1) New Exhibition at BRAHM: “Black & White and Art All Over”
Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is pleased to present, “Black & White and Art All Over,” a group exhibition featuring works from seven local High Country artists. A free opening reception will be held on Wednesday, October 7th from 5 to 6:30 pm with beverages and hors d’oeuvres.
“The challenge of this exhibit was to interpret through the absence of color, various emotions based on the individual backgrounds and experiences of the group,” says group coordinator Kat Leahey. “The pieces, represented by several media along with a limited palette, result in an eclectic yet cohesive and dynamic presentation.”
The exhibition features works in a variety of media from Theresa Early Curd, Ellie Lyne, Kat Leahey, Priscilla Popper, Linda Dease Smith, Annie Stone and will be on display from October 7 thru October 31st.
The exhibit has been traveling since February 2014 showing in galleries in West Jefferson and Macon, Georgia.
BRAHM is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, with extended hours on “Donation Day” Thursday, 10 am – 7 pm, and Sunday, 1 – 5 pm. The museum is located in downtown Blowing Rock at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main Street. For more information about this or other upcoming activities at BRAHM, please call (828) 295-9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org.
2) Art Collector John Huber to Speak at BRAHM on Sunday
The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum welcomes well-known collector of American Art, John Huber to speak for the blank annual Alexander Arts Lecture on Sunday, October 4th at 4 pm. Huber’s lecture, titled: “American Impressionism and Realism: Tales of a Collector” will cover more than forty years of his experiences as a collector.
Jack and, his wife Russell began collecting American art over 40 years ago, beginning with scenic “vacation art”. This quickly transitioned during the 1980s to historic Impressionism and Realism by well-known American artists. Taking advantage of what they perceived to be a pricing disparity, versus oil paintings, they focused their attention on works on paper. Great pastels, watercolors, and charcoal drawings were scarce, but still available to collectors willing to search them out, be patient, and persevere. Jack loved “the hunt”, and the creative challenge to locate and acquire the very best examples.
Jack and Russell place great importance on conserving, protecting, and presenting each work of art. They view themselves as trustees, responsible for protecting these precious objects for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.
During the past twenty years they have devoted considerable effort and resources acquiring appropriate period antique frames for most of the works in their collection. The objective was to obtain a frame that the artist might have originally selected. The frames enhance the beauty of each work and in effect constitute a “collection within a collection”.
The Hubers’ collection of American Impressionism and Realism was exhibited in 2011 at the Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, and the High Museum, Atlanta, GA, with an accompanying catalogue entitled “Embracing Elegance”.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jack Huber and his wife Russell have lived in Atlanta, Georgia, for almost 50 years. Jack is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Duke Law School, and met Russell at Duke as an undergraduate. Jack practiced law briefly, but has been an investment counselor most of his professional career. The Hubers have two adult children and two much-loved grandsons, all living in Atlanta. In addition to collecting American Art, the Hubers are avid gardeners, and also enjoy golf and travel.
The Alexander Arts Lecture, held each fall at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, is an endowed annual lecture focused on American Art in honor of the extraordinary contributions of Patty and Welborn Alexander, founding members of the Museum. The endowment was established in 2012 through gifts by members of the Museum’s Boards of Trustees. The goal of this lecture is to engage diverse audiences and create a cultural dialogue, thereby enriching the lives of the participants with current perspectives in the visual arts.
Admission for the event is $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. BRAHM is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, with extended hours on “Donation Day” Thursday, 10 am – 7 pm, and Sunday, 1 – 5 pm. The museum is located in downtown Blowing Rock at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main Street. For more information about this or other upcoming activities at BRAHM, please call (828) 295-9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org.
3) Lees-McRae to Host Reception for Artist Scott Lowrey on Oct. 8
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Lees-McRae’s King-Shivell Gallery is thrilled to host a selection of artwork by Scott Lowrey titled “Aspects of Nature”. The exhibit will be on display from October 1-31, with the opening reception scheduled October 8 from 5 – 6 p.m. in King-Shivell Gallery. The exhibit is free and open to the public. “Aspects of Nature” includes Lowrey’s attempts to alter iconic symbols from various religions and to subtlety change the visual narratives of another. Various pieces in his exhibit are loosely based on the Chinese concept of Shan shui, embodying the essence of mountains and water. “In more recent work I wanted to explore other ideas, combining my interest in spiritual traditions and symbols with their relationships to nature but within a framework still based on the Romantic tradition,” said Lowrey. “I wanted to take symbolism from various world religious systems and look at what happens when it’s re-arranged, abstracted and replaced in new spaces and contexts.” Scott Lowrey is a second generation Western North Carolina artist who currently serves as a tenured Professor of Fine Art at Mars Hill University where he teaches design, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography. Lowrey holds a MFA in Printmaking from the Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University and a BFA in Drawing and Painting from UNC-Asheville. His prints and paintings are featured in both public and private collections throughout the world. For more information about King-Shivell Gallery, please contact Jason Sabbides at sabbidesj@lmc.edu. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. With 1,000 students hailing from 31 states and more than 8 countries, Lees-McRae’s broad core curriculum is enhanced by field-specific career preparation and experiential learning. For more information, please visit www.lmc.edu or call 828-898-5241. |
4) Upcoming Events at Mountain City’s Heritage Hall Theatre
Thurs., Oct. 1, 7pm, The Barter Theatre presents The Doyle and Debby Show
Country music’s hardest working duo is back. Doyle Mayfield, a once beloved country star has found his newest partner, Debbie #3, a single mom dolled up like a wannabe Dolly Parton, who is taking her considerable assets – and East Tennessee twang – out on the road in pursuit of bread for her kids and hope of Nashville stardom. This hilarious country music spoof has audiences raving from Nashville to Chicago to the Conan O’Brien show. When your side isn’t hurting from laughing, you’ll be dancing in the aisles to songs like “Stock Car Love,” “ Barefoot and Pregnant,” and “Fat Women in Trailers.”The Chicago Tribune calls it, “Brilliant! Drop-dead funny!” You’ll want to see it more than once. Sponsored by Johnson County Bank and Watauga Lake Winery. Adv $15/$18 Door $10 Youth
Mon., Oct. 5, 7pm, Symphony of the Mountains, Brass Ensemble Since 1946 Symphony of the Mountains has been at the center of artistic life in the Mountain Empire. Symphony of the Mountains is the only fully-professional orchestra to serve the region. Under the direction of Cornelia Laemmli, the orchestra performs European Classical, American Popular and Jazz, Appalachian Folk and many varieties of World Music.”The Brass Ensemble of the Symphony of the Mountain” consists of trumpet, tuba, trombone, and French horn. Sponsored by Mountain City Funeral Home, Adv $15/ $18 Door $10 Youth
Heritage Hall is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the Area with quality entertainment at affordable pricing. Most evening shows start at 7pm; most tickets are $10 advance and $12 at door, and most youth seats are $5. For tickets, or reservations, call 423-727-7444 and leave a message. The Box Office is open on Tuesday – Friday, 12 – 2 pm at 126 College Street, For more information visit heritagehalltheatre.org.