LIFESTYLES The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net

1BFebruary 15, 2012

Pictured above: Monty Thornburg, director at the PatrickSenior Center, explains to the crowd of people whoshowed up for the “Black History Month Program”Thornburg had put together, what activities were instore.

At right: Hazelene Abernathy completes her crosswordpuzzle on Black History Month.

Central United Methodist Church in Kings Mountainwas the setting Sept. 24, 2011 for the wedding unitingShannon Elaine Anderson and Bennett Marshall ElmoreIII.

The Rev. Rexx Gibbs officiated the double-ring,Unity candle ceremony. The taped nuptial music playedby Elizabeth Anderson was “When God Made You” sungby Lauren Proctor and Ty McDowell.

The bride was given in marriage by her father. Herformal wedding gown of bridal satin was a strapless de-sign featuring a Sweetheart neckline and medium-lengthtrain enhanced by sequins. She carried a bouquet of whiteand blue lilies.

Rachel Chapman of Kings Mountain was maid ofhonor and bridesmaids were Jada Elmore of Gastonia,sister of the bridegroom, Kristin Scoggin of Dallas andHope Phongsa of Kings Mountain.

All the attendants wore turquoise blue formals fea-turing knee-length skirts and enhanced by a chocolate-colored bow around the waist and chocolate-coloredbuttons down the back of the dresses. They carried bou-quets of chocolate hydrangeas and white lilies.

Flower girls were Alyssa Pruitt and Cassidy Bridgeswho wore white dresses and carried baskets of blue lilypetals. Logan Green was ringbearer.

The bridegroom’s father was best man. Groomsmenwere Jake Noah and Mike Judd, both of Gastonia, andDustin Scoggin of Dallas.

The reception after the ceremony in the church fel-lowship hall was hosted by parents of the bride and bride-groom.

A rehearsal party on Sept. 23, 2011 was hosted by par-ents of the bride and bridegroom in the fellowship hall ofCentral United Methodist Church.

The bride is the daughter of Edward and Elaine An-derson and granddaughter of Dot Spearman and the lateGlenn Spearman, all of Kings Mountain. A 2009 gradu-ate of Kings Mountain High School, she is a May 2011graduate of Cleveland Community College with an As-sociates degree in Elementary Education. She is em-ployed by Smart Kids Day Care in Gastonia.

Bud and Debbie Elmore of Gastonia are parents of thebridegroom who is a 2004 graduate of Hunter Huss HighSchool and is employed by Advanced Auto Parts Distri-bution Center in Gastonia.

After a wedding trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, thenewlyweds are residing at 1597 Quail Woods Road, Gas-tonia.

“Now and Then”- paint-ings by James L. Norman -are on display through Feb.19 in the gallery of theSouthern Arts Society at theDepot Center in KingsMountain.

Norman’s talent was waspresented in a one-man ex-hibit and public receptionFeb. 4 by Southern Arts So-ciety.

For more than 30 years,James L. Norman has beenconstantly exploring this“thing” people call art. Sure,he tries different styles anddifferent media, but what re-ally drives him is finding adifferent perspective. In hisown words, he calls himselfa painter as opposed to anartist. “It’s up to each personviewing my work to decidewhether or not I’m an artist”,he says.

This new exhibit fea-tured some older work alongwith new paintings in acrylicand oil. Oil is James’medium of choice. He onlyrecently began working inacrylic again as it driesquicker and is less of a healthhazard than working in oil.

To gain a different per-spective,Norman blends ju-dicious amounts ofcomposition, mood and sub-ject. His numerous subjectmatter and varied style keepshis work fresh...to him andthose who have followed his

career. He paints mainly fig-urative pieces, landscapesand still life.

Being entirely self-taught, he would not recom-mend that same path toothers. However, the numer-ous awards and collectedpieces in Paris, Austria,Japan and across the US tella tale of diligence and recog-nition of a work ethic far out-side his North Carolinaroots.

Norman told exhibit-goers that he considers him-self blessed to be able to doevery day what he enjoys themost. And it shows in hiswork. His brushes are wornand caked with paint whichallows him to pick up multi-ple colors and apply them tothe canvas with clarity andbrilliance.

On Thursday, March 1,Charlie Cobb, director ofathletics at AppalachianState University, will be thespeaker at the Kings Moun-tain Rotary Club. Cobbgraduated with honors witha B.A. in business adminis-tration from NC State in1990.

A second-team all-ACChonoree at center as a sen-ior, Cobb was an academicall-ACC selection and col-lected the prestigious JimTatum Award, presented tothe ACC football seniorwith the highest grade pointaverage, and the Bob War-ren Memorial Award, givento the Wolfpack footballplayer that displays thehighest integrity and sports-manship.

After receiving post-graduate scholarships fromboth the ACC and NFLCharities, Cobb earned amaster’s degree in sportsadministration from OhioUniversity in 1992.

In his first six years atAppalachian State, he ledthe athletics department tounparalleled success in-cluding, three NCAA Divi-sion I football nationalchampionships; new foot-ball attendance records atthe university; six consecu-tive Commissioner’s CupChampionships; 35 percentof the athletics depart-ment’s students making theacademic honor roll.

Cobb was a member ofthe athletics department atNorth Carolina State Uni-

versity from 1998-2005. His peers recognized

him for his many accom-plishments at AppalachianState when the NationalCollegiate Athletics Direc-tors Association (NACDA)

named him the NCAA Divi-sion I FCS Southeast Re-gion Under ArmourAthletics Director of theYear in 2011.

Prior to returning to hisalma mater in ‘98, Cobbspent six years in Atlanta,Ga., where he held posi-tions with the AtlantaSports Council, the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and theGeorgia Dome.

The public is invited toattend the Rotary meetingat noon at the Patrick Sen-ior Center. AppalachianState alumni are hereby of-fered a special invitation tomeet and greet Cobb at thattime. Please RSVP by con-tacting club secretary SamHarrod at 704-445-9219.

Anderson, Elmore wed

Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Marshall Elmore III(Shannon Elaine Anderson)

CelebratingBlack History

Month

“Now and Then” paintings on displaythrough February 19 at the Depot

Most recently, Normanwon first place in the “VisualHarvest 2011” juried showand competition sponsoredby the Gaston County ArtGuild.

In 2010 Norman wonthird place in “Gateways tothe South” competition atSouthern Arts Society.Judge Michael Grady, Chairof the Department of Art, atAppalachian State Univer-sity said of his work that it“celebrates paint” and is

“quietly mesmerizing”. Hefurther described Norman’swork with these glowingwords “…the lushness of thepainted surfaces gives thepiece a strong and deeply en-gaging emotional context”.

Norman is a member ofthe Gaston County Art Guildand Southern Arts Society.He is available for both pri-vate and group instructionand also accepts commis-sions. James and wife Be-linda live in Mt. Holly, NC.

“Now and Then” will beon display in the ReavisGallery of Southern Arts So-ciety from February 4through February 29, 2012.This exhibit is sponsored bySouthern Arts Society (at theDepot), 301 N. PiedmontAvenue in Kings Mountain,NC. Gallery hours are Tues-day, Wednesday, Friday 10a.m. to 4 p.m; Thursdays 10a.m – 9 p.m and Saturdays11a,m – 3 p.m and by ap-pointment. For more infor-mation call 704-739-5585.This is a free event, there isno admission fee.

APP State Athletics director to speak at Rotary March 1

Charlie Cobb