Asheville Choral Society, Bravo, HART, NC Stage, SART, and More Beginning on Page 5
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David Todd, owner of A Boy and His Dog Fine Art gallery. PAGE 6 Asheville Choral Society, Bravo, HART, NC Stage, SART, and more beginning on page 5 Keowee Chamber Music presents two “Elegy” concerts featuring music, song, poetry, and historical presentation. PAGE 10 Chris Perryman, craftsman and owner of Domus Aurea. PAGE 13 Rare purple diamonds at gallery blue in Biltmore Village. PAGE 21 RAPID RIVER ARTS ART TALK Asheville’s First Co-op Art Gallery Celebrates 20th Anniversary hen the Asheville Gal- BY PAM J. HECHT lery of Art — the city’s first co-op fine art gallery — opened its doors on downtown College Street twenty years ago, Wmost of the stores nearby still had craft paper covering the windows, says artist Cathy Searle, one of the three original members of the gal- lery who still exhibit there. “It was quiet and we were virtu- ally alone, except for a wig shop and an architect,” Searle says. “That was before the town started getting popular.” Gloria Affenit and Pauline Tennant are the other two original artists at the Gallery, working hap- pily in a place where business has been increasing every year since the beginning, adds Searle. The Gallery is home to 28 dif- ferent artists from Western North Carolina, each with a six-foot wall space, featuring original oils, water- Robert Mahosky, one of the many colors, acrylics, lithographs, mixed local artists to show work at the gallery, media and etchings. Artists are se- is painting oil on clay board. lected by a jury process — most stay for several years or more — and four the gallery, cost $25 to $50 and originals are currently on the waiting list. range from $125 to $1800. “Co-ops usually don’t stay long — most have trouble with the mechan- ics,” says Searle. “But we’ve always en- “We’re inspired to joyed working together and appreciate the paint more and keep venue to show our art. “Making art can be a lonely occupa- our art growing.” tion and it’s fun to be part of a group and have reinforcement from other artists — We’re inspired to paint more and keep Gallery members sign a contract, pay our art growing.” dues, and work at the gallery one day each month, which makes it “more personal,” says Affenit. Artists staffing the gallery can IF YOU GO: New Member Reception, talk with visitors, who enjoy the conversa- Sunday, November 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. tions about art, she says. Every three months, the artists rotate New Member Exhibit: Three new artists to a new space, which keeps things fresh will be featured throughout the month of and inspires new work, says Bill Weldner, November at the front of the gallery: Hal president of the Gallery’s board of direc- Boyd (acrylics with bold, surreal figures), Cindy Walton (colorful oil abstracts and tors and one of the resident artists. mixed media) and John Anderson (realistic “It’s great for visitors — you can watercolors.) come back every three months and it’ll look different,” he says. “And there’s a real diversity in the work — a range of different styles, subject matter and tech- Asheville Gallery of Art niques.” 16 College Street, Asheville “We have a variety to compliment (828) 251-5796 every style of architecture and décor,” www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com adds Searle. Advertise with Rapid River Magazine Gallery visitors will also find a broad Tuesday – Saturday price range: small, original pieces up to 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (828) 646-0071 18" x 24", framed or matted, are $25 and Portraits and site specific or Free web links • Free ad design • Easy monthly billing up. Reproductions, located in the back of general commissions available. November 2008 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 12, No. 3 Message from the Publisher Rapid River ® Although for the past 50 or ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE so years Western North Caroli- Established in 1997 • Volume Twelve, Number Three na has been known for its visual arts — mostly artists rather than Distributed at over 390 locations throughout eight counties galleries to be honest — the per- in WNC and South Carolina forming arts have always been the soul of the area. Within the past decade the Publisher/Editor: Dennis Ray quality and quantity of perfor- NOVEMBER 2008 Managing Editor: Beth Gossett www.rapidrivermagazine.com mances which come here, or the Art Director: Dennis Ray ones which are locally produced, has dramatically increased. Print Production: Simone Bouyer Since about 2003 I’ve been Proofreader: Mary Wilson saying that WNC is becoming Marketing: Dennis Ray Inside more of the “Broadway of the Staff Photographer: Dennis Ray Fine Art South” than the “Paris of the Accounting: Sharon Cole 2 Asheville Gallery of Art . South” or the “San Francisco of Distribution: Dennis Ray the East.” These names are cute A Boy & His Dog Gallery . 6 but quite broad, and while say- Chris Perryman . 13 Dennis Ray, publisher, and son ing Asheville is like something, CONTRIBUTING WRITers Asheville Art Museum . 19 Harrison Graham Ray. we never actually say what Ashe- H. Byron Ballard, Sierra Bicking, Toe River Studio Tours . 30 ville actually is. Paula Hutchens Bolado, Fast Frame . 33 Putting a label on any area is bad because it eventually characterizes a place, Jenny Bunn, Peter Carver, Woolworth Walk . 33 keeping it from freely evolving on its own. But for marketing sake I feel those James Cassara, Amy Downs, Folk Art Center . 35 in charge should focus more on the Broadway and performance characteristics John Ellis, Jonas Gerard, of the area to attract visitors. A good tagline for Asheville (and I mean the entire Beth Gossett, Max Hammonds, MD, WNC area) is “If it’s performrance you want, you’ll find it in Asheville.” Phil Hawkins, Pam J. Hecht, 5 Music & Stage Asheville arguably has one of the best music scenes in the country and Jill Ingram, Erica Jourdan, Asheville Choral Society . 5 could easily be referred to as “Memphis 2.”. For a city to be successful in the Phil Juliano, RoseLynn Katz, Bravo Concert . 5 arts everything must be strong. Basically, New York has more than just Broad- Chip Kaufmann, Michelle Keenan, Telebration . 7 way, as Memphis has more than just music. Asheville has more than just the Amanda Leslie, Ingrid McNair, Storytelling Festival . 7 visual arts and will continue to grow. Amanda P. Meyers, Rob Miller, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet . 8 To those who bring us the performing arts — those who sing, act, dance MariJo Moore, April Nance, NC Stage Company . 9 and create to make our lives better — I thank you. Trust me, I know that what Michael Parker, Dennis Ray, SART . 10 you do is not easy. Of course, I also know that what you do is quite rewarding. Erin Scholze, Jane Sims, Keowee Chamber Music . 10 Megan Stone, Bill Studenc, HART . 1 Looking forward to seeing you at the theatre, Rita Vermillion, Bill Walz, Billy Bragg . 17 ~ Dennis Ray, Publisher Rapid River Magazine Susan West, Cheryl Winston, Countrypolitan . Kim Zdanowicz, Joe Zinich. E.Normus Trio . Asheville Puppetry Allliance . 38 INFO Rapid River Art Magazine is 21 Asheville Shops Peter Loewer a free monthly publication. Gallery blue . 1 Printmaker Graphos=Studio Address correspondence to: [email protected] or write to: 15 Columns Max Hammond, MD - Health . 15 Rapid River Art Magazine, James Cassara - Music . 16 85 N. Main St.., Canton, NC 28716. H. Byron Ballard - Books . MariJo Moore - Poetry . 3 Phone: (828) 646-0071 Michael Parker - Wine . 9 www.rapidrivermagazine.com Bill Walz - Artful Living . 31 All materials contained herein are Joe Zinich - Beer . 3 owned and copyrighted by Rapid River Art Magazine and the individual contributors unless otherwise stated. 25 Movie Reviews Opinions expressed in this magazine PO Box 5039 ~ Asheville, NC 28813 do not necessarily correspond with the email: [email protected] opinions of Rapid River Art Magazine 34 Noteworthy or the advertisers found herein. Historic Johnson Farm . 3 © Rapid River Magazine, Etown Honors LEAF . 39 November 2008 Vol. 12 No. 3 Cover illustrated by Dennis Ray 36 What to Do Guide™ Best in Show by Phil Juliano. 37 Shown are Jester and Woman from the Callie & Cats by Amy Downs . 37 2007 SART production “Incorruptible,” Corgi Tales by Phil Hawkins . 37 Lenora Thom, Marvin Cole, and members of the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. November 2008 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 12, No. 3 RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE COVER STORY Magnificent Christmas Concert Denyce Graves, Mezzo-Soprano Plus Drawing! Presented by Asheville Bravo Concerts Exclusive Drawing for a Pair of Tickets to the ecognized worldwide These signature roles have Asheville Choral Society’s March and May Concerts as one of today’s brought Ms. Graves to the most exciting vocal Metropolitan Opera, Vienna lways one of the top be presented Saturday, stars Denyce Graves, Staatsoper, Opéra National holiday concerts in December 13 at 8 p.m. and will perform Decem- de Paris, and the Lyric Opera Western North Car- Sunday, December 14 at ber 6 at 7:30 p.m. at of Chicago, among others. olina in December, 4 p.m. at Central United R the Thomas Wolfe In addition to this per- the Asheville Choral Methodist Church, 27 Auditorium. formance, Bravo includes, Society’s Christmas Church Street in down- Denyce Graves made her one hour prior to the show, Aperformance will trump that town Asheville. Asheville professional debut at the Met- a complimentary educa- reputation this season with Savings Bank is sponsoring ropolitan Opera in 1995 and tional lecture regarding the its “Magnificent Christmas” the Saturday evening per- has appeared in many interna- performance.