41 minute read
A&E
That path is for your steps alone
A conversation with Jay Blakesberg
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD S TAFF WRITER I f a picture is worth a thousand words, then the images of Jay Blakesberg are worth a thousand notes. Initially following and photographing the melodic cosmic force that was The Grateful Dead from the late 1970s onward, Blakesberg has traveled the country and the world over, always in search of these serendipitous blinkof-an-eye encounters and interactions that define not only a scene and a generation, but also a culture and the essence of the humanity — love, compassion, rhythm.
At 58, Blakesberg has remained one of the most highly sought-after photographers in the industry for several decades, with subjects ranging from B.B. King to Tom Waits, The Rolling Stones to Dave Matthews Band, David Byrne to John Lee Hooker.
And yet, he’s still in the trenches at music festivals large and small, chasing after the “next big thing” or standing within reach of musical royalty — ready to capture the moment for all to see.
Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead (photo credit: Jay Blakesberg)
Jay Blakesberg.
Smoky Mountain News: With your photography showcase, it really circles back to why all of us are so attracted to live music, and especially with The Grateful Dead itself — capturing these moments in this magic that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Jay Blakesberg: Absolutely. Any of these bands that are in the jam world, no two shows will be exactly the same, right? So, these people [in the audience] push those limits, those musicians [onstage] push those limits — [everyone taking] these risks in hopes of creating these more profound, magical moments.
[With music], you are kind of reliving your youth and you’re like, “Oh my God, this song brings back so many memories.” And that’s what live music does — it brings you to these places and these times in your life.
[Like when] you’re listening to the radio and a song comes on. I remember hearing [The Beatles] “Hey Jude” come on the radio, and it brings me back to being in my brother’s car in 1970 and hearing it on AM radio in New York [while] driving down to the Jersey Shore.
The hair stands up on the back of your neck and you get goosebumps — music transports us to all these places.
SMN: Which the same can be said about your photography, too.
Want to go?
“Between the Dark and Light: The Grateful Dead Photography of Jay Blakesberg” will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville.
Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of show. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.thegreyeagle.com. If you would like to view Blakesberg’s work for purchase, visit www.blakesberg.com.
JB: And [with] my photographs, I want them to do the same thing. Take us back to those moments where the hair stands up on the back of your neck and you get goosebumps because you’re like, “Holy shit, this was my experience also. [And] I’ve never been able to put it into words.”
[And I’m up there] talking about this thing that we all did together and showing these photographs, [where] it brings [them] right back to that moment when [they were] 20 or 25 or 30 or 35 or whatever it was — having this experience that is now this experience that has brought [them] to who [they are in their] life today.
SMN: Why was photography the creative medium by which you can express yourself most accurately, passionately and artistically? JB: It’s just what I chose to do. When I first started taking pictures, I really liked it. It really turned me on and made me feel good. It made me connected. It gave me a purpose. It gave me something to do. It connected me to a scene and connected me to an experience.
You know, [back in the day] I’d go in my basement and make 8x10 black and white prints. I’d give them to my friends and they would put them on their bedroom walls with thumbtacks, and it connected us. We have these experiences and we have these photographs to remember those experiences.
And as time went on, it became more important for me to document these experiences. At a certain point, I realized that I was documenting a really important segment of pop culture history. [I was a] visual anthropologist and I should keep doing this because it was good for everybody.
Eventually, it turned it into a career and a profession where here I am now — traveling around the country, talking about my experience and showing my photographs.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to listen to the audio stream of this conversation, go to YouTube and search: “Jay Blakesberg Garret K. Woodward.”
Jeremy Garrett and Garret K. Woodward.
And no matter what may come to shine, the dream will always be mine I awoke in the guest bedroom and it took me a few seconds to realize where I was. Tampa, Florida, was the destination this past weekend. And there I was amid Gulf Coast sunshine and beautiful chaos only found in the depths of the unknown night. The purpose of this latest excursion was part business, part leisure. I was heading down to Tampa anyhow to meet up with some folks in the craft beer and music industry to talk about some ideas we’d like to implement in the Western North Carolina brewing and live music scenes.
That, and my buddies The Infamous Stringdusters just so happened to be performing at my friend’s brewery and music venue in Ybor City. Since the Dusters were in town, I figured it’d be an ideal time to interview fiddler/singer Jeremy Garrett for Rolling Stone about his new solo album, which was recorded and produced by Organic Records in Arden (home of Crossroads Studio).
But, the underlying tone of the trip was this surreal sense of big changes, personally and professionally, within the lives and careers of all involved. These were familiar and beloved faces, many of which I didn’t even know a year ago, let alone when I moved to Western North Carolina in 2012. Turning 35 a couple of weeks ago, I’ve really had a “What does it all mean?” vibe and attitude rolling through my head. Halfway between age 20 and 50. This weird, surreal spot where you’re young enough to have mobility and youthful exuberance (fingers crossed) and yet you’re old enough to be aware of just how big and wondrous the world is — with a more defined and clear focus of what it is you are sincerely meant to do in your time and place on this planet. For myself, it’s always been about the HOT PICKS 1 The “Mardi Gras in the Mountains” celebration will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in downtown Franklin. 2 Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/alt-country) 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21. 3 The reception for the 52nd annual Juried Undergraduate exhibition will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Fine Art Museum Star Atrium in the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. 4 There will be another installment of “Comedy Night” at 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville. 5 Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Andrew Thelston Band (rock/jam) 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21. f f ” written word, the one thing I (hopefully) offer society in the name of peace, love and compassion between humanity and the grand cosmos. And it is the written word by which I’ve acquired this vehicle and catalyst to pursue my wildest dreams with a reckless abandon.
The gratitude is flowing through my heart and soul as I’m writing this column, all while sitting at a table in the St. PeteClearwater International Airport awaiting my flight back to Asheville, cold beer within reach, my thoughts ricocheting across this blank page like they always do, especially in moments of transition.
That gratitude reverberated through this Tampa trip, the crazy notion that everything and everyone around me is a result of the written word. It’s a long way from home back in the North Country of Upstate New York, and an even longer way from the old days of pounding on newspaper doors in hopes of somebody taking a chance on an underemployed writer.
Now, these paragraphs are not meant to push forward any false notion of self. More so, it’s about being sincerely appreciative of every single opportunity that has come my way, and never forgetting those long nights spent on the road chasing after some aspiration I had back in college of being a writer. Tampa, Tampa, Tampa. It was weird to step out of the airport and feel that warm breeze, a far cry from the cold wind and snow experienced a few hours prior in Haywood County. Though I’ll always be a person who feels most at home in the mountains, there’s just something so appealing and mesmerizing about that Florida sunshine.
Cruising along causeways over silent waters in the midnight hour. Drinks in bars filled with neon lights and loud music. Get up with the morning sun to do it all over again. Turn that pasty Irish skin of mine to a shiny tan amid countless freckles that’ll finally reveal themselves in the right temperature. Snapshots of a weekend now fleeting into memory.
The whirlwind weekend came to a culmination while at Rock Brothers Brewing in Ybor City. With the Stringdusters onstage in the packed upstairs venue, my friends and I saluted the fiery performance, and also each other, these different backgrounds and starting points, each ultimately coming together and forming these lifelong bonds — through craft beer, music, journalism and an unrelenting zest to strive for greatness every day. Winter is quickly giving way to spring, as the cycle of life starts all over again. I’m always sad to see the cold months disappear, the sentimentality of the holidays, good cheer and all that stuff that is meant to eliminate the winter blues in the presence of loved ones, near and far.
And though I’m not sure what this new phase will hold, I do know that I’ll be rushing towards that horizon with head held high, the wind at my back if I’m lucky. I mean, what else is there to do in the universe but chase after passion and truth? And with the “golden rule” safely tucked in your back pocket, the world is truly your oyster. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all. Established in 1942
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February 19-25, 2020 Darren Nicholson and Steve Sutton. (photo: Garret K. Woodward)
Steve Sutton Memorial Concert
There will be a special concert in memory of late banjo great Steve Sutton from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Queen Auditorium at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Performers include the Darren Nicholson Band, Crowe Brothers, Mark Bumgarner, Marc Pruett, Hazel Creek, Bill Kaman, Mike Hunter, Malcolm Holcombe, and the Whitewater Bluegrass Co.
The concert is an opportunity for his many friends to raise money for the International Bluegrass Music Association trust fund and for a scholarship in his name for music students at Waynesville’s Tuscola High School.
A longtime member of the Darren Nicholson Band and Whitewater Bluegrass Company, Sutton was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep on May 13, 2017, one day shy of his 61st birthday.
“I basically owe my musical career to him,” said mandolinist Darren Nicholson of International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” bluegrass act Balsam Range, who was Sutton’s best friend and longtime collaborator. “He got me my first professional job, which led to all the relationships that are still relevant in my current career. Steve believed in me so much that he took me to Strains of Music in Waynesville and paid cash for a Gibson mandolin. Steve was kind to everyone he met and helped countless people — he just had a good heart.”
A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-winner himself, Sutton graduated from Tuscola High School in Waynesville. Upon graduation, he was simultaneously offered gigs with the “Godfather of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe and bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.
“But, Jimmy offered me something like $10 more a week, so I took it,” Sutton chuckled in a 2015 interview with The Smoky Mountain News.
In 1974, Sutton joined Martin on the road, kicking off a career that took him across the globe, ultimately gracing the Grand Ole Opry stage numerous times. Sutton also had stints with Alecia Nugent and Rhonda Vincent. And through his lifelong pursuit of bluegrass and mountain music, Sutton also remembered where it all began, alongside banjo great and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Raymond Fairchild.
“[Steve’s] talent and free-flowing sense of humor constantly fed that professional effort to the highest levels,” said Marc Pruett, Grammy-winning banjoist of Balsam Range. “Steve was a valued, respected member of a heritage-schooled, living culture. He was ‘the real deal,’ and his warm smile and larger-than-life talent leaves a void in our mountains that can’t be filled.” Tickets to the performance are $35 in advance. Dinner is ticketed separately for $12 and begins at 6 p.m. More information about tickets can be obtained by calling 828.452.2997.
To purchase tickets online, visit www.showclix.com/event/second-annualsteve-sutton-memorial-concert.
The Cold Mountain Music Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its fourth annual event happening June 5-6 at the picturesque Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton.
Grammy-winning newgrass pioneer Sam Bush Band will headline the weekend-long retreat, with additional appearances by fastrising alt-country sensation Charley Crockett, West Coast folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper, critically acclaimed troubadour Amythyst Kiah, regional rock powerhouse Futurebirds, Americana/indie singer-songwriter sensation Sierra Ferrell, and more.
With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience.
In addition to heavy-hitting ensembles from the national frontlines, Friday night’s bill will shine a light on the region’s abundant local talent, welcoming an all-star cast of bands to the stage.
With highlights including the celebrated Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Pierce Edens, Joe Lasher, and Camp Henry (which calls Lake Logan home) alum Noah Proudfoot & The Botanicals, attendees will enjoy a curated dose of entertainment with a community thread tying it all together.
Having started as an effort to raise awareness for Camp Henry and the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Cold Mountain Music Festival continues to support the mission of inclusivity and engage participants from all backgrounds.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code “DioWNC” at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority.
www.coldmountainmusic.org.
Smoky Mountain News 26 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. She is a multitalented entertainer who attracts the spotlight with her style, talent, and unique sound. Campbell is authentic and has a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of country music. She has music in her blood and showbusiness in her genes.
Campbell graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in theater in 2009. She aspired to be an actress and dreamed of appearing on “Saturday Night Live.” When she was cast in a role that required her to learn how to play the banjo, that all changed. She fell in love with the instrument and decided to focus on music.
Campbell chose to put a music career on hold so she could help care for her father, country music legend Glen Campbell, while he was ill. In 2015, she released the single, “Remembering,” which is about her father’s struggles with Alzheimer’s disease. She released her debut album, “The Lonely One,” in 2018.
Tickets start at $15 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 828.273.4615.
Bookstore 3 EAST JACKSON STREET • SYLVA 828/586-9499 • citylightsnc.com Candace Hardin Reading & Book Signing Saturday, Feb. 22 3 PM
Meghan Hayes
Singer-songwriter at The Strand
Americana/folk musician Meghan Hayes will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Last year saw the release of the third record from East Nashville songwriter. Hard on the heels of a divorce from a 20-year marriage, the songs on “Seen Enough Leavers” are tough, sonically diverse and lyrically driven. Sometimes folky, sometimes reaching into the realms of pop and rock but always grounded in the art of songwriting itself, this album is by far Hayes’s most ambitious recording to date.
Tickets are $10 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.38main.com.
Helping Hands fundraiser
The Helping Hands of Haywood will host a fundraiser with a performance by The Remainders at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb.29, at UpCountry Brewing in Asheville.
The organization is completely run by volunteers. Its first goal is to raise money for a family in transitional housing to ease the burden of paying for utilities. They have partnered with REACH Initiative for this goal, they’ll provide the home for a family and we will pay utilities. Families that are provided with after-care are much less likely to return to homelessness.
Helping Hands aims to assist people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues. They are dedicated to filling in the missing pieces that existing nonprofits and programs currently provide. For more information, email helpinghandsofhaywood@gmail.com or call 828.508.3420.
arts & entertainment • Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with Tom Edwards Feb. 21, Blue Revue Feb. 22, Bill Vespasian 4 p.m. Feb. 23, Brother! Feb. 28, Feather Feb. 29 and Scott Stambaugh 4 p.m. March 1. All 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. Feb. 21. Free.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27. 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, Andrew Thelston Band (indie/rock) Feb. 22 and DJ Point Five 9:30 p.m. Feb. 29. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com.
• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company (Maggie Valley) will host Shadowfields (swampgrass) Feb. 21. All shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.944.0766 or www.elevatedmountain.com.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host
February 19-25, 2020 Pullin’ Strings (Grateful Dead tribute) Feb. 21, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) Feb. 28 and ‘Round the Fire & Friends (Americana/jam) 8 p.m. Feb. 29. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Feb. 19 and 26, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 20 and 27, with Feather 3 p.m. Feb. 23. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovationbrewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Isaiah Breedlove Feb. 22 and Lip Sync Battle Feb. 28. 7 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Kirk Fleta Feb. 21, Natti Love Joys Feb. 22, Dirty Dave & The Pony Express Feb. 28 and The Log Noggins 8 p.m. Feb. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Andrew Thelston Band (rock/jam) Feb. 21, Shabudikah Feb. 22, Natti Love Joys “Bob Marley Celebration” Feb. 28 and The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) Feb. 29. All shows are at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Scott James Stambaugh (singersongwriter) Feb. 21, Somebody’s Child (Americana) Feb. 22, Andrew Chastain
(singer-songwriter) Feb. 28 and Frank & Allie Lee (Americana/old-time) Feb. 29. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com. ALSO:
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Into The Fog 8 p.m. Feb. 21, Dirty Grass Players 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 and Arnold Hill Feb. 28. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.
• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host Michael Flynn 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21. www.orchardcoffeeroasters.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will Heidi Holton Feb. 21, Scott Stetson Feb. 22, Scott Stambaugh Feb. 28 and Nate Hadley Feb. 29. 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.
• Snowbird Mountains Brewing (Andrews) will host Bill Vespasian (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Feb. 22. Free and open to the public. 678.410.3035 or www.snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com.
• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Meghan Hayes (singersongwriter) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 (admission is $10). 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host Bluegrass Thursdays w/Benny Queen at 6:30 p.m. 828.743.3000.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host Bluegrass w/Nitrograss Wednesdays at 7 p.m. 828.526.8364.
• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic Night” on Mondays, karaoke on Thursdays and semi-regular music on Fridays and Saturdays. All events at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.456.4750.
Celebrate
The Western NC Civil War Roundtable is pleased to welcome Douglas Waller on Monday, March 9, at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa.
The evening’s agenda begins at 5 p.m. with a meet and greet dinner at the Tap Room within The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Dinner will be followed with a social at 6:30 p.m. The meeting and free presentation will commence at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer room on the second floor of The Waynesville Inn. Waller will be speaking on Abraham Lincoln’s Spies. He will tell the story of the dangerous espionage and covert operations during the Civil War.
He will feature four important Union agents and spy ring leaders: Allan Pinkerton, whose detective agency had already brought him fame nationwide; Lafayette Baker, who ran counter-espionage operations in Washington for the War Department; George Sharpe, a New York lawyer, who spied for generals Joseph Hooker, George Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant; and Elizabeth Van Lew, who ran a Union espionage ring in Richmond.
Behind these secret agents was Abraham Lincoln, who became an avid consumer of intelligence and a ruthless aficionado of covert action. The phone tapping, human collection and aerial snooping seen today can be traced back to the Civil War.
Waller holds a B.A. in English from Wake Forest University, as well as an M.A. in Urban Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a former correspondent for Newsweek and Time, where he covered the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, White House, and Congress.
Douglas Waller.
Waller is the author of several bestselling books, including Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage; The Commandos: The Inside Story of America’s Secret Soldiers; and Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan. His latest book is Lincoln’s Spies: Their Secret War to Save the Nation.
The Civil War Roundtable’s schedule will continue on Tuesday, April 14, with Dr. Judkin Browning who will focus on the impact of the war on the Northern and Southern home front. Michael Hardy returns on Monday, May 11, to discuss Stuart’s Tar Heels. Thomas Thibeault will speak about Robert Smalls on Monday, June 8.
More information can be found at www.wnccwrt.com.
Open call for Greening Up
There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed 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.
The “Mardi Gras in the Mountains” celebration will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in downtown Franklin. Help bring the community together in fellowship and celebration in the heart of winter to recognize the beginning of Lent. Local merchants, restaurants and breweries will have food and drink that reflect Mardi Gras.
Parade at 2 p.m. with a Children’s Costume Contest, Pet Costume Contest and Pantomime Music Parade. All proceeds to benefit the Appalachian Animal Rescue Center.
Contact Susie Colbert at 828.369.0092 for details on participation, sponsorships and volunteers.
Open call for volunteers
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.
Waynesville historic speaker series
Presented by The Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, the 5th 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 at the Town Hall in 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 as they were perceived at the time. • 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.
• Thursday, May 7: “History as Inspiration,” presented by Thomas Woltz. A world-renowned landscape architect, Woltz will discuss the role of history and culture in his designs of public spaces. Through a selection of park projects in Western North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and New Zealand, he will illustrate how his personal history inspires designs that connect people and the places they live.
Free and open to the public. In case of snow, the event will be automatically rescheduled for the second Thursday of the month.
February 19-25, 2020 Smoky Mountain News 30 Sylva Art + Design Committee art event
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.
All funds raised 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.
For further information, contact the Sylva Art + Design Committee at Folk school offers ‘Local Standby’ program
Western North Carolina residents are now eligible for half-off tuition for all 2020 classes at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.
The Local Standby program provides full and part-time residents 50 percent off any full-tuition course on a space-available, standby basis. Students can participate in an array of week-long and weekend classes including blacksmithing, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, and cooking.
Nineteen counties are eligible for the Local Standby program, including Cherokee, Clay, Buncombe, Henderson, Macon, Jackson, Swain, Madison, Graham, and Transylvania counties in North Carolina including the Qualla Boundary; Fannin, Gilmer, Rabun, Towns, and Union counties in Georgia; and Polk and Monroe county in Tennessee.
In its 95th year, John C. Campbell Folk School is expanding on a newly finalized strategic plan to strengthen local community relations and enhance programming to diversify its student base. Created with the help of instructors, students, and local communities, the plan also includes improvements to infrastructure, development of staff and resident artists, and continued financial strength.
All students interested must request a “Local Standby” discount at the time of registration and will be confirmed 14 days before the class start date. Students must present a valid driver’s license, voter registration card, or tax bill showing their local address.
For more detail on class information and descriptions, visit www.folkschool.org or call the registration office at 800.FOLK.SCHOOL.
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.
WCU Juried Undergraduate exhibition, reception
The reception for the 52nd annual Juried Undergraduate exhibition will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Fine Art Museum Star Atrium in the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University.
Currently being showcased, the exhibition is one of the longest-running Catamount art traditions.
For emerging artists, this exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting.
This year, the exhibition is juried by Tracey Morgan, owner of Tracey Morgan Gallery in Asheville. For more information, visit bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.
James Lyle will be offering a “Sequential Art Class Series” beginning on March 7 and running through May 23 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.
In this session, the class will participate in a group exercise dealing with the process of creating a “superhero” (or any other type of character in any media, really).
The group will spend time providing ideas for a collectively created character and along the way learn a bit about comic book history as well as the process of brainstorming ideas. Students will want to bring along their own sketchpads, pencils, etc. to allow them to write down notes as well as create additional secondary characters as this process tends to bubble over into many ideas that cannot be used in the collective character design.
Make your reservation and pre-payment today. Class fee is $20 for HCAC members or $25 for non-members. Cash and Checks made payable to James Lyle. Call 828.452.0593 for more information.
www.haywoodarts.org.
• Fiber Sunday will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, in Room 104 at The Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin. Bring a textile project you are working on from spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, baskets, etc. Call or email Teresa Bouchonnet at 828.349.3878 or bouchonnet@coweetextiles.com if you have any questions.
• The Macon County Art Association will present a special workshop with Betsey Sloan teaching a class making sheep out of gourds from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. For more information call the gallery at 828.349.4607 or visit www.franklinuptowngallery.com. ALSO:
• 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 artist chooses his or her nonprofit. The March 1 event will benefit Women of Waynesville, an organization that supports the needs of women and children in Haywood County. • 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.
• 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 on paint dates and/or to RSVP, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.
HCAC ‘ArtShare’ returns
This year marks the eighth year of the ArtShare exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. ArtShare runs from March 6-28.
ArtShare is a showing of fine works of art which have been donated to or consigned with the HCAC. The 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, please call the HCAC at 828.452.0593. For more information about donating, including show contracts and inventory lists, visit www.haywoodarts.org.
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 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.
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— Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
HPAC ‘Live via Satellite’
The Highlands Performing Arts Center will present “Live via Satellite’ the National Theatre of London’s production of “Present Laughter” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.
Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy “Present Laughter.” As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colorful life is in danger of spiraling out of control.
Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.
Captured live from The Old Vic in London, “Present Laughter” is a giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness.
Tickets are available online at www.highlandspac.org, www.highlandsperformingarts.com or at the door.
Cary Goff.
There will be another installment of “Comedy Night” at 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville.
Comedians include acclaimed stand-up Cary Goff, as well as Chesney Goodson and Ryan Cox. Hosted by Cory Thompson.
Goff is a writer/comedian out of Asheville and has performed around the southeast. He’s showcased in the Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival, been a finalist in the Port City Comedy Competition and a semi-finalist in the Carolina’s Funniest Stand-Up Comic Competition.
Goff has enjoyed performing with comedians such as Joe DeRosa, Rory Scovel, Joe Zimmerman, Doug Stanhope, Tom Segura and Jarrod Harris, among others. He also writes satire for the Asheville Disclaimer in the alt-weekly Mountain Xpress as well as The Simpleton Review.
Admission is $5 at the door. Ages 18 and over permitted. For more information, call 828.246.9249.
• The “Western Carolina Comedy Showcase” will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. Beth Fronczak will host live performances by Clinton Ricks, Rowan Young and Brad Sativa. Admission is $5 at the door. Ages 21 and up. www.boojumbrewing.com. ALSO:
A sea journey well-told
I’m on page 289 of a 308-page book by Brian Doyle called The Plover and am having fun. The book takes place in present time on the high seas of the Pacific Ocean by an author who has been compared to Joseph Conrad, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London and even Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A young man sets out in a small craft in order to get away from humanity and modern civilization and to make his life and his “country” the sea. Talk about conflict! If the natural forces of the oceanic landscape aren’t enough, there are plenty more humanrelated conflicts to come.
And, yes, I’m having fun with the conflicts as well as the amazing storytelling and one could even say poetic quality of Doyle’s writing. As I’m nearing the conclusion of this novel I’m already feeling the tears when I actually reach the end. So, I’ve already ordered two more of Doyle’s books (he is no longer with us, but was, thank goodness, a prolific writer) from the Jackson County Library in Sylva.
To properly review The Plover and give one a decent experience of Doyle’s story and writing style would take the whole issue of this week’s Smoky Mountain News, as I’d have to share with you at least several lengthy passages from this book as evidence of Doyle’s subtle literary brilliance as well as his amazing insights into human psychology and history, marine biology, ornithology and the present-day relationship with all of these. So, here, let me show you what I’m talking about. This, a passage from the early pages of the book with the story’s main character, Declan, getting ready to set sail from the northwest coast of the U.S. and out into the Pacific Ocean: “Dawn like an eye opening, the Plover rocking gently. A pregnant silence, a deep silence filled with waiting, the invisible musicians with their transparent hands poised over their evanescent instruments; and then a lorikeet whistles in the woods; and then the Writer Thomas Crowe
inquisitive quizzical koels ask their quiet questions, and then a sea of warblers all at once as if by command, by signal, by the descent of a baton only they can see; and then
the deluge, pigeons and doves, noddies and tattlers, godwits and turnstones, curlews and pipers, teal and widgeon, boobies and petrels, shimbrels and phalarope, and o my little terns!” With his Faulkner-like sentence structure, he follows that up a few pages later with this inspired proclamation from the minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources and Foreign Affairs on the island of Tungaru, who is being interviewed by a major Atoll culture newspaper in the Gilbert Islands and who is running for office:
“I wish to make the poverties die. I wish to establish a republic of free people beholding to no fading empire or nation or country at all. I wish to establish a republic where every tenth person, male or female, young or old, is chosen a National Dreamer. I wish to establish an army of thinkers who will imagine and execute ways for the republic to borrow the energy of the sea which is our mother. And finally I wish to establish many more things, gently and respectfully, without guns or shouting. I think we are all children even if we have old bodies and we should make a republic that runs on the wonder of children whether we are old or Smoky Mountain News 33
young children.”
From here we are passengers on Declan’s boat, The Plover, named after the species of bird with that name, and experience the unexpected trials and tribulations of everything from modern-day sea pirates to boat-smashing storms. At the end of the book Declan’s small craft has become full of Marquez-like characters and various birds all crammed onto a small boat, yet finding ways to interact and survive amicably. Doyle is a master at creating character as well as writing environmental and animal description.
But perhaps nothing in the book matches his portraits of the character of the ocean itself:
“Maybe the ocean thinks. Maybe the ocean licks its islands every night like mothers lick their cubs. This could be. Maybe the ocean remembers the old days when the worlds were just made and there was naught upon the waters but storms upon the sea; the ocean’s wild and tumultuous youth. Maybe all the smaller seas and oceans are the children of the mother of oceans. Maybe the ocean stares at the stars and yearns for the oceans on other worlds. This could be.”
I’m on page 292 now and am reading this passage spoken by one of the characters which more or less sums up Doyle’s philosophy for his lively seafaring story: “Ideas take on lives of their own and become quite real. One of the most fascinating things about human beings is your imagination and how it can create something that was never in the world before in billions of years and will never be in the world again in that form in billions of years to come.” I’ve reached the end of Brian Doyle’s book The Plover. On the back cover it reads: “this is a rapturous, heartfelt celebration of life’s surprising paths.” Enticing praise, this. And from this reader’s experience, Doyle delivers.
Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and is the author of an historical novel The Watcher and a collection of short stories titled Firsts. He lives in the Tuckasegee community of Jackson County and can be reached at newnativepress@hotmail.com
City Lights reading, book signing Candice Hardin Littlejohn will hold a signing and discussion of her latest novel, The Adventures of Dr. Dorothy Jarrod Volume 1: The Oracle, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
A recently divorced dead language specialist, Dr. Dorothy Jarrod, moves from her North Carolina hometown to teach at a far off community college and to escape her ex-husband. While teaching, she receives an offer to partake in an expedition to Scotland, where discovery and adventure await.
Littlejohn is a Western North Carolina native, originating from Haywood County. A lifelong writer, she got her start submitting to the Rockmart Journal at the age of 6.
She once dreamed of starting her own literary magazine and is now the editor and publisher of the Bohemian Renaissance Literary Magazine, a literary magazine for those who wish to read the works of up-and-coming writers and artists in the Southeastern United States. She also has a poetry collection titled Bared Expectations, a collection of poems dealing in a broad range of subjects and meanings, such as emotions, dreams and expectations. To reserve a copy The Adventures of Dr. Dorothy Jarrod Volume 1: The Oracle, call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.
