Piney Woods Live December 2010

Priceless - Take One Dec. 2010 - Jan. 2011

Art... Music of the Soul

New Beginnings and the New Beginnings and the Art of PersistenceArt of Persistence

Photograph of Hannah Beth Roberts is by Photograph of Hannah Beth Roberts is by

Amanda Burks PhotographyAmanda Burks Photography

• Art Lovers Swarm Downtown Kilgore• New Fine Arts Center at Longview High School

• Paul Anderson: An Organic, Geometric and Abstract Impressionist

• Art Heals• 6th Annual Christmas Miniature Art Show

• Anup Bhandari: Humanitarian Artist in the Piney Woods

• Omar Shariff Returns to Marshall• Longview Deltas Host Project Art Extravaganza

• Scenes from Downtown Kilgore’s Annual Mingle & Jingle• Using Social Media

• Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Collection Donated to the Tyler Museum of Art

• The Keyboard College Keyboard Orchestra• Christmas at the Michelson Museum of Art

NEW BEGINNINGS AND THE ART OF PERSISTENCE

A friend told me that every New Year’s eve he goes through his phone book and decides who makes the cut. Life is about the quality of the relationships we build. Having good friends takes time and energy. This year I make the cut.

I recently found myself in a unique situation where I am able to start my life over. My kids have already started their young adult lives. There will be a time when I am needed to hold that grandbaby or care for my parents. That time is not now. I can create an exis-tence that will be my happy place even when my duties call. It is up to me.

I have the opportunity to embrace new contentment, gratifi cation, security and pleasure. It is up to me to rediscover what brings me joy. I have compromised myself for the sake of others. I don’t think anyone ever asked me to do this, but being a southern woman meant putting the happiness of others before my own. For example; I know I don’t care if the dishes get done every day. I don’t mind messes, as long as things are sanitary. I like to create. I like to try new things and see what sticks.

I know that since I have begun this renewal, my true friends have come out of the wood-work and my kids have so much more respect for me. My daughter says she has never seen me so happy and I wrote my son a 20 page letter to let him get to know me better (that was great- you should try it sometime!). My mother is more a part of my life than she has been since I was 13. My little sister is thankful that “Denice is back”. I thought for sure they would all be upset about the priority changes.

Dance as if no one’s watching, sing as if no one’s listening, and live everyday as if it were your last. ~ Irish Saying- Thanks Elena!

How did I do it? Leave it all behind to start over? My parents. They taught me that my happiness was the most important thing, or did I teach them that? Whew. I can thank the Lord that their curse for me to have kids who would bring me the same kind of joy that I had bestowed upon them never came to pass. I was so busy that my mother had to follow me around to make sure I was safe. I climbed, I swung, I dug, I cut, I explored. She was so glad I survived. I was persistent. I needed entertainment. She gave me boxes to turn into towns. My favorite thing was to tie knots. I tied knots in everything. Mom said it was always stuff she could not cut. I tied the apron strings (the good ones) to the back of the chair. I tied as many as would fi t. I tied my shoe laces in knots to the end, straight up. My mom was happy I could fi nd joy in such small things- so I choose to believe. Maybe she was the persistent one. Nonetheless, I have always been encouraged to be happy. So, when I found myself unhappy for an extended period of time, I knew what I had to do.Please don’t get me wrong. I dearly love my friends and family, I take in strays, I feed the hungry and help orphans. I believe that we are meant to enjoy every moment and to share that joy with others. A little secret for success: My big sister said I taught her to ask for what she wanted be-cause all they could do was say no. I taught her that when I was 2. I still live by that rule.To thine own self be true… Shakespeare

One more thought on New Beginnings and Persistence:The Piney Woods Live and the Longview American Classifi eds staff are excited about the theme of this issue. While I speak of persistence and new beginnings personally, these things are proudly written all over their hard drives. 26 years publishing American Classifi eds (that takes persistence) and Piney Woods Live gives them a fresh new project that is stoking their fi res. Congrats guys! I am proud to work with you all. Go team!

Denice Bartonkwndbbff

PineyWoodsLive.comPineyWoodsLive.comPage 2 - December 2010 - January 2011

Editor’sNOTE

Presented by The Sulphur Springs Community Players

December 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18

Main Street Theatre227 Main St. • Sulphur Springs

Admission $8.00Directed by David Woody

Assistant Director: Brenda PayneProduced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. • www.playscripts.com

or http://mainsttheater.comInformation at 903-885-0107

Cast of CharactersENOLA GAY MATHEWS

Stage Manager

JEFF DAVISHugh Morris, announcer

STAN SHIPPJake Laurents

MEGAN AKINSSally Applewhite

ANDREA “ANDI” FRANCELana Sherwood

JOHNNY EDWARDSHarry “Jazzbo” Heywood

RUSS KORTHFreddie Filmore

TERRY CUNNINGHAM, JOHN D’AVIGON, SHERRIE FRANCE, BETTY GREEN,

GRACE PRITCHARD, RORIE YOUNGThe WBFR Players

For more information, please call 903.753.8103 or check online at www.LMFA.org.

Ballet is always an important part of the arts scene in the Piney Woods. That’s never more apparent than in the month of December. Here are this year’s performance schedules for Ballet Tyler, Longview Ballet Theatre, and the TJC Dance Academy.y.

Ballet TylerBallet Tyler

PineyWoodsLive.comPineyWoodsLive.com December 2010 - January 2011 - Page 3

Art is defi ned as a product

of deliberately arranging elements

in a way that appeals to the

senses or emotions.

Piney Woods Live

is an expression

of the community it serves.

Art Lovers Swarm Downtown Kilgore ................................4

New Fine Arts Center at Longview High School .................5

Paul Anderson: An Organic, Geometric and

Abstract Impressionist ......................................................6

Art Heals ..........................................................................12

6th Annual Christmas Miniature Art Show .......................12

Anup Bhandari: Humanitarian Artist in the Piney Woods .13

The “B” Side of Music: Don’t Forget the Art .....................14

Marshall’s Omar Shariff Returns for

Boogie Woogie Christmas Show Featuring

Seely & Baldori ..............................................................15

Longview Deltas Host Project Art Extravaganza ...............17

Wine & Dine The Piney Woods:

I’m Dreaming of a Wine Christmas ...............................18

Scenes from Downtown Kilgore’s Annual

Mingle & Jingle ..............................................................19

Using Social Media to Expose Art .....................................20

Mexican Folk Art Donated to the Tyler Museum of Art .....21

The Kilgore College Keyboard Orchestra ..........................22

Christmas at the Michelson Museum of Art .....................23

PublishersTracy Magness Krell & Gary Krell

EditorDenice Barton

Advertising DirectorGary Krell

Public RelationsRandi Garcia

Contributing WritersAstha Tuladar, Christine Suggs, Paul Anderson,

Ruth A. Drayer, Kayla Valek, Jack Canson, Randy Brown

Graphic ArtistsTracy Krell, Joni Guess, Mary Hernandez

Sales:Denice Barton, Donna Vincent, April Harlow,

Shannon Dykes, Denise Reid, Randi Garcia,

Kathy Hollan, Cookie Bias

About the cover:

How to reach us:

For advertising information, go to page 22.

Call the American Classifi eds’ Longview Offi ce at 903-758-6900 or 800-333-3082. [email protected] 903-758-8181506 N. 2nd St., Longview, TX 75601

Sign up for our newsletter by going to our website: PineyWoodsLive.com

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© 2010, 2011 by Piney Woods Live. All rights reserved. This publication, its associ-ated website and their content is copyright of Piney Woods Live. Any reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

East Texas Ballet:East Texas Ballet:

Longview Ballet TheatreLongview Ballet Theatre

TJC Dance AcademyTJC Dance Academy

Ballet Tyler in conjuction with Tyler Civic TheatreThursday, December 7, 2010Saturday, December 11, 2010Sunday, December 12, 2010

The purpose of Ballet Tyler is to provide opportunities for both dancers and East Texas audiences to experience the fi ne art of dance at the highest possible quality.

The Nativity BalletFriday, December 10, 2010 7:00 p.m.Bergfi eld Park, Tyler, TX.(This is a Free performance!)

Go to www.ballettyler.org for more information.

Last December, six thousand people were transported to the magical world of The Nutcracker. Longview Ballet Theatre’s first production of this beloved holiday classic was such an overwhelming success, they had to do it again. Join them December 3, 4 and 5 as Longview Ballet Theatre and nine world class professional guest artists once again transform the S.E. Belcher, Jr. Chapel and Performance Center into a land of snowfl akes, waltzing fl owers, life-size dolls, mischievous mice, dueling soldiers, breathtaking dancers and one magical Christmas tree.

December 3, 4, and 5 at the S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center, 903-233-3080. Tickets are $50, $42, $30, $20 & $15.

Tyler Junior College will celebrate the 22nd annual “Nutcracker” this December. Once again, Tyler Junior College will collaborate with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra to present the classical two-act ballet with live musical ac-companiment. Two performances will be held on December 4th at the UT Tyler Cowan Center.

December 4th at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM at the UT Tyler Cowan Center. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the UT Tyler Cowan Center Box Offi ce, 903-566-7424.


Art is not a hobby nor is it a profession. It is a way of life.” I recalled this quote as I participated in the fi rst art walk at Kilgore Downtown on Oct 9 with eight other local artists.

Kilgore is a name many Americans have not heard of, but a place beginning to gain attention thanks to its mu-sic and art event performers, organizers and promoters.

As an artist couple from Kathmandu Nepal, my husband Anup Bhandari and I fi rst thought that the only thing in common be-tween Kilgore and Kathmandu is the letter “K”. Having stayed here for a decade now we feel more connections with this hap-pening town and particularly Kilgore College.

Art Lovers Swarm Downtown Kilgore by Astha Tuladhar

For visitors and art lovers, the artwalk is a different experience than visiting an art gallery or a museum as they can enjoy a more relaxing environment to chat with artists, business owners or just enjoy an inspiring walk.

Artworks include paintings, drawings, photographs and mixed media pieces.

Join us for the next artwalk:Saturday, December 11th; Downtown Kilgore, 10:00am to 3:00pm

The Mount Vernon Music Hall has announced its next three scheduled perfor-mances in December, January, and February.

A Family Concert: Tell It With Music. Children, bring your parents and your imagination, and let the music take you on an adventure! Music makes these stories come to life. “The Road To Hamelin,” “Low Note Blues” and “Three Little Pigs” will be peformed by Paul Unger, double bass; Steven Harlos, piano; Mark Miller, violin and Debbie Rags-dale, narrator.Saturday, December 11th, 2010 - 11 AM

Andrew Daniel. This classical guitarist has toured exten-sively throughout the United States and Europe. He has appeared in numerous festivals, including Music in the Mountains, the Rome Opera and the Valencia Chamber Or-chestra. Andrew Daniel, guitar; Debbie Ragsdale, fl ute; Mark Miller, violin. Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 - 7:30 PM

Mariachi Aguilas and Dancers are back by popular demand! Singing and playing traditional mariachi instru-ments – violin, trumpet, guitarrón, guitar and vihuela, these performers excite and delight with music of Texas’ rich cultural heritage.Sunday, February 20th, 2011- 3 PM.

All performances are held at the music hall, 402 Leftwich St. at Yates St., Mt. Vernon, Texas. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 at the door. Students are admitted free. Call 903-563-3780 for additional details.

ETAN903.566.0600 903.758.0959

903.938.7666903.663.8670 903.509.4411

936.632.0777


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To the ears of a band student, the words “new fi ne arts center” trans-lated roughly as: New band hall; strange, cage-like cub-bies; losing all the memories

that were stored in that raggedy but constantly used room. I was skeptical from the beginning, and when the fi rst band rehearsal arrived this summer and I was parking my Chevy Cavalier next to a pile of rubble, my doubts only grew. I was sure that the administration would never be able to pull it off in time. Even on the day of registration there were still uncouth construction workers whistling at students as they went to argue with counselors over their schedules. I poked around one of the new art classrooms, my arms full of artwork from my summer spent at pre-college. I showed off my new portfolio to my art teacher, Ellen Herbert. In return she showed off her new classroom, complete with double sinks, copious amounts of working space, and a large storage room crammed with still unpacked boxes. I was impressed, but still curious as to if it would be ready for the mass of kids that would arrive in a few days.

But although the band had to endure some louder than usual rehearsals due to the continuing construction, when that dreaded fi rst day of school rolled around, things were starting

New Fine Arts Center by Christine Suggs

to get in shape. The recently named Mickey Melton Center for the Arts houses everything a school could possibly need to encourage the arts. Art students like me enjoy three stu-dios with great lighting, storage space, and hanging space for critiques. My fellow band nerds and I have access to several soundproof practice rooms for nailing down tricky patterns and cubby holes that don’t fall apart when you hurriedly toss

your instrument inside. Director of instrumental music for LISD, Louis Robinett, is espe-cially proud of the huge wrap-around shelf to display the trophies the band has accumulated since the 1930s.

Other areas of the arts benefi t from the new center as well. Mrs. Eisenhuth and the Viewettes can rehearse in a state-of-the-art dance studio complete with a mirrored wall. The orchestra and choir rooms, although attached to the band hall, are soundproofed well enough so that their rehearsals can be done simultaneously if necessary. Most impressive is the new auditorium, which can seat approximately 1,000 people. Theatre students no longer have to commute all the way to T.G. Field for rehearsals, relying on obsolete techni-cal equipment from archaic times. Not only does the audito-rium provide a new home for the theatre’s productions, but all other LHS performing arts events are scheduled to occur

there. The visual arts department is also allowed to display its artwork in the foyer, showing the unity in the art depart-ment that helped make this vision a reality. The Melton Center comes at an opportune time for the students, as the International Baccalaureate Programme is also coming to Longview High School. The IB program is a rigorous program that encourages self-driven students to make a real impact on the world, including in the fi eld of art. A new fi ne arts center is perfect for housing new IB classes such as music theory or the art gallery that IB students will put together for evaluation in the spring.

At the Mickey Melton Center, it’s not just about band, or art, or theatre. It’s about having a place where all of the arts are equally represented and equally provided for, a task that has long been overdue. For a school district that has previ-ously been so focused on athletics and scraping past the requirements for state exams, Longview Independent School District has fi nally succeeded in its endeavors to encourage

not just the arts in general, but a sense of community.

Christine Suggs is a journalism student at Longview High School


Lake Country PlayhouseTHE HISTORIC SELECT THEATRE • 114 N. JOHNSON • MINEOLA, TEXAS

Paul Anderson has been an artist most of his life. Born in Congo, on the African continent, he spent most of his youth living overseas. Some of his fi rst work was drawn from the landscapes and life of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.

He has created art with watercolor, glass, wood and oil paint. The past few years he has concentrated on oil painting. About his training Paul says, “I am primarily self taught but have received training in continuing educa-tion classes and

one-on-one lessons from other working artists. I continually study other artists work and, where available, their processes.” Four years ago Paul began to bring his art to the general public. He has gone through a shift from realism and expressionist realism to painting abstract. The ma-jority of his work is organic, geometric, and abstract expressionist. His abstracts are signed “Popi” but his work is copyrighted and registered under his full name Paul Anderson.

“My approach and attitude to art is very down to earth and I do not take myself too seriously. Art is an expression of what is within whether planned or free fl owing. The organic patterns found in nature and in design capture my imagination. These images are the starting point for my paintings. The idea I start with may result in a painting that only remotely, if ever, refl ects the fi rst concept.”

“I work in oil because I need the open time it provides. Oil is forgiving and I enjoy its feel on the brush. Oil is also favorable for using a painting knife. Equally impor-tant perhaps, is that oil paint brings me closer to the historical tradition of painting.”

“It is my desire and goal that for each painting I create there is someone who will make a connection with it. In every piece of art I look for the element that con-nects me to the artist and what the artist is communicating. I hope that in my work the perceptive viewer will see that element that connects them to the painting. I love to paint and create and hope that you will fi nd what I present here pleasing to your eye.”

Paul’s work can be seen at P’s Gallery in Longviewwww.popioriginals.com

Paul Anderson: An organic, geometric and abstract impressionist


TICKETS $25 – $40AVAILABLE AT MARDEL STORE

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PINEY

WOODS

ARTISTS

LISA RACHEL HORLANDER CINDY KENT

GREGORY ZEORLIN

ruth drayer

JORDAN TODD

Article submissions: Articles are accepted and reviewed by a panel. Photos may accompany articles. Space, relevance, writing and appro-priateness play a huge part in the decision making process. Individual artists are more likely to have fewer than 100 words plus a photo published. Sign up at PineyWoodsLive.com for our newsletter and to receive a request for submission

My paintings are mainly acrylic on canvas. I’m in-spired by nature and the memories, colors and feelings I fi nd outside. I love to mix my love for drawing with painting. This gives my paintings a graphic quality. I dabble with abstract and silhouettes with my tree paint-ings to focus on the mystery and beauty of the memory of what I see. I have been staying only in the abstract for my landscapes and try to capture the color and emo-tions the horizontal lines hold.

You can see and buy my art at www.lisarachel.com

Many of the people in this issue of Piney Woods Live have recently discovered their artistic abilities or have made the decision to concentrate on their art some-time later in life. Others have worked diligently for years to pursue their talents. Still others are young and just starting out. All, at some point, will know about beginning anew and becoming persistent. Thus, the theme of this issue.

“I am a colorist; I create art that calms, soothes and heals. Each brush stroke is applied taking the harmony of the whole into account. First, I hand-texture the can-vas so depth and dimensions appear. After that, I turn it over to my intuition (or muse) with no idea of the end result. There can be many colors in the foundation that do not show, but they all add something of importance. What you see is many layers of color applied until the piece has a harmony and rhythm that pleases and satis-fi es me.”

In Tyler. 903-534-4873. www.ruthdrayer.com

When I step out-side, the wheels start turning. I am bombarded with images that I want to express in clay. They may come from the pattern that the branches of the trees create against the sky, the way the wind blows the mane of a galloping

horse, or the gentle curve of a grassy hill. Often I approach a slab of clay as a piece of canvas, be-coming involved in the lines, shapes and textures. Glazes are layered by brush much like paint.

After teaching high school art for many years, I became a full-time studio artist at the ripe old age of 54 and it’s GREAT! My work is now in galleries and collections all over the country and Canada.

My website is www.cindykent.com and locally I’m represented by TheFrameUp Gallery in Mt. Vernon. I also accept commissions.

Jordan Todd is 20-years-old and an aspiring singer/entertainer. She started singing in front of audiences at the age of 16 and has loved every minute of it since then!.

She has performed at many different venues such as The Gladewater Opry, Johnnie High Country Music Revue, Oaklawn Opry, Carthage Country Hayride, Wylie Opry, John Ritter Tribute Show-case, Colgate Country Showdown, Legend’s Corner in Nashville and many more. She plans to move to Nashville in the summer to pursue her dreams of becom-ing a professional recording artist.

For booking informa-tion, please call 903-746-7102 or email [email protected].

“I work with a variety of materials and techniques to make my art. I’ve been listing my occupation as “art-ist” for over twenty-fi ve years. I am certain the future will continue to be full of experiments and all the starts and stops that keep me challenged in the studio. The fi nished art refl ects my observations about the life we

live and how time moves me forward at a quickening pace.” Gregory Zeorlin www.zeorlin-art.com

Don’t Miss ArtWalk,

December 9th from4pm to 8pm in the

Downtown District of Tyler!


The sulphur springs

community players and

the main street theatre

suzanne jacobs

Tickets onSale Now!903-566-7424www.CowanCenter.org

The Lawrence L. Anderson & Svetislava J. Vukelja Lecture

AN EVENING WITH JON LANDAUProducer of Films “Titanic” & “Avatar”January 13Lecture includes never before seen clips from “Avatar”

JOSHUA BELL, violinaccompanied by Sam Haywood on piano

January 27

Sponsored by

Tim & Michelle BrookshireA Braithwaite Performing Arts Program jointly presented by East Texas Symphony Orchestra and the UT Tyler Cowan Center

Coming to the Cowan CenterBEFORE and AFTER the holidays!

HOWIE MANDELDecember 7

Sponsored by

Dr. & Mrs. Scott & RobynLieberman andMimi Lieberman

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Thank You Media Sponsors:

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February 3 & 4Sponsored by Jenny Kingmature subject matter

ROCKIN’ LORETTA DERRICK WHITE

By Thomas CallensThe modern music industry is always looking for the next “new” thing, but one “not so new” artist is bypassing the industry and gaining in popular-ity. Loretta Callens, independent perform-ing songwriter, broke into the East Texas

music scene a couple of years ago.

Family life often limited Loretta’s chances to share her talent, but on New Year’s Eve 2008, her youngest child safely out of the nest, Loretta made a resolution to fi nally pursue her music career full time. To date, Loretta has released two albums, co-founded the Texas Independent Music Expo, and plans to release her third album in May. A good start for someone only 55 years young.

903.539.8817 [email protected] reverbnation.com/lorettacallens www.myspace.com/lorettacallens

Suzanne has been carving for almost 20 years and studied 7 years with German Master Carver Ludwig Keininger. Everything is hand carved with ei-ther mallet and chisels, palm tools, or knives, and she sometimes uses all three methods on the same piece. At this time of year she focuses mainly on carving Santas and

Christmas ornaments, but relief carvings and busts of horses and humans are also a favorite.

You can reach her at [email protected], SuzanneJacobsDesigns.Artfi re.com, or occasional local arts and craft shows. She is happiest when she is carving.

This non-profi t community theatre has been performing for almost thirty years in Sulphur Springs. They put on fi ve productions annually, roughly in March, May, July, September and December. The July production is a workshop for children who, under adult supervision, are responsible for all aspects of staging the play from set design and construction, acting, directing, lighting, sound, etc.

The play currently in production is “It’s a Wonderful Life” - A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry. The play is set on a 1946 radio stage, complete with “old-fash-ioned” sound effects, etc. It will be staged December 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at the Main Street Theatre in Sulphur Springs (as are all their productions).

A unique feature of this play is that it will actually be broadcast live on KSST 1230 AM in Sulphur Springs. The broadcast will be in two parts on the 10th and 11th.

mainsttheater.com

Derrick White spends time making paintings and ob-jects. “Sometimes it goes well and sometimes it does not. I am an artist and art professor at Tyler Junior Col-lege.”

“I am constantly working on my art, taking ideas and inspirations from daily life. I am attracted to the unstructured results of actions and the inherent nature of materials, for example, drips of paint or the fl ow of a wood grain. I want my work to be engaging and fun, but to also reveal its sincerity through form.”

If you’d like learn more: www.canvashead.net or email: [email protected]

Consider giving the gift of art. Sign up a loved one for painting, pottery or music lessons.

It is the gift that truly keeps giving.

I strive to coax the motion and fl uidity of nature from the stone. When beginning a piece, the rock tells me what to carve. As I sculpt, I am revealing the nature of material.I employ direct sculpture methods. My sculpt-ing tools are traditional: hammer, chisel and rasp,

giving me an immediacy to the stone. I carve organic, abstract, and fi gurative pieces, primarily of alabaster and limestone.


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I’m a cartoonist at heart. No matter how many times I try to force myself to draw a pretty picture of a fl ower or a nice portrait, I always return to my silly self. It’s understandable, considering how many Saturdays my big brother and I have spent parked in front of the television with a bowl of cereal.

My work, however childlike its subject matter may be, is meticulous to the point of appearing computer-generated at times. Despite my perfection-ism, I try to keep a hand-made quality and quirky personality to my work, which is why I always do everything by hand and focus on goofy or strange sub-jects. I don’t want to distance myself from the viewer; it’s my goal to connect with them, to make them experi-ence something fun or cute or silly, and what better way to do that than cartoons?

How did a seventeen-year old girl come up with all of these grandiose convictions about art, you ask? Well this past summer I did some serious growing up by attending Maryland Institute College of Arts pre-college program, where I had to complete several challenging illustration assignments a week and participate in thought-provoking critiques that lasted for several hours. One of the teach-ing assistants there used an interesting term to describe the duty of an illustrator: art assassin. Unable to think of any possible occupation that sounds as cool as that, I have decided to join their ranks.

When I’m not knocking out art assignments (or should I say targets), I’m busy with other activities, such as marching band, piano lessons, participating in a few school clubs here and there, creating cartoons for the school paper, and maintaining a 4.39 GPA while working towards several International Baccalaureate certifi cates

and AP tests for col-lege credit. Assuming I make it out of high school with a fully functioning brain, I plan to go to either the University of North Texas or some fancy art college that will eat my lunch (and pay for it too), become an illustrator, and make a web comic with my brother.

CHRISTINE SUGGS stacy deslatteLongview ISD Student

I worked for many years in an industrial facility. It was a good job with good pay and many good people, but it was an every day struggle for me to work there. On my daily travel to and from work I passed a very large lone oak tree. Early in my years of passing it, the tree was struck by lightning and a large branch fell to one side. The tree continued to live though, even with this one section lying partially on the ground. If the tree could persist, so could I. Some days just seeing this tree is what I needed to stay on the road to that job.

I had a plan though, and I was going to make it. And I did. I am now a stonecarver and all of my children are grown and have had the educational opportunities I had committed to give them. This piece is my tribute to that tree.

Stacy Deslatte is a stone sculptor and carves in her Longview studio. Her work can be viewed and pur-chased at P’s Gallery in Longview, the Weisman Center in Marshall, and Gallery Minerva in Asheville, NC.

www.deslatte-sculptor.com.


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Creativity and self expression are innate to humans. The earliest healers were painters, musicians and storytell-ers. The work of Paleolithic artists can still be seen in the caves of Lascaux, France and Altamira, Spain, where polychrome paintings and drawings of wild animals provide evidence that artists and hunters shared in keeping their tribes nourished and healthy.

Prehistoric art can be found in Somalia, Australia, Thai-land, Malaysia, and Indonesia; petro glyphs abound throughout the American Southwest. Still today, both Navajo Indians and Buddhist priests create sand paintings for healing (which upon completion, the Buddhists pour into the local river to heal the waters.)

Rather than being decorative, the intention behind earli-est art was to tell stories that instilled reverence and awe and led to healing. Since the days of ancient Greece and Rome, color was known to have healing properties. Stained glass windows were installed in churches so the sun’s healing rays would project color upon the congrega-tion.

Today, scientifi c studies are proving that art and music change brain wave patterns, affecting a person’s auto-nomic nervous system, hormonal balance and their brain neurotransmitters.

Art Heals by Ruth A. Drayer ©6th Annual CHRISTMAS Miniature Art Show

Art affects every cell in the body and creates a healing physiology that changes the immune system and blood fl ow to all organs, a person’s perceptions of the world, their attitude, emotional state and pain perception. Fasci-nating studies show that art, prayer, and healing all come from the same source in the body.

Today, when our world is so in need of healing, art is there. Art is being formed as we speak-- it benefi ts every-one.

Ruth A. Drayer is an artist who lives in Tyler, Texas. She is author of “Nicholas & Helena Roerich, The Spiritual Journey of Two Great Artists” and “Peacemakers and Numerology, The Power in Numbers.” www.ruthdrayer.com

East Texas area artists will present their annual miniature paintings for sale on Saturday, December 4th, 3:00-5:00 P.M. THESE ARE WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THAT ART LOVER ON YOUR LIST!!

Artists participating include: Laverne Arnett - Mt. Ver-non, Nancy Beauchamp - Mt. Pleasant, Beverly Boren - Dallas, Beverly Brewer - Mt. Vernon, Ted Clemens- Sasche, Texas, Carol Durrum - Mt. Pleasant, Toni Evetts - Mt. Pleasant, Michele Greene - Mt. Pleasant, Linda Hardy - Omaha, Donna Hodge - Mt. Pleasant, Edwina Lynn - Dallas, Linda Pepper - Mt. Pleasant, Kathy Rachal - Winnsboro, Nancy Rhodes - Paris, Valerie Sanders - Emory, Judd Scott - Mt. Vernon, Sandra St. John - Scrog-gins, Ellie Taylor - Holly Lake

Location: The Frame Up/Gallery 204 West Main St. in Mt. Vernon, TX.

Look for the next edition ofPINEY WOODS LIVE

February 1st!HAPPY NEW YEAR!


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Anup Bhandari -Anup Bhandari - Humanitarian Artist in the Piney Woods Humanitarian Artist in the Piney Woods by Kayla Valekby Kayla ValekOne of my favorite things about the holidays is how warm and open my heart becomes. I think this, above all else, is what we yearn for eleven months of the year. Reading and learning about Anup Bhandari’s efforts reminds me that we can have these warm and fuzzy feelings anytime we help others.

Anup’s father, the late Achyut Bhandari, encouraged him to follow his dreams. Born in Nepal and schooled at Budhani-kantha in Kathmandu, Anup moved to the United States in 1999 for a higher education. He received an associate of fi ne arts degree from Kilgore College and his bachelor of fi ne arts degree from University of Texas at Tyler. Anup will re-turn to U.T. Tyler for his master degree in fi ne art next year.

Anup’s paintings have been part of several humanitarian efforts. He has donated his paintings to raise money for the victims of tsunamis. He regularly donates paintings to orga-nizations that sell them to help Nepali school children get an education.

“Art is something that I use to show my feelings to the world. I work in abstract. I am glad I chose to be an artist. My passion has not only led me to the United States, but it has been a means to know many important and wonderful people in my life.”

Anup’s abstract art refl ects his passion for the human struggle to overcome. “We are all human beings. We can help each other,” he says.

Recently Anup Bhandari lived with the homeless in East Texas for three months so he could share their stories through his art. You can see a slideshow of the photographs taken during that time by looking for the video “Places People Call Home” on Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/

TuladharAstha

Anup and his wife, Astha Tuladhar, envision a cross-conti-nental outreach to share American opportunities for artists in Nepal. Astha, also an artist, said, “The students, they had no place to exhibit their work.” Astha wants to bring this exchange in arts because Americans support the arts more broadly than in Nepal. She used our local art walks as an example.

The most recent project undertaken by Anup and Astha is their “Blankets for the Homeless” drive. Their goal is to col-lect as many new and gently used blankets as possible and distribute them to homeless individuals and to homeless shel-ters before Christmas. Donors may include a note card with a personal message. Donations may be dropped at Art Gallery 100, inside Shannons Beading Basket, 100 W Tyler street in downtown, Longview.

Just to say that Anup Bhandari’s works can be seen in Kilgore at his Apartment Gallery is an understatement. When you enter you are consumed with his art. It more than fi lls the space with messages of world peace. You may also see

Anup’s works in Wasabi’s in Tyler, at The Little Thai House in Longview, GZ’s in Longview and Gallery 100 downtown Longview. The Longview Museum of Fine Art has selected 3 paintings for their permanent collection.

The Apartment Gallery is located at 703 Houston Street apt # 9 in Kilgore. It is open weekends by appointment only. Call 903-746-0373. Follow Anup on Facebook.

When asked about his favorite work he says, “It will be the next one.”

Kayla Valek is an art student at Tyler Junior College.


First you get the horse, then you get the cartThen you get the Holy Ghost that helps you make the artThen you get the love, then you plant the treesThen you get a little one resting on your knees

By Tim Grimm – The Girl – from the CD “Holding Up the World”

I have talked a lot in the last few columns about relationships and their importance in the busi-ness of music. This issue we are going to talk about the MOST important relationship of all: your relationship with your art. I can hear you now, “Well of course, that should go unsaid”. But I beg to disagree. It needs to be said over and over again. You wouldn’t be in the business if it weren’t for your fi rst love; the art.

The lyric quote this time is from Tim Grimm, a wonderful singer/songwriter from up Indiana way (www.timgrimm.com). The four lines I am using are the chorus of a song called “The Girl”. The thing I love about the lyric is that art is represented as not separate from life, but instead as an integral part of it. According to this song our lives ARE our art. I could not have said it better. However, as we all know life isn’t always happy and agreeable, and art has the same attributes.

I know you have all heard the old saying “you can’t make a cake without breaking a few eggs.” Well you can’t make a lot of art without pissing a few folks off. Don’t be afraid of upsetting people if your art demands it. While not all art is confrontational, some art always is. That is why artists and intellectuals are the ones who get thrown in prison when there is social and politi-cal unrest. Artists are envelope pushers, speaking the unspeakable, unearthing the buried, and thinking the unthinkable, all that in public no less. Art is often an instrument of change in society. Heck, just look at Bob Dylan. He sure wasn’t worried about what others thought when he started out. While he claims he was simply writing down what he thought, his songs inspired and riveted a generation.

I recently had a personal experience with this: I had written a song called “Lloyd” which by some, especially here in ultra-conservative East Texas, I thought, could be construed as irreverent and disrespectful of deeply held religious views. For those who know me personally, those words “ir-reverent and disrespectful” pretty much embody my personality. But, I wasn’t really sure I wanted

MusicMusicby Randy Brown

The “B” Side of

DON’T FORGET THE ARTto put it out there in performance and alienate friends or fans. My wife, who is ever my sounding board on such things, said that if the song was really my feelings on the matter then, what was I afraid of? I needed to hear that. So I introduced the song in a concert performance earlier this year and got many comments about it, but they were ALL positive. Okay, so maybe the people that were upset with it just walked off never to listen again. But art like everything else in life can’t just be lukewarm, always happy and non-confrontational. For art to have power it MUST have conviction. Even, maybe most especially, if it makes you or your audience uncomfortable or challenged.

The most important thing to remember is that if you create only for money or accolades you will be almost certainly disappointed. But if you create from the heart and to your art, you will always be, at the very least, satisfi ed with your creation. Not everything you create can be popular or even accepted. But everything you create can be art.

Art is and always has been the barometer of a society. If artists aren’t free to express themselves then there is no freedom for anyone. Our job as artists is to interpret the world and life through our emotions, experiences and gut feelings and give it back to our audience. So, play for money, chase fame, but don’t forget the art. I promise you won’t regret it.

If you have comments, suggestions or criticisms about this or any of my columns feel free to send them to me: [email protected]. To hear a demo of the song I thought was so controver-sial go to www.reverbnation.com/brownrandy and listen to “Lloyd”. Let me know what you think. Visit my blog www.brownrandy.com/wordpress

See you next issue.

Randy Brown is a small business owner and singer/songwriter in East Texas and has been in-volved with many sides of the music business over the years, from being a sideman, a sound man, touring songwriter, operating a venue, and a recording studio owner/engineer.

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Tyler Museum of Art • Fall 2010

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FORM & SUBSTANCE:The Art of George Tobolowsky

September 5 – November 28Collectors’ Circle Sponsors – Betty and Dick Summers*

L.O. Griffith: Painting the Texas Landscape

September 19, 2010 – January 2, 2011Collectors’ Circle Sponsors – The Robert M. Rogers

Foundation and Mr. & Mrs. John Glass, Jr.Corporate Sponsor – The Genecov Group*

(*at time of printing)

Admission for this exhibition is $7 for adults, $5 for students & seniors; free for TMA Members.Museum Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday, 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

also on view:

Want to know more? Log on towww.tylermuseum.org

1300 S. Mahon Ave.• Tyler • 903.595.1001

Among the attractions for Wonderland of Lights this year is a special Boogie Woogie Christmas show featuring the return of Marshall’s own Omar Sharriff – along with Chuck Berry’s piano and harmonica player, Bob Baldori, and the man many experts believe to be the greatest Boogie Woogie piano player alive, Bob Seeley.

Sharriff, who was raised in Marshall as Dave Alexander Elam, starred at the June 11 Boogie Woogie Homecoming Show, when he returned to his hometown after an absence of 55 years. Sharriff was honored by the Marshall City Commission for help-ing the city celebrate the recent discovery that Marshall is the Birthplace of Boogie Woogie music.

Seeley & Baldori have thrilled audiences at the Moscow International House of Mu-sic, the Glenn Gould Theater in Toronto, and similar high-profi le venues with a daz-zling dueling pianos program. 82-year old Bob Seeley, who began his career playing with Mead Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, is also the subject of a new documentary called “Boogie Stomp!” scheduled for release in 2011.

The Boogie Stomp! documentary identifi es Marshall as the “birthplace” of Boogie Woogie music and includes commentary from Dr. John Tennison, who fi rst brought Marshall’s illustrious musical history to light after years of careful research.

The Boogie Woogie Christmas Show will be at the Marshall Visual Art Center, 208 East Burleson Street, Friday, December 17, at 7 PM.

Reserved section seats are $20 and General Admission is $10. Tickets may be bought at the Marshall Visual Art Center – cash or check only – or by credit-card on-line at www.boogiemarshall.ticketleap.com People who are interested in attending are urged to purchase their tickets soon, as the show is certain to be a sell-out. Contact: Boogie Woogie Marshall, 903-938-8966

Marshall’s Omar Sharriff returns for Boogie Woogie Christmas Show featuring Seeley & BaldoriBy Jack Canson

Gus Gustafson is responsible for booking new acts for the concert series at the Crossroads Music Company in Winnsboro. He is soliciting input on performers that our readers would like to see in 2011.

You can email Gus with suggestions at [email protected], or better yet, stop in at Crossroads and let him know in person! There will be

sponsorship opportunities available. This will help the venue book bigger names while providing advertising opportunities.

Crossroads Music Company is at 200 Market St in Winnsboro.

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I mostly like to work with spray paint, but I do like to create little sock dolls when I have the chance. I’m still an “artist in training” and I hope to get out into the world with my artwork by my side.

My spray paint pieces have different layers to them and each one is unique in its own way. I like working with random objects to see what I can create in one piece and make it look different in another. My sock dolls each have their own personality which is what makes them so wonderful. I love working with bright colors that make your eyes pop.

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Around the World in PhotographsThe Franklin County Arts Alliance is seeking members’ travel photographs for “Around the World in Photographs,” an exhibit which will open at the Annual Meeting on Thurs-day, January 6, 2011. Thereafter, the exhibit will be open free of charge on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm through January 29.

Photographs should be no larger than 8”x10” and mounted on stiff cardboard. Matting is optional. Each member may have up to 4 entries and each entry should include a 3x5 card with the member’s name and the title of work or location of photograph. Entries may be left at The Frame Up and Fine Arts Gallery, 204 West Main Street, Mt. Vernon any time in December and picked up on the last exhibit date.

The Annual Meeting and photo exhibit will be at the Cultural Arts Center, corner of Rusk and Dallas, Mt. Vernon. We’ll also enjoy a potluck dinner for which FCAA will provide the meat. Everyone is asked to bring a side dish or dessert. All members and prospective members are encouraged to attend.

Membership in FCAA is the only requirement for entering the show and you may join by sending a check ($15 for an individual or $25 for a family) to Nicki Armstrong, 520 Whispering Pine Trail, Mt. Vernon, TX 75457.

A crowd of over 250 guests joined Longview Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Soror-ity, Incorporated as it hosted its fi rst Project ART Extravaganza featuring Delta Authors on Tour, Saturday, November 13, 2010, at the Summit Club of Longview.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, non-profi t organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities through-out the world. A sisterhood of more than 200,000 predominately black college educated women, the sorority currently has over 900 chapters located in the United States, Eng-land, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Republic of Korea. The major programs of the sorority are based upon the organization’s Five Point Programmatic Thrust: economic development, educational development, international involvement and awareness, physical and mental health, political awareness and involvement. The Longview Alumnae chapter currently has 35 members and is under the leadership of President Shonna Vance.

Delta Sigma Theta’s National Commission on Arts and Letters launched Project ART: Actively Redefi ning Together. Project ART is a collective effort to support, nurture and uplift positive programming while rejecting demeaning and harmful images in all forms of art, including visual, entertainment and media. Under Project ART, Delta Authors on Tour was established to allow Delta authors to promote their books while being advocates for fi ne art and literacy. Authors JA Sheryl Adams, author of “Chameleon,” Purple Haze,” and “Unfi nished Busi-ness,” and Linda Moye, author of “ The Pledge, Life is Eternal and So Is Love” and “Pharoah’s Queen” and numerous books of prose and poetry, were the featured authors. Each author conducted roundtable book discussions, shared publishing tips and held book signings. Jazz was provided by Dorsey Summerfi eld & Company of Shreveport, Louisiana. The event also featured a black art exhibit. The following local regional artists displayed their work: Wayne Allen, Nathadis Lucas, Joe Peoples, Wensley Stephens and Candace Washington. As part of an ongoing partnership, The Longview Museum of Fine Arts dis-played several pieces by various artists. Art forms included traditional artist Eddie Watson (Marshall, Texas), who has been commended by President Obama for his work, is currently opening a gallery in the downtown Marshall area. The event was hugely successful, and the Longview Alumnae Chapter looks forward to continuing its ongoing support of the arts in the East Texas region. Longview Delta Sigma Theta is planning to host the next Project ART Extravaganza November 5, 2011.

The event was funded in part by the City of Longview Arts & Culture Commission. Kasha Williams, Arts & Letters ChairLongview Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.903-240-3464

Longview Deltas Host Project ART Extravaganza

Mr's. Cahn and Styne). But fear not, dear reader, I sipped responsibly, so as not to resemble "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Gene Autry would be proud) at any time.

Okay, by now it should be obvious that I have been messing around with The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publish-ers' (ASCAP) list of the "Top 25 Holiday Songs," and will stop at this point with an invitation that you pour yourself a glass of your favorite Texas Wine, fi re up your computer and view the entire list atwww.ascap.com/press/2005/120105_holidaysongs But before you stop reading, I would like to share a very special treat that I discovered at one of the wineries during the holidays. Consider it my wish that you enjoy it with anyone who believes that "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" any time you share Texas Wine, but especially at Christmas time. Cheers and Happy Holidays! Gluhwein 1 bottle of [your favorite] Texas Red Wine1 cup sugar3 Cinnamon sticks6 whole cloves1/8 tsp. Allspice1/8 tsp. Mace1 orange sliced1 lemon slicedPour the wine into a large pot and begin heating over low heat. As it begins to warm, add sugar and spices. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Heat thoroughly but do not allow to boil. Add orange and lemon slices. Steep for one hour over low heat. Add more sugar during this time, if desired, stirring until it dissolves. Strain mixture and serve hot…

Rick Vanderpool is a writer/photographer, living in Lubbock, Texas. See his work at www.fl ickr.com/photos/stateart1 and www.whatssograpeabouttexas.com. Meet Rick at Canton First Monday Trade Days – Arbors II. Email: [email protected]


I’m Dreaming Of A Wine Christmas by Rick Vanderpool(with apologies to Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby)

Rick Vanderpool’s photo poster celebrating his Texas Wine Country project is available for purchase at

www.whatssograpeabouttexas.com

WWINE & DINE THE PINEY WOODS

Make that a Texas Wine Christmas, of course. I don't know about Mr. Berlin, but I have read that Bing did indeed have a wine cellar (World Series fans should know this too), so he probably would understand a true fan of his work paying homage to wine and music to help you "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (thank you, Mr. Blane and Mr. Martin).

I completed my “Ninety days in Texas Wine Country” project just after the 2009 harvest and bottling activities around the state. That allowed me plenty of time to sample plenty of Texas Wine in October and November of that year, so that by late December I knew exactly what wines I would choose to "make the Yule-tide gay" (there's no place like home to enjoy good Texas Wine, right, Ms. Garland?).

How did I go about sampling, you ask? Well, I was scheduled by several wineries to come, sign my poster [www.whatssograpeabouttexas.com], and "Joy To The World" (sorry, Mr. Watts and apologies to choirs worldwide), if I wasn't invited to share a sip or two of one prime vintage after another. I must admit that I exclaimed on more than one occasion, "Let It Pour, Let It Pour, Let It Pour" (with apologies to


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Scenes from Downtown Kilgore’s Annual Mingle & Jingle held Saturday, November 27th

The annual Mingle & Jingle event is Kilgore’s downtown premier event. This year, all the shops stayed open for after hours specials. Upper story lofts were on tour and a juried art show was featured. All the Christmas lights were burning and Kilgore’s beautiful derrick stars were lit! Photos by Southwest Studios.


Using Social Media to Expose ArtDestination Pittsburg!Destination Pittsburg!

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Have you attempted to use the cur-rent “social media” phenomenon to promote your art? If you have, you may have concluded, as many others have, that you have not made the most of the opportunity. This article will show how social media is being used to promote artists and the arts, and how you can utilize the medium more fully.

Let’s start with the basics. The four most popular social media sites currently are: Face-book, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Facebook currently has more than 500 million active users, 50% of those users log on to Facebook in any given day, and more than 35 million users update their status daily. What this means for the modern day artist is that there is a community out there on social media sites just waiting to get to know you and your art.

In my work with my clients, a number of which are artists or vendors, we use social me-dia marketing sites to create social connections. Your connection with a fan in Houston creates a connection with a designer in Manhattan, which creates a connection with a retailer in Minneapolis, which picks up your line for sale in a major department store. Social media is all about connections, connections with your friends, your family, your colleagues, your fans, and your peers. Connections are the pulse of social media.

To create these connections you must utilize all the social media to target all of your audience: Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Today it is possible to link your accounts so one post gets re-posted to the other social media hubs. The old way of a person just having a website is long gone; you have to be able to spread across multiple areas to market yourself constantly.

Here are fi ve of my tried and true strategies that we use for all of our clients:

• It is a conversation, think of it that way - When you post, respond as you would to a friend. Everyone that is a fan or a friend of your page is interacting with you one-on-one. Customer service is the key. • Show interest in others - Post things that are related to your business but also likely to be informative or of interest to your fans. For example, if there is a concert happening in your city, post it. • Post daily, if not hourly - Every time you post it revolves onto your friend’s pages; the more you post the more market power you have. • No “Buy This” mentality - If you post like you advertise on TV, radio, or in the newspaper people will tune you out. Post exciting and humorous things constantly, then occasionally post your deals. Use the 70 - 30 rule: seventy percent content, thirty percent promotional content. • Respond to everyone quickly - Ever time someone comments on your post you should comment back, otherwise you lose market value. If you went into a store and said hello and no one responded, you would think of it as a bad experience, wouldn’t you?

If you utilize these strategies you will create effective connections that are gateway to successfully marketing through social media.

Clyde Hays owns and operates INTERFACE NETWORK MARKETING, a Texas based social media company with clients nationwide. He may be contacted at [email protected] or by calling 903-497-8843.


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During a press conference held at the Tyler Museum of Art, TMA Director Kimberley Tomio was joined by Laura and Dan Boeckman in announcing that the couple donated one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collections of con-temporary Mexican folk art to the Tyler Museum of Art. The collection is titled The Laura and Dan Boeckman Collection of Mexican Folk Art, and includes over 650 pieces collected in the last two decades from every state in Mexico, excluding Chiapas. The gift is the largest single donation by one source in the Museum’s history.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Laura and Dan Boeckman in not only choosing to share their immense collec-tion with the Museum, but also their commitment to sharing it with the public,” said Mrs. Tomio. “The gift distinguishes the TMA and also broadens our collection to further represent the diverse and vibrant culture in which we live.” The Museum in-stalled a permanent wall case in the lobby dedicated to showing pieces of the collection in an area of the Museum that is always open and free to the public.

The announcement of the gift coincides with two major anni-versaries for Mexico, the 200th anniversary of its independence and also the 100th anniversary of the country’s revolution. “The year 2010 will forever be signifi cant to the Tyler Museum of Art now as a reminder of our country’s connection to Mexico both from a historic and contemporary perspective, and we are thrilled to announce this gift during such a signifi cant anniver-sary year,” said Mrs. Tomio.

Mr. Boeckman commented that one of the reasons he and his wife chose the TMA to be the recipient of the gift was because of its plans to build a new museum. “We are very supportive of the Museum and hope that this gift will help further the TMA’s progress towards completion of the new building project,” he said. “We also wanted to fi nd a city that had a large Hispanic population.” According to the Offi ce of the State Demographer, in 2009, the Hispanic population in Tyler totaled 40,345, nearly 20 percent of the city’s total population. The Tyler Indepen-dent School District reports that in 2008-2009, 38.9 percent of its overall student population in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade was Hispanic/Latino.

“The vision statement of the TMA states that the Museum will be ‘a destination for people seeking a dynamic culturally enriching experience in the visual arts.’ The Laura and Dan Boeckman Collection of Mexican Folk Art ensures that the Museum’s collection represents the cultural heritage of the growing segment of our community. This is important as the Museum strives to serve our local and regional population in its diverse entirety,” said Mrs. Tomio. “We look forward to pro-moting awareness and understanding of the rich artistic legacy demonstrated by this collection in our educational program-ming both for students and adults.”

The Boeckmans, Dallas-area patrons of the arts who count the Museum Tower project in the city’s downtown arts district as their own, collected the vast bulk of the artworks during their travels in Mexico. “Both my wife and I have traveled exten-sively in Mexico, and we spent a lot of time in the interior, especially during the late 1980s and early 1990s,” said Mr. Boeckman. “We began collecting pieces of folk art, and we

One of the largest and most comprehensive collections of contemporary Mexican folk art donated to the Tyler Museum of Art

eventually decided to make an effort to collect pieces from ev-ery region. Stephen Vollmer was instrumental in this process.” Stephen Vollmer, former curator of Art of the Americas at the Tucson Museum of Art and former chief curator at the El Paso Museum of Art, helped arrange local contacts for the Boeck-mans, drove them to sites, and assisted them in other ways while he worked in Mexico.

“The mass of the collection was gathered in-situ [in the place they were produced] and then crated and packed at the time of acquisition,” said Vollmer. Then the crates would either be fl own or driven back into the states. Mr. Boeckman says that he and his wife felt compelled to preserve this art form that at the time of their collecting was already changing, if not beginning to disappear.

“Much of Mexican folk art is utilitarian,” he explained. Decora-tive plates, for example, are expensive to produce which inhib-its their production by contemporary folk artists. “It’s simply cheaper to buy paper plates than to make them yourself. Also, the untrained folk artists are diminishing in number for various reasons, one being that their communities have been disrupted,” said Mr. Boeckman.

Few comparable collections are as comprehensive as the Boeckman Collection, making it exceptionally representative of Mexican folk art. [San Antonio Museum of Art’s collection consisting of thousands of pieces, formed when a large portion of the Rockfeller Collection was gifted, is a leading collection of its kind. The Boeckman collection, while smaller, offers an excellent “view into Mexican culture, according to Mr. Vollmer, and provides a perspective of historical and contemporary values that complements the academic art that most muse-ums concentrate on.” Mexican folk art has made considerable impact on American art, especially that associated with the American Southwest.

Many different types of works are included in the collection, ranging from ceramics, textile, woodcarvings, papier mâché, paper, straw and seeds. Some of the objects are decorative artworks of daily use such as utensils, for example plates and water jugs, as well as toys and ornaments, while others are intended for ceremonial and ritual use such as elaborately detailed candelabras and trees of life. There are pieces used in traditional festivities like the intricately decorated sugar skulls and skeleton fi gures that are associated with the celebration of el día de los muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Beaded serpent. Artist unknown (Mexican, dates unknown). Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Mexico. Wood core, bee’s wax, glass seed beads, 8 x 5 1/2 x 36 3/4. Tyler Museum of Art, Gift of Laura and Dan Boeckman, Dallas.

You can be included in the next issue of Pine Woods Live. Artist profi les are printed at no cost to the artist. Simply submit your bio or a description of your work. Including a picture is a plus! Use about a hundred words or so and email it to [email protected]. That’s it! For more details, go to Page 22 of this issue.

ATTENTION ARTISTS, WRITERS AND PERFORMERS

Emma K.Robinson

Owner, Artist

1434 McCann RoadLongview, Texas

903-753-3255

Professional Custom Framing

artworldlongview.com

Give The Gift of Art!

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“A Magazine for Art Lovers in the Piney Woods.” Art is defi ned as a product of deliber-ately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods Live features articles about and for local artists with the objective of appealing to individuals with an interest in fi ne art, fi ne dining, and fi ne performances. Copies of Piney Woods Live are strategically placed where affl uent, educated East Texans who want the best out of living can enjoy them. Live is more than an expression of the artist community it serves; it gives discerning readers a blend of in-depth art news, reviews, views on the business of art, as well as information on the artists themselves.

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Artists may submit up 100 words plus a photo. Art events or venues may submit 300 or so words. All submissions must be in electronic format. Interested freelance writers or photog-raphers should contact [email protected] with ideas. Piney Woods Live reserves the right to refuse any content not suitable.

Piney Woods Live is a free publication with subscriptions available. It is distributed in twelve East Texas counties, most heavily in Smith, Gregg, Wood, Harrison, Upshur, Camp, and Franklin counties. An electronic edition is available online at www.pineywoodslive.com. Our subscribers by mail may be anywhere. Our distribution includes friendly saturation in downtown businesses in our coverage area plus museums, wineries, theatres, coffee shops, art galleries, chambers and select businesses and offi ces to maximize our ability to reach our target audience. We use paid contractors, volunteer footwork, non-profi ts, chambers, subscribers, advertisers and friends. Contact us at [email protected] to be added as a distribution point or to be a distributor in your area.

To contact an account representative for rates and other information, email [email protected] or call Melissa at 800-333-3082.

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The Kilgore College Keyboard Orchestra held a concert on November 11 at First United Methodist Church in Longview. The orchestra performed such works as Dennis Mauricio’s “American Landscape” and “Mombasa” and

Rossini’s “William Tell Over-ture”. Also featured was an original composition by orchestra member Russell Jud-kins entitled “Linsey’s Lullaby”. Solo performances were given by Madiance Willams, Hou Si Wong, Randa Gill, Matt Judkins, and Kelsie Sullivan.

The eight member Keyboard Orchestra, directed by Sandra Siler, will next perform at the New Year’s Eve Spectacular with Jon Schmidt at Maude Cobb Convention Center in Longview.

The Kilgore College Keyboard Orchestra

ART Region of Texas - New Beginnings

Photo Credits: Melissa Morris, Piney Woods Live

As the ART Region of Texas ends 2010 and begins a new year, there is much this Northeast Texas arts organization has accomplished. Organized in March of 2010 this consortium of Northeast Texas communities and various entities came together in Winnsboro to “further the individual artistic focus of each Northeast Texas city/area, while enhancing overall artistic growth for our region”.

With interactive arts events that stress the unique personalities and character of the different member cities, the ART Region of Texas serves to bring notice and success not only to the arts, but to the artists of our region.

The ART Region of Texas received their non-profi t status retroactive to July of 2010. Cit-ies such as Commerce (TAMU), Paris, Clarksville, Sulphur Springs, Mt. Vernon, Winnsboro, Mt. Pleasant (NTCC) and Mineola will continue to work together to bring about additional recognition to our region. The ART Region of Texas now has as its “mission”: “to encourage enrichment and exposure for the region of North East Texas,---to further artistic and economic growth, increase the overall quality of life and reduce poverty.”

Some of the chosen paths center around art tours/trails that show our diversity. Theatre, fi ne arts, hand-crafted products, artists’ stu-dios open to the public, performance, music, and art demonstrations/lectures are some of the artistic variations that make for a well rounded “arts package”. The ART Region of Texas is working to make that available.

www.ArtRegionofTexas.com


Have you created one or more Artist Trading Cards?

Do you trade them? Are you the member of a trading

group? Let us know about it.

Email [email protected].

Visit us online at

www.artslongview.orgfor a complete Calendar of Events!

It is unique to find a city such as Longview, that has such a vibrant arts

community – a ballet, opera, symphony orchestra, symphonic band, art museum,

historical museum, and a children’s theatre group! With such widespread support and dreams for the future, the

arts in Longview continue to flourish and it is by working together to promote our creative resources that will enhance the

arts community for everyone.

The Christmas season is always special in Marshall, Texas, and the events at the Michelson Museum of Art help make that so. Every-one is invited to come into the Museum and enjoy themselves by looking at the exhibits or participat-ing in activities such as making Artist Trading Cards.

Making and trading Artist Trading Cards is one of the newest and most popular activities in the art world. The cards are tiny works of art that are made and exchanged. They are the same size as sports trading cards with original art on the front. On the back is a message or contact information.

The Michelson has provided “activity stations” that are a way for people to be creative, express themselves and celebrate all at the same time. The museum furnishes all the supplies and creation stations where visitors of all ages may make their Artist Trading Cards, trade them or hang them on one of the lighted guest trees. The education director and local artists will be on hand to guide card artists in their creations.

The education director, Bonnie Strauss, said, “Artists Trad-ing Cards are very timely. They combine the desire to be connected as we see in all the social networking with the ap-peal of sports trading cards. Creation Stations are our answer to our visitors’ question, ‘What can we actually do other than just look at the art?’ It is hands-on expression.”

Other exhibits and activities include selections from the museum’s permanent collection and for youngest visitors, a children’s playroom and Christmas book collection. Dis-played in the galleries will be artists’ trading card trees and trees decorated with trading cards made by school children of Harrison County. Sweets of the season are served to all the Christmas guests.

The Michelson has a 13 foot lighted tree and a gallery of lighted miniature trees to dazzle the eyes of everyone ex-pected at the World of Wonder Lights this year.

With so many visitors expected, the Michelson hours have been extended for the fi rst three weekends in December: 12 noon to 5 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thurs-day, Friday and Saturday 12 noon to 6 pm. The Michelson is located at 216 North Bolivar. Call 903-935-9480 for more information.

Christmas at the Michelson Museum of ArtWhat are Artist Trading Cards?Artist trading cards, ATCs, are original miniature works of art created on 2.5” by 3.5” card stock. The back of the cards typi-cally contain the artists biographical information. The cards are not intended for sale, but to be traded by the artist for another artist’s card of percieved equal value. ATCs can be made from a number of different media including paint, paper collage, rub-ber stamps, wax crayons, markers, photography and fabric.

How does trading work?Anybody can produce an Artist Trading Card. The idea is that you trade them with other people who also produce cards. Early on, personal contact between the artists was emphasized, and organized trading sessions were central to the concept. Nonetheless, since this was a world-wide phenomenon, trad-ing cards by mail were necessary, and in fact enccouraged. More recently, online trading sessions and contacts through social media have made it much easier for trading networks to develop among artists of all skill levels.

The history of ATCs.It is generally agreed that Zurich artist M. Vanci Stirnemann initiated the popularization of ATCs, although the concept can trace its roots to earlier practices such as mailart. Stirnemann held a gallary showing in 1997 in Zurich Switzerland, in which 1200 cards were exhibited. Visitors who attended the show were told that if they wished to have one of the cards they must bring one of their own creations to trade for it. Artists who attended that session quickly spread the practice around the globe. In a few years time regular trading sessions were being held all over the U.S. at various art galleries, schools and colleges.

How can I learn more?In addition to the hands-on experience you can gain at the Michelson Museum, here are some interesting places on the internet.ArtTrader Magazine is a web based publication focused on mail art for trade such as ATCs, ACEOs, art journals, chunky books, altered art and altered art books. It has galleries and eye candy, discussions of art trading, and technique articles! www.arttradermag.com

ATCsforAll is a community forum focusing on ATC and mail art trading and swapping. Features include a gallery and a trader rating system to faciliate trading between members. Everyone and all mediums are welcome.www.atcsforall.com


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Piney Woods Live December 2010