Rockingham Magazine Spring 2023

For 90 years and counting, Annie Penn Hospital has brought advanced technologies and the latest, most innovative treatment options to our community. From emergency services to cancer care and orthopedics, our facilities are backed by the experience of Cone Health and supported by a team of expert physicians and nurses ... who also happen to be neighbors.

Invested in our neighbors’ health.

Morgan Edwards, RN & Thomas Neal

Published by Showcase Magazine

Publisher

Andrew Scott Brooks scott@showcasemagazine.com

Content Editor

Paul Seiple | paul@showcasemagazine.com

Creative Designer

Kim Demont | demontdesign@verizon.net

Ad Designers

Kim Demont, Paul Seiple

Finance Manager

Cindy Yeatts | cindy@showcasemagazine.

Director of Sales & Marketing

Lee Vogler | lee@showcasemagazine.com

Contributing Photographers Jenna Rice Mary Ryan Lee Vogler

Contributing

Painting by Mary Ryan

C e l e b r a t e w i t h u s !

F o u n d e r ' s D a y

A p r i l 2 2 - 1 0 a m - 2 p m

@ G o v . R e i d H o u s e

J o i n u s t o e x p l o r e o u r h i s t o r y a n d l e a r n h o w t h e c i t y w a s n a m e d T a k e a t o u r o f t h e h o u s e d u r i n g t h e e v e n t

W a t e r L a n t e r n F e s t i v a l

A p r i l 2 2 - 5 p m - 9 p m

@ L a k e R e i d s v i l l e

A f u n - f i l l e d f a m i l y e v e n t t h a t i s s u r e t o p l e a s e D e s i g n y o u r o w n l a n t e r n a n d s e n d i t o u t o n t h e l a k e .

R o a r i n g 2 0 ' s L a w n P a r t y

M a y 1 3 - 2 p m - 5 p m @ T h e P e n n H o u s e

T a k e a t r i p b a c k i n t i m e t o t h e R o a r i n g 2 0 ' s a n d e s c a p e t o a n o l d - f a s h i o n e d l a w n p a r t y ! 1 9 2 0 s a t t i r e s t r o n g l y e n c o u r a g e d b u t o n l y r e q u i r e d f o r t h e c o s t u m e c o n t e s t

D o n ' t M i s s O u t !

RiseupReidsville.com

MY ULTIMATE GOAL is to Inspire Millions of People All Over the World

by Paul Seiple photos and artwork by Jenna Ricen

Jenna Rice was born in Maine and raised in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “Basically, I’m from New England,” she said. Now, Rice calls Greensboro, North Carolina home. She is a full-time street artist and spray-paint muralist. “You can find my work all over North Carolina and in other states such as Indiana and Florida,” Rice added.

She cites her parents as major influences in her path to becoming an artist. “My dad worked for Hasbro when I was a kid. He used to hand-draw the package designs for the toys (before graphic design was a ‘thing’), so I was exposed to some pretty amazing

drawings at a very young age.” Rice’s mother introduced her to arts and crafts. “I tried all sorts of hands-on projects as a child. If it weren’t for my artsy parents, I likely wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said.

Even with the exposure at an early age, Rice didn’t imagine she would make a career out of her art. She changed majors in college three times before settling on art. She continued, “I was recruited to be an art major in my third year of college. That semester, I took a drawing class as an elective and was spotted by the Chair of the Department of Art and Art History, master oil

painter, and painting professor, William Otremsky.”

Rice “dabbled” with a variety of mediums early on during her art journey but focused on oil painting in college. I loved oil painting, yet I just didn’t see a logical way that I could turn it into a full-time career. “Upon moving to Greensboro in 2015, the blossoming mural scene inspired me. I thought to myself, I can do that in oil paint… I wonder if I could do that in spray?”

Rice began watching how-to videos on YouTube focusing on spray painting.

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practiced on plyboard and cardboard. “It was a frustrating medium to learn on my own, but with the help of the internet and a few friends, I successfully figured it out and became a full-time artist a little over three years ago.”

Rice approaches a new mural by creating a design on her iPad. “If it were up to me, every mural would include a portrait or some form of the human figure, as those are my favorite subjects to paint. Either way, I am careful to pay attention to the fundamentals of design while creating my work—balance, alignment, proximity, repetition, and contrast.”

Rice, then, takes the initial design and scales it to the wall using the “doodle grid” method. “After the wall is properly cleaned and primed, I scribble random numbers, letters, and symbols all over the wall. Then, I take a photo of the wall with the scribbles and put it into my iPad.” She uses the app Procreate to layer the design over the image of the wall. “I lower the design’s opacity so I can see through it just enough to see the symbols. This way, I can scale my small design to the large wall and keep accurate proportions.”

Most of Rice’s work is commissionbased. This can put a cap on her creative freedom. But she finds ways to express her creativity in the art. “The images I paint are carefully chosen based on composition and the fundamentals of design. I prefer to work with figurative images—anything with the human body fascinates me,” she said. When an opportunity arises that brings more creative freedom, Rice chooses figurative photographs. “Sometimes, I take photos myself or hire a professional

to take even better photographs for my work. I love to paint realism.”

Rice soaks up inspiration from every artist and artwork she encounters. “I am always inspired by the beauty in nature and classical 17th century Baroque artworks by Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Velazquez. I like to take their techniques and styles and create my own artwork with a modern-day twist.” She wants people to take the same approach with her art. “I hope that viewers take in every detail and come up with their own interpretations of my work.”

Rice sees her future being full of striking

imagery and bold colors. “I hope to awe and motivate… my ultimate goal is to inspire millions of people all over the world.”

Rice’s murals can be viewed indoors and outdoors throughout Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheboro, High Point, and Eden, North Carolina. She also has pieces in Lakeland and Miami, Florida and Marion, Indiana.

SKIN

FROM DE-AGING TO ROSACEA ACNE TO DRY SKIN, AND MORE.

Rhonda

FAVORITES

PLACES TO GO

BANK HOME

Trust Bank

CHURCH

St. Thomas Episcopal

EVENT LOCATION

Wright Memorial Event Center

FUNERAL HOME

Fair Funeral Home

HOTEL

Holiday Inn Express (Reidsville)

INSURANCE AGENCY

The Prairie Agency

LAW OFFICE

Woodall Law Firm

WINERY

Gioia dell’Amore Cellars at Autumn Creek Vineyards

WORKOUT SPOT

Reidsville YMCA

YOGA & MEDIATION CENTER

Halo Salt & Yoga

HOME IMPROVEMENT

FLOORING COMPANY

Madison Flooring

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Slade Home Improvement

HEATING BUSINESS

Shelton’s Air Worx

BAR & GRILL

That Little Pork Shop

BARBECUE RESTAURANT

Ducktapes’s BBQ

BREAKFAST PLACE

Chaney’s Restaurant

BREWERY

Reynold’s Brewery

BURGER PLACE

Southern Spirits

THINGS TO BUY

BOUTIQUE (Women’s Clothing)

Salem and Charlie

CLOTHING STORE (Men’s)

Madison Dry Goods

CUSTOM T-SHIRT BUSINESS

Screen Print Plus

DOMESTIC NEW CAR DEALER

Impex Buick, Chevy, GMC

FUEL COMPANY (Local)

Berico

JEWELRY STORE

Eden Jewelry

SHOE STORE

Uptown Kicks NC

PLACES TO EAT

CHINESE RESTAURANT

Chopstix (Eden)

COFFEE HOUSE

Sip Coffee House

HOME COOKING

The Farmer’s Table

ICE CREAM SHOPPE

Mayberry Restaurant

ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Elizabeth’s Pizza

MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Santana’s (Eden)

OVERALL RESTAURANT

That Little Pork Shop

SPECIALTY RESTAURANT

The Celtic Fringe

PEOPLE TO SEE

ATTORNEY

Rachel Stariha (The Kahn Lawyers)

CPA

Barham & Asscoiates

DENTIST

Dr. Robert Wheless

INSURANCE AGENT

John Edwards (Farm Bureau Insurance)

MASSAGE THERAPIST

The Massage Spot

MORTGAGE COMPANY

Horizon of North Carolina

MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER

Deanna Johnstone (Alcova Mortgage)

NEW BUSINESS

Sassy Southern Drawl Boutique

PET BOARDING FACILITY

Silver Paw Pet Resort

PET GROOMER

Silver Paw Pet Resort

REALTOR

Carole Roberts

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Ginger Williams

WASTE REMOVAL SERVICE

First Piedmont Corporation

Mary Ryan began making art at a young age. “I took my first lessons at age five in a studio with a professional art teacher. He taught me watercolor painting. I would draw and color every day,” she said. When not drawing, Ryan spent time at the library admiring the cover art and images from children’s books.

In junior high school, she created art year-round. Ryan continued, “That was back when school art classes were every week, all year long. I was interested in crafts as well, but always gravitated back to painting. I was involved in theater in high school, painting and designing sets.” The sets were an outlet for Ryan to express her creativity through paint.

Throughout school, art surrounded Ryan. Works from teachers and students hung in the school hallways. “It was a rural school, not a wealthy area at all, but the arts were well supported. The school produced a good amount of talent because it was encouraged daily.”

While she loved art, her family didn’t support the idea of studying it in college. Ryan went to nursing school. “I juggled nursing and art for many years before letting my RN license go and diving full time into my art practice and business. I just really had to get back to my vision and purpose. I will make art as long as I live,” she said.

Ryan is best known for her series of murals in the Rockingham County Animal Shelter (RCAS) that were done between 2020 and 2021. “The animals featured in the lobby and adoption hall were all rescued through the RCAS, so they are forever memorialized,” she added.

Ryan’s art is on display at public murals

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I WILL MAKE ART as Long as I Live

by

Paul Seiple photos and artwork by Mary Ryan

Continued from Page 15

in Eden and Reidsville. “I’m known by some people for painting the Lucky City Brewery sign in Reidsville.” She is currently working with Reidsville on two quilt-square murals on panels to complement the redesign of downtown sidewalks. “These are for the sesquicentennial celebration of 2023 in the city. One quilt mural involves having the public participate in painting on the panels. The other one I will do myself. They will go on display when completed.”

For Ryan, it’s hard to pinpoint a single work as her favorite. But she cites “Pow Wow,” the Native American Mural Design from the ARTchitecture series currently on exhibit in Eden

City Hall. “The people featured are native North Carolinians from various tribes. I received their permission and blessing to paint their images into the design. I connected to them through my photographer friend Gordon Allen, who frequently attends pow wows around this state and knows many of the leaders. It was an honor to be permitted to do this. I worked very hard on that painting.”

Ryan recently received a regional artist support grant from the North Carolina Arts Council in Raleigh. She was chosen for, and awarded, the grant by the Stokes Art Council. “For this project I am painting a series of 30 large new paintings which I’ve titled Unfolding,” Ryan added. These are intuitive works featuring images from her meditation

practice. She has completed six so far and figures it will take the rest of the year to complete the project.

Along with Unfolding, Ryan is still taking on commissioned work. “I also have my 2022 ARTchitecture series traveling around Rockingham County on exhibit through April. The next stop will be the MARC in Wentworth for the summer season. I’m still looking for a venue in western Rockingham County that is big enough to exhibit the collection before it moves to Greensboro in October.”

As she stated, Ryan plans to make art for the rest of her life. She sees next year being more of the same. “2024 could involve a lot of travel again, exhibiting the second series. I’m busy year-round with one project or another,” she concluded.

Art is often one of the first seeds planted in the revitalization of a community. It can change the perception of a location and create a sense of pride in a neighborhood. Street art (murals) are perfect examples. Artwork can engage the community, bring people together, and create a sense of belonging. Paintings can help create a dialogue between people of different backgrounds, and to create a space for conversation and exchange of ideas. Murals are often deep-rooted in the history of an area. “Street art differs from an art gallery. It’s more accessible, and its scale is massive.” Marty Kotis, a local real estate developer, said. Kotis is using his love of art to paint a better picture for the communities he invests in.

Artists invest a lot of time into their community when painting something beautiful. Unique images create a trickle-down effect that can draw attention to a location, which can lead to increased investment in the area. Kotis added, “Street art can draw

The Beauty of UNEXPECTED ART

by Paul Seiple photos and artwork by Jenna Rice

visitors to unlikely areas, and they can even become tourist attractions on their own.”

Another way art revitalizes communities is by breathing life back into spaces that have grown stale. Color and painted stories can make a space more vibrant and inviting. And through word of mouth, can create an identity for the space and area.

Street muralist Jenna Rice is involved in the Kotis Street Art Project. She is working on a mural in Eden on the backside of Kingsway Plaza. “I believe all communities need more art,” Rice said. She understands that art is an inspiration for children and people of all ages. “I am so happy to see more artwork in Rockingham County and hope to create

more soon. I believe this is just the beginning of Rockingham County’s art expansion,” Rice added.

Mary Ryan, another local artist, stated that people are attracted to art they can interact with in some way as opposed to just viewing. Ryan added, “Art appreciation is ever expanding as people begin to fully recognize how it improves quality of life. I find that to be the most rewarding aspect. It’s a wonderful thing that everyone can walk or drive by art each day in their community and get to enjoy it.”

Kotis summed it up. “Unexpected art can brighten someone’s day. It can make them laugh. It can make them smile. It can make them think about an idea.”

Mural painted in downtown Greensboro

CONFESSIONS

of a 30 Something

by Lee Vogler photos by Lee Vogler

What in the world am I writing about? It’s a question I’ve asked myself while trying to decide what direction this column should go in. It’s a question you may ask yourself sometimes when reading this column. I want to be clear: I’m not a fitness guru or parenting expert. I’m simply a 35-year-old husband and parent of two young children who works a fulltime job and also happens to be a City Councilman in the City of Danville. That can be an interesting combination of ingredients.

We live in an age where it seems everyone is expected to be perfect. Social media has done this to us. Don’t get me wrong, I love social media. It can be a great tool. I use it extensively. The problem, however, is that it causes people to believe they have to project this perfect image of themselves, or else face the consequences of an unforgiving audience. Every hair out of place is analyzed. Every word misspelled

is ridiculed. Is Kim Kardashian’s life as perfect as her Instagram account makes it seem? Of course it’s not, and you shouldn’t expect yours to be either.

I share pictures and videos regularly on my social media channels, many of them featuring my children, Kingston and Ava. Rarely a day passes without someone mentioning to me how much they love seeing pictures of Ava, what a sweet girl she is and how lucky I am to have such a well-behaved daughter. All of those things are true, but what they don’t see

is that five minutes after that sweet, smiling photo was taken, Ava is probably storming through the house making a mess of biblical proportions.

Those of you who follow me on social media have probably seen a lot of photos of me with the kids on some adventure, as Kingston calls them, at a nearby walking trail (Chinqua Penn is great, by the way) or park. It’s something we like to do on days when my wife, Blair, is working at Annie Penn and I’m off work. It’s fun for the kids, and me, and keeps them active until mommy gets home. Often, we’ll be able to snap that perfect family photo of us out in the wild, smiling with hardly a hair out of place. It’s a perfect day, right? Of course not! Like every parent with young children knows, the time in between the photos is filled with small temper tantrums and sibling squabbles.

My point is this: life isn’t perfect. It never will be. The sooner we realize that, and learn to embrace our imperfections, the happier we will be. Life can’t be captured in a single photo, as great as they can be. Life is what happens in between the photos.

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