7 minute read
Short Stories
DIMEJI ONAFUWA, OMOLOMO (SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILDREN), 2020, OIL ON CANVAS, 48 X 48 X 0.5 INCHES. IMAGE COURTESY OF DIMEJI ONAFUWA AND SOZO GALLERY
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
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A h, w inter! W hat bet ter way to celebrate than to v isit the GreenHill Center for Nor th Carolina A r t, which presents its 42nd annua l WINTER SHOW December 5 through Febr uar y 16, 2022.
T he t wo -month ex hibition exemplifies GreenHill ’s focus on cult ura l diversit y, illustrating high levels of creative expression throughout the state. T he show feat ures w ide-rang ing contemporar y work s in multiple mediums — including paintings, sculpt ure, photog raphy, ceramics, jewelr y, wood and fiber work s. T he museum’s extensive dig ita l cata log and curated v isits for sma ll g roups complement the sheer ar tistr y on v iew.
“W INT ER SHOW inspires c onne c t ion a nd op enness to new p ersp e c t ives,” ex pla ins Barbar a R ichter, exe c ut ive d ire c tor a nd ch ief exe c ut ive of fic er of G re en Hi l l. “T he ex h ibit ion of fers c ovete d ac c ess to ma ny of our st ate’s most innovat ive a nd t houg ht f u l cre ators b ot h on l ine a nd in-p erson. More t ha n 4 0 0 work s by emerg ing a nd est abl ishe d ar t ist s showc a se t he resi l ienc e of our mu lt i-f ac ete d, c u lt ur a l c ommun it y.”
GreenHill of fers a touch of war mth and connection on cold w inter days.
Happy Holidays, Untapped
Since opening in November 2019 in the Oden family’s histor ic (circa 1930 –1940) sof t dr ink bot tling plant, Oden Brew ing Co., ow ned by Bill Oden, has g row n into a thr iv ing business — and contr ibutor to the communit y.
A nd the holidays are no exception. First, on Fr iday night, December 10, the brewer y on Gate Cit y Boulevard w ill host a release par t y for a beer brewed in par tnership w ith A les for A L S ( A myotrophic L atera l Sclerosis, a.k.a. L ou Gehr ig’s Disease). A les for A L S prov ides hops. Proceeds go to the A L S T herapy Development Instit ute, a nonprofit dedicated to developing dr ug treatments for A L S patients.
T hen on December 12, Oden w ill host Carols & A le f rom 3–5 p.m. Sponsored by Greensboro Beer & Hy mns — an ecumenica l organization that fosters a sense of communit y among diverse g roups by shar ing a dr ink and sing ing hy mns — at tendees w ill be belting out a var iet y of holiday favor ites. Post your favor ite carol on the Carols & A le Facebook page for possible inclusion. It’s outdoors, so dress war mly and soak up your suds at one of their picnic tables or feel f ree to br ing your ow n law n chair.
T he Carolina T heatre continues its Carolina Classic Holiday Mov ies ser ies this month. Here’s a sampling of the festive flick s w ith spoiler a ler ts: December 4 — It’s a Wonder ful Life, 7 p.m. George changes his mind, Clarence work s to get his w ings and a bell on the tree r ings itself. December 5 — W hit e Chr istmas, 7 p.m. Not the same old song-and- dance when Bing Crosby and f r iends help save an inn.
December 15 — Home Alone, 7 p.m. L atchkey k id becomes man of the house and repeatedly wards of f a pair bumbling burglars.
Since 1963, Nor th Carolina has recog nized more than 21,0 0 0 Tar Heel sta lwar ts w ith the state’s highest accolade — the Order of the L ong L eaf Pine (O.Henr y’s Jim Dodson among them). Celebrated are those “who have made sig nificant contr ibutions to the state and their communities through exemplar y ser v ice and exceptiona l accomplishments.” So, it’s no sur pr ise that UNCG’s for mer director of the Weatherspoon A r t Ga ller y, Nanc y Doll, has been honored w ith the prestig ious distinction. Dur ing her 22 -year tenure, her steadfast leadership ser ved as a model for communit yengaged ar t and active promotion of the inclusion of fema le ar tists and ar tists of color.
On October 19, UNCG Chancellor Frank lin D. Gilliam Jr. presented the v isionar y leader w ith the award at a universit y event.
C ong r at u lat ions, Na nc y, we c a n’t t h in k of a more wor t hy re c ipient.
Merry and Bright
T his month one of Greensboro’s loveliest neighborhoods is prov ing its beaut y radiates inside and out. For more than 20 years, the residents of Sunset Hills have celebrated the holiday season by hang ing glow ing Chr istmas ba lls on the towering oak s that line its streets — hundreds and hundreds of glimmer ing orbs. Onlookers dr ive f rom miles away to ga ze at the ba lls- of-light displays. So much traf fic, in fact, Sunset Hillers decided some years ago to use its popularit y to help others by ask ing v isitors to contr ibute nonperishable food to help feed residents of the Tr iad. T he goods go to Second Har vest Food Bank. T he tradition not only bestows light and color on dark w inter nights, but it a lso illuminates the communit y’s g if t of comfor t and hope.
Ogi Sez
O g i O v e r m an
I love the holiday season, I rea lly do. I shop yearround but intentiona lly wait until the eve before Chr istmas Eve to finish. I intentiona lly w rap presents on Chr istmas Eve while It’s a Wonder ful Life is play ing; unlike anyone I k now, I intentiona lly eat a f ull Cla xton f r uit cake ever y year. A nd, adding to a ll that, I intentiona lly hit as many concer ts as possible. A f ter the 2020 famine, this year there are some good ’uns.
• December 2, Carolina T heatre: A ny time of the year is a good time to hit a Rober t E arl Keen show. But, while most tour ing acts are shut ting dow n in December, R EK plans tours around it. A nd if you k now any thing, you k now why. Hint: br ing a bag of lemons and some Diet Spr ites, a box of tampons and some Sa lem Lights.
• December 4, R amk at: I have a specia l place in my hear t for the Wayback s. I did my annua l MerleFest stor y on band leader James Nash a couple of years ago. A nd Jessica and I saw their last R amk at show before the shutdow n. So, there’s a good chance that any time they’re in the v icinit y, I’m going to include them here. You can thank me later.
• December 9, Greensboro Coliseum: For me, the Trans- Siber ian Orchestra show mark s the unof ficia l star t of the Chr istmas season. T here is litera lly nothing like it on the planet . . . well, except the other, identica l tour ing show. Yep, they have to cram so many shows into December that it takes t wo of them. You get extra egg nog if you k new that.
• December 18, Greensboro Coliseum: I a lmost never double- dow n on a venue in the same month but had to make an exception for Er ic Church. He is, af ter a ll, the biggest name in countr y music r ight now, and, even bet ter, you don’t have to love C&W to love him. I’m liv ing proof — I’ve had a man- cr ush on him for severa l years. • December 18, Tanger Center: W hen I saw Music of Queen listed on the Tanger prog ram, I rather dismissed it, think ing it was a tr ibute act, which I never recommend in this space. R eading on, however, I discovered that it is being per for med by the Greensboro Sy mphony Orchestra. W ha? Wrap your mind around that and g ive it a shot.
