THE ARTS MAGAZINE OF THE ART STUDIO, INC.
OCTOBER 2014
HO M E C OM I N G P AG E 8
INSIDE: BUILDING BELARUS, SETAC’S ‘MONTAGE,’ ROB CLARK AT AMSET, AND MORE
, t r A e n i Fine Food F September 20, 2014 through January 3, 2015 Stark Museum of Art 712 Green Avenue, Orange, Texas 77630 409.886.2787 / starkmuseum.org
Two Magnolias
r e s t a u r a n t
in the Art Museum of Southeast Texas
Weekday lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wedding Receptions • Rehearsal Dinners • Meals to go
10 % d i s co un t fo r a r ti s ts Organized by the Newcomb Art Gallery and Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Supported by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Lamp, c. 1902, Cat’s claw design base. Esther Huger Elliot, decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Magnolia design share. Hand-cut and embossed brass sheeting with copper rivets and screen. Attributed to Elizabeth Goelet Rogers. Hinks duplex burner. Newcomb Art Collection, Tulane University
500 Main Street in downtown Beaumont, Texas
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WE WANT YOU FOR BAND NITE Hear original music by local musicians at
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A View From The Top Greg Busceme, TASI Director
WE JUST OPENED THE Tenants exhibition and I couldn’t be more proud of the work the residents produced. I was also happy to see so many new faces at the opening and pleased that so many old friends came to take a look. It kicked off our 31st season, and with some 250-plus exhibitions under our belt, I feel that we are giving Southeast Texans something to enjoy, admire, criticize and ponder. Our exhibitions are and have always been subject to the weather. This does not seem to be a deterrent in any way from people coming to shows as we see good size crowds even in the hot months. We lucked out Sept. 6 and got a well-timed shower to cool things off. But that warmth does not compare with the warm reception the artists received during the show. I thank everyone new who came to the show and hope you will return to enjoy the visual arts, as many do regularly. We are dedicated to exhibiting local artists in the best light possible, and through this process, we encourage artists in the area to continue to sharpen their skills and hone their techniques to create the best art they can possibly make. I would like to paraphrase something I heard Ross Perot once say, that “a
ISSUE Vol. 21, No. 2 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Art Studio, Inc. Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Coughlan Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tracy Danna Contributing Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Ivanova, . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haley Bruyn, Jaqueline Hays Contributing Photographers . . . . . . Elena Ivanova, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaqueline Hays Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Dodson The Art Studio, Inc. Board of Directors President Ex-Officio . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Busceme Vice-President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Busceme Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Roberts Treasurer/Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Gallaspy Members at Large: . . . . . . . . . . . Sheila Busceme, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth French, . . . . . . . . . . Andy Ledesma, Stephan Malick, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Butler
The Art Studio, Inc. 720 Franklin Beaumont, TX 77701 409-838-5393 www.artstudio.org info@artstudio.org The ISSUE is a monthly publication of The Art Studio, Inc. Its mission is to publicize The Art Studio and its tenants, and to promote the growth of the arts in Southeast Texas. ISSUE is also charged with informing TASI members of projects, progress, achievements and setbacks in TASI’s well-being. Further, ISSUE strives to promote and distribute the writings of local authors in its “Thoughtcrime” feature. ISSUE is provided free of charge to members of TASI and is also available, free of charge, at more than 30 locations in Southeast Texas. Regular features include local artists of note and reputation who are not currently exhibiting at TASI; artists currently or soon to be exhibiting at TASI; Instructional articles for artists; news stories regarding the state of TASI’s organization; and arts news features dealing with general philosophical issues of interest to artists.
Contents Building Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Elliott at High Street Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 SETAC’s Montage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Mark Nesmith “The Way Back Home”. . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Rob Clark at AMSET Café Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 AMSET Exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Around & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Thoughtcrime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 Cover photo: Artist Mark Nesmith will present “The Way Back Home,” an exhibition of recent paintings, at The ArtStudio beginning Oct. 4.
founder does not have to be gifted or intelligent to run his organization, but he must be able to surround himself with gifted and intelligent people.” This is the tenet by which I run the studio. From Elizabeth French who manages the office with fierce determination, to Andy Coughlan who produces newspapers and invitations for us impeccably and on time, to Olivia Busceme putting together Band Nites and providing a venue for young original talents playing their music publicly for the first time. From Abbie McLaurin holding life drawing classes that have opened a new vista for aspiring artists — and experienced ones, too — to hone their skills, to Doris Sells Clover holding a Poetry Renaissance every third Thursday evening. All surround me and make The Studio what it is — an organism consisting of many branches and many leaves, each representing the many people who make this organism not only exist but thrive. Thanks to everyone who promptly sent in their annual membership. These funds are imperative for the daily operation of the organization and are unencumbered by grant restrictions and limits. Your membership assures you get invitations and the newsletter ISSUE, an important arts magazine for our region.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART STUDIO OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
Mark Nesmith, “The Way Back Home” Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 4
Photography Show Curated by Joe Winston Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 1
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ART STUDIO Membership in The Art Studio, Inc., provides invitations to all exhibitions and one year of ISSUE, the monthly arts magazine of The Art Studio. It also gives free eligibility for members to enter the annual membership art exhibition (TASIMJAE) and participate in various exhibitions throughout the year.
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4 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
———— TRAVEL ————
Building Belarus Exploring the Architectural Wonders of Minsk
Editor’s note: ISSUE contributor Elena Ivanova spent the summer in Eastern Europe doing research for a book. This story is the second in a four-part series chronicling her adventures and the artistic discoveries she made along the way.
“They can do without architecture who have no olives nor wines in the cellar.” — Henry David Thoreau RULE NO. 1 FOR ANy traveler: pack a pair of good walking shoes. This proved particularly true during my stay in Minsk. The city is picturesquely located on a hilly terrain and one typically has to walk to get from point A to point B. Of course, there is an option of getting on a bus, a trolley or subway. However, neither aboveground nor underground transportation reaches every spot in the city and it may be a 10-15 minute walk from the nearest stop to your destination. The traveler’s rule No. 2: bring clothes that you can wear in layers. The first days of June were chilly and rainy in Minsk while just a week earlier it was unbearably hot. I sported three layers — a T-shirt, a light jacket and a windbreaker. Practicing power walk also helped me stay warm as well as to get around the city faster. But minor inconveniences did not dampen my
Story and photos by Elena Ivanova
The Art Nouvea-style house, top, and The Central Post Office, above, which was built in 1913, show the diverse architecture of Minsk, Belarus.
Volume 21, No. 2 spirits (although I cannot say the same about my feet as I negotiated puddles.) I braced myself for the inclement weather and intended to see as much as possible of Belarus’ capital. High on a hill overlooking the Svicloch River is the so-called Upper Town, the site of old Minsk. Narrow winding streets are lined with two-story houses, many of them restaurants and bars featuring Pilsner and Lido beers, the latter a popular local brand. An elegant Baroque church, which currently houses the Art and Literature Archives, towers over them like a slender Snow White among bulky dwarves. Most of these houses have been recently renovated and cleverly “aged.” Nevertheless, it is easy to fall under the spell of Upper Town as you tread on the cobblestones and imagine yourself in another time, at least a century ago, before revolutions and wars changed the city’s appearance and the way of life. However, not everything perished. Hidden behind taller buildings in Upper Town is a one-story stuccoed house decorated with a classical pediment and a portico. Built in the late 18th century, the Wankowicz House witnessed Napoleon’s army’s triumphal march to Moscow and its undignified retreat under the relentless attacks of Cossacks. A bronze sculpture of artist Walenty Wilhelm Wankowicz (18001842), who was a teenager in those dramatic times, welcomes visitors to his family home. Today the Wankowicz House is a museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of this family and the life style of Belarusian nobility (“szlachta” in Polish.) It opened in 2000 after a lengthy restoration process. It was a formidable task since the interiors underwent many changes while the family lived there during the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries and later when the building was appropriated by the state. As I walked through the elegantly furnished suites the old house echoed with the sounds of music. A beautiful soprano voice sang a soulful aria — a rehearsal was in progress for the evening recital. A feast for the eyes and for the ears. The ambiance of Upper Town makes you forget that a busy thoroughfare, Nezalezhnosti Street, with its pompous Soviet-era buildings, is just a block away. I must admit that I am an architecture snob. Having been born and raised in St. Petersburg, the city famous for its exquisite Baroque, Classical and Art Nouveau architecture, I always have detested the socalled Socialist Classicism or Stalinist Empire Style which was abundant in Moscow. It made me feel like a diminutive slave in the presence of a colossal pyramid, the effect which undoubtedly was intended. Minsk challenged me to leave my comfort zone and take a closer look at the buildings that date back
October 2014 ISSUE • 5
The National Library of Belarus in Minsk is a rhombicuboctahedron. The building, designed by architects Mikhail Vinogradov and Viktor Kramarenko in the late 1980s, is 236-feet high and has 23 floors. It opened to the public in 2006. to the 1930s -1950s. There is something about Socialist Classicism in Minsk that made it more appealing than I expected. Everything seemed to be on a smaller scale than in Moscow: the streets were not so wide, the buildings not so enormous, some streets had a pedestrian area with trees and benches which gave them a look of Parisian boulevards. I found myself in an environment that was more congruent for human experience and thus more aesthetically pleasing. After a while I even found a favorite: the Central Post Office Building. This four-story building occupies a whole
block and faces both Nezalezhnosti Street and the huge square of the same name. Yet, despite its size, it is graceful. The design is unmistakably Classical. Corinthian columns run along the facade in a rhythmical pattern. The rectangular-shaped building is crowned with an entablature decorated with oval medallions. Light brown walls and offwhite columns convey a sense of elegance and harmony. I walked under the tall arch which marked the main entrance. High above the arch, a massive emblem of the USSR basked in the glow of the evening sun. Apparently, the political clock in
Belarus still shows Soviet time. The hammer and sickle were proudly emblazoned across the globe and ears of wheat wrapped with a red ribbon were holding them in a firm embrace. It was not accidental that the old Soviet emblem looked so natural on the facade of this Classical-style building. Soviet culture always aspired to Greco-Roman standards in art. The interior of the Central Post Office was no less impressive than its facade. I found myself in a rotunda which reminded me of the Roman Pantheon. Ionic columns of dark marble with white capitals formed a wide circle in the middle of the hall. Large stained glass windows symmetrically placed along the curved walls cast multicolored shadows and more light was pouring in through a row of windows above the columns. Notwithstanding all this splendor, it still was a post office, with people buying stamps and mailing parcels. I also stepped to the counter. The service was efficient and the clerk even smiled. You don’t get it too often in Minsk — I felt special. On a small street a few blocks away from the Central Post office, I discovered a very different kind of building which could not pass unnoticed. The date on the facade clearly declared the age of this little masterpiece — 1913. Its austere beauty suggested that the architect was probably inspired by the North European version of Art Nouveau, but he gave it his own interpretation. Every tier of this three-story building was painted in a different color: cerulean blue at the lower level, gray in the middle section and pale blue at the top. The change of color made the ornamental masonry around the windows stand out. There were few other decorative features. Three gables, a larger one in the middle and two smaller ones at the sides of the building, punctuated the roof line. Simple geometric patterns around the third-story windows and on the gables were the final ornamental touch. The building was a great example of “less is more.” How about modern architecture in Minsk? One of the most controversial buildings that has recently been added to the city skyline is the National Library of Belarus. “People continue to argue about it,” my friend said to me. Then she added, “You must see it after the sunset.” So one early evening I took a subway almost to the edge of the city. The first thing I saw as I exited the subway was an enormous rhomboidshaped structure standing in the middle of a vast open space. I later learned that the shape is actually called a rhombicuboctahedron. Here are a few statistics: the building is 236-feet high, has 23 floors and is the only structure in Minsk
See BELARUS on page 6
6 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
High Street Gallery to host William Elliott collages, Oct. 11
TOO LATE FOR ROSES by William Elliott
THE HIGH STREET GALLERY WILL host “Je Suis Ame Solitaire,” an exhibition of digital prints by William Elliott, 7-10 p.m., Oct. 11. The gallery is located in former DIY music venue Victoria House, 2110 Victoria St. in Beaumont. “High Street Gallery is committed to spotlighting up-and-coming Southeast Texas artists,” Olivia Busceme, gallery director, said. “Billy’s graphic style is unique compared to the other works we’ve shown in the past year and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the public.” Entry is free and the work will be for sale. A Beaumont native, Elliott studied at Lamar University and at LSU with a major in graphic design and a minor in photography. “My work is a series of collages mixed with images to mimic stenciled street art,” he said. “It displays a substantial amount of layering, positive and negative space, as well as sticking to simple color schemes. I wanted to somehow capture the current dreams/nightmares I was having into a series of work. So, basically, it is a dream sequence involving horror, sexual situations, movies and images from 1950’s Americana. Elliott said his primary influences are David Choe, Willem De Kooning, Matisse, Man Ray, Raoul Hausmann, Bruce Conner, and Peter Phillips. “I'm not trying to get a message across,” he said. “I’m not trying to change the world. It’s neither religious nor political; it’s art for art’s sake. Art is therapy. If I had to put some sort of message with it, it is that our subconscious mind can influence our waking life. Whether positive or negative, looking into our sleeping self is something I value and will interpret from now on.” For more information, email victoriahousetx@gmail.com, visit the High Street Gallery Facebook page, or www.nakeddads.com.
BELARUS from page 5 with a public observation deck on the 23rd floor. Designed by architects Mikhail Vinogradov and Viktor Kramarenko in the late 1980s, it was open to the public only in 2006. It took more than 20 years to break ground and another four years to complete the construction. At least ten minutes passed before I reached the entrance to the library. I kept walking, but the gigantic Rubik’s Cube did not seem to be getting closer. Anticipation was building up and I think at some point I broke into running. The entrance to the library is grand, as one may expect. A colossal statue of Francysk Skaryna, Belarusian humanist, physician, translator and one of the first book printers in Eastern Europe, was the first to greet me when I finally reached the plaza in front of the library. Having paid tribute to the Renaissance genius of Belarus, I paused to read inscriptions on two large plates which flanked the library entrance. Reminiscent of sandstones used by ancient people as a writing surface, they are covered with words of wisdom praising the value of literacy in many languages. The lobby was spacious and appeared transparent due to the extensive use of glass and metal. I could see several floors above me as if they were floating in the air. I circled several of them admiring colorful frescoes which illustrated the history of literacy in Belarus and pausing to take photos of the floors below me. But the most memorable of all was the view from the observation deck on the 23rd floor. I arrived at the right moment to see the panorama of the city before the sun went down and stayed to enjoy the nighttime illumination. And what a sight it was! As soon as the darkness unfolded, the city burst with myriads of lights. The streets turned into rivers of liq-
The interior of the Central Post Office in Minsk, Belarus, which was built in 1913. uid gold and the silhouettes of buildings became outlined in strands of shiny gems. I stayed till closing time unable to tear myself away from the spectacle beneath. Another amazing experience awaited me as I descended to the plaza. The surface of the rhomboid structure actually is a gigantic screen, or to be more precise, a media facade, which is turned on after sunset. Running images and patterns create an illusion that the rhomboid is spinning, dazzling the viewers with constantly changing imagery. Not surprisingly,
the majority of images were ads. I did not care for commercial messages, but I appreciated the artistry and marveled at the new technology. These are just a few examples of what Minsk has to offer to a lover of architecture. Every day I made new discoveries and my fascination with the city grew. Like an interesting book, it enticed me to go on and it was hard to leave it when so many pages remained unturned. My travelogue continues and in my next installment I will talk about art.
Volume 21, No. 2
October 2014 ISSUE • 7
Dressing Up the Arts SETAC TO HOST MONTAGE FESTIVAL OCT. 17, 18 COLORFUL COSTUMES, INTERACTIVE ARTS, live performances — and all in one location. October’s status as National Arts and Humanities Month makes it the perfect time for the Southeast Texas Arts Council to present the Montage Arts Festival, Oct. 17 and 18. Blake Bertrand, SETAC’s creative director, said Montage is an art festival with a focus on costuming and theatrical themes. “There will be all the arts present there — from sculpture to painting, to historical reenactments, to the humanities,” he said. “There will be buskers performing and choreography going on all day. It’s going to be something that has not been seen around here before.” The event will be held at the Betty Greenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Sue Bard, SETAC executive director, said she has always wanted to hold some kind of costume competition. “By designing it around theater and that media or art form (which is, of all the arts, the best supported in our area), we thought we could get the word out better about the benefits of arts and humanities,” she said. “What we started out doing, was planning roughly 30 booths, primarily to be offered to non-profit organizations at no charge. The idea is to promote them at this event. They can use this to make people aware of the events and activities they have planned throughout the year, while also using it to generate a little added revenue for themselves.” The festival will also give opportunities to individual artists who struggle to find venues to display and sell their work, Bard said. “We are also not charging them anything,” she said. “We just want them to show up, pick a theme, and come in costume — dress as one of their favorite artists if they want to.” Every booth has a theme, and it is hoped most, if not all of the people at Montage will be in costume, Bertrand said. As well as the booths, there will be a variety of attractions, Bertrand said. “We expect there to be belly dancers, glass blowers, bagpipers, medieval combat, western combat, civil war combat, raku demonstrations,” he said. “We’re trying to go in so many different directions.” The event kicks off Friday, Oct. 17, with “BeauMontage,” a series of comedic performances by area community theater groups. Saturday, Oct. 18, will feature booths, per-
Story by Haley Bruyn
See MONTAGE on page 12
8 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
FINDING HOME
Artist Nesmith finds inspiration in return to Southeast Texas after travels “YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN.” The general philosophy behind this quote, the title of the 1940 novel by Thomas Wolfe, is that once we leave a place, it changes, so that what we return to is no longer the home we remember. But what if we return to our roots and find that it didn’t change at all, but that we have changed, and “home” is exactly what we are looking for? After more than a decade away, artist Mark Nesmith found his “Way Back Home,” in 2012 and found it inspired a new way of seeing and a new theme for his painting. Nesmith will present “The Way Back Home,” an exhibition of his art, Oct. 4-25, at The Art Studio, Inc. The show opens with a free reception, 7-10 p.m., Oct. 4. The Beaumont native graduated from Lamar University with a BFA in studio fine art in 1998 before, like many young artists, packing his things and heading to the big city, he said. He spent the next 14 years in or around Dallas. “I had big visions when I left Southeast Texas of earning my MFA and living the life of an exhibiting artist,” he said. “My work was my passion. After starting off as a mainly figurative artist, I gravitated towards abstract, satellite inspired landscapes while taking graduate classes at the University of North Texas.” However, Nesmith said that life intervened and he soon found himself married with three children (Ruby, now 14, and sons Benton and Samuel, 12 and 10) and he started teaching in the Dallas ISD. “Over the years, the reality of earning a living and making a home for my family overshadowed my work as an artist,” he said. “For several years, my artwork virtually disappeared.” Story and photos by Andy Coughlan
SOMEWHERE UNDER THE RAINBOW, top, and EVENSONG, by Mark Nesmith, will be on display in his exhibition, “The Way Back Home,” beginning Oct. 4 at The Art Studio, Inc.
Volume 21, No. 2
Nesmith, who teaches at Port Neches middle school, said it is a common condition among schoolteachers. “I’ve taught with many talented artists and musicians in three cities, but very few of them still produce their own work or perform with any regularity,” he said. “The day-to-day grind of teaching uses up a lot of the same creative energy needed for your own work.” However, there is only so long an artist can deny his essential nature. “Sometime around 2010, I started painting with a passion again,” Nesmith said. “I started doing small daily paintings, mostly of my surroundings, my family, and the landscapes near my home and the areas we vacationed together. “I started a blog called ‘Paint Daily Texas’ to post my work, thoughts about art, and to auction off small 5x7 or 8x10 paintings. There’s a whole movement of daily painters spearheaded by people like Duane Keiser and Stephen Magsig. “Getting into the habit of creating art on a daily basis really got the ball rolling again for me. Thoughts of style and the capital ‘A’ art world were gone. Painting was once again simply a reflection of my life, a visual diary of sorts. I’m a big believer in the idea that work begets work. The simple act of putting a brush to canvas starts a chain reaction and creates more inspiration and drives more work.” Unfortunately, a year later life changed direction again. “After I was really getting going painting again my world was turned upside down,” he said. “My marriage was at an end and I found myself having to start over. While I enjoyed my years in Dallas and had several good friends there, I always felt a little out of place in North Texas. “They say you can’t go home again, but I think we never really leave. I think a part of us is always left behind. In 2012 I made one of the toughest choices in my life and moved back to Southeast Texas. Most of my immediate family still lives in the area, but many of my old friends had moved away. Like the prodigal son in the biblical story, I wasn’t sure how I would be received.” Beaumont had changed in many ways over the years, but Nesmith turned to what he does best as a way to re-assimilate himself. “I started painting and drawing the scenes and people around me as a way of getting my bearings,” he said. “It was a way of making me feel at home again.” Nesmith was drawn to capture the sights of his old — now new — home. Visitors to the show will instantly recognize area landmarks. Nesmith’s mastery of technique is clear, and the way he uses color adds an atmospheric dimension to the paintings. As much as possible, he likes to work from nature, but time is often a factor. “These days, with the full-time teaching schedule and demands of life in general, I find photographs are a life saver,” he said. “I’m always taking pictures of things I find interesting — places, people, lighting, cloud formations, anything really that pulls me in for a moment. When I work from photos there’s often more than one involved, and I usually do a lot of playing around with the picture, both by editing the photo itself on my computer and by the painting process. “I treat photographs like working from life, meaning I pick and choose what to use. I often add or remove elements from the image, combine parts of other photos (i.e. the sky and lighting from a different photo with that location, etc.) Ultimately, it’s a jumping off point and somewhere along the way the reference disappears and
October 2014 ISSUE • 9
Mark Nesmith works on a painting of the Southeast Texas rice fields in his classroom at Port Neches Middle School. I simply let memory and imagination take over and build on where the paint seems to lead me.” Nesmith said he spent many years studying life drawing and many years painting landscapes outdoors. “I think it’s important to have that experience to fall back on when working from photographs in order to be creative and not just make a flat, literal copy,” he said. “I’m not a photo-realist by any means. If I want it
to look like a photograph, I’ll simply print a photo. While he enjoys working from life, Nesmith said he does his best work in the studio in isolation. “I find that I need some distance — both physically and emotionally — from the places I paint,” he said. “I need time to reflect, to distill my memories and
See NESMITH on page 10
10 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
NESMITH from page 9 focus on the aspects that truly affect me. I need time to paint with a sense of longing for the places I miss. I want the push and pull against realism, I want it to be recognizable and stir a memory or some kind of recognition in the viewer, but I also want the painting to be an object, full of texture and expression all by itself. I want my cake and to eat it too.” We live in an incredibly diverse area, Nesmith said, with all the trappings of a modern, urban area — malls, restaurants, museums and cultural attractions such as theater, live music, and more. “At the other end of the spectrum, we’re just a step away from the rural old South,” he said. “You can get a glimpse of what it was like years ago, horizons dotted with the relics of old farming equipment, barns, silos, rusty trucks, old houses and dirt roads. It’s like a memory or dream in solid form. You can even wander the deep woods of the Big Thicket, or the along the Neches or the bayous, and feel like you’ve been transported to a land before time, before man walked the earth. It’s all right here within a short drive. Whatever your interest, whatever your passion, there’s something here for everyone. “It’s all held together by this intense, southern light that rakes across the landscape. Landscape artists have always loved the light of the Golden Hour, that time early in the morning after sunrise or shortly before sunset, when the light takes on an almost magical quality and drags lazily across the landscape leaving long, lazy shadows and unifying everything with a warm glow. That time seems to be more pronounced here.” Nesmith said he has heard painters bemoan the lack of a real change of season here. “There’s not much in the way of fall foliage for a painter, but for me the history and the swampy atmosphere more than makes up for that, and I think we have some of the most amazing sunsets you’ll ever see,” he said. “Maybe it’s all the petrochemicals in the air, but the skies are simply gorgeous and saturated in
SWAMP THING by Mark Nesmith a way that never ceases to amaze and inspire me.” The exhibition will feature a variety of subjects that will present a visual overview of what it’s like living in this part of the world — kind of a hodge-podge of the people, places, and things that make up life in SE Texas, Nesmith said. “There are a few landscapes I’m planning for the show that are of the cypress sloughs of the Big Thicket,” he said. “These are a throwback to a more primordial world, seemingly devoid of humans, but most of the landscapes in this show include the signs of mankind that surround us, from the Rainbow Bridge to oil wells, silos, and rice dryers. I’ve always been attracted to places like that. I view them kind of
Mark Nesmith works on a painting as he prepares for his show, “The Way Back Home,” which opens Oct. 4 at The Art Studio, Inc.
like the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. These are our artifacts. In many cases they’re part of a way of life that’s slowly dying out of existence in most places, but is alive and strong around Beaumont.” While he said he has never been much of a still life painter, Nesmith has a few that focus on things he encounters on his day-to-day travels around town. “Some of these wouldn’t necessarily be thought of as a traditional still life,” he said. “For instance, I’m working on a painting of a giant pot of boiled crawfish. Since I’ve been back in Beaumont I’ve had several wonderful evenings spent with good friends with a bucket of crawfish and a cold Shiner Bock.” Nesmith originally planned to major in music and now performs regularly at local venues, as well as in Galveston and Houston. This other part of his life will also make an appearance in the exhibition. “I’m working on a few figurative ideas, mainly portraits of people I know or musicians in the area,” he said. “Since moving back to Beaumont I’ve been overwhelmed by the talent and diversity of our local music scene. I’ve made several good friends and had the opportunity to jam with lots of the local acts. I think people who haven’t spent much time out of the area might take it for granted how incredible our local music scene really is.” It is clear that Nesmith’s art is more than just a chronicle of Southeast Texas. One gets the sense that he wants viewers to see the area with the same reverence he feels — one that, perhaps, one can get only by spending time away. “I want people to feel like they’re at home,” he said. “I want to stir their memories. I want them to come away with a fresh vision of the beauty that surrounds us in Southeast Texas daily. I want them to feel like they’re a part of my life and vice versa. “I think there’s a little record of my life in every painting I’ve ever done. What I was feeling at the time, my thoughts and emotions, wrapped up in a brush stroke. It’s a spiritual and meditative thing for me, and I hope that people come away with a sense of wonder and a sense that they were actually a part of something and not just a viewer.” Nesmith said that taken collectively, his art speaks to his values. “I’m a fairly simple guy,” he said. “I love life, I love my family and friends, and I love the world we live in.” He said that Elizabeth, his girlfriend, calls him a diehard romantic. “In a lot of ways I am,” he said. “At this point in my life, I’m just grateful for every moment and every opportunity I have. I’ve been at the other end of the spectrum. I’ve had bitter years and hopeless times. Art and music — creating in any way — that’s my therapy. I tell my students that art is my anti-drug. It keeps me centered. “I paint a lot. I have a work ethic involved, but not because I’m punching a time clock or necessarily collecting a paycheck. It’s wonderful when people appreciate my work and want to make one of my paintings part of their life, but I’m going to be painting whether or not I ever sell anything. It’s my way of connecting with the world around me and maybe understanding a little bit about life and myself. Painting is when I feel most spiritually connected and in tune with God. “I think if you look for the bad in life, that’s all you’ll see. But if you look for the good, if you look for beauty, you’ll find it all around you. I hear a lot of people badmouth Beaumont, but if you look around with fresh eyes this is an amazing place to live.” The Art Studio, Inc. is located at 720 Franklin in downtown Beaumont. For more information, visit www.artstudio.org.
Volume 21 No. 2
October 2014 ISSUE • 11
Finding Enlightenment
This pencil drawing by Rob Clark depicts his parents. Clark will exhibit his work at AMSET’s Café Arts beginning Oct. 30.
BEAUMONT ARCHITECT/ARTIST TO DISPLAY WORK AT AMSET BEGINNING OCT. 30 IN ROB CLARK’S WORLD, “Nothing separates.” The transplanted Beaumonter and local architect, who hails from central Mississippi, will showcase his art in his exhibition, “Finding Light; Works on Paper: Ink, Pencil and Watercolor” in the Café Arts at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. The exhibition will be on display from Oct. 30 through Jan. 1. “I am an architect,” Clark said. “I love music. I love art. I love food — the culinary arts do not separate themselves.” Clark’s exhibition of original works will include many pieces that depict people and places he encountered across the U.S. and beyond its borders. His style is something he discovered early in life. “I learned that the white paper was really the light, and then I could manipulate the light,” he said. “What I drew was not drawing lines, but was shade, so the light was coming up to tell a story or give me a form or shape — tell me where the sun is coming from — or the shadow of a person against a wall says that they are planted against that wall. “So it is not necessarily what is on that paper — it might be things off the paper.” Clark said he experiences light all around him, contending that everything is a process — including how one experiences art as an artist and how one experi-
Story by Jaqueline Hays
ences it as the audience. He cites art classes among his earliest influences. When he was in college he worked in a New Orleans restaurant. That’s where he began to “connect,” Clark said. “That is where I really became enlightened,” he said. “That is where the food and the connectivity of the art came.” The LSU alumnus said it wasn’t about just the taste, it was about the experience — the way the food was set down on the plate and the way it was served, he said. Clark continues to make those connections and search for the “light” in his everyday life, including while making art. For example, when he enters a building, he asks himself, “What is my first impression? What do I see? How do I feel? What is the use of materials? What is the landscape? What is the outdoor area?” “That whole process,” he said. “Where is that process taking me?” Art does the same thing, Clark said. When analyzing the process, one can uncover any number of things, such as a story, love, passion, compassion, loss or the future. “Even though my drawings tend to be very superrealism, there is this whimsical thing about them of underlying stories,” he said. Clark’s love of architecture shines through his com-
See CLARK on page 13
This pencil drawing by Rob Clark is of his grandmother.
12 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
MONTAGE from page 7 formances and activities, beginning at noon. Bard said there will be street performers and musicians who will raise money by passing the hat. “There are a lot of actors, singers, and dancers that live in this area, and most don’t know what busking is,” she said. “They don’t know that they could earn some revenue in the right places at the right time. So were trying to bring this idea of street performance together with Montage on the grounds.” Bard said SETAC is putting a lot of effort into making sure every performer has an equal and uninterrupted opportunity to showcase their talents. “At one corner, you are probably going to see some Egyptian dancers, and in another corner, you’re going to see knights fighting, and fifteen minutes later you might see something else, so it should be phenomenal,” she said. Bertrand said visitors will be drawn into it. “It’s not going to be possible to walk in and not interact with what’s going on around you in some way or another,” he said. “When people walk in, they are going to find themselves part of what’s going on, because things are just going to sort of seemingly spontaneously erupt around them. “Someone will just crack open a violin case and, all of a sudden, there will be music right beside them. They might see a civil war reenactment just sort of spring up out of the woodwork and it’s going to be all around them.” Montage’s booths will offer visitors a chance to see not only the work of Southeast Texas artists, but also a chance to see some of them paint or draw or create their craft, Bertrand said. “They’ll be able to sell all of their artwork, all of their craftwork, anything they build or make,” he said. “Greg Busceme is a local artist that will be there. Victor Higginbotham and Darrell Troppy are going to be there, too.” Festillusion, the theatrical costume contest, should draw a large crowd, Bard said. “We’re going to try to hold it like American Idol, with the judges sitting up front,” she said. Deena Conley, head of Lamar’s theatre and dance department and Jim Clark, executive director of the Lutcher Theatre, will join Bard as judges. Robert Fong will act as M.C. There will be prizes for “Best of” and a “Runner up.” “Most of the categories have a $250 first-place prize and $100 for the runner up,” Bard said. “But the grand prize, the Best of the Fest — The Paula “Torchy” Salter Award — will have a $1,000 first-place winner, and the runner up will get $500. “We thought people wouldn’t want to participate unless they had an opportunity for a big grand prize, and
we also wanted to show that we were serious about wanting to pull this off.” There will also be a separate children’s costume competition with various prizes accumulated through donations. There is an entry fee for the events. Admission for BeauMontage is $5 per show (there are five shows) or an evening pass for $20. Saturday’s admission is $10, or $15 to include Festillusion. SETAC has attracted sponsors for the event. “I want to make a big deal out of our sponsors,” Bard said. “Some of the very first supporters were the Foundation for Southeast Texas and Jefferson County. We’ve gotten the support of Texas Commission on the Arts, which means the state is funding part of the endeavor and gave us a score of 98 percent, and the comments were fantastic. They think it’s a great idea.” Bertrand said the 98 percent score relates to how the grant was graded. “It’s like getting a 98 on a test, so almost perfect,” he said. “And that would be a test graded by a committee. You know how hard that can be.” Bard said she hopes Montage will encourage economic development and tourism that can really help the area. “That’s why the ticket prices are so low,” she added, “It makes it available to nearly everyone.” Bertrand said some of the organizations don’t have any other means of advertising, they don’t have a lot of funds, and a lot of people don’t know all of the opportunities that exist. “That’s been part of our mission,” he added, “We want to inform people of what is available — how much painting, how much acting, and how much music and everything else, that is actually available right here in Southeast Texas. “We’re trying to bring art closer to where people live. We think everybody would like to go to a really colorful, bright, fascinating festival, and there they’ll be introduced to the opportunities they have in the area.” Bard said she wants Montage to be a visual feast for everyone who attends, and for it to become a family tradition. “I want people to want to come every year, because they’ve come in years past — it becomes a part of their lifestyle, and they become more aware of the theater, visual arts, music, dance, and all forms of art, and that they understand the importance of historical preservation,” she said. “I want Montage to become something that they grow with and that, I hope, enriches their lives.” The Betty Greenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 4155 Laurel in Beaumont. For more information, visit Montageartsfest.com, or Facebook.com/montageSETX
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The Art Studio is looking for energetic people who have a few hours a month to help us in the following areas:
RECENT ART STUDIO NEW OR RENEWING MEMBERS INDIVIDUAL Roy Bares/Monsignor Kelly HS Brooke Boyett Sylvia Clubb Dakota Courville Shirley Fischer Patsy L. Herrington Debbie Lavergne Julie & Gerry Lee Beverly McCartney Paulette Martin Annie Orchard Joyce E. Philen Deanna Sides
FAMILY/GROUP Mr. & Mrs. David L. Bost Heather & Adam Butler Kathe & Jim Hendricks Mark Kubala Paula & John Lovoi Michael Payne & Letitia Rogers Lou Ann & Hoke Peacock John & Georgann Raney Dr. Sam & Gail Showalter Maureen & Dean Winchell Lisa Rougeau & Joe Winston
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Volume 21, No. 2
October 2014 ISSUE • 13
AMSET hosts pair of exhibits through Jan. 4 THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS presents two dynamic exhibitions showcasing artwork depicting various multifaceted and complex pieces. “Dornith Doherty: Oasis” and “Celia Eberle: In the Garden of Ozymandias” will be on view through Jan. 4. Dornith Doherty: Oasis This exhibition documents two international seed banks with microscopic precision and ethereal beauty. Focusing on X-rays at seed bank facilities where research is conducted and routinely used for viability assessments of accessioned seeds, Doherty documents and subsequently collages the seeds and tissue samples that are maintained in these research collections. The amazing visual power of magnified x-ray images, which springs from the technology’s ability to record what is invisible to AUSTRALIA by Dornith Doherty the human eye, illu-
CLARK from page 11 plex drawings of architectural wonders, but his love of people is not spared with his numerous drawings of strangers, family, acquaintances and close friends. It is not uncommon for Clark to sit for hours in foreign cities, drawing buildings and random people. The people he draws are usually passersby who are interested in what the blue-eyed artist is doing, as he sketches in public at all hours of the day and night.
minates her considerations not only of the complex philosophical, anthropological, and ecological issues surrounding the role of science and human agency in relation to gene banking, but also of the poetic questions about life and time on a macro and micro scale. Doherty is struck by the power of these tiny plantlets and seeds (many are the size of a grain of sand) which generate life and endure the time span central to the process of seed banking. “As landscapes around the world become more arid due to climate change, seed banks play an important role in ensuring the future survival of our plant life and food supply,” states Doherty. “These facilities can be regarded as a type of oasis; a verdant island surrounded by desert which provides a safe place of refuge and rejuvenation.” Oasis is part of a larger project, “Archiving Eden,” which Doherty has been working on since 2008 in an ongoing collaboration with renowned biologists at seed banks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Norway, Australia and Brazil. Celia Eberle: In the Garden of Ozymandias Also on view is In the Garden of Ozymandias, which will include a selection of Celia Eberle’s surreal mixed media sculpture of diverse and mesmerizing materials
Although his pieces include everything from flowers to his aging parents, the avid traveler has sketched countless strangers on streets from New Orleans to Nicaragua, many of whom are homeless. “I see God in the face of every person,” he said. “So I look for that light that makes every person unique.” The work should reflect the surroundings, both physical and emotional, he said. “If a piece is done well, you are really having a reaction to things that are off the canvas,” he said. “You are thinking about other things moving around and this and that. “It may be things that are off the paper or off the image that are casting shadows on to something.” Part of the show will depict places and strangers, and part will relate directly to people who influenced Clark. One piece is a drawing of his grandmother. “In the midst of the South and a lot of restrictive thinking, my grandmother was about hospitality,” he said. “She taught me a great deal about hospitality and caring for others.” Clark said his grandmother kept food ready in the kitchen, so if anyone in need knocked on the door, black or white, she could offer a biscuit and perhaps some sausage. It was enlightened behavior, considering the rural South was segregated in the ’50s and ’60s of his childhood, he said. The drawing honors his grandmother and her light, he said. Clark has been a friend of AMSET since he relocated to Beaumont in 1977. He has served on the board and acted as president. He now serves on the board of the Stark Museum of Art. “I love Beaumont,” the artist said, with a broad smile across his face and light in his eyes. “Artists who are influenced by the area are big supporters of the Art Museum because we want the children of Beaumont to have access to art.” Clark is not only an artist, but also a collector, boasting between 450 and 500 pieces in his personal collection.
highlighting the basic nature of the human experience. Her media, which include animal bones, wire, marble, jasper, agate, wood, coral, brass, newsprint, cardboard and other found objects communicate the artist’s quirky imagination with technical proficiency in a myriad of materials. For more than two decades, she has drawn on an expanded concept of explanatory mythology in an effort to understand WAY by Celia Eberle many complex phenomena concerning the human condition. She chooses imagery based either on its ubiquity or the pervasiveness of an attendant idea. Over the years, she has used many mediums and approaches to tackle this core issue. “In the Garden of Ozymandias” is a survey of these efforts. AMSET is located at 500 Main in downtown Beaumont. For more information, visit www.amset.org or call 409-832-3432.
Rob Clark looks through some images of his work, left, in advance of his exhibition at AMSET’s Café Arts, Oct. 30-Jan. 1. The exhibition will shine a light not only on Clark’s subjects but also on the prism of that light — the artist himself. The reception date was not available at press time. AMSET is located at 500 Main Street in downtown Beaumont. For information, visit www.amset.org.
14 • ISSUE October 2014
Volume 21, No. 2
Around & About If you come across any interesting exhibitions, museums or other places on your travels, share them with us. Call 409-838-5393, or contact us through our web site at www.artstudio.org. Be sure to include the location and dates of the subject, as well as any costs.
Lamar University’s art department will present the annual FACULTY EXHIBITION, Oct. 13-Nov. 21., in the DISHMAN ART MUSEUM. A reception will be held 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 21. This exhibition highlights new and experimental work created by the faculty of the Lamar University Department of Art. Featuring work by Keith Carter, Kurt Dyrhaug, Xenia Fedorchenko, Rose Matthis, Donna M. Meeks, Sherry Saunders, Prince V. Thomas, Christopher Troutman and Linnis Blanton. The museum is located at 1030 East Lavaca St. on the LU campus in Beaumont. For more information, visit fineartscomm. lamar.edu/dishman-art-museum. _____________________________
Mission Statement Founded in 1983, The Art Studio, Inc. is devoted to: providing opportunities for interaction between the public and the Southeast Texas community of artists; furnishing affordable studio space to originating artists of every medium; promoting cultural growth and diversity of all art forms in Southeast Texas; and providing art educational opportunities to everyone, of every age, regardless of income level, race, national origin, sex or religion.
The MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST is hosting STORYTELLING THROUGH THE MAIL: TALL TALE POSTCARDS through Nov. 16. The exhibition features more than 80 examples of “tall tale” postcards from around the United States, which demonstrate the unique form of popular humor dating back to the early 20th century. The museum is located at 700 Procter St. in downtown Port Arthur. For more information, visit museumofthegulfcoast.org.
PURPOSE The purpose of The Art Studio, Inc. is to (1) provide educational opportunities between the general public and the community of artists and (2) to offer sustained support for the artist by operating a non-profit cooperative to provide studio space and exhibition space to working artists and crafts people, and to provide an area for group work sessions for those artists and crafts people to jointly offer their labor, ideas, and enthusiasm to each other. Mixed media artist AVRIL FALGOUT will present an exhibition of her work titled, PAPER IN PIECES, LARGER THAN LIFE: THE ART OF AVRIL FALGOUT, Nov. 6, at The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park’s Pillot House, 1100 Bagby St. in Houston. _____________________________
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To present 10 art exhibitions per year To maintain equipment for artists in a safe working environment To provide better access to artists for the public To offer regularly scheduled adult and children’s classes To develop and maintain public activities with all sectors of the community To develop and maintain equipment to aid artists in their work To provide a display retail outlet for artists To expand programming and activities with increased facility space This project was funded in part by the B.A. & E.W. Steinhagen Benevolent Trust through the Southeast Texas Arts Council.
Volume 21, No. 2
October 2014 ISSUE • 15
Thoughtcrime Submission Guidelines and Disclaimer ISSUE solicits and publishes the work of local authors. Poetry, short fiction, scholarly works and opinion pieces may be submitted for review. All works must be typed and may be sent to TASI by email or by messaging the ISSUE Facebook page. The opinions expressed in “Thoughtcrime” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TASI, its Board of Directors, ISSUE’s editorial staff, or donors to TASI. Send typed works to: ISSUE 720 Franklin, Beaumont, TX 77701 or e-mail issue@artstudio.org Authors must submit a daytime telephone number and email along with all submissions. Pen names are acceptable, but authors must supply real names for verification. All printed works are protected by copyright. The author retains rights to any published work. ISSUE does not notify of rejection by mail or telephone.
The Wake
Happy Day
Yesterday Michael came by to give me his Bear hug, and called me precious and Reminded me that God is great Michael, the greeter of the potter’s house, Beckoning all to see how one has been Fired in a kiln bake
It was a happy day. The car problem was only $20 and 20 minutes. Had an art idea and ran to a retail supply shop for supplies. Walked in and finally asked for special scissors needed while standing 10’ from them! Laughing at myself with the employee gathered one and headed to the till. It was slow day and only a few customers and still I was amazed at the tacky stuff was purchased. It was a happy day and hoped they were happy with what they found. Checking out all was well until the bagger said, “Have a blessed day” instead of nothing, or bye, come back or have a good day. The happiness just click off. He was middle aged black man & I’m a white geezer and decided to do a “goof” on him. I never pick on black people just the religious. First I took a $20 out my wallet while fumbling with receipt and put it in a pocket. Then suddenly did my youthful St. Vitus dance of contortion and pushed my jaw to one side shifting the voice. “Blessed? Why do you curse me? You will run out of gas on the way home. Here’s $20 bucks. Satan still loves you.” Snap back to normal stuffing the twenty in his amazed pocket and walked away without looking back. Suddenly happiness click on! Pleased with the confusion caused. As I drove off the lot started laughing out loud. What fun the security cameras would have figuring out what was nothing more than a $20 tip. A month later I show up for something else and large black woman approaches. “We know who you are & call you Mr. K. You know the man you gave the $20 to died. He called it ‘Devil Money’ and gave it to our manager. He ran out of gas coming to work the next day and was run over walking down the highway. The manager wants to see you.”
Today I sat on a couch in a Grandmother’s house and Caught intimate glances into her Family’s life, Their poses are my memory. Someone had expressed interest, to the estate dealer, In the baby grand that sat in the library. This morning was unseasonably cool and rich mahogany Piano sounds rolled out the windows Greeting me as I walked up the sidewalk. The house was much as she left it, except There was a price tag on all the furniture and All her personal items and kitchen tools and Nick knacks had been disgracefully spread out For an estate sale I had to stop myself from opening closets and Peering in as I wandered through the house Looking at the remains of grandma and Listening to the musician and being Aware of the people milling around about me I sat on the couch sifting through the photos Remembering when it snowed on Valentine’s Day in 1960 and Chatting with the two ladies who Agreed with me about what a shame that This well preserved bit of a life was not being respected The piano player finished his demonstration and the Baby grand was sold My own grandmother’s funeral ended in much the same manner I salvaged what I could of her remains and Put them all in a file marked Grandma Cathy Atkinson
Riding the Coattails No tokens are needed for this ride There is no fare required The coattails of a shooting star, Just grab the tail and glide. To sit behind the driving force And reap the benefits, Means you are satisfied with scraps And working in the pits. To hitch your wagon to the one Who’s moving up the ranks Is fine and good…but when they drown You’re swimming toward the banks… The movers and the shakers knows The path to fortune and fame Comes at the risk of failure if You try to play their game It’s not as easy as it may seems Success comes with a price The work was done by someone else Your help barely suffice. If you’re content to be the tail And someone else, the head They relish all the glory, Then nothing should be said. So ride the coattails of the ones Progressing to the top But be prepared to get dropped off By the cream of the working crop. Dorothy Sells Clover
Good Morning
To be continued.
Through the dark leaves of backyard trees, the sun unhides the sky, a dim-lit firmament that was. Such blaze is but a dust. It floats itself within the place that has no human end. I see it for the first time as the last, ineffable. “Good morning.” I can hear her yawn. My wife, in groggy clothes, pulls back her auburn hair and smiles. What’s come of sun is in her face. All memory of years implodes, the moment nearly dawn. Here universes fall in folds of soft fire in her smile.
D.J. Kava
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INSIDE • NESMITH’S ‘THE WAY BACK HOME’ • THOUGHTCRIME: MUSINGS FROM AREA POETS • MONTAGE ARTS FESTIVAL • BUILDING BELARUS
When you support The Art Studio with your membership, you receive ISSUE, Southeast Texas’ and Southwest Louisiana’s alternative press, as well as class schedules, invitations to opening receptions and various Studio functions.
Volunteers These people are the life blood of our organization. WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! To volunteer, drop by The Art Studio, Inc., or call 409-838-5393. Elizabeth Fontenot Bryan Castino Heather & Adam Butler Rhonda Rodman Sue Wright Cyndi Grimes Rhonda McNally Andy Coughlan John Roberts Beau Dumesnil Karen Dumesnil Sheila Busceme Kailee Viator Gabe Sellers Abbie McLaurin Scott & John Alexander Heather Adams Terri Fox Avril Falgout B.J. Bourg Michelle Falgout Dana Dorman Stacey Haynes Olivia Busceme Joe Winston John Fulbright Mark Jacobson Gina Garcia Nathaniel Welch Tracy Danna
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