county line 160th Issue
UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS
APRIL 2013
M A G A Z I N E
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james surls artistic expression dudley’s cajun tonu kalam thorn vines earth day regatta filmmaker trends poetry winners music notes
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CONTENTS FEATURES 10
Arts Groups Provide Help for Creative Self Expression Increasing numbers of people in the region are working to bring more arts into communities that improves lives and economic development. By Tom Geddie
10
11
11
Longview Symphony Celebrates 25 Years with Conductor Kalam Coming from North Carolina several times a year to conduct the Longview Symphony, Tonu Kalam has helped grow the orchestra considerably since its beginning in 1968. By Tom Geddie
12 James Surls’ Expressionist Sculptures are Inspired by Nature Recently winning the Texas Medal of Arts, Malakoff native and world-renowned artist James Surls talks about his art.
23
By Tom Geddie
DEPARTMENTS
Music
6 ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE Beautiful Longview, UT Tyler Nursing, Wood County Tourism, Gun Barrel City Venue, Longview Community Center, East Texas Arboretum, Educate Van Zandt, Longview Transit, Kristi Boyett, Tyler Retirement Ranking, Lindale Multipurpose Facilities, Palestine Historical Marker.
26 Music Listings
5
Editor’s Note. Letters.
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
14 News. Events. Mineola May Days, Texas State Railroad, Corsicana Derrick Days
The Arts
15 News. Events. Tyler Photography Contest, Winnsboro Arts Center, TJC Art Club, Ben Wheeler Call for Artists.
On Stage
20 News. Events. Edom Civic Theatre, Opera House Theatre.
film
22 Filmmakers Following Trends Lose Quality By Jeremy Light
12
23 Music Notes. Downtown Marshall Music, American Horn Quartet, Musgraves, Marshall, Brown CDs, Ben Wheeler Music, Music City Texas, Kenneth Threadgill Concert Series, Tyler Community Concerts.
LITERARY SCENE
28 2013 County Line Magazine’s Upper East Side of Texas Poetry Winners
SHOP
30 Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight reviewed by Jeremy Light.
LIVING ROOM Home. Garden. Real Estate
30 News. Events.
PLAY
31 News. Events. Caddo Lake Earth Day Regatta, Cruise Nights, Vintage Motocross, Rodeo.
Food & drink
34 News. Events.
36 News. Events. Henderson County Master Gardeners, Drip Irrigation, Secret Garden, Long Cove Community FEEL GOOD 38 Clearing Land and Psychological Thickets By Edward H. Garcia
32 Review: Dudley’s Cajun Cafe
38 Events
32 News. Events.
COVER: “All Diamonds” bronze and stainless steel sculpture by James Surls. Robert Millman Photography
33 In the Kitchen with Leah
SEE WEBSITE EXTRAS! www.CountyLineMagazine.com 4 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
15
county line Since 2000
MAGAZINE
Publisher & managing Editor P.A. Geddie administration Lori Easley emarketing Leah Lynch
Contributors Leah Lynch Patti Light Jeremy Light Edward H. Garcia Tom Geddie
sales P.A. Geddie
DISTRIBUTION Chris Beverage Pam Boyd Bombyk Beckey Flippin David Michelina Billie Ruth Stanbridge
County Line Magazine is published once a month, 12 months a year. It is available free of charge in the Northeast Texas area in select businesses, limited to one copy per reader. Subscription costs: $18 per year in Texas, and $22 per year outside Texas. Bulk rate postage paid at Ben Wheeler, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to County Line Magazine, P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. Contents COPYRIGHT 2012 County Line all rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: 903.833.2084 E-mail: info@countylinemagazine.com Website: www.countylinemagazine.com. Free listings are entered on a space available basis. Advertising space may be purchased by calling 903.963.8306.
Serving the Upper East Side of Texas
EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, Welcome to our 160th issue! Since our very first publication in January 2000 we have made it our mission to inform and entertain and lift up this wonderful part of the world we call the Upper East Side of Texas. Hitting milestones like this helps us reflect on how far we’ve come. It brings me great pleasure to see how this region has grown in the last 13 years, while revering its history. We’ve managed to retain our small-town charm — even in larger cities like Tyler with its downtown revitalization — while attracting more and more artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, and other conscious stewards of the earth and humanity that contribute significantly to the beautifully changing face of our collective communities. With our brilliant natural backdrop of prairies, lakes, and forests galore, it’s no wonder why so many people choose to live, work, and play here and we continue to see how this region gives birth to extraordinary people. In this issue meet James Surls, who grew up in Malakoff and became an internationally-acclaimed sculpture artist. He re-
cently received the Texas Medal of Arts, joining the likes of other honorees Walter Cronkite, Tommy Lee Jones, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, and ZZ Top to name a few. Surls now lives in Colorado but will be at his old home place in Malakoff for a sculpture garden exhibit April 27-28. Learn more about the arts groups making a difference in our communities as they bring resources to children and adults alike to help them express themselves in healthy ways. Our 2013 poetry contest winners are exceptional as always with poets from 6 years old to adults. Contest coordinator Tom Geddie says, “After seven years of putting together the poetry contest, the most rewarding parts of it remain the talent. We see some of them share the brightness of childhood, the angst of the teen years, and the balance of adults.” Perhaps some of them — like so many others with East Texas roots — will reach significant accomplishments or simply wellspent time on earth. P.A. Geddie Publisher & Managing Editor
LETTERS Dear Editor, Congratulations. I just love this news magazine. It is done so well. Thank you for sending it to me. Jayne Brannon Lybrand Bedford Let me start by applauding your magazine. It is so nice to see a publication that really focuses on the art and music around East Texas! Peggy Parker Tyler
Let us hear from you. Please feel free to send us your comments.
County Line Magazine P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 email: info@countylinemagazine.com Find us on Facebook or Twitter. Go to LETTERS on www.countylinemagazine.com.
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APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 5
ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE Longview Group Awarded For Beautification Success
Keep Longview Beautiful received the Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award during KAB’s 60th anniversary national conference in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes exemplary performance made by certified affiliates of the national nonprofit in building and sustaining vibrant communities. In qualifying for a President’s Circle Award, Keep Longview Beautiful met Keep America Beautiful’s standards of excellence by conducting an annual Community Appearance Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio, and administering activities in the areas of litter prevention, recycling/waste reduction, and beautification and community greening. Keep Longview Beautiful helps educate and engage the community to understand the importance of litter prevention, beautification and waste reduction. Recently, Keep Longview Beautiful was honored for planting 30 trees on the grounds of the Longview Public Library, Police Department, and City Hall. The Texas Forest Service assisted with the planning of the project, including the implementation of a diverse tree selection of 24 different species. For more information, go to kab.org.
UT-Tyler Nursing Classes Ranked 11th Nationally
U.S. News and World Report named The University of Texas at Tyler graduate nursing program one of the best in the nation. The master’s and doctorate programs ranked 11th out of the 101 online nursing programs surveyed. This is the second consecutive year that the programs were recognized. The College of Nursing graduate programs prepare graduates to meet health care needs in the fields of education, research and administration as well as advanced practitioners. It measures its success by the accomplishments of its graduates who serve as executive officers of large health care institutions, educators in universities and colleges and advanced practitioners and consultants in rural clinics, government agencies and urban medi6 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
The Linden Wildflower Festival April 27-28 features flower shows and more and is part of the Wildflower Trails of Texas that won “Best Scenic Drive” in County Line Magazine’s Best of 2012. The trail also goes through Avinger and Hughes Springs and includes yellow coreopsis, Indian paintbrush, red clover, wisteria, jasmine and other colorful blooms . Learn more by calling 903.756.7774 and visit www.lindenwildflowertrails. net. Courtesy photo.
cal centers. For more information, go to uttyler.edu/nursing/college/graduate.
Wood County Seeks Ideas To Allocate Best Projects
The Wood County Industrial Commission is asking for hotel/motel occupancy tax fund project proposals to consider for funding allocation for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Qualified projects will compete for a share of funds to be allocated as recommended by the WCIC and approved by the Wood County Commissioners Court. “Successful proposals will clearly show how they plan to attract overnight visitors to Wood County, Texas,” said Chana Gail Willis, WCIC executive director. “For projects that have been around for a while, survey data will be necessary in determining the merits of the project for funding allocation. New projects should include a good brief marketing plan and/or a schedule of activities or events for bringing overnight visitors to Wood County. This assists us in determining the economic value of results generated and required local and state reporting of the distribution of Wood County hotel/motel occupancy tax funds.” Projects must meet the following scoring criteria: 1) directly enhance and promote
tourism and the hotel/motel industry in Wood County, Texas; 2) fit into one of the six statutorily provided categories for expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax revenues under the State of Texas Tax Code Chapter 352 and other tax codes as applicable; 3) demonstrate need; and, 4) have the potential to attract a maximum number of tourists to Wood County. See guidelines at woodcountytx.com. Deadline for submitting applications is May 15. Organizations interested in submitting a request for funding consideration should contact the WCIC office no later than that date if they intend to present a request for the coming fiscal year. Applications and all accompany requirements and explanatory documents are online at www. WoodCountyTX.com or by contacting the WCIC office at 903.768.2402.
Multipurpose Facility New to Gun Barrel City
New to Gun Barrel City is The Venue, a special event facility, concert venue, and 24-track recording and video production studio. The grand opening is April 6. Owners Dino and Jamye Perelli make the space available for private events and weddings. Food and drinks are available, and alternating Fridays feature karaoke and jam nights.
It’s at 113 Gun Barrel Lane. For more information, go to http://tvtxus.wix.com/ the-venue or call 903.713.1111.
Longview Upgrading Center To 1940 Original Appearance
state workforce commissions will discuss the educational opportunities and resources each can offer. The event is free to attend.
Other renovations might include, funds allowing, minor interior work.
Educate Van Zandt is a nonprofit educational organization formed in 2006 to provide knowledge of resources and training available to enrich the lives of this county’s communities. They partner with businesses, educational institutions, and citizens to serve the adult educational interests and needs of a growing resident and business population.
The work may take two to three years without changing the look of the building, which is a registered Texas Historic Landmark.
Current ongoing free classes offered by Educate Van Zandt include free computer classes for beginners and those who just wish to improve their skills.
Gregg County took over operation of the center in 2012.
The program would not exist without its volunteers. The instructor for one of the classes is Patience McGuffy, a retired computer teacher from Van ISD who volunteers her time and talent to teach every week.
The 1940 building housing the Longview Community Center is getting a $150,000 upgrade that’s expected to include new windows, roof, plumbing, and electrical wiring.
Arboretum Sets Dedication For New Memorial Wall
The East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society in Athens will dedicate its memorial wall on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The wall honors more than 9,000 Henderson County natives who served the country from the Civil War to present time. The nonprofit arboretum sits on 100 acres of native Texas land and its two miles of naturalistic hiking trails, live (enclosed) honeybees, and historic Wofford House Museum are open to the public. Its goals include educating the public about environmental stewardship. For more information, call 903.675.5630 or go to www. eastexasarboretum.org.
Educate Van Zandt Holds Classes, Sponsors Forum
Educate Van Zandt (EVZ) sponsors an Adult Education Forum at 10 a.m. April 18 at the Van Zandt County Library. The organization provides a resource for adults that seek educational opportunities close to home. They assist individuals in such things as getting a GED, learning English or Spanish as a second language, beginning and advanced computer training, business and professional skills, continuing education for numerous work/life enhancements, a resource to obtain professional credential or academic degrees. They assist businesses in specialized skills training for employees. During the forum representatives from area universities, community colleges, junior colleges, technical schools and area
Janet Hanicak teaches a class for the more advanced students who wants to learn new skills and specific computer programs. She is a computer programmer with a Computer Science Degree. Another new program offered is for veterans by Paul Bailey, a retired principal and computer instructor from Quinlan ISD. It is just for veterans who want to learn how to operate and use a computer. He is teaching weekly to help the veterans improve their computer skills using the Learning Express program, partly funded by Educate Van Zandt and by Friends of the Library as the primary teaching tool.
Acoustic Music on the Streets Johnson St. Gazebo April 20 11 a.m. Every third Saturday Mineola May Days • May 3 & 4 Mineola Nature Preserve 7a.m. until sunset Mineola Historical Museum 114 Pacific St (Hwy. 69). Free. Open Thur, Fri, Sat 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Am t r a k T e x a s E a g l e Designated Daily Stop. 1-800-669-8509
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All these teachers are devoted volunteers, who want to make a difference in their community by sharing their expertise. For more information about EVZ programs, contact Susie Pulley at the Van Zandt County Library at 903-567-4276 and visit www.educatevanzandt.org.
Longview Transit Route Now Serving Bigger Area
Longview Transit celebrates10 years of bus service to the community with a new Route 7 between Longview and Gladewater.
Call today to see how we can help you meet your needs for the most costeffective, results-oriented advertising.
Through a partnership between East Texas Council of Government, Longview Transit, and the City of Gladewater, Longview Transit now provides transportation serv-
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continued Page 8
APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 7
THE LINE continued from page 7 ing areas west on Highway 80 to Gladewater, including Clarksville City, White Oak, and Warren City. The “flag stop” system costs $1.25 per trip, with designated stops in Gladewater at the Housing Authority, Lee Library, and Brookshire’s. Longview Transit officially began providing transportation to the citizens of Longview on March 17, 2003. Recognizing a need for transportation options in the community, many concerned indi-
viduals and community leaders worked together to bring bus transportation for the residents of Longview. Since that time there has been an increase in ridership, an expansion of services, and improved technologies for riders, and the installation of additional bus shelters.
Cannery pavilion into multipurpose use facilities, with demolition and cleanup work near completion on the 12-acre site the city bought two years ago. The city also owns 21 acres of wooded property, which will also be transformed for public use, adjacent to these facilities.
For more information, go to www. LongviewTransit.com, or 903.753.2287.
Plans are to complete the entire revitalization in phases as funding allows during the next 10 or so years. Lindale City Council approved $100,000 in the 2013 budget specifically for this project to begin. The growth endeavor is managed by the city council and the city parks board, both of which are accepting input from engineers, consultants, and citizens. Heartland Park & Recreation, LLC, has provided extensive information to the city council regarding development opportunities.
Lindale Turning Buildings Into Multipurpose Facilities
Lindale officials are working to revitalize the Allen Canning Building and Eason
Plans for the former Eason Cannery currently include developing an open air event facility, and details regarding a farmer’s market being open at this venue are being considered. The city has applied for a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant for a public exercise and recreation park, a gazebo, restrooms, and walking trails within the wooded acreage. Other ideas being considered for the former Allen Canning buildings include an indoor sports event facility, a civic center, a local community theater, and general event center. Using the location as the site for a veteran’s memorial has also been proposed.
Palestine, Anderson County Dedicate Historical Marker
Palestine Main Street and the Anderson County Historical Commission dedicated a state historical marker honoring former marshal and colorful Palestine native Christopher Columbus Rogers at the visitor center grounds at 825 W. Spring. Rogers was born in Anderson County and was Palestine’s marshal during the beginning years of the railroad boom. From 1874 to 1888, he patrolled all of the downtown, old town, and railroad yards despite controversy and scandal that often involved his violent solutions to what he considered violent situations. “Our town history is full of unique and interesting history, and Rogers typified the rough and tumble characteristics of a newly formed railroad town,” said Laura Westgate, Main Street manager. 8 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
The Anderson County Historical Commission members spent countless volunteer hours researching, documenting, and preparing the marker applications. Jimmy Odom, with the Anderson County Historical Commission, led the research necessary to get a marker approved by the State of Texas. “Rogers appeared to have a drive to protect and care for his surroundings. When the railroad came to town, bringing the cowboys and others to town, he worked to stop all their meanness,” Odom said. “Rogers never lost an election as city marshal. That speaks a lot about him as a man and law enforcement professional.”
Tyler Names Kristi Boyett Communications Manager
Kristi Boyett is new communications manager for the City of Tyler. Boyett has worked for the City of Tyler for more than seven years, most recently as the manager for organizational development. In that role, she oversaw operations of the City University Department, the city’s employee training program which includes New Employee Orientation, Leadership Academy, and the Mayor’s Citizens Academy. She also serves on the city’s Performance Excellence Program team, is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, the city’s wellness committee chair and helped start the city’s Toastmasters club, Blueprint Toasters, in 2009, and is active in other local organizations. Boyett started her career with the city in 2005 as the special projects coordinator for the Solid Waste Department where she planned and organized environmental initiatives and events with the Keep Tyler Beautiful Board.
Tyler Ranks High Nationally As Retirement Community
The website greatplacestoretire.com has ranked Tyler the nation’s second best community for retirement, behind Clarksville, Tennessee. Others making the list were Athens, Georgia, at No. 3, followed by Colorado Springs, Colorado; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Georgetown, Texas; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Greenville, South Carolina; Iowa City, Iowa; and Fort Collins, Colorado. The site touted Tyler for its home price appreciation, population growth, water quality, medical care, and diversity.
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Arts Groups Provide Help for Creative Self Expression By Tom Geddie A quick survey of arts organizations in the Upper East Side of Texas touts the benefits of arts in personal development, quality of community life, and even dollars in economic development. Statewide, according to the Texas Cultural Trust, the arts promote innovation, long-term growth, and generate $4.6 billion a year in taxable sales — contributing nearly $290.1 million in state sale tax revenue in 2011, the latest year for which complete numbers are available. Beyond state tax revenue, these sectors generate millions for local taxing entities including cities and economic development organizations whose funding comes from local sales tax revenue, with much of it coming from visitors to local communities. Nonprofit groups in Northeast Texas put a more personal face on the arts’ value, focusing on skills learned in the arts that carry forward to help create the future for many students, and open doors for adults for more meaningful lives beyond obviously important paychecks. Here are just a few examples of what’s happening in the arts in the region, and how what’s happening is making a difference — often for children — in communities. The Creative Arts Center in Bonham 10 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
hosts art and other activities at the center, and pushes art into local businesses. Executive Director Lisa Avila lists exhibits, a fine art gallery, plays, children’s arts classes, performing arts classes, a lecture series, arts seminars, regular meetings of a painting and drawing group, live music inside the center and in the garden, and recognition for artists of the month at Legend Bank, Bonham City Hall, and the Fannin County Courthouse. “Probably our most meaningful impact is on the youth, with our art and theater classes,” Avila said. “Since, unfortunately, we don’t live in a state where there’s a ton of funding to keep the arts alive in schools, the first thing that gets cut in some of the public schools is the arts. Some high schools have programs, but not many junior highs or elementary schools do.” The center wants students to appreciate arts, but also to realize how important the arts are in the cultural life of any town. “To me, the presence of the arts really determines the success of the community; ‘success’ might be too simple a word,” Avila said. “Without appreciation of the arts, towns tend to not grow, to not bring people in. “Arts are part of the experience, and people are exposed whether they go to plays or not. We see signs, read papers,
and people ask if we went to see something. People expect the presence of the arts. If the arts aren’t there, perhaps it can impact the decision to move to a particular area or not.” Avila said the arts also help young people develop a higher sense of self esteem. “Especially in performing arts,” she said. “Often, shy kids, if they are involved in theater at all, if they just try it — this has happened so many times — they see their friends out there on stage and then they want to be part of it. They won’t want any or very many lines, but the next time they want some or more lines, and maybe two or three plays down the road they want a leading role. They learn how to speak in public. If you have to go for a job interview, theater arts can help you. “People don’t realize life is acting. In the workplace, whether it’s on the assembly line or as an executive, if you’re going to survive you have to learn how you should behave. If you don’t feel good and are grumpy, nasty, snarly, you have to pretend you feel good. If you act like you don’t want to be there, you’re not for long. Life is often about acting.” At the Tyler Civic Chorale, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this season, Donald Duncan, artistic and executive director, said community-based performing arts groups make communities continued Page 18
Longview Symphony Celebrates 25 Years with Conductor Kalam By Tom Geddie After the Longview Symphony Orchestra’s last major concert of the season in March, Tonu Kalam hoped to quietly slip out of town with little or no fanfare, as he has done time after time. He’ll be back — next season — like he has for 25 years now. For now Kalam will once again head back to his “day job” as a professor at the University of North Carolina, where he also conducts their symphony orchestra. The Longview Symphony Orchestra has grown considerably since its beginnings in 1968 as an amateur group with a few trained musician volunteers. It’s now made up entirely of professional musicians — including college, secondary, and primary school teachers — from Longview and other parts of East Texas, Shreveport, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, thanks to Kalam’s presence and the board of directors’ ambition. Kalam, born to Estonian parents, has lived in the United States since age two. He trained in piano, composition, and conducting and won degrees from Harvard, California-Berkeley, and the Curtis Institute of Music, won the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductor’s Competition, and spent summer fellowships at Tanglewood and Aspen, among other honors. He’s been a guest conductor for numerous symphonies in the United States and Europe, and is a past president of the Conductors Guild, an international organization devoted to the art of conducting. The noted American conductor became music director and conductor in Longview in 1988 and was named an honorary Texan by the Texas Legislature in 2005. He likes his four-concert gig each year with the Longview Symphony Orchestra, although he doesn’t spend as much time in the Upper East Side of Texas as he might like. “I just come in for each concert for five days and compress four rehearsals, including a dress rehearsal on Saturday, and the concert into that time,” he said.
“Having come to Longview for 25 years, I know the players very well — how they rehearse and what I’m asking for — and we’ve worked together a while.” Kalam works on a series of three-year contracts in Longview. “They have enjoyed my work, and I’ve enjoyed coming down here. It’s an opportunity to work with a different group in a different environment. Sometimes it’s the same repertoire with a different orchestra, and we live with a piece, grow with it until it becomes more comfortable. It’s a nice professional sideline to come three, four, five times times a year and get a few days off from other jobs.” Kalam likes the balance of teaching and conducting. “Working with college-age students —really teaching them a lot about repertoires and styles — is done much more at the basic level,” he said, both in the mechanical and psychological aspects. “In the university, there’s about a one-third turnover every fall, so it’s kind of like starting from scratch to build momentum and quality by the end of the year. That’s a nice challenge. In Longview, it’s a pretty stable mix of personnel, and the ensemble building is different when you don’t start from scratch.” Kalam said the conductor’s role is one of leadership and building chemistry, learning how to work with and motivate people. And how much to push and when to back off. “You have to know when to let go so people don’t get frustrated. The human side is the hardest to teach and to learn, and is one of most critical elements,” he said. “Even if you are a great musician, if you don’t get along with your players they don’t respect you. That’s what takes longest to learn.” Kalam can’t see doing anything other than what he does. “I live and breathe music. It’s not what I do, it’s who I am,” he said. “I’m very fortunate; a lot of people can’t say they love their work every day. But every day of my life is different. Every program is different.”
He has many favorite composers. “I have eclectic tastes,” he said. “For a conductor, it’s important to have a large base, a large constituency to cater to. The repertoire needs to be varied with something for all tastes, but combined in a way that makes sense. The art of programming creatively is always a challenge, like a great chef creating a meal. The mix of things— how they follow each other in concert — is very important.” Kalam does admit a fondness for two of the most famous composers: Mozart and Bach. He speaks eloquently of Bach. “Bach is timeless. He speaks to everybody in a certain way. There’s something so elemental and spiritual about his music, a purity of line. And yet he uses the instruments so skillfully that sometimes you think it’s more than one violin playing. He did some really remarkable things with one instrument with four strings. Bach is indestructible. You can play it on almost any instrument and it still sounds like Bach. Nobody else has come as close as him to reaching the pinnacle in solo instruments.” Kalam is already planning for next season in Longview, working out dates and the repertoire. That is, after all, what he lives and breathes. Check www.longviewsymphony.org for the new season event dates with Tonu Kalam. In the meantime, the symphony’s next performance is chamber music for violin and viola on April 20, featuring concert master Mark Miller on violin and Ute Miller on viola at the Longview Community Center. APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 11
James Surls’ Expressionist Sculptures are Inspired by Nature By Tom Geddie As a child growing up in East Texas, James Surls spent a lot of time making things. He didn’t call it art; it was just stuff he made because he was passionate about it. As an adult, he’s been called “one of the most important sculptors working in America today,” recognition he’s proud of but embraces with a bit of humility. Although he lives in Colorado these days, he was honored in March with the Texas Medal of Arts, joining the likes of Walter Cronkite, Tommy Lee Jones, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Robert Rauschenberg, ZZ Top, Laura Bush, and the other 2013 honorees — a list including the Houston Ballet, Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum, actress Eva Longoria, and theater’s Joe Sears and Jaston Williams of “Greater Tuna” fame. Surls calls the Texas honor a “big deal.” He’s just a bit more reluctant about being called important. “There are a lot of important artists in America today, and I don’t even know how necessarily well known they are. Fame is not equitable to talent, so that’s tricky territory in one way,” he said. “I like being honored; most people do. I like getting this award for Texas artist of the year. As to whether or not I’m really the most important or one of the most important artists, I wouldn’t say, ‘Oh that’s BS, I like that. “A person doing a General Motors commercial on TV is probably more well known than the best artist in the country,” he said. “Media creates recognition. That’s the nature of it. When I walk down the street, very few people ever know who I am, so I don’t have to worry about any ‘fame’ getting in my way.” 12 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
James Surls stands with one of his metal art sculptures, “Seeing Through the Thorn Vines.” The Texas Medal of Arts winner grew up in Malakoff and returns for the 2013 East Texas Artists & Sculpture Gardens Tour April 27-28. Robert Millman Photography.
Surls is featured in the 2013 East Texas Artists & Sculpture Gardens Tour on April 27-28 in Malakoff, both through his presence and through his work, including the new, never-before-seen “Two Prisms.” That new piece will be among the pieces at the James Surls Sculpture Garden, a tribute to his father, Joe. (For more information, call 903.489.0897 or go to www.malakofftexas.com.) Like his father and his brother, he always, it seems, made things. His work today reflects those influences and the time he spent in forests as a child. “I didn’t call it art when I was a kid. I just loved to make little carts, wagons, tree houses, and other things. My dad was a builder. My older brother could build things that worked. He could take automobiles and watches apart and put them together and they worked. He built things that had a working reality. The things I built never did, but people always loved what I did, so I gravitated toward art.” Surls, who also draws and makes prints, didn’t even call what he did “sculpture” at the time.
“Over a period of my early 20s, I just kinda became more and more focused and it was apparent that there was a name for what I did, and it was called art. I would say I got into it by osmosis.” Each sculpture usually emerges from something Surls reads that reminds him of something from his life or his imagination. “It’s usually from a poem, from a written word, from some kind of story, a tale if you will,” he said. “If you look at the titles, they usually are more than one word and the titles will have a poetic ring to them. As a rule, the titles come first, which means the idea is given credence by calling it something. Then you make the physical component of it. “A person’s art has to come from a place. You get comfortable in your terrain and you use that, you draw from it. I conjure from the earth, the woods. Even the violent part of it. My stuff is all earth stuff. Sun and rain and wind and grass and birds and trees.” His work — mostly metal and wood —is often called abstract, a term he doesn’t use; “expressionist” might be better.
“I like to make up, in a way, like kids play,” he said. “I was in essence making up things because I didn’t want to copy. I wasn’t trying to reproduce something. I was trying to make something new. I don’t use the word abstract, which has a connotation that people don’t know what it is. “I just call it sculpture. I don’t categorize it. Art historians and critics try to categorize it, to know what discipline it fits into, what strata they can fit it into. No one else’s art looks like mine, so I don’t really know where to put it. It’s just my sculpture.” Surls does accept the description of his work as “primal.” “That means to me, it’s from below the level of consciousness, something that’s been with us forever, although I don’t know if forever exists in that context,” he said. “How long has the circle been around? A year? Ten thousand years? A hundred thousand years? Some of these forms and shapes become universal symbols and have been in our psyches for a long, long, long time — part of what I call the human condition. It doesn’t
make any difference what continent someone is from, or in a sense what culture someone is from. It goes back to the beginning of our humanity. I think that’s what’s primal.” Surls stays busy. He’s working on a commissioned, 18-foot sculpture for the hundred-year anniversary of the city of Clayton, Missouri; a 33-foot piece for the city of Houston; and a piece for Texas State University in San Marcos. “If I don’t have anything pressing, I just make art. Even if nobody wants some of it. I just do it.” Surls is successful enough that he’s able to innovate in the way he markets his art. His work remains in museums and galleries — including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Meadows Museum at SMU, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim in New York City, and at the Tyler Museum of Art. Now, collectors come to him. It’s a practice he’s honed for several years with his own event at the end of every July.
43rd Annual
Linden Wildflower Trails of Texas
“Seeing from the Pitcher” by James Surls
“Collectors, people interested in art, people who are in the business come to my place,” he said. “Sculpture is so hard to schlep around the country. If anybody’s interested, they can come to my studio. I’m kinda reversing the process.”
MAY
EMORY
3-4
TX
Downtown Linden Festival
April 26-27 Flowers, Fun, Food, Arts & Crafts, Rodeo, Fireworks, Parade, Quilt Show, Cake Walk, Children’s Activities, Homemade Ice Cream, Classic Car Exhibit, Entertainment and more. Festival admission: Free. Rodeo: $8 and $4.
www.lindenwildflowertrails.net 903.796.3003
Friday, May 3 Friday Night: “Savor the Flavor” — A Taste of Rains County! 6 - 8 p.m. at Emory City Centre, 735 N. Texas Street, Emory, TX Saturday, May 4 • Lions Club Pancake Breakfast • 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament • Vendors Booths • 42 Tournament • 5K Walk Downtown • Pedal Tractor Pull • Piecemaker Quilt Show • Duck Race Flaming Duck Derby • Founders Day Parade • 1st Annual Dog House Race • “Forever Ford” Car Show • Kid Zone with Bounce House/Petting Zoo • Emory VFD Chicken Roast • Volleyball Tournament • Performances, Demonstrations & Exhibits • Treasure Hunt Area-Wide Garage Sale • Free Stage Coach Rides • Kid’s Fishing Tournament Rains
rol Club FLY IN o Cont County Radi . @ RC Airpark • All day!
May 4 starting at 8 a.m t • Aerobatic Shows • Comba Swap Meet • Open Flying
For details/registration forms/etc. go to www.foundersdayfestival.org or call 903-473-2465 x 106 or 112 APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 13
culture & entertainment
Check out the eMAGAZINE www.countylinemagazine.com for extended event listings.
Mineola May Days Festival Ready for 46th Annual Fun
The 46th May Days Festival is set for May 3 and 4 in downtown Mineola with at least 75 vendors sharing food and handicrafts. Music includes Bongo and the Point and Chris Bevill and The Spur on Band. There will also be a beer and wine garden with a selection of domestic and foreign beer and domestic wine plus talent contests for all ages, a pretty baby contest, a carnival, and more. It’s free to attend, and hours are 3-10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 903.569.2087.
Texas State Railroad Wins Good Preservation Honor
The Texas State Railroad has been named by Preservation Texas, Inc. to its tenth anniversary retrospective list of Texas’ most endangered historic places. Originally named to the 2007 list of Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places, the railroad is designated as saved on the 2013 list which includes six saved sites, three threatened sites, and three lost sites. “The 2013 list provides a retrospective for us,” said Charlene Orr, president of Preservation Texas, a statewide partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We decided to focus on lessons learned during the last 10 years by highlighting success stories as well as losses and threatened sites that continue to need urgent attention. “Our six saved sites reflect the importance of collaboration between committed grassroots leadership and elected officials and city officials who realize the importance of historic preservation.” she said. “It’s this powerful combination of resources that can make the difference in preserving a site or losing it.”
The Texas State Railroad has kicked off its 2013 season with Piney Woods Steam Excursions departing from both the Palestine and Rusk depots at 11 a.m. Passengers have the option of a full ride, which takes 4.5 hours, including a 1.5 hour lunch break at the destination depot. There is also the option of a halfway ride, in which the passengers disembark at the point where the trains meet, and climb aboard the other train for the trip back to the originating depot. For more information, go to www.texasstaterr.com. Courtesy photo.
nation’s largest and most unique steam train operations It began in the 1880s as a way to deliver pig iron produced by the prison in Rusk, and was converted to a heritage railroad attraction in 1976 by the legislature and became a major tourist attraction. In 2007, management of the TSRR was privatized and is now operated by Iowa Pacific Holdings. The TSRR Authority board is comprised of members from Rusk and Palestine, where the two depots are located. In 2012, the Texas State Railroad hosted more than 52,000 riders, with more than 43,000 of them riding during The Polar Express special event in November and December. Riders came from 35 states and three countries. For more information, go to www.preservationtexas.org.
Corsicana’s Derrick Days Include Art and Fundraiser
Inclusion of lost sites illustrates some of the obstacles communities face in preserving their histories; threatened sites’ inclusion is designed to generate additional support for preservation.
Corsicana’s popular Derrick Days celebration will include a “Mystery Art in Tuckertown” exhibit on Thursday, April 25, featuring a silent auction and reception with local artists to support the Navarro Council of the Arts and VOICE.
The Texas State Railroad, designated the “official railroad of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, is recognized as one of the
“Pillars of our Past, Celebrating the people, places, and events in Navarro County History” is the theme.
14 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
The exhibit features 8x10 art work with silent bids starting at $35. The art will be on display at the Warehouse Living Arts Center April 17-26. The auction and reception begin at 5:30 p.m. at The Warehouse Living Arts Center, 119 W. Sixth downtown. Amateur and professional artists interested in donating artwork should call 903.872.5411. The first Oil Baron’s Ball from 7 p.m.midnight on April 26 will benefit Derrick Days and VOICE. It’s a black-tie event with food, entertainment, and dancing at the Pace Building downtown. Tickets are $150; space is limited and reservations are required. Email gdieterichs@voiceinc.org or call 903.872.0180.
events County Line makes every effort to ensure accurate information. However, information could change. Please call ahead before making plans. For more listings or organizations and activities and for a list of annual events in and around East Texas, visit countylinemagazine.com.
Every Thursday
Cruise Night. Athens. Classic cars, street rods, rat rods, project cars and trucks, new cars, motorcycles and more. Free. Downtown Athens, 219 S. Palestine Street. (903)-675-8616.
Every Friday & Saturday
Greenville Ghost Walk. Greenville. Weekend Ghost Walks highlighting the city’s history and architecture. Some say historical figures from the past 160 years still frequent their old haunts. $12. Hunt County Heritage Garden, 2300 Washington Street, Historic Downtown Greenville. 903 455-1510. www.greenvillechamber.com.
Through May 4
Historic Tours of Tyler. Tyler. Stops: Historic Camp Ford, Cotton Belt Depot Museum; Goodman LeGrand Museum ($2 donation), Historic Society Museum, McClendon House, lunch at local eatery (bring $), Oakwood Cemetery, Historic Aviation Museum ($3 adults, $1 kids 12 & under), Brookshires Wildlife Museum, Killough Monument, Lookout Mountain (Love’s Lookout). 9 a.m. to 6 pm. Adults $20, kids (12 & under) $10. Tyler Chamber of Commerce, 315 N. Broadway. 903-245-6535. www. toursoftyler.com.
April 5 – 7
2nd Annual Robert Arellano “Dawg” Fest Rally. Mount Pleasant. Tons of vendors, great food, silent auction, concerts, contests, and much more. $5. Mount Pleasant, 50 CR 3227, exit 165 off of I-30. 9035728567 www.dawgfestrally.com.
April 6
History, Haunts and Legends. Jefferson. A fun event for the history buff, avid ghost hunter and people with an interest for the unexplained and things that go bump in the night. Reservations required. 9:30 a.m. $26 - $60. Jefferson Transportation and Visitor’s Center. 305 E. Austin. 903-665-6289. www.jeffersonghostwalk. com. Duck Dynasty Stars at NTCC. Mount Pleasant. Phil Robertson and his youngest son, Jep, of Duck Dynasty fame appear on campus. 6:30 8:30 p.m. $20. NTCC Whatley Center. 2886 FM 1735. 903.434.8181. www.ntcc.edu/whatley/index.html
April 13
Delta County Fair & Jr. Livestock Show. Cooper. Livestock show, BBQ cookoff, livemusic, vendors, kids zone, pet clinic and more. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $10 entry fee for BBQ Cookoff. Cooper City Park. 903.395.4314. John Chester Dutch Oven Cooking Class. Sulphur Springs. Learn Dutch-oven cooking, enjoy recently prepared meal and sign up for door prizes. 8 a.m. $15. Heritage Park. 416 Jackson St. N . 903-885-2387. www.hopkinscountymuseum.org Dalton Days & Wild West Show. Longview. A full day of family entertainment with mounted shooters, a Wild West show, world of Wild West children’s activities and much more. Adult $6 in advance, $8 at the gate; Children (3-12 years) $4 . Gregg County Historical Museum, 214 N. Fredonia Street. 903.753.5840. www.gregghistorical.org.
April 18 – 21
Outlaw Nationals Classic and Antique Car Show. Jefferson. Classic and antique cars. Preregistration $20 Day of Event Registration $25. W. Austin. 903-665-7121. www.auntieskinnersriverboatclub.com. Diamond Don’s11th Annual AHRMA Riverport National Vintage Motocross. Jefferson. Charity golf, Thursday; cross country trials, Friday; vintage racing, Saturday; post vintage racing, Sunday; Marty Trips 100cc Works Revenge Races and other special events for racers, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday evening, Wine-Down Party for racers and their families. 1st day $15; 2 days $30; 3 days $40; 4 days $50 Children under 10 free. Diamond Don’s RV Park, 1602 State Hwy 49 East. 866-398-2038. www.diamonddon.com.
April 20
Paranormal is the New Normal. Tyler. Tours of Tyler presents world-famous experts in cryptozoology and other topics. A complimentary lunch is provided. Participants will meet again at 10 p.m. and go on an overnight ghost hunt with qualified paranormal researchers. 7 a.m. $50. Tyler Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. 315 N. Broadway. www.toursoftyler.com.
April 20
Cemetery Tour. Jefferson. Characters come alive and tell their stories of their life in Jefferson. Donations accepted. E. Webster & N. Main. 903-665-3733. www.visitjeffersontexas.com. Crawfish Boil. Longview. The Harvest Festival and Livestock Show hosts an all-you-can- eat Crawfish Boil (including catfish) and all the trimmings. Beer and soft drinks are available and a live band. Tickets and Reserved tables sold in advance. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex, 100 Grand Blvd. 903.236.8428.
April 20 – 21
April in Edom. Edom. A day filled with unique, high-quality handmade items from vendors from all over Texas, food, live music, dance performances, pet-parade, live auction, children’s activities, pony and train rides, bouncy houses, rock climbing and a Kids Got Talent show. A classic car show spices up Saturday night along with an old-fashioned Saturday Night Street Dance livened up with 50’s music. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free. Downtown Edom, FM 279. 214-478-8999. www.aprilinedom.net.
April 26
Oil Baron’s Ball. Corsicana. A black tie event featuring food, bar, and entertainment along with valet parking. 7 p.m. $150 per person. Pace Building, 105 W. 7th Ave. 903-872-0180.
April 26 – 27
“Springtime Blooms” Quilt Show. Athens. The Gun Barrel Quilters Guild host their annual quilt show. In addition to more than 100 quilts, there are a variety of vendors, door prizes, a raffle quilt, handcrafted gift items for
sale and scissor and rotary blade sharpening. A limited number of moderately-priced quilts made by the guild are for sale. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free. Cain Center, HWY. 19 S. 903-865-1131. www.gunbarrelquilters.org. 13th Annual Cass County Championship Rodeo. Linden. World Champion Bull Fighter Rob Smets announcing the rodeo with autograph sessions nightly at 7 p.m. Each night is a Critter Scramble for children 12 and under. Farm critters (ducks, chickens, pigs, goats, guineas, etc) are released in the arena and the children keep the critter they catch. 8 p.m. Adults - $8 Children (6-12): $4 Children (5 & Under): Free. Cass County Rodeo Grounds, Hwy 8 & FM 1399. (903) 756-7556. www.casscountychampionshiprodeo.com.
April 27
Linden Wildflower Trails Festival. Linden. 43rd Annual Linden Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival, an event that occurs on the last full weekend of April each year. Starting off with the Little Miss Wildflower Trails Pageant on March 30, the festival promises flowers, fun, food, arts and crafts, and entertainment to suit every taste. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free. Downtown Linden. Houston, Main, Rush & Kaufman Streets. 903.756.9934. www.musiccitytexas.org. Cattle Baron’s Ball. Longview. Benefitting the American Cancer Society the event features live entertainment, dinner, beverages, dancing, silent and live auctions, and midway games. 7 p.m. General Admission $125; VIP $225. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex. 100 Grand Blvd. 903-597-1383. www.longviewcattlebarons.org.
May 3 – 4
Rains County Founders Day Festival. Emory. Annual celebration of the heritage and lifestyle of Rains County featuring food tastings, vendors, sports tournaments, 5K Run, parade, car show, doghouse races, games, entertainment, fun duck race pedal tractor pull, and a Flaming Duck Derby. 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. Festival is free, some events may have a fee. Emory City Park & Downtown, Alexander & Quitman Streets, Downtown Emory, Rains County Courthouse. 903473-2465. www.foundersdayfestival.org.
May 4
17th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration. Longview. The Paisanos of East Texas host a celebration of Hispanic/American heritage with a 5k run, car show, Miss Cinco de Mayo pageant, and live entertainment. 11 a.m. $2 or 1 canned food item for day events; $15 for night comedy show. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex. 100 Grand Blvd. 903-736-5825.
May 11
Annual May Folk Festival. Sulphur Springs. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. $3 per person, children under 6 are free. Heritage Park, 416 Jackson St. N. 903.885.2387. www.hopkinscountymuseum.org. APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 15
the arts
Check out COUNTY LINE ONLINE for our extended coverage of art news and events. www.countylinemagazine.com
Tyler Photography Contest Seeks Outside-Box Entries
Entries will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on March 4-8 for the City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department “2013 Life in Tyler” photography contest. “We are looking for photos that are outside the box this year and not just portraits,” said Debbie Isham, special events and recreation manager. Ribbons and prizes are awarded for the best-of-show entry as well as first, second, and third places for each category. Categories are: family and friends enjoying a recreational event, wildlife in a Tyler park, family time, historic Tyler, outdoor events in Tyler, abstract Tyler, macro Tyler, birds in Tyler, and flora and fauna in Tyler. Entry classifications are available for both amateur and professional photographers as well as separate age categories for adults and youth. Each entry must be matted and either 5”x7” or 8”x10” with the single matte no larger than 11”x14.” Registration forms are available online at www.TylerParksandRec.com or at the Parks and Recreation office, 2000 W. Front.
Winnsboro Arts Center Names Officers for 2013
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts has elected new officers for 2013. The officers are Cindy Sanders, president; Brenda Roberts, vice president; Dave Sanders, treasurer; and Connie Davis, secretary. WCA also has been asked to host Winnsboro’s 3rd Friday Art Walk Receptions and Artists’ Exchange. “We’re pleased to do this as we are also planning for most of our exhibit receptions to take place on third Fridays,” Sanders said. WCA will present the Thornton Wilder classic three-act play “Our Town” on April 5, 6, 12, and 13 at7 p.m. and April 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $10 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and younger. Maryann Miller, the director of this production which stars John Milligan as the stage manager, describes “Our Town” as 16 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
“Ascent” by Gary Lee Price is one of the many pieces on display in the Jim and Barbara Stewart Sculpture Garden, part of the 2013 East Texas Artists & Sculpture Gardens in Malakoff April 27-28. Courtesy photo.
“a character-driven story about an average town’s citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives.”
ing artist applications for approximately 30 shaded spots in its park near the galleries, other retail shops, bars, and live music.
For more information, call 903.342.0686 or go to www.winnsborocenterforthearts. com.
The 12x12-foot spaces are spread out in the park around big shade trees, and will provide ample space for lookers and buyers to not feel squeezed in, not to mention space for supplies and inventory for the artists. A few spots will have electricity on a first come basis.
TJC Art Club Fundraiser Benefits Scholarships, More
The 10th annual Tyler Junior College Art Club silent art auction runs April 1-4 featuring works by students, faculty, and regional artists in the Jenkins Hall Art Department hallway. Silent auction bids sheets will accompany each piece allowing viewers to outbid the last written offer by an increase of at least $2. Winning bidders will be notified after the close of the auction at 2 p.m. April 4. The fundraiser helps provide art scholarships, fund events and activities, and charitable community donations and supplies. For more information, call 903.510.2233.
Ben Wheeler’s Far Out Fest Seeks Artists in the Park
The “Far Out” art festival, scheduled June 21-22 in downtown Ben Wheeler’s park as part of the 279 Artisan Trail and Art Jam in Edom and Ben Wheeler, is now accept-
Twenty-four-hour hour security, lighted areas, the pet and kid friendly park, volunteers, and an active night life are other highlights of the event. For more information and an application, go to www.benwheelertx.com.
ARTS EVENTS Every Tuesday
Red River Photo Club. Bonham. Photographers of all skills and experience meet to improve skills and share photographs and experiences. 6:30 p.m. Annual membership $24; $36 family; guests welcome. Creative Arts Center, 200 W. 5th,. 903.640.2196. www.creativeartscenter.us.
Every Thursday
Northeast Texas Fine Art Alliance. Terrell. Programs/demo by a North Texas artist at each meeting September through May. Members have opportunities for learning, participating
in shows, workshops, field trips. Refreshments and socialization at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. Free. Terrell Heritage Museum, 207 North Frances Street, 972-427-6511. www.clubnetfaa.com.
Through April 28
Walking Horse Art Exhibit. Ben Wheeler. Western art exhibit featuring works by Bill Williamson, Jr., David Ackerson, John Dietz, Janelle Pollard, Scotty Baker, Gaylon Dingler, and more. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. 1611 FM 279, 903.833.1070. www.benwheelertx.com
April 1 - 4
10th Annual TJC Art Club Silent Art Auction. Tyler. Artwork by students, faculty and regional artists are available for purchase. 2 p.m. Free. Jenkins Hall, Tyler Junior College. www.tjc.edu.
April 4
Co-Ed Night - Mixed Media Collage. Longview. 21 yrs & up; BYOB. 7 – 9 p.m. Pre Pay $18 members/$20 non members; $25 at time of class if room permits. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 215 E. Tyler St. 903-753-8103. www.lmfa. org. ArtWalk. Longview. Art Walk Downtown Longview is a self-guided tour of downtown businesses exhibiting and selling art. Musicians and other performance arts are frequently part of the event. Free. Downtown Longview. 903.236.4686.
April 12
The Ascent – A Collection of Virgina Dehn. Bonham. Opening Reception and the release of “Inner Landscapes,” an anthology of ekphrastic writing based on selected works of V. Dehn. 5 - 7 p.m. Free. Creative Arts Center, 200 West 5th. 903-640-2196. www.creativeartscenter.us.
April 13
Jacksonville Art Walk. Jacksonville. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. Downtown Jacksonville. 903-393-2309. Art in the Park at the Goodman-LeGrand. Tyler. An array of artists showcase their work and demonstrate different art mediums from oil and watercolors to sculpture and pottery. Tours are given of this lovely old southern home with entertainment. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Goodman-LeGrand Museum, 624 North Broadway. 903- 531-1286. www.goodmanmuseum.com.
April 19
Art & Wine Night. Sulphur Springs. Featured artist: Leesa Toliver, Photography. 6 - 9 p.m. Connally Street Gallery, 220 Connally Street. 903 885-1080.
April 24
5th Annual Thunderdome Art Competition. Tyler. Only one winner. Artist’s pieces compete against each other to be the last one remaining. All losing artworks are destroyed by the annihilators. Noon - 2 p.m. Free. Vaughan Library, Tyler Junior College. www.tjc.edu.
April 25
Mystery Art in Tuckertown. Corsicana. Silent art auction and reception featuring local artists. This fundraiser supports the efforts of both the Navarro Council of the Arts and VOICE. The Heart of Corsicana is the theme this year. Event features 8x10 art work with silent bids starting at $35. The art will be on display in at the Warehouse Living Arts Center April 1726th. 5:30 - 7 p.m. Free Admission. Warehouse Living Arts Center, 119 W. 6th Ave. 903-872-5411.
April 27
Pittsburg Art & Wine Festival. Pittsburg. Festival showcases great wines from The Piney Woods Wine Trails including Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards of Pittsburg, Enoch’s Stomp Vineyards of Harleton, Crump Valley Vineyards of Sulphur Springs and Maydelle Country Wines of Rusk. The event also features several extraordinary artists and art societies from the East Texas area displaying and selling their pieces to the public as well as music and local culinary treats for purchase. 1 – 8 p.m. $5. Historic Downtown Pittsburg, Compress Street. 903-8563621. www.pittsburgtxmainstreet.com.
April 27 - 28
James Surls’ Sculpture Gardens: A Memorial to Joe Surls. Malakoff. Surls will introduce two major recent pieces he is placing in his father’s and Jo Ann Price Surls’ East Texas ranch, which already features the largest concentration of Surls’ works in the country, with over 40 of his early works. $25 in advance; $35 at the door. www.malakofftexas.com.
LONGVIEW MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
april 4
ArtWalk through april 27
53rd Student Exhibit through may 15
Stewart Nachmias Pulp Icons:
Cast Paper and Prints
April 30 – May 9
Student Showcase Exhibition. Tyler. Wise Auditorium Art Gallery, Tyler Junior College. www.tjc. edu.
May 2
Art Night - Spring Watercolor Still Life. Longview. Experiment with still life design using watercolors. 21 yrs and up BYOB. 7 - 9 p.m. Pre Pay $18 members/$20 non members; $25 at time of class if room permits. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 215 E. Tyler St. 903-753-8103. www.lmfa.org.
May 4
Family Art - Still Life Drawing. Longview. Pencil and charcoal drawing. 1 – 3 p.m. Pre Pay $18 members/$20 non members; $25 at time of class if room permits. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 215 E. Tyler St. 903-753-8103. www. lmfa.org. TJC Art Club 10th Anniversary Reunion. Tyler. 6 p.m. Free. Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ, 525 S. Beckham. www.stanleysfamous.com.
May 10
New Faces. Bonham. New artist member show. 7 – 10 p.m. Free. Creative Arts Center, 200 West 5th. 903-640-2196. www.creativeartscenter.us.
Open Tuesday-Friday 10 - 4 Saturdays Noon - 4 Closed Sun-Mon $5 for non-museum members
215 E. Tyler St., Longview, 75601 903-753-8103, www.LMFA.org APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 17
ARTS GROUPS continued from page 10 more attractive to newcomers and to people — and businesses — thinking about moving into an area. “For the patron of the arts, coming to a concert is a way of being involved in something beautiful, out of the ordinary, not the everyday occurrence in our lives,” he said. “Especially in an age where we are inundated with recorded music, coming to a live performance is really special — that experience of being surrounded by people just like you who have spent hours preparing this work of art. That, to me, is special. The patron is involved in the creation of the experience as it’s happening.” John Bass, who was instrumental in the chorale’s founding and remains on the board, is proud that the group gives the community access to many of the great chorale works from the Baroque, Renaissance, and other periods. “The music, most of the great oratorios, is written from the Bible. I look upon people like Mendelssohn and Handel almost like apostles, particularly Handel with ‘The Messiah,’” Bass said. “People
can hear the great masterworks and some Broadway musicals, too, locally without going to Dallas or Shreveport.” In Longview, ArtsView Children’s Theatre’s mission is to change lives through education, outreach, and the performing arts, providing children’s programs that educate tomorrow’s audiences about the joys of the performing and visual arts. “The performing arts give adults and families an opportunity to participate in something in our community and gives the kids the opportunity to grow in so many ways including self confidence and communication,” said Pamela Donica, general manager. “Communities so often put such an emphasis on sports— and that’s wonderful, I have children who play sports — but often the ones who don’t play sports don’t have an outlet. We really do make a difference in individual lives as well as in the community by helping kids grow into who they are without trying to fit into a form. “Self discovery is important. We can come and be who we are, and people accept us and encourage us,” Donica said. “A mom called me yesterday and wanted
East Texas Artists & Sculpture Gardens Tour Malakoff Texas
to let me know that her daughter is in a one-act play competition at her middle school, and the play won first place and the girl won best overall actor. Because of ArtsView, she has more confidence. She knew what she was doing.” Donica said people being who they are benefits the community as well as the individual. “They are doing what their purpose is. If they cannot be true to who they are, they can’t be true to what they are doing. That benefits the community because people stay in the community and keep giving in their community because that’s fulfilling.” Young Audiences of Northeast Texas brings trained teaching artists into schools to present performances tied to the curriculum — history, science, and other subjects — students are already studying to help teachers more effectively meet academic requirements. “Student s who have exposure — high arts exposure — in schools have higher achievement levels, test scores, and graduation levels, and fewer discipline exposures,” said Amy Baskin, executive
Pawpa’s House in the country
April 27-28 Sat. 10-6 Sun. Noon-4
James Surls’ Sculpture Gardens: A Memorial to Joe Surls (admission by ticket for the event; open otherwise by reservation, call 903.489.0897) The James & Barbara Stewart’s Sculpture Gardens (admission by ticket only; only open for this event) Grand Opening of the “Sunken Gardens” in the Historic Bartlett House and Heritage Gardens With outstanding East Texas artists (open to the public)
www.malakofftexas.com 18 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
Near Canton, Ben Wheeler, Lindale, Tyler, Mineola. One hour to Dallas.
Satellite • Wireless Internet Washer and Dryer 1 queen bed • 1 full bed Linens provided Inflatable mattress to sleep 2 additional people Jacuzzi tub • Hot tub Fully equipped kitchen Handicap accessible Beautiful star-filled sky Best East Texas sunsets Wrap around porch with swing
1601 VZ County Road 1512 Van Texas 903.571.3620 • www.pawpashouse.com
“Changing lives through education, outreach, & the performing arts!”
Productions • Camps • Classes • show choirs
The Tyler Civic Chorale is one of the community-based performing arts groups in the Upper East Side of Texas that brings beautiful, out-of-the-ordinary music to people in the region. Courtesy Photo
director. “When students are learning through the arts, it goes through their emotions as opposed to the thinking process. That goes immediately to longterm memory, so learning through the arts is much more effective for understanding and synthesis in learning. “Project-based learning and differentiated learning — which the schools are trying to use — are inherent in learning in the arts, which touch all of the multiple intelligences,” she said. “Often, the arts really level the playing field for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who often haven’t had the exposure to these things in their homes. Whether it’s drawing, dancing, singing, acting, or whatever, the arts level the playing fields.” In Avinger, five women think so highly of the importance of the arts that they’ve put together their own scholarship program for students wanting to study those arts and for community projects. “Our whole goal is just to broaden the horizons of young people in East Texas,” said Elaine Moulton. The group is CRESS — for their first initials; Connie Jo Coker, Ronnie Politi, Moulton, Shelby Trimble, and Sue Maxinoski — and they’ve put together an April 6 event to raise money for the scholarships. (Dinner’s at 6 p.m. for $20, followed by live and silent auctions, music and dancing in one of the hangers at Eagle Landing in Avinger. For more information, call 903.562.2151.) “We are dedicated to raising money
through donations and events to do projects to help our community,” Moulton said of the 501c3 nonprofit. “One of those projects is building a scholarship fund for children so they can advance in the arts. The reality is that funds for arts have been cut out of public schools (at the primary level). We’re trying to find teachers with especially talented children who would benefit from a leg up, extra classes, or whatever to help. We really don’t have any arts in this community; we are so small.”
ArtsView Children’s Theatre is indeed the home of “wide-eyed wonder.” We have created a place where the stars will shine for a whole new generation of children. www.ArtsViewChildrensTheatre.com 313 West Tyler ~ Longview 903-236-7535
“...Where Acting Up is Always FUN!”
Avinger’s 400 or so residents live 15 miles from Jefferson, 10 miles south of Hughes Springs, and 30 miles northeast of Longview. Money raised on April 6 will help pay for a wine festival, with all funds from that festival going into the scholarship fund. “I’m an artist myself. I know how important it is to encourage young people to keep seeking their dreams,” Moulton said. “The art world is a difficult world to excel in. I’d like to give some young person an opportunity I didn’t have as a child growing up here in East Texas. Those opportunities continue to grow in Texas. As cited by the Texas Cultural Trust study, nearly 10,000 arts and cultural businesses now employ more than 110,000 workers and almost one in 15 Texas workers are employed in creative sector jobs — a sector expected to increase by 17.5 percent by 2018.
Gallery Main Street is the “heart of the arts” in Downtown Tyler. Operated by the City of Tyler Main Street Department and its volunteers, the gallery hosts a new juried exhibit every six weeks. Subjects run the gamut from abstract to surreal to realism, and everything in between. Visitors have the opportunity to view oils, acrylics, watercolor, photography, pottery, sculpture and so much more. Visit the gallery Monday through Saturday, and be sure to check the website to view the gallery’s schedule of workshops and special events such as ArtWalk. Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Gallery Main Street 110 W. Erwin / Tyler, TX • (903) 593-6905 www.downtowntylerarts.com
APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 19
on stage
Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended STAGE news and event listings.
“Dearly Beloved” Kicks Off Edom Civic Theatre Season
prospective business owner who might relocate his company to the town.
Edom Civic Theatre begins its 2013 season with an April 12-13 production of “Dearly Beloved,” the first of three comedies about the Futrelle family from Fayroe, Texas. In “Dearly Beloved,” Frankie’s daughter, Tina Jo, is getting married and the Futrelle sisters are planning a reception. But, it becomes complicated by the snobby mother of the groom, a pushy wedding coordinator, a lost bridal couple, and more. In “Christmas Belles” on August 30-31, Honey Raye Futrelle takes over directing the annual Fayro Christmas program with a reluctant Santa, an Elvis impersonator, and a shepherd with a little red wagon. In “Southern Hospitality” on November 22-23, the town of Fayroe is in decline and the residents plan a Fayroe Days celebration with a craft show, pet show, beauty pageant, a Revolutionary War reenactment, and more to impress a visiting
The theatre is always seeking actors, directors, and stage hands. All shows begin at 7 p.m. at the Edom Community Center, 735 CR 470. Tickets are $10; $8 for seniors and children. Season Subscriptions are available. For more information, call 903.469.3277 or 903.852.3975.
Opera House Theatre Presents “Dixie Swim Club”
Jefferson’s Opera House Theatre Players present “The Dixie Swim Club” April 1113 at the KnightLight Theatre. The comedy deals with five Southern women whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team. They set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships at a beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh, and meddle in each other’s lives.
Shake Rattle & Roll and
The Country Comedy Tour April 20, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Mineola Civic Center, 1150 N. Newsome Street, Mineola, Texas
“Women and men will love this show and its funny dialogue,” said Marcia Thomas, director. Tickets are $12 at Blessings Gift Shop, 903.665.3895. For more information, call 903.665.2310. The KnightLight Theatre is a BYOB location and offers snacks and setups that may be purchased at extra costs. For more information, please contact the director at 903-665-2310.
events April 4 – 5
South Pacific. Wills Point. A two act musical play. Reception following performance on Friday. 7:30 p.m. Adults; $13, Seniors/Students; $11, Children under 12; $8. The Talent Box Productions; Inc. 244 North 4th Street, Wills Point. 903873-8945. www.thetalentbox.org.
April 4 – 14
In The Room Upstairs. Athens. In The Room Upstairs, written by Robin Haynie, is the seventh show of hers produced by the theatre. This show is rated Theater PG-13. 7:30 p.m. Adults $17, Student/Child $12. Henderson County Performing Arts Center, 400 Gibson Rd. 903-675-3908. athenstx.org/things-to-do/in-the-room-upstairs.
April 5 – 14
Our Town. Winnsboro. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Thorton Wilder’s classic three-act play — a character driven story about an average town’s citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives. 7 p.m. & 2 p.m. $10 adults; $5 12 and under. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, 200 Market Street. 903.342.0686. www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com.
April 6
Las Vegas Doo Wop Winners
Together for One Great Show! Stop, drop and roll with laughter in this clean, family-friendly evening full of comedy, skits, beautiful harmony, choreographed moves and music of the 50s and 60s. Tickets $25. Children 10 & under free. Online: Eventbrite.com. Advance: Mineola Civic Center, Mon-Thur 10-4 p.m. To order by mail by April 12 call 903-445-6907. Also available at the door. No reserved seating.
www.shakerattleroll4.com • 903-569-6155 20 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
Of Mice & Men. Longview. Founded in 1972 by legendary producer/director/actor John Houseman and current producing director Margot Harley with members of the first graduating class of Juilliard’s Drama Division, The Acting Company has performed 136 productions for over 3 million people in 48 states and ten foreign countries. Nobel and Pulitzer Prizewinner John Steinbeck’s tale of two drifters is one of the most widely read stories in America — a tragic story of two California migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression. 7:30 p.m. $32 - $50. S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel & Performance Center, 2100 S. Mobberly Ave. www. belchercenter.com.
April 10 – 13
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Tyler. Pollard Theater Center presents this humorous, musical retelling of the Old
choreography, basic costuming, stage lighting, and performing for an audience. 4 p.m. $150 Tuition. ArtsView Children’s Theatre, 313 West Tyler Street. 903-236-7535. artsviewchildrenstheatre.com.
Testament story of Joseph and his coat of many colors told by a large cast of exiciting & local talent of all ages. 7:30 & 2:30 p.m. $15 Adults; $10 Ages 12 and under. Founders’ Center, Pollard U. Methodist Church, 3030 Copeland Road. 903/7301056. www.showtix4u.com.
April 20
Shake Rattle & Roll and The Country Comedy Tour. Mineola. 7:30 p.m. $25. Mineola Civic Center, 1150 N. Newsome St. 903.445.6907. www.shakerattleroll4.com.
April 11
Masters of Illusion – Live. Tyler. Flaming hoops, juggling chainsaws and flying motorcycles will thrill you as these legends of legerdemain put their lives on the line in Masters of Illusion Live. 7:30 p.m. $42 - $62. UT Tyler - Cowan Center, 3900 University Blvd. www.cowancenter.org.
April 25 – 26
Squirm! Children’s Musical. Longview. Squirm! Directed by Alisha Kimbley, the performance features participants ages 8-9. Join the wiggles and squiggles as the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Daddy Long Legs, Hook Worm, Snake, and a host of other critters take over the stage. Squirm! is about 30 minutes long and is appropriate for all audiences. 6:30 p.m. Tickets $6 online, $7 at the door. ArtsView Children’s Theatre, 313 West Tyler Street. 903-236-7535. www.artsviewchildrenstheatre. com.
April 14
Pinkalicious - The Musical. Longview. Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe, a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament. 2 p.m. $16 - $21. S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel & Performance Center, 2100 S. Mobberly Ave. www.belchercenter.com.
April 29 – May 3
Kids’ Heroes & Villains - Spring Mini-Camp. Longview. What’s so great about playing the bad guy? Everyone can’t be the hero, right? Where would Peter Pan be without Captain Hook? Event recreates these and more wonderful heroes and villains. Participants learn acting basics through warm-ups, games, stories, selfexpression, and movement. 5 p.m. $75 Tuition. ArtsView Children’s Theatre, 313 West Tyler Street. 903-236-7535. www.artsviewchildrenstheatre.com.
April 15 – 26
Squirm! Musical Camp. Longview. A wiggly, giggly, squiggly musical with snakes, bats and worms. Join the wiggles and squiggles as the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Daddy Long Legs, Hook Worm, Snake, and a host of other critters take over the stage. Students experience basic acting, simple
20th annual
WILLS POINT BLUEBIRD FESTIVAL
Car Show Little Miss Bluebird Little Mr Bluebird Miss Teen Bluebird Bluebird Idol Model Train Show Bluebird Tours Health Fair Kid Zone/Kid Fish Carnival Wilderness Society Exhibits Live Entertainment
Saturday April 27 Downtown Wills Point 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fun for the entire family!
The Brick Streets of Wills Point fill up with food, crafts, antiques, entertainment and more. Home of more Bluebirds than any other place in Texas.
Wills Point Bluebird Festival Association, Inc.
www.willspointbluebird.com wpbluebird@gmail.com 903-873-3607
APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 21
APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 21
film Filmmakers Following Trends Lose Quality By Jeremy Light Just like the news today, entertainment, especially film, follows certain trends. The past few years saw a rise in vampire and werewolf movies. Before that, disaster movies. This year, zombies, apocalypse, fairy tales, and giant monsters. Sometimes these occur all at once. Since last year saw the conclusion of the Twilight franchise, producers are on the hunt for the next multi-billion dollar franchise. Peter Jackson, looking to reclaim the title for biggest movie of the year, recently released the first film in his planned Hobbit trilogy. Despite its financial success, Jackson’s film appears to buckle beneath the same weight as most films that follow the latest trends: money over quality. Many pages could be written about the abundance of sequels and remakes moviegoers are subjected to every year. But the bandwagon approach to filmmaking is just as pervasive and detrimental as the sequalization of America. When filmmakers follow trends instead of good stories, quality suffers. For example, “Hansel and Gretel” follows on the heels of fairy tale-themed television shows like “Grimm” and “Once Upon a Time.” Though a visual delight, “Hansel and Gretel” was a calculated bust, a futile nonevent. For a sample of what’s to come to a multiplex near you: “Oz the Great and Powerful” and “Jack the Giant Slayer.” Filmmakers take a risk hoping their latest offering will strike a chord with the public. And even if a movie fails in America, 22 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
there is always the safety net of overseas sales. But if money is the only justification, quality cannot help but suffer. I worry when I see a film that is “inspired by” or “in the tradition of.” More often than not, such a movie never realizes the grandiose expectations touted by movie trailers. But then I, like many moviegoers, fall into the paradoxical trap of “if you didn’t see it, you have no right to complain.” Perhaps, but seeing it only encourages the trend to continue. Also part of the current trends is postapocalyptic and/or zombie invasion. Not only is it infecting the small screen in the form of “Revolution” and “The Walking Dead,” but the big screen as well. “Warm Bodies” is the most recent trend follower. We will soon see “World War Z.” And any trend will continue as long as the cash flows. It is not that I blame Hollywood. The industry is simply responding to what we want, what we support by dollar votes at the theater’s box office voting booth. Our only option is to demand films of quality. When we start refusing junk, Hollywood will respond in kind. It would be nice to start a trend of quality films. That’s a trend worth enduring.
FILM news Van to Convert Old Store Back into Theater Building
The Van Economic Development Corporation hopes to turn a former auto parts store back into a theater as part of downtown revitalization.
“We want to restore the building to bring back some of its original 1930s look and make it into an operational theater again,” said Jerrod Fishback, EDC executive director. “We want to offer that for the entertainment of citizens of Van and the surrounding community. “Eventually, we see that being a nightly draw. The idea is for people to go there to be entertained, and then go out for dinner at one of our restaurants, and we hope to have more retail established in the near future.” EDC wants an $890,000 Texas Leverage Fund loan for the theater project and for a proposed industrial park north of Interstate 20, to be paid back through local sales tax revenue. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/GrowingVan.
FILM EVENTS April 4
The Godfather. Tyler. The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. 7 p.m. General Admission $5. Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin Street. www.libertytyler.com.
April 6
A Royal Affair. Edom. This independent film is an 18th century historical drama four years in the making, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander. Directed by Nikolaj Arcel, screenwriter of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the film is an epic romance about the love triangle between a German doctor, the queen of Denmark, and her deranged king. 7 pm. $8. The Old Firehouse in Edom, 8241 FM 279. 903852-2781. www.theoldfirehouse.net
April 11
The Godfather - Part II. Tyler. The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba. 7 p.m. General Admission $5. Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin Street. www.libertytyler.com.
May 9
The Last Picture Show. Tyler. A group of 50’s high schoolers come of age in a bleak, isolated, atrophied West Texas town that is slowly dying, both economically and culturally. 7 p.m. General Admission $5. Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin Street. www.libertytyler.com.
These poles have roots
SINCE 1938
46TH ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL
MINEOLA MAY DAYS MAY 3-4 • DOWNTOWN MINEOLA FRIDAY 5-10 p.m. Carnival • Vendors • Arts & Crafts • Food • Beer Garden “Mineola’s Got Talent” • Bongo and the Point
SATURDAY 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. Carnival • Vendors • Arts & Crafts • Food • Beer Garden Live Entertainment All Day Activities and Events for Everyone! Baby Contest • Kid Zone • Hot Zone
Saturday Night Outdoor Concert/Street Dance Featuring Chris Bevill and The Spur On Band Sponsored by
Mineola Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc. 101 E. Broad • PO Box 68 • Mineola 75773 Cosponsored by City National Bank, Wood County National Bank, Mineola Community Bank, Watkins Insurance Co., KMOO, Jalapeño Tree, Mineola Monitor.
903.569.2087 • www.mineolachamber.org APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 23
music notes American Horn Quartet Plans Mount Vernon Show
Mount Vernon Music presents the American Horn Quartet in concert on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Mount Vernon Music Hall. The brass chamber quartet consists of four American horn players who live and work in Europe and have an international following with their 10 recordings and nearly three decades of performing around the world. The individual members are all successful soloists, too, having won top international competitions in Geneva, Prague, New York, Passau, and Munich and, as a group, chamber music competitions in Barc, Hungary, Brussels and Tokyo.
Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for extended MUSIC news and event listings.
which posited that Musgraves might be the future of country music.
community that are asking for diversity,” he said.
Musgraves gets close to home in her tour with Kenny Chesney when the two perform at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas May 11.
Gremmels hopes East Texans enjoy the convenience of hearing great music more often without having to go to big cities.
Also new is the self-titled Sheila Marshall, from the Nacogdoches-raised, top 10 finalist on the TV talent show “Nashville Star.” She regularly tours Texas and has played throughout the United States, in Europe and Japan, and for soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait. Her music melds country, rock, and blues. Among the highlights on the seven-song CD is a cover of the Randy Weeks song “Can’t Let Go,” made famous by Lucinda Williams, with noted guitarist David Grissom accompanying Marshall and the band.
During the past 20 years, besides being featured at horn and brass festivals around the globe, the American Horn Quartet has established itself at regular chamber music concert series on the international circuit. Members have also appeared as soloists with numerous symphony orchestras, among them the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Philharmonica Hungarica, the Brabants Orchestra of Eindhoven, and the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphony Orchestra in France.
New from Mineola’s Randy Brown is the harder-to-categorize But Wait . . ., although “folk” probably fits best. Brown wrote all 13 songs, including one each co-writes with Jim Bush, David Hendley, and Matt Meighan. He made the album at Siesta Ranch Studio in Gilmer.
Tickets are $10 for MVM members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for college students with valid ID. Children’s admission through high school is free; eighth grade and younger must be accompanied by an adult ticketholder. For more information, call 903.563.3780 or go to www.mountvernonmusic.org.
Brown’s songs sometimes take scientific and sometimes humorous bends of sorts, wandering from “Schrodinger’s Cat” to “Walked on the Moon” to “Gravity’s Engine,” and wander into other forms of nature with “Snowflake,” “Leaves of Aspen,” “The Sparrow,” and more including “Border Radio.”
Musgraves, Marshall, Brown Set to Release New Albums
Ben Wheeler Attracting More “Name” Musicians
At least three musicians from the Upper East Side of Texas have new albums, with Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer, Different Park already getting national attention. The March issue of Southern Living magazine opined that the album “puts Kacey on the map as the songwriter of her generation.” The Golden-raised Musgraves now lives and works in Nashville. The first single, “Merry Go Round,” off the new album has garnered quick airplay and critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, National Public Radio, Billboard, and Slate, 24 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
Three of Marshall’s singles have made it onto the Texas Music Chart.
Every weekend, some of the best music in the Upper East Side of Texas is found at two restaurants with full bars in downtown Ben Wheeler. Through his Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation, developer Brooks Gremmels has long provided venues for up-and-coming local musicians and bands and recently he began ramping up his music offerings in town bringing in such bands as Eleven Hundred Springs in March. “We’re adding bigger names, better draws, more variety, and involving more of the
“Out here it’s something that happens all the time,” he said. “Music has always been such a big part of my life. It’s a dream to be surrounded by it all the time. It’s not a special event, it’s part of your daily life.” Live music as at Moore’s Store every Friday and Saturday and at The Forge Bistro every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and Saturday afternoons; The Forge has also begun a new series of open mics on Wednesdays hosted by Craig Wallace. Chronologically, the iconic Billy Joe Shaver is at Moore’s Store April 5, Americana favorite Max Stalling is at Moore’s April 6, southern rockers Jamie Davis & Soul Gravy May 3, and blues-rocker Jim Suhler May 4. Shaver will also be at The Barn in Nacogdoches April 6. Shaver’s 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre, as are many of his more recent works. He’s a member of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and was the first-ever lifetime achievement award winner honored by the Americana Music Association in 2002. Elvis recorded one of his songs. So did Bob Dylan. And Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings and many other people. Jennings recorded nine Shaver songs on the 1973 Honky Tonk Heroes album that helped kick off the whole outlaw-country, alt-country movement. Once he gave up the corporate life, Stalling quickly became one of the most popular and well respected singer-songwriters on the Texas Americana scene, playing more than a hundred shows a year, opening for the likes of Robert Keen, Lyle Lovett, and Guy Clark and headlining at many of the major music venues across Texas including Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, Schroeder Hall in Victoria, and Poor David’s Pub in Dallas. Mississippi-based, Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque southern rockers Jamie Davis & Soul Gravy has shared stages with Dierks Bentley, Hank Williams Jr., Jason Michael Carroll, and Eric Church.
Suhler regularly tours with George Thorogood. He and his Monkey Beat band’s own albums include: Tijuana Bible, Bad JuJu, Shake, Radio Mojo, and Starvation Box: The Best of Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat. Additionally, Suhler’s accolades have landed him among the ranks of many “top ten guitarist” lists featured in music publications stateside and abroad.
available at the door unless the shows sell out. There is no cover charge for shows at The Forge except for the occasional special event or concert in the backyard beer garden. Both venues offer full restaurant service. For more information, go to www. benwheelertx.com.
At The Forge, Wallace plays acoustic blues every Saturday from 3-6 p.m. as well as the new Wednesday night open mics that begin at 6 p.m.
Noted songwriter J.D. Souther performs at Music City Texas in Linden April 12. Souther played a key role in the formation of the Eagles and co-wrote their hits “Heartache Tonight,” “Victim of Love,” “New Kid In Town” and “Best of My Love,” as well as writing Linda Ronstadt’s classics “Faithless Love” and other songs.
While Moore’s Store hosts full bands, The Forge’s shows are normally amplified acoustic performances featuring solo performers, duos, and sometimes trios. Highlights of the schedule include local favorites Jimmy Bailey and Matt Fisher April 6, Heather Little and Matt Bradshaw April 13 and April 25, and the blacktopGYPSY duo April 18, Ann Armstrong and Steve Hughes April 20, and Chase & The New South April 27. Advance tickets for some of Moore’s Store’s shows can be purchased online at OuthouseTickets.com; tickets are also
Music City Texas Attracts Noted Songwriter Souther
Souther also released three critically acclaimed solo albums: John David Souther (1972), Black Rose (1976), and You’re Only Lonely (1979). He’s written for and with artists as diverse as Brooks & Dunn, Jimmy Buffet, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills & Nash, Diamond Rio, Don Henley, Roy Orbison, Bonnie Raitt, George Strait, Brian Wilson, Trisha Yearwood, Warren Zevon and most recently the newly re-formed
Eagles, who chose Souther’s “How Long” as the debut single from their album Long Road Out Of Eden. Souther’s songs appear on more than 150 million records worldwide. He has received Grammy® nominations, Academy of Country Music and American Music Awards, and the prestigious ASCAP Golden Note Award in 2009. He is currently writing, recording and touring. He plays the character of Watty White on the hit ABC show Nashville and is featured in “The History of the Eagles” documentary on Showtime. Souther is one of seven musical greats set to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame later this year. His fellow 2013 inductees include Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Tony Hatch, Holly Knight, Mick Jones and Lou Gramm. The 44th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner is June 13 in New York City. Showtime at Music City Texas is 8 p.m. at 108 Legion. Reserved seating tickets are $35. Call 903.756.9934 or go to www.musiccitytexas.org. continued Page 27
Saturday, April 27, 6:30 p.m.
Rock&Research Concert benefiting biomedical research at UT Health Science Center
Thur.
MAY 2nd 2013
s r i c k y s k agtghunder 7:30PM
a n d kentucky
Special Guest Purchase tickets at:
WWW.SHOWTIMEATTHEGMA.COM
featuring
Take 2 Classic Rock Band
By Phone:
877.435.9849 Or In Person at the
GMA BOX OFFICE
Tickets: $50 each
2821 Washington Street, Downtown Greenville
Come out for delicious food, great music and fun for a great cause.
Benefiting Friends of Main Street
UTHSCT Campus (11937 US Hwy 271) 903-877-5135 • www.rockandresearch.com APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 25
music listings
Every Third Saturday.
Acoustic Music on the Streets. Mineola. Pickers and audience welcome. Bring instruments and chairs. Indoors in bad weather. 11 a.m. Free. Johnson St. Gazebo. 1.800.MINEOL. .mineola.com.
April 4
Casting Crowns. Longview. 7 p.m. $25 - $50. S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel & Performance Center, 2100 S. Mobberly Ave. www.belchercenter.com. Josh Abbott Band. Longview. 7 p.m. 18 and up; $15. Graham Central Station, 1016 McCann Road. www.outhousetickets.com. Tribute to Bugs Henderson. Tyler. Musicians, family, friends, and fans gather to remember the late great Bugs Henderson. Free. 7 p.m.-Midnight. Kicking off the event is The Texas Soul-Shakers with two former Henderson bandmates, drummer Cody Norman and bass player Keith Jones followed by a jam with Mouse and The Traps, Lance Lopez, Grant Cook, Lynn Groom, Bobby Chitwood, Brandon Aguillard and more. Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Que, 525 South Beckham Ave., 903.593.0311, www.stanleysfamous.com.
April 5
Check out www.countylinemagazine.com for our extended MUSIC news and event listings.
mer, as performed by his grandson, Jason Coleman. 7:30 p.m. $30. Caldwell Auditorium, 300 South College. 903-592-6266. www.tcca.biz.
April 11
Bon Jovi. Dallas. 7:30 p.m. $19.50 - $185. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave. www.americanairlinescenter.com.
April 12
J.D. Souther. Linden. 8 p.m. Reserved Seats; $35. Music City Texas Theater, 108 Legion Street. 903.756.9934. www.musiccitytexas.org. Nashville Hit Songwriters in the Round. Bullard. Featuring: Nashville Hit Songwriters in the Round for artists such as Garth Brooks, Chris Young, Reba, and more. 7 p.m. General Admission $20. Bushman’s Event Center, 1565 FM 2493 E. www.outhousetickets.com. ETBU Jazz Band Concert. Marshall. 7:30 p.m. $5. Marshall Visual Arts Center, 208 East Burleson Street . 903 935-4484. www.marshallartscouncil.org.
April 13
Susan Cowsills. Tyler. 8 p.m. General Admission $18; Box seats $100. Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin Street. www.libertytyler.com.
Billy Joe Shaver. Ben Wheeler. Matt Bradshaw Opens. 8 p.m. Tickets Available @ Outhousetickets.com $15 or $20 at the door. Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.
Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines. Paris. 7:30 p.m. $25.That Guy’s Coffee. 117 Clarksville St. 903.272.9687. thatguyscoffee.com.
April 6
Ellis. Edom. 7:30 p.m. $12 advance / $15 door. The Old Firehouse in Edom, 8241 FM 279. 903852-2781. www.theoldfirehouse.net.
Max Stalling. Ben Wheeler. 8 p.m. Tickets @ Outhousetickets.com $10 or $15 at the door. Moore’s Store. 1551 FM 279. benwheelertx.com. Billy Joe Shaver. Nacogdoches. 7 p.m. 21 and up $25; Under 21 $30. The Barn Bar & Grill, 2304 North Street. www.outhousetickets.com. American Horn Quartet. Mount Vernon. Ten CDs and 28 years of bringing audiences to their feet all around the world. Hear them in East Texas as Mount Vernon Music presents the American Horn Quartet. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for MVM members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for college student. Mount Vernon Music Hall, Yates and Leftwich, 903.563.3780. www. mountvernonmusic.org. Colt Ford. Nacogdoches. 7 p.m. 21 and up $15; under 21 $20. Banita Creek Hall, 401 W. Main. www.outhousetickets.com. Richard Stewart Band. Carthage. 7 p.m. General Admission $5. The Alamo Bar & Grill, 5372 NW Loop. www.outhousetickets.com.
April 9
Jason Coleman. Tyler. The Legacy of Floyd Cra-
Wesley Pruitt Band. Ben Wheeler. 8:00 pm. Tickets Available @ Outhousetickets.com $10 or $15 at the door. Moore’s Store, 1551 FM 279. www.benwheelertx.com.
April 18
blacktopGYPSY Duo. Ben Wheeler. 7 p.m. Free. The Forge, 1610 FM 279. 903-833-5970. www.benwheelertx.com.
April 19
7:30 p.m. $15 advanced general admission. Crossroads Music Company & Listening Room, 200 Market Street. 903.342.1854. www.crossroadsmusiccompany.com. Chamber Music for Violin & Viola. Longview. Features Mark Miller (concertmaster for the Longview Symphony) and Ute Miller (viola). 6 - 10 p.m. $10-$35. Longview Community Center. 500 E. Whaley. 903-236-9739. www.longviewsymphony.org.
April 26
Bach’s Lunch Series Concert. Longview. Enjoy area musicians playing the music of Bach. 12:15 p.m. Free. First Presbyterian Church, 301 N. Center St. 903-236-9739.
April 27
Rock and Research with Take 2. Tyler. Come out for delicious food, great music by Take 2 classic rock band, and fun for a great cause. 6:30 p.m. $50. UT Health Science Center. 11937 US Hwy 271. 903-877-5135. .rockandresearch.com. Artistry and Architecture. Longview. European treasures, food and wines, live jazz, and silent auction to benefit the Longview Symphony. 7 – 10 p.m. $35. Eclectic Architecturals. 1201 Champion Way. 903-236-9739. longviewsymphony.org.
April 27 – 28
Choral Society Spring Concert. Sulphur Springs. 7 p.m. Call for pricing. Civic Center, 1200 Houston St. 903-885-6944. netchoral.org.
May 4
Meg Hutchinson & Mark Erelli. Longview. 7 p.m. $25. Bella Mia, 812 Methvin St. www.lmfaconcerts.com/concerts.htm. LAYSO Family Concert. Longview. Family music that everyone knows, played by current and former LAYSO members with special guest: ArtsView Children’s Theatre. 2 – 4 p.m. Free. Teague Park Ampitheater, 401 Amerian Legion. 903236-9739. www.longviewsymphony.org.
Zac Brown Band. Dallas. 7 p.m. $39 and up. Gexa Energy Pavilion, 1818 First Avenue. www.ticketmaster.com/Gexa-Energy-Pavilion-tickets-Dallas/ venue/98330.
May 9
April 20
May 11
Barn Burner Old Town Jam. Nacogdoches. With Steel Magnolia, Johnny Cooper, Cory Morrow, Folk Family Revival, Lincoln Durham, Mark McKinney, The Bigsbys and Rich O’Toole. Noon. General Admission $25. The Barn Bar & Grill, 2304 North Street. www. outhousetickets.com. Emily Elbert with Roland Elbert. Winnsboro.
Music in the Garden. Bonham. Soul, spirt and blues. 7 – 10 p.m. $2. Creative Arts Center, 200 West 5th. 903-640-2196. www.creativeartscenter.us. Tyler Civic Chorale. Tyler. 6 p.m. $25 (including the meal and program). Holiday Inn Tyler, 5701 South Broadway. www.tylercivicchorale.org.
May 11
Kenny Chesney. Arlington. With Eric Church, Eli Young Band, and Kacey Musgraves. 5:00 pm. $250 and up. Cowboys Stadium. www.ticketmaster.com.
See full calendar of outstanding music in Ben Wheeler on the back page of this issue! 26 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
MUSIC NOTES continued from page 25 Greenville Series to Host Multi-Grammy Winner Skaggs
Fourteen-time Grammy winner and Grand Ole Opry star Ricky Skaggs brings his Kentucky Thunder bluegrass band to Greenville on May 2 to open the tenth season of The Kenneth Threadgill Concert Series. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Greenville Municipal Auditorium with opening act The Quebe Sisters’ western swing. Skaggs’ first all-live album with Kentucky Thunder, Live at the Charleston Music Hall (2003), led to an International Bluegrass Music Association award for instrumental group of the year, an award Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder has taken home eight times in the last decade.
Boyd and Bill Smith, and the Darby Warren Project.
and Dale Gonyea for only $10 per concert with advance season tickets.
The festival from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. is free, and will be outside the Blue Frog Grill at 101 W. Austin; the BYOB grill will be open for food service. For more information go to www.VisitMarshallTexas.org.
Here are dates: Berry, country singer: Oct. 19; Gonyea, pianist and humorist: Nov. 19; Ambrosia, four-time Tony nominee and the lead in “The Phantom Of The Opera:” Dec. 5; Bach to the Future, classical favorites with jazz and world music: Feb. 13, 2014; Lynch, Jazz 101 to the sounds of Joplin, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, and other greats: March 5, 2014; and The Diamonds: Doo-Wop and Vocal Group halls of fame: March 21, 2014. For more information, go to www.tcca.biz.
Tyler Concert Association Schedules Six National Acts
Tyler Community Concert Association’s 2013-14 concert season features The Diamonds, John Berry, Franc d’Ambrosio, Bach to the Future, Jesse Lynch’s Jazz 101
Marking Skaggs’ 50th year in music was the release of Country Hits Bluegrass Style (2011), a compilation of many of his #1 country hits and fan favorites, played in a bluegrass style. The Quebe Sisters won the Crescendo Award from the Western Music Association and the western swing album of the year from the Academy of Western Artists, and are touring with their latest album, Timeless. Advance tickets are $30, $35, $40, $45, and $50. Tickets sold on the day of the show are $5 more than the advance price. Tickets are on sale through the GMA website, www.showtimeatthegma.com, by calling 877.435.9849, or at the box office, 2821 Washington, during regular business hours.
Concert Honors Decade of Downtown Marshall Music
Words and Voices presents a 10-year anniversary concert on April 13 honoring a decade of music in downtown Marshall. Grady Lee and Shawne Somerford, founders of the downtown concert series, will host the free musical festival at the Blue Frog Grill on the square. Among the performers are three-time Grammy-nominated artist Buddy Flett, popular Shreveport band and members of the Louisiana Hayride Airheart, Bobbie Oliver, and other local, and regional acts in a variety of musical genres. The show kicks off with Robert “Blind Dog” Cook, followed by the Mansion Family, Grady Lee accompanied by Lucky APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 27
Poetry
County Line Magazine’s
Upper East Side of Texas 2013 Winning Entries
FIRST PLACE
Love Bug
I have been bit. I can feel the small puncture marks on my chest. I ignore the pain that comes with them. The bug is now crawling up my arm. I watch him, curious and unafraid. These bugs only bite one place. And he’s already bitten me. Transparent wings, little body. We are not strangers though I grow tired of the bite. “Won’t you leave me be” I ask him. He buzzes at me, wings flitting back and forth. The symptoms conjure up a smile but my hand is moving to smash him beneath my palm. “Go bother someone else,” I tell him. I grow weary of the itch, eager to be rid of it. “I don’t need you, you know that, right?” He flits his wings again, mocking me, then flies away leaving a gnawing in my insides. “You better bite him, too,” I mumble under my breath, “Or next time I will smash you.” Autumn Keiss Sulphur Springs
GRADES 1-5 FIRST PLACE
Start the Day I woke up So tired, So sleepy. Thunder being louder than loud! Lightning shooting across the sky. Go to eat my breakfast, I said to myself. Get dressed. Ready or not here I come here I come. Toni Wild Second grade, Royse City 28 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
SECOND PLACE
The Garden Waits Forsythia lends its perfume To odorless camellia blooms, The paper whites appear at last, Nodding down the garden path. At its end, the house still stands, Crafted by his gentle hands, Where two had lived contentedly A quarter of a century. Elizabeth, with silver hair, Had cared for him faithfully there, Until her doing days were done And he was left to do alone. He lived his life there day by day, Until his memory slipped away. Until he had to leave his home And leave the garden he had grown. Now briars twist and weeds invade The amaryllis beds he made. Fallen pines from summer’s drought Like skeletons lie ’round about. Year after year, pine needles fall – A prickly blanket over all – So overgrown and taciturn. The garden waits for his return. Jill K. Hobbs Winnsboro
ADULTS THIRD PLACE
A Winter Day Gray heavy clouds hang like wet blankets from the sky. Bare naked tree branches now dressed in white coats of snow. Quiet muffled silvery silence beckons like a deserted library. I stick out my tongue to catch falling snow flakes of winter. Words spoken in hushed voices so as not to disturb the solitude. Life’s frosty breath hangs in the air frozen in time. Crunch, crunch, crunch is the only sound as I walk thru white stillness. Safely surrounded by white nothingness, I feel protected and at peace. Kathy Dodd Brownsboro
THIRD PLACE SECOND PLACE
What I Felt Like Last Night Last night I felt: Dancy, excited, tired, happy. In learning time, hot, wonderful, and curious about life, bright, relaxable space in air vicious. I felt like I’m ready Jerzy Lobinsky Second grade, Royse City
Little Fawn Oh little fawn, bright and shy, Come, everything will be alright. Wish I may, wish I might, you will be safe with me. Deep out in the woods, I help animals. I don’t hurt them. I love them. So ride with me on a horse. I will save you. Abigail Barker Third grade, Wills Point
FIRST PLACE
Phoenix My body is stained Yet regret trickles down me. Who have I become?
GRADES 9-12
FIRST PLACE
But I never forgot He spoke to me He spoke in anger He said I would forget That it was just a waste
SECOND PLACE
Free Me
Love is a scapegoat, I create a small world for me only Spontaneity but a victim, And the blame is solely our own And exclude everyone to make me feel lonely. I was scared of my own personal hell Consciences are buried deep And in the distance I can hear the broken bells. Throughout our “evil” charade I can see the people running with their lighters, A state of pure ecstasy Raging inside, hoping to set out the insane fire. With a side effect of illness And out of focus, blurry vision makes you indecisive. Take out all the crumpled papers and smooth out the creases. Freaks of nature Or Can you open up the frozen gate? Angels within a nightmare? Save me from my drowning hole before it gets late? Rising from ashes Take me in your strong arms towards somewhere nice. Or Promise that you won’t ever look at me and think twice. incinerating life Something so wrong Fueled with such hate Yet so perfect and passionate Who are we?
Hidden behind his words Was his implication He said I was a stupid young girl That I didn’t deserve all that I had That I was worthless Useless in all ways I sometimes wish that I was there So I could see what was behind his eyes Maybe I might have found out why he spoke to me that way If he really meant it I think that just hearing his horrid words was enough to change me I think of these memories often Staring at my bookshelf As he spoke into my ear filled with anger and depression I was too young I could not see what he was attempting He tried to break me He still tries I am always preparing for the next battle Hoping the war will end soon
If I could just breathe you in As from my lips falls out your name, But in the end, everything comes rushing in me And my eyes fly open and now they can see
I’m still inside my small world, wishing someone would care Running and fighting my own personal hell And still drowning all alone in my despair Realizing nobody’s here to make me feel well. All are feathers of the Brittany Reneau same mythical beast 9th grade, Overton Courtnee Walls 12th grade, Wills Point Rebels? Dreamers? Lovers? Freaks? Normal?
SECOND PLACE
In the Wind
He spoke to me He spoke to me in anger He told me I would forget But I never forget
GRADES 6-8
She stood there In the furious wind alone once again. She remembered the day in the cold, And she remembered the day in the rain. Things always got better before they fell apart again. She remembered when she was happy, Even when life was hopeless life still made sense, She remembered angels, And how they once seemed so real. Why would they have wings if they couldn’t fly down to you? She remembered fairy tales, And how they put so much false faith in a young girl; Happily ever after never felt so far away. She remembered the seventeenth night of December, And the look upon his face, How for a moment everything mistakenly seemed okay. She remembered laughing; she hadn’t done it in so long. Everyone around her changed, Or maybe she was the change all along. When push comes to shove and end comes to love, And she had been pushed too far, She remembered when she hallowed his heart, And the broken promises he made. She remembered things would someday be better, So she bowed her head and prayed. Memories are what make her stronger but they are also her weakness, That lead her into the wind. Claire Simmons Eighth grade, Nacogdoches
Kaysie Owens Eighth grade, Nacogdoches
THIRD PLACE
A Broken Road I went down a broken road, A road full of hate and evil. Why put your child through such pain? I went down a broken road, Screaming and fighting every night. Why hurt me like you did? Love turned into hate. Happiness turned into sadness. And light turned into dark. You broke the trust. Mother, I love you. Daddy, I’ll miss you. Not a day goes by that I don’t find myself Walking down the Broken road. I know to keep everyone Close and secure. So they can’t leave me all alone On the broken road. Ashley Lynn Faver Eighth grade, Cushing APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 29
bookmarks
Literary events
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight By Jennifer Smith Poppy, reprint edition, 2013 ISBN-13:978-0316122399
Every Thursday
Story Time for Preschoolers. Van. 10 – 11 a.m. Free.Van Community Library, 310 Chestnut. 903.963.7942.
Reviewed by Jeremy Light
Every Last Tuesday
Calculating the odds of anything, especially of finding the one right person, can be a daunting task. Rick probably said it best in Casablanca: “Of all the gin joints in all the world, she walks into mine.” I’m paraphrasing, but that is exactly what Jennifer E. Smith does in her novel The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.
Club READ. Tyler. Book discussion group for adults. Meets the last Tuesday of each month. February 26, The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson, March 26, The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Free. Taylor Auditorium, Tyler Public Library, 201 S College Avenue. 903-593-7323. www.tylerlibrary.com.
Every Third Friday
Poetry Reading. Winnsboro. Local poets. 6 p.m. Free. Winnsboro Emporium, 316 N. Main. 903.342.6140. www.winnsboroemporium.com.
This is one of those novels with a title clever enough to warrant at least a casual glance at its contents. The story involves 17-year-old Hadley Sullivan and British boy Oliver. After Hadley misses her flight, she runs into Oliver, only to lose him again once their flight has landed. What follows is a series of events designed to either bring them together or keep them apart. The ending is best left for the reader to uncover, but that ending is largely beside the point. What matters are the circumstances that can entwine the lives of two everyday people hoping for the best and not realizing that apparent disappointments can lead to something truly wonderful. If a reader is interested in adult literature instead of young adult novels, this work proves to be an exception. It carefully walks the line between the two age groups and succeeds at both. The prose is lucid, intelligent, quirky, and sometimes just flat-out hilarious. If there is a group of books called beach reading or airplane reading, this book certainly qualifies. In fact, reading it at the airport would be the height of irony, which might make it even more enjoyable. Works similar to this are The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler. Jennifer Smith, with her clear-as-anengagement-ring diamond writing and flawless, comedic timing, has proven 30 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
Every Third Saturday
her ability to tell a story that is sure to leave readers with smiles on their faces. I rarely read works like this, but am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to experience something that is at once easily recognizable and impossible to pinpoint. Much like the best love stories.
LITERARY NEWS Annual Writers’ Conference Includes Marketing Insight
Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization hosts its 27th annual conference April 26-27 in Mount Pleasant. This year, along with agents from both coasts, the conference features two marketing workshops. Author speakers include Colleen Hoover, who went from self-published to New York Times best seller in nine months. Agents, editors, and publishers will take writing samples in advance and meet with those submitting at the conference. For more information, go to www.netwo.org.
American Girl at the Library. Tyler. Girls ages 5-12 explore history through food, games, crafts, and other activities suggested by an American Girl book, heroine, and historical era. Mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and other special adults are encouraged to attend with the child. 10 a.m. - Noon. Free. 903.593.7323. Tyler Public Library, 201 S College. www.tylerlibrary.com.
Every First Sunday
Texas Writers Network. Tyler. Informal gathering of writers and aspiring writers for mutual support, critique, and networking. 2 – 4 p.m. Free. Taylor Auditorium, Tyler Public Library, 201 S College Avenue. 903-593-7323. www.tylerlibrary.com.
April 13
Ekphrastic Writing Seminar. Bonham. By Ginny Connors of Grayson Publishing. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free. Creative Arts Center, 200 West 5th. 903-640-2196. creativeartscenter.us.
April 18
Cold War Stories. Tyler. Don’t miss Martha Peterson at the library as she shares her experiences as one of the first female CIA operatives assigned to Moscow in the 1970s. She will discuss her new book, The Widow Spy, which covers her life in Vietnam-era Laos with her CIA husband and her 30 year career in the spy business, including a brief detention in Moscow’s notorious Lubyanka Prison. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the library. Mrs. Peterson will also sell and sign copies of her book at the event. 1 - 3 p.m. Free!. Auditorium, Tyler Public Library, 201 S College Aveune. 903-5937323. www.tylerlibrary.com.
PLAY
Canoe, Kayak Unique Lake On April Earth Day Regatta
The second annual Caddo Lake Earth Day Regatta is scheduled for April 20, with three padding trails near Uncertain. Each canoe or kayak trail has unique features and all are good for birding and photography. Old Folk’s Playground trail is a 4.7-mile loop that begins and ends at Crip’s Camp in Uncertain, and passes by the National Wildlife Refuge. Turtle Shell trail is a 4.4-mile loop that puts in and ends at Johnson’s Ranch Marina in Uncertain, passing by possibly blooming and spectacular lotus blossoms. Cathedral trail is a four-mile up-andback trail that begins at Shady Glade Resort in Uncertain, making its way through towering, Spanish moss-covered cypress trees. Caddo Lake is one of the best examples in the southern United States of a mature bald cypress forest. The area is known for its exceptional wildlife diversity. It is a sprawling maze of bayous and sloughs covering 26,810 acres with an average depth of eight feet, 10 inches. Portions of the lake and its associated wetlands were named “Wetlands of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention. Register online – find the link at www. caddolakeinstitute.us/Regatta2013.
The Grease Ragg Cruzers of Athens have moved the Whataburger Cruise Night downtown to the Ace Hardware and Ivan Smith Furniture Stores parking lot on Hwy. 19 on the fourth Thursday of every month. There’s no charge to show or look at classic cars, street rods, rat rods, project cars and trucks, new cars, motorcycles, and more. For more information, call 903.675.8616. Courtesy photo.
html – or, on April 20, in person from 7-10 a.m. at Caddo Grocery, 834 Cypress. For more information, call 903.472.5733, email info@caddolake. us, or go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/inland.
EVENTS Every Thursday
Cruise Night. Athens. Classic cars, street rods, rat rods, project cars and trucks, new cars, motorcycles and more. Free. Downtown Athens, 219 S. Palestine Street. (903)-675-8616.
Through May 25
LEGO® Block Party. Tyler. Building party for ages 3 and older. Bring your imagination! Donations of Legos are accepted, new or gently used. 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Free. Tyler
Public Library, 201 S. College. 903.593.7323. www.tylerlibrary.com.
April 18 – 21
Outlaw Nationals Classic and Antique Car Show. Jefferson. Classic and antique cars. Pre-registration $20 Day of Event Registration $25. W. Austin. 903-665-7121. www.auntieskinnersriverboatclub.com. Diamond Don’s11th Annual AHRMA Riverport National Vintage Motocross. Jefferson. Charity golf, Thursday. Cross country trials, Friday. Vintage Racing, Saturday. Post vintage racing, Sunday. Marty Trips 100cc Works Revenge Races and other special events for racers, Saturday and Sunday Sunday evening, Wine-Down Party for racers and their families. 1st day $15; 2 days $30; 3 days $40; 4 days $50 Children under 10 free. Diamond Don’s RV Park, 1602 State Hwy 49 East. 866-398-2038. www.diamonddon.com.
April 19 - 20
PCRA Rodeo. Longview. $12 adults. Longview Rodeo Arena, 100 Grand Blvd. www. longviewrodeo.com.
April 26 – 27
National Cutting Horse Association competitor Austria Arnold was named the American Quarter Horse Association’s (AQHA) Youth High-Point Cutter for the second year aboard her 2004 AQHA gelding Haidas Heritage (Heri). Arnold lives in Terrell and has won multiple titles on the gelding including the American Cutting Horse Association’s junior youth Championships title last September. Courtesy photo.
13th Annual Cass County Championship Rodeo. Linden. World Champion Bull Fighter Rob Smets will be announcing the rodeo with autograph sessions nightly at 7 p.m. before the rodeo. Each night is a Critter Scramble for children 12 and under. Farm critters (ducks, chickens, pigs, goats, guineas, etc) are released in the arena and the children keep the critter they catch. Friday night benefits the Cass County Relay for Life. 8 p.m. Adults - $8 Children (6-12): $4 Children (5 & Under): Free. Cass County Rodeo Grounds, Hwy 8 & FM 1399. (903) 7567556. www.casscountychampionshiprodeo.com. APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 31
FOOD & DRINK Dudley’s Cajun Cafe 1601 E. Marshall Avenue LONGVIEW 903.757.9466 www.dudleyscajuncafe.com
Review by Jeremy Light Always a fan of spicy foods, particularly anything Cajun, I am always interested to find “new” places catering to those of the same taste. By new, I mean a place such as Dudley’s in Longview that I hadn’t tried. I must have passed this place hundreds of times and never thought to stop. I regret I have not eaten there more often. Though a patron might have to wait for a table, especially on Saturday night, Dudley’s is well worth it. Practically everyone leaving the restaurant is talking about their wonderful experience. Diners are met with a variety of mouth-watering smells and Cajun-themed décor. Once seated, a quick glance at the menu puts diners to a difficult question: what to choose?
As appetizers, selections can be made from three types of gumbo, spicy boudin balls, crab legs, or oysters on the half shell, to name just a few. The seafood gumbo is served with rice and could make a meal all its own. Next comes the major decision, the entrée. The blackened combo is truly wonderful. A healthy portion of succulent catfish and butterflied shrimp, this selection rivals most I have ever tried. Other choices
Best of the Upper East Side of Texas Best Steaks and Best Restaurant 2010 - 2011 Best Steaks 2012
include the flavorful crab cakes, chicken breast, shrimp salad, and rib eye steak. Many patrons did not have any two meals exactly alike. This provides visitors with a visual of different choices. Those with a taste for something lighter can select from a variety of salads as well. Although a diner may be filled up by the time dessert rolls around, there is no need for him or her to worry. Food may be taken to go. The bread pudding with whiskey sauce and the banana pudding both look absolutely fantastic. Further, whole homemade pies may be purchased as well. Large groups, especially any containing six or more, may not necessarily be able to sit together. Space is limited and the layout is such that placing numerous tables next to each other makes the geography a bit complicated. Whatever the size of your party, there is little doubt each will be able to find something perfectly suited to individual taste.
Food & Drink News
Tuesday & Wednesday DINNER SPECIAL Mixed Green Salad Choice of Fresh Fish of the day, Ribeye Steak, or Filet Mignon Served with Whipped Potatoes and Green Beans $26.00
Corsicana Turns Attention To Two Restaurant Sites Located in a beautiful lakeside lodge at 21191 FM 47 in Wills Point, one block north of Interstate 20, Exit 516 Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm. to 10pm. Available for Special Events
Reservations Recommended 903.873.2225 www.fourwindssteakhouse.com 32 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
Two turn-key restaurants in downtown Corsicana are the focus of a new recruitment effort by Corsicana Main Street. A steak house known for its 1855 bar built in Dodge City, Kansas, and what was until a few months ago the state’s oldest continually operated soda fountain are both awaiting new operators. The soda fountain at the corner of Beaton and Fifth dates to 1905 when Hashop’s Drug Store opened down the street. In 2009, the Jonas Brothers used the space for an album photo shoot and Corsicana-
native Billy Joe Shaver played an acoustic set there after serving as grand marshal for the annual Derrick Days parade. Black Jack McCanless Steakhouse received statewide media attention in 2007 when sidewalk construction workers uncovered a brick archway leading into the property below street level. An archeological dig unearthed glass, coins, combs and an ivory-handled toothbrush from the site that later research revealed as a 19th century liquor locker. Visitors can still gaze into the dig site from the sidewalk above. Main Street Director Steve Dieterichs said two cupcakeries, Bittersweet Boutique and Lady Diana’s Tea Room, have opened downtown and a new 25-acre water park is set to open next spring at the intersection of Hwys. 45 and 287. “This is a critical year for downtown,” he said. “We have to put the pieces in place to capitalize on the projected 115,000 visitors to the new water park, and activate that traffic to also visit downtown. Increasing our restaurant inventory is a big part of that.” For more information, call 903.654.4851, or go to www.corsicanamainstreet.org.
events Every Friday
Fab Fridays at Granny Muffin Wines. Palestine. Enjoy over 30 varieties of wine by the glass or bottle with cheese and sausage selections, join in with our Foodie Group and bring an appetizer to share, call for pizza delivery, or enjoy our potluck. Good conversation, smokefree, soft music, sometimes the crowd votes for a movie. Either way be prepared for a fun, relaxing evening. 5 p.m. No admission. Granny Muffin Wines, 301 West Oak Street. 903- 7291940. www.grannymuffinwine.com.
Every Saturday Through Nov. 2
Winnsboro Farmer’s Market. Winnsboro. Features Traveling Chef Debbie Fleming, Best Chef in County Line Magazine’s 2012 Best Of edition. Shop for the freshest local fruits and vegetables in addition to pork, poultry, eggs, breads, honey, and dairy products; browse the selection of crafts, and taste the culinary delights created on site. Come see why this market was chosen for Best Produce in 2011. Check the website for events including homemade ice cream contest; salsa and tomato tasting; Iron Chef competition; farm tours; film festival; and gourmet farm dinner. 8 a.m. Noon. Free. Jack Cross Pavilion, City Park. www. winnsborofarmersmarket.com.
April 2
In the Kitchen with Leah Light Chicken Salad 2 cups of cooked chicken (can use rotisserie, baked or boiled chicken breast or canned chicken)
Taste of Longview. Longview. Sample foods from local vendors and restaurants. .,. 7 – 9 p.m. $15 in advance; $20 at the door. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex. 100 Grand Blvd. 903-758-8470. www.maudecobb.longviewtexas.gov.
16 oz. plain Greek yogurt
April 13
2 celery stalks (chopped)
Athens EggFest. Athens. Participants come from across the country to showcase their personal recipes, meet with fellow Eggheads, and share some great food with the crowd. Event includes cooking demos throughout the day and the Big Green Egg. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. TFFC Admission plus tasting fee of $5 pre-registration, $10 event entrance. Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, 5550 FM 2495. 903-676-2277. athenstx.org/things-to-do/3rd-annual-athens-eggfest.
1 cup of grapes (seedless red or green) 1/2 cup of almonds or pecans Salt and pepper to taste Mix chicken and greek yogurt, stir well. Add all other ingredients. Serve on your favorite bread, pretzels, or on a bed of lettuce.
John Chester Dutch Oven Cooking Class. Sulphur Springs. Learn Dutch-oven cooking, enjoy recently prepared meals and sign up for door prizes. 8 a.m. $15. Heritage Park. 416 Jackson St. N . 903-885-2387. hopkinscountymuseum.org.
April 20
Crawfish Boil. Longview. The Harvest Festival and Livestock Show will host an all you can eat Crawfish Boil (including catfish) and all of the trimmings. Beer and soft drinks are available and a live band. Tickets and Reserved Tables Sold in Advance. Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Complex, 100 Grand Blvd. 903.236.8428.
“World Famous Hamburgers”
Open 24/7 Full Menu Breakfast Anytime! Hwy. 19 near I-20 in Canton • 903-567-6551 www.dairypalace.com facebook.com/dairypalace
A relaxing, cozy setting with a variety of local Texas wines. Sit and enjoy the ambiance or amble through the shop area of unique items of clothing, jewelry, and home decor. WiFi Available www.pocketshoppes.com APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 33
Shop SHOPPING EVENTS Through May 15
Unique Shopping Tours of Tyler. Tyler Chamber of Commerce, 315 N. Broadway. 903245-6535. www.toursoftyler.com.
Saturdays through May 25
We Scream for Free Ice Cream. Ben Wheeler. Visit any five of the Downtown Historic Ben Wheeler artists, merchants, or restaurants, and receive a free scoop at Scoots ‘n
Scoops, compliments of the Ben Wheeler Artists and Merchants Association. Pick up a punch card at any of the locations to get started. Downtown Ben Wheeler. 903.833.5630.
May 2-5
First Monday Trades Days. Canton. The oldest and largest flea market in the world. The ultimate shopping experience. Wander 300 acres of antiques, arets and crafts, and handmade articles. Free. First Monday Trades Days Grounds. 877-462-7467. visitcantontx.com.
The World’s Oldest & Largest Flea Market
April 6
CRESS Charity Auction. Avinger. You’re invited to kick up your feet at the CRESS Charity Auction. Visit our website for a preview of auction items. All proceeds benefit children with In The Arts Scholarship Program and assisting with the Avinger City Park Restoration. 7:30 - 10 p.m. Free. CRESS Corral at Eagle Landing, 3194 CR 1596. 903-562-2151 . www.cresscommunityfoundation.org.
April 26 – 27
Spring Sale. Tyler. Garage sale, marketplace and clothing buildings. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Behind Salvation Army Thrift Store, Bow and Spring Streets. 903-561-6248.
C A N T O N ’ S
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First Monday Trade Days are held Thursda y through Sunday before the first Monday of every month.
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877-462-7467 • www.visitcantontx.com 34 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
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Inspired by nature, The Sweet Pea Collection offers custom bedding, square candles, handgathered botanicals, French soaps and lotions, funky antiques, collectibles, beautiful furniture, Fair Trade and America-made wearable art, and more. Come enjoy a nester’s paradise.
The Sweet Pea Collection, Inc. 119 E. Tyler • Athens • 903-677-6868 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. www.sweetpeacollection.com
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104 Burnett Trail, Canton 903-567-2207 www.millcreekdds.com
We Sell Cars for Less Ray Ridings Buick GMC Canton, Texas 903-567-4131 www.RayRidings.com
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APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 35
Living Room: Home. Garden. real estate. Master Gardeners Confab Planned April 11 in Athens Henderson County Master Gardeners hold their 13th annual spring conference on April 11 at Cain Center in Athens. The event begins at 5 p.m. with a plant sale and silent auction, with seating for dinner will begin at 5:45 and the speaker will begin at 6:30. The dinner will be catered by Tilo’s. The speaker will be Dr. William C. “Bill” Welch, professor of horticulture at Texas A&M. His topic will be “Sustainable Alternatives for Texas Gardens”. Welch is a contributor to Southern Living and Neil Sperry’s magazines and to The Southern Garden at the Aggie Horticulture website. He also teaches landscape courses. His books include “Perennial Garden Color” and “Antique Roses for the South,” and he is a co-author of “Heirloom Gardening in the South”. Books will be available for purchasing and autographing at the conference.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any Henderson County Master Gardener, at the Agri-Life Office located in the courthouse on the square (903.675.6130) and at the Athens Bank (903.675.4600).
Consider Drip Irrigation For Vegetable Gardens
People planting vegetable gardens might consider drip irrigation, suggests Tommy Phillips, Van Zandt County extension agent. Drip is controlled, slow application of water to soil. The water flows under low pressure through plastic pipe or hose laid along each row of plants. “The basic concepts behind the successful use of drip irrigation are that soil moisture remains relatively constant, and air, as essential as water is to the plant root system, is always available,” Phillips said. “Other watering methods such as flood or sprinkler create a wide fluctuation in the soil water content, temperature, and
Wilhite
aeration of the soil. It only requires about half as much water as furrow or sprinkler irrigation because the water is applied drip by drip to the plant roots.” Phillips said the cost of a drip irrigation system for a garden of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet is reasonably small if gardeners spend a few hours to plan, assemble, and install the system, and that savings in water and increased yield and quality can more than pay for the costs of parts to install and maintain a drip system. “Take time to give this idea some thought and visit some garden centers that handle drip irrigation equipment and check it out,” Phillips said.
World of Wonders Presents The Secret Garden
Participants in Longview World of Wonders’ next event will venture to “The Secret Garden,” a program the nonprofit hands-on discovery center is offering in conjunction with Ellis Home and Garden.
Discover the East Texas Oil Fields of the 1930s
Landscape & Lawn Care
The East Texas Oil Museum is located on the campus of Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas. This fascinating museum houses the authentic re-creation of oil discovery and production in the early 1930s from the largest oil field inside U.S. boundaries.
Museum Hours Tues-Sat 9am - 4pm April-Sept 9am - 5pm Sun 2-5p.m.
Landscape & Garden Works for Tyler and Surrounding Areas Since 1983
Hwy. 259 at Ross St, Kilgore, Texas On the Kilgore College Campus, 903.983.8295
Hwy 64 West, Tyler (903) 593-5975 www.wilhitelandscape.com
www.EastTexasOilMuseum.com
36 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
The Secret Garden is from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. April 27 at Ellis Home and Garden, 3110 N. Eastman Road in Longview. The Ellis grounds are expected to be in full bloom while children celebrate this timeless tale of friendship. Participants will create bird sculptures, make solar prints, build their own flower presses, make paper, plant a garden bed and more. Cost is $15 per child in third through eighth grades and $10 for each additional child from the same family. Pre-registration is required by April 14. Participants should bring a sack lunch and towel to sit on. Online registration is available at www. longviewwow.org.
Long Cove Brings New Homes to Cedar Creek Community
A new private second-home community is developing on Cedar Creek Lake called Long Cove, situated on more than six miles of pristine shoreline in the lake’s deep waters. The developers of the project envision this community being very similar to the popular Florida destinations Watercolor and Seaside, as it will give Texas families a getaway that promotes an unplugged, relaxing and familyoriented experience. The lakefront property is a full-service luxury retreat, yielding itself to custom second homes, which can be built-tosuit, accommodating the unique needs of each resident. Long Cove offers special land plots for waterside cottages, lakefront homes and family compounds, which can all be constructed and finished to as the client desires. Amenities at Long Cove include boat valet and concierge, lakefront swim club, fishing and canoeing pond, driving range, biking trails, outdoor gathering spaces and fire pits, tennis courts, fitness center, amphitheater and more. A full staff also is available night and day to accommodate any homeowner’s request — from catering arrangements to grocery shopping. Long Cove was dreamed-up by successful Dallas real estate developer, Don McNamara, who has invested in notable projects, such as Cityplace and West Village in Uptown. As a long-time resident of Cedar Creek Lake himself, McNamara has spent 10 years planning the perfect, family-friendly lake community, where convenience and the comforts of home abound.
Also, just last week project developers celebrated the groundbreaking of a milestone they are calling “The Big Dig.” Driven by the quick sell-out of its first phase of lakefront homesites, “The Big Dig” is a 5-acre expansion of the lake, which will add more than half a mile of shoreline to the south east portion of Cedar Creek Lake, in addition to space for 26 lakefront homesites. Long Cove plans to build at least two larger coves in the near future as the community continues to expand and develop its property. For more information call 214.220.9992 or visit www.long-cove.com
HOME & GARDEN EVENTS April 18
Plant Auction. Henderson County Garden Club. Many varieties of plants. Refreshments. Begins at 10 a.m. Free. East Texas Arboretum pavilion, 1601 Patterson Rd., Athens. 903-6754958.
SEND YOUR FAVORITE DECOR Send us photos of a favorite spot or two in your home that says “that’s so you!” Tell us a little bit about you and why the space suits you. Email info@countylinemagazine.com.
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APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 37
FEEL GOOD
Clearing Land and Psychological Thickets
By Edward H. Garcia These nice spring days, my wife and I often go back to the thicket near our house before supper for an hour or so of clearing. Our place is thick with oaks, pines, sassafras, cedars, the occasional hickory and maple and lots and lots of vines. We have fox grape vines as big as three inches in diameter, muscadine and mustang grape vines, poison ivy ropes an inch thick centipeding up a tree and wild climbing greenbriers. Together they can choke a tree to death, and not just an unlucky sassafras, but a 50-foot oak. The clearing is exercise, and we like that it expands our view. The only problem, other than back-breaking cutting, hauling, and burning, is what the clearing reveals. Behind those cedars which we thought were blocking our view might be a dead tree or five of them which demand clearing for themselves. Maybe, we say to each other, it would have been better to have left things the way they were — now there’s even more to do. The downside of clearing got me to thinking about another kind of clearing, that cutting, hauling, and burning we do in the name of getting our past straight and cleaning up old messes that we’ve neglected because they looked like too much trouble to deal with. Maybe it’s the effects an addiction had on others, maybe it involves children who were neglected, maybe it’s an old relationship left badly or a thousand scars left by past experiences we’d like to forget. When
we undertake that kind of clearing, we might find a whole vine-infested jungle of guilt, fear and shame lurking behind. Maybe the prudent course of action is to let things be or put a fence up to hide all the mess. About this issue I am of two minds, as I am about so much in life: sometimes I think the full-hearted way would be to face the messes, admit our neglect of them in the past, and do our best to clean them. The poet William Blake argued for the full-exploration approach in “A Poison Tree.” “I was angry with my friend, I told my wrath, my wrath did end.” On the other hand, he says, “I was angry with my foe, I told it not, my wrath did grow.” I love Blake, and I’m sure he has a point, but I can’t help thinking that sometimes clearing reveals more of a mess than you’re prepared to deal with. Or maybe it’s that Blake was brave and me, not so much. One thing I am sure of is that clearing land is a lot easier and a lot safer than clearing psychological thickets. So I’ll keep working on the land and try to get my courage up to work on the others.
EVENTS Through May 6
Downtown Tyler Walking Tour. Tyler. Brisk walk around the downtown area to learn about Tyler’s history: historic movie theaters, county courthouse, famous shootouts and jail breaks, The Glass Onion antique
Yama Yoga Studio
Where Your Journey Begins. TM
DAILY CLASSES
18402 FM 1255 Canton, TX 75103
Beginner • Stretch • Vinyasa • Pilates 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher Training Weekend Workshops
www.yamayoga.info 903.316.9471 38 • CountyLineMagazine.com • APRIL 2013
store and other retail, downtown dining and entertainment, county seat history, decades spanning term of Sheriff J.B.Smith, The Haunted Salon Verve, Cotton Belt Depot Museum. 11a.m to 12:30 p.m. $8 adults, $3 kids (12 & under). Tyler Chamber of Commerce, 315 N. Broadway, 903-245-6535. www. toursoftyler.com.
April 13
Tanner Higgins Warrior Run. Sulphur Springs. 5 mile Trail Run. 8:30 a.m. Pre-registration $35, Day of event $40. Cooper Lake State Park, www.tannerhigginswarriorrun.com. 2nd Annual Tyler Run for Autism. Tyler. 5K and 1-mile fun run/walk. Start and finish in the historic azalea district and the azaleas will still be in bloom lending more beauty to an already scenic route. For the non-runners who want to be a part of the fun, volunteers are needed at water stops, helping to direct traffic and handing out medals at the finish line. Activities for children and their families are held in the park along with sounds from several local bands. The Tyler Run for Autism is an annual event put on by DATA (Defeat Autism Through ABA Therapy) which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and their families affected by Autism in Tyler. DATA supports the Treatment and Learning Center for children with Autism clinic on Front Street and outreach services, a local non-profit division of Andrews Center Behavioral Healthcare Services. The half marathon, 5K Run/Walk raises funds for ABA services, supplies and support for children on the Autism Spectrum. 7 a.m. Bergfeld Park, 1510 S College. 903.520.4928. www.tylerrunforautism.org.
May 10 – 11
American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Van Zandt County. Canton. At the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Van Zandt County, participants from across the county come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much. Relay teams camp out overnight and take turns walking or running around The Arbors pavilion on the First Monday Grounds in Canton. Relay For Life is a 12-hour event and, because cancer never sleeps, each team is asked to have at least one participant on the track at all times. Team registration begins at 5 p.m., and the Opening Ceremony featuring the Survivor Walk begin at 7 p.m. 5 p.m. – 5 a.m. Free. The Arbors at First Monday, 800 Flea Market Road. 903.603.8753. www.relayforlife.org/vanzandtcotx.
Ice Cream Parlor Homemade Flavors Floats Sundaes
Winnsboro Spring Festival May 11-12 • Historic Downtown
Waffle Cones Banana Splits Open Wed-Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Handcrafted American Made Rockers, Swings, Fishfryers, Fire Pits
Arts/Crafts • Food • Music • Unique Shops Art Galleries • Balloon Release Winnsboro Raiderettes Music by “The C” Dale Cummings Sat. 11-1 Music by Heather & Randy Sun. Noon-3 Historic Reenactments & Gunfights by “The Legends of Crossroads” Sat. & Sun.
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parties, catering, events, festivals
Fun for All Ages! Hosted by Winnsboro Area Merchants Association
903-342-1300 Sponsored by Wood County Industrial Commission
East Texas Paranormal Convention “It’s the new normal.”
Saturday April 20
7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 10 p.m. Overnight Ghost Hunt
An unhealthy diet full of fried foods and high-fat content raises your risk for many chronic diseases. Increasing the number of fruits and vegetables in your diet can help add more years to your life and make those years better.
Ken Gerhard, Cryptozoology Mitchel Whitington, Haunted Homes Arleen Gregg, The Spiritualist Mike McCaskil, Speaker for the Dead Judy Griffin, Psychic Brandy Rice,Ghost Hunter Brandy Logan, Ghost Hunter Sunny Wiliams, UFO Researcher Ron Smith, Big Foot Hunter presented by
Jericho’s Tours of Tyler
www.healthyeasttx.org Smith County: 903.535.0020 l Van Zandt County: 903.567.2673 1 Wood County: 903.763.4141
903.245.6535 www.toursoftyler.com APRIL 2013 • CountyLineMagazine.com • 39
MUSIC • FOOD • FUN Through April 28
Walking Horse Western Art Exhibit June 22-23
Ben Wheeler’s 2013 Far Out Art Fest
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Want to exhibit your art? Get your application at benwheelertx.com - click on EVENTS!
BURGERS • plate lunches • beer 903.833.5100 Live Music 8-11 p.m. 4/5 “The Original Honky Tonk Hero” Billy Joe Shaver. Opening Matt Bradshaw. $15 advanced tickets at Outhousetickets.com or $20 door
Billy Joe Shaver
4/6 Max Stalling (Texas Country Music Singer/Songwriter) $10 advanced tickets at Outhousetickets.com or $15 door
April 5
4/12 Texas Rebellion (Classic Country Music) $7 4/13 Wesley Pruitt Band (Blues/Americana/Soul) $10 4/19 Ben Lowery & Texas Express (Country Dance) $5 4/20 Todd Freeman & Bullet Proof (Country) $7 4/26 Kimberly Dunn Band (Country) $5 4/27 Chase & The New South (Country) $7
$15 outhousetickets.com $20 door
Wesley Pruit tB
Karaoke at Moore’s Store every Thursday 6-10 p.m.
PIZZA • WRAPS • SALADS • FULL BAR
903.833.5970 Live Acoustic Music, 7 p.m. No Cover*
4/4 Mike Acoustic 4/5 Travis Bolt 4/6 Jimmy Bailey & Matt Fisher 4/11 Nate Kip & Company 4/12 Clay Thrash 4/13 Matt Bradshaw & Heather Little
and
April 13
max stal6 ling April
etickets.com $10 outhous or $15 do
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May 25
4/18 blacktopGYPSY 4/19 Withrow-Cooley 4/20 Ann Armstrong & Steve Hughes 4/25 Heather Little & Matt Bradshaw 4/26 Ben Lowery & Wes Hendrix 4/27 Café Antarsia Open Mic NIght Wednesdays 6 p.m. to close. Call for all players! EVERY SATURDAY 3-6 p.m. Bluesman Craig Wallace *Some special events will have cover charge. Enjoy delicious ice cream while checking out a collection of vintage motorcycles. Explore the town finding incredible art, fun Made-in-America products, beautiful embroidered hand towels, candles, soaps, candy baskets, and so much more.
Catch Some Ben Addiction!
Stratoblasters May 10
Tommy Alverson
May 17 $10 outhousetickets.com $15 door
Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation www.benwheelertx.com • 903.833.1070