17 minute read
ART IN THE VALLEY DEB SNOW
THE VALLEY CREATIVE By Karissa Masse
Cultural Arts in the North Country
One doesn’t expect to hear traditional African drumming in New Hampshire. But that has been changing over the last few decades, thanks to local artist, musician, anthropologist, and author, Dave Kobrenski, a New Hampshire native who recently transplanted to the Mt. Washington Valley.
It’s not your typical blend of talents, but Dave somehow manages to incorporate art, music, and culture into his unique melting pot of inspirational and educational ethnic soup.
Dave’s journey to his current profession can be traced to his college years. While in school at Syracuse University, he developed a passion for the complex polyrhythms of West African music and began intensive study with musicians from Mali and Guinea. Before long, he had started his own West African drumming program and was teaching classes and workshops in schools and colleges all over New England. One night during this period, he was awakened from sleep by a phone call he first thought must be a prank call. It turned out to be a man named Nii Tetteh Tettey, a musician and entrepreneur from Ghana. The 3 a.m. call was an invitation to help build a cultural center! Dave’s reputation had spread across continents. He enthusiastically accepted, and in addition to helping develop the program, he literally helped “build” the cultural center, even finding himself perched aloft and thatching roofs!
Dave spent the next two decades traveling back to Africa nearly every year, developing deep meaningful friendships, studying music and traditional instruments, and embracing the culture— so different from his own the West. His experiences there include numerous wild adventures, some of which rival Indiana Jones! On one trip to the remote interior of Guinea, Dave describes a terrifying crossing of a dilapidated bridge suspended over a river. He and his companions were driving in a rust-bucket 1987 Renault, piled high with luggage and supplies, and stuffed to capacity with five adult passengers … and a goat!
“It was about 1 a.m. and we were almost out of gas, and trying to find a place to stay for the night after 20 hours of driving. We came to this dilapidated bridge that hadn’t been repaired since the French left the country in the late 1950s. The bridge was totally falling apart, and was lashed to a tree with heavy rope, but it was falling into the river. It wasn’t a super long bridge, but our car was so laden down, we had been bottoming out on every pothole. As we started to drive over, we could hear the bridge straining beneath our weight, creaking and groaning. Our driver lost his nerve and hit the gas. And as we got to the edge of the bridge we became airborne, landed on our front bumper, and popped our front tire.” (The full story is in Dave’s book, Finding the Source.)
Another adventure took place in 2007, when Dave was forced to flee Guinea after a violent coup d’etat sent the country spiraling toward civil war. “The city of Conakry had pretty much disintegrated into chaos and there was gunfire day and night. On my final day of escape from the country, I remember sprinting across the tarmac as people urged me to get to the plane that would take me into Senegal. When I got onto the plane, it was an Air Force cargo jet, not meant for passengers, so I had to sit
harnessed to the side of the plane with my feet on an enormous missile.” (The full story is in Dave’s book, Djoliba Crossing.)
Dave’s travels led him deep into Africa, to the remote villages of Guinea, where the culture is still largely untouched by the West. There, the people depend minimally on the exchange of money, but rather, primarily subsist on hunting, farming, and a collective management of resources that supports the community as a whole.
After years of extensive travel and study, Dave Kobrenski found himself described as an “ethnomusicologist and anthropologist.” His comprehensive journaling includes piles of music notations, field recordings, vivid photographs, and exquisite drawings. His colleague, Katherine Donahue, Ph.D., a professor emerita of anthropology at Plymouth University, described him as “a gifted artist and musician, and a better anthropologist than many of the Ph.D.s I know.” The scope of his knowledge has made him a valuable resource whom even university professors seek for answers.
Dave set to writing books to share his knowledge and stories, and reveals in each one, his talent as an artist. His books are filled with rich imagery of the people and places, not only through the craft of language and wordsmithing, but also through the artistry of drawing and painting. Having studied as an illustration major at Syracuse University, Dave is more than equipped to illustrate his own work, as well as the work of others. He skillfully applies layers of velvety lines, cross-hatching the surface with highlights and shadows, and coaxing dimensional human forms out of the flat paper. The depth and texture of his work are so realistic, it’s startling.
Dave Kobrenski’s cultural presentations have been popping up all over New England for a number of years now. His events range from school and library presentations, to book signings, to an interview on NHPR’s “Front Porch,” to full-scale rock concerts featuring his sixpiece Afro-funk jazz band called “Donkilo!”—where he plays the Kamale ngoni, a traditional harp-like instrument, the Fula flute, a three-holed flute, and the djembé, a goblet-shaped hand drum. Speaking of Fula flutes, I should add an additional talent to the list: flute-maker. As Dave plants his new roots deeper into our White Mountain community, you may start to see the name “Kassa Flute Co.” popping up around town. Dave studied the Fula flute intensively for many years with Lancine Condé, a master musician and flute-maker. Their friendship gave birth to the company, which still helps to support Lancine’s family in Guinea, even after his sudden passing in 2021. Beautifully decorated with strips of leather and cowrie shells, these skillfully crafted, ebony-black Fula flutes sell online to musicians all over the world, and are now made exclusively here in North Conway.
Through his writing and his beautiful artwork, Dave shares his experiences with a deep reverence for indigenous cultures. The ancient wisdom these cultures preserve has been largely lost to our Western way of thinking. Dave Kobrenski’s work, along with other anthropologists across the globe, seeks to preserve this wisdom for the benefit and survival of the human species on this planet. “We desperately need varied ways of thinking and being in the world, especially as we’re faced with unprecedented global challenges.” (There’s more on this in Dave’s book, Drawing on Culture.)
Dave’s most recent book, Finding the Source, is a page-turner. This memoir reads like a novel, describing his 20-year struggle to overcome a painful affliction that takes him deep into West Africa, and into realms of Vodoun magic, spirit, and healing. Finding the Source is available for pre-order at davekobrenski.com until April 21, 2022, when it becomes widely available through traditional media outlets and local bookstores, such as White Birch Books here in North Conway.
Here in the Mt. Washington Valley, we’re excited to have this multi-talented, cultural resource at hand to spice up the diversity of our local community. Dave Kobrenski is a hidden gem in the rich landscape of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Keep an ear out for those drums … and flutes! Learn more about Dave’s work at davekobrenski.com and kassaflutes.com.
Karissa Masse is owner and curator of the League of NH Craftsmen Fine Craft Gallery in North Conway Village, a historical gallery representing over 250 NH artists and craftsmen. She is also an artist in her own right, with a BFA in ceramics and sculpture from RIT. Karissa’s work at the North Conway League of NH Craftsmen Gallery continues to provide economic support to hundreds of New Hampshire’s craftsmen, and enriches the Mt. Washington Valley community with art, culture, and crafteducation. F I N E C R A F T G A L L E R Y
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THE VALLEY CREATIVE Virginia Moore The Way of an Artist: Deb Snow Expressing Breath-Taking Beauty
Deb Snow is not just a great artist; she is an amazing mother, among other things. Deb is also my painting teacher. Deb’s students come to her class with varying levels of artistic experience. It doesn’t matter—Deb is such a good teacher, she brings something valuable to her students regardless of their knowledge or skill when it comes to painting. Life has molded her into the artist and teacher she is today.
We all have our story about what led us to paint, and it would not be possible to tell this story without being open about the hardship and difficult life Deb and her husband Gregg face every single day. Painting is just one of many creative outlets for Deb. Here is her story, and much of it is written in her own words.
Deb is the mother of an autistic child, Ian, who is now 40 years old. Ian has a multitude of medical issues in addition to autism, and to add to his troubles he also suffers constant brain seizures.
In Deb’s words:
Many people have no idea of the many faces of autism, brain injury, and the disability that ensues. It’s not all Rain Man and special gifts. Sometimes it’s Jack Nicholson yelling, “Here’s
Johnny!” in The Shining. I can understand why veterans don’t want to talk specifically about what they did in wars.For decades I felt I was living in a combat zone: always on edge, senses thrumming on highalert, anticipating the next attack.I stopped taking Ian in the car with me for over 10 years, afraid he would hit me and I would lose control of the car.And in between all the fear and tension and aggression was a lost little boy experiencing unspeakable injury and pain, crying for help.It wasn’t just the aggression either; it was the perseveration, the constant yammering, and repetition, hour after hour, all night even.It was the cycling through emotions: sadness, fury, pain, confusion, anger, then maniacal laughter.His poor brain was constantly seizing—whether we saw it or not—and I wondered many times if I would make it through this with any sanity, or even alive.I can’t imagine how Ian felt with this tornado of thoughts and emotions constantly swirling. I used to say it was like all the file drawers in his brain were open and all the files were flying around.ALL.THE.TIME.
Ian has born his disabilities stoically.He keeps going. He tries every day to find the love and affection he needs, a sense of connection with people he sees, a feeling of self-worth, and of productivity (even within his limitations).He is a marvel and an inspiration. When he hurts, he doesn’t cry.He may stop for a while, but then he gets up and gets going.He falls almost daily with the seizures, and his body is a map of injury, but he still laughs at our inside jokes, presents me with paintings or drawings noon-to-night, and enjoys the comfort of his home and family.He has taught me so much—and now I only wish I could ease his pain.
Ian has been a positive influence in many ways when it comes to Deb’s growth as an artist. Working with limited colors, creating colors beyond the basics found on the color wheel can be a challenge. Not true for Ian. As Deb watched him painting, she noticed Ian was racing through his pile of paper and paints. She looked at the results of what he was creating and tossing aside as he went on to the next, and realized she was seeing colors that were not in Ian’s collection of paints. He was creating colors by combining the
basic colors from his limited collection and throwing the results aside as he frantically went on to create more and more drawings. softness and the feathers; not too bad, and I didn’t worry about background or anything. It took me 10 years to call
myself an artist.Silly, really, because I’m quite sure now that I’ve been an artist all my life.It’s not about the medium; it’s about the person.
About being an artist, Deb elaborated, “It’s good to have a plan.I would say, though, that it’s less about the medium and more about the art.I love creating
and creating keeps me going in the face of so much difficulty.The medium is really irrelevant.I used to do origami at doctor visits and hospital stays.Hours and hours of folding to keep me “creating” instead of sinking into hospital miasma.I love watercolor—my first official medium—and then acrylic. I’ve also tried oils.But I also love chainsaw carving and regular carving and wood-burning and snow sculpting and pen-and-ink and cookie decorating.So, you see, it’s more about being able to make something beautiful with whatever materials are at hand.I love the colors of fabrics and I sew (not very well), but colorfully with them.I enjoy photography, and when I get a great picture, it feels like
Deb realized he was on to something by creating color, and it is something she uses in her painting and teaching to this day.
If you are an artist, you know how it can sometimes be difficult to find that perfect green. Especially the greens that exist in nature. Well, Ian found it, along with every other color one may find on an artist’s palette. My first works with color in her
art class were done this way. Even though I had brown paint in my possession, we made brown paint using red and yellow. Was it easy? No. Did it take time? Yes. But now I don’t have to buy every tube of every obscure pigment hanging on the art store rack. I can make it!
Deb started painting in 1999 when she was 39. She is 62 now.
Deb shares about her first painting: My first painting was snow and ice in the yard.It wasn’t great, but I caught some of the reflections of the setting sun on the ice, and was pleased.My second painting was a fuzzy little yellow chick.I was trying to get the
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GALLERY UPDATES
The Cassidy Gallery in Conway Village is in its 10th–and final–year and will close at the end of the 2022 summer. But Gallery owner Nancy White Cassidy is working on several new projects for both fine art and for licensed images, so stay tuned! Check out www.shopcassidygallery.com for updates.
I’ve discovered a treasure.Ian is the same.He will use whatever is at hand to create.He is a creator, too.He stacks things, he paints, he draws, he pounds nails into a workbench, he collects and moves things to find meaning in his existence. And we applaud all his efforts.”
What inspires Deb:
I don’t really have a favorite subject to paint. I generally want to paint something that makes me draw in a breath.
I also paint what touches my heart.I am not always successful in doing that, but one of my very earliest paintings is of Ian in the forest, and it just flowed out of me.I call it, “Day
Over” because he was done and ready to go home.Some of my “heart”paintings just seem to be a copy job, merely bringing this existing painting into the world—no thought—just using the medium as a tool to bring it to life.I barely have to think, and only need to get them onto the canvas.Most of my work I struggle with, and am faintly disappointed that it doesn’t quite work.Nobody else knows, of course, but I do.And that’s what keeps me practicing.I’m always trying to express the beauty that takes my breath away or render accurately the complete paintings that live in my heart.
Advice from Deb for novice artists:
I would advise a new artist to paint what they love.I would tell them to find painters online or in real life that are painting in a way that appeals to them and learn from them.I would tell them to try new approaches and not be afraid to paint and repaint the same subject until it’s exactly how they want it.
Most of Deb’s paintings come from struggle.They are either an escape from her reality or a celebration of a new perspective from that same reality. There is a part of her in every painting—a message, a feeling, a breath of life. “They are like children to me, and hard to give away or even sell because it is like giving away a piece of my soul.But that is the way of an artist, I think.”
Professional Summer Theatre in Tamworth, NH
2022 Season
Into the Woods Stephen Sondheim James Lapine June 30 – July 9 The Legend of Georgia McBride Matthew Lopez July 14 – 23 Black Coffee Agatha Christie July 28 – August 6
Silent Sky Lauren Gunderson August 11 – 20 Lucky Stiff Lynn Ahren Stephen Flaherty August 25 – Sept. 3
Season sponsored by the Haynes Family Foundation
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