front porchYEAR 15 • ISSUE 175 • JANUARY 2012 Frontporchfredericksburg.com

T H E R E G I O N ' S free C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N ELocal Good News Since 1997

First Friday...The Destination

3

Art Shares The Menu

8

The VideoMann9

Wayne & LucyHarman

Art Patrons18

Collect Locally22

Larry Hinkle...Is What He Does

26

You, The Canvas

27

Arts Along The River

29

Music &Motivation

A Family Affair30

A N N U A L S P E C I A L I S S U E : O U R L O O K A T T H E A R T S I N F X B G

No other happening uplifts our culturequite like First Friday, writer/ artist

Collette reports… -RG

First Friday celebrations havebecome regional attractions, with crowdsof hundreds chatting and bustling

through the streets, walking gallery togallery to receptions for new exhibitsfeaturing works by area artists. But theFirst Friday tradition had humble

beginnings nearly 20 years ago; its launchand evolution was possible only throughthe doggedly determined efforts of a few

trailblazing, entrepreneurialartists.

At the time therewere only a handful of galleriesdowntown, including theFredericksburg Center for theCreative Arts (FCCA), Eyeclopes,and Art First. Dan Finneganwas also at work in his Hanover Streetpottery studio, at the time more of a shopthan a gallery. In that day, most heldtheir receptions on Thursdays from 5 to 7,though some were other days. That waswhen Ken Crampton (founder of Eyeclopesand then-president of FCCA) and othermembers of the arts center had the idea tocoordinate all openings on one day andcreate an art-walk or art-hop event. Theidea was a hit. Galleries moved theiropenings to the first Friday each month ata later time to be accessible to morepeople. Eyeclopes had blazed the trail andhad typically held its openings onweekends, attracting also the youngercrowd. Crampton, himself then one oftheir ranks, was dubbed as one of the artcommunity’s “young guns.”

First Fridays steadily gainedpopularity. Attendance rose as thenumber of galleries multiplied. Whilearound 100 people attended the eventduring its first years, today’s attendancetops 1,000. Its evolution hit just oneroadblock—when a companion festival waslaunched that entailed a beer truck androck bands within a roped-off section of acity parking lot. Weather-relatedcancellations of that event confusedprospective gallery-goers, and some of therock revelers interpreted “openingreception” as “free food.” But a solutioncame when the second event separatedand moved to a seasonal “Finally Friday”celebration.

A far cry from the art scene twodecades ago, today there are as many as16 galleries within a five-block radiusdowntown — some tucked away in littlealleys and side streets. The galleriesfeature a spectrum of styles and mediumsand are the ventures of individuals (suchas Tanya Richey, Bruce Day, Nancy Harris,Alan Howard at The Gallery at 915, andGoldbenders), couples (Gabe and ScarlettPons), partnerships (Sophia Street Studiosand the Wegner Gallery), co-ops (such asArt First, Artful Dimensions, and BrushStrokes), a membership non-profit artcenter (FCCA), as well as a complex ofworking studios (Liberty Town, launchedby Finnegan nearly 10 years ago in a smallcorner of a former plumbing supply

warehouse, with a pottery school and oneresident artist. Today the building bustleswith creativity from more than 50 artistsin 30 studios).

First Friday festivities haveextended into a bevy of new venues, withrestaurants hosting local artists. Music hasbecome part of the scene in restaurantsand galleries, and performances on thestreet. (One of our favorite streetmusicians was young boy we encounteredjust after he broke a guitar string. Hethought he could still play the Beatles’This Boy without it and treated us to aheart-moving rendition).

Perhaps the best testimonies forthe great-and-growing tradition are fromthe artists themselves. In Finnegan’swords, “We may no longer talk to ourneighbors over the back fence, but we cancome to First Friday knowing we will meeta wide variety of folks from ourcommunity and lots of interestingpeople.” Paula Rose, owner of the P. RoseGallery, was on the FCCA board at thelaunch of First Friday: “The event raisesawareness of the arts, and is anopportunity for people to socialize and forartists to get feedback on their work andhave the opportunity to make a sale. Ithink it’s added a tremendous amount ofenergy and enthusiasm to the whole arenaof creative art.”

And Crampton, owner also ofEverybody Drum, may say it best: “Ifyou’ve never experienced a First Fridaybefore, it’s well worth the endeavor; youget to see the true artistic fabric of ourcommunity. When I say ‘fabric,’ I’m nottalking about the different threads ofmedia. I am an advocate for the arts as awhole, even beyond the visual arts. I amtruly excited to see live performanceshappening at some venues. I’m so inspiredto see that First Fridays are going on afterall these years; that it’s grown into thiswonderful diamond of our community. Ithas so many facets and so many colors andwonderful attributes that represent ourregion, with artists not only from the citybut also the surrounding counties.”

Collette Caprara is a local writer and artist.

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 32 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

con

ten

ts

Cover by Bill Green

First FridaysA fredericksburg treasure

By Colette caprara

Serving Lunch & Dinner Monday - Saturday

Raymond RenaultChef/Owner

"A TOWN WITHOUT ART CAN MAKE MONEY,

BUT IT WILL NEVER BE RICH."

Artist Johnny Johnson in front of his work on a First Friday

photo by c. caprara

photo BY Adam DeSioFPF Salutes the Arts and the Artists that make FXBG culture come alive

StoryTellers Painters Photographers Dancers ActorsMusicians Woodworkers Film Makers Sculptors

Designers Print Makers Potters Textile Artists .....

Welcome to FXBG, VA, One of America's Richest Towns!

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 54 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

Move over, history. Art is thenew destination. The Arts, with FirstFriday its impetus, has taken over FXBG’sidentity with a current of culture runningin the deep of our old town’s soul.

From cover (Bill Green’s specialeffects photograph, titled First Flakes),with model and singer/songwriterMadison Wolf) to cover (a WFVA/WBQBadvertisement for their radio broadcastsof music), we bring you a look at the artsin our community as we jumpstart a newyear of creativity among the artists,musicians, patrons, and venuesthroughout our community.

There is no debate. We do needart. To be artless is to be heartless, andFXBG is anything but — as you will gleanfrom this representative composite ofvignettes, profiles and insights into theArts and the Artists who thrive here andmake Fredericksburg come alive here forthe rest of the world to see.

Through our evolving culture,FXBG has created its own healthyspecimen of what an arts town should be.We have it all. We have Bill Harris not justpainting at the top of his game butteaching others to paint, and hostingArtscape, a local access cablevision showon Comcast that heralds the arts and theartisans. We have musicians playing live,recording, touring, reinventing themselvesand joining or forming new bands, whilelegends, national acts and regional starspull into town to revisit or perform.

Galleries flourish and bustle withthe activity of hard-working artists andthe patrons who support them, with everymedium well represented by artists andcollectors. Storytellers line up to fill theirlisteners with true tales of life’s trials,triumphs, foibles and follies. The curtainrises on theater productions in schools, bycommunity groups and ensembles, and on

stage at a dinner theater thatbears the footprints of nationalstars, rising talents and top-flight directors and crews.

It happens right here inFXBG, no passport or toll passnecessary. It happens like MauraSchneider, founder ofFredericksburg Tell sees it: “soall those suckers who liveelsewhere will say, ‘I’d be able todo this creative thing, if only Ilived in Fredericksburg!’” Ithappens when we need it. Itanswers our call for culturalcivility and inspiration, aspainter Merian Stevens views it:“It’s quite possible there’s neverbeen a time when we needed artmore than now, for its power touplift, inspire and challenge thestatus quo.”

The Arts, that intangible spiritthat moves the soul of both artisan andaudience, provides a tangible commodityimmune to economic hiccups. The twoworlds come together on a communitycanvas where localities smile at results by-the-numbers, while business owners likethe Ponshop’s Gabe Pons answer a highercalling: “The heart of our business haslittle to do with managing inventory in abrick and mortar storefront, but that theway we conduct our gallery becomesrepresentative of Fredericksburg.”

As our galleries, shops, andrestaurants step up and takeresponsibility for the quality of life here,passionate rituals by a supportive publicfill indoor spaces and blocks of sidewalksin celebration of the works of the artscommunity and its dynamic, amazing andsoulful people, many of whom you willrecognize as you move through thisspecial issue of the magazine.

From stories of or by patrons ofthe arts, we learn why we collect art. Wealso discover in this celebratory theme acomfortable link between ourcontemporary culture and that of theancient Greeks - that we share a culturaltrait described by Aristotle thusly: “Theaim of art is to represent not the outwardappearance of things, but their inwardsignificance.”

Art is significant. Art matters.Art enriches us in ways that mold andmeld cultures. Art is here today in FXBG,VA – in the land of Washington andMonroe, a land they now share with thelikes of Johnson and Rose; a land of frontporches, and best wishes for a happy,healthy, prosperous and creative newyear!

Rob Grogan Editor

PhotographerArcher DiPeppe

Contributing Writers & Artists

A.E.Bayne Aby BethemCollette Caprara Megan ByrnesAlex Capshaw-TaylorAshliegh Chevalier Britany DeVriesAdam DeSioArch DiPeppe Frank FratoeJoAnna Cassidy Farrell Bill GreenLou Gramann Bill Harris

Ralph “Tuffy” HicksSara Mattingly Gracie OfslagerAmy Pearce Gabe PonsMary Lynn Powers Kathy RiversCliff Satterwaite Todd SchwartzCharlie Shields John SovitskyMatt Thomas Rim ViningKathryn Willis Amy Woodruff

Front Porch Fredericksburg is afree circulation magazine

published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co., Inc.

Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

The mission of Front PorchFredericksburg is to connect the

diverse citizenry of Fredericksburgwith lively features and informative

columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource,

its people.

Messages from our readers arewelcome. All submissions must be

received by e-mail by the 19th of themonth preceding publication.

Writers are welcome to requestWriter’s Guidelines and query the

Editor by e-mail.

Front PorchFredericksburg

1281 Jefferson Davis HighwayPMB 208

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Phone: 540-220-1922E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com

Web Site:www.frontporchfredericksburg.com

The opinions expressed in Front PorchFredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of

Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers.

Copyright 2012 Olde Towne Publishing Co., LLC

All rights reserved.

ON THE PORCHenriched

810 Caroline Street(540) 371-5684

Give a Child Something to Think About

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties

M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

Robgwrites

Have you ever thought about a car as awork of art? Or the cost of owning art?

Take it from Rim… - RG

Monet, Degas, Delahey? Fine artis fine art whether it is an oil painting thathangs on the wall, a statue that fills aplaza for all the world to enjoy, or anexpressive blend of metal, glass andleather that resides safely in yourgarage. Why people become obsessed withone art form over another is purespeculation. It can’t have anything to dowith logical thought.

Our January theme is the artsand collectors, and I have to admit it is alot like college without the perks. Noparties and cute college co-eds, just hoursand hours in the stacks doingresearch. And just like those art historyprojects from a time before children,there have been a few false starts. Ishould have used index cards to organizemy thoughts.

Tying fine art and those whocollect it to automobiles isn’t much of aleap. Check out the parking lot at anypremier opening or Sotheby’s auction andyou’ll find the vehicles on the asphalt rivalthe objects in the sale. At the sale, theauctioneer will discuss the history andprovenance of a given object or how theoriginal patina adds value to thepiece. Buyers will be looking to add thework to their collection because they likethe size or they need an impressionistpiece to match the new living room décor,or they just crave watercolors. In the end,they buy what they like or what speaks tothem.

What sets rolling art apart fromvisual arts is the cost of ownership, andtherein lies the rub. As my father used tosay, ”There’s a big difference betweenbeing able to buy something and beingable to afford it.” Assuming the collector

of either paintings or rare automobileshas a proper place to store and displaytheir acquisitions once the check is signedand the painting is hung, the cost ofownership has peaked. Not so with theautomobile. If a vehicle is allowed to sit itwill deteriorate and die. Value will be lostin exponential increments and all theoriginal patina in the world won’t save theinvestment. Without proper maintenanceand in some cases large quantities of cash,the object will be lost to mankind foreverand the collector’s stewardship of thepiece will have failed.

Like signed prints, how manythey made or who made them are twounderlying themes in all forms of art andultimately determine value. A 1938 Type165 Delahey designed by Figoni & Falaschiis a one of a kind object d’ art and shouldbe preserved. They made 2 million firstgeneration Mustangs… enough said. Soask yourself… Can you afford to own amasterpiece? Imagine if you had toexercise your Jackson Pollack every monthor it would fall apart. Or you had torotate your Rodin and clean and detailyour Renoir or they would lose theirvalue. What if the Mona Lisa had the rustissues of a Fiat? Personally, I doubt anyother area of collecting requires themoney, maintenance and dedication of anautomobile collection.

I think I have acquired a finepatina as well. I am at that age whereexperts will tell you not to try too hard toclean me up or it will affect the value;besides, the rumpled look has anendearing quality.

Rim Vining looks at great rolling artat www.coachbuild.com. He autoknown

you’d enjoy car-art.

Rolling ArtHang the delahey

By Rim Vining

DedicationWe dedicate this issue of Front Porch to the late John Holmfeld,

one of the great patrons of the arts in Fredericksburg. In herFredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts newsletter tribute to John,which we excerpt here, Kathryn Willis wrote:

“How dazzled we were, in our little arts community, when youarrived and announced that this is the place where you wanted to live.You connected with the best of our arts world, and showed by yourinterest and discernment that this was not an idle or superfluousdecision. You bought Paula Rose. You bought Cathy Herndon. Youbought Dee McClesky. You bought Jack Darling. You were at openings.You were at the University. You were, well, where a person whoappreciated the arts and who had a dedication to this area would be, atany given Friday…”

We join Kathryn in saying, “We wish you well, John Holmfeld, andare grateful for all that you have given us. Bless you in all the planesof your existence.”

Central RappahannockHERITAGE CENTER

Volunteers neededto process historical documents

and aid researchers. Training provided.

Phone 540-373-3704 or email crhc@verizon.net

The Heritage Center Maury Commons 900 Barton St Fredericksburg

Open to the public for scholarly research

William T. GarnettANTIQUES

Mark A. MoyersANTIQUES

Historic Fredericksburg 540-226-7064540-424-2448540-373-5949

“Someone should count the stores andbusinesses where local art can be seenand purchased. My guess is that this

number is larger than any other touristattraction in town.” – Wayne Harman

Lucy and Wayne Harman cantravel pretty much wherever they want tocollect whatever art they like, and a lot ofwhat they like comes from FXBG artists.In fact, their art collection in theirbeautiful south Stafford home is atestimony to more than a dozen artists,

local and beyond. “We buy art that appealsto us,” simply says Wayne. “We focus onwhat we like.” They like very good art invarious mediums — clay, bronze, painting,pottery, steel, clothes — sourced fromvirtually every major downtown gallery.While researching for this topic of ‘artpatrons’, Dan Finneganadvised me, “Talk toWayne and Lucy Harman”.I am glad that I did.

The Harmanhome, designed by thelate Juan Chavez, is alivewith “stimulating,original, colorful” art.They are refreshingly freein their tastes andapproach. Their onlycaveat is they agree on apiece, and that can leadthem to any style and anyartist from anywhere.“We look at art where ever we go, and findourselves saying that Fredericksburg art isbetter than what we are seeing on ourtravels. I don’t mean better than vanGogh, Picasso, etc. These are all out ofreach,’ says Wayne. But his point is wellmade. What we have here is a great artscommunity. Period. And Wayne hasstanding when he says, “First Friday is a

wonderful time each month to see whatour local artists are doing, a significantdraw to downtown Fredericksburg thatcould be even more if the City wouldpromote Art better.” We could, he agrees,become a destination like Santa Fe.

Music and theater also appeal to

the Harman’s, who enjoy the “Hot DogOprey” at the Rec Center (The Believersand the Classic Cowboys) and aresubscription members of the KennedyCenter Theater Series, which has a deepermeaning to the couple — when they firstexchanged Christmas gifts at the start oftheir courtship, Lucy gave Wayne a seasonpass with one seat, right next to her one

seat. Wayne, a retired Dahlgren scientist,and Lucy, the third generation P. C.Goodloe & Son family business president,also own an antebellum piano that a muchyounger Keller Williams used to play onbreaks from his job as yard keeper forLucy’s mother.

Fittingly, Wayne and Lucy met onthe Board of the Fredericksburg Center forCreative Arts in 1975. Lucy is on theFredericksburg Area Museum board, andWayne is with the Central RappahannockHeritage Center. They never tire of theircollection — “This is the test; we never gettired of looking at what we have. Ourchildren were raised with art aroundthem. They both studied art – fine art inone case and music the other. It makes ussmile.” - RG

“In this world there’s nothing I wouldrather do, ‘cause I’m happy just to

dance with you…”– Lennon & McCartney

When I read Trish Beaulieu’semail response to Front Porch, I asked theeditor if I could write the story. I havebeen active all my life and have fondmemories of everything from ballet todisco to belly dancing; all so different, butall about movement and expression. Trishis that way. She has been passionate aboutdance all her life. “And if you knew megrowing up, you definitely took a dance classat my house more than once,” she says.

Trish simply wants to share herpassion for dance “with the whole world”and says she knows she can byencouraging others to take a class. “Icurrently teach at Artistry Dance Center;Mayeisha’s Fine Arts Studio in LocustGrove; Christian Youth Theater, andvarious other entities”, she writes, and “Iam able to spread the love of dancethrough all my students, who in turn goout and share.”

Trish has been from coast tocoast in pursuit of the performing arts;each experience directing her to the nextphase of her dance career, “guiding melike an invisible light opening a door,directing me, motivating and pushing methrough each struggle,” she expressespoetically. One such experience was a realeye opener, a “gutsy audition trip to NYCafter a very short time in my dancestudies,” she recalls.

By the winter of 1998, Trish hadbeen dancing, acting and singing seriouslyfor about only six months when sheshowed up at a YMCA in New York City forthe night, with a friend from a performingarts school. “We were both in our early20’s and my friend had convinced me tocome to the city to audition for a summerprogram, with resident artists such asGregory Hines and Ann Reinking.”

The next morning, the twowomen hiked several long blocks to theBroadway Dance Center audition hall withhearts pounding, not knowing what to

expect. “The elevator doors opened andover 200 dancers, singers, contortionists,actors and actresses filled the halls withwarming voices and muscles, and muchmovement.” When she saw their talent,Trish felt vulnerable, unable to hide, and“so far out of my league.” She says shewanted to run for the doors, find anexcuse to get out of the hall and “awayfrom these beautiful, young opera, bluespop singers and real soon to be famousactresses, not to mention the dancers’ legsgracefully floating to their ears…”

The dance portion of theaudition began with a ballet warm-up, hermost comfortable position in the entireaudition because ballet came naturally. Itfinished with jazz combinations and anadvanced set of tap rhythms. The teachingwas to one group, about 200; theperformances in groups of 50, and “thegroups got smaller quickly.”

At that point, she hoped for abetter go at acting but stumbled overwords and “could not find the place withinmyself to express my character truly.”The judges said thank you to cut hershort, which is not uncommon.

For the song audition, Trish haddecided to sing Memory from Cats. “Iknew this song inside and out, at least Ithought I did. I sang on the wrong notes,missed annunciations and cues that Ididn’t know existed in the song, so Ithanked them in the 4th measure andexcused myself from the room.”

Thirteen years later, Trishrealizes “that some people are meant to beteachers and some people are meant to betaught, and here I am teaching,choreographing, and living my dream.”Her job is to “create a place inside yourheart and mind that you can understandand connect with, physically and mentallythat allows you to think and feeldifferently than you do in your dailycoming and goings.”

Trish Beaulieu is grateful for herlife as a dancer-teacher, and “I am verythankful and blessed for my husband andbest friend, (musician) Tom Beaulieu, who

has been the best example of a man I’veever witnessed.”

Trish must be as beautiful as sheexpresses herself. The joy in this is to readof someone who loves and lives their art –and shares it. Trish Beaulieu is one suchperson, another feather in the cap ofFredericksburg culture.

Amy Pearce previously wrote for themagazine in November’s issue.

6 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg January 2012 7

Trish Beaulieu:Why I Dance“I was probably dancing at my birth...”

By Amy Pearce

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What artist wouldn’t want to show theirartwork at one of our town’s finest,

busiest restaurants? Mary Lynn tells usthe appeal of Bistro Bethem

as an art gallery. - RG

Bistro Bethem, one of the toprestaurants in Fredericksburg is alsoknown for its eclectic display of local art.This popular venue is sought out byartists, and Aby Bethem (owner withhusband/chef Blake) schedules 12 months

in advance, allowing time for the artists tohave enough work to fill the restaurant. Itmay be popular because so many of thelocal clientele that eat often at thishotspot are avid art lovers. For weeks after

the art opening, guestsstop by for a drink ormeal, anxious to checkout the new visions ofour local artisans.Bistro’s desirablelocation for art mayalso have to do with thebuilding itself. The highceilings, lighting andambience are a greatbackdrop for moststyles of art.

Every six toeight weeks, usually theMonday after 1stFriday, the Bethems

orchestrate an art opening. One or moreof our local talents hang their work, andthe restaurant is open from 6 to 9 with anhors d’oeuvres table and a pay-as-you-gobar. It’s a community event that has beengoing on prior to the Bethems acquiringownership of the restaurant. The

hardware to hang the artwas already in place, butAby and Blake have builtthis event into a mainstaythat can be appreciated byeveryone.

There are veryfew rules as to how they decide which artto display. Aby has been booking art forabout nine years, and she has a good ideaabout what will work in the Bistro. So abit of it comes down to personal taste, butshe likes to make sure that they alternatemediums. One month may be oil orwatercolors, the next may be mixed mediawith collages and sculpture. Sometimes it’slocal landscapes, or artists that specializein nature; another show can be awhimsical display of fantasy work.

The sale of the art is left up tothe artists. They may sell quite a bit atthe opening, but throughout the month,most pieces sell. This may be anotherreason artists like to do shows at Bistro!Aby and Blake do not take a commissionon art sold, but about four years ago, theyopted for a piece from each show todisplay at their home Sometimes theyhave a favorite from the beginning, and a

sticker goes on that piece, saying it’salready sold. Other times they wait, andpick closer to the end, when they see whatan artist sells, especially if it is a newerartist on the block. Anyone who has beento Bistro and seen the fantastic artworkwould acknowledge this as a great deal forthe owners in return for a great venue forthe artists.

If you enjoy the 1st Fridayexperience of walking from studio tostudio, experiencing the culture andcamaraderie of viewing art, you shouldput these Monday night openings on youragenda. The restaurant is closed onMondays normally, so the menu isunavailable, but it is a great night ofviewing art and meeting new people.

Mary Lynn Powers enjoys great views ofBistro’s art whenever she serves as

hostess during dinner hours.

Where Art Shares the MenuThe Restaurant-Gallery Dynamic

By Mary Lynn Powers

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Community ... Captured LiveMelvin Brown adds a new dimension to FXBG media

By Ashleigh ChevalierPrint and Video became media partnerswhen Melvin Brown arrived on the scene.

Ash reports… - RG

It is an honor to speak with anartist devoted to sharing his creativity andserving others with his art. Melvin, “TheVideomann”, Brown is the founder ofFXBG’s recent online video channel,Fredericksburg Live, which highlights andcovers our city’s main (and should bemain) attractions. Melvin created thewebsite, FredericksburgLive.com, andcoordinates reporters to discover,interview, discuss, and bring you FXBG andall its awesomeness. Fredericksburg Livecovers art, music, history, events, parksand recreation — everything involving thelocal public.

Melvin discovered his love forvideo as a teenager, filming his friends andfriends’ friends. One of his first endeavorswas a spoof vid called “Silence of theYams.” Yes, it was a spoof on Silence ofthe Lambs. Melvin filmed along with localguitar hero Tim Bray, Bryan Moriarty, andother friends. There is no doubt this videowould go viral on YouTube. Alas, thattechnology was not around then. Melvinused multiple family members’ home videocams, piecing together shots from

different machines, without “High-def”.Every great story has an

interesting beginning; there, above, is justa part of Melvin’s beginnings in video.Over time, he began to ask himself, “Whatis it I can do that I love to do and can offerthe world?” He saw the need for a positivevideo communication network in FXBGand poured his passion into it. Throughnetworking and dedicated professionaldevelopment, Fredericksburg Live wasborn. (His side business, VideomannProductions, produces videos for webcommercials, weddings, graduations, evenschool theater productions.) Video, video,video, all the time for Videomann Brown, amore friendly and personable person youwill never meet.

What keeps Melvin going andinspired? He has heroes and visionaries,including Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison,Henry Ford, and yes, even Prince. What dothese people have in common? Not onlyare/were they pioneers and leaders, theyare and were, bold and persistent, likeMelvin. He believes in raising the bar witheach video and making it better each time.This goes for everything – be it a weddingfor Videomann Productions orFredericksburg Live coverage of theChristmas Parade, First Night, or the

compelling story of as e r v i c e w o m a nreuniting with herdaughter afterreturning from Iraq intime for Christmas.Fredericksburg Livehas a lot in store for2012 to help get theword out! There aretwo web TV programsMelvin is producing —the A Chevalier Showhighlighting live music(begins airingTuesdays 11:30PMonline); and The FredLive show, hosted bythe beloved Anthony Campbell (airingWednesdays live 7:30PM on a variety ofevents, the arts, and family friendlyfeatures). Fredericksburg Live is part ofthe Fredericksburg Independent MediaAlliance (www.FredIMA.com) dedicated tolocal, small businesses that seek effective,affordable advertising options. IMAmembers include Front Porch andFredericksburg Parent & Family; andothers working with Fredericksburg Liveto bring you exciting news and events. Sostay tuned!

Melvin’s creative efforts andundying energy and devotion to coveringand sharing the Burg are blessings to ourmedia community and to the greatermovement and network of dedicated,inspiring people working together todevelop the scene and build a healthycommunity for ourselves and our children.So kudos to Melvin… and the rest of you.You know who you are; it is very, verymuch appreciated.

Ashleigh Chevalier writes, sings,interviews, and spreads her love of FXBG

music, arts and culture.

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 1110 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

By Ralph A. “Tuffy” Hicks

Today, wars stream live in real time. A rare breed of photographers

illustrated the old wars, as Tuffyfascinatingly explains about the War

Between the States… - RG

We take so much for granted inthe images we see today; with just a pushof the button we are able to view eventsaround the world in vivid colors and HD.The events of Afghanistan are in our livingrooms as they occur. It is difficult toenvision what it was like just over 150years ago during the War Between theStates. While photographs of earlier

conflicts did exist, all of the images of theAmerican Revolution and the War of 1812were in the form of drawings orengravings by artists, many of who werefrom foreign nations. The citizens did notview them until many days or weeks afterthey occurred along with a story. TheAmerican Civil War is considered to be thefirst conflict to be covered andphotographed by a number ofphotographers who were in business toearn money by selling large quantities ofthe pictures to both North and South.

The more famous photographerswere such names as Alexander Gardnerand Timothy O’Sullivan; the most famousof them all, Matthew Brady, went into the

camps and on the battlefields totake shocking realisticphotographs. Thesephotographers, along withbattlefield artists, enabledcitizens on the home front toview actual carnage and themisery of the troops. Much ofthe glamour and romance oftroops marching off to war wasstripped away when photographsshowed the dead and wounded onthe battlefield.

The battlefield of ColdHarbor was one of the first thatshocked both North and Southafter Brady took photos of bodiesbeing removed after more thansix months lying in the field.

Pictures of the wounded at Fredericksburgunder the tree next to Brampton and atSalem Church also shocked the readers ofthe weekly newspapers.

The photographer’s job was noeasy task. He had to carry all his heavyequipment, including darkroom, by wagon.Unlike today’s digital efficiency, the newesttechnology in 1861 was called ‘wet-platephotography’ in which a glass plate ischemically coated and the processconsumed much time. Cameras werebulky and difficult to maneuver; severalchemicals were mixed by hand; somecontained sulfuric acid and ether.

All the photographs taken wereof still images. The subject person had toremain in a fixed position for severalminutes. This is why you see most imagesof babies taken during the period showthem asleep, since any movement would

ruin the image. After a plate glassnegative was made, the image could beprinted on paper and mounted.

During this period of the 1860’s,photographers produced sophisticatedthree-dimensional images or “stereoviews”. The stereo view was placed in aStereo Viewer, which created a 3D image.With these advancements, the Civil Warwas a true watershed in the history ofphotography — it inspired how war wasviewed from the home front, and howfuture photographers would later taketheir cameras to the flag raising on IwoJima, the jungles of Vietnam, and themountains of Afghanistan, to shootimages that would influence the citizens ofthe world forever.

Tuffy Hicks wishes you a blessed andHappy New Year 2012.

HARAMBEE 360This Month’s look at the central rappahannock heritage center collection

what it’s past did for our present

Images of Warhistory’s stories illustrated

When we admire the current state of artas community, we must look to its

pioneers to appreciate what we havetoday. Harambee grew community

theater, built race relations, and guidedyoung lives, as The Central

Rappahannock Heritage Center reveals.– RG

The original members ofHarambee 360º Experimental Theaterrenewed their 25-year-old bond in 1994,as told by The Free Lance-Star in its Town

& County magazine of December 3rd thatyear. Names like Busy Jackson Zaremba,Gaye Todd Adegbalola, Xavier Richardson,and Malvina Rollins Kay, among manyothers, graced the city with performanceand inspiration.

A reading of the history ofHarambee runs parallel to the reading of alocal history of the Civil Rights Movement.Its meaning, the African word for “pullingtogether,” implies as much. And sinceevery member of Harambee was African-American (or “Negroes” or even “colored”,we are reminded), Black was Beautiful.While the parents of the original members

had attended segregated schools, theirgeneration went to James Monroe HighSchool during the first half of the 1970sand its tense days of integration. “Theirparents had church,” wrote Verline AnneShepherd for the paper. “They hadHarambee.”

Clarence Todd (photo courtesyCRHC; FL-S) was recruited by Carole J.Hamm to direct a show at Shiloh (NewSite) on Princess Anne. Todd was the city’sfirst black School Board member and hadbeen involved in music and theater whenhe lived in Philadelphia. The performersshowed so much enthusiasm that Toddagreed to stay on, to direct theater and toguide young lives toward achievements inlife.

As the group developed, GayeTodd returned home from New York andraised black consciousness among theblack ensemble. The father-daughter duoopened up the world of black literature,history, poets and playwrights to them.They went on trips to the D.C. BlackRepertoire and rented a house at 715

Lafayette for meetings and smallperformances, a neutral place unattachedto any neighborhood, school or church.

Though the focus of the timeswas integration, Harambee revealed theblack legacy and awareness to its youngmembers. The nuances of the times werevisible in hairstyles and attire, and stageperformances often hit racial nerves thatraised awareness for any and all open-minded persons of either race.“Leadership and trust” were two of themost important outcomes of Harambeefor Richardson, who went from carryingthe Todd-given nickname of “Harvard” onto a Harvard MBA.

This story transcends the artsand puts leadership, consciousness andgrowth center-stage. Harambee dealt withthe elephants in the room, and in doing socaused some heartburn while it ultimatelyhelped win the hearts and minds of blackand white Fredericksburg during turbulenttimes. When we watch a Stage DoorProductions performance today, or spendan evening at the Riverside Center dinner

theater and watch actors and crew ofevery race and mixed races, we don’t blinkan eye – we applaud them.

Harambee was an eye opener inthe 70s. It built great lives. So many ofits children then are community leadersnow who mentor the new generation. TheArts are powerful tools, and Harambeemay have been the sharpest tool in thebox all those important years ago. -RG

Virginia’s 196 wineries allowour Burg’s culture of wine toflourish. Jefferson would be

proud. Scott is. —RG

An art? I sat back andwondered: Growing grapes ismore of a hope and prayer, anda lot of hard work. Last springmy wife, Diane and I planted avineyard of 500 vines. Intalking to vintners in theNorthern Neck, many had rolledtheir eyes and wished me luck.The image of owning a vineyard,sitting on the front porchdrinking wine and watching thevines grow and grapes ripen isfar from what we experienced. We havelearned a lot, the hard way.

Laying out the vineyard was theeasy part. With my tractor-powered six-inch auger bit, I dug 500 holes. Our firstshipment of vines came from New Yorkstate, a varietal known as Tramminette,developed by Cornell University bygrafting Gewurtztraminer and SauvignonBlanc. This produces a lovely, refreshingwine in demand in Virginia becauseRiesling cannot be grown here. Weplanted these right away, in the pouringrain, before they dried out.

As we were, the Fed Ex truckpulled in with the Sangiovese vines fromCalifornia. I realized I had not dug theholes for these vines and needed to do soimmediately. By this time we felt like prosat digging holes and planting vines andcompleted the process in four days. Oncethe vines were in, we put bamboo poles(1/4” x 48”) in the ground by the vinesand assembled and slid enhancing growtubes over them.

June 21 will always have meaningto me — the date the Japanese beetlesbegan their invasion. After witnessingwhat the beetles do to a vineyard, Isprayed with liquid sevin. Not only did thebeetles disappear, but the vines showedtheir amazing resilience, coming back

stronger and with more foliage thanbefore. Vines must also be sprayed toprotect from various forms of mildew anddisease. An herbicide must be sprayed tokill the vine’s main competition fornutrients - the grasses and weeds thatgrow between them. And weather is afactor when vines are young. For the firsttwo years it is imperative they vinesreceive enough water. There was plenty ofrain this summer and irrigation was not afactor. In August, however, with twohurricanes and a tropical storm dropping15 inches in one week, mildew was aconcern. As the vines grew, we realized abig mistake - we had failed to dig the holesfor the vine-support poles, and found therows too close together to use my tractor-auger to dig them. After digging one ofthirteen rows with a hand held postholedigger, we hired a local fencing companyto dig for us.

Worry is a big thing whengrowing vines, but the joy of seeing plantsso resilient as they grow and developproved to bring us joy unspeakable. Nextyear we look forward to more challengesto come.

Scott Richards grows grapes, drinkswine, and writes about it. Not a bad

gig. (To read about getting wine fromthe vineyard to the table, turn to Matt

Thomas’ story on page 14.)

12 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg January 2012 13

Our Culture of Wine

Part 1, The “art” of growing grapes

By scott richards

The word “charcuterie”conjures up images of Zorroflashing his sword and shouting out,“Charcuterie! Be damned!” But LeeRussell of the Olde Towne Butcherwould not be cast in that role. Youknow Lee. He and his wife, Linda,are anything but flashy. They haveexpanded their space on WilliamStreet, and Lee is offering more ofhis popular interactive sausage-making classes in 2012, but theknife he yields is precisely functionalfor his art of charcuterie.

The classes sell out at $45per person. “You make and takehome five pounds of sausage, and abook,” says Lee. There is also achicken cutting class on the agenda.For the same $45 price, you takehome two chickens and a knife.Check their website, facebook page,or front door for announcementsabout classes.

The nitty gritty ofcharcuterie is interesting to watch.Lee took me through it, fromchoosing the right grinding plate bysize and coarseness to the edible casingsthat encapsulate the meat. Pork is in itsown natural casing; chicken sausage in avegetable-based collagen using a hornattachment on his grinder, like a funnel(which you substitute at home along witha wood spoon to push the meat through).

Lee, whose expanded work andretail space is so customer-friendly, brinesall of his sausages first, so he will tell youto rinse and dry well. I watched as hemade a mixture of chicken-apple-chardonnay sausage. The thing that goesunnoticed as you watch is you arewitnessing the perpetuation of a 3,000-year-old art; in fact, the first recordedbook was ‘how to make sausage’. Sothere’s a taste of history in every pound.

A course plate (see photo) is usedfor making stew meat; a medium plate forItalian and Andoule sausages; a fine platefor Red Wine & Sage and other texturedsausages, like Fred Red with its maltybody. All Lee’s knives are ergonomic indesign to prevent stress injuries. The porkknife is doubly functional, a cutting bladeat one end and a pierce at the other tovent the casings so they don’t burst.

One of the keywords in sausagemaking (and the butcher trade in general)is “cold”. The room is cold, the equipmentis cold, the coolers are obviously cold,because cold fights bacteria, which iseverywhere, making the other keywords“wash, rinse, sanitize.” Lee dispels themyth of “don’t watch sausage being madeif you ever want to eat it.” My mouthwatered, and I purchased a pound. It wasscrumptious pan fried.

As Lee walked me through this,the phone rang several times and he tookquestions relayed to him by staff from thecallers. It felt like a talk show or live-streaming charcuterie class. His staffincludes Jason Walsh (he’s the guy in thefedora), a three-year journeyman butcher.There’s an apprentice on board, as well asretail staff and, of course, Linda, whoknows the business of being a butchershop.

Olde Towne Butcher has come agreat way in its three years on the scene;totally embraced by our culture of quality,localness, green philosophy and healthyeating. Retail inventory is at the pointyou can stock a complete meal in one stopat 401 William. They carry Bell & Evanschicken, Chairman’s Reserve – “the bestcommodity pork you can buy” (the hogsare raised in deep bedding, whichminimizes their stress, and, as Leeexplains, “their stress is transferred to themeat.”) - or local pasture-raised pigs, andhe sources a lot from the Durop familyfarm. As Lee says, “If you put junk in…”and he will sell you no junk. The sausagehe made (of skinless, boneless Bell & Evansair-chilled chicken thighs, green, organicGranny Smith apples, yellow onion andherbs) is proof that the art of eating wellstarts at the source and makes its waythrough the trustful artisan hands ofpeople like Lee Russell, right here in FXBG.

SSammy ammy T’T’ ssServing Great Food Since 1981

801 Caroline Street (540) 371-2008vegetarian/vegan/burgers/chicken/seafood

open 10:30 am DailyStill Owned by the Emory Family

DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG’S

Home of the “Camper Special” & the Best Burger in Town

The General StoreRestaurant

Italian/American FoodMonday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm

371-40752018 College Ave.

Fredericksburg

Since 1978

Olde Towne BUTCHERWe’ve added space to better serve you!

Find our next sausage-making class schedule on Facebook, our Website, or on Our Door!

403-405 William StreetFredericksburg, VA 22401

540.370.4105www.oldetownebutcher.com

Open: 10am - 7pm Monday through Friday8am - 6pm Saturday, 12 - 5pm Sunday

Lee Russell Proprietor

My homage to an artist, with an artfulcocktail named for her… -RG

Patte Reider Ormsby is amongmy favorite multi-media artists of all time.So I’m naming this martini after her. It isone she enjoys when she is not painting ormaking jewelry or a multi-media work ofart. Call her “a patron of the cocktailarts.”

Start with a very cold cocktailglass with a long stem and wide mouth.Fill with ice and water to get it even

colder while you are mixing the cocktail.In your shaker, pour a heaping portion(count to eight) of Stoli vodka (orsubstitute Grey Goose). Add a two-countof olive juice. Shake the bejeebers out ofit. Really bruise it. Set aside. Pour outthe ice water from the martini glass; addjust a dash of dry vermouth and swirl theglass. Empty it again. Strain and pour thecocktail from the shaker into the glass.

Spear two blue-cheese stuffedolives that have been soaked in Scotch forseveral hours. (You can make theseyourself by popping out the pimentosfrom some olives and, using clean, unusedtweezers, pluck some blue cheese and stuffeach olive. Or, you can buy a jar of blue-cheese stuffed olives at Giant. Either way,next you transfer them to a plastic pintcontainer at home and pour in the Scotch,snap the lid on tightly and flip thecontainer over several times until all ofthe olives have tasted Scotch; then store inrefrigerator until it is 5:00 somewhere(a.m. or p.m.; it doesn’t really matter).

Front Porch editor Rob Groganmoonlights as a bartender at Bistro

Bethem every weekend.

Martini - The art of the cocktail

Recipe for The P.R.O.

By Rob Grogan

CharcuterieLee Russell Teaches His Craft

By Rob Grogan

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 1514 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

Vineyards traverse the world, and winehas been part of Virginia culture sinceJeffersonian times. Matt looks at how

we get wine to our table… - RG

For any craft to be successful,middlemen are needed to bring togethercraft makers and consumers. For thecenturies-old craft of Spanish winemaking,that middleman is the importer. Most ofthe foreign wine you see on store shelvesis imported by medium to large sizedcompanies that distribute on a national orlarge regional scale. But some of it -usually the best of it - is imported by smallcompanies that specialize in certain typesof wine. One of those companies is theStafford-based Spanish Wine Importers.

The Spanish Wine Importers wasstarted by Travis Vernon, who I first metin 2009 when he asked if he could speak tome about my experience in the winebusiness as part of his research. Heseemed awfully young to be starting animporting business, but he also seemedsmart and professional, so I was onlymildly surprised when 18 months later hewas pitching me wines he had broughtover from Spain.

As it turns out Travis was firstexposed to the beautiful art of Spanishwine during an exchange program atuniversity. It also involved working part-time, and the job he got was with anexporter. Here he got some exposure notonly to how the business worked but also

the pleasures of wine. Whenhe returned home and triedseeking out the sort ofSpanish wine he had hadabroad, he discovered thatthe wine here did not tastethe same. Too much of it hadbeen “Americanized”, i.e.made more fruity and rich.He saw a gap in the market –there wasn’t enough winefrom Spain here that wasSpanish in style.

What is the Spanishstyle? In Spain, wine is veryoften had with food, as inFrance and Italy, so the winesare made to pair well. Thisoften means dry andsomewhat earthy. Travis toldme that in Spain people formregional preferences ratherthan varietal preferences, aswe do here. So, for example,somebody may ask for a winefrom Rioja rather than askingfor a Tempranillo. Travisdecided that he would importwines from various regions ofSpain to expose wine drinkershere to various regionalstyles and flavors.

Travis eschews trade shows andindustry tastings as a way of finding greatwine. Instead, he cold calls wineries andtravels around Spain, finding smallwineries with very small production. It’sthese small wineries that produce some ofthe best wine with the richest tradition.

Fredericksburg was one of thefirst markets The Spanish Wine Importershit. You can find their wines in severalarea restaurants and wine shops(including kybecca, of course). One of hiswines, an excellent white Rioja, was evenselected by The Washington Post as one oftheir Thanksgiving picks.

Travis sees wine tastes inFredericksburg as ever evolving. Althoughhe has an easier time selling some wines inDC, he’s been surprised by how welltraditional Spanish wines, not always easyto like, have done here. He sees increasingdemand for sweet wines, a sign of newwine drinkers, who tend to prefer sweet.The Spanish Wine Importers is really justTravis and his wife, but month-by-monththey’ve expanded their domain. Celebritychef Jose Andres will start carrying theirstuff this year.

Ask around about The SpanishWine Importers. I can personally vouchfor their quality; just last week I had anamazing Toro with a Spanish-style braisedpork shank.

Matt Thomas frequently shares his wineknowledge in Front Porch.

Our Culture of Winethe importer at work

By matt thomas

101 William Street

Party PlanningAvailable!

540.371.2233WINTER HOURS:

Mon - Thur 11-4 pmFri - Sat 11 to 6 pm

Closed Sun

With the emergence and boomof “craft” beers and home

brewing worldwide, the brewingof beer is no longer perceivedas a process; it is viewed as an

art. Sara elaborates… -RG

Serving a regionalmarket, both in-house and toretail pubs, restaurants andstores, and nestled among theindustrial spaces and warehousesof Bowman Center on Route 2south of the city is the Blue &Gray Brewing Co, where masterbrewer David Achkio plies histrade.

So we asked David, whois just 40 and a bear of ahandsome man, “What qualifiesyou as a professional?” To whichhe retorted, nicely, “I am a professionalbrewer. It involves a mix of theoreticaland practical knowledge that ends with aproduct that people judge with theircheckbooks.” Wow, a full-pint answer witha foamy head – he’s professional, learned,practical, and commercial.

“I started by reading everythingabout brewing I could get my hands onand applying this information with mixedsuccess to batches of beer I made athome.” Using his skills in the culinarytrade to craftily work his way into anapprenticeship at a brewery in Pittsburgh(was it Iron City?), David also invested informal courses at the Siebel Institute inChicago. David now has seven or eightyears under his belt as a pro brew guy, butif you count those sneaky escapades incollege, he’s been at it quite awhile. “Itgets in your blood. There is a certainobsessive component to brewing thatsticks with you.”

In his five months at B&G, Davidcommutes from Richmond, where hemoved in 2002 – making it his longest-running residency ever. Once he arrivesfor the day, it’s all about the business ofbrewing the Blue & Gray brand. “I reallylike the Classic Lager. The brewingprocess is about creating the perfectenvironment for yeast to live a long andhealthy like.” (Sounds like a cat to me!) “Ijoke about being enslaved by those littlecreatures – I’m just a simple yeastherder.” (Love it!)

The quality of the ingredients isalso important. Believe it or not, Davidputs the water of FXBG on a par with thatof Pilsen (a very big-on-beer Czech town).He combines it with (here’s where he losesme a bit) Canada 2-row malt and theGerman Hallertau Hersbrucker hops (whoknew?) to create flavors neutral enoughfor your average American consumer (me)

and subtle enough for the connoisseur(Matt Thomas).

Now it gets really scientific,chemistry fans: “I particularly like thedelicate interaction of the sweet, floralhop aroma and the pleasantly sulfuricyeast component. The malt provides thecanvas that allows those two flavors tomerge,” David lectures. (If you had toldme that anything sulfuric would mergeand become tasty, I’d have bet against youin Vegas… but the proof is in the growler.)

Blue & Gray brews year-roundClassic Lager, Fred Red, Stonewall Stoutand Falmouth American Pale Ale.Seasonally, David produces Borman’sBelgian Ale, Temporary Insanity ImperialStout, Minor Dementia Bourbon CaskStout, and Octoberfest; plus, there’s agreat IPA, Hefeweizen and several holidayofferings. Check out the brewery and theLee’s Retreat Brew Pub. I might be thereor else at Bistro — I love how Rob paysme in beer for my writing.

Sara Mattingly is our bubbly, hoppy, at-large writer.

TheSoup & Taco,

Etc.

813 Caroline St.Fredericksburg, VA

22401

Serving TraditionalMexican, Tex-Mex Foodand Something More!!

Tuesday to Saturday11am-9pm

Sunday 11am-6pm

Phone: 540-899-0969E-mail: soupntaco@yahoo.com

NowOfferingBeer &Wine

Sandwiches BarbecueHot Dogs Desserts

The Art of the BrewBlue & Gray’s david achkio

By sara mattingly

Serving Up Local “Good” News

Since 1997

Front PorchFredericksburg

*Some events run same day weekly or more thanonce monthly. Look for their first-time listings.

sunday, january 1Happy New Year!

Visit http://whatisyourposition.com/ thru January

Read All Over Books: Open Jazz Jam 230P

Colonial Tavern: Open Jazz Jam 7P

Sunken Well Tavern: Bluegrass Jam 7P

AM1230 WFVA radio’s “Community Link” incooperation w/ Front Porch. 8-830A. ValerieHopson Bell of Elder Care Connections, Pat Hollandof Rapp. Area Agency on Aging talk aboutdiscussing end-of-life issues w/ family members.Former Spotsy Supervisor Hap Connors looks backand ahead on county issues

monday, january 2NRBQ — New Rhythms and Blues Quartet ticketsbeing sold now at The Otter House. $15 pet ticket,show starts at 10P, Jan 14. Get your tickets whilethey last!

Present & Past Treasures Open House 11-4P.January deals! Chatham Square

Beauty & The Beast at Riverside Center Children’sTheater thru Jan 21. http://www.riversidedt.com/

Keller Williams’ latest album on sale at oneexclusive FXBG location: The 909 Saloon, 909Caroline

Tickets on sale for the 13th Annual Empty BowlFundraiser (Jan. 29, 2012) supportingRappahannock Council on Domestic Violence.www.rcdv.com, 373-9372, or see ad for ticket saleslocations

Registration continues for Legacies Workshop forWomen: Memoir Writing, Healthful Eating. SandraManigault of Manigault Institute. Jan 14, 2012,10A-4P. Comfort Inn, 20 Salisbury Dr, Stafford.Info: see article, or call 720-0861, or 659-6725, orquery at sandra.manigault@gmail.com

VA Wine Experience artwork by featured artistSara Palombo, who is new to the area and our artcommunity. Welcome, Sara! All month. 826Caroline

*Women’s gentle yoga class every Mon 7P. Otherdays as well. Thrive, Healing Center(Thrivehealing.org)

tuesday, january 3*Broke Down Boys every First Tues at Sunken WellTavern, Hanover at Littlepage

*Restoration Yoga: Tue & Thurs Noon-115P. Freetrial: 582-9600

*Black Dynamite Trio at Otter House: Jazz, Fusion,Funk from best around. 9P. No Cover. 21+

U of Mary Washington Dahlgren Campus Centerfor Education & Research officially opens; designedto support advanced educational needs ofprofessionals on and near Naval Support Facility(NSF) Dahlgren

wednesday, january 4First Wednesday, F’burg Blues Society. 7P.Shannon’s Bar & Grille, Central Park

Callin’ all pickers! Scott Wagner and Emily Barkerhost weekly open mic and jam at the RecCenter/Pool Hall. Every Wednesday 8-11P. 213William

Brandon Newton resumes his show at BistroBethem throughout the month during dininghours. Stylishly expressive views of both naturaland urban landscapes. 309 William

“Inspiration” All-Member Show. Brush StrokesGallery, 824 Caroline. Thru Jan 29. See Jan 6 fordetails.http://www.facebook.com/Brush.Strokes.Gallery, brushstrokesfredericksburg.com

thursday, january 5Gray Gurkin plays kybecca wine bar, 402 William*College Night at Otter House: area’s hottest DJs;special guest. 10P. No Cover. 21+

*Kenmore Inn live music every Thurs, 730P-1030P

*Tru Luv’s Live Acoustic Rock every Thurs & Fri 7-10P; 1101 Sophia, 373-6500

*Open mic Thurs 8P Yakadoos, VA Go Girls Jam,Hosted by Lisa Lim (Every Other Thurs)

Whole Health Chiropractic presents Dr. ChristineThompson, DC’s Detoxification & Weight LossClass, 7-830P. Register: 540-899-9421 orreception@whole-health.net. $15

first friday, january 6Main Gallery at LibertyTown on First Friday Jan. 6,2012, 5-9pm for our popular Student Show. Comesee the latest work by students of artists here atLibertyTown. Show runs Jan. 6-29

Art - Opening Reception: “Inspiration”, an All-Member Show at Brush Strokes Gallery, 824Caroline. Through Jan 29. Artists reveal theinspiration for their art work. From insight toinsight, the viewer can formulate his/her ownartistic response. A must-see exhibit, as diverse aseach artist’s inspiration. 6P-9P

Art First Gallery Opening Reception, 824 Caroline,for its new All Member Show, leading up to thegallery’s 20th anniversary celebration in February

Fredericksburg Center For The Creative Arts ringsin the New Year with two exhibitions of ArtisanCrafts and handmade gifts -– A National, Juriedshow of ‘Fine Crafts’ in Frederick Gallery (Juror,Ellen Killough, President & CEO of F’burg AreaMuseum & Cultural Center) and FCCA Members’Holiday Show in Members’ Gallery, 813 Sophia,through Jan 27. Galleries open Wed-Mon 12-4P, w/First Friday hours til 8

The Big Payback at The Otter House, 1005 PrincessAnne. 10P-1A. James Brown cover band. 21+. Cover

Mercutio (Michael and Jeff) entertains for FirstFriday at kybecca, 402 William, 373-3338

saturday, january 7Moon Rats at The Otter House, 1005 PrincessAnne. 10P-1A. New Blue country rock grassorchestra. 21+. Cover charge

Why Vegan? The Veg Group explores why, what weeat, think, act. 1130A-1P. Potluck meal, discussionw/ Leah Comerford, abolitionist vegan. Info:GloriaLloyd, lloydsgloria @msn.com, Christine Carlson,786-3648

sunday, january 8AM1230 WFVA radio’s “Community Link” incooperation w/ Front Porch. 8-830A. HouseSpeaker Bill Howell of Stafford previews theupcoming General Assembly session

Valerie Webber at Pickers’ Supply, 902 Caroline. 6-7P

tuesday, january 10Pocket Aces takes Bistro Bethem stage, w/ $3 drinkspecials 8-11P. No cover, all ages. 309 William

wednesday, january 11Fiddler on The Roof opens at The Riverside DinnerTheater thru March 4. Riversidedt.com

thursday, january 12One-Hour Cooking Class with Chef Laurie Beth Gillsat The Kitchen at Whittingham, 1021 Caroline.“No Reservations” – Cook like Kate, Master Chef atone of the trendiest restaurants in Manhattan.Seared sea scallops with Saffron Sauce; SpaghettiOreganato with Tomato Sauce; Baguette Pizza.Info: shopwhittingham.com, 374-0443

Dave Goodrich returns from the road to playkybecca, 402 William

Lisa Lim plays Yak-A-Doo’s, 564 Warrenton Rd.9P-1A

friday, january 13Restaurant Week through Jan 23. Seeadvertisement or visitfred.com

Ashleigh Chevalier performs her rock, soul andblues at kybecca wine bar, 402 William

Justin Trawick at The Otter House, 1005 PrincessAnne. 10P-1A. 21+. Cover charge

Poetry Open Mic at The Griffin on Caroline. 7P

saturday, january 14NRBQ plays The Otter House. Tickets $15 whilethey last! Come hear this legendary New Rhythmsand Blues Quartet. Show starts 10pm. Opening act:Madi Wolf & The Pack!

Legacies Workshop: See January 2 listing

Education Workshop/Informational Session forParents on Summer Educational Opportunities forStudents in Grades 3-12. 10A-1P. Porter Library,659-4909. Complimentary continental breakfast.Topics: Teaching as a Career & SummerEducational Opportunities for Students

sunday, january 15AM1230 WFVA radio’s “Community Link” incooperation w/ Front Porch. 8-830A. GermannaCommunity College President David Sam talksabout campus safety and dealing w/ earthquakes.Rapp. Community Health District Director Dr.Brooke Rossheim discusses rabies

Hugh Mercer’s Birthday. 1020 Caroline.Visitfred.com

monday, january 16Abstract Watercolor Painting Workshop: GariMelchers Home & Studio at Belmont, 224Washington. 9-4P

tuesday, january 17World Jam Club takes Bistro Bethem stage, w/ $3drink specials 8-11P. No cover, all ages. 309William

wednesday, january 18Lecture: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. CelebrationKeynote, “Building Toward the Dream: Progress inthe Age of Obama”. GW Hall, Dodd Auditorium. 4P.Free. 654-1044

thursday, january 19Mid-Atlantic New Painting 2012 exhibition.Ridderhof Martin Gallery. To Feb 24. Openingreception 5-7P. Juror’s talk. Lightrefreshments. Free street parking.Checkhttp://galleries.umw.edu/, (540) 654-1013

Crowded Spaces: Art from Allison Long Hardy.Opening reception 5-7P. duPont Gallery. Up to Feb5. http://galleries.umw.edu/. (540) 654-1013

Film: King, Man of Peace in a Time of War,featuring viewing of 2007 documentary followedby discussion; Lee Hall, Rm 411. 6P. Free. (540)654-1044

Tyler Reese Duo plays kybecca, 402 William

friday, january 203rd Friday, 830A business ladies’ free networking“TIPS”. Call Ellen Baptist, 548-0652

Laurie Rose Griffith & Peter Mealy return tokybecca, 402 William

Naome, Neo Soul Funk Band, plays at the OtterHouse. 21+. Cover charge

saturday, january 21Free Vegetarian Cooking class every 3rd Sat. 2-330P. Free Meditation 4-5P. Porter Library

Shane Hines at kybecca wine bar, 402 William

Wavos play The Otter House 10P-1A. 80’s coverband back for more! 21+. Cover charge

sunday, january 22AM1230 WFVA radio’s “Community Link” incooperation w/ Front Porch. 8-830A. The GreatLives Series at UMW — Bill Crawley and CharlesShields discuss this year’s program (see article, p.27). Kathy Anderson and Kathy Harrigan of theRapp. Council on Domestic Violence preview theEmpty Bowl Fundraiser

tuesday, january 24The Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series: KurtVonnegut, by Charles J. Shields, author of “And SoIt Goes”/UMW assoc. director Great Lives. GW Hall,Dodd Auditorium; 730P. Free. (540) 654-1065

wednesday, january 25Financial Aid Workshop for high school seniors andparents. UMW Office of Financial Aid. Lee Hall, Rm411. 7P. Free. Register:http://adminfinance.umw.edu/financialaid

thursday, january 26One-Hour Cooking Class with Chef Laurie Beth Gillsat The Kitchen at Whittingham, 1021 Caroline.Tortilla Soup – With help of Chefs Susan Finigerand Mary Sue Miliken: Panuchos Stuffed Tortilas,Timeless Tortilla Soup, Tequila Morning Sunrise.Info: shopwhittingham.com, 374-0443

Parlor Soldiers play kybecca, 402 William, 373-3338

Lisa Lim plays Yak-A-Doo’s, 564 Warrenton Rd. 9P-1Afriday, january 27Songwriters’ Showcase presents Roddy Barnes, JonBachman, Jean Bayou, Ray Woodruff. Picker’sSupply auditorium. See article for details

Sunset Syndicate at The Otter House 10P-1A.Original rock n roll cover band. 21+. Cover charge

saturday, january 28Cinderella’s Glass Slipper opens at Riverside CenterChildren’s Theater thru March 24. Riversidedt.com

Michael Geddes, Sr. warms the crowd at kybeccawine bar, 402 William

Eli Cook Blues band playing at the Otter House!Cover charge, 21 and up

sunday, january 29AM1230 WFVA radio’s “Community Link” incooperation w/ Front Porch. 8-830A. RegisteredDietician Nancy Farrell talks about New Year’seating goals, and smart eating at your Super Bowlparty! Rob Grogan talks about February events

Annual Empty Bowl fundraising event for RCDV.See article for ticket info. Elks Lodge on TidewaterTrail

tuesday, january 31The Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series: Lafayette,by Marc Leepson, author of “Lafayette,”journalist/historian. GW Hall, Dodd Auditorium.730P. Free. (540) 654-1065

Lecture: Nobody Runs the Play Perfectly the FirstTime: Hut, Two – Revision, by Charles J. Shields,best-selling author, biographer and assoc. dir.UMW’s Great Lives lecture series. Lee Hall, Rm 414.10A. Free

For more music events, check in with our friendsat www.fredericksburglive.com/fred-llive-mmusic-

calendar

If you are reading this 175th issue of FP, thank an advertiser!

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front porch fredericksburg January 2012 1716 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

january 2012… Celebrate the ARTS!

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From the newest Brian Hyland venture,the 909 Saloon, and the renovated

outbuilding at the Inn at the Old SilkMill, to the often-packed Otter House,

and the timeless Picker’s Supply concerthall, great venues have made great

music into great memories for all whoattend their shows. - RG

Around the back and up the alleyfrom Picker’s Supply on Caroline, theFredericksburg Songwriters’ Showcase is adowntown acoustic venue that began infall of 1993. With the help of wonderfulvolunteers, the last-Friday concertsare in their 19th season and will start the20th season in September, 2012. (I’msure there was a drum-roll somewhere inthat last sentence.) Each month, foursongwriters present different acousticstyles, or the concert is divided betweentwo diverse groups. Every show appeals tovarious tastes and always treats theaudience to something new andinteresting.

A coffee-and-homemade-cookieskind of place with no alcohol and nosmoking, the showcase draws an attentiveaudience. This includes FSS regularscomplemented by loyal fans of the artistsand first-time attendees. Picker’s Supplyhas been gracious in renting space andsponsoring the series. FSS presents greatlocal songwriters who share the stagewith performers from places like NewYork, Nashville, Austin, Colorado and evenEngland, Sweden and Australia. Thisdiversity was a goal of co-founders BobGramann and Peter Mealy. Bob travels tothe Northeast Regional Folk Allianceconference every year, and sometimes toFolk Alliance International, to find talent.(He also sells guitars at these events). Inaddition, he gets CD submissions andemails on a regular basis. The showcase isalways looking for an undiscovered greattalent, or the chance to booksomeone well-established on thecoffeehouse circuit. The result is a stage

full of performers who can playRichmond and DC for $20 or more perticket.

Starting off the new calendar

year and finishing Songwriters’ 19th

season will be some talents familiar toFXBG, and others waiting to be recognizedin our arts town. On January 27, Roddy

Barnes, Jon Bachman, Jean Bayou(photo), and Ray Woodruff (see page28) will take the stage. Jon and Rayare beloved locals; Jon has played upand down the coast while Ray’sdream is beginning to come tofruition.

Roddy Barnes (pictured withGaye Adegbalola of FXBG) is ablues/jazz performer and composerwhose songs have been recorded bySaffire. He has released six of hisown albums through Monkfish,CandyJack and Hey Boo, and hasbeen featured on numerous radioprograms and at severalinternational venues.

February 24 brings BradyEarnhart, Mike Dougherty, Victoria Vox,and Brother Lou to the venue. March 30’slineup includes Laurie McClain, Rob Lytle,Putnam Smith, and Barbara Martin, withApril 27 showering us with the talents ofEllen Bukstel, Nick Annis, Sandy Andina,and Stephen Lee Rich.

The Otter House presents thelegendary NRBQ with opening act MadiWolf & The Pack on January 14. 909Saloon, even when there is no live show, isa rock music museum in and of itself.And as long as downtown’s great musicvenues continue to book the bestavailable talents, be they world-classlocals or locally-beloved visitors, ourFXBG music scene will bring character,charisma and cash to our fine town.

Lou Gramann has long been a volunteerfor the Songwriters’ Showcase in FXBG.

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 19 18 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

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Quietly bringing quality glassworks tomarket, Brian Fletcher is not what youmight expect, as Gracie tells us… -RG

“Behold the Lair” is the sensation I feltwhen Brian Fletcher, owner of NaturalMystics, showed me his backroom full of blown glassdevices for smoking tobacco.The ceiling-high glass casesdisplay a wide range of ornatepieces, some beautifullycrafted to look like dragons,while others look like theybelong in the lab of a madscientist. As Brian talkedabout them, he pointed outspecific pieces and named theexact artist who crafted them,as well as the location fromwhich they came. While someof the artists are his personalfriends, he also travels totrade shows to keep up with the latesttrends in glass blowing and maintain hisrelationships with the artists themselves.

When I mentioned to Brian(pictured with store manager Matt Mens)that I had been to Venice and had seen theornate pieces of blown glass art thatsaturated the city, he immediately repliedthat while many modern glass-blowingtechniques originated in Italy andGermany, he believes the American formof the art has surpassed its Europeancounterparts in intricacy and its inclusionof modern science. At that point, hedirected my attention to one certain piecethat looked like a beaker with tubes toshow what he meant by American glassblowing being more scientific. Thisspecific device used water to create

bubbles in it, thus purifying the tobaccofor cleaner smoke.

Natural Mystics prides itself onthe fact that the hand-blownglasswork it features and sells ismade almost entirely by Americanartists (FXBG artist Rob Singel madethis one, not yet for sale). Whilemany venues will sell less expensiveglassware, he claims that those areimports from India and China, andthe stock is not chosen with care.Fletcher, however, is so connected toAmerican artists that he can eventake requests and have someonecraft a piece to follow the customer’sspecifications. For example, ifsomeone wanted one that looked likea flower, he could have one of theartists he knows personally create it.

Besides his huge interest in, andlove for, artistic glass blowing,Fletcher has also been a hugesupporter of reggae music. Forseveral years he and his wifeKatarina had organized a localreggae concert series called OneLove for Africa that raised funds for

the AIDS Foundation in South Africa. Notonly did they support a good cause, butthey also promoted and brought qualityreggae music to FXBG. With technology’s

current move away from CDs to MP3 andonline music purchases, Fletcher claims heis a little sad because the music was a bigpart of the store. While they no longersell reggae music, it remains very much aninfluence on the ambiance and productsthey carry.

Natural Mystics has a widevariety of interesting products to offer,from all natural soaps and hemp clothingto local-made jewelry and an entirecollection of blown glass artwork. Thestore is permeated with the results oftheir creative eyes and passion for thearts, providing a distinct yet excitingflavor to Fredericksburg’s artistic culture.

Gracie Ofslager graces our pages withwarm interviews of cool people.

Clear As GlassBrian Fletcher’s Passion

By Gracie Ofslager

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front porch fredericksburg January 2012 21 20 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

To hear Charles on Community Link withhost Ted Schubel, listen at 8a.m. Sun,

Jan. 22 on AM1230. - RG

Let me tell what it’s like being aspeaker for the Chappell Great LivesLecture Series. Having spoken at hundredsof venues, the University of MaryWashington experience is exceptional, andmemorable. When series director BillCrawley invited to speak about mybiography, Mockingbird: A Portrait ofHarper Lee, I knew something wasdifferent right away. You see, libraries,colleges and bookstores invite authors tospeak about books, but never in a lectureseries devoted exclusively to biography.Imagine: a one-of-a-kind program on amost popular nonfiction genre inpublishing— and in an historic town.

When I arrived, I suddenlyturned into a kind of dignitary. TheKalnen Inn at the Jepson Alumni ExecutiveCenter was lovely (and believe me—having experienced every kind ofaccommodation from motels by theinterstate to people’s spare bedrooms, Iknow lovely when I see it). If that wasn’tenough, a hired car took me to DoddAuditorium for a microphone check. Thiswas quite a bit different from, say,arriving at a junior high by myself on abitter cold day in Montana, as I did, andfinding all the exterior doors locked.

Then I was whisked back to theKalnen Inn for dinner with facultymembers and community leaders. My seatwas at the head of the table, and all theconversation was about books andprevious Great Lives topics. There used tobe a program on television called “Queenfor a Day,” in which a housewife wastreated like royalty. For me, it was“Author for a Day.” Many authors, myselfincluded, have spoken to audiences thatcould fit comfortably into a stationwagon. To look out on a kind of mini-book

festival of hundreds of readers who hadcome out near the end of the series, after16 or so presenters had already appeared,

was something I neverexperienced before or since.

Being associate director of theChappell Great Lives LectureSeries is really an extension ofeverything I heard and saw as aspeaker — the originality of theprogram, the quality of itsspeakers, the courtesy and caretaken of the authors, and itscontinuing popularity in thecommunity has been borne outin my dealings with faculty andstaff, and Fredericksburgbusinesspeople and residents. Intalks to Rotary Clubs here,interest has run so high, and inbiography in general, that I find

it hard to stop speaking. The Q-and-Aperiod runs on because the members—from all walks of professional life— aregenuinely interested.

I thought it a good idea to have ablog on the UMW website (I have a seriescolumn in The Free Lance-Star). JimGroom, Director of Teaching and LearningTechnology at UMW made the webpossible and works with me to expand itscontent and reach to the Internet at-large.The more eyes on the Great Lives blog, themore national attention to the program— which is my goal: to bring the ChappellGreat Lives Lecture Series to nationalprominence. The series is that good, andFredericksburg is ideal to become ashowcase about the art and craft ofbiography. Biographers OrganizationInternational (BIO) with 450 practicingbiographers, and the University of MaryWashington are moving forward to form apartnership that will, in effect, makeFredericksburg, and the university, theChautauqua of biography. And wouldn’tthat be a great thing— for readers,authors, schools, students— in fact,everyone in the community and centralVirginia? Consider how the series bringsfamous authors local residents mightnever have the chance to see. And nowthink about offering that privilege all overthe country via every kind of mediaavailable… Now that would be something!

Charles Shields is associate director ofthe Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series.

See our Calendar for the Great Livesseries and the entire Community Link

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Where does an artist of meagermeans and no access to

marketing go? Kathy providesthe answers… - RG

Walk into Ten ThousandVillages in Central Park anddiscover a world of internationalgifts, jewelry and home décor. TenThousand Villages is not just anordinary retail gift store, however.We’re a fair trade retailer; eachhandcrafted piece represents anartisan, a culture and a dream.

Walk past the jewelrydisplay and discover intricatehandcrafts by artisans fromaround the world. Look a little closer andobserve fashionable jewelry from Perumade by Beatriz Chavez Paucar (pictured),of Villa el Salvador, Peru. Beatriz learnedthe art by watching her uncles createjewelry in her mother’s home.

The family workshop began in1985, when, in the midst of the ShiningPath’s reign of violence in Peru, a Catholicpriest named Nefteali Licetta assistedvillagers from the highlands in developingincome sources as alternatives totraditional agricultural economy. FatherLicetta came to the Paucar family with asemi-precious stone and a question: “Whatcan we get from this stone?” Their answerwas, “Many flowers for a woman.” Fromthis answer a name was formed; in theindigenous Queche language, “Tika Rumi”means “flower stone.” From thisconversation, Paucar, her mother and heruncles created a jewelry workshop.Paucar’s first completed jewelry was a setof earrings. She moved on to creatingnecklaces and bracelets and eventuallymastered the art of jewelry making andbegan designing pieces for the group tomarket.

Today, Paucar and her husband,Romulo Calderon Cosme, create jewelry intheir home workshop. Their daughters,aged 16, 14 and 6 are in school. They helpin the family workshop in their spare time,making it a family venture. Paucardreams of her daughters becoming skilledprofessionals. Paucar spends her sparetime building her home business and oftensells jewelry at fairs and other venues. Shedreams of building a successful, viableartisan jewelry workshop that sells to thelocal market and reaches tourists.

Ten Thousand Villages offersartisan works made with traditionalmethods and products from more than130 artisan groups in 38 countries. Formore than 65 years, we have establishedlong-term buying relationships whereskilled artisans lack opportunities forstable income. The commitment tosupport artisans around the globe isstrengthened by fair trade compensationpractices, including cash advances andprompt payments. As the companycontinues to grow, we marry the conceptof fair trade with healthy andenvironmentally sustainable practices.From store ops to product sourcing tomarketing practices, we strive for the“triple bottom line” of economic,environmental and social sustainability.

Founded in 1946, Ten ThousandVillages has grown from the trunk offounder Edna Ruth Byler’s car to anetwork of more than 390 retail outletsthroughout the U.S. as an exceptionalsource for unique craft art by artisans inAsia, Africa, Latin America and the MiddleEast. One of the world’s largest fair tradeorganizations and a founding member ofthe World Fair Trade Organization and theFair Trade Federation, we improve thelivelihood of tens of thousands ofdisadvantaged artisans. Product sales helpbuy food, education, healthcare andhousing for artisans otherwiseunemployed or underemployed. Visittenthousandvillages.com and see us inCentral Park. We have much in commonwith downtown’s art scene.

Kathy Rivers is manager ofTen Thousand Villages in Central Park.

The Diplomacy of Marketing

A Hand Up For Artisans Worldwide

by Kathy Rivers

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Knitting has re-emerged as a popularform of craft in Fredericksburg, withinformal knitters’ groups, classes andworkshops, websites and a new retail

store downtown… -RG

Fredericksburg knitters andcrocheters have something to be thankfulfor this year- the opening of Old TownYarnery, a full service yarn shop located inthe heart of downtown at 205 WilliamStreet.

Owner Maureen Cowie hascreated an inviting space to fondle yarn,learn new techniques, and sit and knit awhile. The shop has a nice selection ofyarns from Berroco, Cascade, Debbie Bliss,

Noro, and Plymouth, and if you don’t findwhat you’re looking for in stock, Maureencan special order most yarns.

Classes will be offered startingthis month and catering to all skill levelsfrom beginners to seasoned knitters andcrocheters, including a class specificallygeared towards children.

Follow Old Town Yarnery onFacebook for shop updates, weeklyspecials, and class information. Hours:Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-8:00, Sunday1:00-6:00. Ph. 540.373.YARN

Alex Capshaw-Taylor is a knitter andowner of worldknit and handspun.

Find her on facebook.

Neat Knits On William Street

New Yarnery Revives Old Craft

By Alex Capshaw-Taylor

C O M M U N I T Y L I N KCourtesy of WFVA and Front Porch

Chappell great lives series

by Charles J. Shields

To own art from people you know, asArch does, is much more than an

economic investment… -RG

What do El Greco, Paul Gauguin,Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Vincentvan Gogh have in common? Today theyare internationally recognized as some ofthe most important artists to ever gracethe planet. During their lifetimes theywere virtually unrecognized andunappreciated. They would all beabsolutely amazed at their popularitytoday, and since most of them came toembody the definition of starving artist,they would be dumbfounded by the tensof millions of dollars their works nowcommand.

Vincent van Goghhad serious health issuesthat plagued him his entirelife. He suffered fromepilepsy and depression. Hewas a prolific artist and left2000 paintings anddrawings. He sold only twopieces during his lifetime.HisPortrait of Dr.Gachet fetched animpressive 82.5 million in1990 and is valued at 134million today. He died by hisown hand at 37 believinghimself a failure. The otherabove mentioned artists all had their owntragic stories of poverty and rejection.

At best, the life of an artist is arough road. It isn’t made any easier whenyou go unappreciated in your ownhometown. This is a phenomenon thatoften affects musicians, as well. The crazything is that so many of our artists arebetter recognized and appreciated out oftown than here. It is almost as if we knowyou, you can’t be but so good. What iswith that? This is not just true here; it isalmost universal.

We are so lucky to have so manywonderful artists in our midst. Just take aleisurely walk through the local galleries.We have it all - painters, sculptors,

weavers, potters, andphotographers in every direction.When you invest in local art, youhelp insure that artist will still behere to create again tomorrow.

While collecting local art (mostlypaintings and pottery) for the last20 years, I have been fortunate toknow many of the artists,including two of my favorites, CliffSatterthwaite (bottom) and BillHarris (top). I would always seeCliff all over town swinging hisconcentrated brush in adetermined stoke while alwayschasing the light. Cliff will tell you,“It’s all about the light.” He canpaint as objectively as aphotograph, or as abstractly asvan Gogh. His eyes flash while he

fences with his paintings. He is brilliant.I first saw Bill Harris’s work on

the side of an optometrist’s building inFalmouth. Who is that guy? I wondered.Then I read about this “self-taughtmuralist from Lahasta, PA” in Front Porchmore than a decade ago. He is now muchmore of a complete painter. One attributeof a fine artist is that you have to look attheir work. I not only had to look at it, Ihad to buy some of it. Bill is much morelaid back than Cliff. I love to look in hisstudio at Liberty Town. His adept use ofform and color is extraordinary. The

figures in his work seem to want to roll offthe canvas and walk around the room atany moment.

I wish I had more time to talkabout artists because there are so manygreat ones that make this area their home.Please visit their studios and art shows.They are part of what makes this region agreat place to live. Show them you care byinvesting in their art. Give them therespect and recognition they deserve.

Arch Di Peppe taught drama in highschools for many years.

As more and more of us turn to holistic,natural ways of healing and

maintaining good health, JoAnna givesgood reasons why… -RG

In these days of fast foods, drivethrough prescriptions, plasterboardhouses, and synthetic clothing, it is nowonder I often have clients call and askwhat herb they may take for theirheadache, high blood pressure or skindisorder. These people are looking forholistic medicine with a quick fix state ofmind. Holistic is an approach to healing orhealth care, often involving therapiesoutside the mainstream of medicine, inwhich isolated symptoms are secondary toone’s total physical and physiologicalstate.

The Art of Holistic Healing isabout treating the whole person - mind,body and soul; otherwise it would be calledpart-listic, or half-listic or some mighteven say allopathic. Holistic healing is nottreating just the symptom but insteadgetting to the root of why the symptom isthere in the first place.

Sure someone may take feverfewfor a headache, but why do they have aheadache? The headache is telling theperson something else is wrong. Yes onemay take slippery elm tree to help healulcers, but maybe they need to addresswhat they are eating (Physical) or what iseating away at them (Emotional).

Holistic healing is approaching aperson’s nutritional deficiencies, mentaland emotional stress and spiritualbankruptcy that are adding to if notcausing the “dis-ease” in the first place. Ofcourse, if somebody experiences brokenbones from an accident, and their dietaryhabits and mental state are in goodstanding, then there should be a speedyrecovery because the whole person isbeing addressed.

The bible only gives threereasons for sickness and physicalproblems: First- for the glory of God(Spiritual), John 9:1-3, Second- because ofunconfessed sins (Mental), 1 Corinthians11:28-32 and Third- the violation of God’snatural laws (Physical), 1 Corinthians3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

As a natural healer in thiscommunity, I believe it is important toaddress all three aspects of health in apersonal consultation, thereforepracticing the Art of Holistic Healing.

JoAnna Cassidy-Farrell, Master Herbalist,Certified Natural Health Care Provider,owns Keep It Green Herbal Center, 540-

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front porch fredericksburg January 2012 2322 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

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Glückwünsche to the BavarianChef for its newest honor: it was namedone of the region’s 50 best restaurants, asrated by Northern Virginia Magazine.

It’s notoften that a singleperson’s leavingtown demands anarticle in the localnewspaper but JayStarling (right) is anexception, obviously(the Free Lance-Starpublished a farewellin an article lastmonth). The multi-talented musicianwill be departing for Asheville, NC verysoon and every single band inFredericksburg will be on the hunt for anew band member. I kid. But not really.

2012 has already proven to be awinning year forUMW EnglishProfessor SteveWatkins, (left) ashe received anArtist Fellowshipfor 2011-2012 bythe VA Commissionfor the Arts (one offour artistshonored in thefield of fiction).

After successfully summering inthe Cape (ohh la la), artist BrandonNewton (right) is back in the burg with hisfirst show since the working vacay. Theland + cityscape heavy show opened atBistro Bethem last month, with Mark &Shelby Thorsted; Dr. John Mozena; Jack,Anna, Kalia, & Juliann Newton; Linda Cole,Jay Holloway, George Solley, Jeff & KellyGandee, Chris Park, Dr. Mark Wenger,Andrew Hellier, Carter Corbin, Kenny &Claire Ellinger, Adam & Rachel Doane, KyleSnyder, and Suzanne McInteer inattendance.

Rebecca Klopp, (right) daughterof Lori Izykowski and actressextraordinaire, performed in StaffordHigh School’s production of the play(based on Charles Dicken’s final novel)“The Mystery of Edwin Drood”.

Illustrator, painter, cocktailcreator Chris Rule showed his newestworks (below) at the opening of his soloshow at Blackstone Coffee in Eagle Villagelast month. His nearest and dearest turnedout for the fete, which showcased not onlyhis well-known talent for painting but anewfound skill as well: sculpting! DrewFristoe, G Brown, Sarah Hall, Cheryl Bosch,Dave Honaker, Kia Hanning, Lisa Renard-Spicer, Chris Park and Joanna Krenichwere just a few of the art lovers inattendance.

Heard: artist Joelle Gilbert andmusician Dave Robinson have claimedspace above a local downtown boutique toexpand their respective brands. Can’t waitto see what 2012 has in store for each ofem!

From one William Street cornerto the other, Hyperion barista RayWoodruff (right) played at the OtterHouse last month with his friend andfellow musician Mike Dougherty. Be sureto read all about Ray on pg. 28!

Heard: Alex Capshaw-TTaylor isnow logging hours at the newly openedOld Town Yarnery. The needle-wielding,pattern-making, knitwear artist-of-the-yarn has some exciting plans for 2012 —stay tuned!

Seen:Gabe and ScarlettPons taking in thed o w n t o w nholiday displayswith their twomini artists-in-r e s i d e n c e ,stopping forphotos andwindow shopping.

Former Fredericksburg residentand UMW Art Studio graduate KatelynCowen was in town for a brief spell visitingfamily and friends over the holidays. She’scurrently teaching yoga classes (an artform in its own right) in her newhometown, Wilmington NC.

2 for 2: Elby Brass secured theChristmas parade top spot for the 2ndyear in a row with their festiveperformance.

Papa-razzi: Papa G snapped thisphoto of longtime besties, painterBrandon Newton and actor Danny McBride(below) one December evening at the Rec

Center. Unconfirmed rumors at press timehad a certain tall, blonde, curly-hairedcomedian coming in to town for a visit.Cannot confirm nor deny.

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 2524 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

by megan byrnes

Our culture is a giving one, our artists’hearts as big as planets, John explains

-RG

When talking about theupcoming Empty Bowl Fundraiser, TristaDepp Chapman says she’s “come a longway.” I would say that amongst her talentsshe can list a gift for understatement. Ifyou don’t know Trista, she is the owner(and potter) at Sophia Street Studios,which she and her late husband PhilChapman opened here in the mid-90s.Trista’s bright and boldly decorated bowlshave been a part of Rappahannock Councilon Domestic Violence’s Empty Bowl sinceits inception a few years later.

Trista has another, pivotal link tothis cause, for she is also a survivor ofdomestic violence. Her first marriageended after repeated episodes of physicalabuse. One attack ended with policedragging her spouse away. Soon after, shedecided enough was enough and left herabuser and filed for divorce. After finallyextricating herself, she went to work fortwo potters in Richmond, where she beganto find herself in her own art. It was alsohere that she was introduced to the EmptyBowl event. Trista not only made bowlsbut also contributed by working in thekitchen doing whatever needed to be done

at the Richmond event from 1987through 1994. The next year, encouragedby her employers, she entered her firstcraft show where she met Phil Chapman,who would soon become her husband andpartner. With Phil, she established thelocal pottery studio she still operates.When the couple hired Neal Reed, theywould meet his wife, Kathy Anderson, whowas then working for RCDV. Trista soonjoined the RCDV board and suggestedholding an Empty Bowl fundraiser here inFredericksburg. She and Phil, along withother local potters including DanFinnegan, Steven Summerville, and Neal,made and donated several hundred bowlsthat first year. Over the years, she and Phil

would donate over athousand bowls. At craftshows, Trista regularlycollected bowls fromfellow potters anddonated to their EmptyBowl events as well.The first few years, theevent was held at theF r e d e r i c k s b u r gCommunity Center,before moving to theBaptist Church at thecorner of Caroline andAmelia Streets. Thesedays, the event hasgrown to fill the Elks

Lodge on Route 2. Here, the generouspatrons enjoy an evening of fun and food.(See Advertisement.)

This year will mark the first yearTrista has attended the Empty Bowl sincePhil’s last appearance there. Theoutpouring of support Trista felt in thecommunity during Phil’s battle with ALS isone reason she continues. As she puts it,she’s “giving back because so much hasbeen given to me.”. I didn’t know Tristawhen she was a victim. She says it seemslike it was “five lifetimes ago”. As long as Ihave known her, she has always been acaring artist, dedicated to her family, her

friends, her art and to Phil, who taughther by his example to push herself andgive her all to whatever she does. She hasan understanding of domestic violencemost of us will never have, and her workto support fellow victims continues yearafter year.

John Sovitsky, an Empty Bowl volunteer,can’t wait to see Trista’s bowls

again this year!

“Tall & Thin, Wide & Low”

New works by Beverley Coatesat 3 sites along Caroline Street:

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540-371-4099

At the Heart of the Empty BowlTrista Depp Chapman - Survivor For The Cause

By John Sovitsky

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A tattoo artist’s insights may be asimportant as his talents with ink. A. E.

tells more… -RG

An artist’s work traditionallyreflects their era with an attention tothematic details that allows futuregenerations to connect with their pieces.Artists using conventional materials, suchas paper and canvass, have the benefit ofknowing their work will last if maintainedunder the right conditions. Yet tattooartists embrace life’s organic transience,understanding that living art is as fragileas the canvass upon which it is displayed.

Professional tattoo artist, KelleyDrake, describes the design elements thathe and his colleagues use to address thechallenges of longevity. He explains, “Somepeople want color portraits with no blackin them, but the different color pigmentsdeteriorate over time. For example,sometimes you see old tattoos where only

the outline remains;whereas if you havesomething like a bold black-lined eagle shape with blackshading it holds upindefinitely.”

Kenny Brown, a 19-yearveteran of tattoo design, describes amovement within the industry towardrevisiting techniques of “old school”artists who relied on bold lines and darkink. He considers, “That’s what isinteresting about goingback to our roots andrefining the building blocksthat made tattoos work inthe first place. We aredesigning tattoos that areclassical, but putting ourmodern spin on them. Theyare harder to pinpoint intime, looking as if theycould have been done in the1950’s or in the 2050’s.”

H i s t o r i c a l l y ,tattoos first show uparound the time ofPaleolithic humans and havebeen used for varied reasons - frommarking a person as property, todistinguishing their status within thecommunity, to simply adorning them.Brown muses, “Tattoos tap into our visualvocabulary and group consciousness.Consider: A cave man trips over a fire andgets stabbed by a piece of burnt wood.Black carbon remains under his skin,leaving a mark. That’s magical to the dudewho thinks the gods are doing everything.Then man’s inherent ego comes into play.He sees his buddy and says, ‘That’samazing! What is this magical thing? Iwant one too!’ So it becomes a right ofpassage, a way of standing out, saying ‘thisis me’.”

As with more conventional artforms, clients often develop acommitment to a particular tattoo artist

or group of artists. Apprentice WayneMiller, an avid patron of tattoo himself,says he especially enjoys wearing tattoosby friends and people he respects. Brownconcurs, “I have some clients who will onlyget tattooed by me; and then I knowpeople who are straight-up collectors,flying around the world to collect tattoosfrom amazing artists.”

Though ultimately impermanent,Miller reminds clients that a tattoo will bewith them for a very long time. He warns,

“It’s easy to assumethat people know whatthey’re doing becausethey work in a shop orhave a license, but thatdoesn’t mean they havea talent for drawing ortattooing.” Drakeagrees, “It’s importantto find the rightperson. Look atportfolios and makesure you find the artistwith the right set ofskills for the piece youwant.”

With that in mind, Brown alsocautions against a current trend, “Workyour way up to more extensive piecesrather than jumping right in with a sleeve,ribs, or back piece as a first tattoo. Whywould you commit to changing that muchof your body without even sticking yourtoe in the water first?”

“At the end of the day,” Millersays, “the tattoo starts to age the secondit is created, and none of us lasts forever.”

Things return to the source,that’s the beauty of it. Enjoy art today.

Visit Kenny Brown, Kelley Drake, andWayne Miller at Jack Brown’s Tattoo

Revival, 1919 Princess Anne, 899-9002.

A.E. Bayne is a teacher and writerwho has lived and worked inFredericksburg for 13 years

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Self-taught, further educated, alwaysdedicated -Larry Hinkle, implies

Brittany, is art in human form. -RG

Art is comprised of particular,tangible elements. Balance, shape, textureand space provide a template to interpretand process, a foundation for value; theyliterally compose the work. It is similarwith people — each is a sum of manyparts, each memory and experience seepsinto who they are. Larry Hinkle is one ofthose men with an array of elements —masterful wood worker, brilliant luthier,versatile musician, self-recording artist,talented athlete, and kind-and-lovingfather and husband.

Just as I arrived, Larry wasfinishing a phone call with Paul Branagan,

author of “This is a Call: The Life andTimes of Dave Grohl.” Paul wasdocumenting 2011’s six-Grammynominated Dave Grohl of the Foo Fightersand had questions for Dave’s oldschoolmate and friend, Larry. “Iremember our first punk rock concertstogether. We went to visit Dave’s cousin inChicago and were introduced to bands likeBad Brians and Dead Kennedys.” Grohl andHinkle also put together their first band —HG Hancock. “The HG were for our lastnames. Hancock because we figured outthat Lynard Skynard was named aftertheir gym teacher.” Hancock was H & G’s6th grade gym teacher. In childhood,when you’re most impressionable, Hinklewas learning guitar, listening to ACDC andVan Halen on radio, going to whatever all-ages concerts he could. Since then, Larryhas developed and performed in manybands, always fine-tuning his knowledgeand love for music along the way. His firstnotable was 1989’s Until Nirvana, aprimarily Grateful Dead cover band out ofAlexandria with longtime friends MikeTrepasso and Bill Tash. After that, he

headed to Fredericksburg and workedalongside Mark Doron as a line cook atSammy T’s. Larry recalls a story aboutone of their first bands together: SammyT’s would prepare a particularly delectablesauce each day. “Crusty Roasted Revisited”was one small nugget of sauce whose nameinnovation inspired Crusty RoastedRevisited. Mark D, Hinkle and Trepassoalso put together Cash, a punk reggaeband with similar vibes to Sublime, eventhough, Hinkle said, “I didn’t hear Sublimeplay until years later.” Of the manyinstruments he plays (drums, guitar,ukelele - to name a few), Hinkle explains itis all about attitude. “I was never formallytrained— I go into it knowing a couplethings and then just play; you imitatewhat you’ve heard.” Other bands ensued

as the Burg’s crowds, businesses andmusic changed, molded and passed byas memories stood in places likeColonial Seafood, now the Irish tavern— “A traveling blues place, a really cool,happening scene around ’91 and ’92.”

Meanwhile, Hinkle was alsodeveloping himself, finishing his degree,studying Historic Preservation, andtoiling at a custom cabinet shop. Thoseexperiences prepared him for his otherpassion — wood working. He moved toCalifornia in 2001 to spend a yearstudying under James Krenov,woodworker, studio furniture makerand author of four books, includingCabinet Maker’s Notebook. “It raisedthe level of the work I was able to do.”

Artistry is an integral element of craft;however, Hinkle’s expertise employsartistry in a minimalist fashion, where thevery grain of the wood attributes to thebeauty of the lines and shapes. “The mainthing artistically is to make it pleasing.”He also uses all hand tools and local woodand appreciates the way things used to bebuilt. One commission displays this qualityin a design inspired by woodworker GeorgeNakashima, utilizing lines to form a chair,but is instead a bookstand. “It is always acomposition of weights and balances,down to the details and proportions; thesame with music.”

His love for wood and musicseamlessly combine in his work as aluthier. His specialty is craftingtraditional ukeleles(www.lawrencehinkle.com) whilesimultaneously preserving the history ofthis little guitar. Using carefully chosenwoods, he works within the composition ofthe grain to create a beautiful ukelele“made to play,” as a musician would haveit. “They aren’t about flash. You can makesomething really elegant and beautiful but

it’s really simple,” he said, shedding lightalso on his lifestyle. Apart from beinghappy as can be with the greatest job hecould ask for, Hinkle is also in theTransmitters (founders Larry on guitarand Mark on drums; the departing JayStarling on keys, John Buck on bass, Alan“Mo” Marsh on percussion); the 23-year,ongoing Alpha Jerk music project(“whatever I want it to be at the time”);and, he plays his own ukeleles in the skifflesound of Harry (Wilson), Larry, (Ryan)Hale and Buck, who along with Moaccompanied Madi Wolf as The Pack, in-concert. “Playing amplifies how you feelright then.”

Rounding out the life and timesof Larry Hinkle is playing for The Mother’scompetition Frisbee team, which is alsohow he met his wife of 12 years, TammyGillie, a teacher at JayEm (they have twodaughters, Ellie, 10, and Leta, 9). ForHinkle, his exorbitant workload is just hismethodology. He is one of thosequintessential lucky few who are exactly whatthey do in life, and every instrument hebuilds and sound he develops are subtle, ever-moving elements that create him.

Brittany E. De Vries lives inFredericksburg, where she follows local

music and other art forms.

A Composition of Larry Hinkle He Is As He Does

By Brittany DeVries

Support Your Small Businesses

TATTOOThe Art of Impermanence

By A.E. Bayne

As a wordsmith and arts patron,Kathryn happily announces a

comprehensive regional arts directory-RG

It started as an idea of CarolynVan Der Jagt. Her day job is lawyering, butshe’s eagerly anticipating retirement andthe day she can pursueher passion for fiber artsand blacksmithing. Butwhen she searched onlinefor a region-wideresource of informationabout the arts, she didn’tfind what she was lookingfor. So, like the Little RedHen of legend, shedecided to do it herself.

That’s when she became a part ofthe Arts & Cultural Council of theRappahannock, a non-profit dedicated topromoting and supporting the region’sarts. “I want to do what I can now topromote the arts so when I do retire,more people will know what a jewel ofregional arts we’ve become,” she says.

And so was born Arts Along theRiver, an online directory for all thingsarts in the region. “The idea is to haveevery artist, every performing group,every studio, gallery, dance and musicinstructor, arts teacher, and anyone elsein the arts and culture, online. It’s asearchable database… visit the site, look atthe drop down menus, and find exactlywhat you’re looking for,” Carolyn explains.

Each entry is accompanied by aphoto and links to more information andthe art offering’s webpage or contact. And

the listing is free. Once the directory is upand running, the Arts Council will launchan online events calendar, whereperformances, openings, and similarevents can be scheduled months or evenyears in advance. The online service alsoserves as a resource for tourists and artspatrons in the region, when they’re

deciding what to do and where to go tosample the region’s best arts and culturalofferings.

But bringing arts folks togetheron one website is only a part of what’s upwith this endeavor. Several arts groupshave discussed the possibility of creatingan arts cooperative, which would providesecure office space for each organization,along with meeting space, small rehearsalareas, and a shared reception area. TheArts Council’s Nancy Fahy, a well-knownrealtor in the area, has created a survey toexplore interest in the idea, which is beingcalled ArtSpace. “This isn’t a new concept;arts organizations in other regions shareexpenses and offices, so there’s no reasonthat it couldn’t work here,” Nancycomments. The survey was mailed toabout 100 arts groups; any group mayparticipate in the survey on the ArtsCouncil website.

“We hope to have manyresponses, and our goal is to have theinformation gathered by mid-March. We’llanalyze the results and report on thefindings. It could be a very good thing forboth the region and arts groups if thiscould come about,” she adds.

There’s already some of thatsharing going on:the Arts Counciland theR a p p a h a n n o c kYouth Symphonyare now sharingoffices, reducingmonthly costs onrent, Internet andphone. “We’re

paying about the same amount to sharethe office space as we were paying to storeour music and materials in a mini-warehouse, so we’re very happy with thearrangement,” comments Megin Bevill,RYS’s executive director. Financialsupport has come from PNC Bank and EDAgrants from the city’s JumpstARTprogram, as well as a small grant from theVirginia Commission for the Arts,memberships and donations. The websitefor the directory and the ArtSpace surveyis at www.arts-aalong-tthe-rriver.org.

Kathryn Willis can’t paint, but words are free,

so she applauds the arts by writing.

front porch fredericksburg January 2012 2928 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg

Many talented individuals revealthemselves as multi-layered persons.

Ray Woodruff, Hyperion’s affablebarista/manager, is an amazing singer-songwriter/guitarist. His wife, our writer

Amy, tells his tale… - RG

His first teacher very nearlyquashed his desire to play with a mind-numbingly dull, by-the-numbers teachingstyle that just didn’t work for the 11-year-old, red-headed rocker from Mishawaka,Indiana. No way. So when baseball seasoncame around, the guitar lessons struck out.

Ray Woodruff wanted to smashthe old Yamaha acoustic in bittervexation.

A few months later the lessonsresumed with two big changes – a newGibson Explorer electric guitar and a newteacher named Ann. She managed to findcommon ground with her new student andencouraged him to learn songs he liked tolisten to and taught him ways to figurethem out.

As young composer, he taughthimself to arrange, play, sing, record andmix his own music and developed a playingstyle from his roots of mid-western rock,folk and blues (think Bob Seger and JohnMellancamp.)

In college, Ray was accepted inthe elite Music Engineering Technologies(MET) program at Ball State University.His music changed dramatically duringthis period with a strong focus onsynthesizers and an Avant Garde stylewith a classical influence. Most of his songswere long, elaborate epic ballads withcomplex layers of sound, rhythms andharmonies. But his frustration with theprogram itself took its toll – with vocalOpera being the final straw. Ray droppedout of MET and became an English major.

Ray studied overseas for a year inEngland at University of Central Lancashirein Preston, where he stepped away fromMusic Theory and began listening to VanMorrison. He began experimenting with afingerstyle that would eventually becomefundamental to his work.

He spent the next few years tornbetween epic ballads and three-minute

pop tunes. When he complained of hisdilemma to a friend who was a cellist, hisfriend looked at him and asked “Well,which do you like better?” And he decidedit was time to simplify.

Ray moved to Chicago in 2001and after 3 years he was sick of all thewires. In the throes of listening to everycountry blues album he could get hishands on, he decided to ditch the electricguitar for an acoustic. In 2006 he foundthe love of his life - a Larivee dreadnought.Ironically, it was everything he didn’t wantin a guitar – the body was too big, the necktoo fat. He fell in love the moment heplayed it.

In the spring of 2007 he movedto Fredericksburg and took a job atHyperion Espresso in the mornings tokeep his evenings open for music.

Chris Jones invited Ray to play atthe first Open Mic he hosted at The GriffinBookshop. It was his first live performancein more than 12 years and he was shakinglike hell. He surprised a lot of people thatnight, who knew him only as the guy whomade their coffee. But the person hesurprised the most was himself.

That very same month, he beganplaying regularly at Ralph Gordon’s openmic at the Athenaeum. A string of localgigs have followed, his favorite being theSongwriter’s Showcase hosted by BobGramann (which, by the way, he will beperforming at again on Fri, January 27)

Ray’s eclectic style is steeped inBritish Isles folk and country blues. Hisraw honesty and humble charisma draw inthe audience and connect him definitivelyto everyone listening. His lyrics are aclever blend of the present and the past,telling stories that focus on suddenmoments and single lives. Everyperformance is unique, with the delivery,the intensity and improvisational guitarwork shifting to adapt to the moment.

Amy thanks Rob for asking her to writeabout Ray (but it was hard to keep it at

only 600 words!)

Not Sure What to Call Thisamy on ray

By Amy woodruff

fredrockmusiclink.com1005 Princess Anne Street : 540-656-2969 www.theotterhouse.com

Online: Arts Along The Riverart matters

By Kathryn Willis

THE LEGENDARY NRBQ IN CONCERT

AT THE OTTER HOUSEWith rising stars

MADI WOLF & THE PACK

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

TICKETS: $15 ON SALE NOW

St. George’s Music Director JohnVreeland lures in music lovers, and they

just might stay awhile… - RG

There’s an up and coming musicvenue in the heart of Old TownFredericksburg that draws artists fromacross the country and offers audiences awide range of music – from jazz and folkto chamber music and orchestra. But it’snot a new venue – in fact, it has a traditionof great music that goes back 162 years.St. George’s Episcopal Church (905Princess Anne) is building its reputation asa musical destination for a diverseaudience with the St. George ChamberMusic Series and the Fridays @The LastResort coffee house. John Vreeland,Director of Music Ministries, explains thatboth programs grew out of a desire “tobring people in to see the renovatedsanctuary and hear some great music.”

Fridays @The Last Resort turnsSydnor Hall into an intimate club for soloand small group performances thatemphasize local talent. The line upfeatures the John Vreeland Jazz Quintet(drummer Slam Stewart, pictured) sharingthe bill with singer/songwriter PhilMakely. Suggested donation $5/person.Doors: 6:30pm, second Friday.

The St. George Chamber MusicSeries is subtitled “Beautiful Music in aBeautiful Space” with good reason — Thevenue is visually stunning visually and“has one of the best acoustics in town forchamber and orchestral music,” saysVreeland. Foti Lycordis of the PortlandGuitar Duo writes the acoustics “providedtransparent clarity, definition andprojection...” The centerpiece is theChamber Orchestra, an ensemble of localswho play three of the nine concerts,performing a repertoire from Baroque to20th century, including Bach, Handel,Copland, and Stamitz. The series focuseson local talent; it also hosts such regionalartists as the Loudon Quartet andWashington’s Camerata, plus artists

nationwide. Chamber concerts are thethird Sunday monthly; $10, students free.

Vreeland says a strong ChamberMusic tradition developed during the 16-month nave renovation when the organwas unavailable. Chamber and jazz grewout of those offerings. Fridays @The LastResort moved to Sydnor for moreintimate space and lighting. Both beganas ways to show off the sanctuary, theReverend James Dannals says. “Churcheshistorically had been centers for the arts,so in some ways we’re returning to that.”Vreeland notes the “opportunity at verynominal cost to hear some really greatmusic without having to drive 50 miles.”

Dannals says both programs areat the heart of their mission to build andnurture relationships. They supporteconomic development “just by gettingpeople downtown”, and underscore thespirituality of connecting to performersand audiences. “People are spirituallyhungry whether they know it or not. Ourmusic makes people aware of that in a waythat is safe for them… and in ways theymight not see, if not for the music.”

Todd Schwartz volunteers inCommunications for St. George’s

Episcopal Church.

A Venue With Higher ApprovalThe Music Scene’s Best Kept Secret

By Todd Schwartz

Old Town’sGreatest Tour35 Monuments, Markers, &

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EAT WELL DRINK WELL LIVE WELL

JanuarJanuar y Rivery River- BY FRANK FRATOE

We journal, we blog, we write lyrics, but few of us share their warmth of wordslike Frank does. – RG

Quartertide swelling the Rappahannockundulates against land,

In a hollow between the island of treesand the bank I rest upon,

a clay spit directs its point to currentsthat move beyond shore,

stirring a foam of seagulls adrift therewho gather downstream,

while water pushes toward destinationsunder advancing clouds,

flanked on the skyline but swept by windas far as eyes can trace,

heading free to a distant bay, the Riveroutside me and within.

Frank Fratoe lives in the city and takes long walks about it.

30 January 2012 Front porch fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg January 2012 31

Good people emit good auras.Add creative talent and you have a goodstory. The Geddes family —Michael Sr.,Carla, and Michael Jr. - are extraordinaryindividuals with a neat family dynamic.They appear to balance left-brain/ right-brain tasks and challenges as a team. Youmight say there is no ‘I’ in Geddes.

“We all have different creativeprojects going; we all organize our ownprojects, however, we do check in to helpeach other through their process”, saysmatriarch Carla. “Our familyconversations often center on ideasharing. Each of us has our own gifts andstrengths that we draw on.”

Michael Sr. started making musicin his teens, playing gigs, teaching guitar,and writing songs. He later added writingand producing jingles and songs for publicTV, doing performances and recordingalbums. His Porch Song is the soundtrackfor Front Porch Magazine’s radio spots onWFVA and WBQB.

His music is acoustic, listeningmusic, covers and originals. He can cover asong just as well or better than theoriginal artist. Carla calls it “candy foryour ears”. He crafts songs from theheart, writing of real life experiences,emotions, and places he has lived andbeen. Michael’s CD’s of original music andpublic performances are available forpurchase, but his main focus now is tocomplete The Michael GeddesComprehensive Guitar Teaching methodDVD.

Mike (Jr.) began playing andwriting music as a teenager. “He alwayshad a guitar out lying on the floor,” recallsMom. “He’d entertain himself with a videocamera or by making cartoon characterswith his action figures.” In college Mikeplayed in bands for parties and events. Hewrites much of what his current band TheIdiomatics plays. The multitalented sonwas a sculpture major who minored in

human resource development. Writingsongs comes quick and natural to him, asreflected in the Idiomatics’ alternativestyle of music. Their new release is TheStar King, and they’re halfway throughtheir next album. Michael also has a soloadult contemporary, Create, and arock–funk-classical-experimental techno,The Dark Disco.

Many people have suggested thetwo Michaels perform together. “Duringthe last few months they began exploringthe idea a little more concretely,” saysCarla. Both have local gigs this month.Michael Sr. plays the Courtyard Marrioton Jan. 13 and 27 and kybecca Wine Baron Jan 28. The Idiomatics play TheColonial Tavern on Jan. 28, giving ‘Geddesgroupie’ Carla two shows in one night.

That’s the Music. Now here’s theMotivation: Carla began her career as acertified life coach after teaching for 20years. She founded Infinite Possibilities in2007. “Aside from helping people createthe life they want, Infinite Possibilities isreally an expression of my owndevelopment. Coaching for me is morethan a ‘job’. I am really recreating myself.Everything about this business is newground for me to explore, and how tocoach is just the tip of the ice burg” in aBurg that motivates success. “For such arelatively small area of good musiciansand artists of all kinds, it is ratherremarkable how the businesses supportthe arts and provide artisticopportunities. And parents are dedicatedto the education of their children, as wesee through the guitar lessons they bringthem to each week, and their kids’attendance at the teen developmentworkshop I offer, The 7 Habits of HighlyEffective Teens” (see IP’s website).

Motivated by each other, theirmusic and their community, Carla and herMichaels create good things. -RG

Music & MotivationThe Geddes family of artists

Hours: Mon-Fri: 9-7; Sat: 10-3

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The Arts are innovations that morphinto consumable products that grow our

arts economy...-RG

Sustainable InnovationMaura Schneider, Fredericksburg

TELL: When I moved here seven years ago,I fell into that grass-is-always-greenerslump — sure there were plenty of coolthings going on, just not here.Fredericksburg, I suspect, has seen asignificant change in our creativecommunity the last five years. I believenow that if you are creative, there areways to make things happen here. For me,Paul Cymrot was the way my idea for amonthly autobiographical storytellingevent, Tell, became a thing. He offered his307 William Street venture - Read All Over-as a venue. Having space, support and theencouragement of the Riverby/Read AllOver family is the most significant

impetus for Tell’s growth andsustainability. Tell easily could never havehappened… Paul believes in ideas. He is apillar of the creative community whomakes it easy for artists to realize theirideas in a venue open to anyone with alittle cash and an idea...

Regularly at Read All OverFirst Friday Art and Craft Style GalleryOpeningNew in 2012, the shop hosts a monthlyopening of the work of various artists andcraftspeople, 5 to 9PM.

Fredericksburg All Ages ShowsIntimate shows from this 5-year-oldnonprofit that creates opportunities forgreat affordable concerts.

Sunday Jazz JamsWeekly jam session headed by NateMasters. Free event every Sunday, 4 to7PM.

Uninstructed Figure DrawingMonday’s 7 to 9:30, artists practice thehuman form. Space limited; doors close7PM. $15.

TellLive storytelling event Second Saturdaymonthly. Each show has a theme andtellers share a true, autobiographical storywithout notes. Starts 8PM. $5 donation.

Pay What You Can YogaPay What You Can Yogareturns in February, followingan ‘art of giving birth’ hiatus.Students name their price for60 min. of restorative Hathayoga and deep relaxation.

The Arts interact amongpatrons and artists, to thebenefit of commerce and

community spirit.

Good CommerceGabriel Pons, The

PONSHOP: The format of ourbusiness (gallery, retail shop, art school)helps us stay viable and adaptable. We’vefound a growing consciousness from thepublic that appreciates the value ofindependently owned businesses and howthey contribute to the community.Scarlett and I sense the return to aregional model of commerce from 100years ago, where people use their localresources for goods and services. Mostlocally generated revenue fromindependent artists stays within thecommunity, meaning its patronsinherently invest in its sustainability.Customers value their direct relationships

with the artists. The passive consumerbecomes an active participant in thecollective creative culture…

Music venues are anotherexample. Take the Kenmore Inn, for one.Out of town guests mingle with locals atthe Pub over live music and pub food.Locals become aware of the Inn’s diningroom offerings and lodging opportunities.Art events keep this visitors’ place on ourlocals’ radar. It all comes full circle, allsymbiotic, all good… like The Artsthemselves.

May you have an artful 2012, may ideas flourish, may your dreams

serve our community well.

ARCHER DI PEPPECAGA

CERTIFIED APPRAISER

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Closing CreditsFinal word on the arts

by Amy Pearce and Sara Mattingly