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INSIDE OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF JAMEEL AUSTIN
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CONTENTS
Showcase Magazine
AUGUST 2020
THE CREATIVE PROCESS ISSUE @showcaseDVA
Showcase Magazine
showcasemagazineva @ info@showcasemagazine.com
FEATURES Learning from history Dedicated historian, artist Danny Ricketts dies at 79 8
“Weird” Would Be the New Norm
Inside the Creative Process of Jameel Rashad Austin
PG.
“Weird” Would Be the New Norm
Inside the Creative Process of Jameel Rashad Austin
12
12
7 Ways to Get on the Water
at Philpott Lake 20
ALSO INSIDE Editor’s Letter The Creative Proces 6
Games
Crossword & Wordsearch 16
Confessions of a 30 Something COVID Adventures 17 From the Kitchen of
Big Bear’s Wife
Southern Pineapple Sunshine Cake 18
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Paws for a Cause Meet Little Miss Pepsi 19
Nine Grams
Instagrams From Our Area 22
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PG.
20
SPONSORED CONTENT THE ARC OF SOUTHSIDE
W
hen you hear the word inclusion, what does it mean to you? For most of us, it is not a thought that we have on a regular basis because most of us are included in most everything we do from day-to-day. Imagine for a minute how different your life would be if you did not have part in the decisions regarding your life. What if you were not able to choose where or with whom you lived? What if you did not have the opportunity to meet and make your own friendships and connections? What if you did not have the opportunity to work and make your own money? What if you or your children were not able to go to school with your peers and participate in the activities they participate in? Our mission here at The Arc of Southside is to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. The Arc of Southside works every day to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the services and supports they need to be included in their communities, like the rest of us. It is important that people understand and distinguish the difference between the term integration and inclusion. These two terms are often used interchangeably however, integration is not inclusion.
welcoming place for ALL people. The Arc of Southside has spent the last several years working to move programs from segregated settings that offered support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities but were not set up to offer full inclusion. Today, our supports and services promote inclusion and help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities become a part of their community and have… A Life Like Yours. We have come a long way but we still have a long way to go to ensure that all the people we support have the life they choose and are fully included. We are happy to be your neighbors, your coworkers, your employees, your classmates, your friends, and community members. Think about what you can do today to include someone in your world. Maybe it is sitting with a coworker at lunch or inviting that kid to play with you during school or talking to that person you see at the gym or in yoga class. Maybe it is going to a concert or movie together. Whatever it is, this first step will enhance the understanding that at the heart of every person are similarities that we share. To learn more about The Arc of Southside, contact us at 434-836-3272 or visit our website at www.thearcofsouthside.org.
Integration is more about placing a person with a developmental or intellectual disability in a setting with others but the interactions are limited and they are not fully included. For example, a person may be “at” the mall, but not “with” the people at the mall. A person may be “at” or even “in” the classroom, but not “with” the classmates. We will often see people present but not participating in the activities along with the others. Inclusion is when barriers to participation are removed. It entails accepting, embracing, and celebrating the talents, gifts, and differences that we all have. It is supporting people to build connections and be a respected and valued member of their community. It is recognizing that we are ‘one’ even though we are not the ‘same.’ This is what shapes our community and makes it a
For More Information on The Arc of Southside call 434.836.3272. www.showcasemagazine.com
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EDITOR’S LETTER
The Creative Proces In If This Isn’t Nice, What Is?: Advice For The Young, Kurt Vonnegut says, “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” Julia Cameron touches on something similar in The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity when she says, “Leap, and the net will appear.” Creative people take this leap every time they release new work into the wild. An artist has to possess the strength to be vulnerable to the watching eye. It’s difficult. I remember the first time I received negative feedback on my writing. It made me question if what I was putting out there was any good. There’s a degree of imposter syndrome that every artist faces during his or her career. Imposter syndrome is common. According to an article in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, approximately 70 percent of people suffer from this at some point. There are many ways to combat imposter syndrome, but from a creative standpoint, I view it as the final boss in a video game. I take a deep breath and recount all the tools in my backpack. That gives me the confidence to defeat the boss and save the princess. Or in my case, my writing career. Whichever way you tackle doubt remember that it’s your own fear causing the mistrust. And remember, not everyone will be a fan of your art. That’s OK. I like to pick the minds of other artists to see what inspires them to open up and share their ideas. This month, I got to know local creative Jameel Austin a little better. He has worked with Showcase in the past on a few projects, and I’ve been an admirer of his work ever since. After learning more about his process, I can say I’m a bigger fan of Austin’s work. We also reached out to Matt Bell to share his story of local historian and artist, Danny Ricketts, who passed away in late June of this year. Ricketts not only discovered historic treasures of the area, he was a treasure to our area, and will continue to be through his work and stories. French painter, Henri Matisse said creativity take courage. Jameel Austin says, “We’re all gifted with creativity, but not everyone utilizes the gift.” I completely agree. There is an artist in everyone. You just have to take the leap.
showcase AUGUST 2020
CEO Andrew Scott Brooks scott@showcasemagazine.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Seiple | paul@showcasemagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Demont | demontdesign@verizon.net FINANCE MANAGER Cindy Astin | cindy@showcasemagazine.com ADVERTISING Lee Vogler | Director of Sales and Marketing lee@showcasemagazine.com | 434.548.5335 Sam Jackson | Marketing Consultant sam@showcasmagazine.com | 434.709.3528 CUSTOMER SERVICE Subscribe to Home Delivery for $24 per year 753 Main Street #3, Danville, VA 24541 Phone 434.709.7349 info@showcasemagazine.com www.showcasemagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angie Barrett | Matt Bell | Paulette Dean RootsRated Media | Paul Seiple CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jameel Austin | Angie Barrett | Bobby Ricketts Martinsville-Henry County Tourism COVER Jameel Austin Cover photo by Shay Ayala with creative direction by Jameel Austin
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FEATURE LEARNING FROM HISTORY
Learning From History Dedicated historian, artist Danny Ricketts dies at 79 BY MATT BELL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOBBY RICKETTS
I
Over the course of seven decades, Danny documented the many businesses, buildings, streets and homes that have survived, closed, and been demolished in Danville. He could also tell you their purpose.
Belloq may have been correct, but without the written history of what the watch was, who it belonged to, or its purpose, the overall history is bleak.
When I began writing my senior thesis at Liberty University on the history of Dan River Mills, Danny told me to get on paper what each building was used for at Schoolfield and the Riverside Division.
n George Lucas’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, antagonist Dr. Rene Belloq holds up a pocket watch and tells Indiana Jones, “Look at this watch. Cheap. Nothing. Take it out into the desert and bury it for a thousand years and it becomes priceless.”
Danny Ricketts, like Moses before him, understood the importance of documenting and recording history for future generations. He spent a lifetime recording the history surrounding Danville, Pittsylvania County, and beyond.
So, one afternoon, I sat down with Odell Hutson, who retired from Dan River as chief engineer and documented what each building was used for — from cotton to packaged products for shipping. Danny told me to hang on to it afterward, because it’s one of few recordings of what all happened at the mill site in order. In 2003, Danny got the opportunity of a lifetime when he and his son Bobby Ricketts recovered a piece of the Beaver’s Mill water wheel. Until its discovery, the water wheel hadn’t seen the light of day for over 100 years. The water wheel has a significance beyond its Pittsylvania County home. It is the oldest known surviving water wheel in America, dating back to 1792. To help people understand how things worked in the days of yesteryear, Danny made countless posters containing maps, drawings, and other pertinent information on the area. Many of the posters still hang in the Pepsi Building. Perhaps his most notable poster was The Wreck of the Old 97, which quickly recounts the events of Sept. 27, 1903 when a locomotive plunged off Steelhouse Trestle near present day Danville Family YMCA. I asked Danny, what happened to the trestle? He said it was abandoned years later in favor of a better route for the railroad. The railroad continued to pay taxes on the trestle until the 1930s, when it was discovered by the city and finally slated for demolition. Continued to Page 10
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FEATURE LEARNING FROM HISTORY
Continued from Page 8
Sure enough, I was able to back what Danny told me with a news article I found years later. He also made posters about grist mill history, the county’s founding and establishment of Peytonsburg — the first county seat, Dan River Mills, Civil War topics, and the history of the Roanoke Navigation Canal still partially visible by the White Mill among many other subjects. To hear Danny talk about the history of the canal when I was doing thesis research truly made me feel as if I was there. Ultimately, the 1812 canal failed. It was originally designed to be used for batteaus to navigate through the shallowest part of the Dan River. I can still hear Danny saying, “This is the northernmost point in the river. It was almost completely in North Carolina. The mill wound up using the canal for power after it was established in 1882.” By the time the canal came into use, batteaus were largely being decommissioned. At one time, they were the number one form of moving goods and commerce throughout the United States. Whenever you called on Danny for information, you never heard him say, “I’ll have to check into that,” or, “Let me get back to you.” Danny’s answer was affirmatively, “What do you want to know?” It wasn’t because he didn’t understand the question. He asked because he wanted to understand better what you were looking for because of his vast knowledge on the subject. I’ve had the pleasure of spending many afternoons in the home of Danny and Nancye, his wife. Two thoughts come to mind when I think about his historical documents and art space. First, nothing was organized. There were books, documents, art, supplies, and artifacts everywhere. At one point, I went over to his house and the living room was full of paintings with nowhere to sit. Second, if he wasn’t in his workspace, Danny could tell you exactly where something was. His memory was impeccable.
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The first time I ever went to see Danny, he was telling me about his adventures in the Air Force, and how he came across countless artifacts in markets for little to nothing in terms of money. I thought I would be slick and tell him about something I had recently learned about the Roman Guard. Danny didn’t say a word when I finished. He rose from his chair, went over to a cabinet in the basement and searched it for what seemed like an eternity. When he finally came out of the cabinet, he was holding a coin. “Here’s a coin from the ancient Roman Empire I got from a Turkish market,” he said. I was telling Danny about history, yet he had history. Danville owes Danny a debt of gratitude for the history he was able to save. In 1984, Danny was able to locate and purchase the Wynne chest, which was used for over a century through the Civil War. After tracking it down, Danny purchased the safe for $1,865. Instead of keeping it to himself, the safe was put on display at the Danville Museum of Fine Art & History. In 2019, his son Bobby Ricketts restored the safe back to working order. But the safe has more significance than just the Civil War. It belonged to William Wynne, a judge in Brunswick County who purchased the land rights for what would become the City of Danville and Pittsyvlania County. In 1738, when Danville was called Wynne’s Falls and nothing more than a trading post between Union Street Dam and King Memorial Bridge, the safe was located there and used as a bank by Wynne. It is the oldest known relic in the city. Thanks to Danny, we know more about yesterday, and we can face a brighter tomorrow. “We need to learn from history. Nothing’s new,” Danny once said. “If we don’t, we’re doomed to repeat something we may not want to.” Danny was 79.
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FEATURE “WEIRD” WOULD BE THE NEW NORM
“Weird” Would Be the New Norm
Inside the Creative Process of Jameel Rashad Austin BY PAUL SEIPLE PHOTOS BY JAMEEL RASHAD AUSTIN
“W
e’re all gifted with creativity, but not everyone utilizes the gift,” says Jameel Rashad Austin when asked about how he found his creative spark. Austin, a local photographer and content creator, is producing some of the most unique and thought-provoking art in our area. Austin spent his early childhood in Trenton, New Jersey. He adds, “I’m the youngest of my mother’s children. There are seven of us; five boys and two girls. We didn’t
have much, but my mother worked hard to ensure we had what we needed.” Austin had family ties to Danville and visited during summer vacations. “Danville became my home when my mother got sick of the Trenton school system failing its youth. She snatched us out and moved us here. The River City has been home pretty much ever since,” Austin says. Austin was introduced to art at a young age through music. “My mom would play Anita Baker, Kenny G, and Luther Vandross as we cleaned up the apartment on weekends,” he says. As he grew, Austin became more familiar with hip hop. He attributes his introduction into photography to his love of hip hop. “Initially, I picked up the camera up to record my rap and spoken word videos. Strangely enough, I found myself taking more pictures than I did videos and eventually made photography my medium of choice. I still write. I sometimes paint and sketch, but my heart belongs to the art of photography,” Austin says. Austin describes his style as ever changing as he evolves. He adds, “Currently, I’d say it’s like a rough gem. It contains grittiness with hints of polish and shine.” He cites Gordon Parks, Jay-Z, Black Thought, and his mom as his biggest influences. Creativity to Austin is the ability to take an idea or an emotion and share it with someone through different artistic mediums. He finds ideas in other forms of art. “Lately, I’ve been getting ideas from movies and paintings. I also look through magazines, and of course, Instagram is full of inspiration.” Life, in general, inspires Austin. He continues, “The good, the bad, and the ugly. I draw inspiration from the days when everything Continued to Page 14
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FEATURE “WEIRD” WOULD BE THE NEW NORM
Continued from Page 12
seems to be going right and the days when they seem to be going left. I embrace it all for what it is, and I move ahead accordingly.” Austin wants his work to reflect himself and his experiences. “I want to show the viewer how I see the world. Some of my work highlights the beauty of the human form, and some of it showcases the complexity of the human mind.” The favorite tools of his craft are his camera, phone, and iPad. They are always with him for when inspiration strikes, which according to Austin is “every day in one way or another.” Like many creatives, Austin doesn’t stick to a strict routine with his work. Creativity requires spontaneity. “I usually go with the flow, but there are some poses and light setups that I keep in mind. Those are the ones I know I can always count on, no matter what.” Music continues to be a big part of Austin’s creative process. He says there is no specific soundtrack to his work. The subject usually determines what they listen to when Austin shoots. “It’s a little different when I edit. If it’s an image of a beautiful woman, I’ll listen to Sade, Snoh Alegra, or some other R&B. When I’m editing street photography or something a bit grittier, It’s usually Griselda Records of some older hip hop from the nineties like Mobb Deep or Wu-Tang,” he adds.
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When asked if he could change one aspect of society through his work, Austin says, “I’d remove the need that many of us have to fit in. I’d celebrate individuality and nonconformity. ‘Weird’ would be the new norm.” Austin sees the creativity scene in Danville alive and well, but there is a lack of diverse platforms. He adds, “I can see that no longer being an issue once the right people are sitting at the right tables. I hope to see Danville as a city that accepts, celebrates, and showcases all types of artists. Both local and international.” Austin offers this advice to aspiring authors and content creators, “Just do it. Create daily. Don’t limit yourself. The world is abundant, and your potential is limitless.” Looking toward the future, Austin would like to trek cross-country and document the journey through his photography. “In addition to photos, I’d also interview different people at each place that I stopped,” he says. Austin has been creating art for most of his life, but every day is a learning experience. “I’m nowhere near where I’d like to be as an artist, but I respect the process, and I know that I’m on the right path. “ As far as the content he creates, Austin hopes people will remember his work as “quality material, magnetizing, inspiring, and honest.”
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EXTRA GAMES
Games
Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 What children talk with 5 Sober 10 Sports channel 14 Aroma 15 Indian weapon 16 Roof covering 17 Dry sherry 18 Dull 19 Fresh 20 Kowtow 22 Sacred song 24 Pet 25 Tests 27 Actor Martin 29 Sports 32 Main artery 35 Entomb 38 Time period 39 Imprudent 40 Shoshonean 41 Athlete’s pre-game exercises 43 Sticky black substance 44 One who dies for a cause
46 Unrefined metal 47 Greek sandwich 48 Telephone 49 Rankle 51 Voice 54 Breaks up with a girlfriend 57 Stood opposite 59 Greetings 62 Type of decoration 64 Baby’s bed 66 Malevolence 68 Car 69 Am not 70 Strange 71 Sun 72 Prego’s competition 73 Speak angrily 74 Color DOWN 1 Garret 2 Dunce 3 Navigational instrument 4 Exceptionally talented
5 Surface to air missile 6 Catch 7 Branch of learning 8 Tiny amounts 9 Inhabited 10 Terminal abbr. 11 Genuine in nature 12 Guilty or not 13 Salamander 21 Yes 23 Resources 26 Bedaub 28 Plight 30 Goof 31 Island country 33 Despot 34 Air (prefix) 35 Demote 36 Western state 37 Changing course of 39 Turn over 41 Artist Andrew 42 Vase 45 Trinitrotoluene 47 Olympic flipper 50 French “yes” 52 Comforts
53 Mature 55 Last planet 56 Devil 57 Former wound
58 Opera solo 60 Italian currency 61 Uproar
63 Past times 65 Heat unit 67 Snake like fish
Word Search ARTISTIC
FREEDOM
MOTIVATION
SPARK
BRAINSTORMING
IMAGINATION
ORIGINALITY
THINKING
CREATIVITY
INSPIRATION
POSITIVITY
VISION
DESIGN
This month’s Games Page is sponsored by The Library of Virginia Welcomes Evince Page 6
Evince Magazine is a montlhly publication covering and distributed throughout the Dan River Region.
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 8
How to Party Like it’s 2020
River City Region Is Invited to Read Saints at the River See Page 4
Page 9
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Answers on Page 19
CONFESSIONS OF A 30 SOMETHING
Confessions of a 30 Something
COVID Adventures WRITTEN BY LEE VOGLER PHOTOS BY LEE VOGLER
“I’ve been away, but now I’m back.” That line from The Shining is one of many that I quote from time to time in my daily life and seemed to be appropriate for my return to a monthly column. Like everyone, I’ve been dealing with the new abnormal and life during COVID-19, which has involved quarantines, shutdowns, working from home, no school and many new realities in between. It’s caused me to reflect on a lot of things in my life, some of which I’ll probably touch on in later months, but this month I thought I’d catch everyone up to speed on some of the more fun things we’ve managed to do, as a family, over the past few months. Or as I like to call them: COVID Adventures. Starting in March, and before most of us really understood what was happening and how long it would last, we decided to take a day trip to Hanging Rock in North Carolina. I had always wanted to go, and the kids were sick of being cooped up in the house. The primary advice the “talking heads” were giving at that time was for people to go outside and enjoy a walk. And so we thought we’d do that in a different location.
June took us to Colonial Beach, Virginia, for an overnight trip. It’s a lovely little beach town on the Potomac River that is great for families. We also made our annual trip to the Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, which had just reopened. By this time, everyone was wearing masks, but we still managed to have a fun time with the kids. I think that’s one of the things I’ve wrestled with as a parent. So much of our lives has been turned upside down in the last several months. There are so many things, like tee ball and movies, that my kids aren’t able to do right now. And the things we can do are different than they’d normally be. This is a year of my kids’ lives that they will never get back. And so, yes, it’s different. But I’m determined to make it as great for them as I can. What have you been up to the last few months? Drop me a line at: lee@showcasemagazine.com
As it turned out, a lot of people apparently had the same idea. The place was pretty crowded. So much so that within a week of us going, they closed the park down for a few weeks because of large crowds. We were able to keep our distance from people while we were there, however, and were determined to make it to the top. I’ll be honest, it’s a heck of a hike with two young kids, but we made it. And the view from the top was extraordinary. In the weeks that followed, we stayed closer to home. We celebrated Ava’s 2nd birthday at home and could only allow a couple family members at a time to come visit, due to restrictions. We did all of our Easter activities at home. Kingston decided to dye his hair crazy colors because, why not? In May, we began to venture out some more, while still avoiding large crowds. We checked out the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson, NC, which is really cool (and free). We went to Natural Bridge to visit the Dinosaur Kingdom for the first time. If you’ve ever wondered what the Civil War would have been like with giant dinosaurs involved, go check it out. We also did a “drive thru” version of the Natural Bridge Zoo. www.showcasemagazine.com
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FEATURE BIG BEAR’S WIFE
From the Kitchen of
Big Bear’s Wife Southern Pineapple Sunshine Cake WRITTEN BY ANGIE BARRETT OF BIGBEARSWIFE.COM PHOTO BY ANGIE BARRETT
This Southern Pineapple Sunshine Cake is a doctored cake mix cake with pineapples, cool whip, coconut and pecans! Prep Time: 15M; Cook Time: 45M; Total Time: 1H INGREDIENTS • 1 box yellow cake mix • 4 cup milk, divided
• 1/2 vegetable oil • 3 eggs • 20 oz can crushed pineapple • 1 cup white sugar • 5.1 oz box instant vanilla pudding • 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut INSTRUCTIONS 1. Pre heat oven to 350F. 2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 cup milk, vegetable oil and eggs. 3. Mix until well combined. 4. Pour batter into a 9x13 baking dish or a 2-quart casserole dish. 5. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until done. 6. Heat crushed pineapple and sugar in a small saucepan until hot and sugar is dissolved. 7. Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven, carefully stab the top of cake with knife and pour pineapple mixture over top of the warm cake. Spread pineapple all over top of cake. 8. Let the cake and pineapple mixture completely cool before moving onto the next step. 9. Whisk together 3 cups cold milk with vanilla pudding mix. Whisk until thick. 10. Spread pudding over pineapple mixture. 11. Spread Cool Whip over pudding mixture. 12. Top with shredded coconut and pecans. 13. Best if kept chilled until ready to serve. NOTES The original recipe called for a 9x13 pan, I made this in a 2-quart casserole dish, and it came out perfectly. So, either dish will work. If you bake this in a 2-quart casserole dish instead of a 9x13 it will be a bit thicker like in the photos.
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PAWS FOR A CAUSE
Paws for a Cause In 1964, Ruth Harrison, a British woman, wrote Animal Machines that was an expose on the livestock and poultry farming practices of that time. The public became very concerned and even horrified, and the British government appointed a committee to examine the welfare of animals used on farms and for the food industry. An 85-page report was written a year later. A list of Five Freedoms of Animals was included in the report. At first, the Five Freedoms were written for farm animals; however, decades later, national animal welfare organizations began to embrace them. The Five Freedoms are: 1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst: by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor. 2. Freedom from Discomfort: by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior: by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.
WRITTEN BY PAULETTE DEAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress: by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
MEET LITTLE MISS PEPSI This beautiful, sweet kitten was found behind our outside drink machine. She would truly be the ideal companion for just about any home!
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury, or Disease: by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Many years ago, the Board of Directors of the Danville Area Humane Society adopted these Five Freedoms as a guideline for all its policies and procedures. If an idea that is considered “progressive” does not protect this philosophy, it is not put into place for our shelter animals or for animals outside of the shelter realm. Check out our Facebook page and yard sale pages for items we’re selling. Our huge yard sale at the Community Market isn’t possible this year, so we’re going to Plan B! DANVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY
Games Solutions Continued from Page 16
Crossword Puzzle
Word Search
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EXPLORE MARTINSVILLE - HENRY COUNTY
7 Ways to Get on the Water at Philpott Lake BY ROOTSRATED MEDIA FOR VISITMARTINSVILLE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARTINSVILLE-HENRY COUNTY TOURISM
Philpott Lake is a natural sanctuary in Southwest Virginia that provides a welcome escape from the everyday workings of modern life. This sprawling lake region offers not only the quiet beauty of time on the water but is surrounded by almost 20,000 acres of pristine wilderness with the Blue Ridge Mountains rising up in the distance. The setting makes for the perfect place to enjoy a day (or more) of boating, fishing, and swimming, all while taking in the scenic vistas unique to this part of the state. Here are just some ways to have a memorable time on your next trip to our neck of the woods. 1. Serene Swimming Beaches On a balmy summer day, the cool, clear water of Philpott Lake is irresistibly inviting. The lake is scattered with sandy swimming beaches, perfect for splashing around and sure to induce nostalgic memories of summer camp for adults that might be long overdue for a vacation. There are six designated swimming areas surrounding the lake. 2. Canoeing and Kayaking Philpott Lake is a paddler’s paradise, featuring flatwater that’s easy to navigate and filled with hidden nooks to explore. From secluded waterfalls to isolated fishing holes, the lake has something for everyone to enjoy. A dozen different parks ring the lake, and canoers and kayakers can craft tailor-made adventures to fit their interests, from family-friendly canoe trips to multi-sport expeditions combining kayaking, hiking, and biking.
Explore the Philpott Lake Blueway, the 25-mile water trail that connects the lake’s boat launches, recreation areas, and scenic gems. Visiting paddlers can rent canoes or kayaks and arrange guided trips in the region at Smith River Outfitters in Bassett. 3. Philpott Marina Located at the southernmost edge of the lake, the amenityloaded Philpott Marina is the perfect basecamp for any boating adventure. The newly built and modern marina is more than just a scenic launch spot — there are also rentable boat slips, short-terms use slips for visitors, fuel, and a store with snacks and fishing supplies. You’ll also find plenty of picnic tables and a full-service campground (with electrical hook-ups). Other points of entry for boaters on Philpott Lake include Philpott Park, Bowens Creek, Goose Point, Salthouse Branch, Twin Ridge, Horseshoe Point, Jamison Mill, Ryans Branch, and Runnett Bag Park. 4. Angling Adventures Philpott Lake is one of the most popular fishing destinations in this part of Virginia. The fishing scene is one of the biggest draws of Philpott Lake, which is a hotspot for walleye and harbors brawny largemouth bass in large numbers. Patient anglers can also hook more reclusive smallmouth bass, black crappie, and catfish. On the water, anglers can troll the rocky ledges along the shore for largemouth bass or seek out smallmouths in crystalline pockets of deep water in the southern portion of the lake, near the Philpott Dam. Anglers have plenty of room to hook fish from the shoreline at the recreation areas ringing the lake. Stake out the Runnet Bag branch of the lake for the seasonal walleye spawn in the early spring, or fish for catfish in the shadowy water of Ryans Branch with smelly dough bait or chicken livers. The Twin Ridge Recreation Area is known for its fishing tournament facility, which is also handicapped accessible. 5. Stand-Up Paddleboarding Featuring a postcard-worthy setting, Philpott Lake has become popular for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The placid, flatwater conditions make the lake ideal for budding paddleboarders still getting their sea legs. With all the acreage to explore, experienced boarders will find enough open water to be entertained, too.
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6. Fairy Stone State Park Fairy Stone State Park is known for the unique crystals found in the region. Spread along the southwestern edge of Philpott Lake, Fairy Stone State Park is an idyllic detour. One of Virginia’s first five state parks created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s named for the stunning staurolite crystals founds within its forests—storied to be the preserved tears of ancient fairies. Fairy Stone State Park is anchored by its own lagoon, the 168-acre Fairy Stone Lake, which sits beside sprawling Philpott Lake. Throughout the summer, and on weekends in the spring and fall, the park rents canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. By boat, cruise to the scenic waterfalls where Fairy Stone Lake tumbles into the Philpott Lake. 7. Camping Like a Castaway One of the most unique on-the-water experiences at Philpott Lake is the chance to camp like a castaway at Deer Island. Located between the Twin Ridge and Goose Point recreation areas, the lake’s largest atoll is covered with 21 pine-shaded campsites scattered along the water, treating campers to both scenery and seclusion. If you’re looking for a more traditional campsite, you have your choice of options as well. Discover more at www.VisitMartinsville.com/lakes.
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