WAC Gallery Information for November 2008
A special night celebrating the traditional arts and regional artists will be held Friday, November 7 from 5-8 p.m. at the downtown Boone Jones House Community Center.
Fiber arts and a quilt show, storytelling, book signing, and music, all tied together with hot apple cider and comfort food will bring back memories of simpler times in the mountains.
The evening will begin with Green Valley teacher and long-time resident, Clara Hollar, in the front parlor with storytelling.
At 5:30 Watauga Arts Council will announce the names of the Regional Artist Project (R.A.P.) and winners will be on hand to accept the awards. The visual artist winners will present examples of their work and the performance artists will play some of their tunes.
The Regional Artist Project provides financial support to developing professionals by funding a project pivotal to the advancement of their careers as artists. The Regional Artist Project of Northwest North Carolina Grants Program is a partnership between the arts councils of Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes Counties and the North Carolina Arts Council. This year’s Watauga County winners are Lynn Duryea, Scott Ludwig, Crys Matthews, Janet Montgomery, Nathan Taylor, and Joseph Barnes.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m. Michaele Hastings Haas will be in the parlor with copies of the book she co-authored, MeeMaw’s Memory Quilt.” The book was a 1998 project sponsored by the Boone Service League to commemorate Watauga County's 150th birthday and to raise money for the Seby B. Jones Cancer Center in Boone.
In the story, MeeMa and her grandson, Ryan, explore many areas of Watauga County history using the visual aid of an extraordinary quilt given to MeeMa for her birthday. The book is informative, yet interesting and easy for children to understand.
The illustrations are bright and colorful and were drawn by students of Watauga County. Every public, and private school in our area (at that time) is represented, as well as the home-schooled community.
"I am convinced that God definitely had a hand in the creation of this book. It's a long story, but from the timing right down to the people involved ....everything just fell into place. That said, I would be remiss to make it seem like the process itself was easy, because it wasn't... we almost abandoned the book. However, was the BSL president at the time and had an unexplainable conviction to complete the project. That's how I became "co-author". The final writing and editing was complete in April of 1999 and two months later, I found out that my mother had cancer of the colon and liver. The proceeds of MeeMa's Memory Quilt raised over $2500 for the Cancer Center and my mother has been cancer free for nine years.... a "happy ending" all the way around!"
Michaele and her husband, Bryan, are both Watauga County natives and still reside in Boone with their children, Connor, Cameron, Carri and Cailey.
In addition to the booksigning, patrons to the reception can enjoy a traditional quilt and fiber art exhibit in the downstairs Mazie Jones Gallery. The exhibit includes hand-sewn quilts, machine-sewn quilts, hooked rugs, hand-felted wool, barn quilt examples, a woven tapestry, cross-stitching with hardanger embroidery, and a hand-tied fishnet bed canopy.
These fiber-based pieces represent craft traditions that have been passed down for generations in Watauga County and some newer art forms that are becoming part of the tradition. The artists also represent several generations, Mark Freed, curator of the show said. “I am very happy to have the opportunity to showcase some of the local craft artists with this exhibit. “
In addition to the pieces, the exhibit will feature information about the artists, art forms, and photos of the artists and other work they do. The artists include: Carol Turner, quilt and hardanger-embroidered cross stitching; Mary Clark, quilts ; Ruth Coffey, quilts, hats, broom cover; Leniavell Trivette, quilt and "candle-wicking" piece; Evanell Trivette Thomas, hooked rug ; Sandy Adair, woven tapestry; Kelly Sheets, hand felting; John Turner, painted barn quilts ;Eula Osborn, fishnet bed canopy ; and Brady Guy Matheson, hooked rug.
Raffle tickets for a crib quilt, made by Carol Turner, will be available for purchase and the crib quilt will be raffled off that night.
An upstairs printmaker exhibit , “Retrospective of Printmaking” presented by Emily Proshuto consists of various works made by the artist throughout her journey into this skill. From both different processes and experience level within the art of printmaking, the prints show a broad range of the wonderful possibilities of the craft.
Born and raised on the water of Lake Keowee, Emily Proshuto grew up in the small rural town of Seneca, SC. Since making Boone her home in 2002, she has graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Appalachian State University, and is now applying to graduate
school. She currently is working with children and hopes to one day teach her craft to college students.
These exhibits are on display from now until Friday, November 7, during the gallery hours of noon to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays. The Arts Council galleries are also open Thursdays from 7:30 to 11 p.m. during the acoustic jams at the Jones House.
The gallery reception held in conjunction with downtown Boone’s First Friday Art Crawl. Free food and beverage will be served and the public is invited and encouraged to attend.
The Watauga Arts Council galleries are sponsored in part by Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff and Grassroots Funds of the North Carolina Arts Council. The WAC’s offices and galleries are located in downtown Boone at the Jones House Community & Cultural Center, owned by the town of Boone.