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december 2011
Tyler Museum of Art Exhibition: Reflections on Water in American Painting GIVE THE GIFT OF ART • L’Angelus • DERRICK WHITE • ET Fall Festival of Poetry
Texas Windmill by Sonya Stephens
publisher’s
NOTE
I have a confession to make. For years, I bought mass produced “art” from big-box stores. There, I said it. It is off my chest. This little secret has been weighing on me ever since Piney Woods Live brought me into full contact with the local art scene. Like a lot of people, I fell into this degenerative behaviour without much thought. Not being a collector, the desire to own art objects was driven mostly by the need to fill an empty space in our home with something that was attractive and fit the overall decor and style of the dwelling. Exactly what object filled that requirement was determined by considerations such as color, texture, size and shape – and of course, cost. Not having a liberal education, but rather a technical one, was a handicap when it came to appreciating art. A couple of semesters of Humanities, bookended with Calculus and Physics, is not the way to launch a life-long appreciation of art and culture – particularly in a country boy. It wasn’t until the middle years of my life (1985-1995) that an interest in history, combined with the opportunity to travel the U.S., lead me into museums and then finally to venture into galleries. But wandering into a gallery on Royal Street in New Orleans to look around was not going to lead someone as frugal as me to purchase an original art piece that seemed to be priced way beyond my budget. (Besides, I was always irrationally intimidated by these places. Guilty at always looking, never buying I guess. You see, I still feel obligated to buy a cup of coffee when I stop at a McDonald’s along the interstate to use the restroom.) Of course, there were opportunities to buy local art. While local art markets have probably expanded greatly over the last 15 years or so, we did encounter local artists in a commercial setting. The Edom art community started their festivals in the early 1970’s and Longview’s AlleyFest began in the late 70’s. We did buy some things. I still have a fine piece by Marshall potter James E. Sanders that I bought at Alley Art Fest in the late 80’s, and an ink and pencil drawing by Native American artist Donald Montileaux from the mid-90’s. Tracy managed to accumulate a small collection of Van Briggle pottery during the 90’s. But really, my collecting was confined mainly to poster art: a commemoration of da Vinci Drawings of Horses exhibit at the National Gallery in 1985 and a “Jazz and Heritage Festival 1992” hang on my office wall today. Counterbalancing this meager effort was the purchase of dozens of storebought wall hangings and statuettes purchased in the course of remodeling and decorating three homes. Most have since been sold to find their way downstream to the terminal garage sale market and, finally, to the landfill. They came from big-box stores or online sites that today offer a large selection of attractive faux art objects honed by modern market research and designed to complement the current trends in color and design. This past week we came across a group of beautiful fabric screen prints that perfectly matched the color pallet of our new offices. Eighty dollars each, $240 for the set. Made in China, but still hard to resist. I’m happy to report that we left the store empty-handed. My thanks to our distinguished special contributor, S. Claus, whose essay, “Give the gift of art” in this issue helped give me the courage to confess.
Gary Krell, Co-Publisher
Page 02 - December 2011
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Art is defined as a product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods Live is an expression
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Summer Seas by Anton Otto Fischer on display at the Tyler Museum of Art Exhibition Reflection on Water in American Painting - The Arthur J. Phelan Collection December 9 - March 4, 2012 Born in Germany and orphaned at an early age, Anton Otto Fischer ran away at the age of 15 to escape being forced into priesthood. He came to America as a deck hand on a German vessel. He sacrificed two months’ pay to obtain his freedom and then went on to sail on American ships for three years. For a fourteen-month period in 1905-1906, he worked as a model and general handyman for artist Arthur Burdette Frost. He went to Paris in October 1906 and studied for two years with Jean Paul Laurens at the Académie Julian, spending summers painting landscapes in Normandy. Fischer returned to New York City in January 1908. After being influenced by Howard Pyle, he moved to Wilmington, Delaware where he established a studio at 1110 Franklin Street. Pyle helped him transform his firsthand knowledge into pictorial drama, but had little success in enlivening his lead-colored palette. He freelanced in “subject pictures” or illustrations telling a human interest story that were in popular magazines of the day. During World War II he was made the artist laureate of the United States Coast Guard. In 1910, Fischer sold his first illustration to Harper’s Weekly, then illustrated an Everybody’s Magazine story by Jack London, for whom he would illustrate many books and magazine stories until London’s death in 1916. Also in 1910, Fischer began illustrating for The Saturday Evening Post, a relationship that would last for forty-eight years. He illustrated such stories as Kyne’s “Cappy Ricks,” Gilpatrick’s “Glencannon,” as well as serials by Kenneth Roberts, and Nordoff and Hall. From 1909 to 1920 he created more than one-thousand illustrations featuring women and babies, pretty girls, dogs and horses, sports, the Navy and the sea. He later went on to illustrate Tugboat
Annie in 1931. He confessed his favorite character was “that old reprobate Glencannon with the big broom mustache.” U.S. Navy Commander Lincoln Lothrop had once written to the artist: “My two lads, one of whom is now a twenty-twoyear-old lieutenant in the Navy … used to cut out your pictures and pin them on the walls of their rooms … You are responsible for recruiting many a seagoing lad.” Also known for illustrating books such as Moby Dick, Treasure Island, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Anton Otto Fischer died far from his beloved sea in the Catskill Mountains of Woodstock, New York in 1962 at the age of 80. The Friends of Historic Kingston hosted a lecture featuring Fischer’s great-nephew, Andre Mele, in September 2011. Mele remembered ‘Uncle Otto’ with a heavy German accent who often enjoyed playing the piano and smoking cigars. He could frequently be found gardening or listening to the New York Yankees on the radio through his headphones. Fischer was often sought after for his investment advice and amassed a $2 million fortune during his lifetime.
How to reach us: Call the American Classifieds’ Longview Office at 903-758-6900 or 800-333-3082. info@pineywoodslive.com Fax 903-758-8181 100 W. Hawkins Pkwy., Suite C., Longview, Texas 75605
The East Texas Fall Festival of Poetry ..................................4 “You Are” by Michael L. McAfee........................................5 Make this a beautiful holiday: Give the gift of art ..............6 Longview Piano Teachers Association Hymn Festival..........7 Artist Profiles .....................................................................8 Derrick White ..................................................................10 Rangerette Christmas with a kick .....................................11 L’Angelus ..........................................................................12 Beyond Mere Thoughts .....................................................13 Better than being there – Texas Roadhouse Live ...............13 “Reflections on Water in American Painting”...................14 Artist’s World ...................................................................16 Tony Award winner to star in River City Repertory Theatre’s opener ............................................................18 The Slightly Amusing Theater Company guests at Liberty Hall ...................................................................18 Preserving an art form......................................................19 The “B” Side of Music ......................................................20 Open mic night ................................................................21 The Lindale Community Theatre.......................................22 Tyler and Longview’s December ArtWalks scheduled .......22 Marshall Wonderland of Lights ........................................23 Jefferson Starship .............................................................24 The home of Mr. & Mrs. Jim Jones....................................26 Publishers / Editors Tracy Magness Krell & Gary Krell Advertising Director Suzanne Warren Public Relations Randi Garcia Contributing Writers Amanda Retallack, Jan Statman, LaDawn Fletcher, Jim King, Randy Brown, Karen Dean, Emmitte Hall, Faith Harper Graphic Artists Tracy Krell, Joni Guess, Mary Hernandez Sales: Randi Garcia, Donna Vincent, April Harlow, Shannon Dykes, Kathy Hollan, Cookie Bias, Suzanne Warren, Carolee Chandler
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poetry The East Texas Fall Festival of Poetry by Amanda Retallack
One sunny afternoon in mid-October, a group of poetry lovers gathered to celebrate their art and each other. As Lindale resident Bobby McClenny walked up to the podium before a crowd of 50 or so poetry pros, he was prepared to perform his favorite new piece titled “Procrastination.” As he read through his lines, all eyes were trained on him as occasional claps or bursts of laughter erupted from the crowd. “I’m proud of this piece,” Bobby smiled. “I’ve written lots of poems in my lifetime, and I’m proud
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of each one – but this one I wanted to submit to this contest because it’s a funny piece on procrastinating that I thought everyone could relate to.” The contest he was referring to is a poetry contest; Bobby’s performance was one of many at this year’s East Texas Fall Festival of Poetry – an event which allows those involved in the Rusk County Poetry Society and Rose Garden Poetry Society to come together, share their creative gifts, and maybe win an award or two. He and the other readers gathered in the dining room of the Summit Club in Longview, dined on chicken a la smothered, loaded cream potatoes and cheesecakes, and celebrated their talents together by reading original works of their own. “We want to emphasize that poetry is for everyone,” said Anne McCrady, Rusk County Poetry Society’s president. “Our poetry group and these events allow us to come together to hear different styles of poetry and explore different creative writing styles.” Some of the crowd were poets – award winners there to network, be recognized and share their pieces with the audience; others were proud family members there to give moral support.
“Each year there’s always a broad range of participants,” Anne said. “We have a lot of amazing writers who return year after year, and we have those who are new to our poetry society who come to win awards for their very first time.” Participants read a wide range of poems, from silly to serious, personal to universal. “We draw a pretty diverse group. We have people in our society from as close as Tyler or Henderson to writers who come all the way from Shreveport, Fort Worth, etcetera,” Anne said. “And
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poetry they each have a story to tell. They are all interesting, amazing people who come not just to read their poetry, but to get their work judged to figure out how to make it even better.” “We all think we do good work as poets,” she added. “Having work judged allows the poet to step away from their piece and ask: Does it impact other readers? We encourage writers to submit their poems and find out.” Poets don’t have to be members of the Rusk County Poetry Society to enter one or more of the 40+ categories ranging from an “Inky Fingers” category which can be about any subject in any form to the “Don’t Say That Word” award which must be a love poem that doesn’t contain the word “love” or any of its synonyms. But, as John Boney of Tyler can attest, being a part of the society is a poet’s dream. “Each month, we get together to talk poetry – we even take turns planning lessons: how to write a sonnet, what’s a meter …” he said. “We get to send our poems to be critiqued by noted poets of Texas. As part of the RCPS, we have access to resources and contests and conferences … we constantly grow as artists because we connect with others and learn with them.” The RCPS began in Henderson in 1971. Eleven people who loved to read and write shared their passion for poetry, organized RCPS, and then chartered the society with the Poetry Society of Texas in 1972. The Fall Festival was created in 2005, and
this event encourages members, as well as nonmembers, to write, enter contests and win cash prizes. There is also a RCPS Poetry in Schools program that is an annual contest inspiring hundreds of students from schools across East Texas to write poetry. Each April the winners read their poems and receive certificates. There is a coveted $400 scholarship that is presented to the first-place winning high school senior. “We want to encourage the younger generation to write and inspire others,” Anne said. “Hearing them read their works is wonderful.” The RCPS meets the third Thursday of each month from 2-4 pm in the South Main Church of Christ in Henderson. Contact Evelyn Appelbee at 903-889-2195 for more information.
Sara, you dance, Sara, you sing. Princess, you are a bird on the wing, Light’s edge on the clouds, the blue of the sky, A sigh on the wind, the gleam in God’s eye. Sara, you are Princess. You are. Sara, you flow, Sara, you play. Princess, you are the light of our day, A rainbow to be God’s grace to our souls, A splendor from Him, the love that enfolds. Sara, you are Princess. You are. Sara, you love, Sara, you grow. Princess, you are a blessing, you know, A heart that is tender, fragile, so fair, A joy come from Heaven, beautiful, rare. Sara, you are Princess. You are.
Michael L. McAfee 2/7/08
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December 2011 - Page 05
art Make this a beautiful holiday: Give the gift of art by S. Claus There is the gentle whisper of sleigh bells jingling in the not-so-very distant forests. There is the footfall of dancing reindeer on the roof, the warmth of grandma’s cookies baking in the oven, the crisp scent of cedar in the air. Yes, it is holiday time again. This is the time to remember all those happy days of yesterday and to think about the best ways to make happy memories for tomorrow. More than that, this is the time to think about the most beautiful gifts to give to family, friends, business associates and everybody else on your gift list. The only question is how is it possible to select the absolutely most fabulous, most perfect, most beautiful gifts in these days of economic difficulty? The checkbook may not be as user friendly has it might have been in seasons past, and yet this can well be the year to give the gifts that bring the brightest sparkle to eyes and hearts. This is the year to be creative. This is the year for giving something rare and matchless. Take the time to select individually crafted, one-of-a-kind gifts that come with all the love and thoughtfulness built right in. This is the year to give gifts of art, designer style and craftsmanship. Why give a gift of art? The important thing about giving a work of art is that it is one-of-a-kind. Nobody else has one quite like it. It says something special, not only about the person who receives the gift, but also about the person who cared enough to choose a gift that is so exciting, so dramatic that nobody else
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Azalea Matinee by Jan Statman
in the world will receive exactly the same thing. These are the works that were created by a real live human being in order to bring happiness to a real live human being. Large or small, real works of art open special worlds of beauty and meaning. Last year’s gift may be worn out, used and discarded, but this year’s gift of art will last a lifetime. “There is so much more class in buying an original piece of art than in buying a reproduction,“ Holms-Steinmiller, co-owner of the Gold Leaf Gallery explained, “The best reason to give original art as a gift is that the piece will always hang on the wall, and each time the owners look at it, they can feel renewed pride that it was picked specially for them.” There is a wide variety of artwork available from the artists, creative designers and craftsmen of East Texas. Of course, there are wall pieces including paintings, drawings, pastels, watercolors, mosaics and collages, photographs, and limited edition prints. Artist-created, limited edition original prints might include lithographs, serigraphs, collographs, wood block prints, and even giclee prints. Limited edition prints are often pulled from the plate and hand colored or enhanced by chalk, pencil or pen and ink. Some original prints are made in fairly large editions and signed on the plate. Others are extremely small editions and signed on the finished print itself. These include notations as to which number they are in the printed series. For example, a short edition of only
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art & news one hundred prints will include the numbers one to one hundred on top of a slash, which is over the one hundred number. The lower numbers of a print edition are a little bit more valuable because they are frequently crisper. While we often think of sculpture as massive statues which stand alone at the entrances of museums and libraries, many valid and beautiful sculptures are made to be displayed on decorative sculpture stands. Some are even meant to be tabletop pieces. Others are intended to be featured as wall hangings. Look for work in stone, ceramic, metal, Plexiglas, wood, and any variety of solid materials. Look for useful and beautiful ceramic and pottery vessels, plates, bowls, and vases, and other exquisite items. Wood working, carving, and wood turning can create beautiful, unique and useful pieces ranging from huge decorative bowls to small Santa sculptures. Soft works in fabric, batik, wool, weavings and mixed materials might include wall hangings, but might also be scarves and clothing. Everyone is happy to receive individually designed jewelry pieces whether they are in fine or base metals, stone, glass, or even ceramic. Jewelry making has been described as a two and a half dimensional art form because it has height, width and a tiny bit of depth proportionate to the design. Photographer Tammy Cromer Campbell, owner of the TCC PHOTO | GALLERY says, “Give a gift that keeps on giving. Original art keeps giving back and, in many cases, increases in value with age.” Unique, one-of-a-kind works of art and craftsmanship can be found at local art galleries and at the museum shops of local art museums. It is even possible to visit an artist’s home or studio to select artworks that are so new or so special they have never been exhibited or seen by the public. Of course, it is best to call the artist for an appointment. Before asking to visit a studio, it is a good
idea to let the artist know about specific gift preferences. Since artists want to show their visitors those pieces which might be most agreeable, do suggest particular interests, watercolors or acrylics, prints or mosaics. Give the artist an idea of sizes and colors. It is even possible to discuss the most comfortable price range for purchases. Shannon Gilliland, owner of Art Gallery One Hundred and Shannon’s Beading Basket says, “There is a lot of fantastic talent right here in East Texas! Quite a few of our artists have international reputations. You can trust that what you are purchasing is honest artwork, made in the USA, because you can visit the artist’s studio and you can meet the artist who created it. Supporting the Arts locally makes good sense.” Remember that shopping for art is different from shopping for groceries. Artists enhance the quality of life with their artwork. Artists are selling work that is created by their bare hands and creative minds. Artists begin working with a blank canvas, a simple sheet of paper or a plain old lump of clay. Their gifted hands transform that base material into rare beauty, vistas, images and worlds that have never existed before. Artists freely pour their life experiences, their personalities and their souls into their work. Art is life affirming. Prices can depend upon such variables as the size of the work, the style, the materials used, as well as the artist’s education and professional reputation. Don’t be surprised to find out that real works of art can actually be less expensive than commercially mass produced, cheaply manufactured imported wares. Paula Davis, owner of P’s gallery explains: “One-ofa-kind original art is the perfect gift for any occasion.” She advises, “Buy locally and support local artists and our economy!”
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Longview Piano Teachers Association Hymn Festival The Longview Piano Teachers Association held their annual Hymn Festival November 4 and 5 at the First United Methodist Church Faith Center. Sixty-one students performed a hymn or hymn arrangement and received a critique and rating by adjudicator Cathy DeRousse of Shreveport, LA. Ms. DeRousse is an Adjunct Instructor of Music at Centenary College and Assistant Pianist and Organist at Emmanual Baptist Church in Shreveport. Five students were selected to perform in a master class with Ms. DeRousse on Saturday afternoon: Nancy Xu, Olivia Montgomery, Synnamon Ferguson, Preston Jacks, and Heather Plyler. Following the master class, ten students performed in a Worship Concert: Xavier Brumley, Carmen Vermillion, Atticus Brumley, Nancy Xu, Olivia Montgomery, Hunter Stokes, Sophia Simpson, Synnamon Ferguson, Preston Jacks, and Heather Plyler.
Participating teachers were Sylvia Bolding, Charity Boozier, Sherrye Coles, Vicki Conway, JanForester, Charlotte Huffhines, Janette Kavanaugh, Lora Robison, Beth Sheffield, and Barbara Woodring.
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artists artist profiles
Article submissions: Articles are accepted and reviewed by a panel. Photos may accompany articles. Space, relevance, writing and appropriateness play a huge part in the decision making process. Individual artists are more likely to have fewer than 100 words plus a photo published. Deadlines are the 5th of the month prior to publication.
Alyssa Marshall Soprano vocalist Alyssa Marshall, a native of Longview, attended Pine Tree before moving to New York and completing her bachelor’s degree in music. From there she went to Philadelphia and got her master’s degree in vocal performance. She has had several lead roles in many operas and is currently singing the role of Lily Craven in Artsview Children’s Theatre’s The Secret Garden. She will also be the soprano soloist on December 13th for the East Texas Community Chorus’ Christmas concert. You can listen to Alyssa by visiting her Facebook artist page, “Alyssa Marshall, soprano.” Alyssa is available to sing at your special event including weddings, parties or funerals. Call her at 914-441-1662 for more information.
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Mason Buchanan
Caitlyn Brette
“I am originally from Bullard, Texas, and I have been living in Tyler for about six years. In creating my work, I always start with an idea using pencil and paper. Some of my pieces are propelled by feelings or news that I have heard, others are inspired by getting a thought out of my head in order to catch it on paper. As I start to sketch out a project, it is very simple and bare. But as I layer on color, I start to think of how I can bring everything together in the end with outlines and texture. Once I have gotten the overall basic scheme down, I try to steer to a more direct, clear image by adding its identifying qualities, but at the same time leaving the freedom for expansion. I am currently taking art classes at Tyler Junior College as well as continuing to make art every day in my studio at home.”
Caitlyn Brette, “Country’s Lil’ Angel,” is a 13-year-old singing sensation originally from Houston, Texas. Caitlyn, now from East Texas, can delight and entertain crowds of all ages. She started her singing career doing guest spots with some of the Houston area’s local bands. Even at such a young age, her vocal talents are enchanting. Caitlyn and her father have already written and recorded original music which will be included on her soon to be released mini CD. Caitlyn has been recognized by the Texas Independent Music Society, and she was included in the documentary film Songwriter in the Sky. She was one of the top 10 finalists at the 2009 Singer-Songwriter competition (the only child to be included) and was a finalist at the 2010 Texas Country Music Hall of Fame John Ritter Tribute Showcase. Caitlyn has appeared multiple times on the cable show Nashville Spotlight and the Houston Cable show Alternative Scream. She has been performing in venues and festivals throughout Texas, Louisiana and Nashville. She has been a strong supporter of the Military, doing work for The Welcome Home Project, Voices of a Grateful Nation and Operation Military Pride. She has been compared to such greats as Leann Rimes and Patsy Cline.
mason.buchanan@gmail.com
caitlynbrette@yahoo.com www.myspace.com/caitlynbrette
Sandra McCurry Sandra McCurry received her bachelor’s degree in art education from Abilene Christian University and later studied at Oklahoma State. She has attended many art conventions and classes to enhance her art experience and has 23 years experience teaching art in public schools. While she was teaching, she was also producing art. She has done jewelry fabrication, batik, fiber art, and many other mediums. For several years she focused on clay and studied with Georgia Lange. She established Mud Hen Studio near her home where she teaches a class in acrylic painting. Her focus has shifted to mixed media, using collage, image transfer and acrylics. Like many artists, her first paintings were realistic, but she soon wanted to do more than point to what she had seen. Instead, she has chosen to paint, paste, and transfer her art into an open ended statement, leaving the viewer to bring his/her own interpretation to the image. She believes a picture is to be explored, not just viewed. Sandra resides on Lake Bob Sandlin, close to Pittsburg. mudhenstudio.com
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artists Push Water The Push Water band was formed in Leon County, Texas in the summer of 2010 by Jesse Duke, his father Jerry, cousin Johnny Sunkes and long-time friends Daniel York and Randy Stevens. Lead vocal duties are shared by Jesse Duke and Daniel York who both write original songs. Push Water’s musical style is drawn from many sources but remains rooted in a love of Country and Southern Rock. The band’s energetic style and fun attitude make their live shows a thrill for fans of any music genre. Push Water received the Live Band of the Year award at the 2011 Texas Music Awards. The band will release a new full-length album in December 2012 and will be touring Texas full time. The band can be contacted through their booking manager, Matt Torno, at
Becky Martin
Dana Cargille
cordially invites you to a special opening night . . .
Kerian Massey
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2011 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Laura Post
Exhibiting
Collection of various pieces of favorite 2011 exhibits.
903-388-3220.
Artists: Dana Cargille, Kerian Massey, David Ackerson, Becky Martin, Laura Post and Joan Iverson
Gary Huntsman
Joan Iverson
David Ackerson The lone Texan in the group Soulfish Blues Band, guitarist Gary Huntsman, was born in Houston, raised in Baytown and presently lives in Carthage. He started his notable musical career in his mid-teens playing lead guitar with various bands in the late 60’s. He later joined the reputable Empty Can Band, traveling and performing throughout Texas in the late 70’s. Gary moved to the Ark-La-Tex in 1979 and played in a handful of well-known local bands before being snatched up by Percy Sledge as lead guitarist, with whom he recorded and toured worldwide for 15 years. Gary was featured on Percy’s Live From Louisiana album as well as the track “First You Cry� on the Louisiana Swamp Stomp album. He has been heavily influenced by Billy Gibbons, John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Freddie King, and Peter Green of the original Fleetwood Mac. Gary lives and breathes his motto, “Life’s too short for bad tone,� with an unmistakable ring to every touch of the string. Soulfish Blues Band will appear December 10 at PJ’s Place in Marshall. More at
EXHIBIT NOV. 17TH - JAN. 7TH 4518 S. Broadway • The French Quarter • Tyler, TX 75703
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This Present Path
SueZan Stutts Artist SueZan Stutts works in multiple mediums including, but not limited to: bronze sculpture, clayboard etching, watercolor wildlife, custom stained glass, jewelry design and casting, as well as custom framing. “I love all the mediums in which I work, and I look forward to each project. I was honored to be commissioned by the city of Canton along with fellow artist, OraLee Small, to sculpt the life-sized bronze ‘The Trade’�. SueZan owns Limited Editions Art Studio & Gallery, which was previously located on I-20 and open to the public for 17 years. She has relocated the studio to the premises of Black Swan Ranch at Wills Point. More information is available at
Clay • Paintings • Photography by Claudia Lowery
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October 2011 - Page 09
Celebrate the Season in Downtown Tyler! Three Great Events in One Night
art Derrick White by Jan Statman
Thursday, Dec. 8 4-8 pm
ArtWalk See the work of dozens of artists, plus music and dance throughout the downtown area!
FREE ADMISSION Downtown Museums Open House Downtown Tyler Museums will open their doors to the public!
FREE ADMISSION Downtown Living Spaces Tour See beautiful downtown lofts!
Tickets: $10 each Tyler Main Street/ Gallery Main Street www.downtowntylerarts.com
903-593-6905
Page 10 - December 2011
A
ward winning Tyler artist, Derrick White, likes to describe his art as “somewhat organized chaos.” On the surface, this description seems to be a comfortable fit. The images appear to be randomly placed. The drips and swirls of paint appear to happen on their own. However, after looking at his work carefully, it becomes obvious that the “organized” part of what the artist calls “organized chaos” is far more appropriate. Clearly, his art is the thoughtful, controlled and instinctive result of an organized mind. White’s work includes paint, both thick and thin, graphic word design, bits of cartoons and even advertisements creating a body of work that is deep, emotional and layered on many levels. There are slivers of popular and easily recognizable figures. There are layers of paint and layers of image, sometimes scraped, sometimes softened, sometimes metallic. Wait! Is that a bird? No, that’s Mickey Mouse. Is that Uncle Sam? What do those words mean, and do I really see the tail lights of a 1950s Cadillac? The small events of daily life and the lives and world around him provide the inspiration for his art. Because of this, whether he is in the studio or not, he admits that he is always working on his art. He says, “I am attracted to the unstructured results of actions and the inherent nature of materials, for example, drips of paint or the flow of a wood grain. I want my work to be engaging and fun but to also reveal its sincerity through form.” As a child, Derrick White always considered drawing to be a natural part of his life. However, his early dedication was
to the 4H and in the FFA. He studied agriculture with the intention of becoming a cattle rancher. His ranching plans fell by the wayside when he took an Art Appreciation Class with Randy Brodnax at Cedar Valley College in Lancaster. Brodnax convinced him to do what he really loved, and he discovered that what he really loved had nothing to do with cattle. Once he started to pursue a career in art, he never looked back. That is not to say it has always been easy. Early on, he worked in a warehouse driving a forklift in order to earn a living. The physically demanding work convinced him that standing up in front of a group of people and helping them find their own way as artists would be a lot more comfortable than driving a forklift! He turned his thoughts to teaching as well as to creating art. White holds both a Masters of Fine Arts degree and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Texas at Denton. He teaches Painting, Sculpture and Art Appreciation as well as Film Studies at Tyler Junior College. He says, “I love making art, but I also love teaching, so I never regret that the hours I spend in the classroom are not hours spent in the studio. I am blessed that my teaching and my creating feed each other. I’m a better teacher because I am a professional artist, and I am a better artist because I am a teacher. As a teacher, it is important to give
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art & news my students the inspiration and the belief that they can do this thing – that no one else can do what they set out to do. As an artist, I’m charged with holding someone’s visual attention and by doing so, to enlarge his or her life and experience.” Art has been a positive experience in his life. He credits his wife, Alicia, for “Being brave enough to marry an Art Major,“ which says a lot for her courage and for her enthusiasm about his art. Their home is filled with art, not only his art but also the art of other artists whose work they both admire. He admits that when he is working his studio is “a huge mess.“ Like many artists, he prefers to have his workspace as part of his home. His studio is housed in what would otherwise have been the family’s two-car garage. Since their two children were old enough to walk, they’ve loved being out in the studio with him. He is proud to say, “They have always been creating alongside me, so they have grown up being naturally creative people who now attend an Arts Magnet School.“ He believes that, for a professional artist, exhibiting one’s work outside of the safety of the studio and letting it be seen by viewers is a good thing. There is a certain excitement about being able to share your art with the world. The down side of exhibiting is simply that preparing the work to send off to exhibits, crating it, shipping it or taking it to shows takes time and energy. Everything that is involved with the business of art is not particularly part of the creative process of making art. Still, when a person decides to dedicate his life to making art, the art takes on a life of its own.
He described the mixed feeling of parting with one of his works. “My favorite work is always the one I have just completed. On one hand, once I’m through with a piece, I’ve created it. I’ve looked at it; I’ve lived with it for awhile; I want to see it go to a good home. It’s a great feeling to have someone love your work enough to want to buy it and live with it. On the other hand, there is a sense of parting and of loss when you see the works go away forever.” To explain that feeling, he described his experience when he exhibited in a Longview Museum of Fine Arts show. He had recently completed the two pieces he delivered to the exhibit. When he went to pick up the work at the close of the show he discovered he only had one work to take home with him. The other one had been sold. Of course he was delighted to know that it went to a good home, but it was an odd feeling to leave the museum without it. It was almost like leaving one of his children behind! “I make art because I have to do it. I can’t imagine life without art in it,” he said. “Even a bad day in the studio is better than a day without art. Art is about being human. Although we may find we have differences, we also all have similarities in what it is to lead a human existence. Art bridges the gap between those differences to reach those similarities.”
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Rangerette Christmas with a kick The Kilgore College Rangerettes will host a special Christmas show on Friday, Dec. 2 in Dodson Auditorium on the KC campus. The one-night-only show, “The Rangerette Christmas Extravaganza: Christmas with a Kick,” will feature the world-famous Rangerettes and several local dance groups. The show is set for 7:30 p.m. and all seating is general admission. Tickets are $10 and will be on sale at the Rangerette Box Office Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door the night of the show. The box office is located on the first floor of the Rangerette Gym on the Kilgore campus. Local dance groups featured in the show include the Kilgore High School Hi-Steppers, Jazz Technique by Tempe, Elite Dance Center, In-Step Dance Studios and Tap ‘n’ Toe Dance Studio. Also, the Rangerette Forevers will host a pancake supper Dec. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Rangerette Gym. Cost of the pancake supper is $10 for adults and $6 for children. Kids will have an opportunity to have their photo made with Santa Claus at the pancake supper. For more information, call the Rangerette Box Office at 903-983-8179.
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news L’Angelus (Say Lawn-Jay-Loose) Expert musicians, incredible singers and topnotch live entertainers, L’Angelus combines the best of Louisiana’s music traditions: cajun fiddle tunes for the dance crowd, saxophone driven swamppop, and New Orleans influenced R&B. The result is a live show that rolls along with what Michael Doucet of Beausoleil calls “the instrumental energy of a freight train that knows no boundaries.” And the band is all from one Louisiana family. Linda Rees got the group going in the mid 90’s with her four oldest children when her husband, John Sr., took a job in North Dakota training Taiwanese flight students how to fly jet aircraft. Katie picked up the guitar, Paige the bass, Johnny the drums, and Steve the fiddle, swamp pop saxophone and harmonica. By 2002, playing as Linda Lou and The Lucky 4, the group had performed at hundreds of county fairs, rodeos, demolition derbys and coffeehouses throughout the midwest and eastern United States. “We played mostly old country songs and 50s and 60s rock and roll songs. Crowd pleasers,” Katie says. “But Dad kept telling us that we’d eventually get back to our Cajun roots because in Louisiana, music is still used to bring people together.” L’Angelus now performs as a dynamic high energy four piece band featuring Katie, 27, Paige, 26, Johnny, 24, and Stephen, 22. They describe their sound as Louisiana roots but still love to play the popular old rock and country and Motown tunes Americana music. Audiences across North America and Europe are drawn to the “joie de vivre” that radiates from the stage. Selected in 2006 by Billboard Magazine from over 1,400 artists as one of six finalists in the Independent Music World Series, L’Angelus has been steadily gaining international attention. Two of their original compositions were featured in the nationwide PBS documentary on Louisiana’s Wetlands, Washing Away, narrated by Susan Sarandon. May of 2009 marked their first internationally televised concert with an hour long interview and performance on EWTN’s “Life on the Rock,” where the group explored the influence that the Catholic culture of community celebrations has had on the development of Cajun and Irish music. Their most recent release, Sacred Hymns Collection, was picked up for international distribution by Ignatius Press, the world’s largest Catholic publishing company, and quickly became one of the most popular items in their music catalogue. On tour in Ireland this past summer, the musicians were literally grabbed off the street to interview and perform live on the country’s two largest radio programs, RTE with Pat Kenny and BBC Radio Live. “Our first big break came after we moved to Northern Virginia back in 1997,” fiddler Steve recalls. “Dad was a corporate pilot and Mom and the little band were playing a few times a month at the local coffee shop. By that time, Dad had bought a cowboy hat. We owned our own microphones. A phone call came in one fateful day from the director of the Youth Livestock Organization at the Frederick County Fair. The band that was scheduled to appear during the sheep shearing demonstration had switched genres and now wore leotards, so the committee asked us if we would substitute. Looking back now, I would say that was our first big break.” Check out the band at http://langelus.info/
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writing & music Beyond Mere Thoughts by Karen Dean
As I look back over this past year, I’ve pulled out notes and jotted down what I had hoped to accomplish. I try to plan assignments for myself that will cause me to continually move forward. I tend to be project oriented, so I never want my plate to be empty. By having the next challenging project waiting in the wings, I prepare for it while working on something else. I could be hard on myself for not developing a witty blog, not illustrating all the books on my list, or not starting my memoir, but that wouldn’t be helpful. Rather than doing that, I recall all that did get done. Many new relationships and doors have opened up because I’ve stepped so far out of my cushy comfort zone.
As a result, new ideas emerged expanding my creative universe and stack of ideas. If you didn’t complete, or even start your story yet, what new thing would you be willing to try to achieve a different result? Watching Book TV on CNN can be helpful at times to hear authors talking about their books. Even more beneficial and specific is watching online www.booktv.org. Videos from the ‘Writers on Writing’ category provides a glimpse into a writer’s day. With many, it seems to be a slow starting process and the importance of protecting their time and space. For me, listening to story after story of authors describing people, events and mindsets affecting their plot development is powerful. Hearing what stirs them to write from their experiences and feelings inspires me to go deeper into myself and draw from the well of my own life and passion. There is so much available to spur us on if we’ll just keep stepping out, digging for more information, and taking the risk to put our words to paper. I can hardly wait to see what new direction and relationships develop in the coming year. Maybe my new motto should be: “No limitations, just possibilities.”
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Better than being there Texas Roadhouse Live by Emmitte Hall Billy Joe Shaver takes to the stage wearing a sleeveless denim shirt and a crumpled cowboy hat. He seems a bit long in the tooth but still looks like he can handle himself in a bar fight. One thing is for sure, the native Texan can still put on a show. One of the original county “Outlaws,” Billy Joe was a rebel back when all his fellow chart makers were wearing fuzzy cream suits and bolos. In his seventy years of hard living, he has written songs about life and recorded with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Tanya Tucker, Charlie Daniels and other country stars. But here he is, the legend, playing his guitar and singing old songs in an intimate, honky-tonk setting with people dancing and swaying to the music. Billy Joe and his band are just having a good time. Thirty minutes later I’m listening to Robert Earl Keen, and they play “Gringo Honeymoon,” “Corpus Christi Bay” and other REK standards that put him on the map. I pause, get another cold one from the fridge and then, next up, I can’t decide between The Fabulous Thunderbirds or Tito and the Tarantulas (I love my DVR). I’m sitting in the comfort of my air-conditioned man cave watching Texas Roadhouse Live, a Texas produced concert series featuring regional and legendary talent in a simple dance hall setting. The camera work makes it feel like you’re right there. Minus all the fun stuff that make up a Honky Tonk: the fog of second hand smoke, the stench of spilled beer and that edgy tingle on the back of your neck that’s telling you that a random beer bottle might break across your head at any time. TRL is hosted by the Crown Prince of Texas, the original
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Jewish Cowboy and wannabe governor of Texas, Kinky Friedman. The cigar chomping cowboy introduces the bands while bantering about the music which makes for a fun 30 minute music show. The show presents concerts, and they go on location for events like the Sturgis Bike Rally. Other musicians have included Motorhead, the Reverend Horton Heat, Gary P. Nunn and Tab Benoit. Not heard of some of these troubadours? Tune in and become an instant fan. Texas Roadhouse Live is usually on Saturday or Sunday nights and they are on approximately 18 stations in Texas and Louisiana. With 200 gazillion channels on the TV, it may be a bit hard to find. Relegated to the lower end of the TV channel spectrum where “local” programming languishes, this show is worth finding. In East Texas, TRL shows on KETK at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and on KLPN on Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. www.Texasroadhouselive.com lists past performances and play lists, Kinky Friedmanisms, merchandise and other factoids about the show. So flop down in your best chair, tune in, turn it up, pop a beer and settle in for a good time with some of today’s best artists on Texas Roadhouse Live.
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Mineola Music on the Streets 3rd Saturday
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art “Reflections on Water in American Painting” opens December 9 at the Tyler Museum of Art
for acoustic music on the streets! Rain or shine! No Amps or Drums Permitted • Bring you instrument and chair, find a group, form a circle and start pickin’ and singin. • Meet at the gazebo on Johnson St. and form groups or bring your group.
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Ponte Alla Grazia, The Arno – Florence by William Merritt Chase This winter, linger for a moment on the water’s edge at the Tyler Museum of Art, where you will escape into a nautical narrative of American history and maritime adventure. Reflections on Water in American Painting, the Arthur J. Phelan Collection combines 50 paintings that together tell a fantastic history of the country’s growth starting with the epic sailing ships of Christopher Columbus and river boats of Mark Twain’s Mississippi River to the more contemporary pleasure of leisure time spent by the sea. Ranging in date from 1828 to 1945, the exhibition opens with the earliest form of American maritime painting with a selection of grand, academic-style portraits of graceful sailing ships. The exhibition progresses forward in time with waterscapes from the sea to the lakes and rivers of the American heartland, light-flooded impressionist visions of quaint New England seaside towns, and modernist renderings of industrial waterfronts and everyday life on the water. “Many artists of every genre have been fascinated by stories and images of water. This exhibition captures the spirit of American maritime adventure from the ocean to inland waterways and lakes,” said TMA Curator, Ken Tomio. “Visitors will see images of majestic ships, intrepid racing yachts, and even modernist depictions of commercialism and industry as they appear across our nation’s shorelines.” The underlying theme of the exhibition reflects changes in American attitudes towards our most im-
Page 14 - December 2011
portant resource from the endless supply of water and land the first settlers found and the dominant role ships played in fostering growth and trade, to the popularity of second homes and beaches and the change in port facilities from picturesque to industrial in the 20th century. Reflections on Water in American Painting is drawn from the collections of Arthur J. Phelan, wellknown for his paintings depicting life in the American West. Phelan began collecting nautical paintings in the 1960s. Highlights of his collection and the exhibition include James Bard’s meticulously drawn Hudson River steamboat, Frank Benson’s marshland with more than 30 rising ducks, William Trost Richards’ breaking waves, William Merritt Chase’s intense study of the Arno River, and Reginald Marsh’s cathedral-like rendering of a New Jersey railway bridge. “I have built a number of collections that started with a chance acquisition of an artwork that reminded me of something in my past,” says Phelan. “This group of maritime and coastal scenes arises from time spent at my family’s summer home in Connecticut. Our house, between New London and the Connecticut River, was on the water. During World War II, I sailed small sloops at the point where Long Island Sound empties into the Atlantic and where large commercial sailing ships occasionally still passed by. Later, while at Yale [B.A. and M.A. in American history], I was never far from the Sound.”
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art Events & Activities Seniors’ Day, Monday, January 16, 2012 – Free admission and guided tours for visitors ages 65 and older; tours of Reflections on Water in American Painting begin at 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Reservations are requested for art tours and may be made by calling 903-595-1001.
Family Day, Saturday January 14 and February 11, 2012 – Offered on the second Saturday of each month, these Family Day events will offer free art activities designed to reflect themes from Reflections on Water in American Painting from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the classroom. Sponsored by the Roosth Foundation. Up to date event information is available on the TMA website, www.tylermuseum.org.
Afternoon Ducks by Frank Weston Benson Admission for the exhibition is $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for students and seniors, and free for TMA Members and children ages 12 and under. Reflections on Water in American Painting is presented by Exhibits Development Group, USA. Patron sponsor is Bank of America. Contributors are the Williford Charitable Trust and Target. Collectors’ Circle Sponsors are Amy & Vernon Faulconer. Corporate Member Sponsors are Piney Woods Live and BSCENE Magazine.
Industrial Waterfront – Great Lakes by Richard Babcock
Steamboat at Night, Mississippi River by Charles M. McIlhenny
The Tyler Museum of Art, accredited by the American Association of Museums, is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus off East Fifth Street. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. (The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays.) Lunch is available in the Museum Café from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and the TMA Gift Shop is open during Museum hours. For more information, call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.
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art Artist’s World by Jan Statman It is said that art imitates life, and most of the time this is true. Much of what we know about different civilizations comes to us through their art. We know about the Ancient Egyptians, the Mesopotamians, and the Greeks and Romans because they left paintings and
good, particularly during the busy holiday season when there is so much excitement and there is so much temptation to be unkind to their little brothers or sisters. More than that, he knows exactly what they want him to bring them. Sometimes he brings exactly what they want. Sometimes, though, he knows that a real live pony is not such a good idea because there is a special toy that would be more fun to have.
sculptures for us to see. Sometimes, however, the opposite is true. Sometimes it is Life that imitates Art, and that is exactly what happened to Santa Claus! Of course, we all know a lot about Santa Claus even though we have not personally been able to visit his home and his workshop at the North Pole. We know that he is informed about the sleep habits of small children. He knows if they’ve been bad or
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art How does he process all this information? Possibly he does it through the CIA. That is, of course, the “Claus Information Agency.” His special agents and helpers may be seen in shopping malls and department stores all over everywhere. Some people think he uses computers to tell him these things, but I believe it is simply Santa’s Christmas magic. Yes, we are talking about the same Christmas magic that allows his reindeer to pull his sleigh clear across the world to land on the rooftops whether it has snowed or not. It lets him slide down chimneys and pop back up again without ever getting burned. I have it on really good authority that little children who live in big apartment houses where there are no chimneys at all have heard the jingle of the reindeer’s bells as he climbs quietly down the fire escapes. More than that, he has never been mugged, not even in the worst of neighborhoods, not even in the South Bronx. Sometimes children worry because the weather can be a problem, but these days he is helped by technology. On Christmas Eve NORAD’s tracking system follows Santa’s sleigh through the night skies. For many years, people have created different images of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas lived in Turkey a long time ago. He did miracles for sailors and children and gave gifts to the poor. Artists painted him as a tall, thin, serious looking man wearing a tall Bishop’s mitre. In Switzerland and Germany, he is called Kris Kringle. In Scandinavia, they call him Jultomten and pictures show him delivering his gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. In England, Father Christmas fills children’s stockings with holiday treats. Paintings of Father Christmas show a stout, cheerful man in a long green, fur-lined robe. In France, pictures of Pere Noel show him riding on a donkey named “Mistletoe.” In Holland, there are pictures of Sinterklaas wearing a long red robe and riding a tall white horse. Sad to say, he had a helper called “Dark Pete” who left lumps of coal in the stockings of naughty boys and girls. When the Old Dutch Settlers brought Sinterklaas to America, his name was shortened to Santa Claus. It’s a good thing that Sinterklaas left Dark Pete in Holland! Nobody knew exactly what Santa Claus looked like until Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” was published in the Troy, New York, Sentinel newspaper in 1823. Moore was the first person to actually see Santa Claus himself. In his poem, he tells about Santa riding in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, entering through the chimney and having a bag full of toys. The poet hardly had time to turn around when: “Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound, He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. …. His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.” Forty years later, the popular cartoonist, Thomas Nast, was the first artist to give us a really good picture of Santa Claus. In 1863, his illustration of Santa appeared in Harper’s Weekly Magazine showing a smiling man with twinkling eyes, holding toys and games for good boys and girls. Unfortunately, there are some children who do not believe in Santa Claus. In 1897, a little girl named Virginia wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Sun. “Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus,” she wrote, “Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN, it’s so.”’ “Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?“ Newsman Francis Pharcellus Church answered her letter. His answer was long but, this is much of what he said: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy…Not believe in Santa Claus! …You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. … Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world…No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.” As for me, of course I will always believe in Santa Claus. When I think of all the good, kind, generous people all around us, I know that Santa Claus is real.
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December 2011 - Page 17
theatre news The Slightly Amusing Theater Company guests at Liberty Hall
Tony Award winner to star in River City Repertory Theatre’s opener Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie will star in River City Repertory Theatre’s 2011-12 season opener,
Mother Goose Stuffs Her Stockings will take children into Storyland on the morning of Saturday, December 3, when The Slightly Amusing Theater Company is the guest of the East Texas Symphony at Liberty Hall in Tyler. The program is interactive and suitable for K-4 children who enjoy fun and holiday song. Mother Goose will seek the right holiday presents for her many friends in Storybook Land. Participants will be Mother Goose, Evelyn McLane, and her Friends: Felicity Enas, Hannah Morris, and Frances Whiteside.
Frank D. Gilroy’s The Subject Was Roses. River City Rep, located in Shreveport, Louisiana, is North Louisiana’s only professional theatre company. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play focuses on a young veteran, newly returning from WWII, and his strained relationship with his parents. Logan Sledge and Richard Folmer round out the three-character cast. The actress won a Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical for the original production of Michael Bennett’s A Chorus Line. She portrayed Cassie, a dancer
For admission prices, times of performance, and directions to Liberty Hall on the square in Tyler, please visit www.etso.org during November.
seeking a comeback, and was featured in the show’s most famous number, “The Music and the Mirror.” In addition to the Tony Award, McKechnie also won the Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Special Award for the musical. In 1996, she was given the Fred Astaire Award for Best Female Dancer for her performance in the Broadway production of State Fair. Recently, she completed a run in Ten Cents A Dance, which is slated to open on Broadway in Spring of 2012. The play is directed by Patric McWilliams with Light Design by David Gipson, Set and Costume Design by McWilliams and Original Music/Sound Design by Kermit Poling. The Production Stage Manager is Vanna Richardson. For additional information www.rivercityrep.org or call 318-868-5888.
THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES Riverview Theatre 601 Clyde Fant Parkway Downtown Shreveport December 9-10 @ 7:30 p.m. December 11 @ 3:00 p.m. All seats $35.00 Student/Military discount 30 minutes prior to each curtain. All seats $10.00 with valid I.D.
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Page 18 - December 2011
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art Preserving an art form by Faith Harper Retired professional artist and teacher, Lurlene Bowden, mixed her talent for art with a love of cooking to write two cookbooks on canning and preserving East Texas vegetables and fruit. Bowden, 68, has had an incredible career as an artist. When she was young, she said she did illustrations for NASA of the Apollo 13 spacecraft, worked as a botanical illustrator for textbooks, was commissioned to do a mural in downtown Fort Worth and had an art television show for seven years. “I won best in show in 2000 at the Cowan Center (in Tyler) when I and 29 others were given the honor of being named “Texas All Time Greats,” Bowden said. “I had a wonderful career, and I thank God for it.” Looking at the jars in her pantry, she said no one could deny preserved food is art because of the bright and beautiful colors. “This is an art in itself,” she said. “We can’t let this die. At least that’s how I feel about it.” Her first book is a beginner’s guide to preparing and freezing East Texas fruit and vegetables called “You ‘Can’ Do It” and her second book is a guide to making jellies and jams called “You ‘Can’ Do This Two.” Both are written, but neither are officially published and Bowden hopes to sell some of the manuscripts to curb printing costs. She is currently working on a third book about pickling. “It was just like one of my paintings, when I got through writing that was it,” She said. “I knew I had told everything I knew on that particular subject, and you get (the book) too thick and you can’t work with it in your kitchen.” But Bowden did not grow up with the tradition of canning or cooking. “When I came up here, I made my husband hold up a chicken to see where the egg came out — I knew nothing,” Bowden said. “When we got married, I didn’t know how to boil water. This is the truth. I was too busy having a career and being educated.” Her husband, Frank, from the age of nine lived with a chef and had a better cooking background. “I think good cooks have to have some creativity in their soul, and you become a good cook when you become creative,” Frank Bowden said. “Today she is a much better cook than I, but she uses her spices and seasonings different than I do. Some of that I have come to prefer and some of that I still like my recipe better, but that’s the way that goes.” She said she had no interest in canning or preserving until her family moved to East Texas. At the time, she was going back to school at the University of Texas at Tyler to earn a second degree in education studio art. She had two small baby girls to feed and a limited income.
“I got into this business because we needed to eat, and I had all this wonderful food, and I just love it,” she said. Her sisterin-law, Juanita Bowden, and her family moved in across the street, and every year the two families would tend a two-acre garden together and work as a team to can and preserve all of the produce. Bowden said with everyone’s help her family put up 100 jars of food every year. While Juanita taught her the ropes, the cookbooks are a compilation of information Lurlene has accumulated over the years from family, friends, farmers, fellow canners and her own trial and error. “Oh Lord, I made many mistakes, but my sister-in-law was the type of person — the same type of teacher I have been all for my career — we don’t criticize neither one of us,” she said. “When I screwed up, it was bad enough knowing that it cost me money.” She said preserved food tastes best when it came locally, fresh from the ground. She said it is possible to preserve food from the grocery store, but in her opinion they taste bland. “(We live in) a Garden of Eden, and it’s a blessing,” she said. “My husband and I are still walking around because we have been eating right for many years.” This is something Lurlene says she is very passionate about. She did canning demonstrations at the Cherokee County Fair this fall. After the demonstrations, she sold book and jars of homemade food. She will be a demonstrator of food preservation to the principals of food science class at Lon Morris College on Nov. 9. Bowden says she has other events in the works and plans to help bring this art back to life. Reprinted with the permission of the Jacksonville Daily Progress.
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“So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” by Jim McQuinn & Chris Hillman – Recorded by the Byrds on Younger Than Yesterday in 1967 This month’s lyric is from the song “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” which was released as a single on January 9, 1967 and reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is said that the song was inspired by the hype surrounding the creation of the faux band, The Monkees, whose television series had recently debuted launching the prefabricated band to international fame. The manufactured nature of the group caused Hillman and McGuinn to look upon the state of the pop world with more than a little cynicism. Now, I doubt that many of you reading this really want to be a rock and roll star, but more than a few want to record and document their musical creations. That is what this column is about: heading to the studio. I picked this topic because I am in the studio right now recording a new CD called But Wait, There’s More. I have a home studio, as I suspect many of you do. However, recording myself for an entire CD while keeping the real creative juices flowing is not something I am capable of. Why, you might ask? The honest answer is that the act of performance is a right brain (creative) function, and the technical aspects, the recording, are left brain (logical) functions. For me, I can do either one separately pretty well but jumping between the two sides of my brain is a difficult transition. If I can find someone who I can share my musical vision with and help me achieve it, while taking care of all the left brain stuff so I can relax and do my best using my right brain for my performance, then I am willing to pay them for their time and knowledge. So, you have decided, as I have, to go into the studio and record your masterpiece. How hard can it be to walk in, do your songs, and wait for the delivery of your completed masterpiece? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that ain’t the way it happens. Almost every recording project is a project abandoned. What I mean by that is you will either run out of willpower, patience or money before you are REALLY satisfied with your results. I can almost guarantee you will experience this. Suddenly these songs you have labored over to write and learn will seem to be full of flaws. Your instrumental and vocal skills, which have always seemed sufficient, will mysteriously seem incapable of producing the results you want. Your word choices, melody choices, tempo choices and key choices will all seem wrong. Welcome to the hyper-aware world of recording. The sudden awareness that you are creating
Music something that could survive beyond your own existence becomes quite daunting. That is why I have made the following list of things you should know and do before and during your studio visits. I guarantee that if you do these things it will make your studio experience more productive, less stressful and less hyper-aware. I am going to break it down into two sections: things to do before your studio session and things to do during your studio session. I will begin with the before.
BEFORE YOU GO TO RECORD • Visit the studio when you aren’t going to be recording, get a tour, talk to the folks there. Ask all the questions you have and listen, listen, listen to what they tell you. • Know your songs, their tempo, time signature and key. Practice them daily until you know them backwards and forwards. • Care for your instruments, change the strings, drum heads, etc. Make sure to have them in great working order. In the studio is not a good place to do this. • Think about the things you might need in the studio. Bring things like guitar chords, strings, batteries, drumsticks and tuners. Though most studios have some of these things, they won’t be the ones you favor or are used to. • Know how to play and tune your instruments. Practice, practice, practice. • Create chord charts and word charts for every song. Bring a copy for each performer and the producer/engineer. If you don’t know how, ask during your visit, and they will help you do this. • Be able to play each song without singing and to sing each song without playing. • Practice each song with a metronome at your chosen tempo. Practice, practice and practice some more. • Work out firm arrangements, or get someone to help you. • Practice until you can do the songs in their arrangements backwards, forwards and in your sleep. • Did I say practice?
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music WHEN YOU ARE IN THE STUDIO • Be humble. The guys in the studio know more and have seen more than you. If you are smarter and know more than the studio guys, you are in the wrong studio. • Know what you want. Have a mission statement. Be able to tell others your goals for the sessions. • Listen to your producer/engineer and never be afraid to ask. This ain’t their first rodeo. That doesn’t necessarily mean do everything they say; it only means listen and consider. • Drink water, not coffee, not soft drinks and NOT alcohol in the studio. Your vocal chords will thank you, and your performance will be much better. Save the drink for celebrating a great session. • Have fun!!! It isn’t rocket science. It is art. So be an artist! One final note before I sign off. I have spoken about a studio like it was already chosen. If yours isn’t, you need to find someone who can help you
East Texans ready to showcase their talent finally have a venue to do just that during Friday Night Mics at the KE Cellars Bushman’s Winery and Events Center in Bullard. Every Friday evening except for holidays, ambitious musicians take to the stage in front of a live audience to perform either two original compositions or one original song and one cover song. “Our main goal is to create a beautiful environment, a wonderful venue for artists to come to,” says Blake Hall, promotions manager for Kierpersol Enterprise, the company behind the facility. Friday Night Mics is seeking artists of all genres and all ages to participate. Those with CDs to sell may bring those as well. The cost to participate is free for both the performer and audience members. Artists should bring their accompaniment tracks. A drum kit is available on stage. This is a wonderful opportunity for musicians who are just getting established to perfect their craft in a top notch facility. Artist management will be at every show as well. KE Bushman’s considers itself a part of a burgeoning music artistry scene comprised of venues and festivals throughout the East Texas area . Tyler, Longview, Nacogdoches and many of the smaller cities that surround them are actively participating in the cultivation of a culture for live music. “There is so much talent that is hidden here,” says Hall. KE Bushman’s wants to unearth that talent and show it to the world. Nestled into KE Bushman’s
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realize your vision. Visit a few, ask questions, and decide which one you are most comfortable with. The most important thing to remember is that the studio should be your partner in creating your vision. You are hiring them to help you reach that goal. I guarantee the most important thing about choosing a studio is the owner and/or staff, not the latest cool equipment. If you don’t feel a chemistry, move on. Trust your gut. After all, isn’t that what art is all about? So you still want to be a rock and roll star? Well you better get to it because time is a wastin’! See you next issue. Randy Brown is a small business owner and award winning singer/songwriter living in East Texas and has been involved with many sides of the music business over the years, from being a sideman, a sound man, touring performing songwriter, operating a venue, and a recording studio owner/engineer. He is almost 60 years old and still wants to be a rock and roll star.
is a state-of-the-art recording studio with the latest equipment for both music and voice over work. The studio hosted a singer/songwriting contest over the summer to help identify up and coming talent. The winner received free studio time and was featured in an advertisement campaign. KE Bushman’s Winery and Celebration center was designed to be an incredible place for musicians to perform. At capacity, 2,000 people can be accommodated. Groups like the Randy Rogers Band, Asleep at the Wheel and Nashville’s Gary Morris among others have all performed there. Many more artists of acclaim are expected in the coming months. KE Bushman’s is ready to bring great entertainment to the people of East Texas. On December 2nd and 3rd, Gary Morris will return with his Nashville band and his son, Matt Morris. Matt Morris is best known for producing five of the tracks on Christina Aguilera’s debut album and is an accomplished musician. For both musicians and music lovers, upcoming events at KE Bushman’s provide yet another opportunity to bring people together with a common interest. For more information about upcoming performances at KE Bushman’s Winery and Celebration Center, visit www.kiepersol.com. Do you know of any other venues offering Open Mic Nights? Tell us about it! Go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PineyWoodsLive.
December 2011 - Page 21
theatre The Lindale Community Theatre by LaDawn Fletcher
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A towering six foot man from Kentucky is probably not who you would envision as the person behind the Lindale Community Theatre, but Executive Director, Tim Mitchiner, has created an artistic presence as large as his own physical presence. Mitchiner launched the company more than two years ago, and he wasn’t quite sure where it would go. Originally funded almost entirely by him, what Mitchiner did know is that he wanted to return to the stage after a 30 year absence. He had a feeling Lindale, the small community of around 5,000 just outside Tyler, was a great place to have a theatre – and he was right. With two successful seasons under its belt and new status as a nonprofit organization, Lindale Community Theatre stands poised to blossom. Last year, more than 6,000 people attended the five productions put on by the theatre. As the theatre continues to mature, Mitchiner fully expects attendance to grow. The talented casts are made up of all kinds of people: some with long histories of theatre experience and others with just an overwhelming urge to entertain people. “We have everyone from stay-at-home moms to teachers to truck drivers and construction workers, all drawn to the arts,” Mitchiner says with a chuckle. The performers come from areas as diverse as Winnsboro to Whitehouse. The accessibility of community theatre has long been one of the draws for both patrons and
performer, but while Lindale Community Theatre retains that element, they also take production value equally serious. “We are always striving for better lighting, better sound, better everything,” says Mitchiner. “We want good theatre in as many ways as possible.” Even play selection is given a tremendous amount of thought. For the 2012 season, a committee convened to review more than 50 scripts to consider. They submitted their top choices and Mitchiner whittled it down to the four that will actually be produced. Holy Family Catholic Church has been an important partner for the theatre. Performances are held in one of their buildings and the revenues from ticket sales split between the two. Using the church’s space allows the theatre group to operate without incurring debt. Mitchiner has his eye toward the future and wants to grow the organization responsibly. His 501c3 designation as a nonprofit organization allows him to solicit donations from the general public to sustain his vision of arts excellence. They will also be eligible for grants should they so desire. The 2012 season kicks off on January 27 with Champagne Charlie Stakes. Season tickets are available online at www.lindalecommunitytheatre. org or via phone at 903-638-0402.
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Tyler and Longview’s December ArtWalks scheduled The Art Walk in Downtown Longview and the Holiday Downtown Market will be held Friday, December 2 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in conjunction with other events that kick off the holiday season celebration in the city. Things get started Thursday, December 1 with the official lighting of the Gregg County Courthouse at 6:15 p.m. after which the annual Christmas Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. The Downtown Tyler ArtWalk is set for Thursday, Dec. 8 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. along with the Downtown Tyler Museums’ Holiday Open House and a tour of select downtown living spaces! The ArtWalk and open house will be free, and the living spaces tour will be available for a small fee.
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music Marshall Wonderland of Lights The words of the holiday classic, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” could easily have been written about Marshall’s Wonderland of Lights where miles of twinkling lights and festivities could make even the Grinch grin. This small community wrote the book on community Christmas lighting festivals with its annual “Wonderland of Lights”… and graciously shared the how-to with others. But no one else can duplicate the charm and breath-taking beauty of Marshall’s historic courthouse bathed in a million tiny white lights. Named “Texas’ most beautiful square at Christmas,” this is a must-see for anyone who enjoys a special trip at Christmas-time.
Conceived in 1987, Wonderland of Lights rivals the best Christmas lighting festivals in the country and is known as the “Granddaddy of Texas Lighting Festivals.” Each year, more than 10 million lights creatively caress homes and businesses with extravagant, elegant and simple displays. The Historic Harrison County Courthouse is at the center of events, and visitors are enthralled with the nightly synchronized light and music shows. Festival activities take place throughout the city, but the epicenter is the downtown square which comfortably accommodates crowds and carries a sparkling atmosphere each evening. Exciting activities abound including outdoor ice skating on the Samsung Rink, Santa’s Workshop and Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen, strolling carolers, train rides, a 37-foot tall toboggan hill and hourly double-decker bus tours which will delight you as you pass hundreds of amazing light displays – some measuring more than 24-feet tall! Each weekend, visitors will also delight in one of our incredible shows featuring headline performers including Rita Coolidge, The Carl Hurley Comedy Show and more. For more about these special performances or to buy tickets, be sure to check www.VisitMarshallTexas.org. Follow us on Facebook: Marshall Texas CVB.
Visit Santa’s workshop in Palestine When you think of holiday wonderlands, Palestine may not be your first thought. However, Santa has made it THE place for his holiday workshop. Santa’s Workshop at 101 W. Oak Street (inside Lee Loveless Photography) is a downtown extravaganza of holiday cheer. This is the fourth year that the historic Palestine Main Street has hosted the event. The child’s adventure begins when they arrive at the “red door,” continue through a wonderland-themed entrance space featuring an animated pony and dogs for the child to interact with and arrive at an area to write a personal letter to Santa that they can hand-deliver to Santa Claus (or Mrs. Claus) when they visit him in his parlor. A life-sized doll house, historically accurate and a special feature of Santa’s Workshop, beckons kids of all ages. Featuring 16-inch dolls, the dollhouse space allows children to roam the five rooms all set with a different scene. Scenes include: a parlor with fully decorated miniGingerbread tree; an art studio, complete with artist doll and easel; a kitchen with antique stove and a fresh batch of cookies being prepared while an anxious doll awaits; a bedroom featuring an antique bed and linens; and the final room depicts a Christmas bride and groom. As the children continue the odyssey, they wind their way past a full-sized gingerbread tree, past Snowman Corner, down Candy Cane Lane and end at the door to Santa’s Parlor.
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The workshop will be open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 18, 2011. Admission is $2 per person and $5 per picture with Santa. All proceeds benefit the Friends Of Main Street Non-profit, which is dedicated to Palestine Main Street revitalization. Santa’s Workshop is a community event that depends on volunteers and the vision of its three founders, Laurnie Durisoe, Marilyn Sheridan and Mary Alice Largent. For more information, call (903) 723-3014 or visit www.facebook.com/PalestineMainStreet.
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music Jefferson Starship by Jim King Music has changed so much over the past 50 years and not all for the better. In my opinion, some of the stuff they now call music is really nothing more than noise: a bombardment of obscenities and vulgarities wrapped around an attempted rhythm that is in no way appealing to me. But, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my opinion. When it comes to music, I like a lot of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s country, but my â&#x20AC;&#x153;rootsâ&#x20AC;? will always be the rock and roll of the 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 70â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. I am a child from another era, and because of that, I grew up listening to great artists such as Janis Joplin, The Who, Big Brother & the Holding Company, CCR, the Rolling Stones and a list of others. Some of those â&#x20AC;&#x153;othersâ&#x20AC;? are still around, still touring, still packing houses and bringing their brand of old time rock and roll to a brand new generation. A few weeks ago I found myself in Marshall, Texas at the most unlikely of venues. An old brick building that was originally constructed during the early 20th century as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;City Laundryâ&#x20AC;? has now been renovated and transformed into the Marshall Visual Arts Center. Approaching the old red brick exterior with its steel framed 12-pane windows you might think that walking through the doorway would be like stepping back in time. But upon entering the building, any thoughts of antiquity quickly disappear as obvious changes and updates to the interior immediately catch your attention. As a person who loves history, I found it comforting to know that there were still those who would keep what has been around for so many years and transform it to conform to the needs of today. Too often we find old buildings bulldozed to the ground to make way for something new and trendy. But, for those who are looking, there is still a lot of life left in things that have withstood the test of time. On this night, taking the stage was a band who helped shape a generation of people. Yes, the building has survived and flourished, as have the performers taking the stage. Jefferson Starship, originally known and forever to me as Jefferson Airplane, sprang upon the world of rock and roll music over 40 years ago. The music of that era, like the times, was very different back then with young men dying in a very unpopular war in a faraway place known as Vietnam while many others in this country were protesting that war. A common denominator for both sides was music, and some would say that those 37 bands that performed at Woodstock in 1969 forever changed a generation. Taking the stage that day in August was Jefferson Airplane and, while that may seem like a long time ago, I would have to say they sound even better now. Yes, some of the faces have changed, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
hard to hide aging faces under stage lights, but the sound and the energy coming from that stage was incredible; just as incredible now as it was then. I had the unique opportunity to spend some time with members of Jefferson Starship backstage before the show. I have always found the best way to interview anyone is to simply let them talk by keeping my questions to a minimum. The justification for that is simple: I can get all the statistical data simply by doing a little research. I wanted to hear what they had to say and was not surprised at how candidly they talked about their music, the changing times of music and life on the road. I did have to ask though, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is it Starship or Airplane?â&#x20AC;? And was pleasantly surprised at the answer. It was agreed that most of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;catalogâ&#x20AC;? of songs they perform are from the Airplane era, with just a few spilling over into Starship and while some of the faces to the band are â&#x20AC;&#x153;new,â&#x20AC;? there is no mistaking the sound, the attitude and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;give it all to themâ&#x20AC;? performance so true of Jefferson Airplane. According to Cathy Richardson, lead female vocalist of the group, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play much past 1979... we are more psychedelic than that and the roots go much deeper.â&#x20AC;? In addition to their own songs, it was quickly pointed out to me that once the show gets started they could just as easily step off into song and verse from other greats such as the Beatles, David Bowie, Heart, and Quicksilver Messenger Service. The band had performed in Little Rock, Arkansas the night before and was scheduled to be in
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music Houston in two days for one last performance before they ended their tour for the year. So how does Jefferson Starship end up in Marshall, Texas? Cathy Richardson quickly summed it up with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hard part about touring is all the down time, the traveling and the driving. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when we get on stage, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like time evaporates and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome. I love being able to go to all of these little towns that I would otherwise never get to see.â&#x20AC;? The auditorium was packed as Jefferson Starship took the stage. There was no â&#x20AC;&#x153;grandâ&#x20AC;? entrance with pompous fanfare, waving of hands and pumping for applause. In fact, it was quite the opposite as band members seemingly ran onto the stage, grabbed their instruments, and immediately burst into â&#x20AC;&#x153;Somebody to Love,â&#x20AC;? bringing the audience to their feet, and there was no doubting that on this night, Jefferson Starship owned the Marshall Visual Arts Center. I would have never recognized David Freiberg on the street. Though his hair (now completely gray) is still longer, the glasses and his physique transform him into a different looking person. Having said that, when Freiberg picked up his guitar and began to sing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Janeâ&#x20AC;? (a song which he wrote,) there was no mistaking who the man was. Chris Smith on the keyboards never quit smiling the entire show. Slick Aquilar held the audience spellbound with his guitar as they â&#x20AC;&#x153;talkedâ&#x20AC;? to one another. Donnie Baldwin has been on the drums for the band since 1979 and still hits as hard and steady now as then, proven as his drum solo halfway through the show had everyone on their feet. Sadly, Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, was missing this night as he was recovering from a back injury. But the band played on without him. Cathy Richardson has taken the role of lead vocals made famous by Grace Slick, and there is no mistaking that Cathy owns that role now. Not to take anything away from Grace, but I have to say that Cathy brings her own style of enthusiasm and melody to the songs that make them hers, and she was awesome! From the beginning to the end of their over 90 minute show, people were on their feet, singing, dancing and having a great time while the band played and sang such hits as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miraclesâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Count on Meâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Janeâ&#x20AC;? and the famous â&#x20AC;&#x153;White Rabbit.â&#x20AC;? It was a great concert, and while taking many of us back to another time, it also made great memories for a lot of the younger crowd and new fans in the audience. As a dear friend of mine would say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was off the chain!â&#x20AC;? and surprisingly enough, it was right here in Marshall, Texas!
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903-342-0686 • 903-375-4067 Visa & MasterCard
www.WinnsboroCenterForTheArts.com 200 Market St. • Winnsboro, Texas
903-342-0686
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The home of Mr. & Mrs. Jim Jones by Jan Statman Are we inside or are we outside? Works of art are inside, outside, even hanging on the garage walls in the home of Jim and Vicki Dortch Jones. Imposing metal and glass double entry doors lead to a foyer where fountains play and stone walls lead up to red tile rooftops. The room was designed to create the impression of being out-of-doors and transported to a romantic courtyard somewhere in the south of Italy. The blue sky with its fluffy white clouds, Sicilian palm tree and flying birds is a painted ceiling mural. Special lighting effects change the painted sky from daylight to dusk, golden morning to bluest night. At night there could be stars. Although Vickie Jones laments having “a serious lack of wall space,” she has used every available wall to carefully hang works of art with dignity and appreciation. Some of the artwork was collected over a lifetime. Some was purchased for a particular location in the home. Some was inherited from family members. Quite a few pieces were purchased during the time that Vickie Jones owned Victoria’s Gallery in Longview, and some things were painted onsite by Mrs. Jones who is an accomplished, university trained artist .
Community film group in Nacogdoches makes one short film a month on little to no budget. Watch all of their films on their YouTube channel and keep up to date on their latest projects by visiting their Facebook.
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with pink roses. The round dining room table sits under a domed ceiling where lighted panels contain painted images reproduced from works by the Masters of the Italian Renaissance including Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, Leonardo DaVinci’s Last Supper, Raphael’s Sistine Madonna, and others. A second level of paintings includes works on canvas that were commissioned reproductions of paintings by favorite French Impressionist artists. Here are copies of such famous works as Monet’s Waterlillies, Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la galette, and a Cezanne Still Life. Art in the large, well proportioned kitchen includes two paintings of women’s fashionable shoes by the Jones’ daughter, Lacy Jones. The watercolors are displayed together in a single black and white checked frame that carries out the bold black and white checked theme of a collection of accessories grouped on top of a designer table. A hand decorated breakfast room table is flanked by two watercolors by Australian artist Ghierselter. One is a massive floral study of luscious
“While it is true that a lot of the art we own has increased in value, I can’t think of anything worse than buying art you don’t love because you think it is a financial investment,” she explained. “When you do that, you are stuck with it, and you have to spend your days looking at something you don’t like. All the art we have was collected because it was something Jim and I loved when we bought it, and we still love it.” A crimson dining room wall balances three small, original oil seascapes by German artists with gold silk draperies and brocade chairs. The paintings are by Alex Blutter, Louis Burns Murowana and Purcell. The opposite wall has a vintage landscape by American Luminist artist Robert Atkinson Fox, (18601927.) It is framed in gold leaf and hangs above an ornate wooden chest that holds a crystal bowl filled
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art in the home
red lilies while the other is a careful rendering of all the eggs in one basket. As a charming and amusing counterpoint, a Sarah Seuss painting of a tall, handsome butler was commissioned to come and go as the pantry door opens and closes. The family has named their painted â&#x20AC;&#x153;butlerâ&#x20AC;? Georgio. Many of the artists whose works are displayed were part of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;stableâ&#x20AC;? at Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery. A Sharon Standridge watercolor is vibrant with its own energy. A small Anton Weiss watercolor is strong enough to dominate an entire wall. A Jan Statman painting enhances a collection of antique and contemporary Capodimonte roses. The central hall and music room features western paintings by Robert Zerillo. One room holds a Rusty Lee painting and several of Vickie Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own paintings including a western study and two of her better known, carefully detailed watercolors of ducks. Several small landscapes are known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;memory paintings.â&#x20AC;? These were acquired during travels to far away places and they bring back happy memories of beautiful travels. Antique oil paintings in a small study were inherited from Mr. Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aunt. They include an oriental themed seascape in tones of greys and blues and a primitive painting of children at play. Original works of art are hung in the laundry room, the bathrooms and even in the garage! Not content to keep the art collection indoors, three large acrylic pieces were hung outside on the lanai. A small powder room was created to be a work of art in itself. Light in the room comes from an imposing wall panel of translucent, onyx stone which is backlit to show natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own artwork at its best. Its graceful light shines through to illuminate the breathtaking vision of what may well be the last work of mosaic art created by Longviewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Lee Cunningham. Cunninghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room-sized mosaic covers three walls and reaches from floor to ceiling. It includes hand cut, hand chiseled, precisely fashioned stone and tile enhanced by glass accent beads, and it is made entirely of the cream and ivory colored stone and tile which is used throughout the home. The
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artist, who was so well-loved in Longview, spent eight hours a day, seven days a week for eight weeks working on the mosaic. In keeping with the idea of spectacular art that brings the outside inside, the trompe lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeil ceiling painting above the curved marble staircase appears to be a balcony railing where three young children are at play in the company of their own guardian angels. The perspective of the ceiling mural makes it seem as though the children are smiling down across an ornamental banister railing. Vickie Jones painted the three portraits of her adult son and daughters the way they looked when they were small children. Daughter Lacyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little pink foot may be seen peeking out through an opening between the banister rails. Daughter Crystalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand is raised in greeting, and son Cassidy is starting to climb right over the rail. She explained that the little painted guardian angels have special meaning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crystalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s angel has her eyes directed toward her and is ready to help her any time she needs help. That angel is not going to take her eyes off the girl. Cassidyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s angel always has his hand on his shoulder to protect him because little boys being what they are, they are always in need of a guardian angel. Lacy is such a gentle person she has sent her guardian angel across the way to help protect her brother.â&#x20AC;? Special lighting and iridescent paint make it possible for the sky to darken at night so that the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constellations may be seen above them with the Milky Way visible across the space. She says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;At night it looks as though there is a hole right through the ceiling, and you are always looking out at the stars.â&#x20AC;?
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