we are delighted to announce the re - opening of our NEWLY REMODELED
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We have more than doubled our previous showroom space and enhanced your shopping experience with an expanded selection of fine jewelry, Swiss timepieces and a beautiful new Bridal Boutique. Celebrate the holidays and discover all we have to offer at the new Fink’s Jewelers in North Hills.
Catherine Nguyen (HOME); Casey Ryan
Vock (FUSSELL); Liz
Condo (SHOVEL); Gerry O’Neill (MITTENS)
EDITOR’S LETTER
Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade
FRI/SAT, JAN 24-25 | 8PM
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Pablo Ferrández, cello
Caroline Shaw: Entr’acte
Dutilleux: Tout un monde lointain...
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Weekend Sponsors:
Cameron & Furman CPAs PLLC
Cam Van Valuation Associates, LLC
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
FRI/SAT, FEB 14-15 | 8PM
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Michael Abels: Delights & Dances
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Concert Sponsor: Roux MacNeill Studio MEYMANDI
Left: A scene from the City of Oaks race in November. Right: With Colony Little and Debbie Robbins at the recent BEAS Luncheon at CAM Raleigh.
Over the course of last fall, I trained for the City of Oaks half marathon. (Please forgive the humblebrag — there’s a reason to bring it up!) It was the first I’d tried in a few years, due to a sprained ankle and then a hip injury, and I was a little nervous about not being able to do it. But thanks to some PT and the encouragement of my jogging buddy, Alex, I was able to (very slowly) complete it in early November.
The way my OG jogging buddy — Abby, a true athlete who’s actually a health editor by trade — taught me to train for a long race back in Brooklyn was to keep up with my regular jogs during the week, then add a mile each weekend over the months leading up to the event. So through September and October last year, my weekend jogs with Alex here in Raleigh got longer and longer, sometimes lasting more than two hours.
That’s a lot of time for conversation. So often, my social time is on the clock — it’s a running joke that I often actually set an alarm when I arrive at a friend’s house for a quick catch-up, knowing that if I’m not home in time for dinner that the wheels might fall off our carefully calibrated sports-music-homework-bedtime routine. But these jogs offered rare, uninterrupted hours, with no distractions other than the sun dappling through trees or a turtle sighting or the dread of an
upcoming hill.
We’d talk family, parents, travels, books and work. More than once, we’d launch into a topic, realize we needed more background information, and then start over: OK, well, here’s the long version of the story. What a luxury!
Granted, by the day of the actual race, we were pretty caught up. Somewhere around mile 12, perhaps inspired by running past Cup A Joe, we started listing our favorite coffee spots… then bakeries… But even then, what a treat to be able to parse which places truly belonged in which category.
As we start a new year, one of my resolutions is to make more space for these deeper dives — to spend hours reading a book rather than just a chapter before bedtime, to take off my watch when I chat with a friend, to immerse myself in an art project with the kids with my phone out of sight. And to keep up with these longer jogs. Even if I’m not training for anything, it’s a reminder that they’re not just a workout, but a gift of time.
Ayn-Monique Klahre Editor
CARLOS MIGUEL PRIETO, MUSIC DIRECTOR
JANUARY 2025
EDITORIAL
Editor
AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com
Creative Director LAURA PETRIDES WALL laura@waltermagazine.com
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Owners
JACK ANDREWS, FRANK DANIELS III, DAVID WORONOFF In memoriam FRANK DANIELS JR.
PROVIDING PREMIER DENTISTRY IN RALEIGH FOR GENERATIONS
CONTRIBUTORS
COLONY LITTLE / WRITER
Colony Little is an arts writer and critic based in Raleigh. Her work has been featured in ARTnews, Burnaway, Southern Cultures and The Art Newspaper. For the January issue of WALTER, Little interviewed cover artist Jennifer Clifton. “I had so much fun in Jennifer’s Artspace studio — it’s full of glitter, nostalgia and joy! I was a kid in a candy store!” Little also wrote about The Grid Project. “One of the many strengths of Raleigh’s art scene is its communal ties. Collectives like The Grid Project are an incredibly important lifeline for emerging artists trying to navigate this evolving creative landscape.”
BRIAN HOWE / POET
Brian Howe lives in Saxapahaw, where he edits books, writes about the arts locally and beyond, and makes poems and music — often at the same time. His poem “Prophecy” is a staple of his performances with the experimental band Streak of Tigers. “I submitted this poem because I associate January with turning back to tally up one year and turning forward to measure the next. But the columns are split to invite branching paths, as any good prophecy should.”
FORREST MASON / PHOTOGRAPHER
Forrest Mason is a food-focused photographer and documentary filmmaker based in Chapel Hill. On shooting “Where to Eat & Drink in 2025” this month: “Hospitality folks are my tribe, so I was fired up to have a chance to meet a lot of new friends across the Triangle. I can say first-hand that all of the restaurants featured in the story are well worth a visit!”
Tim Lytvinenko is an awardwinning artist and photographer with work currently on the side of the Dillon Building in downtown Raleigh, as well as at 21c in Durham. Using his own photographs, Lytvinenko experiments extensively with large-scale print processes inspired by Japanese Kintsugi, which honors brokenness and change. “I loved the poem ‘Prophecy’ and how it’s simultaneously split in two and whole. I found a photo from 2018 that matched the poem’s dreamy feel and that also incorporated a few of the places it wants to take you.”
TIM LYTVINENKO / ARTIST
FEEDBACK
“I enjoyed your article ‘Earth is at the Center,’ about artist Christina Lorena Weisner. I was a little disappointed, though, that the article did not mention her 2019 solo show at the Gregg Museum, Explorations. Our student interns facilitated the logistics of her float down the Eno and Neuse Rivers after the piece was first assembled and displayed at the Gregg. I am proud of the exhibition we produced because we had the resources of NC State’s computer science and geology professors to help keep it functioning throughout the the show. Fortunately, you can see it virtually at gregg.arts.ncsu.edu/exhibitions/virtual-tours.”
— Roger Manley
Artist Lamar Whidbee sent us this photo of his installation at Dorothea Dix Park, Get Well Soon, to share on our channels.
“This gives me chills. My father died there after fighting early onset Alzheimer’s. This brings light to a place with bad memories.”
— Layne Taylor
“Amazing. Now THIS is the type of art installation that is needed in Raleigh.”
— Bonnie Latham
“Love the collaborative work of both artists and mental health advocates.”
— Meg Elizabeth Finn
Notes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
@waltermagazine www.waltermagazine.com
Taste of the Wild WINnovation
OUR TOWN
This month, enjoy winter walks in the evenings, niche gallery exhibitions and live music.
ENJOY THE NIGHT SKY “The nice thing about stargazing in the winter is that the humidity is generally lower than in warmer months,” says Patrick Treuthardt, assistant head of astronomy at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. “This reduces atmospheric distortion of the incoming light from celestial objects, giving you a clearer view.” This month through February, Treuthardt says to keep an eye out for the Parade of Planets, when Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn can be seen in an arc across the sky. Head downtown to catch the end of the Illuminate Art Walk, an exhibition headlined by The TUNNEL on Fayetteville Street, an interactive, 100-foot long LED light structure (Jan. 1 - 6; after sunset; free and self-guided; downtownraleigh.org). At the North Carolina Museum of Art’s outdoor park, take a guided Winter Full Moon Walk to view the sculptures in their lunar-lit glory (Jan. 13; 6 - 7:30 p.m. free; 2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org). — Addie Ladner
DATEBOOK
WALTER’s list of things to see, do and experience this month.
by ADDIE LADNER
TURBULENCE
All month | Various times
Multifaceted artist, environmentalist and activist Deborah Kruger has a moving solo show at the Block Gallery in the Raleigh Municipal Building titled TURBULENCE: Birds, Beauty, Language & Loss. Stacy Bloom Rexrode, the Block Gallery’s curator, says Kruger’s work beautifully illustrates how environmental issues can be related to societal ones. “As areas are impacted by climate change and wildlife habitats are reduced, Indigenous communities are also often displaced,” Rexrode says. “Kruger’s meticulous method of printing, cutting and sewing these complex sculptural works calls attention to the plight of these vulnerable communities.” To make the pieces for this show, Kruger drew images of birds and screen-printed them, along with quotes from environmentalist Rachel Carson, onto sheets of recycled plastic. She then cut the plastic into long strips, to mimic feathers, and sewed them into various forms, a process that often took days. “My work can be very sad,” says Kruger. “But making art that is beautiful is also healing.” The show will be on display through April. Free; 222 W. Hargett Street; raleighnc.gov
LE PARIS DE LA BELLE ÉPOQUE
Jan. 1 - 4 | Various times
Gallery C is hosting French painter Fabienne Delacroix for Le Paris de la Belle Époque, an exhibit of more than 20 pieces depicting the city in the late 1800s and early 1900s, an era when arts and culture flourished. An internation-
ally recognized artist, Delacroix is best known around here for being the official artist of North Carolina’s thenlargest sporting event, the 1999 Special Olympics World Games. She created three oil paintings representing different areas of the Triangle where the games were hosted: the Bell Tower at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Executive Mansion in Raleigh and Duke University Chapel in Durham. The original painting of the governor’s mansion will be included in the exhibition. Free to view; 540 N. Blount Street; galleryc.net
NEW YEAR’S DAY YOGA
Jan. 1 | 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Bundle up and bring your mat, water bottle and open mind to Moore Square Park downtown for a rejuvenating start to 2025. Nova Retreats is hosting this fun outdoor yoga class and live music session in the open air. Founder and certified yoga instructor Diala Hamed will lead a gentle yoga practice combining Vinyasa and Hatha elements while local folk music artist Charlie Craichy provides background music. $15; 201 S. Blount Street; search “New Years Yoga Raleigh” on eventbrite.com
All information is accurate as of press time, but please check waltermagazine.com and the event websites for the latest updates.
FIRST DAY HIKE
Jan. 1 | 2 p.m.
Start the year off on the right foot (truly!) with a nature-loving tradition at the Eno River State Park. Organized by the Eno River Association since 1971, this community-wide New Year’s Day walk is for hikers of all levels. Arrive early because parking at the Fews Ford Access fills up; park rangers will be there to assist with traffic. After checking in, opt for one of two hikes: an easy 2.6-mile walk along the Buckquarter Creek Trail or a more challenging 4-mile trek along Cox Mountain Trail. Afterward, stop by the Fews Ford picnic shelter for hot chocolate and fellowship. Free; Cox Mountain Trailhead, 6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham; enoriver.org
LIVE FROM LAUREL CANYON
Jan. 4 | 8 p.m.
Head back to the 1960s and 1970s and take a stroll through Laurel Canyon in Hollywood Hills, an area in the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles. This free-spirited neighborhood attracted musical and movie legends like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jackson Browne and Natalie Wood and will forever be associated with folk rock and the free-thinking spirit of the era. Live from Laurel Canyon: Songs & Stories of American Folk Rock will showcase a collection of some of the iconic melodies and tales about the famous folks who lived there. From $35; 123 Vivian Street, Durham; dpacnc.com
INAUGURAL BALL
Jan. 9 - 11 | Various times
WINTER MARKET
Saturdays | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Winter means hearty dinners of roasted root vegetables, slow-cooked meats and warming teas — and the Midtown Winter Market is a great place to get the fixings for this cozy cooking season. This smaller version of its Farmers Market will feature a variety of artisan pantry staples, seasonal fruits and vegetables and local meats. Vendors include Olive Oil Grove, Irish Bakers, Shrooms 2 Grow, Decaf Tea Company and Apex Seafood. Save your food scraps to drop off for composting if you like! Free to attend; 4191 Main at North Hills Street; midtownfarmers.com
HURRICANES VS. MAPLE LEAFS
Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m.
Watch our hometown NHL team, under the leadership of coach Rod Brind’Amour, play the Toronto Maple Leafs on home ice at the Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena). The last time the Hurricanes played the Maple Leafs it was a close victory — so they need your support to get loud for another win! From $39; 1400 Edwards Mill Road; nhl.com/hurricanes
Help welcome North Carolina’s new first couple, Governor Josh Stein and his wife, Anna, while raising funds for the community at the Inaugural Ball, which is hosted by the Junior League of Raleigh (JLR). “We are proud of our longstanding tradition of hosting the N.C. Governor’s Inaugural Ball, which we’ve done since 1933,” says JLR president Laura Barnes. This year, the ball will raise money for Western North Carolina relief efforts. This three-day event kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 9, with Celebrate North Carolina, a reception for young professionals. On Friday, the Council of State Reception at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will celebrate our state’s 10 elected officials. And on Saturday, the black-tie Inaugural Ball will be held at Marbles Kids Museum’s Venture Hall, complete with food, dancing and a warm welcome for the new governor and first lady. From $250; 201 E. Hargett Street; ncinauguralball.org
DEAD LETTER OFFICE: A TRIBUTE TO R.E.M.
Jan. 10 | 9 p.m.
Dead Letter Office is bringing the spirit and energy of iconic rock band R.E.M. to Raleigh at the Pour House Music Hall. Named after R.E.M.’s 1987 album, the tribute band tours internationally, playing major hits like “Losing My Religion” and “Everybody Hurts,” as well as lesser-known tracks, for devoted fans. From $20; 224 S. Blount Street; pourhouseraleigh.com
(Laurel
Junior
HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Jan. 17 - 20 | Various times
In the Triangle, tributes to the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. take many forms beyond the celebration of the national holiday on Monday, Jan. 20. The Town of Cary is hosting its annual Dreamfest weekend, a multiday celebration with a variety of programs focused on themes of equity, representation and community service. Tellebration, the youth component to the festival, will be a day of arts, crafts and live storytelling at the Page Walter Arts & Cultural Center. And on Monday, participate in the MLK 5K Walk for Hope. Starting at Mt. Zion Church in Cary, it’s a walk that will symbolize unity. Bring non-perishable food to donate to Dorcas Ministries (Jan. 17 - 20; various times and locations; free; 9119 Ambassador Loop, Cary). On Monday, Jan. 20, United Way of the Greater Triangle is hosting its 20th annual MLK Day of Service, encouraging Triangle residents to transform the day off of school and work into a “Day On.” Partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Raleigh, the event is a great opportunity for children and youth to participate in community service (Jan. 20; 12 - 3 p.m.; free; 721 N. Raleigh Boulevard; unitedwaytriangle.org).
Kathy Howard (portrait); Stacey Van Berkel (project)
Sally Williams, Owner & Principal Designer
CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL
Now - Jan. 12 | 6 - 10 p.m.
Catch the last weeks of the spectacular NC Chinese Lantern Festival at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. There, find a gorgeous display of Chinese lanterns in all sizes and forms, including a glowingred phoenix, an embarrassment of pandas and an ocean-themed area with coral reefs and seaweed reflecting off the water. Little ones can enjoy an interactive play area with illuminated ring-shaped swings, bubbles, a light-up floor, musical instruments and more. The cafe is offering an Asian-themed menu for the event, including items like Koka Miso Ramen, Five Spice Donut Holes and Korean Fried Chicken sandwiches. From $36; 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary; boothamphitheatre.com
Bob
HOLLY JOLLY RALEIGH PROM
Jan. 11 | 8 - 11 p.m.
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean festive celebrations are done! The City of Raleigh is hosting a 21-and-up prom-themed charity night at All Faiths Chapel on Dorothea Dix Park’s campus. Enjoy seasonally inspired cocktails and mocktails, light bites and dancing to music from the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s, as well as today's hits. On brand with the prom theme, they will even crown a Winter King and Queen! “The Adult Prom brings our community together for a night of winter wonderland magic, but it’s also a night of giving back,” says Allie Crawford, program director with Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources. “By attending, you’re contributing to our Play It Forward financial assistance program, which helps make recreation programs accessible to all.”$35; 1030 Richardson Drive; raleighnc.gov
LUNCHBOX LECTURE
Jan. 16 | 12 - 1 p.m.
Have you resolved to spend your down time learning something new? Bring your sandwich to the City of Raleigh (COR) Museum for its Lunchbox Lecture series, which focuses on both historical and current-day events related to our home city. The monthly program will start shortly after 12 p.m. and will last 30 to 40 minutes. Free; 220 Fayetteville Street; cityofraleighmuseum.org
MATTHEW WHITAKER
Jan. 24 | 7:30 p.m.
NC State LIVE’s series Bistro & a Show offers a three-course fixed-price dinner at 1887 Bistro followed by a performing arts event at Stewart Theatre. This month, they’ll feature Matthew Whitaker, a renowned jazz musician who has collaborated with stars like Jon Batiste and performed on stages around the world. “We have a rich history of presenting jazz greats and Matthew Whitaker fits right into that legacy — his talent has even prompted a
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DATEBOOK
scientific study on his brain!” says Liza Wade Green, interim director of NC State LIVE. “I can’t wait for our community to experience his awe-inspiring music.” The New Orleans jazz-inspired menu at 1887 Bistro includes jambalaya, boudin balls and beignets. After the performance, guests can stick around for a chat with Whitaker, who has been blind since birth, to learn about his journey and artistic process. From $35; 2610 Cates Avenue; live.arts.ncsu.edu
FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS
Jan. 31 & Feb. 2 | Various times Float down the Amazon with the North Carolina Opera’s performance of Florencia en el Amazonas. Composed by Daniel Catán, the story follows an esteemed opera singer on a boat journey to find her lover while encountering gripping conditions like harsh weather and a cholera outbreak. In addition to
this being a company premiere, it’s the company’s first opera in Spanish. “This stunning production brings the sounds and stories of South America to life and is a rare chance to experience the power of contemporary opera,” says Angela Grant, marketing manager for the company. Colombian
American soprano Vanessa Vasquez, an audience favorite from last year’s La Traviata, returns to Raleigh in the starring role. From $24; 2 E. South Street; ncopera.org
IRIS DEMENT
Jan. 31 | 7:30 - 10 p.m.
One of the most famous and romantic duets of all time might be “In Spite of Ourselves” by John Prine and Iris DeMent, which was released in 1999.
DeMent, a longtime folk singer, is coming to town this month with her timeless twang and talent. Catch her at A.J. Fletcher Theatre, the opening act of PineCone’s 2025 Down Home Concerts Series. No doubt we can expect to hear some of her most beloved tunes, including “Let the Mystery Be” and “Our Town.” From $18; 2 E. South Street; pinecone.org
Vanessa Vasquez
Photograph by Emily Bennett
Photograph by Andrew Bentley
An activity many educators do outside with young children is some version of “hug-a-tree.” Children are blindfolded and led to a tree, where they hug it and feel the texture and get to know their tree. They are then taken back to the starting point, the blindfold is removed and they are tasked with finding their tree. When they get it right, children are thrilled at making a new “friend.”
A s adults, we rarely take the time to snuggle a tree, yet many of us are interested in which trees are in our yard or nearby public lands. What is it about trees that brings out this curiosity in us?
Trees definitely are beautiful and majestic, especially the tall ones. Here in the Piedmont, many change our surroundings with the seasons, bringing delight with their colors, flowers and fruit. And, unlike almost every other type of organism out there, they don’t run from us when we approach for a closer look! Luckily, there are a lot of field guides and apps that can help you learn about your neighborhood trees. Most show you the range of each species, the likely habitat, its leaves, flowers, fruit and
trees at eye level
Do you know your bark?
Try this little quiz before your next woodland walk
words and photographs by MIKE DUNN
maybe the general growth form (shape) of the tree. Some show the bark or at least describe it. But think about it: for a large tree especially, you often can’t get a close look at the leaves, flowers or fruit (except maybe at certain times of the year when they fall to earth). Really, there’s only one very noticeable feature within reach: the bark.
W hat we see on a tree trunk is termed the outer bark and consists largely of dead cells. A tree’s bark is similar, in many ways, to our skin. Both are protective layers on the outside of the organism. Bark helps keep moisture in and infections out. It provides protection from certain insects, birds, mammals and fire. Bark can also be a habitat for a host of other organisms that can harm the tree, like lichens, mosses and a variety of insects, spiders and other woodland creatures. In his excellent book, Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, Michael Wojtech puts it simply: “If you want to experience a forest, mingle among the trees. If you want to know the trees, learn their bark.”
Identifying trees by their bark can be challenging. The bark of most tree
species changes as the tree ages, usually starting out smoother on a young tree and finally acquiring its more distinctive characteristics later. The bark of limbs can often be smoother than that of the trunk, resembling that of a younger tree. Several years ago, my wife, Melissa, suggested a challenge as we walked through the woods near our home: try to identify a tree without looking up. That usually meant identifying it using only the bark. It proved to be a worthy test, even for a couple of naturalists. But, with practice, we now can move through any similar forest and recognize most of its arboreal natives by glancing at them at eye level.
So, if you are up for a challenge, here are photos of the bark of some native trees in our area with some hints about the tree to help guide you. Can you identify these trees? (Don’t worry, you’ll find the answers on the left-hand side of the the page.)
I hope on your next walk in the winter woods you will try the eye-level challenge and see how many trees you can identify. And maybe even hug your favorite tree!
The rugged bark of a Sourwood tree.
Whose Bark is It?
Test your knowledge of your Piedmont trees.
A. This large tree prefers moist soils, so you often see it growing along waterways. The distinctive bark has peeling green, brown and white patches that together resemble a camouflage pattern. The fruit is golf ball-sized and eventually splits apart into a puffball of seeds.
D. This tree’s reddish-brown bark is furrowed and forms large scaly plates. It is an important lumber tree, with needles about 7 inches long. It is one of the most widespread trees in the Southeast.
G. The bark on older trees has deep, interlacing furrows with rounded ridges. Native Americans used the bark to make a healing tea. Freshly stripped bark can be made into baskets. Squirrels pull the inner bark off in strips for nesting material, and humans can use it to make cordage. Its yellow, green and orange flowers resemble tulips.
B. This is a small tree with dense, hard wood. The bark breaks up into small squarish blocks. The red fruit (called drupes) are valuable wildlife food. Ironically, it is the state flower of North Carolina, even though it is a tree.
E. This large tree has smooth, gray bark often showing patches of lichen. Sadly, the bark is sometimes defaced with carvings, which can be harmful to the tree and persist for decades or longer. Its pale, dried leaves often remain on twigs through winter.
H. This tree’s reddish-brown bark is fibrous and shreds easily, peeling off in thin, narrow strips. As the tree grows older, the bark may turn grayer and thicker. Dried strips of bark make an excellent fire starter. The fragrant, rot-resistant wood was once used to make pencils and is still used for furniture, fence posts and outdoor projects.
C. This tree trunk is characterized by long, peeling strips of bark. Some animals, like certain species of bats, use the crevices beneath the loose bark as shelters. The wood is strong and durable, making it ideal for a variety of uses, such as flooring and furniture. The fruit is an edible nut with a hard outer husk that splits open when ripe.
F. This is a medium-sized tree that has light brown or silvery gray bark with corky warts and knobs. The warts are layered bumps that look like topographic maps when viewed from the side. The fruit is an important food source for squirrels and many birds. It’s also the host plant for several species of butterflies.
I. This small tree has blue-gray bark on a fluted trunk that has the overall appearance of someone with sinewy muscles, which gives rise to one of its common names. The wood is extremely hard (which is the basis for another common name) and has been used for tool handles, bowls and other small implements.
Catalyzing Creativity
The Grid Project offers a new model for artistic collaboration
by COLONY LITTLE
Out the window of his secondfloor studio on Hargett Street, Pete Sack sees an area bustling with creative energy that’s in search of a home. Galleries are few and far between, despite the rich community of artists matriculating through the many visual art and design programs in the Triangle. “There are institutions that don’t exist anymore that used to present juried shows for up-and-coming artists,” he says. “If you move here and you’re an artist, where’s your opportunity? How are we welcoming you to the city?”
Sack and fellow visual artist Jean Gray Mohs hosted a series of informal talks in 2023, called Discourse and Dialogue, where artists voiced their concerns. “We
started hearing about gaps: it feels like there are fewer places to experiment and gather,” Mohs says. “Whenever we had those conversations, people wanted to get involved.”
So in November 2023, Sack and Mohs, along with artists Lamar Whidbee and Daniel Kelly, created The Grid Project, an art collective that hosts pop-up exhibitions. Through grant money and their own connections, they’re working to curate hyper-local shows that shine a spotlight on Raleigh’s creative communities. The ultimate goal is for members to act as consultants, providing resources and operational guidance to aspiring artists and curators looking to show their work.
Left: Lamar Whidbee, Jean Gray Mohs, Daniel Kelly, Pete Sack.
Right: Part of the Floravita exhibit.
In May 2024, The Grid Project held its inaugural show at Birdland, an artistrun gallery located in a converted studio space owned by Mike Cindric and his late wife, the esteemed artist and educator Susan Toplikar of Boylan Heights. Titled Alchemy, it featured work by the four founders alongside artists Isabel Lu and Patrizia Ferreira.
Old-fashioned alchemists were the inspiration for the show, and a description of their role in society from the exhibition statement could double as The Grid Project’s raison d’être: “They endeavored to conjure the extraordinary from the ordinary… Yet in a more profound way, they endeavor to manifest the immaterial through the material — ideas, imaginings, concepts and questions transmitted through scraped graphite, twisted threads, oozing oils and powdered pigments.”
In many ways, The Grid Project is an exercise in social alchemy, creating spaces where artists can come together and showcase each others’ work in a looser, more nimble environment than a traditional museum or gallery setting. While the first show featured visual artists who have already received support through institutions like Artspace, CAM Raleigh and the North Carolina Museum of Art, The Grid Project’s goal is to extend its reach not only to artists and curators who are looking for their first break, but also to artists of different genres. “I realized we need to start casting a wider net,” says Sack. “You’ve got musicians, poets, dancers… but we tend to work in silos. We’re trying to harness each of those groups and start some cross-pollination.” To wit: one Saturday during the Alchemy show, cellist Jean Gay staged a solo performance at Birdland, activating the artwork through a different sensory lens.
The Grid Project’s goal is to extend its reach not only to artists and curators who are looking for their first break, but also to artists of different genres.
In October 2024, Mohs, along with bicycling advocacy group Oaks & Spokes, presented a cycling-themed show titled Rubberside Down, where the worlds of cycling and art collided in the best sense of the word. It featured emerging and established visual artists including Leigh Ramsdell, Dave Green, Sarah Hammond, Zach Storm and Minori Sanchiz-Fung, who presented art works alongside bicycles.
“Leigh has been a BMX biker since he was 14,” says Mohs. “I see his passion for biking reflected in our community, and I wanted to bring these two worlds together.” The exhibition, which was held at Birdland, also included a bike tour of murals, a self-guided walking tour of open studios around Boylan Heights, a cycling clinic and a pump track created
by Ramsdell and Green. “It was really beautiful,” says Mohs. “I met a lot of people I hadn’t seen at an art show before. In Raleigh we have so much going on and it’s all good work — we just like shining a spotlight on it.”
In November, The Grid Project hosted a show curated by Sack called Floravita, featuring work by Alia El-Bermani, Eric “Skillet” Gilmore, Oami Powers and Sally Van Gorder. Works in the exhibition were meditations on death, using the concept of “memento mori” as a philosophical point of departure. Powers created a group of ceramic flowers that appeared wilted, placed on a bed of soil. Their decay was emphasized by Powers’ use of wax and charcoal, which tinged the flowers in a gray pallor of death. Gilmore created a series of works using his family’s photographic archive, manipulating the images with screen printing, charcoal and acrylic that stippled the surface, creating a texture that evoked a hazy fog of memory drifting in and out of focus. Three poets from the Paradigm Poetry Collective
Left: Part of the Rubberside Down exhibit. Right: Guests at the Floravita exhibit.
MAKERS
created works inspired by artwork in the show and read the poems aloud. “The idea of this exercise was to highlight how one responds to visual art and how one responds to poetry,” says Sam Pepple, poetry director of the Paradigm Poetry Collective. “There is no right way or wrong way to respond to either art form.”
The first series of The Grid Project’s exhibits have been possible through grant funding from SEEK Raleigh, an experimental public arts program from Raleigh Arts. With that support, The Grid Project has a slate of projects funded for the coming year. It also hopes to garner future grants to combine with paid memberships or shows to finance the collective in the long-term. (At its first open call for proposals, last summer, they expected to receive just a handful of submissions — and got 27. “We could have chosen 20 of them, they were that good,” Sack says. “It just proves that
there is a hunger for these types of opportunities.”)
As is the way with alchemy, much of the work by The Grid Project is born out of trial and error; its members are figuring it all out as they go. “I’ve always been like a ‘now, not how’ type of person,” Sack says, though he notes that they’re guided by the experience of Kelly, who was part of a collective in New Orleans. “He’s the conscience of the group — we want to have enthusiasm, but also a dose of reality.”
For Sack, collaborating in this manner not only helps fellow artists, but it also takes him out of his bubble. “For the first 10, 20 years of my career, I was very focused on my art, but as I’ve gotten older, I also want to give back,” he says. “We need to take advantage of the opportunities that exist and make opportunities
Oami Powers talks sculpture at Floravita
Folk Revival
Jake Xerxes Fussell puts a modern spin on traditional music
by DAVID MENCONI
About 12 years ago, Brendan Greaves got a message from a new friend that caused him some uneasiness. It came from Jake Xerxes Fussell, a young man from Mississippi whom Greaves knew from folklore work at the University at North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, they had been part of a project compiling a box set of recordings for the Southern Folklife Collection. Fussell told Greaves that he was a musician and was going to send some of his music.
Greaves operates Paradise of Bachelors Records, a small independent label in Chapel Hill, so this happens a lot. But it could be awkward with friends — what if Greaves didn’t like Fussell’s music?
Turns out, it wasn’t an issue.
“He sent a few songs he’d digitized from recordings on a cassette at home, and I was immediately blown away,” Greaves recalls. “Even in this raw, basic state, what he’d done with these songs was amazing. They were traditional folk songs, but rendered unrecognizable and transformed. I still don’t fully understand the alchemy of how Jake does it, but he transmutes every song into something else through his voice and reverence for the material.”
After Fussell moved up to Durham in 2014, Paradise of Bachelors went on to release his first four albums, all of them brilliant examples of folk music that’s not at all musty. His 2017 release What in the Natural World felt like a breakthrough, with songs ranging from the Pete Seeger/Byrds classic “Bells of Rhymney” to delightful obscurities like the quirky folk chestnut “Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing on a Sweet Potato Vine?” Fussell’s fifth album, When I’m Called, (his first on a larger label, Fat Possum Records) is another wide-ranging set of songs from as recently as the mid-1980s and as far back as the mid-1740s.
When I’m Called is an elegant album centered around Fussell’s amiably drawling baritone voice, which goes down smooth as a shot of good whiskey. The arrangements are spare, not a note out of place, rendered by a supporting cast of reliable quality signifiers for this style of music: Fussell’s fellow folk artists Robin Holcomb and Joan Shelley, Watchhouse/Megafaun drummer Joe Westerlund and studio aces Tucker Martine and James Elkington, among others.
Though his parents aren’t musicians, Fussell is sort of in the family business. His father is a folklorist, while his mother
Casey Ryan
Vock
MUSIC
is a teacher with an affinity for quilting. And they gave their son his distinctive middle name in honor of a potter in his native Georgia, Dorris Xerxes “D.X.” Gordy, who was a hero and mentor to the family while Fussell was growing up.
“Growing up in a folklore household kind of got me into all this,” Fussell says. “My parents were more from the world of material craft culture, but it was a household with music in it. And my dad has worked with musically inclined people. So I grew up in that world, going to folk festivals and hearing field recordings.”
After years of song collecting, Fussell has voluminous material to draw from. When I’m Called is full of songs that feel brand new despite their mostly ancient history, with some first brought to the public from the likes of folklore icon John Lomax and 1950s folk-revival legend Jean Ritchie.
“I’m always kinda filing things away that I find in old songbooks or online archives,” Fussell says. “Just about everybody playing traditional music is also looking for source material. I’ll slowly work up versions of songs. When it comes time to do a record, I’ll think about songs that go together. I also compile bibliographies of it all. I like to be transparent about sources for anyone who might be curious about where something came from.”
Fussell’s only formal music lessons were in elementary school, when he learned to play bass, which led him to guitar. There were always instruments around the house for his father’s folklore work, so he taught himself to play.
Art Rosenbaum, who would become a mentor to Fussell before his death in 2022. (When I’m Called is dedicated to Rosenbaum.)
“I developed a style as I got deeper and deeper into playing and became more aware of different recordings,” Fussell says. “Art Rosenbaum was a big part of that. He knew tons of banjo and fiddle tunes, ballads, shanties. He bridged a lot of worlds. Whenever I had questions about something old and weird, he was who I’d call.”
Interpreting songs that are already out there, and seeing where he can take them, is an approach that suits him well.
Tagging along on fieldwork excursions to hear artists like Georgia blues singer Precious Bryant and Piedmont blues guitar legend Etta Baker provided further inspiration. So did encouragement from his father’s friend, musicologist
For all his interest in songs, however, writing them himself doesn’t hold much appeal for Fussell. Interpreting songs that are already out there, and seeing where he can take them, is an approach that suits him well. He’s also an active member of the local music community, deejaying the weekly “Fall Line Radio” show Wednesday afternoons on Hillsborough low-power
community station WHUP, 104.7-FM, when he’s off the road.
“For the longest time, I thought music would be something just for me, private,” he says. “Whether I could make a living at it seemed so unlikely. An abstract dream. I worked day jobs for a long time, including as a fact checker in a liabilityinsurance office — the most boring work imaginable! — and doing highway-traffic surveys. So I don’t take it for granted. This area’s a good place for a musician to live. You can dart in and out of local scenes and everybody’s cooperative, polite and pretty cool. People here mostly get along. It’s more a series of scenes than ‘a scene,’ which is kinda nice.”
Casey Ryan
Vock (PHOTO); courtesy
Jake
Xerxes
Fussell (ALBUM)
GARDEN WINTER COLOR
Take advantage of the warmer days to plant bulbs and note what’s in bloom during this cold, dark season.
The sun is low on most January days, but my hopes are high. When I walk the garden during the winter, I find solace in nature. As I look at the trees, void of foliage, they show me structure and strength. They make me feel stronger with every step I take. The Raleigh area is fortunate in that we can garden year-round. Maybe not every day in January, but enough to witness the days getting longer and find joy. Resist the temptation to stay indoors all month and give these things a try.
PLANT SPRING BULBS
Did you know spring-flowering bulbs can still be planted? As long as the ground isn’t frozen, take advantage of afterholiday bulb sales. Tulips, daffodils and crocus should be planted at twice the depth of the bulb size.
KEEP THE AMARYLLIS
If you received a surplus of amaryllis as gifts, save them to plant in the garden. Keep the amaryllis in the pot, cut the stalk and place it in a cool, dry place (no need to water) until after the final threat of frost, usually around April 15. Note: unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to those lovely novelty waxed ones because they lack nutrients from soil to regenerate.
TAKE NOTE OF WINTER BLOOMS
January is still a great time to plant trees and shrubs. If you’re unsure of what will survive and provide colorful winter blooms, take a visit to the JC Raulston Arboretum’s Winter Garden. There, you can be inspired by their variety of plants, such as red-stemmed dogwood, yews and flowering apricots. For the birds, note the deciduous winterberry hollies.
— Helen Yoest
Out on a LIMB
Iby LORI D. R. WIGGINS
n 2010, Basil Camu joined his parents’ tree service business, Leaf & Limb, as a partner with his father. They’d started the business in West Raleigh in 1997, primarily doing tree removal and trimming. “It was a pretty small mom-and-pop type of business,” says Basil, who’d spent the previous years working in finance and travel and studied economics at Duke University. Going into the family business, “those skills didn’t help me all that much. I had to figure everything out as I went,” he says. But he’s a fervent reader with big ideas, so he poured himself into growing Leaf & Limb. He learned web building and marketing, implemented safety programs, assessed financials and researched other services that could help distinguish Leaf & Limb from its competitors. “Each year brought new ideas and changes,” Basil says. Between 2010 and 2019, those efforts helped grow the company into a profitable, 50-employee operation, one of the largest of its kind in the state.
But as the business grew, it also became hard for him to stomach. “So much of our revenue was coming from tree removals.
Basil Camu
The nonprofit Project Pando is working to support native trees in the Triangle
photography by LIZ CONDO
We’d cut down these gorgeous old oaks and pines to make way for someone’s new lawn,” he says. Through his work, he was learning about the complexities of soils and the fascinating role trees play in our ecosystem. His love and appreciation for trees and the environment was growing, but he felt he was contributing to the deforestation of Raleigh. “I was questioning what I was doing with my career, what we were doing as a company,” he says. “We were destroying the very engine that drives the planet.”
So in 2017, Basil started shifting the business away from cutting down trees to focus on structural pruning, securing existing trees, planting new ones and doing soil work instead. It not only aligned with his personal philosophies but, he says, “working with natural systems instead of against them also saves time, money and manpower.”
So in 2020, the company made it official. They announced the change in a newsletter to their clients and shared a video on social media about the new no-cutting approach. “Now, we only care for trees, plant them and teach people why they are important,” says Basil. Once again, they lost business, but by 2023, the company had crept up to the revenue they were at before the shift. “We’re noses above water,” he laughs.
“Just like the roots of the trees in the Pando colony are all connected, we humans should understand that we are all connected, we share resources — and what’s good for one is good for all.”
The shift wasn’t an easy one. Some employees left. There was pushback from customers, he recalls, some of whom insisted on removing old-growth trees, simply for aesthetic reasons. “We could not convince them otherwise,” Basil says. “That was disappointing.”
— BASIL CAMU
By the end of 2019, tree cutting had shifted from 60% to 40% of Leaf & Limb’s business, but to Basil, they hadn’t gone far enough. “I still felt like we were taking too many trees down,” he says. “We had to decide to just stop cutting trees altogether.”
“I like the direction that we’ve taken; I’m all for being a good steward of what’s given to you, and I think we should be at least responsible for the resources we have,” says Colin Camu, Basil’s father, who is still involved in the company. He’s in charge of training and education, including making sure that everyone employed at Leaf & Limb participates in a five-year program to become a certified arborist.
Alongside the shift in business, Basil’s been spearheading environmental causes through Leaf & Limb’s grassroots nonprofit, Project Pando. It’s named after the giant, 80,000-year-old colony of quaking aspen trees in Fishlake National Forest in Utah, the largest in the world. “Just like the roots of the trees in the Pando colony are all connected, we humans should understand that we are all connected, we share resources — and what’s good for one is good for all,” he says.
Left: Emmanuel Brown pushes a wheelbarrow. Right: Planting in Morrisville.
GIVERS
Starting in 2017, the company offered paid days on the first Friday of every month for staffers to volunteer with local organizations. They’d organize food or sort clothes — whatever the nonprofits needed — but soon realized they could have a bigger impact by targeting their efforts. “We did more with our existing expertise and resources when we volunteered with organizations like We Plant it Forward and Trees Across Raleigh,” says Basil. Through that work, he saw a need for both more trees for planting and more people with the knowledge to help them thrive. So in 2020, Basil decided to focus Pando’s efforts on collecting seeds from native trees, growing them into saplings and distributing them, for free, within the community.
“Trees are part of what makes the Triangle feel like home,” says Emmanuel Brown, the organization’s co-director. “What we’re trying to do is help people understand how important trees are, because the trees themselves are pretty quiet.”
Native trees like oak, Longleaf pine, elderberry and dogwood are uniquely suited to provide food and shelter to other native creatures, like birds and insects. “A native oak, for example, can benefit around 1,000 insects,” says Basil. But native trees are harder to come by in commercial spaces, like nurseries, where camellias, azaleas and Japanese maples dominate the sales floor. “These plants can be fun and exciting, but using too many can lead to a landscape dominated by plants that aren’t from here,” Basil says.
Now open thru April 27
A collection of native seeds.
To collect native seeds, Project Pando enlists hundreds of volunteers in the area. Through instructional videos, online tools and tree identification outings, Project Pando teaches them how to recognize and gather the seeds of the more than 80 species of native trees and shrubs that grow in North Carolina. Pando has a calendar to note the seasons in which each tree’s seeds are prime for collection: the dogwood’s red berries are best gathered in the fall, for example, while the red maple’s helicopter-type seeds are ready each spring. The volunteers then take their seeds to one of 10 drop-off locations, including the Leaf & Limb headquarters, farms and extension service sites.
“We’re creating this pipeline of native trees to help other people heal our local ecosystems.”
— BASIL CAMU
The seeds are then taken to Project Pando’s growth sites, a 2-acre plot at Leaf & Limb’s property and a 16-acre site at Triangle Land Conservancy’s Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve in Southeast Raleigh. There, the seeds are planted and raised in air-pruning boxes. They can hold hundreds of saplings but have mesh bottoms that stop them from getting too big (the roots stop growing when they hit the air). This novel approach means that Project Pando is able to raise thousands of saplings at once. “The roots grow laterally as opposed to going down into the earth, so they’re easier to transplant,” says volunteer Caroline Richardson. The soil they’re planted in is made up in part by City of Raleigh leaf waste.
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Depending on the species, once the trees reach about 6 to 36 inches, they are donated to volunteers to plant at home or in their neighborhoods, as well as to schools and nonprofit organizations, like We Plant it Forward and the Walnut Creek Wetland Center, on a first-come first-serve basis. “We don’t do tree planting — we’re more of a provider of tree materials. We’re creating this pipeline of native trees to help other people heal our local ecosystems,” says Basil. Thanks to these efforts, about 15,000 trees were given away in 2024.
Brown oversees and works with volunteers and partners in the Project Pando nursery. “Part of the magic is that it’s easier to learn about trees when you’re working with them directly,” he says. The volunteers become experts themselves, teaching their neighbors and friends why native trees matter. “They’re hands-on with environmental issues, but not in a boring or depressing way,” says Basil.
Last spring, Basil released a book, From Wasteland to Wonder, which holds the blueprint for their nonprofit as well as essays about the importance of native trees and how to support them in our urban and suburban landscapes. Available for free on Leaf & Limb’s website, he hopes it will encourage folks to copy his model and cultivate native trees in other areas: “We just want to grow this idea and give it away.”
Happy New Year!
The Island Baby
A tale of the most perfect storm
by JIM DODSON illustration by GERRY O’NEILL
January is a special month in our family. That’s because three members of our scattered tribe are January babies. It could have been four if I hadn’t missed my due date by two days to wind up being a February groundhog.
My late father’s birthday is the 18th and my mother’s is the 24th. But our oldest child’s birthday, on the 28th, holds the true winter magic.
Back in September 1990, as we lay in bed looking up at the stars through the skylight on our first night in the house on Bailey Island, Maine, my first wife, Alison, said quietly, “Let me have your hand.”
She placed it on her belly and, for the
first time ever, I felt something flutter, soft as a hummingbird.
“That’s him,” I whispered in awe.
“Or her,” she said.
Friends were concerned when we told them we planned to move to an island off the coast for the winter while beginning construction of our house on the mainland.
In good weather, they pointed out, the hospital was a good 45-minute drive away — across two adjoining islands, over three narrow bridges and through three tiny villages. In bad winter weather, the trip had been known to take hours.
From Labor Day to June, only about 300 souls inhabited the durable rock
island where we set up housekeeping in a fine cottage, which provided us with a 20-mile view of the coast. Within days of our arrival — news spreads fast on a small island — we’d met the folks who ran the community store, the postmistress, several lobstermen and a chatty gentleman named Bob, who was the island’s de facto mayor and chargé d’affaires of information and snowplowing.
“When the snow flies, the drifts can get pretty wicked out here,” he explained, and turned pale when we mentioned we were in the family way, due in early February. “I’m awfully glad you told me,” he said seriously. “We’ll keep an eye on you.”
A few days later, a lady at the store
slipped me a scrap of paper with a phone number and said, “I heard about your situation. Call anytime if you need to — Herman’s got four-wheel drive.” Not long after that, one of the local lobstermen pulled me aside and said, “I’ve got a boat that’ll chew through anything. Just give a holler.”
Such nice folks, those island souls. While we settled in to wait for the baby, they prepared for winter snow, fixing drafts, hooking up plows, topping up the woodpile and getting buckets of sand ready. I realized how much the mariners loved the drama of winter storms. Hard weather makes good timber, as they say in the north country.
There was a dusting of snow two days before Christmas, followed by wind, arctic cold and nothing more. While the islanders scanned the skies for telltale flakes, we scanned a baby book for boy names. Everyone — I mean everyone — was certain we were going to have a boy, including yours truly.
“How about Herman,” I suggested. Alison laughed. “You mean after the four-wheel guy?”
“More as in Melville, the great white whale guy.”
Given our location, I suggested other strong nautical names, including Noah, Davy Jones, Billy Budd and Horatio Hornblower — “Hank” for short.
Alison merely smiled and shook her head. Other family members chipped in several male family names.
As the winter deepened and the delivery day approached, only my wife and my dad believed the baby would be a girl.
In the meantime, the islanders grew visibly tense from the absence of snow. Snowplows sat idle; the boys around the stove grumbled over their morning coffee at the community store.
It turned out, in fact, to be the un-snowiest winter on the island in a century. Just our luck, but poor islanders. By early January, you could feel their desperation to push snow and fling sand. A few days before month’s end, Alison joked that our baby would arrive with a snowstorm.
Her mouth to God’s ear.
That Friday night, as we were dining at our favorite restaurant in town, it began to snow like mad. Mainers live for the winter’s first good snow. You could see the relief in their faces. “Better late than never,” our waitress cheerfully declared as she delivered dessert. “Hate to waste my new snow tires!”
Moments later, Alison’s water broke. We left our dessert behind and went straight to the hospital down the block.
The delivery doctor said we still had several hours to go. So, as mother and baby settled in, I drove out to the island to get some clothes and feed the dog. By the time I got there, a blizzard was in full force and even my four-wheel Blazer had difficulty navigating our unplowed lane.
It took another two hours to get off the island, over the bridges and back to the hospital. By the time I climbed the final hill into town, the snow had stopped and a brilliant sunrise bathed a silent white world in golden light. It was a sight I’ll never forget.
I got to my wife’s side 10 minutes before the baby arrived.
The next afternoon, we brought our bundled-up newborn home. The snow was so deep, we had to park at the community store and slide down the hill on our rumps to our cottage doorstep.
Stamping around, folks on the island were downright giddy. Bob was deeply relieved. Snowplows roared and news of the birth quickly spread.
Everyone who peeked at our new arrival wanted to know what we named our sweet island lad.
“Margaret Sinclair,” I proudly told them. “Maggie for short — after both of her grandmothers.”
“A must
- Sir Walter Raleigh
1
Prophecy
by BRIAN HOWE
illustration by TIM LYTVINENKO
Chaos in the jungle gym, chaos in huge cars. You will fall in love with a series of rooms. The sun will open up your heart, even during wintertime. Sunspots in your deepest watches, shadows on the daybed. Music plays as you leave paradise, ceases as you return. Chaos in the alphabet, chaos on your tongue. You will fall in love with a series of lamps, with a currency valued on light, not gold. Huge cars on the Western skyline slide open their doors. The moon will break up if you hold too still, falling in love with a series of moods. Chaos in the Western scales, chaos in the sun.
From neighborhood favorites to splurge-worthy spots, the pros share their go-to restaurants, bars, coffee shops and more
WHERE to EAT&DRINK 2025
by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE photography by FORREST MASON
Is it just us, or is the food scene really buzzing? Over the past year, we’ve seen loads of bar and restaurant projects come to fruition, from finedining concepts to burger spots to rooftop bars, cocktail lounges, salad spots and more. “As our community has gotten more diverse, so have our bars and restaurants,” says Kim Hammer, a Raleigh native who’s the owner of downtown bars Bittersweet and Johnson Street Yacht Club. “I could go out every night and go somewhere different.”
With so many spots to choose from, we think the best way to figure out where to go for dinner or a drink is to ask someone with great, er, taste. That’s why we tap local hospitality folks to share their favorite spots, the places they prioritize in their few off-hours based on their years of experience. Among their choices are tried-and-true Raleigh stalwarts, buzzy new places and under-the-radar locales you might never visit if you don’t live nearby. “I travel a lot, and I have to say — we have it really good in Raleigh,” Hammer says.
Read on for more than 100 recommendations for great culinary experiences in our area.
Centro
Sosta Cafe
CUONG LE
EXECUTIVE CHEF, O-KU
Cuong Le has nearly seven years of experience in the industry, with four of those years spent in the Triangle area. While his professional background primarily focuses on Asian cuisine, he also has a deep appreciation for classic European cuisine. Le has been the executive chef at O-Ku since 2021.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Stanbury.
GO-TO: Cardinal Bar.
CASUAL: Taipei 101 in Cary. Get the Dan Dan noodles, eggplant with garlic sauce and salt and pepper pork ribs!
LUNCH: Pho Thien Phat in Cary. I stop by for a hearty bowl of pho alongside a refreshing Vietnamese iced coffee.
TO GO: Paris Banh Mì in Cary. They serve delicious Vietnamese sandwiches and teas, plus traditional snacks.
DRINK: Dram & Draught.
COFFEE: Sweet Talk Cafe in Apex.
NEW-ISH: Tamasha. The dishes are beautiful and delicious.
EXCITED TO TRY: Zest Sushi & Small Plates in Cary. Fresh oysters, seafood towers and martinis!
WORTH THE DRIVE: Tesoro in Carrboro.
TANISHA DEPINA
CHEF DE CUISINE, IL FALÒ
Born and raised in New England, Tanisha DePina has worked in kitchens from Boston to San Francisco. Before moving to Raleigh to help open Il Falò at THe Westin Raleigh-Durham Airport in 2023, Depina worked as a pastry chef at THe Gasparilla Inn, a resort off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Barcelona Wine Bar. I order the patatas bravas, roasted chickpea cazuela and roasted carrots.
GO-TO: Chido Taco. They have great birria tacos and delicious cocktails. They also play great music!
CASUAL: A Place at the Table.
LUNCH: Champa Thai & Sushi in Brier Creek. The pineapple fried rice and Thai spiced wings are my go-to order.
TO GO: Sassool. My favorites are the mint and beet salad, the jalapeño hummus and the baklava.
DRINK: The Velvet Hippo in Durham.
COFFEE: Jubala Coffee.
NEW-ISH: Bazil Indian Cuisine. My favorites are the crab masala and lamb biryani (spicy but so delicious).
EXCITED TO TRY: Jaguar Bolero.
Taipei 101
Barcleona Wine Bar
KIM HAMMER PASTRY CHEF & OWNER, BITTERSWEET
Kim Hammer is a pastry chef and owner of Bittersweet, a cocktail, coffee and dessert bar that was nominated for a James Beard for Outstanding Bar in 2024, as well as Johnson Street Yacht Club. Prior to Bittersweet, Hammer ran catering company Bittycakes for over 10 years.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Oak Steakhouse. I love a perfect crispy medium-rare ribeye, killer fries and a dirty martini.
GO-TO: Centro. The ignacio and any of the mezcal drinks.
CASUAL: SmokeStacks Cafe.
LUNCH: Side Street Restaurant. I’m a Raleigh native so I have a special place in my heart for places that have been around forever. I get a turkey club or The Camel Rider.
TO GO: Alimentari at the Transfer Co. Food Hall.
DRINK: I drink a lot at our dive bar, Johnson Street Yacht Club, but I want to credit a new favorite: Natural Science. I can get a spot-on Negroni from anyone that works there.
COFFEE: Bad Brain Coffee truck.
NEW-ISH: Gussie’s.
WORTH THE DRIVE: Hank’s Downtown Dive in Cary.
ROGER & BRIANA KORNEGAY
CONTENT CREATORS, RALEIGH FOODTRAP
Roger and Briana Kornegay run Raleigh FoodTrap, an awardwinning media outlet showcasing the culinary scene in our area.
THey also own THe Yard Milkshake Bar in Seaboard Station and run social media for various hospitality businesses.
SPECIAL OCCASION: G.58 in Morrisville. The Peking duck is a must-order.
GO-TO: Vittles at the Park in Durham.
CASUAL: IRONBOX Breakfast. It’s a food truck located next to a junkyard in Youngsville.
LUNCH: Frito’s Burgers and Tacos. When we eat lunch out and about, we like to spend cheap! On Tuesdays, tacos are $1!
TO GO: Tombachi.
DRINK: The Willard. We love their mocktails, especially the pineapple ginger mule.
COFFEE: Biscuit Belly in Seaboard Station.
NEW-ISH: The Yard Milkshake Bar in Seaboard Station!
EXCITED TO TRY: Pins Mechanical Co.
WORTH THE DRIVE: Granchio in Rolesville.
The Willard
Centro
Head shots courtesy people shown.
Yatai Market
SARA ABERNETHY CO-FOUNDER, WYE HILL HOSPITALITY
Sara Abernethy is the co-founder of Wye Hill Hospitality, which she operates with her husband, Chris Borreson. A Raleigh native, Abernethy launched Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewery in 2017 and expanded the restaurant group with Glasshouse Kitchen in 2022 and Twisted Ladder in 2023.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Death & Taxes. There really is no better service, it’s like a ballet!
GO-TO: Oakwood Pizza Box or Stanbury.
CASUAL: (ish) delicatessen.
LUNCH: (ish) deli again! I love to get the BLT.
TO GO: DICED.
DRINK: The Parlor at Heights House.
COFFEE: Cup A Joe: I have a long-standing Saturday tradition where I meet my dad there. I get a double short skinny latte.
NEW-ISH: Ajja. I love the menu; I never feel overstuffed, plus it’s quirky and cool and colorful.
EXCITED TO TRY: The RH Rooftop Restaurant.
WORTH THE DRIVE: Killer Queen Wine Bar in Durham.
SAIF RAHMAN CHEF, PEREGRINE (COMING SOON)
Originally from Bangladesh, Saif Rahman moved to New York City and then to North Carolina. THe longtime executive chef of Vidrio has been named a North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Chef of the Year. His new restaurant, Peregrine, will open early this year. SPECIAL OCCASION: Yameni Cuisine Restaurant and Cafe.
GO-TO: La Cabana Taqueria, on Capital Boulevard. It’s inside a BP gas station and there are no signs for it.
CASUAL: Almadina Biryani Hut on Method Road (off of Western), inside the Almadine Supermarket. They make traditional spicy chicken biryani from Hyderabad, India.
TO GO: MoJoe’s Burger Joint on Glenwood South. I order an Inferno Burger and crispy onion rings.
DRINK: William & Company on Person Street. I get whatever nonalcoholic drink the bartender makes me.
COFFEE: Videri Chocolate Factory. I love the smell of roasting coffee beans and cacao there.
NEW-ISH: Mac’s Speed Shop on Glenwood Avenue.
EXCITED TO TRY: Crawford Brothers Steakhoue.
(ish) delicatessen
Head shots courtesy people shown; Joshua Steadman (ISH)
Cup A Joe
LINDA NGUYEN
CONTENT CREATOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER, GIRL EATS WORLD
Nguyen is a Chapel Hill-based portrait photographer and food content creator behind Girl Eats World. She moved to North Carolina seven years ago from Austin, Texas. She’s especially passionate about noodles, matcha and international cuisine. SPECIAL OCCASION: M Sushi in Durham or East End Bistrot.
GO-TO: Thai Station Restaurant in Carrboro. My go-to orders are the pad thai (spicy) or the Tom Yum soup.
CASUAL: Garnachas Rivera. It’s a truck with no signage off of Jones Ferry Road, and they have amazing tacos!
LUNCH: ZenFish Poké Bar and Bonjour Banh Mi & Tea.
TO GO: Taquería el Bajío. It’s in the back of a Mexican convenience store, adjacent to a gas station. Try the gorditas!
DRINK: Boba Baba Cafe.
COFFEE: Namu in Durham.
NEW-ISH: Shinmai Shokudō in Cary. They have ramen, a variety of Japanese bar/street food and okonomiyaki!
EXCITED TO TRY: Aaktun Coffee & Bar in Durham.
AARON SALITA
CHEF DE CUISINE, CRAWFORD & SON AND JOLIE
Aaron Salita was chef de partie at French Laundry, sous chef at Bouchon Bistro and the opening chef for Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge. He joined Crawford & Son as chef de cuisine in 2022 and in 2024 was promoted to lead Jolie as well.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Heron’s. Chef Green is pushing culinary boundaries on a nightly basis there at The Umstead.
LUNCH: M Sushi in Durham. Their omakase is my go-to!
TO GO: Five Star. I like the spicy beef noodles and ribs on the appetizer list — get two orders of the ribs.
DRINK: Sous Terre. Some of the best cocktails in the city.
COFFEE: Little Native Coffee Co. Their chai latte keeps me going!
NEW-ISH: Brodeto.
EXCITED TO TRY: Crawford Brothers Steakhouse.
WORTH THE DRIVE: Olivero in Wilmington. I try to visit every time I go down to the beach.
Garnachas Rivera
THe Art &
Yatai Market
The Optimist Raleigh
Born in Puerto Rico, Ruiz grew up in the Triangle and started cooking at age 15 at Amante in Carborro. After leaving high school and backpacking through Europe, he worked at a slate of Raleigh restaurants, including Raleigh Raw, Cortez and Mofu.
Sosta Cafe KEVIN RUIZ CHEF, ORO
He took over as executive chef at ORO about three years ago.
SPECIAL OCCASION: Stanbury. It’s old-school, new-school Raleigh. Get the bone marrow, with a shot to do a luge.
GO-TO: The Piper’s Tavern and Restaurant. My dad always took me there growing up, so that’s become my go-to.
CASUAL: Yatai Market in Transfer Co. Food Hall. I love the birria ramen; their sushi rolls and hand rolls are awesome.
LUNCH: Sosta Cafe. I get the Leah: it’s a turkey sandwich with roasted bell peppers.
TO GO: Manhattan Cafe (day) or Don Betos Tacos (night).
DRINK: Dram & Draught or Wine Authorities.
COFFEE: Sir Walter Coffee. I get the Sir Walter Six: six shots of espresso, with dulce de leche and whipped cream.
NEW-ISH: LaGana and Ponysaurus Brewing!
EXCITED TO TRY: East End Bistrot and Brodeto.
The Optimist Raleigh
East End Bistrot MICHELLE WOODWARD OWNER, DICED
After more than a decade as a competitive athlete, Michelle Woodward was inspired to create a restaurant offering high-quality, healthy fast food. In 2015, she opened DICED on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. THere are now four locations in Raleigh and Cary and a fifth on the way in Holly Springs.
SPECIAL OCCASION: East End Bistrot.
GO-TO: Tazza Kitchen in the Village District.
LUNCH: DICED! The Spicy Thai with shrimp and avocado added — sometimes mango — and carrot ginger dressing.
TO GO: Oakwood Pizza Box. I always get a square pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and olives with no cheese, so it’s dairy free. Best no-cheese pizza around!
DRINK: State of Beer. I don’t usually drink, but I might sit outside with a cider or hard kombucha.
COFFEE: Jubala.
NEW-ISH: Brodeto. We usually get the crudo, the focaccia, the little gem salad and linguine al nero or the gnocchi.
EXCITED TO TRY: LaGana!
WORTH THE DRIVE: Akami Sushi Bar in Apex.
Head shots courtesy people shown.
Barcelona Wine Bar
Barnett Adler made his home inviting through smart design solutions and an accessible blend of furnishings
CLEVER SPACES
by HAMPTON WILLIAMS HOFER
photography by CATHERINE NGUYEN
For Barnett Adler, spaces are almost like living entities. He is always moving, adding, subtracting, figuring out what works. If it doesn’t work, he puts it all back. “I believe in always being open to the option of letting a space change,” Adler says. His friends play a game when they come over, trying to spot what is different, which little piece is new or in a new spot.
Adler’s home, in the Quail Hollow neighborhood of Raleigh, is one of seven in a cul-de-sac built in the 1970s, all following a similar floor plan. When he bought the three-bedroom, three-bath space in 2018, he was pleased to see that the previous renovations to the home were well-done and that he liked the direction they were headed. He was also uniquely suited to tailor the home to his own needs.
NEW HEIGHTS
Homeowner and designer Barnett Adler wanted a piece for his living room that would catch the eye and take up visual space with his tall ceilings. He found this contemporary light fixture at Trig Modern.
Adler is a local designer who has worked on dozens of homes around the Triangle. A Wilson native who attended North Carolina State University, Adler has always been connected to Raleigh through his father’s family, which owned a string of retail stores in what was then Cameron Village and on Fayetteville Street — but his first career was in fine jewelry. That led him to working in painted finishes, which gave him entry into people’s houses, igniting his passion for design. In the early 1990s, he opened a home store in Richmond, Virginia, called Du Soleil, which offered a mix of traditional and modern pieces in a fun and funky space that foreshadowed his future home and style.
“People would come into that store and say, THis place is so cool — will you come help me do my living room?” Adler recalls.
Many designer showcases later, Adler found himself increasingly drawn to the building side of design — creating the space itself, not just decorating it. “It’s a different experience to get to do both halves,” he says. “Building is the focus, but then it’s fun to be able to go with something I’ve designed and take it to the end of the line, until a whole space is fully realized.”
To update his own home, he gave the interior a facelift — rethinking rooms, building in clever small-space solutions — put on an addition, redid the landscaping and updated the siding and paint.
Adler turned the living room into his dining room and designed a 325-square-foot living room addition in keeping with the neat and functional vibe of the house: tall ceiling, slanted roof. Now up to 2,000 square feet, his home lives large while entertaining even with modestly sized rooms (he’s hosted a cocktail party for 75!).
Adler is a solution maker, creating his own furniture when needed to suit the space. His kitchen table, for example, sits on an industrial pivot hinge, allowing it to swivel back into the island. In the original house, the small space in front of the island had been a crowded dining area that clogged the path toward the patio. Now the bar top can swing closed for a sleek, spacious feel or swing open to give four or five diners a comfortable table with a better view. (At a recent party, Adler swung it out at an angle to use as a bar.) Another feature he designed
SMART STORAGE
Adler designed open cubes
The
of Baltic Birch plywood to work with his Ikea kitchen cabinets. He also added custom detailing to the retiled backsplash.
top of the kitchen island swings out to serve as a table.
FINE DINING
Adler used a round table in the dining area to break up the angles in his home. Under the stairs, mobile shelves serve as a bar and hide storage.
GEOMETRY LESSONS
Adler played with different shapes and patterns throughout the home, all within a muted color scheme. Art collected over the years is on display in the family room.
SAFE HAVEN
Adler’s bedroom is done in tones of driftwood and gray for a spa-like effect. The designer finds furniture from a variety of sources, including local shops and resale stores. His room opens onto an enclosed patio area.
himself is the built-in area under the stairs. Once a floating staircase, it now boasts Baltic Birch plywood shelving with a section that pulls out, hiding computer routers and cords that require accessibility but not visibility.
Adler’s style is varied; he likes what speaks to him. He once saw a late-20th-century French rattan chandelier listed for more than $3,000 on an antiques resale website. He bought an identical one for his own dining room from Pier 1 for $49. “You don’t have to spend a ton of money all the time,” he says. “It’s all about the mix. There is much to be said for quality furniture, but you can find cool things anywhere.”
Adler also likes playing with shapes and geometric repetition. In one bathroom, a hexagon-shaped mirror complements a matte black herringbone floor and hexagonal shower tiles. In the dining room, the round table sits upon a rug with circles, under a round chandelier. A rounded sculpture of driftwood lives on a table nearby. “People might not catch it,” he says, of the geometric coordination, “but once I start playing with it, I take off.”
The art in his home, all of which is original, follows suit.
“I’ve been lucky enough to live and visit places with great art communities,” Adler says of former stomping grounds like Richmond, Chapel Hill and Provincetown, Massachusetts. “I’ve bought things out of coffee shops and out of fine galleries.” Sepia-tone photos hang above the bed, and in the den is a black-and-white watercolor in the style of an Edward Hopper painting, dense with shadows and layers. In the living room hangs a painting by Luna Lee Ray of Carboro, adjacent a piece by Sue Bolton of Boston and two by Miriam Fried of Provincetown. When it comes to lighting, Adler believes some spaces insist that the physicality of the lighting takes a backseat. “And sometimes,” he says, “it’s a piece of jewelry that needs to show.” Through clever tweaks Adler has transformed his home into a flexible, peaceful and comfortable space to host friends and family. “It’s not a stuffy house,” he says. “I want people to feel like they can throw a pillow or move a chair.”
OUTDOOR LIVING
In the backyard, Adler had a concrete pad removed to create a space that feels like an outdoor living room, green and quaint. He added a bluestone and pea gravel courtyard in the back along with horizontal fencing.
ALL ANGLES
The outside of Adler’s home is Hardie plank, with a striped pattern of wider and narrower pieces, painted in the color Andiron by Sherwin-William. In fact, the whole home, other than the doors, uses only two paint colors: Andiron and Downy by Sherwin-Williams.
This page: A peek inside the window at
Opposite page: A
“I already liked the lights in the buildings, but when this little van pulled up, it was especially charming,” photographer
Virgil’s Cocktails & Cocina in the early morning.
van parked along S. McDowell Street.
Briana Woods says.
Photographer Briana Woods captures quiet moments in Raleigh
VIEW STREET
by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE photography by BRIANA WOODS
Alittle over three years ago, photographer Briana Woods started capturing images of Raleigh’s urban landscape. “I live pretty close to downtown, so often I’ll just go for a walk without a plan beyond, the weather looks nice or it might be interesting to take photos, and just wander around,” says Woods. Those photos have turned into a passion project and a body of work that turns sidewalks, streetlamps, loading docks and other unnoticed spaces into beautiful and mysterious scenes.
Woods has lived in the Triangle since
she was 3, and she and her husband moved to Raleigh’s College Park neighborhood in 2022. A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate and marketing professional by trade, Woods does freelance photography on the side, usually concentrating on portraits.
Taking these ground-up photos is a practice she first honed in the years after graduation. She spent a few years teaching English in Seoul, South Korea, but “after a year and a half, I was feeling homesick and unhappy,” she says. So she grabbed her camera. “I found that going
out and walking around the city with the intent of photographing helped me appreciate the area more,” Woods says. “It helped me see the beauty.”
Woods is attracted to simple spaces — planes of buildings, telephone lines, parking decks — or areas that folks don’t usually see. “I like exploring places that aren’t necessarily for public consumption,” she says. “Often there will be less ornamentation, and a utilitarian quality to the space. Plus, I think I’m attracted to industrial elements because they’re not something I have a lot of exposure to.”
One favorite spot is a parking garage off W. Lane Street that has interesting Brutalist architecture. “I aim for minimalist images, and that’s a lot easier when you’re looking at architecture with less detail and wider spaces between elements,” Woods says. “The light and shadows can feel smoother.” Her images often capture how lines and shadows intersect or contrast, or find colors repeating through a composition. Another frequent location is the former Circus Family Restaurant on Wake Forest Road. It’s on her way to the grocery store, so she’ll often stop there and look around, intrigued by its bright colors and how the space evolves. “Every time, there’s new destruction to photograph,” she says. “It’s sort of sad, but also beautiful.”
Sometimes, what attracts Woods to an image is the idea of creating a story. In one image, for example, the nose of a yellow car pokes into the frame in front of a shadowed brick building. “I love that little bit of yellow, and how it suggests that something is happening outside the frame,” she says. In others, a single window glows in a darkened building, or a worker can be seen, absorbed in their craft, from the outside. Sometimes she’ll crop an image to make it feel more minimalist or enhance one color or another to play up the contrast.
And often, Woods will find herself photographing an image due to the angle of the sun. “I’m attracted to both shapes and the shadows they cast, I love how they play together,” she says. Her favorite times to photograph Raleigh are early in the morning or late in the afternoon. “That’s when I find my flattering or interesting directional light,” she says.
Now that she’s been doing it for a while, “I know what I’m interested in, and I know I like to get out and walk. I don’t really have a plan, but I do have a process,” she says. Taking these photos tunes her into the rhythms of Raleigh and the ways the city is changing, says Woods: “I’m fairly observant anyway, I pay attention to things — but I’m more aware when I have my camera.”
Opposite page: A loading dock on S. Harrington Street. This page, clockwise from top: Behind the NC Theatre; A Spanish Revival lamppost on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds; outside of the former Circus Family Restaurant.
Opposite page: Woods liked how the parking deck under construction contrasted with the classical building behind it. This page, clockwise from top: Woods enjoyed the contrast between vintage store Father & Son Antiques and the city’s more modern train station behind it; stoplights outside of the former bank and mortuary that now houses Death & Taxes on W. Hargett Street; the former Circus Family Restaurant.
This page, clockwise from top: “I went ham on that edit, it definitely wasn’t that pink!” says Woods of her photograph of the Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street. “It’s a building that’s not conventionally attractive that I find interesting. I even remember thinking it was cool when I saw it as a kid.” Two shots from parking decks around town. Opposite page: A sunset beyond municipal buildings.
Opposite page: “I love how the light is coming in from the side — it suggests that something otherworldly might be happening just out of frame,” she says. This page, clockwise from top: The Ugly Monkey Party Bar. “I’ve not been, but I like the shadow and the light on the building, and the contrast with the sky. I edited it quite a bit to bring out the colors I wanted,” she says. A view of the Wake County Courthouse’s angled windows. “I find them kind of ominous,” she says. As to this shot of the former Mission Valley Theater, “I love a trash can,” Woods laughs. “But here, the color in the can corresponds with the color of the mural and the sky. It feels a little playful — ugly and pretty at the same time.”
This page, clockwise from top: Looking into the kitchen at Tonbo Ramen on S. Wilmington Street. “I saw this person, with the light all around them and the steam from cooking, and thought it seemed cinematic,” she says. This yellow house is in the Oakwood neighborhood.
“Victorian architecture is so pretty, but it usually doesn’t mesh with my style of photography. But I like how this simpler house looks like a pyramid,” she says. A setting sun lights up a porta-potty in front of the Wake County Courthouse.
“The way the sun was highlighting it, it was like it was on a stage,” she says. Opposite page: A window in the former Bath building, which was torn down in 2024. “It feels kind of sci-fi, like a glimpse of a slightly bleak future,” she says.
“It feels kind of sci-fi, like a glimpse of a slightly bleak future.”
— BRIANA WOODS
Jennifer Clifton finds her voice through color and pattern
&WIT WHIMSY
by COLONY LITTLE
photography by JOSHUA STEADMAN
Jennifer Clifton’s colorful studio in Artspace is filled with paintings, custom-printed tea towels and a collection of vintage Robinson Ransbottom “Oscar” cookie jars. The unique ceramic crockery is shaped like the head of a World War I Doughboy, with comically large eyes and a lid fashioned into a brodie helmet. Clifton began collecting these jars in the years leading to her retirement and now has 72 of them. “I heard that Andy Warhol and Peter Max collected cookie jars, and I kind of became obsessed with the idea,” she says. The cookie jars are filled with nostalgic tokens like crayons, finger puppets, wax teeth and cigarettes — clues to the personality behind her vibrant, maximalist work.
The anthropomorphic subjects in Clifton’s paintings easily fit into this world of whimsy. In one, a toad wearing blue pants and a smart red ribbon around its neck holds a cane and a top hat, posed in a vaudevillian stance in front of a chorus line of pink flamingos. In another, a carnival showgirl in a Grecian one-shoulder gown shows off hyper-toned muscles, a flex of strength that’s offset by a delicate pink ostrich feather headdress on her head.
Clifton’s art is infused with charm, nostalgia and a tinge of rebellion, which makes her work attractive in galleries (she recently wrapped a solo show at Rebus Works) and restaurants (you can find her work on the walls at Irregardless). Dave Wofford of Horse & Buggy Press in Durham featured Clifton’s work in a group show called Smothered and Covered in 2022. “I’ve been a big fan of Jennifer’s playful and adventurous work for a number of years,” he says, noting that his favorite works include achromatic pencil drawings of circus performers paired with vintage wallpaper patterns. “It’s great, unique work.”
Clifton was born in Texas, then lived in Connecticut before her family moved to Louisiana. She spent her formative years there in a river town named Slidell. It was a difficult transition for Clifton, who was bullied mercilessly for
her first year in her new hometown.
But in art, Clifton found joy and solace, something that she attributes to her mother. She’d work with her mother on craft projects, especially during the holidays. Her mother also brought her creativity into the elementary school, where there was no art teacher on staff. “She volunteered and had a cart where she went from class to class,” says Clifton. “Seeing my mom understand how important that was to me subliminally got into my brain.”
Clifton went on to study art history at Florida State University, with a minor in studio art. She particularly loved lithography. “It was my favorite part of the day — I took as many printmaking classes as I could,” she says. “I found my people at the print lab at night at Florida State.”
After graduation, she relocated to New Orleans, where she briefly worked in a gallery (she found she hated being market-facing), then began teaching art in elementary schools. She moved to North Carolina to pursue a master’s degree in counselor education at North Carolina State University, and she, along with her husband and two children, have called the state home ever since. Here, she worked as an elementary school counselor for 20 years, a job inspired partly by her childhood experience with bullying. “It was such a torturous experience, but it made me more empathetic,” she says. “I was good at helping kids feel encouraged and supported and helping them find their own strengths and resilience.” During this time, Clifton’s artistic pursuits fell mainly into crafting with her two kids, instilling the same love for creativity that her mom cultivated in her as a young girl.
Clifton retired in 2018, and with her children grown, she found a surplus of energy that needed a new home. She began to rekindle her love for art, combining oil paint, gouache (a form of watercolor) or charcoal with vintage wallpaper motifs. Since then, she’s created an extensive body of work steeped in nostalgia for Victorian-era botanicals, animals and vintage-style portraits. “A lot of what came out during this process were anthropomorphic animals and whimsical things, because I wanted to focus on joy and strength,” she says. Many of her portrait subjects are women, particularly carnival performers and pin-up girls. “I was really interested in vaudeville and turn-of-the-century circus girls — I was in the circus at Florida State,” she says, as casually as if it were an average rite of passage. (Turns out, she earned P.E. credits by performing bike routines and learning how to juggle.)
Clifton starts with a sourced image that she either paints in oil or gouache; her characters are then embellished with painstakingly placed glitter and sequins.
While her subjects are often whimsical, her process is methodical. Clifton starts with a sourced image that she paints over in either oil paint or gouache; her characters are then embellished with painstakingly placed glitter and sequins. As a final step, she’ll place wallpaper over the subject and exactingly trace around it to reveal the subject underneath. “A lot of people ask why I don’t paint on top, but you really can’t paint on top of wallpaper because of its texture; it just doesn’t adhere,” she says. “But I think embedding the subjects within the wallpaper really makes it pop.”
Clifton’s work is often humorous, and it often includes autobiographical notes: the glitter and sequins recall the intricately beaded costumes worn by carnival revelers and performers in New Orleans,
for example.
While she’s very careful about not dictating interpretations of her work, she uses small details to lead viewers down a path of inquiry and discovery. Through her portraits of female performers, Clifton restores their agency, turning them from exotic objects of beauty and spectacle into symbols of ferocity and power. “I find a lot of strength in these women who had to do ridiculous things for money,” she says, pointing to a black-andwhite portrait of a turn-of-the-century snake charmer that she has surrounded with a vibrant green Pucci-inspired pattern from the 1960s.
Another portrait was inspired by a 1939 image of Elmira Humphreys wearing a bedazzled bikini, large headdress, and oversized gloves with fingers shaped like lightning bolts. “Women dressed up for trade shows, like Miss Radio Queen, who was a model for electricity,” says
Clifton. “I want my work to have a voice and theme around ‘strength is beauty, and beauty is strength.’ I’m looking back in time to find examples of that.” Other interpretations are more cheeky. In the portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh she made for WALTER, for example, the cigarette in his cap and candy necklace (with the letter “E” for Queen Elizabeth) hint to some of the infamous elements of the explorer’s life.
Clifton is now exploring ways in which she can extend the viewer’s gaze into concepts and themes that aren’t as fanciful as her animal and botanical works might suggest. “I have a joyful side, but I have a dark side too,” she says. Work from her latest series, Dazzling Ugly, is confrontation with discomfort. One work in progress features a ferocious, sequined lion, poised to strike. In one corner of the canvas an elephant’s leg is just visible, hinting to an earlier casual-
ty; in another corner of the canvas, a dog is lunging toward the feline aggressor. These works represent a demarcation between how she presented herself professionally for decades and how she’s seen artistically. “In my work as a counselor, I often had to be the cheerleader for staff and students, and that can be exhausting,” she says. “As an artist, I can be a more complex, genuine person.”
This page: Clifton in her studio. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Clifton’s pieces Taxi Hat #1 - Old Hollywood; Spotted Fawn; Pomegranate Woman; Mushrooms; Magpies; Figs with Cranes; Geisha; Charmer.
THE WHIRL
WALTER’s roundup of gatherings, celebrations, fundraisers and more around Raleigh.
BEAS LUNCHEON
On Nov. 15, the Betty Eichenberger Adams Society (BEAS) at CAM Raleigh held its annual luncheon. The event included a talk between CAM executive director Dr. Paul Baker and sculptor Holly Fischer, as well as a tour of the Raleigh Fine Arts Society’s 2024 NC Artists Exhibition. The event was a day to connect and celebrate the art of friendship with an inspiring group of women.
To have your event considered for The Whirl, submit images and information at waltermagazine.com/submit-photos
Patricia Sasser, Paul Baker, Sheri Hagerty
Anne Mitchell, Beth Alley, Elizabeth Purrington, Nina Cheney
Linda Grew, Lyn Maness Perri Anderson, Elizabeth Purrington
Rhonda Wilkerson, Holly Fischer, Jenny Eggleston
Sara May, Laurie Sugg, Sarah Moorman
THE WHIRL
EVENING OF GIVING
On Aug. 26, Designed For Joy hosted its annual Evening of Giving, the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The historic Merrimon-Wynne house provided a beautiful backdrop for the live band, silent auction, wine pull, live-painting and the display of featured Designed For Joy products. This fundraiser helps Designed For Joy hire more women in vulnerable positions and get them back on their feet.
CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY: THEN, NOW & NEXT
On Sept. 26, the North Carolina Museum of History Associates (MOHA) hosted an event to honor the closing of the museum building for renovation. Members, friends and longtime supporters gathered to reflect on 30 years of memories in this building, while looking ahead to an exciting future. Banners and artifacts from past exhibitions adorned the space, reminders of the countless stories that were shared within these walls.
Chris Morris, Allyson Morris, Emma Dressel, Grace Morris, Emma Anderson, Cameron Daniel, Cary Heise
Karen Woomer, Barbara Augustin, Melissa Buscher, Sherika Hismith
Amanda Superville, Angela Padgett, Angela Del Rio, Alison Edwards
Lindsay Newsome, Jennie Hayman, Cathy Brown
Bridgette MacNair, Brinda Swift
Brad Wilson, Carole Wilson, Darin Waters
Kay Walker, Dan Walker
Scattaregia
EVENING OF HOPE GALA
The Lung Cancer Initiative’s 2024 Evening of Hope Gala at North Ridge Country Club, presented by AstraZeneca on Nov. 2, was a resounding success, thanks to the incredible support of everyone who attended and contributed. The night was filled with inspiring mission moments, thrilling auction battles and heartfelt tributes to the courageous survivors whose strength continues to inspire the lung cancer community and beyond.
PINK PUMPS & BOW TIES GALA
On Oct. 19, the Pretty In Pink Foundation hosted its 8th Annual Pink Pumps & Bow Ties Gala at the Angus Barn Pavilion, celebrating two decades of lifesaving support for breast cancer patients across North Carolina. The sold-out event was a record-breaking success, raising nearly $430,000 for the Foundation’s mission: to financially assist uninsured and under-insured breast cancer patients with their lifesaving medical treatments.
MERZ AESTHETICS UNVEILS INNOVATION CENTER
On Sept. 18, Merz Aesthetics, the world’s largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, opened its new, state-of-the-art global headquarters in Raleigh, the Research & Development Innovation Center, North America. The ribboncutting event was attended by industry-leading physicians and Merz Aesthetics executives including chief executive officer Bob Rhatigan, chief scientific officer Dr. Samantha Kerr and North America president Patrick Urban.
Teri Baron, Sharon Faw, Sonia Irusta, Caroline Wrisley, Lourdes Lopez-Fagunda, Sandy Rowe, Beth Dyson, Jennifer Balme, Elissa Doty, Adam Carlson, Ginny Cake, Justin Brian Nicholson, Susan Kjellqvist, Ginny Kloepfer, Jimmy McClure, Angela Hopper, Sandy Oehler
Jaden Menezes, Aurita Menezes, Alanis Menezes
Neal Ready, Amy Cipau, Liz Hynson, Justin Brian Nicholson, Emily Parks, Chris Rallis, Michael Sulick, Bradley Icard, Jim Sheegog
Kelly Keller, Becky Horn, Vijay Paryani, Amy Griffin, Jon Strickland, Lisa Tolnitch, Connie Small, Greg Connor
Jennifer Levine, Bob Rhatigan, Sabrina Fabi, Jeremy Green, Samantha Kerr
THE WHIRL
HARVEST DINNER
On Oct. 13, Raleigh City Farm held its annual fall fundraiser, where guests enjoyed farm tours, a multi-course farm-to-table dinner and a live auction. This year’s restaurant partner was Bua Thai Durham, with beverages from Wine Authorities and Fullsteam. Additional sponsors included Easter Maynard, Milberg, Smith Anderson, Wyrick Robbins and many other generous sponsors and partners. Proceeds fuel the City Farm’s mission to connect and nourish the community through regenerative agriculture.
Melissa Vega-Magbitang
Bottom row: Mike Scott, Amanda Frystock Ronan. Middle row: Meryl Murtaugh, Carly Demler, Lisa Grele Barrie. Top row: Wesley Black
On Nov. 18, Mission Triangle hosted 350 guests at the Angus Barn Pavillion to celebrate 30 years of maturity, fruit and momentum. Community leaders including Terrance Ruth, LaToya King, Daniel Lipparelli and Bruce Berger highlighted Mission Triangle’s impact on the nonprofit community over the years, serving as a “trellis” for the “vineyard” of over 600 nonprofits in the Triangle and beyond.
IF YOU BUY IT, OUR TEAM WILL BUILD IT.
JK Transportation has been providing white glove delivery services to the RaleighDurham area since 2020. We partner with Interior Designers for full installations. We offer shipping and receiving in our climatecontrolled warehouse. Call or email us to get your complimentary quote: (919) 614-9016
Gi Hime, Justin Hime
LaToya King
Judy Batchelder
Kiara Ruth, Dayatra Matthews
Artists in Schools
In honor of the 45th anniversary of United Arts Wake County’s Artists in Schools program, a reminder of the impact of connecting with creatives at a young age
by DAVID SEDARIS
When I was in fourth or fifth grade, a woman was sent to our school to talk about art. We had a field trip to the museum scheduled and it was her job to prepare us for it. I remember one of the things she said, a joke regarding a painting she showed us a slide of: “This is called baroque because the museum went baroque trying to pay for it.”
Her biggest impact, though, was herself: chunky jewelry, bold eyeglasses and a brassy voice with a distinct Yankee accent. She clearly had a sense of humor about herself. In later years, I’d meet plenty of women like her, every single one of them Jewish, big-hearted and smart, with chunky jewelry and oversized glasses. This woman was the first, though. She let me know that the museum could be fun — and that it was as much for me as it was for anyone.
A few years later, in junior high, Ira David Wood III was sent to my class. He was a grownup at that time, but just barely, and he introduced us to acting. I recall him pretending he was trapped behind an invisible wall, running his palms against the glass that suddenly seemed as real to me as the chair I was sitting on. I was spellbound — acting!
I often wonder what my life would be like had I been absent that day. I was never much of an actor. I was, though, terribly lonely. Ira led me to my tribe, and from that, everything changed.
The world opened up.
That summer I had a non-speaking part in a production of Hamlet that Ira staged at the Rose Garden. It was absolute magic to me. That led me to the drama club at my high school, and a lifetime spent around theater people, at first in Chicago, and then New York and London.
Art budgets are generally the first ones to be slashed, the thinking being that no one really makes a career out of acting or painting or writing poetry. I’m not sure that that’s the point, though. It’s about opening people’s eyes, showing them a path, and helping them connect with like-minded kids and mentors who might very well save their lives.
Also, it helps create an audience for art. You might argue that that could be done on YouTube or TikTok, but nothing beats having the person right there, in front of you, where you can feel the thickness of the invisible wall, and marvel at just how huge the art docent’s glasses are. Like windshields.
Ingrid Christie
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
WakeMed Women’s
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
wakemed.org/womens-services
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
wakemed.org/womens-services
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
