Home Living in North Georgia by The Times

HOME Living in North Georgia

February | 2018

Community Culture

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Art infiltrates the region with rallying support

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February 2018

All about the Arts

The Arts Council

10 The Arts Council series conitinues with music of

The Irelanders

and the comedic tones of 3 Redneck Tenors.

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens Mark of the Potter

HOME Magazine, a division of: The Times Gainesville, GA

The Quinlan

26 Artists from campus

Norman Baggs

Leah Nelson

throws out some great ceramics.

UNG Galleries

Michelle Boaen Jameson

Advertising Sales

16 Mark of the Potter

McGannon named Guests of Honor for the Gala.

Editor

General Manager

11 Atlanta Botanical Gardens brings a flower show to Midtown.

22 Jill and Patrick

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Artisans gather for WinterFest July| August 2015

and across the country showcase their works.

Holly Theater

30 History and stage

combine for memorable shows.

Bowen Center

34 A booming arts center

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Living in North Georgia

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Brenau abounds with art

Little Big Town’s Kim Schlapman

Cornelia’s country star shares her new cookbook and fondest memories

Education issue: Learning for a lifetime

School leaders discuss classroom goals

On the Cover

Love wins in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, which portrayed characters Count Claudio and Hero, played by Gainesville Theatre Alliance’s Mark Anthony Toro and Brianna Roberson. PAGE 6 Photo courtesy Simpson Custom Photography 4 | HOME | February 2018

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A THEATER P The GTA offers more than culture By Michelle Boaen Jameson Photos courtesy GTA “I believe theater helps people remember that they are human and remember the best parts about being human,” said Gay Hammond. Gay, one of original members of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, also believes that it’s easy to take hometown stuff for granted but, GTA has had so much support from the community and art, she said, is a necessity of life. Now in its 39th season, the Gainesville Theatre Alliance has come a long way since 1969 when young, Cuban-American Ed Cabell was hired to teach at Gainesville Junior College. Cabell had a vision for engaging his new community through the art of theater, and as early as 1973 his success in achieving this goal was acknowledged with the Governor’s Award in the Arts (shared that year with John Portman and Robert Shaw). Beth Kendall, GTA’s marketing manager, said GTA has come a long way since it’s inception. From its earliest beginnings, Cabell’s vision for engaging the community and expanding Georgia’s pool of artists propelled this Hall County effort from a strictly community theater to its present unique structure that integrates community, educational and professional theater. “As a result of dedication to 6 | HOME | February 2018

POWERHOUSE

Audiences laughed and cried at GTA's "Godspell" and it's band of disciples, led by Brenau senior Dwight Leslie as the Messiah. Photo by Simpson Custom Photography February 2018 | HOME | 7

Brenau seniors Ben Fierke and Heidi production excellence, two normally competitive entities — a public institution, University of North Rider portray Greek prophetess Georgia and a private college, Brenau University — agreed to pool resources to create the Gainesville Cassandra and her ghostly twin brother Theatre Alliance. The collaboration of these two entities, together with guest professionals and dedicated Scamandrius in the world premier of community volunteers, has built a devoted North Georgia audience and is inspiring new generations of "The Raven and the Nightingale." Opposite page: Award-winning Atlanta artists and patrons,” said Kendall. playwright Pearl Cleage’s “Flyin’ West”, And to this day, the mission of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance remains the same. which included student actors Ameena “With the combined support of the University of North Georgia (formerly Gainesville State McKenzie, Jameria Ettienne and guest College), Brenau University, professional theatre artists and the northeast Georgia community, the professional Annette Dees Grevious, told the story of newly freed slaves founding Gainesville Theatre Alliance provides its artists and audiences with quality theatrical experiences that towns in the west and struggling with educate, inspire, enrich and unite,” said Kendall. racism even in their own community. “The Gainesville Theatre Alliance is a proud symbol of our northeast Georgia community, said Photos by Simpson Custom Photography leader and founding member Jim Hammond. “It was here in 1979, when leaders of two colleges and a community theatre said, ‘What could we create, if we all worked together.’ Since that remarkable decision to create the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, more than 1 million audience members have been entertained by more than two hundred productions from Ragtime to Streetcar to Metamorphoses.” He added that GTA has become a launching pad for hundreds of theater students who are now working across the country and overseas. 82 percent of graduates since 1990 are currently working professionally in their field as actors, directors, designers and teachers of theater. Gay echoed that sentiment. “We have put out, across the world on the west coast and Europe, edcators, actors and crew and more. We keep tabs on our graduates of the program. It is just ripples upon ripples upon ripples after almost 40 years doing the program. Hundreds have come through.” GTA has expanded over the years, said Kendall, adding a theater for young audiences called WonderQuest, and a traveling repertory company. It results in a regional theater that engages the community with compelling season selection and excellence in storytelling and programs that draw tourists year-round to the Lake Lanier region. In the 1980s and ’90s, the Georgia Council for the Arts had the funds to send adjudicators to professional theaters around the state to make evaluations that lead to rankings and grant funds, and in that time, GTA was consistently ranked among the top two or three theaters in the state. While the GCA can no longer evaluate and rank, GTA continues to deliver some of the best productions and highest production values of professional theaters in the Southeastern U.S. This is due said Kendall in large part to the structure Cabell put into place, where the ticket revenues go straight back into the production program (not to salaries and physical space) — so sellouts create even stronger shows, with professional directors, designers, and frequently actors, in the upcoming productions. “When you think of Ed Cabell, who trained me and started Full Service Pharmacy GTA, it is an astonishing accomplishment. Our audiences are just incredible as to what they give this theater. We work with a lot of Unique Gifts professionals, theaters from Atlanta, and they are incredibly jealous of our audiences,” said Gay. Embroidery/ “Because of the generosity of the community, we have our own Monograming professional theater in house. I would put our shows up against professional and university shows with this kind of quality. To have Packaged this quality of theater here is a great treasure.” Prescriptions Kendall said that annually “we have one WonderQuest (children’s) production that is for both family and school FREE LOC audiences — this year it was Jungle Book and we had over 8,000 AL DELIVERY people. Then there are MainStage shows, two at Brenau and two at UNG (as different stage types give different experiences to cast, crew and patrons) and two to three Discovery Series shows, Mari Guadarrama & Alesha Godoy usually simpler sets and more edgy subject matter (these are free to the public). In a typical year, we’ll have 70-75 performances of Friendly, Honest People these shows. Then every other year we have a Repertory Company 935 Green Street, GaineSville 30501 that performs two shows around north Georgia, free of charge at callriverSidepharmacy.com schools, community centers, etc. — which is typically another 50 770.532.6253 • Fax 770.532.6592 performances.” INESVILLETIME S

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Nine years ago GTA “created” a February Festival of Theatre to enable it to include more modern scripts which traditionally have smaller casts. In order to provide enough opportunities for the

emerging theater artists, producing modern scripts meant doing two different shows at once. Northeast Georgia theatre patrons benefit since it also means that there’s something for everyone in the audience as well, as seen in this year’s two Festival productions: “Avenue Q” and “Monstrous Regiment.” “Avenue Q” is a musical, Sesame Street-style comedic approach to numerous adult and coming-of-age topics. The production uses puppets animated by unconcealed puppeteers alongside human actors, and beat out “Wicked” to win the Tony Award for best musical in 2003. “The heart of our support, said Jim, “is the commitment from Brenau University and the University of North Georgia who have built performance venues, funded faculty and staff and attracted the finest theatre students in the Southeast.”

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3 Redneck Tenors. Photos courtesy The Arts Council

Arts Council presents two cultural acts The Arts Council has announced the The Arts Council Signature Series, offering unique opportunities to witness two shows featuring nationally and world-renowned performers. The performances this season include The Young Irelanders at 7:30 p.m. March 6 at and 3 Redneck Tenors at 7:30 p.m. March 27, both at Pearce Auditorium at Brenau University. Every year, the Irish Cultural Academy brings together some of its finest exponents of Irish traditional music, song and dance as part of the group known as The Young Irelanders. These performers are still in their 20s and unique in that they are all world and Irish national champions in their disciplines. In popular vocal numbers like “Galway Bay,” the foot-stomping beat of Kerry polkas or a stirring air inspired by the Cliffs of Moher, The Young Irelanders deliver you to a part of the world untarnished by modernity and breathtaking in its beauty. Individual performance tickets for The Young Irelanders are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors ages 65 and older $18 for students. The 3 Redneck Tenors were top 10 finalists on “America’s Got Talent” and have been thrilling audiences since 2006. In the melodic wake of the three operatic tenors comes a new breed of tenors from more humble origins, known as “3 Redneck Tenors: A New Musical Adventure.” The musical comedy features classically trained veteran artists from Broadway and world opera stages is like “Greater Tuna” meets “Das Barbecu,” down home laughs with big city music. “You know you’re a Redneck Tenor if you can yodel in the middle

of “La Donna E Mobile” from the Verdi opera “Rigoletto” and not mess up your mullet or spill a drop of “Lone Star,” wrote the Fort Worth Star Telegram. 3 Redneck Tenors tickets are $32 for adults, $30 for seniors and $23 for students. All tickets are subject to a 7 percent tax. For tickets call 770.534.2787 or visit www. TheArtsCouncil.net.

The Young Irelanders

Atlanta Botanical Gardens hosts creative indoor flower show Atlantans who fondly recall escaping the winter blues by exploring the beauty and fragrance of an indoor flower show are in for a blooming treat this year. The Atlanta Botanical Garden Flower Show will bloom in the halls of the Midtown attraction Friday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 25. “We are so excited to present this new event showcasing the finest displays of floral design, horticulture, landscape design and photography imaginable,” said Mary Pat Matheson, the Garden’s President & CEO. “The Garden is the perfect setting for a flower show because our facilities and gardens will serve as a beautiful backdrop for these entries while providing the show with a permanent home.“ Flower shows are a seasonal draw in many large cities throughout the United States, and Atlanta enjoyed such an event for 25 years, staged at various venues around the city, including the Garden. The first Atlanta Flower Show opened in 1988 and ran through 1993 before evolving into the Southeastern Flower Show from 1994 through 2013. From 2008 – 2013, the event was presented by the Southeastern Horticultural Society, which held its last show at Cobb Galleria Centre. The Garden was a beneficiary of the show as well as a longtime exhibitor, and many of the Garden’s earliest volunteers were active in

the event, which for years was run by its own nonprofit organization. Since the Southeastern Flower Show ended, Garden staff often have been asked to help resurrect a flower show. “We decided it was time," Matheson said, “because it's so important to continue to offer competitive shows where the art and science of horticulture and floriculture can be presented and celebrated.” With the theme Ingénue: A Toast to Georgia’s Film Industry, the 2018 inaugural show will be staged inside several of the Garden’s facilities, and include professionally-judged competitions in the divisions of Floral Design, Horticulture and Photography. The competition is open to the public in all categories except Landscape Design, and division classes will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration information is available at atlantabg.org. Co-chairing the show, which benefits the Garden’s International Plant Exploration Program, are Mary Katherine Greene and Mary Wayne Dixon. Honorary chair is Pat Hartrampf, founding chairman of the Atlanta Flower Show, a past president and member of its board of directors. For ticket information, visit atlantabg.org.

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Wonderland of artisans Good Things Come in Threes: Celebrate the Arts in Northeast Georgia with WinterFest

By Pamela A. Keene Photos courtesy WinterFest Building on the 42-year success of the Annual Fireside Arts and Craft show at Unicoi State Park and Lodge north of Helen, area officials in White County have created WinterFest, a showcase of creativity by 12 | HOME | February 2018

artists from across the Southeast. This year’s event takes place in and around Helen on Presidents’ Day Weekend, Feb. 17-18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. “With more than 145 artists in three venues, this is an excellent time for people to come to our area,” says Patrick Brennan,

executive director of the Sautee Nacoochee Center and one of WinterFest’s organizers this year. “Last year, the three groups held their events on the same weekend after we all realized the benefits of joining forces under a joint marketing umbrella. It was very successful.”

To further add to the convenience for visitors, a shuttle will run continually on Saturday and Sunday along the 11.5-mile route between the three venues. “We’re planning on moving between Sautee Nacoochee Center and Unicoi with stops at the Helen Arts and Heritage Center, which is the in middle, about every 20 to 30 minutes,” Brennan says. “That way, people can stay at each venue as long as they want and still have transportation.” More than 40 years ago, Unicoi State Park and Lodge initiated Fireside Arts and Craft Show. “It has grown over the years, plus we’ve broadened our focus beyond Appalachian arts and crafts,” says Karen Lovan, activities manager at Unicoi. “We’ve opened up to glassblowers, wood crafts, jewelry, painting

and photography, and as we’ve grown, so has our attendance.” Arts and crafts are the focus of WinterFest, but they’re also a strong component of tourism in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. Visitors come all year long to experience the beauty of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with dozens of waterfalls, hiking trails, outdoor activities and local arts and crafts. For residents, having places to call their own factor strongly into the connectivity of the region. “We have a strong sense of community here,” says Paula Ash, one of the founders of the Helen Arts and Heritage Center. “Ten years ago our founders realized that we needed a place for our artists to come together

and a place that preserves our history, so in addition to our studios and gallery, Helen Arts and Heritage Center is home to our history museum. It tells the story of how we became Alpine Helen, as well as how this area was affected by the gold rush, the railroad and the lumber business.” The Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center campus has become a heartbeat of the area with a variety of arts performances, art exhibitions and a community center that’s used for various public gatherings. The ZIP Code’s U.S. Post Office is located there, and it’s the area’s voting precinct. “Our motto is ‘The Place to BECome,’” Patrick says, “and it’s evident by the number of members of the community who come here for children’s events, senior pot-lucks and just February 2018 | HOME | 13

as a place to see neighbors asnd meet new friends.” In White County, the peak tourist seasons are summer and fall, but with these and other organizations creating winter events, officials say they hope that winter will become a popular time to come to the foothills. “Even though the fall color is gone, there’s still much to do here,” Patrick says. “In fact, with the leaves off the trees, there’s even more to see.”

Just the Facts, Please:

Helen Arts and Heritage Center: Located just off Alpine Helen’s Main Street on Chattahoochee Strasse, the center is an art gallery, pottery studio, history museum, educational center and community gathering place. Helen Arts Center provides local artists with gallery space, an outlet to sell their art, and access to classes for area residents. It also offers art-based therapeutic workshops to military veterans and no cost in partnership with Help Hospitalized Veterans and works with the AVITA Community Partner Group of White County, which serves people living with disabilities and the life-altering effects of addiction. Membership is $40 for individuals and $60 for families. helenarts.org. 706-878-3933. Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center: This 7-acre campus is home to visual and performing arts for the area. Its centerpiece is the renowned Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia, which opened more than a decade ago to national and regional attention. In addition to the Folk Pottery Museum, the campus includes a 98seat theater where plays, concerts and presentations take place, the Sautee Nacoochee History Museum, the Nacoochee Cabin African

14 | HOME | February 2018

American Heritage Site and a blacksmith shop. Membership is $60 for individuals, $90 for families. www.folkpotterymuseum.com/. 706878-3300. Unicoi State Park and Lodge: One of the crown jewels of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources State Parks and Historic Sites, this 1,050-acre park has 100 renovated guest rooms, 30 cabins and more than 80 campsites. It is one of the most popular overnight destinations for in- and out-of-state visitors because of its proximity to the mountains. Unicoi offers nature hikes, festivals and classes. A yearlong park pass for $50 per vehicle includes admission to all of Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites. www.unicoilodge.com. 706-725-8255.

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Making Its Mark

Unique art abounds at Mark of the Potter Photos and story by Pamela A. Keene When people think of potters, the image of someone sitting at a wheel elbow-deep in clay shaping pots, vases, bowls and pitchers is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And, yes, spinning, more commonly known as “throwing,” clay into vessels is one of the most well-known ways that potters create their works. That’s the majority of what you’ll find when you visit Mark of the Potter on Ga. 197 North, just south of Helen, but take a closer look. Between Mark of the Potter’s four in-house potters and more than 30 regional potters who sell their works at the gallery/showroom on the banks of the Soque River, visitors can expect to see a wide range of techniques used to make functional stoneware and artistic masterpieces, from thrown pots and pinch-pot methods to slipcasting and hand-built pieces. “Each potter here does original pieces,” says Ester Lipscomb, who’s been an inhouse potter for five years at Mark of the Potter. “We create our own glazes and have our own techniques.” Each piece is distinct, and glazes may be a blend of earth tones, deep cobalt blue, 16 | HOME | February 2018

pale greens, russet and red colors. Mugs are among the most popular purchases. Ester’s work continues to evolve. One of her most recent techniques involves using Russian icing tips to decorate vases, plates, bowls, pitchers and other vessels. She extrudes clay through the cakedecorating tools to make flowers, leaves, vines and repeated patterns. Then she applies her hand-made glazes to color the pieces as they’re fired in a 2350-degree kiln. “I used to be a baker, so it just made sense to use this technique on some of the pottery I make,” she says. As an art education student at then-North Georgia College and State University, Ester studied pottery with Matt Henderson, who has been with Mark of the Potter for nearly 30 years. After several years of teaching, she came back in 2008. Mary Towers Weese has been part of Mark of the Potter since 1991; she specializes in hand-built pottery. The newest member of the in-house potter team, Betsy Ledbetter has been making pots since 1998; she also operates The Willows Pottery in downtown Helen. Mark of the Potter is Georgia’s longest-operating craft shop in the same location. John and Glen LaRowe opened the shop in 1969 and sold their own pottery and that of other Southeastern artists for 17

years. Potter Jay Bucek, a teacher at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, was one of those potters. He eventually ran the business until his death in 2010. Mark of the Potter continues to thrive after 48 years, attracting locals and tourists from around the world who want of piece of Georgia — a mug, a vase, a pitcher or even a full set of dinnerware. This spring, Ester will be the featured artist at Macon’s Fired Works Regional Ceramics Exhibition, Georgia’s largest exhibit and sale of sculptural and functional pottery, which takes place April 13-22 in Macon’s Central City Park. Sixty-five artists from the Southeast bring more than 6,000 pieces for the 9-day event. For information about Fired Works, visit firedworksmacon.com. Mark of the Potter is open daily. At any given time, the in-house potters are throwing pots, creating hand-built pieces, mixing and applying glazes, or firing pieces in the kiln that’s located right across Ga. 197 from the retail shop. They also do demonstrations throughout the week. The shop staff is very knowledgeable about the artists and the works that are for sale. For more information, contact Mark of the Potter, 9982 Ga. 197, Clarkesville, at 706-947-3440 or www.markofthepotter.com.

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Room to

Fiber artist Donna Shiver, left, and her friend Jessica Killpack take some time during the “Women’s Work” opening reception to explore Kathleen Hendrick’s “Play” in Sellars Gallery.

show Brenau University has several venues for art By Michelle Boaen Jameson Photos courtesy Brenau University

Since the institution’s inception in 1878, the arts have played a prominent role in the history and culture of Brenau University. However, Brenau had no designated gallery space until the late 1980s. Former President Dr. John Burd inaugurated the Brenau University Permanent Art Collection in 1986. He encouraged donations from art collectors and placed advertisements in art journals to publicize and further encourage donations to the collection. The first designated gallery space was created around that time. Current University President Dr. Ed Schrader has continued to support and grow the collection and functioning of the Gallery. Brenau University’s Executive Director of Galleries Nichole Rawlings said Brenau has four official gallery spaces on its Gainesville campus. “The first three spaces I will mention are rotating exhibition spaces. We typically host about 8-12 exhibitions a year that run in these three spaces.” Presidents Gallery This was the first dedicated gallery space. It was formerly a small chapel outside of the balcony of Pearce Auditorium on the second floor of the Pearce building.

Brenau. The first exhibition hosted in the Sellars Gallery in 1991 was a major retrospective of Jasper Johns’ prints.

Sellars Gallery The 1914 Neoclassical style library building was renovated in 1990 to become Simmons Visual Arts Center which includes Sellars Gallery. This Gallery was named in honor of the Sellars family, early supporters of the arts at

Castelli Gallery The John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts was constructed in 2002 and houses the Leo Castelli Gallery. Leo Castelli (1907-1999) was a New York gallery owner and agent for many well-known pop and modern artists. Dr. Burd established a relationship with Leo Castelli that brought many major

18 | HOME | February 2018

exhibitions and much support to Brenau University and the Permanent Art Collection. Manhattan Gallery The most recently established gallery space was proposed and supported by Schrader in 2014. The Manhattan Gallery is located on the first floor of the Brenau University Downtown Center. The permanent exhibition features work made by New York-based artists or artists having some ties to New York, as the New York art scene has been an integral piece in the development of the Brenau Permanent Art Collection. Artists include: Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Julian Schnabel, Helen Frankenthaler, Dennis Campay, Margaret Evangeline and Hunt Slonem, among many other artists ranging in period and style. February 2018 | HOME | 19

Clockwise: Tahimi Perez-Borroto admires artworks by Andy Warhol in the Manhattan Gallery within the Brenau Downtown Center. Brenau students examine artwork by artist Ying Li in the Sellars Art Gallery. An installation of student artwork for the “Brenau Collaborative” senior portfolio exhibition in Sellars Gallery.

“We are a living museum in that way, encouraging active participation with the art.”

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More than 100 works come from donor Dorothy Vogel and her late husband, Herbert. They are well-known art collectors with an interesting story — they were civil servants (postman and librarian) who loved collecting — so one salary went to art and one to supporting them They established relationships with the artists they collected. Rawlings said not all of the art is hung in formal exhibition spaces. In fact, much art can be found around campus in public spaces, such as the library, so that it is accessible to the Brenau and wider Gainesville community. “We are a living museum in that way, encouraging active participation with the art,” said Rawlings. Each of the galleries have showings that are open to the public, some including student works. The Presidents Gallery, Sellars Gallery and Castelli Gallery typically each host one to two exhibitions a semester, said Rawlings. After the first main exhibition of the spring semester, both Sellars Gallery and Presidents Gallery are flipped to host student exhibitions — an undergraduate juried exhibition and senior portfolio projects. “The Sellars Gallery then hosts the ‘President’s Summer Art Series’ exhibition over the summer months, which showcases local artist with a connection to our community. Every exhibition is free and open to the public and there is typically an accompanying reception, also free and general admission, as well as supplemental programming, said Rawlings. Enthusiasts can expect to see a variey of works in several media at the various galleries. The Brenau University Galleries strive to host a wide range of artists and styles in the galleries each year to enhance community exposure to varied forms of art making. “The galleries have hosted traditional painting shows, site-specific installation pieces, abstract 2- and 3-dimensional works, printmaking, etc. Our exhibition season may include a mixture of nationally and/or internationally known artists, living or posthumously; local artists; Brenau students and/or faculty; collectors’ highlights; or Permanent Collection artwork,” said Rawlings. Several visiting artists have been hosted over the years. While an exhibition in one of the Brenau Galleries doesn’t always correlate to an artist physically spending time on campus, a number of well-known and respected artists have visited, including: Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Hunt Slonem, Lilliana Porter, Ying Li and Dennis Campay. Exhibitions have included works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Marisol, Alexander Calder, James Rosenquist, Benny Andrews and R.A. Miller. “The Manhattan Gallery is open with the operating hours of the Brenau University Downtown Center,Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Visitors are asked to enter through the Main Street entrance and sign in at the front desk. Tours can be arranged by getting in touch with Gallery Director Rawlings at nrawlings@brenau.edu.

Dynamic Duo

Jill and Patrick McGannon named Guests of Honor at Quinlan Visual Arts Center’s 40th annual Gala By Michelle Boaen Jameson Photos courtesy Quinlan Visual Arts Center The 40th annual Quinlan Visual Arts Center Gala is just around the corner but the guests of honor already have been named. Long-time Quinlan members Jill and Patrick McGannon have been selected to

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represent the center at this year’s auction. Amanda McClure, executive director of the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, said the McGannons are two of the most collected artists in the auction’s history. They will attend at the popular event on Saturday, March 3, and the Collector’s Preview Night on Thursday, March 1. Original pieces will be for auction during the Gala at the Quinlan on

“Girl with White Dress” by Patrick McGannon

“After Dinne Show” by Jill McGannon

February 2018 | HOME | 23

Green Street in Gainesville. “Both professional artists started as figure painters and met through their mutual interest in one another’s work at a gallery in Chicago 21 years ago. Now living and working out of their home studio in Suwanee, they have different, yet complementary, bodies of work,” McClure said. “Jill prefers to work from life whenever possible with recent works focusing on landscape scenes; however, she also creates exquisite figures and still life in oil. Patrick, by trade, has been working for 25 years as a fine art conservator of paper artifacts, still making time to paint and attend a weekly life drawing session. Recently, Patrick entered — and was accepted — into the prestigious Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition where he also won the bronze award. His monumental nudes on gold backgrounds are stunning showstoppers in the auction.” McClure said a committee reviews potential artists for the Guest of Honor position. The last six years, it selected artists that have fully established themselves and have a unique relationship to the Quinlan. Those selected include Jay Kemp, Gregory Johnson, Steve Penley, Roseta Santiago and Geoffrey Johnson. “For the 40th annual Gala, we wanted to do something a little different,” McClure said. “Jill and Patrick have been very good to the Q over the years and are two of our most popular, best-selling Gala artists. They have each shown here in solo exhibitions and are both talented working artists. The fact that they are married, that’s just cool.” The McGannons are just as eager to take part in the event. “Patrick and I have been donating to the Gala for 20 years,” Jill said. “We moved from Chicago, where he's from and where we met, to Atlanta, where I'm from, in 1997. Right away we found a drawing group, I started going to Portrait Society of Atlanta meetings and heard about the Quinlan.” Patrick’s hallmark is his realistic figure paintings, particularly of the female back, with striking contrast of lights and darks. “I’ve always been drawn to the great artists of the past, especially the Italian Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci,” he said. “Central to their art was the study of anatomy along with studying nature in all of its beauty and complexity. I began at a young age to copy the drawings and paintings of the great masters to learn and understand how they created such powerful and beautiful artwork. “I went on to receive my bachelor in fine arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and my MFA from Indiana University. The most important and fascinating classes I took during my art school years were the anatomy classes. We learned to draw all of the bones and muscles of the body along with all of the major surface features of the 24 | HOME | February 2018

body and how they related to one another. It was wonderful to learn the secret symmetry, design and beauty of the human figure. “Understanding how the individual bones and muscles come together and work together to become the beautiful human form was one of the most powerful and rewarding experiences for me as an artist and it is something that still motivates me as an artist to this day. “Central to understanding the figure is working from the live model. Traditional drawing sessions include making many gesture drawings that are made in a minute or two that force the artist to capture the essence of the figure in as few lines as possible. From there, poses become longer and longer so that a figure drawing can become more and more developed. Many of these developed drawings then become the basis for my paintings. “I work in a classical tradition of first making a detailed drawing of the “Interlude” by Patrick subject and then making a painting McGannon based on the drawing. This allows me to first work out the values and composition before color is added to the final work.” Jill describes her work as realistic. “I do realistic oil paintings of landscapes, people and still lifes, working from life whenever possible,” said Jill. Her work has been on view around the state and country. “I've shown at Mason Fine Art (formerly Mason Murer) in Atlanta since the gallery opened 10 years ago. I also have work at Addington Gallery in Chicago,” she said. Jill has had paintings recently accepted into several national shows, including Oil Painters of America’s Eastern Regional Exhibition 2015, American Women Artists Annual Juried Exhibition of 2015 and Women Painters of the Southeast’s Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition 2015, 2016 and 2017. She is also a member of the Eastern League of Professional Artists and was shown in their inaugural exhibit at the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Center in 2017. The second ELPA show will be held in July at the Quinlan. “For me, landscape painting is a search for the phenomenally beautiful. I try to find a view with great color and light and then attempt to capture the magic with paint on canvas,” she said. “For the last seven years, I've participated in a show in Savannah that is a fundraiser for the Telfair Museum. That's been a good sales opportunity for me since I paint a lot of marsh scenes. We have a condo in Hilton Head, and I paint there plein air and paint the larger paintings in my studio here in Suwanee. Painting plein air allows me to see the values and color more accurately than I could from a photograph.” She’s been painting with oils since fourth grade. A class she attended at the Quinlan really turned on a light in her artistic world. “The first workshop I ever took was at the Quinlan from Gregg Kreutz. I went to University of Georgia, graduating in 1985 with a bachelor of fine art in drawing and painting, and in 1988 with a master

of fine art in drawing and painting,” she said. Even though she “adored and respected my teachers at UGA, I had never seen another artist paint a demo, and I learned more in that first workshop than I did in six years at UGA! A light bulb went on,” Jill said. “I had been painting the figure for so many years, which is more nuanced. Gregg's demo was a still life with flowers. It was so clear: darks, lights, midtones, drawing. It was so exciting; his paintings radiated color and life! That demo made me start working from life. “They just weren't teaching realistic painting at colleges in the ’80s. The faculty at UGA was mostly abstract expressionist painters. There were two teachers there who could draw well, and I did learn drawing from them.” At UGA, Jill learned the discipline of painting several hours per day, how to critique a painting, how to mix color and how to draw. “I'm thankful that while they weren't teaching realism, they didn't try to dissuade me from painting that way, like they did at some schools. But the workshops at the Quinlan, including several of Gregg Kruetz's and one with Roseta Santiago, were where

I really learned how to paint from life in a straightforward manner.” “I found that painting ‘alla prima,’ where the entire painting is completed in one session, was so much fun. It was so much more engaging than just working from photos. I've been painting my smaller works from life ever since.” On being named the Gala’s guests of honor, Jill said, “Patrick and I were blown away. It's quite an honor, and we're thrilled to help the Quinlan in any way we can. The workshops I took at the Quinlan were pivotal in my growth as an artist. No one else was offering workshops from nationally known

artists teaching realism in the ’90s in the Atlanta area, and the Quinlan has continued to be a great resource for artists.” The 40th annual Quinlan Gala Fine Art Auction includes 100 couples, 100 artworks and will feature the highest caliber original artwork by local, regional and national talents. Tickets went on sale Jan. 2, and are $125 per person for entry to both Gala and preview night. The proceeds from the auction directly fund Quinlan programming, including classes, exhibitions and community outreach. For more information, contact the Quinlan at 770-536-2575 or www. QuinlanArtsCenter.org

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Visual Variety University of North Georgia brings in works from visiting artists as well as students By Michelle Boaen Jameson Photos courtesy University of North Georgia

Home Magazine talked with UNG Director of Art Galleries Victoria Cooke about what the university offers both the community and students in the way of visual art and installations. With serious majors in art and art education, there is no shortage of students and artists to showcase their talents. Question: How many galleries are on campus at UNG? Answer: There are galleries on three of UNG's five campuses: Bob Owens Art Gallery in Dahlonega, Roy C. Moore Art Gallery Gainesville and the Oconee Campus Art Gallery.

Allen Chen’s “The Space Between”

February 2018 | HOME | 27

Ed Gilliam: Works from the Thomas E. Scanlin Collection

Q: How many shows are held each year? A: Each of the galleries had approximately six exhibitions each year. Q: What are the hours for public viewings? A: This varies according to the gallery/ campus but can be found on the website for each of the galleries. The public can also attend our artist talks and receptions. All are free and open to the public. Visit ung.edu/art-galleries/index.php for more information. Q: What is the mission of the art galleries? A: The mission of the University of North Georgia Art Galleries is to provide access to cultural experiences, to foster an understanding of a diverse and global society.

Q: Tell me about some of the visiting artists who have exhibited? A: In the past year we have had visiting artists from all over the region. We are opening this semester in Gainesville with an installation of a new collaborative work by Sandra Trujillo and Curtis Stewardson called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stories.â&#x20AC;? They created this work for this exhibition and it is being revealed to the public (and to me) for the first time as we open the show. Last semester, we had a painter join us from Columbia, South Carolina, and in the spring we will welcome a sculptor from Charlotte, North Carolina. In Dahlonega we have a Printmaking biennial that draws artists from all over the country (and sometimes from outside the U.S.) This is a

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juried exhibition and the winner each year has a solo exhibition the following year. This is an exhibition which exposes students to a variety of contemporary printmakers, their work and their methods. In the fall, students were delighted by the work of textile artist Andrea Wellnitz who included a three-dimensional, fully interactive pod made out of wet-worked felt in her exhibition where visitors could leave messages to other visitors. Q: What about student shows? What kind of art is shown? A: Each year, each of the campuses has a student exhibition where the finest of the student work is chosen for exhibition in the galleries. These exhibitions highlight excellence in all disciplines including drawing, painting, printmaking, graphic design and ceramics. These shows are among our most popular exhibitions and not only celebrate the remarkable achievements of the students, they also demonstrate the strengths of the visual art departments on each of the campuses. Q: What are the future plans for UNG galleries? A: The UNG galleries strive to bring more innovative art to the campuses in the future. Our hope is to foster education through exhibitions and programming. As the university grows, the galleries will grow with it. We are planning to host an international textile exhibition in the near future as well as a retrospective for the UNG printmaking biennials. We are looking for more ways to connect with students across the university disciplines in new ways. Right: 2016 Southern Printmaking Biennale VII Best in Show Winner Aaron Coleman

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Always a showstopper

Spotlight Shines on Historic Holly Theater for 25 Years By Pamela A. Keene Photos courtesy Holly Theater When Hal Williams chaired the Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce nearly 30 years ago, he and his wife Carol owned a Christmas store in downtown Dahlonega. Things were not necessarily booming in the Lumpkin County seat. “Some of us began talking about expanding tourism here in the early ’90s, and someone said, ‘What a shame that somebody doesn’t do something about the old Holly Theatre,’” says Hal, who today serves as president of the Holly Theater Board. “It was falling in after having been closed since the early 1980s, so we started a letter campaign to restore the Holly and received overwhelming community support. It officially reopened in 1993.” Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Holly Theater presents 30 | HOME | February 2018

a community theater season, a concert season, children’s theater productions, plus classes and a summer camp for youth. It has helped drive visitation to Dahlonega’s square and the 16 or so restaurants in and around the square. The Holly Performance Academy opened in 1994, one year after the theater’s grand re-opening. “We have trained students who are now on Broadway and working in theaters across the country, onstage and in tech or administration,” Hall says. “One-third of all the drama teachers here are graduates of the academy. The program continues to be a success.”

Deep Roots in Theater and Film

Long before Georgia became one of the top three states in the

“We present 20-plus shows each year and all our concerts sell out. We certainly owe our success to the people of Dahlonega, Lumpkin County and North Georgia who continue to support us.”

February 2018 | HOME | 31

country to host movie productions, Dahlonega was on filmmakers’ radar. According to the written history of the Holly Theater, Fox Film Company used a nearby abandoned gold mine to shoot the silent film “The Plunder,” inspired by a novel written by Roy North. Other silent movies followed, including “Big Jim Garrity,” “The Great Divide, “Driven,” and “The Daughter of Devil Dan,” all in the 1920s. Town fathers began showing movies in a building downtown in that same decade, but it wasn’t until 1939, when Randall Holly Brannon leased the building, added a ticket booth, double doors and a sign that said “Theatre” out front that an official theater became part of the community. Eventually, Brannon broke ground on a new theater building and by 1948, the Holly Theater hosted its grand opening showing the film “The Bride Goes Wild.” Over the years, the theater opened and closed several times; it was occasionally rented for events and in 1980 housed the Harvest Bible Church. “The building’s exterior is much like it was when it first opened,” Hal says. “We cleaned and stripped the seats, and since it re-opened we’ve enlarged the stage four times. We have seating for 306 and can produce multi-dimensional shows. We have an upper stage and two side upper stages. We can be much more innovative with our productions.” In 2016, the Square was featured in the Hallmark made-for-TV film, “Christmas in Homestead,” and for three weeks, Dahlonega became the

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Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Holly Theater presents a community theater season, a concert season, children’s theater productions, plus classes and a summer camp for youth.

fictional town of Homestead, Iowa. Some of the movie was filmed at the Holly Theater.

Looking Ahead

For its 25th anniversary season, the Holly Theater will present a series of musicals. The first, “Anything Goes,” takes place March

9-11, 23-25. Featuring music and lyrics by Cole Porter, it’s the story of a madcap antics aboard an ocean liner traveling from New York to London. The musical has enjoyed several revivals on Broadway since it premiered in 1934. Other shows this season are Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” in May, Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” in August and “Annie” in late November and early December. Concerts include Johnny Cash Now with June Carter Cash tribute show on Feb. 16; Satisfaction-The International Rolling Stones Show in May; Elvis: The Concert Years by Patrick Johnson in June and Banks and Shane in July. “We present 20-plus shows each year and all our concerts sell out,” Hal says. “We certainly owe our success to the people of Dahlonega, Lumpkin County and North Georgia who continue to support us. The Historic Holly Theater is, in the truest sense, a community theater.” For more information, call The Holly Theater, 69 West Main St., Dahlonega, at 706-530-5162 or visit www.hollytheater.com.

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Historic building,

artistic aura

Bowen Center for the Arts showcases local artisans handiwork in ‘Old Rock School’

By J.K. Devine Photos courtesy Bowen Center for the Arts Growing up with an architectural engineer for a father and a portrait artist for a mother, it is not surprising Ginny Greenwood has a keen eye for art. So when she walked into the Bowen Center for the Arts in Dawsonville for the first time nearly 10 years ago, she stood in awe of the 1935 building located in a historical section of the city’s downtown. “My husband and I did the same thing,” she said. “We stopped and looked around and gazed in awe.” She said the 5,000-square-foot facility built with locally quarried rock in the 1930s and deemed “Old Rock School” as part of the Dawsonville High School complex had an aura surrounding it. “The first time I walked in the door I was overwhelmed,” she said. “I can’t really describe it. You can feel it as an artist because you know how the building can show the art.” Being an artist herself, Greenwood could imagine what it be like to

have her abstract to illustrative pieces displayed in such a facility. But she never imagined she would work in it. Luckily for her opportunity came knocking at her door. Previously employed as a paralegal and office manager, Greenwood explained that the previous Bowen Center director encouraged her to apply for the position. “I understood the administration tasks, and I knew about art exhibits and the art community,” she said. Greenwood got the job as executive director of the Bowen Center. Now she works to bring more veteran and novice artists to the center and supports the art community in North Georgia and the surrounding region. “Every year, nearly 50 percent to 70 percent of new artists are exhibiting here,” Greenwood said. “We are becoming a big name.” Greenwood accomplishes this task by sponsoring various exhibits throughout the year. For example, in March the Bowen Center will sponsor a photography show featuring only the Appalachian Mountains

Executive Director Ginny Greenwood said the Bowen can boast of more than 400 members.

34 | HOME | February 2018

with large prizes to draw in the artists. “When you look at the photos, it’s like touring the Appalachian Mountains,” Greenwood said, explaining she places the photos throughout the center to create the best atmosphere for visitors. “I want them to see an angle they have never seen. I want them to see it from a different perspective.” To achieve this, Greenwood uses her own creativity to display each work to its best advantage. “All of my artistic expression can come out every day,” she said. “And I pamper my artists. I want them to make money and have funds to continue to create. I want them to have a venue to sell their work.” Getting visitors to the Bowen to see and potentially purchase artwork is a major part of Greenwood’s job. “Eighty percent of this job is marketing these exhibits and bringing the public in to view and enjoy the exhibits,” she said. The remainder of her job involves interacting with the artistic community including the Bowen Center’s board of directors and its members. Greenwood said the Bowen can boast of more than 400 members. “They are just so active,” Greenwood said. “I’ve never seen an art

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center so active and well supported. The members are enthusiastic.” That enthusiasm is what led to the establishment of the Bowen Center for the Arts. According to the Bowen Center’s website (www.bowenarts.org), the

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Executive Director Ginny Greenwood

Dawson County Arts Council Inc. proposed to take over responsibility of the Old Rock School in October 1999 after hearing of plans to tear down the historic building. Originally built using funds Dawson County received from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Public Works Administration and Civil Works Administration, the facility housed the Department of Vocational Agriculture, a canning plant and a mattress factory. “For 25 cents, locals could purchase a new mattress if they could haul it away,” Greenwood said. Since it was on the Dawson County school

The building now housing the arts center was nearly demolished.

campus later, the building was used for several classes such as choir, band, shop and home economics. But when a new high school was built in the 1998, the school system no longer needed the building. Arts Council President Grace Privette and other locals sprang into action to save the building and turn it into an arts center. “They rallied community support for the rehabilitation,” Greenwood said. “Bowen Homes was the biggest contributor, and it brought in a lot of other companies with them.” Greenwood said new walls, doors and

floors were just a few of the renovations made. It was also made ADA compliant to allow for visitors with disabilities to easily maneuver through the facility. Upon completion, the “Old Rock School” was dedicated on Sept. 7 and deemed the Ralph and Ludy Bowen Center for the Arts. It opened with its first art exhibit Oct. 1, 2000, the website said. That same month the building became the permanent home of the Arts Council, which subsequently became the Bowen Center for the Arts. A sculpture by artist Gregory Johnson.

36 | HOME | February 2018

Since that time, the center has evolved from being run by a volunteer workforce to employing a full-time executive director with a board of directors. Officers include president Barbara Vermillion, vice president Jeanne Tompkins, secretary Dub Anderson and treasurer Andrea McKenzie. Other board members are Jennifer Brinson, Mary Jo Cox, Vin Filosi, Shirley Hawkins, Hugh Holley, Warren King, Susan McDowell, Kathy Pate, Nicole Stewart, Melody Scott, Amanda Yenerall and Seani Zappendorf. The executive director, its board and members maintain the facility through fundraisers such as an annual Monet Ladies Golf Tournament; The Artful Cork, a wine tasting with silent and live auctions; and an annual luncheon. Tompkins, who lives in Gold Creek and serves as co-president, said the tournament attracts female golfers from all across the state. “It is just for ladies and we have a lot of top golfers who want to be in it,” she said. “We get their registration money in February to hold their spots for the tournament in August.” Tompkins explained the fundraisers along with donations help to maintain the building, which is no easy task. “It’s very tactile,” she said, indicating the brick-and-mortar façade combined with rocks from the quarry. “Once it’s cold, it stays cold. And once it’s warm, it stays warm. So we work very hard to keep the building in good condition.” The funding allows the Bowen Center to host exhibits and events including fine arts, quilts, ceramics, photography, juried events, workshops, festivals, concerts and chorales. Tompkins said the Georgia Watercolor Society books an exhibit at the Bowen every other year. “Our quilt show, though, brings in more people than any other event,” she said. “We have people from neighboring states such as Texas

Bowen Center for the Arts When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays and Mondays Where: 334 Highway 9 N, Dawsonville Cost: Free For more information contact 706-216-2787, director@bowenarts.org or www.bowenarts.org who come to see the quilt show.” But the Bowen Center is not for artists alone. It is active with civic and community groups, arts and literacy programs and animal rescue leagues. The Bowen also hosts Summer Art Camps to teach new generations art theory and production. It also supports children’s programs through scholarships and school events. These outreach programs are important for the community and the younger generation. “It’s common knowledge that culture and artistic expression and exposure to these displays increases intelligence,” Greenwood said. “It’s important to have artists in the community. They reflect what they see in the community.” Tompkins said she hopes the reputation of the Bowen Center will continue to grow, especially since she believes it feeds the soul. “I think it provides a place where you can see beauty,” she said. “Every soul needs beauty.”

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EVENTS CALENDAR

February Feb. 1 An Evening with Author Mark Warren. 5-6:30 p.m. Lumpkin County Library, 342 Courthouse Hill, Dahlonega. Feb. 2 American Red Cross Blood Drive. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega St., Cumming. Love Joys & Echoes of Imagination. Bob Marley/Pink Floyd Tribute. 8-10 p.m. The Crimson Moon, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. Feb. 3 Sail On Band. The Beach Boys Tribute. 8 p.m. Holly Theatre, 69 W. Main St., Dahlonega. $27-35. Braselton Downtown Chocolate Walk. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9924 Davis St., Suite 8, Braselton. 706-684-0369. $10. Hands ON Art Exhibition Tour. 10 a.m. to noon. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. Real Fit Expo. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. Sarah Peacock. Country-Rock. 8-10 p.m. The Crimson Moon, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. Feb. 5 A Little Night(hawk) Music Concert Series. 7:30-9 p.m. Ed Cabell Theatre, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood. Lego Club. 5-6 p.m. Hall County Library System, Murrayville Branch, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 171, bhood@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Feb. 7 Knitters Club. 1-2 p.m. Hall County Library System, Murrayville Branch, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 171, bhood@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. 38 | HOME | February 2018

Feb. 8 Georgia Poetry Circuit: Erica Dawson. 12:30-3 p.m. Brenau Trustee Library, Quiet Zone, 625 Academy St., Gainesville. sbrim@brenau.edu. Free. Twilight Tour. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Brenau University, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Feb. 10 Hands ON Art Exhibition Tour. 10 a.m. to noon. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. Heather Wayne Dance Company “LEGENDARY” Showcase. 2:305:30 p.m. and 7-10 p.m. The Venue at Friendship Springs, 7340 Friendship Springs Blvd., Flowery Branch. “Avenue Q.” 7:30 p.m., Feb 13-17, 2024, 2:30 p.m., Feb 18 and 24. Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre, 429 Academy Street, Gainesville. Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre, 429 Academy Street, Gainesville. 678-7173624 The Steve Bryson Band. North Georgia country. 8-10 p.m. The Crimson Moon, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. Feb. 14 Masters in the Art of Nursing. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Brenau East, Whalen Auditorium, Featherbone Communiversity, 1001 Chestnut St. SE, Gainesville. 770-534-6206, jcollier@ brenau.edu. Free. Feb.15 Small-Scale Organic Farming in North Georgia. February Brown Bag Lecture Series. 12:30-2 p.m. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976, elachee@ elachee.org. $5. Happy Bookers Book Discussion Group. 1:30-3 p.m. Lumpkin County Library, 342 Courthouse Hill, Dahlonega. Crafty Stitchers Quilting Club. 5:30-8 p.m. Hall County Library

System, Murrayville Branch, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 171, bhood@ hallcountylibrary.org. Feb. 16 Johnny Cash Now. 8 p.m. Holly Theatre, 69 W. Main St., Dahlonega. $27-35. “Monstrous” 7:30 p.m., Feb 16, 18, 2024, 2:30 p.m., Feb 17 and 24. University of North Georgia’s Ed Cabell Theatre 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood. $18/$20 for adults, $16-18 for seniors and $12/$14 for students. 678-7173624 Feb. 17 Children’s Painting Class. 10-11:30 a.m. Atlanta Botanical Garden - Gainesville, 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville. 404888-4763, wcannon@atlantabg.org. $24-29. Gainesville Lacers: Makers of Bobbin Lace. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770532-3311, ext. 114, gkoecher@ hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Kevn Kinney. 8-10 p.m. The Crimson Moon, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. Feb. 18 Brenau Galleries Open House. 1-4 p.m. Feb. 18. Sellars Gallery, President’s Gallery and Leo Castelli Gallery, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. 770534-6263. Free. Feb. 20 Science Fiction Book Club. 5:30-7 p.m. Dawson County Library, 342 Allen St., Dawsonville. Feb. 21 Cottrell Speaker Series: Barbara Rambo. Noon to 1 p.m. University of North Georgia, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood. Feb. 23 David Markwith, Senior Recital. 7:309 p.m. Pearce Auditorium, 200 Blvd., Gainesville. 770-538-4764. Free.

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