WALTER Magazine - May 2022 by waltermagazine

The Art & Soul of Raleigh

MAY 2022

waltermagazine.com

Inslee Fariss

JUDY GOLDMAN A.C. SNOW’S JOURNAL FROM WORLD WAR II THE WOMAN WHO SAVED JOCKEY’S RIDGE

Raleigh’s Village District

JOHNSON LEXUS

5839 Capital Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27616 (919) 877 - 1800 JohnsonLexusRaleigh.com

1013 Southpoint Autopark Blvd. Durham, NC 27713 (919) 433 - 8800 JohnsonLexusDurham.com

OF RALEIGH

OF DURHAM

2004 YONKERS ROAD, RALEIGH, NC 27604 | (919) 754-9754

4*.1-*$*5: *4 5)& 6-5*."5& 401)*45*$"5*0/ -FPOBSEP EB 7JODJ

%JTDPWFS ZPVS MPWF PG EFTJHO BU (SFFO 'SPOU 'VSOJUVSF 'SPN USBEJUJPOBM XJUI B UXJTU UP CPIP DIJD ZPVhMM GJOE JOTQJSBUJPO JO PVS TRVBSF GPPU TIPXSPPN (SFFO 'SPOU PGGFST UIPVTBOET PG PQUJPOT GPS FWFSZ SPPN JODMVEJOH VOJRVF GVSOJUVSF IBOE LOPUUFE SVHT BOE MVYVSJPVT VQIPMTUFSZ ,FFQ JU TJNQMF BOE BEE TUZMF UP FWFSZ SPPN JO ZPVS IPNF BU (SFFO 'SPOU

GREENFRONT.COM 6QIPMTUFSFE (PPET CZ 8FTMFZ )BMM ] $PDLUBJM 5able by )JDLPSZ $IBJS 5SBEJUJPOBM )BOE ,OPUUFE 3VH GSPN 1BLJTUBO

Congratulations to

Michael Berard Senior Vice President/Investments

for being named to

Forbes’ 2022 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors List.

The Founders Group Vanessa Haythorn, CFP®

Michael Berard

Richard Dworsky

Financial Advisor Associate

Senior Vice President/Investments

www.thefoundersgroup-stifel.com (984) 364-2007 | vanessa.haythorn@stifel.com 1414 Raleigh Road, Suite 208 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27517 Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, April 7, 2022. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC, and were selected from a pool of 34,925 nominations. Neither SHOOK Research nor Forbes receives compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of the financial advisor’s future performance. Investment performance is not a criterion for selection. Forbes is a registered trademark of Forbes, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information on the selection methodology, see www.stifel.info/award-disclosures. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com

DEPARTMENTS

Volume X, Issue 9

27 OUR TOWN 27

MUSIC: On Air Local music gets its radio time

LOCALS: Sister Synergy The Hanes women set up shop

GIVERS: Filling the Gap Uplifting South Raleigh

NATURE: The Other Red Bird The elusive Summer Tanager

HISTORY: Lasting Legacy A vinyl collection’s impact

CREATORS: Shared Lives Judy Goldman reﬂects on a Jim Crow South

30 On the cover: Illustration by Inslee Fariss

10 | WALTER

SIMPLE LIFE: The Kindness of Strangers And the strangeness of some kinds of people

IN EVERY ISSUE 14

Editor’s Letter

Contributors

Your Feedback

Datebook

The Whirl

Extras

End Note

Taylor McDonald (HANES SISTERS); Bryan Regan (95.7 RADIO)

MAY 2022

&9&5&3 #6*-%*/( $0.1"/:

Apex Location 123 North Salem Street 919.363.6990

Raleigh Location 8828 Midway West Road Appointment Only

carolinacustomkitchen.com

68 12 | WALTER

Forgetting Age by Paul Jones illustrated by Susie Silver

Gracious Living An Oakwood couple’s maximalist Second Empire home by Ayn-Monique Klahre photography by Trey Thomas

War in Words The journal of the late A.C. Snow as a solider in World War II by Katherine Snow Smith photography by Bryan Regan

Flora & Fauna Inslee Fariss’ career in watercolors, from fashion to botanicals by Hampton Williams Hofer photography by S.P. Murray

Bryan Regan (WAR JOURNAL); Trey Thomas (HOME)

FEATURES

ORIENTAL RUGS

SALE

30% -75% OFF*

*Some Restrictions Apply

MAY 2-31 2022

5634 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham, NC Corner of I-40 and 15-501 (Exit 270)

EDITOR’S LETTER

he WALTER community is big: we work with many talented writers, photographers, and illustrators that give this magazine its spirit. (In fact, this issue happens to be the 100th edition of WALTER!) But on the day-to-day, our edit team is tiny: just me, Addie, Laura, and our intern Emily. Whether it’s because we’re so few or because we care so much, it can feel impossible to step completely away. For example: currently, I am technically on vacation. I can hear the waves on Topsail Beach out the window and smell the salt in my hair. My pockets are full of shark teeth and “moon rocks.” I spent many hours today with my kids, looking for those treasures, drawing in the sand, and going deeper than I would have liked in the chilly ocean water. I squeezed in a jog, napped, and read for hours. A five-star day! Reading my book was actually for work, even though it was a pleasure. When this issue comes out, we’ll have just hosted our WALTER Book Club event with Kristy Woodson Harvey, a bestselling North Carolina author of nine novels, including the one next to me right now, The Wedding Veil. It was number one on my reading list this week because I interviewed her this afternoon. When we hopped on the phone, I was sitting on the floor of the bedroom of our beach rental. I could hear my kids chatting with my parents and my baby nephew starting to fuss. My sister was clinking around in the kitchen, and my other nephew was offering commentary on his very soft stuffed animals as our poor husbands were both at their computers, not in vacation mode, working. All in all, still in a good place. When I mentioned I was at the beach, Kristy apologized. But no, I assured her, this is the fun part of my job: getting to talk with interesting people to learn more about what they do and what inspires them. She admitted that she was about to go on vacation, also, and couldn’t wait to print out her latest manuscript and read it by the pool. We laughed over how lucky we are to have jobs that don’t always feel like work, jobs that we don’t necessarily want to escape from. I’m also lucky to have wonderful coworkers who pick up the slack and keep the ship running even when I’m not there. I hope, especially as summer starts in earnest, that I can return the favor in the coming weeks — even if my coworkers also find themselves accidentally working, just for fun.

Open Monday-Friday 10am to 6pm Closed Saturday and Sunday

www.persiancarpet.com 14 | WALTER

Ayn-Monique Klahre Editor

IMAGINE YOUR HOME TOTALLY ORGANIZED CUSTOM CLOSETS I GARAGE CABINETS I HOME OFFICES I PANTRIES I LAUNDRIES I HOBBY ROOMS

40% OFF + Free Installation Terms and conditions: 40% off any order of $1200, 30% off any order $700 or more on any complete custom closet, garage, or home office unit. Not valid with any other offer. Free installation with any complete unit order of $500 or more. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. 18 month financing (with approved credit) Available for a limited time. Expires in 90 days. Offer not valid in all regions.

Call for a free in-home design consultation and estimate

919-850-9030 closetsbydesign.com Follow us

Licensed and Insured • Locally Owned and Operated

MAY 2022, Volume X, Issue 9 EDITORIAL

PUBLISHING

Editor AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com

Publisher DAVID WORONOFF

Creative Director LAURA PETRIDES WALL laura@waltermagazine.com Associate Editor ADDIE LADNER addie@waltermagazine.com Contributing Writers Kara Adams, Wiley Cash, Finn Cohen, Catherine Currin, Jim Dodson, Mike Dunn, Hampton Williams Hofer, Paul Jones, David Menconi, Katherine Snow Smith Contributing Copy Editor Finn Cohen Contributing Graphic Designer Morgan Gustafson Contributing Photographers Mallory Cash, Liz Condo, Tyler Cunningham, Samatha Everette, Taylor McDonald, Bryan Regan, Trey Thomas, S.P. Murray Contributing Illustrators Gerry O’Neill, Susie Silver

Advertising Sales Manager JULIE NICKENS julie@waltermagazine.com Senior Account Executive & Operations CRISTINA HURLEY cristina@waltermagazine.com Events Manager KAIT GORMAN kait@waltermagazine.com Graphic Designer ALYSSA KENNEDY Finance STEVE ANDERSON 910-693-2497 Distribution JACK BURTON Inquiries? WALTER OFFICE 984-286-0928 Address all correspondence to: WALTER magazine, 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 104 Raleigh, N.C. 27601

Interns Katie Cusack, Emily Gajda

WALTER is available by paid subscriptions for $25 a year in the United States, as well as select rack and advertiser locations throughout the Triangle. Subscribe online at waltermagazine.com/subscribe For customer service inquiries, please email us at customerservice@waltermagazine.com or call 818-286-3118. WALTER does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Please contact Ayn-Monique Klahre at ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com for freelance guidelines. Owners JACK ANDREWS, FRANK DANIELS JR., FRANK DANIELS III, LEE DIRKS, DAVID WORONOFF © WALTER magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Published 12 times a year by The Pilot LLC.

16 | WALTER

YOUR BEST LIFE is coming s n

GRAND OPENING JUNE 4-5 COLLETTA • CRAWFORD BROTHERS STEAKHOUSE • CRU FOOD & WINE BAR DRAM & DRAUGHT • HONEYSUCKLE GELATO • M SUSHI • SPORTS & SOCIAL SUPERICA • WILLIAMS SONOMA • ARCHER PAPER GOODS • ARHAUS ALTAR’D STATE • ARULA • ATHLETA • BAILEY ’S FINE JEWELRY • FREE PEOPLE THE GATORBUG • MADEWELL • POTTERY BARN • SEPHORA • SOUTHERN TIDE VESTIQUE • CLUB PILATES • PARAGON THEATERS • FENTON NAIL BAR ONE MEDICAL • RADIANT WAXING • TRUIST • VON KEKEL SALON • ZEN NAIL BAR FENTONNC.COM

SCAN FOR MORE INFO

Managed by

Designed For Joy

CONTRIBUTORS

Handmade in our Raleigh studio

Farrier bag in blue

517 W Cabarrus St. Suite A, Warehouse District shop and visit Monday-Saturday 10 AM-2 PM

designedforjoy.com

S.P. MURRAY /

TREY THOMAS /

P HOTO G R A P HE R S.P. Murray is a national awardwinning commercial and editorial photographer. Her passion for travel and other cultures has led her on some amazing journeys and introduced her to many extraordinary people and clients who have allowed her the privilege of telling their stories. This month, she had the pleasure of photographing artist Inslee Farris. “Inslee was so gracious in welcoming me into her beautiful home for our photo shoot. She is so amazingly talented; everywhere you turned in her home there was something beautiful she had painted.”

P HOTOGR A PH ER A lifelong passion for architecture and design, coupled with a love of photography, led to Thomas’ career in capturing residential and commercial spaces. A longtime resident of downtown Raleigh, he loves the excitement that comes from being a short walk from the heart of town. “It was a pleasure working with Carter and Chapman on this project, and a real treat being welcomed into an iconic piece of Raleigh’s architectural history. Their grand, Second Empire home in Oakwood is one of only a few in the area and is as every bit as eclectic as it is lavish, a true delight to the senses.”

CATHERINE CURRIN / W R I TE R Catherine Currin, a Raleigh native and former associate editor at WALTER, now works on the brand marketing team at CAPTRUST. She wrote two stories for this issue. “Writing about my friend Lizzie Hanes was a treat for me! I’m so inspired by her, as well as her sister Katherine, plus their choice to take a chance and start a business in this community. On the same note, meeting the folks at Ship Outreach gives me such hope for the future of our community. Their team, along with an army of volunteers, intentionally serves our area’s most vulnerable with dignity and care.”

18 | WALTER

DAVID MENCONI / W R I TE R David Menconi has been writing about Triangle music for three decades, during which time he hoped for something like That Station to come along: an Americana-leaning commercialalternative radio station that plays a generous amount of local acts. “Getting on the airwaves makes a huge difference for bands.” His next book, a history of Rounder Records will be published by University of North Carolina Press in 2023.

Courtesy contributors

Providing immediate employment for women in crisis.

2029 Giovanni Court, Cary

Raleigh | 919.876.7411

hodgekittrellsir.com

Chapel Hill | 919.800.0799

Nothing Compares. MMXIX Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! MAY 19-22, 2022 RALEIGH MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

PROGRAM SPONSOR:

SPONSORED BY:

FEEDBACK We love to hear from you! Tag us when you’re out and about — or cozied up at home with WALTER. Y’all loved our fake cover and real estate headlines on April Fools Day!

“Thank you for that. I completely fell for it. It’s perfect.” — David O’Loughlin “Good one. That took some guts! I have to commend you all on a job, or joke, well done!” — Beth Shug “Well done. Five Points is clutching their pearls.” — Jim Roberts

Let Us Surpass Your Expectations!

“Moving to The Cypress has enriched my life far more than I expected. Daily I am thankful for the joys of living in this wonderful community, and Bo loves his walks around these beautiful grounds!” - Mary Boxley

We along with Mary are sure you will be pleased with ^OH[ `V\ ÄUK ^OLU `V\ L_WSVYL ;OL *`WYLZZ 4HRL plans to visit us and learn why so many others are OHWW` [OL` THKL [OL TV]L

Call today for an appointment. 919.518.8907 thecypressofraleigh.com @waltermagazine www.waltermagazine.com

WALTER 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 104 Raleigh, N.C. 27601

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 21

W E ’ R E S O C LO S E TO H O P E . NOW MORE THAN EVER.

The new UNC Rex Cancer Center is close to where you love, laugh and most importantly, live. We offer you what matters most in a new, comforting and convenient place with a team dedicated to understanding your personal needs. Compassionate care that makes all the difference to you is more than a possibility. It’s a reality that’s here now.

LEARN MORE AT: rexhealth.com/cancercenter

OUR TOWN Celebrate the warmer weather with berry picking, music of all genres, ﬁlm and food festivals, and some distinctly North Carolina cultural events.

Liz Condo (STRAWBERRIES); courtesy Shirley Caesar (CAESAR)

by ADDIE LADNER and KARA ADAMS

NATIONAL BIKE MONTH All month | See website Gear up for National Bike Month with Oaks & Spokes, a nonproﬁt dedicated to making Raleigh more bike-friendly. In addition to their ongoing rides, such as the Wednesday night Crank Arm Cruiser and Team on Draft Ride on Tuesdays, they host a Community Kickstand bicycle repair day on the second Saturday of every month, where volunteers help repair bicycles and teach skills and maintenance to those in need of a safe form of transportation. If you’re in commuting distance, try Bike-to-Work Day on May 20. Free but registration required; locations vary; oaksandspokes.com

SHIRLEY CAESAR & THE CAESAR SINGERS

NOTED

IT’S STRAWBERRY SEASON! All month | See website The beloved berries are at their peak this month, and the Triangle abounds with “U-Pick” fields where you can fill a bucket with these juicy jewels, plucked fresh off the stem. Check out DJ’s Berry Patch (1223 Salem Church Road, Apex), which offers an open-air stand full of homemade products to take home, too, including strawberry preserves and strawberry vinaigrette. Porter Farms and Nursery (3504 NC Highway 42) is great for those with little ones with its giant sandbox, play area, and rich ice cream. Or keep an eye out for the homemade strawberry pound cake at Phillips Farms (6701 Good Hope Church Road, Cary) and cut your own spring flowers at Page Farms (6100 Mt Herman Road). For more farm stands and U-Pick spots around the Triangle, visit waltermagazine.com

May 5 | 7:30 p.m. See Grammy Award-winning gospel legend and Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church Pastor Shirley Caesar host an evening of fellowship and worship alongside The Caesar Singers at Meymandi Concert Hall. The North Carolina native, known as the “Queen of Gospel,” has shared the stage with musical greats including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, and Kirk Franklin, and she’s TikTok famous for a line in her hit song “Hold My Mule” (search the #UNameItChallenge). Hear this iconic song in person, along with favorites from this Gospel Hall of Fame and North Carolina Music Hall of Fame member. From $15; 2 E. South Street; pinecone.org

All information is accurate as of press time, but please check waltermagazine.com and the event websites for the latest updates. The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 23

DATEBOOK May 6 | 6:30 p.m. Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend at the 13th Annual Helene Foundation Gala, which honors mothers battling cancer in central North Carolina. Since its establishment in 2009, the Helene Foundation has assisted nearly 300 local families in memory of the passionate nurse and devoted mother Helene Davidian, who lost her life to cancer. Join the organization for a therapeutic night of laughing, crying, and dancing to live music from the Sleeping Booty Band at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. A plated dinner will be served along with complimentary beer and wine, followed by a live auction, all to raise money and awareness for the foundation. $175; 500 Fayetteville Street; helenefoundation.org

GIVE BLACK RALEIGH HER FLOWERS NOW Starting May 7 | See website Through May and June, Anchorlight Gallery & Studio will be hosting Give Black Raleigh Her Flowers Now, a photog-

raphy exhibit curated by Black Oak Society founder Courtney Napier. Napier’s premiere exhibition includes portraiture from area artists Derrick Beasley, Samantha Everette, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Phillip Loken, and Cornell Watson. “This will be an emotional tribute to the Black women who built our capital city,” says Napier. “Each of these distinguished photographers will create high-art portraits celebrating the regal nature of Raleigh’s great, unsung Black matriarchs. It’s an opportunity to give these women the ﬂowers they deserve.” Free; 1407 S. Bloodworth Street; anchorlightraleigh.com

LONGLEAF FILM FESTIVAL May 13 - 14 | See website In its eighth year, Longleaf Film Festival returns to in-person screenings at the North Carolina Museum of History. Featuring free popcorn, three screens, and a wide variety of ﬁlms — from animation to documentaries to music videos and spoken-word productions — Longleaf aims to highlight the creativity and diversity of Raleigh with multiple awards

and prizes. The weekend starts with a musical documentary, Little Satchmo, which is about Sharon Preston-Folta, the secret daughter of jazz great Louis Armstrong, and ends with a narrated short ﬁlm, Feeling Through, which follows an unexpected friendship between a teen and a man who can’t see or hear in New York City. Free; 5 E. Edenton Street; longleaffilmfestival.com

SPRING REPERTOIRE May 14 | 6 p.m. Pre-professional ballet company Raleigh Dance Theatre presents a collection of dramatic dance compositions by nationally recognized choreographers for its season ﬁnale at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts’ Fletcher Theater. The company’s training and artistry will be showcased through a number of performances like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice with music by Paul Dukas, Twisted Tango set to an Astor Piazzolla piece and directed by artistic director Megan Marvel, Graduation Ball with music by Johann Strauss, and Danse Allegresse

FRESH AT ARTSPACE All month | See website Through May and June, Artspace will be hosting an exhibition and events series highlighting the work of North Carolina artists. With a theme of “FRESH,” this new twist on its biennial fundraiser will include artist panels, virtual and in-person exhibitions, live music, and programming for families. In May, art submitted through an open call will be on display, and Jonell Logan, VP and creative director of the McColl Center in Charlotte, will select pieces for a juried exhibition in June. All work will be available for purchase, with proceeds beneﬁting both the artist and Artspace. “It’s about demystifying the curation process and renewing our vision of making the art world more inclusive,” says Artspace president and 24 | WALTER

NOTED

CEO Carly P. Jones, who took the helm of the nonproﬁt last summer. “We’ll be celebrating North Carolina artists of all backgrounds and making art accessible in new ways.” In addition to the more than 200 works on display, Artspace will host FRESH perspectives talks

with art enthusiast Mavis Gragg and The Art of the State author Liza Roberts, as well as a FRESH Sounds concert series featuring Charly Lowry, NiiTO, and others. Free admission; 201 E. Davie Street; artspacenc.org

courtesy ARTSPACE (FRESH ART)

HELENE FOUNDATION GALA

featuring music from Franz Schubert’s 5th Symphony. $19.15; 2 E. South Street; raleighdance.org

SHAKORI HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL

NOTED

courtesy NC Symphony (FLEMING); courtesy Carolina Ballet (GISELLE); Laura Wall (SHAKORI)

May 5 - 8 | See website

RENÉE FLEMING May 14 | 8 p.m. Celebrate the 90th anniversary of the very ﬁrst performance from the North Carolina Symphony with this tribute concert to longtime conductor and music director laureate Grant Llewellyn, who’s retiring this year. In a guest performance, renowned Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming will honor Llewellyn’s 16 seasons by singing with the symphony. From $137; 2 E. South Street; ncsymphony.org

SKYWATCHING AT DIX PARK May 15 | 9:30 p.m. Bring a blanket and chairs so you can relax under the stars at Dix Park. Staff and volunteers from the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society, and Raleigh Astronomy Club are hosting a night of skywatching. Look through telescopes to spot a variety of objects in the sky including Jupiter and Saturn. To set the stargazing mood, the Triangle Sax Ensemble will be playing some dreamy tunes. Free; 1010 Blair Drive; dorotheadixpark.org

Unplug, groove out, and let your child roam free in their favorite fairyprincess-unicorn getup for a few days at the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, a secluded, environmentally conscious campsite in Pittsboro. At its 18th annual music festival in collaboration with GrassRoots Festival Organization, you can hear artists including Donna the Buffalo, Cabinet, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and Fireside Collective while surrounded by the beauty of nature. This family-friendly festival runs for four days and features local food and craft vendors, interactive workshops, and

of the hit television series. Featured dancers include Nicole Oxendine, founder of Empower Dance Studio in Durham, and ShaLeigh Comerford, artistic director of ShaLeigh Dance Works. Participate in auctions beneﬁting the theater, sip on a specialty drink, snack on the all-natural Carolina Theatre popcorn or catered concessions by Chef Paris, and don’t miss out on the audience vote to name the winner of the competition. $100; 309 West Morgan Street, Durham; carolinatheatre.org

DANCING WITH THE CAROLINA STARS May 16 | 7 p.m. Cheer on your favorite Triangle Alisters, including Sen. Mike Woodard and Wool E. Bull, as they pair with professional dancers for choreographed performances in a City of Oaks version

GISELLE May 19 - 22 | See website The Carolina Ballet’s season ﬁnale at

designated youth areas with activities like giant bubble making, face painting, yoga, and clogging. From $32; 1439 Henderson Tanyard Road, Pittsboro; shakorihillsgrassroots.org

Raleigh Memorial Auditorium will showcase a classical ballet tradition, Giselle, accompanied by a live orchestra. More than 16 ballerinas take on the role of Wilis, ethereal maiden spirits who come to life at night to perform intricate, dangerous dances with supernatural elegance. This performance will include all-new costumes and sets. From $27; 2 E. South Street; carolinaballet.com

GOT TO BE NC FEST May 20 - 22 | See website Pig races on the Hogway Speedway, antique tractor pulls, the Food Lion Local Goodness Marketplace, and the Annual Masonic Carolina Pig Jig BBQ Cook-off — what could be more North Carolina than that? The North Carolina State Agriculture Department hosts all these and more over the course of a three-day festival at the state fairgrounds celebrating local and statewide agricultural traditions, food, and drink. Try your luck at games of chance, or steel your stomach for a whirl on one of the 30 rides at the themed carnival. Free; 4285 Trinity Road; gottobencfestival.com The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 25

DATEBOOK May 20 | 8 p.m. Head to the North Carolina Museum of Art’s Joseph M. Bryan, Jr. Theater in the Museum Park to hear Old Crow Medicine Show. The Americana band — widely known around here for the Raleigh mention in their hit “Wagon Wheel” — is on the ﬁrst leg of their Paint This Town Tour in celebration of their eponymous new album. By combining Americana, folk, old-timey bluegrass, and rock and roll on songs like “Bombs Away” and “Honey Chile,” Old Crow Medicine Show continues their unique string band sound that makes them anything but “Hard to Love.” From $33; 2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org

FRENCH MARKET AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL May 21 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. From the smell of beignets to the sounds of a saxophone to the taste of jambalaya, experience all the sights and sounds of the French Quarter right here in Raleigh at this New Orleans-inspired outdoor market and seafood festival. Admire the work of Triangle Pop-up’s local artists and vendors as you take a stroll through the charming shops of Lafayette Village. Cajun seafood classics will be served alongside beer to fuel your shopping spree. Free admission; 8450 Honeycutt Road; lafayettevillageraleigh.com

THE MUSEUM LIVES IN ME May 21 | See website On Saturday, May 21, join author Victoria Scott-Miller at the North Carolina Museum of Art to celebrate the release of her book The Museum Lives in Me. Illustrated by JP Jermaine Powell, the children’s book follows a group on a school trip as they discover connections to the art at the NCMA. “We hope children, and visitors of all ages, can connect to the collection on a deep, personal level through this book,” says Valerie Hillings, director of the NCMA. The family-friendly celebration will include author and illustrator talks,

for the late Kay Yow, the beloved head coach of the North Carolina State University women’s basketball team from 1975 to 2009. From $17; 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary; boothamphitheatre.com

26 | WALTER

scavenger hunts, a book signing, and story time reading. Free; 2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org

includes aish baladi, a whole wheat ﬂatbread; Ful Mudames, a fava bean stew; and baba ghanouj, a Levantine appetizer made from eggplants. The main menu features Fattah, a ﬂatbread loaded with rice and meat served at special events, stuffed peppers, and chicken in Molokhia green sauce. Finish the evening with a sweet helping of the national dessert of Egypt: a spiced bread pudding called Umm Ali. $85; 500 Glenwood Avenue, #100; vidrioraleigh.com

THE BEST OF NORTH CAROLINA

GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT May 21 | 5 p.m. Round up your friends for the inaugural Girls’ Night Out concert at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre featuring headliner KT Tunstall accompanied by special guests Jeanne Jolly, Judith Hill, Rodes, and Haley Johnsen. Hear Tunstall’s iconic hit song “Suddenly I See” as well as exciting tracks from her newer rock albums, Wax and Kin. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, a local nonproﬁt supporting women who have been diagnosed with cancer, named

NOTED

TASTE THE MEDITERRANEAN: EGYPT May 26 | 6:30 - 9 p.m. Vidrio restaurant is transforming its menu for a monthly cultural dinner series centered around the bright ﬂavors of the Mediterranean led by Saif Rahman, the 2021 North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Chef of the Year. In May, the destination is Egypt and the multicourse dining experience will start with a mezze that

March 27 - May 30 | See website Gallery C and local art historian Charlene Newsom have compiled an exhibit featuring landmark art pieces by generations of artists and creatives with roots and ties to North Carolina, including Josef Albers, Mary Anne K. Jenkins, and Mabel Pugh. “Putting this collection together is a 24/7/365 endeavor! All year we are investigating, sourcing, and purchasing important 20th-century pieces for this one platform,” says Newsom. “Collectors get so excited, and I love sharing our state’s rich visual arts history with visitors.” Free admission; 540 N. Blount Street; galleryc.net

Chelsea Santos (DINNER); courtesy NCMA (ART)

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW

MUSIC

ON AIR That Station showcases local music in its Americana mix by DAVID MENCONI

got off to a rough start with That Station, also known as 95.7-FM WCLY. It started up in the spring of 2018 as that rarest of Triangle radio unicorns, an adult alternative station on the commercial dial owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company. But despite billing its format as “Americana,” That Station went on the air playing a lot of U2, Tom Petty, and Led Zeppelin — classic-rock warhorses other stations were already beating to death. I did not hide my disappointment, and spouted off about it in The News & Observer and on social media at the time. To my surprise, Capitol Broadcast-

photography by BRYAN REGAN

ing vice president Brian Maloney got in touch, and we sat down to talk. I suggested a bunch of acts I thought That Station should be playing, and he offered me the chance to do a weekly local-music show. Thus was born “That Old North State Radio Hour,” which lasted about a year and a half (and, full disclosure, lives on in the form of twice-daily “North Carolina Backtracks” vignettes about regional acts that I do to this day). Meanwhile, That Station has grown well beyond that stumbling start to become a solid Americana station, and one in which local music is an unusually large presence. In fact, it plays more

homegrown North Carolina acts than just about any other commercial station in the Triangle. “In thinking about what hill we must protect, local music is that hill,” says Chris Edge, That Station’s program director since 2019. “We’ll never be out-localled by anybody else, not on my watch.” What makes up the bulk of That Station’s playlist is contemporary adultalternative favorites like Sarah Jarosz, Punch Brothers, and Drive-By Truckers. And it still plays a fair amount of classic rock, too, from the likes of Bonnie Raitt, The Police, and Bruce Springsteen. But it’s the local content that really The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 27

MUSIC

5 NC ARTISTS YOU NEED TO HEAR Check out these up-and-coming local picks from That Station program director Chris Edge. BETA RADIO, WILMINGTON Don’t miss this indie folk duo out of Wilmington. My favorite from the last year is “Don’t Leave Me Behind” from the album Year of Love. KATE RHUDY, RALEIGH Her 2017 debut album, Rock n’ Roll Ain’t For Me, was a triumph — “I Don’t Think You’re an Angel (Anymore)” is a must-listen! She just released a new single “Ships in the Night” (it’s terrific, by the way) and a new album, Dream Rooms. SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS, CHATHAM COUNTY Grab a copy or stream Nightroamer — this entire album is fantastic from start to finish. My two favorite tracks are “Talkin’ to Myself” and “I Got This.” IAMDYNAMITE, RALEIGH Originally from Michigan, they found nationwide success with their first album, Wasa Tusa, in 2012. This indie-rock duo now calls the Triangle home after living here over a decade. A new album is on the way, and they just released the first single, “Corner Street.” It’s so good I’m playing it for everybody I know! RIVER WHYLESS, ASHEVILLE Check out the folky single “The Pool” or their new piano-pop track “Promise Rings” off of their latest album, Monoflora.

Left to right: Capitol Broadcasting brand/content manager Sammy Simpson, president Brian Maloney, and program director Chris Edge.

28 | WALTER

sets That Station apart: the North Carolina favorites that are rarely heard on commercial stations. Established local musicians like Mountain Goats, American Aquarium, Steep Canyon Rangers, Mipso, Rissi Palmer, and Chatham County Line — all of whom are on the bill for its inaugural That Music Fest, June 24 to 25 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park — might be on the air at all hours of the day or night. And emerging groups including Jason Adamo, Aaron Burdett, Peter Holsapple, and the Chatham Rabbits have beneﬁtted from That Station airplay. John Teer of Chatham County Line says the group is “happy and grateful to have another station committed to bringing great local music front and center.” That’s a sentiment echoed by other local acts playing the club circuit. “It deﬁnitely helps,” says Hank Smith, frequently heard on That Station with his group Hank, Pattie & The Current.

“It’s always nice to hear yourself on the radio, or from friends texting to say, I just heard one of your songs on there!” As a market where National Public Radio station WUNC tops the ratings, the Triangle has a well-educated and tech-savvy population. It’s a bit surprising that it took so long for a commercial-alternative station like this to emerge here — perhaps because, for the true music geeks, our three radio stations affiliated with area universities have been longtime resources for local music and more obscure artists. There have been a handful of other attempts at commercial-alternative formats here over the years, but they were shortlived. That Station bridges the space between the two, presenting artists that locals may have seen live, with a vibe that feels more like public radio than a commercial station. “A station like this is hard to program because you have to be living in it,” says

Edge. “What usually happens with a station like this is the people running it get it, but the management layers above are all going, I don’t understand this. It doesn’t help that not many stations doing this are successful in the ratings, which is what larger radio corporations are beholden to.” At four years and counting, That Station has at least lasted long enough to settle into the market, though its overthe-air ratings have been modest. That’s due partly to a weak terrestrial signal at 95.7-FM, which frequently runs into interference from other stations in the area, but the station also became available recently on the accompanying HD spectrum at WRAL-FM HD2 for digital radio, and has made online listening a priority through streaming on its website and a mobile app. “That Station is a passion project for the company,” says Maloney. “We’ll never be the big dog, but we never set out to be, either.”

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 29

LOCALS

SISTER synergy Katherine and Lizzie Hanes set up shop in the Triangle by CATHERINE CURRIN photography by TAYLOR MCDONALD

Lizzie and Katherine Hanes

isters Lizzie and Katherine Hanes have loved style and beauty for as long as they can remember. “When I was little, I would stare at my mom in the mirror when she’d do her skincare routine before bed and imitate all her moves,” says Lizzie, who’s now 29. Similarly, Katherine, who’s 35, would watch intently as her mother mended or altered clothes with needle and thread. “I got a checking account for my 13th birthday, and immediately got a subscription to Vogue,” says Katherine. “I’d spend hours going through my grandmothers’ closets, looking at labels and cuts.” 30 | WALTER

“Our girls are very creative in different ways,” says their mother, Jeanie Hanes. That creativity has taken them from small-town North Carolina to New York City, where they honed their respective crafts — Katherine is a designer and Lizzie an aesthetician — and back to Raleigh as entrepreneurs. Lizzie and Katherine grew up in Glendale Springs, a little town near Boone, and both graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katherine moved to New York after graduation to pursue a career in fashion, working in sales and operations for big names like Proenza Schouler and

Apiece Apart. “It was essentially Fashion Business School 101,” says Katherine. “I learned a little bit about all aspects of the trade. I saw the life cycle of how you make a garment.” A few years later, after a stint at Capitol, a luxury clothing store in Charlotte, Lizzie followed her sister to New York. She landed a role in customer experience at beauty brand Glossier for several years while also studying to be an aesthetician. She went on to work as an aesthetician at Carrie Lindsey Beauty in Brooklyn, eventually training under mentor Joëlle Ciocco in Paris. Laura Vinroot Poole, the founder and owner of Capitol, says

Lizzie in her studio

she followed along on Lizzie’s journey in New York: “The bare minimum was never enough for her! She has trained with some of the most talented aestheticians in the world.” By coincidence, Katherine and Lizzie both decided in 2019 that they were ready to leave New York to start their own businesses. They wanted to settle closer to where they grew up and knew the Triangle would offer community. Plus, their sister Molly had graduated from North Carolina State University and was practicing law in downtown Raleigh, so they had family here, too. Katherine’s business idea was to create a line of impeccable fashion basics. During her time in New York, she felt like she had access to amazing trends but couldn’t ﬁnd the timeless pieces to go with them. She decided to name her line Lake Jane, after a pond on the land where they grew up, and set about designing her ﬁrst col-

lection: a handful of pieces in colorways like navy, lilac, and soft beige — simple crew neck tees, comfortable bralettes, and wear-under-anything camisoles. “The idea is, let’s not be so precious about our clothes. This is the t-shirt you wear over and over,” Katherine says. She spent time driving to different knitting mills and factories, on the hunt for suppliers and manufacturers whose values aligned with her own commitment to using high-quality materials and producing well-made knitwear. “I ideally wanted to do everything in North Carolina,” she says. “The cool thing about this area is that people are so open. They want to help.” Katherine leaned on other designers and retailers, like the folks at Capitol, for insight on everything from manufacturing to stocking products. That led her to a manufacturer in Catawba County that sources all of its cotton from the United States. Vinroot Poole, who’s now a customer

“Lizzie and Katherine are both creative forces who have strength, grace, and a sense of purpose.” — Laura Vinroot Poole

and vendor of Lake Jane through her boutique, says she loves the intention behind the brand. “Lake Jane honors and supports North Carolina’s long history of textiles and craftsmanship, while bringing Katherine’s modern ideas and impeccable taste to the industry,” she says. Similarly, Lizzie was ready to apply all she’d learned working in New York to her own business and knew that North Carolina would provide both the clientele and the support. Sure enough, “a realtor friend of ours found the perfect space — she told me if I didn’t sign the lease, she would do it for me!” she laughs. Steps away from bustling Glenwood South, it’s the perfect size for a one-on-one experience. Lizzie outﬁtted her space with equipment and favorite skincare products, and within a couple months, Lizzie Hanes Studio was open. “It was a perfect combination of timing and luck,” she says. From here, she offers facials, chemical peels, and dermaplaning treatments, as well as brow shaping and tinting. She’s also the sole North Carolina retailer of skincare line Joëlle Ciocco, thanks to her history with the business. The studio has a relaxed, homey feel with creamy paint colors and vintage rugs. “I want people to feel like they’re at The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 31

LOCALS home with me, to have the services feel really personal,” she says. Allie Higgins, one of her clients, attests to that vibe: “Lizzie always makes you feel like a close friend in her studio — but a close friend who happened to train in Paris and work in New York.” Katherine says that her connection to the community is fundamental to her business. “People understand my brand,” says Katherine, who meets her customers through ﬁttings and pop-up shops. “We have an emotional connection.” While on the surface their businesses are different, they’re both about the same thing: helping their clients feel beautiful, and comfortable in their own skin. “Lizzie and Katherine are both creative forces who have strength, grace, and a sense of purpose,” says Vinroot Poole. “They know who they are, and they have built authentic businesses that are a reﬂection of their rich history, hard work, and deep sensibilities.”

Katherine; one of her t-shirts.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Ha dyy thh Har mith Smi

Bringing creative design to life. RALEIGH, NC • 919.852.0570 DESIGNLINESSIGNATURE.COM

32 | WALTER

Benchwarmers Bagels

What makes living in the Raleigh area truly special is the smart and savvy people who craft authentic experiences best enjoyed wÀÃÌ > `° Õ « L>V Ü Ì V ivÃ > ` L> iÀÃ i Ã Õ> i > Þ Ü >`` `i } ÌvÕ y>Û À Ì > iÛiÀ iÝ«> ` } VÕ >ÀÞ ÃVi i° From award-wining restaurants to fast-casual food halls, visiting friends and family are in for a real treat.

visitRaleigh.com/locals

How Far Down The Path Can You See? It’s always time to think about tomorrow. And all the tomorrows to follow. It takes vision to protect what you’ve built up. That’s where First Citizens Wealth Management comes in. We’re this country’s largest family-controlled financial company, with a third generation of leadership guiding us into the future. It’s the same vision that can help you see where your finances should be taking you – today, tomorrow and down life’s pathway. First Citizens Wealth Management. Forever First.® firstcitizens.com/wealth

INVESTMENTS | INSURANCE | RETIREMENT

Your investments in securities, annuities and insurance are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency and may lose value. They are not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by any bank or bank affiliate and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results. First Citizens Wealth Management is a registered trademark of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. First Citizens Wealth Management products and services are offered by First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Member FDIC; First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment advisor; and First Citizens Asset Management, Inc., an SECregistered investment advisor. Brokerage and investment advisory services are offered through First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. provides investment advisory services. Bank deposit products are offered by First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC.

GIVERS

Pastor Chris Jones

ﬁlling THE GAP Programs at Ship Outreach provide a variety of support by CATHERINE CURRIN photography by TYLER CUNNINGHAM

“W

e’re trying to ﬁll the gaps,” says Pastor Chris Jones, founder of Ship Community Outreach. Jones founded Ship of Zion Church in 2001, and after realizing the needs of his church, he founded Ship Community Outreach in 2010. Jones started small: “We assessed the needs of the community by observing the people. I remember giving out socks and a few hot dogs to the men hanging around Bragg Street.”

The Ship, as he calls it, now has numerous programs in South Raleigh, serving more than 3,000 people monthly. One of its programs is the Galley Grocery. It’s in a low-income neighborhood that’s one of the many food deserts across Raleigh. Galley Grocery is a full-service market, complete with meat, produce, snacks, and more. EBT and SNAP beneﬁts are accepted, and you can also use a voucher directly from The Ship, distributed through other area nonproﬁts. “We wanted a place of dignity where people could buy more things

with their food stamps,” says Jones. “They are shopping for food instead of just receiving a box of free food.” The store also has Wi-Fi available. Jones says, “many people take Wi-Fi for granted, but a lot of people in this neighborhood can’t afford it.” Adjacent to Galley Grocery is Ship Yard, a gym and workout area. Jones created it after seeing a need for a free place to encourage ﬁtness, particularly for neighbors reentering society after incarceration. “I was going to prisons and seeing how people were taking The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 35

GIVERS

Clockwise from left: Aleece Spalding in the Galley Grocery; exterior of the Galley Grocery; Antwon Hinton and Israel Majurie working out at Ship Yard.

care of themselves, but as soon as they were released, they were back into their old habits,” he says. “People shouldn’t have to go to prison to think about their nutrition and well-being.” The organization also distributes food to those who are unable to pay, through a warehouse off South Saunders Street. The Ship’s executive director, Aleece Spalding, says this program is ﬂexible, fast, and responsive. “Our model is to ﬁnd where the need

is, and work with the people in that community,” Spalding says. “We provide the food, they provide the volunteers. We can set up outreaches anywhere.” Food in their warehouse is sourced from organizations including the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and Food Lion. Thousands of loaves of bread come monthly from Pepperidge Farm. These distributions are rewarding for everyone involved. “I often saw families helping each other ﬁnd what they were look-

“Our model is to ﬁnd where the need is, and work with the people in that community. We can set up outreaches anywhere.” — Aleece Spalding

36 | WALTER

ing for, sharing their favorite ways to cook food, and discussing its nutritional value,” says Skyler Russell-Nguyen, who worked there as a summer intern. “It also creates a welcoming environment.” Spalding started her journey at Ship as a volunteer years ago. She helped distribute food at one of the organization’s Community Days, which brings dozens of churches together to distribute food, clothing, and other supplies. During the pandemic, this monthly event has been operating as a drive-thru. “What impressed me about it was that it wasn’t about a single church,” she says. “It just brought the Christian community together.” Spalding volunteered to facilitate Ship’s strategic plan in 2017, then became director of development to help execute

it. She was promoted to executive director in 2020. Though she plans to retire this year, she’ll continue to support the organization as a volunteer. Spalding and Jones also work with two other vulnerable populations: people impacted by gangs and victims of human trafficking. Within the Ship of Zion Church, the organization hosts the Transitional Employment Initiative (TEI), which encourages gang-impacted individuals to work toward employment through mentorships and job training. “People from different walks of life are impacted by gangs,” says Jones. “Not just gang members, but people who live around them or have family members involved.” They serve around 50 individuals through this program each year. TEI is also connected to The Ship’s most recent initiative: constructing a transitional housing and day center for those affected by trafficking. It’s a bigger problem than many realize, Jones says. According to data from watch group Polaris, North Carolina’s reports of trafficking-related crime are among the highest in the country. The new facility will house 22 women at a time, along with emergency housing in the future for up to 40 women. “We hope to help a lot more women,” Jones says. Spalding credits District C city councilman Corey Branch for playing a huge part in the planning for this project. “So many people need a chance and don’t know where to get it,” Branch says. “Having a facility for women to turn their life around is so important. The facility will open in South Raleigh to serve as a refuge for those looking for safety or to start over. ” The Ship supports a wide array of communities, but the sentiment of meeting people where they are rings true in every program. It’s that grassroots spirit that allows them to deliver the best help: they see a need, they mobilize, and they use their network to get it done. Says Jones: “Initially we took care of the needs of our communities’ bodies — and now, through our ministry, we ﬁll other gaps.” The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 37

More return for your

LUXURY INVESTMENT! #1 IN LUXURY SALES IN THE TRIANGLE

M E ET OUR G LOBA L LUXURY SPECI A L ISTS AT

- HPWLuxury.com -

NATURE

Male Scarlet Tanager

Spring Beauty

the other RED BIRD This lesser-known species is just as delightful, but harder to spot words and photographs by MIKE DUNN

lmost everyone is familiar with our state bird, the Northern Cardinal. It’s so common and beloved around the country that it’s the official bird of seven states — the most of any species! Cardinals are found year-round throughout our region in forests, yards, and urban parks. My 89-year-old mother loves seeing them at her feeders on the back deck, where she admires the brilliant colors of the male “redbirds” — still a common name in use by many people, especially in rural areas of the South. But did you know there are some other red birds that spend part of their year with us? The Summer Tanager and the Scarlet Tanager brighten our woodlands for several months of every year. Both are neotropical migrants, traveling from their wintering grounds in Central and South America to breeding areas in the north. They are generally less well known to most casual birders, since they tend to populate mature forests and spend much of their time in the tree canopy, where they can be difficult to spot. Males of both species are bright red, much like a cardinal. Adult male Summer Tanagers are red all over, often with a hint of darker color in their wings. As the name implies, Scarlet Tanager males are intensely scarlet with jet-black wings and tails, one of the more vivid color combinations of any of our local birds. Females of both species lack the bold colors of the males, but are beautiful in their own right. A female Summer Tanager is yellow, occasionally with a wash of red, especially as she ages. Female Scarlet Tanagers are yellow below and more olive above, with some dark overtones in the wings. Immature and molting male birds are often splotchy, with hints of red and yellow coloration. I have been obsessed with these birds for many years (I’ve even had an email address with “tanager” in it.) Each spring, I listen for their distinctive vocalizations, then start looking up in the The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 39

NATURE

clockwise from Female top left:Scarlet bloodroot ﬂowers; Clockwise from top left: Female Scarlet Tanager, Male Scarlet Tanager, Tanager searching Round-lobed Hepatica; windﬂower; trout lily for a berry, Male Summer Tanager.

treetops to try to catch a glimpse. Bird sounds are often described as being either songs or calls. Songs tend to be longer and more complex and are generally associated with territory, courtship, and mating. Calls are shorter and function as alarms or to communicate between paired birds or members of a ﬂock. One of the fun things about birding is the way ﬁeld guides describe the sounds made by birds using human phrases. The song of the Summer Tanager is a warbling trill of notes that sound a bit like a shorter version of the sounds made by an American Robin: cheerily, cheer up, cheer up. The Scarlet Tanager song is similar, but includes a series of burry notes often described as sounding more 40 | WALTER

like a robin with a sore throat. The calls of both species are more often heard than the songs: Summer Tanagers give a loud pit-i-tuk tuk, tuk when disturbed, while the Scarlet Tanager has a distinctive, descending chick-burr. Summer Tanagers feed on a variety of insects and fruits, but are such bee and wasp specialists that they are sometimes called the “bee bird.” They are often seen hovering under the eaves of houses grabbing paper wasps near their nests. They also hawk other ﬂying insects by ﬂying out from a perch and grabbing them in midair. One of the pleasant surprises for me has been the affinity of the Summer Tanagers for our suet feeder. Both males and females are reliable

visitors to this deck feeder in summer. We’ve even had birders come to the house just to see these beauties up close. But it is the striking Scarlet Tanager that has brightened my May days these past few springs. Long my nemesis bird in terms of photography, they have suddenly made themselves available to me for a few weeks each spring. There is a small mulberry tree along the driveway near my workshop. One branch is head-high and parallel to the ground so it makes turning a vehicle around tricky. But when that branch started producing fruit, I realized this could be my chance to get photos of this elusive bird, so I haven’t trimmed it for years. About the first week of May, I start hearing or seeing the birds in that tree when I walk back and forth to the shop while doing chores. The Scarlet Tanagers (last year there were two pairs) arrive before the fruit is even ripe and will make several feeding trips throughout the day as long as there are berries. Each feeding bout usually lasts only a few minutes and then they are off for 30 minutes or more before returning. Luckily, I can be working in the yard or shop and hear that chickburr call and then ease over to the open door to get some photos. I leave the camera set up on a tripod and slide into a chair and wait. The only trouble is the tree is very branchy, so it is difficult to get a clear view. A bird usually flies into the upper branches and then looks around for good berries before descending and picking them off with dangling, acrobatic moves or by hovering and plucking a juicy fruit from the end of twig. I still don’t have “the perfect photo,” but I am looking forward to giving it another go this month. Your best bets for finding these other red birds is to head out this month to some mature forests on our local public lands: state parks like Umstead and Eno River, or nature preserves like Hemlock Bluffs are good bets. Listen for the distinctive calls. Then look up, and hope for a glimpse of those striking hues against the sea of leafy green.

Laura Wall

HISTORY

lasting LEGACY A unique record collection is a window into the life of a dedicated public servant by FINN COHEN

town council meeting is an unlikely spot for serendipity, but one night in Southern Pines in 2010, a thread began that would eventually link gospel, punk rock, and civic service. For about four years, Suzanne Coleman had been performing an often-overlooked privilege of democracy — “I’m one of those concerned citizens who attend council meetings,” she says — and was frequently joined by

only one other resident: Veola McLean, a woman 18 years her senior. That fateful night, McLean asked Coleman to drive her back to her small house in West Southern Pines. There, Coleman walked into a museum of sorts — one of Black culture. “She collected art. She collected sculpture. She traveled to Africa and brought back beautiful garments from Senegal; baskets and hand-carved statues in different sizes. She had glass cases

ﬁlled with dashikis, a whole closet full of African garments,” says Coleman. McLean housed it all in a 20-foot by 30foot addition built on to her home, plus 21 separate storage units. “You name it, she collected it: artwork, material from Obama’s campaign, memorabilia from Martin Luther King Jr., Reggie Jackson, Jackie Robinson,” says Coleman. McLean, who died in February 2021 at the age of 89, was a retired Air Force staff sergeant. But she was many other The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 41

HISTORY

things, too: the first Black woman from Moore County to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces; a lifelong learner who accumulated multiple degrees and supported Black high-school graduates with her own savings; a devoted citizen who belonged to groups like the Moore County NAACP, the Friends of Southern Pines Public Library, and the American Legion. With no children of her own, she became a maternal figure to many who entered her sphere of influence. “She was like everybody’s grandma, she would come in and see what mothers didn’t see,” says Tessie Taylor, a lifelong friend who worked with McLean on a number of civic organizations. “She had that ability to sense that inner thing that 42 | WALTER

was maybe going on with somebody: What’s going on with you? Why’re you looking like that? Come and talk to me!” McLean also had more than 5,000 vinyl LPs, a trove of gospel, jazz, blues, soul, and funk — which is where her life intersects with a record store/label in Raleigh perhaps best known for its contribution to the city’s punk circuit. Sorry State Records was opened in 2013 by Daniel Lupton, the guitarist for the band No Love. For the last decade, the store has been a center of gravity for the scene that produced bands like Double Negative, Whatever Brains, and Scarecrow — worlds apart, sonically, from McLean’s vast collection. Coleman, the executor of McLean’s

estate, helped move a number of her collections into storage, but the records were packed into liquor boxes and stacked ceiling-high at her house. She knew someone would want them, and research led her to Sorry State. After talking with Lupton, who also holds a Ph.D. in 18th-century British literature and taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she determined that McLean would want her collection in his hands. “She would like the fact that he’s an educator, he’s passionate about educating his buyers, and he has a vision — she invested heavily in people, especially young people, who had a vision,” Coleman says. “Investing in Daniel and Sorry State Records would help them achieve their vision to broaden their collections into other genres. And the way he’s treated it has kind of validated my selection.” Used LPs are the lifeblood of many record stores; collections like McLean’s can be worth thousands of dollars. When Lupton realized a potential treasure was just an hour away, he made the trek — and he purchased all of them. “The ﬁrst box I looked through, you could tell the collection had been organized at one time, and it was a box full of M’s: Lee Morgan and Thelonious Monk and Jackie McLean, a bunch of great jazz records,” Lupton says. “She’d amassed this massive collection, and to just break it off and send it off into the world unceremoniously — I just wanted to do something more than that.” Lupton and his staff decided to honor McLean’s legacy in several ways. The records that were salvageable would be slowly parceled onto the store’s shelves, along with a piece of purple cardstock on each one marking it as part of “The Miss Veola McLean Collection.” A photo of McLean and an excerpt from her obituary are on one side of each

Courtesy Suzanne Coleman

Clockwise from top left: McLean in an Air Force uniform; boxes of her collection; Usman Khan, left, and Daniel Lupton of Sorry State Records; McLean with scholarship recipients.

card; the other explains that proceeds from the sales of her records go to the Veola McLean Scholarship Fund, which supports Black graduates of Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines as they attend North Carolina colleges and universities. “I was like, there’s probably tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of records here,” Lupton says, adding that one has sold for $800. “And if we sort of break them up and sell them like this, I think we could generate a good chunk of cash for the scholarship fund.” As of late March, Lupton says, sales from McLean’s collection have generated about $8,500 for the fund. Which, as Taylor explains, was perhaps McLean’s most passionate project. “That was her heart. She believed in education. What she promoted was the education of Black children, particularly females,” Taylor says. “She wanted girls to know that there was more to life than growing up, getting out of school,

and going to work for somebody, or getting married and having children.” McLean was raised in a time and place when segregation in Southern Pines was far more pronounced. That, plus entering the world during the Great Depression, shaped McLean into the “fireball,” as Taylor puts it, that she became. Her mother and grandfather raised her to value education. Even after getting a master’s degree in education from North Carolina State University at the age of 48, “she continued to get certifications and associate’s degrees in various subjects from Sandhills Community College,” Coleman says. “I have a whole box of diplomas from among her personal things.” Her grandfather also instilled the value of prudent personal finance. So she invested early and often, funding yearly scholarships of up to $3,000 per student. But it’s her collections that may have defined her strongest beliefs. From

the evolution of Black American music chronicled through her LPs to the Super Soaker squirt gun (invented by Lonnie Johnson, a Black man from Alabama) to the African garments in her closet, they were not the obsessive catalog of a hoarder. They were tools to educate her community about where they came from — and where they were going. (Coleman notes that some of the artifacts may be displayed at an African-American museum being planned by the Southern Pines Land & Housing Trust.) “She didn’t hold it for herself, hide it away to collect: she shared it, she set up exhibits at schools and auditoriums wherever she was invited,” Taylor says. “It had an importance to her of who we are as a people and how African Americans actually ﬁt in the fabric of America. We were not always welcome, but still sitting at the table — still a real important piece, undeniable, of the fabric of who America is.”

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 43

CREATORS

shared LIVES Judy Goldman looks back on the Jim Crow South by WILEY CASH photography by MALLORY CASH

met author Judy Kurtz Goldman the summer of 2013 while seated next to her at a dinner sponsored by a local bookstore in Spartanburg, South Carolina. I can remember her elegant Southern accent, her self-deprecating humor, and her teasing me that calling her “ma’am” made her feel old. But Southerners like Judy know that the conventions you were raised under are hard to buck, regardless of whether they are based on something as benign as manners or as oppressive as prejudice. According to the late Pat Conroy, Judy Goldman is a writer of “great luminous beauty” — and I happen to agree with

him. She’s published memoirs, novels, and collections of poetry, and she has won both the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction and the Hobson Prize for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters. Her new memoir, Child, confronts the horrible legacy of the Jim Crow South while coming to terms with the fact that the customs and laws born from that era delivered one of the most meaningful and long-lasting relationships of her life. It explores the years she shared with her family’s live-in domestic worker, a Black woman named Mattie Culp, who came to live with and work for the Kurtz family in Rock Hill, South Carolina, when

she was 26 and Judy was 3. From the moment of Mattie’s arrival, she and Judy were close physically and emotionally. They shared a bedroom and a bed. Judy and Mattie also shared one another’s love, and that love would cement their bond up until Mattie’s death in 2007 at age 89. There is an old saying that writers write because we have questions. Judy has spent much of her adult life pondering the era and place in which she was raised. She came of age in the 1940s and ’50s, and although she has spent decades living and raising a family in Charlotte, Rock Hill is the deﬁning landscape of her literature.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 45

CREATORS

Old photographs that include Judy Goldman’s caregiver, Mattie Culp; Wiley Cash and Judy Goldman.

“Rock Hill is in every book I’ve ever written,” she says. “It’s a love affair.” But love, as Judy makes clear in writing about her relationship with Mattie, is a complicated emotion. While Judy’s childhood in Rock Hill was blissful on the surface, she now looks back on her life with a discerning eye. This act of remembering brings a whiplash of honest realizations to the memoir. For example, as a child, Judy was proud of the beautiful school with the new playground that she and other white children attended. She did not know that Mattie, who regularly walked Judy to school, walked her home, and took her to play on the playground, had attended a Rosenwald School built for Black children in 1925 in the countryside 10 miles outside of Rock Hill. Judy only learned this information while writing her memoir, and she was able to ﬁnd old photographs of the school: a two46 | WALTER

room building with an outhouse, a far cry from where Judy had spent her own school days. As she grew older, Judy would wonder why Mattie and her boyfriend would sit in his car in the Kurtz’s driveway and chat instead of going out on dates like regular couples did. “I wondered why they never went anywhere,” she writes. “But I know now that there was no place for those two Black people to go in Rock Hill at the time.” The irregular ground of Judy’s childhood was laid by her parents. For example: her father owned a clothing store and went against local custom in the 1950s by hiring a Black saleswoman named Thelma to serve the all-white customers. Judy’s mother kept the books at the store. And while Judy claims that her mother “couldn’t boil water,” she never missed an opportunity to celebrate any holiday, meaning that the Jewish

Kurtz family hid Easter eggs and put up a Christmas tree every year. These irregularities — going against local custom and religious practice — are somewhat easy to explain, considering that Judy describes her father as fair and her mother as someone who loved joy. But there were other, harder to explain inconsistencies. The Kurtzes were a progressive family, so how could they employ a live-in domestic worker who never shared meals with them? Judy, the youngest child in the family, was being raised by a Black woman who, when just a child herself, had given birth to a daughter of her own, named Minnie. Why wasn’t Mattie raising her? Judy has spent much of her life pondering these questions, and she decided that taking them to the page was the best way to try to answer them — but the answers would not be easy to ﬁnd. “Can we trust anything inside the sys-

tem we were brought up in?” she writes. Judy and I are standing at the dining room table in the third-ﬂoor apartment she shares with her husband Henry, near Queens University in Charlotte. Family photographs are scattered on the table in front of us. I look down at the photos of Mattie and recognize her from the photograph on the cover of Together. In that photo, a newly married Henry and Judy are coming down the steps of her parents’ home while smiling friends toss rice into the air. Mattie stands in the background, smiling as if her own youngest child has just gotten hitched. I ask Judy what, after a lifetime of knowing Mattie, made her want to publish a memoir about her now.

“I think it felt right to publish it when I turned 80,” she says. “I thought, if I don’t do it now, I’m not going to do it, it won’t get done.” She pauses, looks down at the photographs. One of them, a portrait

the worse it sounds.” But over the years, Judy came to understand that her and Mattie’s story differed from the stories some of Judy’s friends and acquaintances would tell about the hired women who had raised them. Judy often came away from those conversations with the full understanding that many of those people had not truly examined the inequity of those childhood relationships. They chose instead to focus only on the love Black women had shown their white charges, not what the price of that love might have been. “I don’t want to join them in that,” Judy says. “If my book did not really examine that situation with Mattie and me, then I wasn’t going to publish it.”

“I never thought I had the right to tell this story. A privileged white child in the Jim Crow South talking about her Black live-in maid. The more details you hear, the worse it sounds.” — Judy Goldman of Mattie taken around 1944, which was when she came to work for the Kurtz family, stares back at us. “I never thought I had the right to tell this story,” she says. “A privileged white child in the Jim Crow South talking about her Black live-in maid. The more details you hear,

Make a Statement

Diamonds, Estate and Antique Jewelry • Loose Diamonds of all Shapes and Sizes • Certified Appraisals • Expert Jewelry Repairs WE BUY DIAMONDS, GOLD AND PLATINUM 345 S. WILMINGTON STREET • 919.832.3461 • RELIABLE JEWELRY.COM

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 47

SIMPLE LIFE

The Kindness of Strangers And the strangeness of some kinds of people by JIM DODSON illustration GERRY O’NEILL

he other afternoon I was making a pleasant run to the garden center during early rush hour when I saw something I’ve never seen on a busy North Carolina street. While waiting for the light to change at one of the busiest intersections in the city, a woman next to me in an SUV began edging out into the heavy stream of traffic crossing in front of us. Was she unaware of her dangerous drift into moving traffic? She was, after all, visibly chatting on her phone and apparently oblivious to the blaring horns. Within moments, however, traffic in both directions had halted. One man was actually yelling at her out his window, shaking a fist. But on she merrily went, indifferent to the automotive mayhem left in her wake, the first red light I’ve ever seen run in slow motion. For an instant, I wondered if I might have somehow been teleported to Italy or France, where motorists seem to regard traffic lights and road signs as simple nuisances. Having motored across all of Britain

48 | WALTER

and most of France, Italy and Greece, I long ago concluded that driving there is both a blood sport and national pastime. When in Italy, my operational motto is: drive like the teenage Romeo with the pretty girl on the back of his Vespa who just cut you off in the roundabout with a rude gesture insulting your heritage. It’s all part of the cultural exchange. But here in America, most of us grew up respecting traffic laws because we were force-fed driver’s education in our early teen years, programs designed to make us thoughtful citizens of the public roadways. Yet, in cities across America, officials report that traffic accidents and automobile fatalities are approaching record levels. Some blame the pandemic that has had the world so bottled up and locked down, presumably entitling folks behind the wheel to make up for lost time by driving like there’s no tomorrow — or at least no traffic laws. In my town and possibly yours, is it my imagination or do more folks than ever seem to be blithely running stop signs, ignoring speed limits, and driving like Mad Max on a Tuscan holiday? Running

a red light in slow motion may be the least of our problems. The armchair sociologist in me naturally wonders if America’s deteriorating driving habits and growing automotive brinkmanship might simply be a symptom of the times, part of a general decline of public civility and respect for others. Whatever is fueling the road rage and social mayhem, the remedy is profound, timeless, and maddeningly elusive. But I saw the ﬁx written on a sign my neighbor planted in her yard the other day. Spread Happiness, it said. I found myself thinking about my old man, an ad man with a poet’s heart who believed kindness is the greatest of human virtues, a sign of a truly civilized mind. My nickname for him was Opti the Mystic because he believed even the smallest acts of kindness — especially to strangers — are seeds from which everything good in life grows. “If you are nothing else in life,” he used to advise my older brother and me, “being kind will take you to wonderful places.” This came from a fellow who’d been in the middle of a World War and experi-

young clerk if she could possibly give my phone a brief charge. Her supervisor emerged from the office. When I explained that I was running errands for my wife when my day suddenly went ﬂat, she gave me a big grin. “Bless your heart, child! Give me that phone!” I handed it over. She shook her head and laughed. “You’re just like my husband. I can’t let that man go anywhere without him gettin’ into trouble! That’s husbands for you!” Just like that, my good mood returned. And a few minutes later, the tow truck arrived. The driver was a big burly guy. He was having a long morning, too. We dropped off my car at the auto service center and he offered to drive me home to get my other car. It was the second act of kindness from a stranger that morning. As we approached my street, I saw my neighbor’s pink Spread Happiness sign for the second time.

“What kind of cake do you like?” I asked him. “Carrot cake,” he replied. He dropped me off. I drove over to the farmers’ market, picked up a piece of my wife’s amazing carrot cake, phoned the driver, and met him at a parking lot near his next job. “This just makes my day,” he said, diving in. I then drove back to the service station across town to pick up my phone, which I’d managed to forget in all the unexpected mayhem of the morning. I even offered to pay the ladies for their kindness to a stranger. They simply laughed. “Oh, honey, that’s why we’re here!” said the manager. “I’m just glad you remembered to come back for your phone, so I didn’t have to chase your butt all over town!” I drove home to plant my new hydrangeas in a happy state of mind, making a mental note to take my wife’s famous Southern-style caramel cake to these strangers who are now friends.

6WDFH\ 9DQ %HUNHO 3KRWRJUDSK\

enced ﬁrsthand the worst things human beings can do to each other. He became the kindest man I’ve ever known. In any case, Opti would have loved how a timely reminder of his message came home to me during another challenging automotive moment. On a recent Saturday morning, after setting up my wife’s tent at the farmers’ market, I set off in my vintage Buick Roadmaster wagon to a nursery on the edge of town to buy hydrangeas. On the drive home, however, I blew a front tire and barely made it off the highway into a gas station before the tire went completely ﬂat. I had no spare. To make matters worse, my cell phone had only one percent of its battery left — just enough to leave a quick, desperate voicemail on my wife’s answering service before the dang thing went dead. I walked into the service shop whispering dark oaths under my breath at such miserable timing, asking the personable

Timelesss • Soulfull • Sanctuary Let us create one-of-a-kind spaces for you that make your heart and mind soar on a daily basis. 919.424.2115 | colorfulconceptsinteriordesign.com

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 49

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

giftLOCAL

The most sought-after goods for every occasion from Triangle retailers.

THE “V” AND CURVED BAR NECKLACES FROM THE SABEL COLLECTION WORK LAYERED OR SOLO. $1,150 FOR WHITE GOLD NECKLACE, $695 FOR YELLOW GOLD NECKLACE FINK’S JEWELERS

THIS BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN GINGER JAR IS PERFECT FOR STORING KITCHEN OR BATHROOM ITEMS — OR JUST AS A LOVELY STATEMENT PIECE. $180 PAYSAGE HOME

50 | WALTER

PRACTICAL YET STYLISH, THE LIGHTWEIGHT VERSA TOTE COMES IN A SPECTRUM OF COLORS AND A LA CARTE STRAP OPTIONS. BAG $70, STRAPS FROM $20 GREAT OUTDOOR PROVISION CO.

DIAMONDS OUTLINE OVAL EMERALDS ON THESE STUNNING ACCESSORIES, WHICH CAN BE WORN AS A SET OR ON THEIR OWN. $2,150 FOR EARRINGS, $2,350 FOR NECKLACE RELIABLE JEWELRY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BY CHARLOTTE ARTIST STEPHEN WILSON, THIS VIBRANT UPCYCLED BOX INCORPORATES VINTAGE HERMÉS PRINTS, EMBROIDERY, AND APPLIQUÉ. $600 SOUTH CHAPEL HILL

THIS SET IS HANDMADE FROM AMBER, TURQUOISE, AND STERLING SILVER. $30 FOR EARRINGS, $60 FOR NECKLACE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES

CHOOSE A SCENT AND VESSEL FROM THIS LINE OF REFILLABLE, HAND-POURED LUXURY CANDLES. FROM $24 (50% OFF WITH CODE WALTER50) WILLOWTREE CANDLES

KNOWN AS ‘THE BRUNCH BAG,’ LUXURY TEXTILES POP IN THIS LIMITED-EDITION CLUTCH MADE BY A NORTH CAROLINA DESIGNER. $525 PONGOPANNA

THIS TIMELESS, SLEEK 14 KARAT GOLD JUPITER BRACELET HAS A SCULPTURAL FLOURISH ACCENTED WITH DIAMONDS, A LITTLE SPARKLE FOR EVERY DAY. $1,200 TRADITIONAL JEWELERS

ROOTED IN RALEIGH, A SUBSCRIPTION TO WALTER OFFERS YEARS OF COMPELLNG STORIES AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY. FROM $25 WALTERMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2020 | |79 The Art & Soul of Raleigh 51

Escape. Unwind. Indulge. WINERIES • BREWERIES • CASUAL & FINE DINING GALLERIES • BOUTIQUES • THEATER • COMFY LODGING

BannerElk.com

Forgetting Age by PAUL JONES Has the age of forgetting just begun? I’m glad to forget some things but others I want to hold on to as if they’ve begun, as if they’re new, yet familiar, like dawn. Here comes the age of where-has-it-all-gone, when I wonder what may have been before: the color of someone’s eyes, someone who lived nearby, someone whose name I once knew, the certain way a dark cloud haunts the sky. But like the cloud, they’re wisps and mist and last only long enough to become heavy, to fall into unknowing. Sweet and small. I grasp at them. I know they will be missed, as memory, like soft rain, starts to fall.

illustration by SUSIE SILVER

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 53

Opposite page: Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams’ Second Empire home in Historic Oakwood was built in 1879 by Thomas Briggs. This page: Stepping through the front entrance, guests are greeted by a cheerful mix of antiques and newer pieces. The painting above the desk is a copy of a 1692 portrait of Skinner’s ﬁfth-great grandfather, which they commissioned from Chapel Hill artist Barbara Seinfeld. They found the statue at the end of the hall at Logan’s Garden Shop.

54 | WALTER

Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams embrace the spirit of their Second Empire home

GRACIOUS LIVING by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE photography by TREY THOMAS

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 55

“H

ouses have their own spirits,” says Carter Skinner. “This one has a gracious Southern personality, and it loves being filled with people. It just glows when we entertain.” The 1879 Second Empire home may draw energy from a crowd, but its inner glow has been brought out by Skinner and his husband, Chapman Williams. The home is gregarious on every surface, layered with history and beauty — from the luxuriously upholstered walls, to the windows draped in bold colors and patterns, to the well-worn hardwood floors adorned in jewel-toned antique rugs. The two have embraced the spirit of the home: They love to host family and longtime friends for big dinners in the dining room, and newer acquaintances quickly find themselves seated at the kitchen counter, ice-cold Cosmopolitans in hand. The presentation is formal — break out the china! pile on the silver! — but both meals and decor are presented

56 | WALTER

with a wink. Fussy, perhaps, but not precious. Skinner and Williams bought the home 20 years ago, just about sight unseen. When they learned that the house was for sale, they peeked through the windows to see 12-foot ceilings and heart-pine floors. As longtime Oakwood residents and home decor experts (Skinner is a custom home designer, and Williams’ career has spanned interior and fashion design as well as event production), it was enough to go on. “We just loved the location and the double lot; we knew we’d have the ability to do a nice garden,” says Skinner. The home was originally part of the pecan orchard on the Mordecai Plantation (some of the trees planted in the 1800s are still there). Like many of the grand houses in this neighborhood, it was designed as a single-family residence, then subdivided into apartments in the mid-1900s. It was returned to the single-family format by the previous owners. When the two moved in, they set about giving it a gut job and a facelift: installing new electrical and plumbing, refinishing floors and walls, plus modernizing the floor plan. “We took it to

Opposite page: Just inside the front door, a silver ship holds orchids. “That’s a family piece, one of our treasures,” says Skinner. This page: In the parlor, the Nichols rug was the starting point for the scheme. Williams upholstered the walls himself in navy blue silk. “I love fabric. It’s a pain in the butt, but I also enjoy doing it,” he says. The settee in the bay window was a recent ﬁnd from an antiques shop; they had it reupholstered to play oﬀ the Asian elements in the room.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 57

The mirror above the mantel in the dining room is a favorite piece. “We found it in my great-aunt’s house when she passed, and my parents thought it was Victorian junk until an antiques expert came by and saw it in the garage,” Skinner says. “It’s pretty much why we bought the house, so we could put it on the mantel,” jokes Williams. The two love to entertain, using a mix of family silver and antique ﬁnds. Opposite page: Williams made the drapes and upholstered the walls.

58 | WALTER

the studs,” says Williams. They opened up an enclosed galley kitchen to create an open-plan area for cooking, dining, and relaxing with access to the back garden. “It’s built on the east face of the house, and the sun in the morning is amazing,” says Skinner. After living there for two decades, the two recently redecorated. “We just felt like freshening up,” says Skinner. So, they updated colors for the walls and trim, installed new drapes in a few rooms (many made by Wiliams himself ), and acquired a few antique pieces of furniture, redone in zippy fabrics. The interiors are decidedly Anglophile, a mix of family heirlooms, antique ﬁnds, and new pieces with a historic feel. Many of the rooms get their palettes from rugs by W.A.B. Nichols, an English importer of Chinese rugs in rich hues like fuchsia, navy, and lime green that were popular from the 1920s to 1940s. “We started with one rug, and then got hooked and started collecting them,” says Williams. “They just ﬁt into the rooms, so we design around them.” Many of the rooms have walls uphol-

stered in fabric — something Williams does himself as a labor of love. “It’s also period appropriate, and I swear it keeps the rooms warmer,” says Skinner. Layered on to the history is a maximalist bent: “There’s just stuff, stuff, stuff,” laughs Williams. “But we love the feel of the family collections.” There’s lots of silver, patterns that play off each other either in color or theme, and ﬂowers (all arranged by Williams) in copious, exuberant bunches. The two are aligned in their taste. “Often, we’ll be in an antique store or art gallery, and one of us’ll see something and think, I like that, but he’ll hate it — and then ﬁve minutes later, the other will pull it out and say, I love this!” says Williams. “We just love the patina that comes with age,” says Skinner. “It feels warm and welcoming.” Warm, welcoming, and just right for the spirit of this house, whose personality they both respect and nurture. Says Skinner: “We feel like this house is a part of our marriage.”

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 59

60 | WALTER

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 00

Opposite page: Williams jokes that they call the study, which is full of family portraits, passed-down heirlooms, and memorabilia, the “dead Skinner room.” Above the mantel hang blueprints of Skinner’s grandfather’s home. The powder room is a showstopper. “Everyone’s amazed because it looks like a library,” says Skinner, “but from a practical standpoint, it’s right oﬀ the den, so we didn’t want people to look in and know it was a bathroom.” One big change the couple made to the home was to open up the kitchen to create an informal space for dining and entertaining. This page: The large portrait of the two is by William Branson III, a nationally recognized artist who grew up near Skinner in Durham. “It took me two years to get used to it,” Williams laughs.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 61

The ceiling soars up another story from the second ﬂoor with 27-footlong drapes bridging two windows. Williams designed the wroughtiron chandelier hanging here. Opposite page: In the guest room, Williams reupholstered a family sofa in vibrant pink velvet. On either side of the bed are photos from a shoot for Williams’ fashion line. The adjoining bathroom continues the blue-and-white scheme. Across the hallway is a second guest room.

62 | WALTER

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 63

64 | WALTER

Opposite page: The walls in the couple’s bedroom are upholstered in Tiffany blue ultrasuede. Williams reguilded the mirror that leads into the bathroom (“A pandemic project,” he says). Opposite page: Back on the first floor, a collection of photographs lines the hallways. Among the favorites is a photo they refer to as “The Gay Gatsby,” which they found at a gallery at the Savannah College of Art and Design. “It’s just the boys without Daisy,” laughs Skinner. To the right is a photo of their grandnephew sitting in the silver ship that’s currently holding orchids in the entryway.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 65

Skinner and Williams came up with the idea together to paint the ﬂoors of the ample front porch in black and white. “We didn’t want a solid; we thought the harlequin print would give it some playfulness,” says Skinner. Opposite page: The home sits on a double lot, much of which is taken up with a patio seating area and lined with manicured hedges. The sunroom was an addition to the house that allows access to the garden.

66 | WALTER

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 67

68 | WALTER

Glimpses into the past from the journal A.C. Snow kept during his time in service

WAR in WORDS by KATHERINE SNOW SMITH

few weeks after my father died in January, at the age of 97, I met him again as a 19-year-old. Stacked under a ﬁle of important letters and a few issues of Sports Illustrated with the Tar Heels on the cover was the journal he kept from his time in World War II. In the handwriting I recognize so well, the journal is ﬁlled with his eloquent way of describing scenes of life that many people, certainly most teenagers, tend to overlook. My father, A.C. Snow, was drafted about a year after graduating from Dobson High School in Surry County. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which was the aerial warfare component of the Army that later became the Air Force. For a long time, he was stationed on New Guinea, where his

photography by BRYAN REGAN

squadron built much of the Milne Bay base after the Allies occupied the large island and fought against the Japanese for four years to maintain control. I grew up knowing him as a supportive and loving father, then later understood more of his role as the editor of The Raleigh Times and longtime columnist for that paper, as well as The News & Observer. But reading his journal, I glimpsed into his young mind — and got a ﬁrsthand look at the lives of so many of that Greatest Generation. My Aunt Ima, one of my father’s 15 siblings, is listed on the ﬁrst page as the person who gave him the journal. Its template has an upbeat tone, akin to something I might have sent my kids when they were at Camp Seafarer or Sea Gull. Many pages have prompts like, “My Buddies in the Service,” “Officers I Have Met,” “Gifts I Have Received,” and

“Autographs.” It stopped short of saying: “War Can Be Fun!” There are postage-stamp sized sketches of jolly servicemen playing the harmonica, waving to pals, or shaking hands with a lovely woman, alongside inspiring quotes from Shakespeare, Theodore Roosevelt, and the Bible. On the page eliciting “Places I Have Been,” with a sketch of a serviceman on a city street, my father added the word “Stationed.” He lists nine islands in the South Paciﬁc with one-word descriptions such as “terrible,” “still worse,” and “muddy.” He calls Okinawa “hell.” The island of Pugo receives the only high marks: “paradise.” He was at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro when he learned, on Dec. 31, 1943, that he was being shipped out. The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 69

JAN. 1, 1944: I never thought I’d really go. He left a week later for California and would travel west for eight days to reach the Pacific Ocean. Until then, he’d never even gone five hours east to see the Atlantic. JAN. 6, 1944: The morning of Jan. 6 about 400 soldiers were gathered at the Parade Ground with packs and gas masks. We shivered in the early morning dampness until 10 o’ clock when we began to march to the railroad accompanied by a big band. Once he reached Pittsburg, California, he and the other men boarded a barge to the USS Monticello troop carrier, which would transport them across the Pacific for 18 days. JAN. 14, 1944: Civilians waved goodbye. I was impressed by an old man and gray 70 | WALTER

haired woman standing together waving frantically. The fellows laughed. But I knew that these two old people were sincere in their emotions. JAN. 17, 1944: From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we are allowed on deck. The hours we look forward to each day. Usually Charlie, Don and I just stare at the endless ocean and discuss anything and everything. These are the shortest hours of the day. The heat is blistering but at least we get some fresh air. Twice today we spotted ships and the alarm was given, but I was relieved to ﬁnd they were Allies. On Feb. 3, they reached land — New Guinea. FEB. 3, 1944: We were all elated and thronged to the deck… It looked very green and jungle like. We had thought all along we

were going to Australia. Not one of us had ever even heard of this place and not one had any desire to get off here… We reached the shore. Two abreast we started marching, expecting to be massacred by [Japanese soldiers] at any moment. After walking an hour a truck came along and picked us up. We jostled along for 15 miles and ﬁnally stopped. We piled off and were led down to a row of tents. Some fellow asked me where I was from and I was so tired and discouraged I announced: ‘America’ at which he mumbled ‘smart guy.’ …No one had told us a thing and we knew not what to expect. They set up their cots in waist-high grass and were attacked by ants the ﬁrst night. The next morning they cleared the grass, killed the colossal ant colonies, and soon learned what to expect for a while. FEB. 8, 1945: Some days we work 4 p.m.

COURTESY KATHERINE SNOW SMITH (PHOTO); Zach Wittman (UNIFORM)

to midnight. Others from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. We work every day, Sundays and all. We unload ships, work with cranes, clear the jungle, build latrines and everything else imaginable. But the journal also recorded some brighter moments. Going to a church service was a treat, as was a Betty Grable movie, or the chance to wash their clothes in a creek on the ﬁrst afternoon off in three weeks. He noted when he received letters from relatives, friends, and even teachers, writing that he’d read them “over and over again.” FEB. 4, 1944: The sun arose from behind a nearby mountain. It was a crimson ball of ﬁre which turned the cloudless sky into a spectrum of colors. The tall leaves of the coconut palms seemed to be waxed, and the water in the bay shimmered in the early

Left: A wartime photo of A.C. Snow. Right: His uniform.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 71

My father’s family was fortunate. Three of his brothers and four of his nephews served in World War II. They all came back home. 72 | WALTER

dawn while the jungle birds awakened and began screaming and ﬂying about. MARCH 12, 1945: One time Don, Charlie and I worked in a warehouse and did nothing but race up and down on loading machines… We had movies three nights a week. The theater was only logs lined up on a hill surrounded by the jungle with the screen up front. Natives climbed the trees at the edge of the jungle and watched the miracles of movies. The Red Cross did a swell job. They furnished us with lemonade. Ultimately, my father was assigned to Communications, which included working with secret codes, manning the switchboard, and ﬂying with pilots to retrieve soldiers or take supplies. He was never in direct combat; he had it easier than many. But he was still exposed to

danger, and the death of others, regularly. He wrote that “guns roared” all around as Japan tried to take over New Guinea. MAY 16, 1944: I watched the crew of a B-24 jump out of their plane. Heard the pilot over the radio receiver. He put the automatic pilot on. It flew into the clouds to be later shot down. SEP. 6, 1944: My good friend and fellow student Logan has been killed. He’s the first of our [high school] class to die and the last, I hope. SEP. 27, 1944: A 171 [fighter squadron] crashed. 9 people killed. Lt. Jameson, Nash Fredericks and Dale Garrett were killed. The whole tent went to the funeral. My father’s family was fortunate. Three of his brothers and four of his nephews

served in World War II. They all came back home. NOV. 17, 1945, FORT BRAGG: I am a civilian! At 10:17 tonight I received the papers that set me free… It seems so long ago that I came in. Parts of this Army life were really ok. Other parts weren’t. I’ve met the ﬁnest type of Americans. I’ve tried to remember the good and forget the bad. Well, I’ll close this now, hoping that Civilian life will not be too harsh on me. He didn’t know what to expect when he left or when he returned. But he was hopeful. And this, of course, is why the 16 million men and 350,000 women who fought in World War II are considered “the Greatest Generation.” They fought and worked in extreme heat and cold, survived on mediocre food, and found The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 73

solace in their friendships and occasional, simple pleasures. As I read this well-worn journal that seemed to offer some small comfort as my father waded through the war, I thought of my own son, who is also 19. How different his life as a freshman at Denison University in Ohio is from that of my father at the same age. The same day that I read my father’s journal, I received an email from Denison for parents of ﬁrst-year students. It alerted us that our students would soon be choosing housing and roommates for next year and warned us this can be a stressful time. It offered tips for supporting them as they make decisions. I do appreciate a faculty that keeps parents in the loop and cares about students. But it’s impossible not to compare this life with my father’s, and the millions like him. 74 | WALTER

Uncle Sam didn’t tell my father where he was going, much less let his mother know or suggest ways to make the transition easier. My son and I can text, call, or email and reach each other immediately. My father and his mom exchanged letters that took months to arrive. My dad didn’t talk much about World War II. Being a soldier wasn’t what defined him. But I think those two years that capped off his hardscrabble upbringing definitely helped shape him. He learned to always appreciate the small things, a trait he carried through to the end. And perhaps it was this first collection of writing — two years of tedium, fear, and wonder chronicled in a journal — that ignited what he would refer to, 75 years later, as “a love affair with words and their wondrous power when strung together.”

A.C. Snow and daughter Katherine Snow Smith a few years ago.

Cheerful illustrations pepper the journal.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 75

Inslee Fariss captures beauty and whimsy in her delicate watercolors

FLORA & FAUNA by HAMPTON WILLIAMS HOFER photography by S.P. MURRAY

76 | WALTER

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 77

This page: Inslee Fariss in her home studio. Opposite page: A piece titled Menagerie.

photo album at Inslee Fariss’ parents’ house shows pictures of a diapered toddler scribbling with crayons: a drooling smile, a mess of dark hair — at a glance, a familiar scene. But look a little closer and you can see the precise positioning of the baby’s ﬁngers on the crayon, the intricate detail of the lines in her drawing. “Now that I’m a mother, I realize it was unusual,” Fariss says, of her early affinity for drawing. Fariss’ gift for drawing has morphed over the decades into her signature whimsical water-colored artistry. Her art has caught the eye of brands like Anthropologie, which sold her hand-painted plates, and LAKE Pajamas, whose signature holiday pajamas featured her work this past year, and popped up everywhere from the home of Meghan Markle to boxes of Nest candles.

78 | WALTER

Fariss had no formal training in art. As a child, she studied ballet seriously, drawn to classical music and creativity, and dreamed of moving to Russia to become a ballerina. Every year, the dance studio in her hometown of Leesburg, Virginia, held a ballet competition. In the lobby was an art show. Fariss would practice her pirouettes for weeks, dedicated and meticulous, but she never won anything in ballet. What she did win — year after year — was the lobby art show, even the year she sketched a dancer on a napkin. Fariss’ early work featured delicate, elongated models in artful gowns. “I was 16 when I fell in love with fashion illustration. I came of age in an era where painting skinny white women worked — I didn’t know anything other than clean cut, fresh, and girly,” she says. During her junior year at Washington and Lee University, she started a website to showcase the fashion illustration

cards she was making on the side. Right after graduating college in 2008, the director of public relations at Oscar de la Renta in New York discovered Fariss’ work via social media and became such a fan that her assistants asked Fariss to paint her portrait. Fariss delivered the art herself, landing an internship on the spot. Her fashion ﬁgures were such a hit, so essential to the basis of her initial brand as an artist, that she still gets emails frequently, asking why she no longer draws the models.“I appreciate where it got me started, but I’ve moved away from the models for so many reasons, one of which is coming to terms with who and where we are culturally, no longer wanting to celebrate gaunt fashion models in clothes we can’t afford,” she says. “When I started having younger eyes on me, as a parent, I wanted a different message.” For a decade in New York, Fariss took commissions to pay the rent: requests

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 79

to paint dogs, nursery art, brides in their gowns. “Ten years of my life was applying fashion illustration to wedding photos, and I felt almost backed into being a portrait artist.” Then, as the people she had painted as brides started to have babies and request little animals and ﬂowers for their nurseries, Fariss discovered that “this is where I’m happy.,” Fariss and her husband Anderson, who is from High Point, considered both California and Charleston when it was time for their growing family to leave New York. In the end, they chose North Carolina. “Raleigh feels so much like a small town with big city gravitas, so much richness, cultural texture — it’s a special alchemy,” she says. They have settled into a historic home near Lassiter Mill, where the front room serves as Fariss’ studio. Natural light ﬂoods a wooden

desk, shelves covered in little glass bottles freehand. Her botanicals are all done of paint, and stacks of her original prints without any guide. Fariss’ studio wall of curling lizards and sprouting lemons. is lined with watercolors: “I like liquid Fariss has created an art destination concentrated paints for their vibrancy,” on her popular Instagram account, she says, “or tubes of gouache. Sometimes where videos show her loosely gripping I mix in acrylic — all the paint!” a delicate paintbrush, using watercolor Christina Smith remembers when they on pressed paper to spin out fantastical were teenagers, and Fariss sketched each florals, foxes in scarves, even an octopus of her friends on their birthdays. “It’s giving side-eye. She also uses the page been a gift to witness Inslee evolve as an as a realistic peek into her own life with artist — her curiosity and love of life are always evident, even as she delves into humor and humility, as she records her new subjects and techniques,” says Smith, spirited toddler doing taekwondo in swimming goggles or lying face down on who has gone on to commission Fariss the field in the middle of his soccer game. for everything from her wedding invitation to her daughter’s birth announceHer process depends on the project: In ment. “Her outlook the fashion days, she on life inspires me sketched first with “It’s been a gift to to move through the ink pen to create clean witness Inslee evolve day-to-day with joy, lines, later adding recognizing everypaint. Now she prefers as an artist — her

curiosity and love of life are always evident, even as she delves into new subjects and techniques.” — Christina Smith

00 | WALTER 80

Above: Fariss holds a group of new botanical prints.

thing as part of the big adventure.” One of Fariss’ biggest local collectors, Whitney Otto, owns dozens of her framed prints, which Fariss sells directly to consumers on her website. Otto also gifts Fariss’ popular yearly calendar to her clients each holiday season. “Inslee’s botanicals remind me of my beloved grandfather’s backyard garden, where my sisters and I spent endless hours in our own imaginative world,” Otto says. “Her watercolor details — things like insects with whimsical winks — are simply impeccable.” Fariss paid her dues to get here, to the point where she draws what she wants, blending work and pleasure in that little front studio. “There’s inspiration everywhere,” says Fariss, whose mind is creating even while she’s packing lunch boxes and picking up LEGOs. “It’s hard to say what the future is — I’m just at the beginning.” The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 81

Thank you for investing in tomorrow’s leaders Bank of America is proud to support WINi for showing our young people that hard work, teamwork and reaching for excellence can lead to a bright tomorrow. You’re an inspiration to our future leaders and to us all. Visit us at bankofamerica.com/thetriangle.

Samantha Everette

THE WHIRL

WALTER’s roundup of gatherings, celebrations, fundraisers, and more around Raleigh.

84 WINi 2022 87 Creative Mornings RDU 89 King’s Ridge Groundbreaking 90 Dreamville Festival 92 Big Night In for the Arts 94 North Carolina Master Chorale Donor Reception

To have your event considered for The Whirl, submit images and information at waltermagazine.com/submit-photos

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 83

WALTER EVENTS

n March 13, WALTER hosted its fifth annual WINi summit at Market Hall. It was a lovely afternoon of inspiring speeches and thought-provoking conversations. This year’s speakers were Dawn Blagrove, Cary Heise, Daisy Magnus-Aryitey, and Emily Neville. Each offered their perspective on finding fulfilling, purpose-driven careers. Blagrove is the executive director of Emancipate NC, an organization dedicated to dismantling structural racism and mass incarceration. Heise is the executive director and founder of Designed for Joy, a retail platform that empowers women with dignified work experiences. Magnus-Aryitey is co-executive director of Code

84 | WALTER

the Dream, an organization that teaches computer programming. Neville is the founder and CEO of Reborn Clothing Co., dedicated to reducing corporate and consumer textile waste. Innovate Carolina at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led a workshop to kick off the event. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Bank of America, supporting sponsor Saint Mary’s School and workshop sponsors St. David’s School and Wegmans, as well as Samet Corporation, Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs at North Carolina State University, Innovate Carolina, and The Office of Strategy & Innovation at the City of Raleigh for making this event possible.

WALTER Staﬀ

WINi 2022

Clockwise from above: Guests at WINi 2022; Bank of America’s Virginia Parker; Rida Bayraktar, left, and Melissa Carrier of Innovate Carolina; guests Claudine Parise, left, and Carol Andreu; guests enjoy the spread from Market Hall; selections from Westgate Wine; the Q&A session with the panelists, featuring ﬂoral arrangements from Bloom Works. Opposite page, left to right: WALTER editor Ayn-Monique Klahre, Daisy Magnus-Aryitey, Emily Neville, Cary Heise, and Dawn Blagrove.

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 85

A NOVEL PLACE

Chapter 14

Living Free N

o school. No chores. No constantly chirping phones. We were detached

from nearly everything in our everyday lives. Still, as we paddled through the waters of the Southern Outer Banks, we felt more connected than ever.

Discover seasonal offers on vacation rentals & more at CrystalCoastNC.org

THE WHIRL

WALTER staﬀ (TOP PHOTO); Jordan Gibson (ALL OTHERS)

CREATIVE MORNINGS RDU On Friday, March 25, Creative Mornings RDU hosted its ﬁrst in-person event in nearly two years. Featuring singer-songwriter MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger, dozens of guests gathered at the North Carolina Museum of Art for an early dose of inspiration on the theme of Folklore. Counter Culture provided coﬀee and Yellow Dog Bread Company served up scones.

Carla Hendrix, Shana Tucker, Joshua Steadman

PROVIDING PREMIER PROVIDING DENTISTRY INPREMIER RALEIGH DENTISTRY IN RALEIGH FOR GENERATIONS FOR GENERATIONS

PART OF THE FABRIC PART OF THESINCE FABRIC OF RALEIGH 1899 OFpatients RALEIGH SINCE 1899 Our receive state-of-the-art Ourcare patients receive state-of-the-art in a warm, professional, safe care inand a warm, friendlyprofessional, environment.safe Wefriendly welcomeenvironment. new patients! and We welcome new patients!

OUR SIGNATURE SERVICES INCLUDE: OUR SIGNATURE SERVICES Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dental INCLUDE: Care Comprehensive & Cosmetic Same-Day CEREC Crowns Dental Care Same-Day CEREC Crowns Invisalign Orthodontics Invisalign Orthodontics Dental Implants Sleep Apnea Dental Implants TMJ Therapy Sleep Apnea TMJ Therapy

919-782-0801 919-782-0801 www.drgregweaver.com www drgregweaver com

Blakeley Pritchard

Guests checking in

Mother's Day Brunch 4VOEBZ .BZ BN QN Celebrate the moms in your life! 4IPQ PVS .PUIFS T %BZ $PMMFDUJPO $PNQMJNFOUBSZ HJGU XSBQ JODMVEFE www.zestcafehomeart.com 8831 Six Forks Rd. Raleigh, NC 919.848.4792

MC Taylor

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 87

THE WHIRL

Tyler Cunningham

KING’S RIDGE GROUNDBREAKING On March 29, CASA celebrated the groundbreaking of King’s Ridge, an emotional event honoring years of hard work, with volunteers, elected officials, and community members. The King’s Ridge Apartments are being developed to offer high-quality, affordable housing for individuals and families with a goal of reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness in Wake County.

Molly Painter

Virginia Parker, Shinica Thomas, Jennifer Wagner

Hillary Leacock, Lyle Gardner, Rhonda Gardner

Breaking ground

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 89

THE WHIRL DREAMVILLE FESTIVAL Dorothea Dix Park came alive with J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival the weekend of April 2-3. More than 80,000 people attended this celebration of culture, food, and art, which included dozens of performances across three stages and installations from Artsplosure. WALTER photographer Samantha Everette captured the scene and its well-dressed guests.

Claren W Englebreth, AAMS® Financial Advisor

Samantha Everette

4301 Lake Boone Trl Suite 206 Raleigh, NC 27607 919-615-0054

Mereba

90 | WALTER

w rig hts v ille

b e ach

FRESH OCEAN BREEZES

Samantha Everette

Your drive-to island vacation resort

Tranquil mornings, long beach walks, and evening cruises, all await you on the island of Wrightsville Beach and the historic Blockade Runner Beach Resort. Our Beach and Breakfast Package is perfect for some fun in the sun; this two night package includes two beach chairs and an umbrella, as well as breakfast in bed each morning!

blockade-runner.com North Carolina Central University Sound Machine Marching Band

855-421-2884

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 91

North Hills 919.821.1556 shop online at: mainandtaylorshoes.com

THE WHIRL BIG NIGHT IN FOR THE ARTS On March 10, area arts councils in partnership with WRAL-TV produced the second annual Big Night In for the Arts fundraiser. Performers included Nnenna Freelon, Jabu Graybeal, Ben Folds, Jaki Shelton Green, and many others. Some viewers hosted watch parties with meal kits by Mitchell-Casteel catering to enjoy the evening.

Heather Allen Zucchino, Lorna Knick, Suzie Koonce, Anna Tison, Julia Mastropaolo, Chico Scott, Slee Arnold, Rachael Pair, Laura Montgomery, Jennifer Judy

“INTERESTING STUFF” FOR YOUR HOME & COLLECTIONS

Pigfish Lane Antiques & Interiors

Ragen Carlile, Omar Ruiz-Lopez, Chrishawn Darby, Shana Tucker, Jim Crew, Lena Tillet, Dan Haggerty

Madison Moody, Christie Frisbie, Molly Avery, Danielle Padula, Christina Mueller, Sharon Day

antiques • porcelain • art old & new • custom framing • carpets lamp shades & repair • custom-built furniture • ¿QH HVWDWH MHZHOU\ PRUH

2YHU VT IW RI ¿QH GHDOHUV (919) 436-4006 • SLJ¿VKODQH FRP • 5425 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh 92 | WALTER

Laura Wall, Catherine Currin, Cristina Hurley, Colony Little, Lisa McIntosh

Courtesy United Arts Council (TOP PHOTOS); WALTER Staﬀ (BOTTOM PHOTO)

Everyone loves the Handbags from Main & Taylor

k a e r b a e k a T ith us w

ISSUES PER YEAR 1 YEAR $25 2 YEARS $45 3 YEARS $60

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

waltermagazine.com/subscribe

or call 818.286.3118

IS IT TIKI GLASS SEASON YET?!! LARGEST SELECTION OF VINTAGE BARWARE IN THE TRIANGLE

Fine Porcelains, Fun Furnishings, Vintage Barware, Unique Gifts

THE WHIRL NC MASTER CHORALE DONOR RECEPTION On March 22, after its performance with the United States Army Choir, the North Carolina Master Chorale hosted a reception to recognize the supporters of its mission, concerts, and educational opportunities.

Daniel Toven, Christine Kastner

1846 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh NC 27608

www.thefabfoo.com • 919-621-1771

courtesy NC Master Chorale

SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter

Bill Shuler, Elise Shuler, Sally Albrecht, Jay Althouse

stay current on the best in art, culture, food and fun

Arlene Sanders, Yvonne Holley, Chancy Kapp

Tracy Labrecque, Ann Robertson

94 | WALTER

EXTRAS

Jessica Crawford (COOKSHOP); Courtesy The Oak (COZY); Bryan Regan (ACORN); Erin Comerford, Kathernie Johnson (SCOTT); Antione King (WILLARD); Jessica Crawford (COOKSHOP)

Take WALTER to go! There’s always something to discover on our website and social media. Here’s what’s been happening. FOLLOW US @WALTERMAGAZINE

WEB EXCLUSIVE STORIES

WHERE TO GET BREAKFAST IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH From to-go coﬀee and pastries to a sitdown morning meal, these spots oﬀer breakfast near Fayetteville Street.

10 TRIANGLE NATIVES WHO HAVE MADE IT BIG IN HOLLYWOOD AND ON BROADWAY The Triangle’s thriving arts scene has produced some major stars. Here are just a few — and how they got their starts.

GETTING READY TO GARDEN? GET YOUR SOIL TESTED FIRST This free service through the Department of Agriculture can save you time and money on your yard.

TRENDING ON INSTAGRAM

282

279

A few snaps of guests at day 1 of @dreamvillefest @theshootingbeauty @Cultureshockart Beautiful @Aynmoe @Cdcayp

Park Street neighborhood in March @steadyﬁlm @Metrodigs Some of the most valuable shade during our sweltering summers can be found along these streets. Especially for runners! @Tmr360photobooth Our absolute favorite time of the year! @Rustedrosevintageshop The Triangle is home to most amazing camellia bushes

919

Say hello to our April cover & swipe for some EXCLUSIVE real estate buzz in this month’s issue, including the iconic Holiday Inn’s future home in Five Points. Seth Crossno Todd Benner @leandro_jenhudson Priceless/You got me! @Katewoodwhite Too soon to joke about K&W @Kristywharvey This is amazing and hilarious

The Art & Soul of Raleigh | 95

END NOTE

Feet in the Sand The extraordinary woman who saved Jockey’s Ridge

ockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head is known for its mesmerizing, massive dunes. The highest caps 60 feet, anchoring a more than 400-acre park with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Roanoke Sound. Here, kids can roam free. You can fly a kite, watch a sunset, hang glide, or walk in the sand for miles. It’s North Carolina’s most visited state park, yet the ample space makes it hard to tell. And we have the efforts of a local mother, jewelry maker, and hell-raiser named Carolista Baum to thank for it. Carolista, who was born in 1940, and her family were based in Chapel Hill, but every summer she’d close up the shop she ran with her then-husband and move to Nags Head, kids in tow, to run their second shop. Along the Outer Banks, she was known for her dynamic, generous personality and free-form, handcrafted jewelry. “I still run into someone every so often who tells me my mom tipped them a pair of earrings,” remembers her oldest daughter, Ann-Cabell. Their summer home was just across U.S. 158 (“The Bypass” to locals) from The Ridge, as the dunes were known then, near the 12-mile post. “In the ‘70s as a kid, you got on your bike, and as long as you’re home for dinner, it was fine,” Ann-Cabell says. She and her siblings, Inglis and Gibbs, explored The Ridge everyday while their mom worked. There, they spent hours jumping off its highest peaks and looking for tadpoles in tidal pools.

96 | WALTER

But their sandbox wasn’t public land, and many of its owners had visions of real estate development. One summer evening in 1973, Ann-Cabell says the troupe was about to bike home when they saw a bulldozer grading the sand. They ran to tell their mom. “Mom walked over and stood in front of it, and with her nice Eastern North Carolina voice said, I’m not moving,” says Ann-Cabell. The driver of the bulldozer stopped, hopped off, and went home. Carolista went home, too — along with the bulldozer’s distributor cap and a plan. She formed a group called The People to Preserve Jockey’s Ridge, which raised funds to try to purchase the land by selling memorabilia like T-shirts, records, and placemats. Signs that read S.O.S Save our Sand Dunes! and Buy a Piece of The Ridge were seen all over town. Carolista made countless phone calls to land owners, asking them to donate or sell their land to her group. She drove to Raleigh every morning for a week until Gov. James Hunt heard her out. “It was never a no for her,” says Ann-Cabell. “If mom was determined to do it, it would happen.” It took nearly two years of relentless community rallying. In April 1975, the state of North Carolina voted to purchase the land surrounding the dune to form Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Shortly thereafter, it was designated a National Natural Landmark. The entrance to Jockey’s Ridge now sits on Carolista Drive, a road dedicated to

Courtesy Ann-Cabell Baum

by ADDIE LADNER

Carolista after she passed away from a brain melanoma at 50. Her children still mourn and admire the extraordinary woman who was their mother. Says Ann-Cabell: “Inglis looks so much like her and my brother Gibbs has her laugh. When we’re together, she’s there.”

4401 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612

(919) 571-2881

2IĆFLDO -HZHOHU RI WKH &DUROLQD +XUULFDQHV

www.diamondsdirect.com

Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.

WakeMed Women’s From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate

as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.

wakemed.org/womens-services

WALTER Magazine - May 2022

Articles inside

GIVERS: Filling the Gap

NATURE: The Other Red Bird

Your Feedback

Datebook

HISTORY: Lasting Legacy

End Note

CREATORS: Shared Lives