intentional pompadour …southern culture in images and words…
THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! fall 2018
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intentional pompadour ‌southern culture in images and words‌ is a free quarterly zine based out of Augusta, Georgia and published by Betsey Venom submissions accepted by southern creatives and subscriptions are available for $10/year send your work or subscription request in the body of an email to: betseyvenom@yahoo.com if you are published, you will receive a copy of the issue in which your work is featured and you will retain all rights to your work issue 5 fall 2018 find intentional pompadour online at: intentionalpompadour.wordpress.com facebook.com/intentionalpompadour issuu.com/intentionalpompadour find Betsey Venom online at: betseyvenom.wordpress.com facebook.com/betseyvenom instagram.com/betseyvenom
It’s Our 1st Anniversary! Time to Celebrate! Welcome to the 1st anniversary issue of Betsey Venom’s intentional pompadour. In this issue, we look back at all the great Southern creatives who have graced the pages of the first four issues of this project. Check them out and support local talent!
New to the zine family is local Augusta, Georgia horror writer Joe Miles with an excerpt from The Bali Mynah, from his book Machinations – 11 Tales of Death and Despair.
Harlem, Georgia artist and writer Birdy Connolly blesses us with her art-and-words pairing titled “Garden of Life.”
Our resident chef Bridget Reilly Long from Cumming, Georgia shares two yummy recipes that’ll make your tailgating that much more delicious!
I’m excited to feature a joint interview with Augusta, Georgia artist Michael Drake and Augusta, Georgia singer-songwriter Kendall Levesque. It’s a melding of music and art and the friendship that can grow from it!
T. Leon Bigham of Cumming, Georgia shares his memories of Alaska in a words and photos segment called Bye Polar.
North Augusta, South Carolina essayist William Harper shares his memories of Little Richard at the Bell Auditorium in 1957!
North Augusta, South Carolina horror writer Charles Campbell gives us a glimpse into the workings of his creative mind.
Savannah, Georgia resident Echo LaVeaux shares a poem about the full moon.
Kathy Kotz from North Augusta, South Carolina gives us three haikus of poetic beauty and sadness.
Aiken, South Carolina musician Michael Eubanks debuts a new quarterly column. Learn about what it was like to work in a Nashville recording studio!
Read about Aiken Music Fest and why you need to go.
And last but certainly not least, we go to the historic Imperial Theatre in downtown Augusta, Georgia to chat with executive director Charles Scavullo on the theatre’s 100th anniversary. Read about this local treasure and the man whose mission is to preserve it.
Email me at betseyvenom@yahoo.com if you’d like to be a part of this project. I am unable to pay in $ but will mail you a hard copy of the issue where your work is featured. You retain all rights to your work. Thanks for coming along. Enjoy the ride.
A Year In Review - Contributors Wow, it’s so hard to believe that it was a year ago that I got the notion to start a zine and offer Southerners a means to get their name, and their work, out into the world. It was a simple beginning and is still a one-person operation - just me, along with my Mac and my old laser printer. I genuinely hope that you, the reader, have enjoyed perusing these pages over the past several months. Here, I would like to list out all of the artists, writers, musicians, and other creatives that have graced these pages for the past year. Take a look at the incredible talent that was featured in intentional pompadour throughout 2017: T. Leon Bigham – poet Steve Bouye – singer, craftsman, artist Charmain Zimmerman Brackett – journalist, writer Dwight Bradham, Jr. – guitarist, US Army Veteran Charles Campbell – writer Birdy Connolly – artist, writer, poet, photographer Roger Davis – singer, musician, essayist Michael Eubanks – musician, music teacher, essayist Chris Hardy – singer, songwriter, voiceover artist Victoria Hardy – writer, artist Kathy Kotz – haiku poet Echo LaVeaux – writer, poet Bridget Reilly Long – chef Pete Wood – photographer Darlene Zenami – artist, writer, poet Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman – artist And musical acts: Bill Karp Jazz Johnny Hensley and the Red Hots King Cat and The Elders The Raz And yours truly, Betsey Venom
Thank you for being here!
Cravings and Withdrawals: Hot Cheesy Pesto Dip & Pepperoni Pizza Dip Original Southern recipes by Bridget Reilly Long It’s tailgate season, or, as some say, football season. I prefer the party to the game. No one will mind if you arrive with either or both of these dips!! Score one for you!! Hot Cheesy Pesto Dip - Makes 3 cups Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup sour cream, room temperature 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for the top ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese ¼ cup prepared pesto Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400F. 2. Stir cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. 3. Stir in cheeses and pesto. 4. Spread cheese mixture into an oven safe baking dish that holds at least 14 ounces (an extra large ramekin will do). 5. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 6. Serve with warm chips or bread. Pepperoni Pizza Dip Ingredients: 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened ½ cup sour cream 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ cup pizza sauce ¾ cup chopped green pepper 10 slices pepperoni, quartered or as like to as many as I can!! ¼ cup sliced green onions ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese Toasted bread rounds or breadsticks Directions: 1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. 2. Spread into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate or serving plate. 3. Cover with pizza sauce; top with green pepper pepperoni and onions. 4. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. 5. Sprinkle with cheese. 6. Bake 5-8 minutes longer until cheese is melted. 7. Serve with bread rounds or breadsticks.
Garden of Life Art and Words by Birdy Connolly Garden of Life reflects how our lives should be... Colorful, varied, gentle, yet wild. Reminding us to bring and give peace. Showing us in her cycles how life begins flourishes then winds down... Yet springs forth once again to continue the never ending dance of beauty. ~Birdy Connolly
Betsey’s Best: Southern Eats Arsenal Tap Room
If you are a fan of truly unique, carefully curated craft beers and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, I’ve found your place.
Arsenal Tap Room 1419 Monte Sano Avenue Here is a foodie-and-beer-lover treasure that’s just waiting to be discovered. The Arsenal Tap Room encourages you to enjoy your beer with friends by offering bar seating and communal tables in addition to a cozy nook where you will find comfortable furniture to enjoy. The grilled cheese sandwiches are artisan. That’s the best way I can describe them. A particular favorite is appropriately called “the Arsenal,” and it’s a joyous medley of flavors that you simply must try. The tots are hot, and the beer ice-cold. Speaking of beer, the list is extensive. If you prefer craft beers over the old standbys, then you will not be disappointed. From sours to IPAs, stouts to Belgians, you will find a favorite on the list. Take a risk and try something new. At the time of my visit, they had a beer called 15ft on tap. It was a smoky beer and, the daredevil that I am, I ordered it taste untasted. Needless to say, it accompanied my sandwich perfectly. Tell ‘em Betsey at intentional pompadour sent you. arsenaltaproom.com
The Harv’s Pick of The Litter
In this issue, The Harv contemplates life. Interesting. John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." The Harv thought about this for a moment, but decided the only plan he has is eating and taking a nap, the rest happens when it happens. “Speaking of naps,” says The Harv, “I am late for my next one! Rock and Roll, people!” Got a question you’d like to ask the cat? Email The Harv at betseyvenom@yahoo.com
Bye Polar Photography and Words of Alaska by T. Leon Bigham
No northern lights to sight train bound to Seward, Denali hidden by miscreant meteorology, Chugach, Kenai, Sleeping Lady, and Flat Top all scrubbing their faces with cloudy vapors. Even wildlife harkens to the termination dust powdering the summits of sleeping giants. Crows, magpies, ravens, and seagulls caw, croak, and screech summer's done. Silver are still running, so fishing is still fun. Glaciers gleam for hours in the setting sun. Chowder and a halibut sandwich lunch over looking the harbor, ice-free gateway opens into Prince William Sound. Moose with calves out cruising the streets like tourists, pay little attention to the real tourists. Humpy's bar with fresh salmon dishes, 15 beers on tap, rhubarb-strawberry pie, delicious! Reindeer hotdogs, smoked silver, jerked moose raspberry jam all packed, this snowbird's headed back to the lower 48 and upper 80's.
“I earned my Masters in March 2011 at University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL. I have been writing poetry since fifth grade, fifty years of words needed for catharsis.� - T. Leon Bigham
Spotlight on Independent Southern Novels
An excerpt from “The Bali Mynah” from Machinations – 11 Tales of Death and Despair by Joseph Miles "Okay, big boy, let’s see what you are.” She went to her bookcase, got her biggest encyclopedia on birds, and began thumbing through it. It was perhaps an hour before she came across one that fit the description of hers. It was under the vocalizing birds. “Leucopsar rothschildi,” she whispered. “Bali Mynah.” It said that the bird was endemic to Bali, one of the many islands in Indonesia. It was also endangered, as few as twenty individuals remained in the wild. It went on to say that the bird was sometimes sold illegally for $2,000 or more.“ And how do you feel about that?” the bird asked. “Sweet Jesus!” Julie nearly shrieked. She took another look at her precious, feathered gem. “You did say that!” She tossed the book on the sofa. “You’re probably hotter than a nympho at a viagra convention, too, so I hope you’re healthy because I can’t take you to a vet. They’d surely call the law on me.” Julie sat, watching the mynah watch her. “I guess it’s just you and me kid.” “You’re getting very sleepy,” the bird said. Its voice sounded eerily human. “What?” “Close your eyes … take deep breaths.” The bird made rhythmic clicking noises that lulled Julie into a relaxed state. “Concentrate on the sound of my voice. You’ll hear nothing … but the sound … of my voice.” Julie closed her eyes. She didn’t know why, maybe it was some kind of game the bird liked to play. “Deeper … much deeper,” the bird crooned. “Deeper, still.” While many kids his age spent their summer days sitting on the front steps of their homes, and getting sticky from the rapidly melting fudgsicles mom had given them, Joseph was engrossed in some old horror flick or magazine, or just making a convincing cemetery or torture chamber out of his Legos. The fascination with the macabre accompanied him into his adult life, and he penned many short stories, many of which are included in his collection Machinations - 11 Tales of Death and Despair, several anthologies, and one novel: Lea D'Archer. He Find Joseph’s work at http://www.josephmiles.com resides in the historic Mill Village District of Augusta, Georgia with his cat, Minx, and Shih Tzu, Gracie.
Meet the Author: Joseph Miles
Three Haikus By Kathy Kotz Tired Strength I cannot tear up Cuz everyone has a stroke Sometimes I just can’t… Wedding Sister Sister Peg Your daughter, so beautiful Wish you were here, sigh… Big Oak Drive Bad, Ugly, Big Oak Drive The worst road in the whole world Changed my life forever -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL MOON A Poem by Echo LaVeaux You rise at dusk in an eastern sky Full, honey-orange, sweet, and silent Your light reaches above the horizon As you push yourself into the sky, visible Magic manifesting for all with eyes to see From “Echo LaVeaux’s Book of the Moon,” available on Amazon
AIKEN MUSIC FEST! By Brad Williams
A vision from the mind of music lover Rick Cram, AMF is a 6 event yearly music series that features regional touring bands. The venue is a pavilion settled between grassy fields and equestrian arenas at Highfields Event Center just minutes from downtown Aiken. Family friendly, the monthly shows feature water slides for the kids and an occasional hoola-hoop competition during band breaks. The Trongone Band, Dead 27's, Seth Walker, Atlas Road Crew, Travellin Kine, Daddy's Beemer, and The Reggie Sullivan Band are several of AMF's past headliners. The set from the Kenny George Band at the July 14th show was representative of the quality of music that Rick strives to bring. Kenny George's two-hour set of original tunes and a few covers kept the crowd clapping, toe tapping, and dancing through the evening.
The gates at AMF open at 6pm and the music starts at 7 with a 45 minute set from singer/songwriters such as Jaycie Ward, Josh Hilley, and other local favorites. Each event’s featured band starts at 8 and play till 10.
Located two miles from downtown Aiken, AMF is an event that strives to deliver great music, good food from local food truck vendors, and a fun and inexpensive evening of family friendly entertainment. The entry fee is $10 per carload. Bringing three friends with you works out to a $2.50 ticket to an evening of wonderful music. Beer and wine are available. The address is 118 Gaston Road in Aiken. Barry Richman Band will headline the October 20th show. Bring your folding chair, a friend, and enjoy!!!
A Talk with Horror Writer Charles Campbell Betsey: How long have you been writing tales of horror, and how did you discover that this was the path your life was to follow? Charles: Well, my love for the genre began with my love for the master (in my mind), Stephen King. It started with a Stephen King novel (Pet Sematary), then I devoured every SK book I could get my hands on and I never looked back. I read a little Koontz too, I remember The Funhouse being one crazy ass novel that I loved – I need to reread that one to see if it holds up in my mind. Anyway, I wrote my first novel back in 1984, I think, when I was in High School, it was titled The Burning Light and nobody outside of a couple of friends and my economics teacher read a word of it. I handwrote the pages and transposed them via an electric typewriter that I had gotten for Christmas. Betsey: From where do your stories come? How do you construct your worlds so that they read as real life situations? Charles: Stories come from many different places. Conversations I hear, interesting people I see and, of course, I do use some of my own history (very loosely, of course) in some of these tales. I write what I know, and what I know are sleepy southern towns. It’s easy to write what you know. Just Breathe started with a beach trip for five high school friends that was loosely (see, there’s that word again) based on a trip that my wife and I had with friends when we were that age. As far as constructing the worlds, they sort of construct themselves, if that makes sense. I am more of a conduit for something that comes to me and I simply tap the keys and try to make it interesting and hard to put down. Betsey: Are any of your stories derived from actual nightmares? Charles: Not really nightmares but maybe “daymares.” Sometimes something will just hit me out of the blue and I will put it to the side. But, if it continues to beckon and gnaw, I will come back to it and the process begins Betsey: Who are your biggest influences in the horror genre? Charles: I mentioned my biggest influence was Stephen King for sure but I will tell you that I am a horror movie junkie and love, love, love horror movies. Often times on a Saturday night, I will peruse Netflix or my DVD collection to find a horror movie to watch or re-watch. I grew up on eighties horror movies and they were awesome. Sure, most of them are campy to watch now but as a little kid, they were the best thing ever. Betsey: Where can folks find your work and buy your books? Charles: My books can be found on Amazon, at The Book Tavern in downtown Augusta and through my website, www.charlescampbellauthor.com
Wop Bop a Loo Bop a Lop Bom Bom! An essay by William Harper Girls were sighing over Elvis and guys were pulling at their sideburns to make them longer, spending time in front of the mirrors getting the duck tail right and keen to affect that Elvis sneer! Meanwhile, with a different sight, after my hair grew and my curls - lost at five with my first hair cut – returned, I began affecting my Little Richard hair do and looks (mascara for a thin mustache). His music I especially loved to dance to! Little Richard played the Bell Auditorium May 1957. Moments before his performance he had an allegation in the alley of the Bell with two deputies serving breech of contract papers. Richard thought that matter had been settled and when the officers attempted to attach his cars, 1957 El Dorado Cadillac, a Mercury, trailer, and cash box with $7,000 gate receipts, Richard became enraged to the extent he was charged with assault and battery and breach of the peace. The Bell was segregated; whites were assigned the balcony for this show. When Richard appeared on stage, following the opening act with the up and coming Larry Williams (Short Fat Fanny), there was no indication of the fracas staged early outside. But, by show’s end, the story had spread though out the balcony. Interestingly, the Augusta Chronicle article two days later validated the rumor. The article included, and I quote, “The deputies scuffled with the Presley-type Negro singer for some time . . .” There was no mention in the article of the buzz in the balcony that reported the police “billy club” could not penetrate the pompadour created with White Rose petroleum jelly. Wop bop a loo bop a lop ba ba!
Stories from Nashville and Music Row An exciting new column by Michael Eubanks
In 1978, I had a copy of "What If" by the Dixie Dregs. I had already nearly wore it out. "Take it off the Top" was receiving a lot of radio airplay then, and Steve Morse was a legendary guitarist already. So I'm walking into a local studio for my first-ever professional session gig, and this lanky guy with streaky blonde hair comes bopping out. You know...that 70s "hip" kind of walk. As we passed each other, I said "Hey, how you doing?" he replied "Hey man, how's it going?" So as I walked on in and put my gear down, the studio engineer asked me if I knew who I just passed by. Since I never saw this guy's face, I said no. My engineer friend looked at me and said "That was Steve Morse." Gulp. Fast-forward twenty years. 1998. By this time, I had "Night of the Living Dregs," "Stand Up" (Steve Morse Band), "High Tension Wires," and many other priceless (to me) recordings. I was attending school in Florida working on my degree in audio/recording engineering. Rumor was that Deep Purple was in Platinum Post working on mixes off their new album "Abandon." Sure enough, I ran into Steve again...this time though, we chatted for a minute or two. "Bring 'em Back Alive" was a staple in my cassette player. Fast-forward twenty years...a bucket list event. The Dixie Dregs performing at Bell Auditorium. I already had great seats but had sold my pair of tickets, as I wasn't in a good place at that time. Then I broke through the funk and thank God I was able to find another pair. I was friends with this local guitar slinger named Frank Brittingham that at one time had been a member of the band. So the right pieces fell from the universe and lined up that night for my bucket list event to come true. I cannot count the smiles, the "feels," the "What in the ? did he just play?" moments that I've had since hearing Steve Morse for the first time. 1978, 1998, 2018. A musician's musician. A consummate professional in every sense of the term. Guitar Player Magazine "Overall Best Guitarist" Ten years in a row. Amazing.
100 Glorious Years - Augusta’s Historic
Imperial Theatre A Conversation With Executive Director Charles Scavullo
In late August of this year I met with Charles Scavullo, the executive director of the Imperial Theatre, to learn a little bit more about his interest in the performing arts as well as the direction he would like to take this Augusta landmark into the future. I hope you find this to be as interesting as I did…and still do.
Betsey: What inspired your love for the arts? Charles: It was a combination of my mother and father. My father loved jazz music and was really particular about the kind of jazz that he listened to. My mother read voraciously. When I was growing up, she would take me on special trips into New York City. We’d take the train into New York and we’d land in Madison Square Garden where we took the 5 th Avenue bus up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We’d spend the whole day walking around the museum where she introduced me to different kinds of art. I became influenced by Impressionism, especially. My mother played music on the record player in the living room, so I grew up listening to a lot of Broadway show tunes. When I hear the Augusta Players do their shows here, it’s like old home week. Betsey: What do you feel is the most important aspect of the arts? Charles: One of the most significant things that happens here at the Imperial Theatre, and something that struck me the first time I had an experience with it, is the opportunity to have children come through and see shows here. The “user groups” as we call the organizations that rent the theatre, such as the Augusta Players, the Colton Ballet, the Columbia County Ballet, do a fantastic job of outreach with regard to getting schools to agree to transport the students from the schools to the theatre. The day of a school show you will see school busses lined up in front of the theatre and on a good day they will be lined up down Broad Street. They will do three or four shows a week in the course of two days and bring in anywhere from 2,800 to 3,000 children. Just to see the looks on the kid’s faces when they walk in – in many cases it’s the first time they’ve had an opportunity to see a live performance other than what they may have seen in an auditorium at school. A classic line from one kid who’d walked in years ago…he walked in and looked at me in the lobby and said, “Is this a hotel?” He had no idea he was in a theatre. This is one of the most significant things in my mind is that we have the opportunity to introduce young people to the arts, be it with a dramatic production, a musical, a concert, or a dance production. On a broader scale, the arts enhance the economic vitality of the community. It serves as a way for people to emotionally release themselves from the day-to-day grind. It also attracts as a recruiting tool for companies who are moving into the area as well as for companies who recruit talent from outside of the area. The reason Starbucks moved here instead of Orangeburg, SC…one of the biggest reasons was because they were impressed by the cultural vitality of Augusta.
Betsey: What condition was the theatre in when you took over as executive director? Charles: We’ve come a long way since I got here eleven years ago. The biggest thing that we did was being able to dry the building in. We’ve redirected rainwater that had been going into the ground and then seeping into what would be the foundation of the building. Row A to row K from the stage is below grade. Water was traveling under the asphalt and coming in through gaps in our foundation. We dug four to five feet down all the way around the theatre and then we waterproofed the foundation. Then, we ran a fifteen-inch drain line around the perimeter of the outside of the building with catch basins and then tied in all the downspouts from the gutters. This catches all the run off from the neighboring parking lots and such. Once that was done, we eliminated the water intrusion. We also put a new coating on all of the roofs of the building. The theatre is still humid but not as wet and damp as it used to be. As a result, we were able to then dry out the plaster that had been deteriorating for years, unbeknownst to us. We knew we had a water problem and we thought the mortar on the brickwork was failing. To a certain degree, that had been happening, but when we dug down below to the foundation we discovered there were holes in it. The holes were left over from steam pipes that ran from the Marion building to under the theatre and to the Lamar building. The boilers in the Marion building would heat all the buildings on this block. Over the years, those steam pipes deteriorated and rusted away, leaving the holes in our foundation, which
is how the water was getting in. Every time there was a major rain event, water would pour into the theatre. Betsey: Of all the shows that you’ve had come through here, what were some of the most memorable? Charles: I’d say the Wizard of Oz was top of the list because the Players production in 2008 utilized the fly. They flew the monkeys and the bicycle across the stage. The Tedeschi Trucks concert was absolutely fantastic. They’d just returned from their European tour and opted to kick off their US portion of the tour here in the Imperial Theatre. The Joey Calderazzo and Branford Marsalis jazz concert, which was a Westobou event sponsored by the Rachel Longstreet Foundation, was a very intimate show. Jessye Norman came from New York and emceed the show. At the end of the show, she sang scat and jazz with them on stage. An Imperial-presented show, Ballets with a Twist, was a wonderful show. In particular, they were great people. We also had an opportunity to work with the Augusta Ballet. In a collaboration with the Augusta Ballet, we conducted an outreach master class at the Jessye Norman School the afternoon before the evening performance. That was the kick-off for our 100 th anniversary. Betsey: Who would you like to see perform on the stage here, and how do shows get booked? Do you book shows yourself, or do promoters contact you? Charles: We don’t do a lot of presenting or promoting, but when we do, it happens either that the promoter or booking agent will contact us. We don’t do a lot of presenting or promoting, but when we do, it happens either that the promoter or booking agent will contact us. Other times, we’ll go out and get a show. Robert Earl Keen is an old friend of the Imperial’s. One time, I saw what his tour was, that he was coming from Florida and heading to North Carolina so I contacted him to see if he’d be interested in doing a show here. I picked him up that way. I’d love to have Robert Earl Keen back here, and Van Morrison. I would have loved to have had REM. That would have been a lot of fun. I’d love to have Corey Smith come back here. He came here years ago and he was always well received. He loved the house and loved playing the Imperial Theatre, so much so that he told me after a concert, “I’d love to come back here and record an album because it’s such a good house.” Betsey: I’ve heard that theatres keep a ghost light on. Do you have one here? Charles: Oh yeah, we do. We keep a ghost light on to keep the ghosts happy. When we have a photo shoot in here, I end up going up on the stage and the photographer and producer always go up and say, “Oh, this is perfect! Can you move that light?” and I tell them “No, it’s the ghost light.” Members of the Southeastern Paranormal Society came in to do a survey in about 2009. They
spent a Sunday afternoon here in the dark using ultraviolet light and they were able to establish the presence of something in the second balcony that they thought might be a cat. I thought that probably wasn’t unusual because I have had quite a few cats in my life. Maybe one of their spirits decided to follow me down here. Also, there is a spirit that is said to be in the dressing rooms. I was taking a group of couples on a tour of the building. We got all the way back into the dressing room area, right outside the Ed Turner dressing room, and one of the tour members asked if there were any ghosts here. I told them the story about the cat, and they said “No, but what about right here?” All of a sudden this one woman said she could feel a spirit here, and that they needed to get out of here now. The six of them then left the building.
The “ghost light” burning mid-stage in the empty Imperial Theatre Betsey: What is your vision for the future of the Imperial? Charles: We have completed a lot of capital projects, primarily infrastructure work. We’ve done a little bit of the aesthetic, as far as painting and plaster. We are in the planning phases now for some additional interior renovations and aesthetic work involving expanding the restrooms. Once we start that work, we’ll fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act codes, so we’ll have to be compliant with that. We are interested in getting the first and second balcony seats, if not replaced, then reupholstered. I’d like to get them reupholstered like we did the mezzanine because it’s a lot less expensive and easier to do. I’d also like to finish up the second floor of this part of the building. This is a two-story building and the theatre was built right behind it. There is a hallway that could be opened up as an access way to get to the mezzanine section from the second floor of this building where we could have a concession area up there which would cut down on the waiting lines down here tremendously. We are planning to do that. I’d like to be able to use the second floor for events
and meetings, and maybe a black box theatre. In order to do that successfully and to make it really viable, we need to install an elevator in the building. We also have a full basement that been ignored for all these years. When movie producers come through, like Brad Owens with the Augusta Film Office, they’ll call and say they’re looking for something scary, so I’ve shown them the basement. Betsey: What would you like folks to know about the Imperial that they may not already know? Charles: There are fees that we charge on our ticket prices. One is a handling fee, which is a fairly routine standard in the industry. The other is a renovation fee, which again, for an historical theatre, is not that unusual. Two dollars from the three dollars charged as a renovation fee goes toward the capital improvements fund. I’m proud to say that in addition to donations that we received through the years, the work we’ve just accomplished with paint and plaster was accomplished in part as a result of the renovation fees that we’ve been accruing. It went for a good cause as far as that goes. We were able to replenish that fund as a result of a Fox Theatre Institute grant. It was a matching grant that we received for the plaster renovation work. That helped us to replenish the account and we are in good shape now as a result of that. That’s one thing. The other thing is we are always interested in customer and patron feedback. If anybody has any comments, thoughts or suggestions for the way in which we can serve our customers better, everyone is welcomed to provide that input and feedback. We are always interested in doing whatever we can to continuously improve the level of service to meet customer expectations.
Here’s to another successful 100 years!
When Music and Art Meet, a Friendship is Born! A joint interview with musician Kendall Levesque and artist Michael Drake
Betsey: How long have you been practicing your particular art form and what were your inspirations for getting into it? Kendall: Well, I have to say that I began teaching myself guitar when I was about 14 years old. We didn't have the money for proper lessons or anything like that; and I have always been the creative type. I was never really into sports or anything of that nature. As I got older I got into music more and more, and I especially grew fond of the way it helped me cope with all the things going on in my head; you know the teenage anxiety and things like that (seeing how I didn't really have many people to talk to about the things inside my head). I would say that my inspirations for getting into performing music came when I realized “hey, this is something I love and am good at,� not only that but I felt like "hey, this is my way to help others who feel alone". It really excited me knowing that I could create something that would not only express my frustrations but also help others to know that they are not the only ones who have felt this way. My passion for music just grew and blossomed from there.
Michael: When I was in high school, they had an art contest for drawing the front of our high school and I won the contest! After High school, I was a model for the Richland Art School in Columbia, because the pay was really good. I was offered an art scholarship to the school and took a few classes. After that time, my art took a backseat to work, marriage and children. 38 years later, In the fall of 2009, I purchased a used acoustic guitar, and took 4 lessons. This got my creative juices flowing and helped me build up some confidence. Two years earlier my wife had bought me art materials that were sitting on the shelf, and when I spotted them, it turned the switch on for me. Whenever work slowed down, I would sketch and paint with my wife’s acrylic paints. I was so bad, but I’ve kept the first paintings to remind myself how far I’ve come. Betsey: What are your aspirations, and what motivates you to keep going? Kendall: Well, I didn't start as a singer-songwriter that is for sure. If you told me 5 or 6 years ago that I would be an Indie-Folk artist, I would have laughed and said no way I’m gonna be in a punk-pop band (that’s just the mind set I had at the time). I have to say that my aspirations are to work this into being my full time career. I really want to see the world, and live a life on my own terms. I feel like this will be the medium to be able to do that. Like I said I was never good at anything else, and playing music makes me happy and gives me my sense of purpose. The motivation to keep going honestly comes from the local supporters. I have to admit that there have been many times that i was close to giving it up and just settling for the 9-5 life (even though I know that I would be completely miserable). Seeing people relate to what I am singing really keeps me going, because I pour my heart and soul into my music, it isn't just a career path for me, it is my escape from reality. To see someone connect to what I am feeling in such an intimate way is amazing it's the best high you could ever have. So it's honestly you guys that keep me going, and I owe it all to you guys. Michael: Since that time when I picked up the acrylic paints, I have produced more than 700 paintings. I joined the North Augusta Artists Guild in 2010 and within two months was a featured artist, and my painting sold right off the easel. I am mostly self -taught, however, I have studied under some professional artists and have several mentors. Nature is my biggest inspiration! There is this thing in me that has to create. If I deny it, it is not happy, so I am not happy. Looking at other artist’s works motivates me to push a lot further out there in that scary place: the place where magic happens. I cannot get enough of this thing called art! My aspirations are to create art that is alive and touches people in my own unique way. I have art inside of me that is just busting to get out! Whether it is landscapes, historical buildings, any number of other subjects, I just want to share the joy I feel when I paint them! I do my best when my heart is attached to my paintings. I am really just now starting to find my purpose, my niche. I am very excited about my future! I did not have any plans to teach, I was doing a painting demo at a shop opening and a 9-year old girl came up and started watching me. After a few minutes, she started leaning on me. I turned to her and asked her if she wanted to paint. She said yes. So, I put some paint on a brush and handed it to her, showing her where to put it on the canvas. She smiled as she painted, and I got goosebumps! I looked up and said “What are you trying to tell me, Lord!” The next week I had my first children’s art class, and three years later I am teaching adults and children! It feels so good to nurture future artists!
Betsey: How did the two of you meet and how long ago was it? Kendall: We met at an event that I hold near to my heart and an eager to see get back up and running called "Musicians Hangout." It usually takes place at The Men’s Refinery in Augusta, Ga . I believe it was about 3 months ago that we connected, and I absolutely love his (Michael Drake) work and they way he brings his scenes to life on canvas. Michael: I was painting live at the Men�s Refinery Barber Spa, about 3 months ago. Kendall was one of the musicians that was there for Musicians Hangout, and we met that evening. One of the times he performed, I took his picture and later painted him while playing his guitar and singing. Betsey: Where can folks find you online? Kendall: Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram are the best to follow as far as for interaction. However all of these places are great ways to stay up to date with all that I am doing!! Keep on the look out for updates as I plan to enter the studio soon to work on a single for you guys!! Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/kendalllevesquemusic/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendall_levesque_music/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjO_pV0sS7FW_s4EPtJpzpw Twitter: https://twitter.com/kendallslmusic Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kendalllevesquemusic Please if you feel so obligated, pledge to be a patreon at the following link? Just a small monthly donation can make a world of difference, whether it is $1 or $100, you guys make this happen!!! Love you all!! Michael: two Facebook pages, and my website: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaeldrake3 https://www.facebook.com/paintingsbymichaeledrake Website: http://Michaeldrakeart.com
thank you for picking up and reading this issue of intentional pompadour if you enjoy what you see here and would like to be included, drop me a note at betseyvenom@yahoo.com subscriptions - $10/year - email betseyvenom@yahoo.com sponsorships available – email for information next issue: winter 2018, to be released on or around the winter solstice ~ december 21, 2018