45 minute read
A&E
Can’t rock my dream face
Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD S TAFF WRITER F or the better part of a quarter-century, Umphrey’s McGee has remained one of the most fundamental and innovative acts on the live music scene.
Originating at the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Indiana) in 1997, the band soon called nearby Chicago, Illinois, home. But, the group’s reach has unrelentingly extended in seemingly every direction — geographically and sonically — from the Midwestern musical hub.
With a thick thread of rock-n-roll running through its roots, the sextet has never shied away from diving deep into other genres — from metal to punk, pop to electronica. For Umphrey’s McGee, it’s always been about exploring the endless depths of improvisational possibility, taking a chance on a night of melodic magic that’ll never be replicated.
The Smoky Mountain News recently caught up with Umphrey’s McGee keyboardist Joel Cummins ahead of the ensemble’s upcoming two-night run in Asheville. He spoke of the band’s early days, what kept the group going, and what it means still be charting new creative territory.
Smoky Mountain News: The band is approaching 23 years together. What do you think about that? Joel Cummins: You know, it’s interesting because there’s definitely the feeling that we’ve been doing this for a long time. But, at the same time, when we get out on the road, get up onstage and are playing together — in a lot of ways it still feels very youthful and invigorated.
And I’m sure part of it is that I get to make music with five of my best friends. We just kind of kept trying to push things musically and not be ever satisfied with where things are always — continuing to work on new music and to push forward. So, I think that’s really our lifeblood, that desire to keep trying new things.
SMN: Was that the intent coming out of the gate or did the band evolved into that? JC: Honestly, when we started, we were just trying to postpone the inevitable of what we thought was, “Eventually, we’re going to have to quit screwing around playing music and get some other jobs. We’ll have to sitting behind a desk.” We were really just trying to make [the music] happen and see if anybody cared — fortunately, we’re still doing that 23 years in now. SMN: When you look at those early years, what was it that really kept the band going? JC: We took a cue from some of the other bands in the more jam-oriented scene — trying to write as much as we could, play as much variety with our set list as possible. And I think that was originally probably what had people coming back to see us again.
That’s one of the most challenging things to try to do as a live musician, [which] is [to] not only get somebody to come out for the first time, but then to try to get them to stay interested in wanting to come out and see the band again.
Want to go?
Umphrey’s McGee will perform on Feb. 14- 15 at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in downtown Asheville. Doors at 5:30 p.m. with show time at 6:30 p.m. Openers for both nights will be Billy Strings (bluegrass/jam) and Empire Strikes Brass (jazz/soul). Tickets for each night are $37.50 in advance, $40 day of show. Two-day and VIP passes are available. Visit www.umphreys.com and click on the “Tour” tab.
As well, Joel Cummins will host a special solo performance at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 day of show. All proceeds will benefit Conscious Alliance, a hunger relief organization. Visit www.isisasheville.com and click on the “Calendar” tab. Joel Cummins.
that’s one of the really important things for getting out there in the world, and not just visiting different cities in the [United States].
Music is one of these things that can bring everybody together, whether it has lyrics or not. And I think that’s probably what keeps bringing me back to it.
You know, I’m a big sports fan, too. But, I don’t necessarily feel that [same] way when I go to a sporting event. Obviously, it’s cool if your team wins, and you and the fans of that team can celebrate that.
But, with music you should never have the feeling like you lost the game when you leave. [It’s] something that’s a pretty special feeling [each and every time] — only music can create that.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to listen to the entire free stream of the audio conversation of this interview, go to YouTube and search: “Joel Cummins Garret K. Woodward.”
If I ever loved once, you know I never loved right by you I t had been several years since we’d sat down over a drink and chatted. An old friend and former lover, she reached out randomly on a recent rainy day.
“I’m having a shitty day. Let’s meet for a beer?” the out-of-the-blue text stated. Sure, I figured, always up for hearty conversation with good, genuine folk.
Situated in a corner of the local brewery taproom, the raindrops were heavy outside the windows. Her bright smile and positive persona were still intact, so was the sheer determination to find stability in her existence, personally and professionally.
Since I had last saw her, the newborn she brought into this world is now a toddler and is co-parenting smoothly with her ex. All involved are happy and healthy, as is her new small business, of which she’s thriving well enough to open up another location. But, the “meet for a beer” came from a tumultuous breakup, which left a bad taste in her mouth in regards to love.
“Why is everything in my life going well, but I can’t seem to find love and happiness?” she muttered, slowly gazing out the window to the passerby traffic on Main Street.
I concurred. Things had been going in the right direction on my end, too (knock on wood). But, why was companionship and partnership amid the cosmos constantly just out of grasp? Like two ships passing in the night, timing has never been in my favor when it comes to femme fatales and taking the plunge into something more bountiful than initial encounters and fleeting flings. But, I stood by my old adage, “We all have our own victories in our own time.” Whether it be love, life or career, comparing yourselves to others never ends well. You usually find yourself tearing down your emotional and physical state in an effort to “keep up with Joneses.” Aside from that, if something is too good to be true (especially if HOT PICKS 1 The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will feature a talk by Marie T. Cochran from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. 2 Country music singer-songwriter Ashley Campbell will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. 3 The annual “Outhouse Races” will return to the slopes from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Sapphire Valley Resort. 4 A production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. 5 A musical production of “Let The Good Times Roll” will be performed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13-15 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
plastered all over social media), then it probably is.
Deep into the conversation, I reminded her that all that matters in life is “love, compassion and creative fulfillment.” Everything else? Just details. It’s not being starry-eyed — it’s the truth. Be able to give and receive love. Show compassion toward humanity, whether it be friend or stranger alike. And seek creative fulfillment, for a true and honest (and passionate) purpose in life is a life well-lived. Simply put, go with the flow and see where life takes you.
And as we ordered another round and dove into other topics within our lives, it dawned on me that Valentine’s Day was quickly coming up on the calendar. With all this talk about “love lost, love found, love lost again,” I started reminiscing about that feeling that causes such ache and intensity in that beating muscle in your chest.
It had been a long, long time since I could remember (let alone visually picture) a real deal V-Day celebration and what it meant to sincerely and unapologetically be in love with a face that I wished to emerge into (and end) the day with.
Along my journey through life, there’s been three V-Days that really stuck out. One in high school, college and post-college. Each with a girl that I figured I’d someday call my wife. Head held high, I was optimistic. And though each faltered and disappeared into the unknown night, I still remain optimistic — I mean, what else can you be when it comes to seizing that carp(e) everyone talks about?
Senior year with my high school sweetheart. Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Nice steak dinner and a movie for the two of us in Lake Placid. Strolling the downtown strip, looking into shop windows at things we might be able to afford one day. Thoughts of our impending freshman year at college, miles apart and yet eager to see what the next chapter held.
Sophomore year at Quinnipiac University. I’d met my girlfriend a week before V-Day at a dorm room keg party for my birthday. Immediately smitten with her, I asked her out for V-Day. She wore a little black dress, myself in a tweed sport coat that was once my father’s. Dinner at a nice restaurant on the Long Island Sound. We were 20 years old, but didn’t get asked for ID when ordering drinks. Laughter and salutes to a love found amid young adulthood chaos. Post-college and back up in the Adirondacks. A few months into this relationship, she and I went for an extremely fancy candlelit meal at a mountain lodge. I had just enough money from freelance articles to cover the bill. Her mother called ahead and bought us a bottle of wine — Oregon pinot noir, my favorite. We were happy, and I’d hoped to propose to her by that time the following year.
So, from this point forward, how about we view V-Day as love not only for (significant) others, but also for ourselves, too, eh? Self-love. Appreciation for having the will and drive to get up every day and give our best to our hopes and dreams. I think we all could use a little more of that in this day and age. Onward.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
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WCU welcomes Fisk Jubilee Singers
The Fisk Jubilee Singers will be performing at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are vocal artists and students at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, who sing and travel worldwide. Joining the Fisk Jubilee Singers as a special guest on select songs will be the WCU Concert Choir. The event is part of the Arts and Cultural Events series.
The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced “slave songs” to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving this unique American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals. They broke racial barriers in the U.S. and abroad in the late 19th century and entertained kings and queens in Europe. At the same time, they raised money in support of their beloved school.
In 2008, the Fisk Jubilee Singers were selected as a recipient of the 2008 National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor for artists and patrons of the arts.
Tickets for the performance are $5 for WCU students; $10 for non-WCU students and WCU faculty and staff; and $15 for general admission online or at the Bardo Arts Center box office.
For tickets and group sales, contact the Bardo Arts Center Box Office at 828.227.2479 or online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.
Rising country star in Franklin
Country music singer-songwriter Ashley Campbell will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
Her music combines the old-school country sound with contemporary Americana, rootsy folk, and country-pop. Campbell is authentic and has a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of country music.
Tickets start at $15 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 828.273.4615.
Ashley Campbell.
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Balsam Range.
The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) is pleased to present its “Americana Concert” featuring Balsam Range and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra on Sunday, May 24, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 5:30 p.m.
The concert will include Balsam Range favorites along with the music of Aaron Copland, George M. Cohan, Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini, George Gershwin and The Charlie Daniels Band.
Balsam Range is a five-person acoustic band from Haywood County. It has won 13 awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, produced eight albums, and been featured in Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and Billboard.
The Atlanta Pops Orchestra plays concerts across the southeast and often accompanies other acts. Dr. Jason Altieri is the current Conductor and Music Director of the Atlanta Pops Orchestra as well as the Associate Conductor for the Reno Philharmonic and director of the Orchestra Program at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Atlanta Pops Orchestra and Balsam Range previously have collaborated on two albums.
Along with great music there will be food trucks, including Fuego: Modern American Cuisine and Appalachian Smoke BBQ. To wash down the delicious food, beer and wine will be available for purchase by those over the age of 21.
For the younger attendees, a face painter and a bounce house will keep them entertained. There will be open-air seating and room for a picnic, so bring you blankets and lawn chairs.
Early bird tickets are now available for purchase at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts (86 North Main Street in Waynesville) or online through Eventbrite. Before April 30, VIP tickets are $75 each and include a VIP parking pass, official “Americana Concert” Tshirt, and access to the VIP tent.
Early bird general admission for those 21 and over is $30 per person, and ages 12-20 is $20 per person.
After May 1, a VIP ticket will be $85, admission for ages 21 and up is $40, and ages 12-20 is $25. Children 11 and under are free but must be registered. Tickets will not be available for sale on the day of the concert. For more information about the Haywood County Arts Council, visit www.haywoodarts.org.
Affairs of the Heart ————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.0526 • affairsoftheheartnc.com join us for Art of Chocolate February 17, NOON - till Come In and Spin Our Wheel for Discounts, Prizes and Free Chocolate!
• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with The Trailer Hippies Feb. 14, Robert Ferguson Feb. 15, George Ausman 4 p.m. Feb. 16, Tom Edwards Feb. 21, Blue Revue Feb. 22 and Bill Vespasian 4 p.m. Feb. 23. Shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.
• BearWaters Brewing (Canton) will host Bohemian Jean (singer/songwriter) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host a bluegrass open mic every Wednesday, an all-genres open mic every Thursday, Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/alt-country) Feb. 21 and Andrew Thelston Band (indie/rock) Feb. 22. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com. ALSO:
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host John Duncan Feb. 15 and Pullin’ Strings (Grateful Dead tribute). All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.
• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host the “Voice Sing Off” and dessert tasting at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16. Mini-concert by Voices in the Laurel and select regional young vocal soloists. Tickets are $12. www.voicesinthelaurel.org or call 828.564.3310.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Feb. 12 and 19, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 13 and 20, with Seth Brand 7 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feather 3 p.m. Feb. 23. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Lovesick Karaoke” Feb. 14 and Isaiah Breedlove Feb. 22. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will host My New Favorites (Americana/honky tonk) 7 p.m. Feb. 12, Dana & Susan Robinson (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 13, Kate Lee & Forrest O’Connor (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 14, Kat Williams (blues/soul) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14, Tim Easton (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Jack Broadbent (folk/rock) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 15, The Promise Is Hope (singersongwriter) 6 p.m. Feb. 16, Joel Cummins (rock) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/Darren Nicholson Band 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18, Greg Klyma (folk/indie) 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and Christie Lenee & Daniel Champagne (Americana/folk) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 19. www.isisasheville.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Tea 4 Three Feb. 15, Kirk Fleta Feb. 21 and Natti Love Joys Feb. 22. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host In Flight Feb. 14, Andrew Thelston Band Feb. 21 and Shabudikah Feb. 22. All shows are at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Grill (Maggie Valley) will host music semi-regularly on weekends. 828.926.9464 or www.facebook.com/ legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.
• Mad Anthony’s Taproom will host Bohemian Jean (singer/songwriter) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) Feb. 14, Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) Feb. 15, Scott James Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Feb. 22. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host April B. & The Cool Feb. 14, Into The Fog Feb. 21 and Dirty Grass Players 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.
• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday. www.pub319socialhouse.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Gary Carter Feb. 14, The Tuners Feb. 15, Heidi Holton Feb. 21 and Scott Stetson Feb. 22. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.
• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a Trivia w/Kelsey Jo 8 p.m. Thursdays.
• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.
• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Dylan Doyle 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 (tickets are $10). 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.
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written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath Ingles Nutrition Notes
Will this Diet Work? It seems like every year (and sometimes every month) there’s a new weight loss diet that makes the news. From the “Grapefruit Diet” and the “Cabbage Soup” diet where specific foods are eaten regularly to versions of low carbohydrate diets like Atkins and Keto and more recently some version of fasting. But will these diets work for you if your goal is weight loss?
The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is “yes.” Any diet that restricts calories has the potential of achieving weight loss… BUT… the real question should be, “Can I lose weight AND keep it off?” Here are some RED FLAGS that a trendy diet may not be for you: Sustainability- Is this way of eating something you can see yourself sticking with long term? Is it expensive and hard to follow? Social Life- How will this way of eating affect your social life? Will you be able to enjoy meals with family and friends and dining out? Sports – Dos this diet encourage you to be active and exercise in addition to restricting calories or does it promise weight loss without this? Activity and exercise help with flexibility, may help reduce stress and improve cardiovascular health. Supplements- Does the diet force you to rely on purchasing supplements to get important nutrients you are eliminating from your diet? Stamina – If you are restricting calories do you have the stamina (energy) for your daily activities at work and at home with your family? If the weight loss diet has one or more of these RED FLAGS take a minute to consider if it is worth it to try. Often when people ask me about a SENSIBLE weigh to improve eating and activity habits and achieve weight loss I refer them to the USDA’s Choose My Plate website and app that has tips, recipes and health goals and is FREE! https://www.choosemyplate.gov/
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian @InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936 Ingles Markets… caring about your health February 12-18, 2020
The Shelton House.
The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events.
Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions.
Upcoming main events include the Blue Ridge Heritage Festival June 19-21, Shelton House Halloween “Haunting on the Hill” Oct. 27-31 and Shelton House “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas.”
For more information, visit www.sheltonhouse.org or call 828.452.1551.
The Women of Waynesville will host the second annual “Manly Man Auction” at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant.
The event will be held to raise funds for the Lynda Chovan Memorial Scholarship. Attendees will be able to bid on a variety of professional services being donated by highly-qualified men in the community.
Auction items include being a brewer for the day with Matt Normal at Frog Level Brewing, dance lessons with Ryan Sechser at Haywood Dance Tonight, landscaping services from Rob Kolaski, car detailing services from Dave Elder, estate planning services from attorney Chase Well, and more. All donations will benefit WOW’s scholarship fund, established several years ago through the Haywood County Schools Foundation to honor WOW’s late founding member Lynda Chovan. Each year, WOW awards scholarship funds to deserving young women graduating from Haywood County Schools.
“Last year’s Manly Man Auction raised over $2,000 in less than two hours and it was so much fun,” said WOW President Tatia Childers. “We appreciate the men willing to donate their skills to help young women go to college.”
WOW’s mission is to support the needs of women and children in Haywood County. There is no cover charge for the “Manly Man Auction” event. If you have a service you would like to donate for the auction, call 828.550.9978.
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Waynesville historic speaker series
Presented by The Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, the fifth annual “Haywood Ramblings” will once again take place this spring.
A speaker series on the historic resources and rich cultural heritage of Waynesville and Haywood County, the events will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month in the courtroom of The Historic Courthouse in downtown Waynesville.
• Thursday, March 5: “The Mountaineer: History in The Moment,” presented by Kathy Ross. Unlike history books, newspapers record events from an immediate perspective, with no takebacks once they are published. This talk will take a look at some of The Mountaineer’s most spectacular, peculiar, and even painful stories of the past century.
• Thursday, April 2: “Touching the Face of History: The Story of The Plott Hound,” presented by Bob Plott. Hear stories of the origins of North Carolina’s official state dog, the Plott Hound. From Germany to the mountains of North Carolina, the breed’s 200-year history resulted in the development of what many consider to be one of the world’s finest hunting breeds.
Free and open to the public.
Ready for the ‘Outhouse Races’?
A beloved winter spectacle in Western North Carolina, the annual “Outhouse Races” will return to the slopes from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Sapphire Valley Resort. Crazy? Maybe. Dangerous? Perhaps. Fun? Without a doubt. Dozens of outhouses race to compete for the throne. Spectators come from throughout the southeast to line the course and cheer on those brave enough to see if the outhouse crashes and burns or sails across the finish line.
The “Outhouse Races” have been named a “Top 20” event in the Southeast for February by Southeast Tourism Society.
Your homemade outhouses can be made of wood, cardboard, plastic, or any other homemade items. There are three people to a team and outhouses are secured on a set of skis, which can be provided to you by the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. These skis are pushed by two team members, while one team member “sits” inside.
Outhouses are equipped with a seat with at least one hole, and a roll of toilet paper or alternative wiping source. The race course is a two-lane track on packed snow (or on ice), with two teams racing each other head to head over a length of approximately 120 feet (40 yards), the first 30 feet being propelled by the pushers and the last 90 feet under its own gravitational power.
This event is as exciting as “Drag Racing” if you use your imagination. Outhouses can be very simple, or as elaborate as anyone wants them to be.
www.sapphirevalley.com or 828.743.7663.
Come experience Laurel Ridge
In honor of the “Love The Locals” campaign during the month of February, Laurel Ridge Country Club is inviting you to experience club life during the month of February.
“We desire to serve our local community by providing an environment for families and friends to enjoy each other and make lasting memories here in our town.” said VP of Operations Sarah James Speier. “We have a beautiful family-friendly club that offers unmatched dining, concerts, entertainment, golf, kids camps, swimming and tennis, and is convenient.”
Laurel Ridge has been the best kept secret of Waynesville, working in the background to impact Haywood County by supporting clubs such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Altrusa, The Chamber of Commerce, the local Sheriff ’s Department, and Haywood County Schools Foundation to name a few. Upcoming specials and events include the following:
• Golf in February for $35, this includes your cart. Play the challenging and fun mountain course at a rare and exclusive price point & ask about our Golf Memberships that start at $135/month. • Every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. bring the crew to discover the “Sunday Spread! Brunch,” which includes a full breakfast buffet and made-to-order omelet station as well as lunch favorites and local specialties. All you can eat, with a cash bar available.
• 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 14: “Valentine’s Dine & Dance, Let’s Salsa!” Learn to Salsa with your honey and taste the flavorful art of Laurel Ridge’s culinary team, who are all locals, too. Professional Latino & Ballroom dance instruction will be given by Richard & Sue Cicchetti from Dance for Life. Bring comfortable shoes. By reservation only, 828.452.0545 (x 140).
• Feb. 25: “Fat Tuesday & Open House.” Open to the public for lunch this day only, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. “Meet the Staff ” cocktail hour from 5 to 6 p.m. to learn more about membership. Finally, enjoy a New Orleans Style family buffet from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call to make your reservation, 828.452.0545 (x 140). • Membership special: Join Laurel Ridge for half-off the initiation fee or 60 percent off if you have a member refer you in February.
For more information, call 828.452.0545 (x 131), find them on Facebook or visit www.laurelridgeexperience.com.
Open call for Greening Up
There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentallythemed booths at the 23rd annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in downtown Sylva.
Celebrating the new spring in the mountains, the festival has become a beloved regional event. The festival typically enjoys crowds upwards 12,000 attendees and has 175 vendor booth spaces. In addition to a variety of arts, crafts, and food vendors, attendees can enjoy a 5K run, youth talent contest, beverage arts featuring local craft breweries and live music throughout the day.
Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through March 15. For more information, email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.
There will be a special “Flannel Party & Axe Throwing” event from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.
Carolina Axe Throwing will be at the taproom with their mobile axe throwing setup. They provide safe throwing lanes and even have a trainer on-site.
Cost is $10 for the training session, $5 for each additional game. Flannel attire is highly encouraged. Live music featuring Seth Brand from 7 to 9 p.m.
www.innovation-brewing.com.
arts & entertainment The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region.
“Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva.
The event will focus on environmentally themed artwork created by the youth of our community in order to highlight a uniquely honest perspective on a global topic.
The show will aim to encompass the use of all art mediums including ceramics, painting, sculpture, drawing, and multimedia so long as dimensions do not exceed 12x12 inches. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition.
Contrary to previous events, the totality of funds raised (100 percent donation) throughout the duration of the show will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant, or you yourself are from the ages of 5-18, be on the lookout for a soon to be released “Call for Artists!”
This project is supported by the NC Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Viva Arts Studio is located on 456 West Main Street in downtown Sylva.
For further information about the event or to apply for your child to be an exhibiting artist, contact the Sylva Art + Design Committee at sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or Viva Arts Studio at vivaartsstudio@gmail.com.
You can also follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. Sylva Art + Design Committee art event
February 12-18, 2020 Smoky Mountain News WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions
The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present a range of photography, glasswork, and vitreography on display from now through May 1.
• “Time and Again: Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post”
Funded in part by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the exhibition brings together two Penland-based artists whose works explore ideas about time, history, memory, and the antique.
In many of their works, objects from the past are remade and reimagined in glass, creating a bridge between past and present.
• “Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” This new exhibition features aerial photographs that explore the relationship between humans and the WNC landscape. Taken by Alex S. MacLean, a renowned artist and pilot with over 45 years of experience photographing the land from the bird’s eye perspective of an airplane, these newly commissioned images focus on the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina.
MacLean’s striking images capture the unique qualities of the region’s built environment while also raising broader questions about humanity’s impact on the land through agriculture, energy, industry, and housing.
“The Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. March 19, with a gallery talk from Alex S. MacLean at 5:45 p.m. This exhibition is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
‘Rolling Up Rows of Mulch Fabric, Erastus, North Carolina,’ by Alex S. MacLean.
• “Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky” This new exhibition highlights landscape prints by Claire Van Vliet, a renowned printmaker and book artist. Between 1993 and 2010, Van Vliet completed several residencies at Harvey Littleton Studios in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where she experimented with the medium of vitreography, a form of printmaking that uses a glass plate to produce a printed image.
Fascinated by rocks of all kinds, Van Vliet produced detailed images of rock formations from around the world, including Wind Cave in New Mexico, Kilclooney More in Ireland, and the Moeraki Coast in New Zealand. This exhibition brings together a selection of these vitreographs, drawn from the WCU Fine Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, and provides a glimpse into the artist’s creative process.
The exhibition includes a rare opportunity to view one of the original glass plates used in the vitreograph printing process.
The museum exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public with free parking on site. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays until 7 p.m.
For information, visit arts.wcu.edu/museum or call 828.227.ARTS.
HCC Professional Crafts clay exhibition Haywood Community College’s latest showcase “HCC Clay in Retrospect,” an exhibition featuring the work of 20 artists from the college’s 46 years of clay programming, is now on display at the school in Clyde.
These artists represent the rich history of craftspeople who have studied professional crafts clay at HCC.
Gary Clontz founded the college’s clay program in 1974 and together with his colleagues, expanded the program to include areas of study in fiber, jewelry and wood. Now in its 44th year, HCC Professional Crafts Program is the only one of its kind in the country.
“HCC Clay in Retrospect” runs now through April 22 and is located on the second floor of the Creative Arts Building on the HCC campus. The public is invited to a closing reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, with a gallery talk beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The Professional Crafts program is a two-year commitment, focusing on all aspects of becoming an independent craft professional. In addition to sharpening their technical and artistic skills, students also create a marketable line of production work, plan a studio, and become familiar with the craft market.
For more information about HCC’s clay program, call 828.627.4671 or email eareason@haywood.edu.
The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will run through Feb. 29 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. The showcase is designed to invite dialogue about the presence and experience of people of color in our region. The exhibition features four African-American artists and selected work which celebrates the land or the lived experiences of Western North Carolina and the Appalachian region.
Marie T. Cochran, founding curator of the Affrilachian Artist Project will present the the work in a diverse array of media and styles from folk art to contemporary art. Cochran is featured in the book Southern Women, produced by the editors of Garden & Gun magazine. Her artwork is included in the exhibition Appalachia NOW at the Asheville Art Museum.
Featured artists in this show are: LaKeisha Blount, Rahkie Mateen, Trey Miles, and the
late Victoria Casey-McDonald. The artists represent a range of ages. Some are local residents and others are alumni of Western Carolina University.
Gallery are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Cochran will host a gallery talk from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, at HCAC. As well, the closing reception will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at HCAC. www.haywoodarts.org.
HCAC ArtShare returns
The eighth annua ArtShare exhibit will run March 6 through March 28 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.
ArtShare is a showing of fine works of art which have been donated to or consigned with the HCAC. HCAC welcomes pieces from collectors that may be downsizing, changing décor, or who wish to consign estate items to benefit the arts in this community. ArtShare was born out of a desire to allow collectors to be able to pass on art for someone else to enjoy.
The HCAC will accept donations or consigned items in the gallery on March 2 or 3. Inventory sheets are due no later than Feb. 26. Even if collectors have participated in the past, we encourage them to participate again. Artists may participate by sharing their own work, but only if donating.
If you have questions, call the HCAC at 828.452.0593. For more information about donating, including show contracts and inventory lists, visit www.haywoodarts.org.
• The Macon County Art Association will present encaustic classes taught by Karen Smith on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. No experience or supplies required. From 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 16, Mary Ellen Tully will host a class on contemporary Shibori using fiber dyes to make scarves. Mardi Gras masks handmade by MCAA members will be available at the Uptown Gallery up until the Mardi Gras celebration in Franklin on Feb. 22. Betsey Sloan will be teaching a class making sheep out of gourds from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 29. 828.349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.
• Stonehouse Pottery (Waynesville) will be doing an Open Studio Tour and Sale the first Sunday of each month to help support our local nonprofits. Each month highlights a different artist and that artists chooses his or her nonprofit. Stonehouse Pottery and the artist then give a portion of the proceeds as a donation to that nonprofit.
• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 828.550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.
• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s
exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters,” features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April. ALSO:
• A “Beginner Step-By-Step” adult painting class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There is also a class at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at Balsam Fall Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $25 with all supplies provided. For more information, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.
As part of the Winter Arts Smokies Style series, “The Art of Chocolate” will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in downtown Waynesville.
Sponsored by The Galleries of Haywood County, several merchants and restaurants plan to offer entertainment, special chocolate surprises and other specials. Look for the “red hearts” designating the establishments with specials.
The following events will also be held at the Haywood County Arts Council:
• 11 a.m. to noon — Gallery talk by “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio Exhibit” curator Marie Cochran.
• Noon to 4 p.m. — Rich hot chocolate and chocolate treats.
arts & entertainment • 1 to 3 p.m. — Demonstration by jewelry artist Deb Parmele.
• 3 p.m. — Live music by Ubuntu of the Great Smoky Mountains. African and Appalachian traditional songs performed acapella.
For more information, visit www.visitncsmokies.com.
• The “Valentine’s Dinner & Dance” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Steak dinner and dance is $15. Dance only is $5, with dinner only $12. Kids ages 6 and
under are free. Cake walk and 50/50 raffle. Music by Running Wolfe & The Renegades and the Fines Creek Flatfooters. www.fb.me/finescreekorg. ALSO:
• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20, and 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 15 and 22 at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.
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On the stage HART presents ‘Gruesome Playground Injuries’
Get ready for spring!
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Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive
— Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
A production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
The play is a romantic tale of Kayleen and Doug whose lives intersect over the course of 30 years at the most bizarre intervals leading the two childhood friends to compare scars and the physical calamities that keep drawing them together.
HART’s production is being directed by Doug Savitt and features Candice Dickinson and Allen Chandler. Chandler was seen last summer as Bill Sykes in “Oliver,” which Dickinson directed. She has also been seen at HART in “Chicago” and “The Producers.” To make a reservation, call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322 anytime and simply leave your name, the number of tickets you need and the performance you wish to attend. Seating is general admission, but reservations are recommended. Visit www.harttheatre.org.
The Harmons’ Den Bistro will also be open for dining before all performances, with the menu on the HART website.
Dinner show in Franklin A musical production of “Let The Good Times Roll” will be performed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13-15 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
When a group of high school friends hear their favorite old hangout, The Burger Bop Diner, is about to be torn down, they gather one last time to relive the memories, music, romance and fun of their youth. As they recall the stories of days gone by, they are transported back in time to the doo-wop singing, poodle skirt-wearing joy of the 1950s.
This one-of-a-kind musical production is served live on stage, where the audience gets to participate in the hand-jivin’ fun. All tickets include fresh fruit salad, choice of hamburger or hotdog with the fixings, French fries, coleslaw and a classic miniature ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry.
Tables serve parties of six. Groups larger than six will need to separate. All seating is general seating.
www.greatmountainmusic.com.
Heads up gents: last-minute tips for Valentine’s
No book review this week. Just some last minute advice for men about the Feast of Love. It’s V-Day, guys; time to hit the beaches. And once again you’ve forgotten to find a gift for that special someone in your life. Like some of you, I too have stood at Ingles on Valentine’s Day, flowers in one hand, some candy in the other, looking as shame-faced as the other gents waiting in the check-out line. Go ahead and buy the flowers and candy, but here are some last-minute tips in the literary department that might give a special glow to your love on this Valentine’s Day.
But first some general advice. Never ever mock Valentine’s Day. Never say that the holiday was concocted by chocolatiers, Hallmark, or florists. And never do as my brother once did. Married now for four decades, several years ago he suggested to his wife that they skip Valentine’s Day because “it was really for the young and they were too old.” When he told me he’d uttered that last statement, I was laughing so hard I could barely hear the rest of his story. I’ll leave it to your imagination as to how his suggestion went down. Being thrown in the doghouse doesn’t begin to describe it. Think of a dungeon instead.
And for heaven’s sakes, don’t slog your way through V-Day. Since you’re going to celebrate it anyway, why not do it up right and have some fun? Make the day a huge celebration. Go out to a fancy restaurant. Break open a special bottle of champagne. Instead of a dozen roses, buy two-dozen. Instead of moaning about Valentine’s Day, party hearty. Life’s Writer Jeff Minick
too short not to add another celebration to the calendar.
Now for some tips involving literary gifts that will cost you little or nothing, but which
Relic of St. Valentine in the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. wikipedia
should bring joy and deep pleasure to your spouse or lover.
First, head for your local bookstore and look for a volume of love poetry or one of those tiny gift books about romance, the ones whose covers usually feature roses or a picture of a couple walking along the beach. Write an affectionate inscription on the flyleaf, have it wrapped, and along with the flowers, candy, and card present the package to your beloved. Next, hit the Internet, Google “famous love poems,” and select a verse you like — and more importantly, one that would bring pleasure to your beloved other. At the “Poetry Foundation,” you’ll even find love poems listed by category: “Sad Love,” “Erotic,” “I Miss You,” “Teen Love,” and so on. You might pick out a classic poem, like Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43 “How Do I Love Thee?”
or Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” Poke around online, and you might discover a poet whose name and work are entirely unfamiliar to you, but whose verse fits your beloved like a ring on the finger.
If you’re a believer in the Old Book, you can always go to 1 Corinthians 13. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast…” Ancient words, but powerful enough to adorn many a wedding ceremony.
Now write out the poem, tuck it into an envelope, and present it along with the other gifts. When the one you love opens the envelope, consider reading the poem aloud. That reading may embarrass you, but bear in mind many find embarrassment endearing.
Better still, write your love a letter, preferably by hand. (My own chicken-scratching has long precluded pen from paper.) Tell that one your feelings. Share some intimate thoughts — not necessarily sexual in nature, but real and true emotions. Be specific. Mention the good times and leave the bad ones for another day.
And remember: sincerity is what counts. It helps if you can write well, but being yourself on that piece of paper is the goalpost. If you have a knack for drawing, add a sketch or two to the note. If humor is your forte, unleash that wit. If you have something you have long wanted to say but can’t push the words past your tongue, then let your fingers do the talking.
Consider telling or reading a story to your loved one. O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi may be set at Christmas, but the point of the story centers on the sacrifices made by Jim and Della for each other. The Internet again offers scores of possibilities. At planetofsuccess.com, for example, we find “The Most Beautiful Short Love Stories,” a collection mini-stories that touch the heart.
Valentine’s Day has value in that it focuses our attention on the one we love. It accents our relationship, reminds us of our affection, and offers the chance to demonstrate a depth of feeling often buried by the circumstances of daily life.
But why stop there? Why not make every day a sort of valentine with a kiss or a hug, a glance of the eye, a note lying on the pillow of the bed, a thank you when that morning coffee appears at your elbow, an unexpected gift, a simple “I love you?”
Show that special person in your life your love.
(Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. minick0301@gmail.com)
Ron Rash wins Sidney Lanier Prize
Ron Rash, Western Carolina University’s John Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Cultural Studies in the Department of English, will soon add to his lengthy list of awards. Rash, a poet, short story writer and novelist, will be awarded the 2020 Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature by Mercer University’s Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies. The prize will be presented on April 18.
“The Lanier Prize is especially meaningful to me because, as a beginning writer, the work of several previous winners was crucial, especially that of Lee Smith, Wendell Berry, Ernest Gaines and Fred Chappell,” Rash said. “Their writing continues to inspire me, and I am honored to join them as Lanier Prize winners.”
The Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature was first awarded in 2012 and is named for the 19th-century Southern poet who was born in Macon, Georgia. The prize is awarded to writers who have engaged and extended the tradition of writing about the South.
Rash, who was born in Chester, South Carolina, and earned his undergraduate degree from Gardner-Webb and master’s degree from Clemson University, is the author of the New York Times bestseller Serena (which was a 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction finalist) and Above the Waterfall. Other prizewinning novels include The Cove, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River and The World Made Straight. “In poetry and prose, Ron Rash depicts the lives and longings of people living precariously in Southern Appalachia,” said David A. Davis, chair of the Lanier Prize committee and associate professor of English at Mercer. “His work describes both God and nature as unforgiving, leaving people to struggle and work to survive while they search for brief moments of peach. Rash has made major contributions to the complicated tradition of Southern writing, and the Sidney Lanier Prize committee is proud to present him with the prize recognition of his work.”
Library starts Silent Book Club
The Jackson County Public Library will launch a Silent Book Club at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at The Paper Mill Lounge in Sylva.
The club will continue on the second Thursday of each month. Everyone is invited to attend.
The Silent Book Club is a national movement of unique book clubs. The idea is that people gather together, socialize a little, enjoy food and beverages, do some silent reading of the book they brought, and then reconvene to discuss the books they are reading. The uniqueness of this kind of book club is that each person is reading the book that they choose. There is no debate over a common book. The Silent Book Club is also a wonderful way to broaden one’s own literary horizons by listening and participating in passionate discussions of many different books.
For more information, please call the library at 828.586.2016. The Jackson County Public Library is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).
