The The Art Art & & Soul Soul Soul of of of Raleigh Raleigh Raleigh The Art & The Art & Soul of Raleigh
DECEMBER DECEMBER2025 2025 2025 DECEMBER DECEMBER 2025 waltermagazine.com waltermagazine.com waltermagazine.com waltermagazine.com DECEMBER 2025
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CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2025
56 OUR TOWN 33 MUSIC: A Year in Songs 36 DRINK: Setting Sail 39 GARDEN: Happy Holly-Day 40 NATURE: Give a Hoot! 44 MAKERS: Wood & Wanderlust 49 LOCALS: Our Novels, Ourselves 52 SIMPLE LIFE: If Wishes Were Wheelbarrows...
FEATURES 55 Christmas Doesn’t Come
until the Box Arrives by Marsha White Warren illustration by Sean Kernick
56 Decked Out
Kyle Overby’s maximalist style of holiday decorating by Hampton Williams Hofer photography by Trey Thomas
66 Pete Sack’s Second Act
The Raleigh painter has expanded his role in the community by Liza Roberts photography by Joshua Steadman
36 IN EVERY ISSUE 14 EDITOR’S LETTER 18 CONTRIBUTORS 19 YOUR FEEDBACK 23 OUR TOWN 25 DATEBOOK 101 THE WHIRL 112 END NOTE: Welcome, Trolls!
74 Ringing in the Holidays
Our award-winning handbell choir by Rachel Simon photography by John Hansen
On the cover: Handbells from the Raleigh Ringers Photograph by: John Hansen
12 | WALTER
52
Trey Thomas (HOUSE); Mike Dunn (OWL); Forrest Mason (BOATMAN SPIRITS); Gerry O’Neill (WHEELBARROW)
40
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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Left: The girls sporting some vintage holiday sweatshirts. Right: The WALTER team at Taste of the Wild. Bottom: My red satin Manolo Blahniks.
L
ast Christmas, I found myself unironically scooping up some vintage holiday sweatshirts for myself and the kids at TrunkShow. I figured they’d come in handy, either for the Raleigh Christmas Parade or a school event or something. There were lots of options, so I spent a not-small amount of time trying to decide which ones they would like. (Skiing penguins? Teddy bears in gift boxes?) When I presented my amazing finds to our daughters, they looked at them with what I can only call disdain. Where would they wear these? The same children who unapologetically swoon over holiday-themed knickknacks in the dollar aisle of Target seemed to think that these really pushed us over the edge of cheesiness. Had they not heard of an Ugly Sweater Party? In the end, they did end up wearing them once or twice, and the sweatshirts made their way into my bin with a slowly increasing cadre of holiday apparel: dangly earrings shaped like pinecones and mistletoe that I found at Madison in the Village District two years ago; some cute little candy cane studs that the girls have borrowed a few times; a bright red sweater that is not technically “holiday” but really looks best in December; some sky-high red satin high heels that I fought for at a Manolo Blahnik sample sale in New York City during peak Sex and the City days. Those shoes are so un-
comfortable that I only wear them once a year. But I love them. I’m not sure when I crossed over from thinking that these sorts of things were corny to embracing them. (Given that I’ve been wearing the same shoes every Christmas for 20-plus years, it must’ve been a while ago.) But I think this is just part of something I’m noticing in other areas of my life: I’m worrying less about seeming “cool” and leaning into some sort of mix of sincerity and unselfconsciousness. Besides, as a mother of teenage girls, perhaps I no longer stand a chance of seeming cool, anyway. Happy holidays!
Ayn-Monique Klahre Editor
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DECEMBER 2025 PUBLISHER
DAVID WORONOFF
EDITORIAL
BUSINESS
Editor AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com
Advertising Sales Manager JULIE NICKENS julie@waltermagazine.com
Creative Director LAURA PETRIDES WALL laura@waltermagazine.com
Senior Account Executive & Operations CRISTINA BAKER cristina@waltermagazine.com
Associate Editor ADDIE LADNER addie@waltermagazine.com
Finance HENRY HOGAN 910-693-2497
Contributing Poetry Editor Jaki Shelton Green
Distribution JAMES KAY
Contributing Copy Editor Finn Cohen
Owners JACK ANDREWS, FRANK DANIELS III, DAVID WORONOFF In memoriam FRANK DANIELS JR.
Contributing Writers Catherine Currin, Jim Dodson, Mike Dunn, Hampton Williams Hofer, Colony Little, David Menconi, Liza Roberts, Rachel Simon, Marsha White Warren, Helen Yoest Contributing Photographers John Hansen, Ethan Hyman, Taylor McDonald, Forrest Mason, S.P. Murray, Bryan Regan, Joshua Steadman, Willa Stein, Trey Thomas Contributing Illustrators Sean Kernick, Gerry O’Neill, Lyudmila Tomova
GENERAL Inquiries WALTER OFFICE 984-286-0928 info@waltermagazine.com Address all correspondence to: WALTER magazine 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 104 Raleigh, N.C. 27601
Design Intern Kate Shepherd
WALTER is available by paid subscriptions for $36 a year in the United States, as well as select rack and advertiser locations throughout the Triangle. Subscribe online at waltermagazine.com/subscribe For subscription and customer service inquiries, please email us at customerservice@waltermagazine.com or call 818-286-3118. WALTER does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Please contact Ayn-Monique Klahre at ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com for freelance guidelines. © WALTER magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Published 12 times a year by The Pilot LLC.
16 | WALTER
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CONTRIBUTORS
GINNY GORDON’S SINCE 1982
JOHN HANSEN / P HOTO G R A PH ER John Hansen is a Cary-based photographer and drone operator who is a “recovering photojournalist” having worked at newspapers in Missouri, Taiwan and Florida, in addition to 26 years at The News & Observer. Whether his camera is soaring over a landscape or three inches from a Raleigh Ringers’ bell (as seen in this month’s issue), he tries to capture moments that inform, delight or move the reader.
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18 | WALTER
JOSHUA STEADMAN / MARSHA WHITE WARREN / POET Marsha White Warren is former director of the Paul Green Foundation and NC Writers’ Network, as well as a recipient of the John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities. She’s also been inducted into the NC Literary Hall of Fame and received the NC Award for Literature in 2023. “I was inspired to write this poem as it reflects my childhood — I’m 87 now. We were from a modest-means home, but we managed. My aunt Virginia was an accomplished artist who wanted to make our Christmas special, so each year she would make her wonderful dolls. I’ve kept them all these years.”
P HOTO GR A PH ER As the son of a newspaperman and a teacher, Joshua Steadman inherited a love of learning and telling stories. A commercial and editorial director and photographer, his work has appeared in The Bitter Southerner, Our State and Salvation South. “Most of my photos this month felt like long conversations. Pete offered a heady, healthy mix of business with artistic genius. Miriam and Nell were a breath of fresh air — energetic and weightless, open to my ideas and so comfortable in their relationship. And Brian and Tracy are friends of mine now! By the end of our sesssion, I felt like we’d known each other forever.” Follow Steadman on Instagram @steadyfilm.
Walker Anderson (STEADMAN); all others courtesy contributors
RACHEL SIMON / WRITER Rachel Simon is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Travel + Leisure and The Cut. A New York native and Emerson College graduate, she’s happily called Raleigh her home for the last five years. She was delighted to highlight the Raleigh Ringers for this issue ahead of the acclaimed group’s holiday concerts. “These musicians aren’t just talented, but seriously dedicated — they practice for hours every week on top of their day jobs! That passion and commitment is what makes their performances such must-sees.”
FEEDBACK We love to hear from you! “I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your editor’s letter — it was so refreshing to read a message encouraging contentment with enough. Thank you for speaking it and for keeping WALTER such an eclectic mix of stories and perspectives.” — Kelsey Hymel, on the October issue
Now Open
“Thanks for such a wonderful article! The photos were beautiful as was the way you captured the essence of the design and our friendship in words. We are grateful to have been given such a spotlight.” — Will Choi on “Relational Living”
A TrunkShow customer was inspired to visit by their Halloween costumes. Lots of folked enjoyed our collab with TrunksShow for costume ideas... “1990 Queen of Hearts is the best! Love this!” — Ellen Thompson “Amazing!” — Erin Wheeler
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 19AM 1/8/25 10:12
OUR TOWN This month, celebrate the season with festive balls, holiday performances and markets — plus some wintery libations.
Taylor McDonald
The Haymaker
DECK THE BARS This time of year, Raleigh is sparkling with holiday cheer. Illuminated snowflakes hang from the lamp posts, gorgeous Christmas trees have popped up on plazas and the insides of a few watering holes have transformed into jolly scenes, too. Downtown bar The Haymaker will again host its Miracle at The Haymaker, where you can expect staff dressed in their gaudiest sweaters, wrapping paper adorning the walls and drinks served in Santa-shaped mugs (555 Fayetteville Street; #115; thehaymakerraleigh.com). Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing will have its third Sippin’ Santa pop-up, a holiday soiree with a tropical, tiki-inspired twist (201 S. Boylan Avenue; wyehill.com). And new to the holiday pop-up scene this year is W. Morgan Street’s Wolfe & Porter. They’ll be hosting themed events like holiday karaoke nights and a gingerbread house showdown, all while serving specialties like a boozy peppermint mocha and cocktails infused with pomegranate-flavored spirits. “It’s the most wonderfully tacky time of the year here, that’s equal parts festive and delightfully rowdy,” says general manager Richie Reno. “Our upstairs transforms into a holiday bar decked out in over-the-top decorations, perfect for your best — or worst — holiday photos.” (905 W. Morgan Street; wolfeandporter.com). — Addie Ladner
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 23
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DATEBOOK WALTER’s list of things to see, do and experience this month by ADDIE LADNER
HOLIDAY MARKETS! courtesy Red Hat Amphtheater (RINK); courtesy MAKRS (WOMAN), WALTER Archives (MARKET)
All month | Various times ‘Tis the season for finding that perfect gift for your loved ones — and these local artisan markets are a great place to start, with entertainment and great food options, too! A few to consider: The Jolly Raleigh Holiday Market at Raleigh Iron Works, which will include kids’ activities and a fun mix of giftable crafts and food items (Dec. 6; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 2200 Atlantic Avenue; raleighironworks.com). The downtown MAKRS Holiday Fest has block-party vibes — live music, food trucks, face painting and a magician — with vendors selling everything from giftable foods to quirky handcrafted items to plants and more (Dec. 6; 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Fayetteville Street; makrs.com/makrs-holiday-fest). Triangle Pop-Up will be hosting the Holiday Market at NCMA on the museum’s plaza with an emphasis on artsy gifts by local makers. There will be live music, too (Dec. 6; 11 a.m. 4 p.m.; trianglepopup.com). The annual Saint Nicholas European Christmas Market at the NC State Fairgrounds will offer unique gifts from various cultures, from Scottish scarves to Ukrainian ornaments, alongside food like German kielbasa, Polish pierogies and Italian pasta, to enjoy there or take home (Dec. 12, 5 - 9 p.m.; Dec. 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 4285 Trinity Road; saintnicholasmarketnc.com). The Boylan Heights Art Walk is a longtime artcentered market where residents turn their porches and yards into minimarkets featuring jewelry, pottery, paintings and more (Dec. 12; 9 a.m. 5 p.m.; Boylan Avenue; boylanheights.org/art-walk).
THE RINK!
All month | Various times Outdoor ice skating returns at The
Rink! inside the Red Hat Amphitheater. Your admission gets you two hours to show off your skills (or use the skate assistants), ice skates and access to on-site activities like lounge areas, games, fire pits and more. Bringing a group of friends or family? Reserve an igloo for an extra fee — it comes with comfy seating, a hot chocolate setup, wait service and wintery snacks. $15; 500 S. McDowell Street; redhatamphitheater.com
LIAM ST. JOHN
Dec. 1 | 8 p.m. Chart-topping blues-meets-rock artist Liam St. John is coming to The Pour House for a powerful show celebrating the release of his latest and most personal album, Man of the North, which includes new songs that touch on themes of mental health, vulnerability and growth. Expect a deep, soulful and uplifting performance from this Nashville-based musician. $24; 224 S. Blount Street; pourhouseraleigh.com
All information is accurate as of press time, but please check waltermagazine.com and the event websites for the latest updates. THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 25
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Dec. 5 - 7 | Various times Don’t miss Theatre in the Park’s musical comedy adaptation of A Christmas Carol, a national treasure right here in Raleigh. This Broadwaycaliber show created and directed by Ira David Wood III turns the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge into a delightful musical full of spirit and heart. After playing the title role for more than 50 years, this year Wood III will play the Lamplighter and his son, actor Ira David Wood IV, will star as Scrooge. From $30; 2 E. South Street, Raleigh or 123 Vivian Street, Durham; theatreinthepark.com
Monroe. “Miller and Kazan were like brothers — they both came from the same city and same economic class, fought their way to the top and for a time believed strongly in the ideals of Roosevelt’s New Deal,” says director Jerome Davis. Against this political backdrop — and with the fear of being blacklisted — they are forced to negotiate their political and personal beliefs over a conversation in Kazan’s Connecticut home. “The play looks at the decision each faced when confronted at the McCarthy hearings — to name names or not to name names — and how those decisions affected their friendship and their careers,” says Davis. From $20; 224 Polk Street; burningcoal.org
NC STATE VS. WAKE FOREST
Dec. 3 | 7 p.m. Watch two North Carolina college basketball teams battle it out when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons take the North Carolina State University Wolfpack on the court at the Lenovo Center. From $38; 1400 Edwards Mill Road; gopack.com
CINDERELLA WINE & WREATHS
Dec. 1 - 5 | Various times Boyce Farms — a quaint Raleigh grower that offers a selection of Christmas trees and cuttings from the North Carolina mountains in the winter — hosts a series of popular wreath-decorating events each year. Bring your own beverage of choice, then all supplies are provided, including greenery, a wreath form and cutting tools, to work alongside relaxed, friendly instructors. A few of the events are themed, including a mother-and-daughter session on Dec. 4 and Date Night on Dec. 5. From $56; 2813 Mount Vernon Church Road; boycefarms.com
26 | WALTER
HERE IN AMERICA
Dec. 4 - 21 | Various times History buffs might enjoy this fictional one-act play set in the early 1950s during the rise of McCarthyism. It follows theater legends Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan, who both have a tempestuous relationship with Kazan’s wife, Marilyn
December 5 - 21 | Various times Dress-up attire is welcome at Raleigh Little Theatre’s popular, kid-friendly production of Cinderella! This comical interpretation of the Charles Perrault classic pits the kind, bookish Ella and the Fairy Godmother’s hapless helpers against Ella’s oafish, quarrelsome stepsisters. It’s a humorous, modern spin on the story that ends in a grand Christmastime ball. From $39; 301 Pogue Street; raleighlittletheatre.org
FESTIVE FRIDAYS
Dec. 5, 12, 19 | Various times Dorothea Dix Park is hosting a series of fun-themed Fridays throughout its grounds to get into the holiday spirit. On Dec. 5, Holiday Lights will have a couple brilliant twinkling displays and festive activities in Fountain Plaza. On
courtesy Theatre in the Park (CHRISTMAS CAROL); courtesy Boyce Farms (WREATHS); courtesy Burning Coal (HERE IN AMERICA); courtesy Raleigh Little Theatre (CINDERELLA)
DATEBOOK
Dec. 12, enjoy a group ride through the park on your bike or scooter in your merriest outfit. Dec. 19 is Silent Disco Night, an invitation to boogie under the stars in your tackiest sweater to celebrate the winter solstice. Free; 1030 Richardson Drive; dorotheadixpark.org
EARLY BIRDS AT PRAIRIE RIDGE courtesy NCMNS (BIRDS); Getty Images (WINE)
Dec. 12 | 7 - 9 a.m. Are you an early bird? If so, grab your coffee and head to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s outdoor sanctuary, Prairie Ridge Ecostation. One Friday a month, they open a few hours ahead of the usual time to offer folks an opportunity to watch the sun rise, see nature wake up or go for a quiet walk or trail run. This time of day can be especially active for wildlife, so bring binoculars, your favorite camera or just your own eyes to see what emerges. Free; 1671 Gold Star Drive; naturalsciences.org
BURGUNDY TASTING
Dec. 9 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. Burgundy is a verdant, rural area in eastern France known for its Romanesque architecture and sprawling
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 27
DATEBOOK
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JINGLE BALL
Dec. 12 | 7 p.m. For more than 30 years, the Capital City Clauses, a nonprofit that works to help bring joy to our youth, especially during the holidays, has hosted the Jingle Ball Charity Gala. Don your most glamorous, festive attire for this black-tie event and celebration of generosity, compassion and giving. “It’s an honor to be part of something that not only raises funds but also reminds us of the magic that happens when our community comes together to make a difference,” says Kathleen Alexander with the Capital City Clauses. Last year, the ball raised over $70,000 and the hope is to exceed that this year. From $165; 201 E. Hargett Street; capitalcityclauses.org
vineyards — and both the red and white wines from this region are loved for their minerality and earthiness. Local retailer Westgate Wine is hosting a tasting of burgundies from this region to help inspire pairings for your holiday menu or a thoughtful gift. From $30; 6405 Westgate Road, #115; westgatewinestore.com
pretations of seasonal favorites. This year, expect a lovely, brassy rendition of “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” a pop-music take on “Jingle Bells” and, of course, a rousing chorus of “Joy to the World,” the crowd-favorite finale. From $30; 2 E. South Street; ncmasterchorale.org
JOY OF THE SEASON
December 11 - 24 | Various times See Carolina Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, accompanied by musicians from the North Carolina Symphony. This whimsical story with some of the genre’s most famous dances — including “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Waltz of the Flowers” and
Dec. 9 | 7:30 p.m. The North Carolina Master Chorale’s annual holiday concert never disappoints. The nearly 200-member Symphonic Choir — along with Chamber and Youth Choirs — will perform a selection of traditional and new inter-
THE NUTCRACKER
courtesy Capital City Clauses (JINGLE BALL); courtesy Master Chorale (JOY); courtesy Carolina Ballet (NUTCRACKER)
LET’S GET SOCIAL!
“Trepak” — uses mesmerizing costumes and props to follow Clara’s journey through the Land of Sweets alongside her Nutcracker prince. From $65; 2 E. South Street; carolinaballet.com
Give your family the best gift of all.
Peace of mind.
Trey Thomas
HISTORIC OAKWOOD CANDLELIGHT TOUR
Dec. 13 & 14 | 1 - 7 p.m. Let there be candlelight! Visit Ralegh’s Historic Oakwood neighborhood, which is filled with Victorian, craftsman and Queen Anne-style homes that date to the 1800s, for its annual Candlelight Tour. You’ll see the insides of 10 homes, all dressed up in their holiday finest, with docents on hand to share their history. Check in at the historic Tucker House, where they’ll be serving warm apple cider and cookies, before this self-guided tour. The homes can be seen in any order and at your own pace, though it’s recommended to allow three hours. Advance tickets are required. From $43; 418 N. Person Street; historicoakwood.org
RALEIGH RINGERS HOLIDAY CONCERT
Dec. 14 & 15 | Various times Raleigh’s 19-member handbell group has a special performance planned for two nights this month. Enjoy a mix of pop, rock and classic holiday songs arranged by longtime director David M. Harris, an award-winning handbell musician who played all over the world before co-founding the group in 1990. From $30; 2 E. South Street; rr.org
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 29
DATEBOOK
Dec. 19 | Various times Local nonprofits Raleigh Rescue Mission and Meals on Wheels Wake County are teaming up for one day to distribute a good meal to those in need in the community for the holidays — and they need volunteers to help pull this off! Sign up to help pack a meal of a juicy turkey, sides and bread at Christ the King Presbyterian Church or to deliver the meals afterward. No training is required, just your generous spirit. Can’t make it Dec. 19? Raleigh Rescue Mission hands out free meals every day to those in need and they are always looking for folks to sign up to prepare and donate meals to the hungry. Free; 1417 Clifton Street; raleighrescue.org
HOLIDAY HOCKEY
Dec. 23 | 7 p.m. Watch the Carolina Hurricanes take the ice to battle the Florida Panthers for a holiday-themed fan night at the Lenovo Center. Expect lots of Caniacs accessorizing their red-and-white gear with green flair, plus Christmasinspired fan chants, giveaways and the high-energy play the Canes are known for. From $56; 1400 Edwards Mill Road; nhl.com/hurricanes
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Dec. 31 | Various times There are lots of fun ways to ring in 2026 in Raleigh — here are just two options. For a family-friendly extravaganza, head downtown to see our famous acorn drop at the annual WRAL First Night Raleigh celebration, presented by Artsplosure. There, enjoy live music, tons of kids activities and a marvelous fireworks show — with
an early ball drop for younger kids or adults who don’t want to stay up until midnight (Pricing not available at press time; 2 p.m. - 12 a.m.; 336 Fayetteville Street; artsplosure.org). For a more intimate, 21+ evening, head to The Willard Rooftop for Champagne & Spotlights: A Vintage Holiday Affair. At this old-Hollywood themed party, expect a red carpet, music by Helena Redman Quintet and a champagne toast at midnight (8 p.m. - 1 a.m.; $120; 9 Glenwood Avenue; thewillardraleigh.com).
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MUSIC
A YEAR IN SONGS From creative collaborations to personal tributes, here are 10 landmark songs of 2025 by DAVID MENCONI
Bryan Regan (HOPSCOTCH)
Fans enjoy Hopscotch Music Festival
WEDNESDAY, “ELDERBERRY WINE” Wednesday guitarist MJ Lenderman broke out as a solo star last year with his acclaimed album Manning Fireworks, but he’s still in this Asheville band’s lineup for their new LP, Bleeds. This one’s also an amazing breakthrough album touted by National Public Radio as one of the best rock records of the year. TIFT MERRITT, “LAST DAY I KNEW WHAT TO DO” Raleigh resident Tift Merritt has been spending most of her time lately working on an ambitious project, refurbishing the old Gables Motor Lodge near downtown as a boutique hotel and artistic retreat. But there’s still time for music, with a new album in the works plus this year’s reissue of Merritt’s Grammy-nominated 2004 album Tambourine. “Last Day I Knew What To Do” is one of the reissued version’s previously unreleased bonus cuts.
This year brought notable new albums, interesting collaborations and some cool side projects from North Carolina musicians. It also brought 26 | WALTER tribute to two late, great artists from our state. Here are 10 landmark songs of 2025.
THIRD OF NEVER, “GRAB THE GROUND” From the Lenoir County town of La Grange, Third of Never is one of this region’s best classic-rock-style bands. Judge them by the company they keep: One of the group’s regular collaborators is keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick, longtime sideman for The Who. The soundtrack to an in-progress film, Third of Never’s latest album, Damage the Pearl, features another notable guest, Connells lead singer Doug MacMillan, as primary vocalist. SALT COLLECTIVE, “IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON” This supergroup features members of R.E.M., Wilco, Blake Babies, Television and other stars, plus North Carolina’s Lynn THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 33
MUSIC Blakey, Mitch Easter and Chris Stamey. Blakey, a veteran of bands including Let’s Active and Tres Chicas, duets with R.E.M.’s Mike Mills on this single from the new Salt Collective album A Brief History of Blindness, and it’s lovely. NEKO CASE, “WINCHESTER MANSION OF SOUND” This is a song that’s about rather than by a local artist: Chapel Hill’s late great Dexter Romweber, who has had quite an afterlife since his death in 2024. He was depicted on the TV teen drama series The Runarounds and also posthumously elected to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The same month Romweber was inducted, Americana songstress Neko Case released this elegy to his memory on her latest album, Neon Grey Midnight Green, including these lyrics: I still think of you And your wild, recurve guitar Only you can play so far out of tune And still kick me in the heart…
BON IVER, “DAY ONE” Former Triangle resident Justin Vernon (known musically as Bon Iver) kept busy on multiple fronts this year, including serving as producer of his old DeYarmond Edison bandmate Phil Cook’s instrumental-piano album Appalachia Borealis. He also released a highly idiosyncratic Bon Iver LP of his own, SABLE, fABLE. From that album, “Day One” features the singer Dijon and Jenn Wasner (who performs as Flock of Dimes) in cameo roles. THE MOUNTAIN GOATS, “COLD AT NIGHT” Few songwriters are prolific enough to pull off a book as ambitious as John Darnielle’s latest, This Year: 365 Songs Annotated: A Book of Days, a quasimemoir of mini-essays about a song for every day on the calendar. And the Durham resident’s latest Mountain Goats LP is Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan, an elaborately conceived concept album about a shipwreck story.
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From that album, “Cold at Night” somehow features both Replacements/Guns N’ Roses bassist Tommy Stinson and Hamilton: An American Musical maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda on backup vocals. CHRIS STAMEY, “MEET ME IN MIDTOWN” Chapel Hill’s Chris Stamey had another busy year in the studio, with the previously-mentioned Salt Collective album as one of his productions. Stamey’s own 2025 LP, Anything Is Possible, shows off his knack for making new songs that sound like huge hits of classic vintage from some far-off alternative universe. “Meet Me in Midtown” features the aforementioned Lynn Blakey on the vocal chorus. THE MAYFLIES USA, “KICKLESS KIDS” When Chapel Hill’s Mayflies USA went on hiatus following 2002’s Walking in a Straight Line, bassist Adam Price launched a successful parallel writing career under his full name, Adam O’Fallon Price. His writings include two novels, with a third in the works. Meantime, Mayflies reconvened this year to put out their first album in more than two decades. This is the title track.
GIFT
ROBERTA FLACK, “ETERNALLY” A native of Black Mountain, Roberta Flack first emerged as vocalist with the Eastern North Carolina R&B band The Monitors before going on to become one of the biggest soul-pop stars of the 1970s. “Killing Me Softly With His Song” was her defining (but far from only) hit, and she was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame this year, after her death at age 88. From a 1997 session, “Eternally” was released for the occasion.
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LISTEN TO THE SONGS OF 2025 PLAYLIST HERE 9 Locations in NC & VA GreatOutdoorProvision.com
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 35
DRINK
SETTING SAIL Seaboard’s Boatman Spirits Co. boasts Mediterranean-inspired street food and classic cocktails by CATHERINE CURRIN photography by FORREST MASON
36 | WALTER
H
ospitality has always been part of George Ghneim’s DNA. When his family immigrated from Palestine to San Francisco in the 1980s, they opened a corner store deli — and Ghneim was behind the counter almost as soon as he could reach it. “I worked since I was a little kid, weekends and summers,” he says. “It was really all about the relationships.” Ghneim ended up going to veterinary school, moving to North Carolina for work and practicing in Raleigh, but he still longed for that vibe. In 2006, while still running his practice, he opened Riviera Mediterranean Resto & Lounge downtown, but it closed a few years later. Fast forward almost a decade: Ghneim, by then a partner in Oak Heart Veterinary Hospitals across Raleigh, got to talking with bartender Geremy Prichard when he was behind the counter at The Blind Barbour, a whiskey bar across the street from an Oak Heart clinic. Prichard was studying bioprocessing at North Carolina State University, with dreams of opening a distillery. “We finally decided to pull the trigger,” says Ghneim. They enlisted Aaron Lambert, who was previously the general manager at Whiskey Kitchen, to run the business day-to-day, and the three, along with seasoned bartender Zack Thomas, worked together to bring Boatman Spirits Co. to life — a concept that would be part cocktail bar, part distillery. Because they wanted Boatman to have a fully functioning
distillery, they had some pretty specific building requirements, like high ceilings, and found a fit within the newly redeveloped Seaboard Station area. Boatman Spirits Co. opened in June. The 7,000-square-foot space, which was designed by Bryan Costello, is now an anchor of Seaboard’s reinvention. Sprawling, inviting archways and domed ceilings are highlighted by a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that let in the natural light. The entryway is highlighted by geometric terrazzo tiles in alternating shades of pink, cream and brick red; each column is clad in rich brown tiles, bringing intimacy to the space. Lambert says the space was meant to transport you: “I wanted it to feel like you walked into another country or time, but couldn’t put your finger on which one — though you might see a flash of Marrakesh, Istanbul or the Basque region.” The name “Boatman” is also leaves room for varied interpretations. “We chose the name because it allows us to pay homage to many cultures,” says Lambert. “The boatman takes you from our world into a different world,” says Ghneim. “And there are so many different variations of this. A popular one is the boatman on the River Styx in ancient Greek mythology, but you have versions of this idea throughout the Mediterranean, as well as in Asian cultures and the Celtic world.” Even within the vast space, guests can find intimate corners or watch the action at the bar. The menu spotlights classic cocktails like the Sazerac, gimlets and sours. “Our first mission is to bring a lineup of drinks that show off our prowess while still
being approachable and familiar,” says Lambert. Martinis and boozy cocktails are served in a mini carafe, resting on ice, for freshly chilled refills as you take each sip. As for the food, “we decided to focus a little bit on my heritage and bring in Mediterranean-inspired street food, but we wanted the menu to be something we continue to explore,” says Ghneim. “We’re trying to show that Mediterranean cuisine is so much more than Greek and Italian food,” Lambert says. The bar plates and dinner menus include fresh, vibrant flavors — like a zesty gazpacho and herbaceous Fattoush salad — as well as heartier savory dishes like a shawarma platter with basmati rice and pita, plus an array of entrees to choose from, like falafel and lamb kofta. Bar patrons can graze on crispy halloumi bites, marinated olives or fried chickpeas. “From the drinks to the food, our entire menu has nods to different Mediterranean ingredients, cultures and mythologies,” says Lambert, nodding to the Watermelon Hex, a cocktail with vodka, St. Germain, mint and prosecco. “For example, watermelon is a national symbol for George’s home country of Palestine.” Since its opening, Boatman has welcomed guests with regular jazz nights, weekend DJs, supper-club collaborations and boilermaker nights (with different beer and spirit pairings on the menu). “And as the distillery gets up and going — hopefully in early 2026 — we’re going to make spirits with methods and ingredients from all over the world,” says Lambert, “so our boatman can continue to evolve and change.”
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 37
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GARDEN
NEEDHAM B. BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
HAPPY HOLLY-DAY
S.P. Murray
Everything I need to make my holiday home festive is outside! Some of my favorite greenery cuttings include blue atlas cedar, boxwood, Leyland cypress and winterberry holly. I’ll fill a vase with mixed cuttings and add a poinsettia stem for flair. Some years, I buy a wreath at the nursery and add my cuttings to it — I love its natural beauty. Here are some other garden-inspired tips for the holiday season. — Helen Yoest CARE FOR YOUR POINSETTIAS Poinsettias hail from Mexico and have been coloring our holiday homes since they were first introduced here in the 1820s. It’s the bracts (leaves, not petals!) that give us color, with their tiny flowers tucked in the center. To keep them fresh, provide bright, indirect light and water when the top of the soil is dry, allowing excess water to drain. I give you permission to put them in the compost pile once they start to look ratty! PLANT HOLLY SHRUBS Winterberry, Ilex verticillata, is one of my favorite native deciduous plants with its bright red berries on deep brown stems. To ensure the lovely bright red berries each winter, look for male pollinating varieties such as Southern Gentleman or Jim Dandy. RECONSIDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE Looking for a fun tradition that also helps your yard and environment? Forgo the classic cut Christmas tree and instead decorate a large potted or balled-and-burlapped shrub that can be planted in your yard afterward. Good choices include a pyramidal-shaped boxwood, such as Green Mountain, Pyramidalis or Highlander. If you choose to use a boxwood for your holiday decor, try to minimize its indoor time (plan to take it outside within two weeks) and water it well.
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 39
NATURE
Give a HOOT! A barred owl
North Carolina’s owls are silent predators that add mystery and serenity to the night soundscape words and photography by MIKE DUNN
40 | WALTER
O
A raccoon sleeping on a limb of its den tree.
ne morning after I started working at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (way back when it was still called NC Museum of Natural History), I saw a friend staring at one of the bird displays. When I greeted her, she said she was trying to figure out what had hit her while she was jogging. She explained that she was running at dawn on a trail in Duke Forest when something struck her in the back of the head. She turned, fists clinched, ready to take on her attacker — but there was no one there. She then noticed the silhouette of a large bird on a tree branch above the
trail. We discussed her description: a large bird with “ears.” I suggested it was probably a great horned owl, and she confirmed the silhouette looked like the bird on display. When she asked why the bird did that, we talked about the possibility of it having a nest nearby. But it was pretty late in the year for an occupied nest. Then, remembering something I had read in an old article, I asked if she had her hair in a ponytail that morning while jogging. She did. Then I asked if a white scrunchie was holding the ponytail. Again, the answer was yes. What I had read was that someone in a similar scenario had been hit in the head by a great horned owl. The writer speculated that the owl may have mistaken the back of their head and the bouncing ponytail with the scrunchie for a cottontail rabbit and started to take it as prey before realizing it was not a rabbit! You’ve likely not been knocked in the head by an owl, but you may have heard one’s haunting call through an open window in summer or on an evening walk. There are three common owl species in North Carolina: eastern screech owl, great horned owl and barred owl. (There are several other species of owls that have been seen in our state — northern saw-whet, barn, short-eared, long-eared and snowy — but most people will never see or hear one of those.) The eastern screech owl is smallest, about the size of a beefy robin, and perhaps the least common for us. There are two common color morphs, rufous (reddish) and gray. Most references say the gray is more common, but I have seen about equal numbers of both over the years. I occasionally hear their odd calls, which sound like a descending, high-pitched, horse-like whinny or an even-pitched tremulous trill. I have also captured video of eastern screech owls flying and landing in view of our trail
Left: An eastern screech owl. Right: A great horned owl at Buffalo Lake.
cameras, but I have never seen one on our property. I have had good luck elsewhere, especially in eastern North Carolina. At Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, I often see them poking their heads out of wood duck boxes, usually in winter — eastern screech owls seem to enjoy soaking up the last rays of sun on a winter afternoon. I have also found them sitting at the edge of a hole in a hollow tree. They often will slide deeper into the hole if they sense your presence. You can attract eastern screech owls to your yard by erecting an owl nest box, but I hesitated to do that on our property due to the overabundance of gray squirrels, who will take over an owl box. Screech owls prey on a variety of animals, from insects and crayfish to small rodents and birds. Driving home one night when I lived in Raleigh, I found an eastern screech owl perched in the road on a mourning dove it had killed. As I drove around it, I wondered how this tiny owl could fly off with prey that large. Barred owls are larger than screech owls, reaching total lengths of about 18
to 20 inches, with wingspans up to 40 inches. Named for the barred pattern of their feathers, this is probably our most familiar owl due to their endearing call, which sounds like “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?” I hear that call frequently both in the day and night, as barred owls hunt more in daytime than many other species. They prefer swamps or forests near water, but are equally at home in neighborhoods with adequate tree cover. My most memorable moments with this species have been in the swamps along the Roanoke River while canoe camping on the platforms maintained by Roanoke River Partners. There is one platform named Barred Owl Roost that never fails to provide a soundscape of the calls, hoots and whistles. My favorite call is one that a pair often makes, called caterwauling. It’s a raucous cacophony of sounds that remind me of a troop of monkeys yelling at one another. Barred owls usually nest in hollow trees and typically lay two to three eggs. They feed on a wide variety of prey including rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, large insects and even fish.
In the swamps of the Roanoke, I have seen them catch many crayfish and the occasional amphiuma (a large aquatic salamander resembling an eel). Our largest owl is the great horned owl, a fierce predator that can capture large prey like rabbits and skunks. These are big birds, with a wingspan of 4 to 5 feet. They occur in many types of habitat but seem to prefer the same sorts of places you find red-tailed hawks — woodlands with edges along open spaces like fields and waterways. These owls may nest in hollow trees or take over abandoned nests of other birds, like hawks and ospreys. I have even found one nest at the top of a broken tree trunk where a tangle of poison ivy vines had created a large platform. Great horned owls are among our earliest nesters, and I have seen them sitting on a nest during several of our Christmas Bird Counts. Often called the hoot owl, you hear their plaintive series of hoots (some say it has the cadence of the phrase, “Who’s awake? Me too!”) more in the fall and winter, often at sunset and just before dawn. I have been THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 41
NATURE
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fascinated by this owl for decades after reading about how some early ornithologists called them “flying tigers” for their predatory prowess and aggressive defense of their nests. Owls are all well-adapted to their nocturnal lifestyle. They have big eyes relative to the size of their skull. (If our eyes were the same proportion to our heads, they would be as large as grapefruits!) Owl eyes also contain a large number of rod cells that detect light and motion. Like many other nocturnal animals, they have a reflective layer at the back of the eye (the tapetum lucidum) that bounces any incoming light around to be more efficiently absorbed. This also causes eyeshine in those animals. Unlike our eyes, an owl’s eyes are fixed in place; they can’t move side to side or up and down. To compensate, owls have an extremely flexible neck (containing 14 vertebrae compared to our seven) allowing them to rotate their head about 270 degrees, compared with 90 degrees to each side for most humans. Owls have a number of adaptations that allow them to fly almost silently through the night air to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Owl feathers have
a soft, velvety surface that dampens sound. Their flight feathers have small comb-like slits on the leading edge that break up the turbulence in the air created during flight and a soft fringe on the trailing edge that also muffles sound. Museum staff often demonstrate this by using two wings from the teaching collection — one from a redtailed hawk, the other from a barred owl. When you flap the hawk wing, you hear a whooshing sound as air passes over the stiff feathers. Flap the owl wing and you hear… silence. Owls also rely on their keen hearing to find prey and have several tools for this. Owl ears are asymmetrical on the sides of their head (one is higher than the other). This gives them more precise directional hearing so they can pinpoint where a mouse or other prey is rustling in the leaves. In addition, their facial disks help focus sounds into their ears. (The ear tufts seen on many species, including the great horned owl, have nothing to do with hearing, but do enhance their camouflage when hiding against a tree trunk.) You might discover an owl has been in your yard by something they leave behind: an owl pellet. Owls (and most raptors) can’t digest some parts of their prey, like the fur, feathers and bones. So after feeding, they compact these parts in their gizzard and later cough them up as a pellet. (I’ll always remember this quote from an elementary school student when he realized the pellet was coughed up rather than coming out the other end: “Oh, it’s owl pukey, not owl dookie.”) Many science classes dissect sterilized owl pellets as a lesson on what animals eat. You can find jaw bones, teeth and other parts to help you identify the specific prey. Owls are beautiful and important creatures in our area and help control rodent populations. Their calls add a touch of mystery and serenity to the night soundscape. Enjoy listening to and observing them, but don’t mess with their nest tree — and try not to look like a rabbit!
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Brian and Tracy Frerichs have created a niche artistic style that celebrates their love of nature by COLONY LITTLE photography by JOSHUA STEADMAN
44 | WALTER
B
rian and Tracy Frerichs share a passion for the outdoors that has blossomed into a creative partnership. The two run Forested Way, a woodworking studio in Knightdale, where they make art — mostly landscapes — from upcycled wood. “Honestly, we just love the mountains. We’ve painted them, photographed them and climbed them,” says Tracy. “So when we started woodworking, it just seemed like a natural direction to take.” Among the landmarks they have portrayed in their artwork: the Blue Ridge Mountains, the coastline of Acadia National Park in Maine, the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and Half Dome in California. “We choose the locations based on either that we know this area
is incredible and beautiful and we love spending time there, or the area looks incredible and beautiful and we want to go spend time there,” Tracy says. For Brian and Tracy, who are both originally from New Jersey, this endeavor is a natural byproduct of their relationship — but the path unfolded somewhat unconventionally. Neither was an art major (Brian studied economics; Tracy studied sociology and German), and after college, they both worked in noncreative fields. But Brian’s parents had a paint-and-sip art studio, where he began painting and teaching classes. The two met at a rock climbing gym while Tracy was in graduate school. Early into their relationship, Brian learned about Earthship Biotecture, a
program that offers education courses and builds sustainable, off-grid homes out of recycled materials. “I’d decided I wanted to go try it out,” Brian says. “So I asked Tracy, do you wanna come?” For Tracy, who was experiencing some career wanderlust of her own, the answer was an easy yes. The two spent a month backpacking through South America, then another month on Easter Island, off the Chilean coast, where they worked with the Earthship Biotecture people to build a music school. This trip sparked a mutual interest in upcycled materials and earned them some carpentry skills, too. Back home, the two opened their own paint-and-sip studio and Brian started experimenting with woodworking, first making picture frames from reclaimed wood. “We started really basic,” says Tracy. From there, Brian branched out to building furniture pieces, including the tables and benches the couple used for their wedding reception. Encouraged by positive feedback from their guests, the couple started experimenting further, making more artistic pieces. Their early works included wooden mountain and skyscapes made by nailing together painted cubes and trianglular prisms. As the two got more skilled with woodworking, so did the sophistication of their pieces, with Brian using his painting skills to fill out the scenes. “Wood lends itself really well to depicting rock — especially a really silvery piece of wood — so it makes sense within a greater landscape,” Tracy says. Adds Brian: “I like the hybrid of painting and woodworking, it gives the work so much more vibrancy and depth.” They started doing landscapes on a commission basis, often depicting the location where a couple had gotten engaged. “Trying to recreate the magic of those places was like bringing a little piece of them home,” says Tracy. By 2017, they had enough requests for work that they created a name for their company, Forested Way, and started making small works to sell in craft fairs and markets in New Jersey. “There was
a brief period of overlap where we were running the studio and trying out art markets,” says Brian. “We started really small because we didn’t know if we could sell enough to make it worth it.” They lived with family and friends while they honed their craft and found the balance between identifying the
right shows and creating enough work to offset expenses. In 2018, a friend suggested they sell their work at Artsplosure, Raleigh’s long-running downtown arts festival. “It blew us away, there’s nothing like it in the Northeast,” says Tracy. “It was the best time — people were having fun and there was so much THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 45
MAKERS incredible talent.” They loved the community so much that in 2019 they moved to the area, first crashing with friends in Wake Forest before settling into their own place in Knightdale, a fixer-upper with a small shed in the back. Unfortunately they bought the home in early 2020. “We got notified that our offer was accepted the same week that everything shut down,” says Tracy. “All of our shows for the whole year were canceled.” But the couple found a silver lining, using the extra time to transform the shed into a proper woodworking shop, including adding large barn-style doors to provide adequate ventilation and help manage the copious amounts of milling sawdust they produce. “We turned it into a cool workshop,” says Brian. “It’s an easy commute, we just walk out back to work.” And they were still able to sell their art online. “I couldn't believe how supportive art lovers and customers were in seeking out small businesses to support during that time,” says Brian. Now, Forested Way is known for its textured wooden recreations of mountain landscapes, which play up the natural grain and coloration of reclaimed wood that’s cut, shaped, painted and as-
piece out of the plywood to use as a stencil for the wood they’ll use for the final piece. “For rock faces, for example, we'll orient strips of wood vertically for a cliff face and diagonally for slopes,” Tracy says. They then puzzle the pieces back together, and Brian uses acrylic paint to fill out colorful details like trees, water or sky; they’ll also stain the natural woods to bring out the grain.
Forested Way is known for its textured wooden recreations of mountain landscapes, which play up the natural grain and coloration of reclaimed wood that’s cut, shaped, painted and assembled, like puzzles, into works of art. sembled, like puzzles, into works of art. Often starting from a photograph (plus additional research into the location), Brian will sketch the design onto a piece of thin plywood. “We use a projector when working with specific landmarks so that everything is the right proportions, but we really have to interpret the photos into lines that make sense with our style of work,” says Tracy. They then figure out how to simplify the design into pieces before hand-cutting each 46 | WALTER
Together, the pieces create naturalistic renderings of rolling hills, distant mountainscapes and breaking waves. The dark, visible seams between each piece give the final scene its puzzle-like appearance while enhancing its natural texture and depth. They source their wood from a variety of places, but much of it is old cedar fencing they pick up when someone installs a new fence, or extra flooring left over from a construction project — materials that might
otherwise be trashed. “Many of our local sources have just been nice people at art festivals who like our work and happen to have some old wood lying around,” says Tracy. These days, the couple is back on the fair circuit, attending roughly 20 shows per year, building the business and creating strong friendships with fellow craftspeople. “We still meet up with some of our friends from the early shows to camp together. It’s a good community of people,” says Tracy. When they travel, it’ll inspire ideas for new work — keep an eye out for a scene from Iceland — and conversely, commissioned pieces can inspire their plans. “We just did a Mount Kilimanjaro commission and now we’ve got an Africa trip happening next year!” she says. But one of the most meaningful byproducts of making this sort of art has been its ability to connect them to others. “One of the coolest things about having these pieces hanging in our tent at shows is hearing everyone’s stories,” says Tracy. “We had a Monte Fitz Roy piece hanging this spring and a family at the art festival had just gotten back from there — and another couple, who ended up purchasing it, got engaged there!”
LOCALS
Our Novels, Ourselves
left: Sunlight velvet buck. right: Heron starting nest Left: Nell Joslin. Right: Elaine Orr.
Over 10 years, a pair of writers develop a special relationship through work and walks by HELEN YOEST photography by JOSHUA STEADMAN
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en years ago, two Raleigh women were walking together on the Crabtree Creek branch of the greenway, a spot midway between their homes. They had met in a writing workshop and these walks were an opportunity not only to exercise, but to talk: about family, aging parents, challenges at work, anything. Separately, they were each working on novels, an undertaking that can take years for any writer. And they were also each trying to forge ahead on this Herculean task alone; soon they discovered that they were both at a crossroads. Elaine Orr, a professor of English at North Carolina State University, and Nell
Joslin, a practicing attorney, had gotten to know each other’s work and writing styles in that previous group. They shared a mutual love of the natural world and literature and enjoyed discussing new books they had recently read. On this particular day, when they got to the cascade at the old Lassiter Mill dam, they sat down for a few minutes. For some reason — perhaps it was the anticipation of parting — Orr’s thoughts turned to writing. “I remember saying something about how lonely it can be to work on a novel, even if you’re dedicated,” she recalls. Joslin agreed. “I think we were both at a point where we weren’t sure which THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 49
LOCALS
“One of the great powers of friendship is being seen for exactly who you are and being accepted and loved anyway. This kind of power releases the writer from any inhibition. She can try anything.” — NELL JOSLIN direction our novels were taking us,” she says. “At that point in my writing life, I felt well and truly alone.” The two friends hatched the idea of meeting frequently to share what they had written, provide feedback and brainstorm. “Sometimes you just need someone to help you figure out how to move a character across a room,” Orr says. “Or kill someone off,” Joslin adds, laughing. “Sometimes a character needs to die to move the plot along.” And so weekly meetings began, generally outdoors in parks, including the Joslin Garden (formerly the home of Joslin’s parents, now a Raleigh city park). Orr had already published two novels, the first at age 59; Joslin, at the 50 | WALTER
time in her early 60s, was working on her first novel, having earlier completed her MFA in creative writing at NC State. These women were engaged in what could potentially be the most significant work of their lives at an age when many Americans are retiring. A few years earlier, Joslin had begun her Civil War novel, Measure of Devotion, about a mother, Susannah Shelburne, who undertakes a hard, dangerous journey when her son is wounded in battle hundreds of miles away. Susannah ends up behind enemy lines, faced with wrenching choices to free her son. The story is full of surprises, as her allies and foes reveal themselves in shocking ways. Against the chaos of war, Joslin envi-
sioned additional conflict between the anti-slavery mother and her Confederate son that needed to be brought onto the page with emotional insight and skill. And Joslin also faced the challenges of gathering rich historical details, a process that would require extensive reading, research and travel. Orr was beginning Dancing Woman, a novel set in the early 1960s. At first, all she knew was that the main character, Isabel Hammond, profoundly disappointed in her efforts as an artist, had married in haste and with quick regret, following her husband to Nigeria. Soon, she discerned that Isabel has the capacity to see beneath the surface of things. But her character is also young and passionate and makes a precipitous choice on a night away from her husband, one with lifelong consequences. When Isabel unearths an ancient sculpture of a woman in her garden, her conflict crystallizes: can she answer her calling to be an artist and also devote herself to family? Isabel embarks on a journey of self-discovery, even as she bears twins, her husband suffers a terrible accident and Nigeria moves toward civil war. As the two novels developed and deepened, Orr and Joslin’s friendship grew. The weekly meetings began to open up a space where each could talk about what they were struggling with, what they were afraid of and what they were proud of. The process of reading aloud and listening intently, often in the open air, became part of the creative process. “I’d have ideas, listening to Nell talk about my work, that offered an epiphany,” Orr says. “What made the partnership work is that we didn’t have to hide. Sharing work in progress can be incredibly frightening. But I felt I could show Nell anything and she would respond with deep engagement.” “One of the great powers of friendship is being seen for exactly who you are and being accepted and loved anyway,” says Joslin. “This kind of power releases the writer from any inhibition.
She can try anything.” In colder weather, Joslin and Orr met in various Raleigh establishments. They discovered New World Café on Duraleigh Road, a quiet spot a bit distant from their neighborhoods where they thought they might find privacy. “I loved their almond cookies,” Orr says. “That was an added benefit of doing the work. We were dedicated but even dedication requires some rewards along the way.” On days when a cookie wasn’t going to be enough nourishment, they’d go to the Village Deli in the Village District. “This was especially convenient for Orr because of the proximity to NC State,” Joslin says. Over time, Orr says, “our novels were becoming friends.” Both were writing about women facing unique and important challenges, and going to these Raleigh haunts became a little adventure. “As with the walks, we were traveling, moving through our environments, looking for emotional sustenance, encouragement and insight,” says Orr. “Like us, our characters needed a friend to confess to, guideposts to the next safe harbor, courage to move forward into the unknown.” Joslin agrees: “We were becoming four friends instead of just two writers.” Years passed, including the difficult Covid era, when the habit of meeting outside proved invaluable and they were able to make it work even in cold weather. Other times, Joslin and Orr traveled to writing retreats away from Raleigh, which offered time and space to focus almost exclusively on their work. One of the first such interludes was at the Well Spring House in Ashfield, Massachusetts, in the rural western part of the state. “Something magical happened in that place,” Joslin says. “It was a beautiful, quiet little town. We had every advantage of solitude, without losing any of the advantages of companionship. Elaine and I worked during the day and then shared the evening meal together and spoke about how our day had gone. It was both freedom and structure.”
“As with the walks, we were traveling, moving through our environments, looking for emotional sustenance, encouragement and insight.” — ELAINE ORR Later, the friends were accepted at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (the VCCA) in Amherst, Virginia. There they had bedrooms in a residence hall, studios in a restored barn and all of their meals supplied. They worked alone for most of the days but resumed their walks on the VCCA grounds or at nearby Sweet Briar College, weaving the relief of sharing into the isolated intensity of the 10-hour writing blocks. Another year, as they were finishing their novels, Joslin and Orr rented an Airbnb in Franklinton, North Carolina, for two weeks. They established separate working spaces, walked together daily when they took a break and sought out the town’s restaurants for dinner. “All of this time writing and walking in proximity led to such a trusted
and essential friendship that even when we took retreats alone or traveled to separate destinations, I thought of Elaine and her support of my book if I was struggling through a difficult day of writing,” Joslin says. The friends finished their novels at about the same time, and both were recently published. “Elaine’s novel came out in January of this year, and mine came out in May. We shared thoughts and suggestions about our book tours, which ended up overlapping so that we have sometimes missed our weekly meetings. Now, we’re beginning to think about our next novels,” Joslin says. “I’m already plying Nell for ideas,” Orr says. “She is such an amazing historian. I don’t know how I would start on this next big project without her.” THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 51
SIMPLE LIFE
If Wishes Were Wheelbarrows . . . Then babies would ride by JIM DODSON illustration by GERRY O’NEILL
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wenty years ago, as part of our move to North Carolina from Maine, I gave my beloved Chevy truck to a local kid who thought Christmas had come early. “Old Blue,” as I called her, was getting on in years and prone to stalling out from time to time. But, oh, how I loved that truck. She gave our tribe many fine memories, including carrying me, my 7-year-old daughter, 52 | WALTER
Maggie, and our dog, Amos, through a 6,000-mile camping-and-fly-fishing trip across the golden West that became the premise for a book. Last Christmas, some of you may recall, I jokingly wished that Santa would bring me a shiny new Chevy pickup truck. To help the old fella out, I even began scouting local Chevy dealers, hoping to find a deal on a nice new or used pickup truck
that had my name on it. Unfortunately, the trucks I liked had eye-popping price tags — bad news for Santa. On one level, I’m glad my truck wish failed to come true. On another, everywhere I went in the city over the following year, I seemed to see fancy pickup trucks with old white dudes like me behind the wheel, an unnaturally cruel sight for a fellow quietly suffering
from years of truck lust. So, I asked myself: What the heck does someone like me, who lives and gardens in a quiet suburban neighborhood, really need with a shiny new pickup truck? The answer is nothing. Or pretty much nothing. On the other hand, if Santa had indeed brought me the shiny new pickup I’d wished for, this year I could have impressed my neighbors by hauling home the largest Christmas tree ever in the back of my truck, a Currier and Ives scene for the age of consumer excess. Instead, as usual, we purchased a lovely little fir tree at the roadside lot where we’ve found the perfect holiday tree for many years and drove it home on the roof of my elderly Outback. It looked sensational with its tiny lights glowing from our den’s picture window on a deep December night. Still, old wishes die hard. During an afternoon trip to the grocery store the other day, just when I thought my truck lust was finally a thing of the past, a white-haired fellow about my age parked beside me and climbed out of a beautiful, cobalt-blue Sierra Denali 1500. It was a real beauty, and for a crazy, covetous moment, I wished I had one just like it. “How do you like your rig?” I cordially asked. He beamed. “It’s absolutely fantastic. Gave it to myself when I retired last year. One of the new self-driving models with four-wheel drive and a crew cab that’s perfect for hauling our four grandkids around town.” He added that it had all the latest high-technology toys, plus real leather seats and a super sound system. “Feel free to take a seat in it, if you’d like,” he graciously offered. I thanked him, but declined the offer. I wished him happy grandkid-hauling,
then went on my way, realizing that I evidently hadn’t quite gotten my yen for a shiny new pickup truck completely out of my system. Fortunately, my next stop was Lowe’s Home Improvement, which brought me back to earth. As I loaded 10 bags of mulch, a hundred pounds of organic garden soil and several bags of dried manure into my trusty old Outback “garden car,” I realized some things are simply never meant to be. Besides, suddenly I spotted something by the store’s front doors that I truly wanted — and needed — more than a fancy new pickup truck. A row of shiny new wheelbarrows. The act of making wishes is as old as the invention of the wheel. In ancient European folklore, wishing wells were places where any spoken wish — often accompanied by a coin tossed into the water — was thought to be magically granted. The ritual itself was a means of connecting with the divine and requesting blessings or favors. Wishing wells, in fact, exist in the lore of almost every world culture and still have a place in modern society, often found in spiritual and historic gardens, and even used in contemporary fundraising campaigns. And don’t forget, as Jiminy Cricket pointed out, when you wish upon a star, your dreams may come true. In the modern context, however, the word “wish” simply means “a desire or hope for something to happen,” which makes me hear my late papa’s voice on the subject. He was something of an armchair philosopher. One of his favorite expressions was “whatever is worth wishing for, son, is worth working for.” Probably because I was such a wishful kid, I heard this pithy bit of armchair wisdom dozens of times while growing up.
And don’t forget, as Jiminy Cricket pointed out, when you wish upon a star, your dreams may come true.
As a kid who was happiest in nature, in a garden or on a golf course, I wished to someday be either a forest ranger or someone who built beautiful gardens for a living, maybe even a golf course designer. As an early reader of adventure books, I hoped to follow in the footsteps of my favorite writers, like Jules Verne. None of these wishes came true. Or did they? Fueled by such youthful desires, I grew up to become a newspaper reporter like my father and found that I was even more drawn to stories about real people, history, nature, poets and things that make dreamers wish for a better world. Along the way, I’ve also built five landscape gardens and even designed a popular golf course. In short, I’ve lived long enough to know the old man was right — that if we wish for anything, including a better world, we all must work hard to make it happen. So, whether by starlight or ancient wishing well, this Christmas I’m wishing for a couple very special things: More goodwill and kindness to each other in our troubled human family, and a safe and happy delivery for my daughter’s baby girl, due to arrive on Christmas Eve. As a new grandpa, I can’t wait to haul my first grandchild around in my shiny new wheelbarrow.
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Christmas Doesn’t Come until the Box Arrives Dayton, Ohio 1942
by MARSHA WHITE WARREN illustration by SEAN KERNICK From our grandmother’s farm Daddy cuts a scrawny cedar tree then drills holes in its trunk, filling in with extra branches. Ready to decorate, my sister and I coat flour and water “snow” on the limbs, hang delicate balls then, strand by strand, drape wrinkled tinsel, saved year to year. Outside in freezing weather, horses are hitched up to the milk truck, while Wright-Patt Air Force Base military trucks patrol the streets. Indoors, Mother makes her special cookies with raisin centers with a sugar coupon she surrendered from my Ration Book. At last, it arrives like every year — — the Box that comes from our artist aunt in West Virginia! Christmas is here.
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ALL THE TRIMMINGS Kyle Overby believes that more is more when it comes to tinsel and ornaments on a tree.
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Florist Kyle Overby fills his home with tinsel, trinkets and happy memories for the holidays
DECKED
OUT by HAMPTON WILLIAMS HOFER photography by TREY THOMAS
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W
hen the bell would ring at his elementary school, Kyle Overby used to hurry straight down to Bolton Flowers in his hometown of Smithfield. There, he’d spend his afternoons exploring the blooms and agitating the shop owners until they took him into the greenhouse out back to see the orchids. He used to save up his lunch money to buy little bouquets for his mother, who always told him she loved him to the moon and back. Decades later, Kyle stopped into a consignment store in Smithfield on his 40th birthday. There, he saw an antique diamond brooch in the shape of a crescent moon. “I knew it was my mother’s
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gift to me from heaven,” Kyle says. Now, each Christmas, that diamond broach hangs on a tinsel tree in his decked-out townhouse here in Raleigh, where he’s built a life as the florist she always knew he would be: inventive, charming and traditional with a twist. Overby, who studied horticulture at North Carolina State University and made Raleigh his home after graduating, runs the luxury floral design company Flowers by Kyle. Though he has plenty of help running the show, he sits with each couple, writes every check himself and builds unique recipes for each arrangement. “It’s like making a good soup,” he says of his process. While this “soup” is tailored to each person and occasion, it typically includes a few signature ingre-
dients, like a pheasant feather, or one or two asymmetrical pieces sticking way out of an arrangement. Pheasants are a thing with Overby, and they’re also rooted in his past. Atop his Christmas tree is a pheasant in flight that came from his father’s hunting lodge in Eastern North Carolina. Another pheasant, affectionately named Harold, who came from a Wilson consignment store, sits on an end table in the living room. Overby’s Christmas decor, like his floral arranging, is a really good soup. There are wooden nutcrackers, gifted from loved ones through the years; one sports a Scottish kilt, others are adorned as soldiers and guards. An Elf on Shelf named Rose might lounge in a basket
LOTS OF LAYERS This page: The presents under the tree are as much a part of the decor as the ornaments. Overby enjoys wrapping boxes with exuberant bows in a tight color palette to complement the other holiday decorations. Opposite page: The front rail of the townhouse gets the holiday treatment; florist Kyle Overby in his home.
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IN THE DETAILS Clockwise from opposite page: An antique table displays a collection of nutcrackers that Overby has found over time. Above the mirror is a garland with a mix of natural greens and glittering accents. A pheasant peeks from the top of the tree, one of many in the home. Every nook gets a touch of holiday decor. Rose the elf makes an appearance each year, too.
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PARTY READY This page: In the kitchen, a tabletop tree in a chinoiserie planter continues the celebration. Opposite page: A cocktail tray at the ready; vintage stockings decorate the railing.
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of porcelain Chinese sculpture — Overby’s partner Bill Demeritt’s daughter is 18 years old now, but Rose still causes a little mischief each December. A dish of ribbon candies sits at the ready, an homage to Overby’s grandmother, who always had them out at Christmastime. It’s her age-old recipe he uses for Santa’s chocolate chip cookies, set out on their Hermes plate. Wedding flowers may be Overby’s bread and butter, but the holidays give him a chance to flex his creativity in new ways. He once created massive, square magnolia-and-boxwood kissing balls as statement pieces to hang from a front porch in Oakwood; he’s also known for fashioning Victorian fruit boards — outdoor decorations in whimsical shapes featuring lemons, oranges and apples. (Those have won “Best Use of Fruit” in
the Historic Oakwood Garden Club’s annual holiday decorating competition.) In Overby and Demeritt’s home, no corner is left untouched during the holidays. Vintage knitted stockings traverse the stairs and sparkling, decorative greenery tops the bannisters inside and out. Candy canes peek out from a silver goblet at the bar and from a chinoiserie vase in the kitchen. Blooms abound, and the couple are big believers in candlelight everywhere. They source far and wide for decor: from consignment stores to flea markets, they love the thrill of the hunt and are not afraid to dig (some of their artwork is salvaged from the actual dump). A showstopper in their holiday home is the tinsel tree set out in a chinoiserie bowl on the countertop. Adorned with antique jewelry instead of ornaments, the
tree’s branches sparkle with estate sale earrings and stones — including that diamond crescent brooch. “The more tinsel the better,” Overby says of this small tree, but also of the large one he decorates each year, which is hung with its own shimmering strips. “Tinsel on a tree is the perfect final touch.” Tangible gifts play a role, too: each present under his tree sports a layered or rosette bow made from thick, festive ribbon. “My mother taught me how to do bows when I was eight,” says Overby. “I truly believe the way the package is presented is part of the gift.” But for Overby, it might be the ornaments that bring him the most joy. “So many of them are vintage, retro finds, indented or imperfect, but they all bring back memories of our childhoods and the people we love,” he says. THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 63
ROOM FOR ALL The entire living room is decorated in Overby’s signature style, and the holiday decor complements the mix of antiques and sentimental items that are on display year-round.
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 65
Artist Pete Sack in his Hargett Street studio.
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Pete Sack’s
EC SSEC OND ND O ACT CT A The Raleigh artist takes a turn as community leader by LIZA ROBERTS photography by JOSHUA STEADMAN
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aleigh painter Pete Sack says he never set out to become a professional artist, but he’s been a successful one here for nearly 30 years nonetheless. His work is featured in several corporate collections around the Triangle, including those of SAS Institute and Duke University Hospital; his resume features dozens of prominent solo and group exhibitions; and he’s currently got a waiting list for commissions. Known for paintings that feature finely nuanced portraiture through an abstracted lens, Sack often obstructs faces with shapes and colors, combining pencil drawings with watercolor and finally oil paint. Sometimes two or three portraits of the same person are layered on top of each other, revealing just enough detail to recognize who it is. 68 | WALTER
His completely abstract paintings are no less contemplative. One such series, Thought Patterns, “was created with the premise that we begin every day as a new person,” he says. Depicted as layers of spheres and ovals of various hue, some are cool and moody, others buoyant, a few bright and jangled. The resulting paintings reflect the moods and thoughts of the days he made them. “Each day we are reacting to fresh thoughts, actions and environments,” he says. With a limited palette and the self-imposed requirement that he complete each piece within a single day, the works are “fully representative of a particular moment in time, and take into account the deeply layered experience each individual has with the present moment.” Sack’s path began at Raleigh’s Visual Art Exchange (VAE Raleigh) — a nonprofit hub for nurturing, connecting and
showcasing artists — when he landed here in 1988 after earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at East Carolina University. “When I moved here, the VAE was where you learned how to be an artist in this area,” Sack says. It’s also where he and many others had their art exhibited publicly for the first time. “It was where you got your pieces on the wall.” An emerging artist residency at Artspace and then a full-time studio there followed, which further engaged him with the downtown art community. When the creative space Anchorlight opened on S. Bloodworth Street, he moved his practice there, and also spent nearly five years as an artist in residence at SAS Institute in Cary, where he made as many as 150 works of art for the growing software company’s walls. These days, Sack’s got a studio on Hargett Street and a dedicated roster of collectors.
Clockwise from top left: Sack’s paintings untitled, The Discarded Masks (count as carry on baggage), untitled and untitled.
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Clockwise from top left: Sack’s paintings Thought Patterns, No Turning Back (it’s been taken care of), Thought Patterns XI, and Juggernaut.
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Sally Van Gorder (INDIVIDUAL PIECES); Joshua Steadman (ANCHORLIGHT)
Clockwise from top left: The Pencil Test: Chelsea; The Defiant Ones: Derrick (Dame Dame); The Defiant Ones: Danny (Hye Wonhye); The Defiant Ones: Clarence (Esono Anantam); The Defiant Ones: Don (Dame Dame); Ephemera: Rae of Sunshine; Players: Luke 21:36; Players: The Knight; Ephemera: The Light
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Sack and VAE Raleigh co-director Jean Gray Mohs.
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COMMUNITY SPIRIT None of it happened by waiting for things to come to him. For years, Sack worked to create opportunities for himself, finding creative ways to get his pieces seen outside the gallery system, including working with real estate developers and interior designers and making art he could be proud of to suit them. The spirit of those efforts expanded to the wider community in 2023 when he and three other established Raleigh artists, Jean Gray Mohs, Lamar Whidbee and Daniel Kelly, began convening groups of fellow artists to discuss the declining number of exhibition opportunities and spaces to convene and experiment downtown. The result was the creation, together with Mohs, Whidbee and Kelly, of The Grid Project, an art collective focused on mounting pop-up exhibitions. With the long-term loan by ceramic artist Mike Cindric of his former studio, now called Birdland, The Grid Project has mounted 10 shows in the last two years, exhibiting work by 25 artists. Those exhibits spawned the creation of what Sack and Mohs call the Boylan Arts District, an effort to connect the various arts and special-interest communities of that particularly creative corner of Raleigh — music, poetry, cycling — and to get them cross-pollinating each other. COMING FULL CIRCLE The present moment is calling on everything Sack’s learned over the last 27 years about what it means to be an artist in Raleigh. In an unexpected turn of events, Sack was tapped last spring to co-direct VAE Raleigh with Mohs. The two aim to revive the 45-year-old institution, bringing it back to its roots as a resource for artists, a place for them to learn the practical business of being an artist, connect with other artists and show their work. A rebirth is in order, because among other challenges, the pandemic hit the VAE hard. By one estimate cited by Sack, the nonprofit gave out as much as $300,000 in funds directly to support artists during that time. The financial hit proved significant, and the organization
Mohs and Sack with a Lee Nisbet painting for their StreetFrame exhibition.
moved out of its brick-and-mortar home in late April as a cost-saving measure. Sack and Mohs were recruited by the board and took the reins in June. “As we move into this new chapter, our immediate focus will be on strengthening the internal structure of the organization,” the co-directors said in an October email to stakeholders. At the time, they were full-time volunteers; the VAE had just $7,000 in the bank a statement. They have since held a series of listening sessions to gather input about the organization’s direction. “We need to temper expectations and let people know that this is the reality,” Sack says. “But we aren’t going anywhere. We’re going to see this through.” In the meantime, they’re doing what they can, where they are, with what they’ve got. They recently filled the empty windows of the former CVS at the corner of Hargett and Fayetteville streets with art by Renzo Ortega and Lee Nisbet, working with Empire Properties to turn what was a dark corner into an art beacon. VAE is providing small stipends for the artists and calling the effort StreetFrame. Sack says they hope to replicate it in other empty storefronts. In October, under the VAE banner, the duo opened Echoes of Modernism, an exhi-
bition examining how modernist architecture shapes our political, social and economic lives. Curated by artist Sam van Strein, it included work by Amba Sayal-Bennett, Daniel Rich, Frances Lightbound and van Strein. Meanwhile, Sack’s art has made its own demands. Last year, he had back-to-back shows across the Triangle for a stretch of six months, and he worried about “saturating” the market. The demands of his work with VAE have given him time to “take a step back, to recalibrate” his art, and to think about where to take it next. “My sketchbook is filling up, I am building up the reserves, and I’m excited to see where the work goes,” he says. “Toggling between the figurative and the abstract is still something that I’m pushing. At the end of the day, I’m always going to be an artist. I’m building up to something bigger.” And despite the challenges, that same spirit is fueling his work with VAE. Sack’s determined to make it indispensable to the next generation of Raleigh artists. “Years ago, I would never have thought I’d be in this position, just because it’s not something I ever wanted to do,” he says. “But the writing is on the wall that nobody’s coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.” THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 73
Raleigh’s Emmy-winning handbell choir attracts devoted fans and performers
RINGING IN THE HOLIDAYS by RACHEL SIMON
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photography by JOHN HANSEN
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 75
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A
ngie Chiatello has been a member of the Raleigh Ringers for over 16 years, but she can still remember exactly how it felt when she first witnessed the renowned handbell choir perform at an event before she joined, back in 2000. “I had listened to a cassette tape of them beforehand,” says Chiatello, laughing at the self-described “dated” reference. “But to see them perform live was just something extraordinary.” Chiatello’s reaction was (and remains) far from unusual. In the 35 years since the Emmy-nominated group’s formation in 1990, countless people have found themselves awed by the Ringers’ uniquely impressive performances. After all, how often do you get to experience 17 people of all different ages and backgrounds come together to play tunes ranging from “Silent Night” to “Stairway to Heaven,” using instruments normally not heard outside of church? The Ringers’ ear-catching originality has made their concerts — including two highly anticipated annual holiday shows in Raleigh — must-sees for music fans across the world. (This year’s shows will be at the Meymandi Concert Hall in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 14 and 15.) Over the years, they’ve toured throughout the U.S. and Europe, released eight popular albums and recorded two PBS specials, among other achievements. While many of the Ringers’ supporters have followed the act since their earliest days, it’s just as common to spot firsttime handbell fans in the audience with wide eyes and surprised smiles. “Being able to change people’s perceptions of what a handbell choir is and what it can do is probably one of the best aspects,” says Chiatello. True to its name, the handbell is a handheld instrument containing a clapper inside that makes sound when rung. Handbells come in many shapes, materials and sizes, with larger bells (which can cost thousands each) allowing for lower notes. What makes the instrument particularly unique, though, is that it can’t create a musical phrase on its own; OCTOBER 2020 || 00 THe Art & Soul of Raleigh 77
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it needs to be played alongside other handbells to produce a full melody. “It takes incredible teamwork to pull off putting a song together, because you depend on your neighbor,” says David M. Harris, the Ringers’ co-founder and longtime director. An acclaimed handbell player and composer who is also the handbell choir director at Meredith College, he was introduced to the handbell as a child via his Pennsylvania church. Instantly drawn to the instrument, he continued playing in church choirs throughout his teens and early adulthood. He enjoyed performing the worship songs that handbells are most typically associated with, but he soon found himself “wanting to experiment a little bit with other kinds of music.” In 1990, Harris and several fellow church handbell players decided to start the Raleigh Ringers with the goal of performing a mix of sacred and secular songs. The group had humble beginnings: they used instruments on loan from a manufacturing company and practiced at local retirement centers. Despite their modest scale, however, the concerts proved popular with “not only people from the church, but the community,” recalls Harris. The success allowed the Ringers to get their own rehearsal space on Millbrook Road and release CDs that gained the attention of PBS, which filmed two holiday specials in the early 2010s featuring the choir that were syndicated nationwide. Those specials, says Harris, were key to bringing the Ringers’ performances to the masses. “They reached some remote areas where handbells had never been seen before,” he explains. “We heard stories of ringers getting involved in handbell choirs and choirs getting started because they had seen our PBS specials.” Being part of a choir like the Ringers is no easy feat. Each member of the Raleigh group must re-audition for their spot each year in a rigorous try-out, no matter how long they’ve been performing with the team. If they’re chosen, they must commit to the choir’s 3.5-hou weekly rehearsals and busy concert schedules, since even one missing player THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 79
can disrupt the melody. “Every spot is critical,” says Chiatello, adding that she and other members often practice on their own for several hours a week. While a handful of the Ringers are professional musicians, the majority, like Chiatello, fit in the intense duty around other full-time occupations (she’s a marketing executive by day). Their positions in the group are unpaid, with expenses like travel and costumes covered by sales and donations (the choir is currently fundraising for a new truck large enough to hold their ever-growing collection of touring equipment). Still, players’ passion for handbells overshadows all. According to Harris, some current and past Ringers even moved to Raleigh just so that they could audition for the acclaimed choir. “We have a lot of very dedicated people,” says the director, adding that the Ringers’ present renown is “certainly nothing that I expected when we started.” That may be so, but there’s no denying that the Ringers have become a staple of the music world — especially in their home city. Tickets for the annual holiday shows frequently sell out, with audiences eager to hear the choir’s renditions of both solemn Christmas classics and modern hits. For the first time in nearly two decades, this year’s shows will also feature a medley of tracks from the beloved Charlie Brown holiday specials like “Linus and Lucy” and “Christmas Time Is Here.” For Ringers like Chiatello, the Raleigh concerts have a “very special feel” thanks to the number of local residents who come to the shows year after year. “There’s something very humbling and touching about being able to be part of somebody’s holiday and bringing joy that way,” she explains. And if any of this season’s audience members are inspired by the performance, they can sign up for one of the classes the group hosts at their workspace several times a year to try the handbell for themselves. “Come in and get your hands on the bells,” urges Chiatello. “Whether you’re just starting or you’ve played for a while, there’s something for everybody.” 80 68 | WALTER
“It takes incredible teamwork to pull off putting a song together, because you depend on your neighbor.” — DAVID M. HARRIS
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 81
The Yorkshire Dales are calling! All Creatures Great and Small is back with a new season—and some new faces. We join the beloved Skeldale gang in 1945, just as the war in Europe is coming to a close. How will your favorite characters navigate the opportunities that a new world brings?
Season 6 premieres January 11
Lyudmila Tomova
Celebrate THE SEASON
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 83
giftLOCAL
The most sought-after holiday goods
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
7. CAROLINA BALLET Step into the magic of the season with Carolina Ballet’s The Nutcracker — a dazzling holiday tradition filled with wonder, whimsy and breathtaking dancing for all ages. From $30 8. FINK’S JEWELERS These 18 karat white gold stud earrings featuring 1.24 total carats of round diamonds from the Sabel Collection add a twinkle to any outfit. $7,150
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10. GREAT OUTDOOR PROVISION CO. The Riversmith Convoy Hauler 45 is the ultimate waterproof gear tote for boats, rafts and beyond. $249.99 11. NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY Crafted with pride, this hand-thrown stoneware is the perfect gift for any North Carolinian. Find more colors and pottery at The Museum Shop, 108 Glenwood Avenue. $46 each 12. WALTER MAGAZINE Give the gift of great reading! A year’s subscription to WALTER offers 12 beautiful issues full of stories about art and culture in your community. $36
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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 85
HOLIDAYS
MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH
WITH THE
Handel’s Messiah FRI, DEC 5 | 8PM SAT, DEC 6 | 3PM Handel's stunning masterpiece—performed live by your North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Master Chorale, and soloists. Celebrate the season with passion and beauty, including the “Hallelujah” chorus.
Holiday Pops FRI, DEC 12 | 8PM SAT, DEC 13 | 8PM Join us for the Symphony’s most cherished holiday tradition, with timeless carols and spirited renditions of festive favorites— plus a sing-along! Starring Broadway sensation Mamie Parris, this joyful celebration is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Arrive early for photos with Santa!
Ugly Sweater Holiday Pops Concert SAT, DEC 13 | 3PM Wear your most delightfully tacky Christmas sweater and join us for a jolly afternoon of family, friends, and holiday songs. Strut your stuff in our Ugly Sweater Contest—you might just win! Swing by early to visit Santa in the lobby. Dates, titles, artists, programs, venues, and prices subject to change.
A Candlelight Christmas
with the North Carolina Symphony Holiday Brass FRI, DEC 19 | 7:30PM SAT/SUN, DEC 20-21 | 3PM TUE, DEC 23 | 3PM & 7:30PM Rejoice in the warm glow of candlelight, the transcendent tones of youth choir, and the power of brass. Last year’s performances sold out, so secure your seats now! Come early to visit Santa in the lobby.
TICKETS MAKE GREAT GIFTS! Revolution: The Music of the Beatles FRI, JAN 16 | 8PM SAT, JAN 17 | 3PM & 8PM “Come Together” and celebrate Revolution: The Music of the Beatles with a stunning multimedia experience featuring symphonic arrangements transcribed from the original master recordings at Abbey Road. All music and imagery under exclusive license from Sony Music Publishing, Harrisongs Ltd, & The Beatles Book Photo Library to Schirmer Theatrical, LLC. This show is not endorsed by or connected to Apple Corps or The Beatles.
Bravo Broadway FRI, FEB 13 | 8PM SAT, FEB 14 | 3PM & 8PM
Don't get left out in the cold— buy now! ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750
Experience the magic of Broadway as the Symphony and guest vocalists perform showstoppers from beloved shows like Wicked, Rent, Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, and more. Concert Supporter: Highwoods
A festive celebration of imagination and joy!
December 11th - 24th Raleigh MeMoRial auditoRiuM
Performed wi th A L i ve sy mPhon y orc h e str A
Join US to Experience the Merriest & Brightest Christmas Candlelight Tour in Coastal Carolina • Tour Privately Owned Historic Homes with Ticket Pass • Enjoy Coastal Heritage on the Site with Knowelegeable History Guides • Find Seasonal Gifts at The Old Beaufort Shop and Art Walk • View Outstanding Artwork Available in Our Gallery • Stop into Nearby Churches, Shops & Galleries We Welcome You to the Heart of Historic Beaufort, NC
christmas Cnleligt ou
Saturday, dec. 13th 5:00-8:00 pm For tickets and additional info, visit our website www.beauforthistoricsite.org or call or stop by The Beaufort Historic Site:
130 Turner Street, Beaufort, NC • 252-728-5225
TheBeaufortHistoricSite MattieKingDavisGallery
SESSIONS SELL OUT QUICKLY! RESERVE YOUR PREFERRED SKATING SESSION AT REDHATAMPHITHEATER.COM/THE-RINK
Tickets Make a Great Gift
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919.680.2787
ALL-NEW 2026 PROGRAM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA
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THE WHIRL WALTER’s roundup of gatherings, celebrations, fundraisers and more around Raleigh TASTE OF THE WILD 2025 On Oct. 22, WALTER held its annual Taste of the Wild event at The Merrimon-Wynne House. This year’s chefs were Christopher Prieto of Prime Barbecue and Luke Owens of Native Fine Diner. Thank you to presenting sponsor Great Outdoor Provision Co. and supporting sponsors Trust Company of the South, Bailey’s Fine Jewelry and Fox & Bailey, and Green Front Furniture. Thank you also to the event partners who made this an evening to remember: Triangle Land Conservancy, Westgate Wine, Fullsteam Brewery, Cook’s Mill Whiskey, Tito’s Vodka, Locals Seafood, Finch Forest Farm, Garrett Seed Farm, Old Habits Band, If It’s Paper and Attended Events.
Leah Jane Barnwell, J.R. Parks
Willa Stein and WALTER Staff
Sean Lilly Wilson
Christopher Prieto, Luke Owens
Sam Grist, Emma Jane House
Cook’s Mill Whiskey
Molly Cherry and the Great Outdoor Provision Co. team
Roi Parker, Rachel Cole Byrd, Patrick Casey, Sheri Hiltbruner, Leigh Holmes, Cristina Baker
Heather Szaro
To have your event considered for The Whirl, submit images and information at waltermagazine.com/submit-photos
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 101
THE WHIRL TASTE OF THE WILD, CONTINUED
Ryan Peoples, Doreen Colondres
Emily Corring, Danielle Teed, Liz Condo, Sara Stinnette
Chris Monge, Becci Monge
Willa Stein and WALTER Staff
Luke Owens, Joshua Hernandez
Tom Humphries, Bill White, Sally Humphries, Pam Brooks, Roy Brooks
Taka Yamato, Cronin Byrd, Derek Philbeck, Christopher Prieto, Leo Leonti, Rey Garcia, Dan Fulkerson, Ron Salem
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Simone Hayward, Buzz Libby, Ellen Libby, Colin Hayward
Wes Sobbott, Georgina Puli
Hmon Ksor, Avery Brown
J.D. Dickerson, Cameron Hicks
ALEASE’S 100TH BIRTHDAY
Teresa Davis (BIRTHDAY); courtesy ArtSource (ARTSOURCE); Susanna Klingenberg (PARTNERSHIP)
On Sept. 21, family, friends and fellow Antioch Baptist Church members gathered to celebrate Alease Hayes Bobo’s 100th birthday. Gov. Josh Stein offered a certificate from the state of North Carolina to commemorate her birthday and a fun time was had by all.
Kathleen Hayes Stephenson, Dallie Hayes Davis, Alease Hayes Bobo
First row: Tyqueria Askins, Ty’Zay Hopkins, Amiyah Brown, Elizabeth McNeil, Brandee Horne. Second row: Lunsford Hopkins, James Gandy III, Ariana Mangum, Patrice Hopkins, Norman Jones. Third Row: Kathleen Stephenson, Dallie Davis, Alease Bobo, Margie Jones. Fourth Row: Jamal Bobo, Kaelin Rogers, Willie Ronnie Bigelow, Patricia Bobo Hopkins, Evelyn Bobo, James Bobo, Ladarian Whitted, Bettie Bobo-Bigelow
ARTSOURCE SEPTEMBER SHOW
PARTNERSHIP STUDENTS MEET THE MAYOR
On Set. 25, ArtSource Fine Art hosted its September Show highlighting work from artists Ginny Chenet and Stephen Moore. The same day, ArtSource hosted a Meet the Artists event where the community had the chance to get to know Chenet and Moore and explore their artwork.
Over mugs of hot chocolate at Videri, Mayor Janet Cowell chatted with students from Partnership Elementary School as part of their “Interactive Community” magnet program. Cowell shared what it’s like to lead the City of Oaks and revealed that she’s training for the firefighter’s fitness test, while the students chimed in about their favorite parks in Raleigh.
Anne Baylor, Nancy McClure, Stephen Moore, Ginny Chenet, Lacy Rollins, Margaret Kline
Janet Cowell, Madison M., Addison B., Alexandria M., Michael K., Simon R., Sam K., Theo K.
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THE WHIRL
The
Book of
ESTHER
in the Age of
EVENING OF HOPE & IGNITING HOPE On Sept. 10 and 11, the Evening of Hope and Igniting Hope events at the Angus Barn Pavillion welcomed more than 700 guests and raised $1.22 million to provide much-needed research and treatment to those who suffer from mental health issues. Award-winning actress Helen Hunt spoke at the Evening of Hope and The Soul Psychedelique Orchestra played at the Igniting Hope event.
REMBRANDT On view through March 8, 2026 ncartmuseum.org
Lauren Boole, Dana Boole, Helen Hunt
Diana Yenni, Helen Hunt, Lou Welch
Dana Moore, Chris Moore
Dan Doebler, Tonya Doebler
Beth Parsons, David Crabtree, Helen Hunt
Foundation of Hope Photgraphers
Debbie Robins, Larry Robins
The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt is co-organized by the Jewish Museum, New York, and the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh. In Raleigh the exhibition is made possible, in part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; The Slomo and Cindy Silvian Foundation, Inc.; Samuel P. Mandell Foundation; Lisa and Michael Sandman; Lisa and Steven Feierstein; Dawn F. Lipson; Marion MeyerRobboy and Stanley Robboy; Dutch Culture USA, a program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United States; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel. Gerrit van Honthorst, Elizabeth Stuart as Esther (detail), circa 1632, oil on canvas, 28 × 227/16 in., Private collection, by courtesy of the Hoogsteder Museum Foundation, The Hague
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OPENING RECEPTION FOR “NEW AND SURPRISING WORK FROM GALLERY C ARTISTS” On Sept. 5, Gallery hosted an opening reception for its latest exhibition, “New and Surprising Work from Gallery C Artists.” This exhibition featured work from seven artists represented by the gallery that offered departures from what they normally do, as well as debut exhibitions from Chuck Rose and Davis Choun.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Barbara Jentleson, Gibby Waitzkin, Buzz Waitzkin
Tony Burden, Barry Mangum, Chuck Rose, John Warwick
courtesy Gallery C
nofo @ the pig | 2014 fairview road | 919.821.1240 | nofo.com
There’s no place like home for the Holidays! Chuck Rose, Ana Guzman, Davis Choun, Charlene Newsom, Lynn Cothern, Gibby Waitzkin
Julio Guzman, Davis Choun, Ana Guzman, Ana Davis, John Davis
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 105
Robert Lane Lane Plumbing Andia Xouris Andia’s Ice Cream
Success Flows Through Every Connection From legacy service providers to the sweetest frozen treats, Chamber membership brings together businesses in ways you might not expect. These unique connections churn up fresh ideas, drive growth, and build a stronger community.
Join Today and Thrive With Us. raleighchamber.org/join
THE WHIRL RALEIGH CITY FARM HARVEST DINNER On Oct. 13, Raleigh City Farm held its annual Harvest Dinner, a fundraiser centered around a farm-to-table dinner that celebrates another season of growth. Chef Jeff Seizer of Ponysaurus prepared meals for 176 guests with produce sourced from the farm; beverages were supplied by Ponysaurus and Wine Authorities. Guests toured the site, enjoyed live music and bid on silent and live auction items. The title sponsor was Easter Maynard.
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Dustin Owens, Lisa Grele Barrie, Tara Owens
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the shoe market
Family-Owned, Full-Service, High-Quality Comfort Shoe Store 4624 West Market Street • Greensboro | 336.632.1188 | theshoemarketinc.com
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 107
Give the Gift of WALTER 12 ISSUES
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THE WHIRL BEYOND THE PITCH For the second year, North Carolina FC Youth held its Beyond the Pitch fundraiser to support youth access to soccer. The event, which was presented by TowneBank, was held at the Angus Barn and raised more than $225,000 for NCFC Youth’s Financial Aid Fund. The event welcomed more than 325 guests for an evening of exceptional food, silent and live auctions and remarks from Jamie Valvano, daughter of legendary NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano.
Emma Thomson, Bobby Johnston, Ann Johnston
Courtesy NCFC Youth
Trevor Williams, Todd Staker, Ben Schemmel
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Roary, Jana French, Anthony Eckel, John Dalpe, Tayler Dalpe, Fain Vuete
Lara Moore, Mac Moore, Coach Mizo, Coach Buddha
Carey Bell, Kyle Mathieu
THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 109
THE WHIRL WOMEN’S GIVING NETWORK IMPACT LUNCHEON
Sommer Wisher, Alex Gonzalez
Gift of Golf Enter for a chance to win the exclusive Donald Ross Package, which includes a luxurious 2-night stay for two guests.
Vicki Ismail, Mackenzie Meeker
Entries due December 15 SCAN TO ENTER
Madison Reed, Matt Taliaferro
110 | WALTER
WALTER Staff
On Nov. 6, the Women’s Giving Network held its 19th annual Impact Luncheon, where it awarded $40,000 each to grant recipients Boys & Girls Clubs, Carroll’s Kitchen and Wake Smiles. Shirnetta Harrell of No Woman, No Girl gave the keynote speech. The WGN is is a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation that brings together women who share the goal of improving the lives of women and children through philanthropy.
birds, butterflies, flowers.
WOMEN’S GIVING NETWORK IMPACT LUNCHEON, CONTINUED
2025 Weymouth Wonderland:
Gifts of the Garden
Anna Menzies, Lisa Grele Barrie, Jane Gray
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6: Rosa Wooden, Shirnetta Harrell, Dyamond Trimble
Wonderfest & Market 10:00am - 4:00 pm Tour the Boyd House decorated for the holidays, buy vintage
WALTER Staff
holiday decor in the Holiday Shoppe, grab a treat and a warm drink from our Bake Shoppe, take a photo with Santa, shop local vendors and artisans, enjoy popular area food trucks, watch live performances from local musicians and dancers. Fun for the whole family! Entry by donation. Sally Duff, Linda Berry, Meg Croxson, Catherine George
Chamber Sessions Join us on Sunday, December 14, at 2:00 pm: NC Harp Ensemble at Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Susan Bachelor, Molly DeCola
The Boyd House will be open to the public for self-guided tours and to view the holiday decorations during regular hours, Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., from December 8 through December 26. We will also be open on Saturdays, December 13 and 20!
Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information!
Allison Hudson, Linda Parks, Meghan Dolezel
555 East Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 111
END NOTE
Welcome, Trolls! Dix Park’s five newest residents came together through inspiration and a robust community effort by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE
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For each of his installations, Dambo crafts a narrative with the trolls’ backstory. In his telling, the North Carolina trolls are all protecting the Grandmother Tree, the oldest and wisest tree in the forest, who is hidden in another forest in the area, disguised as a regular tree. The Raleigh trolls came together through a robust community effort. Dambo and his team of professional troll-makers designed the creatures and built the frames, and Habitat for Humanity Wake County used a mix of their staff, skilled volunteers and a wider volunteer effort to do the rest. “We rotated our entire construction staff to work on the project,” says Patricia Burch, CEO of Habitat Wake. “It was so cool to have a hand in building them.” When they opened the signup to community volunteers, there was so much interest that the server crashed. In addition to receiving donated
materials from Habitat Wake and its ReStores, Dix Park enlisted furniture maker Raleigh Reclaimed, owned by Billy Keck and Melody Ray, to help source rot-resistant woods like cedar, oak and locust for the project. “We had a built-in process for collecting these materials,” says Ray. “It just made sense to partner on the project.” Kentucky Bourbon Barrel chipped in 17 tons of old bourbon barrels (most of which went into making the mama troll’s 620-foot tail), and Midyette donated the remains of a fallen-down barn and about a mile of old fencing he had on his property. In the end, it took about 400 volunteers, 24 tons of lumber, 50,000 screws and three weeks to build the Dix Park trolls (not including work Dambo and team had done in Denmark ahead of time). Dambo hopes the trolls inspire a sense of wonder for Dix Park visitors. “It’s about bringing magic back into spaces,” says Pearce.
Ethan Hyman / The News & Observer
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t the edge of the woods, the troll peeks out: a baby by the standards of her kind, but at over 12 feet tall, she’s giant to most of us humans. In one hand, she’s holding onto her mother’s tail, which winds deep into the trees — all the way to the hidden spot where Mom sleeps. This baby troll’s siblings have gone further afield to play, and their father is foraging nearby. These trolls are not alive, of course, but a multifigure sculpture called The Grandmother Tree from Danish artist Thomas Dambo within Dorothea Dix Park. Dix Park now has five of these trolls, and with two additional trolls in downtown High Point and The River District in Charlotte, this is now the largest permanent installation of Dambo’s trolls in the United States. The idea to bring the trolls to North Carolina came when Dix Park Conservancy Art Task Force chair Marjorie Hodges and her husband, Carlton Midyette, visited the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. There, they came across a Dambo troll installation called Guardians of the Seeds. “It took us 30 seconds to say, we need these for the park,” says Midyette. He worked with philanthropist Tom Gipson to lead a campaign to finance a project of the same scale for Dix Park. Part of what attracted Dambo to this project was the 308-acre park’s history. “I love how this park used to be something else,” he says. Agrees Kate Pearce, executive director of Dix Park for the City of Raleigh: “It’s a land of reinvention and restoration.”
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