idealistic soldiers in Afghanistan to leaders of the most
successful terrorist group in history. He follows FBI counterterrorism chief John O’Neill as he uncovers the emerging danger from al-Qaeda in the 1990s and struggles to track this new threat. Packed with detailed information and a deep historical perspective, The Looming Tower is the definitive history of the long road to 9/11. THEME MUSIC by T. Marie Vandelly An utterly propulsive and unpredictable psychological thriller from stunning new talent T. Marie Vandelly. She didn’t run from her dark past. She moved in. For the lucky among us, life is what you make of it; but for Dixie Wheeler, the theme music for her story was chosen by another long ago, on the day her father butchered her mother and brothers and then slashed a knife across his own throat. Only one-year-old Dixie was spared, becoming infamously known as Baby Blue for the song left playing in the aftermath of the slaughter. Twenty-five years later, Dixie is still desperate for a connection to the family she can’t remember. So when her childhood home goes up for sale, Dixie sets aside all reason and moves in. But as the ghosts of her family seemingly begin to take up residence in the house that was once theirs, Dixie starts to question her own sanity and wonders if the evil force menacing her is that of her father or a demon of her own making. In order to make sense of her present, Dixie becomes determined to unravel the truth of her past and seeks out the detective who originally investigated the murders. But the more she learns, the more she opens up the uncomfortable possibility that the sins of her father may belong to another. As bodies begin to pile up around her, Dixie must find a way to expose the lunacy behind her family’s massacre to save her few loved ones that are still alive—and whatever scrap of sanity she has left.
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BOOKS
Karen Abbott presents ‘Ghosts of Eden Park’ in conversation with Denise Kiernan on August 27 BY STAFF REPORTS • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
The epic true crime story of the most successful bootlegger in
American history and the murder that shocked the nation. In the early days of Prohibition, long before Al Capone became a household name, a German immigrant named George Remus quits practicing law and starts trafficking whiskey. Within two years he’s a multi-millionaire. The press calls him King of the Bootleggers, writing breathless stories about the Gatsby-Esque events he and his glamorous second wife, Imogene, host at their Cincinnati mansion, with party favors ranging from diamond jewelry for the men to brand-new Pontiacs for the women. By the summer of 1921, Remus owns 35 percent of all the liquor in the U.S. Pioneering prosecutor Mabel Walker Willebrandt is determined to bring him down. Willebrand’s bosses at the Justice Department hired her right out of law school, assuming shed pose no real threat to the cozy relationship they maintain with Remus. Eager to prove them wrong, she dispatches her best investigator, Franklin Dodge, to look into his empire. It’s a decision with deadly consequences. With the fledgling FBI on the case, Remus is quickly imprisoned for violating the Volstead Act. Her husband behind bars, Imogene begins an affair with Dodge. Together, they plot to ruin Remus, sparking
a bitter feud that soon reaches the highest levels of government and that can only end in murder. Combining in-depth historical research with novelistic flair, The Ghosts of Eden Park is the unforgettable, stranger-than-fiction story of a rags-to-riches entrepreneur and a long-forgotten heroine, of the excesses and absurdities of the Jazz Age, and the infinite human capacity to deceive. ABOUT KAREN ABBOTT Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of SIN IN THE SECOND CITY, AMERICAN ROSE, and LIAR TEMPTRESS SOLDIER SPY named one of the best books of 2014 by Library Journal and the Christian Science Monitor. She has written for newyorker.com, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Salon and other publications. A native of Philadelphia, she now lives in New York City. ABOUT DENISE KIERNAN Denise Kiernan is an author, journalist, and producer. Her latest book, The Last Castle (Sept. 2017), was an instant New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback and was also a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Her previous title, The Girls of Atomic City, is a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and NPR bestseller and has been published in
seven languages. She lives in N.C. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND. This speakeasy-style event starts at 6:30 pm. Little Jumbo opens at 4 pm. Attendees who are not already Little Jumbo members will need to pay Little Jumbo’s one-time membership fee of $1 on-site. To expedite check-in and new memberships, you will be asked for your address, name, and phone number when registering. Little Jumbo provides FREE PARKING in their lot at the corner of Broadway and Monroe. www.littlejumbobar.com for more information about the venue and parking. Ghosts of Eden Park will be released on August 6. Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café ask that you purchase books you want to be signed at this event at Malaprop’s. Copies may be pre-ordered or purchased at the store, by phone (828) 254-6734, or malaprops.com before the event. Books will also be sold on-site at Little Jumbo on August 27. WHEN YOU GO
Coming in Sept. In The Falls of the Wyona by David Brendan Hopes, four friends growing up on the banks of a wild Appalachian river just after WWII discover, almost at the same time, the dangerous, alluring Falls and the perils of their own maturing hearts.
AUGUST 2019
PARTIAL LISTING
We host numerous Readings & Book clubs, as well as Salons! Visit www.malaprops.com
READINGS & BOOK SIGNINGS
L. Chance Shiver presents ‘Oberlin’s Anomaly,’ in conversation with Tommy Hays — 08/05 - 6pm
Christina Proenza-Coles presents ‘American Founders: How People of African Descent Established Freedom in the New World’ - 08/08 - 6pm Bill Mills presents ‘Losing My Religion: A Memoir of Faith and Finding’ — 08/20 - 6:00 Eugen Bacon presents ‘Claiming T-Mo,’ in conversation with Alexandra Duncan — 08/22- 6pm David Joy presents ‘Gather at the River’ — 08/25 - 3pm Rosemary Poole-Carter presents ‘Only Charlotte’ with The Montford Park Players 08/26 - 6pm Karen Abbott presents ‘The Ghosts of Eden Park,’ in conversation with Denise Kiernan at Little Jumbo 08/27 - 6:30pm
55 Haywood St.
(828) 254-6734 • 800-441-9829 Monday-Saturday 9AM to 9PM Sunday 9AM to 7PM
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe 9/12, 6pm
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The Lazybirds and Appalucians, American roots and folk bands, perform live August 3 BY STAFF REPORTS • BLACK MOUNTAIN
Formed in 1996, the Lazybirds quartet, began by immersing into
the old forgotten styles of blues, jazz, country, and ragtime that
had been the soundtrack of the
American underground several decades earlier.
The band quickly developed a reputation in the High Country for playing the music that touches people at their core in a way that hearkens back to a time when music was more closely intertwined with nature. The band has created a sound that is all their own, at once familiar and original. Loyal fans have danced through two decades with the group at bars, festivals, and parties across the southeast. Specializing in good-time music that is just about impossible not to move to, there is also a
The Lazybirds
depth to the band that faithful fans have treasured over the years. According to the legendary Doc Watson, “Lazybirds play a good variety of blues, jazz, and that good old ragtime sound, and you will hear the flavor of that in anything they play.”
The band emerged when Jay Brown and James T. Browne (they played acoustic blues and folk together in high school in Birmingham, Ala.,) moved up to Boone, N.C. where they became immersed in the rich musical heritage of the Appalachians. At the same time, they dove deeper into blues and jazz. Today, the band also features Asheville musicians Don Rawson (bass and shouts), Brad Pope (tenor guitar and mandolin) and Rupert Oysler (harmonica). Lazybirds have played top festivals across the southeast, including Merlefest, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, LEAF, Birmingham City Stages, and Belle Chere. They have shared the stage with their friends The Old Crow Medicine Show and Doc Watson, as well as The Avett Brothers, Merle Sanders, and Vassar Clemmens. The Appalucians feature spirited songwriting, sublime harmonies, and a layered interplay
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PERFORMANCE AmiciMusic presents “JAZZICAL 5” and “FABULOUS FEMALES” in August BY STAFF REPORTS • BLACK MOUNTAIN
AmiciMusic, the award-winning chamber music organization dedicated to performing great music in intimate spaces, will present a fantastic weekend of
music on the first weekend of
August.
AmiciMusic, meaning “music among friends,” seeks to break down barriers between performers and audience through brief discussions of each composer on their programs. AmiciMusic also strives to have a relaxed and informal atmosphere at concerts to highlight the spirit between dobro, guitars, harmonica, and banjo. The band is the musical union of two couples: Jay Brown (of the Lazybirds, guitar/vocals/harmonica) and Aditi Sethi (bass/vocals) and Angie Heimann (guitar/vocals/banjo) and Cas Sochacki (dobro/vocals) who met at their kids’ preschool, gradually realized their seemingly cosmic musical alignment, and decided they better start a band. Their debut album Bright Hills (recorded at Higher Ground Studio in Birmingham, Ala., released in early summer 2018), has flavors of mountain folk, 70’s folk-rock, and barroom twang, and reached the Top-10 on the NACC Folk Album chart in 2018. All members of the Appalucians have endured the deaths of dear friends and bandmates in their musical pasts, which informs the depth of their performance in songs like “Rhythm in the Wind,” “Hailbop” and “Summerlawn.” The band’s
of community and camaraderie. AmiciMusic will present “JAZZICAL 5” on Friday, August 2 at 7:30 pm at White Horse Black Mountain and on Sunday, August 4 at 2 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Asheville. This program features the exciting crossover music of Claude Bolling with a beautiful mixture of classical and jazz. The featured artists are Timothy Schwarz on violin, Daniel Weiser on piano, Craig Sandberg on bass, and Justin Watt on Timothy Schwarz on violin percussion. They will perform Bolling’s Violin Suite for violin and jazz piano trio as well as a virtuosic arrangement of Bernstein’s West Side Story. sillier side is expressed in off-the-cuff witty stage banter, and funny songs like “Don’t Bother Me,” a song for parents of young children, penned by Sochacki. The Appalucians toured California and Alaska in the summer of 2018 to celebrate the release of their debut album Bright Hills. “Bright Hills, the debut album from Asheville-based folk quartet The Appalucians, reveals a charming and close-knit vibe within seconds of its opening track,” wrote Bill Kopp of the MountainXpress. “Two of the group members — bassist/harpist Aditi Sethi and guitarist Angie Heimann — engage in a dual-lead harmony vocal on ‘Bloom in the Seed.’ ….But as fine and note-perfect as the playing is throughout Bright Hills, it’s the vocal blend that is most likely to win the hearts and minds of listeners. Bright Hills is a strong debut, one that effectively showcases the strengths of the quartet.
Pianist and Artistic Director Daniel Weiser will also perform a special solo House Concert called “FABULOUS FEMALES” on Saturday, August 3 at 2 pm at a home at the Givens Estates. This concert is open to the public and features some wonderful piano music composed by female composers including Amy Beach, Florence Price, Cecile Chaminade, Louise Farrenc, and more. Dr. Weiser will also talk about the composers and the numerous difficulties they encountered in trying to get their music heard in public.
AmiciMusic For more information about “JAZZICAL 5” or to buy seats in advance, visit: amicimusic. org/concert/jazzical-5/ Limited Seating for “FABULOUS FEMALES” and reservations are required by visiting: amicimusic. org/concert/fabulous-females/ IF YOU GO
White Horse Black Mountain (105 Montreat Rd.) is a 215-seat music and arts venue that has staged more than 2,500 concerts and other events during its 10-year history. It offers stateof-the-art sound, cabaret-style (table) seating, and bar/concession area that serves beer, wine, Kombucha, soft drinks, and snacks. The Lazybirds and Appalucians, two classic American roots and folk bands from the mountains of North Carolina, will showcase their extraordinary talents in a super-charged Appalachian double bill at White Horse Black Mountain on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 8 pm. Tickets are priced at $12 in advance and $15 the day of the event. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to www.whitehorseblackmountain.com or call (828) 669-0816.
IF YOU GO
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AUGUST THEATER ‘Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter)’ playing at 35below August 9-25 BY STAFF REPORTS • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
land (Book), and Gary William Friedman (arrangements and additional music), Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter), published by Tams-Witmark, enjoyed a successful Off-Broadway Premiere at the York Theatre 2013-2014 starring Stevie Holland and directed by TONY-Winner Richard Maltby, Jr., and returned to the Triad Theater for a special limited engagement October 2018. Misty Theisen will direct the musical. Theisen says, “This show brings all the Cole Porter melodies you know and love through the voice of Linda Lee Porter, a voice of truth, and courage, and inspiration. I am very lucky to work with the ever-talented Karen and Bob on this amazing project and bring these powerful moments to ACT’s 35below.” Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter) is the final show of ACT’s popular 35below season and runs August 9-25, 2019. This 70-minute musical is appropriate for all audiences. The black box theatre holds only 40 seats, so reservations are strongly encouraged.
Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter) is a one-woman musical about Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who married – and was a driving force behind – legendary songwriter Cole Porter. Though Cole Porter was gay, their companionship and love lasted through 35 years of marriage and a spectacular, glamor-filled life. With innovative arrangements, the timeless music and lyrics of Cole Porter weave through the compelling narrative of Love, Linda, examining the darker sides of their life, while also celebrating the deep love that blossomed through their unconventional relationship. In this show, Linda Lee Thomas (Mrs. Cole Porter) candidly recounts through song and story her life’s journey with Cole Porter. In the course of the show, Linda takes us behind the glitter of their sensational social life, sharing intimate, and at times heartbreaking moments, such as the dashed dreams of having a child, Cole’s occasional hurtful sexual escapades, his crippling horse accident and her own failing health. To quote Linda from the show, their journey together was far from “a picture-perfect postcard,” but by the end of her story, she has definitively made the case that “just because a love between two people may be difficult to define, that doesn’t mean it didn’t exist.” Musical numbers, cleverly taken out of their original context, include the hits “So In Love,” “I Love Paris,” “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Night and Day,” and “Wunderbar,” plus lesser-known gems like “When A Woman’s In Love.” Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter) is a tour de force one-woman show that highlights the range of its dynamic star. “It has been a thrill
35below Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter) For tickets or information about Asheville Community Theatre, please visit www.ashevilletheatre. org. Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter) is directed by Misty Theisen and stars local favorite Karen Covington-Yow (Linda) accompanied by the jazz piano stylings of Bob Strain. The show opens Friday, August 9, and runs through Sunday, August 25 with performances Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 pm. Tickets are available online at www.ashevilletheatre. org, over the phone at (828) 254-1320, or in person at the Asheville Community Theatre Box Office. All tickets are $25. IF YOU GO
Starring Karen Covington-Yow; Music by Bob Strain
to learn more about the unique woman behind the inimitable Cole Porter,” said Karen Covington-Yow, playing the role of Linda. “Linda Porter was loving, strong, smart, and the muse for some of the most endearing songs ever written. I am honored to take you on this journey of love through story and song.” With Cole Porter (Music/Lyrics), Stevie Hol-
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Hoot and Holler weave together timeless melodies and virtuosic playing on August 11 BY STAFF REPORTS • WEST ASHEVILLE
Brought together by a mutual love for American folk music, Amy Alvey (fiddle, guitar) and Mark Kilianski (guitar, banjo) have been entertaining audiences all over the
U.S. with their tight duo sound since 2013.
They call themselves Hoot and Holler as a nod to the “hootenanny” song gatherings during the folk revival of the 1960s, while also hinting at the infectious energy that occurs during a barn dance in the south. After cutting their teeth in Boston’s burgeoning roots music scene for two and a half years, they could not help but heed the call of the open road, and spent the better part of 2016 touring nationally while living in their camper van “Irene.” Ever inspired by the enduring spirit of traditional Appalachian mountain music, they now call Asheville, North Carolina their home. Their songwriting comes across as simple, honest, and fresh to the ears. Both are Berklee College of Music alumni, and the listener can expect the polished technique of conservatory training, in tandem with the
grit, drive, and soul of musicians like Roscoe Holcomb or Ola Belle Reed. Hoot and Holler have shared a bill with the notable acts: Ricky Skaggs, Michael Daves, Red Tail Ring, The Revelers, The BrothHot and Holler er Brothers, The Steel Wheels, Tatiana Hargreaves, Roochie Toochie and The Ragtime Shepherd Kings, Charm City Junction, Twisted Pine, and Lula Wiles.
PERFORMANCE
“The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust
Isis Music Hall presents: Hoot and Holler 743 Haywood Rd, Asheville • (828) 575-2737 • August 11 • Doors 5pm, show 7:30pm • $15 www.hootandhollermusic.com • isisasheville.com
IF YOU GO
‘Health’ continued from page 20 “Furthermore, if you displace it badly, it could be permanently crooked when it heals.” “How do I know?” Dr. Surratt held up his right arm as he pulled back the sleeve of his lab coat. Mark saw the slight deviation, the minor crookedness of Dr. Surratt’s limb at the wrist. “I was a motocross rider when I was your age. Did pretty well until I broke my arm in two places – and then broke it again when I rode without permission three weeks later. I was six months and two surgeries getting it healed up. You don’t want to go there.” “No. sir, I don’t,” Mark replied. “Good.” Dr. Surratt smiled at Mother. “We’ll get him a new cast,” then to Mark, “but be careful.” “Yes, sir, I will.”
70 Main Street • Clyde, NC 28721
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August Comics www.brotherrock.net
Ratchet and Spin
By Jess and Russ Woods Ratchet and Spin © 2019
Corgi Tales
By Phil Hawkins
Best in Show
By Phil Juliano
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ARTIST INFO
Asheville Raven & Crone is a feast for your senses!
The Art of Nature in WNC! Stop by Asheville Raven & Crone before or after your journeys
Edward Morris painting en plein air at a recent paint out with fellow artist Don Osterberg looking on.
Local artist group meets for weekly “paint-outs” BY STAFF REPORTS • WNC
will be the group’s demonstrating artist. Morris is a life-long professional and award-winning oil painter. He has a Surrounded by inspiration, it is the passion for learning and practicing new perfect place for artists to paint on-site techniques and also enjoys sharing his and this is precisely what the Asheville skills with other artists. Urban Landscape Painters do weekly Response to AULP events has been throughout the year. Since May of 2014, enthusiastic, with increasing numbers of AULP members have gathered for plein artists joining in painting outside in local air “paint outs.” Thursday mornings parks, gardens, and urban sites. from 9:30-12:30 pm, artists of all skill During the winter months, the group levels and various media meet at a cho“Catawba Falls,” watercolor, continues, but moves indoors on cold, sen venue to paint. Once a month, they by Sue Dolamore wet days to sketch in local cafes and public also offer a featured artist demonstration. buildings. All events are free and open to the public. Sue Dolamore, artist and group organizer, encourages The group has a facebook group, Asheville Area Plein anyone with interest in sketching or painting to give the Air Painters, where members may ask questions, group a try. share resources, show their work, and generally build “Because of the generosity of the very talented a supportive community of artists that enjoy creating art pool of artists in this group, it’s a great place for both outdoors. beginners and long-time professionals to practice. Asheville is known for its beautiful scenery and vibrant culture.
We continuously learn from each other. We also get access to some amazing places to paint. For artists that regularly paint out and find themselves choosing the same subject matter, the group will provide new challenges.” During September, Edward Morris of Flat Rock
Asheville Urban Landscape Painters Information about upcoming painting events, including the demonstration by Edward Morris, can be found at the group’s website calendar at www.ashevilleurban.com.
IF YOU GO
into nature!
The Western North Carolina mountains are beautiful any time of the year, so if you find yourself getting ready to hike and explore nature, come into our shop for some supplies to enhance your experience. We offer teas that are delicious hot or iced, candles for those night-time journeys, and incense to enhance your picnics or cabin rentals. We also have books, tarot cards for divination, crystals, pendulums, books for reading, and bath salts for relaxation after your hikes. Many of our items are locally made, as we love supporting local crafts and artists. Visit us seven days a week, from 11 - 7 pm daily. We look forward to seeing you. Asheville Raven and Crone • 555 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, (828) 424-7868 www.ashevilleravenandcrone.com
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