"All in the Timing" at TLT

Rehearsals have finally begun for TLT's second show of the season "All in the Timing" by David Ives. Replacing the previously publicized "Smoke on the Mountain," Chris Tinkler has found a show to highlight the strengths of the TLT community with this collection of seven short one-act comedies. Time Magazine describes the show as "Theatre that aerobicizes the brain and tickles the heart. Ives is a mordant comic who has put the play back in playwright...A wonderous wordmaster." A large cast of talented characters has been assembled to swoop in quickly and prepare this show to open at the TLT Workshop November 15-18 with evening performances Thursday - Saturday at 8pm, and a Sunday matinée at 3pm. Ticket sales begin November 1st at the TLT Box Office, 516 South Trade Street, 10am - 1pm or call: 859-2466.

Left to Right: Mike Osteen, Toni Baker, Flynn Chapman.
Photo by Lorin Browning
The cast includes in possible order of appearance, Chris Tinkler, Kim Nelson (Sure Thing); Rebecca Davis, Sam Lovelace, Kathleen Carson (Words, Words, Words); Wendi Loomis, Flynn Chapman, Keller Yates (The Universal Language); Henry Bright, Keller Yates, Chris Riddle (Mere Mortals); Joanne Alderman, Wendi Loomis, Keller Yates, Chris Riddle (Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread); Mike Osteen, Cathy Millwood, Henry Bright (The Philadelphia); Toni Baker, Mike Osteen, Flynn Chapman (Variations on the Death of Trotsky).

Gallery Visits, Polk County Drama, & Melrose Haunting

I'm taking a turn from the jammed packed run down of all the weekend's events to mull over a few ongoing exhibits I've enjoyed recently and muse about a couple of events that might just add a bit of spookiness to your Halloween week.

Time has been flying by and it's now been nearly two week's since I attended Charlie Hearon's art opening at the Saluda Senior Center. Even if he hadn't asked me to come bring my flute to "play a tune or two," I would have stopped by to see the display of hand-framed "dabblings." This whimsical assortment of watercolor critters and folk is like a full color companion to his "I Remember Saluda" book. If you missed the opening, you'll have to fill in the tales for yourself, but then maybe you'll find yourself inspired to write stories of your own.




Last weekend I managed to squeeze in two gallery openings located a block from each other in Landrum. I'd already had the chance to see a preview of the lush oil landscapes of Richard Nelson at the Old Conn Gallery space, but was intrigued by the final changes. Most striking was the portrait of an impetuous young girl gazing at me nearly life size from the seashore. I found myself stopping in the doorway to stare back at her to try to capture the story she seemed ready to tell me.

Down the street at Red Clover Gallery, Guntrum Gersch's abstract work took a departure from physical landscapes to emotional landscapes. My eye was immediately drawn to the pieces with whole circles in one corner that seemed calm in comparison to the wild movement of others. After walking through the gallery chatting with Guntrum I became more aware of the emotional language of his work and look forward to a chance to talk with him further. My favorite simile of the evening was hearing him explain how he knew a piece was finished. I might paraphrase it as such, "Like a set of scales where you balance the produce on one side with the weight on the other, when the external image balances with the emotion and vision I have inside then it is done."

While visiting these ongoing exhibits, here are a couple more events coming up to celebrate a spooky, yet safe, Halloween. For three performances only, the Polk County Drama department will be presenting the farce "One Mad Night" at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. Director Donna Everett has been madly pushing these teens to stretch themselves in comic roles ranging from a playwright seeking peace and quiet (Louis Rossi) in a house with talking ghosts to a possibly lunatic heiress (Elizabeth Willis). You can catch the wackiness Friday and Saturday at 8pm, or Sunday at 3pm. For tickets, please call the school at (828) 894-2525 extension 261. Tickets are also available one hour prior to each show at the TFAC box office.

Finally, bring the kids to the Melrose Inn on Halloween 5-9pm for a live action tour of a Victorian Voodoo Haunted House. This evening for the whole family is a benefit run for the Tryon Kiwanis with help from Tryon IGA, Dogwood Café, and US Foods. All proceeds from donations will go to fund the building of a playground for Tryon Elementary. Designer Tony Mayse brings 16 years of Haunted House experience to the Inn. Local artists from the Thursday Talent Night will be adding their creative mischief to the mix. Kids three and up will be wrangled into tour groups by age and guided through the house where a "Voodoo Queen" has taken over and started causing some spooky events to occur. The 4-5 minute tour will conclude with a trip to the Courtyard party where there will be games like bobbing for apples, arts & crafts, and, of course, plenty of candy. Adults may even find a few Halloween spirits themselves at the cash bar. For more information call the Melrose Inn at 859-7014.

Rich Nelson Exploring Local Landscapes

I had a chance to wander into the old Conn Gallery space in Landrum while Rich Nelson was hanging his paintings for his show of "Recent Paintings." I was immediately struck by the dreamy and peaceful quality of the paintings. I felt like I could step through the frame and leave the sterile gallery behind to relax and wander through the swamp land under a hazy sky or explore the old house across an overgrown field.

After taking time to slow down from my busy day and enjoy what he had produced, I started by asking him about how he came to create this new collection of work.

"Mostly I paint commissioned portraits, so when I get a break or am traveling or on vacation this is what I do to relax. I go exploring and find an interesting spot outside to stand and paint. Most of the still life work comes from teaching classes at Tryon Painters & Sculptors on and off for the past three years. I enjoy taking time away from the "work" of painting portraits to paint for myself, usually in the summer and fall."

"The business of commission work means a lot of traveling to places all over the country. I've now done somewhere over 200 portraits and they are each about a specific subject. We moved to the Southeast because this is where so much of the work is for portraits. Up north the work is mostly corporate for CEOs and such. In the South people still believe in painting family members, and often have a specific age when the children of the family are painted."

How does this work differ from painting portraits?

"These are paintings for me, not based on what will sell, but what I see that inspires me that day. Nobody tells me to paint them. I do them out of my own initiative. Unlike the portrait work which is often done from photos I take, these paintings involve taking the time to directly observe something that attracts my eye. They are all from what I see around me in the real world. I never wanted to work from photos, and didn't during school. However, these days, no one from kids to CEOs has the time to sit for a portrait. The beauty of landscape and still life is that they are all painted from life."

Which do you like the best?


"My favorites are probably the ones up in the windows. Mostly it's fun to put them all up and listen to what people say. The tomato field painting is on the postcard and has already generated some interest. I surely like it for a different reason than people who look at it. The first two trips we took this year, to Hilton Head and Lake Jocassee , I didn't like what I was painting. On our second trip to Hilton Head I liked a couple, but was starting to panic about the show. Then we returned to Tryon and I wandered over to the tomato field one day. People stopped to say hello and some of them may like it because they saw me painting it, or that they see it so often. For me, it was the fact that the whole process of painting it went smoother for me than any other I had done this year."

"You're always trying to create and sometimes it's not flowing. This year it wasn't until the tomato field and Pearson's Falls that I felt like things were really working again. I was also lucky enough to be introduced to Mr. McClure who has the old Henson farm. I don't like to traipse around someone else's property unless I know them. Mr. McClure's place is an unbelievable adventure to me; wandering through this slice of Tryon history to find something new to paint. I enjoy that so much, which is something that the viewer of the painting doesn't see. I also like capturing what is 'real' about this area. Mr. McClure said 'As long as I'm around it isn't going to change.' There is a beauty about that place that you find less and less these days."

Are these all paintings from this summer?

"This show is about 99% work I've done over the past two years and all but the back room of the gallery contains work I've never shown here. Most of them are from the last six months, though a few were swapped out from a gallery in Hilton Head. I figure about every nine months I'm due for a show. We've lived in Tryon three years now and I've shown at Upstairs, Tryon Fine Arts Center, Red Clover, and now here. My wife Kim was the director of the Red Clover and there was some confusion about our involvement there. We left after about nine months. Kim needed to get back to being a full-time Mom, and I needed to focus on painting. The same is true of Richard Conn who gave up running the gallery so he could focus on his own painting and sculpture. Robbie Conn is still framing in the space and has done most of the framing of my work both in the show as well as the portrait commissions. He is an excellent 'old fashioned' kind of framer. I am old fashioned myself, still painting oil on linen that I stretch and prime myself."

I'm clueless about "stretching linen." What do you mean by that?

"I use rabbit skin glue and lead white on Belgian linen. For the first 400 years of painting on canvas that was what everybody did. I do it for two reasons. First, I really like it. I've tried other kinds of canvas and always came back to this. Second, I've checked with conservators and when I see how wonderful old paintings look in museums today, I want mine to be preserved like that. I take it pretty seriously."

"I've meet a lot of other portrait artists at shows and conventions and maybe one or two do what I do. Most painters use commercially prepared canvas with acrylic gesso. As a professor of mine once said, 'Acrylics have only been around fifty years, you don't know how they will hold up.' Also, because I stretch my own, I don't have to fit a painting to a standard size. Whatever size I make the painting I know Robbie Conn will be able to build a frame for it."

Anything else you'd like to share about your work?

"Some say every painting is a self portrait, even landscapes. I've just fallen in love with Tryon and have enjoyed trying to capture it before it changes. I hope it doesn't change, but who knows how long that tomato field will be there. I want to capture as much of the real beauty that drew us to this place as I can."

Rich Nelson's show "Recent Paintings," a collection of landscape, still life and portrait work will hold an opening reception on October 20th from 6-9pm. The show will be at 108 E Rutherford Street, the old Conn Gallery space, from October 16th-27th with a "mini" reception on October 19th. Hours will be Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-5pm, and special appointments are available anytime by calling 828-817-3783. For more information, go to www.richnelson.com or email rich@richnelson.com.

Nunsensical Comedy, Southern Sweetness, Shuckin' & Shaggin'

There's a little something for everyone to be found in Polk County this weekend. Saturday in particular offers a wide variety of art and music to fit a myriad of tastes. I hate making choices, but sometimes you just can't see everything at once. So, as you make your plans for the weekend, take these fine options into consideration.

If lovely Celtic folk music stirs your heart, head up to the Purple Onion Thursday to catch the lovely soaring vocal harmonies of Keith & Joan Pitzer from West Virginia. They offer a rich collection of finely tuned songs that paint an emotional landscape for the listener.

Perhaps you'd like a little comedy with your music? Then get your tickets now for one of the two Nunsense performances this weekend out at Polk County High School. As a fundraiser for the Polk County Band's trip to the 2008 Olympics in China the original cast who took home top honors at the 1994 North Carolina Theatre Conference has revived this rollicking musical comedy. You can catch the comedic antics of some of Polk County's funniest women under the musical direction of Pam McNeil on Friday at 7:30pm or Sunday at 3pm.

Have you been working on poetry, music, or comedy of your own lately? Bring your talented self down to the Gallery Coffeehouse Friday anytime between 8pm and midnight for their Listening to Coffee open mic. The Coffeehouse hosts a family friendly and low stress environment for local talent to try out something new.

Saturday the county gets busy and offers up a wider variety of choices for the afternoon and evening.

For those who love the country and the sweet joys of Southern life follow US 176 to Melrose Station and join Moonflower Gallery & Gifts for their grand opening reception from 4-8pm Saturday. They'll be serving up music and refreshments as they open up their doors to display everything from paintings and sculptures to a collection of nutcrackers. Then continue up the hill to the Purple Onion for the beautiful bluegrass and roots music of Southern darling Donna Hughes. After dinner, perhaps you'll get out your dancing shows and head over to the Saluda Mountain Jamboree for the country rock & blues of Southern Pointe from 8-11pm .

If you're in the mood for more worldly fare without traveling far from home, spend the afternoon wandering through the Upstairs Artspace and their on going shows which include "Where in the World: Looking for Cultural References." Then follow the road down to Landrum between 6-9pm for the dual openings at the Old Conn Gallery Space and Red Clover Gallery. Rich Nelson's Recent Paintings light up the old space with exquisite oil paintings of local landscapes that will help you reflect on the beauty of our area while Guntram Gersch's abstract art at Red Clover will open your artistic eye to new dimensions of space and color.

After the openings, you can continue the evening either in downtown Tryon or out at FENCE depending on whether you wish to dance and move or sit and listen. DJ Peter Eisenbrown will be spinning the tunes out at FENCE from 5-11pm for the 15th annual Shuckin' & Shaggin' event. The ticket price will get you in the gate and allow you to enjoy all you can eat roasted oysters, mussels, jumbo shrimp, and chicken while you dance off those extra calories. If you prefer your music live, you might visit Trade Street in Tryon and float between Dana Bergman & Friends at the Gallery Coffeehouse and music from Shawn & Tony at Elmo's.

Doug Honeycutt's Stone "Critters" and "Goomers"

The simple joy Doug Honeycutt brings to his creative work is inspirational. He's not one to talk much about what he's doing, because he spends most of his time just doing. Whether that's playing a few songs down at the Coffeehouse on guitar, analyzing and mapping land survey data, or his favorite endeavor, carving stone. Sculpture is often solitary work that requires a quiet patience and persistence as well as meticulous attention to detail. However, the end result is a piece of art that you view not only with your eyes but also with your fingertips. I heard from Doug that he'd finally gathered some of his creations together for a couple of upcoming shows. I asked him to let me coax a few words out of him to describe what he's been working on over the past several years.

How did get started sculpting stone?


Some friends of mine from Pennsylvania brought me some serpentine and I picked one piece up and did that little ram in the portfolio. Otherwise for years all I had done were paintings. Then I got "gung ho" after the ram and went to the library and got all the geological survey information for South Carolina because I had heard there was some soapstone in the area. Using that information I went to a site and found some. But after a while they fenced in the space and now there's a fine for going into the site.

What were doing before sculpting?

I was doing a bit of painting, but mostly all left-brained work Land Surveying. I was doing so much mathematical work I didn't have any time to be creative. The left is the side that tells you to run if you see a tiger in the woods. The right brain wants to see it and make a painting or a sculpture out of it. I suppose wanting to do that makes me an "odd-ball," but artists are usually perceived to be rather odd.

How did this portfolio of work come together?

It takes up to a year to work on a piece sometimes. It's taken many years just to build up a body of work. I've been hauling soapstone around like a gypsy for 5-6 years now. The pieces I've sold are mostly down in Shelby now. There was one of the pieces sold that was theoretically of a lady in Saluda, but it was an abstract. I eventually had to sell it to keep the peace at home. I don't even have a photograph of it.


I like to do abstract sculptures because then people read something different into it. Everything I do is an abstract. I have no plans before I start, but work with the symmetry of the rock until it finally represents either an animal or a human. I used to call all of them either a critter or a goomer. Another piece I sold I thought of as a sparrow, but others see it as an eagle or hawk or albatross. I used a little different technique on it. I painted on it with a brushed stone crushed rock which made a pigment so that it came out kind of copper and green.

Some of my work has been shown at Saluda school. Kids really seem to like it. I've shown at Saluda Fine Arts owned by Beverly Whitmire just out front working on pieces during the Saluda Art day or working on a piece while minding the shop. I could have sold some if I'd only had them finished, which is what people kept telling me I should do. There's something psychological about finishing. When it's done then you have to worry about selling it. I had some pieces in a juried art show at the Upstairs Gallery. Juried means a group sits down and judges the pieces in the show. I took second place to the former Landrum High School art teacher and sold the sculpture that was supposedly of a lady.

Sculpture takes a long time and while I'm working on a piece people will read something into it of their own and suggest I make changes that I have to disregard. My favorite place to work is the beach because people that come by just give me positive statements. The sand makes a really good anchor for the piece and several of the pieces I've done have their origin from the seashore.

In October I'll be showing my sculptures at 16 Patton in Asheville, as well as Martin Gallery in Charleston, SC.

How did you learn to sculpt stone?

I went to Atlanta school of art and one of my mentors is a fellow named Ford McDonald who was my high school art instructor. I took lessons from him over the years whenever I could afford it. He's in the "big leagues" now. There was a sculptor named Felix and even though I never knew his last name, he probably gave me the most advice. He told me not to ever copy or look at other people's sculpture because I might be influenced by it with out meaning to be. He also said electric tools didn't have any place in sculpture and you should only use hand tools. I disregarded him and tried using power tools for a while, but after breathing a lot of dust I started to think he might be right. There's nothing like something completely built by hand. So now I used a series of different sized and different shaped rasps and wet and dry sandpaper and chisels of course. He also suggested I move on to marble, but I haven't done that yet because I can't afford the marble on my starving artist budget. You have to start somewhere so I started with rocks that were free or didn't cost very much.

What are you working on right now?


It's a piece that's going to look kind of Mayan. It's the first "Mayan-ish" looking piece I've done. I'm going to make some earrings out of green serpentine to inlay into the red soapstone. I've gotten it about 80% complete. But, I didn't try to copy the Mayan style; it just came out that way. A guy asked me the other day why my pieces look like Inuit Indians. I told him that if they look that way to you then that is the reason. To me they are all abstract.

What do enjoy most about sculpting?

Being able to reach my inner child through the reward I get from seeing something go from just a rock to something that gives other people joy and I get joy from it too. But mainly it's nice to see other people smile because that's what I have to share.

You can reach Doug Honeycutt by phone 828-243-2784 or write to him at P.O. Box 576 Saluda , NC 28773.

Wendi "What's she gonna do?" Loomis

performance tailored to the moment

The Back Room

Friday October 12th, 2007
2702 Greenville Hwy
Flat Rock, NC
828-697-6828
9-10:30pm
With less than 48 hours notice to perform something solo from 9-10:30, what will I do?
Clarinet, song, poetry, a tap dance?
Come find out...

Make time for Music and Art to Fit Any Mood

There is always more to do than there is time for it seems. That means making choices about how we spend that time. Yet sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of doing the same old things and forget to take time to look at the beauty that surrounds us. So, why not make a date with a friend to try something new this weekend?


Start with dinner and music tonight either in Tryon or Saluda. If you feel the need for a lively evening, stop by the Melrose Inn for their great “Bargain Buffet” and Talent Night that starts at 6:30pm and then head across the street to the Tryon Fine Arts Center for the some tuba, clarinet, and guitar magic with the Hot House Jazz Band at 8pm. This talented trio has been busy up in Saluda sharing their Children Improvising Music residency and will be bringing their passion for jazz down the hill for a culminating performance. However, if you are feeling the need for a more introspective evening, head up the hill to Saluda for a fine dinner at the Purple Onion with the lovely soulful Americana ballads of Corinne West at 7pm.
Friday Tryon Fine Arts Center turns contemplative with the storytelling folk music of award winning singer/songwriter Chuck Brodsky at 8pm. Meanwhile Saluda Mountain Jamboree heats up the night with the Dirty Dancing Tribute – 20th Anniversary Celebration at 8pm. This special event will feature stories from John Mojjis, owner of the Lake Lure Inn during the movie’s filming, mixed with performances by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs and The A-Lure Dirty Dancers.

If you’ve been hard at work all week in may be tempting to hide at home on Saturday, but you’d miss a chance to take a wonderful gallery tour of Polk County. Head out to Lynn to visit the Essence Day Spa between 10am and Noon to see Bonnie Bardos’ new show The Essence of Women & Nature. Rather than hosting a typical opening reception Bonnie hopes visitors will consider making a donation to Steps to Hope while enjoying the beautiful spirit of her paintings on display. Then, continue past Columbus to where Little Mountain Pottery is celebrating their 33rd Annual Kiln Opening starting with the opening of the stoneware kiln at 11am. Enjoy the work of guest artists and musicians during this free two day event six miles from Columbus, at 6372 Peniel Road. Trek back over to Tryon between 5-7pm and you’ll be able to catch the opening reception for “Life as We See It” featuring the oil and watercolor paintings of Betty Burdue in Gallery Too located at the lower garden level of Tryon Fine Arts Center. Last, but certainly far from least, head up the hill to Saluda for the refreshments, wine, and music at Cynthia Moser’s opening for "Mountain Reflections," an exhibit of her rich watercolor paintings at Saluda Fine Arts, 46 E. Main St., from 6–7:30pm. Once you’ve had your visual feast, head over to the Purple Onion at 8pm for the refreshingly different “flamenco meets jazz” cello and guitar duo Montana Skies.

Saluda serves up another sweet and whimsical show Sunday from 3-5pm at the Senior Center where music and refreshments will be shared to celebrate an exhibition of the watercolors of Charles O. Hearon, Jr. Featuring his favorite critters and landscapes from the low-country as well as Saluda, this lovely afternoon is fit for multiple generations to visit and enjoy together for an afternoon. Then pack the family down the hill to Rogers Park where, a month after they were rained out, Jackson Crossing returns along with Walt Whitney & Ellen Trnka. The last Summer Tracks concert has become Fall Tracks and promises to finish the season with energetic, heart-stirring fun from 4-7pm.

Fiber in the Mountains Show Celebrates Creativity & Tradition

Western North Carolina Fibers & Hand Weavers Guild brings together artists from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to celebrate and further educate people in traditional textile arts. In years past the guild had offered an annual local show and now under their new president Gail Griffith, also the chair of the steering committee for Tryon Arts and Crafts, they have decided to revive the show at the new TAC space at Harmon Field. The show will feature the work of over 50 members of the WNC Fiber/Hand Weavers Guild and TAC in the wonderful new facility at Harmon Field. It’s an eclectic show of all fiber arts from spinning to hand weaving, featuring work in silk, wool, baskets, linen, chair caning, bamboo, and yarn. This will be the first opening of a gallery show at the new TAC Center since their move into the former Tryon Middle School building at Harmon Field.

I sat down with Suzanne Monroe, Nancy Crabtree, and Ann Mullican as they were beginning to set up the show and decide how to best display the wide variety of pieces. It's a tricky show to display because of the diversity of the items. The show includes a beautiful array of hand dyed and spun yarn as well as items woven with an assortment of different materials. Wandering through the show you will find decorative work such as tapestries, sculptures, and wall hangings in addition to functional items such as clothing, scarves, placemats, towels, rugs, chairs, and even a liturgical piece.


The show also features new uses for the old arts. Take for instance Ann Mullican’s piece “Unwavering Glory.” Using pearl cotton, sewing threads, beads, and metallic yarns she has woven Inkle bands into an American flag with beads that each represent one of the people who perished during 9/11. The detail work of this framed piece is simply stunning.


According to Ann, the Inkle loom is the oldest form of weaving represented in the show. The loom dates back 20,000 years to Egypt and Africa. The narrow bands woven on the loom have been used as girths for saddles, belts, shoelaces, and tie-downs for tents. The ties are quite sturdy and have many other uses, but also work for making decorative items. It is believed that the biblical coat of many colors given to Joseph was made from Inkle loom straps. The bands were woven from a variety of natural fibers to create many strips of different colors and then the woven pieces were tied together to create the coat. The Inkle loom is also used for making Kente cloth. Ann says that she is a fan of this loom’s portability. It has been with her on car trips, to swim meets, and even traveled with her on vacation.


Branching out further from it’s traditional use, Lori Kemp weaves wool yarn into strips on the Inkle loom that are used to create 3-D sculpture pieces with polymer clay, wood, wire, and polyester stuffing. Lori is a retired art teacher from Michigan whose delightful peacock lady titled “Struttin’ My Stuff” is one of the most whimsical pieces featured in the show.


The more sophisticated, and less portable looms used for weaving have been created in the last 500 years. About 45 years ago Ms. Cate and Ms. Hall decided they wanted to teach some girls in Polk County the art of weaving on these looms and since then TAC has continued offering classes in weaving. Cate-Hall Weaver’s Fiber Arts Studio at TAC continues a tradition of classes on Tuesdays. Weaver Jeanette White’s generous bequest to TAC helped to foster the programs such as Cate-Hall Weavers and move TAC into the space at Harmon Field.

This non-juried show is hopefully the first of what will become an annual event open to textile artists of all levels. WNC Fiber/Hand Weavers Guild also sponsors the juried biennial International Blue Ridge Hand Weaving show in Asheville.

The reception and opening for the Fiber in the Mountains show will be Saturday October 6th from 2pm-5pm in the central area of Tryon Arts & Crafts Center at 373 Harmon Field Road. Many of the items in the show can be purchased through the gift shop at TAC. The show runs through November 3rd, for more information call 828-859-8323. Normal operating hours are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday from 9am-1pm. Demonstrations by weavers in the show can also be seen during the Harmon Field 80th birthday celebration October 13th 9am-5pm and 14th 1-5pm, and at the dedication for the new Blacksmith studio at TAC on November 10th from 11am-4pm.

Action Packed Weekend of Chili, Crafts, Music, and Fine Art

With leaf season on its way and beautiful weather it’s a great weekend to get out and about in Polk County. This weekend is one of those amazing times when there is so much going on that it would be a bit overwhelming to fit in every event. If you like to keep moving and sample a variety of what the area has to offer, this is the time to do it.

Start your weekend tonight at the Purple Onion with the heartfelt and soulful music of Corinne Gooden. This Carolina sweetheart has followed her heart and music around the country and most recently settled herself into the music world of Nashville, Tennessee honing her skills as both a singer and audio engineer. Now she is bringing her own brand of Americana blues filled with purity and light back to the Carolina foothills.

Friday night pick up an instrument yourself and head down to the Gallery Coffeehouse around 7pm for their monthly Pickin’ Parlor. Actually, you can sit and listen if you prefer, but with the variety of bluegrass, gospel, and even a bit of rock and roll there is sure to be something familiar enough to have you singing along with the group that gathers there for the joyful musical circle.

Saturday you’ll have to start your day early to fit the day’s offerings into your schedule. Chili cookers will be heating up Columbus early so that by the time the first ever Columbus Day Celebration and Chili Cook-off officially begins at 10am in the town of Columbus there will be mouthwatering smells to tempt your senses as you enjoy browsing the heritage crafts, riding the rides and listening to the great line up of music. From 11:30am until 10pm the town will be filled with the sounds of lively music from Mama Said, The Foothills Oompah Band, Bucktown Kickback, Jackson Crossing, Bill Noonan Band, and The Work. Don’t miss the dance party that gets into full swing at 7pm with Mac Arnold & the Plate Full O’Blues followed by Tuxedo Junction. This is sure to be a great day for the whole family to enjoy.

However, I would recommend tearing yourself away for a bit to sample some of the other artistry to be found. Beat the afternoon heat over at Harmon Field from 2-5pm where the WNC Fiber & Hand Weavers Guild is presenting their first show at the new Tryon Arts & Crafts gallery space. They have assembled a stunning show of traditional as well as intriguing new uses for fiber arts. If you tarry too long though, you may miss the lovely Voices for Hospice concert at 4pm at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. Presented by the Nina Simone project the concert What Sweeter Music features a variety of talent from the Sparkle City Brass Quintet, Fiddlers Fancy, One Way, The Faux Band, Cantare, Carole Bartol, Rex Gallatin, Sam Lovelace, Mary Tolles, and Brennan Szafron sharing their gifts to benefit the Western North Carolina AIDS project.

Saturday evening is also filled with live music not only at the Columbus Day Celebration, but indoor entertainment can be found with high octane Americana from Trip Rogers at the Purple Onion 8pm, the dancing grooves of Night Vision at Saluda Mountain Jamboree 8pm, or Elmo’s with On the Road Again (Norm & Chuck).


Sunday afternoon slow down and take an hour to enjoy the Walk & Talk with the artists presenting Where in the World: Looking for Cultural References, A Landscape for All Seasons, and Len Fury: A Gathering of Form at the Upstairs Gallery at 2pm. Then, continue your visual adventure over at the Tryon Painters & Sculptors gallery reception for the horse inspired art of Phyllis Eifert and Charles Harpt at Gallery I in the Tryon Fine Arts Center from 3-5pm.

After such a whirlwind weekend, don’t miss the free opportunity to catch NC State Fair Old Time Music champions the Blue Ridge Rounders over at the ICC-Polk campus Tuesday evening at 7pm.
There is something for everyone in Polk County, so enjoy an artful weekend!