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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com
2 artists show ‘Birds in Paradise’ Collaborative, colorful nature show opening at Covenant Place BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com
T
he Sumter County Gallery of Art and Covenant Place of
Sumter Inc. continue their collaboration to present an art exhibition titled Birds in Paradise. Opening with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, the show in Covenant Place’s Mezzanine Gallery features two well known local artists, Sue Czerwinski of Manning and Dannie Welch of Turbeville. The last of the 2015 exhibitions, “Birds in Paradise” will remain in the gallery through the end of the year. Melissa Linville, director of sales and marketing at Covenant Place, said the four exhibitions presented yearly and curated by Frank McCauley of the Sumter County Gallery of Art have been very popular. “The response has been awesome!,” she said. “Our residents thoroughly enjoy the rotation of the art on a regular basis, as well as exposing the public to our community. We have had tremendous turnout and interest from the public.” Linville said the artists are expected to be present during Thursday’s opening. While they are Clarendon County residents, both Czerwinski and Welch are members of the Sumter Artists Guild. Czerwinski recently received third place in the 25th Annual Old Santee Canal Fine Arts Exhibition and was the Sumter Artists Guild Artist of the Month in March. She has twice been juried into ArtFields in Lake City and the S.C. Watermedia Society show. Retired from a career in the U.S. Secret Service, where she was in charge of “a major law enforcement investigative program,” Czerwinski said she put her artwork aside while working and raising her family, but now is painting on a regular
basis. She studied with Joye Moon, Jean Haines, Fred Graff and Judi Betts and is a past member of Elephant Ear Art Gallery and West Texas Watercolor Society and a current member of Sumter Artists’ Guild, Sumter County Gallery of Art and South Carolina Watermedia Society. Recent exhibitions include those at Water Lily Gallery in Summerton, Franklin Square Art Gallery in Southport, North Carolina, Weldon Center’s Art Gallery in Manning; Art Trail Gallery in Florence; Bishopville Opera House; South Carolina State Fair Art Show; Sumter County Gallery of Art; Sumter County Fair Art Show; and she has twice been juried into both ArtFields Art Show in Lake City and the South Carolina Watermedia Society show. Welch grew up in a family of bluegrass gospel singers, but found that music inspired her to express her creativity through art, beginning at an early age. She began with coloring and drawing, and primarily self-taught, pursued other media, including watercolor, acrylics and oil. Margaret Joy of Florence tutored Welch, and she has taught and sold art decorative art at her own craft shop in Florence. A former member of the Florence Decorative Art Guild and Decorative Art Society, she continues her experimentation in a variety of media and has expanded her memberships in art guilds and societies. Welch continues to paint and experiment with different media, including watercolor, acrylic and oil. Appropriate to her work in the Mezzanine Gallery exhibition, Welch said she “ ... especially enjoys painting birds, flowers and ocean scenes.” Her art has been exhibited at the Sumter County Gallery of Art, The Florence County Museum, Art Trail Gallery in Florence and Guild Gallery at ArtFields in Lake City. She is an active member of the Greater Lake City Art Guild and the Sumter Artists’ Guild, which selected her as May’s artist of the month; that May exhibit featured several paintings of
SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO
Sue Czerwinski of Manning is a featured artist in the exhibition presented by the Sumter County Gallery of Art and Covenant Place. The exhibit, which opens Thursday, is titled Birds in Paradise. flora and fauna found in nature. In 2014, Welch won Best in Show at Greater Lake City Art Guild show. She continues to paint watercolor compositions, for which she is well known. In her artist statement, Welch writes, in part: “Art has been a source of fulfillment for me and brings me great joy. I love the feel of the paintbrush in my hand as I manipulate bright, brilliant colors to create a beautiful scene.” The public is invited to attend the 5-to-7 p.m. Thursday opening reception for “Birds of Paradise” in the Mezzanine Gallery at Covenant Place of Sumter, 2825 Carter Road. Refreshments will be served, and there will be live music accompanying the opening. Call Covenant Place at (803) 567-2614 or Sumter County Gallery of Art at (803) 775-0543 for more information. “Birds of Paradise,” featuring works by Sue Czerwinski and Dannie Welch, can be viewed by the public through Dec. 31.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Works by artist Dannie Welch of Turbeville can be viewed in the exhibit titled Birds in Paradise, which can be seen from Thursday through Dec. 31 in the Mezzanine Gallery at Covenant Place.
‘Son of Fred’ recalls popular ‘The Flintstones’ at 55 BY NICK THOMAS Tinseltown Talks
“T
he Flintstones” was a popular ‘60s cartoon series that first aired on ABC TV 55 years ago today, eventually becoming a hit around the world. “The show was inspired by Jackie Gleason’s ‘The Honeymooners,’” said Alan Reed Jr., son of voice actor Alan Reed who portrayed Fred Flintstone, the animated, Stone Age version of Gleason’s blustering Ralph Kramden. Both characters are short-tempered and bombastic, constantly in search of get-rich-quick schemes, but lovably contrite when their dubious plans inevitably flounder. “I was in my 20s and involved with my own career when ‘The Flintstones’ was first broadcast, so I never really watched it then,” said Reed. “But in later years when I did, it was wonderful to discover the nuances and cleverness that dad and the other actors created.” Reed’s father wasn’t the first choice for Fred, however. “There was a short pilot called ‘The Flagstones’ with Daws Butler as the voice of Fred,” recounted Reed. “He was a great voice actor for Hanna-Barbera, but just didn’t come up with the sound that the producers had in mind for
PHOTO PROVIDED
Alan Reed stands with a cutout of Fred Flintstone, for whom he was the original voice for many years. His son, Alan Reed Jr., recently published “ Yabba Dabba Do: The Alan Reed Story” with coauthor Ben Ohmart. Reed Sr. spontaneously came up with Fred’s signature phrase, “Yabba Dabba Do!” Fred. Dad had that natural gruff, heavy tone that could be excitable and funny, but with a warm twinkle about it at the same time.” Reed spent his early childhood in New York, where his father worked on radio creating characters such as Falstaff Openshaw, on Fred Allen’s “Allen’s Alley,” and Pasquale, an
Italian immigrant on “Life with Luigi.” A good reader as a child, young Alan worked on some of his father’s radio shows. After moving to California, Reed’s father went on to appear in over three dozen films with movie greats such as Lana Turner, Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford from 1943 to 1978,
the last being released a year after his death. Reed followed his father into the entertainment world, appearing in a few films and dozens of TV shows up until 1969. “I was more interested in the production side rather than acting and went on to have an enjoyable career producing commercials,” said Reed, who used his father’s incomplete autobiography to publish “Yabba Dabba Doo: The Alan Reed Story” with coauthor Ben Ohmart from BearManor Media in April. The book’s title came from Fred’s signature expression of enthusiasm, “Yabba Dabba Doo!” which Reed says his father improvised during an early script reading. “It called for Fred to yell ‘Yahoo!’ but Dad felt it didn’t have the exuberance that was needed,” he said. “So he spontaneously came up with ‘Yabba Dabba Doo!’ during a recording session and Joe (Barbera) liked it. I also recorded an audio book with Joe Bevilacqua who uncovered many recordings of my dad’s, so they are a great tribute to him.” Reed had the rare honor of lending his name to his own father, who was born Herbert Bergman in New York City. Bergman, known as “Teddy
Bergman” on early radio, later changed his name to Alan Reed after the family moved to Hollywood. “My parents named me Alan Reed Bergman, so when my father changed his name, he actually named himself after me!” Reed said. Along with Reed’s father, “The Flintstones” original cast members included Mel Blanc (Barney), Jean Vander Pyl (Wilma) and Bea Benaderet (Betty). “Unlike today’s animated features where the actors may record their parts separately, ‘The Flintstones’ cast recorded the show together and interacted,” Reed said. “They absolutely got along well together, and I think that comes across in their performances. My dad’s voice is especially full of heart and warmth.” Reed says his dad lived the good life, but was a heavy smoker through most of it. “Emphysema and heart disease got to him in the end,” he said. “As the years have gone by, I’ve developed such admiration for the kind of man he was – his wonderful spirit, openness, and friendliness to everyone,” said Reed. “So many people loved him and the character he created in Fred. I still miss him .”