A Way of Looking at Dusenbury, Johann, Kessler, & MacMillan

The postcard for “The Way of Looking at Things” immediately caught my eye with the intriguing photograph of a poppy bud and a list of artists with familiar names. Anyone who’s been into the Bulletin or the Tryon Fine Arts Center has seen one of the clever, whimsical paper-mâché and plaster sculptures of Philip Dusenbury. Susan Johann’s portrait photography of prize winning playwrights can be seen in the Smithsonian, but here was a chance to see some of her photographic art with still life. I wasn’t familiar with Terry MacMillan or Penny Kessler and their work, but I’d heard their names mentioned by other artists and was interested to see their work for myself. As it turned out, my schedule and timing were off to catch the reception, but Susan was kind enough to set up a chance for me to meet with all four artists and view the show after work one day.
Upon entering Bravo Interiors realized that being a interior design space rather than a gallery or “furniture store” created this very intimate and natural place for the work to be shown. It was like a little adventure walking through the space and discovering the artwork. Even though the artists’ pieces were spread out rather that grouped together, I found I quickly could identify each artist by their particular style. Penny’s landscapes pulled me into faraway places, Terry’s portraits hummed with clear emotion, Susan’s Dogwood print on canvas was simply stunning, and I couldn’t help checking on Philip’s Windy Day sculpture with it’s swirling coat that from the corner of my eye seemed to be moving.
Sitting down to coffee with the four of them I found myself scrambling to keep up as they joked, praised, and celebrated each other for the fabulous opening they had pulled off the week before.

Is this the first time for an art show in this space?
Philip: This space was once the Upstairs Gallery, before they moved to their new space.

How did this particular show come together?
Penny: Dan Ferebee brought us together. Terry worked for him and knew she was an artist, and I kept coming in to visit my friend Terry. Susan also stopped in to visit. And after hearing us talk about art Dan said “We should have an art show!”
Terry: It’s a unique setting for a show because it’s like the art is in a home or office space where it would naturally fit in rather than a bare room with blank walls.
Penny: But, we needed someone “well known” to bring people in here and Terry contacted Philip who was born and raised in Tryon.
Susan: Who shows not only in Tryon, Hendersonville, and Asheville, but also Atlanta and Martha’s Vineyard.
Philip: Years and years ago I pounded the pavement up in Manhattan right out of college thinking I’d immediately get a gallery interested in me, but my work hadn’t really matured at that point. It was an interesting experience, and rather degrading. I returned from my visit and I kept doing the work, but I had to get a regular job. I bartended and then worked at a daycare center for a while. After a time I decided that it was finally time to just focus on the artwork. Mary Schweder had the old Trade Street Gallery and was kind enough to show some of my work.
Susan: But his pieces are so fun and whimsical and sophisticated at the same time.
Terry: I was in here earlier and just spent some time just looking at the detail of the clown and the pig.
Susan: There’s such a sense of feeling behind it.
Philip: A lot of the characters I do I can empathize with.
Terry: My cousin Mary tried to wrangle a piece of yours from the first buyer Saturday night at the opening, and finally she talked him into selling it to her the next morning.

What about the rest of you?
Susan: I started out in the theatre, and began doing portraits. Since 1989 I have done about 20 major playwrights, mostly Pulitzer Prize winners and such. After I had set up my studio I began experimenting with flowers and such things that didn’t move around for a bit of variety. I had already been selling quite a bit of the portrait work and brought in some of my flowers to a gallery asking “what should I do with these?” John Stevenson encouraged me to show them and to get into platinum printing. I really enjoy the more hand crafted feel of working with gum dichromate prints, and digital prints on water color paper and canvas. In 2006 some of my playwright portraits were acquired for the Smithsonian portrait gallery. They’re very large prints and of “big personalities” like August Wilson, Susan Lori Parks, and Tony Kushner. They’re considering another seven. I might leave them the rest of them in my will. I’ve been working on a book project with them and the Dramatist Guild has expressed some interest in helping me with it. It’s always interesting capturing such personalities on film. I found Sam Shepherd backstage at the Public Theatre in New York. Marsha was busy flirting with him, but when Beverly De’Angelo saw me coming, she found the light and just sat there waiting beautifully. I’ve now one hundred major playwrights photographed.

Terry: How did you find your way here?
Susan: My aunt was living here 30 years ago and her best friend was still living here when we were looking to move. We originally were interested in Asheville and came down here to visit and ended up staying.

Penny: I sold your aunt her house!
Susan: See how small the world is!

Penny: I came here almost exactly 30 years ago from the Chicago area. I sold real estate here for thirty years. Before retiring I decided I wanted something that I was physically able to do and enjoy. I had done ceramics and fabric art so it was a natural transition to painting. I started taking classes about 6 or 7 years ago, began with water colors, then pastels and oil. I have always been an observer of people so that is my favorite subject matter; people in a landscape or in a situation or people’s emotional reactions to other people or situations. I want the viewer to feel a commonality with the subject that they’ve experienced that moment before.
Since I love to travel my second favorite subject is landscapes or photographs from my travels. For instance, Ireland, Alhambra in Spain, and Charleston are across from us on the wall.

Terry: Well I’ve been drawing and painting since I was small and when I went to college I chose Skidmore in New York for its art department. I studied photography and graphic design American University, and then commercial art, fashion and advertising in San Francisco at the Academy of Art.

Susan: When did the portrait work start?

Terry: Way back. I did a portrait of a prince in Thailand that’s in Thailand. I’ve done several commissions. The woman up front is Rose Resnick a blind concert pianist from San Francisco that was never able to see the portrait for herself. The little girl in the front is my grand niece is and she was here to see it.
Susan: Her mother’s eyes just filled up with tears to see it.
Terry: But my niece was wondering where the painting of her brother was. I love children. I have started doing portraits of the children in my family. That’s the most special thing in the world to me. But, I also paint landscapes and still life.

What I see in your work a clarity, how would you describe what you like to bring out in your paintings?

Terry: I like your word “clarity,” and even though it is representational painting, I like it to have an abstract quality. I like to bring out the character or essence of the person and have the painting come alive for the view. I like the feeling to come out. So, having the mother cry meant that I captured the feeling of my niece.
When I started doing acrylic I studied with a wonderful painter Guy Diehl in San Francisco who really helped me with that medium. I spent my summers in Black Mountain. I’ve been coming to Black Mountain’s “In the Oaks” since I was an infant. My great-aunt who is my name-sake was from the Cape Fear area and summered in Black Mountain. I grew up in New York, spent 30 years in San Francisco, but I have roots in North Carolina, so I haven’t just dropped in. I’m here because I have a lot of family here and I love it.

The unique setting of Bravo Interior Design will showcase the work through October 12th, as it would appear in ones home or office.

Bravo Interior Design is located at 285 N Trade St in Tryon, North Carolina. Hours are 10AM to 4PM or by appointment. For more information call 828-859-3123.

Wishing for Talent / Forged by Wind / Open to Highway Legacy

Sometimes it is hard to get the creative ideas flowing. So, I threw the words of this week’s events in front of my eyes and pulled out a poem. Some might call it haiku; others may argue the form is not quite right. However, each line offers an introduction to an evening of artistry and entertainment this weekend.

“Wishing for Talent” Thursday night? In Saluda you’ll find the lovely folk music of multi-instrumentalist Miriam Davidson and songwriter Kiya Heartwood who form the duo Wishing Chair.
They’ll be sharing their beautiful harmonies mixed with poetry and politics at the Purple Onion starting at 7:30pm. Or, perhaps you’d prefer the potpourri of talent gathering on the porch of the Melrose Inn for Talent Night. Starting around 6:30pm chefs Jay & Tony lay out a lovely $5 Buffet and open their porch to the poets, musicians, jugglers, political speculators, comedians, and other emerging artists that gather to share their work for an evening.

Friday is “Forged by Wind” in Tryon. Start your evening by traveling up Ola Mae Way to the Simply Irresistible Gallery for the Forged & Fired reception. Bill Crowell and Kathleen Carson will be featuring their collaborative iron and tile table art for the first time in the gallery. They invite you to join them for a reception from 5-8pm Friday evening to view their unique work crafted with love and whimsy. Then at 8pm join the Tryon Concert Association for the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. According to their biography, since 1988 Michael Hasel (flute), Andreas Wittman (oboe), Walter Seyfarth (clarinet), and Fergus McWilliam (horn), and Henning Trog (bassoon) have “astonished audiences worldwide with their range of expression, their tonal spectrum and their conceptual unity.” Enjoy the musical synergy of this ensemble that critics and listeners applaud for “redefining the sound of the classical wind quintet.”

Saluda is “Open to Highway Legacy.” On Friday evening Karen Dickson Johnson is sharing her entire body of work from paintings and sculpture to clothing with an Art Open House at 15 Thompson Road, on the corner of Thompson Road and Ozone Drive from 6-9pm. According to Karen this show is her way of “creating an opportunity to show everything I do. In a way, it’s an opening of myself and my home.” Her playful work full of light and symbolism will be displayed throughout her home accented by Linda Kay’s Feng Shui and accompanied by the music of guitarist and ‘Violinario’ Howard. For more information, please call Karen at 828.749.9649. Saturday evening enjoy dinner and music at the Purple Onion with Blue Line Highway at 8pm. This acoustic band from Richmond, Virginia has recently released their latest CD “Life in a Minor Key” on Lost Cat Records and brings a lovely collection of songs mixing bluegrass, jazz, country, blues, and just enough folk rock to keep their audience tapping their toes. The band’s musicianship and Julia Dooley’s sultry vocals are sheer pleasure for the ears. If you really want to get out your dancing shoes and boogie, you might head over to the Saluda Mountain Jamboree for Legacy from 8-11pm. Their collection of songs from the country, pop and top 40 charts will keep you dancing the night away.

I’ve run out of poetic words, but have a couple of entertaining ideas that fall between the lines. You may find more poetry with the sweet music of Jan & Barney at the Gallery Coffeehouse Saturday at 8pm. Or, perhaps you’ll find talent within yourself and sign up to sing at Elmo’s for Saturday night Karaoke.

Kathleen Carson & Bill Crowell a Simply Irresistible Combination

Fired & Forged. Those were the wedding vows of Bill Crowell & Kathleen Carson, and now for the first time they will be showing their own work at the Simply Irresistible Gallery under the same name. Since discovering their gallery, I find myself wandering up there every now and then when I need a breath of fresh air or to recharge my creative side. Today I find Bill first out in the forge. He's working on a festive metal mobile of stars and figures for the new Spartanburg Arts Center. Over on another table is the stock pile of table legs of various designs that he worked on over the weekend for the upcoming show. While he finishes up, I walk into the gallery and say hello to Kathleen who shares some of the tiles in process, and then I finally get to see some of the finished tables. They are beautiful pieces, each absolutely unique and colorful and festive. When Bill comes in and we settle down in a corner of the gallery and begin to chat, they start joking about how they want to change their story to see if anyone notices.

Bill: We fell in love as children in Canada and moved here to live.

Kathleen: I think I have some exes that would have something to say about that.

So, where do you want to start your real story today?

Kathleen: The focus right now is a show of our own work.

Bill: And by that we mean tables

Kathleen: That's how Bill got started. I was looking for table bases to fit my tiles. Bill said he could teach himself to weld and he did and here we are. What he discovered along the way that he didn't know before was that he is an artist.

Bill: Lost deep in my soul. And every now and then it runs back in and hides.

Kathleen: He took two blacksmithing classes at Penland Craft school, six years apart and other than that he's self taught.

How did you get started Kathleen?

Bill: She was born with a paint brush.

Kathleen: I pretty much have been involved with art all my life. I went Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, FL. Then, like many artists, went from job to job to job. My last job before I started painting tiles was as an illustrator for advertising agency which is why I have a wide range of styles.

You mentioned earlier liking bright colors…

Kathleen: Maybe that's the Florida experience, or just in me. I've always been fond of bright, bright colors.

How long have you been building tables together?

Bill: 14 years?

Kathleen: We've been together over 15 years. We moved here in 1991. Somewhere around 1993 Bill started welding, so about 14 years.

How else do express yourselves in your individual art forms?

Bill: I make a lot of hooks, fireplace screens and tools, driveway gates, and garden gates. I make some sculptures, like the Steel Magnolia sculpture. I go out and get flowers and sketch them fast before they shrivel. There's no second guessing nature.

Kathleen: Now and then I'll paint a platter. But mostly I do the tiles. What you don't see here in the gallery is custom tile work for kitchens and baths in homes. There was a point in time when the gallery space was simply set up for shipping tiles all over the world, and the forge didn't even exist here, it was up in Saluda.

What made you decide to do your own show?

Bill: Kathleen said, "Hey we've never had our own show." And I said, "Yeah."

Kathleen: The gallery was set up to show our own work, but then I had to fill the space and got busy. From the beginning I have focused on North and South Carolina artists that create mostly unique, one-of-a-kind items. For instance, artists like John Richards, Vickie Jo Franks, and Diane Postnieks always have interesting pieces to add to the gallery. Dot Pierce does these clever little glass mosaics. John Kenfield is always bringing in beautiful wood turnings. There are really quite a few local artists in this county. There is not much "production" work, unless it's very fine quality. Examples would be ceramics from Doug Dacy and Lucinda Pittman and leather painting from Mona. Its all fun and light hearted work and people bring family and visitors here as a destination. Currently I have about 50 artists here, and that has held steady for the past three years. November will be five years, and it took a while to get the look you see here now. I got so busy running the gallery, which is actually fun. You get to see new work all the time and meet the artists. And Bill got so busy with custom iron work.

Bill: I could only produce maybe ten tables a year for Kathleen to paint.

Kathleen: Two years ago we made some furniture for a couple who had a beach house. And, as part of the payment for making those tables we negotiated a week at the beach. We weren't able to take advantage of that until this past July.

Bill: And then we saw how cool our stuff was in their home, and said "why aren't we doing this."


Kathleen: We realized that was the work that completes us both.

Bill: I think I said I'd make her a hundred tables, but I'm close to 50 coming up on show time.

So he's got the tables, how are you doing with the tiles?

Kathleen: I'm trying to keep up. He gets ahead, and then I get ahead for a bit.

Bill: And then they're selling.

Kathleen: Six of the first ten sold right away.

Bill: (laughing) I'm going to quit making them if she can't keep them in here.

Kathleen: The neat thing about this part of our art is that it gives us the chance to experiment and do odd unusual things. You can stretch a bit. Bill's legs are getting really, really cool after doing nine dozen of them. Things he isn't able to do in the normal handrail jobs.

What are your favorites so far?

Kathleen: It's always the last one that comes out of the kiln. Right now I'm having fun with this saturated color and this theme of music. Ooh, Bill you should make another one of those twisty, viney ones.

These tables are little paintings. I always was a painter. It was such a thrill the first time I painted on tile. People are afraid to touch a painting. Tile is tactile enough to make people want to touch it.

Bill: And gravity is the only thing that can hurt it. If you could put a tile painting in a zero atmosphere it would last forever.

Kathleen: The only things that will survive until the end of time are bronze, plastic, and ceramics.

Bill: We bought this place back in 1997. It's been a battle to keep back the Kudzu. A million years from now when we're not here to fight the Kudzu you'll dig through and find nothing will be left but her tiles.

So how many tables will you hope to have for the show?

Kathleen: 30 maybe?

Bill: 30, I'll have mine done.

When is the show?

Kathleen: September 28th with a reception from 5-8pm. We'll try to always keep some of our work here. I would really like to explore the art furniture market more, send our work other places and bring other art furniture to our gallery.

Simply Irresistible Gallery and Saluda Forge are located up Ola Mae Way across from Stott's Ford. Meet Bill & Kathleen at the Fired & Forged show Friday evening September 28th from 5-8pm. Gallery hours are 9-5pm Monday-Saturday. Call 828-859-8316 for more information or visit simplyirresistiblegallery.com.

"Can I Have the Night Off?" Music and Art are Calling

I won't see much of the music and art this weekend because I'll be on the Tryon Fine Arts Center stage playing a rather unruly maid. You should come see the show, I hear it's funny. It's hard to tell from my perspective. At this point I'm too busy worrying about my next cue to enjoy what is happening on stage. I know I've laughed out loud at Carol Cox and Mike Johnson on more than one occasion during the rehearsal process. They're funny people when you give them clever lines and fun physical "business" to tell a story. In fact, Dallas Johann has assembled a top notch cast and crew to pull this show together. Anyone who has moved into a "fixer upper" home in the country can appreciate the trials and tribulations that faced the tech crew, led by the fearless Rebecca Davis, as they figured out how to give a house a make-over on stage in two hours every night of the show. Jimm Brink's sound and light design ranges from simple sounds of country life to some cool thunder and lightning effects. It's a good thing it's a comedy so we remember to laugh at all the stumbling blocks along the way.

I have found the humor in my own life while working on this play. Ironically, I attempted working as a maid at the Melrose Inn and was lucky enough to have a tree struck by lightning on my property during the rehearsal process. Dallas got his well dug before we opened. Will Newton and Annabel have water in their new home, a reliable maid, and weather the storm? Come see George Washington Slept Here by Hart & Kaufman to find out. The show runs tonight through Saturday at 8pm with a matinee Sunday at 3pm at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. Thankfully I'm not working in the kitchen, so I can highly recommend a delicious dinner at Melrose Inn before the show, just be sure to call for reservations 859-7014.

I missed the opening reception last weekend at Red Clover Gallery in Landrum. However, driving past the stunning painting in the front window reminded me to stop in and view the work of Linda Hudgins in an exhibit titled The Grateful Eye, sometime before the show ends October 17. Her expressive abstract paintings suggest that a walk through the gallery will be a vacation trip into a colorful country of dreamy observation.

I'll miss the dinner and music at the Purple Onion. They are serving up some delicious fare with Greg Lilley tonight and Everett Hix Project on Saturday. I'll also miss the Open Mic on Friday at the Gallery Coffeehouse from 7:30ish-10pm, but Mike Locke is doing a fine job of hosting a friendly musical evening of fun. Bring something musical to share, or listen and enjoy the show.

Saturday night the Saluda Mountain Jamboree will have people dancing and grooving to Sound Investment from 8-11pm. Unfortunately, I won't make it to Saluda from the theatre in time for that. However, when I escape my costume late Saturday evening I may get to dance a bit to the oldies and beach music of the South Factory Band at Elmo's in Tryon.

If our final matinee wasn't Sunday from 3-5pm , I would be interested in revisiting the Upstairs Artspace to get a second look at their current exhibitions and try my hand at a drumming workshop with international percussionist and composer River Guergeurian.

If you catch me at the theatre this weekend, let me know how the rest of the local art world is faring.

Peter Kutt and the Art of Restoring Classics

Often when talking about musicians in the area I have heard mention of the name Peter Kutt. The agreed upon rumors seemed to indicate he’s an exceptional classical pianist who does some work rebuilding pianos, but that he was also elusive with his talents. Out of curiosity, mostly as a musician myself, I decided to track him down for an interview to find out the whole story for myself. When I first reached him, he was busy with wrapping up some odd jobs this summer. Once he found a bit of free time he was kind enough to grant my request to interview him about his relationship with pianos. I was invited over to see what he was working on currently.

My first impression driving into his yard was that both it and the house were cared for and neat, but in no way flashy or fancy. He asked me to join him on the porch and without much prompting began to quietly relate to me how his relationship with music has grown and changed over time.

“Do you want to know how I got started?” he asked.
“Sure,” I said, “how did you begin?”

“Dad played stand up bass, accordion, guitar, and piano by ear. I remember being 4 or 5 and sitting on Dad’s knee learning to plunk out tunes on the piano. We had Becker Brothers ‘Old Brick’ piano. It was a gigantic old upright with pillars for legs. My parents got it for free or cheap and Mom thought the black color was too ugly and that it should be red. So she painted it fire engine red. But she ran out of paint and used fake brick ‘stick-um’ vinyl on the music desk and fall board. People thought it was actually built of brick when they saw it.


“Since it was an old piano, it often needed repair. Dad would go to the piano store for parts and I was fascinated by all the broken parts, shady characters, and loose keys strewn about the place. As a child, my interest was peaked by these fellows who spent all day working with all these parts. There are over 3,000 parts in a piano such as bushings and rods. Piecing them together is an art. For instance, in older pianos they used a coating of sheep fat on the bushings to make the action smoother, but since the rods were made out of silver this created verdigris oxidation. This is just one of the obstacles you encounter refurbishing older pianos. You can tell the quality of workmanship on a rebuild right off. It’s like being a sculptor; it takes years and years to understand how the action should work and to recreate that on each individual piano.

“When I was in high school we moved to Hartford, Connecticut where I started taking piano lessons from Yuko Yamaguchi a Fulbright Scholar and recent graduate from Julliard School of Music. She was light to me musically. In her studio she had a 1920 Steinway piano rebuilt by Eddie Dapillo that was ‘like new.’

“So, in high school I began working for Dapillo’s Baldwin dealership where half the store was full of gutted pianos. I was just playing piano for Dapillo’s customer, but I really wanted to learn how to rebuild them. I watched what they did, but it was kind of like Greek to my teenage mind. However, over time I learned the tools and how to restring and level keys. That was all they trusted me to do though.

“Then one summer at Tanglewood when I was eighteen I came across a Concert Steinway Grand sitting in a breezeway and, being a cocky young pianist, I sat down and started playing Brahms. A woman who happened by to listen ended up offering me a piano if I would come get it in Boston. It was a seven foot 1869 Steinway Grand with 85 keys. I saw it and insisted on giving her something and finally she took $200 for it. We loaded it onto my brother’s dump pick-up truck and that started my ‘piano moving days.’ We made it into the yard at the house with a flat tire and a piano that needed a total rebuild.

“I started by cutting off all the strings and mailed them to Mapes in Tennessee which was the only place I knew that could recreate bass strings for that model. Then I went back to Dapillo’s shop and got some advice on the project as well as a book ‘The Guide to Restringing’ by John Travis.


“The 120 year old action was obsolete and I couldn’t buy parts, so I sent off to John Ford who specializes in reconstructing old instruments and he built a new action for it. In 1973 it cost $1,105 for the brand new action built specifically for the piano. I then spent my time re-plating the pedals, putting in new dampers, and trying to make everything work. It took two years and then I had a beautiful instrument.

“When Dapillo had a heart attack at 54 and I lost my employment there I concentrated on finishing my music degree and “fooling jurors” that I could play at the Hart School of Music. But, by the time I graduated I was disillusioned by the stress and life of musicians in the classical world and decided to seek a more decent and humane living.

“For a period of time I worked at an Ethnic Market for $2.10/hour. I loved meeting people from all over the world and, most importantly, no one cared about the piano.”

“Did you move the piano you rebuilt to Tryon? How did you end up here?” I asked.

“My wife went back to school for cello while I was working, and then we moved to Tryon. In the end we sold the piano, along with just about everything else except my wife’s cello and my flute before moving to Tryon. We had come here to visit one summer and were impressed by the climate. When we first arrived it felt like we’d entered a vacuum it was so quiet with no street noise.

“After settling into the area, my wife and I began performing as the Cresta Azul Chamber Players because of the thirst for classical music in this area. We were joined by violinists, violists, and occasionally singers or saxophonists and others to do lots of chamber music recitals.

“We divorced in 1984 and I haven’t done much since then. You have to devote a lot of your time and life force to music, and I didn’t want to do that anymore. When you’re in tune with yourself and the music, everything is in harmony. But as I grew, the music no longer held the same significance for me. I turned to internal study of the mind and peace. I practiced yoga for 18 years in a row without missing a day. I channeled the energy I had been pouring out through music inward with yoga and I became a broader person. I realized I didn’t have the constitution for the life of being a performance classical pianist. Those that are able to do it are very rare and are both constitutionally and physically very strong. I just was not built that way, but the craft of rebuilding pianos does not have the same stress. Rebuilding is also much quieter. When I do play now, I use ear plugs because my ears are just too sensitive.

“Right now I’m working on a full size upright 1891 Steinway. A music student from the University of Cincinnati had it for over 50 years and had too much feeling for the instrument to sell it, so it was given to me. Its exterior is beautiful black ebony that I’m refurbishing. With a piano this old there are plenty of dings and bumps to smooth out. I also had to find a music desk in a shop to replace the one that was missing. I’m working on leveling and regulating the keys. Regulating is the tricky process of making all the keys feel the same when they are played. The best regulators can simply name their price for a project. What makes it particularly difficult is that the relationship between keys is different for each instrument and each key has a certain optimum compression.


“I also have a 1920s Gulbransen Petite Baby Grand that I’m working on restringing, replacing the hammers, and regulating for a local woman here in town. Over the years I have rebuilt several vintage Steinway Grands and Mason & Hamlin Grands. I’ve also worked on three Baldwin 9 foot Concert Grands that have tremendous sound. I usually work on two pianos a year at this point.”

He then began to share with me the Steinway and Gulbransen that were in the process of being rebuilt. They were lovely instruments and it finally gave me the chance to hear him play. There was none of that “cockiness” of the young pianist he had described, but simply the deft hand of a master floating through a few pieces. The Samuel Barber pieces were particularly lovely.

A Garden of Musical, Poetical Delights

This weekend offers up a bouquet of entertainment that is cause for the busiest of people to take time out to “stop and smell the flowers.” Even if you have been working hard all week, take a moment out of your day to have an “art break” and stop by Bravo Interior Designs. Give yourself a moment to wander through the delicate array of visual beauty in their current show A Way of Looking at Things featuring the work of Phillip Dusenbury, Susan Johann, Penny Kessler, and Terry MacMillan. Then wander into weekend with your senses open to a lovely blend of folk, country, and even a bit of rockin’ blues that marries poetic lyrics to the story of the music.

Start your weekend tonight with the lovely Little Country Giants from Georgia playing at the Purple Onion. Formed in 2004 as a product of years of song writing together and apart, their music is like the sweet perfume of honeysuckle with their tender lyrics and lovely harmonies. Their original sound is drawn from the American roots music of folk, bluegrass and country with a natural southern charm. If you’d rather have a little variety in your bouquet though, you can always stop by the Melrose Inn for Talent Night and enjoy the potpourri of music and poetry being shared and maybe even offer some blooms from your own creative garden.

Friday night Rogers Park will be finishing off the Summer Tracks series with spicy tiger lily and snap dragon mix of jazzy country from Bob Sinclair and the southern rock of Jackson Crossing. Pack a dinner, or enjoy the hot dogs and ice cream offered, as you relax in one last fresh and fragrant summer evening of sweet soulful words mixed with groovin’ tunes in the great outdoors.

Saturday night offers the greatest variety of delights. Perhaps you’ll choose to enjoy the wildflower simplicity of the acoustic folk duo Friction Farm at the Gallery Coffeehouse. Formed from a full rock band, they have paired down to the essential joy of well written lyrics mixed with sweet melodies. Looking for something to make you get up and dance? You may prefer the sassy daisy trio that makes up the “free-range trailblazing cowgirl” group The Buckerettes stirring up the evening at the Purple Onion. This honky-tonking, foot-stomping fun mixed with sultry harmonies should be enough to stir your blood to dancing. If you’re looking for more rockin’ blues with your country, head over to the Saluda Mountain Jamboree for the bright poppy garden of tunes provided by Southern Pointe. Their colorful collection of songs will have you dancing the night away.


Finally, take some time out Sunday afternoon to head over to the first FENCE Family Concert of the season and breathe in the sweet gardenia delight of Jhon Akers. His scholarly research on the friendship between poet Carl Sandburg and world-renowned guitarist Andrés Segovia provides his performance with a rich soil from which to bloom. This free concert is a lovely way to finish off a delightful weekend where poetry and music grow together.

Whatever you choose this weekend, take some time to refresh your senses in the garden of artistic delights available right here in your own backyard.

Susie Kocher and her Distractions

Susie Kocher is a busy woman. You may have seen her onstage as Reno in “Anything Goes” at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. Perhaps you heard her sing the National Anthem at the Steeplechase, or just read about her winning ride later in the day. Those are just a few of the things she does for “fun” while also working for as a pharmaceutical representative and being a mom.

I caught her briefly in person one evening as she was leaving a planning meeting for Tryon Little Theatre and headed to pick up her daughter from her evening activity. We spoke on the phone a minute while she was driving and I had a break during rehearsal. I learned that her newest “free-time” pursuit was called “The Distractions” and how to “Google” their Biltmore performance on YouTube. I also learned that the band was going to be playing for a benefit for Travis. “You know Travis, who was in the accident helping out a stranger on the freeway?” No, I didn’t know Travis, but I decided to “Google” him too that night.

I managed to find the fun two minute montage video of the band without a hitch. All it took was “The Distractions Biltmore” in the search box. It was cheerful little video postcard of a joyful evening of dinner and dancing on the patio at Biltmore Estate. It seems that Susie’s one lucky woman to fill her spare time by sharing her beautiful voice and exuberance with a group of talented musicians in such an appreciative and classy setting. Not bad as far as “distractions” go in life.

I wasn’t so lucky in finding Travis, so after a few failed phone attempts, we resorted to email for the interview. In a way, I’m glad it worked out that way, because I enjoyed reading her emails. So, here is the “refined” version of our exchange. Mainly I have reorganized the questions and answers for the reader’s ease, Susie may be busy, but she communicates very clearly with text.

Susie’s first email to me was in response to my voicemail asking about Travis’ story.

Travis Fortson a young professional pharmaceutical sales representative was driving to one of his doctor’s appointments last month when he saw a woman forced off the road by a bad driver. She went off the road and definitely needed some assistance. Without thinking, Travis pulled over and got out of his car to help her. A tractor trailer came around the bend and slammed on the brakes jackknifing the trailer and hitting Travis full force. He was thrown into a ditch. One of the doctors in Landrum has a husband who works for EMS who was the one called to the scene. They were able to get Travis air lifted to Spartanburg Regional where his injuries were treated and they removed his leg. He then went to Greenville Memorial the next day for further surgery on his crushed pelvis.

As fellow drug reps, we were devastated by what happened to Travis. Some of the reps from his company approached me about our band playing for some type of benefit to help him and his wife and children handle some of the exorbitant medical bills coming his way. I contacted the guys and we agreed wholeheartedly. Steve Chastain out of Spartanburg worked tirelessly to secure a location for the benefit and after running into many roadblocks along the way, met with the manager of Wild Wings in Spartanburg who was enthusiastic in helping out. The benefit will be held on Monday September 10th from 6pm on and we encourage anyone who can to join us for an inspiring evening. Travis is excited to attend and is touched by the amount of support that he has received from so many wonderful people. Check out his website at Caringbridge.org then type in Travisfortson. You will be amazed.

Wow, over 82,000 visitors and over 1,700 loving messages at CaringBridge. What an amazing story! He’s definitely a Superman smiling with his two girls. Thank you for sharing that with me. I'd like to know more about your band that will be performing for this benefit. How long have you been together?

We have been together for about six months. The members are myself, Susie Kocher, from the big town of Lynn, NC (vocals and the red tambourine), Dave Kushabar on guitar/vocals; Hank Shugart on bass and vocals; Rob Gillum on drums. This particular group formed after our drummer departed to Florida last year and I really stopped playing sloppy garage band music! Dave and I did a half hearted acoustic duo at the Hare and the Hound a few times but children, jobs and life really put a wrench in it. Dave has two kids, we all have tons of kids and their busy social schedules get in the way of our playing music!

What projects led you to forming this band?

Rob and I work together and he lives in Columbia, SC but calls on specialists (doctors) in the Greenville/Spartanburg area as well as Columbia so we can get him to practice once in awhile since he stays in hotels in Greenville and Spartanburg every few weeks. Hank and I have played together the longest, we were in a band called Weird Mojo with Steve Whiteside and Mike VanDusen but like I said before, Mike moved to Florida last year. I really thought that was it for me since I felt tired and old and not energized to start a new band but musicians just kind of drop out of the sky and all of us LOVE to play music. Oh, and Bobby Gaines will be sitting in on some songs, he toured with Phoebe Snow for seven years and has played with some greats.

How long have you been performing as a vocalist with bands?

I have been performing as a vocalist since I was 18 years old (16 if you count the band that I auditioned with in high school and got in but my mean mother forbid me to sing with!). I am 45 so … wow 27 years! I never sang in a rock band until I moved to Tryon. I sang with an acoustic group called “Bookends” at Penn State during college and for many years after. I also sang with a traditional Celtic band in Philadelphia called the Mollyhawkes and we used to perform at Celtic festivals and some pub like places in and around the Philadelphia area.

What have you been doing recently before this group formed?

I took a hiatus and got involved with TLT in Anything Goes thinking that my rock ‘n roll days were over. I always get asked to play at this really fun horse show party at the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic in July so I kind of convinced these guys to help me out with this one gig. We had so much fun at practice that we thought we’d give it a whirl and keep playing.

On the YouTube video there are a variety of snippets from jazz standards, to classic Patsy Cline, to rock-n-roll and funk. How would you describe the band's style?

The band’s style… I think of us as solid musicians who really, really, really have fun while we play. We smile and laugh the whole time and have lots of fun kidding around with the audience. As I said before we are all pretty responsible people; parents, professionals, tax payers. We pick songs that we like to play so it’s a real variety, something for everyone possibly.

It sounds like a lot of fun! With such full lives, it sounds like this is a pretty rare occasion to gather these musicians together for a live performance.

I worked with Travis and he is a dear and wonderful young man. I hope that if people can they will come and support him. He told a friend of mine that this benefit, thinking about it is the most fun he has had since his accident.
You can hear Susie Kocher and The Distractions live Monday September 20th at Wild Wings Café in Spartanburg from 6pm “until” as they celebrate the continued recovery of “Good Samaritan” and “SuperDad” Travis Fortson. There will also be a silent auction that evening with proceeds helping to offset the cost of the medical bills for his recovery.

Art for Every Taste from Hunt Family Fiddlers to Moon Howl

Sometimes life throws more at you than you could ever fit into a day, or a weekend. After a relatively quiet (and thankfully wet) Labor Day weekend in Polk County, this weekend heat ups with several major events to fit a variety of tastes. For instance, you may start your weekend tonight either in Saluda or Tryon with some great music depending on your musical preference.

Purple Onion in Saluda welcomes pianist Aaron Price tonight at 8pm who has been dubbed the “man behind the Asheville sound” recording and/or performing with artists such as Peggy Seeger, Malcolm Holcomb, Vendetta & the Nines, Stephanie’s Id, Hollywood Red, Mad Tea Party, and Firecracker Jazz Band at Collapseable Studios. He is equally adept at playing piano for cabaret and theatre or bass for a rock and roll band. As someone who views “genre as a limitation” you’ll be delighted by the diversity of his solo piano performance.

Down in Tryon, you can enjoy a more theatrical musical experience with the Hunt Family Fiddlers at the Tryon Fine Arts Center at 8pm. This is sure to be an evening of inspirational entertainment with this nine member family of world class fiddlers and step dancers. Their award winning blend of Celtic, Bluegrass and Folk garnered them six standing ovations at the 8th Annual Newport Waterfront Irish Festival. Clint and Sandy Hunt with their seven children age 8-17 share their family’s love for music internationally and for one night bring this love to the stage in Tryon.

Perhaps you’ll be inspired and take out your own instrument Friday night and join the Pickin’ Parlor at the Gallery Coffeehouse. This family friendly casual environment welcomes everyone to grab an instrument and join the circle sharing and learning music from a variety of genres. If you’re still tentative about playing music yourself, why not play explorer and visit the Green River Gallery to see the new work by internationally know African wildlife artist Nancy Strailey. After viewing her beautiful colored pencil drawings on handmade paper that she calls her “joyful noises” and “hymns to creation,” you may even hear the call of the African drum. How convenient that the Upstairs Artspace is offering a workshop later this month on September 23rd with River Guerguerian called “Sharing the Drum.”

Be ready to start your day early on Saturday. The Green Creek Heritage Festival starts at 9am with a full day until 4pm of music and storytellers under the tent at the Green Creek Family Life Center. After the festival, head back to Tryon for the Garden Party Gala at Tryon Fine Arts Center presented by Tryon Painters & Sculptors. They will be celebrating dual openings for Carol Icard’s “A Celestial Turning…the progression of memory” and Mary Beth Trunk’s “Color it Chromatic” from 4-8:30pm with music and refreshments.

Saturday evening put on your dancing shoes. There are choices for getting into the groove in a variety of styles. Columbus offers an encore Saturday in the Park performance with Doug & Andy. In Saluda, “Dance to the Beat” heats up at Saluda Mountain Jamboree with the unique blend of classic country and southern rock from the seasoned professional band Alamo. Down the hill is the annual Moon Howl benefit for the nature education and outdoor recreation programs at FENCE. You’ll be amazed at the sweet sounds of jazz, swing, and country originals from Ménage. The evening later cranks up with the driving rhythm and blues of Gashouse Mouse whose band members have performed with notable artists Buckwheat Zydeco, Marshall Tucker, and Charlie Daniels.

Whatever your choice, make it an artful weekend!