February 2015 Rapid River Magazine by Rapid River Magazine

Arlo Guthrie in Concert PG 8 Jonas Gerard Paints Love and Light And the Oscar Goes to… PG 26 Reel Takes Movie Reviews

PGS

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What to Do Guide™

Who’s New at the Asheville Gallery of Art Rick Hills at Mountain Made Gallery Valentine’s Day Gifts from The Chocolate Fetish PGS

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Valentine’s Dining Guide

PGS

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2013-2014

Enjoy and Give the Best

Elizabeth, Sue and Bill, owners of The Chocolate Fetish

Discriminating chocolate lovers have been enjoying award-winning, handcrafted chocolates from The Chocolate Fetish since 1986. Visit our European style shop where you’ll find handmade artisan chocolate and the perfect gift for your Valentine. You may also place your order online for speedy in-store pick-up or nationwide shipping.

www.chocolatefetish.com

36 Haywood Street • Downtown Asheville • (828) 258-2353 Extended hours for Valentine’s! Call or go online for details. 2 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

performance

A Chorus Line

Opens Friday, February 6 at Asheville Community Theatre. The musical that redefined a genre is opening next on the Mainstage at Asheville Community Theatre. A Chorus Line is a brilliantly complex fusion of dance, song and compellingly authentic drama, this “singular sensation” redefined musical theatre. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at an audition process as well as a celebration of what it means The cast of A Chorus Line. Pictured mid-air is Rebecca O’Quinn, to truly be a dancer. who plays the role of Cassie. Photo by Studio Misha A Chorus Line runs through March 1, 2015 with performances Friday and IF Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday YOU A Chorus Line, February 6 through afternoons at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available GO March 1. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 over the phone at (828) 254-1320, in person at p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Asheville the Asheville Community Theatre Box Office Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St. (828) or online at www.ashevilletheatre.org. 254-1320, www.ashevilletheatre.org.

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Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 3

Your Vision Our Creation

ROBERTO VENGOECHEA 100 Cherry Street ~ Black Mountain pg. 38

(15 minutes east of Asheville)

pg. 9

4 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

828.669.0065 | www.VisionsofCreation.com

web exclusives RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE Established in 1997 • Volume Eighteen, Number Six

FEBRUARY 2015 www.rapidrivermagazine.com Publisher/Editor: Dennis Ray Marketing: Dennis Ray, Rick Hills Copyeditor: Kathleen Colburn Poetry Editor: Carol Pearce Bjorlie Layout & Design: Simone Bouyer Accounting: Sharon Cole Distribution: Dennis Ray

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sandi Anton, Carol Pearce Bjorlie, Sarah Brownlee, Jenny Bunn, James Cassara, Kathleen Colburn, Michael Cole, KaChina Davine, Susan Devitt, Amy Downs, Hanna Goss, Max Hammonds, MD, Phil Hawkins, Bruce Johnson, Phil Juliano, Chip Kaufmann, Michelle Keenan, Lauren Loiacono, Joseph Malki, Kay Miller, Betina Morgan, April Nance, Wendy H. Outland, Lauren Patton, Lauren Pelletier, Ruth Planey, Claire Ratliff, Dennis Ray, Riley Schilling, Chris Stack, Patrice Tappé, Greg Vineyard, Bill Walz, Daniel Weiser, Robert Wiley, J. & R. Woods, Anna Lee Zanetti.

CONTACT US Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine is a monthly publication. Send all mail to: Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine 85 N. Main St., Canton, NC 28716 Phone: (828) 646-0071 info@rapidrivermagazine.com

ADVERTISING SALES Downtown Asheville and other areas Dennis Ray (828) 646-0071 dennis@rapidrivermagazine.com Hendersonville, Waynesville, Dining Guide Rick Hills (828) 452-0228 rick@rapidrivermagazine.com All materials contained herein are owned and copyrighted by Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine and the individual contributors unless otherwise stated. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine or the advertisers found herein. © Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine, February 2015, Vol. 18 No. 6

3 Performance

Discover More Exciting Articles, Short Stories & Blogs at www.rapidrivermagazine.com

SHORT STORIES

ACT – A Chorus Line . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Kontras Quartet . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Arlo Guthrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Anything for Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

7 Columns

Love in the Twilight, written by RF Wilson

Whips and Chains,

written by Nancy Dillingham

Frying Meat, written by Celia Miles

Riley Schilling – Stage Preview . . . . 7 James Cassara – Spinning Discs . . 16 Greg Vineyard – Fine Art . . . . . . . . 13 Wendy Outland – Business of Art 13 Max Hammonds, MD – Health . . 33 Carol Pearce Bjorlie – Poetry. . . . . 14 Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

10 Fine Art Arts and Crafts Conference . . . . . . 10 The Folk Art Center. . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Asheville Gallery of Art . . . . . . . . . 12 Jonas Gerard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 ZaPow! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Rick Hills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mountain Made Art Gallery. . . . . . 22 Gallery 86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

17 Music A Place to Bury Strangers. . . . . . . . 17 The Three Davids in Concert . . . . 18

21 Dining Guide Lex 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chocolate Fetish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 B&C Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 BT’s Burgerjoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Classic Wineseller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 O’Charley’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

23 Movie Reviews

Change is Calling,

written by Phil Okrend

Livin’ in a Foodtopian Paradise,

written by Ashley English

The Short Road to the Long Hike, written by John Swart

NEW ONLINE CONTRIBUTORS This month I’m excited to announce two new regular contributors to Rapid River Magazine Short Stories. Ashley English is a local writer of several food related books including the Homemade Living Series. John Swart has recently completed the Pacific Crest Trail and will be sharing those experiences with our readers. John has also hiked the Appalachian Trail and considers these wilderness experiences to be his greatest teachers.

~ Kathleen Colburn

SPECIAL SECTIONS Black Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 9 Points North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 10 Downtown Asheville . . . . . . pgS 20-21 Dining Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . pgS 29-32 Waynesville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 38

ONLY ONLINE I Am A Dreamer – Southern Comfort

by Judy Ausley.

Looking Glass Creamery –

The local dairy’s Connemara cheese, made in Fairview, NC, has been selected as a 2015 Good Food Award winner.

New Official Length of the Appalachian Trail

– Re-measurements and relocations have brought the total mileage of the footpath to 2,189.2 miles. Who’s planning to hike even a little bit of that this year?

Artists & Writers, Promote Yourself on www.RapidRiverMagazine.com Artists and writers are invited to contribute to our new web exclusive section – “Creatives Sketched.” With a rapidly growing readership, the Rapid River Magazine website is a great way to promote yourself and a great way for potential buyers and readers to learn about you. Rapid River Magazine’s copyeditor, Kathleen Colburn, is editor and curator of the section. Please contact her with questions and submissions by email to rrshortstories@gmail.com.

Chip Kaufmann, Michelle Keenan .23

33 Artful Living Bill Walz – Artful Living . . . . . . . . 33 Massage Therapy Center . . . . . . . . 36 Linda Neff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

On the Cover:

Porchoir Painting by Rick Hills. PAGE 22

34 What to Do Guide

™

Best in Show by Phil Juliano . . . . 35 Callie & Cats by Amy Downs . . . . 35 Corgi Tales by Phil Hawkins . . . . 35 Dragin by Michael Cole . . . . . . . . 35 Ratchet & Spin by J. & R. Woods . . 35

IF YOU GO: Tell them you saw it in Rapid River Magazine! Distributed at more than 390 locations throughout eight counties in WNC and South Carolina. First copy is free – each additional copy $1.50

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 5

captivating performances A Delightfully Romantic Evening with the Kontras Quartet

The Kontras Quartet, one of the most lauded string ensembles to emerge from Chicago’s classical music scene, brings their exceptional artistry to Hendersonville in what should be one of most exciting performances of the Hendersonville Chamber Music 2015 season.

Their program boasts a delightfully romantic Valentine’s Day theme. It includes Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 #1, a work deeply influenced by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet; Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz, said to have been inspired by a hiking holiday Webern took with his soon to be fiancée and later wife in the mountains outside of Vienna; and, Leoš Janácek’s String Quartet No. 2, Intimate Letters, a work inspired by Webern’s long and spiritual friendship with a married woman 38 years his junior. The quartet’s rise in the chamber music world has been nothing short of meteoric! Recently appointed Quartet in Residence at Western Michigan State University, the quartet also continues their relationship with both the Chicago Youth and Ars Viva Symphony Orchestras. Recent performances include concerts at Chicago’s Symphony Center, Paul Recital Hall of the Juilliard School, television appearances on NBC and PBS, multiple broadcasts on classical radio stations

ROBERT WILEY

The award-winning Kontras Quartet performs in Hendersonville Sunday, February 8. nationwide, and a performance on the main stage of MerleFest, the biggest bluegrass festival in the world. Future performances in the 2015 series include Brevard Music Center’s violinist Jason Posnock with Dilshad Posnock, flute, Alistair MacRae, cello and Allison Pohl, soprano on Sunday, March 8; Moment Musicale, North Carolina Symphony principals Mary Boone, flute and Vonda Darr, harp on Sunday, March 29 and the internationally reknowned Minneapolis Guitar Quartet on Sunday, April 26.

IF YOU Kontras Quartet, Sunday, February GO 8 at the First Congregational Church,

Fifth Avenue and White Pine in Hendersonville at 3 p.m. $20 individual tickets and $75 series tickets for all four performances will be available at the door on the day of performance. Students admitted free. More details at www.hendersonvillechambermusic.org.

The Enchanted Hour: Songs of Twilight

AMICIMUSIC PRESENTS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC FOR FLUTE, SOPRANO, AND PIANO

A unique program of music from the 18th century to the present, highlighting a variety of poems about twilight and the thin line between dream and reality.

Sunday, March 1

– 2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1 Edwin Place in Asheville. The featured performers are $20 general; soprano Amanda Horton, flutist Lea $15 for church Kibler, and pianist Daniel Weiser. They Flutist Soprano members. will perform some rarely heard, but Lea Kibler Amanda Horton Discounted beautiful works by Handel, Rameau, tickets available at www.amicimusic.org Mozart, Ravel, Gaubert, and Previn among others. Please check www.amicimusic.org for AmiciMusic, the award winning chamber further information. music group, is dedicated to performing the

SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES Friday, February 27 – 7:30 p.m. at White

Horse Black Mountain. $15 for advanced reservations; $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.

Saturday, February 28 – 11 a.m. at Isis

Restaurant in West Asheville. Eat a delicious brunch and experience some great music. $15 for concert; $7-11 for brunch. More details at www.isisasheville.com.

Saturday, February 28 – 7:30 p.m. at All

Soul’s Cathedral in Biltmore Village. $20 general; $15 for church members. Discounted tickets available at www.amicimusic.org

6 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

highest quality chamber music in intimate venues and non-traditional spaces. AmiciMusic aims to break down barriers between performers and audiences by establishing a more informal and relaxed atmosphere at their concerts. As its name suggests, this is truly “Music Among Friends.” At each concert, Artistic Director Daniel Weiser tells fun and educational stories about the composers and pieces that are to be played. Founder and pianist Daniel Weiser has performed around the world. He has been called “a force of pianistic energy” and a “true impressario and ambassador of chamber music.” Lea Kibler, flutist, has been hailed by

critics as “bewitching and unforgettable” and a “top drawer flutist.” Active in all aspects of today’s music making, she has made her career as an orchestral player, solo and chamber musician, recording musician, teacher and advocate for the arts. Amanda Horton, a native of Asheville, has been lauded by the Classical Voice of North Carolina as a “beautiful, rich soprano” of “great color and vocal expressiveness,” capable of “quiet passion and simplicity” as well as “joy and power”. In addition to opera and musical theater, Ms. Horton often appears as soprano soloist with various groups across the region including the Asheville Symphony, Asheville Choral Society and the Carolina Concert Choir. Ms. Horton operates a private voice studio in Asheville and Brevard for singers of all musical styles. More information is available by visiting www.AmandaHortonSoprano.com.

Daniel Weiser, AmiciMusic founder and Artistic Director

AmiciMusic is a professional chamber music organization dedicated to performing the highest quality music in intimate venues and nontraditional spaces. For more information please visit www.amicimusic.org

stage preview

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Magical February Performances

RILEY SCHILLINg

BRILLIANT MUSIC, COMPLEX DRAMAS, AND A POIGNANT COMEDY

Create a special night with your partner by attending any of these live performances, sure to sweeten your Valentine’s heart.

Choose from compelling dramatics, stunning sound, sensual dance, or any combination thereof! Single? So! What better way to spend the evening than in a darkened theater seat immersed in the enchantment of live theatre?

Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown

The Music of ABBA The annual Music on the Rock series kicks off Valentine’s weekend with their most requested concert. This regularly sold out event, in an intimate acoustic space, seats only 250 per show. Featuring, for the first time, the Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus led by Diane David, starring Music on the Rock series’ showstopper, Dustin Brayley, with Erin Mosher and Beth Kuhn. Musical Director is Michael Sebastian.

IF YOU GO: February 12-15. Thursday and A Chorus Line opens at ACT February 6.

Asheville Community Theatre

A Chorus Line This brilliantly complex fusion of dance, song, and authentic drama redefined musical theatre. Directed by Chanda Calentine, with Musical Direction by Gary Mitchell, and Choreography by Tina Pisano-Foor, A.C.T. is thrilled to produce this show for the first time. Truly an ensemble piece, Director Calentine says, “The roles in this show are all triple-threats… [requiring] 25 people who can really dance, sing, and act. Fortunately, we got exactly who we needed.”

IF YOU GO: February 6-March 1. Friday and

Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$25. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St., Asheville. (828) 2541320, www.ashevilletheatre.org.

Friday, 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$25. Flat Rock Playhouse, 125 S. Main Street, Hendersonville. (828) 693-0731, www.flatrockplayhouse.org

Hendersonville Little Theatre

The Miracle Worker Opening their 50th Season, Director Theresa Cox leads her cast in presenting William Gibson’s play based on the true events of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan.

IF YOU GO: February 13-15, 19-22, and

February 26-March 1. Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets: $10-$20. Hendersonville Little Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville. Details: (828) 692-1082, www.hendersonvillelittletheatre.org

Asheville Symphony Orchestra

Denk Plays Asheville Concerto

Nature-lovers are sure to enjoy this Valentine’s program themed in earthbound inspiration. The meditation on our beloved environment is Annapurna punctuated with a piece crafted in our Ulysses own backyard. is a formerly Bela Bartok spent the summer of celebrated poet 1945 in Asheville recovering from a seriand English ous illness that later carried him on in professor, and September of that year. During days of after a 20 year healing, the beauty and birdsong of our estrangement, Appalachian woods inspired his most Annapurna stars Michael his wife Emma beloved Piano Concerto No. 3 for piano MacCauley and Callan White. tracks him down and orchestra. Internationally-acclaimed Photo: Blue Ridge Pictures with Ray Mata and finds him Jeremey Denk is featured on piano. living in a trailer Directed by Daniel Meyer. The evening also park in the middle of nowhere. It’s a comical includes Zhou Tian’s A Thousand Years of and poignant story of mending lost love, starGood Prayers and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. ring Michael MacCauley and Callan White.

NC Stage

IF YOU GO: Now through February 22.

Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets $10-$32. NC Stage, 15 Stage Lane, Asheville. (828) 239-0263, www.ncstage.org.

Giles Collard, Amy Hamilton, and Caroline Althof. Photo by Toby Maurer

Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre

Zelda and Scott Loved Dance This fundraiser is themed in the “flapper” tradition of the 20’s, inspired by the Fitzgerald’s love of dance. Held at the Homewood in Montford (note: historical significance), featuring live music by the Warren Gaughan Trio and piano virtuoso Chris Zhang, a champagne bar (with beer and wine), heavy hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and of course, dance! Enjoy shorts by Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre (ACDT) and an open floor for guests to dance. Come in costume to earn a free drink. Proceeds benefit ACDT’s international tours.

IF YOU GO: Friday, February 13. $25 before

February 6, $30 at the door. Homewood, 19 Zillicoa St., Asheville. Details: (828) 254-2621, www.acdt.org.

Asheville Lyric Opera

Winter Gala The Winter Gala opens the Opera’s 2015 season with an event destined to please newcomers alongside longtime members. The evening features fine appetizers, family style entrees, wines, coffee and desserts provided by select local restaurants as well as sneak-peak performances by lead artists. A silent auction will be ongoing throughout the evening offering opera memorabilia, a private concert, tickets to ALO shows, area music and theatre, a chance to attend the PGA World Tour, and items from various Asheville artists, boutiques and vendors.

IF YOU GO: Saturday, February 21 at 6 p.m. at the Double Tree by Hilton - Biltmore. Details: (828) 236-0670, www.ashevillelyric.org.

IF YOU GO: Saturday, February 14, 8 p.m. US

Cellular Center, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St, Downtown Asheville. Details: (828) 254-7046, www.ashevillesymphony.org.

You may contact Riley Schilling by email to riley@rapidrivermagazine.com

Advertising Sales Representatives Needed Help us promote local arts, organizations, and businesses. Great for earning extra income. Set your own hours. Potential earnings are up to you! Seniors are encouraged to apply. INTERESTED? Call (828) 646-0071, or e-mail info@rapidrivermagazine.com

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 7

captivating performances Hearts for SART A wonderful evening of entertainment and fun is headed your way Valentine’s evening. Please join us at 7 p.m. for the heartpiercing music of Forte (fresh from a sold-out performance at the Altamont), a silent auction stuffed with art and adventures, delectable hors d’oeuvres and desserts, a cash bar, and a chance to catch up with friends of the theatre. Help us get our 2015 year of excellence off to a warm-hearted start as the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre throws a wingding on Valentine’s Day. We look forward to seeing you!

IF YOU GO: The Hearts for SART fund-raiser takes place Saturday, February 14, downtown at the historic Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway. Tickets (only $25) are available online at www. sartplays.org.

Altamont Theatre The Altamont Theatre is under new management and ownership! General manager, Richard Barrett and production manager, Chris Medrano, have teamed up with Sam Katz (former owner of Asheville Music Hall). They will continue to bring you the same quality entertainment you’ve come to expect, while integrating new talent and events that are sure to bring a breath of fresh air to the beautiful space.

Friday, February 6 – Kristin Luna Ray CD Release Party. Shining Through is

the third album to be released by Luna Ray, and her second consecutive album devoted solely to kirtan and mantra. Joining Luna for this show is legendary Asheville based percussionist, River Guerguerian, and his band. Doors open 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. All ages. Tickets: $15 adv.; $17 at the door.

Saturday, February 28 – The Billy Sea with Casey Driessen. A special night of

global Americana music featuring some of the finest musicians who call Asheville home. Casey will kick the night off with “Casey Driessen: Singularity,” followed by a set from The Billy Sea (Billy Cardine, River Guerguerian, and Jake Wolf). The evening ends with The Billy Sea and Casey Driessen performing together. Doors open 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. All ages. Tickets: $15 adv.; $18 d.o.s.

IF YOU GO: The Altamont Theatre, 18 Church St., Asheville. For more details, tickets, and show times, call (828) 270-7747 or visit www.myAltamont.com

Alice’s Restaurant 50 Years Later

Rolling Stone Magazine recently released a list of the 40 Most Iconic Albums of the Past 50 Years.

BY JAMES

CASSARA

rant Massacree” – recorded in front of a live audience – is rooted in a series of comical events. After graduating high school at the Stockbridge School in Massachusetts, Guthrie enrolled at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT with an eye on becoming a forest ranger. However after only six weeks he dropped out and returned to Massachusetts. While there he stayed at the home of Alice and Ray Brock, former faculty members of the Stockbridge School and longtime famArlo Guthrie in concert, Friday and Saturday, ily friends, who had recently opened a February 13 and 14, at the Diana wortham Theatre. restaurant called the Back Room. Celebrating Thanksgiving with ment in tone and irreverent as heck, it perthem, Guthrie and his friend Rick Robbins fectly captures the “in your face” zeitgeist of undertook what he later called the “friendly gesthe time. But it’s the other half-dozen originals ture” of attempting to dispose of a large amount that provided a glimpse into his uniformly of accumulated garbage. Finding the city dump outstanding, yet maddeningly over looked closed, they threw it down a hillside, whereearly sides on Warner Bros. Such standouts as upon they were arrested for littering. Convicted the haunting “Chilling of the Evening” or the of the offense, they paid fines of $25 each and charming if somewhat dated “Ring-Aroundwere ordered to retrieve the garbage. Soon after, a-Rosy Rag,” showed the depth of Guthrie’s when Guthrie was summoned for the military song construction. draft, his conviction registered him as unfit for The first installment of “The Motorservice. Quite of fortunate turn of events! cycle Song” – updated for the live self-titled As for the record itself, anti-establishfollow-up release Arlo (1968) – became one of his most enduring moments. The album sold well over a million copies and occupied the top tier of the charts for an amazing 65 weeks. Moreover it allowed Guthrie the freedom to embark on a career that has now hit the midcentury mark. Along the way he has recorded numerous albums, performed countless times, and became a vital figure in American music. Pan Harmonia begins BY ROSALIND BUDA “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” immethe month of February diately transformed Guthrie into a concert with the fresh sounds of attraction; he came off as a wry, yet gentle the chamber music repertoire. and charming hippie able to puncture the GeneratioNext! The February concerts spotpretensions of “the establishment” with comic light Kate Steinbeck, flute, RoThanks to a grant from hyperbole. Guthrie appeared at a memorial salind Buda, bassoon, and Ivan The Mary Duke Biddle concert for his father held on January 20, 1968 Seng, piano, playing works by Foundation, Pan Harmonia has at Carnegie Hall, which was later released on Camille St. Saëns, Joseph Joncreated a mentoring program disc as A Tribute to Woody Guthrie, Pt. 1 and gen, Ludwig van Beethoven for young musicians at AC featured his performances of “Do Re Mi” and and North Carolina composer Reynolds High School. These “Oklahoma Hills.” Michael Burns. students have received weekly A second concert from 1970 was released coaching from working profesGeneratioNext Young as A Tribute to Woody Guthrie, Pt. 2, on sionals, flutist Kate Steinbeck Musicians take the Stage, Ivan Seng, Rosalind Buda, which Guthrie performed “Jesus Christ” and and bassoonist Rosalind Buda and Kate Steinbeck. directed by bassoonist participated in a version of “This Land is Your Photo by Micah Mackenzie and others, in an intimate Rosalind Buda, Sunday, Land.” Alice’s Restaurant was still selling when group setting at no charge. February 1 at 3 p.m. St. Reprise released Arlo in October 1968. ReThe first concert by these GeneratioNMatthias Episcopal Church, 1 Dundee St, corded at the Bitter End nightclub in Greenext musicians takes place on Sunday, February Asheville. Free admission. wich Village it featured more of Guthrie’s zany 1 at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in downhumor, along with original songs. Sonata Series, Friday, February 20 at 7:30 town Asheville. Other spring performances Overshadowed by its predecessor, it p.m. White Horse Black Mountain, 105 Monare in the works through Pan Harmonia’s peaked at number 100 in Billboard, although it treat Rd., Black Mountain. Sunday, Febru“Shining Light Project,” which brings music to got to number 40 in rival Cash Box magazine. ary 22 at 3 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, underserved audiences. Soon after, Guthrie agreed to have “Alice’s 40 Church St., downtown Asheville. $16.50 Restaurant Massacree” adapted into a motion advance; $22 at the door; $5 for students. Pan Harmonia’s Sonata Series picture and to star in the film. Veteran director A sequence of four programs from late Pan Harmonia, Kate Steinbeck, Artistic Director, Arthur Penn (The Miracle Worker, Bonnie January to early May, this series features a vari(828) 254-7123, www.pan-harmonia.org continued on page 17 ety of instruments and treasured sonatas from

While such lists are by nature arbitrary and subjective – and certainly open to fiercely passionate discussion – the omission of Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 masterwork Alice’s Restaurant is inexplicable. Released mid-year, with the singer having just turned twenty, it’s a rollicking ride of acerbic wit, blistering indignation, and laugh out loud humor. More importantly it proved that folk music could be funny and still get a point across. Others, most notably Dylan and Dave Van Ronk, certainly imbedded much of their music with political wit but it was typically subservient to the social message; the message of Alice’s Restaurant was decidedly less substantial. Guthrie’s story is well known; the fourth child and only son of folk giant Woody Guthrie, he had a tangled relationship with his famous father even while formulating his own musical path. Although he’d been a fixture on the East Coast folk circuit for several years, Alice’s Restaurant was his recording debut. Its centerpiece was the epic 18-plus-minute title track, which sprawled over the entire A-side of the long-playing album. Although as much fiction as fact (and the better for it) “Alice’s Restau-

Pan Harmonia - Season 15

LOCAL, AUTHENTIC, WORLD-CLASS CHAMBER MUSIC

8 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

poemumbles: 30 years of Susan Weil’s poem/images.

ALICE SEBRELL

Susan Weil is a painter, printmaker and book artist living in New York City. She studied at Académie Julian in Paris before enrolling at Black Mountain College in 1948. Weil’s poemumbles are a unique form of poetic expression that explore the limitless potential and fluidity of her thoughts in visual and verbal form. The exhibition includes more than 60 of Weil’s poemumbles made between 1984 and 2014. On display through May 23, 2015.

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Performed by noted actor and storyteller David Novak, Saturday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 22 at 3 p.m. $10 for BMCM+AC members + students w/ID; $15 non-members.

Winter is a great time to explore. We’re rocking year-round! Warm and inviting shops. Art & craft galleries. Specialty shops, including furniture and antiques. More than 35 restaurants, 3 breweries, and music venues! Spend a few hours or stay a while at a cozy B&B, cabin, or cottage. We have just what you're looking for!

IF YOU The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts GO Center, 56 Broadway, downtown Asheville. For

more details visit www.blackmountaincollege.org

FAISON O’NEIL Arts, Crafts, Fine Gifts

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe

Collage, April 23, 2000 by Susan Weil

One-man play written by D.W. Jacobs from the life, work, and writings of inventor, designer, and BMC summer faculty member Buckminster Fuller.

Night in the Mountains by Linda Johnson

Black Mountain Events

128 Cherry Street Black Mountain, NC

Every Thursday - Aereo-Plain Early Show. Newgrass.

828.357.5350 Mon-Sat. 10-5; Sun. 12-4 info@faisononeilgallery.com

Free. 6 p.m. Inside the taproom. Pisgah Brewing, (828) 669-0190, www.pisgahbrewing.com

Queen’s Guard by Dan Reiser

Friday, February 13 - Creative Mountain Food Tours.

www.faisononeil.com

Two uniquely different tours – both beginning at 2 p.m. Register online, www.creativemountainfoodtours.com

Saturday, February 14 - Valentine 5K Run, Kids Fun Run, and Health & Wellness Expo. At Lake Tomahawk

BLACK MOUNTAIN - 28711

Park. Kids Fun Run around the lake will begin at 9 a.m. 5K Race begins at 9:30 a.m. Expos will have health screenings, activity demos, chair massages and more. Blk. Mtn. Recreation & Parks, (828) 669-2052, www.blackmountainrec.com

Friday, February 20 - Big Daddy Love w/Likewise. Inside the taproom. Door 8 p.m.; show 9 p.m. $8 in advance; $12 day of show. Pisgah Brewing, (828) 669-0190, www. pisgahbrewing.com

Saturday, February 28 - Black Mountain Marathon Mt. Mitchell Challenge. One of the “Top Races” in the

country. Beginning in scenic Black Mountain at 2,400 feet in elevation and running to the highest peak east of the Mississippi 6,687 feet. Marathon is 22.6 miles and challege is 40 miles. www.blackmountainmarathon.com

Saturday, February 28 - Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast. Swannanoa Valley MLK Foundation presents

the 25th annual breakfast. 8-11 a.m. at Dorothy Walls Conference Center. Speaker Tyrone Greenlee. $15 adults, $6 children 3-12 yrs. Tickets available at the Visitor Center. See web site for details, www.svmlk.org

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 9

POINTS NORTH Discover New Shops, Galleries & Restaurants

EXPERIENCE POINTS NORTH OF ASHEVILLE

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Art Galleries & Antiques Galore Comfortable Inns and Unique Cabins

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828.290.5715

THE PINK HOUSE A Repurpose Design Studio

Monday - Saturday 10-5

BRUCE JOHNSON

Arts and Crafts collectors can discover new finds at the National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn.

In just three days you will see more, do more, and learn more about the American Arts and Crafts movement than you could anywhere else in an entire year. IF YOU The 28th National Arts and Crafts GO Conference. February 20-22 at the

Omni-Grove Park Inn. Admission is $10, students $5, and outdoor parking is free. Information, agenda, and lodging details can be found at www.Arts-CraftsConference.com

Loving After Lifetimes of All This

An exhibition considering the intersections of craft, (self-) care, apprenticeship and survival within the practices of historically disadvantaged populations.

Including artwork and ephemera from more than 15 artists, activists, and archives nationwide, this exhibition considers ‘craft’ in an expanded sense to include such practices as homeopathy, scrapbooking, gardening, and other do-it-yourself strategies for self-reliance.

LAUREN pELLETIER

With a focus on intergenerational skillsharing, this exhibition positions craft-practice alongside the histories of community service, citizen journalism, and volunteerism, as another potential strategy for cultural resistance. In addition to traditional techniques such as weaving, quilting, ceramics, and woodworking, artists in this exhibition incorporate video, photography, archival material, and performance into their multidisciplinary projects that often hybridize the historical with the contemporary.

FEATURED ARTISTS

❖ Vintage Furnishings ❖ Workshops

10 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Asheville, NC 28804 828-645-7310

www.Facebook.com/ThePinkHouseAsheville

The Arts and Crafts Style Comes South

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fine arts & crafts

In 1910 the Arts and Crafts movement swept across the country, creating a demand for handcrafted oak furniture by Gustav Stickley, matte green pottery by Grueby and Rookwood, mica lighting by the Roycroft Copper Shop, and handwoven textiles decorated with cattails, gingko leaves, and purple iris blossoms. And while it began in New York and Chicago, it didn’t stay just there. Every February for the past 27 years Arts and Crafts collectors from across America have converged on the historic 1913 Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa for three days of Arts and Crafts antiques, reproductions, seminars, workshops, house tours, and demonstrations celebrating America’s only truly original style. The 28th National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows will be held February 20-22 at the Omni-Grove Park Inn, the most famous example of Arts and Crafts architecture in the South, where more than 2,000 people will be shopping the booths of more than 115 exhibitors. They’ll be looking at both new and old jewelry, rugs, furniture, pottery, artwork, and metalware, all done in the Arts and Crafts style showcasing hand craftsmanship and simple, yet elegant designs.

French Press Coﬀee

It was the style that changed America forever.

Infinite Shopping

BOOKS

Booklet Cloud by Temporary Services. Publications, paint, and string. Photo by E.G. Schempf

Gina Adams (Lawrence, KS); Tanya Aguiñiga (Los Angeles, CA); Natalie M. Ball (Chiloquin, OR); Jonathan D. Barnett (Kansas City, MO); NedRa Bonds (Kansas City, KS); Sonya Clark (Richmond, VA); Matthew Dehaemers (Kansas City, MO); Josh Faught (San Francisco, CA); Christopher continued on page 11

fine arts & crafts

Dynamic Narratives

The Folk Art Center’s Main Gallery begins the new year with “Dynamic Narratives,” an exhibition highlighting the work of Women Ceramic Sculptors.

ApRIL NANCE

so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again, since it is life.” Other Southern Highland Craft Guild members represented in the show are Nancy The twelve featured Kubale of Rutherfordartists address important ton, NC and Marilee issues of society, using Hall of Cookeville, TN. clay to express their point They are joined by nine of view, individually and additional American collectively. The exhibiartists. Some of the tion will run through themes represented in April 19, 2015. “Dynamic Narratives” Cindy Billingsley of In Provovo by Nancy Kubale are Alzheimer’s disease, Cookeville, TN is a memendangered animals, relationships, confines ber of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and of life, victimization, and hope. was instrumental in forming Women Ceramic Prior to its installation at the Folk Art Sculptors and curating “Dynamic Narratives.” Center, “Dynamic Narratives” was on display She says, “Clay is the only medium that uses at the National Association of Women Artists every element: fire, water, air and earth. It is Gallery in New York City, and at the Tennesmeant to be touched by the heart, the eyes, and see Art League in Nashville. the hands.” The Folk Art Center is is the headquarCiting ters for the Southern Highland Craft Guild, an William educational non-profit organization founded in Faulkner as 1930. The Guild’s mission is “to bring together inspiration, the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern the group Highlands for the benefit of shared resources, believes that education, marketing and conservation.” “the aim of every artist is to arrest IF motion, YOU The Folk Art Center is open daily from GO 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at Milepost which is life, 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east by artificial Asheville. For more information call (828) From Exile to Home means and 298-7928, or visit www.craftguild.org. by Marilee Hall hold it fixed

‘Loving After Lifetimes’ cont’d. from pg. 10

Leitch (Kansas City, MO); Judith G. Levy (Lawrence, KS); Ramekon O’Arwisters (San Francisco, CA); Tina Takemoto (San Francisco, CA); and Temporary Services (Chicago, IL & Copenhagen, Denmark)

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS Highlights include an installation of artwork and video from San Francisco artist Tina Takemoto’s Looking for Jiro Onuma and Gentleman’s Gaman projects (2011). Inspired by the life of Jiro Onuma, a gay JapaneseAmerican imprisoned within America’s Japanese incarceration camps during WWII, Takemoto has produced a performance film and various handcrafted objects that investigate Onuma’s strategies for survival. Sonya Clark, of Richmond, VA, will have four artworks on view relative to her ongoing investigations of early African-

DOT EDITIONS FINE ART PRINTING

PHOTOGRAPHY OF 2D AND 3D ARTWORK

828.275.7028 pg. 36

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American entrepreneurship and endurance, including Barbershop Pole (2008) produced entirely from black combs. Two painted quilts from Klamath/Modoc artist Natalie M. Ball (Chiloquin, OR) interpret the reemergence of Modoc Ghost Dance ceremonies within contemporary tribal contexts. Temporary Services contributes Booklet Cloud (1998-2014), an interactive installation of suspended publications, including How-To’s and guides to ‘creative approaches to living radically.’ Self-help periodicals also appear within the weavings of San Francisco-based artist Josh Faught, whose artwork Triage (2009) pays tribute to home-care, self-care, and activism throughout the ongoing AIDS crisis. IF YOU Benchspace Gallery & Workshop at GO The Center for Craft, Creativity &

Design, 67 Broadway Street, Asheville. On display through May 23, 2015. Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am - 6 pm. www. craftcreativitydesign.org

pg. 36

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 11

R T

fine art

L T

Who’s New at the Asheville Gallery of Art

Tradition. Vision. Innovation.

Asheville Gallery of Art’s February show, “Who’s New?,” will feature the work of three new artists, Jane Molinelli, Juditta Musette, and Elise Okrend.

Milepost 382 - BlueRidge Parkway, Asheville, NC 828.298.7928

Time Alone to Think by Jane Molinelli Michael Hatch

930 Tunnel Road/Hwy 70, Asheville, NC 828.298.7903

Betsy Morrill

Dreaming In Red by Juditta Musette

Peter Chapman

The diverse styles represented by the artists, from expressive to abstract to realistic, highlight the range of work found at the AGA, Asheville’s longest established downtown gallery. Jane Molinelli prefers to use the term contemporary painter to describe herself rather than using the description of abstract artist. “In reality, my work is rarely an abstraction of anything. I use color, line, and mark to convey an emotion, memory, or experience. In this way, I believe I can best communicate to the viewer using the universal visual language we all share.” She works primarily in acrylics and oil, incorporating other media in her paintings, such as pastels and graphite. Molinelli began her work in art as a fiber artist in New York City, having studied fabric design at the Fashion Institute. Juditta Musette, painter and musician, holds the heartfelt desire that each piece of art she creates is skillfully crafted while

SANDI ANTON

being infused with whimsy, irresistible insight, and delight. In describing her process she says, “My visions come from within my mind’s eye. I am motivated to capture light and energy through textures and colors, while engaging with the mysteries of shadow feelings.” Musette feels it is through pure spontaneity and gut feelings that she is able to bring the inanimate to life. She has a film Max Patch Variation II & video degree from by Elise Okrend the Rhode Island School of Design with a minor in Theatre from Brown. Elise Okrend, pastel artist, finds inspiration in her observations of the natural world. Okrend says of her work, “My attention is given to a strong sense of light and an intense richness of color. My intent is to connect the viewer to a sense of healing and inner peace.” Okrend loves using pastels because she feels, “they create a direct connection from my body to the paper.” She starts each piece by blocking and building layers of color in the dark areas and working toward the lightest tones and highlights. Okrend has a background in commercial art and design. She worked for many years developing a nationally known greeting card company, MixedBlessing, before returning to her first love of painting. “Who’s New?” runs from February 1 through February 28. The public is cordially invited to meet the artists at a reception on Friday, February 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. Their work and that of the other 25 gallery members will be on display and for sale through the month during regular winter hours. IF YOU Asheville Gallery of Art, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 GO a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is located at 16 College Street in

downtown Asheville, across from Pritchard Park. Details: (828) 251-5796, www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com. 26 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 828.277.6222

Guests sample the region’s delicious beer, wine and spirits and enjoy tastes from local chefs and eateries at the Asheville Art Museum.

Local and Regional Handmade Crafts

Steven Forbes-DeSoule

Now in our 30th year of supporting American handmade pg. 36

WWW.CRAFTGUILD.ORG The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

Pendant by Niki Fisk

Gallery of the Mountains

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Asheville, NC

(828) 254-2068

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12 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Toast Asheville

Located inside Omni Grove Park Inn

A silent auction will feature art, gift packages and items from local wineries and breweries. Reserve your ticket by calling the Asheville Art Museum at (828) 253-3227 or purchase online at www.ashevilleart.org. IF YOU Toast Asheville, Thursday, February 5 from 5:30 - 8:30 GO p.m. $30 for members, $35 for non-members, $40 at the

door. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square, downtown Asheville. www.ashevilleart.org

fine art

Increase Your LocalNess MONSTER MYTHS AND CONSUMERISM

I’m not sure WHY I randomly think about things like the Loch Ness Monster, except that it fits in well with my science fiction trendencies.

I’m also a proponent of our region’s strong Buy Local movement. “Loch Ness”… “Localness”… I guess the two thoughts were destined to parallel in my word-play brain at some point. Unlike the Monster (which, if it does exist, is apparently on a very long vacation), the need for mutual support of each other in our community is very present and real. Many in a consumer-based society enjoy shiny, new processes and gadgets, as well as the mystique of shopping online. I imagine drones hovering at doorsteps, dropping off everything from books to shoes to hot lunches. I can certainly understand the appeal, as I advocate for innovation all the time. I love movies where everything flies (like when you’re in another galaxy, for example. And everyone knows HOW to fly, too.); however, I like to shop in person from local businesses whenever I can. In the creative arts here, where one can’t swing a plate of

regionally sourced barbecue & greens without hitting an artist, we have seen the closings of two Asheville art supply stores over the years, partly due to online competition. Sometimes saving a hundred dollars over a year’s period by shopping in the void – while thrifty – can also nibble-away at the delicate financial web we have woven in communities like ours that are composed of inter-connected individuals and businesses, counting on each other’s patronage to keep on building and growing. I am reminded of our Go Local shopping card campaign, which has continued to gain steam over the years, especially with our entrepreneurial set. It’s our own in person Hello!I’m-here-good-to-see-you-how’s-things?-heythat’s-awesome-see-you-tomorrow economy – where our support of everything from farmer’s market stalls to art studios to home buying keeps each of us progressing onward and upward. Every local purchase any of us makes, from one dollar to one million and higher, means someone here gets to continue eating, paying the rent, and then further improving their offerings and services.

gREg VINEYARD

Do I live in a fantasy world? Of course! If you’ve read my column for any length of time, you know I’m a bit of a Rah-Rah Cheerleader for Art, Community, and Positive Outcomes. But I’m also a realist. It’s impossible to have a 100% Local footprint. Just look at the labels on anything in your home, studio or business. But we can take small steps to Localize, helping to offset some of the other stuff.

Some considerations to increase one’s Localness Shop local in the first place. Check out the Go Local 2015 Directory at participating merchants, and online at ashevillegrown.com. Walk around. Visit humans. Advertise your venture, services and goods in person, in print, in programs like Go Local, and in your social media circles.

Connections, 2015. Illustration by Greg Vineyard

Shop at local non-profits like Brother Wolf Animal Rescue’s store and Habitat for Humanity’s Restore, as well as at our many

THE BUSINESS OF ART

Keep Your Sales Skills Honed

Whether you show your work at art festivals or have a studio that is open to the public, it is important to keep your sales skills honed.

FINE ART SHOWCASE

Brown Windows, oil on canvas by Asheville artist John Stennett. His work is on display at MAHEC’s Education building until early April.

It is critical that you never make assumptions regarding sales potential based on a person’s appearance. Often major collectors will “dress down” to avoid attracting unwanted attention. Once you have greeted your visitors in a polite manner, remain friendly and alert, but not overbearing. Sales can be lost by artists that jabber nonstop! Your space should be clean and inviting. Take time to develop a display that will knock their socks off. When you hear a positive comment from someone approaching your work, don’t drop the ball. You must be ready to talk with them about your inspiration for a piece, the materials and process used, and perhaps your education and training. In order to create an effective presentation, keep the following guidelines in mind. Too much inventory jammed together results in visual overload, so allow each piece adequate space. Also, when folks are looking at something that is available in seven different colors, they often have trouble making a

WENDY H. OUTLAND

decision. To avoid stall-out, present only your three most popular colors; when a customer shows interest, that’s the time to mention additional choices. And while you want to put out top-grade work, tuck your one-of-a-kind spectacular pieces out of sight. Once a viewer expresses serious interest in what you have to offer, you can divulge that you have something special tucked away that they may appreciate. The seduction of the unseen is quite a powerful sales incentive. In addition, your ability to convey ownership by inviting a prospective buyer to pick up and examine a carved piece – or try on a scarf – will help engage them even more. For pieces not meant to be handled (such as most 2D works), take time to point out the details and share a story about your inspiration for the piece. And finally, when a sale is made, provide care instructions as well as your business card. Thank them for their purchase and ask if they would like to be added to your mailing list.

The Business of Art is written by visual arts consultant Wendy H. Outland. Contact her by email to imwhoknowsart@gmail.com. With more than 30 years of arts administration experience, WHO Knows Art provides visual artists with career development resources and helps galleries and arts organizations function more effectively. Wendy H. Outland (“WHO”) is a qualified juror and curator, also offering personalized consultations and workshops. www.whoknowsart.biz

antique, thrift, and gently used goods shops. Trading goods and services (up to a certain percentage of one’s business plan) is another way to help each other get what each party needs, keep a transaction in town, and maintain some connections. Donate. Not just art for events, which I’ve written about often. But also any stuff you no longer want or need that’s useful for a younger family to help keep a roof over their heads, or for that newer business owner who is trying to keep retailing. I’m saying, quite literally, Give Stuff Away. Our lives, even in consumerism, are about connection, communication, friendship, caring, love. And Giant Swimming Lizards. In a small town buying local is especially good, because we really do know each other. Each person who retains a foothold, strengthens bonds, and continues to flourish in our region enhances our cohesive success. Unlike chasing mythical creatures, this is a reality we can work toward and celebrate. Greg Vineyard is a marketing professional, and an artist and writer living in Asheville, NC. ZaPOW Gallery carries his illustrations, prints and cards, www.zapow.com. www.gregvineyardillustration.com

Advertise with Rapid River Magazine Free Web Links & Ad Design Call (828) 646-0071

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 13

COPYEDITING &

PROOFREADING SERVICES A sharp eye for the big picture and the small details. Books • Websites Short Stories • Cookbooks Assistance with Self Publishing

828-581-9031

SHORT STORY WRITERS WANTED

NEW! Web Exclusive

Rapid River Magazine is looking for writers to contribute to the online edition’s short story section. We’re accepting submissions of a variety of works including flash fiction, articles, travel journals and short stories in more than 20 genres. Writers are encouraged to submit works that have been properly edited. All submissions will be reviewed for appropriateness and quality. If editing is required, the writer has the option of working with the section editor. Submission guidelines and special editing rates are available at www.rapidrivermagazine.com. Rapid River Magazine’s copyeditor, Kathleen Colburn, is editor and curator of the section. Please contact her with questions and submissions by email to rrshortstories@gmail.com Kathleen is a freelance copyeditor available for a variety of literary projects. Visit her website, www.aptitudeforwords.com

RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE

18th Annual Poetry Contest 5 WINNERS! Prizes Include: Tickets to local concerts; Mellow Mushroom Gift Certificates; and books from Malaprops. Enter any unpublished poem 35 lines or less.

Deadline May 31, 2015. Winning poems will be published online. Reading fee: $5 for three poems; $1 for each additional poem. Details at (828) 646-0071.

Send poems to: Rapid River Poetry Contest 85 N. Main Street Canton, NC 28716

authors ~ poetry ~ books

The Poet’s Voice

MARTYRS TO TRUTH

Tell It Slant

Kathleen Colburn www.aptitudeforwords.com

Truth tellers, raise your pens! It is our job to be brave. It is our job to recognize the miracle of being alive. It is our job to pay attention, be astonished, tell it! (all words you’ve heard before from poets, teachers, and me.) I had never heard of Charlie Hedboe. I can tell you now, I will never forget this satirical magazine. Terroists have made certain that the staff, and policemen and women will never be forgotten. They are martyrs. We have lessons to learn. Writers who have left guidestones for truth include Lutheran Theologian, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, who was hanged days before Allied Army forces freed Buchenwald concentration camp. He left his truth behind in numerous sermons and books, including, The Cost of Discipleship. Osip Mandlestam, the great modern Russian poet, was born in Poland and grew up in Russia. His wife, Nadezhda, memorized his poems so they would not be read by Soviet purgers. In Nadezhda’s book, Hope Against Hope, published by The Modern Library in New York, 1999, a preface by Joseph Brodsky begins: If there is any substitute for love, it is memory. To memorize, then, is to restore intimacy. Osip Mandlestam died in a forced labor camp in 1940. (The date is not certain.) Writers telling truths include Mandlestam’s friend, Anna Akmatova. To get her to write a Stalin-positive poem, Communists took her son hostage, tortured him, and upon receipt of a “good” Russian poem, released her son to her care. The cost of truth telling is severe. When I read of the massacre at Charlie Heboe’s headquarters, I was reminded

of the New York Times headlines on 9/12, BEYOND BELIEF! Staff editor Stephane, cartoonists Bernard, Georges, Jean, and Philippe, deputy editor Bernard M., copy artist Franck, copy editor Mustapha, columnist Elsa, and maintenance and welcome desk manager Frederick, are names to remember. Include policewoman Clarissa, and policeman Ahmed. We have freedom of speech here and in Paris. With freedom comes responsibility. I believe that “responsibility” in this sentence is responsibility to truth. My immediate reaction to the news from Paris was, “what a waste of life and talent. What a waste of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters.” It doesn’t matter to family that these people were martyrs. It matters that they are gone. What do I do when I am overwhelmed? I go to my poetry bookcase and look for friends, lucille, Robert (Bly), William (Shakespeare and Stafford), Jim (Moore), and James Wright. I take out Elizabeth (Bishop), thumb through Raphael (Campo), and Liesl (Mueller). AND there’s Wendell. A Timbered Choir opens to page 192:

To my granddaughters who visited the Holocaust Museum on the day of the burial of Yitzhak Rabin Now you know the worst we humans have to know about ourselves, and I am sorry, for I know that you will be afraid. To those of our bodies given without pity to be burned, I know there is no answer but loving one another, even our enemies, and this is hard.

Malaprop’s will host several events throughout the four-day institute, featuring Azar Nafisi, Stewart O’Nan, Lynn Truss, Maureen Corrigan, Reif Larsen, and many other authors, editors, and publishers. On Sunday, February 8, attendees have several tours to choose from including an Indie Retail Crawl downtown. Asheville Bee Charmer, ZaPow! Gallery, and Malaprop’s Bookstore & Café will be some of the stops. The Venue, located at 21 N. Market St. in downtown Asheville, will host the welcome reception from 6-8 p.m. Later in the evening attendees will move to Elaine’s Dueling Piano Bar for “drink, song, and Southern fun.”

14 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

CAROL pEARCE BJORLIE – THE pOET BEHIND THE CELLO

American Booksellers Association’s 10th Annual Winter Institute

Asheville and The Grove Park Inn host booksellers, authors, editors and publishers February 8-11 for an impressive schedule of events.

KATHLEEN COLBURN

Be sure to check out the special exhibit at ZaPow! in honor of the convention, “Art of the Book.” Rapid River Magazine’s very own Greg Vineyard is participating in the exhibit with his interpretation of Winnie the Pooh, depicted in one of his playful illustrations. The gallery will host an opening reception on Sunday, February 8 from 3 to 6 p.m. Franzi Charen and Caroline Green Christopoulos will lead a discussion on Monday, February 9 on how to start and grow a downtown alliance. Charen is the director of the Asheville Grown Business Alliance, and Christopoulos is sidelines buyer for Malaprop’s. Both have been involved in Asheville’s “Shop Local First” movement. For more details visit www.malaprops.com

But remember: when a man of war becomes a man of peace, he gives a light, divine though it is also human. When a man of peace is killed by a man of war, he gives a light. You do not have to walk in darkness. If you will have the courage for love, you may walk in light. It will be the light of those who have suffered for peace. It will be your light. I read this and thought, Wendell, shine on! On a recent Saturday, my husband and I took the Blue Ridge “short cut” to Swannanoa. It was early in the day, the sun rising. I had never seen winter trees in this light. It was a new “slant,” and I saw them differently. I had been thinking about what I would write for this column, and there she was, Emily. Soon as I got home, I pulled out my Complete Poems of Emily Dickenson, and looked up first lines. Emily never disappoints.

poem 1129 Tell all the Truth but tell it slant Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind I’ll be honest with you, I always liked this poem, but I didn’t “get it” until I saw that morning sun and realized I was seeing trees in a different light, or “slant.” At the end of it all, I come back to Mandlestam’s widow, and her book. She was a smoker, and often sat in the dark reciting her husband’s poems. I want to burn like this, a red hot hope in the dark. I want to meet you all, writers, dreamers, readers and listeners. We need each other. Contact Carol at bjorlie.carol@yahoo.com

POETRIO Sunday, February 1 at 3 p.m. Readings and signings by three poets at 3 p.m. This month features John Lane (The Old Rob Poems), Cedric Tillman (Lilies in the Valley), and Al Maginnes (Music from Small Towns).

IF YOU GO: Malaprop’s Bookstore &

Cafe, 55 Haywood Street, downtown Asheville. Call (828) 254-6734, or visit www.malaprops.com.

authors ~ books ~ readings

For I am Mountainborn

“Each verse is a haiku droplet distilled from clearing mountain mists.”

For I am Mountainborn, by Lenore McComas Coberly, is sublime. Open this book to any page and sink into beauty. Each verse is a haiku droplet distilled from clearing mountain mists. One is reminded of William Blake’s dictum: ‘Great things are done when men and mountains meet.’ Coberly, a lovely, gracious and eternally young West Virginia mountaineer in her nineties, has written, to put it simply, a great collection of poems. This author shows us that mountain people cannot be separated from their landscapes, that they are connected in infinitely complex ways to their mountains, the animals who call it home, the trees on its slopes and those beings which climb them. Her rural storytelling has a global essence, countries become compressed as she recognizes in the Chinese laborer pulling his cart behind him on steep roads in the city of Changsa, China, the dignity of a mountain man, a lost tradition plodding alongside the motorized vehicles passing him by on the busy street of today’s world. The last poem in her poetry collection, titled “Changsa,” is an ode to this laborer and ends with these words: “I think I know this man, this place, for I am mountainborn.” The legendary poet Li Bai might have appreciated Coberly’s deep, empathetic nature and sense of global kinship with China halfway across the earth—far from her ancestral home in Lincoln County, West Virginia. A

REVIEW BY

pATRICE TAppÉ

mountaineer himself, in his poem, “Green Mountain,” he writes, “I have a world apart that is not among men.” When asked why he dwells in the green mountain he smiles and makes no reply, “for my heart is free of care.” The poems in For I am Mountainborn have appeared in dozens of magazines, books and anthologies and have drawn critical acclaim. Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Guests on Earth, is “utterly swept away” by her beautiful poems which “manage to be plainspoken yet profound, down-home and deeply sophisticated all at once. They bring back cow paths, broom sage, pawpaws, lilacs blooming around porches, yet Coberly is not lost in nostalgia, and these poems are anything but sentimental.” Unlike the poems of Jo Carson, her poems also lack the scoldings, drama and cliches one sometimes expects from the genre of rural storytelling (such as the use of the word “ain’t”). Coberly only uses the vernacular in one poem, quite unlike Carson’s “Mountain People,” from her book, Stories I ain’t Told Nobody Yet, with the drama of “living on cow peas, fat back and twenty acres straight up and down.” Neither are Coberly’s poems any-

Local Author Will Kindle Your Fire

Beneath the Chatter: the wise self awaits – A Contemplative Photography Companion for the Journey Home.

If ever a book could inspire you into a new way of viewing life, this is it. Beneath the Chatter is an engaging contemplative verbal and visual experience both wise and whimsical, with gentle and yet raw honesty. It is like having a conversation with your most wise self within. Tina FireWolf publishes her first book and energizes audiences with her stories and photography from Beneath the Chatter. She describes it as “a book that will stir you to ask yourself questions, to allow yourself to feel, and inspire you to see life for yourself.” After eight years of studying and teaching what she called “The Science of Self” she followed the urgings of students and colleagues. “You really need to be a motivational speaker.

You should write a book.” She sold her home, all her belongings and life became a wild ride to write the book. When moving to Asheville five years ago FireWolf began many solo vision quests to find her wise self within. “I had to get the fearful chatter to stop in my head so I sat on rocks with nothing, for hours at a time and camped solo, always leaving pen and paper at home. I stripped myself of everything so I could stop.” FireWolf is trained in the fields of biology, education, and interfaith ministry, and is a self-taught photographer who does not alter her images in anyway. She has years of adventure travel under her belt. It is her goal to combine her experiences and create a bridge extending the reach of self-leadership and contemplative practice by presenting life’s lessons in such a way that learning is lighthearted and easily digestible.

thing like George Sterling’s mountain poetry in which he concerns himself with the enormity, austereness and malevolence of mountains— one of which he describes as a “shape of ancient fear.” One must thank the friends and family of Coberly for the publication of For I am Mountainborn. As the author writes in her Acknowledgements, a manuscript group met at her home for twenty-seven years, providing advice and moral support. “Then, one winter night by the fire, part of my family looked at a stack of my poems and said they wanted it published, encouraging a poet of my age to go for it.” Coberly thanks her readers and hopes that something in her book will speak to us. Her poems have universal appeal and would make a wonderful addition to anyone’s book collection. A perfect gift. As long as she lives, Coberly will write for us. She goes nowhere without a little notebook and finds poems everywhere, whether “on streets or hanging from trees.” One can imagine her walking mountain paths, chewing on the tropical-tasting pawpaw and spitting out its black seeds. Notebook in hand, she tells it true. For I am Mountainborn, written by Lenore McComas Coberly. Fireweed Press 2014, www.fireweedpoetry.com.

“A deeply honest offering that infused me with peace, tranquility and hope.” ~ Bill Tipper, photographer and author of The Nature of Yoga Included throughout the book are Everyday Enlightenment Tips that assist the reader in connecting to a heightened intimacy with themselves, others and the mystery in the natural world. These tips are well worn by FireWolf herself who even fits in moments of meditation while brushing her teeth!

FEBRUARY

PARTIAL LISTING

We host numerous Readings & Bookclubs, as well as Salons! Visit www.malaprops.com

READINGS & BOOKSIGNINGS Tuesday, February 3 at 7 p.m. NATALIE BASZILE, Queen Sugar, debut novel. Wednesday, February 4 at 7 p.m. YA authors M. Shepherd, M. Miranda & R. Graudin. Thursday, February 5 at 7 p.m. GREGG LEVOY, Vital Signs: The Nature of Passion. Friday, February 6 at 7 p.m. JAMIE MASON Monday’s Lie, mystery. Monday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. STEWART O’NAN, West of Sunset, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Tuesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. LYNNE TRUSS, Cat Out of Hell, a missing woman. Wednesday, February 11 at 3:30 p.m. NICK BRUEL, Bad Kitty: Puppy’s Big Day. Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. AZAR NAFISI, The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books. Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. DARLENE O’DELL, The Story of the Philadelphia Eleven. Friday, February 20 at 7 p.m. JONATHAN ODELL, Miss Hazel & the Rosa Parks League. Saturday, February 21 at 4 p.m. MARCIE FERRIS, The Edible South. Sunday, February 22 at 3 p.m. LORI HORVITZ, The Girls of Usually, essays. Tuesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. DEBBY MAUGANS & CHRISTINE SYKES-LOWE, Farmer & Chef Asheville. Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m. EVAN WILLIAMS stories of apple farmers. Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m. THEODORE RICHARDS, The Conversions, the oil era. Saturday, February 28 at 3 p.m. HEATHER WEBB, Rodin’s Lover, historical fiction.

55 Haywood St.

(828) 254-6734 • 800-441-9829 Monday-Saturday 9AM to 9PM Sunday 9AM to 7PM

pg. 20

Tina@TinaFireWolf.com www.TinaFireWolf.com IF YOU Tina Firewolf reading and booksigning GO for Beneath the Chatter, Thursday,

March 5 from 7-8 p.m. Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. For details call (828) 254-6734 or visit www.malaprops.com

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 15

spinning discs

CD Reviews by James Cassara

So much good music out there and not nearly enough time to cover it all; check out rapidrivermagazine.com for more reviews, posted throughout the month. But for now, here are my latest offerings on music worth supporting.

Sarah Lou Richards

the woman behind the curtain

SARAHLOURICHARDS.COM

It’s hard to imagine an album like the woman behind the curtain having existed a decade ago. Funded largely by a Kickstarter initiative, streamed via iTunes and Spotify, it’s a grassroots project for the 2010s. The backing performers are all friends of the Nashville based artist – whose vocal style belies her mid-western roots – and you’re unlikely to find a physical copy in even the hippest of record shops. Yet for all its millennial trappings (which in this case are a good thing) the woman behind the curtain is a bit of a throwback. Recorded at a trio of smallish studios in northern Alabama and Nashville it’s soaked in the visceral sounds of Memphis soul, Southern rock, and Dusty Springfield styled country pop. There’s plenty of heartbreak (the moving “Soul To Keep”) matched with unyielding declaration (“Don’t Break My Heart”) and road weary doubt (“Mile Marker”). But throughout the record Richards maintains a sense of balance between sadness and romantic optimism that makes the album a cut well above most DYI efforts. The arrangements are crisp, varied, and surprisingly upbeat while her buoyant vocals make even the darkest corners seem like glimpses of appending sunrise. “Nod to Neil”, with its Sedaka like fifties bounce and Richard’s giddy delivery is my favorite track but there’s plenty herein to savor and celebrate. Not the least of which is the continued resilience of the independent music movement, and the many ways in which artists are now able to connect with their audiences. ***1/2

Robyn Hitchcock

The Man Upstairs YEP ROC RECORDS

“I’ve always wanted to make a folk record produced by Joe Boyd and now I have,” says the ever prolific Robyn Hitchcock in the liner notes for this, his twentieth studio solo album. In view of Boyd’s legendary status and the long friendship between the two it remains a mystery why it took so long. Unfortunately, given the lofty expectations such a pairing might elicit, The Man Upstairs is a bit of a letdown. Not to say it’s a bad record, far from it and after four decades of music making Hitchcock remains as restless and inventive as any artist of his age. But it’s a far more straightforward affair than you might welcome – gone (or at least kept to a minimum) are the usual odd references to strange flora, indigestible food, and sex as surrealism that populate

16 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Hitchcock’s best work. Split between five originals and five covers (including a stupendous retake on The Psychedelic Furs’ “The Ghost in You”) it’s a stripped down affair, utilizing the talents of Hitchcock on vocals and acoustic guitar, and the Norwegian pop duo I Was A King as backup ensemble. As such it sonically occupies a space halfway between such Hitchcock masterpieces as Eye or Spooked. But with the exception of the stunningly brilliant “Trouble in Blood” and “San Francisco Patrol” (which sounds like an outcast from the I Often Dream of Trains era) the originals feel a bit lightweight, especially for an artist so effortlessly capable of greatness. ***

Jack Kerowax self-titled

ST. CAIT RECORDS

What originally began as a new project from Dallas based singer/songwriter Johnny Beauford morphed into a full-fledged band when guitarist Beauford, joined by fellow Texans Garrett Padgett (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), drummer Nathan Adamson and bassist Nash Griggs decided the chemistry between them was too good to let go of. Thus was born Jack Kerowax. Establishing a weekly residence at a Dallas area café they honed their craft and, when the time came to make an album they deliberately went old school. As in no digital tracking; everything was recorded direct to analog tape, the way it ought to be. With its dual guitars, thundering drums, and wildly energetic approach the resultant album sounds like a contemporary incarnation of “frat rock” (that glorious but short lived movement of the mid 1960s), complete with road songs, hard luck love, and an insatiable desire to be anywhere but where you are. Standout tunes include the lovelorn ballad “Stella”, the country rock swagger of “Moonshine Barber”, and the Tom Petty like “Fancy Cigarette.” There’s certainly a misstep or two but all in all Jack Kerowax is as much fun to hear as I suspect it was to make. Void of auto-tune, unnecessary over dubs, and digitized “correcting” it’s a fine example of addition by subtraction! ***1/2

Farmer Jason

Christmas on the Farm with Farmer Jason

COURAGEOUS CHICKEN RECORDS

The alter ego of “cowpunk” pioneer Jason Ringenberg – he of Jason and the Scorchers – returns with his third album of kid friendly material.

Formulated precisely like its predecessors (A Day in the Forest and A Day at the Farm) Christmas on the Farm is a relatively slight but oh so enjoyable homage to Christmas, nature’s bounty, family traditions, and the simple pleasures of life. With its deference to healthy eating, the virtues of outdoor play, and the novel idea of treating our planet as something other than a toxic dumping ground, the entire Farmer Jason series is an ideal listen for those wishing to get their priorities reordered. ****

Ruthie Foster Promise of a Brand New Day BLUE CORN MUSIC

From the album title to the buoyant production values of Meshell Ndegeocello everything about Ruthie Foster’s Promise of a Brand New Day speaks of fresh beginnings and optimism for the future. By employing Ndegeocello, an artist of no small stature, Foster is free to concentrate on what she does best; groove laden neo-soul that captures the heart and spirit of life via music. The inclusion of Memphis pioneer William Bell (“It Might Not Be Right”) gives the album a welcome throwback feel while Foster’s songwriting, particularly the opening “Singing the Blues” and the gritty “Let Me Know” has never been stronger. I’ve been a fan of Foster’s for quite some time – she’s an artist willing to unmask her own hurts and hopes with brutal honesty – but with Promise of a Brand New Day she’s better learned to temper the pain with the pleasant. It’s among her best efforts, and an album I’ll be revisiting again and again. ****

The New Basement Tapes Lost On The River

HARVEST/ ISLAND RECORDS

The New Basement Tapes is the name tagged to the collective of musicians – gathered and guided by T Bone Burnett – to make sense of a handful of recently discovered “Big Pink” era Dylan lyrics. It’s a quite a trick to pull off: Bestow cohesion and substance to nearly 50 year old fragments (and cast off fragments at that) while maintaining the ragtag off-handedness that the writer gifted upon them. Of course if anyone is up to the task Burnett is the guy. His skill at reconstructing an image of Impressionistic America via music is unparalleled, as witnessed by his previous work with Dylan, Johnny Cash, and continued on page 13

‘Alice’s Restaurant’ cont’d. from pg. 8

and Clyde) was brought in, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Venable Herndon, elaborating on the song’s story to create a virtual screen biography of the 21-year-old Guthrie. The movie premiered at the New York Film Festival on August 24, 1969, to favorable reviews, earning Penn an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Alice’s Restaurant the album promptly jumped back into the charts. It was certified gold on September 29 (the same day that Guthrie appeared on the cover of Time magazine) and achieved a new peak in Billboard at number 17 on November 15. Ultimately, it spent a total of 99 weeks in the Billboard chart, and it was certified platinum in 1986. United Artists, the distributor of the film, released a soundtrack album featuring a different, two-part version of “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” along with instrumental music by Guthrie on its record label in September. Simultaneously, Reprise released Guthrie’s third album, Running Down the Road. Given this glut of product, it is striking that both albums sold fairly well. The soundtrack album had peaked and soon after fell off the charts. Nevertheless, Running Down the Road did not attract as much attention as it deserved. Produced by Lenny Waronker and Van Dyke Parks and featuring such prominent session musicians as James Burton, Ry Cooder, and Clarence White, it was Guthrie’s first album without any comic monologues, and it combined some excellent new originals, including the psychedelic rocker “Coming into Los Angeles” and the tender ballad “Oh, in the Morning” (later covered by McKendree Spring), with covers of old folk and blues standards like Woody Guthrie’s “Oklahoma Hills” and Mississippi John Hurt’s “My Creole Belle.” In October 1969, Guthrie, who had bought a 250-acre farm in Stockbridge, MA, married Alice “Jackie” Hyde, with whom he would have four children: Abraham (Abe), Annie, Sarah Lee, and Cathy. Abe has been a longtime member of his father’s band. Sarah

‘CDs’ cont’d from pg. 12

the Grammy-winning O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. Assembling a band of Dylan associates and adherents – Elvis Costello, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, and Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops – Burnett has not only chosen the right people, he had the good sense to get out of their way. As such, each artist gets to play to their individual strengths. Since none of the lyrics had music set to them – not even a suggestion as to what key they should be played in – they’re as much a true collaboration as were many of the original Basement Tape tracks. Certainly, given the uneven nature of the source material, some

sound experience

Lee has also continued the family tradition; along with her husband she has established herself as a noticeable figure in Americana music. Over the next forty plus years Guthrie has maintained a steady schedule of touring and a studio album every two or three years. He has become a seminal figure in music and co-starred in a largely forgotten (but much loved by this writer) 1994 television series (The Byrds Of Paradise, created by Steven Bochco and featuring Timothy Busfield, Bruce Weitz, and then up and comers Jennifer Love Hewitt and Seth Green). In short, his has been an amazing career. A few years ago Guthrie began thinking about the importance of Alice’s Restaurant; aware that the 50th anniversary was approaching he began creating a stage show to mark the event. Those plans were set aside when Guthrie’s wife passed away. He understandably grieved, retreated, and eventually regrouped. And now is the time: Embarking upon a lengthy tour, reaching from late January well into May, booking venues both large and small, with our very own Diana Wortham Theatre among a select few hosting consecutive nights. Guthrie and his band, celebrating his life in music and the legacy of Alice’s Restaurant, will be appearing on February 13 and 14. It’s a rare opportunity to see an artist of such stature in a venue known for its intimacy, great acoustics, and not having a bad seat in the house. This event will likely sell out, making the evening even more special. This is one show I would not hesitate on! IF YOU Two nights with Arlo Guthrie GO and the 50th Anniversary of Alice’s

Restaurant at the Diana Wortham Theatre on Friday and Saturday, February 13 and 14. For ticket information and more details, go to www.dwtheatre.com

tracks work better than others. Beautifully arranged and sung by James, “Nothing To It” captures the spirit of irreverent fare do well that marked the time in which it was conceived, while Costello’s breezy “Married To My Hack” might have been lifted from any of his better albums. But the strongest efforts come from Goldsmith (whose band has toured as Dylan’s handpicked opener) and Giddens. Both strike a difficult balance between their own artistic sensibilities and those of 1967 Dylan in ways that are fresh and respectful. And that’s the real attraction of Lost on the River. It bridges a gap between generations, connecting the past and present with an idiosyncrasy that never takes itself too seriously. In that regards it best honors and celebrates the genius of Bob Dylan. ****1/2

A Place to Bury Strangers

Drawing inspiration from classic indie rock and fascinated by a variety of atmospheric and dark sounds, the Brooklyn-based band, A Place to Bury Strangers is made up of Oliver Ackermann, Jay Space, and Jono Mofo.

BY JAMES

CASSARA

Forming out of the ashes of the likeminded Skywave, the band has moved into a darker, slightly heavier, and more experimental approach than had its previous incarnation. The three friends initially joined forces in 2006, recording and playing gigs with fellow Brooklyn bands Read Yellow, Bravo Silva, the Funeral Crashers, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Their 2007 self-titled debut album (Killer Pimp Records) gave hints to their A Place To Bury Strangers plays a heavy, atmospheric sonic assault; 2009’s Exploding Head wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, (Mute Records) found the three honing shoegaze and space rock. their song craft while building on their commitment to beautiful noise. for so long it is just amazing to look back on With the 2012 EP Onwards to the Wall, it all. Sometimes I just want to shake people the band moved in a darker, louder direction for feeling useless; there are so many potential reminiscent of their early releases. By the time and amazing things going on all around. Help of 2012’s Worship, the band had trimmed make something great for us all to enjoy.” down to the duo of Ackerman and bassist As the band ventures forth on its longest Dion Lunadon, who recorded and produced tour yet, they are clearly ready to make their the album themselves. The two have just mark. Part of that tour includes a Saturday, released Transfixiation on the Dead Oceans laFebruary 21 stop in Asheville at the New bel. After one listen (look for an online review Mountain Theatre. Other bands on the bill later this month) I can attest to its being an include local favorites the Shine Brothers and outburst of sounds, drawing from the band’s Alligator Indian. past while moving in a new direction. “We’ve Come So Far” captures A Place to Bury Strangers’ sense of raw energy; guitarIF ist Ackermann says of the song, “The lyrics YOU A Place to Bury Strangers at the New GO Mountain Theatre located at 38 N. wrote themselves. The meaning is absolute French Broad Road downtown. Doors truth. Life is super intense and f*ck*d up so open at 9 p.m. for this 10 p.m. show, limited to even accomplishing anything is a huge feat. 18 and over with tickets priced at $10 in advance We should all be proud of that. When we and $12 day of show. have worked extremely hard for something

The Rolling Stones

From The Vault: Hamilton Coliseum (Live In 1981)

EAGLE VISION DVD

As the 1980s rolled in The Stones were at a curious time in the band’s history. Ron Wood was now firmly ensconced as a full member; the shows were getting more extravagant, the band was never tighter, but somehow the spark had faded. Some Girls, their triumphant return to making great albums was now three years behind them and, depending on which leg of the tour you heard, Tattoo You had yet to be released.

It’s into this curious mix of the old and new that Hamilton Coliseum falls, a crossroads between the Stones as still vital band and tottering towards yet another oldies act. There’s no shortage of new material and while Ronnie Wood was still getting his feet wet as a permanent band member the inclusion of Stones stalwarts Ian McLagan and Bobby Keys (both of whom have passed away in the last few months) only adds to the fun. The remote recording is first rate and for the most part the Stones never lose their swagger and swirl. The bonus DVD might be a toss in – shot with only three cameras and not a bit of artistic flair – but the behind the scenes glimpses of life as a Stone help compensate. ****

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 17

sound experience

The Three Davids in Concert

David Holt, David Wilcox, and David LaMotte perform February 21.

Join three of Asheville’s favorite awardwinning songwriters and entertainers, David Holt, David Wilcox and David LaMotte, at the Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville for an auspicious evening of insightful songs, woven with warm-hearted, meaningful stories and an abundance of laughter. These three internationally-known musicians have harmonious roots in Western North Carolina, which will echo in their musical conversation. Each of these musicians is accustomed to entertaining large audiences by themselves and the spontaneous musical and personal interaction between them promises to multiply the fun and make for an exceptional evening to remember.

ABOUT THE THREE DAVIDS David Holt

Four time Grammy award winner David Holt has lived a life of musical adventure. For over three decades, David’s passion for traditional music and stories has fueled a successful performing and recording career. He has hosted numerous television shows including Fire On The Mountain, the PBS Folkways series and Great Scenic Railway Journeys and has performed and recorded with many of his mentors including Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs. He can be heard each week on public radio’s Riverwalk Jazz and seen in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou. Holt’s new recording, Let It Slide features his original songs and slide guitar work. David lives in Asheville and tours both solo,and with

his band the Lightning Bolts and his new group Deep River Rising with Bryan Sutton and T. Michael Coleman.

David Wilcox

Considered a ‘songwriter’s songwriter’, David’s songs have been covered by artists such as k.d. lang and many others. In addition to his writing prowess, his skills as a performer and storyteller are unmatched. He holds Internationally-known musicians David Holt, David Wilcox audiences rapt with nothing and David LaMotte. more than a single guitar, thoroughly written songs, a of the artists who inspired him as a young fearless ability to mine the depths of human man, including Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and emotions of joy, sorrow and everything in the band America. The Boston Globe says he between, and all tempered by a quick and wry “pushes the envelope with challenging lyrics wit. His lyrical insight is matched by a smooth and unusual tunings, but he also pays homage baritone voice, virtuosic guitar chops, and to folk tradition.” creative open tunings, giving him a range and LaMotte has recorded 11 albums includtenderness rare in folk music. ing one for children, S.S. Bathtub, which led Wilcox’s 2014 release, blaze is a “comto the publication of his first children’s book. plex blossom of contradictions that is held toThat was followed by a second illustrated book gether at the center by this blissfully focused for children, White Flour. In 2014 he pubstate of mind that I first came to know while lished his first book for adults, Worldchanging pedaling across the country.” With blaze, Da101: Challenging the Myth of Powerlessness. vid has stayed true to himself and artistically alive …, leaving only the path ahead and the trail to blaze. IF YOU The Three Davids, Saturday, David LaMotte GO February 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets: $35; David LaMotte is an award-winning $25 for students and children under songwriter whose music has taken him around 12. Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 South Pack the globe, performing 2500 concerts to deSquare, downtown Asheville. (828) 257-4530, voted fans on five continents. Along the way, www.dwtheatre.com. he has had the chance to perform with many

Darin & Brooke Aldridge Release CD

The exquisitely talented Darin and Brooke Aldridge present a very special CD release event to be held Friday, February 13.

To celebrate the release of their new CD, Snapshots (Mountain Home Music Company), the Darin & Brooke Aldridge Band will share songs from the album with fans at The Isis in Asheville. With Snapshots, Darin & Brooke continue their own tradition of comfortably and naturally balancing a respect for tradition with their engagement in the innovative and challenging musical world of today. The album is filled with gospel songs and sentiments that reflect Darin & Brooke’s deep faith. The clarity and heartfelt emotion in the singing and playing on Snapshots is delivered with care and skill by the band and special guests including Steve McMurry, Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Doyle Lawson and

18 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

CLAIRE RATLIFF

more. Sam Bush joins the Aldridge band on “Get Up John,” the mandolin tune written by Bill Monroe. “When He Calls” includes harmonies with Ricky Skaggs. The closing song, “Wait “Till The Clouds Roll By” comes from the repertoire of early Opry star Uncle Dave Macon. Snapshots is filled with virtuosity, attention to musical precision, and a sense of history. The album is available for pre-orders now on iTunes and Amazon. IF YOU GO

Darin & Brooke Aldridge present Snapshots, Friday, February 13 at The Isis Restaurant & Music Hall, 743 Haywood Road, Asheville. Phone (828) 5752737 between noon and 5 p.m. daily, or visit www.isisasheville.com

Master Storyteller David Novak Metro Wines hosts a one of a kind, entertaining and interactive salon experience with the awardwinning storyteller, author and actor. Enjoy a glass of wine while the master of all genres brings stories to life. To learn more about David Novak, please visit www.novateller.com IF YOU GO: Salon with David Novak,

Sunday, February 8 at 3 p.m. at MetroWines, 169 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Seating is limited. Tickets are $15 and include a complimentary glass of wine or beverage. For reservations, email: Ruth@david-novak.com or call (828) 658-4151

fine art

Jonas Paints Love and Light FLORAL, HEARTS AND SILK PAINTINGS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

The emotions of love, affection and passion can be expressed in a wide variety of ways.

CHRIS STACK

nificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.” In this sense it can be said that all of Jonas’ paintings are works of passion. Everything from the purely abstract to landscapes and other In Bloom #107 by Jonas Gerard. River Of Love II by Jonas Gerard. figurative paintings… even his Acrylic on canvas, 20x24 inches Dye and paint on silk, 36x60 inches sculptures are imbued with profound emotion. This February, in time for Valentine’s meets brush and canvas. Day, we are celebrating his “grand gestures”. It all culminates with a special Valentine’s Two locations in the River Arts District In order to “spread the love,” from February Day Live Painting Performance at our RiverJonas Gerard Fine Art 1-14, all of Jonas’ view Station Gallery. 240 Clingman Avenue original floral, hearts and soft, Jonas Gerard IF luxurious silk Jonas Gerard painting performance, YOU at Riverview Station paintings will be GO Saturday, February 14, 2 p.m. at Jonas 191 Lyman St., #144 on sale at 20% off. Gerard at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman This is the perfect St. in Asheville’s River Arts District. For more (828) 350-7711 information, visit www.jonasgerard.com opportunity to www.jonasgerard.com give her a bouquet (or a heart or silk) that lasts forever… and then on Valentine’s Day take her to a special painting performance… 240 Clingman Ave & 191 Lyman St (Riverview Station) where passion Purple Passion by Jonas Gerard. Acrylic on canvas, 24x48 inches

Often it is with a grand gesture, full of the undisguised symbolism of romance. Other times it is in the subtle beauty that emerges when you work to incorporate these powerful feelings into your everyday actions. Jonas Gerard has spent a lifetime striving to infuse every brush stroke with deep, rapturous feeling. This combined with his creative philosophy that “there are no mistakes when it comes to art”, brings to mind Beethoven’s famous quote: “To play a wrong note is insig-

JONAS GERARD FINE ART

ts n i a P s a n o J t h g i L & e v Lo

Art of the Book at ZaPow!

The artists of ZaPow! have created an art exhibit in honor of the American Booksellers Association’s National Winter Institute.

ZaPow artists who elected to participate: one children’s book, one literary classic, and one contemporary fiction title. The artists selected a book to inspire a work of art in their own style and “Art of the Book” will medium of choice. A total of have its opening reception on 52 artists will be showcasing Sunday, February 8 from 3 to works inspired by everything 6 p.m. from Harper Lee’s To Kill Asheville has a wella Mockingbird to Tolstoy’s established community of War and Peace to E.L. James’s writers both past and present. Fifty Shades of Grey. Our creative populace has Artwork by Allison Weeks Free beer sampling helped support the success Thomas will be provided courtesy of of our indie booksellers, our local Oskar Blues Brewery. Live Django including Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café, Reinhardt-style gypsy swing guitar will be Downtown Books and News (which is owned performed by Stephen Karla. by Malaprop’s), Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, and Spellbound Children’s Bookshop, as well as more than twenty art galIF leries in the downtown area. YOU Art of the Book opening reception, For this book inspired show, Lauren GO Sunday, February 8 from 3-6 p.m. ZaPow!, 21 Battery Park Ave., Patton—ZaPow’s Creative Director and Codowntown Asheville. Visit www.zapow.com. owner— assigned three books to each of the

20% Off Hearts, Floral & Silk Paintings Feb 1-14

828.350.7711 jonasgerard.com

Open Every Day 10am-6pm Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 19

R A P I D O C

R I V E R

Downtown

M B

Shops, Galleries & Restaurants E

Downtown Asheville is a great place to begin your exploration of fine food, arts & crafts. N

Asheville’s Premier Chocolate Shop Since 1986

Visit our European style shop for handmade artisan chocolates, chocolate art, and gifts.

36 Haywood Street

Downtown Asheville www.chocolatefetish.com (828) 258-2353

FEBRUARY 2015

Enjoy & Give the Best ™

WHO’S NEW? Reception

Friday February 6 5-8 pm Show runs February 1-28, 2015

Winter Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dreaming In Red

Time Alone To Think

Max Patch Variation II

Juditta Musette

Jane Molinelli

Elise Okrend

“I am motivated to capture light and energy through textures and colors.”

“I use color, line, and mark to convey an emotion, memory, or experience.”

“My intent is to connect the viewer to a sense of healing and inner peace.”

ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART

16 College St., Downtown Asheville

20 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

828.251.5796

www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com

R T

L T

Fabulous Downtown Asheville

More of What Makes Asheville Special

CHERYL KEEFER PLEIN AIR ~ LANDSCAPES ~ CITYSCAPES

The Best Shops, Galleries & Restaurants

Passion, Temptation and Tango

A 1920’S CANDLELIT DINNER, MUSIC AND TANGO REVUE

Lex 18 is hosting a Valentine’s Date Night dinner, music and Tango Revue. Lex 18, Asheville’s Southern Appalachian Supper Club and Moonshine Bar, will host an Argentinian feast and dance review on Saturday, February 14 for friends and lovers searching for the perfect Valentine’s evening. Expected to be an unforgettable romantic evening, our Valentine’s Dinner Show Revue takes you to another time and place: 1920’s Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our romantic restaurant, lit by candle light and fireplaces, is the perfect escape. In the classic style of dinner shows, couples are seated side-by-side facing the dance floor. The evening’s experience is filled with the sultry music of Argentine Tango inspiring one of the most sensual ballroom dance styles. We’ll

BY JOSEpH

MALKI

present four of the top Tango and Latin dancers of the region; two couples expressing romance, passion and temptation in the synchronized dance we know as Tango. IF YOU For reservations call (828) 575-9494, or visit 18 GO N. Lexington Ave. in Asheville. Seatings are at 6:15

and 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $90 per person (2 person minimum) and may be purchased at www.lex18avl.com.

JOURNEYS: Landscapes, Cityscapes, Interiors On display March 1-31, 2015 at the Asheville Gallery of Art

Opening Reception 5-8 pm Friday, March 6, 2015

Downton Abbey Vintage Banquet Experience

Lex 18 stages unique dining experience.

We walked through the doorway and were immediately brought into the 1920s with a fun blend of fictional and factual Asheville aristocracy. Dennis Ray, Rapid River Magazine publisher, and I were among the honored guests received by actors portraying Susan and Douglas Ellington. Douglas being the renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Asheville. We were quickly attended to by the Ellington Manor’s butler and staff of servants. Cocktails and wine flowed as guests arrived into the “library.” My favorite Each course was beautifully presented. part? The vintage costumes! Most of the guests were in carefully chosen period attire, clearly showing their commitment to making the evening their experience. Lex 18 was beautifully dressed too, setting a perfect scene for the evening. The magic continued when the bell rang and dinner was announced. We were served our five courses just as they would at the Downton estate. Each course was beautifully presented, each very special and delicious, each a pleasing blend of flavors and textures. The timing between courses allowed an opportunity to savor the distinct flavors on my palate just long enough. My second favorite part? Sitting in the dining room watching our scene played out on the screen as we viewed the first episode of Downton Abbey Season 5. All the guests around the table were clearly enjoying themselves throughout the evening and slowly brought their attention back to

Asheville Gallery of Art

KATHLEEN COLBURN

16 College Street Downtown Asheville

the present (partially), to watch this extremely popular Masterpiece series. The vintage dinner series has been extended into February. Don’t delay as it will likely sell out again.

pg. 20

Works by Cheryl Keefer are also on display at: Wedge Studios 129 Roberts St., by appt. River Arts District

Lex 18

pg. 36

Seven Sisters Gallery Black Mountain

18 North Lexington Avenue, Downtown Asheville (828) 575-9494, www.lex18avl.com

pg. 9

828-450-1104 • www.Cher ylKeefer.com

“After the Storm” Porchoir painting by Rick Hills with handmade bark frame

1 Page Avenue ~ Historic Grove Arcade

pg. 20

Suite 123 ~ 828.350.0307

MtnMade807@aol.com

www.MtnMade.com

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 21

fine art

Fine Artist Rick Hills Loves the Lonely Places

It is in the forests and mountains that the artist finds inspiration for his artwork and his faith.

“To truly understand the subject of your art, you must immerse yourself in it fully. And so he does—living in Waynesville, near the Blue Ridge parkway and the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. From here, he journeys regularly with his three collies (Sugar, Lily, and Toppie) to favorite spots where he finds truth, beauty, and connection. “It’s getting out and observing the things that are happening around you that matters— the smell of the pines, the crunch of the forest floor beneath your feet, the cloud that appears, seemingly out of nowhere—this is how God speaks to me, through His creation,” Hills says. As he has grown closer to his Creator in recent years, he understands that his creativity comes from God, and he desires to use his art as a reflection of the awesome works of God. His connection to his surroundings deepens as he returns to favorite locales again and again, in every season and at different times of day, coming to know them intimately, as you might come to know a lifelong friend. It becomes a kind of conversation—one in which he listens to the silence, absorbs its wisdom,

and carries it home to his studio to bring life to his paintings. Hills graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in fine art, then began a 30-year career as a festival artist, combining his love of art with his love of travel. He had the opportunity to explore most of the US and finally settled in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. Currently, Hills uses a unique and colorful painting style which he has developed through experimentation. The new style is called Porchoir Painting, using airbrush and stencils to render his art on board or recycled tin roofing. First, the artist masks, primes, and applies a colorful underpainting to the tin or wood surface. Often many layers of underpainting are required to produce the desired atmosphere or climate. Next, the artist creates his composition using leaves, ferns, sticks, and other plants as stencils, which he secures so they stay flat and motionless. Then, Hills uses an airbrush to overspray the surface using many layers of paint to create the desired effect. As the plant stencils are removed, it’s like opening a gift on Christmas morning. The underpainting shines through the outline of the stencil, creating a glimpse of one of the many moods of the forest. The finished painting is then mounted on a piece of weathered barn board. Mr. Hills will be in the Grove Arcade demonstrating his Porchoir Painting style at Mountain Made Gallery. The gallery

Dawn’s Light by Rick HIlls

Fun Forest by Rick HIlls

features many of Rick Hills’ most recent paintings along with the work of dozens of other wonderful local artists. Please stop by and experience the colorful variety of handmade treasures.

Eastern Hemlock by Rick HIlls

After the Storm by Rick HIlls IF YOU You can contact Mr. Hills by email GO at: rickg8tor@yahoo.com; by phone

at: (828) 452-0228; or by visiting his Facebook page: Art by Rick Hills.

Mountain Made Art Gallery

Rick Hills displays a completed Porchoir Painting.

ASHEVILLE LOCKSMITH NOW

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Are we one of the best local galleries in Asheville?

features the work of about 150 WNC artisans – with Well, naturally we would like to think both contemporary art pieces so... because here at Mountain Made, we and traditional Appalachian showcase what we feel are some of the most mountain crafts – such as hand interesting and unique arts and crafts made by wrought jewelry, ceramics & local artists from the Asheville area and surpottery, wood art & furniture, rounding Great Smoky Mountains. quilts & fiber art, photographic Of course there are other galleries in the prints and wall art, along with area that you might want see hand-blown as well. But we warn you glass and other gift ideas. while many might boast of Located inside the larger floor plans, few of historic Grove Arcade them can offer you a better building in the heart of selection of the local art, downtown Asheville, books and music that has Mountain Made Art Galmade Asheville an arts and lery should be one your craft lover’s destination for “must see” destinations for over 70 years. anyone who wants to take Currently the a “piece of the mountains” The gallery is located in downtown Mountain Made art gallery home with them! Asheville in the Grove Arcade.

22 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Mountain Made Art Gallery features works by more than 150 WNC artisans.

Mountain Made Art Gallery 1 Page Ave., downtown Asheville Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday 12 noon - 5 p.m. www.MtnMade.com

Reel Take Reviewers:

 - Fantastic  - Pretty darn good  - Has some good points  - The previews lied  - Only if you must

CHIP KAUFMANN is a film historian who also shares his love of classical music as a program host on WCQS-FM radio. MICHELLE KEENAN is a long time student of film, a believer in the magic of movies, and a fundraiser for public radio.

M- Forget entirely For the latest REVIEWS, THEATER INFO and MOVIE SHOW TIMES, visit www.rapidrivermagazine.com

Illustration of Michelle & Chip by Brent Brown.

Questions/Comments?

BRENT BROWN is a graphic designer and illustrator. View more of his work at www.brentbrown.com.

You can email Chip or Michelle at reeltakes@hotmail.com

THE MONTHLY REEL

This is it, movie geeks! Award season is in full swing and the fashion police are out in full force, covering every inch of the red carpet on the road to Oscar. The 87th Academy Award nominations were announced in January and now the campaign for Oscar gold is ‘on.’ Unlike recent years, when several categories seemed to have it ‘in the bag,’ there are no clear-cut front runners. At press time Boyhood seems to be the Oscar darling this year, but it is by no means a sure-thing. The good Professor Kaufmann and I give you our Oscar race ruminations and predictions on page 25. We’ve also included our annual Oscar ballot for your own predictions (a must for every Oscar party!). You can still catch several of the Oscar nominated films at local theatres. We included reviews for three of the films American Sniper, The Imitation Game and Selma. For those not so into award season, who just want to be entertained, Chip also offers his thoughts on a couple

Theatre Directory

MICHELLE KEENAN

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company of recent sequels, Taken 3 and Woman in Black 2. At press-time the Sundance Film Festival was just about to get underway. Last year’s festival marked the debut of two of the films up Luise Rainer for Oscars this year – Boyhood and Whiplash. We’re curious to see 84. (We what emerges this year and we hope 2015 is as Rod Taylor and Anita Eckberg last saw strong a year for great, smaller, performancein 1962. Ironically the two him not driven films as last year was. passed the same week. that long Be on the lookout for the Oscar Nomiago in nated Shorts playing at The Carolina this Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds month as well as A Most Violent Year and as Winston Churhill) La Dolce Vita the Oscar nominated Two Days One Night. actress and Swedish-born sex-symbol of While the masses will no doubt flock to the the 1950’s and 60’s Anita Eckberg died at theatres to see Fifty Shades of Grey, we’ll be 83, and two-time Academy Award winner looking forward to Colin Firth in Kingsman: Luise Rainer died at the wonderful old The Secret Service. age of 104. Last but not least, we said goodbye to We hope you enjoy this issue, and we several talented actors recently and wanted welcome your thoughts, questions and to honor their contributions with a mention feedback at reeltakes@hotmail.com. Until here: Rod Taylor, best known for The Birds next time. and The Time Machine passed at the age of

Movieline (828) 254-1281 www.ashevillepizza.com

Beaucatcher Cinemas (Asheville) Movieline (828) 298-1234

Biltmore Grande

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Carmike 10 (Asheville)

Movieline (828) 298-4452 www.carmike.com

Carolina Cinemas

(828) 274-9500 www.carolinacinemas.com

The Falls Theatre (Brevard) Movieline (828) 883-2200

Fine Arts Theatre (Asheville) Movieline (828) 232-1536 www.fineartstheatre.com

Flat Rock Theatre (Flat Rock) Movieline (828) 697-2463 www.flatrockcinema.com

Four Seasons (Hendersonville) Movieline (828) 693-8989

American Sniper 

Short Take: Solid but not spectacular. Clint Eastwood’s straightforward adaptation of Chris Kyle’s autobiography benefits from his no-nonsense direction and quality performances from Bradley Cooper & Sienna Miller.

REEL TAKE: What is one to make of American Sniper? When I watched it as a potential Oscar contender back in December, I thought it was a good, solid, well made movie but nothing spectacular. I also thought that it had the potential to be an audience pleaser despite its somewhat grim scenario. However when the film was released in mid-January, it became a cultural phenomenon with an unbelievable opening weekend gross of $105 million. By the time you read this, American Sniper will have crossed the quarter million mark towards an overall unknown total although the subject matter will surely keep

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle takes aim in Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper.

it from being as big a hit overseas as a typical Marvel franchise picture. Yet in some circles it is being compared to them with the caveat that it’s about a real life hero. I wouldn’t go that far but with the international situation being what it is, I can see where Sniper’s surprising popularity is coming from. Putting aside cultural and historical dis-

cussions, what about the movie itself? Unlike a number of critics, I had no problem with American Sniper. I felt that Clint Eastwood’s non-flashy nuts and bolts directorial approach suited the material perfectly. It contained just the right mix of Zero Dark Thirty’s you-arethere shaky cam footage with what can only be described as a Lifetime movie-of-the-week naïve quality that suited the characters in their respective environments. The real standouts in American Sniper are the lead performances. Bradley Cooper, almost bulked up beyond recognition, gives a direct, heartfelt portrayal of the central character unlike any other that I have seen him give before. Even though I knew he was playing Chris Kyle, I had a hard time recognizing him as Bradley Cooper. As for Sienna Miller, I was over halfway through the film before I even realized that it was her! She was completely and heartbreakingly believable as a Texas housewife. I was also halfway through the movie

The Strand (Waynesville)

(828) 283-0079, www.38main.com

before I remembered who Chris Kyle was. My next thought was, how would the ending be handled? Although there are those who don’t like the ending, I’m glad that it ended the way that it did. It was perfect for Eastwood’s “print the legend” approach. In fact if this had been made 60 years earlier, John Ford would have directed and John Wayne would have starred. For those unfamiliar with the book on which the movie is based, Chris Kyle was the number one American sniper in military history with more acknowledged kills than anyone in his profession. Trained as a Navy Seal, he came back from his tours of duty in the Middle East with severe PTSD but like Movies continued on page 24

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 23

film reviews

Our Favorite Films of 2014

Some have said that 2014 wasn’t a great year for the movies.

Box office receipts on certain intended blockbusters disappointed the bean counters. And I have to admit, this year’s Oscar nominations do not generate quite the excitement that other years have. However, for movie buffs like us at Reel Takes, we loved 2014.

It was a banner year for smaller, wonderfully creative, moving and entertaining films. In fact, in composing our personal best lists (which can and do differ from our critical top ten lists), the most challenging point was limiting ourselves to just 10 films. Our lists contain titles that we thoroughly enjoyed; films that stayed with us on some level, and some that were simply a guilty pleasure. With that we offer our favorite films of 2014 in alphabetical order.

Chip Kaufmann’s Favorites

Michelle Keenan’s Favorites

A Walk Among The Tombstones – This powerful urban crime drama gives Liam Neeson his best role in years and features a challenging storyline along with a pair of memorable and very disturbing bad guys.

Calvary – A shatteringly beautiful drama by John Michael McDonough (The Guard) starring Brendan Gleeson as a good priest who’s threatened by a parishioner to pay for the sins of the church. A powerful film. Not for the faint of heart.

Captain America:The Winter Soldier – This Marvel blockbuster got lost in the shuffle after Guardians of the Galaxy came out but a solid story and a villainous Robert Redford made it a memorable film experience. The Drop – An excellent example of a little movie that is character and story driven. Tom Hardy’s outstanding portrayal and James Gandolfini in his final role add depth to the proceedings.

Kelly Reilly and Brendan Gleeson star in the shatteringly wonderful Calvary.

The Grand Budapest Hotel – My favorite film of the year. This updated version of an Ernst Lubitsch comedy has everything I look for in a movie. Great sets, costumes, photography, writing, and an ensemble cast to die for.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them – Boyhood was not the only cinematic experiment this year. First time feature film director Ned Benson wrote and directed three versions of his relationship drama – a ‘his,’ ‘her,’ and ‘them.’ It sounds pretentious, but earnest performances from Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy convinced me otherwise. The Drop – A wonderful and entertaining broody little drama directed by Michael R. Roskam (Bullhead) starring Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini in what is sadly his last role.

Timothy Spall delivered an Oscar Grand Budapest Hotel – This old The Homesman – Shades of Clint Eastworthy performance in Mr. Turner. school caper comedy from Wes Anderwood’s Unforgiven can be found in this son was my favorite film of the year. mesmerizing but very downbeat western But its massive success with critics and audiences has me with great performances from Tommy Lee Jones (who also worried – is Wes Anderson now mainstream? directed) and Hilary Swank. The Imitation Game – A performance driven drama about Maleficent – I went to this expecting a live action version of Alan Turing, the mathematician who broke Nazi Germany’s Sleeping Beauty but instead found a beautiful and completeEnigma code and helped change the tide of WWII. ly reworked version of the fairy tale loaded with Victorian

storybook imagery. Angelina Jolie is perfect!

Mr. Turner – British filmmaker Mike Leigh’s leisurely paced biopic of 18th century painter J.M.W. Turner contains an extraordinary lead performance from Timothy Spall (channelling Charles Laughton), and truly incredible cinematography. Only Lovers Left Alive – I expected to like this movie because of Jim Jarmusch, Tom Hiddleston, and Tilda Swinton but I was blown away by the depth of character and social observations. An unorthodox vampire picture primarily set in Detroit. Tusk – Writer-director Kevin Smith’s take on the traditional mad scientist horror flick with a wonderfully deranged performance from Michael Parks. How can you not like a film where a loud, obnoxious radio host is turned into a walrus? Veronica Mars – My favorite guilty pleasure of the year based on the old TV series. Kristen Bell returns as the title character now a young woman who helps clear an old beau of a murder charge. This is how you upgrade a TV show into a movie.

Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel. Apparently if you cross Sam Spade and a doped up hippie in 1970 this is what you get.

Locke – I thought a film about a man driving from Birmingham to London while facing a personal crisis and talking on his mobile would be a.) a gimmick, and b.) boring, but it was anything but. Tom Hardy’s performance, from the seat of a BMW, is nothing short of riveting. The Lunchbox – A gem of a film about an unhappily married housewife who begins a correspondence with the man who accidentally receives the lunches she makes for her ungrateful husband. Only Lovers Left Alive – An elegant and alternative vampire film as only Jim Jarmusch could make starring Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, and John Hurt. I was utterly sucked in. Pride – Based on a actual events in 1984, when gay activists and British unionized mineworkers joined forces, Pride is one of the most joyous, crowd-pleasing little films to come down the pike in a long time.

24 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Movies continued from page 23

Louis Zamperini of Unbroken fame, he overcame it. However his life ended differently. You’ll be hearing a lot more about American Sniper between now and Oscar time both good and bad. With all the buzz surrounding it, it will ultimately be up to you to decide how you feel about it. In some ways it resembles Saving Private Ryan in its matter-of-fact war time violence so keep that in mind when you go to see it, but see it you should. Rated R for disturbing war violence and language throughout. Review by Chip Kaufmann

The Imitation Game 1/2

Short Take: The story of Alan Turing, the mathematician who cracked the Nazi’s Enigma code and helped changed the course of WWII.

REEL TAKE: Largely touted and long awaited, The Imitation Game finally made its way to wide release at Christmas. As expected, it’s garnered several Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress and its most deserving nomination, Best Actor. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a The film is very much pitch perfect performance as Alan the type of Oscar bait Turing in The Imitation Game. we see at this time of year, but it’s very, very good Oscar bait. The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the mathematician who built the machine that that cracked Nazi Germany’s Enigma code during World War II and helped win the war (it was also the machine from which all computers derived). He and his team at Bletchley Park helped shorten the war by two to three years, saving an estimated 14 to 21 million lives. The story unfolds in a series of flashbacks, which sounds rather simple, but is anything but. The various moments in time are layered articulately and elegantly interwoven to take us from Turing’s life in present day [1952] England to two other pivotal parts of his life; his work during the war and his adolescent years at boarding school. Both of which frame the story which build to the sorry circumstances Turing finds himself in after facing prosecution from the British government for the crime of being a homosexual. (So, you can save 20 million lives, but shag a guy and you are a morally bereft beast?!) Turing was not a particularly likeable chap. Socially inept and relentlessly bullied as a child, he found comfort working crossword puzzles and passing encrypted notes with his best [and only] friend at school. By the time England is entrenched in WWII, Turing is working against the clock to break Enigma, Turing is as socially awkward as ever, but now a cocky mathematical genius to boot. Neither characteristic warms his team to him but his confidence in his ability to build a machine that can sort through and decode millions of possible encrypted Nazi codes far faster than humans can, ultimately does. The Imitation Game falls prey to some of the familiar trappings of standard biopic fare, but rises above them on the merit of its actors and Morten Tyldum’s direction. It is mainstream enough to be a crowd-pleaser, but sharp enough to pay tribute to a brilliant mind. Cumberbatch turns in one of the best performances of the year, deftly balancing TurMovies continued on page 25

film reviews

Movies continued from page 24

ing’s positive and negative attributes to eloquently portray this complex man and simultaneously entreat our empathy. The supporting cast is top drawer as well, especially Keira Knightly as Joan Clarke, the only female member of his team in a male dominated profession and world. Clarke befriended Turing, loved him in spite of his sexuality, and believed in him, even after the world destroyed him. Clarke’s faith was not ill-placed. She knew his work was important. David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads the His ‘Turing Machines’ paved the way civil rights marchers to the bridge in Selma. for the world we live in today. Most of you reading this know that Turing well as the everyman / woman. It also depicts the killed himself after suffering chemical castration differences of opinions among the key players, as punishment for his ‘crimes.’ What you may not the chaos and confusion of it all and the figureknow is that he laced an apple with cyanide and it-out-as-we-go aspects of the movement. This took a bite. Sound familiar? The next time you see is not a sanitized history lesson about the civil that logo, take a moment to say thank you. rights movement. Instead we see how the sausage Rated PG-13 for some sexual references, mature is made so-to-speak. thematic material and historical smoking. DuVernay has taken some heat for the Review by Michelle Keenan scenes depicting the negotiations between President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) and Dr. King in Selma 1/2 regards to King’s push for the Voting Rights Act. As a history major I didn’t take much umbrage Short Take: A timely and eerily relevant with them. Again, I thought the film smartly portrayal of the months leading up to the showed the man’s strengths and weaknesses and pivotal march from Selma to Montgomery moreover gave a wonderful and complex political and its impact on the civil rights movement. context for the time, a context which shaped REEL TAKE: The fact that Ava DuVerNay’s LBJ’s approach to many issues. Selma is being largely snubbed this award season What flaws there are in Selma are easily may have something to do with the fact that the forgiven because of what the film ultimately film was scarcely screened until well into award accomplishes. While Oyelowo gives a standout season. The distributor’s reluctance to provide performance he is very much an ensemble playscreenings and screeners to critics and industry er, and what an ensemble it is. The supporting insiders seems to have hurt it in the end. Keeping cast, of which there are too many to name here, it a closely guarded secret didn’t help build critidoesn’t miss a beat. The film is beautifully phocal or audience appeal. tographed and tightly edited. Every element of This is a real shame because Selma is one of this film was a labor of love and it shows. See it the year’s must-see movies. The film never quite on the big screen while you can. achieves greatness, though it does possess truly Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material great moments, but it is an utterly compelling and including violence, a suggestive moment, and [I think] important film. Sadly, it’s eerily relevant brief strong language. at this point in our nation’s history. Review by Michelle Keenan David Oyelowo gives a magnificent performance as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the months leading to the historic march from Selma Taken 3 1/2 to Montgomery in 1965 and turned the tide in Short Take: Although mauled by most the civil rights movement. The film has been critics, I found this third (and reportedly criticized for taking some liberties with history, last) installment in the Taken series more but the liberties are minor in comparison to the entertaining than the last. light and the truth it sheds. DuVernay smartly REEL TAKE: What a difference a movie makes. shows King’s flaws and human failings, without Earlier last year Liam Neeson was in the quality demeaning his greatness or casting any disreproduction A Walk Among the Tombstones, spect. If anything the film and the man’s legacy is where he was given one of his best roles in quite the better for it. awhile. He followed that with this sequel, and Selma is not a biopic about Dr. King. The while it is not in the same league, I found it to be film provides glimpses into Dr. King’s life, his an improvement over Taken 2, and it no doubt marriage, his dedication to the cause and the toll provided a healthy paycheck for Neeson. it was already taking on his life three years before The title is somewhat misleading as the that fateful day in Memphis. Rather, Selma is principal abduction doesn’t occur until late in about the movement, a movement that Dr. King the film, but at this point in the game the title shepherded with non-violent action. The film showcases the pivotal players in the movement as

2015 Oscar Musings

Armchair Picks & Preferences

Here we go again!

Eight Best Pictures and only five Best Directors, leaving another three films that directed themselves. While it’s a simple matter to remove the three films in question, they should have never been nominated in the first place. But nominations mean more money and in Hollywood, Oscar isn’t the only thing that glitters gold. Even more irksome were some of the snubs and inconsistencies this The Grand Budapest Hotel, with Ralph Fiennes year. Selma was nominated for Best and Tony Revolori was our Best Picture Picture, but its director, Ava DuVerof the Year. nay, was not recognized. Its lead actor, David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther Best Actor – We don’t disagree that King, Jr., was strangely omitted from the Michael Keaton’s performance in BirdBest Actor category. Meanwhile Bennett man was award worthy and we’ll be very Miller was nominated for Best Director happy to see him win, but we’d love to for Foxcatcher, but the film wasn’t nomisee Benedict Cumberbatch take it for his nated for Best Picture. Foxcatcher, a good brilliant portrayal of Alan Turing in The but not great film, suffered from pacing Imitation Game. problems which fall Best Actress – We both agree square on the shoulHilary Swank should have ders of its director, been nominated for her role not on the cast that to date in The Homesman gave it their all. (another overlooked film this We also year). We think they’ll give the thought, with all edge to Julianne Moore for her of the accolades portrayal of a woman with early bestowed on Grand onset Alzheimer’s Disease in Budapest Hotel, Still Alice (Oscar loves disability Rosamund Pike gave a Ralph Fiennes would and affliction). It is an excellent disturbingly terrific and have at least been memorable performance performance, but we’d love to given a nod, but then in Gone Girl. see the statuette go to Rosaagain it was a comedy mund Pike for her fantastically and Best Actors are memorable performance in Gone Girl. serious, right? We could go on, but really, what’s the point? Best Supporting Actor – This is one We thought 2014 was a marvelous category where we differ. We think the year for film, particularly for small, peracademy will recognize J.K. Simmons formance-driven, wonderfully creative as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for titles that may not have garnered Oscar’s Whiplash. Michelle concurs with this attention, but they did ours. Take a look vote while the good Professor Kaufmann at our personal Favorite Films of 2014 on would like to see the award go to Mark page 24. In the meanwhile here are our Ruffalo for Foxcatcher. votes for the Oscar race. Best Supporting Actress – This one is Best Picture – Boyhood seems to be the a tough one. All are solid performances, favorite for Best Picture at press time, but and it’s hard to say which way it’s going we’d both prefer to see Grand Budapest to go. Meryl Streep was a whole lot of Hotel take the honor. fun in Into the Woods, but she’s been there, done that and she’ll do it again, Best Director – Why Ava DuVernay just probably not for ITW. We have a didn’t get nominated for Selma we don’t feeling Patricia Arquette is probably know. We were also a little surprised that going to win for Boyhood. Chip would Christopher Nolan wasn’t recognized for like to see Laura Dern get it for Wild, Interstellar, but given the nominations, but Michelle is leaning towards Keira our preferences and predictions are an Knightly for The Imitation Game. exact repeat of the Best Picture category.

Movies continued on page 27

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 25

play along with oscar

And the Oscar Goes to… The 87th Academy Awards take place Sunday, February 22 on ABC.

After record audience numbers and breaking Twitter with the world’s best celebrity selfie last year, we were surprised the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences didn’t invite Ellen Degeneres to host the show once again. But they are keeping it fresh by enlisting the Neil Patrick Harris will talents of veteran Tony Awards host host the Oscars on February 22nd on ABC. and Gone Girl’s collateral damage, Neil Patrick Harris. There will no doubt be a song and dance number or two, or three. If you love the glitz and glamour of the red carpet and the excitement of Hollywood’s biggest night, tune in to ABC at 7 p.m. on February 22. Whether you’re hosting an Oscar party or just planning on keeping score from the comfort of your own Snuggie, use our handy dandy Reel Takes Oscar Ballot to cast your own votes and keep track of the winners.

Best Actor in a Leading Role • Steve Carell – Foxcatcher • Bradley Cooper – American Sniper • Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game • Michael Keaton Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne – Birdman or star in the challenging love story of The Unexpected Jane and Stephen Hawking in Virtue of The Theory of Everything. Ignorance • Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Best Actor in a Supporting Role • Robert Duvall – The Judge • Ethan Hawke – Boyhood • Edward Norton – Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance • Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher • J.K. Simmons – Whiplash My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Best Actress in a Leading Role • Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night • Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything • Julianne Moore – Still Alice • Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl • Reese Witherspoon – Wild My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Music (Original Score)

• • • •

• The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat • The Imitation Game – Alexandre Desplat • Interstellar – Hans Zimmer • Mr. Turner – Gary Yershon • The Theory of Everything – Johann Johannsson My money is on: ______________________

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood Laura Dern – Wild Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game Emma Stone – Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance • Meryl Streep – Into The Woods My money is on: _____________________ And the winner is: ____________________

Animated Feature Film

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

• Big Hero 6 – Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli • The Boxtrolls – Anthony Stacchi, Fraham Annable and Travis Knight • How To Train Your Dragon 2 – Dean Deblois and Bonnie Arnold • Song of The Sea – Tomm Moore and Paul Young • The Tale of The Princess Kaguya – Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Cinematography • Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance – Emmanuel Lubezki • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman • Ida – Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski • Mr. Turner – Dick Pope • Unbroken – Roger Deakins My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Costume Design • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero • Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges • Into The Woods – Colleen Atwood • Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive • Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran My money is on: _____________________________________

And the winner is: _____________________

Music (Original Song) • “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie. Music and lyrics by Shawn Patterson. • “Glory” from Selma. Music and lyrics by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn. • “Grateful” from Beyond The Lights. Music and lyrics by Diane Warren. • “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glenn Campbell… I’ll Be Me. Music and lyrics by Glenn Campbell and Julian Raymond. • “Lost Stars” from Begin Again. Music and lyrics by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois. My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Directing • Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance – Alejandro G. Inarritu • Boyhood – Richard Linklater • Foxcatcher – Bennett Miller • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson • The Imitation Game – Morten Tyldum My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Best Motion Picture of the Year

• Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance – Written by Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr and Armando Bo • Boyhood – Written by Richard Linklater • Foxcatcher – Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness • Nightcrawler – Written by Dan Gilroy My money is on: _____________________________________

• American Sniper – Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan, producers. • Birdman or The Unexpected Birdman takes Michael Virtue of Ignorance Keaton to new heights. – Alejandro G. Inarritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole, producers. • Boyhood – Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland, producers. • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, producers. • The Imitation Game – Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman, producers. • Selma – Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, producers. • The Theory of Everything – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony Mccarten, producers. • Whiplash – Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster, producers. My money is on: _____________________________________

And the winner is: ____________________________________

Adapted Screenplay • American Sniper – Screenplay by Jason Hall • The Imitation Game – Screenplay by Graham Moore • Inherent Vice – Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson • The Theory of Everything – Screenplay by Anthony McCarten • Whiplash – Damien Chazelle My money is on: _____________________________________ And the winner is: ____________________________________

Original Screenplay

26 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

ASHEVILLE FILM SOCIETY The Asheville Film Society will show the following films on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. in Theater 6 at the Carolina Cinema on Hendersonville Road. Tuesday night screenings are free, but membership dues for the society are only $10. Membership gets you into any special members-only events and screenings. Tuesday, February 3:

Blancanieves (Snow White) (2012) A twist on the Snow White fairy tale, this version is set in 1920s Seville and centered on a female bullfighter. Stars Maribel Verdu, Emilio Gavira and Daniel Gimenez. Directed by Pablo Berger.

High, Wide, And Handsome

(1937) Pennsylvania, 1859. Railroad tycoon Charles Bickford wants to take over the land of the oil-drilling farmers, led by Peter Cortland. Stars Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott and Dorothy Lamour. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Tuesday, February 24:

Charlie Chan In Shanghai (1935) When a prominent official is murdered at a banquet honoring Charle Chan, the detective, and son Lee, team up to expose an opium-smuggling ring. Stars Warner Oland, Irene Hervey and Jon Hall John. Directed James Tinling. Carolina Cinemas, 1640 Hendersonville Rd. (828) 274-9500. For more information go to www.facebook.com/ashevillefilmsociety

Movies continued from page 25

is a pre-sold commodity, so it really doesn’t matter. In lieu of a kidnapping, the screenwriters have actually come up with a more interesting variation for the series, although the idea is hardly original. In a set-up, former CIA operative Bryan Mills (Neeson) is accused of murdering his ex-wife and after quickly escaping, must track down the real killer or killers. Pursued by the LAPD, headed up by Inspector Dotzler (Forest Whitaker), he uncovers a plot involving not only a former KGB man but his ex-wife’s husband (Dougray Scott). After a protracted cat and mouse game involving his daughter (Maggie Grace), loose ends are tied up and it all comes to a satisfactory end.

Liam Neeson comforts his daughter one last time in Taken 3.

That it would, is already a foregone conclusion, especially if you’ve seen the previous two films. But that’s not the point. Audiences go to see Neeson kick the stuffing out of the bad guys and emerge triumphant in the end. In that respect he’s like a 21st century John Wayne, although he more closely resembles the aging Burt Lancaster in a movie like Scorpio (1973). While Neeson, Whitaker and Grace fulfill what is expected of them, the film belongs to Dougray Scott who is the best thing about it. Director Oliver Megaton keeps the action flowing and the cameras rolling in the best Bourne like manner (perhaps Neeson as a geriatric version of Jason Bourne would be a more fitting description). In the end Taken 3 is just another big budget potboiler. An order of good ol’ sequel hash reheated in the celluloid (now digital) crockpot. It satisfies a craving without providing any cinematic nutrition. That’s all right with me. Not every movie can be or should be a high end meal. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and for brief strong language. Review by Chip Kaufmann

The Woman in Black 2: The Angel of Death 1/2

Short Take: Sequel to the hugely successful first film not only doesn’t have Daniel Radcliffe, it has little else outside

HENDERSONVILLE FILM SOCIETY If you think they don’t make them like they used to, you’ll enjoy these great classic films. Coffee and wonderful flicks are served up on Sundays at 2 p.m. at Lake Pointe Landing in Hendersonville. For more information call (828) 697-7310.

Jeremy Irvine and Phoebe Fox are at a loss as to what to do next in The Woman in Black 2: The Angel of Death.

of some gorgeous photography and the occasional creepy moment.

REEL TAKE: I didn’t hate Woman in Black 2,

Gypsy Wildcat

Tuesday, February 17:

film reviews

Tuesday, February 10:

(1944) A wicked baron oppresses Gypsies but is fascinated by the beautiful Carla, who loves a stranger on a white horse. Stars Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Peter. Directed by Roy William Neill.

in fact I rather enjoyed it, but that still doesn’t alter the fact that it just isn’t all that good. The setting is the same, the title character is still there and there are children-a-plenty. All that’s missing (aside from Daniel Radcliffe) is a semblance of a coherent storyline. If you hadn’t seen the first film, you wouldn’t have a clue as to what’s going on. Oddly enough, in some cases, that worked in the film’s favor. Box office tabulations showed that more than 50% of the ticket purchasers were women. This is the opposite of the usual horror film today, which is usually male dominated. Perhaps the period setting, the heavy clothing, and a minimal gore factor kept them away. The other interesting statistic is that the majority of those who hadn’t seen the first film liked it much better than those who had. To describe the storyline as incoherent is a kindness. The basic points are these: the time is World War II England some 40 years after the original story. Children are being evacuated from London and deployed to the countryside for their protection. One group is sent to Eel Marsh House, which the title character haunts and proceeds to terrorize the children and their teachers, with predictable results. Virtually no background from the first movie is given, which makes the goings on extremely confusing. Yet a number of people said that this contributed to their sense of unease. It’s as if they saw the film from the children’s point of view. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but, having seen and liked the first movie, my reaction was colored by that. The Woman in Black 2 is beautifully shot, effectively scored, well performed, and highly atmospheric. However, the key to a successful ghost story is a STORY (as in The Changeling or the first WIB), which WIB2 doesn’t have. While proper atmosphere is very important in a film of this type, it needs more story. The movie did make money, so we’ll see if there’s a WIB3. If there is, I just hope that it’s better. Rated PG-13 for disturbing and frightening images and for thematic material.

Our four movies this month include Orson Welles’ follow-up to Citizen Kane, a contemporary thriller with Anthony Hopkins, the second most popular ballet movie ever made, and a silent movie set in a cheap sideshow. Sunday, February 1:

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) Orson Welles’ follow-up to Citizen Kane traces the rise and fall of a powerful Midwestern family at the start of the 20th century. Drastically re-cut from what Welles intended, it’s still a great movie. The film stars Joseph Cotton and Agnes Moorehead. Directed by Orson Welles. Sunday, February 8:

Fracture

(2007) Anthony Hopkins plays a cat and mouse game with a green, young lawyer (Ryan Gosling), hired to prosecute him for murdering his wife in cold blood. Also in the cast are Rosamunde Pike and David Strathairn. Directed by Gregory Hoblit. Sunday, February 15:

The Turning Point

(1977) The second most popular ballet film (after The Red Shoes) concerns two ballerinas, one (Shirley MacLaine) who became a housewife, the other (Anne Bancroft) an international star. When MacLaine’s teenage daughter joins Bancroft’s company, the friendship/rivalry is renewed. Directed by Herbert Ross. Sunday, February 22:

The Show

(1927) This fascinating silent melodrama takes place in a rundown sideshow and focuses on the interaction between a callous barker (John Gilbert), the performer who loves him (Renee Adoree), and the local hoodlum (Lionel Barrymore) who loves her. Directed by Tod Browning.

Review by Chip Kaufmann

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 27

captivating performances

HOBEY FORD’S GOLDEN ROD PUPPETS PRESENT

KACHINA DAVINE

Animalia

Anything for Love

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Anything for Love will screen Tuesday, February 10.

Bring the family and join in the fun with Animalia, a delightful story based in the magical world of animals.

Award-winning puppeteer Hobey Ford presents a thrilling puppet performance on Saturday, February 28 at 4 p.m. A sing along with Hobey’s wife Sue Ford begins at 3:30 p.m. at the new Rainbow Community Center Auditorium in West Asheville. Hobey Ford has received numerous awards for There will be a generous raffle of his brilliant and priceless contributions to the family fun items, gift certificates and world of puppetry. other wonderful goodies. All proceeds go toward improvements for the Rainbow Community Center and making the of his Golden Rod Puppets as well as auditorium available to non-profit organizathe beautiful sets that surround them. A tions in Asheville. resident of Asheville, Hobey also draws Rainbow Community School is a on his early experiences growing up private, independent and alternative educain coastal Connecticut and living in a tional program for preschool through middle Nevada Native American community school-aged children that draws from the best in writing the scripts for some of his in current educational thinking and holistic performances. models of child development. The school’s Ford first created the Golden Rod progressive program supports the development Puppets in 1980 and often adapts folk of the whole child in seven domains: mental, tales and global cultural traditions for his spiritual, emotional, moral/social, physical, performances. Ford is quick to credit his natural, and creative. To ensure learning is audiences for completing the creative a lifelong process, we help children master spark that is ignited with every live peressential learning skills that encourage selfformance. He has brought his amazing directed exploration. talent to family audiences all over the The addition of the Orchard House world for more than two decades. property, the new fantastical playground, and the drive to double the size of the campus, IF gives life to our vision to share Rainbow’s faYOU Animalia, Saturday, February 28. GO Doors open at 3 p.m. Hobey Ford cilities with the West Asheville community as performance at 4 p.m. Rainbow an act of service, and to share our educational Community Center Auditorium, 60 State model with the greater educational commuSt., Asheville. Tickets on sale at Malaprops, nity around the world. at www.rainbowcommunityschool.org, or Hobey Ford designs and constructs all call (828) 258-9264.

Plenty of Parking!

Let Asheville Brewers show you how aﬀordable, enjoyable and delicious homebrewing can be!

Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 11-4

712-B Merrimon Ave • Asheville, NC • (828) 285-0515 .AB. • S’ F • S 

pg. 36

28 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

The Anton’s will also introduce their renamed film society, WNC Film Society and their new venue to the Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Arden and Mills River areas. Former New Orleans resident, Martin Donavan and Kelly Lynch pursue romance in Tom Anton, now resident of Brevard, Anything for Love, a film by Tom and Sandi Anton. wanted to make sure that the unique beauty, history and romance of his beloved city was fully captured in his film, Anything for Love, based on Tom and his wife A secret rendezvous in the and writer, Sandi Russell’s, true love story. romantic city of New Orleans. Anything for Love will be screened on Tuesday, February 10 at 7 p.m. at Grace Centre in Asheville. The Anton’s are presenting wise would be laid out, and I’ve tried to keep it Anything for Love to kick off the WNC Film natural feeling because this is a real story.” Society, the result of combining the BreShooting in and around New Orleans vard Film Society and the Asheville Cinema was both a delight and a challenge. Says SchaeSociety. For information on how to join go to fer, “It’s a fun place to shoot because when you www.wncfilmsociety.com wrap you have fun. But it’s not the easiest place to shoot because it’s a noisy place. There are trains, planes, boats with horns, tourists, cars and calliopes on the river... it’s a challenge.” The sound track for the film is authentic New Orleans. “New Orleans music beats to a rhythm unique to the history of the city. Jazz, Blues and Cajun music are at home in New Orleans,” Anton notes. “I hope that audiences will see this movie as someone going after his dreams Tom and Sandi Anton on set. against all odds. The story uncovers family dysfunction, but at its core it’s about two people who Anything for Love, previously entitled At should be together. In relationships, people Last, was filmed entirely on location in New need to have things in common… pursue the Orleans. Anton wanted New Orleans, particusame dreams, have the same values and have larly the French Quarter and Garden District, the same faith in God.” to be its own unique “character” in the film. Russell puts it in her words, “My dream “As a past resident of the French Quarter in for the film is that it feels real… real family life New Orleans, I wanted to make sure that the with all its problems. If it touches people and romance of the most European city in the US they can see themselves in other people who with its gas lanterns and amazing architecture face the same kinds of challenges and probwas fully captured in my film.” Anton boasts, lems… that we’re all connected in this way “And you can’t beat filming in the cemeteries.” and that there’s hope for a happy ending… For his first feature film, Anton was able then I’m happy.” to attract director of photography, Roberto Schaefer, who has worked with several direcView the trailer at www.atlastthemovie.com tors on their first movies. Says Schaefer, “I enjoy giving input on how to arrange, choreoIF graph, and illustrate the shoot. I’m used to that: YOU Anything for Love, Tuesday, February I worked with Mark Forster (Monsters Ball, GO 10 at 7 p.m. at the Grace Centre, 495 Finding Neverland, Kiterunner, Quantum of Cardinal Rd., off 280 just west of the airport. Individual tickets will be available Solace) on his first movie project. Tom Anton for purchase at the night’s screening for $10, and I went over how the production imagestudents $5.

VALENTINE’S DINING GUIDE

Eat, Drink, Love

Valentine’s Dinner Specials

Your Passport to Discovering Excellent Food

Reservations Recommended

Thinking Outside the Heart-Shaped Box

5 UNIQUE VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT IDEAS FROM THE CHOCOLATE FETISH

The tradition of giving a heartshaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day began in 1861 with Richard Cadbury. His first heart-shaped box featured Victorian images of roses and cherubs. If you are ready to break tradition The Chocolate Fetish has a wide variety of non-traditional chocolate gifts, perfect for your sweetheart. Elizabeth Foley, Chocolatier and General Manager of The Chocolate Fetish offered up these creative suggestions. She also mentioned that if you want to uphold the tradition, The Chocolate Fetish has Western North Carolina’s largest selection of heartshaped boxes filled with delicious handmade artisan chocolates.

Chocolate High Heel Shoes

Each chocolate high heel shoe is made by hand using hand-tempered colored chocolates. The edible chocolate shoes come decorated in a variety of seasonally inspired unique patterns. Take your Valentine’s Day celebration to the next level by filling the shoe with chocolate mousse or whipped cream and sprinkling fresh berries on top. What

woman doesn’t love chocolate and shoes?

Chocolate Champagne Bottles

Chocolate Champagne Bottles are a fun way to celebrate! Each champagne bottle is made entirely of The Chocolate Fetish’s custom blends of premium chocolate and is filled with little morsels of Belgian chocolate. Simply smash the champagne bottle on a hard surface then enjoy the decadent chocolates.

Chocolate Bears

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Artisan Crafted Scrumptious Food Made Fresh with Local Ingredients

Introducing Chef Nicolas DeSorbo

Chocolatier Jessica Lied puts the finishing touches on

New this year, our chocosome Valentine’s Day-inspired chocolate shoes. late bears are a super cute way to celebrate. Each bear is hand thumb is to match lighter flavored chocodecorated using colored chocolates and lates with lighter bodied wines and more stands nearly 10” tall. A great Valentine gift intensely flavored chocolates with more for the kids in your life. full bodied wines. Chocolate and Wine Pairing One of my favorite pairings is Instead of a heart-shaped box, how our After Midnight Truffle with a nice about a box of chocolates carefully selected Cabernet. The After Midnight Truffle to pair with your loved one’s favorite is the darkest truffle we offer, blending wine? Not sure where to start? Start with four high cocoa content chocolates and their favorite wine and then find pairings featuring a single origin chocolate from that will compliment that. A good rule of Peru. The strong flavor and subtle bitter notes of this truffle pair well with the strong oaky flavor of a cabernet. More info about wine and chocolate pairing as well as beer and chocolate pairing is available on our website in the ‘chocolate facts’ section.

New Winter Menu New Wine, Beer & Coffee Bar 828.692.6335

pg. 36

Breakfast: Tues-Sat 8:30-10:30 am • Lunch: Everyday 11 am - 3 pm Dinner: Friday & Saturday 5:30 - 8:30 pm

536 N. Main Street • Hendersonville

B&C Winery

NOT YOUR TYPICAL WINE STORE

B&C Winery makes the wines on site and has many varieties (approximately 40) available to taste.

Guests can always sample any wine or purchase a flight of four, and they get to keep the souvenir glass. Truly a unique art form, making wines from the juice and grape skins is what B&C Winery has been doing for several years (formerly operated as Wall Street Wines). Each wine is created in small batches to enhance the flavors. The wine juice and grape skins are outsourced from many different vineyards from around the United States, as well as Italy, Chile, and Argentina. Chris takes the juice and skins and using local mountain spring water, gets crisp and clear varieties of wines that contain low levels of sulfites and preservatives. One favorite is Gracious Sky, a white wine that goes well with barbeque chicken or a salmon dinner. Another great wine is The Big Bear a red wine

that is great with a T-bone steak or even pizza. For dessert we suggest Springs in the Air (white) or Blue Notes (red). Either pair Blue Notes pairs well well with a piece with desserts. of cheesecake or chocolate cake. With a great variety of 40 different styles of wines, you are sure to find your favorite blend.

B&C Winery 145 Wall Street, Waynesville Go down the steps from Main Street and down the hallway – watch for the signs. (828) 550-3610

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be complete without a classic chocolate covered strawberry. Best eaten on the same day that they are made, the berries will be dipped throughout the day, ensuring you get the freshest ones possible. Consider purchasing a platter of chocolate covered strawberries for your beloved, for your co-workers, or for a group of friends to share. Strawberries are also available decorated to look like they are wearing tuxedos. The sweetness of strawberries pairs well with Champagne for the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulgence. We strongly encourage ordering ahead as we often sell out!

B&C Winery

The Chocolate Fetish

Locally Crafted Wines

36 Haywood Street, downtown Asheville (828) 258-2353 www.chocolatefetish.com

828.550.3610

145 Wall Street pg. 38

Downtown Waynesville

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 29

VALENTINE’S DINING GUIDE

Advertise in Our Dining Guide ~ Free Web Links ~ Free Ad Design

Eat, Drink, Love

Biltmore Park Town Square, the planned community off Exit 37 on I-26 in South Asheville, has slowly come to life.

It is now officially booming. On this mid-January night it was still glowing with the festive winter lights of the holidays making the visit extra special. Our destination was BT’s Burgerjoint, located just steps away from the movie theater. If nostalgia has you yearning for a trip back to a 1950s burger joint for that magical all-American combo of a burger, French fries and a milkshake than wait no more. BT’s Burgerjoint may look like 2015, but the taste is undeniably the fresh and flavorful food of yesteryear. But unlike the good-ol’-days, this burger joint offers the creative additions of the New American palate, with all the choices we’ve come to expect (and if you have diet restrictions you’ve come to depend on). There’s also a huge beer selection that won’t disappoint the locals or our visitors. Walk in and discover the style of ¾ service. Order at the counter, pay and they bring your order to your table. The service is outstanding and attentive. They know the importance of weekday quick lunch service, but take your time and relax for dinner. All while enjoying the high quality of real and delicious food, cooked to order. BT’s Burgerjoint offers grain-fed and grass-fed beef that comes in fresh, never frozen, every other day. The burgers are 7 oz. and cost about $6 to $8. It’s so simple, but you’re going to love the choices! 9 cheeses, 9 sauces, and a dozen toppings – the combinations are endless to get you to that soul-satisfying burger. And if burgers aren’t your thing, they have chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers and hot dogs. For the vegetarian, there’s a garden burger, or ask for the new black bean burger, available by request. Go for the Black Bean burger with sweet potato fries, we did. These fries come with a house made honey butter

SUSAN DEVITT

sauce that really works. For the buns, choose white, whole wheat, pretzel bread or gluten free. Yes, pretzel bread. They have a Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger with honey mustard. I’m pretty sure you haven’t had that one yet…it was BT’s Burgerjoint uses grain-fed smoky, sweet and grass-fed beef. and scrumptious. Another If burgers aren’t your thing, favorite burger is the Carothey also have chicken lina Burger sandwiches, turkey burgers, with cheese, and hot dogs. mustard, chili and slaw – all those Carolina flavors on one juicy burger. We tried several sides including sliced and made fresh French fries, but our favorite was the fried pickles. My husband doesn’t even care for pickles, but we both loved them! BT’s is a family spot so bring the kids. Under 10 year olds have their own menu with lots of choices and each comes with drink, side and dessert. All for around $5, that’s a great deal. On the drink side BT’s carries about 50 beers of which 8 are on rotating taps. About half the beers are local. They also carry Sutter Home wines. continued on page 39

pg. 38

pg. 20

pg. 36

a Culinary Gi Shop 8 Town Square Blvd. Asheville, NC 28803 828-676-1678

asheville.oilandvinegarusa.com 30 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Your Passport to Discovering Excellent Food

BT’s Burgerjoint

Call now for a great deal! (828) 646-0071

Eat, Drink, Love

Your Passport to Discovering Excellent Food

Live Music, Wine Tastings, Valentine’s Dinner & Live Jazz

The Classic Wineseller, Waynesville’s premier retail shop, small plate restaurant, and intimate live music venue, presents local, regional, or national talent on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The on-premises restaurant serves small plate and tapas-style fare from 4-9 p.m. each Friday and Saturday. Reservations are taken anytime by calling (828) 452-6000. Seating is guaranteed until 7 p.m. on non-ticketed evenings, after that, seating is based on a first come, first served basis.

KAY MILLER

GREAT FOOD! GREAT BEER! GREAT SERVICE! ANYWAY YOU LIKE IT! pg. 36

33 Town Square Boulevard, Asheville • 828.651.8481

Angela Easterling

WINE TASTINGS

Eclectic Homemade Cuisine Mon - Fri 11:30am - 2am Sat & Sun 10:30am - 2am Kitchen open until 1am Daily

Jesse Junior and Mike Holstein Photo by Frank Zipperer

$15 per person plus gratuity. Call for reservations at (828) 452-6000.

Junior (vocals), Michael Jefry Stevens (piano), Mike Holstein Dulci Ellenberger (bass), and Justin Watt (drums). Tuesday, February 3 - Five Photo by No Alarms Studio Tickets are $45 per person. Seating is limited and reservations can Zinfandels from Oak Ridge be made by calling (828) 452-6000. Winery.

Thursday, February 26 - Cabernet Sauvignons from five California appellations. Friday, February 6 at 7 p.m. The Classic

Wineseller welcomes The Moon and You, a duo comprised of cellist Melissa Hyman from New York, and finger style guitarist Ryan Furstenberg from Eastern North Carolina.

Saturday, February 7 at 7 p.m. Joe Cruz

(piano, vocals) performs the music of the Beatles, Elton John, and James Taylor. Cruz has toured internationally and opened for Chicago, Bonnie Raitt, and Santana.

Friday, February 13 at 7 p.m. Singer-

songwriter Angela Easterling (guitar, vocals). Her debut album, Earning Her Wings was chosen as Americana Pick of the Year by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, BlackTop Road, stayed on the Americana Top 40 chart for seven weeks. Easterling’s 5th album is due for release this year.

VALENTINE’S DINNER + JAZZ Saturday, February 14 at 7 p.m. Enjoy a delicious four-course Valentine’s dinner and an evening of jazz standards by the Jesse Junior Quartet, featuring Jesse Earl

Friday, February 20 at 7 p.m. The Clas-

sic Wineseller welcomes Mike Pilgrim (mandolin), Don Mercz (guitar), and Drew Kirkpatrick (guitar) for a Gypsy jazz tribute. Mike Pilgrim and Don Mercz have been playing music together for more than 30 years and share an affinity with Kirkpatrick for passionate and exhilaratingly up-tempo Gypsy jazz music.

Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m. Dulci Ellenberger (guitar, vocals, melodica) will perform Americana, oldies, and originals. Ms. Ellenberger performs regularly with Asheville-based Sweet Claudette, and the soul-inspired rock band Holy Ghost Tent Revival.

777 Haywood Road, Asheville

Bar & Grill · Pool & Billiards

pg. 36

(828) 225-9782

www.westvillepub.com

pg. 36

Saturday, February 21 and 28 at 7 p.m. Joe Cruz will be back at the Steinway piano singing and playing the hits of the Beatles, James Taylor, and Elton John.

Visit www.classicwineseller.com for additional information about wine dinners, tastings, and weekly live music events.

The Classic Wineseller 20 Church Street in Waynesville 828-452-6000 www.classicwineseller.com

Monday-Friday only. One coupon per check. Pizza of least value is free. Not valid with other coupons or discounts. Asheville location only. Expires 2/27/2015.

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 31

VALENTINE’S DINING GUIDE

O’Charley’s

Eat, Drink, Love

Your Passport to Discovering Excellent Food BY

SUSAN DEVITT

look through the menu. O’Charley’s house special is slow-roasted prime rib (served Neither did I, but they do and it’s Friday thru Sunday only, because PIE! Yes, pie. They specialize in pie, of the s-l-o-w roasting), and it’s so when you go, you don’t just save going to be very popular this coming room for dessert, but you save room for Valentine’s Day, which falls on a their amazing selection of pies. They Saturday. It pairs with two sides and have rotating seasonal specials and an a starter. Save room for pie. Since it array of standards (that are anything but wasn’t a weekend night Tom had a standard). We tried the peach pie and the combo of sirloin steak and the Baby chocolate silk. You know what they say: Back Ribs, hand rubbed and tender‘Life is short, eat dessert first.’ Well, we off-the-bone delicious. did have our pie at the end of the meal, I love the sound of Honey but I’ve always liked that saying. Drizzled Southern-Fried Chicken We arrived at O’Charley’s on a with mashed potatoes, don’t you? weekday evening about 7 and it was And the home-style chicken potpie O’Charley’s house special is slow-roasted hopping. I immediately liked the with white meat and veggies rings prime rib, served Friday thru Sunday. warmth of the room, with curved brick southern yum too. archways, cubbies for cozy seating, and But I decided to go with the a happy staff. We sat across from the Cedar Plank cooked Atlantic salmon. At nine If this all sounds like a long lazy bar, which happens to be a full bar that ounces it was on the large side, so I brought family meal at Grandma’s house, can create about anything you’d ask for, some home. It was perfectly cooked and you’re right, but there are plenty of down to the bitters. Or if it’s beer you’re flavorful. The cedar added a new taste twist. It salads and daily soups to choose from after they have eight taps, local beers and came with two sides and I chose the asparagus, as well. The poblano chowder popped a big selection. again cooked pitch-perfect, and the hush pupout as a new soup I’d like to try. They The first O’Charley’s started in pies, which were a little different, but the best also have a lunch menu and a $9.99 Nashville, Tennisee, so it makes sense I’ve ever tried, with a sweet and smoky taste. menu offering nine choice meals any that the food is American I’ll admit the cornmeal day or time. Southern. It makes no breaded and golden-fried If you’re looking for Sunday apologies for the homecatfish with hush puppies, brunch and don’t want to go downcookin’ menu of steaks, Southern coleslaw, seasoned town, try O’Charley’s from 10 a.m. to seafood and chicken, lots fries and tarter sauce did 3 p.m. There’s everything you’d like to of sides, starters to share, tempt me, but it’s January see on a brunch menu, plus the unexand, yeah…pies. and I wanted to be good…. pected like chicken and waffles. And Every meal starts up until the pie. if you’d like a mid-day cocktail there’s with a basket of their faI don’t think you can the Southern Bacon Bloody Mary, a mous yeast rolls. Nearly say you’re Southern if you Moonshine Mary or classic Mimosa. as light as cotton candy, don’t have a signature Mac We could see why O’Charley’s a basket of melt-in-yourand Cheese. O’Charley’s is a popular spot, even as it’s a bit mouth dinner rolls with has theirs; it’s a bacon mac out of site up on the hill off Tunnel whipped butter will make and cheese. Double southRoad. It’s a casual or date night spot, you happy while you ern hitter! great for families, kids, celebrations Save room for pie! and friends. It has a good feel inside, the service is impeccable, the staff is happy and it shows. Give it a try. And don’t forget the pie!

Did you know that O’Charley’s has its very own niche?

•

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www.classicwineseller.com Paid in part by Haywood County Tourism pg. 38

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DINING OUT FOR LIFE We need your help. Rapid River Magazine, along with our generous advertisers, are committed to helping the Western North Carolina Aids Project raise awareness and find a cure for HIV/AIDS. You can help by making a donation and dining at a participating restaurant on Thursday, April 30, 2015. By dining out, 20% of your dining total will be donated to WNCAP. Committed Supporters

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Arts&Culture

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Specialt y Pizzas • Spring Water Dough • Salads Vegan Soy Cheese, and other Vege tarian Options!

32 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Delicious Hoagies & Pretzels Fresh-Baked Calzones Wireless Internet Access!

O’Charley’s 2 Kenilworth Knolls, Asheville (828) 281-0540 Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Susan Devitt is coowner of BelloLea Artisan Kitchen, which makes delicious, fun Pizza Kits. She and husband Tom are confessed foodies. Contact her at SusanBelloLea@gmail.com

artful living

Concentration and Mindfulness “Concentration is often called one-pointedness of mind… It can be developed by force, by sheer unremitting willpower… Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a delicate function leading to refined sensibilities. These two are partners in the job of meditation. Mindfulness is the sensitive one... Concentration provides the power... Mindfulness… notices when the attention has gone astray. Concentration does the actual work of holding the attention steady… If either of these partners is weak, your meditation goes astray.”

~ Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

When learning Buddhist meditation we must begin with concentration. Buddhist meditation is the training of the mind into subtler, deeper, more stable and insightful states of consciousness, and this training can be viewed as therapeutic or rehabilitative, for our culture does a very poor job of training young people to have calm and focused minds. We overload them with stimulation and anxieties about their status in the world, causing minds that are easily distracted, that tend toward compulsive selfabsorption and are too easily indoctrinated into acceptance of attitudes and ways of seeing the world that are conventional and far short of their true potential. As with issues of personality neuroses and disorders, our culture has a very low bar for what is considered “normal” when it comes to mental focus and discernment. Attention-deficit disorder is epidemic and what constitutes a diagnosable level is just the tip of the iceberg. We simply do not know how to concentrate our consciousness in ways that can lead to the world revealing itself in its full subtlety, variety, interconnectedness and wonder, and it is the purpose of Buddhist meditation training

to realize these capacities. In our training, we must begin with concentration. All more refined levels of meditation are dependent on cultivation of the ability to hold consciousness steady, to not flit from one thought, emotion, and sensation to the next. And to develop our capacity for concentration, we must have what is called an “object of meditation,” something to concentrate on. In the Zen, Vipassana and Shamatha styles of Buddhist meditation, the principle object of meditation for the training of concentration is one’s own breathing. As Gunaratana pointed out, this level of meditation training is work – it requires effort. We begin by taking a posture that supports alert relaxation and good dynamics of breathing. We then place our attention on the sensations of breathing, the gentle rise and fall of the chest and diaphragm, the sensation of the breeze of air across our nostrils. We attempt to hold our concentration on these sensations, and when concentration wanders, we notice that it has wandered and replace attention back on the sensations of breathing.

BILL WALZ

It may sound easy, but to sustain it successfully is very challenging. It requires the willpower to which Gunaratana refers. Encouragingly, however, there is almost immediate benefit for most people. Using the breath as the object of meditation is really quite ingenious because conscious breathing readily brings with it calming of the mind and body along with enhancement of sensory experience. Usually, a sense of balanced presence and clarity also will occur as the rhythm of the breathing and the access to the parasympathetic nervous system that comes with conscious breathing creates these results naturally. The experience can be a reminder of what real sanity feels like. With a little practice, most people can fairly readily learn to hold awareness on the breathing for a noticeable, if brief, period. The mind’s long established habit of wandering off into thought or sensory distraction, thereby disrupting concentration on breathing, will occur readily and frequently, and this can be a discouragement for people who are not being instructed that the noticing of this phenomenon is a very important development in their training. It is opening the door to mindfulness, to the noticing mind of wisdom and discernment. It is very important to realize that this distractibility had been happening regularly

before we began our meditation training, but had never really been noticed, and that the noticing is important progress. The very noticing of this distractibility is a new insight, and so too, our now flowering capacity to hold attention on and notice our quiet mind while also holding attention on the breathing is a new insight. We are learning to expand concentrated awareness in a stable field that can hold seemingly separate phenomena in perceived unity. We are developing what is called shamatha, a mind that can “peacefully abide” in the present moment with increasingly less distractibility. We are also at the doorstep of Vipassana: insight, wisdom and increasing clarity. As the power of our concentration stabilizes, we begin to notice that the field of our present-moment awareness can expand to the field of the sensations of our entire body and its perception of the environment without losing any focus on the central object of the breathing. We begin to notice that the field of our present-moment awareness can expand to include activity of the mind without being distracted from the sensations of breathing and body/environment. We begin to notice that we continued on page 36

Immunizations – Not Just for Children

The most potent killer of humans for a long time has been infectious disease – viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

These invaders from the outside world infiltrate various parts of the human body, replicate themselves, and by multiplication and by the toxins they produce, overwhelm the body’s defense mechanisms. One of the great medical advances of the past 150 years is vaccination. Vaccination works by exposing the body’s immune system to an inactivated germ or a part of the protein from the germ. The immune system creates antibodies in large quantity to fight the infection, should it appear. Furthermore, the immune system now has a “memory” of that first exposure and can react vigorously should the disease appear in the future. Children today have an excellent chance of surviving to adulthood because of the control of infectious disease partly through the use

MAX HAMMONDS, MD

of vaccinations. Unfortunately, no parents of young children today remember the devastation of the Flu Epidemic of 1918 or the death and disability caused by diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, and polio in the first half of the 20th Century. So why should adults get immunizations? Unfortunately, this immune system “memory” ability fades with time. Therefore, adults need to be immunized to “boost” their immune system “memory”. Why? First, childhood diseases in adults can have some nasty consequences that children don’t have. The recent mumps in hockey players had a high risk of orchiitis and infertility. Second, the fewer people in a population that have immunity, the easier it is to continue to pass on an infection. At least 70% of all people

in a population need to keep their immunity high – known has herd immunity – to keep an infectious disease from spreading rapidly. Third, adults who catch childhood diseases may not have devastating consequences. But they can pass the disease on to a child who will. Adults who contract whooping cough (pertussis) may cough for a few weeks. An infant has a high likelihood of being hospitalized and dying. Fourth, severe consequences of childhood illness can appear in adulthood, such as shingles (from the chicken pox virus) or post-polio syndrome (from the polio virus). You don’t want these consequences. Check the CDC web-site for some excellent information on adult vaccinations at www.cdc.gov/vaccines. Armed with this information, talk with your doctor about your vaccinations. Protect your neighbor against the infectious disease you might unknowingly transmit. It’s the neighborly thing to do.

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 33

Avenue, Asheville. (828) 232-5800. www.thegreyeagle.com

Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice & Sustainability

Saturday, February 7

Seeing into the Sacredness of Intuition

With psychic/medium MariJo Moore. One day workshop. 10-5 p.m. at Comfort Inn Suites, Biltmore Room, downtown Asheville. $105 per person. To register and for more information visit www.marijomoore.com

Sunday, February 8

Thursday, February 5

Home-Grown Revolution

Selma to Montgomery 1965

Opening reception for an exhibition of photographs by James Barker. Includes talk by photographer. 5:30-7 p.m. In UNC Asheville’s Karpen Hall lobby. On display February 2-27. Free. Info: dmiles@unca.edu or (828) 232-5024

Saturday, February 6

Zach Deputy and Dean Ween Group

Two amazing artists debut at The Grey Eagle. Zach Deputy’s one-man show of “Island-infused, Drum ‘n’ Bass, Gospel-Ninja-Soul” has the energy and sound of a six-piece band. The Dean Ween Group, self described as a “vicious brand of rock n’ roll,” presents an enthusiastic, raucous rock show like from when you were a kid. All ages, 8 p.m. The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman

How to place an event/ classified listing with Rapid River Art Magazine Any “free” event open to the public can be listed at no charge up to 30 words. For all other events there is a $14.95 charge up to 35 words and 12 cents for each additional word. 65 word limit per event. Sponsored listings (shown in boxes) can be purchased for $18 per column inch. Deadline is the 19th of each month. Payment must be made prior to printing. Send to: 85 N. Main St, Canton, NC 28716; call (828) 646-0071; or email ads@rapidrivermagazine.com to place your ad. – Disclaimer – Due to the overwhelming number of local event submissions we get for our “What to Do Guide” each month, we can not accept entries that do not specifically follow our publication’s format. Non-paid event listings must be 30 words or less, and both paid and non-paid listings must provide information in the following format: date of event, title, description and time, cost, location, and your contact info. Please do not type in all caps. Any entries not following this format will not be considered for publication.

How re-imagining your home & yard can transPeter Bane form the world. A day-long workshop with author and permaculturalist Peter Bane. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the French Broad Food Coop, 90 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville. Cost is $70. www.organicgrowersschool.org.

Business of Farming Conference

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project hosts the annual conference from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Center. The event focuses on the business and marketing side of farming. Learning and networking opportunities for regional farmers. Tickets are $75. Register at www. asapconnections.org/conference.

Thursday, February 12

An Evening of the Arts

Performances by: Flat Rock Playhouse, pianist Dr. Kevin Ayesh, a brass quintet, the Blue Ridge Community College music department, an Art of Jazz concert, and more! Contributions from: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, The Green Room Cafe & Coffeehouse, Hannah Flanagan’s Pub, The Italian Cookie Lady, Kilwin’s, Outback Steakhouse, Panera Bread, Southern Appalachian Brewery. 5:30 - 8 p.m. Blue Ridge Community College Conference Hall, 180 W. Campus Drive, Flat Rock. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Inclement weather date: Tuesday, February 17. Visit the Hendersonville Chamber at 204 Kanuga Road, or call (828) 692-1413 to purchase tickets.

Friday, February 13 Anti-Slavery, Women’s Rights, and Economic Justice. Lecture by Sarah Judson, associate professor of history and Africana studies. 11:25 a.m. in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Free and open to the public. Info: humanities.unca.edu or (828) 251-6808.

Asheville Symphony Orchestra Music Director Daniel Meyer discusses the symphony’s next concert. 3 p.m. in the Reuter Center. Free. (828) 251-6140, www.olliasheville.com.

Jonas Gerard Painting Performance 2 p.m. at Jonas Gerard at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman St. in Asheville’s River Arts District. For more information, visit www.jonasgerard.com

Sunday, February 15

Inside the Music

Lecture by Melodie Galloway, artistic director of Asheville Choral Society, chair and associate professor of music at UNC Asheville. An inside look into the choral performance, a sneak peek at upcoming ACS season with a featureed vocalist. 3 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Info: (828) 251-6140 or olliasheville.com.

Sunday, February 15

Dart for a Heart

Benefit for Jadyn Cash who is 5 years old. Jadyn’s six year old brother died suddenly a few months ago. Jadyn was born with the same heart condition that took her brother’s life. Learn more at www.facebook. com/heART4Jadyn. Donations may be made to Wells Fargo Bank in care of A Heart for Jadyn. The 2nd annual Dart for a heart event takes place at The Art House, 5 Highland Park Rd., E. Flat Rock. Details at (828) 595-9500, or www.arthousegalleryandstudio.com

Monday, February 16

Projecting the Urban

Humanists and Designers in Collaboration, with Dana Cuff, founding director of cityLAB, a research center that explores the challenges facing the 21st century metropolis through design and research. 6 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Karpen Hall, Laurel Forum. Free and open to the public. Info: smills@ unca.edu or (828) 251-6296.

Thursday, February 19

Geneology, Genetics and African American History

A rare chance to hear Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of America’s most prominent intellectuals and an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, in person. 7 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Free and open to the public. (828) 258-7277, cesap.unca.edu.

insightful songs, woven with warmhearted, meaningful stories and an abundance of laughter. 8 p.m. Tickets are $35; $25 for students and children under 12. Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville. (828) 257-4530, www.dwtheatre.com.

Symphony Talk

Saturday, February 14

™

Friday, February 13

Saturday, February 14

The Contagion of Freedom

what to do guide

Every Thursday February 5 - March 19 Join us to address the connections between three of society’s most pressing challenges, and become equipped to promote peace, justice, and sustainability within our community. 6-7:30 p.m. Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, 1 Page Avenue in the Grove Arcade, downtown Asheville. For more details and to register, visit www.mountaintrue.org.

February 26 - March 1 Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba

Thursday, February 19

3rd Annual Soumu

All encompassing party featuring music, dance, food, and art. Music by Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba. Dinner served at 6 p.m. $12 in advance/$15 at the door. Children under 12 are half price. Children under 5 free. Tickets on sale at www.ashevillesoumu.com. Held at New Mountain, 38 N. French Broad Avenue, Asheville. (828) 785-1701, www.newmountainavl.com

Qtopia

An original dramatic performance presented by TheatreUNCA in partnership with Youth OUTright. February 26, 27, 28 at 7:30 p.m. February 27 at 10:30 p.m. March 1 at 2 p.m. $12 general admission. For tickets and more information call (828) 251-6610 or visit drama.unca.edu.

Friday, February 20

History of Slavery in Asheville

Lecture by Deborah Miles, director of UNC Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education. 9:30 a.m. in UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Free. (828) 251-6140, www.olliasheville.com.

Friday, February 20

Opera Talks at OLLI

Asheville Lyric Opera Director David Craig Starkey and a cast of industry professionals guide you through their operatic world. 3 p.m. at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Free. (828) 251-6140, www.olliasheville.com.

Friday, February 20

Asheville Hooper’s Ball

Featuring Asheville Hoops Troupe and Friends at 8 p.m. Geo starts the dance party at 9 p.m. DJ Cosmo Q from 10 p.m. - midnight! $12 adv.; $15 at the door. Tickets available at www.cosmichooper.com. Toy Boat Community Arts Space, 101 Fairview Rd., Asheville.

Saturday, February 21

Asheville Dance Party Co-Op

10 p.m. third Saturdays at New Mountain Asheville. The collective vision for this monthly series is to create a space for more dancer/performer driven events. Space for dancers, flow artists, acrobats, aerialists, etc., bringing the attention back to movement and each other. $3 before 11 p.m.; $5 after. Free for performers. New Mountain Asheville, 38 N. French Broad Ave. (828) 785-1701, www.newmountainavl.com

Saturday February 21

The Three David’s in Concert

Award-winning songwriters and entertainers, David Holt, David Wilcox, and David LaMotte present an evening of

Solas

Friday, February 27

Solas

Celtic-Americana-folk-country barely hints at the seamless mix, the elegant melodies, and the masterful musicianship of Solas. NPR’s The Thistle and Shamrock says Solas is “Irish America’s most influential band.” 8 p.m. Diana Wortham Theatre. Tickets: $30; Students $25; Children 12 and under $15; Student Rush day-of-show with valid I.D. $10. Tickets/Info: (828) 257-4530 or www.dwtheatre.com.

Friday & Saturday, February 27 & 28

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Hailed as the most important narrative of its time depicting the life of a female slave, Harriet Jacobs’ true story is brilliantly dramatized by star of stage and screen, Cherita Armstrong. 8 p.m. in The Forum at Diana Wortham Theatre. Tickets: $28; Students $23; Children 12 and under $15; Student Rush day-of-show with valid I.D. $10. Tickets/Info: (828) 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.com

Saturday, February 28

The Apache Relay

The band’s single, “Katie Queen of Tennessee” has been labeled by NPR Music’s Bob Boilen as one of the catchiest tunes of the year. Michael Ford Jr. (vocals), Mike Harris (guitar, vocals), Brett Moore (keys, guitar, mandolin), Kellen Wenrich (fiddle, keys), Ben Ford (guitar, vocals) and Stephen Smith (drums). The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. (828) 232-5800, www.thegreyeagle.com

FEBRUARY EVENTS ~ ANNOUNCEMENTS ~ OPENINGS ~ SALES 34 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

Sunday, March 1

4th Annual Asheville Wing War

The competition is part of the Asheville Food Fights annual series of competitive food events. Begins at 4 p.m. The wings will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges in a blind taste test in two categories: specialty, and traditional buffalo style. Attendees will also have the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award. $20 per person includes unlimited wings and beer, as well local music. $25 at the door; $12 for children under 18. New Mountain Asheville, 38 N. French Broad Avenue, Asheville. www. ashevillewingwar.com

what to do guide

Best in Show

by Phil Juliano

The Strand Theater

February 6-18 – Gone Girl. R, 2 hrs. 29 min. Mystery/Thriller.

Callie & Cats

by Amy Downs

WINTER MOVIE SHOW TIMES Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7 p.m. Saturday 5 p.m.; Sunday 2 & 4 p.m. Free kids movie Saturdays at 12 noon and 2 p.m.

LOVE THE LOCALS SPECIAL Buy one movie ticket, get one free.

LIVE MUSIC Corgi Tales

by Phil Hawkins

The town of Dillsboro will host the inaugural Front Street Arts & Crafts Show on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The town has also planned an Arts & Crafts Market to take place every third Saturday – vendors are encouraged to attend for a small fee. Apply for these shows by downloading an application from www. visitdillsboro.org. For details, call Connie Hogan at (954) 707-2004.

Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. The Friendly Beasts, acoustic Christian pop. $5 Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. Darren Nicholson Band, bluegrass. $12 in adv.; $15 day of show. Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. The Don Juans. $18 in adv.; $20 day of show. Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Linda McRae. $18 in adv.; $20 day of show. Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Pat Donohue. $18 in adv.; $20 day of show.

Live Music Every Friday and Saturday

at the Classic Wineseller

Dragin

by Michael Cole

The Strand Theater 38 North Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786 www.38main.com

Arrowhead Artists and Artisan League

The Writers’ Workshop Saturday, February 7 – Writing for Magazines, Journals & Newspapers with Jodi Helmer. Learn how to develop ideas for articles and how to turn life experiences into essays for national magazines, newspapers and literary journals. Meets 10-4 pm. $75/$70 members. Saturday, February 21 – Short Fiction Workshop with Richard Krawiec. This writing-intensive class will explore writing sequenced action, effective dialogue, how to organize and integrate description and theme, and revision techniques. Meets 10-4 pm. $75/$70 members. Classes held at 387 Beaucatcher Rd., Asheville. Register by calling (828) 2548111, or visit www.twwoa.org

Sunday, February 1 at 6 p.m. – Superbowl Party. Come watch the game on the really big screen. Free admission, beer specials and snacks.

Two husband and wife teams combine to present a stunning program of intimate music. Performers include Jason Posnock, violin; Dilshad Posnock, flute; Alistair MacRae, cello and Allison Pohl MacRae, soprano. Tickets are $20, available at the door on the day of performance. 3 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, Fifth Avenue and White Pine in Hendersonville.

Restaurant serves small plate and tapas starting at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Live music at 7 p.m. 20 Church Street, Waynesville. Details (828) 4526000, www.classicwineseller.com.

Now through February 4 – Boxtrolls. PG, 1 hr. 40 min. Stop-motion animated comedy.

Jason Posnock and Friends

Front Street Arts & Crafts Show

™

Sunday, March 8

Call for Vendors

Every Sunday, 2-4 p.m. For those interested in painting, drawing, pastels, or other media. Materials provided free of charge for the first two sessions. To continue, join the league for $25 per year. At the Arrowhead Gallery & Studios, 78 Catawba Ave., in Old Fort. Contact Helen Sullivan at helensullivan@wildblue.net.

Ratchet and Spin

by Jessica and Russ Woods

Medical Guardian

Top-rated medical alarm and 24/7 medical alert monitoring. For a limited time, get free equipment, no activation fees, no commitment, a 2nd waterproof alert button for free and more – only $29.95 per month. 1-800-892-4631.

Safe Step Walk-In Tub

Alert for seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic jets. Less than 4 inch step-in. Wide door. Anti-slip floors. American made. Installation included. Call 800-886-8956 for $750 off.

CLASSES ~ AUDITIONS ~ ARTS & CRAFTS ~ READINGS Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 35

Find It Here

Interactive Maps are on our website! www.RapidRiverMagazine.com/maps Asheville Brewers Supply www.AshevilleBrewers.com

Kirk’s Collectables (770) 757-6814

Asheville Gallery of Art www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com

Malaprops Bookstore/Cafe www.malaprops.com

Asheville Locksmith Now www.AshevilleLocksmithNow.com

Mellow Mushroom (828) 236-9800

Asheville Symphony Orchestra www.ashevillesymphony.org B & C Winery (828) 550-3610

Mountain Area Information Network main.nc.us Mountain Made www.MtnMade.com

BlackBird Frame & Art www.blackbirdframe.com

Mountain Top Appliance www.mountainviewappliance.com

Black Box Photography www.blackboxphoto.info www.doteditions.com

Linda Neff, NCBTMB lneff68@yahoo.com

Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce www.exploreblackmountain.com Bogart’s Restaurant www.bogartswaynesville.com

Norbury Books www.facebook.com/norburybooks O’Charley’s www.ocharleys.com

Brixx Pizza, www.brixxpizza.com

Octopus Garden www.theOG.us

BT’s Burgerjoint www.btsburgerjoint.com

Oil & Vinegar Asheville asheville.oilandvinegarusa.com

Cafe 64 www.cafe-64.com

On Demand Printing www.ondemandink.com

The Chocolate Fetish www.chocolatefetish.com

The Pink House www.facebook.com/ ThePinkHouseAsheville

Cheryl Keefer www.CherylKeefer.com

Points of Light www.pointsoflight.net

Classic Wineseller www.classicwineseller.com Double Exposure Giclee www.doubleexposureart.com Faison O’Neil Gallery www.faisononeilgallery.com Frugal Framer www.frugalframer.com Gallery of the Mountains galleryofthemountains.blogspot.com The Green Room Café www.thegreenroomcafe.biz

Southern Highland Craft Guild www.craftguild.org

On Wednesday, February 18, Ebb and Flow Massage Therapy Center will host an Open House. Ebb and Flow Massage Therapy Center is a communityminded, locally-owned practice centered on providing highquality therapeutic massage. Owned and operated by licensed massage therapists Lauren Loiacono and Adam Caddick, Ebb and Flow will offer affordable massage in a warm and welcoming, beautifully-appointed space with six treatment rooms and a variety of therapists to choose from. Among the amenities offered is a comfy tea room for post-massage relaxation where clients can enjoy a selection of teas and other beverages. Prices range between $65 for a 60-minute massage to $120 for a two-hour massage, with many options in between. To better serve families, Ebb and Flow’s innovative approach includes free, on-site child care by caring, CPR-certified professionals for the duration of the client’s massage and postmassage relaxation time. Their dedication to community is also

MERRIMON AVE.

NORTH ASHEVILLE NF

GROVE PARK INN ML

Twigs and Leaves Gallery www.twigsandleaves.com

HART Theater www.harttheatre.com

Visions of Creation www.visionsofcreation.com

Hearn’s Bicycle (828) 253-4800 Heart & Soul www.thesingingtelegram.com

Westville Pub www.westvillepub.com

PATTON AVE.

BILTMORE VILLAGE

WEST ASHEVILLE

TUNNEL ROAD HENDERSONVILLE RD.

BT HF

RIVERSIDE DRIVE

WNC OVERVIEW

GET ON THE MAP, CALL

(828) 646-0071 RC A

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New West Asheville Massage Therapy Center

Susan Marie Designs www.susanmariedesigns.com

The Three Davids www.dwtheatre.com

artful living

Starving Artist www.StarvingArtistCatalog.com

Town Hardware & General Store www.townhardware.com

36 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

reflected in the living wage they will pay their staff. Adam and Lauren believe that by offering affordable massage with quality childcare in a peaceful and pleasant environment, Ebb & Flow Massage Therapy Center will be a valuable asset to the health and well-being of the Asheville community. The public is invited to attend a wine and cheese reception to celebrate the opening of their new business. The open house will offer tours of the spacious, newly re-modeled facilities, free chair massage, and a prize drawing for a free 60-minute massage.

IF YOU GO: Open House, Wednesday, February 18 from 5-8 p.m. Ebb & Flow Massage Therapy Center, 947 Haywood Road, West Asheville. (828) 552-3003, www.ebbandflowavl.com

‘Concentration and Mindfulness’ cont’d from pg. 31

are noticing, to have awareness of awareness. Perhaps the insight even arises that most fundamentally we are awareness that notices we have a body and we have a mind that function in particular ways in a society and among people that function in particular ways. This awareness of awareness and how our body, mind and the environment occur in and are all connected within awareness is mindfulness, and its application and benefit are virtually boundless, for we begin to realize the quiet mind of awareness is the actual The quiet mind of source of intelligence, awareness is the actual wisdom and discernment. source of intelligence, Again, it must wisdom and discernment. be emphasized, developing our capacity for concentration is essential to this opening of the door of mindfulness, of opening the door to noticing with increasingly sensitive, subtle and discerning skill the marvel and beauty and mystery of Life. We then, as Gunaratana noted, must continue our practice in balancing these two mental capacities of concentration and mindfulness hand-in-hand. The benefits of this work grow and grow as our sense of mental balance and even the spiritual realization of our connection to our fellow beings in this unbroken field of awareness grows and grows. Now, with practice, we can sit, walk, work, play, and relate in ways that will ultimately reveal the great realization of Buddhist meditation: that there really is no separate “me” that suffers from the insecurities of our cultural training in materialism and competition. We begin to accomplish glimpses of Samadhi – the sense of oneness, the consciousness of non-duality - in expanding circles, first with individual people, animals, and plant life, perhaps with whole scenes and vistas. Eventually, we can experience this oneness with Life itself, realizing the ultimate in “refined sensibilities.” Do the work of developing concentration power – then balance it with awareness – mindfulness – and the world gently opens. Bill Walz has taught meditation and mindfulness in university and public forums, and is a privatepractice meditation teacher and guide for individuals in mindfulness, personal growth and consciousness. He holds a weekly meditation class, Mondays from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at the Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood in Asheville. By donation. Information on classes, talks, personal growth and healing instruction, or phone consultations at (828) 258-3241, e-mail at healing@billwalz.com. Learn more, see past columns, video and audio programs, and schedule of coming events at www.billwalz.com

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SORE FEET TO MASTER HEALER

The Healing Journey of Linda Neff

It is said that if you want to become a “healer” you must first heal yourself.

A year-long struggle to heal her own severe foot pain spurred Linda Neff of Clyde, NC to become a master healer. Neff, who taught physical education for 30 years in Ohio, just celebrated her one year anniversary practicing reflexology and Reiki in Waynesville at Mountain Spirit Wellness, 254 Depot Street. Before moving to North Carolina, Neff had a thriving 15-year practice in Ohio, incorporating additional healing modalities such as the Bowen Technique, homeopathics, nutrition, herbology, mechanotherapy, mental touch, and aromatherapy. The transition from teaching to healing all started with painful feet. “I suffered through Plantar Fascititis for a year after

Iyengar Slow and Mindful Yoga

One Center Yoga will host a six-week series which offers the beginner or novice the foundation needed to begin your Iyengar yoga practice.

Cindy Dollar will teach a foundational course for anyone interested in yoga basics and alignment. The series is geared towards students seeking a slower paced, mindful practice. Explore stress-free ways to modify yoga poses to suit your body and level. All body types welcome! The class meets from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, February 3 through March 10, 2015. Cost is $60 for the six-week series.

IF YOU GO: One Center Yoga, 120 Coxe Avenue, Suite 3B, in downtown Asheville. To register call (828) 225-1904 or visit www. onecenteryoga.com.

HANNA gOSS

receiving traditional medical care, with very little relief,” Neff said. “Someone suggested I try reflexology and I had Linda Neff, NCBTMB amazing results.” #582633-09 One month after beginning LSH#VAHS1124 twice-a-week reflexology treatments, she was free of foot pain. Neff wanted to know how a simple application of pressure on the feet, hands, and ears could make such a big impact so quickly when nothing else had worked. In 1998 Neff took a 12 month course in reflexology. “It opened me up to an entirely new perspective, not only on healing but also life,” she says. “Reflexology works in a similar manner as acupuncture by causing the brain to release chemicals that lessen pain signals. It can restore energy and create better overall health.” Neff became so fascinated with “energy” work that in addition to reflexology, she studied Reiki, a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Soon, her focus became helping others relieve their pain and learning more ways to heal. Her experience teaching physical education has been an asset to her healing practice, Neff said, as she seems to have an intuitive way of finding aches and pains and releasing them, bringing the body back into balance.

KIRK’S COLLECTIBLES & Custom Framing Valentine’s Gifts for the Man Who Has Almost Everything Your Jersey and Shadowbox Custom Framing Experts

Linda Neff is a member of the North Carolina Reflexology Association, and the Reflexology Association of America. She is a licensed Spiritual Healer, Reiki Master/Teacher, and Bowen Technique Instructor. Contact her at (513) 675-2819, or BlueHawk2.LN@gmail.com. Learn more at her website, www.soul2soulheals.com Hanna Goss is a Spiritual Wellness Coach, and author of Love Your Way Slim.

Healthy, Good Thoughts

I’ve been thinking about movement and inflammation.

KATHLEEN COLBURN

Moving our bodies regularly contributes to our well-being. Certainly. How much is individual. If I miss a few days of stretching I’m uncomfortable sleeping. You can get good exercise right at home for free, if that works for you. I feel best with a mix - some stretching, a few minutes of qi gong and a few minutes of dancing. No cost and no driving! Did you know you can break a sweat to Hawaiian slack key guitar music? Nothing that hurts. And that’s my next point. It makes sense to me that straining or overexerting our bodies creates inflammation, which causes pain and many other ailments. Would you like a healthy approach to reducing inflammation? Try fresh ginger every day. Additionally try curcumin. I suggest a good quality supplement to get a high concentration rather than using turmeric. Research and inform yourself. Kathleen is a whole foods personal chef with more than 30 years of experience. She is Rapid River Magazine’s copyeditor and a freelance editor available for a variety of literary projects. She can be reached by email: rrshortstories@gmail.com. Visit her website: www.aptitudeforwords.com.

Signed and Unsigned Helmets, Footballs, Jerseys, Basketballs, Baseballs and more!

We’ll Beat Any Advertised Price on Custom Framing! Mention this ad to receive 25% OFF our Regular Low Price

140 Airport Road • Arden, NC 1 mile East of I-26, across from IHOP on left, next to Subway pg. 36

1-770-757-6814 emkkom@hotmail.com Mon-Sat 11-8 Sunday 12:30-6

pg. 36

Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 37

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WAYNESVILLE

GALLERY 86 PRESENTS

Local Flavors 2015

In the heart of the Appalachian culture and heritage, a very special event is taking place throughout the month of February, in downtown Waynesville.

WAYNESVILLE

GREAT SMOKY MTN EXPY.

98 N. Main Street, Waynesville

828-456-1940 www.twigsandleaves.com pg. 38

Find us on Facebook!

Live Webcam www.downtownwaynesville.com

Reflexology ~ Reiki ~ Reiki Drumming Bowen Training Instructor ~ Reiki Master / Teacher Reiki re-aligns one with one’s true path, source and spirit.

All Types of Major Appliances Bonded & Insured

One Hour Session: $40

828-456-4989 Fax: 828-456-7021 Mark1462@Att.net

BETINA MORgAN

The ‘Love the Locals’ campaign is an annual opportunity for businesses to show the local residents appreciation for their support throughout the year. Big red hearts, proudly displayed on the doors of participating merchants, will signify some wonderful discounts and sales within. In conjunction with the festivities, the Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86, located in Downtown Waynesville, Folk Art at 86 North Main Street, by Francine Menor is planning it’s 2nd annual membership exhibit - Local Flavors 2015. The exhibit will display fine works of art produced by members of the Arts Council who are local to the area. As a wonderful side note, Waynesville was founded in 1810 by a Colonel Robert ‘Love’, who named the town after his former commander in the Revolutionary War, a General Anthony Wayne. Colonel Love, we salute you! We thank Craig Burgwardt for his investment Photography by Barbara Sammons of time and energy in the skilled production of this year’s Local Flavors 2015 poster.

Oil Paintings by Silvia Herschegger

Health & Healing are Just 2 Feet Away

Linda Neff, NCBTMB #582633-09 68 Sugar Grove Ct., Clyde, NC 28721 513-675-2819 • 828-565-0061

Mountain Top Appliance Service IF YOU Local Flavors 2015 opens February 4, and GO runs through March 28. An opening reception

Mark Atkinson • Reputable Repairs

91 Smokies Ridge, Waynesville, NC 24 Hour Emergency Service 828-646-7422

38 February 2015 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 18, No. 6

will be held on Sunday, February 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Gallery 86, located at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville.

noteworthy

2015 Classic Hikes of the Smokies

Discover breathtaking vistas, rushing waterfalls, historic homesteads, and much more on guided hikes with Friends of the Smokies.

Friends of the Smokies Classic Hikes feature trail interpretation, history and park projects that donations to Friends of the Smokies have supported. Hikes are guided by author and hiking enthusiast Danny Bernstein. This year’s hikes include Smokemont, Caldwell Fork, Lake Shore, Hemphill Bald, overnight at LeConte Lodge, Big Creek, Boogerman, Purchase Knob, Chimney Tops and Noland Creek. Participants will learn about the many stewardship projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These projects include but are not limited to native trout management, hemlock wooly adelgid treatment, historic structure preservation, Parks as Classrooms program, and elk management. Hikes are offered on the second Tuesday of each month. Guided Classic Hikes are $35 and include a complimentary membership to Friends of the Smokies. Current Friends of the Smokies members receive a discount and hike for $10. Members who bring a friend hike for free. All registration donations benefit the Smokies Trails Forever program. The first Classic Hike of 2015 takes place

Live Music at Bogarts Restaurant & Tavern Waynesville’s favorite steakhouse not only offers the best steaks in town, they also feature live Old Time/Bluegrass music on Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. Stop in on a Thursday night to catch some local favorites and a few travelers. With exceptional service geared towards true customer appreciation, you are sure to enjoy the many entrees, sandwiches, fresh salads, homemade soups. Bogart’s also serves up a wide variety of desserts to appeal to the ultimate foodie. Thursday, Feb 5 - Ragtime Hawks, Old time/ Rag time string band Thursday, Feb 12 - Eddie Rose & Highway Forty, Bluegrass Thursday, Feb 19 - Darren Nicholson Band, Bluegrass Thursday, Feb 26 - Boogertown Gap String Band, Old time string band

ANNA LEE ZANETTI

Sea of clouds above Fontana Lake.

Tuesday, March 10. This hike to Smokemont is 6.2 miles round trip and is moderate in difficulty with a total elevation gain of 1,400 feet. Participants will visit a historic chapel and cemetery on this hike.

pg. 20

IF YOU To register for a Classic Hike of GO the Smokies, contact AnnaLee@

friendsofthesmokies.org. To view a complete listing of Friends’ monthly Classic Hikes of the Smokies, visit www. friendsofthesmokies.org/hikes.html.

‘BT’s Burgerjoint’ cont’d from pg. 30

Did I mention the milkshakes? Make room, they’re thick, rich and creamy, made to order with real ice cream! We had chocolate, ‘cuz, you know, it’s chocolate, and it was the old-timey real taste of a milkshake! They have daily specials too, dreamed up by the staff, so check the board when you walk in. BT’s is a fairly large joint with plenty of seating, and outside covered seating for about 30 more. Even in the winter Asheville gets those sunny warm days that go with a juicy home-style burger! And if you happen to be a moviegoer bring in your stub for a 10% discount that day. Who doesn’t love dinner and a movie? It’s the perfect casual date. From the 50s to today, it’s hard to beat the fun and yum of a GREAT burger joint!

BT’s Burgerjoint

Bogart’s Restaurant & Tavern 303 South Main St., Waynesville

33 Town Square Boulevard Biltmore Park, Asheville

(828) 452-1313 www.bogartswaynesville.com

(828) 651-8481 Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

“

Thank You Rapid River Magazine Magazine. I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful response my cafe attracted when I advertised in your magazine monthly magazine.

”

~ Gary Taylor, owner of Cafe 64

Café 64, 64 Haywood St., downtown Asheville Open daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for breakfast and lunch.

828-252-8333 • www.cafe-64.com

Advertise with Rapid River Magazine Free Web Links, Ad Design, Easy Monthly Billing (828) 646-0071 • www.rapidrivermagazine.com Vol. 18, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2015 39

pg. 20

Enjoy and Give the Best ™ We Ship Nationwide Order Online Now www.chocolatefetish.com pg. 36

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An auspicious evening of insightful songs, meaningful stories and an abundance of laughter!

Saturday, February 21 8pm • Diana Worthham Theater Tickets: $35/$25 for students and children under 12. On sale now at www.dwtheatre.com or 828.257.4530

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