October/November 2014 Tallahassee Woman

Tallahassee Woman Magazine | October/November 2014 | TalWoman.com

CONTENTS

6 Our Thoughts Art Is Life

10 Girl Talk

30

The Heath Benefits of Art | What Makes You Likable? | Love Your Jeans | Hospitality Tips | Best Time to Book Holiday Flights | Trending Now

18 Faves & Raves “Orange” You Glad It’s Fall?

21 Style and Grace

Jeans: Uniquely American Fashion

24 Healthy Living

66

Cathy Adkison: Her Story and How to Talk to Those Going Through Cancer

26 Real Life

42

40 Community

Walk to Remember | Animal Therapy for a Healthier Community | LeMoyne Rededicates Fountain | What Women Should Know

59 Business and Career The Business of Art

62 Money Talks

The Art of Appraisal—Is It Trash or Treasure?

64 Sports & Fitness Crossfit for All Ages

66 The Dish A Thankful Feast

70 Funny Girl

Staying on the Funny Side of Thanksgiving

Beware of Creepware

28 My Time

18

Art Therapy

30 Home and Garden

Create a Warm Welcome for Your Guests

36 Special Feature

Creating Art and Raising Cultural Awareness

On the Cover

Page 32 Audra Pittman: A Portrait of an Artist

TH

By Heather Thomas

About the Cover: Photography by Adam Cohen | Styling by Nancy Cohen | Makeup by Melissa Peters | Clothes and accessories provided by Narcissus

Au Ac

IN EVERY ISSUE Haute Happenings 48 | Around Town 52 | Women We Admire 56 | Women to Watch 58 4 t a l l a h a s s e e

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FA S H I O N • E N T E R TA I N M E N T • O N L I N E • T E C H N O LO G Y

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST W

ith the help of headphones, music lovers can enjoy music anywhere. The headphone industry is being revolutionized by celebrity branding and headphone technology.

You have probably seen the colorful headphones with a lower case “b” on them being worn around the country. These headphones were created by Beats Electronics, a division of Apple Inc. cofounded by hip-hop artist, Dr. Dre. What makes these headphones special is not only its sleek look but also its powerful audio. These headphones are especially popular with bass lovers who enjoy hip-hop and dance music. Not only that, they are among the best noise cancelling headphones out there. The large price tag may surprise some, but Beats is still cheaper than other noise cancelling headphones on the market now.

If you’re not into the bulky look of the Beats headphones, you still don’t have to sacrifice fashion to listen to music on the go.

A headphone company called Handcandy is bringing fun and fashion to its headphones. What Handcandy has done is to make 16 ta l l a h a s s e e

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its headphones not only function and sound amazing but look like you’re wearing a necklace.

These headphones come in a variety of fashions. Some are made with funky beads; others are classy pearls with bead accents. They also carry genuine leather-made headphones for those looking for a more neutral look. The materials are lightweight and make it less likely that you will have to deal with dreaded tangled headphones.

Now that headphones are looking as good as they sound, you can enjoy the best-quality music while still being able to express yourself. Whether you’re looking to match your headphones to your outfit or just want the best peace and quiet possible while

jamming, there are more headphone options out there for you.

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Scan this page with your smartphone using the Layar app to listen to some beats on your Beats.

(See page 7 to learn how.)

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ST YLE&GR ACE

By Nancy Cohen | Photography by Adam Cohen

Nothing quite exudes America like a pair of blue jeans. When was the last time you had some apple pie? Yet most find it difficult to go more than a day without putting on a pair of jeans. Baseball has a season, yet jeans are year-round. Jeans, like the rebellious unconformity of rock ‘n roll, plant a seed in the minds of the world’s youth that—like in America—anything is possible. Their history is woven into the very fabric of American history and its entrepreneurial, pioneering spirit.

In 1853, Levi Strauss, a Bavarian immigrant outfitting and selling goods to the workers of the Californian gold rush, teamed up with Jacob Davis, a Reno, Nevada, tailor. Together they created the process of using rivets at points of strain to make pants last longer. A patent was granted to both men on May 20, 1873, the day the blue jean was born.

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ONTHECOVER “Art is life,” says Audra Pittman, wife to local attorney Sean Pittman and a busy mother of three young girls. Also the Executive Director of COCA and an artist, Audra says, “Art is a creative way of telling a story and connecting the pieces of our lives together. It is a way for people to share experiences and memories.

It comes from different perspectives, but for those brief moments, we are all connected to one vision.” Connecting the pieces of her own life history has prepared Audra for a pivotal role in Tallahassee’s redesign and renewal as a town focused on the arts and its cultural heritage.

After a summer program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) that helped children do better on tests through courses in the arts, she decided to earn her graduate degree in arts and teaching there. She taught art at a middle school in Baltimore, Maryland, and coached track at Morgan State, until an interest in becoming an administrator took her to Tallahassee to work on her Ph.D. in art education and arts administration at Florida State University. It was during summer orientation that she met her future husband, Sean Pittman. “We went to Bonefish on a date, and he just seemed to know everyone. So I called him

“ T E AC H I N G A N D C R E AT I N G G O E S B AC K T O M Y B E L I E F T H AT E V E R YO N E I S A N A R T I S T O N T H E I N S I D E . YO U J U S T N E E D E N CO U R AG E M E N T A N D S U P P O R T A N D T O B E P R O V I D E D A S PAC E W H E R E YO U F E E L CO M F O R TA B L E . I T ’ S N O T A LWAY S A B O U T T H E F I N A L P R O D U C T, B U T T H E P R O C E S S —A R T I S A B O U T E N J OY I N G L I F E .”

As a young girl growing up who, “always loved puzzles and trying to figure things out,” Audra is not daunted by the task of bringing all of the sections of Tallahassee’s art and cultural world together. This may in part come from a childhood of moving five times to different cities before 10th grade. “Moving around taught me to embrace change and face challenges, and it afforded me the opportunity to be exposed to new people and opportunities.” She ran track in high school and became a proficient artist, encouraged by artistic parents who celebrated arts and music in the home.

To say Audra has a determined spirit is an understatement. With a partial track scholarship to the University of Connecticut, she majored in Fine Arts.

During her senior year of college, she encountered significant adversity on the track team. “My mom said, ‘Why would you let someone take the joy of what you love away from you?’ That motivated me to buckle down and do the work. I’ve taken this with me through all aspects of life. By the end of pushing through adversity with positivity, it becomes one of the best experiences of your life.”

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‘Mr. Tallahassee,’ and we were only just friends for those years I was in Tallahassee.”

After graduation she moved to South Carolina and became an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Lander University and then moved on to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) as the Chair of the Department of Professional Education to run the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program. “It was in South Carolina that I started to miss Sean. I thought, ‘You know what? He’s a really great guy!’” They were married in 2009, and a year after their first daughter, Paloma, was born, Audra stepped down from her position at SCAD and started teaching an online course. In 2012 she refurbished a guest cottage into an art studio that became a business—Suite P Creative Studio—in which she hosts art parties. “Teaching and creating goes back to my belief that everyone is an artist on the inside. You just need encouragement and support and to be provided a space where you feel comfortable. It’s not always about the final product, but the process—art is about enjoying life.”

For Audra, one of the reasons why the role of an artist is important to a

community is because “they can help us express joy or pain that we can’t express otherwise through words.”

The pain of a miscarriage and then the joy of the birth of her twin daughters, Phoebe Rose and Pilar Cataleya, a year later gave Audra even more perspective.

“I learned to never take anything for granted and to enjoy every moment. In the middle of a storm, I’m holding on to my family and my faith—everything is in God’s hands, the master artist.”

Taking on the position of Executive Director of COCA in June of this year, at 35 years old Audra is juggling the life of a working mom with three young children, but couldn’t be more excited about growing COCA’s outreach. “I feel that one of my main roles is to bring more awareness to what COCA is and what it does. Most cities have an agency tasked with educating and connecting the community to the arts and its cultural heritage and Tallahassee is no different, but we do need a stronger voice.” Since 1985, COCA has served as that voice for the arts community. It is not a government entity, but the city and county contract with COCA to access their expertise and provide specific services that benefit the community.

From the comprehensive COCA website MoreThan YouThought.com, which helps to answer the question, “What is there to do in Tallahassee?” to sponsoring art exhibits, providing education for artists, boosting tourism, grant writing—the list is endless as to what COCA is currently doing.

However, Audra wants COCA to do more and she is applying all of her extensive experience and passion to inspire others to make arts and culture a priority. She helped to spearhead the ‘Uptown’ movement to identify the area of Thomasville Road north of I-10 and network with communities and business owners to create future art events to bring people together. “It’s important for each area to forge its own identity, but to not isolate themselves to just one area of town. We have to work together and reach beyond our comfort zones. You miss out on the

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

Crea t in g Art

AND RAISING CULTURAL AWARENESS

By Heather Thomas Portrait Photography by Kira Derryberry

Two local artists, Suzanne Conner and Susan Frisbee, are sharing their stories, art and craftsmanship in order to heal, inspire and help others transcend the ordinary and to see the world in a different light.

Suzanne Conner—Finding Healing Through Art Becoming an artist later in life became a part of Suzanne Conner’s healing process after the death of her mother in 2008, and then the further trauma of losing her youngest brother six months later by suicide.

Out of the pain of these deaths emerged a new woman who clung to her faith, seeking her inner little girl in order to set her free. “From the depths of my grief, I cried out, and I painted through my anger, fear and sadness. All those years of never expressing myself and here I am now expressing myself in a way I never imagined I could. I was silent for so long, and now, through my art, I’ve found my voice.”

Originally from Blountstown, Florida, Suzanne has come full circle. Her art studio is in her old bedroom in the house she grew up in. Encouraged by her therapist, Suzanne traveled back to the days of the girl who would catch tadpoles in a mason jar and allowed her younger self to have fun with the freedom of self-expression that had been stifled too early and for too long. “He told me to think back to what I enjoyed doing as a little girl.

For most of my life, I have zoned out, so I needed to grieve that as well as the loss of my mother and brother.” As a child, she had loved to draw, and hidden memories burst forth on the canvas like blossoms of freed delight.

Drawing on her extensive experience with textiles and interior design,

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Susan Frisbee—Preserving Memories and Craftsmanship Through Stained Glass

Suzanne allowed her inner artist to dig deep into the paints of her life’s experiences.

“There was a wellspring of joy that bubbled up and poured out and it hasn’t stopped.

My art is the expression of that joy and the freedom that God has given me.”

Suzanne’s ability to freeze those magical moments offers the viewer a window into another world that merges an unearthly, fantastical beauty with truth. “I do believe that the truth will set you free. I think that it’s what art helps people to do when words fail. I’m set free by speaking the truth through my art and by learning to forgive myself and others.” With femininity and family as her muse, Suzanne’s paintings vary from mermaids, angels, ocean scenes, vibrant blossoms and pink houses, in remembrance of her grandmother’s homestead. “What I would like for people to glean from my work is a sense of belonging—to come back home to yourself, to trust and learn to love yourself. I was missing that for most of my life, so I painted women and houses unknowingly, ever since I started this journey. That Southern network of women and the meaning of home continue to be sources of inspiration for me.”

After 53 years of praying for it, Suzanne is grateful to have found her passion in life. Her husband Bryant, her daughter LuLu and son-in-law Sonny are sources of encouragement on her journey as a full-time artist. “I just want to be poured out and used by God to help others since so much has been poured out on me.

When my mother and brother died, I felt that I had lost my tribe. I’ve learned that my tribe is more than the family I was born into, but the people that God puts in my path. We are here to help each other and to love each other.”

“Do you make everything in here?”

It’s a question stained-glass artisan Susan Frisbee has often been asked over the past twenty years when customers come into her studio and storefront at Lake Ella. On any given day at Glassworks by Susan, you’ll find her at her glass-cutting table, where she is cutting, shaping and soldering glass together from patterns of her own design.

So, yes, she makes everything in her store. “I laugh when people ask me that question, but I understand why they ask, since seeing people make things by hand is not prevalent as it once was. We’ve lost touch with how things are made and therein our appreciation for it. I’m not sure when or how that knowledge was lost, but I feel that it is important and that it needs to be reclaimed.”

If there was an endangered species list for artists, stained-glass artisans would be on it. However, there’s a thousand-year relationship between artisans, communities and stained glass that can be seen in cathedrals and other antiquated structures all over the world. Rainbow-hued windows of unimaginable craftsmanship and

You can learn more about Suzanne Conner, see her artwork and read her blog at fireflyevenings.com.

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E took classes at 19. Throughout the years, she continued to play around with the art form, “which always just felt right,” but it wasn’t until after working as a respiratory therapist for many years that she made the decision to make it her livelihood. “I found tremendous value in being a nurse, but it taught me how precious life is and that I needed to follow my heart and do something I loved.”

When Susan is working on a piece, she is looking down at her table, but to admire the finished products, you must look up.

All around her cottage store are colorful panes of light and memories. She points out a special one, a Southwest mosaic panel that her brother made. “I lost my brother in 1999. We’d been close, but when we worked with glass together, we grew closer. I look at pieces we did together and I smile with the memories. My father’s glass works are similar. I’ll always have that memory of my dad—without him I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing.”

The majority of Susan’s design inspirations come from familial and nature-inspired origins. “Mother Nature inspires me all the time. There’s so much beauty, lines and texture in the natural world.” A unique aspect to Susan’s work is the way she incorporates found objects, family heirlooms, keepsakes or mementos into candle holders, light fixtures or anything else she or her customers can think of. “I enjoy doing uniquely different things with stained glass, where I can blend old objects with nature’s colors into pieces you would use every day— blending function with beauty.” design still evoke awestruck wonder and hushed whispers of delight generations later. “When people think of stained glass, I think they most often think of cathedrals and Tiffany lamps, but in its [modern evolution], it’s a very appealing art form due to its history and color and also because of its functionality. There’s more freedom in glass than people realize.”

As in bygone days, her love of crafting something by hand was passed down 38 ta l l a h a s s e e

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through her family. “I’ve been working with my hands for as long as I can remember,” says the Tallahassee native, who grew up in a home six blocks away from Lake Ella and remembers learning how to ride her bike on Seventh Avenue.

Her grandfather taught her woodworking, and she made wooden animals, puzzles and even a rocking horse. Her mother taught her how to sew her own clothes, and her father’s stained glass-works sparked her interest in glass and she

With the recent passing of her beloved father, the importance of living in the moment is made even clearer and also the desire to continue to pass along her craft.

She enjoys teaching stained glass art classes and is seeing a resurgence of interest in the art form. “I think people are realizing that there is something special about a handcrafted, local item and investing in a piece of artwork as well as a piece of the community. It is something that can be passed on to the next generation.”

COMMUNITY

SNAPSHOT

A look at the events, organizations, businesses and people that make Tallahassee a great place to live—and love.

WALK TO REMEMBER 2014

Commemorating National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

T

he annual “Walk to Remember” event was truly a night to remember. I attended the event in 2013 as a representative of the Mothers Of Preschoolers (MOPS) group. Though a first for me, I learned that the Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition was hosting its 11th annual event in honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Held at Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church near Lake Ella, it was an evening spent comforting grieving parents, families and friends in their time of pain and heartache and to provide hope for the future.

The evening began with a reception, a fellowship and a memorial quiltmaking. Later, guests gathered in the sanctuary for a ceremonial opening of music, a compassionate welcome and an introduction where the startling details of infant mortality deaths in the state of Florida were shared. In 2012, in the state of Florida, over 2,815 families lost their babies to stillbirth or infant death and more than 71 local families in Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison and Taylor counties lost their babies to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death. That’s nearly 100 infant losses in our local area.

A courageous 22-year-old woman shared the depth of pain from infant loss from a mother’s perspective. Embracing her story, she passionately described each painful 40 ta l l a h a s s e e

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detail then translated her experience into an empowering message of hope and purpose. “My story is like some of your stories, except some of the details are different,” she said, speaking of her daughter. “I live for her because she was born for a bigger purpose.” She encouraged the guests that, “Telling your story can help other people.” This passionate young mother’s words spoke to the many hearts that gathered at Saint Paul’s. At the end of the event at Lake Ella, families and friends with lighted candles walked in memory of their little loved ones.

As the City of Tallahassee Proclamation says, “Whereas even the briefest lives are valuable and the grief of those who mourn must be respected and not trivialized, a public which is informed and educated about pregnancy and infant loss can better learn how to respond with compassion to affected families.” A Walk to Remember has been held in Leon County for 12 years and will be continued for years to come.

Contributed by Wanda Kane-Harris.

For more information on the event visit capitalareahealthystart.org.

WALK TO REMEMBER

will be held on October 16th at Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church, located at 1700 North Meridian Road in Tallahassee, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Counselors on-site will offer grief counseling and resource information.

A non-denominational memorial service and a candlelight walk around Lake Ella is scheduled to honor the lives of babies who left us too soon. For more details, visit capitalareahealthystart.org.

COMMUNITY

Animal Therapy for a Healthier Community

By Ana Stolica

S

ince its inception in 2005, the Tallahassee Memorial Animal Therapy Program has been making huge strides in the way of medical rehabilitation, senior services and grief therapy. There are more than 150 Animal Therapy teams that visit over 50 different facilities to aid in healing and helping individuals through depression, pain, grief and trauma. Animal therapy is helpful because of the deep bond patients have with animals and has been officially recognized as beneficial by the American Medical Association.

Not only does animal therapy reduce anxiety, but interactions with animals actually stimulate hormone production and release endorphins, making patients feel better. “Petting a dog or cat for as little as a minute stimulates the production of oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone that enhances trust, cooperation and love between a parent and their child.

Petting a therapy animal also releases endorphins making people feel better, diminishing feelings of pain, depression and loneliness,” says Stephanie.

“Research has shown a dramatic, measurable decrease in heart rate and blood pressure when a person interacts with a therapy animal. It works by reducing the amount of cortisol, a stress-inducing hormone, in the blood stream. Animals have a calming effect on people, help reduce anxiety and can encourage socialization,” says Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Animal Therapy coordinator Stephanie Perkins.

Animal therapy isn’t just for healthcare facilities and senior centers; it also helps children with their reading and is exceedingly effective in the judicial system.“Some teams in our program go to local schools to work with struggling readers. The children have the benefit of reading to a nonjudgmental dog and get to practice in a safe environment. They often move up one grade-level in their reading skills after working with a therapy

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animal. Some of our teams also work in our Courthouse Therapy dogs program.

This program serves children involved in the judicial system, specifically child victims of violent offenses,” says Stephanie.

One of the most important things that the program does is educate students in the Florida State University College of Law, College of Medicine and College of Nursing and in the Tallahassee Community College’s Ghazvini Center for Healthcare Education. Presentations at the Florida A & M University College of Nursing are envisioned for the 2014–2015 academic year. This is to ensure that the next generation of healthcare professionals is aware of the tremendous benefits of animal therapy.

For more information about the program, visit tmh.org/animaltherapy.

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CO M M U N I T Y | W H AT WO M E N S H O U L D K N O W

KNOW THE SOURCE OF YOUR VEIN ISSUES Many people are affected with unsightly and painful varicose, or “spider,” veins. This condition has not only physiological effects but can also have emotional effects on a patient’s well-being. It is important to understand that having varicose veins may not be just a cosmetic issue. Individuals at higher risk for venous disease include females, pregnant women, obese men and women, those with “standing” occupations and family genetics.

In most cases, there exists an underlying venous disorder in which the varicosities are the result of a circulation abnormality. Healthy veins carry blood from the legs back to the heart by the use of tiny valves within their walls. In contrast, varicose veins arise from a malfunction of these valves, when they become damaged or stretched causing blood to pool in the legs and feet, resulting in an increase in venous hypertension. This event causes varicose veins to form, become enlarged and even bleed. This hyperdynamic process can lead to inflammation, phlebitis, blood clots and open sores. By superficially treating varicosities without checking for an underlying venous condition, treatments will most likely fail. Venous specialists can use multiple noninvasive diagnostic studies to identify and treat any underlying venous disease in addition to treating varicosities.

If you are having trouble with your veins, it is best to confer with a board-certified vascular specialist for a consultation. Our practice has many non- and minimallyinvasive techniques to treat not only an underlying venous condition, but the superficial varicosities as well.

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3.

4.

5.

ALOFT 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Aloft Hotel celebrated their 5 year anniversary with live music, delicious food and specialty drinks served from the WXYZ bar. Guests participated in a raffle where the prizes included weekend getaways. Proceeds from the event went to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Big Bend and Last Hope Animal Rescue.

7.

1. Matt Chapman, Daniela Mercado, Kellie Alford, Tracy Mangum, Carol Ham 2. Lori Magee, Lani Atkins 3. Jennifer Stanford, Heather Mursell, Kendra Dowen 4. Lauren Novo, Jennifer Harris, Tara Lehan 5. Heather Mursell, Nicole Evans, Glenmarie Hamilton, Kendra Dowen, Roxanne Ruddock, Kara Yancey 6. Chris Heacox, Ashley Kerns, Emily Brown 7. Jeannine Carroll, Molly Kellogg-Schmauch, Kylene Gay, Ryan Gay, Susan Maguire, Miriam Dady ta l l a h a s s e e w o ma n

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Prior to joining the Refuge House, Meg served for 17 years as an Associate Professor of Law at the Florida State University College of Law, specializing in women’s rights, violence against women and prostitution. Being a law professor, Meg says, deepened her own understanding about how violence against women is treated under the law, and working with students who have a passion for justice was a joy. Meg drafted the first legislation to provide civil remedies for women coerced into prostitution against perpetrators, which has become the model for legislation adopted in other states.

In 2005, during her seventh year of service as a member of the Refuge House Board of Directors, the then director moved on to other projects, and Meg wondered whether the job might be a good fit for her. She resigned from the Board, applied for the position, and was selected for the job. She has provided steadfast leadership and has become a well-respected advocate for women in the community. Moving the

Refuge House forward, Meg is currently working on expanding rape crisis services at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to provide greater comfort and privacy for victims, renovating transitional housing apartments and building new partnerships with Florida Department of Children and Families to support child safety. She also launched the “She Said No” public awareness campaign with billboards and public service advertisements that were displayed last spring.

Meg Baldwin is, indeed, leading from a place of purpose and building her own refuge for others in need.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Refuge House will host its annual Speak Out and Candlelight Vigil for survivors of domestic violence and their supporters, Thursday, October 23rd, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tom Brown Park.

For more information about Refuge House, visit refugehouse.com.

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COMMUNITY

W O M E N

T O

Shannon Hiser, BSN, RN, has been promoted to the position of North Florida Division Director of Case Management and Clinical Documentation Integrity for HCA. In her new role, Shannon is considered the subject-matter expert in case management and serves as an internal consultant to multiple facilities and departments within the North Florida Division of HCA. Jess Tharpe was recently named as the Director of Development and Outreach at Capital City Youth Services, a local non-profit providing counseling, emergency shelter and outreach services to youth and families in crisis in the Big Bend area. Jess will oversee fundraising, donor development, grants and outreach initiatives.

W A T C H Lisa Garcia has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Public Relations at Sachs Media Group (SMG). In this role, she will be responsible for account management, contributing to strategy and firm operations.

Lisa joined the public affairs team at SMG in 2005 and quickly advanced to the role of director of campaigns and subsequently vice president of operations.

Cameron Garrett has started her own facepainting business “Making Faces and Tutus.”

In addition to the face-painting business, Cameron does professional makeup for brides and models and also helped build a successful dance program at Good Samaritan Church.

Pamela Hollingsworth was promoted to Elementary Principal at Community Christian School (CCS). Formerly she was the director of the Special Education Program and the Elementary Assistant Principal before her promotion. Pamela has been in education for over 25 years, serving at CCS for the past 15 years.

Janegale Boyd was recently sworn in as Chair of the Florida Society of Association Executives.

Soon to unite with Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, Janegale will lead the charge of helping hundreds of members gain professional development in the association industry.

Kim Patterson recently opened a new restaurant, the Indigo Bistro, serving organic dishes with international influences from about 11 countries. As both proprietress and chef of the restaurant, she is known for cooking delicious meals as well as for restaurant consultation in Oklahoma.

Adrienne Bryant, CAE, was recently awarded the Executive Rising Star award from the Florida Society of Association Executives.

Adrienne has dedicated countless hours of her time and energy to helping the organization reach its goals of professional development opportunities and education for members in the association industry.

Carla McClellan is now the Regional Director for Gift of Life Adoptions. Her responsibilities include oversight of case management and social services for birth moms in North Florida, conducting adoption education and outreach to local women’s clinics and hospitals and promoting adoption positive atmospheres for birth moms.

Dana Powell, CPA, has been promoted to partner at Law, Redd, Crona & Munroe, P.A. Dana has over 14 years of experience in public accounting, working primarily in the firm’s audit and attestation department. She currently provides attestation and consulting services to state and local governmental clients, as well as not-for-profit organizations and for-profit entities.

Tracy Morales recently relocated her business Healthy Solutions to a new location on Miccosukee Road. The medical weight loss practice recently added Cool Sculpting, a breakthrough, non-invasive fat reduction procedure to its services.

Delia Fernandez, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Manager at Law, Redd, Crona & Munroe, P.A. Her public accounting experience includes audit, accounting and consulting services to state agencies, local governments, not-for-profit organizations and for-profit companies.

Send us your announcement: Women to Watch is a listing of women with new jobs or promotions, business openings and celebrations, and awards and appointments of women who are reaching out and making a difference in our community.

E-mail information and a high-resolution image (300 dpi) for Women to Watch to listings@TalWoman.com.

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THE BUSINESS OF ART

By Jessica Lumpkin and Heather Thomas Photography by Kira Derryberry

The starving artist is a cliché that has long terrified parents and loved ones of those trying to make a career off of their artistic talent. Those who chose the career of an artist know the risks and rewards of such a path. It is not only passion and talent that is necessary, but also the ability to ride the unpredictable wave of such a career that helps lead an artist to success.

With some good business mindset and marketing savvy, it is possible to take a creative passion and turn it into an income generating business, as local artists Honey Hilliard and Kelly Rysavy have done.

Honey Hilliard Honey Hilliard used her art and inventions to enter, activate and accelerate a new level of significance, through business.

Honey, an artist, musician, illustrator, children’s book author-illustrator and inventor of ArmScarvz© accepted the challenge of turning her artistic talent into a business. After 7 years of working for the state of Florida, Honey took one immaculate leap of faith that has since granted her the opportunity to live what she loves. “I was always independent, whether I was supported

BUSINESS&CAREER or not. Leaving my secure state job [as a wildlife illustrator] to work for myself was probably questioned, but I don’t remember anyone trying to slow me down or stop me. It wouldn’t have done any good.”

Graduating with an art degree from Florida State University, Honey began working a temporary job that turned into a career service state position as a bird and wildlife artist and graphic designer to prevent extinction and endangerment of different species. When her daughter, Autumn, was born, Honey leaped into freelancing by launching her own fine art and custom design company, Honey Hilliard, Inc., as a way to give her daughter the time she desired. “If you’re considering making a living freelancing, be ready to work harder and longer than you ever have—much longer than 40 hours per week.” However, after 14 years in business, Honey found team members, learned to delegate and is now able to help other companies’ and individuals’ visions come to light through designing their branding tools and websites.

Before marrying her husband, Kenny, who she says does the “techy” side of the business, Honey was a single mother often struggling to pay bills with a freelance career while

squeezing in time to make new art and write. Honey self-published the children’s book Looking for Butterflies, a thoughtful recount of her daughter Autumn and her best friend’s adventure. “A lot of people approach me wondering how to publish their own children’s book, and when I ask them about it, they say that they haven’t started writing it yet. First, my simplest advice is—start the book, surround yourself with people that say ‘Yay!’ instead of ‘Nay!’, and finish it!”

When it comes to marketing your own work, Honey says, “I wasn’t sure if it was selfish to talk about my own projects, but it’s kind of like carrying a torch. I believe you’re not supposed to hide it, you’re actually serving others by sharing it so that you can light others’ torches.” After professionally creating custom branding (logos, CD and DVD covers, menus, websites, etc.) for many other companies, individuals, musicians and artists, Honey’s inspiration came for ArmScarvz, the “Scarf you can wear as sleeves.” With ta l l a h a s s e e w o ma n

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BUSINESS&CAREER Through the help of MW/SBE Kelly acquired contracts that helped her business gain traction and allowed her the time to also create paintings and market them. Kelly has a unique skill of “color diffraction,” or blending paints together to create life-like images of water, the human body and stunning vistas that you are compelled to touch to make sure it’s not actually real. Kelly’s favorite subjects tend to be water and the human form.

“Everything changes color in the water with the way the light reflects on it. Water is soothing to me. There’s also nothing more beautiful to me than the human body—the feminine form especially.” As evidenced by her series of women wrapped in blue or the painting “Suspended in Red,” Kelly frequently combines both.

fabric draped around her neck while in the process of perfecting another product (to launch in 2015) and fluctuating temperatures in her studio, Honey found that the fabric became a pretty accessory that functioned to warm her chilling arms.

Encouraged to share her idea, the opportunity came in an unplanned moment during a women’s business event.

The temperature in the conference room dropped, and with the majority of the women attending rubbing their arms, the speaker took notice and announced to the audience that he had a friend who had invented a product to solve their problem. Nervously, Honey took the microphone and introduced her product. The response to ArmScarvz that weekend was tremendous. “I encourage anyone that creates something to also be passionate about sharing it at the appropriate time. Don’t just sit on your creation, but also be smart about when and how to share it and seek expert advice.”

After receiving a scholarship to study and intern in France at La Bonne Etoile Artists’ Retreat last summer, Honey will add to her repertoire the welcoming of a baby girl in the early spring of 2015.

“Things I feel called on to share with the world show up literally or metaphorically in my book, my art or my products. I create with integrity, only sharing things with the world that are going to uplift their spirits. That is part of my calling.”

Kelly Rysavy Kelly Rysavy has been in the art business since 1990, but it’s taken her a long time to learn how to make money being an artist.

“It seems contrary for creative people to think this way, but if you want to make a livelihood out of being an artist, you must be a business person first and an artist second,” says Kelly, a mostly self-taught artist with natural talent who wants to help others navigate the business of art, which doesn’t come naturally to most artists.

After graduating college Kelly worked for an art wholesaler in Boca Raton, 60 ta l l a h a s s e e

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Florida, painting assigned projects until moving to Tallahassee with her husband in 1997, and then started creating her own artwork. “I had this tremendous freedom, finally, to paint what I wanted, but then it was also, ‘now what? How am I going to make money doing this?’”

When it came to combining both her love of art with her drive to make it her livelihood, Kelly got down to business. Her husband’s job in home construction gave her an opportunity to establish her own interior painting business for commercial properties, Kameleon Press, Inc. “I found that I enjoyed painting offices and working with my hands to redefine a space.” Through navigating small business ownership, she learned about Leon County’s Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise Division. According to the Leon County.gov website, “MW/ SBE is tasked with providing opportunities for local businesses to secure Leon County government contracts and for closing the gap in disparities for local businesses that are minority—or women-owned.”

Even though her artwork and skill with color mixing are remarkable, she tries to keep in mind what will appeal to a broad base of customers. “You can still create with passion and freedom, but when it comes to selling your work you have to think about whether or not it will spark interest and be able to fit in a potential customer’s environment. I keep in tune with what colors, subject matter and styles are most appealing so that current art buyers can envision it hanging on their walls.” She also recommends having pieces priced right and to offer both higher- and lower-priced offerings and to mix up your subject matter from time to time. “I don’t like doing the same thing over and over again, and if you keep to your style, buyers appreciate a change in subject matter.”

Assisting fellow artists in attracting potential buyers and navigating the art and business world is important to Kelly.

Kelly has been with Signature Art Gallery in Tallahassee and Sea Oats Art Gallery on St. George Island since 2000, and recommends finding a good partnership with a gallery. “An art gallery that you build rapport with can be your advocate.”

Also, Kelly advises other artists to be cognizant of what is selling at the galleries, which will help in creating pieces that will be mutually beneficial for everyone. There are current trends in the market that artists need to be aware of in order to appeal to buyers. “Right now, galleries have a lot of abstract work. It’s not necessarily throwing paint on to canvas, but the appeal is more for the color and texture. Art without frames or glass are more popular right now because buyers want to interact with it and to touch it to ‘prove’ its worth. Buyers also want originals now, whereas prints were more desirable before.”

No matter the trends, Kelly says, “I paint because I want to uplift viewers and transport them to the place that I go to when I’m in the moment of trying to capture pure beauty, joy and untouched purity. We have so many struggles in our lives. Art should be an escape from that—for the artist and the viewer. People are drawn to art that moves them at the heart level and transports them to another place. If your art is doing that, then you will find success.”

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MO N E Y TA L K S

THE ART OF APPRAISAL

Is It Trash or Treasure?

By Sally Rude

W

hen it comes to purchasing art, you should only buy it because you love it. It is never trash if you love a piece of artwork, and that is the very best advice that I can give as an appraiser. However, when determining an artwork’s value as a monetary investment, there are several things to consider.

A Print or a Painting.

Is it an original? Sometimes it’s very hard to tell, and it does make a difference. One way to tell the difference is high-magnification. A jeweler’s loupe, for example, will show a dot matrix if it’s a modern print.

The rest is for the professionals.

Is it signed? An authentic signature can increase the value. Is the artist listed in an art reference publication? Does the artist have an auction record? An auction record shows actual sales, what the artwork sold for, when it sold and where, and if it was passed instead of bid on.

These questions are generally the first ones that I try to answer when appraising artwork. However, if it is 20th or 21st century artwork that you have bought or are considering purchasing, the auction records often don’t accurately reflect the market for these artists, since their work is sold predominately in galleries. You should be able to get gallery sales records from the gallery that represents the artist, or from the artists themselves. They usually have websites of their own and will answer your questions about their work.

Provenance, or the artwork’s chain of custody, can be of significance in determining its potential value. If the artwork was owned by a President, a

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celebrity or someone else of national or global prominence, past or present, from a museum or an important estate, and it can be proven, then it can have a positive effect on the value. Also, what you were “told” when you bought it or what your grandmother told you is not sufficient proof.

Hearsay doesn’t count.

If the artwork is unsigned or created by an unknown artist and you really have nothing to go on but your “eye” for art, you may have gotten lucky and hit upon an artist or a subject that is about to take off. Lucky you? Well, maybe. Market conditions and changing tastes can have a significant impact on the value. Outsider art is less popular than it was a few years back and doesn’t bring the prices that it once did. The value for Western art, for example, which rose in the ’70s during the oil boom, fell in the ’80s with the oil crisis, rose again by the ’90s and softened again as the country slid into the Great Recession, shows how volatile the art market can be. There is nothing that you can do about market conditions, and predictions about the art market are for the experts. It helps, at least, to understand what is in fashion and what is not.

Let’s assume at this point that, like most of us, you don’t have nor are you about to buy a piece of artwork that is going to make you rich. That’s okay—you’re in very good company. Give it a thorough goingover for condition issues since condition is, in all cases, exceedingly relevant in determining value. Relinings of canvases for oil paintings are not usually a problem if done correctly, but if a painting has been

laid down on masonite, for example, it may have suffered damage. Paintings done on a wooden board can split, warp and crack, and paint can peel, crack and crawl. Look for large areas of in-painting, repaired tears and punctures and insect residue. Works on paper are a delicate medium, and the condition is particularly pertinent to its value. Tears, stains and water damage, as well as discoloration caused by acidic backing, affect value and are not always easy to see. It’s advisable to see a work on paper out of the frame if possible.

As an appraiser, I am trained to look at the value of art. As a dealer, I hope to make a profit when I buy and sell art, but I never buy art that I am not personally in love with. Whether something is trash or treasure is usually in the eye of the beholder, and it will have intrinsic, lasting value to the purchaser no matter its monetary cost.

Sally Rude, ISA, is a personal property appraiser and a member of the International Society of Appraisers. For more information, visit sallyrude.com or call (850) 510-4430.

SPORTS&FITNESS

CROSSFIT FOR ALL AGES

By Ana Stolica

Photo provided by Rachel Dodrill

C

rossFit has grown in national and local popularity over the last few years. There has been a rise in people of all ages participating in this full-body workout. However, CrossFit is not your typical exercise program. It prepares you for the unexpected through a combination of core exercises, weightlifting, cardio and gymnastics in a high intensity and a constantly varied approach.

The CrossFit website posts a “WOD,” or workout of the day that CrossFitters do on their own time or as a group. CrossFit coaches can add their own workouts to classes, and individuals work to strengthen their own problem areas as well.

Jenna Larson, a local

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CrossFit coach at Red Hills CrossFit and mother of two boys, says that CrossFit is easily approachable by individuals of any age because of the movements practiced. “Our goal is to do functional movement—movement you do in everyday life—and teach you the proper form in those movements so you don’t get hurt and prepare you for whatever life throws at you. Strengthening you through those movements so you will be able to do them for the rest of your life and be stronger and more adept at it is unique to this program,” says Jenna.

Jenna also teaches a CrossFit Kids class for boys and girls ages 5–12, that focuses on movement. “The class is not our workout scaled down to a kid version. They have their own workouts and very few movements are done with weight. At this age level, we are teaching proper mechanics, so that when they do get that bar in their hands, they know exactly what to do,” says Jenna. She says that the kids love the workouts, and she can see them opening up and becoming more confident.

THEDISH

Skillet Corn Bread Pudding With a Kick!

Ingredients

1/2 white onion, finely diced 2 tablespoons of vegan butter 1/2 teaspoon of thyme 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary 1 teaspoon of finely chopped jalapeno pepper 1 15-ounce package of organic creamed style corn 1/2 cup of heavy cream 1/2 cup of half & half 2 eggs 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 cup of organic yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon of sea salt 2 cups of cubed Italian or French or gluten-free bread Dash of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Sauté the onions and herbs in a cast-iron skillet until soft.

In a large bowl, combine and stir all the remaining ingredients except the cubed bread. Fold in the cubed bread.

Pour the batter into the skillet on top of sautéed onions. Bake for 45–50 minutes. Cool before serving.

1/4 teaspoon of pepper 1 teaspoon of vegetable broth powder 3 tablespoons of water 2 tablespoons of vegan butter

Directions

Steam broccoli on low heat in a skillet with water until slightly tender. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir fry for 3–4 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Ingredients

1 ½ packs of honey graham crackers 1 stick and one tablespoon of unsalted butter 1/2 cups of chopped pecans 2 large yams 3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, regular of light at room temperature 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1½ cups of organic cane sugar 1 tablespoon of molasses 3/4 cup of sour cream 1/4 cup of heavy cream 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

Directions

Crust Preparation

Simple Broccoli

Slowly melt butter in pan.

Ingredients

Break graham crackers and grind in a blender for 20 seconds.

3 cups of broccoli florets, halved 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 68 ta l l a h a s s e e

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Combine 1 stick of butter, pecans and graham crackers in a bowl.

Spread the mixture in a 10-inch round spring pan and bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.

Remove from oven and set aside.

Filling Preparation

Bake sweet potatoes in 350-degree oven with skins on until soft when pressed; remove from oven, allow to cool, then remove the skin.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium high until fluffy. Gradually add sweet potato, one tablespoon of melted butter, sour cream, heavy cream, sugar, eggs and remaining spices on low speed until well blended.

Pour the mixture into the spring pan.

Wrap the perimeter of the pan with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the spring pan in a roasting pan and fill with enough hot water to cover the pan halfway on all sides.

Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes until the cake barely jiggles in the center.

Lift cheesecake out of the roasting pan and allow to cool for 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving. Cover once chilled.

Serve plain or top with your favorite syrup or whip cream!

TALLAHASSEE WOMAN MAGAZINE AND COCA

THANK THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS for their support of arts, culture and heritage in our region.

www.mybbmc.org

850.224.5000

www.nfl.jmi.fsu.edu

www.morethanbuildings.com

MoreThanYouThought.com is a calendar of arts, heritage and cultural events from the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA), the local arts agency for Florida’s capital area. Browse hundreds of listings and add your events too.

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