Piney Woods Live May 2011 by Piney Woods Live Magazine

Priceless - Take One

May 2011

Art... Music of the Soul A Horse Drawn Life; All The Pretty Horses • Gladewater’s Musical Heritage • Honoring A.C. Gentry • Piney Woods Wine Festival • Tyler Museum of Art’s New Exhibit • Mural, Mural On The Wall • Playwright David Wright Crawford

Photo by Melissa Morris

publisher’s

NOTE

This issue of Piney Woods LIVE marks the appearance of our first annual “western art” edition. It is also, we are proud to announce, the largest issue we have published to date. We hope you will feel that it is also the best so far. Scholars have spent considerable effort analyzing why the Cowboy Myth, that set of shared values, viewpoints and expectations with its origins in the American West, continues to influence our society to the current day. Few people in the 21st century live a life that even remotely resembles that of the frontier during the 19th century. We are increasingly an urbanized and fastpaced society, whereas the society of the cowboy era was rural and sparsely populated which often meant a solitary, lonely existence. Why do we still see ourselves in the light of that long-ago metaphor? It is clear that the Cowboy Myth contains built-in tensions - the dividing line between “good cowboy” and “bad cowboy” can be hard to discern. Where does the lawman become the gunslinger, the rancher the vigilante, the sodbuster the cattle thief? The Cowboy Myth’s virtues of integrity, dogged determination and heroism must also coexist with adventurism, recklessness and violence. This is fertile ground for artistic exploration. It is perhaps no surprise then, that the Cowboy Myth is often addressed in contemporary American visual, literary and performing art. In the Piney Woods of Texas our art, including western art, tends to be more mainstream than cutting edge. More nostalgia than adventurism, more High Noon than Dirty Harry, Oklahoma than Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. None the less, there is great creativity here in East Texas, and we celebrate some of it in this issue. Our cover photo was chosen by a Facebook contest. Melissa Morris was top vote getter, besting many other excellent artists and photographers. A few other notable entries are pictured on the facing page. Amanda Retallack profiles our featured western artist, Monty Graham, and his photographer partner Karen White, and in the process relates an interesting connection with the Gladewater Rodeo. Larry Tucker’s “Home Grown” laments the eclipse of traditional country music, and then gives us hope by pointing to the venerable western swing band, Asleep at the Wheel. He then examines the work of Bob Campbell and Robert Joe Vandygriff, both real cowboy singer/songwriters. Writer/photographer Jim King profiles local contemporary country singer/ songwriter David Baxter. There is much more inside of course, way too much to list here. Happy reading! Alert readers will notice postage stamp-sized graphic elements at various locations in this issue. These gizmos are “QR Codes”, a means of linking print material to online content. After installing an app on their smart-phone mobile device, readers can scan the codes and immediately view related content on the internet. It’s cool. More complete instructions can be found at pineywoodslive.com. What’s on your mind? Tell us what you like, or don’t like, about Piney Woods LIVE, or how you feel we can do a better job of promoting the arts. Email publisher@pineywoodslive.com or join the artist community discussions at www. facebook.com/pineywoodslive. Coming in June - Our “first annual” music issue!

news Neil Simon’s Farcical Play, Rumors, will be Performed by the Sulphur Springs Community Players Neil Simon’s farcical play, “Rumors,” will be performed by the Sulphur Springs Community Players at the Main Street Theatre. This comic concoction is based on a dinner party where four snazzily dressed couples gather at the home of Charles and Myra Brock to celebrate the 10th wedding anniversary of their hosts. But Charles is lying upstairs with a bullet hole in his ear lobe, and Myra is nowhere to be seen. The audience is pitched headlong into high voltage hilarity as the couple’s friends try frantically to protect their host, who is Deputy Mayor of New York City, and themselves by hiding the evening’s events from the outside world. Cast members in this riotous comedy are Sherrie Shadix, Rick Moser, Leslie Horne, Stan Shipp, Triston Pullen, Julie Penkava, David Woody, Megan Akins, John D’Avignon, and Teja King. “This is classic Neil Simon,” says Director Andi France. “And we have a cast that puts just the right comedic touches to the dialog and action. This will be a terrific production.” Reservations are now being taken for the six performances of Rumors by calling the Main Street Theatre at 903-885-0107 or by going online at www.mainsttheater. com. Performance dates and times are Thursday and Friday nights May 19th and 20th at 7:30 pm, Saturday May 21st at 3:00 pm, and Thursday May 26th through Saturday May 28th at 7:30 pm. The Main Street Theatre is located at 227 Main Street in downtown Sulphur Springs. Tickets are priced at $8 per person. Call now to reserve your seats.

Art Show at Breakers in May Breakers Seafood in Tyler is known for California style cooking, tropical inspired drinks, and a laid back atmosphere. Recently the seaside shanty-style eatery has taken a step into the art world. The Breakers staff has joined forces with art consultant and event organizer Nora Schreiber to host an art show May 23 beginning at 9:00 pm. The art show is part of Breakers’ “Monday Fun-day” lineup. Every Monday, owner Brandon Haffner hosts a different themed event, ranging from charity fundraisers to art showcases. The May 23 event will include artists actively working on pieces and interacting with visitors. Throughout the night, DJ Knight (Austin Day) and DJ Cicero (Chris Patton) will provide the music. If you like art, music, food and drink, the May 23 show at breakers should be worth checking out.

Gary E. Krell, Publisher

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contents Art is defined as a product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods Live

About the cover:

is an expression of the community it serves.

A little about our cover artist, Melissa Morris “I am an amateur photographer and mother of two boys and two girls (all teenagers). I have the greatest husband in the world who constantly encourages me and my love for photography. I believe I can attribute my love of scenic photography to my parents who nurtured my love for national parks, awesome scenic views, and American history. About the photo: I was just pulling up to go take photos of two of my children, when I noticed the horses innocently playing in the pond. I nearly tripped over myself trying to get my camera ready to get that shot. Just a few minutes later they were out and rolling in the dirt! I believe what really caught my eye was how they seemed to be having the time of their life splashing around like a bunch of teenagers without a care in the world. I wish we could all be that carefree!”

Western art by East Texas artists:

Astha Tuladhar

Kim Henderson

Elaine Oosthuysen

John Dietz (Hunting Prize 2009 Finalist)

Betty Northcutt

Pat Douty

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 506 N. 2nd St., Longview, TX 75601

Neil Simon’s Rumors performs in Sulphur Springs ........ 2 Art show at Breakers ..................................................... 2 About the cover artist, Melissa Morris .......................... 3 Western art by East Texas Artists ................................... 3 A horse drawn life; all the pretty horses ........................ 4 ArtsView’s Popcorn Theatre ........................................... 6 Scenes from the Piney Woods LIVE Art Walk................. 7 Mural, mural on the wall ............................................. 10 Gladewater’s musical heritage .................................... 14 Honoring A.C. Gentry ................................................. 15 Tyler Civic Theatre announces cast for Mousetrap ...... 15 Mt. Vernon’s Piney Woods Wine Trail .......................... 16 David Baxter - Musician.............................................. 17 The “B” Side of Music ................................................. 18 Home Grown .............................................................. 20 Clarksville Fine Arts Festival ........................................ 21 Snapshot of an era....................................................... 22 2nd Saturday Art Jam in Ben Wheeler/Edom ............... 22 Art in the Home - Dr. Robert Stevens.......................... 25 Playwright David Wright Crawford ............................. 26 FLY KiDS BAM! ........................................................... 27 Publishers / Editors Tracy Magness Krell & Gary Krell Advertising Director Gary Krell Public Relations Randi Garcia Contributing Writers Amanda Retallack, Tom Callens, LaDawn Fletcher, Jim King, Randy Brown, Larry Tucker, Emmitte Hall, Mike & Kathy Wood, Melissa Morris Graphic Artists Tracy Krell, Joni Guess, Mary Hernandez Sales: Donna Vincent, April Harlow, Shannon Dykes, Denise Reid, Randi Garcia, Kathy Hollan, Cookie Bias, Tom Callens

Sign up for our newsletter by going to our website: PineyWoodsLive.com © 2011 by Piney Woods Live. All rights reserved. This publication, its associated website and their content is copyright of Piney Woods Live. Any reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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western art A horse-drawn life; All the pretty horses The cowboy slaps his black hat on top of his head and rests the brim just above his eyes. He climbs over the chute and slides onto the back of a dark red Brahma bull named Turbo. He pulls the rope tight across his glove literally tying himself to danger. He settles just right and nods. The gateman slings open the huge gate, and two thousand pounds of bucking bull jumps into the arena. The bull kicks, twirls and spins trying to get the cowboy off his back. The buzzer sounds after eight long seconds. Two pick-up riders seated on towering steeds run out into the arena to drive the bull back toward its gate. The crowd at the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo goes wild over the cowboy vs. bull action, while Monty Graham sits in the stands soaking in the atmosphere and thinking about his next sketch. But it’s not the bucking bull that catches his attention — it’s the horses. As soon as he can get home, he plans to sit over his drawing tablet and do his best to capture the horses’ majesty, beauty and spirit.

by Amanda Retallack

“Just look at them,” he said. “There’s nothing prettier than a horse.” Few working artists are as inner-connected to their subject matter as East Texas native Monty Graham. Raised to love and appreciate the great outdoors, he has spent his life surrounded by the clear running streams, cowboys at work and play, wildlife, and the grandeur of his horses. After a life of seeing and loving these wonders, it is no wonder they have become the focal point of his artwork. As you walk into Graham’s house, you immediately feel the need to knock the dust off your chaps. Graham has concocted an elaborate hideaway in Gladewater loaded with Western paraphernalia. In a way, his house is akin to how you might read a homestead description in an Old West pulp novel — worn cowboy boots line the entryway, saddle stands are placed where end tables once lived, a pair of old chaps hang on the wall above the television, Native American dream catchers sway above doorways, and wild horses decorate the walls as far as the eye can see.

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western art Each wild horse is housed in a rustic frame along the wall, propped against the floor or displayed strategically across the windowsill. And each one represents an artistic expression. “Ever since I could hold a pencil, I’ve been doing artwork. Ever since I could sit on a horse, I’ve been riding horses – even before I learned to walk, I learned to ride,” Monty said. “You draw what you know, and I know horses.” While he admits that his own spirited steeds act as muses from time to time, Monty also nods his head and tips his white cowboy hat to his longtime friend and partner, Karen White. Karen is a photographer extraordinaire, a graphic artist, a freelance publication designer ... as she puts it, she wears many cowboy hats. “Monty and I have been together for many years,” she said. “Our latest venture has been designing the Gladewater Rodeo posters. It’s no small task, but it sure is fun!” This will be the 10th year Monty and Karen have teamed up to bring life to the all-important rodeo poster. “Simple story – Karen and I love this town, and we love rodeos,” Monty said. “We were pretty tired of the same ole store bought, stock photo posters that the heads of the rodeo were using year after year, so I went to the board of directors with a proposal.” And his proposal was this: He’d do a limited edition, collector print poster that the rodeo could sell while Karen would take photographs and create a snazzy poster to help promote the event and boom! The town would have their very own custom art posters for their beloved rodeo. “Gladewater is steeped in tradition; our rodeo is one of the top five mid-sized

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rodeos in the country – the art is just one more way we can show pride for our rodeo and our community,” Monty said. For this year, Karen’s not only designing her poster; she actually took the photo from which Monty’s drawing is rendered. “If you’re at a rodeo and you see a woman with tall boots, a cowboy hat, and carrying a camera with a big white lens, snapping photos, odds are it’s me!” she said with pride. “I love taking photos, and I love horses and rodeos. Last year, I caught the action shot that Monty is using as a reference for his collectible poster for this year.” Monty’s collectors’ edition poster features a determined pickup-rider seated on a powerfully muscled horse as he’s riding alongside a saddle bronc and removing its flank strap. Karen’s poster this year announcing the rodeo’s coming to town is also an action shot she took last year: A nimble tie-down roper has just leapt from his saddled horse as he makes his catch in the rodeo arena. “The rodeo has been part of Gladewater for 74 years,” Monty said. “You can talk about the antiques downtown all day long, but the rodeo is more of Gladewater than anything. It’s a piece of the Old West in East Texas.” “Ours is a special rodeo, and it has a lot of history. It’s why I do what I do,” Karen added as she stood up to adjust her cowboy hat. “Now, want to go outside and meet our horses?”

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Kids Welcome! May 2011 - Page 05

theater Are you ready to throw some popcorn at our Villians?

It’s Popcorn Theatre time again at ArtsView Children’s Theatre!!! Popcorn will be flying and laughter roaring when ArtsView presents the wildly entertaining melodrama, The Pony Expresso or….The Villain Came To A Grinding Halt! Directed by well-known director, Ann Reeves, this hot melodrama is boiling over with puns and jokes galore! The Pony Expresso, a friendly establishment run by Star Bright, played by Christa Watson, and Aunt Dee Caff played by Susan Olson, is struggling. Their customers are buying their coffee at a lower price from the scheming Mo Cabana and Fifi Latte, played by theatre veterans, Nathan Olson and Caryn Pepper. But the citizens are falling ill to an unexplained fainting disease. (It’s strange... they feel good ‘til the last drop.) Luckily, Buck Brawn, our handsome hero played by Dr. Scott Brazell, bravely investigates the mysterious health dilemma. Things come to a boil when Mo and Fifi hear that Star and Dee are destined to become rich — the railroad plans to make the Pony Expresso the new train station! When Mo and Fifi devise a plan that almost destroys them, the beans are spilled. Justice prevails as love brews between Star and Buck, who decide to marry and rename the Pony Expresso to honor their relationship: Buckstar Coffee! This wild melodrama has the ultimate blend of fun characters sure to “perk you up”! Don’t miss this rollicking good time! Limited seating, so call for your tickets early! Fundraiser Performances for ADULTS ONLY are April 28th and 29th. Tickets are $50 per person and include food, libations, popcorn and the show! Public Performances kick off on Saturday, April 30. Public Performances are: April 30 at 2pm and 7pm May 1 at 2pm May 6 at 7pm May 7 at 2pm & 7pm May 8 at 2pm Tickets available now. Tickets to public performances are $10 per person. Popcorn is $1 per bag. To Purchase Tickets or for more information please call 903-236-7535 or see our website at www.artsviewchildrenstheatre.com

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art walk Scenes from the Piney Woods LIVE Art Walk event Piney Woods LIVE joined more than a dozen other downtown businesses to take part in the Spring Longview Art Walk April 7. Art lovers strolled through downtown shops to look at the art, listen to music, and perhaps partake of the wine and food offered along the way. Art Walk is held four times a year — the first Thursdays of April, July and October and the first Friday in December. The next Art Walk is planned for July 7.

Our community mosaic project had the Piney Woods LIVE logo in the center. Visitors and other artists were invited to complete the border of the mosaic. The project was a hit with everyone. Photo by Northcutt Photographic Art.

Loretta Callens ended a great evening with an encore performance of “Me & Bobby McGee,” with enthusiastic vocals added by artists, Piney Woods staff and volunteers.

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artists artist profiles

Dana Cargill “I create paintings on antique ceiling tin, wood, canvas and architectural items. I use many antiquing processes to create a unique work of art that displays age and character. I have been painting full time for the last 15 years. I graduated from Baylor University, attended art workshops at The Southwest Museum of Art in Midland, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi. I have art for sale at Plan It Home in Henderson and Casa Bella Art Gallery in Tyler, and I have exhibited at Tyler’s Art Walk.” Meet Dana at Salon Verve, downtown on the square in Tyler on April 28 at 7:00 PM or see her work displayed there through May 21. See more of Dana’s art on Facebook at My Back Porch Art Studio and at danacargile.blogspot.com

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.

The Darby Warren Project

Darby Warren formed The Darby Warren Project in 2010. His desire was to develop a unique and original sound - the kind of music that makes you want to tap your foot and get up and dance. Darby wanted to form an old style trio band with a stand up bass player - something you don’t see much of anymore. Band mates, David McElhany and Clark Langley, were perfect additions. David plays acoustic guitar, harmonizes and sometimes sings lead. David has performed professionally for many years. David’s roots are in country ballads. Clark plays the stand up bass, electric bass, trumpet, and harmonizes as well. Clark performed with a band in the 70’s. Darby is a songwriter; he plays rhythm guitar, acoustic, stand up bass, electric bass, slide, harp, and lead vocals. Darby has been writing music his

Henry Oertel Henry Oertel, wood turning artist, was born in Wisconsin on a dairy farm. He has always loved trees and nature. He has spent many hours walking under their leafy canopy. Henry’s love of woodworking began at an early age. When he was in 6th grade, he made a book shelf for his mother and has been doing woodworking in many mediums every since. As a student, he took classes in “shop” which afforded him a chance to appreciate wood in a different way. At the present time, his passion is wood turning, and he has made many laminated bowls in different styles from Southwest to modern. silverfoxylady3@yahoo.com 903-860-3243 frameupfinearts.net

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Lydia Wallis - Student Spotlight Lydia Wallis, age 15, has been a part of ArtsView since its “birth” year, when she was eight years old. ArtsView has allowed Lydia to pursue her dramatic gift and encouraged her in the fun of expressing herself on stage. She has been in eight ArtsView productions. Her favorite role was Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians. Lydia loves

entire life, but he finally decided to share his music when forming The Darby Warren Project. Darby states that his music may not be mainstream, but it is certainly original. He doesn’t want to be just another cover band. He hopes to gather his own following and maybe sell a song or two one day. Contact Darby Warren at 903-240-6135 Find The Darby Warren Project on Facebook and Youtube. See The Darby Warren Project perform! Scan this QR code on your mobile device.

her ArtsView family! Lydia attends Spring Hill High School and enjoys band, twirling, theatre, tennis and volleyball. She is in the 9th grade. Lydia is a follower of Jesus and loves her church, Mobberly Baptist, where she participates regularly in youth events. She is the daughter of Mark & Traci Wallis.

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artists Joan Iverson â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ever watch what happens when you hand someone a ball of clay? They begin changing the shape, forming a bowl, a coil or flattening it. You can feel their attention dive into the clay, opening up their imagination. Happily, this is now my addiction. A segment of James Burkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PBS series, Connections, in which he noted that we all had the same things in our wallet: a plastic comb, driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license, credit card, etc. influenced my becoming a ceramic artist. For me, these are things that identify us a part of a global tribe. So the next question for me is â&#x20AC;&#x153;What defines me as an individual?â&#x20AC;? This is my driving force, to find individuality in the final work, again pointing to a basic message of â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are here,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are touching what I have touched.â&#x20AC;? Functionality is secondary, but still a desirable result. Teaching this three dimensional artistic expression is fast becoming a twin passion to creating the work itself. As Art Walk Chairperson for, and artist participant in, the Downtown Tyler quarterly events, I enjoy discussing my work and meeting art lovers of all kinds. I even have been known to hand out a ball of clayâ&#x20AC;Ś..â&#x20AC;?

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Ryan Gillam - Student Spotlight Whether acting, composing, singing, or painting, 18-year old Ryan Gillamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion is expressing himself artistically.

Working in media ranging from charcoal to acrylics, his artwork delivers a depth unusual for someone his age. Ryanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s works have been recognized on the state level and locally at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts Student Invitational. His 2011 award winning entry, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Chiefâ&#x20AC;?, is a 4x5 foot mixed media piece and is currently on display at the museum. As an actor in the Pine Tree Department of Theatre, Ryan has had major roles in each school production for the last four years. Winning several awards for his performances, this spring he took

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on the role of King Henry VIII in Pine Treeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s One Act Play Anne of the Thousand Days. Acting has been only part of the story. He has also designed several sets and served as technical director on one production. Finally, there is the music. His musical compositions range from pop tunes to haunting scores which provided the backdrop for Pine Treeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last three one-act play entries. An accomplished guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist, he has performed in numerous venues and can be found each Wednesday evening leading praise and worship for the youth of First Baptist Church. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next? In the fall he will be a freshman at Savannah College of Art and Design, a university in Georgia focused on preparing students for creative careers. Ryan is undecided on his major or his career. Needless to say, he has options.

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art Mural, mural on the wall by Amanda Retallack Kristy Whitehurst held the sponge brush steady as she carefully filled the outline of a wisteria flower with purple paint. Moments later, she felt the frigid brick with her fingertip, the newly applied paint already fused to the building. “I think it’s dry,” she said aloud, more to herself than the fellow students around her who were painting on the same 60-foot-wide canvas. The 18-year-old Hallsville High School student and fellow art club members sketched and painted a flower shop — complete with drooped awnings and a doggy in the window — as their Fine Arts Instructor, Mrs. Jeannie Davis, watched and added moral, and mural, support. “That looks great, Kristy,” Mrs. Davis said approvingly, “but don’t forget to paint an extra flower pot by the front door.” Students from Hallsville High School’s art club recently converged on a Longview art project of enormous proportions: a mural measuring 60 feet wide and 17 feet tall on the side of Hamill’s Flower shop located at 1309 Alpine Rd. From 8:00 am until sundown, the group of ten primed, painted and perfected their mural on Hamill’s exterior wall. Shop owner Angela Hamill couldn’t be more pleased. “Longview needs more art; that’s all there is to it,” she said emphatically. “I’ve wanted to have something painted on the side of this building for some time, I just wasn’t sure how to make that happen.” Angela had an epiphany - her son attends Hallsville High School ... so why not call on the art department to take on the task? “I just thought, ‘What an opportunity for local students?’” she recalled. “I think the coolest thing is that someday they could drive past my shop with their own children and point to the building and say, ‘Look! I did that!’ It’s like their stamp on Longview.” After she contacted Jeannie, the ball was rolling. “I described what I wanted to (their art instructor); I wanted it to be obvious that it was a flower shop when drivers turned the corner onto Alpine Road,” Angela recalled. “The next thing I know, the group e-mails me a mock-up of my description. It was perfect!” “You need to use a little more black paint in the left corner,” Davis said as she instructed junior Sarah Smith on her shading technique. This will be Jeannie’s 30th year to teach Fine Arts; this will also be her first year to have her students take on a project of this magnitude. “Each year I have great kids; these kids are phenomenal,” she said. “We did one mural earlier this year during Christmas - a downtown window display that was washed away after the season. But this ... this will be here forever.” As Jeannie stood back watching her students work, a sense of motherly pride washed over. Even she was amazed as her students free-handed their brick-wall

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art masterpiece. “They’ve each got their own styles,” Jeannie said, “but in this project they’re bonding and developing team work skills. You don’t think of art as a team project, but this one is.” Kristy didn’t think of it as an intensive project; it was more like a fun Saturday spending time with friends. “I’ve painted ever since I was little,” she said. “This is a really fun experience; I’ve never painted on a canvas this big! Plus, I think it’s neat that we’re brightening up a spot in Longview.” As the sun went down and the project was complete, Angela looked at her shop wall, a huge smile stretched from ear to ear. “They did it just right; it just looks fantastic,” she said as she points up to the flower shop’s upstairs window. “They even got my dog, Daisybelle, in the mural!” While the art club students refused Angela’s offer to pay each of them for their hard work, they did accept a small donation on behalf of their flower shop friend. “Angela is donating money for our endof-year trip,” Jeannie said. “She is helping us go to some wonderful museums in Fort Worth.” “It’s the least I can do for these budding artists,” Angela replied.

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May 2011 - Page 11

artists Ron Bigony Ron has been painting in one way or the other since age eight when he started drawing and tracing cartoon characters from the Funny Paper. He is past president of the East Texas Fine Arts Association and current VP and Program Director for the Mt. Pleasant Art Society in East Texas. A native Texan, he graduated from Texas A&M Commerce, Texas with a major in Business and minor in Art. His career has been in the area of insurance and construction. His painting education has been aided by many workshops and DVD’s. Ron has won numerous awards for his paintings throughout the East Texas area. Ron served in the USMC Reserves from 1958 to 1964. His mediums of choice are watercolors and oils. His work can be seen at The Frame Up and Fine Arts Gallery in Mt. Vernon, TX. www.ronbigony.com

Chris Edwards Singer/songwriter, Chris Edwards, has honed his musical vision into one that blends the old-timey folk and stringband country that his grandparents played for him as a child with liberal doses of elements from the rock ‘n’ roll textbook. Love, life and loss are touchstone subjects in his lyrics. Paired with his catchy melodies and ragged-but-right vocals, the songs become characters themselves. Chris has one lo-fi alternative country/folk album, Long Hard Ride, to his credit and a new hi-fi LP, The Winter Garden, just released. By his own admission, he feels like he’s “just getting a good start” with his musical adventures. 409-381-1151 chris@chrismedwards.com

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artist Casey Koehler “I have been sculpting pretty much all my life (about 50 years) with breaks here and there...trying to make a living in industry. I did pretty well, and the sculpture efforts suffered as a result. While I have made a lot of money in business, I have done quite well with my sculpture also and am now trying to ‘give back.’ My wife and I have moved here to Tyler, Texas after living in Boquete, Republic of Panama for five years. Prior to that, I spent 20 years in Naples, Florida. Since arriving here, I have had a 24-30 foot studio built fully ready to go. My personal preference is to produce busts and portraits. I do have an affinity for horses as I love to exaggerate their movement for what I believe are striking results. I have sculpture in Italy, France, England, and all over New England and the U.S. Far and away the majority of my work has been on a commission basis. I have done work for the Franklin Mint (minatures). Every governor in the U.S. received one of my works in 1974 as a part of a promotion by a metals reclamation company featuring their hyperpure tin. This was inspired by the finest horse artist in Panama...Snr. Eduardo Navarro. He did a single line drawing of this horse, similar to Picasso’s The Bull. I was so impressed that I rushed home and created this piece. While I used his line drawing as inspira-

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tion, I used an extraordinarily long flashing mane that has become a recognizable part of my style...but it is still Navarro’s Horse. I also give very inexpensive sculpture lessons in a fully equipped studio.” caseyssculpturestudio@yahoo.com Casey Koehler’s work will be on exhibit at the Gold Leaf Gallery located at 4518 S. Broadway in Tyler May 13th - June 13th.

It is unique to find a city such as Longview, that has such a vibrant arts community – a ballet, opera, symphony orchestra, symphonic band, art museum, historical museum, and a children’s theatre group! With such widespread support and dreams for the future, the arts in Longview continue to flourish and it is by working together to promote our creative resources that will enhance the arts community for everyone.

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www.artslongview.org for a complete Calendar of Events!

May 2011 - Page 13

music Gladewater loves its musical heritage by Amanda Retallack

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It’s Saturday night in Gladewater, and people begin arriving well before the 8 o’clock start time at The Opry House on East Commerce Street. They show up in droves, and they pour into the large auditorium to take their seats and visit before showtime. The room is abuzz with chatter about new performers, guest appearances and song selections as the lights begin to dim. Then the banjos, fiddles and bass guitars come out of their cases for another musical marathon at the Gladewater Saturday Night Opry. Advertised mostly by word of mouth, this weekly gathering is the big social event for Gladewater and country western die hards of the area. They say it’s best to arrive early, as more than 250 people gather in this building, the historic “Cozy Theater,” to hear gospel, country, bluegrass and old-time music performed by amateur and seasoned musicians. “It’s a fun place to come and hear some good music,” said Amber Bryant of Whitehouse, a veteran to the opry stage going on seven years. “You hear everything from Tammy Wynette lyrics to Miranda Lambert tunes. Old, new, fast, slow – Courtesy of Star Cravin Photos you’ll hear it all in one evening.” As the two-hour country show begins, six musicians take to the stage bordered by bright lights and twinkling stars and flanked by red, white and blue flags. The performers belt out songs about broken hearts and strong spirits in front of a large barn scene built by the hands of Jim Ivy who not only owns the opry house with wife, Nancy, but also plays guitar for house band, Texas Smoke. Jim and Nancy have owned the Opry House for 16 years. Their greatest enjoyment — besides the country singin’ — is seeing young entertainers come on stage and gain confidence in themselves. “We open our doors to all sorts of people, but we love seeing younger entertainers come into their own on our stage,” Nancy said. “Our purpose is to help them grow as performers by providing them a band — Texas Smoke — and allowing them

to grow into their stage presence.” But it’s not just newcomers who get the praise. Nancy and Jim welcome all seasoned performers, professional singers and local songwriters to the spotlight. “This is a place that welcomes local talent with open arms,” she said. “Young or old, country or bluegrass — it doesn’t matter, as long as you love what you do and can do it well.” Amber, one of the night’s eight performers, said her favorite songs to sing include “Don’t Close Your Eyes” and “When I Think About Cheating.” She smiled at the thought of what the Gladewater Saturday Night Opry meant to her. “This place is like home to me; this music is my outlet,” she said. “I may only be here once a month, but these people are my family … I even call a couple of ladies ‘mama.’” For young Taylor Heard, a 16 year-old-old from Omaha and a one-year veteran to the stage, the Saturday Night Opry is all about country music and its effects on the community. “Ever since I could Courtesy of Star Cravin Photos talk, I was singing ‘Hey, Good Lookin.’ Country legends are my heroes, and they all inspire me with their songs of real-life problems and passions,” she said. “I come here to sing the songs of my heroes.” “The Gladewater Saturday Night Opry brings people from near and far to this spot to hear good music and enjoy a night of real western entertainment,” Taylor added. “It’s great for the community, and it’s good for the soul. Why go to the movies for two hours when you could come out and enjoy people and their passions?”

Courtesy of Star Cravin Photos

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news Exhibition to honor local artist, A.C. Gentry Renowned Tyler artist, A.C. Gentry, will be honored with an exhibition on May 4 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the Blue Bonnet Room at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 South Rose Park Drive in Tyler. Free to the public, this event will feature the works of A. C. Gentry as well as four other prominent Tyler artists: Cassie Edmonds, Gaylon Dingler, Robin Morris and David Ackerson. Tyler and East Texas have long enjoyed the art of Mr. Gentry. He paints nostalgic weathered buildings and scenes of East Texas from a bygone era. Most of the places in East Texas depicted in his paintings have now disappeared. The rural roads have changed. Many of the rustic general stores, comfortable farm houses and dignified homes are no longer standing. Yet, his sketches and paintings resonate within us and preserve our memories, which has made him a favorite among East Texas artists. His work is collected throughout this region and elsewhere. A full color program featuring the artists and their work with recognition of sponsors and supporters will be distributed to all who attend. At a private reception preceeding the exhibition opening, the City of Tyler will present Mr. Gentry with a proclamation recognizing the history preserved in the works of seasoned artists and encouraging the development of new artists as Tyler takes a leading position on the cultural landscape. In conjunction with this recognition of Tyler’s creative vocations, an A.C. Gentry Art Scholarship has been established at Tyler Junior College. Inquiries regarding contributions to the scholarship should be directed to Mitch Andrews, Director of Principle Gifts, Art Scholarship Fund at P.O. Box 9020, Tyler, Texas 75711-9020. Mr. Andrews can be contacted by phone at 903-510-2034 or by email at mand@tjc.edu. The exhibition is being organized by the group “Tyler’s Own Fine Artists”. More information is available by contacting Valerie Dass at 903-530-7829.

Tyler Civic Theatre announces cast for Mousetrap Tyler Civic Theatre has announced the cast for the upcoming production of Mousetrap, a play by Agatha Christie. Castmembers include: Erin Robins, Christopher S. Dickson, Connie Jackson, Christopher Frater, Wes Organ, Danielle Rousseau, Dan Trent, and David Rohde. Pat Grubbs will direct. Mousetrap opens May 13 and runs through May 22. Tyler Civic Theatre Center is located adjacent to the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden at 400 Rose Park Drive. For more information call the Braithwaite Theater box office at 903-592-0561 or go to

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news Mt. Vernon will play host to the Piney Woods Wine Festival by Tom Callens The City of Mt. Vernon will play host to the Piney Woods Wine Festival in association with the Piney Woods Wine Trail on May 21. The festival will take place in Mount Vernon’s historic downtown and feature tastings from at least 16 different Texas wineries. The Piney Woods Wine Trail is the second largest wine trail in the state and has seen significant growth over the past decade as interest in Texas wine production grows. Vinifera (European grapes) were first planted in Texas by the Spanish over 300 years ago, and today the Texas wine market is literally a billion dollar industry.

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“There’s a lot of money in the Texas wine market, and there‘s no reason we can‘t all benefit,” Willie Bane, Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce member, said. He explained that the state is providing incentives to vineyards and vintners alike to boost the ever growing market. Bane believes that there is plenty of opportunity to go around, and that coordinated events, like the one in Mt. Vernon, are a great opportunity for business and consumer to benefit. Mt. Vernon is located just north of I-30, but for one day it will serve as the crossroads for East Texas wines. The festival promises wines for every pallet from light sweets to full bodied bolds available by sample taster, glass, and bottle. Each winery is sure to have representatives on hand to explain the finer points of the process and share all they have to offer. Enthusiasts can take advantage of this rare opportunity to catch several Texas wineries in one convenient location. One drive to Mount Vernon is much easier done than touring each facility individually, or it could simply spark an interest in visiting each one. The festival offers more than wine; artists and musicians also plan to exhibit goods. Loretta Callens will release her new album, Life is Good, along with an accompanying wine of the same name. She partnered with Texas Roads Winery of Canton to produce the pair, and they both decided the festival would be the perfect place to make their debut. Over all, the Piney Woods Wine Festival will provide an excellent opportunity for enthusiasts, newcomers, producers and tourists to exchange ideas and pursue their interests. Events like this will no doubt continue to generate interest as the Texas wine industry marches boldly forward into the 21st century.

Young Artists Showcase The Mount Vernon Music Hall will present its Young Artists Showcase at 3 PM Sunday, May 22nd. The event will feature musical talent selected from throughout the northeast Texas region. The hall is located at 402 Leftwich Street, Mount Vernon. Admission is free. Call 903-563-3780 for more information. The Mount Vernon Music Association is a charitable organization whose mission is to provide outstanding performances of live music in northeast Texas. Included are concerts of traditional chamber music, jazz and other styles as well as educational and family concerts, programs for nursing homes, and interaction of performing and the visual arts.

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music David Baxter – Singer & Songwriter by Jim King Musicians simply seem to flourish in East Texas, and David Baxter is no exception. He has always loved music. More importantly, he loves making music, but as a young man he found himself trying to support a family and children: a hard task for a man and a guitar. Loving your music doesn’t put food on the table, Photo by Jim King so David headed out into the oilfields of Texas and the world. He has traveled extensively over the past 17 years as he worked throughout the United States and Canada and even managed some time in South America. Always with a guitar close by, a pencil and something to write on tucked inside his pocket, David used his spare time to write songs. He wrote about his life and the “roads” he traveled. He has shared those songs with anyone who would listen.

David was once quoted as saying, “My music takes me to a place where nobody or nothing can bother me.” It is that attitude which keeps his melodies strong and lyrics pure. While his songs are honest and from the heart, people often comment on David’s versatility. In addition to his songwriting ability, David is a performer in every sense of the word. He can go from a pure country ballad to a rock anthem in a smile. Ask him how he does it, and he will simply reply, “I’m having fun.” To David, that is all it is. He sings from his heart and hopes in the process to entertain you and maybe touch your heart as well. He loves to keep a crowd entertained, and though you may not know him when you get there, you will leave feeling like you have been friends for years. People relate to both his lyrics and his antics on stage. Equally as comfortable on stage with a band or propped up on stool playing acoustic, David wants you to “feel” his lyrics. Sadly enough, David has been approached many times in the past with promises of promotion and record deals. Of course, each promise came with a price ~ sing their music, their way, to their kind of audiences. That’s just not David’s style. He writes and sings his songs his way and for his fans and audiences.

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music The “B” Side of by Randy Brown

Music You Can’t Please Everyone Well, it’s alright now I learned my lesson well If you can’t please everyone You gotta please yourself “Garden Party” by Rick Nelson

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This month’s lyric is from a song written and performed by the late Rick Nelson. He wrote it after he performed at Madison Square Garden in the early 70’s at a 50’s Oldie Show with Chuck Berry, Bobby Rydell and many others. The audience only wanted to hear his old hits recorded as a teen heart throb called Ricky Nelson, while he wanted them to hear his new sound and songs under his new grown up moniker of Rick Nelson. He was booed, left the stage and did not return that night. The song “Garden Party” from 1972 is a document to that night and lessons learned. Sooner or later, someone somewhere will want to change your art in order to “please the crowd” to “follow the trend” or to “cash in on the style”. I have one statement on that: “bad idea.” If they can’t accept you for what you are then why would you want to be someone else? If you really

are an artist, you need to be honest with yourself about what you do and why you do it. Artists tend to have unusual relationships with their fans and patrons who often want an artist to remain in that place that is relevant to them. The artist instead may have mined that vein and have moved on to new ideas, forms and styles. In order to stay interested and challenged in your art, you need to keep digging deeper and further afield. After all, what is art about if not change and experimentation? Happiness may be many things to many people, but I will tell you that for an artist, happiness is creating something that pleases and endures. This can be a bit of a double edged sword as Rick Nelson learned. But, no matter how wonderful and enduring the art you create may be, I think every artist moves on after a work is complete. While you still like the old stuff and may be very proud of what you have accomplished, it is always the new stuff that you are excited about. But for the fans and patrons it isn’t necessarily that way. Heck, I am like that to some extent about music, and I am even worse about totally new genres or art forms. I will freely admit that I am not the first or even among the first to get on board with new art or music. It takes me a while for what at first may seem jarring, inappropriate or just weird. However, I find that upon repeated exposure to new art or music, I start to let go of my preconceived ideas and then I start to “get it”. That doesn’t mean I will like it. But then

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music I have stated in previous columns - art doesn’t exist to be liked, it only exists to be experienced by others. My reaction and your reaction may be polar opposites yet equally accurate and valid within our own personal context. For most fans, particularly in the music world, songs are bookmarks for particular points in their life. Fans love a certain song not because it is really great but instead because it makes them think of a sweetheart, a poignant moment or a happy time in their life - not really much different from sounds, tastes or smells that evoke memories of childhood. All songwriters have to contend with the oldie factor, some to greater and some to lesser extents, but the fact that most folks won’t like your new stuff as much as your old stuff on first hearing is pretty much a guarantee. But it is always good to remember that it also may be that what you or I reject at first may over time become our favorite. A good example of this might be buying a new recording of a song you heard on the radio. Now you probably bought it because of one or two songs out of the more than a dozen on the CD. However, as you play the CD, your old favorite seems to become less so and other songs will come into sharper focus, seeming more relevant to you, consequently becoming your favorites. This is what art is all about, in my opinion, extending the human experience and helping us relate to each other by viewing the universe as others see it. I know this conversation has strayed pretty far from Rick getting booed off the stage, but I think it is necessary to understand the artist’s and the fan’s side of the equation. Then as artists, and particularly as performing artists, we need to walk that fine line between the old favorites and the new exciting stuff. Don’t ditch the old stuff. Heck, it got you to where you are, and it got the fans in the door. But, don’t forget to serve the artist in yourself too. Mix it up, throw the new stuff in there, rearrange the old stuff, and make it fresh again (think Eric Clapton and “Layla”). Do whatever it takes to keep you, the artist, pleased and interested in your creations. This will make you confident and happy, and the fans love to be around a confident and happy artist. Please you, please the audience, it is almost is that simple. Then, in the unlikely event they boo you off the stage, as happened to Rick, you can at least know you did good work. In the end, that really is the measure of an artistic career. I will close this month’s column with the final lines of Nelson’s “Garden Party,” the song lyrics that began this

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column. “If memories were all I sang, I rather drive a truck.” Nuff said! By the way, if you have comments, suggestions or criticisms about this or any my columns, feel free to send them to me: randy@brownrandy.com If you ever simply get curious about what the heck this rambling old man does, then go to www.brownrandy.com. Listen to a few songs and let me know what you think.

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Randy Brown is a small business owner and singer/songwriter in 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 songwriter, operating a venue, and a recording studio owner/engineer. He loves to pontificate endlessly in print and can’t believe that folks actually read it.

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Bob Campbell and Robert Joe Vandygriff are both friends of mine. They are both hardcore throwbacks to a time gone by, yet they very much keep a genre of music alive today! I don’t know for sure if they have ever met, but I bet they have. I have been in and around country music for over 30 years, and I have slowly seen the western part of the music ignored on the top 40 type stations. As a matter of fact, much of the “country” is simply watered-down pop that I find hard to stomach. I just don’t listen much anymore other than to Americana and Texas Music type radio stations when I can get one to reach the East Texas outback where I live just outside of Alba. KMOO in Mineola does a good job with real country music. One of my favorite shows is Matt Meinke’s Notably Texas on KETR 88.9, the public radio station at Texas A&MCommerce. Western swing music has seen a great revival thanks to the efforts of many festivals, hard working bands and radio stations like KKUS FM 104.1 out of Tyler. The band, Asleep at the Wheel, has made sure Western swing still swings. With a 40 year history behind them, they continue to record, carry on an active national tour schedule and appear in the fantastic Bob Wills musical, A Ride With Bob. Bob Campbell is from Kilgore and Vandygriff from Roxton (near Paris). First and foremost they are both cowboys, the real version. Campbell is an accomplished songwriter and poet who has taken his talents to many performances including the prestigious Texas Cowboy Gathering in Alpine; National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada; Arizona Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Prsecott, Arizona; and the Cowboy Youth Gathering at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in Tascosa. Campbell’s “Roundup Time” is a past winner of Song

by Larry Tucker of the Year by the Academy of Western Country Artists. The late Buck Ramsey said that “Bob is one of the most genuine and sincere songwriters in the West today. His songs are clean and pure.” Campbell is soft-spoken and does most of his talking through his music. At a recent memorial to Hank Riddle, Campbell was at his best on stage. “Man, I just love what I do and try to do it to the best of my ability. I don’t want this music to die,” Campbell said. Vandygriff was raised in Roxton and grew up knowing nothing else but being a cowboy. He has traveled the world to play his music. He was a popular figure in Europe when his song, “Say Lady,” scored chart success. I used to play it myself at KMOO radio in Mineola back in the 1980’s. Vandygriff actually lives on a huge working ranch today in Lipscomb County Texas in the far north reaches of the Texas Panhandle. He was a regular on the popular Walker Texas Ranger television series. I am pretty sure he was usually seen as Ranger Mike. He parlayed his acting talents into what has become one of the most sensational one man shows in America, The Cowboy Ain’t Dead Yet, which he has performed from coast to coast. He follows the trials and tribulations of ‘Joe Texas’ from the first days of Texas when it was a republic to the modern day cowboy. Vandygriff has worked with the likes of George Strait, George Jones, and Garth Brooks just to name drop a few.

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music & news He has said that some of his favorite performances have been on shows with true western performers like Sons of the Pioneers, Don Edwards, Baxter Black and Michael Martin Murphy. Vandygriff is the real deal. He knows what it takes to make a living with a horse, rope and saddle. Some people just sing the songs, but he has lived them. I last talked to Vandygriff a couple of years ago as he headed for Branson for several shows. “I try my best to be honest and tell the truth about the cowboy and the cowboy life. I am proud of what I do, and what I have done,” he told me. “I do my best to be a pro, on and off the stage.” The thing I love most about Vandygriff is he never has forgotten where he is from. Just a few weeks ago he returned to Roxton and did a fundraiser at the school. At a baseball game in Roxton two weeks ago, one of their coaches, Guy McKnight, relayed to me, ”Robert Joe came home and did an unbelievable job for us. Everybody was excited because he came home to perform just for us.” Recently I discovered some poetry by Ricky Lummus from Bloomburg. In a 2005 interview for Folks Cowboy Poetry, Lummus said that nearly all the articles written about cowboys were about folks in West Texas and New Mexico. “But if you study the cattle population anywhere east of Tyler, all the way to Arkansas and the Louisiana state line, you will find thousands of small ranches and probably more cattle than out west,” he said. “There are a lot of good cowboys in East Texas. I can tell you from experience, it takes a good hand when you are gathering a bunch of Brahma crosses out of the river bottoms.” He wrote a great poem about it, “East Texas Cowboys” and sums it up in the final four lines: “So next time you’re travelin’ south of Texarkana or down Carthage way, You’ll see them cattle by the numbers, chewin’ on the hay. Somebody has to gather, doctor, and feed the beast, It’s done by us Texas cowboys, over here in the East.” I don’t know Lummus, but I feel like I do since I have started reading his work. Long live the cowboy, thanks to East Texans like Bob Campbell, Robert Joe Vandygriff and Ricky Lummus. They are all Homegrown! Until next time, keep Texas Music in your heart and Texas Blues in your soul.

Larry Tucker grew up in southeast Dallas and spent weekends and summers at the homes of grandparents in Wood County. He is a graduate of East Texas State University, a former country music radio air personality and producer, newspaper editor, and is currently the athletic director, history teacher and basketball/baseball coach at a small East Texas school district. Tucker has been a music journalist and free lance writer for over 30 years. He lives at Lake Fork with his wife, Lorna.

Fourth Annual Clarksville Fine Arts Festival The fourth annual Clarksville Fine Arts Festival will be Saturday, May 28, 2011, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Clarksville. The festival is free to artists exhibiting their own artwork. It is open to all artists doing original paintings, sculptures, pottery, photography, & personally handmade jewelry and writers who have published books. A “Best in Show” prize of $200 will be awarded to an artist. The Festival is an outdoor event held on the grass of the historic city square. In addition to the artist exhibits there will be live music performances in the center of the square during the event. Admission and parking are free. Artist registration remained open at presstime. For application information contact Larry Algaier at 903-3410761 or email ClarksvilleArtFest@gmail.com.

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art Snapshot of an era by LaDawn Fletcher

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This summer, Tyler Museum of Art is giving visitors an opportunity to see several kinds of history up close. Dr. James Clark, a Tyler physician and collector, has loaned his personal collection of sports, history and movie memorabilia to be shown in an exhibit titled Remember When: Marvels & Memories. The extensive and varied collection has previously been seen only by friends and family and might never have crossed the threshold of the museum were it not for an encounter with Tyler Museum of Art director, Kimberley Tomio and her husband, museum curator Ken, at a fundraising event held at the home of Dr. Clark and his wife, Sharon. The Tomio’s happened to see a room displaying just some of Dr. Clark’s pieces. Upon discovery of even more items— the exhibit includes only 400—a show was born. Dr. Clark is happy to share his collection with all who have even a passing interest in this magnificent era. Clark has been collecting items of personal interest to him for more than 30 years. Breaking the so called “rules” of collecting is part of the fun for Dr. Clark. Instead of focusing on one particular subject or one facet of an era, Dr. Clark is drawn to items that represent a part of his own life experience. Original movie posters are an exciting part of the exhibit, and there are many of them on display. Movies hold a special place in the heart of Dr. Clark. His mother was the first female usher for Interstate Theatres in Paris, Texas where he grew up. His mother worked there for many years, eventually moving up the ranks, and as a teen, Clark worked there as well, changing out the marquee and the posters that accompanied the feature. Lectures are an integral part of the exhibit, and on Tuesday, May 24, Tyler Morning Telegraph Arts & Entertainment Editor, Stewart Smith, will present “Let’s Go to the Movies: The Art of Film and Progression of Pop Culture.” As long as there have been movies, they have made an indelible mark on pop culture, and that relationship will be explored as a part of the lecture.

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Also of keen interest to Dr. Clark is war history, particularly World War I and World War II material. Among the more unusual items he has collected are Nazi artifacts. When he served in the army, one of his assignments was as the doctor at Spandau Prison in Berlin where his only patient (and the only prisoner held there) was the infamous Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess. Since that time, he has acquired other artifacts and items with signatures of other famous members of the regime, including Adolf Hitler. “There is a dagger that was given to {Hermann} Goering who was head of the Air Force that was given to him by Charles Limbergh who was an American hero. It is engraved ‘To Goering’ before the war.” Also included in the exhibit is a full uniform of a corporal who served in WWI. “There aren’t many of those around,” says Clark. Dr. Clark will lead a Gallery Talk to explain parts of the exhibit during a special First Friday Art Tour on Friday, June 3 at 11 a.m. The museum sees the exhibit as a truly cross-generational event. Those who lived through the first half of the 20th Century will easily identify with many parts of it, and in turn, be able to personalize the experience for those who came after that time. It’s a journey Dr. Clark hopes to share with his own 12-year-old grandson. “Right now he is just interested in Superman and Captain Marvel,” Clark says of his collection. “But hopefully …” he laughs. Remember When: Marvels & Memories from the Collection of Dr. James Clark will be at the Tyler Museum of Art from May 8 through August 14, 2011. Tyler Museum of Art 1300 S. Mahon Ave. Tyler, TX 75701 www.tylermuseum.org For more information see theTyler Museum of Art’s ad on page 12.

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artists Lonnie Robinson

Yoka

“Creating art from any type of metal, including iron, bronze, copper and brass, is my aspiration. I’ve been blacksmithing for over 30 years. During those years, I’ve created custom-made knives, all types of art pieces & sculptures, and many functional items for the home. I have a line of items I’ve created for the grill including onion and vegetable cookers. I enjoy designing and creating customized pieces of work for individuals that have a need to be filled. Blacksmithing classes are given at our shop, Wagon Wheel Forge & Gallery, in Ben Wheeler, Texas. We have beginner, intermediate and advanced classes at reasonable prices.”

Yoka is a native of Mexico. He loves to paint in oils. His landscape paintings transport the viewer to his imaginary world. The sky, clouds and greenery are his main subject matter. A nature lover by birth, he wants to express his interpretation of the natural beauty we are surrounded by in our daily lives - the beauty that we forget to stop and appreciate. One of Yoka’s paintings on a wall is always a reminder of that beauty. It encourages us to go on a road trip or a long walk or just look outside the window. To view his paintings, contact him at 903 746 1221. www.artwanted.com/yoka

Live Music 2nd Saturdays x The Gentlemen - May 14, 2011 x Bill White - June 11, 2011 x Clearly Vocal - September 10, 2011

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Join us for coffee, dessert, and great music! J.O.Y Hall, 1st United Methodist Church 406 E. Lane St. • Quitman 903-763-4127 Tickets available at the door or church ofﬁce.

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Doors open at 6:30 • Show starts at 7:00 Admission $7/adults • $5/students

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Gold Leaf Gallery cordially invites you to a special opening night...

David “Honeyboy” Edwards

FRIDAY • MAY 13, 2011 • 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Robin & the Bluebirds

Exhibiting

Alan Fox Band

PORTRAIT ART & SCULPTURE

Bill Lynch & the Mid Western Icons Buddy Flett The Ominous Anonymous Peterson Brothers Band

Lindsay Long White Charcoal

Laura Post Oil

Pleasant Hill Quilting Group Ezra Charles Band Omar Sharriff

June 17 & 18, 2011

DieDra & the Ruff Pro Band

Music City Texas Theater

Bobbie Oliver & Jam City Revue Matthew Davidson Band

Mid South Engine & Machine Don Henley American Classiﬁeds

Call 903.756.7774 for more information. Ticket pricing online at www.tbonewalkerbluesfest.com

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Maurine Killaby Graphite

Casey Koehler Sculpture

Jason Carrasco Pop

EXHIBIT MAY 13TH - JUNE 13TH 4518 S. Broadway • The French Quarter • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903-597-2645

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news Second Saturday Art Jam in Edom & Ben Wheeler In and around Edom and Ben Wheeler â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two of the smalltown arts centers of East Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; shop owners and others are starting a new tradition. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called Second Saturday Art Jam, and it began April 9 with open-house shops along Farm Road 279, a 20-mile stretch of two-lane blacktop that extends through farm and ranch land from Highway 64 near Tyler in Smith County back to Highway 64 in Ben Wheeler in Van Zandt County. Participating businesses in the mutual-benefit coalition called 279 Artisans Trail range from artists to growers to restaurants and music venues to B&Bs. Organizers hope to bring people from Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and Shreveport and beyond to see these unique communities and stay over for the weekend. A list of participants includes Antiques & Texas Heritage, Arbor Castle Birdhouses, Blue Moon Gardens, Blueberry Hill Farms, Edom Ranch Art, Flying Fish Gallery, Ben Wheeler Community Garden, Harrison & Son Knifesmith, Jeffrey Lance Photography, Ken Carpenter Jewelry, Lambs Antiques, The Old Firehouse music venue, Players music store, Potters Brown, Rave Art Gallery, Saxon Tomatoes, Scoots â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n Scoops, Shiloh Acres Plant Farm, Sojourn Gallery, Studio Metals, Wagon Wheel Forge & Gallery, Whimzee, and several restaurants including Edom Bakery & Grill and The Shed in Edom and Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store and The Forge in Ben Wheeler. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;artisansâ&#x20AC;? part of the name implies sharing and teaching. There will be demonstrations, classes, and work-

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shops during the Art Jam and also throughout the month at various locations. Each shop is putting together its own projects for second Saturday. For example, on April 9 Blue Moon Gardens hosted long-time friend and teacher Midge Jackson, who exhibited and offered for sale fine handmade original garments, accessories, buttons and jewelry. She demonstrated knitting and jewelry-making techniques throughout the day. At Flying Fish, Randy Martin demonstrated coppersmithing by making copper calla lilies and day lilies, and copper and brass canna leaf birdfeeders and dragonflies. Guest watercolor artist Bobbye Koncak demonstrated painting on silk. Dyan Johnson at Studio Metals demonstrated metalworking throughout the day and visitors were able to make and take a hand-formed and textured piece of jewelry. Mary Hortman at Sojourn Gallery featured original watercolors by Lewis Barrett Lehrman, an Arizona artist who has written a number of art books and was the first editor of International Artist Magazine. Hortman did oil figure/ portrait demonstrations throughout the day. The Old Firehouse Gallery offered an eclectic mixture of two-dimensional and three-dimensional wall art, and artist Virginia Lindsay demonstrated flame-worked glass. Expect live â&#x20AC;&#x153;porchâ&#x20AC;? music throughout the day in both the Edom and Ben Wheeler downtown areas. The special events are from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. At the end of the day, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also music every weekend evening at Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store and The Forge in Ben Wheeler, and at least once a month at The Old Firehouse concert series in Edom. Edom established itself as an arts community years ago. The town formed in 1855 and quickly became a major stopover site for lumberjacks, freighters, traders and cattle drives. By the 1860s, its roads were lined with churches and saloons, as well as a wagon factory, sawmill, hotel, leather-goods shop, tannery, school and cemetery. Farming flourished as the community grew and, by 1914, the community had added four general stores and a cotton gin. The mid to latter twentieth century saw many rural communities, including Edom, shrink as people left for the cities. In 1971, though, artists purchased several old buildings along Farm Road 279 and established the annual Edom Festival of the Arts that has helped turn the town into a regional draw. Ben Wheeler, first settled in the 1840s, followed the same basic curve of growth and decline and renewal. The renewal began a few years ago when retired businessman Brooks Gremmels and his wife, Rese, started the Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation and began to restore old buildings and turn them into restaurants and shops with the intention of returning the town to its 1935 look, to bring new businesses, and to inspire a new community-friendly attitude and sense of pride back into the area through events, festivities, and other social projects. For more information on 279 Artisans Trailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Second Saturday Art Jam, call 903-833-5743. Learn more about Edom at www.visitedom.com and Ben Wheeler at www.benwheelertx.com.

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art in the home A professor’s art collection by Tom Callens Dr. Robert Stevens is known in Ben Wheeler for his love of art and music, so it is little surprise that he combines his appreciation for the arts with his academic training. Stevens is not only an art collector, he studies the artist and each piece’s orgin. Stevens explained that he moved to his home in Ben Wheeler because he needed more wall space to hang his collection. “The agent asked me what I was looking for in a home, I told them wall space,” Stevens said, “they had never heard that one before.” No doubt the town’s charms played a large roll in his decision. Stevens is an education instructor at UT Tyler, and the move from Whitehouse to Van Zandt county significantly increased his daily commute. Stevens’ collection ranges from 19th century political cartoons to hand carved decoys and handmade African instruments. Stevens collects a variety of works by local artists from area galleries. Stevens said art that also serves a function is the most appealing to him, but that preference does not keep him from acquiring oil on canvas and watercolors. His living room and den walls are lined with the works of American realist and abstract impressionist painters.

proper framing. The David Dike Gallery in Dallas is exhibiting selected works by Thall through May. “I really believe Thall was a better artist than people give him credit for,” Stevens said. He explained that, although Thall’s art hung in some of the country’s most prestigious galleries, Thall never quite reached the same level of recognition as some of the other masters of the era. Stevens’ research does not detract from his desire to collect other pieces. He can often be found in local galleries and auctions searching for the next thing to grab his attention. His love of art manifests itself in his daily routine and his habit for recreational research. It just goes to prove that true teachers love learning most of all.

A farcical play by Neil Simon Directed by Andi France Assistant Director Lauren Cook Cast Sherrie Shadix, Rick Moser, Leslie Horne, Stan Shipp, Triston Pullen, Julie Penkava, David Woody, Megan Akins, John D’Avignon and Teja King

May 19, 20, 26, 27 & 28 – 7:30 pm May 21 – 2:00 pm Reservations: 903-885-0107 Tickets: $8.00

Main Street Theatre 227 Main Street • Sulphur Springs Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Many of the abstract expressionistic pieces are works by Victor Thall, a 20th century American painter. Stevens and his friend, Gary Herwood, are currently in the process of writing a book about Thall’s career. Herwood holds a large collection of Thall’s art. Thall left a large selection of art to Herwood’s mother upon passing in 1983. The collection consist of oil and mixed media paintings on canvas, masonite or paper. Thall did not keep any type of art log or journal, so the pair rely on old style gallery catalogues and personal interactions that can be coupled with specific pieces to trace the works. Stevens is eager to point out the similarities between Thall and other depression era masters like de Kooning, Gorky, Guston and Fogul. Both Stevens and Herwood plan to restore and hopefully exhibit as many of Thall’s paintings as possible. His works are kept in a climate controlled storage room, along with a few pieces in homes, but they are in need of cleaning, restorative repairs and

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May 2011 - Page 25

theatre Theater Spotlight: David Wright Crawford-Playwright By Emmitte Hall “Theater is an art form,” says Dr. David Crawford, “for a society to be self-actualizing it desires and feeds off art and creates art and needs art.” For decades, Dr. Crawford has dedicated his life to the theater writing award winning plays, directing and producing over forty productions for the stage and teaching thousands of students the art and craft of the theater. Dr. Crawford is the winner of two Texas Playwriting awards and his plays have been produced in New York, Mississippi, Indiana, North Carolina and Texas. His play Harvest was produced off Broadway in 2007 to wide acclaim and became a ‘Critic’s Pick,’ a high honor. Cindy Pierre from the publication Talkin’ Broadway said that the “production is relentless in painting the portrait of an emotionally frayed, but devoted and unwavering man... a substantial production that deserves to be seen...” Harvest is the story of a west Texas cotton farmer over the course of his life where we see the three major decisions of his life that make up who he has become; each decision revolving around giving up the family farm. “I was on Spring Break,” recalls Crawford, “going to Colorado and driving across the Texas Panhandle with David Wright Crawford the headphones on, listening to Aaron Copeland’s Third Symphony, staring across miles and miles of freshly plowed fields and off in the way distant yonder, you see this little bitty poof of green and beside that green is a farm house and you start to wonder what those people are like, you wonder…” For the next three days, with his wife driving, he was writing as fast as he could what became the first act of Harvest. It just flowed,” he said, “creative compulsion, straight from the Father.” But he said the other two acts came hard. Harvest was produced in New York Off-Broadway at the Beckett Theater on Theater Row with professional actors, some with Broadway credits. “It is everything you thought of and more,” says Dr. Crawford. He describes the experience as surreal. “You are walking into an off Broadway theater with your words, your play, done by some of the best actors in the world. Your words take on a totally different meaning… you don’t know how good you are until you have professionals do your work.” Dr. Crawford’s first Broadway experience was having his play Borrowed Plumage performed Off-Off Broadway in 1978. Night Cries and Moonlight Serenade have won Texas Playwriting Awards. He has also authored several scene books and is the recipient of the TETA Educator of the Year, Watson W. Wise Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, Rick Diamond Excellence in Education Award, and the Mattie Alice Scroggins Baker Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Crawford grew up in the theater. “All through high school, middle school and elementary school, every class in every grade had to put on a program, usually built around a play, so I grew up in it and it was a natural thing,” he recalls. But after high school his career path was unclear. He thought about being a game warden or a biologist or a geologist but he found that Speech and Drama came easy and he could major in it. So, after two years at TJC, he went to North Texas State University for his bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate and then off to Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches for his master’s degree in theater. After graduation he spent one year teaching at Winnsboro High School and then a year teaching at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall before accepting a job at Tyler Junior College. He earned his PhD in Theater from Texas Tech in 1987. He was the Chairman of the Speech and Drama Department at TJC from 1983 until 2009. Tyler Junior College has one of the best Speech and Drama programs in the region, attracting students not only from Texas and the U.S. but from all over the world. “We provide a creative atmosphere for students to grow,” says Dr. Crawford. TJC offers Associate Degrees in Speech, Theater and Musical Theater. Each degree plan provides a broad education base including U.S. and Texas History, English, government and Humanities. Theater students take core courses in acting, theater practicum and drama. Musical Theater majors must audition for the several productions during the year and take courses in voice, acting, music and dance. Speech majors focus on voice, diction and communication.

Page 26 - May 2011

According to Dr. Crawford, about half of the students will go on to a state college to earn a bachelor’s degree and go into teaching, while half will go on to pursue a graduate degree at a large, out of state college near a regional theater center such as Chicago, Atlanta, New York, LA, San Diego or Seattle where they can start building contacts for a professional world. Tyler Junior College produces a wide range of dramas, comedies and musical theater that are open to the public at extremely affordable prices. In the past the theater department has produced King Lear, Into the Woods, Scenes and Revelations, Indians, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, Flight, Henry the V, Singin’ in the Rain, Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Upcoming theater schedules can be found at http://www.tjc.edu/ Theatre/Productions.php or by calling the TJC box office at 903-510-2212. For the aspiring Texas playwright, Dr. Crawford, along with other playwrights, producers and artistic directors have created Texas Dramatists, an on-line place for Texas playwrights to meet and commune and talk shop. “In Europe, they all hang out in coffee shops and talk art and share ideas,” he says. They hope to offer support and workshops for Texas Playwrights. People can link to the website through the TJC Theater website at www3.tjc.edu/theatre/td/ index.htm. “I’m a story teller, that what I am, that’s what I enjoy doing and I’m going to do it,” says Crawford, “I write stories I want to see done, I want to see my plays produced. I’d love to share my plays with more people, that’s all the reason I do it.”

Information about Piney Woods LIVE Our Mission Statement Locally owned, Piney Woods LIVE is a magazine for art lovers in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Art is defined as a product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods LIVE features articles about and for local artists with the objective of appealing to individuals with an interest in fine art, fine dining, and fine performances. Copies of Piney Woods LIVE are strategically placed where affluent, educated East Texans who want the best out of living can enjoy them. Live is more than an expression of the artist community it serves; it gives discerning readers a blend of in-depth art news, reviews, views on the business of art, as well as information on the artists themselves.

Content Artists may submit up 100 words plus a photo. Art events or venues may submit 300 or so words. All submissions must be in electronic format. Interested freelance writers or photographers should contact randi@pineywoodslive.com with ideas. Piney Woods Live reserves the right to refuse any content not suitable.

Distribution Visit our website at www.PineyWoodsLive.com to find a list of distribution spots all over East Texas.

Upcoming Deadlines Issue Date June 1, 2011 July 1, 2011 August, 2011

Distribution Date May 19 June 23 July 21

Ad Deadline May 6 June 10 July 8

To Get More Info... To contact an account representative for rates and other information, email info@ pineywoodslive.com or call Melissa at 800-333-3082.

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dance FLY KiDS BAM! by Mike & Kathy Wood BAM! stands for “bust all moves.” This is the rallying phrase that sixty-seven-year-old Kathy Wood

chosen to solo more than once, they are expected to have different solos each time. Summer camp is the most important FLY KiDS event of each year. FLY KiDS attend free

uses to motivate her dance com-

and it is open to the public at less than actual cost since it is underwritten by donors and

pany, FLY KiDS, to perform at their

sponsors. It is taught by former FLY Dance Company dancers and other professional Houston

best. High energy, fun movement,

hip hop dancers, some world famous. Camp is seven hours a day, Monday through Friday,

great music, and clever choreogra-

with daily show & tell for parents. There is a public student concert on Friday where parents,

phy are the ingredients that make

donors, and sponsors can see what the dancers have learned as well as the exceptional skills

FLY KiDS different from other youth

of our Houston teachers in a hip hop and break dancing demonstration.

dance groups. FLY KiDS is a free

The FLY KiDS repertoire now has nine pieces of choreography for concerts and other performances. More complicated pieces are being developed to music ranging from Stravinsky’s

program created by Tylerites Kathy

“Firebird” to Eminem’s (edited) “Lose Yourself” to Carmen’s “Habanera”. Kathy always mixes

Wood and husband Mike Wood to

up music and choreography for variety and entertainment value.

promote dance as a positive, health-

FLY KiDS is produced under FLYworks, LLC which is run by Kathy and business manager

ful, community-building activity for

Mike Wood who are prohibited under its operating agreement from receiving salaries. All

Tyler-area boys and girls in grades

after-tax proceeds go toward the expenses of the FLY KiDS program. Financial support comes

three through nine. It is hosted by

from the community through individual donations, sponsorships, FLY KiDS summer camp,

the City of Tyler’s Glass Recreation

and performance honoraria.

Center where rehearsals are held in a large, mirrored studio. Kathy is the FLY KiDS Sidra doing a very good K-Kick.

material learned at FLY KiDS rehearsals, summer camp, workshops, and clinics. If dancers are

For more on—the FLY KiDS program, Summer Camp registration, requesting a performance, becoming a donor or sponsor, FLY KiDS director Kathy Wood, FLY Dance Company, or FLYworks, LLC—please visit www.flykids.net.

director/choreographer. She is a professional choreographer and dance

teacher whose credits include the Kilgore Rangerettes, four state high school dance team championships, the Hall of Fame of the Texas Dance Educators Association, and director of FLY Dance Company - a touring dance company that performed for five years throughout the U.S. and Europe including such venues as the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), the Lincoln Center (NYC), and the Bob Hope Theater (Palm Desert, CA).

FLY KiDS BAM!

“Theatrical hip hop” is what Kathy calls the dance style she created for FLY Dance Company. It’s about clean-cut, high-energy dancing combined with acting, comedy and themed choreography to create fun, entertaining presentations appealing to all ages and cultures. She has adapted this style for FLY KiDS whose dance music, movements and costumes are always age appropriate. The dancers are learning acting, basic dance, breaking tricks, and showmanship. In short, they are learning how to be entertaining performers. This goes hand-in-hand with

FLY KiDS on stage at Bergfield Park performing at a holiday event.

goal setting, working hard, teamwork, respecting authority and each other, and good manners. Dancers also learn to introduce themselves on the microphone by stating their name, school, and age. This small activity helps the dancers overcome shyness. The FLY KiDS dancer motto is “Be the best that you can be.” To become the most entertaining youth group in northeast Texas is the overall goal set by the director. These goals

Mayfair Invitational Fine Arts Exhibit

are high and may not be fully attained, but by reaching for them and working hard dancers may accomplish much more than they thought possible. Working hard and positive attitudes are what makes FLY KiDS dancers successful. In a little over a year, the group and its dancers have made large strides in the right direction. In February, Kathy and Mike entered FLY KiDS in a regional competition in the 7th-9th grade class, and they won every award open to them in the novelty, hip hop, and showcase categories. This was a valuable learning experience for FLY KiDS and an opportunity to see and learn about other forms of dance. While watching another group’s performance at the competition, a FLY KiDS dancer asked Ms. Wood if they had BAM! Kathy replied, “No, they don’t have BAM!” The FLY KiDS dancers learned that day that BAM! is what sets them apart, and parents were thrilled to see their children’s fun, age appropriate, wholesome performances receive boisterous audience approval. FLY KiDS has a variety of dancers—pop and tickers, breakers, housers, footwork specialists, jazz, and contemporary. All dancers are expected to choreograph their own solos from

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May 20-21, 2011 Cultural Arts Center Mount Vernon, Texas Sponsored by the Franklin County Arts Alliance Friday, May 20, 1-6pm: Artist and Sponsor Reception Saturday, May 21, 10am-7pm: Public Exhibition

Fine Arts Exhibit 2009 winning oil painting by Sandy St. John

Information: Carolyn Teague at carolyntw@suddenlink.net or 903-537-4913. May 2011 - Page 27

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