August 2007
Living & Shopping In Wonderful Warrenton, VA
In this issue… A Fish Tale You Can Believe Credit Repair The Right Way Glass Blowing, Photography & Quilting - Local Talent …and MORE!
ifestyle
CUSTOM HOMES • REMODELING • DESIGN BUILD • CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES
NARI Grand Award Winner Contractor of the Year “CotY”
Custom Built Homes • Remodeling Services Custom Design Build for the way you Live, Relax and Entertain™ Put our award winning team to work for you! N A R I Executive Board Member 53A East Lee Street | Old Town Warrenton, VA 20186 | 540.351.0840 mbaker@burchbuildersgroup.com | www.burchbuildersgroup.com
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Warrenton Lifestyle
Finally - an alternative to the hassle, traffic and Northern Virginia! Introducing Warrenton Select, a division of Country Chevrolet Inc, offering personal customer service and peace of mind to consumers shopping for quality pre-owned vehicles. We hand pick hard to find Fords, Toyotas and Hondas - to name a few - and ensure they are properly maintained and serviced locally. The staff at Warrenton Select will provide you with clean, safe vehicles and a buying experience that will stand out from other dealers. In the market for a particular car, truck or SUV? Tell us what you’re looking for, we’ll find it and help you finance it! Come by and see our beautifully renovated store, enjoy a cup of coffee and browse our inventory - It’s always changing!
735 James Madison Highway - Warrenton
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Visit us ONLINE at www.warrentonselect.com Search our inventory 24 hours a day! August 2007
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Publishers Tony & Holly Tedeschi for Piedmont Press & Graphics tony@piedmontpress.com Advertising Cindy McBride CindyMcBride@piedmontpress.com Subscriptions Mitchell Morton mitchell@piedmontpress.com The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine c/o Piedmont Press & Graphics 404 Belle Air Lane Warrenton,Virginia 20186 540.347.4466 Ph 540.347.9335 Fx www.warrentonlifestyle.com For general inquiries, advertising, editorial, listings or technical support: E: WarrentonLifestyle@piedmontpress.com Tel: 540.347.4466 • Fax: 540.347.9335 Editorial & Advertising office: Open 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday 404 Belle Air Lane, Warrenton, VA 20186 The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to all its advertisers and selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2007 Piedmont Press & Graphics Printed in Warrenton, Virginia. USA Cover Photo: By Holly Tedeschi Palmer Smith, otherwise know as that guy who paints on Main St., working on his latest masterpiece. Palmer’s artwork may be seen at Studio Frame Shop, 51 Alexandria Pike, Warrenton (above The Paint Shop).
From the publisher
Time to Celebrate The Best of The Best
T
he Best of the Best. That’s what we are calling the winners of the Second Annual Best of Warrenton Readers’ Poll sponsored by The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine and Piedmont Press & Graphics.
We received more than three times as many ballots this year as last year’s balloting thanks in part to our online voting which also allowed us to automate the voting process to a higher degree. Tens of thousands of individual category votes were cast which demonstrates the passion that all of you have for your favorite places. To further illustrate the diversity, 35 individual restaurants received votes in the Favorite All-Around Restaurant category. We did get a few good chuckles at the inside humor that many of you tossed into your voting as well as marveled at how many ways you could spell some businesses including 17 different versions of Carousel. Winners in each category will be announced at a special event later this month at The Holiday Inn Express Conference Center where they will receive their awards. A listing of the top three vote-getters in each category will appear in our September issue. There were 72 businesses/individuals winning in 78 categories. That’s quite a variety of winners with a mixture of large, small, new and established organizations winning. Some of the voting was very close, coming down to the last day of balloting while others won by overwhelming margins. There were pleasant surprises again this year among winners as several independent, owner-operated establishments took on larger chains or franchises. The best part, though, is that all of them are Warrentonians. They contribute to our community, provide goods and services and offer jobs to our residents. These businesses contribute to our tax base and help make our town the vibrant place it is today. The purpose of the poll is to expose as many Warrenton businesses, people, places and groups to the community as possible and remind you that we have tremendous choices for goods and services right here at home. This month’s issue begins our third year of publication. We want to thank all of you for the positive feedback, critical comments and overall support you give to our team. Enjoy!
Tony Tedeschi August 2007
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A Look Back at 2006 Best of Warrenton Winners. Dry Cleaners, Acclaim Cleaners Place to Have a Reception, Airlie Mortgage Broker, Andreas Keller of Mid-Atlantic Mortgage Best Place For Auto Parts, Auto Zone Physical Therapy, Blaser Physical Therapy New Store, Borders Book Store, Borders Desserts, Café Torino Ice Cream, Carousel Ice Cream Women’s Clothes, Christine Fox Restaurant, Claire’s at the Depot Saturday Night Date Spot, Claire’s at the Depot Auto Dealership, Country Chevrolet Place to Eat When You’re VERY Hungry, Country Cookin Flower Shop, Designs by Teresa Best Pediatrician, Dr. Dennis Rustom Chiropractor, Dr. Douglas Smith Veterinarian, Dr. Elaine Lutz Doctor, Dr. L. Trice Gravatte Dentist, Dr. Tom Sentz Music Store, Drum and Strum Ethnic Cuisine, El Agave Website, Fauquier County Public Library Place to Be Alone, Fauquier County Public Library Place to Work, Fauquier County Public School System Local School, Fauquier High School Golf Course, Fauquier Springs Country Club Hamburger, Foster’s Grill Antique Store, Fox Den Antiques Picture Framing, Framing by Cyndy Deli Food, Fred’s Late-Night Food, Frost Diner Local Journalist, George Rowand Group To Be A Volunteer , Habitat for Humanity Jewelry Store, Hartman Jewelers Best Place for Pets to Hang Out, Hartman Jewelers Performing Art Venue, Highland School Art Venue Best Hotel, Holiday Inn Express Dog Groomer, Hound ‘N Hair Breakfast/Brunch Spot, IHOP Insurance Agent, Joe Runion at State Farm Car Repair, Joe’s Service Center Plumber, L.J. Foley Plumbing and Heating, Inc. Caterer, Legends Real Estate Office, Long and Foster Elected Official, Mayor George Fitch
Photo Developing, McClanahan Camera Place to Eat With Kids, McDonalds Best Garden/Nursery, Meadows Farm Bar, Molly’s Irish Pub Dancing, Molly’s Irish Pub Nightspot, Molly’s Irish Pub Place to Watch a Sporting Event on TV, Molly’s Irish Pub Place for A Night Out With Friends, Molly’s Irish Pub Bartender, Molly’s Irish Pub - Sam Rogers Outdoor Dining, Napoleon’s Historical Site, Old Jail Museum Health Club, Old Town Athletic Club Annual Event, Old Town Warrenton Spring Festival Steak, Outback Healthy Lunch, Panera Place for a Salad, Panera Place to Eat When You’re Alone, Panera Quick Lunch, Panera Teacher, Paul Tieche @ Marshall Middle School Men’s Clothes, Peebles Shoes, Peebles Pizza, Pizza Hut Electronics Store, Radio Shack Place for a Family Picnic, Rady Park Furniture Store, Rankins Furniture Hardware Store, Rankins Hardware Lawyer, Robin Gulick Place to Buy a Cell Phone, Rob-Rit Communications, Inc. Hair Salon, Salon Emage Customer Service, Salon Emage Accountant, Scheulen Patchett & Edwards, PC. Barber Shop, Siggi’s Sports Barber Shop Pre-School, St. James Preschool Place to Buy Printing / Copies, Piedmont Press & Graphics Coffee, Starbucks Entertainer/Singer/Band, Street Legal Sandwich, Subway Artist, Sunny Reynolds Contractor/Handyman, Superior Heating and Air Conditioning Bank, The Fauquier Bank Paint Store, The Paint Shop Financial Advisor, Tom Tucker of Edward Jones Place to Find the Perfect Gift, Town Duck Best Pharmacy, Walgreens Take-Out, Waterloo Café
Look for 2007 Winners in the September issue.
August 2007
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Hook, Line & Flies Local Author Shares His Expertise by Amy Petty
L
and the weight of the lure pulls out the line. Fly fishing is the exact opposite. The fly line is weighted and it pulls the fly along. It’s pretty graceful stuff.”
ocal author Beau Beasley’s book, Fly Fishing Virginia, recently hit stores and is selling well for the respected Virginia fly fisherman. A native of South Hill, Virginia, Beau now lives in Vint Hill and serves as a firefighter and paramedic for Fairfax County. Growing up, Beau says he fished with his father, but had never experienced fly fishing. One fateful rescue run changed all that. When Beau went on a rescue call to Burke Lake 15 years ago, he was simply doing his job; however, riding to the hospital with the patient, Bob Guess, turned this routine call into a gift for Beau. Beau remembers the day well, “Bob was pretty scared, so I was trying to make conversation with him on the way to the hospital. He talked about fly fishing and he offered to take me. I thought that was kind of odd, but a nice offer. My father had recently died, and I really wanted to get back to fishing. So I took Bob up on his offer, and he taught me how to fly fish. Pardon the pun, but I was hooked.” Beasley recognizes that while fly fishing is a favorite of many, it can be intimidating to those yet to test their waders. He says, “There are three large misconceptions about fly fishing. That’s why I wrote the book. I want people to be able to get a rod, a couple of flies, and go to a spot where they’re pretty much 8
guaranteed to catch something.” The first misconception is that many people who fly fish like to use the Latin names for the flies. Beau points out that, “Lefty Kreh, the best fly fisherman in the world, told me that the fish don’t know Latin, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it either.” Another misconception is the cost. “A lot of people believe that to get into the sport it’s really expensive. That’s just not the case anymore. Excellent gear is readily available for a reasonable price,” says Beau. Though he does concede that like any hobby, it’s easy to get carried away with buying new toys. Beau continues, “The third misconception is that it takes a lot of skill and a lot of time to get good at it. It’s like anything else, once you do it enough, once you learn how to cast, you’re in. In traditional fishing, you throw the lure
The scenery isn’t too bad, either. Beau says, “One of my favorite adages I’ve heard is that trout don’t live in ugly places.” But fly fishing isn’t just about catching trout. Beau says that depending on where you’re fishing, you can use a fly rod to catch tuna, barracuda, salmon, striped bass, pike, shad and more. In fact, Beau says he’s caught everything from a blue gill not much bigger than his thumb to a 38 lb. king salmon in Alaska. Beau’s book, Fly Fishing in Virginia, is perfect for the novice, the expert, and everyone in between. “You can fish in Virginia 12 months out of the year,” he says, “but it’s important to know the temperatures of the area you want to fish. When it’s warmer, that’s hard on trout. When it’s hot, they don’t want to eat. They typically like water that is 64 degrees or cooler. Much over 68 or below 55, they don’t like to eat. Another thing to watch for is when the water is lower the fish are more in tune to what’s going on around them because they can’t hide as well.” One reason Beau decided to write this book is simple. “I was frustrated that I couldn’t See Fly Fishing page 10 Warrenton Lifestyle
Nova Medical Group “August is National Immunization Awareness Month. As adults we forget to keep our immunizations up to date. When administered to healthy adults immunizations are generally safe and prevent serious, life-threatening diseases. For information about which immunizations you may need visit www.cdc.gov. Remember to ask questions and discuss any concerns with your primary care provider.”
Grace L. Keenan, MD Nova Medical Group combines conventional and complementary medicine to minimize the need for multiple doctors. Affiliated, Nova Urgent Care provides urgent medical care services on a walk in basis for non-life threatening conditions, acute illness, and minor injuries with minimal wait times.
528 Waterloo Road - Warrenton, Virginia 20186 Medical Group 540.347.7611 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Urgent Care 540.347.0400 Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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August 2007
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Fly Fishing from page 8 find all the places that I wanted to go fishing. I wanted people to walk in any fly shop, pick out my book, and go fish for shad on the Rappahannock, striper bass in the Chesapeake, or trout in the Shenandoah. I don’t know how many miles I drove to make sure my directions were accurate, but I’m confident that there isn’t another book with more accurate maps.” Beau also took care to note the history around every area he covers. “Every section has relevant historical information for the river whether it’s about George Washington or the Civil War,” he says. The book also includes specific information relative to the river you’re fishing. Sections include types of fish, known hatches, equipment to use, flies to use, when to fish, season and limits, nearby fly fishing, accommodations and services, and his personal rating of the fishing in the area. Beau credits his success to the support of his wife Leila. “Without her, there’s no way I could have accomplished this project.” In addition to his
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full-time career and author of Fly Fishing in Virginia, Beau writes for several fly fishing magazines, and is a sought out speaker on the subject. The most important thing Beau hopes people will get from his book, however, is the chance to make memories. He says, “I can remember my father taking me fishing as a kid, and I wouldn’t take anything for it. My dad never made a lot of money, but I always knew he loved me because he took the time to take me fishing. In my line of work, I never see someone in a bad situation who says, ‘I wish I could have worked more.’ To me, if I can introduce somebody new to the sport where they go out with this book and say ‘Hey, I can do this,’ I’ve done something.” Beau’s book is available locally at Borders and Rhodes on Main Street. He will be at Borders in Warrenton to
sign books and answer any questions on Sunday, August 5, at Borders from 1 – 4 p.m. For more information, visit Beau’s website at www.beaubeasley.com or www.vaflyfishingfestival.org for Virginia’s largest fly fishing event held every April in Waynesboro. Have a suggestion for a future column on Warrenton? Email your ideas to amytpetty@ adelphia.net. Amy Petty has lived in the Warrenton area for the past seven years. She is the Marketing Director for the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites.
Warrenton Lifestyle
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SPECIALIZING IN VEHICLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD 317 E. Shirley Avenue, Warrenton, VA 540-347-1334 • 800-895-3232 Bosch Authorized Service
August 2007
24 Hr. Towing 540-347-1427 www.waterloomotors.com 11
Credit Repair Made Easier Correcting Credit Problems Doesn’t Need to be Intimidating Part Three by Andreas A. Keller Part One, “Your Credit Score is Your Financial Fingerprint,” appeared in the April 2007 Edition. Part Two, “Good Credit Scores Create Wealth,” appeared in the June 2007 Edition.
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bad credit report is simply an accumulation of credit mistakes. They can range from late or missed payments, which are called delinquencies, to collection actions, judgments, tax liens, repossessions, foreclosures, or bankruptcies. No matter how bad a credit file may look, there is good reason for hope. The mistakes occurred in the past, and the tools of credit repair can both remedy those mistakes and improve one’s financial future. As with any repair, personal determination is paramount. First, you have to overcome your fears and summon up the courage to deal with past mistakes, and then you have to choose to act, because procrastination will not fix the credit problem. With a realistic action plan, however, you can follow the path of credit repair. This path may be long, painful, and occasionally frustrating, but in the end, it will be monetarily and personally rewarding.
Credit repair begins with facing the facts: • No one can legally remove accurate and timely negative information from a credit report. When negative information in your report is accurate, only the passage of time can assure the removal. • Accurate negative information can stay on your credit report for 7 years, bankruptcy information for 10 years, and unpaid judgments for 7 years or until the statute of limitations runs out. There is no time limit on reporting information about criminal convictions. • The law allows you to ask for an investigation of information in your file that you dispute as inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the credit reporting agency and the information provider or creditor both are responsible for correcting inaccurate or incomplete information in your credit report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act is very consumer friendly. Federal law requires Credit Reporting Agencies to verify all disputed items. Any item you dispute that cannot be verified by the credit reporting agency or the information provider has to be removed from your file. The dispute process is fairly simple. Write to the credit reporting agency to alert it to information in your report that you think is inaccurate. Explain why you dispute the information and request that it be removed or corrected. Include copies (not originals) of documents that support your position. Finally, send your letter by certified mail, “return receipt requested”. Consumer reporting agencies must investigate the disputed items within a reasonable time, which is generally assumed to be about 30 days, which includes notifying the information provider or creditor. The information provider has to investigate and report back to the consumer reporting agencies. If the information provider finds that your dispute is valid, it has to notify all three credit reporting agencies so they can correct the information in your file. When the investigation is complete, the consumer reporting companies must provide you with the results in writing, as well as a free copy of your credit report if the dispute results in a change. If you request, the credit reporting agencies must send notices
See Credit page 14 12
Warrenton Lifestyle
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Warrenton, VA • 484-102 Blackwell Rd. To Place Your Order Call
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August 2007
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Credit from page 12 of any correction to anyone who received your report in the past six months. Unfortunately, many people find it too intimidating to initiate disputes with credit reporting agencies by themselves, and so they look to others for help with credit repair by checking out advertisements that appear in newspapers, television, the Internet, radio, or fliers in the mail. The promises are alluring:
State and Federal Law” before a consumer signs a contract. In addition, the credit repair organizations have to observe a 3-day waiting or rescission period during which a consumer can cancel the contract at no cost. If the consumer chooses to move forward with the contract, the contract must specify: • Payment terms for services, including total cost for the credit repair; • A detailed description of the services to be performed; • The time frame it will take to achieve results;
• “Credit problems? No problem!”
• Any guarantees that are being offered; and
• “We can erase your bad credit – 100% guaranteed.”
• The company’s name and business address.
• “Create a new credit identity - legally.”
The Federal Trade Commission regulates credit bureaus and credit repair organizations. There are many legitimate credit counselors who provide guidance on improving your credit report and demonstrate ways to increase a credit score legitimately. A list of Government approved Credit Counseling Companies can be found at the U.S. Trustee Program/Department of Justice at http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/ eo/bapcpa/ccde/cc_approved.htm.
• “We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit file forever!”
Increasingly, law firms have been moving into the credit repair market. Law firms are also bound by the rules and regulations of the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Thus, it makes no difference whether you work with a legitimate credit counselor or a law firm, except for the fee.
Such are the claims of shady credit repair organizations, which more often than not victimize vulnerable consumers. It is rare for these organizations to deliver on their promises, and sometimes, people who use their services end up with worse credit scores after paying hundreds of dollars in fees. It is best to avoid such scam credit repair companies, which may be recognizable by the following warning flags: • Requests to pay for credit repair services up front. Credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until the promised services are delivered. • Companies suggesting that you invent a “new” credit identity. • Companies that advise you to dispute accurate information. • Companies that do not inform you of your legal rights. The Credit Repair Organizations Act was signed into law in 1996 to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive advertising and to require credit repair organizations to provide a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under 14
At a recent birthday party, I listened to a young lady in her mid-twenties tell me how she has worked to repair her credit report. Her boyfriend agreed to add her as an “authorized user” on his credit card accounts since he has a clean credit history. These “authorized user accounts” now appear on her credit report, which provides a boost to her credit score. In essence, she borrowed her boyfriend’s clean clothes. In similar fashion, some Internet companies are offering “donor” accounts that can be ‘leased’ in order to improve one’s credit history. As soon as these leased donor accounts are reported on the recipient’s credit report, the authorized signer status is removed. The donor accounts offset the recipient’s negative credit history and improve the credit score. The technique is legal but simply dishonest. Creditors and lenders are being misled and a potential borrower may get approved for a loan under false pretenses. The same young lady explained to me how she also contracted with a credit repair clinic for $600 to clean up her credit report within 60 days. With the gradual tightening of credit policies and lending standards over the last twelve months as a result of the deteriorating sub-prime mortgage market, a new cottage industry for credit repair services
See Credit page 16 Warrenton Lifestyle
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Credit from page 14 has begun to mushroom. These credit repair clinics charge anywhere from $500 upwards to improve credit scores within about two to three months. Credit repair clinics operate on the premise that credit reporting agencies and creditors do not have sufficient time to investigate disputes or may no longer have the information readily available. Since the law requires that a disputed item either be proven valid within about 30 days or removed from the credit report, aggressive clean up campaigns often result in an improved credit score. Peripheral entrants to the credit repair market such as Internet companies advertising for mortgage lenders and finance companies are providing free credit repair guidance. Here is a quote from such an Internet website which states: “It is completely legal for you to dispute items on your credit file even if you know they are correct. You are simply testing to see if your creditors have maintained the proper records to verify the dispute. You have a very bad memory and forgot the negative accounts on your credit file are really yours.” – In my book that is not ok! Credit score improvements gained from such techniques may sometimes be temporary, because once creditors are alerted to unpaid debt they may reactivate the account and revive collection efforts. The removed item may show up again on the credit report several months later with the time
clock being reset for the count of seven or ten years. It may be better to let a sleeping dog lie. The reason for describing some of these quick-fix credit repair techniques is to demonstrate that while you may be able to rent good credit or force your credit score higher temporarily, you cannot buy the good spending and credit habits that are so necessary to maintain a high credit score. Rather than spending money on these credit repair schemes, you would do better to save your money; only time, a conscious change in behavior, and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit. Everything a credit repair clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or no cost. Moreover, the discipline that you gain from earning a good credit score will benefit you in the long run much more than buying a quick fix. If you are not disciplined enough to create a workable budget and stick to it, if you can’t work out a repayment plan with your creditors, or if you can’t keep track of mounting bills, consider contacting a credit counseling organization. For more valuable information on the topic of Credit Counseling and Debt Management Plans, Debt Consolidation, and Bankruptcy, go to www.ftc.gov, click on the heading “Credit” and read the article, “Knee Deep in Debt!” Andreas A. Keller is a Senior Loan Officer with Warrentonbased Mid-Atlantic Mortgage Corporation who turns the mortgage process into delightful moments with the help of insightful financial coaching. He can be reached at this cell phone 703346-7262 or his office phone 540-347-9522 and via email: aakeller@mac.com. Get to know him at his personal website www. MortgageMomentsOnline.com.
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Epidemic of Local Inspiration Area artists excel in a variety of crafts By Jennifer Heyns Getting Inspired
I
n ancient times inspiration that resulted in poetry, song, and art was attributed to the famed Muses of Greek mythology. Notorious artists like DaVinci, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and Rodin were no doubt among those thought to be gifted by the goddesses of inspiration. It’s hard to say if mythological gods are at work today, but it’s apparent that Fauquier County is truly an inspirational place to be. In and around Warrenton are a tremendous number of talented artisans who are passionate about their craft. For Holley Green, a local photographic artist, inspiration comes from nature. “It comes from being outside, in God’s world,” said Holley, a Warrenton resident of 35 years. “If I’m the only one who sees the beauty in one little rose petal then that’s enough for me.” Although she did admit that while she loves finding aesthetic treasures in nature, she derives great pleasure from photographing her finds and sharing them with others.
thought that quilting would be fun, too,” she said. Joyce revealed that she could never have been a quilter 100 years ago, when all of the stitching was done by hand, although that’s exactly what she faced with her first lesson. “We learned to do everything by hand to give us an appreciation for the craft,” Joyce explained. She now uses a longarm quilting machine to craftily sew together each quilt top to a layer of batting and a backing material and although the machine has templates for several standard quilting patterns, Joyce prefers creating her own designs. She
derives her inspiration from the fabrics and designs in each quilt top. Getting Started Photography is not something that came naturally to Holley. She is a professional gardener by trade. “I can’t draw and I can’t paint, but I wanted to do something to create art,” she said. “My first gardening friend, Gladys, who was my grandmother’s age, explained to me that life imitates the seasons and that I should save a new passion for a later season of my life.” See Crafts page 20
Tom Veirs also loves to share his craft with others through his Warrenton glass studio and gallery, but said that his inspiration comes mostly from his mother. “When I was a young boy, my mother would take me around to lots of glass houses,” he admitted. After retiring from the EPA, Tom realized that those earlier field trips had laid a deep seeded passion for glass art. For Joyce Gould, of Warrenton, developing her craft of quilting didn’t start as a passion, it began as a way of enhancing a skill she already possessed. “I already knew how to sew and I just 18
Warrenton Lifestyle
WARRENTON TIRE
AND AUTO
August 2007
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Crafts from page 18 When her four boys were grown, Holley decided it was time to take her friend’s sage advice and begin a new hobby. Another local gardener and photographer, Karen Rexrhode, convinced Holley to join the ManassasWarrenton Camera Club, a decision she relishes every day.
about taking quilting lessons. Not only did Joyce learn the art of quilting, she also found new friends with a common thread. In 2000 one of Joyce’s quilting friends asked her if she was interested in sharing the cost of a long-arm quilting machine – a commercial quality piece of equipment that rings to the tune of nearly $10,000. The pair agreed to partner up for the purchase and
Holley credits the camera club with providing great mentors who have helped her learn what a camera can really do and to inspire her to keep reaching for a higher level of ability. Holley, Karen, and two other camera club members have formed a subgroup to challenge and inspire each other continually. The photo-taking quartet takes a monthly field trip to a location that one of the members knows intimately. Holley lit up when she recounted the last field trip in which the group went to the Aldie Mill at night for what she calls “light painting”. They photographed the mill illuminated only by flashlights and “dollar store glow sticks”. Some of the photos will be entered in the Aldie Mill Art Show and Sale, which will take place from September 1 to October 1. Joyce also merits a friend for encouraging her craft. In 1991 she contacted Karen Walker, owner of the Quilters’ Confectionery in Warrenton, 20
glass,” Tom admitted with a laugh, “but every time you reheat the glass it gets shorter – so it made a very nice coaster.” He quickly grasped the process and decided to turn his new passion into a full-blown career. Four years ago he purchased the building where his gallery is now located and started creating glass artwork. In the fall of 2005, he opened his gallery to the public, where he encourages people of all ages to visit, watch him in his creative process and ask questions. “It’s amazing the questions that people come up with. I especially like to hear what children want to know,” said Tom. It is this inquisitiveness that feeds Tom’s creative nature and energy and so, when he can, he teaches his art to those who wish to learn. Bringing Art to Life
planned to make back their investment by taking on projects for others. In order to get a better understanding for the new equipment and what it could do; Joyce studied at the Long Arm University in Springfield, Illinois. Taking classes was also a necessity for Tom, who admired the art of glass blowing but needed some help learning and understanding the process. “My very first piece started out as a juice
Many artists will agree that their best creations are the ones that came from deep within themselves, from their heart and soul. Regardless of where the inspiration comes from, however, each artisan must go through some sort of process to bring an idea to a tangible result, hopefully something that others will admire and find inspiration in. For Tom, the process of creating art can be a dangerous one from the 2000-degree oven to the blazing hot molten glass to the broken shards, or Warrenton Lifestyle
the frit he uses to add color to his work. Glass projects can take Tom anywhere from 15 minutes to hours to complete, but they all start out the same. Glass chunks called cullets are melted in an oven while blowing rods are kept hot in a small fire-filled chamber. “The irons have to remain heated or the liquefied glass won’t stick to it,” explained Tom. The iron is dipped into the glass and Tom begins a mesmerizing and careful method of shaping, coloring and transforming the drooping glob into a fabulous piece of art. He uses rather simple tools like a cherry wood block to make round shapes, wet stacks of newspaper to smooth his work and even his breath to enlarge objects by blowing through the iron. If a project requires more than one shape or layer, each piece must be made separately and then melded together, which sometimes causes a piece to fall, crack or break, sending Tom back to the drawing board to begin again. He tries not to get discouraged by the broken pieces of artwork and has come to realize that even his mistakes can be valuable to someone else. His assistant, Nauecho Melton, enjoys scooping up the pretty shards and turning them into stained glass projects, barrettes and other colorful artwork. When he is successful, which is most of the time, Tom has a lovely glass object to display in his gallery. He creates a wide array of kaleidoscopic pieces like necklace pendants, rondels, lamp globes, vases, Christmas ornaments, paperweights, flowers and bumblebees. Colors also plays an important role in Holley’s art. Although she isn’t creating the color like Tom, she toils to present colors in the most intriguing or pleasing way possible. Holley isn’t a fan of the conventional photograph; instead she See Crafts page 22 August 2007
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Crafts from page 21
the head recreates the design in the form of stitching on the fabric.
likes to manipulate her photos so that she displays a facet of nature, as you’ve never seen it before. “It’s art, I want it to evoke emotion,” she said.
Although technology has brought the quilting world to the point where digital machines could do all of the work, Joyce enjoys doing the quilting manually with her machine. “I think it’s part of the art to do it by non-digital machine and to have the human factor apparent in the work,” said Joyce. “You can see little glitches here and there on my quilts, but with a digital machine, it’s all so perfect – it just seems like cheating.”
Amazingly enough, quilting is like photography in this respect. Joyce also spends much of her time manipulating and sandwiching, but for her it’s a matter of layering all of the pieces evenly so that it can all be stitched evenly. Joyce has become very proficient with her long-arm machine and can complete a quilt in about two hours. She admits, however, that it takes 45 minutes just to pin the quilt together and get it set up in the machine. When she can, Joyce creates her own quilting design and makes a pattern in the form of a drawing, which she lays out on the machine table. With the machine, she then uses the handles along the arm to trace the pattern while
Keeping Up The world of art is ever evolving and artists must find new challenges in order to keep up. They may take formal courses, challenge themselves to try new methods or to create something they’ve never made before. For Joyce, challenge comes with trying to continually create with new quilting designs so that each of her
quilts is unique. She also challenges herself by making quilts for charity. Joyce has created over 70 quilt squares per month since January for Marine Comfort Quilts, an organization that assembles and donates quilts to the families of fallen soldiers. For Tom, his goal is just to enjoy his retirement and bring beauty into the lives of others. He is very satisfied with how far his craft has taken him. He made more than 85 percent of the pieces in his gallery and he also displays his work in other galleries as well as the oldest yacht club in Ireland and the White House. He challenges himself by coming up with new objects to make. “I love the ability to create your own expression,” Tom said. “It doesn’t matter what you make – it’s always neat.” Holley believes that her photos become such great pieces of art because she is always trying to learn more about her craft. “If you’re going to step up to the next level, you have to challenge yourself, keep learning new things and taking classes,” she advised. One of the greatest gifts Holley’s artwork brings her is twofold. “I do really enjoy sharing what I see and it gives me such a sense of accomplishment,” she said. Tom Veirs is the owner of Veirs Studio Glass and Gallery which is located at 5197 Lee Highway, Warrenton, Virginia, just 6 miles east of the Town of Warrenton, toward New Baltimore. For more information visit www.veirs.com. Joyce Gould performs all of her quilting from her home workshop; for more information call 540-347-0112 or email RJ-Q@hotmail.com. Holley Green does not currently have any of her work on exhibit, but will be represented in the Aldie Mill Art Show and Sale starting September 1. Some of her work can be viewed on the Manassas-Warrenton Camera Club website: go to www.mwcc-photo.org and click on Galleries, then go to Holley’s name.
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Warrenton Lifestyle
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