intentional pompadour ‌southern culture in images and words‌ is an online zine based out of Augusta, Georgia and published by Francie Klopotic submissions accepted by southern creatives send your work or subscription request in the body of an email to: moonaluna@yahoo.com if you are published, you will retain all rights to your work issue 12 fall 2020 cover art by William Marasco
Welcome to Fall! It’s our 3rd Anniversary! Hello and welcome to the fall 2020 issue of intentional pompadour. It is so hard to believe that I’ve been at this now for three full years. If not for your being a part of this, this zine wouldn’t exist, so let me thank you – both the reader and the contributor. Here’s to a new year! This is another of our special issues, The Art Issue, featuring artworks from 15 Southern artists as well as 2 new-to-the-zine Michigan artists. We’re going national! I hope you enjoy the art. Check out the artist’s bios at the end of the zine and look at their links online. Check out the amazing art!
Appling, GA artist Joyce Campbell: “A Walk Through the Neighborhood…Alone” Augusta, GA artist Don Carter: “Being Grounded” Augusta, GA artist Michael Drake: “River Street” Grand Blanc, MI artist Christine Dugas: “Rock A Bye Baby” Roscommon, MI artist Kathy Firestone: “Aureate Autumn” Atlanta, GA artist, the late Eddie Jean Hudson: “Untitled” Augusta, GA artist Francie Klopotic: “He’s Got the Universe Reclining in His Hair” Alexandria, VA selfie artist Anthony Marasco: “The Original ‘Flat-White’ Coffee” Alexandria, VA artist William Marasco: “Meeting Stella” Augusta, GA artist Joe Miles: “Lake Olmstead Gazebo” Augusta, GA artist Ryan Owens: “St. Theresa Avila” Augusta, GA artist Lakota Phillips: “You Can’t Bind Me” Evans, GA artist Christina Rice: “Blue Mercury” Augusta, GA artist Warren Richard: “Civil Righteousness” Augusta, GA artist Dianne Sessions: “Huntress Among the Nephthytis” Aiken, SC artist Abigail Turner: “Zinkroi” Senoia, GA artist Darlene Hudson Zenami: “Gant”
To begin, we take a moment to remember one of the brightest stars in the Augusta arts community. We miss you, Gregger Bluxome. Email me at moonaluna@yahoo.com if you’d like to be a part of this project. You retain all rights to your work. I am unable to pay in $ but will feature your work in the zine which will be published online at: issuu.com/intentionalpompadour Thanks for coming along. Enjoy the ride, and always remember to stay intentional!
Clothing Optional, Fun Mandatory – Remembering Gregger By Lakota Phillips
Seven years ago, I met a tall, lanky guy with a curly, waxed moustache and big laugh at a social gathering of social misfits. He was such a big personality that he was instantly memorable. He decided as soon as we met that we would be great friends. He was one helluva smart guy. Gregger left a giant brain imprint on everyone who
met him. Loud, fun, and outspoken with a devilish wit that would absolutely slay the entire room at a party. To say he was one of a kind is actually a bit of an understatement. He passionately embraced everything he loved with every fiber of his being. Nothing was halfway. Friendships, being a father, hobbies, the arts AND local artists, the LGBT community, movies, music, his pets… everything that he loved was an integral part of his life, and became important aspects in the lives of those who loved him. He loved nothing better than to shed all things material, because material things really didn’t matter to him. (Except for his wonderful outlandish suits. That material mattered a lot to him. If he had to wear clothes, they were damn well going to be the most dapper, memorable clothing in the room.) No one was judged in his circle of the world on status, looks, education, gender, sexual preference, race, career, unconventional beliefs or hobbies. He encouraged everyone to relax and be comfortable in their own skin… literally. And if you weren’t all that comfortable hopping into the pool in your birthday suit – that was okay too. His mindset brought together a brilliant menagerie of individuals to his gatherings and provided a space where everyone felt safe and cared for. The parties… oh my goddess, the parties were epic. Everything – every damn thing from movie night, to special feasts he prepared for friends (remember The Naked Chef?), to attending gallery shows, festivals, and concerts was over the top fun. Because Gregger was fun. And he not only lived life to the fullest, he made sure all of his beloved friends were along for the ride of their lives as well.
- ‘Kota
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER IN MEMORIAM: GREGGER BLUXOME Unbeknownst to everyone reading this, intentional pompadour had a brilliant editor. His name was Gregger Bluxome. He volunteered his services after reading his first issue. The zine became a much more professional publication with his keen eye for detail and his perfect English grammar and punctuation. I enjoyed our editing phone calls, going over each page of the zine with him and listening to his wisecracks and jokes as he commented on each poem, art piece, and article. As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse, in late August of this year, we lost him. He was our friend, our mentor, and our biggest supporter. The Arts Community was his community. He was so much a part of our lives that no matter what art event was going on he was sure to be there. He was ever-present, not only as a patron but as a friend. In honor of Gregger, this issue - the first-ever Art Issue - is dedicated to his memory. Fly high and fly free, my friend. We love and miss you terribly. On a happy note, I am pleased to announce that Jennifer Rahner of GeekySexyLove has volunteered to take over the reins as the new editor. She is beautiful, bodacious, and a real boss. Please join me in welcoming her to the family!
- Francie
MEET JENNIFER RAHNER
I am so happy to be along for this ride, and so damn sad about why I am. Like many of you, I was not aware that Gregger edited this zine behind the scenes. As soon as I saw Francie mention it, however, I knew I wanted to offer my assistance in honor of him. I am a transplant. When I came to Augusta almost exactly 12 years ago, I never imagined I’d be here this long. I was here for a job opportunity, and they’d already promised me I could move back to the main office in Philadelphia in 3-5 years. My life has taken so many twists and turns since and now, well, while I’d like for the summers to be a bit less brutal, it’s difficult to imagine living elsewhere anymore. I’ve been a writer and editor for a quarter of a century, so I should be up for the job. I’m also moving away from one type of writing (technical) to another (sex!) for the next part of my life. When I look at the people in my life who have influenced me and who I want to become, it’s people like Gregger, and I can only hope I someday shine as bright as he did. If you’re at all interested in what I do (does anyone actually read this? Hello? Bueller?) you can find me at bodysexbyjennifer.com and geekysexylove.com. Or, look for the woman with multi-colored hair downtown and say hi.
- Jenn
A WALK THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD…ALONE By Joyce Campbell
BEING GROUNDED By Don Carter
RIVER STREET By Michael Drake
ROCK A BYE BABY By Christine Dugas
AUREATE AUTUMN By Kathy Firestone
UNTITLED By the Late Eddie Jean Hudson
HE’S GOT THE UNIVERSE RECLINING IN HIS HAIR (MARC BOLAN OF T.REX) By Francie Klopotic
THE ORIGINAL FLAT-WHITE COFFEE Foto-Phunnie by Anthony Marasco
MEETING STELLA By William Marasco
LAKE OLMSTEAD GAZEBO By Joe Miles
ST. THERESA AVILA By Ryan Owens
YOU CAN’T BIND ME By Lakota Phillips
BLUE MERCURY By Christina Rice
CIVIL RIGHTEOUSNESS By Warren Richard
HUNTRESS AMONG THE NEPHTHYTIS By Dianne Sessions
ZINKROI By Abigail C. Turner
GANT By Darlene Hudson Zenami
ARTIST BIOS JOYCE CAMPBELL – Appling, GA Joyce Campbell was born and reared in New Orleans, LA. Currently residing in Appling, GA. Master’s Degree from Georgia Southern. Postgraduate work from Georgia State. Interested in all forms of art. Most recently intrigued by the digital medium. Joyce composes in all genres and does special commissions Aartiupon request. She may be contacted at 706-339-0420. DON CARTER – Augusta, GA Artist Don Carter is a retired veteran of the armed forces, serving 24 years of honored service. He was born and raised in Fredericksburg, VA, known as the battlefield state. As a child, he began deforming as well as transforming tree branches into fashionable walking sticks as he filled his days exploring the beauties of the forest, old buildings and a multitude of civil war relics. The artist recognizes beauty in all things and attempts to share this vision with the world. Traveling Europe, Africa, and the Balkans has imbedded immeasurable examples of what beauty looks like, feels like, and taste like. His motto: Explore what’s around you as well as what’s inside. MICHAEL DRAKE – Augusta, GA Artist Michael Drake is a visionary. An artist who specializes in landscape and architectural paintings, Michael is constantly evolving and keeps his mind open to new ideas and directions. Working primarily with acrylic paints, his use of color and design sets his work apart from his contemporaries. His love of perspective, nature, and people-in-action comes forth in his art. This love is the passionate force behind his work. Contact: 706-726-2548 michaeldrakeart@gmail.com facebook.com/michael.drake3 michaeldrakeart.com CHRISTINE DUGAS – Flint, MI Christine Dugas taught elementary art in the Flint, MI area for many years. She wanted each student to understand and believe that “You don’t find an art style; and art style finds you.” Her many students remain her greatest inspiration. Now retired from teaching, Christine has time for her own art. She is currently working on a series of ceramic pieces inspired by a long-forgotten collection of dolls she played with as a child. Although her area of concentration is ceramics, she also enjoys watercolor, print making, and drawing. Her work has been showcased in various galleries in the Flint area where she currently resides. In addition, she has had articles published in two leading art education magazines, School Arts and Arts and Activities.
KATHY FIRESTONE – Roscommon, MI Kathy has been fabric painting since age 7, won her first blue ribbon in an art contest at age 10, and enjoyed illustrating her poetry in her teens. After moving to central Pennsylvania she briefly had her own fabric arts shop in the early 90s selling several pieces to folks in the Hollywood, California area. In 2006, she moved to the Chesapeake Bay and created fuzzy cartoon characters for in-house greetings for the American Cancer Society. She is currently retired and experimenting with glass painting at home in northern Michigan. EDDIE JEAN HUDSON Eddie Jean Hudson was a mother of 4 who always dabbled in art. She lived a small life with a big mind and an even bigger heart! FRANCIE KLOPOTIC – Augusta, GA Francie is a visual artist who works with graphite, colored pencil, acrylics, and watercolor. A selftaught portrait artist from Atlanta, she is inspired by the diversity of the human race and has spent her life studying faces and creating portraiture. Her portraits are imbued with bits of joy, be it the light in one’s eyes or the hint of a smile upon one’s lips. As a person who experiences sound-tocolor synesthesia, she also creates abstract acrylic and watercolor paintings, constructing dreamlike landscapes and otherworldly spaces out of the songs she hears that invite the viewer to slow down and reflect. Her artistic influences include Andy Warhol, Peter Max, and Yoko Ono. Francie’s mission as an artist is to touch the world with her vision and bring people together in harmony through her art. Find her on Instagram @francieklopotic. ANTHONY MARASCO – Alexandria, VA When not polluting the internet with his silly pictures and equally worthless musings, Anthony Marasco is a degreed MBA and Certified Government Financial Manager. Born and raised in New York, he has been a resident of Alexandria, VA for the past 29 years. He often pondered his creative side while sipping a warm beverage at a number of Savannah’s fine coffee houses; his son William is a recent graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design and also the Cover Artist of this lovely publication. Anthony recently provided liner notes and press release material for Donna Frost’s upcoming EP, “The Quarantine Sessions”, while son William designed the EP artwork). When not annoying folks with his phone’s camera, Anthony spends time working on his Beatles collection and suffering the ups and downs of the New York Mets. His latest quest is to help get the great Gil Hodges into the Baseball Hall of Fame. #HOFneedsHodges
WILLIAM MARASCO – Alexandria, VA William is an enthusiastic and dynamic creative professional with a love for graphic design, illustration, and story telling. He enjoys working traditionally and digitally to create fun and witty illustrations for fun and for his portfolio. He would eventually love to work at a publishing house designing book covers and illustrating children to middle grade novels. In the meantime you can continue seeing his work on the covers of ‘intentional pompadour’ and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @willmarstudios JOE MILES – Augusta, GA Along with writing and composing, Joe Miles has always loved art and has had some of his work published in various anthologies. He lives in Augusta with his Shih Tzu Gracie. You may visit him at www.josephmiles.com RYAN OWENS – Augusta, GA Ryan Owens is a true renaissance woman. Before her decade as a financial advisor, she had many roles. Ryan was a pastry chef, bartender, and manager. She was personal chef and assistant to the U.S. Ambassador in Sierra Leone, and finance director to two organizations. Now, she home schools, paints, and writes poetry, which is her favorite vocation of all. LAKOTA PHILLIPS – Augusta, GA Lakota Phillips is a painter, photographer, designer, illustrator, writer, and former talk show host. She is a symbolic artist, who loves to dig into the underbelly of the human journey by exploring cultural and social issues in a wide variety of mediums. The lines between fantasy and reality blur in her pieces about personal mythologies, creating dialogues that she feels are essential for people to have. Humor and bright colors are often found in her work. She is currently working on a public art piece – one of Augusta’s popular painted pianos for the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau. Her paintings are in collections around the world and she has developed a repeat base of collectors. She graduated from the Atlanta College of Art and has participated in many exhibits, including shows in the Community Gallery of Augusta, The Augusta Municipal Building, and Annual WetPaint Party and Sale. She painted one of Augusta’s Traffic Boxes at Broad and 5 th St. Her solo shows include exhibitions at Sacred Heart Cultural Center, D’Timms, and the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. She did a series of portraits that were hanging in the Lucy Craft Laney High School Hall of Fame until water damage in the school destroyed them two years ago. She’s organized several themed shows featuring the work of local and national artists.
CHRISTINA RICE – Evans, GA For nearly thirty years, Christina Rice has created hyperrealist portraits in the traditional mediums of charcoal, graphite and pastel. These works have been exhibited in galleries and juried shows throughout the United States. She has recently begun working in mixed media collage, creating figures in pastel, color pencil, fabric, 3-d objects, acrylic and specialty papers. The figures are much like paper dolls and usually reflect a fantasy or mythological theme. Her father, also an artist, started teaching her art as child. She has been fascinated with faces as long as she can remember, and considers portraiture a vicarious experience, an opportunity to connect with her subjects via the subtle shapes and folds of their faces. She delights and obsesses in details. While she does not work on commission, prints are available of selected works and some originals are for sale. For more examples of Christina’s work, visit her website at www.christinaart.com. Contact : crice@christinaart.com WARREN RICHARD – Augusta, GA Visual Artist with 5 years of related work experience in painting/drawing portraits and landscapes; video publishing and editing for small businesses, newly married couples, and small ministry organizations. Academic achievements included the study of architecture and art history. Collaboration and innovation toward community development are the two pillars of his approach toward art, his start-up artist agency, and public affairs consultancy. DIANNE SESSIONS – Augusta, GA Augusta Native. Graduated from Augusta College (then) with a BA in English Literature with an Art Minor. Spent a lot of years in sales - first advertising sales that took her to Richmond, Virginia where she met her husband of 32 years. Returned to Augusta and was lucky enough to work for several nurseries in town (Green Thumbs, Old South and Rainbow) before opening up a business selling flowers and statuary for many years. Decided to take yet another path and went into real estate for the last almost 14 years. She hopes to retire soon enough to continue her passion with the arts and design. ABIGAIL C. TURNER – Aiken, SC Abigail is currently 12 years old and in the 7 th grade. She lives in Aiken, SC where she dabbles in watercolor, acrylics, oils, and pencils. When she is not making her mark, she is an avid gamer. Her painting, “Rivers of Color,” was chosen for the 2020 Artfields Jr. Art Competition in Lake City, SC! Visit her online at https://abigailcturner.com
DARLENE HUDSON ZENAMI – Senoia, GA Darlene is Georgia born and bred; she has 4 children and 9 grandkids. This is one of the pieces of her heart.