THOM Volume 3 | Issue 2 - Fall/Winter 2015

Volume 3 | issue 2 fall/winter 2015

Volume 3 | Issue 2

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Fall/Winter 2015

Editor & Publisher Michele Arwood

CREATIVE Director Haile McCollum

Associate Editor Callie Sewell

Production Manager Margret Brinson

Development Manager Mallory Jones

copy Editor Lauren Eberle

Designers

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Lindsey Strippoli

Photographers Mark Atwater Jay Bowman Meghan Davis Gabe Hanway Luke Hok Brian Metz Abby Mims Alicia Osborne Daniel Shippey Becky Stayner

Writers Alison Abbey Lauren Eberle Susan Ray Nadia R. Watts Jennifer Westfield

INTERN Becca Harris

thomasvillearts.org 600 E. Washington Street Thomasville, GA 229.226.0588 Cover photo by: RL Ireland “Birds of a Feather�

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contents Fall/Winter 2015 Creator

5 A STORY OF STYLE Niels van Rooyen Holland & Holland

Visionary

9 From Cairo to Cairo Keith Summerour Summerour & Associates Architects

collector

15 All the world’s a small town Kathy Vignos

Foodie

19 The Hottest Table in Town Chris Hastings Birmingham’s Hot and Hot Fish Club

27 THOM’S GUIDE

91

thinker

85 what about bob Bob Ireland

CONDUCTOR

91 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND Raymond Hughes

TASTEMAKER

97 SON OF THE SOUTH William Lamb Wm. Lamb and Son

connector

101 Touching Lives, from reel to reel Covey Film Festival

5

1 05 Featured Artists

Letter From the Editor

CHOO choo choo choo…. CHOO choo choo choo…..CHOOOO CHOOOO!!!

It was 1861. The winter snow was deep in the

internationally acclaimed architect who retreats

North and Thomasville had just become the

to a stone tower house, and a James Beard Award-

terminus for the South-bound railroad. By now,

winner whose table flavors are influenced by his

most folks around here know it was then when

ancestors.

loads of Northerners with the financial means and gumption boarded the trains and headed our way to soak up our Southern hospitality and mild winter climate. What followed was a golden era when the visionaries of the day bought our old antebellum plantations and shaped them into world-renowned sporting properties.

Now more than 150 years later, the Red Hills is a veritable quail hunting mecca due to the ingenuity and commitment of our forefathers and their families who have intentionally cultivated the land for generations. Their dedication to preserving this rich aspect of our culture allows us to say we are home to more than 100 plantations and hundreds of thousands of acres of quail hunting land that contribute to our strong economy.

It’s a natural time for us to profile this covey of creatives as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Center for the Arts’ Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival.

Each of them will leave their own distinct mark on Thomasville as a festival art collector, designer, speaker, artist, or patron.

As we rollout this issue, we continue to be inspired by the deep well of talent shaping our community here and from afar. After five issues, I still get excited when someone asks me, “Why do you feature people who don’t live in Thomasville?”

I LOVE this question because it’s actually at the root of why we started the magazine. We believe what makes us a great city is the exchange of ideas between locals and friends in other cities. People and their contagious ideas are what make our city

Those of us committed to strengthening our

great today, just as they did when our Northern

community through the arts know that it’s not

friends found their way here on the trains destined

just the land and quail that attract guests and

for new lands and opportunity at the turn of the

new neighbors. As they say, “birds of a feather flock

20th century.

together,” and like our feathered friends, people desire to be in the company of others who share similar ideals, values, and tastes. So this season we’re honoring the other side of what makes us great: remarkable artists and visionaries who live, play, and create here because they love our land and

If you’re a member of the Center, you’ll enjoy a special experience this season tied to our cover partners, Holland & Holland and Kevin’s. Stay tuned for details closer to PWAF. If you’re not a member yet, you’ll want to become one now!

fine hunting traditions.

You’ll meet a Cleveland-born world traveler with a penchant for collecting wildlife art, a London-based South African who is influencing our field fashion sense, a NYC Creative Director who balances his

Michele Arwood

big city life with a love for the Southern hunt, an

Editor + Publisher

3

Instagram Influencers Nine Instagram feeds that keep us inspired and connected

@birddogoftheday

@waitingonmartha

@brothersandcraft

We sure do love bird dogs around here, pointers, setters, spaniels, oh my!

A curator of everyday fun, stunning images and trendsetting style, plus the occasional cute dog photo

A trifecta of keen eyed brothers presenting artful photos of menswear in a decidedly southern context

@georgiaseaturtlecenter

@sidandannmashburn

@thomasvillelandmarks

Keeping it all in perspective by watching a passionate team save turtles on Jekyll Island

Alabama may have Billy and Natalie but Georgia has Sid and Ann

Sometimes you have to look at the details to appreciate the big picture

@swallowsanddamsons

@jamestfarmer

@bookshelftville

Wait until you see what comes from a little flower shop in Sheffield, England

It’s like you are following an old friend. Really we just want to move into his new house, Farmdale

Because “life enriched by books is the best kind of life”and we love their videos

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CREATOR

Written by

Between his busy travel schedule, his role as Creative Director of the exclusive

Susan Ray

outdoor brand Holland & Holland, and a six-hour time difference, I felt fortunate to catch up with Niels van Rooyen. Niels tells stories with such charm that

Photographed by Holland & Holland

despite our accent differences (his fast-talking South African English and my slow Southern drawl), I was quickly drawn into his world as if we were old friends.

While Niels resides in London now, he grew up in South Africa. His mother, who was an English ballet dancer, and father, who was a South African farmer, both had big influences on his sense of style and design. His mother first piqued his interest in design by introducing him to the classical look and through her love of Diana Vreeland. Niels’ father — whose advice was, “let nature be our master” — also had an impact on Niels’ design.

Niels shared his mother’s admiration for Diana Vreeland because he liked Diana’s belief in creating your own style. “I loved her way of thinking and how she would mix for a great look.” Diana launched another one of Niels’ favorite designers, Cristobal Balenciaga. But perhaps it was the glamour of Diana’s most famous patron, Jackie Kennedy, who captivated his textile and design interest the most.

Niels’ biggest sense of style always goes back to nature. “It gives us the most amazing colors in the world,” he says. Elements of nature, such as reptile skins, influence his sense of texture, while he looks to things such as bird feathers for his beautiful color combinations. It’s this appreciation of nature that inspires the themes of each seasonal collection Niels designs for Holland & Holland. This year’s spring/summer collection, “Safari”, is based on his travels to Africa.

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For Niels, the process of creating is about storytelling. You can see this with the theme of this year’s autumn/winter collection: The MacNab Challenge. It’s an old tradition in Britain where a hunter attempts to catch a salmon, shoot a brace of grouse, and stalk a deer in a day. Niels designed one-of-a-kind tweed for this collection that was produced by weavers who trace back to the 16th century.

Holland & Holland collaborates with various artists to create exclusive in-house designs for their customers to compliment each theme.

“The scarves are absolutely beautiful,” says Niels.

“There will only be 27 of them in the world. Each will have an individual number and a signature.”

In addition to looking to nature and stories, Niels relies on travel and the notes he takes while on his journeys for inspiration. His travels back to his roots in Africa particularly spark his design ideas. He likes to study the African tribes and their intricate paintings to use elements for his collections.

This year he’ll make his way to Thomasville to introduce, alongside Kevin’s Fine Outdoor Gear & Apparel, a limitededition scarf based on a painting by artist Sue Key to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival. “The scarves are absolutely beautiful,” says Niels. “There will only be 27 of them in the world. Each will have an individual number and a signature.” He’s looking forward to the visit as he says, “I love the hospitality in the South. And I had my first key lime pie there.”

Niels’ passion for food and great cooking almost rivals his passion for design. He not only enjoys dining out around 20th Anniversary

his neighborhood, but his favorite room in his house is his

Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival

kitchen, which has a huge table in the middle where great

Limited Edition Scarf

conversations take place. In the summer he pretty much dines on fish and salad. But, he loves all the hearty foods

Photo by: Brian Metz 7

that are available in winter such as wild boar, pheasant,

CREATOR

and sausage. Niels says, “I love game — South African cuisine is all about game.”

Unfortunately, Niels’ busy schedule doesn’t leave him much time for hunting anymore. He does, however, enjoy designing collections for the hunting lifestyle.

The autumn/winter collection is the most important one for Holland & Holland, since that’s the shooting season. Hunting attire differs in England from the United States in that the British put together an entire hunting wardrobe. They have something to wear before the shoot, such as cashmere sweaters and corduroy; something to wear to the shoot, such as tweed shooting jackets; and then something more elegant to wear in the evening, such as dress suits and blazers.

The fine materials and the finishing of the garments that Holland & Holland designs are both very important. “Everything is British-made,” says Niels.

“People like buying British and we prefer to promote British craftsmanship.” This is what guides the Holland & Holland principle for designing. For instance, the Holland & Holland collection contains shooting stockings that are all hand-knitted using wool sheared from HRH The Prince of Wales’ organic flock of Lleyn Sheep at Highgrove. The socks come with a certificate of authentication from the Prince of Wales.

One trend that Niels has noticed in recent years is that the country safari look has been urbanized. “At one time it would have been unheard of to wear hunting clothes in town for everyday activities. Nowadays it seems that everyone is pairing a shooting jacket with jeans and boots to wear around town,” Niels says.

Niels loves that the Holland & Holland pieces are so unique and that there’s a story behind each one and the care that has gone into the design and the materials. “And that’s a nice change to a world that’s gone mad with too much plastic.”

Niels van Rooyen Holland & Holland hollandandholland.com 8

From to

Written by Jennifer Westfield Photographed by Jay Bowman Luke Hok

9

VISIONARY

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I ask architect Keith

“I didn’t go to Georgia Tech,” Keith says, “I went

Summerour to paint

to Auburn and studied in Italy for a while. I’ll

me a picture of his

never forget how I came back and saw the world

earliest influences

differently. From that moment forward, I was

drawn as a boy

compelled to design things that had a more

summering on a dairy

permanent quality to them.” He says this doesn’t

farm in the rolling

mean that everything has to have columns, but

prairie lands an hour

rather, must be designed with a certain attention to

outside of Selma,

proportion, order, form, and materiality.

Alabama.

“Permanence” and “classic” are words used “There wasn’t anything to do,” he laughs, considering

frequently to describe Keith’s projects, which are

the avid outdoorsman he’s since become. “There was

largely concentrated in the southeast, although he’s

no television, no air-conditioning. We’d come up with

built across the country. His process, however, is

ideas like climbing my grandfather’s silos, or when

anything but traditional.

a silo was empty, going inside, looking up and seeing the sky as a big round oculus.”

Looking at his designs, it’s not difficult to see that the surrounding land plays a significant role in

Many years later, he says, he was standing in the

shaping how they’re conceived. Before anything

Pantheon in Rome and looked up. “There was this

else happens, Keith walks the project site. “The

flash of seeing the same thing in South Alabama—

first discussion,” he says, “will involve how the

the memory of this rustic childhood mixed with

architecture will grow from the land: where the

the realization that these forms, these shapes—the

buildings fit and how it will respond to the property.”

architecture of man repeats itself.”

The next day, he sits down with the client and An architect of international acclaim, Keith has

holds a design charrette where he puts together

earned a name among a group dubbed by historian

an esquisse, a rough sketch of the property, based

William R. Mitchell, Jr. as the “Georgia School

on what the client describes. “Seeing it actually

of Classicists,” descendants of, among others,

come to life in front of them,” he says, “with a lot of

Lewis Crook, Ernest Ivey, and Philip Shutze. His predecessors graduated from Georgia Tech and then traveled to Italy, returning to design projects that were uniquely Southern and classical.

char·rette SHəˈret/ (pronounced [shuh-ret]) is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development.

It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers. More importantly, it allows everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the plan.

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VISIONARY

interaction back and forth, not only builds confidence in the team, but it also builds momentum; in that excitement, the client will often reach further for what they’re hoping to get by being a part of that process.”

Typically, architects listen to their clients’ ideas, take notes and then use those notes to design, whether alone or in a professional team. “In doing that,” Keith says, “it’s a

“I studied in Italy and I’ll never forget how I came back and saw the world differently. From that moment forward, I was compelled to design things that had a more permanent quality to them.”

well-studied plan, but eliminates the initial excitement the owner might

properties, by building high, I was able to capture

feel by participating in that design process in front

these amazing mountain views along the Pine

of them.” After he sketches out a design during the

Mountain Range.”

charrette, Keith tells his clients to “put it up on the refrigerator, think about it for a couple weeks, and

Towerhouse Farm exemplifies another practice Keith

take some notes” before they reconvene to finalize

frequently employs in his designs: using readily

the plan.

available raw materials. “The stone literally came from 30 feet from the building site,” he says.

Towerhouse Farm, a residential hunting lodge and

While the idea of family tower-living may seem

one of Keith’s personal retreats, is perhaps his

odd, the form is as old as man—though Keith and

most unique design—a 70-foot-high stone tower

his guests will likely not be warding off hordes of

in Georgia’s Meriwether County, modeled after an

barbarians from the tower’s topmost floors.

18-century shot tower. The single-family residential structure is what Keith says is “a good example of having a piece of architecture bring value to a piece of property and the form itself becoming a part of the land on which it’s built.”

The tower is situated on a piece of rolling farmland in the town of Gay, population 130. “The land was beautiful,” Keith says, “but pretty featureless in terms of some exciting landform like a cliff. Because the property is slightly higher than surrounding 12

In fact, Keith believes he is probably one of few nationally known architects interested in the Towerhouse Farm-brand of agrarian building and living. “If you think about architects who might like, or own, farms,” he says, “and who are really into the lifestyle, there are probably not a lot of us—I could be wrong, but I don’t know of many.”

This is why, he says, he felt he had much to offer when approached to speak at this year’s Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival. “To this end,” he says, “I wanted to explore the new plantation dwelling considered from the point of view of our time, where the white Greek temple house of the past is our glass and camouflage of today.”

In a lecture called “From Cairo to Cairo”—Egypt to Georgia, that is— Keith will discuss the ancestry of Greek revival architecture as it made its way from the land of the pharaohs to Greece and Rome, then to London and Paris, and finally to

classical order and there lies the unique quality of

the United States and South Georgia in the mid-

architecture that we as Southerners have inherited

19th century. “That legacy is more interesting for

from our ambitious forefathers.”

me in the South,” he says, “because of its vernacular adaptations.”

The Cracker Homestead is one vernacular example unique to North Florida and South Georgia: a

He describes how Alexander’s conquest of Egypt

19th-century single-story, wood-frame house that

exposed the Greeks to the building blocks of what

was typically raised off the ground and given a

would become the three orders of architecture;

wraparound porch, metal roofing, and a “dogtrot”-

after making their way to England and France, Keith

style central hallway—all for maximizing ventilation

says, “it’s no surprise that the new wealth of the

and preventing rot in what were some of the most

Americas sought European classical models to build

humid areas in America. Architectural Digest featured

their monuments and houses. Imagine the imposing

Keith’s take on a Cracker Homestead, Broadfield

white temple-house amid the hand-planted cotton

Plantation, in 2004.

fields: a symbol of power, authority, and worldly fashion in stark contrast to everyday life in Georgia.”

At that time, Broadfield was Keith’s first adaptation of the Cracker vernacular; his designs had and

The vernacular adaptations that interest Keith are

would continue to lean toward the classical. Still,

those, he says, that are sometimes indiscernible

with him, everything begins and ends with the

to the eye: the structural and material nuances

land. In his PWAF lecture, he says, “I’m going to

necessary to adapt the property to the demands

talk about our contribution, in our generation, to

of the land and climate. “There is little expression

the land and show how the ideals of classicism

of the interesting vernacular disorder among the

can be translated—how our buildings can be

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VISIONARY

“The scale and multitude of buildings and their assemblages are things you see over and over again— it’s all just clothed differently. I’m convinced that this happens organically based on the needs of the land.” given contemporary camouflage but still meet the

into the ceiling with light pouring in from above—a

demands of the outdoors and lifestyle of the South.”

view from below that would very much resemble one from inside the Pantheon or looking up from

One thing he says he learned about agrarian

within an empty silo in rural Alabama.

architecture as he observed it all over the world was that—whether in Provence, Tuscany, or Tennessee—

Since those dog days of summer on the dairy farm

it is essentially the same. “For the most part,” he

outside of Selma, Keith has found plenty to do

says, “the scale and multitude of buildings and

outdoors. “I really think it’s an important part of

their assemblages are things you see over and over

life,” he says, “to be able to explore, climb mountains,

again—it’s all just clothed differently. I’m convinced

fly fish, hunt, and be outdoors. Being inside is a

that this happens organically based on the needs of

necessary evil in the architecture business. If I could

the land.”

do it all outside, I would.”

If, as Keith says, the architecture of man repeats

Keith Summerour Summerour and Associates summerour.net

itself, one need only look at a study in Eagle House, one of his Atlanta designs, to see a half-dome cut

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COLLECTOR

All the World’s a Small Town

Written by Jennifer Westfield

When I catch up with her, Kathy Vignos has just arrived at her summer home in Maine. She’s busy packing for a weekend trip to see American Pharoah win the Triple Crown, before heading to Montana where her Labradors are competing

Photographed by Mark Atwater

in national field trials, and finally to Normandy, where she’s headed for a group bike tour.

Alicia Osborne “I’m a little frazzled most of the time,” she laughs. “Like today.” Her voice is husky, confident, and so like Lauren Hutton’s, it’s almost unbelievable. “There’s a big world out there with lots of fun, fabulous things to do and people to meet. I don’t want to miss anything,” she says.

Kathy, the granddaughter of one of many Clevelanders who purchased land here in the early 20th century, is the fruit of deeply-dug roots, a third-generation steward of hallowed hunting grounds and an active champion for culture and philanthropy —two items that go hand-in-hand in Thomasville in so many successful ways, from the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival and Thomasville Antiques Show to the Covey Film Festival.

“There’s a big world out there with lots of fabulous and interesting things to do and people to meet. I don’t want to miss anything.”

It may seem unlikely that a town of just over 18,000 people could raise $2 million for over 25 local charities from an antiques show until you meet someone like 16

Kathy, a Sarah Lawrence graduate with an NYU

the area during Thanksgiving holidays. She instantly

degree in international studies. She has lived and

fell in love with both the natural setting and the

worked in New York and Paris and for several

sporting culture.

major antique and auction houses, and has called Thomasville home for nearly 30 years.

“The quail hunting life was kind of magical,” she says. “You can ask almost anyone who came down

Kathy comes from a long line of extraordinary. Her

as a child. There was something about the live oaks

grandfather, David Ingalls, was the first ace in United

with the Spanish moss, the dogs and the birds—

States Navy history. Her father, Dr. Paul Vignos,

especially for a young person. The first time I shot

Jr., helped discover the gene behind Duchenne

a shotgun, I was 13. I could be exaggerating,” she

muscular dystrophy, which led to breakthroughs in

laughs, “but I believe I hit two birds the first time I

prognoses for children affected by the disorder.

shot and then it went downhill quickly after that.”

The late Dr. and Mrs. Vignos were avid collectors and

Kathy’s parents purchased Milestone Plantation in

Kathy was exposed to art and world cultures early

Thomas County from George Magoffin Humphrey,

on, during trips to museums and galleries in New

former Treasury Secretary under President

York and Europe and during stops on family drives

Eisenhower. “Eisenhower used to come down to

from their native Ohio to Maine.

hunt,” she says. “Now I have the property and I’m thrilled to own such a beautiful and historic place.”

It was her grandfather, though, who first purchased

While in town, Kathy hunts at Milestone at least

southern land, who along with Robert Livingston

once a week.

“Liv” Ireland, co-owned Foshalee Plantation, just south of Thomasville. Ingalls eventually purchased

After moving to Thomasville from New York in 1987,

Ring Oak Plantation, where Kathy would first visit

Kathy used her background in the auction business

Kathy’s parents purchased Milestone Plantation from George Magoffin Humphrey, Treasury Secretary under President Eisenhower. “Eisenhower used to come down to hunt,” she says. “Now I have the property and I’m thrilled to own such a beautiful and historic place.”

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COLLECTOR

to get involved in the planning of the Thomasville Antiques Show. “I’ll never forget the meeting,” she says. “It was at Marguerite Williams’ house and I remember everyone who was there — about six of us — Ben Grace, Mercer Watt... Marguerite was interested in antiques and in anything that would improve the cultural lifestyle of Thomasville. The aim was to give all the proceeds to children’s organizations in town.”

Because of the quality of the dealers the show got a reputation as one of the best small antiques shows in the country. Both Kathy and several of her former co-chairs agree that the show was taken to new heights with the onset of its series of nationally and internationally known lecturers and guest speakers, from Alexandra Stoddard to, most recently, international lifestyle maven India Hicks.

I ask Kathy about what she personally collects and about the art in her Maine home, a mix of 18th and 19th century English, American, and Chinese furniture, with a solid smattering of folk art, particularly dog paintings and early hooked rugs. The dog paintings are a nobrainer when I learn of her nine Labradors, including the field champion dogs she’ll be taking to trials later in the week.

At Milestone Plantation, she says, a Marcus Kenney deer head draped with beads and plastic grapes represents the more eclectic side of her collection.

“I love antiques from everywhere,” she says. “I’d much rather have an antique piece of furniture than something from a big-chain furniture store — it has more character and craftsmanship and is much more beautiful to look at — the lines, the wood, the patinas.”

She talks more about the biking trip in Normandy that she’ll take after the field trials, about how great it is to be outdoors rather than on a bus tour and to meet new people; she has taken similar biking tours of Italy, China, Vietnam, and Burma.

“I just know that there’s a big world out there,” she says, “with a lot of fun and amazing things to do. There are very few people I meet and don’t like — and from everywhere, all walks of life. I think that’s what keeps you alive: connections you have with people, the places you go, the memories and adventures.”

Kathy Vignos President, Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation thomasvilleantiquesshow.com 18

19

FOODIE

{

“Some of my fondest

childhood memories revolve around food,” he says.

“There’s a special thing that happens when you break

bread together.”

Written by

Talking to Chef Chris Hastings, I quickly see “What’s for supper?” was not just a

Susan Ray

simple question in the Charlotte, North Carolina home where he grew up. Food was a way of life and planning for the evening meal was a large part of the day’s

Photographed by Becky Stayner

conversation. “Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around food.

There’s a special thing that happens when you break bread together.”

Chris’ mother and grandmother, who were both great home cooks, influenced his love of cooking at a young age. His mother kept backyard food gardens and shopped at the local farmers markets to prepare fresh and flavorful meals for the family. In 1995, Chris brought this tradition to Birmingham when he opened The Hot and Hot Fish Club with Idie, his wife and fellow chef. The pair introduced the city to the farm-to-table trend before it became a national movement, and in 2012, Chris was recognized for his influence on the region’s cuisine when he won a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef of the South.

Low Country INFLUENCE Chris’ richest food memories trace back to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the charming stretch of shore where his family spent a lot of time in the summer.

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Chris remembers those carefree days, “My job on those trips was to serve as creek boy for the family.”

He’d cast a net for shrimp and flounder and bring them back to the house along with crabs, clams, and oysters. His mother would gather fresh corn, tomatoes, and other vegetables to create a hearty succotash to serve alongside his catch. “I’ll never forget learning how to shuck crabs,” Chris says of his time on Pawleys Island. “That will definitely be my death-bed meal.”

Diners at The Hot and Hot Fish Club also have that succotash to thank for the most-requested item on the menu, the Tomato Salad. It’s the one dish that Chris makes that hasn’t changed over the years.

The lure of the Low Country runs deeper for Chris than the colorful dishes he prepares. The area also inspired The Hot and Hot Fish Club name.

An ancestor on his mother’s side of the family, Benjamin Hugh Fraser, moved his family from Scotland to Pawleys Island around the late 1700s and early 1800s to become a rice planter. In those days men would join clubs around the island that matched their interests, such as rifling or fishing.

Fraser belonged to a group who was into eating and loved great seafood. They named themselves The Hot and Hot Fish Club and were known for making epic meals that they would then write about in their diaries.

“They’d retreat to their clubhouse and close the door behind them,” explains Chris. “It served as an escape from the complications of the day.” Idie and Chris have recreated that feeling at their Hot and Hot Fish Club. When you step across the threshold of the restaurant, you can either dine at the chef’s counter with a front-row view of the kitchen or sit around one of the many tables. Either way, the everchanging menu that blends French, Southern, and California cuisine invites you to enjoy a great meal with friends and leave your worries on the other side of the door.

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FOODIE

Hunting wild quail in the Southern traditional way that has been done for a long time is a privilege.

As an outdoorsman it’s the holy grail of the outdoor experience.

Outdoor Pursuits It comes as no surprise that Chris’ love of the outdoors extends beyond fishing into wing shooting. Because so much of his time is spent working at his restaurant and other projects, he welcomes any chance to escape to the outdoors.

That’s one reason he’s thrilled to cook for the Longleaf Affair at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival in Thomasville. In addition to looking forward to getting to know the folks who own the great plantation, he enjoys hunting quail and turkey in that part of the South. “Hunting wild quail in the Southern traditional way that has been done for a long time is a privilege. As an outdoorsman, it’s the holy grail of the outdoor experience.”

His love of both the outdoors and working with his hands led him several years ago to pursue a newfound hobby. Chris makes a pilgrimage to Canada each October to shoot woodcock, and then heads to Louisiana in February when the woodcocks migrate South. On one of his hunting trips to Louisiana, he had a cocktail at the Pecan Island School Lodge garnished with a hawthorn needle tied with woodcock feathers and skewered with an olive. Chris was so intrigued by the garnish that he took the idea to tie those feathers to a hat or lapel pin to give a homemade gift to folks who invited him to fish and hunt. Chris says what started as a creative outlet turned into a sought-after side business. “I entered them in the Garden and Gun ‘Made in the South’ contest a few years ago, where they became quite popular.”

Runners-up in the Style category, the pins were so well-received that Chris took orders for several years.

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HOT AND HOT TOMATO SALAD 6 large beefsteak tomatoes, cored, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices

2 large golden delight tomatoes, cored, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices

2 large rainbow tomatoes, cored, sliced ¼” thick slices

½ pint sweet 100 tomatoes ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows), divided

Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 smoked ham hock 1 large onion, peeled and quartered 1 fresh thyme sprig 1 cup fresh field peas (black-eye, pink-eye, crowder, or butter beans) 3 ears of yellow corn, shucked 2 tablespoons peanut oil 4 cups vegetable oil 30 pieces whole baby okra, stems trimmed ¼ cup whole-milk buttermilk ¼ cup corn flour ¼ cup cornmeal ¼ cup all-purpose flour 6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked to crisp

¾ cup chive dressing (recipe follows) 6 tablespoons chiffonaded fresh basil

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with ¾ cup of the balsamic vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine the ham hock, onion, thyme and field peas in a medium stock pot with enough cold water to cover the peas. Bring the peas to a simmer and cook until just tender, approximately 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and cool the peas, removing and discarding the ham hock, onion quarters and thyme sprig. Place the peas in a bowl; set aside.

Shave the kernels off the corn cobs into a medium bowl, discarding the silk hairs. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook until tender, about 8–10 minutes.

Season the corn with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat, allowing to cool slightly. Add the corn and the remaining 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette to the cooked field peas. Set the mixture aside to marinate at room temperature until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, pour the vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet to a depth of 3 inches. Preheat the oil until a deep-frying thermometer reads 350˚F. Place the okra pods in a small bowl with the buttermilk. Toss until well coated.

In a separate bowl, combine the corn flour, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and season with salt and pepper. Drain the okra from the buttermilk and toss it in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess cornmeal mixture. Place the okra in the preheated vegetable oil and fry each okra pod for 2–3 minutes, or until golden. Remove the okra from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season the okra with salt and pepper, to taste. To serve, arrange each of the different types of tomatoes on 6 plates. Divide the pea and corn mixture on top of the tomatoes.

Arrange 5 pieces of fried okra around each plate and place 1 slice of crispy bacon on the top of each salad. Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of the chive dressing over the salad and garnish each plate with 1 tablespoon of the basil.

CHIVE DRESSING 1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely minced 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup olive oil ¼ cup crème fraîche

Combine garlic and chives in a small bowl. Add the egg yolk and next 3 ingredients; whisk to combine. Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, while whisking vigorously to create an emulsion. Whisk in the crème fraîche. If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of water. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving. This dressing will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days. Yields 1¼ cups.

23

Balsamic Vinaigrette ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup finely chopped fresh chives ½ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup chopped green onions Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. The vinaigrette can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Bring the chilled vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk well before serving. Yields 1 cup.

FOODIE

Spreading Wings

D.C. And just like his upbringing of breaking bread

He’s also expanding his restaurant business beyond

with family, Chris continues that tradition, too:

the Southern, French, and Californian influence

“Whether it is a big holiday meal, dinner at home, or

of the Hot and Hot Fish Club to incorporate new

traveling around the world and eating great food, it’s

cuisine. He and Idie are excited about a new

what we do together.”

restaurant that they just opened in Birmingham’s Pepper Place called Ovenbird. What’s unique about this new venture is that it will be an all-wood restaurant. As Chris says, “we’re using wood in different ways that go beyond barbecuing.”

With all that Chris and Idie juggle in their busy lives, it’s easy to see that family and food play the most important role. Gathering with their two boys, Zeb and Vincent, is a central part of who they are.

Chris enjoys taking his family on trips, just as his grandmother used to do with him on old railroad cars from Charlotte to New York and Washington,

Chris Hastings The Hot and Hot Fish Club 2180 11th Court South Birmingham, Alabama 35205 hotandhotfishclub.com 24

P L A N TAT I O N W I L D L I F E A R T S F E S T I VA L Cheers to 20 Years Written by Callie Sewell Photographed by Alicia Osborne

There is something special about Fall in Thomasville. The season welcomes a coolness in the air, marks the opening of hunting season, and celebrates special experiences like the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival. PWAF has become one of Fall’s favorite highlights — and this year, the Festival turns 20.

Daniel Shippey

PWAF started as dinner party conversation between Margo Bindhardt and Robert P. Crozer, speared by Louise Humphrey and the Thomasville Center for the Arts Board. Together, the group turned a dreamlike idea into a calendar-marking community event inspired by the history of Thomasville’s vibrant plantation culture.

Throughout the ante- and post-bellum periods, sporting and wildlife artists often journeyed to local plantations to observe wildlife, enjoy the sporting life, and practice their craft. PWAF pairs this rich cultural history to the tastes and needs of great wildlife artists and art collectors today.

At the heart of the Festival is a fine arts show featuring 65 of the best sporting and wildlife artists and artisans. This year, instead of selecting one Featured Artist, we have tapped many of PWAF’s past Featured Artists to create an Encore Gallery. Each artist is creating original work of the Red Hills Region and painting landscapes and wildlife of the area solely for the 20th celebration.

PWAF calls for cocktail dresses and cowboy boots, bourbon bars and bird dog statues, global sporting artists and Southern makers. It is an event that is special to Thomasville because it brings to life the very best of what our beloved city has to offer — a hunting culture, an artistic culture, a stylish culture, and a giving culture.

And there are surprises in store! Think a “soul bent swamp-rocker,” a sporting attire fashion show, an en plein air paint out and much more… We cannot wait to celebrate 20 years with you!

25

EVENTS NOT TO MISS NOVEMBER 13: The Longleaf Affair Dinner with Birmingham’s award-winning Chef Chris Hastings and a Game of Chance at Pebble Hill Plantation

NOVEMBER 14: Meet the Master Cooking Demonstration with Chef Chris Hastings at Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop; Wildlife Photography Exhibition Opening Reception featuring the works of Elmore DeMott at Studio 209

NOVEMBER 15: Afternoon in the Field and 20th Celebration Concert with JJ Grey & Mofro at Pebble Hill Plantation

NOVEMBER 16 WEEK: “For the Love of Game” Taste of Thomasville Food Tour

NOVEMBER 18: Wildlife Flora Workshop with St. Simon’s The Vine event designers Bryce Vann Brock and Kelly Revels

NOVEMBER 19: Women of Wildlife Painting Workshop with Sue Key and Christina Hewson; En Plein Air Paint Out with C.D. Clarke and Clive Tyler; Kevin’s of Thomasville presents Holland & Holland Fine Shooting Attire Runway Show with Holland & Holland Creative Director Niels van Rooyen

NOVEMBER 20: Encore Gallery Underwriters Preview & Silent Auction; Commercial Bank presents Opening Night Preview Party at Thomasville Center for the Arts

NOVEMBER 21 & 22: Sporting and Wildlife Fine Art Show and Sale

NOVEMBER 21: Wildlife Conversation “From Cairo to Cairo” with Atlanta architect Keith Summerour; Commercial Bank presents Bird Dog Bash at Pebble Hill Plantation

PLANTATION WILDLIFE ARTS FESTIVAL For tickets and more information, head to pwaf.org or call 229.226.0588.

26

You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

- Mark Twain

Celebrating 20 years as a proud under writer of the

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85

THINKER

Bob Ireland spends his days making media magic in Manhattan.

But he’s also one of Thomasville’s biggest champions. It’s a beautiful, beneficial balance. Learn why.

Written by Lauren Eberle

Looking out over Madison and 48th from his eclectic, Don Draper-like office, Bob Ireland comments on the light: “I love it. I need it. Light helps me with my

Photographed by

thinking.” As the Creative Director of New York-

Meghan Davis

based Sharp Communications, it’s quite literally

Alicia Osborne

Bob’s job to ponder possibilities, to plan big, to challenge the norm, and to deliver results for his clients.

But as the light pores in, dancing off rock-n-roll photographs (most of which feature the Rolling Stones), I can’t help but wonder if Bob’s lean toward light is a reflection of his constant yearning for the great outdoors. It’s ingrained in Bob, you see. His passion for the land, for the sky, for sweeping woods 86

“If I’ve had time in the Red Hills, I think people find me more pleasant, more entertaining, and certainly more creative.”

87

THINKER

and quiet waters — that’s all in his DNA. And that’s all because of Thomasville.

Bob’s ties to this community began generations before his birth. “My parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents, and great-great-grandparents have spent time here — some part-time, some full-time — since the late-1880s,” he says with a twinge of well-deserved pride.

It’s hard for him to turn off. Until, of course, he comes South.

Born in 1967, Bob grew up in New York City, but for as far back as he can remember, every holiday was spent in the Thomasville area. Here, surrounded by kin, the Irelands made a home away from home. For a short spell while his parents were building a house in the area, Bob was even enrolled at the local Episcopal school.

“It’s amazing the things that stick with you,” he says, reflecting on those kindergarten days. “I don’t think I can tell you what I ate yesterday, but I remember that period of 1972.”

Smart Work Indeed, the easy breezy outdoorsy days in the Red Hills made quite an impact on the born Manhattanite. College took him to HampdenSydney in Virginia, where he majored in history.

The summer before graduation, Bob interned at Saatchi & Saatchi, sealing the deal on his draw

Photograph by: RL Ireland

to the advertising biz. In 1989, at 22 years old, he threw himself into agency work, cutting his teeth on big brands like Tylenol, Champion, Paramount, Castrol, and Court TV. Soon he met Jim Brodsky and the two creative forces began dreaming up their vision of a more holistic communications company that would offer a blend of services and superb client relations.

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Since 2004, Bob has spearheaded the advertising, graphic design, digital development, and corporate identity work for Sharp Communications’ clientele. Add to that the due diligence he spends researching other companies, balancing his team, developing future business strategies, and learning new technologies, and it’s easy to see why he doesn’t sleep much.

“People ask me what I’m reading and I laugh. There’s no time. I read constantly, sure, but it’s rooted in the industry. It’s to stay relevant. At this frantic pace, I can’t miss a moment — I can’t miss an opportunity to know about the latest thing. The latest technology. The latest trend.” It’s hard for him to turn off. Until, of course, he comes South.

Field Work Added up, Bob estimates he spends about 42 nights a year in the Thomasville area, especially between November and April. “It’s the tonic I need,” he says of these visits. “It’s the disruption in my life — yes, I mean disruption — that lets me really think. It helps me unwind so I can return home and be better at what I do.”

Not that his Thomasville time is all leisure, no. “My family taught me from a very early age that you should get involved and engage with the things that you truly care about.” For the Irelands, that’s the Red Hills. To that end, Bob is active with the Thomasville Center for the Arts, Due South, Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival (which was founded by Bob’s cousin, Margo Bindhardt), Tall Timbers, and the Red Hills Initiative, to name a few.

He’s humble about his contributions, but fellow board members tout his talent with an appreciation for the contemporary edge and “dream bigger” spirit that Bob fearlessly and unapologetically infuses into everything he touches.

When Bob’s around town, people tend to know — the guy simply stands out. Six-foot-something with big hands and a husky build, he wears the standard Thomasville khaki and plaid with a belt and boots, but walks and talks a bit faster than we’re used to.

That’s because he’s thinking. Always thinking.

I have to imagine he catches eyes in New York, too, with his rugged charm and wild-at-heart wit. A Southerner in the city, if 89

THINKER

you will. Not by birth, of course, but rather because we claim him — and he claims us. “If I’ve been down South recently, people can tell,” Bob says. “I’ll be in a meeting and I will suddenly drop ‘well, y’all’ and the whole room will look at me strangely. I think it shows in my demeanor, too. How I present myself. If I’ve had time in the Red Hills, I think people find me more pleasant, more entertaining, and certainly more creative.”

Art Work And his creativity isn’t limited to the advertising world — he’s also an accomplished artist.

Seven or eight years ago Bob was headed on a fishing trip when he stumbled upon his sister’s old Pentax camera. He shot a few black-and-white rolls, and when the film developed, so did a new

“My family taught me from a very early age that you should get involved and engage with the things that you truly care about.”

passion: photography. Encouraged by friends and coworkers, Bob held his first solo

know if Thomasville will be the new Charleston,” he

show in New York three years ago and has been a

admits, “but I don’t use those analogies. Thomasville

participating artist at PWAF for the past two years.

is certainly the creative cultural capital of the region. And it’s continuously finding itself! It’s full of

His work, most of which features unique

human capital, and entrepreneurs who are using it

perspectives on the outdoor world, lives in private

to better the community. This is a mission-oriented

collections world-wide. And although he doesn’t

region of people that love the land, hunting, fishing,

have much bandwidth to devote to it now, Bob

and stewardship. You blend all that together, and

continues to shoot whenever he can. “I’m always

what do you get? An interesting cocktail.”

building my body of work,” he says. “When time allows, I curate it. Who knows? This might just be

Cheers to that.

my great second act.”

Lasting Work When people hear he’s a descendant of one of this community’s most deeply rooted families, Bob is often asked to project what’s next. “They want to

BOB IRELAND rlireland.com 90

Written by Alison Abbey Photographed by Brian Metz

91

CONDUCTOR

92

“We’re the same people no matter where we are.

Whether we’re in New York or whether we’re in Thomasville.”

From his early years in Thomasville to his

“My great-great grandfather, John Peter Arnold,

globetrotting career in music, the former Chorus

started Arnold Brick Company, which was in

Master of the Metropolitan Opera carries his

business for more than 100 years,” he says. “There

hometown history with him wherever he goes.

was a big fire in the town in the 1850s and he said, ‘If you people had the sense to build your houses out

Speaking with Raymond Hughes for the first time,

of brick instead of wood, they wouldn’t have burned

it’s easy to forget how accomplished (and completely

down. Let me show you how to do this.’”

intimidating) he is. With an easy-going Southern charm and predilection for the phrase, “oh my dear,”

The Arnold Brick Company began making the bricks

a chat with Raymond feels more like catching up

that would quite literally rebuild the town. The

with an old friend than an interview with one of the

historic importance of the bricks are a point of pride

musical world’s most important personalities.

for Raymond. “They sell for a lot of money now,” he says. “When old buildings were demolished, people

A Thomasville native, Raymond was inspired by the

wanted to collect the bricks and save them and

people and history of his hometown. And his own

use them. And that’s how far my roots go back in

family was a big part of that history. His great-great

Thomasville.”

grandfather came to Thomasville from Germany in 1840. As Raymond tells it, destined for Roman

As for his great-great grandfather’s best friend? You

Catholic priesthood and a stint in the Prussian army,

may have heard of his name, too. He Anglicized it to

the family’s patriarch said, “thank you very much,”

Jerger and started Jerger Jewelers, which was a staple

and escaped his prearranged destiny with his best

downtown from 1857 until 2013.

buddy in tow. They were headed for New York, but somewhere along the way, the two found themselves

Listening to Raymond share the rich local history

on a detour that dropped them in Thomasville. They

of his family makes you forget his international

quickly made their marks on the town.

renown. But it’s also deeply engrained in his DNA and an enormous part of his success.

93

CONDUCTOR

“I grew up in Thomasville,” he says. “I went to Thomasville High School and did all of those wonderful things you did in as a teenager.” One of those activities: seeing concerts. “My father was a founding member of the Thomasville Entertainment Foundation in the 1930s,” he says. “TEF staged concerts the caliber of which one would hear in New York. I heard major symphony orchestras play in Thomasville.”

And while his early exposure to music was enjoyable, he didn’t initially realize it was his calling. “You kind of take it for granted when you’re growing up around it,” he says. “You think everywhere is like Thomasville, and then of course, nowhere is. It’s completely unique.”

He went on to study Liberal Arts at the University of Georgia, and that’s where he had what he refers to as his “Road to Demascus” experience.

“When I was a senior at UGA, the Metropolitan Opera would go on tour around the country and I went to several of the performances in Atlanta.

I realized I could not possibly be happy doing anything other than pursuing this profession.”

Despite his lack of musical schooling (but thanks, he says, in part to the cultural exposure Thomasville gave him), Raymond was offered an apprenticeship under a Hungarian conductor at the University of South Carolina. “He said, ‘Work for me for two years and I will teach you everything I know. You can do anything you want when you’re done.’”

And he did. Straight out of graduate school, he was offered a position in — of all places — Germany.

“Funny enough, quite near the town my great-great grandfather came from,” he says.

In South Africa, where Raymond worked for seven years, he was witness to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, and then to Rome for what he calls, “the best job going in Europe at the time.”

But he wouldn’t stay for long, because the best job going just about anywhere came calling. “I had been in Rome for two months when the Metropolitan Opera recruited me to New York.”

94

It was there as Chorus Master, a position he held

the railroad and its ties to Thomasville, intangible

until 2007, that he made a new Thomasville

souvenirs of his hometown are woven throughout

connection. “At the time, Louise Ireland Humphrey

his global life.

of Pebble Hill Plantation was the Chairman of the Board of the Met,” he says. “I knew two of her nieces

“Louise Humphrey put this so adequately once,”

in Thomasville, but I had never met her until my

he says. “She said we’re the same people no

first Opening Night party in New York, which she

matter where we are. Whether we’re in New York

hosted. It was like we’d known each other our whole

or whether we’re in Thomasville. That’s most

lives. It’s a very small world.”

important.”

A world that Raymond loves to explore. This

To that end, Raymond says he doesn’t have a “New

summer alone, he was on the faculty for a master

York persona and a Thomasville persona.” Similarly,

singing class in Norway, spent time in Germany

he has friends in both of his part-time home bases,

for the International Handel Festival, and traveled

and the two groups crossover frequently. “I’m so

to Transylvania for a week before returning to

lucky because my friends all know each other. Many

his home in Thomasville. He’ll also be in South

of my Thomasville friends have visited me in New

Africa this October to jury an international choral

York and many New York friends have visited me in

competition.

Thomasville, and it’s very gratifying.”

When asked if the influences of his hometown carry

And he’s able to find elements of each town in the

with him as he travels, he laughs his easy laugh and

other. He sees his neighborhood in New York — with

offers up his signature Southern phrase. “Oh my

its adjacency to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

dear, very much so!”

and Lincoln Center — as a similar artistic landscape to Thomasville. “I look at the Thomasville Center for

In addition to the physical aspects, like the

the Arts as a mini-Metropolitan Museum or Lincoln

watercolor portrait of an oak which adorns his New

Center. I really try to keep up on what’s happening

York living room and the books on the history of

there as much as I can.”

95

CONDUCTOR

“It’s a really great small town with an urban environment: One can eat downtown, one can shop downtown, and one can live downtown. It’s very exciting.”

And when he’s not frequenting his favorite local

Thomas Episcopal Church. Installed in August, the

haunts like Liam’s, which he says brings New

organ is the first to be brought into the town since

York to Thomasville, Raymond is teaching a new

the mid-80s.

generation to love music as Artistic Director for the Thomasville Music and Drama Troupe, a role he

“The quality of music in the big churches

cherishes.

of Thomasville when I was growing up was stupendous,” he says. “Again, you take this for

He’s also a member of Landmarks, which allows him

granted when you’re in it, but when I got away I got

to bridge his love for the history of his hometown

perspective. It is completely astonishing what was

with his dedication to enhancing its future.

offered to us growing up here. There has always been a critical mass of people who have experienced

“We have made so many advances in the last 20

the wider world and brought that back — who kept

years,” he says. “My father was Chairman of the

the culture of the town at a very high level. It’s that

Downtown Merchants’ Association and his dream

critical mass of people who have experienced the

was always that downtown Thomasville be as it

wider world that makes this town tick.”

has become in the last few years. There is so much going on. Between Grassroots Coffee and Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop, and the lovely shops and boutiques and Chophouse on the Bricks. And also the fact that downtown has become a residential area again. It’s a really great small town with an urban environment: One can eat downtown, one can shop downtown, and one can live downtown. It’s very exciting.”

RAYMOND HUGHES Artistic Director

Another project close to his heart: He spent the last

Thomasville Music and Drama Troupe

four years working to bring a new organ to the St.

thomasvillemusicanddramatroupe.com 96

Lamb m a i l l i W pparel, a d n a ritage. t e r h a s l s l i i h H With is Red h n i n o i pirat finds ins

“I want everything I do to evoke emotion. I want it to mean something.�

97

TASTEMAKER

Looking at William Lamb’s work, it’s easy to see that the artistturned-designer takes inspiration from his Red Hills heritage. The fifth-generation Tallahassee native grew up on a farm outside of town, Written by

working the land and enjoying the hunting and fishing beloved by those who

Alison Abbey

know the area. Those pieces of his childhood are woven into the rich tapestry that has become his career. From his Plantation China collections to ties and

Photographed by

phone cases donned in redfish and tarpon, the Florida boy is proud to call upon

Alicia Osborne

his roots for inspiration.

In fact, it was one such piece from his childhood that gave his brand, Wm. Lamb & Son, its first big break.

Then still an up-and-coming artist, William had started painting dinnerware (his first collection focused on birddogs and quail) and attended the Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston as an exhibitor. In preparing for the event, he turned to a memory as a muse.

“At our old [family] farmhouse, my uncle had this cool wallpaper in his room that had this vintage hunting scene pattern,” he says. “I went back out to the house years after we sold it and the people had painted over it. I asked my uncle about it and he said he still had a piece of it.”

After his uncle sent the swatch, William used Photoshop to build out the pattern, then printed it onto fabric to make a pair of pants.

“While we were showing dinnerware and t-shirts, this guy came along and loved the pants. He said, ‘I do ties for Brooks Brothers, can I use this fabric?’ And I said,

98

you know what would be cool is to do this in the

when Margaret said, “I have a surprise for you.”

lining of a sport coat.”

While William was working on the couple’s new Two weeks later, the blazer design was approved.

house, Margaret had cleared out the dining room in

That led to two seasons of collaboration with Brooks

their old one. “She bought an easel and put all my

Brothers. “To have a collaboration with Brooks

albums and some paintings I did in there and she

Brothers right out of the shoot…we were on fire,” he

said, ‘This is your studio. Now paint.’”

says.

His wife’s support was all he needed to explore his But for William, becoming a designer — or even

inner artist. “She was really encouraging me to do it,”

an artist — was a total surprise. In college, he

he says. And she wasn’t the only one. Friends who

considered a career in forestry, even heading out to

came over saw William’s work and asked if it was for

Oregon to work on a fire crew after graduation. “I

sale. A surprised William said yes.

realized at the end of the season that if I spent every day out there that I would totally take it for granted,”

Eventually, he held his first show at a friend’s home.

he says.

“I was so nervous I had four martinis before anyone even showed up,” he says. “But it was a great success

He landed on the opposite end of the spectrum and

and that’s where it all kind of started.”

embarked on a career in finance. After a few years of working for other people, he and a friend started

But because of his business-savvy, William knew

their own mutual fund. Thirteen years later, he was

the life of an artist wouldn’t be easy. “I knew I had

ready for a change.

this gift, but I didn’t know what I was going to do

A Fresh Canvas

with it. I knew I enjoyed painting and that’s where everything starts, but it’s hard to make a living doing

Though never trained, William began painting at the

just that,” he says. “I wanted to do clothing. I wanted

urging of his wife, Margaret. The two, who met in

to do dinnerware. I wanted to do home stuff because

seventh grade, were dating in college when William

nobody was doing what I liked, so I started playing

asked an art student friend to show him how to use

around with all of that. The first thing I did was

watercolors so he could recreate a favorite painting

dinnerware. That was a huge investment and was

for his then-girlfriend.

kind of what made us take the leap and really do it.”

Cut to his Brooks Brothers moment and Wm. Lamb

“It turned out fine, but I didn’t do another thing for

& Son was official. And William was cautiously

probably 10 years,” he says. That is until the night

optimistic.

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TASTEMAKER

“With my business background

“I can struggle with finding that happy medium

I knew that you can be on fire

between what’s great and right and what’s going to

one minute and totally blow up

sell,” he says. “But I want everything I do to evoke

the next, so we kept everything

emotion. I want it to mean something.”

at a manageable pace,” he says.

He looks to Ralph Lauren as the business model to Next up, Southern Proper. “We

follow. “He makes his money selling oxford shirts,

met them at a party and got

khaki pants, and Polo shirts,” he says. “Get the core

to talking and they called the

things going and then you get to do the cool stuff

next day and asked if we could

on the side and license out designs. Make furniture.

meet. We went to Atlanta to meet with them and

Make bedding. Make dinnerware.”

ended up doing a cool collection of ties that evolved into shirts and pants. But we were licensing all that

As for his customers, he finds equal interest from

to them. Now we’re doing a collection with them,

newer Northern customers and old-school Southern

and going on our own next year.”

shoppers. But he has a special place in his heart for the Red Hills buyer.

Designing for the Future As he begins to grow his own design business,

“It’s home,” he says simply. “There’s just so much

William still relies on his business acumen. But with

tradition and so much history. I find all the stories

the demand for his work, he’s had to relinquish

completely fascinating.”

some left-brain control. Luckily, his biggest fan is also his business partner. “My wife works her butt

And he’s not shy about sharing his appreciation for

off,” William says. “I can get so sidelined running a

Thomasville. “You ride through Georgia and Alabama

business and not doing the creative stuff, but I’m

and see defunct old cotton towns or whatever it was

the one that has to do the creative stuff, so she runs

that made them great at the turn of the century.

the business side. She makes sure all the details are

They are just boarded up because they didn’t have

taken care of.”

the money to sustain it,” he says. “Thomasville is one of those towns that had the money to sustain it, and

Thanks to that partnership, William is able to focus

it’s just a gorgeous little town. If we ever opened up

on the future, while keeping his ties to the past. His

a store it would probably be in Thomasville because

studio, full of old hunting decoys, feathers, hornets

that is my crowd.”

nests, and old toolboxes, nods to his old-world inspirations. “It’s so cool to go back and look through

But for now, William is happy growing his business

old homesteads and get ideas and logos from old

at a practical pace. “I’m getting some notoriety and

stuff,” he says. “I find inspiration in vintage apparel,

it’s cool, but I’ve got a long ways to go,” he says.

vintage fabrics, and vintage design because that’s

“We’re still a very small business trying to make it

when people gave it some thought.”

happen. And it’s going to happen. I know it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. As long as I’m building and

His travels also feed his designs. A recent beach

making progress, I’m good.”

outing inspired an upcoming triptic canvas displaying the marshland he visits to unwind. It’s a scene that soothes him, and he believes that emotion is important to all art.

William Lamb Wm. Lamb & Son wmlambandson.com 100

Written by

It was an idea for the ages.

Nadia R. Watts Like so many great ideas, this one was borne out of a casual, though

101

Photographed by

intentional conversation at a local coffee shop. What the three

Daniel Shippey

women didn’t know when they sat down that day was that their chat

Jay Bowman

would evolve into something much bigger than they’d ever imagined.

CONNECTOR

Brainstorming at Grassroots Coffee Company were Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson, Didi Hoffman, and Doby Flowers, board members at the Thomasville Community Resource Center (TCRC). They needed a solution. How could they engage with the community to build support for TCRC, an organization that serves at-risk children and families in Thomasville?

Inspiration stemmed from conversation about the organization’s founding principles. Begun in 1998 by actress Jane Fonda, then a Thomasville resident, TCRC aimed to educate and empower parents and their children; help members of the community achieve holistic wellness; and provide a safe haven for those in need.

“We have a real opportunity to educate and enlighten the community and to stimulate wonderful conversation” “Educate and empower” led to more discussion about a tie between the organization’s mission and the film industry. Sharon, who today remains the board chair at TCRC, said they realized Fonda was only the first link. “The more layers of the onion we peeled back, the more we found all these connections to the film industry here in Thomasville,” she says.

And indeed, there are connections. Academy-Award winning actress Joanne Woodward was born in Thomasville.

Greenwood Plantation resident Jock Whitney, a financier of “Gone With the Wind,” held the first public screening of the movie at Thomasville’s Melhana Plantation months before the film’s premiere. Screenwriter Lucy Alibar, known for her 2012 film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” was raised down the road in Monticello. Actress Julie Moran, a longtime host of “Entertainment Tonight,” was born in Thomasville.

Beyond that, Sharon said, there was no film festival in the immediate area, and this region stood to benefit from one. “Film festivals are increasing in number. There are probably 102

several hundred across the country right now,”

technology, engineering, and mathematics), health,

she says. “Why shouldn’t this region – which is so

and wellness. Covey funds allow us to teach our

culturally rich, has people who are educated, people

students and have fun,” she explains.

who are concerned about the issues addressed in the films that we bring – why shouldn’t we have an

Since part of the mission of TCRC is to address

opportunity, too?” With that, the threesome brewed

economic disadvantages within the community,

up the concept for Thomasville’s Covey Film Festival,

Covey is designed to inspire youth and adults alike

giving it a name that evokes the city’s community

to consider the extensive list of career opportunities

and culture.

offered within the filmmaking industry. “There are a lot of jobs available for people from little

And what’s a film festival without the stars?

Thomasville that otherwise people might not

Covey’s Ambassadors are celebrity actors, directors,

imagine. We’re opening eyes,” Sharon says.

producers, editors, and screenwriters who provide guidance, encourage attendance, and recommend

The movie production industry requires the

films, co-founder Didi Hoffman says. “It’s not like

expertise of more than just movie makers, agrees

they’re just a name on a marquee. We ask them to

Terri Vismale-Morris, public relations director at

help us, and they do.”

Atlanta’s Bronzelens Film Festival. Morris also serves on the TCRC board and on the Covey Committee.

Covey is for the kids, first and foremost In just two years, Covey has already made quite a

“It takes caterers. It takes carpenters. It takes

difference for the children at TCRC, says Lisa Billups,

accountants. It takes attorneys. It takes people

its executive director. “It is very important that our

who are adept with location scouting. It takes a

students have an understanding of STEM (science,

sense of real estate [as well as] interior and set design. It takes a whole lot to make a movie — technical services, digital expertise, and lighting,” she says.

Didi adds that while films for working adults are mainly shown during the evening, the children’s ageappropriate events happen during the school day, including films and workshops run by actors and industry professionals. “That’s a way to let [the children]

Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson

103

know there are other opportunities for them

CONNECTOR

in work besides what they see here locally,” she says.

When all is said and done, Didi adds, Covey brings films to Thomasville that would not otherwise be seen by our community’s children and their families. Independent films, she explains, rarely make it to this area, if at all.

“There’s a hunger in the region for indie films,” Didi explains, because even larger commercial films “come and go here so quickly.” Since independent films never reach Thomasville before they go to distribution, she says, audiences are robbed of their challenge and beauty.

“There’s a hunger in the region for indie films.”

Sharon also explains that the Covey Film Festival also promotes our city and community

Teri Vismale-Morris

to the film industry. “This is a wonderful place for you to come and make films. Come and see what talent is here.”

Covey, today and tomorrow With planning for the next Festival in October

to do. “We’re still in the warm-up phase. We’d like for this to become a destination film festival,” she says. “That’s looking ahead two or three years.”

underway, members of the Covey Committee are building on their successes and continuing

Whatever the scope, Terri adds, the Covey

to leave room for improvement. Sharon says

Film Festival will continue to inspire

one of the most important lessons they’ve

those involved to learn, to care for their

learned is that outside partnerships only serve

neighbors, and to feel empowered

to strengthen their efforts. “We understand

to effect positive change. “We have

the importance of partnering to increase our

a real opportunity to educate and

participation and to share resources,” Sharon

enlighten the community and to

says. “We can’t do it all ourselves.” Reaching

stimulate wonderful conversation,”

out to other nonprofits also strengthens our

she says. “That’s what movie-

community and helps spread awareness about

making is all about.”

TCRC’s mission, she adds.

Despite their success over the past few years, Sharon says she and her committee have work

COVEY FILM FESTIVAL coveyfilmfestival.com 104

FEATURED Artists Alison Abbey

Brian Metz

After a 10-year career writing

Brian is an organic

for editorial and PR clients

photographer, who learned

in Atlanta, Alison traded in

the art through hands on

her high heels for cowboy

experience and his father’s

boots and moved to Nashville,

love of the medium. His

TN, where she works as

work has been featured in

Associate Editor for Parade Magazine. She spends

several publications ranging from style & fashion

her free time shooting photography, hunting down

to homegrown articles detailing local tapestry.

vintage jewelry, searching for the world’s best

Regardless of the project, Brian is focused on

cheeseburgers (Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop

bringing photos to life that provoke thought and

is on the list!) and hanging out with her English

tell a story. When he isn’t taking photos, Brian

Pointer/Great Dane mix, Lucy. @awabbey

enjoys spending time with his family, riding his Harley or traveling. metzphotography.net

Mark Atwater Mark Atwater is a nature

Susan Ray

and wildlife photographer

Alabama native Susan Ray’s

specializing in retriever and

love of storytelling began

sporting dog photography.

when she won a short story

Mark lives in Seminole county,

contest through the local

near Donalsonville, GA. He

library at a young age. A former editor for Southern

and his wife travel extensively, photographing working dogs in various national events and hunting

Living books, Susan is now a freelance writer and

in the field. upclosephoto.com

marketer. When she’s not writing, she spends most of her time keeping up with her husband and two children, who much to her dismay, all prefer math

Meghan Davis

over writing.

At a young age, Meghan Davis learned to use photography as distraction from her academic

Becky Staynor

struggles due to dyslexia.

Becky Luigart-Stayner is a

She has since flourished as a

freelance “all things food”

photographer, graduating from

photographer in Birmingham,

SCAD with a BFA in photography and has embarked

Alabama. Her family instilled

on many projects including her ongoing series

in her a love...and obsession...

Buffed. She operates mainly out of New England,

for good food, whether it

but is constantly traveling and photographing the

was pimento cheese sandwiches in the backseat

world around her. meghandavisphoto.com

of the car or Oysters Rockefeller on the silver laden family dining room table. While enjoying their Easter dinner of Kentucky Country Ham,

TO BECOME A FEATURED ARTIST Illustrators, Photographers, Writers and Graphic Designers Please contact Thomasville Center for the Arts (229) 226-0588 | thom@thomasvillearts.org

105

they would already be planning the menu for the Memorial Day cookout. And, no food ever goes to waste because the dogs always lick the plates! beckyluigartstayner.com