life IN OUR
FOOTHILLS February 2022
Life in Our Foothills
Iron Key Brewing Company
Putting Columbus on the Brewery Trail Map February 2022
Valentine’s Day
Gifts Recipes and History
The Process of Creativity
Painter Margaret Curtis in the Spotlight
Betty Barnwell
A Visit with a Beloved Teacher $4.95
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FROM THE EDITOR
I
Jeff Allison Manager
ON THE COVER life IN OUR
FOOTHILLS February 2022
Life in Our Foothills
Iron Key Brewing Company
Putting Columbus on the Brewery Trail Map August 2021
The Unconventional Process of Creativity
Under Our Wing A Story by Pebbles
Beloved Educator, Exceptional School
Visual Artist and Painter, Margaret Curtis
Retired Teacher, Betty Barnwell
Iron Key Brewing Company Putting Columbus on the Brewery Trail Map (Story on page 16)
Story by Mark Levin
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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
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t’s February in the Foothills, and love is in the air! As is always the case in our little corner of paradise, there is a sense of joy and happiness in our community. Valentine’s Day may be the day to let a special someone know how much you love them, but around here we try to let everyone in the community know how much they are appreciated day in and day out! This month, we have a few features that put a spotlight on familiar faces in our community who have a passion for what they do. First, we will visit with retired teacher Betty Barnwell, a very special lady who made quite the impression on our own Erin Boggs when Erin was a student at Campobello Gramling School. Next, we will meet with the folks at Iron Key Brewing Company in Columbus. This group loves the art of beer making, and their unique eatery and brewery is housed in a historical building with a bit of an interesting past. We will also meet with Margaret Curtis, a local resident making national waves in the art scene with a love for painting, and we will hear from our resident four-hooved friend, Pebbles, as HERD (Helping Equines Regain Dignity) brings a new mare under their wing at their rescue operation. All this and more is inside this month’s edition of Life in Our Foothills. How will you be celebrating the month of love this year? Would you like to share your story with the community? Reach out to us at the Bulletin office, or email me at jeff.allison@ tryondailybulletin.com, and ask how we can help share your story. As always, thanks for reading! Jeff Allison Manager
STAFF Manager Jeff Allison Graphic Design Allison Dale Marketing Kevin Powell Ben Bouser Distribution Jamie Lewis Administration Sydney Wilkie
life IN OUR
FOOTHILLS Life in Our Foothills is published monthly by Tryon Newsmedia LLC. Life in Our Foothills is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Tryon Newsmedia LLC. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Please address all correspondence (including, but not limited to, letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to Editor, Life in Our Foothills, 16. N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782, or email to kevin.powell@ tryondailybulletin.com. Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and Upstate South Carolina, and online at www.tryondailybulletin.com. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year by calling 828-859-9151. To advertise, call 828-859-9151.
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CONTRIBUTORS Mark Levin, Writer and Photographer
Mark is retired from a career in education. In addition to the classroom he has had a lifetime of experiences earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director. You can follow his blog about people and places in the foothills at www.FoothillsFaces. com or check out his new podcast he enjoys with a friend of 50 years at www.garyandmark.com.
Linda List, Writer and Photographer
Linda List’s career was spent in the food industry, often surrounded by chocolate and candy. Retirement and the Tryon Daily Bulletin have provided the opportunity for her to share her writing. Growing up in New York on the Canadian border, she lived most of her adult life at the foot of the Rockies in Golden, Colo. And is now enjoying life in Landrum the foot of the Smokies.
Macy Cochran, Writer and Photographer
Macy Cochran is a recent graduate from North Greenville University with a degree in English. She is a lover of books, coffee, hang gliding and binge watching sitcoms from the 90’s. As a creative writer, she often spends her time working on her novels, poetry and short stories.
Erin Boggs, Writer and Photographer
As a native of the Foothills, Erin has a life-long perspective of the people, culture and growth of our area. With a background in English, Anthropology and the Arts, she enjoys every aspect of the creation of a human-interest narrative. She is a lover of all things culinary, animals and lifetime learning.
Pebbles, Writer
Pebbles is the “spokespony” for HERD, or Helping Equines Regain Dignity, a local nonprofit that saves equines from dire conditions and in many cases slaughter. She dictates her monthly columns about her adventures, and what a rescue organization does, to Heather Freeman. Pebbles and Heather can be reached through HerdRescue.org
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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
CONTENTS 10
Beloved Educator, Exceptional School
A Visit with Betty Barnwell
16
Iron Key Brewing Company
Putting Columbus on the Brewery Trail Map
24
The Unconventional Process of Creativity
16
Visual Artist and Painter, Margaret Curtis
32
Appointments Under Our Wing
38
Valentine’s Gifts Couples Can Enjoy Together
40
The Origins of the Heart-Shaped Chocolate Box
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42
Quick Bites A Twist on Traditional Burgers
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Quick Bites
An Elegant Veal Meal to Impress Your Valentine
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Marketplace
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Advertisers Index
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BELOVED EDUCATOR, EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOL BETTY BARNWELL AND CAMPOBELLO-GRAMLING SCHOOL Story by Erin Boggs Photos by Erin Boggs, The 1983-84 Campobello Gramling School Annual Staff , Moonshiners.com and contributions from the Barnwell Family Archives
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ne sunny Saturday this past October I was at the grocery store in Landrum and much to my surprise, I laid eyes upon my sixth grade Social Studies Teacher, Betty Barnwell. She looked exactly the same, and we recognized each other instantly. She informed me that she had just celebrated her 90th birthday. For the rest of the day, I was transported back in time thinking about that era in my life and how much I loved being a student of Mrs. Barnwell. The year was 1986 – There I
was, a sixth grader at CampobelloGramling School. I had been a student there since I was in first grade. It was the awkward, gangly preteen with a bad perm year, the year of my mom’s non-stop sourdough bread baking bonanza, fun outdoor science lessons on the CGS Nature Trail in Mrs. Hilda Goley’s class, and also the year the of Space Shuttle Challenger incident, which happened just one day before my birthday on January 28th. Many of us including myself were in Mrs. Barnwell’s classroom when it
RIGHT: Mrs. Barnwell and her Husband BELOW: Gramling United Methodist Church, of which Betty is a life-long member.
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Everyone has at least one early teacher or school who made a big difference in their life. As a child you might not be able to put your finger on or verbalize what made a teacher so special or why that school is so significant to you. Campobello Gramling was an exceptional school back then, and still is today.
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MORE INFORMATION Betty Barnwell’s late son was none other than Barney Barnwell, world-renown fiddler and local celebrity. His love of high energy rock infused with bluegrass and mountain culture created a legacy that lives strong to this day. The Moonshiner’s Reunion and Mountain Music Festival, which he inspired, is still held at Plum Hollow Farm each October. For information and to learn more about the history of the Barney Barnwell & The Plum Hollow Band, go to https://www. moonshiners.com 12 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS And also visit https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rC6su3LNqv0
happened and she comforted us during that difficult time. Everyone has at least one early teacher or school who made a big difference in their life. As a child you might not be able to put your finger on or verbalize what made a teacher so special or why that school is so significant to you. Campobello Gramling was an exceptional school back then, and still is today. It has always attracted creative and uniquely gifted educators like Mrs. Barnwell, from Science and Art, to Social Studies and beyond, and in Mrs. Stallard’s P.E. class where we would engage in Disney’s “Mousercise” and Dancercise to “Hey Mickey” by Toni Basil. We were encouraged to be creative, to be thinkers, and to believe in ourselves. Ah, the 1980’s at good old CGS! Today, many years later, people from outside the school still recognize how special CGS is. Fast forward to only a couple of years ago, when my friend Kirsten Toledo who was at the time the Community Impact Program Associate for the Peace Center in Greenville, asked me if I’d ever heard of Campobello-Gramling School. Kirsten says “Campobello-Gramling had one of the most positive atmospheres I have ever experienced at a school. There was student art and projects everywhere, the teachers were excited to be there, and their principal (Jeremy Darby) was thoughtful and creative with his use of their resources. Those students not only had the opportunity for a solid basic education, but had opportunities to challenge themselves, experience and create different forms of art, and engage in activities to build problem-solving skills that will give them an excellent and well-rounded educational foundation.” As a former student there, it was heartwarming to hear someone, after me being there over thirty years ago, feel the same way about the school as I always have. Social Studies touches on so many subjects, covering history, current events, civics, economics, geography and many other topics, all in one class. Mrs. Barnwell’s class was right up my alley. In fact, I went on to complete my undergraduate degree in social sciences. The way she taught
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ABOVE: Campobello Gramling today LEFT: Barney Barnwell, world-renowned fiddle player
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ABOVE: A vintage photo of Campobello Gramling Elementary School LEFT: Campobello Gramling Elementary School circa 1983-1984 school year
the class was to engage every student. We were encouraged to actively participate by presenting and commenting to the class what we thought about our assigned topics. One day every week we covered current events. There wasn’t any sitting and listening to just one person talk and take notes. The way Mrs. Barnwell led the class made every student feel included, heard and respected. Recently I got to sit down and talk with Mrs. Barnwell after all of these years, and finally got to know about some of her life experiences that make her so special. Though she was born in Polk County, NC and raised in Gramling, I did not know how extensively she 14
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has traveled the U.S. She even lived in California on and off for over eight years, which was rare for our area during that time. She brought this experience to the classroom and encouraged us to have an open-minded approach to learning and understanding new things. She taught us to think, confidently verbalize our thoughts, and to listen to and respect one another. Mrs. Barnwell is an immeasurably strong woman, who has suffered what many would consider unimaginable losses of loved ones throughout her life. At age 15, before her mother passed, Betty made a promise to her mother that no matter what, she would finish all of her schooling. Many years later, after she returned from California with
her husband, Mrs. Barnwell got her certificate and began teaching at CGS. She says she got into teaching to fulfill that promise to her mother and because she wanted to help children. After an 18 year teaching career at CGS, Mrs. Barnwell finally retired and still lives on the original Barnwell estate in the beautiful, tranquil Gramling area. I am so lucky and grateful to have been at CGS at the same time as her. I know many of my classmates feel the same. She is a life-long member of Gramling United Methodist Church, and credits the church and its members for most of what helped her endure the loss of her parents at a young age. Throughout her life, the church has
been a constant source of support and fellowship, and she says she doesn’t know what she would have done without it. Mrs. Barnwell is a dearly loved mother of four, one of whom is the late Barney Barnwell who was a world-renowned fiddle player in the Plum Hollow Band, formed in 1974. The band still plays today at the Plum Hollow music festival and other venues. For more information on Campobello Gramling School, go to https://www.spart1.org/ campobello-gramling_home.aspx If you are interested in hearing “Mousercise” circa 1982, check out https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ft8lKycReao For information and to learn more about the history of the Barney Barnwell Moonshiners Band, go to https://www.moonshiners.com And also visit https://m.youtube.com/ watch?v=rC6su3LNqv0
The Barnwell Family
54 McFarland Drive Hwy. 108 Tryon, NC 28782
(828) 859-9341
www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com FEBRUARY 2022
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IRON KEY BREWING COMPANY Putting Columbus on the Brewery Trail Map
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Mark Levin, writer & photographer
here aren’t many towns of a thousand people who have their own brewery. And probably no town has a brewery situated like Iron Key Brewing Company. Long-time Polk County residents know that this site down Locust Road was the former home of the Polk County 4H organization for over 50 years. Many area folks have enjoyed the barbecue chicken dinners the 4H would sell as regular fundraisers and local youngsters have benefited from the amazing programs offered.
But born and bred Polk Countians might remember that before a bunch of lively kids were learning some life skills on this site, the location was a bit more sinister. It was a lot more ominous. The popular brewery now cheerfully occupies the building that used to be “The Big House” of what was once a North Carolina prison. Other buildings of the old prison compound remain. The dining hall and laundry buildings sit behind the Big House. And this Big House is not to be confused with
BACKGROUND: A pint of Konjugal Kolsch is ready for the tasting. Some of the other beer names are: Big House IPA, Saluda Road Pale Ale, Lock-Up Lager, Slammer Wheat, Penitentiary Porter, Solitary Stout, and Dawg House Brown Ale. BOTTOM LEFT: Several framed newspaper stories line the walls that once kept in the prisoners. TOP RIGHT: A photo of Clyde graces the door into the men’s room. You guessed it, Bonnie is on the door of the women’s restroom. BOTTOM RIGHT: Framed behind the bar is one of the original iron keys that serve as the namesake for the business.
BUSINESS INFO Iron Key Brewing Company is located at 135 Locust Street in downtown Columbus. 828/ 802-1045. Check out the current menu and brew options and sign up for their newsletter at their website: https://ironkeybrewing.com. Iron Key opens at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. FEBRUARY 2022
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the University of Michigan’s famed football stadium. A few yards away is a small brick building that served as solitary confinement. A peek inside reveals a couple of cells that might remind you of a scene of any of a dozen prison movies. Cool Hand Luke comes to mind. Look around and you’ll see remnants of the barbed wire fence, searchlights, and even an old guard tower barely visible in the woods that surround their six and one-half acres. It takes people with vision to see how a prison turned 4H center could be repurposed into a brewery and restaurant. Taphouse and operations 18
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manager Chris Balliew had been in the food and beverage industry for several years before being part of the original group of founders of Iron Key. He and his friend Dave Erb, who is the Iron Key Brewmeister, had bounced the idea of starting a brewery through their minds on several occasions. The dream was there but working out the myriad of questions and obstacles seemed a bit daunting. Make that overwhelmingly formidable. But then business partners Bob and Deb Bundy got involved. The momentum gained speed and it couldn’t be stopped and there was no looking back.
Chris remembers the day just a couple of years ago standing behind the main building with Bob staring at a big mud puddle. To Bob, that mud puddle was just a stand-in for where he could see putting in a large patio for outdoor dining. Bob could see tearing out the prison wall at that point and putting in an oversized garage door to bring the indoors out and vice versa. Within a few hours, Bob had mapped out plans for what would become Iron Key Brewing Company. Recently, Rodney and Julie Dofort have joined up to help move the business forward. Rodney serves as managing partner.
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Joseph R. huRwitz ABOVE: Chris Balliew uses one of the original keys to unlock cell one in the Solitary Confinement building. TOP: Chris Balliew wears lots of hats at Iron Key including giving a personal tour to Nick Dockery from Charlotte.
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In a year and a half, Iron Key Brewing Company has already established itself as a popular eatery and brewery. Like just about every other business, finding and retaining a workforce is crucial. It’s not always easy. There have been challenges and at times the restaurant has had to modify its menu to make everything work.
ABOVE: Iron Key Brewing Company at night. LEFT: The entrance to the Big House (Bundy Hall) is through a heavy steel door.
Just about anyone in the beverage and food industry can tell you all the reasons for not opening a restaurant, let alone a brewery. But the Iron Key Brewing team was not going to give up before giving this a chance. With Bob’s vision and the hard work of a dedicated and talented staff, the doors opened on August 14, 2020. Timing wasn’t the best. Covid was then, as it is now, a major factor affecting the daily lives of everyone. The restaurant, like most “non-essential” businesses, had to shutter its doors on a couple of occasions. And at Iron Key, that door is a heavy-gauge steel door that takes a massive key to lock it tight. It didn’t stay locked for long. In a year and a half, Iron Key Brewing Company has already established itself as a popular eatery and brewery. Like just about every other business, finding and retaining a workforce is crucial. It’s not always easy. There have been challenges and at times the restaurant has had to modify its menu to make everything work. Iron Key is proud of their team. Everyone is central to business decisions from discussing new menu items, to choosing names for their brews and dishes (most names are very cleverly prison-themed), and batting around ideas to make everything better. While every team member is often pressed into service for a variety of tasks, main duties are divided up. Amanda Bellew (no relation to Chris and her last name is spelled differently) helps drive business by serving as social media maven including publishing a weekly newsletter. Amanda and Emily
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A WORD FROM THE BREWMEISTERS, DAVE ERB & AUTUMN DAWN From a brewery perspective, Iron Key focuses on German and American style ales and lagers. Our flagship beers are Saluda Road Pale Ale and Big House IPA. Saluda Road is named after the Saluda Road Project (better known to locals as Highway 176) which was a project of the inmates who were housed at this location when it was a prison. Big House is named after the building it is brewed in. Lockup Lager, Konjugal Kolsch, and Dawg House Brown are also very popular with the inmates.
Costine manage the floor operations which might include serving behind the bar, checking on orders, and canning up a crowler (32 ounces of your favorite Iron Key brew) to go. Andrea Erb is the kitchen and office manager while Travis Bradshaw is the chef. And over behind the bars is where Dave Erb and Autumn Dawn work their Brewmeister magic. They have developed over a dozen unique brews that are available on any given visit. Iron Key also has a couple of guest brews on tap along with their special mimosa of the month that the team has concocted and is especially appreciated by guests who aren’t into craft beer. Iron Key has minimally advertised. They already have a steady stream of regulars who come 22
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from not just the immediate area but from several adjoining counties. And it’s easy to spot license plates from three or four states out in the parking lot. The parking lot can get full, but there’s adjacent overflow parking for after hours. Future plans call for some of the property to be used for parking. Iron Key is always thinking about other ways to make their establishment even more inviting. They offer one buck off flights on Wednesday nights (a flight being your choice of four different four-ounce pours) and Tim Daniels runs a lively game of trivia on Thursday nights. Iron Key is also offering some beer outreach. They are the only truly local brewery at the Tryon Beer Fest. Brewer Dave Erb and
Chris have been out to Emberglow Outdoor Resort in the Mill Spring community to discuss homebrewing and the art and science of beer making with campers. Andrea and Rodney have opened their facility on the first and third Saturday mornings during the cold months to host the Columbus Winter Farm Market. The Iron Key team loves what they do. It shows from the moment you walk through those heavy doors. The word “guard” might be printed on some staff t-shirts, but these staff members are here to make your confinement a pleasant experience. And unlike the old prison that operated here for 25 years, you can leave when you want to. But why would you?
TOP:: Iron Key brews canned and ready to go home. MIDDLE: A flight of customer-selected brews is ready for tasting. ABOVE: It’s often a packed house on Thursday nights for Trivia Night. But patrons can always find an empty seat.
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MORE INFORMATION
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To see more work by Margaret Curtis, visit https:// LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS margaretcurtisart.com
Margaret Curtis, Visual Artist and Painter
F
Story by Erin Boggs Photographs by Erin Boggs, with contributions from margaretcurtisart.com and Carri Bass
ew people know the lengths an artist will go to find the right tools to create their work. As a matter of fact, the tools and process themselves can be just as creative as the finished work. When Margaret Curtis first started out as a young painter in New York, her implements of choice were cake decorating tools. Recently she’s also used cleaning gloves and a balloon to create ice shapes and study light. The result of that experiment is her 2019
painting “The Ice Sculpture.” Through the use of unconventional tools, her finished work isn’t always what she originally had in mind when she started. In many cases, the process itself takes over and ultimately determines the finished piece. “I’ve painted enough to know that light reflection and shadows are often very counterintuitive. I knew something as complex as a whole monster figure made of ice would be a really complicated
RIGHT: Emotional Cartography-V BACKGROUND: Margaret Curtis
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Jetsam, Some Shipwrecks Have No Ship, 2019
When creating her art, Margaret says “I’m really thinking about how our human psychology and minds create our family structures, our intimate relationships and our society as well.” 26
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thing to paint. So, I decided to build my own ice sculpture body model. I made a little red house out of construction paper, went out in my driveway and took a bunch of photographs. Over and over, the house is refracted through his body and I love that as a metaphor,” Margaret says. “It’s an image of a monstrous ice sculpture melting in the sun. Behind it is a little red ranch house. He’s very seductive. He’s got all the reflections of the house throughout his body and there is a mother and several children trying to keep him from
melting,” Margaret says. When creating her art, Margaret says “I’m really thinking about how our human psychology and minds create our family structures, our intimate relationships and our society as well.” Raised in Tennessee, Margaret attended college at Duke. She did not major in art, but finished all her course requirements early and did what she wanted during her senior year. “So, I just started taking art classes. I really loved it. From there I went to the Atlanta College of Art because
Still Life with Flowers
The Ice Sculpture (Detail)
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ABOVE: Broken Horizon - Some of Margaret’s early work when she first moved to NYC RIGHT: Language of Flowers
I knew I didn’t have enough of a portfolio or the experience to apply for an MFA. So, I got my BFA from Atlanta, then in my early twenties, I got a really wonderful fellowship to Yale Summer School of Art and Music in Connecticut, which was hugely formative for me.” The program was intense, but the teachers there instilled many valuable self-critiquing skills. The program included 30 students from the U.S. and abroad. They brought in really important New York artists at the time, like Ross Bleckner and Louise Fishman, to critique the students’ work. At that point, Margaret started taking herself a little more seriously in terms of art-making. Today, she still has close 28
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friendships with some of her fellow students from the program. After the program was over, the idealism of youth collided with reality. “I had a lot of anger when I left. The program was very specific in how it was structured, and it wasn’t kind. Criticism these days, even if it’s hard to hear, is delivered more constructively. We all left a little bit blindsided. I think their whole philosophy was to break us all down and build us back up. I just moved to New York City after that and I said I’m going to give myself five years, sink or swim. A lot of the work I was making early on, really was a reaction to the Yale summer program. I was so mad and I just thought, what is the
most obnoxious thing that I could do that would be completely contrary to what my teachers were trying to teach me, something they would never take seriously.” So, she started using cake decorating tools and created floral, frilly, highly decorative paintings. Born out of that rebellion, she quickly became the hip young thing in New York City, for a number of years. She got her first big break in 1993 through Marcia Tucker, the first female curator at The Whitney Museum of American Art, when Tucker opened her own museum. An artist in any creative field often becomes so as a way to make some sense of competing ideas in their mind and as a means to express their experiences, thoughts and feelings.
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Often the finished work is quite disruptive or even controversial. Margaret’s work spans many themes - vulnerability, anxiety, narcissism, tension, nature, climate change, current events, power dynamics between men and women, in society and our daily personal lives. 30
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“Portrait of My Anxiety” (2021) is about someone literally tying themselves up in knots worrying about the challenges and difficulties we all face in today’s world. “I try to keep my work complex, and I try to keep the reading of it very open, because people do bring their own experience into the viewing process
and that’s great,” she says. Margaret also says “I don’t really believe in style. My paintings will take whatever form they need to take in order to express the idea I’m trying to get across. Sometimes I utilize realistic, Trompe-l’oeil style and faux finishing,” skillsets she developed while first working in New
York. “Some of them are much more expressionistic. The Ice Sculpture is not at all what I was thinking it would look like in my mind, but through the process, it created itself.” “There are a lot of mistaken ideas that people have about the artistic process. They think you just paint out of your head. But our brains don’t really work like that. There are all sorts of things that happen when you really get past what your brain is telling you that you should see and start looking at what is actually in front of you. That’s where the magic is. So, you have to be engaged with the physical world in order to really understand that. I’m a big believer that artists need to give themselves as much information as they can about what they’re working with,” Margaret says. Even the paint itself can
transform what the finished product looks like. “I love paint and my work is highly layered, almost geologically. There’s a lot of relief on the canvas.” Cake decorating tools are used to spread out thick globs of paint, and paint is woven, like basketweave icing. Margaret and her husband moved to Tryon from New York City in 2008, to be closer to medical care for their oldest son. She says about Tryon, “This is the other side of the mountains that I grew up in, in Tennessee, and it reminds me very much of my home town. We were impressed that a town this size had a theater with a film society, a coffee shop, five bookstores at that time, and a contemporary art space. Tryon has a lot of culture for a small place,” Margaret says. After moving here, and a six year break, she had
to rebuild her career from scratch. “Coming here and just starting all over again, seeing that my work is still meaningful and having the work be in demand, doing that twice, I feel so much more confident about what I’m doing now. I want the slow build, I don’t want the ‘hipthing’,” Margaret says. There are a number of working artists in the Tryon community and she really appreciates their companionship. Recently the Joan Mitchell Foundation awarded Margaret a fellowship. Joan Mitchell was part of the first generation of Abstractionists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. She and the other female Abstract Expressionist painters of that era were not taken as seriously, and she ended up moving to Paris. “She’s taken seriously now but, in her
day and age it was hard for them to get shows, and hard for them to get decent nonbiased criticism,” Margaret says. The foundation that Mitchell started was specifically to help living and working artists overcome any obstacles preventing them to be able to create art, and generously supports those who are awarded. An artist must be nominated to apply. Margaret was nominated the first time and didn’t get it, but was re-nominated this time around and selected. “I was thrilled that someone on the national level put my name in the hat,” Margaret says. As a result of the award, she is currently expanding her art studio and says that emotionally, this has really helped unify the beginning of her career with her most recent work.
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Story and photographs by Pebbles
ever underestimate the importance of being able to stand on your own two feet. In my case, it is about being comfortable on all four hooves. A horse that cannot walk, without experiencing intense pain with every step, is in deep trouble. We are flight animals. Equines are born to run from predators, as well as partaking in an exuberant gallop
LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
on a brisk day. Any animal that cannot walk at a livestock auction is in the worst kind of danger. Such was the case with Mystic. She was barely able to follow the handler for bidders to decide her fate. Our rescue, Helping Equines Regain Dignity (HERD) had to intervene quickly. At age 15, the strikingly pretty overo
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paint mare was struggling to obey the man parading her around the corral. It was painful to witness. I can only imagine how she suffered with each step. It was evident all four of her feet were hurting her. Mystic’s meat weight value was $750. That is exactly what we paid for her. My mistress Heather Freeman could not fathom how anyone thought she could remain standing in a crowded trailer of horses. Slaughter-bound equines must endure a fourday long trip in cramped quarters without food, water, or rest, to face a slow death in Mexico. Gracious supporters of HERD’s efforts contributed to her purchase price and safe transport to our rescue’s quarantine facility. One of the angel donors asked that we name this mare Mystic, after her beloved horse that had recently passed away. Dr. Jordan Briggs of Scarlett Mobile came immediately to examine Mystic upon her arrival. She took x-rays of her feet to determine the source of the crippling pain. The results were guarded but good news for us all. She had no signs of laminitis or navicular, which are both troubling and expensive issues to face for a horse owner. This vividly colored paint possesses thin soles that were badly bruised. She had multiple abscesses that were visibly brewing in both front feet. Time, pain medication and soaking her hooves in an Epsom salt bath were recommended. The findings made it clear to all of us that she had been ridden barefoot over a long distance on a hard or rocky surface. Possibly her former owner had galloped her on a paved or gravel road for miles. The trauma to her feet had left her unable to walk soundly. Unwilling to invest in her recovery, that same owner chose to take her to a horse auction to get whatever she could from selling her rather than treating the issue.
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Thanks to HERD, Mystic was now in capable hands under Delores Riffe’s care. She kept her feet wrapped in baby diapers with drawing salve to help combat the abscesses. Mystic lay down frequently, staying off her feet, resting in a stall bedded in deep pine shavings. An equine carries approximately 58 percent of its weight on its front legs and 42 percent on its hind legs. Having badly bruised feet, with deep abscesses, was going to mean she would not be walking soundly for 34
LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
A R T S E D U CAT I O N 2022 Spring Season
Art Forums Pamela Atkinson: Book Study & Discussion Tuesdays on Zoom Starting Walking in This World Series 10:30 am-Noon January 18 Tuesdays thru April 5 TOP: Mystic, in great discomfort on the trailer traveling to HERD from the auction lot. LEFT: Mystic on the trailer to come to Heather to raise her foal in HERD BOTTOM LEFT: Weanling Ming and young Polaris, sharing breakfast and awaiting Mystic’s arrival.
at least a month. After two weeks of non-stop wrestling with Mystic to get her feet soaked and bandages changed, the largest abscess began draining through the bottom of her foot. Within four weeks, two more abscesses had worked their way out the hoof walls. Mystic was able to be turned out to enjoy the sunshine. After receiving her vaccinations and a clean bill of health from Dr. Briggs, Mystic moved to foster trainer Beth Harrill’s barn. Here she could finish healing and be assessed for a new career through HERD. After a week in Beth’s attentive care, Mystic surprised us with a fourth abscess that ruptured below the coronary band of her right hind foot. Beth also noticed that the mare’s belly was taking on a new shape. She had arrived to us very thin. The protruding belly might have resulted from eating copious amounts of hay during her convalescing. We needed to be sure there were no more surprises, no baby on board. An examination by Beth’s trusted vet revealed two things. The first was that Mystic had been a well-cared horse at one time. She was respected and loved at some point in her life. The mare also probably has registration papers as she possesses exceptional conformation. Her ground manners for the vet visit were exceptionally good. The second bit of news, she was indeed pregnant and would be foaling in the spring of 2022. So, by January
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February 10 February 17 February 24
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Showcase of Excellence Encouraging Young Artists • Celebrating Arts Education February 19 Feb 19-Mar 12
Showcase of Excellence Opening Reception 10:30 am Showcase of Excellence Exhibit
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ABOVE: Mystic snug in her blanket with her feet wrapped with Beth Harrill LEFT: Mystic at the auction lot, before being saved by HERD
1, 2022, Mystic needed to leave Beth’s farm because of the fescue grass. Fescue can cause multiple problems for pregnant mares in their last term of carrying a foal. It is the fungus that the fescue harbors which can produce stillborn foals, deformity, abortion, or no milk production. Volunteer Bill McClellan sprang into action, with helpers Valerie Lowe and Kim Sheahne, to prepare for Mystic’s arrival in HERD. A new feeding pen was added in the pasture where she will assume residence after quarantining here for a bit. She will join HERD weanling Ming and young Polaris. Ming was born last May here on the farm. He too was a surprise from the mare we saved, Navajo. Polaris came to us as one of the poorest condition babies HERD has ever saved. He and Ming are in perfect weight and have become best friends and boisterous lads. They need a bit of guidance from a more mature horse. Mystic fits this bill perfectly to watch over them and teach them manners. When March arrives, the youngsters will have to be moved out to give Mystic her privacy for foaling. Mystic arrived at 12:45 a.m. on December 29. Her new chapter begins with pampering and expectancy. What will be born this spring in HERD? The foal could be a horse or a mule. Mystic is very relieved to be with us, and grateful to welcome the new year under our wing. FEBRUARY 2022
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VALENTINES DAY
VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS COUPLES ENJOY TOGETHER
V
alentine’s Day is a time to bring smiles to the faces of loved ones — particularly the special someone in a person’s life. Gifts that appeal directly to spouses or significant others may be the standard, but gifts couple can use together can bring them closer together. The following are some great Valentine’s Day gifts couples can enjoy together. • Quirky mugs: Mug sets come in all shapes and sizes and express various sentiments. Some even feature interlocking designs designed to symbolize that couples are two pieces of one puzzle. Kissing mugs, which look like lips touching when they are brought together, are perfect for couples who enjoy their morning coffee together. Look for them at www.uncommongoods.com. • Matching robes: Plush terry cloth robes need not be reserved for luxurious stays at premiere hotels. Coordinating robes can be monogrammed and worn on lazy days when gathering in front of 38
LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
a cozy fire. • Charcuterie set: A romantic meal is the start of any Valentine’s Day celebration. Invest in a compact charcuterie board with two matching wine glasses and enjoy the set on date nights at home. • MasterClass lesson: Purchase a MasterClass instructional (www.masterclass. com) and learn photography tricks or insider tips from established professionals together. • Travel excursion: Jet set to an exotic locale with a planned adventure. Parents can arrange for a sitter, friend or relative to look after the children so the trip provides some one-on-one time. This trip can serve as the second honeymoon couples dream about. • Custom cornhole set: Couples who love tailgating or opening up their homes (and yards) to guests can purchase monogrammed or custom-carved bean bag toss boards. • Fancy coffee maker: Couples who spend more time in take-out coffee
shops than they probably should can brush up on their barista skills at home. There are plenty of coffee makers on the market that can help couples whip up lattes, cappuccinos or espressos with ease. • Wine club membership: Couples who enjoy sampling the latest vintages and flavors may enjoy a wine subscription. Winc.com is just one of the delivery services available. Or couples who prefer to be a little more hands-on can experiment with winemaking kits. • Hot tub: What can be more relaxing than soaking in a warm bath of bubbling water? A backyard hot tub turns up the heat on relaxation and time spent together. • Tokens of love: Matching or coordinating bracelets, necklaces or even tattoos can serve as enduring symbols of a couple’s love. Valentine’s Day gifting may be even more enjoyable when gift-giving focuses on presents couples can enjoy together.
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VALENTINES DAY
ORIGINS OF THE
HEART-SHAPED BOX
H
earts abound on February 14, and few symbols (and gifts) are more widely associated with a holiday than heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are with Valentine’s Day. Chocolates became trendy in the mid-19th century when the first chocolate bar was made by British company J.S. Fry & Sons by combining cacao powder with sugar and ca-
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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
cao butter to make a rich, melt-inyour-mouth treat that was markedly different than the gritty and greasy drinking chocolate that was losing popularity in Europe. Within a few years, competitor Cadbury introduced the first box of chocolates. It was called the “Fancy Box” and it didn’t take long to become wildly popular. The marriage of chocolate and
heart-shaped boxes seemed a natural progression, but the National Valentine Collectors Association says that heart-shaped boxes actually predate chocolate boxes. Various heart-shaped vessels, including “betrothal pendants” and silver boxes in the shape of hearts, were popularized a century earlier. There even were heart-shaped porcelain boxes as well as ones for sewing.
Having already introduced a chocolate box, Richard Cadbury marketed the first Valentine’s Day box in 1861. It was filled with delicious chocolates, and later could be saved as a keepsake to store special notes or other mementos, according to the North American Packaging Association. Furthermore, the gift fit with Victorian sensibilities in that it was demurely suggestive, NPR reports. Its introduction coincided perfectly with Valentine’s Day, which also soared in popularity around the same time. Giving chocolate on Valentine’s Day also proved popular in North America. The American chocolate company Hershey’s introduced its Hershey’s Kisses in 1907, and in 1912 the Whitman’s Sampler arrived. In the 1920s, Russell Stover unveiled their own heart-shaped boxes, which today still include the “Red Foil Heart” and the “Secret Lace Heart.” Russell Stover has since become the No. 1 boxed chocolate brand in the United States. Today, more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes holding 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold each year, reports the education resource SoftSchools. They have become a quintessential symbol of Valentine’s Day celebrations.
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QUICK BITES
W
A TWIST ON
TRADITIONAL BURGERS
arm weather and grilling go hand-in-hand, and few dishes say summer like burgers. While traditional beef patties come to mind for many, there are also healthy protein options to satisfy that burger craving without sacrificing flavor. For example, salmon is a nutritionally well-rounded alternative that offers a variety of health benefits, and an option like gluten-free Trident Seafoods Alaska Salmon Burgers are made with wild, sustainable, oceancaught whole filets with no fillers and are lightly seasoned with a “just-offthe-grill,” smoky flavor. Topped with melted cheddar then piled on top of fresh arugula, peppered bacon and zesty mayo, these Alaskan Salmon
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Burgers with Peppered Bacon are a twist on tradition that can help you put a protein-packed, flavorful meal on the table in minutes. Find more healthy seafood recipes at tridentseafoods.com. Alaskan Salmon Burgers with Peppered Bacon Prep time: 13 minutes Servings: 4 INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest salt pepper 1 box (11.2 ounces) Trident Seafoods Alaska Salmon Burgers
4 cheddar cheese slices 4 seeded burger buns, split and toasted 4 cups arugula 6 strips peppered bacon, cooked 12 bread-and-butter pickles, drained DIRECTIONS In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook salmon burgers according to package directions. When almost cooked through, top each with slice of cheese, cover and cook until melted. Spread cut sides of buns with mayonnaise and top bottom buns with arugula. Cover with salmon burgers, bacon, pickles and top buns.
WORKING HARDER to Keep You Healthier
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DEFENDING YOUR FAMILY We know that you would do nearly anything to defend your family. That’s why we come to you today about guarding them against the dangers of viruses. Safe and effective vaccinations have primed the immune systems of millions of Americans for more than sixty years. Decades later, we’ve nearly eliminated diseases that once maimed or killed people of all ages.
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QUICK BITES
AN ELEGANT VEAL MEAL TO IMPRESS
YOUR VALENTINE C
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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
elebrating a special moment with your special someone this Valentine’s Day starts with a romantic meal. Cooking an elegant dish in your own kitchen offers a way to impress your valentine while enjoying the comforts of home. Easy to make and ready in 30 minutes, these Pesto Caprese Veal Cutlets showcase the versatility and beauty of humanely raised veal in a flavor-packed recipe. One bite can transport you and your loved one from the kitchen to a garden in Italy. For added fun, try making homemade pesto to mix with grape tomatoes for a burst of flavor. Top with pine nuts and serve alongside a fresh salad or your favorite pasta for an unforgettably romantic meal.
Pesto Caprese Veal Cutlets Funded by Beef Farmers and Ranchers Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 6 INGREDIENTS 1 pound veal cutlets (about 2 ounces each) 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped 4 tablespoons prepared pesto 1/2 cup flour 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons whole or 2% milk kosher salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons butter, divided 6 ounces regular or partskim fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch slices 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 F.
Pound veal cutlets to 1/8inch thickness. In small bowl, toss tomatoes and pesto to mix well; set aside. Place flour in shallow dish. In second shallow dish, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper, to taste, until blended. Place breadcrumbs in third shallow dish. Dip each cutlet into flour then egg mixture then breadcrumbs to coat both sides. In large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon butter until hot. Place half of cutlets in skillet; cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown and veal is cooked through, turning once. Remove cutlets; place on baking sheet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. Repeat with remaining butter and cutlets. Place one slice cheese on each cutlet. Bake 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Transfer cutlets to plate and evenly top with tomato mixture; sprinkle with pine nuts, if desired.
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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS
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PARTING GLANCE
Midnight in Tryon…well, almost The Town of Tryon celebrated New Year’s Eve in its own fashion by dropping a ball from a fishing pole from the clock tower at 10 p.m. Hundreds gather every year as they close off downtown streets for food and fun and to watch the ball drop. Photo by Cindy Viehman FEBRUARY 2022
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ADVERTISER INDEX Brunson’s Furniture
45
Parsec Financial
51
Carolina Storage Solutions
21
Pearsons’s Falls
9
Carruths Furniture
50
Penny Insurance
13
Cason Builders
27
Polk County Transportation
37
Claussen Walters, LLC
52
Ravan Earthworks
37
Congregational Church of Tryon
13
Red Bell Run
31
Dr. Jonathan Lowry, DDS
36
REMAX Bonnie Lingerfelt
33
Henson’s Building Materials
23
ServiceMaster
29
Hospice Carolina Foothills
39
SG Power & Equipment
27
Hypnotic Massage and Sleep Boutique
29
Southside Smokehouse
50
JB Trees & Scapes
41
St Luke’s Hospital
Joseph Hurwitz Law
19
Strauss Attorneys
Lake Pointe Landing
46
Tryon Builders
23
McFarland’s Funeral Chapel
15
Tryon Fine Arts Center
35
Miracle Working Clean
41
Tryon Presbyterian Church
19
New View Realty Parkside Dental
50
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2 45
3, 43 9
Turquoise Cowgirl Mobile Trainer
7
White Oak Village
5
What Does Thriving Mean to You? Financial security is more than successfully managing day-to-day finances. It’s a thoughtful process that impacts the long-term emotional, physical and mental well-being of people and their loved ones. Everyone deserves the ease-of-mind that comes from attaining and maintaining financial security. Once this level of financial freedom is achieved, that’s when people truly thrive. Thriving is: •Doing what you love •Planning for the unknown •Learning and growing •Ensuring your loved ones are taken care of
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Michael Baughman, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor 828-859-7001 parsecfinancial.com/offices/tryon