Piney Woods Live – April 2014

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“A Artt iss defi fine ed as a p pro rodu d ct du c of de delibe era ate ely ging ele ements in a wa ay th hat appea e lss to arrrang the e sen nsess orr em motions ns. Pin ns neyy Woo ods Livve is an n exp xpresssio on of the h com omm mun nity ty it serr ve es.”

MONTE M ONTE PITTM PITTMAN MAN by Jeremy Butler

Take a 15 year tour through Monte Pittman’s career. From living in Longview to the Big Stage in Los Angeles, discover what it takes to make it big in a small town.

ABOUT THE CO ABOUT COVER... OVER...

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Art in Art n tthe he Home he

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Blueberry Festival Blueberry

by Jan Statman

Longview native Monte Pittman graces Piney Woods Live cover because of his talent and skill in the rock and roll industry. From small town boy to big

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ETSO P ETSO Power ower Play Concert ow Co oncert

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Fashion IInspired Fashion nspired by A Art rt

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High C High Cotton otton Ball

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Cinco d Cinco de e Mayo

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DENOART DENOART

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Footp Footprints otprin nts in the San Sand nd nd

by Jan Statman

time LA rock and roller, Monte’s roots are still planted right here in East Texas.

by Andrea Johnson & Ben Valencia

Photo Courtesy of Vince Edwards

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by Shane Valencia

by Shane Valencia

by Jan Statman

by Crystal Davis & Teresa Dennard

Geronimo G eronim nimo mo Coming to o Win Winnsboro nnsboro by Maryann Miller

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JJohnny ohnny C Caces aces Celebrates an Annive Celebrates Anniversary ers sary by Jan Statman

30 Ar istt’s Arti sW Wor o lld d by Jan Statman

PineyWoodsLive.com

Cent nter er S Sta tag ta ge Cuis isin ine

The “B Th B” Si Sd de e of Mu us sicc

by Claudia Lowery

by Randy Brown

The Di The D Diamonds iamonds by Claudia Lowery

April 2014 - Page 3

STAFF Pub blishers / Editors Tracy Magness & Gary Krell

Editor’s

Note

Ben Valencia

April already? Time flys when you’re having fun in the Piney Woods of East Texas. And this month, like all Managing Editor the others, we’ve had a fun time in the art and entertainment world bringing you the most up to date information to keep our loyal readers informed! Join us this month as we take a peek into the life of Longview native and rock and roll star Monte Pittman and what it has taken for him to rise to stardom. We take you into the home of local dance instructor Pat George Mitchell, who’s home is that of a glimpse of France and Italy. Her home reflects her personality, her grace in dance and a true charm that is rare to find these days. It was a pleasure meeting someone who is very in tune with doing what she enjoys in life, teaching dance to those eager to learn. As I visited with Pat, looking at her collection of beautiful pieces of art, I realized just how ‘art’ plays a role in our everyday lives and how art can be a form of expression. Don’t miss East Texas Symphony Orchestra’s Power Play Concert, bringing you music that will be sure to quench any music lovers thirst for over the top melodies. Meet local artist Dennis O’Bryant, as staff writer Jan Statman tells us about his home turned gallery. We’ve also included some fashion this issue inspired by one of his very own works of art. On further south in East Texas, sculptor Bob Harness has nearly completed a 15 foot tall statue of Jesus carrying an elderly man, depicting the famous poem “Footprints in the Sand.” Our Publicist Andrea Johnson and I visited with Bob when he began sculpting the statue, and I have to say that Carthage is going to have something to be proud of once the statue is erected. I had the pleasure of writing “Center Stage Cuisine” this month, and all I am going to tell you (as to not spoil the surprise) is that you are in for a real mouth-watering treat! Geronimo will be making a stop this month in Winnsboro, as Hollywood actor Rudy Ramos will present Geronimo, Life on the Reservation at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. All of this, and more to accompany your cup of joe each morning!

Managiing Editor Ben Valencia Pub bliciistt Andrea Johnson Adve ertising Director Suzanne Warren Conttrib buting Writers s Randy Brown, Crystal Davis, Claudia Lowery, Jeremy G. Butler, Jan Statman, Ben Valencia, Shane Valencia, Maryann Miller Grraphic Artiists Jeremiah Shepherd, Joni Guess, Ben Valencia, Andrea Johnson Photographers Ben Valencia, Andrea Johnson Sales Ben Valencia, Andrea Johnson,Carolee Chandler, Kathy Hollan, Cookie Bias, Lori Martin, Shea Vogel, Tracy Stopanii

Sign up for our newsletter by going to our website: PineyWoods sLiv ve.com www.facebook.com om m/P Pin neyWoodsLLive e

Cheers!

In Memorium Piney Woods Live would like to express our most sincere condolences to the family of Mary Ruff. Mary was an artist who enjoyed teaching the many forms of art. She was a jewel in the art community and she will be missed. April 2014 - Page 4

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April 2014 - Page 5

Art

in the home of

Pat George Mitchell by Jan Statman | photos by Ben Valencia

April 2014 - Page 6

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P

at George Mitchell, creator and artistic director of the Longview Ballet Theatre says, “Dance is my life.” She believes that a life that is lived in one form of art will always be surrounded by every form of art.

True to this belief, her home is filled with paintings and sculpture, music, and of course great souvenirs of the dance. They all function together to form a calming and peaceful world in which she can create or she can relax. She said, “My home is a place where I don’t have to. I’m not saying what I don’t have to do. I just don’t have to do anything. It’s my place to just be. Everything I do requires so much energy! This is the place where I can recharge my energies.” Two floral paintings by Sandi Spann of Gilmer and a small Peggy Morey painting of a delicate little girl ballerina who is putting on her shoes are the first artworks to welcome guests to the home’s entry. The light, bright main room with its soaring 2-story ceiling makes use of all the many shades of white. There are the warm whites that are almost a cream color and cool whites that are almost blue. The window wall looks out onto a large, welcoming patio and the green trees beyond. The hard surfaced tile floor offers clean lines and a memory of marble, which brings to mind images of a great hall in an Italianate Tuscan villa. “My mother’s family were Italian,” Pat said. And I suppose that Tuscan image comes naturally to me. It has a special magnetism for me. Everything I have here is clear and cheerful from the floor up to the ceiling. I had to have those matching chandeliers you see up there! They are beautiful in the evening. They brighten my nights.” There is a story connected with a large painting of a ballerina that dominates a wall beside a grand piano. One of Pat’s former students painted the ten foot tall painting. As much as Pat loved and admired this particular painting, she knew she could never own it because Whitney Hall had painted it as a gift for her own mother. Pat continued to visit the painting and to admire it, even though she knew that it could never be hers. Then, much to her surprise, as they ended a dance production one Sunday afternoon, Whitney and a friend carried this painting out onto the stage and presented it to her. Since she knew how much she loved it, Hall painted a second painting of a ballerina that is very much like the first painting. It is an original work, yet it is the same size and dimension as the painting which inspired it. This one was painted specifically for Pat. An Asian inspired piece by Anna Maria Adonni that hangs above a wide, white buf-

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fet appears to be a dyptych. It speaks of peace and friendship. Executed in tones of black and white and brown, it includes an image of the moon and snowbirds. The painting reminds Pat of her mother, who loved snowbirds. “This shows all the pain and anguish that goes into becoming a ballerina,” she said of a sculptured clay face that looks up from a table. “It’s maudlin, it’s morose, but I love it! It shows the exhaustion and the weariness when the body must continue to dance even when it is too exhausted to continue. To me, this is the essence of a ballerina, with all the quiet, and that moment when the blood drains out of your face.” A formal painting of roses completes a wall above a highly decorated Indonesian designed table and chairs. Three ornate Indian wedding saris are hung beside the kitchen area. “I have to have the beautiful things I have collected out where I can see them,” Mitchell explained. “There’s no point to collecting beautiful things if they stay folded up in a drawer where nobody can enjoy them.” Two of the saris are hung from an elaborately embossed wooden cornice while the third is folded and hung dramatically across the cornice. The master bedroom is dominated by a large, acrylic painting of young dancers by Lee Cunningham. Across the room, a unique collage in a large plastic shadow box displays an original Swan Lake ballet costume from the New York City Center ballet, complete with tutu, headdress, feathers, and shoes. Amanda Edge brought the tutu back from New York. It is signed by several of the New York City dancers who performed in the ballet, and it is also signed by Karinska, the costume designer who Balanchine brought to America from Russia to design and create the costumes for his ballets. Artwork fills the staircase that leads to the second floor, where watercolors of a fabulous pair of comic dancers, The French Maid and The Can Can Dancer, represent a trip to France. The upstairs sitting room is graced by a replica of the Victorian print of Three Graces. “The image really talked to me,” Pat said. “There is something special about them, and I wanted them.” Another wall contains a collection of the dancers’ pointe shoes from all the Longview Ballet Theater’s various performances, as well as every one of the posters from all the many ballets the Longview Ballet Theatre has brought to Longview. A full-rigged metal sailing ship sculpture was discovered in an antiques shop when the theater was doing the Peter Pan ballets. Four Asian panels serve as a headboard in a bedroom that is filled with watercolors of dancers, including a photograph of Pat that was taken when she was a student at Kilgore College. The many paintings of young dancers that brighten her walls are ideal subjects for her home. Pat George Mitchell was once a young dancer who had a dream of creating a ballet company in her hometown. They represent a dream that came true when she founded Longview Ballet Theatre. Her dearest wish would be to have a huge school with many performances so that her life’s work will continue. But for now, she lives one day at a time, one production at a time, as she pursues her belief in the power of music and dance to transform an audience. Then, as now, she has always believed ballet should be available to everyone, and she has spent a lifetime helping to develop the talents of young dancers and creating remarkable ballets in which they can perfect their art. Her home reflects that beauty and grace. April 2014 - Page 7

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3OMETHING FOR %VERYONEİ Brookshire Brothers will supply fresh, East Texas blueberries for the June 14, 2014 Texas Blueberry Festival in downtown Nacogdoches. “As presenting sponsor for the festival for many years and as experts in produce, this is a perfect fit,� Brookshire Brothers Director of Public Relations and Business Development Sally Alvis said. “We are delighted our partner Brookshire Brothers will fill this important role,� Nacogdoches County Chamber CEO Bruce R. Partain said. “Brookshire Brothers has relationships with berry growers in East Texas, equipment, personnel and a passion for quality products and service.� The Mill Creek Farm announced earlier this year that after 25 years of blueberry production, its owners plan to convert the land to a timber farm. From the mid-2000s, the farm served as the major supplier of berries sold at the Texas Blueberry Festival, held the second weekend in June by the Chamber. “Mill Creek was our supplier for over half a decade,� Partain said. “Before that, a blueberry co-op from regional farms served as supplier. So we’ve had a variety of ways to bring delicious Texas blueberries to the festival over the years.� PineyWoodsLive.com

Mill Creek sold 9,000 pounds of blueberries in the 2013 festival, during a year when a late freeze affected berry production. More than 15,000 pounds of berries were sold at the 2012 festival. The Texas Blueberry Festival also provides free rides to a smaller farm where festival-goers can pick their own berries during the festival. “The farm tour ‘pick and peek’ will not be affected by changes in boxed berry sales,� festival chair Grace Handler said. “We are already planning the June 14, 2014 festival, which will be our 25th annual event,� she said. “There will be berries from East Texas and a tremendous day of fun and activities for everyone.� New this year will be a free Friday night concert in Festival Park, and a Berry Vine Event on Saturday night, featuring wine and food samples in downtown stores. “We also plan ‘25 Days of Blueberries’ - which will be special events all across Nacogdoches, leading up to the festival,� Handler said. “Keep checking www.texasblueberryfestival.com for updates.� The festival attracted 19,000 visitors and locals in 2013, according to the Chamber.

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ETSO Power Play Concert by Jan Statman An evening of powerful performances will close the East Texas Symphony Orchestra’s 2013-14 season on Saturday evening, April 26, with a concert they choose to call Power Play. The title of the concert is appropriate not only because of the dramatic and dynamic music chosen but also because of the special group of musicians who will perform. The concert will have an international flair. Soloist will be the 2002 International Tchaikovsky piano competition bronze medalist, Andrey Ponochevny with Principal Horns from the Fort Worth, Quebec, Winnipeg, and Tyler symphonies. The program will include: Schumann’s Konzerstück for Four Horns and Orchestra with Brian Brown, Mark Houghton, David Posner, and Patricia Evans performing; Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring soloist Andrey Ponochevny on piano; Mendelssohn’s Overture, The Hebrides – often known as Fingal’s Cave; and Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman Overture. Featured soloist Andrey Ponochevny received his bachelor and master degrees from the Belarusian Academy of Music. He also holds his artist diploma from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Ponochevny was honored as the featured pianist at the General Assembly of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Washington, D.C. He has been awarded top prizes in many competitions, including, among others, first prize at the Tomassoni International Piano Competition in Cologne, Germany, and first prize at the William Kapell International Piano Competition in Maryland. He has received top prizes in Prague, Warsaw, Dublin, Moscow, Hong Kong, Riga in Latvia, Alexandria, and New Orleans. He has toured extensively in the United States, having performed in 24 states. His solo recitals at major venues include performances at the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Kennedy Center and Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Preston Bradley Hall in Chicago and the Cleveland Institute of Music. The acclaimed pianist has appeared with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Des Moines Symphony, the Rogue Valley Symphony, the Illinois Symphony, the Nashua Symphony, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Irving Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Plano Symphony, the Tianjin SymphoApril 2014 - Page 10

ny, the Xinjiang Philharmonic, Orchester der Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele and Belarusian State Symphony among others. His concerts have been heard on radio broadcasts and performed at several prestigious festivals all over the world. In recent seasons, he has been featured in major European venues including the Beethovenhalle in Bonn, the Philharmonie in Cologne, the City Hall in Hong Kong, Salle Alfred Cortot in Paris, the Forum in Ludwigsburg, the National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw and Stadtcasino Basel in Switzerland. He also holds several awards from China such as Outstanding Artist in China 2009 and 2011, honorable professor of Jilin College of the Arts and visiting professor at the Beihua University. His hometown of Minsk in Belarus honored him with the title “Minskovite of the year 2002”. French Horn player Brian Brown is a graduate of University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington. He has served as Principal Horn of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra since the 2006-2007 season. Brown also performs regularly with the Dallas Opera Orchestra; the Fort Worth, Plano, Waco, and Irving Symphonies; and with the Dallas Wind Symphony. He has performed in several productions with Dallas Summer Musicals, at the Casa Mañana Theatre of Fort Worth, and in numerous recording sessions and chamber ensembles. A native of northern Vermont, Patricia Evans started playing the horn when she was only ten years old. She studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and later at McGill University. In 2000, Evans was awarded a fellowship with the New World Symphony, where she spent the next two years under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. In 2002, she was awarded the position of Principal Horn with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Evans has been invited to play with some of the top orchestras in North America, including the Montreal Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. She teaches at the University of Manitoba and can frequently be heard performing with the Winnipeg Chamber Music Society and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Mark Houghton has performed as Principal Horn for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since 2005. Before that, he played as Principal Horn for the Harrisburg Symphony and Phoenix symphony orchestras. The

son of professional hornists, Houghton was raised in Keller, TX. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and studied horn with internationally recognized professor Peter Kurau. Houghton has performed at the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, Arizona Musicfest, with the Eastman Virtuosi, Iridium Brass Quintet, Orion Septet, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Round-Top Festival Orchestra, and at the Sarasota Music Festival. He toured nationally with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and toured overseas with the Eastman Horn Choir and the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. He has performed as guest Principal Horn with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony and was a soloist with the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, The Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, The Phoenix Symphony, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Houghton has performed Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op.31 with world-class tenors such as Anthony Dean Griffey and Richard Croft. He was a prizewinner in the American Horn Competition and the International Horn Society’s John Hawkins Memorial Solo Competition. He has been a performer and guest clinician at multiple International Horn Society symposia, Arizona State University, The University of Arizona, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, The University of Oklahoma, Texas Music Educators’ Association Convention, Texas Tech University and Wichita State University. A native of New York, David Posner holds a bachelor’s degree, with performer’s certificate, from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, where he also studied with Peter Kurau. When Posner joined the Orchestre symphonique de Quebec in the fall of 2000, he was the youngest Principal Horn in the orchestra’s history. While there, he appeared as a solo artist with the orchestra, performing Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No.1, and more recently Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with Gerard Schwartz conducting. Posner has also performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, the Miami Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Syracuse Symphony, Les Violons du Roy, and the New Hampshire Chamber Music Festival as well as the International Festivals at Domaine Forget, Lanaudiere, and the Chamber Music Festival of Montreal. He can be heard on recordings produced by Atma, Analecta, and the CBC.

Schumann wrote the Konzertstück For Four Horns And Orchestra in 1849. East Texas audiences are fortunate to be able to hear this work. It is seldom played because it must have four virtuoso horn players. East Texas Symphony Orchestra music director and conductor Richard Lee and the East Texas Symphony were able to bring these particular four musicians together in this performance. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto 1 in B-Flat Minor is one of the most popular of Tchaikovsky’s compositions and is among the most easily recognized of all piano concertos. While the concerto follows the traditional form of three movements and the main theme of the piece contrasts a Ukrainian folk theme with a romantic theme, the introduction is accepted as being almost a selfcontained piece of music. Fingal’s Cave on the Island of Staffa inspired Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture Opus 26, which is also known as the Fingal’s Cave Overture. Wagner wrote the romantic opera of The Flying Dutchman in 1841. The idea for the opera came to Wagner during a storm when he was on a voyage traveling from Riga to Paris. It was written in 1841, and was first produced at Dresden in 1843. The overture, which is often performed as an individual piece, introduces motifs, which are used throughout the opera. The East Texas Symphony Orchestra also produces a Young Peoples Series, which provides classical music performances that include three school concerts for more than 5,000 school children in the East Texas area as well as a family concert for younger children. The orchestra association is also involved in furthering music education by offering and funding various programs, including primary string instruction at the lower elementary level, side-by-side performances in which accomplished music students may perform along with the orchestra, and offering master classes taught by a variety of the guest artists who perform at the symphony concerts. The orchestra has also commissioned a number of new works by talented composers during the past several years. The concert will be performed at the UT Tyler Cowan Center, 3900 University Boulevard on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, April 26. To purchase tickets for Power Play, please call the Cowan Center Box Office at 903-566-7424. For further information, please call the symphony office at 903-566-7424. PineyWoodsLive.com

by Andrea Johnson & Ben Valencia

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by Shane Valencia Put on your dancing boots and get ready to hit the farm, the Davis Farm, for an evening of fun, food and entertainment. The High Cotton Ball has been presented by From Bondage to Freedom House since 2011. From Bondage to Freedom House is a non-profit organization in Marshall that is dedicated to providing recovery, help and training to women whose lives have been broken by alcoholism and/or substance abuse. They provide a Christian-centered recovery as well as opportunities for those that would like to help in their mission. Executive Director Marilyn Phillips says on the organization’s website, “My name is Evangelist Marilyn Phillips, and I have been conducting jail ministry with women in the Gregg County Jail for the past 13 years. After noticing repeat offenders and talking to these ladies, I find that there is nowhere for them to go after being released from county jail, state jail, or TDCJ. I am particularly concerned about the ladies with drug problems. I understand the low self-esteem and lack of confidence these ladies experience, as I have been down that road of self-destruction. God delivered me 22 years ago, and I’ve been clean ever since then. I have a best friend who came to my aid, but many of these ladies do not have anywhere else to turn as they have “burned their bridges” with family and friends. The Lord doesn’t give up on us. He called me into jail ministry, and I am on a mission reaching out to others.” Feedom House accepts referrals from rehab centers, detox centers, halfway houses, local judges, probation officers and parole officers. Listed are just a few objectives of the Freedom House: Housing Facility: Create a Christ-centered housing facility that supports women requiring an alternative housing arrangement and a variety of empowering skills. Acquire Funding: Secure sufficient funding - both start-up and operational. Acquire Participants: Select 10 women participants. Supply Nutritional Program: Provide nutritious meals and snacks and nutritional PineyWoodsLive.com

training. Transportation: Provide necessary transportation (job, health, legal obligations, etc.). Collaboration: Maintain a relationship with organizations and agencies that provide services not offered. Educational and Vocational Skills: Provide appropriate training. Job Readiness: Training support to aid in finding stable and sustainable employment. Increase Self-Esteem: A preliminary analysis of education, personal, social and medical needs will first be completed.

History Marilyn recounts how the Freedom House began and how the High Cotton Ball came into existence. She told Piney Woods Live, “From Bondage to Freedom House came about through jail ministry at Gregg County Jail. I kept seeing the same faces every month, so one Sunday I asked the ladies why they keep coming back to jail. Their reply was they had nowhere to go. I started praying, and God answered and told me to offer them a place. I told God I didn’t have any money, and they couldn’t come home with me. I started getting legal paperwork together... In 2009, I worked with a lady named Lisa Kilpatrick who was a friend of Margot Lingold. Margot and I met after the holidays in 2010 and the rest is history. We did ‘A Gathering of Women for Women’ in August of 2010, and we took our first client the day after Labor Day 2010. When Winnie Davis came on board as Vice President that same year, we knew we had to raise money to keep the house going. High Cotton Ball was formed, and our first benefit was April 2011. From Bondage to Freedom House is the only longterm facility for women with alcohol/drug addictions... We help them find jobs, teach them how to pay bills and become responsible, productive citizens again. Some actually relocate to Marshall. They learn how get their self-respect and pride back because addiction is harder on women than men. Society looks at women differently than they do men. As women we have to overcome more.”

Country singer Jack Ingram will take the stage this year at the annual High Cotton Ball.

The Ball The High Cotton Ball will be held at Davis Farms in Marshall, April 5 beginning at 6 p.m. A local band from Shreveport, Ambush, will begin the entertainment at 7 p.m. Feature artist this year for the ball will be country star Jack Ingram who will perform at 9 p.m. Dinner will be provided by Stutes Catering consisting of stuffed pork chops, two sides and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Cocktails will be available starting at 6 p.m. and is included in ticket prices with dinner. Tickets are $135 for individuals and $1,600 for tables that seat 8. A silent auction will include baskets filled with over $750 in spa gifts, Vera Bradley Luggage, Brighton Jewelry. There will be a raffle that includes over $1,000 in service gift certificates from oil changes to lawn care. A live auction will also take place and include an all inclusive trip to a Grand Palace Resort, a diamond cross necklace from Sid Potts, a Louis Vuitton purse, a trip to Orlando, FL, and a Yeti Cooler and gun package. Tickets can be purchased at www.from bondagetofreedom.org or by calling Marilyn Phillips at 903-331-6192. “Of course, anyone unable to attend the concert can make donations to the Freedom House,” Sara Emery Wilcox, Board Member, said. “We take anything from gently used clothes to paper goods.” April 2014 - Page 13

being shipped from one place to another are left in extreme heat or cold. Direct sunlight can be worse than heat or cold. Hanging a painting in direct sunlight can cause the paint surface to get too hot. This will make certain colors fade, and it will cause varnish to turn yellow. The pigments in watercolor paintings can fade so badly that they become unrecognizable. If you have a painting that is hung on an uninsulated exterior wall, it might be a good idea to place small rubber spacers on the back of the frame to increase air circulation around it. Although a fireplace is often the focal spot of a room, a painting that is hung above a mantel will be exposed to soot, heat, and environmental extremes. A better idea would be to put the mirror above the fireplace and hang the painting somewhere else. Hanging paintings above heating and air conditioning vents can cause them to warp or blister. Hanging paintings in bathrooms with tubs or showers is not a good idea either because of the heat and humidity found in those rooms. Having the proper light is important to enjoying almost all works of art. Unfortunately, exposure to harsh light can result in permanent damage to light-sensitive objects. The worst sources of these destructive energies come from just beyond the limits of visible light —ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light. These wavelengths should be filtered and eliminated as much as possible to prevent damage. Irreversible damage caused by light can include color fading and yellowing. Bright light can make a painting so brittle that it will crack or the paint will chip off. Since this kind of damage continues to get worse as long as the painting is in the bright light, exposure should be limited. When lighting paintings, it is best to use indirect lighting. Those outdated picture lights that attach to the top of the frame and hang over the painting can actually be dangerous. They do more harm than good. These lights cast a harsh glare, illuminate and heat the painting unevenly, and can even come loose and fall into the artwork causing burns or tears. Indirect light, recessed lighting, or ceiling-mounted lights are the best way to light artworks. If it is absolutely necessary to store paintings, do not store them in basements, garages, or attics where changes in climate can quickly ruin them. The best way to store paintings would be in an indoor closet that is in an air conditioned space. Use clean, heavy cardboard or Fome-Cor® to protect not only the image side of each artwork but also the back. Some inevitable results of aging, such as an increased transparency of

AArtirtist's World by JANSTATMAN

We all tend to think of the paintings we know and recognize as being as permanent as the mountains. Everybody is convinced that Rembrandt’s Night Watch took place in the dark of night, and Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel echoed the luxurious golden colors of present day Rome. Unfortunately, that is not exactly true. Paintings change with the years. Just like people, they find the passing of time to be unkind. They age, they develop cracks and wrinkles, and they fade.

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The truth is that paintings are not as fragile as you might think, but they still need at least a little special care to be sure they will survive. If you own works of art, there are a few things to remember. First of all, it is important to maintain a proper environment for your paintings. Paintings usually do well in the same environment that is comfortable for people, with relative humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent. If you are too warm or too cold, so are your paintings. They are painted with different kinds of paint. They are found on different kinds of surfaces. Most paintings consist of several layers of paint. The paint is applied to a support that is usually canvas or wood, or more recently, specially prepared masonite. The support is usually first primed with either a natural glue sizing or a chemical form of gesso on which a ground layer is painted. Older, traditional paintings are often finished with a coat of varnish. Contemporary paintings and folk art sometimes do not have a ground layer or a varnish coating. The structural components of a painting expand and contract in different ways as the surrounding temperature and humidity vary. For example, a flexible canvas may become a little loose, or it may become too tight in a changing environment. A more brittle paint may crack, curl, or loosen its attachment to underlying layers. Most organic materials absorb and release moisture when the humidity increases and decreases. This change in moisture can harm objects that are sensitive to humidity. Paintings happen to be particularly sensitive to heat and humidity. Museums are careful to measure and control both temperature and humidity, but art galleries and people’s homes are not always that careful. Sometimes commercial art galleries will shut off the air conditioning when they close for the day, leaving the artwork they have on display at the mercy of the elements. Sometimes people will heat or cool their homes so dramatically that the paintings inside will suffer. Sometimes artworks that are

oil paint or the appearance of certain types of cracks are distracting, but they may not always be considered damage. Some signs of aging are to be expected and should be accepted. One of the most common signs of age is a darkened or yellowed surface that is caused by accumulated grime or discolored varnish. When a painting’s varnish becomes so discolored that it hides the artist’s intended colors and the balance of lights and darks, it usually can be removed by a professional art conservator. When you see things like structural damages or unstable conditions such as tears in the canvas, flaking paint, cracks with lifting edges, or worse, mold that appears anywhere on the work, it is best to talk to a professional art conservator in order to decide what can be done to repair the painting or to prevent further damage from completely ruining the piece. There is a reason museum guards and docents are always warning visitors against touching paintings. The natural oils in your skin can damage the paint or leave permanent marks that will appear later. No matter how tempting it might be to run your hand along a glassy smooth surface or test the depth of a thick passage, it is always a good idea to keep from touching the surface of paintings with your fingers. Avoid using pesticides, foggers, air fresheners, or furniture sprays near artworks. If you plan to plaster, wallpaper or paint a room, be sure to take the paintings someplace else. If you are steam cleaning your carpets or floors, remember that the chemicals in the cleaning solution can harm your delicate works of art, so take the paintings off the walls and put them somewhere else. Don’t bring them back until the walls and floors are completely dry. And, of course, never use any liquid or commercial cleaners on a painting because they can cause permanent damage. Now what about those paintings we all know and love? Sometimes art conservators do amazing things. Rembrandt painted The Militia Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq between 1640 and 1642. This painting was later called The Night Watch because by the 18th century it was so darkened by time that it looked like a night scene. After it was cleaned, the militia company stepped out of a gloomy courtyard into the blinding sunlight. It is now popularly called The Day Watch! Award winning artist and writer Jan Statman’s paintings are owned by museums in Italy and Spain and by corporate and private art collections across the USA. She is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the Arts, Dictionary of International Biography, and numerous other references. Best known for colorful acrylics, and delicate watercolor paintings, she also judges area art exhibits and teaches painting classes. See her work on Facebook at Artist’s Studio of Jan Statman American Artist.

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o c n o i y C de Ma

by Shane Valencia

18th Annual Celebration May 3rd Get ready to put on your party frock, your dancing shoes and bring your appetite, because the 18th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration is slated for May 3 in Longview. According to organization officials, the celebration brings approximately 5,000 people from Smith, Upshur, Harris, Harrison, Rusk and Gregg counties. Proceeds from the celebration go to providing scholarships for local high schools and students wanting to go to college. They must participate somehow in the community and with the Cinco Celebration. Over the last years, the organization has provided over $50,000 in scholarships. “We will have inside and outside events,” Noe Zapata, treasurer for Paisanos of East Texas, said. “We will also be having our second annual Cinco de Mayo parade.” The event will include food and entertainment all day and into the night, which includes a car show and a pageant. “This event is not only for Hispanics,” Gracy Zapata, Secretary for Paisanos of East Texas said. “This is for Longview and East Texas, to show people what all we have to offer the community.”

Celebration & Paisanos Organization The Cinco de Mayo Celebration is hosted by an organization called Paisanos of East Texas, and has for the last 13 years, before having been put on by the Knights of Colombus. The founder of the Cinco de Mayo celebration, Arturo Zapata, Jr., brought it to the Knights of Colombus PineyWoodsLive.com

18 years ago. The Knights put on the celebration for five years until deciding not to throw the celebration anymore. So, Arturo took the celebration with him, and he and his family formed the Paisanos of East Texas organization. According to Gracy, the members wanted to come up with a name for the organization that would let everyone know about friendship and community awareness. Hence the word Paisano, which in Spanish can be the informal way of calling someone a friend.

Cinco de Mayo in History For those who didn’t know, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration that is mostly held on May 5 or the weekend before (if it falls on a mid-weekday) and is recognized in the United States and in parts of Mexico. However, in Mexico it is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). It is a much bigger holiday in the United States than in Mexico, especially in the western and southwestern states. It originated from MexicanAmerican communities in the American West as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. Today the date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. In the Mexican state of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo is observed to honor the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Some confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexico’s Independence Day; however, it is not the Mexican Independence day, which is actually celebrated on September 16.

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By Jeremy Butler

I

t’s Sunday, March 16, and there’s a rock show at The Levee in Longview tonight. The headlining act is a young man named Monte Pittman, and this particular show – a stop on a little tour that included Vegas and SXSW - is a homecoming of sorts, as Monte was born and raised in Longview. And that’s where our little story starts. Well, more specifically, it starts with Li’l Monte playing his older sister’s KISS albums and pretending he was Ace Frehley. It’s something that countless kids did (and still do), but what makes Monte stand apart is that he never stopped pretending. And, at 13, he traded his sister’s records for a guitar of his own, and after a few lessons with local instructor Robert Browning, the scales started tipping from pretend to reality. And they started tipping fast.

Photo Courtesy of Michele Ambra April 2014 - Page 16

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himself needing something a little more flexible. He also started noticing just how many customers there were coming into the store looking for a good guitar teacher. So, he left the sales job behind and made himself available. His third student was a young man whose girlfriend had given him a guitar as a gift. It just so happened that the young man was film director Guy Ritchie, fresh off of the release of his debut film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and in the process of releasing his follow up, Snatch. The girlfriend, of course, was the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. Soon enough, Ritchie returned the favor and bought Madonna a guitar of her own. And when she needed to learn how to play it, it was Monte that she called. A month later, Monte joined her on stage on The Late Show with David Letterman. After that she invited him on her Drowned World Tour. He’s been beside her on stage ever since. It’s a partnership that’s taken him on five world tours, afforded him his own signature Jarrell MPS Guitar that he debuted at half time of the 2012 Super Bowl, put him on stage during Miley Cyrus’ MTV Unplugged performance, earned him writing and studio performance credits on several of her albums and – in what Pittman recalls as one of his fondest memories - gave him the opportunity to play “Big Bottom” on stage with Spinal Tap, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield. It’s a partnership that’s still going strong today. And he managed to do all of that while helping put Prong back together and starting a band (and releasing an album) with a pre-American Idol Adam Lambert. It’s an awe-inspiring amount to have achieved. But of course, Monte still wasn’t finished. Sometime in the midst of all the Prong and Madonna work, he started using his down time to play small, solo acoustic shows in and around Hollywood. Soon enough, he managed to build up enough material to release his first solo album, The Deepest Dark, in 2009. It was a digital release, but after wide success and popular demand, he ended up re-releasing it as a physical CD in 2010. He turned to Kickstarter to fund his second album, Pain, Love & Destiny, and after having raised the funds needed, started recording in the summer of 2011 with a release the following October. A bit of a more robust departure from his acoustic debut, PL&D started climbing charts and managed to become the only album released by an independent artist to crack the iTunes Top 200. The album

was available in the merchandise booth during Madonna’s MDNA Tour and managed to earn him a few awards, including a Career Achievement Award from the Hollywood F.A.M.E. Awards. In the summer of 2012, he was invited to Germany to play on one of their morning television shows. It was there that he met Flemming Rasmussen, the man who produced three of Metallica’s first four albums. A month later they were in Copenhagen working on new material. By November, Pittman had released a new EP, and by February he and his band were back in Copenhagen working on their new album, The Power of Three, with Rasmussen producing. And even though Monte can’t be entirely certain how factual it is, the fact that Rasmussen told him that the studio was set up with all of the original equipment he used to record and produce those Metallica albums was enough to make Pittman ecstatic. And finally, after years and years of endless work and time and effort and energy, Monte Pittman was in the studio recording his music with a legendary producer on legendary equipment. His younger version that used to pretend to be Ace Frehley would have hi-fived himself hard. But Monte still had one more legendary person to meet. Later in 2013, Rasmussen introduced him to Brian Slagel, founder and CEO of Metal Blade Records and known for giving Metallica their first break. And after listening to the new album, Slagel agreed to sign Pittman and release The Power of Three in early 2014. The only thing left was to go on tour, which, of course, isn’t anything new to Monte. The only difference is that this time it was his tour. And it’s that tour that brings us back to Sunday night at the Levee. It’s been 15 years since Monte left his home and his family and friends in Longview, and it’s honestly a bit staggering to try and process just everything he’s been able accomplish in those 15 years. Every time he makes a hell of a career for himself, he just keeps going. And to anybody who saw him on that stage in Longview, it’s pretty obvious that – even though our story here is technically coming to an end – his is really only beginning, and this is just another chapter. So, the next time you see your kid singing into a hairbrush or playing a solo on a broomstick, make sure you let them hold onto that for as long as possible. They may end up choosing to put them down to chase other dreams, but they may very well use them to write the first chapter in a story of their own.

Photo Courtesy of Kathy Flynn

By age 14, he was in a metal cover band called Insanity, playing shows in teen clubs that he was too young to get into. By age 15, they had broken up, so he and bandmate Chris Sheehan started the band Myra Mains and actually made a pretty good run of it, building a fan base that extended from Dallas to Shreveport. They even released a couple of full albums (the last of which was mixed by Sterling Winfield, who made a name for himself working with another Texas metal outfit you may have heard of – Pantera). It’s an impressive list of accomplishments for sure, and to be honest, it’s more than enough to make the kind of nice, little story that a lot of East Texas bands would love to have written about them. But that’s the thing about Big Dreams; with a little bit of luck, they have a habit of beginning as nice, little stories and turning into chapters. And Monte was ready for a new one. So, at 24, after 10 years of working every inch of East Texas and realizing that time was running out to capitalize on the career he wanted, Pittman headed out west to see what he could make happen in Los Angeles. And if you thought things moved quickly for him in East Texas… To make ends meet, he settled into a job at the Hollywood Guitar Center where he sold equipment to (and made friends with) a bunch of people, including some pretty big name musicians. One of which – White Zombie’s Ivan de Prume – ended up introducing Monte to Tommy Victor, who had founded and fronted the long-standing hard-rock band Prong – a band that Monte had grown up listening to. The group had disbanded several years prior, but Pittman and Victor hit it off, and sometime in 2000, when Tommy decided to put Prong back together, Monte was part of the lineup. He stayed with Prong through a major tour, a live album and two studio albums. After all those years of hustle and work back home, Pittman found himself an integral part of the resurrection of a band that helped him decide that this really was what he wanted to do. And even though Monte has since left the band, Prong is still going strong today. That sounds like it could very well be the end of the story, doesn’t it? And if it were it would be a fine one to tell. But that’s the fun thing about this one – every time you think it’s wrapping up… So, back at the time that things were starting to come together with Prong, Monte was still trying to juggle things at Guitar Center. But a day job poses certain restrictions when you’re on the verge of becoming a legitimate rock star, and Monte found

April 2014 - Page 17

DENOART Not your typical art gallery, Dennis O’Bryant opens his very own gallery at the place he calls home. There is a brand new art gallery in Marshall. The DENOART Gallery is a permanent one-man show featuring the artwork of Dennis O’Bryant, who lives in a century-old Victorian bungalow just east of the downtown historic district at 707 East Burleson Street. “I’ve heard that back in 1895, this house was a Sears & Roebuck package house,” he said. “They pre-built them as kits back then, and they were made out of pre-cut everything. They ordered the house from the catalog and it came in on a train. In Marshall, that was only a few blocks away; Marshall has always been a train town. Once the packaged house arrived, they hired a builder who put it all together. I bought the place in 1995. It was full of junk. The wallpaper on the walls was falling down, the cheesecloth that held the wallpaper was hanging over the boards with the wallpaper over the cheesecloth and all of it crumbling to dust.” April 2014 - Page 18

He removed the cloth and paper, cleaned and polished the boards and decided to leave them bare. The hardwood floors were polished. The stained glass windows in the entry hall and front room are original to the house. The high ceilings create an air of spaciousness. The tall windows let in enough light to give the whole house a bright and cheerful atmosphere. The unusual window covering he chose to diffuse the light is frosted vinyl. O’Bryant uses the vinyl when he works in his brother’s graphic arts business, which he has done for thirty years. “I covered the windows with the vinyl and added the cut out clouds,” he said. “There are clouds all over the house.” But why did he decide to open his home to the public as an art gallery? “It began to get discouraging for me to carry my art here and there from one place to another, to bring it all back home, shuffle it all around, fix up the dings and dents and damage it can get from travel,” the

by Jan Statman | photos by Ben Valencia

tall, spare artist explained as he leaned back comfortably against his mid-century modern sofa in his turn-of-the-century parlor. “The metal sculpture is heavy; the clay pieces are not only heavy, they are also fragile. The watercolors and photographs are framed with breakable glass. When you take it out to a show, you have to have labels, you have to have a way to set the work up, and you have to sit around with it all day, then take it down, and maybe spend a day or two going to the exhibit location, being there, and then coming back. That is time lost that could have been spent working and making art. After I’ve done all that, I’m tired. It takes a while for me to get over it. It takes a while for my art to get over it. … The more I thought about it, the more I thought it might be a nice idea to have a gallery right here in Marshall, where I live. I thought about finding a place to rent in downtown Marshall, and then I thought, ‘Wait! I already have a place in downtown Marshall!’ I’m going to open up here at my house for a while and see how it goes. It’s not dramatic. I’m just an artist, and I’ve decided I’m going to open a gallery in my house, and that’s what I’m doing.”

O’Bryant wrote a poem to explain why he decided to open his home and studio as a private, personal gallery to showcase his art. I’ve carried my art here, I’ve carried my art there, …I’ve carried my art everywhere Up the stairs and down the halls -diners, sidewalks and shopping malls Hung it high and hung it low, in the air and on the floor When the show is over we’re packing that art out the door Homeward bound again with an experience no less hanging my art where it shows best As a painter, O’Bryant chooses to work in a variety of styles ranging from traditional to linear and abstract constructions. The paintings are usually done in acrylic paint, and they often include the use of Sharpie permanent markers or the addition of paper collage and other mixed media items. He also PineyWoodsLive.com

makes sculptural pieces in fabricated metal and clay. He is a collage and mixed media artist, photographer, and poet. Sculpted works are usually made in metal. They are abstract pieces composed of geometric and twisted pieces of steel. His clay pieces, however, usually have more of a human element, which includes stylized female torsos and faces as well as full figures and heads. His first artistic success after leaving the corporate world was with a series of paintings of dark and mysterious Caddo Lake. After the Caddo Lake series, he did a series of abstract paintings, and then he began making abstract metal sculptures. He also creates Raku pottery – and then there’s his poetry. He prefers to create pieces that tell a story. Mostly it is the story about his own journey. “All art is made in the image of a creator – it’s just primal, an innate desire to create. I don’t know if I’d know how to not do it,” he said. “My hands are always making something. My art is constantly growing. I never really want to get pigeonholed as the “Caddo Lake Painter Guy” or “The Welder Guy,” or whatever it is that I’m doing when I’m doing it. I’m constantly growing and evolving in an upward direction. All things are raw material for creating: the sketchbook, photos, trips and personal relationships all blend together to create this art.” He someday plans to build a larger studio in the backyard close to his storage building, which he built to echo the form of the house. The existing studio area of the house is filled with works in progress. A narrow staircase leads to the attic. “There’s another whole house up there!” he laughed. He explained that if it were possible to open the attic with flooring and lighting he would double the size of his small house. O’Bryant explained how DENOART, the name he uses for publicity, publications and now his gallery, came to be. It originated at a time when he was working in corporate America. The company for which he worked identified employees by combining the first three letters of their first names and the first letter of their second names. People began calling each other by that combination. He became DENO. The name stuck with him, and when he left that position he decided to combine it with what he was doing. Now that DENO was creating art, he found that he enjoyed the name DENOART. O’Bryant’s gallery is his home, and his home is now his gallery. It contains his studio sketchbooks, displays of his work and his finished art. “This way it is My house, My art, MY gallery!” he said. “And I am answerable to no one about what I exhibit or how I exhibit it or how it should look or what I want to do. Artists want people to look at their art. Sometimes people think something strange when you say, ‘Come by and look at my art.’ You will get this strange stare and the Heisman Trophy stiff PineyWoodsLive.com

arm and they will say, ‘I’m not going to buy anything now.’ Of course the art is for sale, but no artist is going to force it on you. It’s not like I’m selling used cars or furniture. This is my experience. This is my art. This is my life. This is my home, and this is the dining room, and it is the main gallery, and it is also a place to live. While many people would find it uncomfortable to think about inviting strangers into their homes to see and perhaps buy their work, O’Bryant insisted that he has already had experience with people taking a tour of his home. One year, he opened his house for a Christmas Home Tour during Marshall’s Wonderland of Lights festival. “I had about 500 people come through here,” he said. “Not all at one time, of course. Sometimes it was one or two, sometimes it was a group of three or four. I had the whole house open, and I had my big, decorated backyard garden open too. I had a little fire going to warm the people because it was cold. One night, two different tour buses showed up with about 40 people in each of them. I had to help them up the stairs to come into the house, and then they wanted to see the garden, so I had to help them down the stairs too. The night the buses pulled up at my front door was a little much. It was hard to have that many people coming through the house at one time, but that doesn’t happen very often. Having a handful here and there where we can talk and visit is pleasant. This time I am inviting the whole world to see my gallery – but maybe not all at once.” Since O’Bryant admits that his hands are always busy creating art in one form or another, he plans to create a mosaic sculpture during the hours he is keeping the house/gallery open. He has already selected clay and ceramic materials and has secured a large base for the project. He intends to begin the sculpture as soon as he opens the doors to the gallery. “I’m setting some hours when I will be here,” he said. He plans to close during the heat of summer and will reopen in the fall. Gallery hours will continue from April to the end of July. They will be Thursday and Friday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the afternoon, or by appointment. When it’s freezing cold in the winter or blistering hot in the summer, I’ll be closed. But that’s okay because nobody will want to come out in that kind of weather anyhow … and if they do, they can call and we’ll arrange something. DENOART Gallery will open beginning on Thursday, April 3 and will be open every Thursday and Friday through July 25, 26, and 27, with an open house/studio/gallery scheduled for that summer weekend. For further information or to schedule a visit, contact Dennis O’Bryant at www.de noart.com, check his page on Facebook, or call him at 903-503-3675. April 2014 - Page 19

Sand

Footprints in the

by Crystal Davis with Teresa Dennard

T

his Easter, the city of Car-

told her I was finishing an eagle,

thage is eagerly awaiting the

but the project I really wanted to

completion and unveiling of

get started on was the Footprints

a new monument in town.

in the Sand with Christ carrying

Based on the well-known

this old man,” Harness said.

poem, “Footprints in the

Wakefield soon supplied a

Sand,” the statue depicts Jesus Christ carrying

model, Willie George of Hen-

a believer who has fallen on hard times.

derson, and Harness developed

Local resident and artist Bob Harness has

a project budget of $250,000,

worked diligently to give this project life and

with the first initial donation of

share how his art was influenced by another

10% of the total cost being made

art – poetry. Bronze cast, the statue will weigh

by George - the model.

over a ton and will be located on the corner of

“I got kinda teary-eyed

the Southwest Loop and Dixie Lake Road in

when he wrote that check. Here’s

Carthage. The land was donated by the Pip-

a dream I’ve had for years, and it’s finally becom-

For anyone else

pen family, and a memorial park will also be

ing a reality. The strange thing is, after all these

wanting to be involved

constructed at this location.

years, the drawing [on the funeral program]

with the project, please

The statue stands about 15 feet tall and

looks like the guy I picked for the model. I think

visit

was derived from a 3D model in Harness’

it’s a God thing. He had his hand in it for sure,”

monument.com.

sculpture collection that many admiring neigh-

said Harness. “Ever since then, things have really

nations can be made

bors have found moving and beautiful. He first

started to roll. I hope there’s no stopping point

via the site and contact

came across the poem on the back of a funeral

until we get it done.”

information is avail-

www.footprints Do-

program in 2008, and the words resonated

Work on the sculpture began in January of

with him. He was so inspired by the poem that

2012. Dr. Hill and the Ministerial Fellowship be-

plaques

he went to his home studio where he sketched

gan organizing a campaign to get volunteers in

scribed and displayed

and constructed the three-dimensional model.

the community to help. The foundation for the

in loving memory of a

A few years later, Dr. Kirby Hill got his first

Footprints in the Sand monument is comprised

donor’s preference. Gifts from $150 to $25,000

should be built because it’s beautiful. Besides

look at Harness’ sculpture collection.

of locals and community leaders as well as more

will be used to purchase plaques that will be

that, the times are just right for something like

than 100 people who have volunteered their time

erected on a wall encircling the statue. Due to the

this in our world. There are so many depressing

to help with the project.

foundation’s tax exempt status, all donations will

things, and this is something that would bring

be tax-deductible.

hope to people. It’s amazing to me to think that

“He noticed the 3-D model and liked it,” said Harness. “He looked at other things I’d made, but came back to the model and said,

Robert Pope, a fellow Gideon with Harness,

“This is so beautiful; it has to be built.” Hill’s

has gone to the studio almost every day. “I just

admiration would join a long and still growing

want to be part of it,” he said.

list of people wanting to see the art take new life.

In addition to Pope, many other members of

able as well. Granite will

be

in-

“I want this to be a community project where

500 years from now, this monument will still be

everybody can get involved, from the smallest to

here. When we’re dead and gone, something we

the oldest,” said Harness.

did will be here for others to enjoy.”

the community, including welders, construction

“I think the Lord put the desire in people’s

“One night after the Country Music Hay-

workers, surveyors, teachers, students, church fam-

hearts that this monument needs to happen,” Dr.

ride, several of us were at Hushpuppies restau-

ilies, civic groups and many others from all walks of

Hill said. “Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘Beauty

rant. The owner, Liz Wakefield, visited with

life have stepped into the Harness studio or on the

is its own excuse for being.’ Sometimes a thing

us and asked what I was working on now. I

construction site to be a part of the creative vision.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND One night God and I walked on the beach. Scenes of my life flashed before me Like lightning in the sky. Sometimes a flash revealed two sets of footprints, Sometimes one. This troubled me because it was When I was most lonely, Or hurt most deeply, That I saw one set of footprints. So I said,“Lord, you promised me You would always walk with me, But during my most trying hours I saw only one set of footprints. ”The Lord replied,“My child,

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When you saw only one set of footprints

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And carried you.”

April 2014 - Page 20

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monday-saturday 10-5 sunday noon-4

Spring Plant Sale &

Gardening Expo Saturday, April 12, 2014 8:00AM to 2:30PM Admission Free Come Early and Bring a Wagon

Titus County Agrilife Extension Office 1708 Industrial Blvd, Mt Pleasant, TX

www.cbmga.org

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This is your chance to

Celebrating our

OWN A CLASSIC CAR! Piney Woods Fine Arts Association

2014 4 Spr in ng Gala beneďŹ ting Arts in Education for East Texas. Live auction will include this refurbished

194 49 Do odge Cor r onet t Actual photos of the car being sold at auction.

20 014 4 Sprin ng Gal la

SATURDAY • APRIL 26

6pm Cocktails • 7pm Dinner at THE BARN at HICKORY CREEK RANCH CROCKETT, TEXAS For more information, contact

PINEY WOODS FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION Monday-Friday 9am-1pm 603 East Goliad • Crockett, TX

936.544.4276 • www.pwfaa.org If you can’t make the Spring Gala, you may email a bid to pwfaa2@valornet.com

PineyWoodsLive.com

Weddings “Receptions 3/$11(5

903.759.8348 or call

903.424.3695

2004 – 2014

Registration for

SUMMER Begins April 1

Disney’s Alice In Wonderland, Jr. Disney’s The Jungle Book, Kids Disney’s Cinderella, Kids AND MUCH MORE! Ages 4-18 Something for everyone!

For more information, go to

www.ArtsViewChildrensTheatre.com April 2014 - Page 21

Coming to Winnsboro by Guest Writer Maryann Miller

The Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) is pleased to be one of the venues hosting the one-man show Geronimo, Life on the Reservation. The performance by Hollywood actor Rudy Ramos is touring the country, with most of the tour stops scheduled in major cities, including Dallas. WCA Exhibit Chair Brenda Roberts says, “We are so excited to have this show in our little town, and the timing is perfect to tie it into the Celebration of American Indian Culture exhibit that will be mounted for the months of April and May. We will have American Indian artwork and artifacts on display in our newly renovated gallery space, and being able to offer a show of this quality to area residents is quite an achievement.”

April 2014 - Page 22

Ramos, who says he has wanted to do this type of show for years, started his long career in movies and television as a regular in the television western series High Chaparral, playing the halfApache boy, Wind. Since then, he has done over 60 guest shots on episodic television including recurring roles on the hit TV show Hunter in 1987-88 and Resurrection Boulevard in 20022003. Ramos has also done numerous feature films, appearing with Clint Eastwood, Ryan O’Neal, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Sean Penn, and Robert Duvall, to name just a few. Ramos has also been on stage with appearances in the Los Angeles area at the Mark Taper Forum, Taper Too, The Met, Matrix Theater, Los Angeles Theatre Center, and Nosotros Theatre.

He was a member of the Los Angeles Actors Theatre and performed in the award-winning hit show Shorteyes by Miguel Pinero playing the part of Cupcakes. The ensemble won the 1977 Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Ensemble. The actor grew up in Lawton, OK, near Fort Sill, and he says, “Geronimo was one of my boyhood heroes. The other was Mickey Mantle, who is also from Oklahoma.” Ramos recalls childhood games of Cowboys & Indians he would play with others, and says, “I always had to play Geronimo, and I often thought of bringing this type of show to life, but I never had a script.” That changed when Rudy connected with novelist Janelle Meraz Hooper, who is also an Oklahoma native, now living in Washington State. She has always had a fascination with the history of the American West, and as an award-winning novelist, she weaves bits of that interest into her stories. Her books - A Three-Turtle Summer, As Brown As I Want, The Indianhead Diaries, and Custer and His Naked Ladies - are set in Southwest Oklahoma. Each of the books, which were published before she wrote Geronimo, Life on the Reservation, mentions the great Indian leader, and that made Hooper a perfect choice to write the Geronimo script, which focuses on his final stop after his last surrender. Geronimo spent the last 20 years of his life as a POW at the Fort Sill Indian Reservation in Oklahoma. While most people just know of the battles that Geronimo fought, this story focuses on the resiliency, humor, and genius of the great Apache warrior in those last 20 years. How Rudy added Winnsboro to his list of tour stops is a terrific little story. He is related to Winnsboro resi-

dent, Connie Davis. “He’s my cousin,” Connie says, “and throughout the years we have stayed in touch. In fact, we were very close when I was in California and kept in contact after I moved here. When I told him I had started doing some acting at the art center, he was excited for me. He wanted to know more about WCA and what kind of a venue it is for performing. He contacted me after he did the show in Memphis last year, because he was thinking of taking the show on the road and wondered if WCA would be interested in hosting him.” The WCA Board of Directors was quick to respond in the affirmative and a date was set for April 26 and 27 – a Saturday evening performance at 7:00 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children 17 and under and can be purchased in advance from The Winnsboro Emporium, 212 Market Street, 903-342-6140, and at WCA, 200 Market Street, 903-3420686. Geronimo, Life on the Reservation is directed by actor Steve Railsback, who was in Helter Skelter, The Stuntman, and Ed Gein and will premiere in Tucson, AZ, March 22, 2014, at The High Chaparral Reunion. Ramos, who is considering retiring to Winnsboro, says he is “very proud to do his performance here. And with this initial tour, I hope to create enough interest to continue touring in small venues all over the United States. We will go wherever people want to hear Geronimo’s story and wherever we are welcome.” PineyWoodsLive.com

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April 19 @ 11:00am The day starts with a Bunny Brunch, dessert follows with each person decorating their own cupcake, followed by a classroom session in ArtWorks where each participant paints their own bisque egg (take home container provided). While the eggs are drying we will all HOP on down to the sculpture garden for an Easter Egg Roll.

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PineyWoodsLive.com

April 2014 - Page 23

CenterStage

A Taste from Near or Far column & photos by Ben Valencia

C|U|I|S|I|N|E

Pho Saigon You might have noticed that Claudia Lowery’s name is not part of the byline for this month’s column. It is only because she asked me at our last meeting if I wouldn’t mind writing her column for a few issues to give her a break while she settles into her new position as the assistant to Joyce Weekly, director of the Marshall Regional Arts Council. Of course I obliged. I mean who doesn’t like tasting yummy foods from near and far. If it’s delectable cuisine, I know I don’t mind traveling the Piney Woods for my taste buds to get their fill. So, this issue we decided to try out Pho Saigon in Longview. Pho Saigon is a Vietnamese family-owned restaurant that, according to me, gets a five-star rating. The restaurant opened in September of 2012 by Don Nguyen and his wife Kerrei Le. The two opened the restaurant in Longview in order to bring East Texans a taste of their native cuisine. I am usually not one to stray away from the normal good eats I find myself drawn to, but that is the fun part of writing a food column – trying April 2014 - Page 24

new things you wouldn’t normally go and try for yourself unless you’re the adventurous type, which I find myself straddling the line between normal and adventurous. Literally, I was against even trying Chinese food in my teenage years until a friend coaxed me into eating some egg rolls and broccoli beef stir-fry. Two of my co-workers and I made a date to try this mecca of Vietnamese cuisine this month, and our preconceived views were changed once we tried our meals. If you want a mouth watering, flavorful explosion on your palate, Pho Saigon is the place for just that. The restaurant is clean, the staff friendly and the food fit for royalty (at non-royal pricing of course). Our appetizers consisted of Spring Rolls (pork, shrimp, rice noodle, bean sprouts and lettuce all wrapped in rice paper), and Egg Rolls (fried with pork, shrimp, taro and carrots.) All were served with sides of sweet and sour sauce (water, fish sauce, sugar and vinegar) and a delicious peanut sauce (peanut butter, water, sugar and soy sauce). For drinks we tried the Thai Tea, which was an orange iced drink consisting of a mixture of Thai tea, condensed milk, water and half and half. After stuffing myself with the delicious spring rolls, I decided to have the Beef Lemongrass Pepper Saté Soup. This soup is the mother of all soups. Honestly. Served with rice noodles and sliced beef, the soup had just the right PineyWoodsLive.com

amount of flavors, not one too overpowering. The soup is served with a side of bean sprouts, cilantro, mint and fresh jalapeno slices. All mixed together, they provide a flavorful, as well as colorful, soup. If you like your food spicy, add a teaspoon or two of their ground fresh chili paste to it, and boom, you’ve got an extra kick of spicy flavor. (For me, if it isn’t spicy, it isn’t good). My coworkers ordered a stir-fry dish called the Seafood Combination with Noodles. This dish comes in fried (your choice – fried or not) egg noodles shaped like a bowl covered over with shrimp, calamari, crab strips, fish balls and florets of broccoli. Again, I was in awe of the colorful presentation of yet another dish that turned out to be full of rich flavor – a swirl of crunch and fresh sauteed vegetables. Another co-worker decided to have the Grilled Pork and Egg Roll Bowl. This traditional dish is one that is eaten all over Vietnam. The pork is deliciously grilled and served on a bed of cool rice noodles with cilantro, pickled carrots, lettuce, bean sprouts, green onions and peanuts and a bowl of sweet and sour sauce to pour over the top. You can try it with spicy sauce for extra flavor, and you can also order the noodles warm instead of cool. Mr. Nguyen was very kind as he explained all of the ingredients that went into the dishes that his excellent cooks had prepared for us. The atmosphere in the restaurant was calm and inviting, and the food was served with a melody of colors and flavors. I know I will definitely be paying another visit to Pho Saigon soon. Go and try it out for yourself, especially if you are adventurous. Your taste buds will thank you. Cheers! The opinions expressed here were based on the writer’s personal experience. Please be sure to visit and form your own opinion.

If You Go:

2655 Bill Owens Parkway and Loop 281, Longview Hours of Operation: Monday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ph: 903.291.1459

PineyWoodsLive.com

April 2014 - Page 25

Celebrates an Anniversary by Jan Statman

M

y connection with Johnny Cace’s restaurant has a long and happy history. The first day I arrived in Longview to visit my new hometown, my fiancé took me out to dinner at Cace’s. Then, it was located downtown at the railroad tracks at the corner of Green and Tyler Streets in a warren of small intertwined rooms with strangely uneven floors. A tall, handsome man with a courtly manner welcomed us. Johnny Cace shook my hand and told me I would learn to love this city, and he was right. Years later, Johnny shared his famous recipe for Oysters Bienville with Jeannie Folzenlogen, who bravely prepared a batch so huge that we ate with all the appetite of young marrieds until we could eat no more. Another time, I was cheated out of enjoying my planned Saturday evening dinner of soft shell crab the night my eldest son was born, but we made up for it through all the years of birthdays, holidays and festivities. Cace’s even catered our fiftieth anniversary party. Like most East Texas children, my family has fond memories of the prizes from Johnny Cace’s Great Big Golden Pirate Chest of Treasures. Grown ups can remember the complimentary white birthday cakes that arrived complete with shining sparklers. Cace’s has been part of all our lives – the place for happy celebrations, for good times and for comfort food on sad days. But how did it all begin? I had the privilege of interviewing Johnny Cace on November 25, 1985, and here is his story in his own words: “My family came to Shreveport from Burrus, Louisiana, in Placquemines Parish down at the mouth of the river. I graduated from Burrus High School in 1933 and attended Louisiana State University. I went to college for two years, but I couldn’t finish because of the Depression. When the Depression hit, we had to go back to working in the oyster beds. “My dad, Johnny Cace Sr., was an immigrant, and like many immigrants, he was always trying to do something to make a better life for his family. He didn’t want us to be oyster fisherman like he was. We had this oyster bed, and we had a camp that was on stilts. It was elevated so the water wouldn’t get in it. It had two rooms and no refrigeration, no electricity, no generator – just lanterns. We would fish oysters. We would cull them and harvest them and ship them to the market. We worked in good weather, bad weather, rain, mosquitoes, sand flies, gnats – anything and everything. “The youngest, of course, would have to do the cooking because he wasn’t strong enough to go out and fish oysters. I’d get on the porch, and my dad would tell me what to do and how to cook. I’d go out and yell, ‘What do you do next?’ He would tell me, and I’d go in and do it and then I’d come back out on the porch

April 2014 - Page 26

and yell, ‘What do you do next?’ That’s how I learned to cook, by finding out what to do next. “In 1928, my dad left the oyster beds to go to New Orleans to open a grocery store, and of course the Depression of 1929 came and we went broke and had to go back down to oysters. Things started to get better in 1936. He often said that he was going to get far enough away from Burrus that if he went broke again he wouldn’t be able to get back down there to the oyster beds. “We finally left Burrus on October 12, 1936 and went to Shreveport where he opened up an oyster place he called The Oyster Nook. We were lucky enough to have had our own truck. We went down to the oyster beds and got our own oysters. My dad would do the hauling, and I would stay at the place of business. We sold everything. We had oysters by the dozens, raw, fried, by the pint, wholesale, retail, everything. We opened up serving just oysters on the half shell. Then people started saying they wanted fried oysters. We lived in a little apartment, and my mother started putting a little pot on the stove, and she started frying oysters. And then it developed that the people wanted shrimp and gumbo and everything else. She was a good cook. My dad was a good cook too, and I’ve been cooking since I was 10 years old, so I’m not so bad either. “I was in the service in World War II, you know, the Big One. When I got out of the service in February of 1946, I had already married and had two kids. My brother-in-law had also come back from the service. We worked together with my dad at his restaurant over in Shreveport for a while, but there wasn’t enough to support three families. I wanted to open a restaurant, but of course I didn’t’ want to go into competition with my dad, so my brother-in-law and I decided we would go out on our own somewhere. “I went to Baton Rouge first because I had gone to LSU, and I knew there wasn’t any seafood available there. There wasn’t any space available either because nothing was built during the war. There was only one fellow by the name of Boudreaux who was building a building, but he didn’t want a restaurant. He wanted to have a drug store with some doctors’ offices upstairs. So I came back. “Some guests of ours who were coming to the restaurant in Shreveport were telling us about East Texas – Longview, Kilgore and Tyler. They kept asking us, ‘Why don’t you come to East Texas?’ So my brother-in-law and I took a ride over here. We saw a place that used to be an American Legion Hut on Highway 80 and McCann Road, but they didn’t want to rent it. They wanted to sell it for a thousand dollars. That was a fortune to us at the time. “On the way back to Shreveport, I stopped at a café in Marshall to have a cup of coffee, and we got to talking about what I was doing. The realtor, R.B.Williams, had stopped there also, and he

probably knew the people because they told him about me. It wasn’t a week or two weeks later that he wrote me a letter saying he thought he could find something profitable for me over here. That letter was published in our anniversary ads every year for a long time. “We came back to Longview to meet R.B.Williams in his office at the Glover Crim building. We walked a block away to the corner of Green and Tyler streets. The place was ready to go. I mean, they had glasses, stoves – everything we needed to start a restaurant was already there. There were only 37 seats. R.B told me there were three different operators there before me. I later found out there were seven different failed operators. One only stayed three weeks and another one stayed as long as a year and a half. “We took a year’s lease and we were down there for fifteen years. We opened our restaurant in 1949. Texas Eastman Company came here in 1950, and we had a lot of those Eastman people coming in to eat with us – the developers, the engineers and all. The very first year we were here we did better than the Shreveport restaurant did! We expanded down there five times until it was obvious that we had to grow. I started to build the brand new place in February of 1964 and moved in and opened the door right after Labor Day in September of 1964. The new place was expanded three times, but I didn’t want to make it too big because if you get too big, you lose control of the quality. Quality control is important. You can never rest on your laurels. You have to keep moving forward. “My sons grew up in the restaurant. All the boys were bussing dishes all through school. We know our business. We know seafood because I was born and raised in it. They’ve been down where the fishing is, where the oysters are. They know what the business is like, and they care. There were five years between John and Gerard and there were another five years between Gerard and Danny. So when the boys would be going somewhere, Danny would always be saying, ‘Wait for me! Wait for me!’ With his little legs he couldn’t keep up with the two big ones. “Gerard was the most mischievous son. We used to have olives and celery and carrots and green onions on our relish trays. When he was five or six years old, he would go by and pick the olives up off people’s plates. One time he got under the table and tied a man’s shoelaces together. He looked up at newspaper publisher Carl Estes and told him he looked just like President Eisenhower! When we had our tenth anniversary downtown, we took a picture of John with

an apron and the anniversary birthday cake. He was 15 years old. “We have had a lot of celebrities eat with us. Van Cliburn and his family would come eat with us even before he was famous. Casey Stengel, Lyndon Johnson, before he was president, Ladybird, John Connolly and many, many more. But it doesn’t matter if you are the President of the United States or the president of the bank, or the guy who sweeps up. We don’t have customers, we have guests, and we treat all our guests as if they were guests in our home, because basically that’s where they are. “There are not many people in this area we don’t know. We became involved in our community from day one. I’ve served on the board of well, just about you name it. I have a wall full of plaques that thank me for what I have done in the community. I had to take down a lot of my plaques to make room for Gerard’s plaques because he is willing to work for our community too. It’s a family thing. We don’t do it for the honor or the plaques. We do it because we believe that when we contribute to the community, everything we do comes back to us a hundred fold. We help anything that comes along to help the community. We live here, and we have to help make this a place we like to live in. “Our help, our people, the personnel we have here are so conscientious and they’re so wonderful. We treat our employees like we would like to be treated. The thing I tell my sons is to pay attention to your family. Do things together. Treat your employees like you would want to be treated. Honor your family first and treat your employees like you would your family. Family is number one…” When age and illness took Johnny Cace, his son Gerard stepped up to head the restaurant. Gerard was as active as his father in the community, in restaurant organizations, and in keeping Cace’s the special place to go for special times. Sadly, Gerard was taken away too suddenly and too soon. But his wife Cathy and their daughters Chelsea Cace and Jenni Cace Woerndle keep the tradition going. Chelsea and Jenni not only grew up in the restaurant like their father before them, but they both earned their Bachelor of Science degrees in Food Management from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Johnny Cace’s restaurant marks it’s 65th anniversary this year. Now into their third generation of family, Cathy, Jenni, and Chelsea are welcoming their third generation of guests with some restorations, some renovations and many celebrations in the New Orleans tradition.

PineyWoodsLive.com

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“B si ”

The

de

by Randy Brown

Pressure You have to learn to pace yourself. Pressure. You’re just like everybody else. Pressure. You’ve only had to run so far. So good. But you will come to a place Where the only thing you feel Are loaded guns in your face And you’ll have to deal with. Pressure. You used to call me paranoid. Pressure. But even you cannot avoid. Pressure.

By Billy Joel “Pressure” is a synthesizer-driven song from 1982 by Billy Joel about the pressure of creating and the pressure of being a provider. The song was a single from the album The Nylon Curtain, and it reached number 20 on the Billboard charts. The song successfully conveys the feeling both musically and lyrically of being under pressure. I have spent a great deal of time in my life attempting to avoid pressure. But I have also discovered over the years that a little pressure properly applied can assist me in my personal and artistic growth. Sometimes I have to face and challenge my own fear of failure or inadequacy in order to grow. This month, I did just that and, despite my fears, it was the right thing to do. I have been a musician in one form or another for over 50 years. I have played in duos, trios, bands and currently as a solo artist. However, like many other artists I have met, my formal musical training is virtually nonexistent. I have picked

April 2014 - Page 28

ofmusic that pressure to get better. From that experience I learned the best situation for a musician is to collaborate with the best musicians available – preferably those much better than you. It is sometimes terrifying to bite off a job that might be beyond your abilities, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort necessary, you will be amazed at the advances you can make in a short time. There is a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, which comes from facing what you consider your shortcomings and succeeding even if only partially. Now maybe it is only me, but I am pretty lazy unless I am pushed. This month, my manager in Austin asking me to accompany another of his artists, a singer, with some showcase appearances in Kansas City at a music convention. I was already scheduled to perform solo at this particular event. I hesitantly agreed to his request even though I had not yet heard the artist I would be playing with. Much to my horror, her music was complex, diverse, difficult and all of it totally outside my simple Texas-based singer/songwriter wheelhouse. But I had agreed to it, so I nervously contacted her

up a little over the years – just enough to be a little dangerous and just enough to limit my growth because of that ignorance. In the 1990s, I found myself in an alloriginal acoustic jazz/swing/Americana trio with two incredibly talented musicians: one an accomplished finger style guitarist and the other a trained cellist. Both had amazing chops and seemed to unconsciously understand harmony, melody and chord structure. I, on the other hand, only knew what I had figured out or stolen from others. I was the primary songwriter for the group, and though no better a writer than my bandmates, I was certainly the most prolific writer. Our arrangements were quite challenging musiToo often we get comfortable cally, dynamically as well as harmonically, and we saw in our artistic process, and some success and received considerable respect and acthat comfort is as deadly to colades for the work we did. I was certainly the musical my continued ability to create and performance weak link in the group and had to work as anything else. constantly. During my eight year tenure with that group, we produced two CDs, creating some in Brooklyn, NY, and asked her to send memorable music. While we all prome recordings, lyrics and charts for the gressed significantly as artists during our six songs I would be accompanying her. time together, we had to push, prod, and I cannot tell you how hard I worked on encourage each other to step out further those six songs. They were all totally over on the musical limb with each new song my head. I had to re-do all the charts sevand performance. As the least capable eral times so I could follow them, and I musician of the bunch, I made the largest must have played each song along with strides. Why? I allowed the pressure I felt the recording 100 times. I did finally beregarding my own musical and technical come somewhat comfortable with the inadequacies to push myself to get better. material, and by the time I finally met the I would not be the artist I am today withartist in person at the convention, we did out that experience. I faced my fear of a short one hour rehearsal, and she defailure, looked it in the eye and then used

cided we were good to go. The next two days I played three showcases with her, and each performance was better than the last. So, what is the takeaway here? It is to never be afraid to over-commit to something that you feel might be over your head. Let the pressure push you to become better. It isn’t always pleasant, but I feel I progressed much further in the two weeks I dedicated to analyzing and learning the new material than I ever would have otherwise. If I do something similar again, it will be easier, and that is progress to me. Fear of failure and inadequacy can either stop you dead in your tracks or make you sprint faster to the finish line. We get to choose how we respond to pressure. Can you push too much? Certainly. I can conceive of many musical situations in which I would simply say thanks but no thanks. We must have a good idea of how far and how hard to push ourselves before we fall flat on our faces. Oh, I flubbed a few notes, maybe missed a change or two, pushed the tempos some and certainly felt more stage fright than normal. I had a lot of doubts about my abilities. But through hard work and dedication, I turned out a passable performance. In hindsight, it feels pretty good. Pressure is something we create. It does not actually exist in the world as a physical thing. It is merely our response to a situation. We get to choose as artists how we use that pressure. We can allow it to paralyze us or to move us forward. Real art, at least to me, is all about pushing boundaries, isn’t it? Too often we get comfortable in our artistic process, and that comfort is as deadly to my continued ability to create as anything else. So push yourself, apply pressure and let yourself be stressed just a tad. You may find you like it, and even if you don’t like it, I promise it will make you better. Until next time...

Randy Brown is a full-time singer/songwriter living in East Texas and has been involved with many sides of the music business over the years, from being a sideman, a sound man, touring songwriter, producer, venue operator, and a recording studio owner/engineer. He often runs away at full speed from stress and pressure even though he know it helps him if taken in moderation.

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THE

DIAMONDS by Claudia Lowery

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With “Lil’ Darlin’,� the proclaimed National Anthem of Rock and Roll in their pockets, The Diamonds are more than seasoned performers – they are classic rock and roll. The original quartet rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with 16 Billboard hits including “The Stroll� and the before mentioned instant, million-selling hit “Little Darlin’,� which has sold approximately 20 million copies to date. The Diamonds have learned that the durability of classic rock and roll music is as much about the future as it is about the past. The newest quartet members, playing saxophone and trombone joined with piano and drums, continue to expand their audience by performing in a variety of venues and touring Europe, South America and Asia. Three gold records, 33 appearances on American Bandstand, inductions into the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame have established The Diamonds in rock and roll history. “We’ve been pleased to find a growing audience among all age groups. They love songs they can understand, remember and actually sing the words to — today, tomorrow, or even 20 years from now.� A major reason for The Diamonds’ longevity as performers and entertainers lies in the diverse backgrounds of the individual members of the group. A very recent addition to the group is tenor Sean Sooter. Sean received his early performance training with the highly acclaimed national touring group, The Young Americans, performing in eight U.S. tours as well as Japan. Sean went on to work as a featured vocalist aboard the MS Noordam with Holland America Cruise Lines. Some of his favorite production credits include various productions of Forever Plaid in Los Angeles and Orange County, CA, as well as performing with the Dapper Dans of Disneyland. Sean has served as musical director for numerous musical productions including Five Guys Named Moe, Little Shop of Horrors and Xanadu. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from California Baptist University and a Master of Arts degree in education through Azusa Pacific University. Sean worked for six years as a high school music teacher before joining The Diamonds – following his dream of singing with “one of the best vocal groups in show business today.� Sean’s wide array of talents has made his addition to The Diamonds’ lineup a real plus — for both the group and their loyal fans!

“Please extend the gratitude of the San Marino Guild members to The Diamonds for their superb performance at Celebrity Series‌ The audience loved them. They received rave reviews from all in attendance, including a standing ovation, which is rare for our audience, so you know their show was outstanding!â€? – Peggy Yingling, President, San Marino Guild “Gary, Jerry, Sean and Jeff’s fast-paced and highly professional performance brought the audience to its feet in an instantaneous ovation at its conclusion.â€? – Jaque Dickensheid, Concert Chairman, Two Rivers Historical Society “Our audience absolutely loved The Diamonds! Their programming, delivery, and wit won the crowd over almost instantly. I have been presenting concerts in this series for seven years and this might have been the best yet!â€? – Paul Hoverman, Coordinator of Performing Arts, The Van Wert County Foundation “The Diamonds were wonderful. Their performance brought the crowd to their feet; no one wanted to leave when their performance was over. I keep receiving compliments even though the Palos Hills Friendship Festival was over two weeks ago!â€? – Mary Jo Vincent, Director, Community Resource and Recreation Department “A large part of our audience said it was our best concert ever. I would recommend The Diamonds to anyone that enjoys good music, a fun-filled, energetic evening, and great entertainment.â€? – Carol Matney, Director, Summerton, S.C. Tulip Festival “The Diamonds are one of the best vocal groups in show business today ... period!â€? – Press of Atlantic City, N.J. So mark your calendar for the evening of Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marshall Convention Center theater. Whether you’re from the generation that heard the songs first or from a younger generation that appreciates the classics, The Diamonds concert promises to bring an evening of music that will have you singing along and taking a stroll down memory lane. Tickets are available at the MRAC office or by calling 903-935-4484. They are $25 in advance and $30 at the door the night of the performance. PineyWoodsLive.com

pineywoodslive.com/events

EVENTS

The go-to spot for everything happening in the Piney Woods Area

FINE ART EXHIBITIONS Texas Art Quilts 1993-2011, Cole Art Center at Old Opera House, Nacogdoches, through March 29.

Geronimo, Life on the Reservation, Rudy Ramos one-man show, Winnsboro Center for the Arts, April 26-27.

Latino Folk Tales: Cuentos Populares, Michelson Museum Of Art, Marshall, through March 29.

MUSIC Downtown Live at 5 for Spring 2014, Heritage Plaza, Longview, Lulu and the Vipers, April 4, Anchor Down, April 11.

Art Walk Downtown Longview, artists, musicians, and entertainers, downtown Longview, April 3.

Twentieth Century Club Taster Salad Luncheon, First United Methodist Christian Life Center, Gilmer, April 17. Taste of the Oil Patch, Gladewater Rodeo Arena, Gladewater, April 26. Harvest Festival Crawfish Boil, Maude Cobb Convention Center, Longview, April 26. FESTIVALS Azalea and Spring Flower Trail, Downtown Azalea District, Tyler, through April 6.

Blak-uh n-hwahyt: Truth in Black and White, An exhibition of black and white prints, The UT Tyler Meadows Gallery, Tyler, through April 4.

East Texas Symphony Orchestra Piano Festival, featuring Francesco Attesti with special guests Holly Marsh, soprano, and Claudia Carroll on flute, Liberty Hall, Tyler, April 5.

Downtown Tyler ArtWalk, Arts demonstrations, live music, dance, downtown Tyler, April 5.

Fever and Shake Rattle & Roll, The Ultimate Tribute Band, Gilmer Civic Center, April 5.

Art in the Park, Fine Art Exhibition and Sale, Goodman Museum, Tyler, April 12.

Hal Ketchum, Music City Texas Theater, Linden, April 5.

Four Winds Canterbury Faire, Whitehouse, Saturday and Sundays through April 27.

Lyle Lovett, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, April 10.

Edom Street Fair, An old-fashioned street fair, Edom, April 12-13.

East Texas Baptist University Jazz Band Concert, Marshall Visual Art Center, April 11.

5th annual Cypress Basin Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale & Gardening Expo, Saturday, April 12.

The Diamonds in Concert, Marshall Convention Center, April 12.

East Texas Gusher Days, downtown Gladewater, April 18-19.

Triptych: Requiem, East Texas Chamber Ensemble, Grace Hall First Presbyterian Church, Longview, April 17.

The 44th Annual Linden Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival, April 25-26.

Faces and Places, The art of Jenny Lankford, Marshall Convention & Visitors Bureau, through April 11. Student Invitational Art Exhibit, Longview Museum of Fine Arts, through April 26.

Dogwood Trails Festival, Palestine Main Street District, Palestine, through April 6.

Mediterranea, Tyler Museum of Art, through April. A Celebration of American Indian Culture, American Indian artwork by local and not-so-local artists and artisans, Winnsboro Center for the Arts, April 9 May 31.

Stoney LaRue, Music City Texas Theater, Linden, April 18.

FILM Sparrow’s Dance, Independent Film Showing, The Old Firehouse, Edom, April 5.

Ron Raines, Legends of Broadway, Liberty Hall, Tyler, April 25.

The Women, Classic Movies in the Park, Reagan Park, Palestine, April 5.

Amy Speace, Original Folk Music Concert, The Old Firehouse, Edom, April 26.

A Few Good Men, starring Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, Liberty Hall, Tyler, April 17.

LIVE THEATER Ghost of a Chance, Texas Theatre, Palestine, April 4, 5, 6.

East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Power Play, Cowan Center, Tyler, April 26.

COMEDY Comedy Improv Workshop Series with Jamey Whitley, Liberty Hall, Tyler, six weeks starting April 14.

The Addams Family, Cowan Center at UT Tyler, April 4.

Tyler Civic Chorale Master Works Concert, Sunday in Paris, First Presbyterian Church, Tyler, April 27.

Quotes, Quips & Clips, Apache Belle Spring Show, Wise Auditorium, Tyler Junior College, April 3, 4, 5.

DINING Taste of Longview, Maude Cobb Convention Center, Longview, April 1.

Texas National 2014, Cole Art Center at Old Opera House, Nacogdoches, through June 12. Jerome Witkin Drawings, Cole Art Center at Old Opera House, Nacogdoches, through June 12.

Murder at the Azalea Ball, McClendon House Murder Mystery, The McClendon House, Tyler, April 5. Check Please, The Search for “The One” Has Ended With Zero, Van Cliburn Auditorium, Kilgore, April 8-13. Lord of the Flies, Tyler Civic Theatre Center, April 8-13. PineyWoodsLive.com

Saturday Morning Kidcom, comedy performance for children, APEX Theatre 20 @ Potter Place, Tyler, April 19. Funniest Comic in East Texas, Live stand-up performance competition, Liberty Hall, Tyler, April 26.

High Cotton Ball, From Bondage To Freedom House, Davis Farms, Marshall, April 5. East Texas Gusher Days Luncheon, Gladewater Chamber Of Commerce, Gladewater, April 11.

MISCELLANEOUS Dance Scholarship Auditions, Kilgore College Dance Department, Kilgore College, April 12.

A Taste of Tyler, Harvey Convention Center, Tyler, April 15.

April 2014 - Page 31

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April 2014

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