Ashe County Arts Council303 School AvenueWest Jefferson, NC 28694

No. 184 September – October – November 2016

Publication of the Ashe County Arts Council

ARTS/DATES

STAFF: Jane Lonon, Executive Director; Linda Dreyer, Director of Operations; Rebecca Williams, Program Director; Zaneeta, Resident Mouse-Catcher

Website: www.ashecountyarts.org E-mail: jane@ashecountyarts.org303 School Avenue, West Jefferson, NC 28694

336.846-2787

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

1-3... “Doors and Windows” exhibit, Ashe Arts Center2... Zephyr Lightning Bolts in concert, 5:30 pm, Backstreet Park4... Mountain Home Music: A Special Labor Day Tribute to American Workers, 7:30 pm, Harvest House, Boone 4... 14th Annual New River Blues Festival, River House, Grassy Creek 6... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center7-30... “More Than Words” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center8... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4 pm, ASA8... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center9... Gallery Crawl, 5-8pm, Downtown West Jefferson9... Artists’ reception for “More Than Words” exhibit, 5-8pm, Arts Center13... Elliot Engel, 7:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center13-17... On The Same Page Literary Festival, various Ashe County locations16-17... A Quilt Hanging, Ashe County Senior Center, West Jefferson 16-17... West Jefferson Olde Time Antiques Fair, downtown West Jefferson17... Tribute Show: Blues Brothers & Buddy Holly, BR Dinner Theatre23... Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 pm, Ashe Civic Center 24... Blue Ridge Art Clan meets, 9:30 am, Mt. Jefferson Presbyterian Church24... Art on the Mountain, 9am - 3pm, Ashe Arts Center24... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Arts Center26... Tribute Show: Rod Stewart, BR Dinner Theatre, 336-246-290028... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library

NOVEMBER

1-18... “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center4... Donald Sinta Quartet, 7:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center12... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Civic Center15... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center10... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4pm, ASA10... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center20... Emile Pandolfi in concert, 2pm, Ashe Civic Center23... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library22-29... “Tree Fest” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center

OCTOBER

1... Autumn Leaf Festival, Museum of Ashe County History, Jefferson1-8... “More Than Words” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center 7-9.. Ashe County Little Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird, Civic Center8... Fall Harvest Festival, Ashe Farmer’s Market8... Festival of the Frescoes, Glendale Springs, 9am-3pm8... Todd Fall Festival, Todd. www.toddruritan.org10... Ashe County Little Theatre quarterly meeting, 5:30 pm, Arts Center11... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center13-31... “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center13... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4pm, ASA13... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center14... Gallery Crawl, 5-8pm, Downtown West Jefferson14... Artists’ reception for “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, 5-8pm15... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Civic Center15... Dixie Dawn Band, BR Dinner Theatre, 336-246-290015... Wordkeepers Salon, 4pm, Ashe Arts Center 17-22... Missoula Children’s Theatre residency, Ashe Civic Center22... Blue Ridge Art Clan meets, 9:30 am, Mt. Jefferson Presbyterian Church22... MCT’s Rapunzel, 3pm and 7:30 pm, Ashe Civic Center26... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library29... Coffee House Live!, 7:30 pm, WJUMC Hensley Hall

IT’S FUND DRIVE TIME FOR THE ARTS! September is always a banner month for the Arts Council, as we announce the new programming season and celebrate our 38th year as an organization serving the arts needs of Ashe County. We’ll kick off our annual fund drive in September to raise funds for the arts.

As we begin another year of community concerts at the Ashe Civic Center and Ashe Arts Center, gallery exhibits, school arts assembly programs, the Junior Appalachian Musicians Project (JAM), downtown murals, the Gallery Crawl, Spring Fest, On The Same Page Literary Festival, the Barn Quilt Project, the Fiddlers Convention, and the Studio Tours we realize that you who have shared in the Arts Council’s vision all these years play a dual role in its success. You provide both intangible gifts of time, energy and enthusiasm and the financial support we need to continue our mission of promoting the arts in all forms in Ashe County.

Information about the 2016-2017 Fund Drive and schedules for the year will be in the mail soon. The Arts Council expresses its gratitude for the past contributions and thanks you in advance for your future support. Contributions may be mailed to 303 School Avenue, West Jefferson, NC 28694, or online donations are accepted at www.ashecountyarts.org.

WESTERN PIEDMONT CHAMBER ORCHESTRAThe Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra will fill the Ashe Civic Center with music at 7:30 pm Friday evening, September 23. Under the direction of John Gordon Ross, the Orchestra is in its 52nd year of providing musical performances of distinction that enrich and enliven the community’s classical music experiences.

The concert, Night Train: Rolling Down the Tracks, A Celebration of Railroads, includes works by Johann Strauss, Aaron Copland, John Phillip Sousa, Scott Joplin, three big

band hits, and Antonin Dvorak’s Humoreske. The concert selections take you on a musical journey! Re-served seating tickets are available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787. Ticket prices are $21 for adults and $5 for students.

Funding for the concert is made possible through the generous contributions of Friends of the Symphony and is sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council.

EMILE PANDOLFI in Concert Special Guest Vocalist Dana Russell

The holidays are coming early to the Ashe Civic Center! Classically trained pianist Emile Pandolfi returns to the Ashe County stage for a concert at 2pm on Sunday, No-vember 20. Pandolfi has performed professionally for more than 35 years, applying his outstanding technique to favorite melodies, coupled with an intimate rapport between artist and his audience.

Emile’s concert of holiday selections will feature rich arrangements of time-honored standards including “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and “Winter Wonderland.” His performances are laced with an endearing dose of humor & feature the polished vocals of guest artist Dana Russell. Piano. Passion. Emotion. Entertainment. You’ll be hearing familiar songs as though you are experiencing them for the very first time. Reserved seating tickets are available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center, $22 for adults, $5 for students, or over the phone with a credit card. Call 336.846-2787. This is an event you don’t want to miss - and just in time for the holidays!

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT # 3609CHARLOTTE NC

SCHOOL ARTS IN ASHEThe Arts Council’s sponsorship of cultural programs in Ashe County Schools continues to enhance students’ education through the arts. Concerts, programs and residencies are offered throughout the year in music, dance, theatre, visual arts and literature.

The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) Program offers free instruction in guitar, banjo and fiddle to the county’s fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students beginning in October. The Ashe County Choral Festival brings chorus students together for a public concert in December. The visual arts are well represented in the Council’s annual Young at Art exhibit in The Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center. Spring Fest and the Very Special Arts Festival offer daylong celebrations of the arts for Ashe County’s young people.

The Arts in Education programs are sponsored jointly by the Ashe County Arts Council and local schools with funding support from a North Carolina Arts Council Folklife Grant for the JAM Program, and a Grassroots Arts Program Grant for Spring Fest, Mike Wiley, and the Choral Festival. The North Carolina Arts Council is a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

During the 2016 – 2017 school year students will experience:

• Timmy and Susanna Abell, traditional music, stories, and more• Elliot Engel, lecture-drama on literary great, Charles Dickens• Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, a musical journey, Rolling Down the Tracks-A Celebration of Railroads • Paul Taylor Dance Company, fresh, unique contemporary dance• Missoula Children’s Theatre, workshops• The Bully of Bullybay, anti-bullying theme with music, dance, and a message• Maximus Mars, anti-bullying theatre for older students that focuses on cyber bullying• Didgeridoo Down Under, the music, rhythms, and culture of Australia• Mike Wiley, Tired Souls• Scott Ainsley, music and history of the blues• Barter Theatre Players, Great Expectations• Appalachian Young People’s Theatre, The Mischief Makers - foolery, suspense and fun • Mickey McMasters, visual arts residency

JuniorAppalachian

Musicians

Elliot EngelProfessor Elliot Engel returns to the Ashe Arts Center on Tuesday evening, September 13 at 7:30 pm for an entertaining evening of humor, literature, and enlightening entertainment with The Brilliance of Jane Austen - The first great author in our language who was not a man. Using anecdotes, analysis, and large doses of humor, Dr. Engel’s presentations are fast paced, fascinating, and full of information. His previous programs on Dickens, Twain, Shakespeare, O.Henry, The History and Mystery of Wine, and L. Frank Baum were standing room only crowds! Tickets are $14 for adults and $5 for students, and are available in advance at the Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787.

ON THE SAME PAGE LITERARY FESTIVAL A CELEBRATION OF READING AND WRITINGON THE SAME PAGE, Ashe County’s Literary Festival, will take place over five days in September. During the festival, the Ashe County Public Library and the Ashe County Arts Council will present two dozen events in and around West Jefferson, North Caroli-na. More than a month of related events will precede and follow the festival proper. The 2016 Festival features guest speakers and authors Darnell Arnoult, Diane Chamberlain, Judy Cook, Elliot Engel, Georgann Eubanks, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Jeremy Hawkins, Charlie Lovett, Beth Macy, Sarah Shaber, and Kevin Morgan Watson.

On the Same Page will be held from Tuesday, September 13 through Saturday, September 17. Highlights include: Tuesday, September 13:• 10:30 am Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. Songs and learning for Birth to Age 5 and Adults. Sing to Your Baby. Ashe County Public Library.• 3:30 pm Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. Singing together for Grades K-2, Parents and Grandparents. Yodel-Ay-Hee-Hoo. Library.• 7:30 pm Elliot Engel. Literary performance. The Brilliance of Jane Austen. Ashe Arts Center. Tickets/Admission.Wednesday, September 14:• 8:30-10:30 am Georgann Eubanks. Workshop. Writing Documentary Style Nonfiction. Reservation required. Ashe County Public Library.•11am Kevin Morgan Watson. Founder, Press 53. Navigating the Publishing Universe. Friends of the Ashe County Library feature presentation. Ashe County Public Library.•1:30–3:30 pm Jeremy Hawkins. Workshop. Unforgettable First Chapters. Reservation required. Ashe County Public Library.• 4pm Festival Read Discussion. “Pretending to Dance” by Diane Chamberlain. A lively discussion and wrap-up of this year’s Festival Read, led by Susan Caddell. Ashe County Public Library. Thursday, September 15:• 10am Charlie Lovett shares tales from his mystery novels with a literary twist. Ashe County Public Library.• 12pm Literary Trails Luncheon. Lunch with Georgann Eubanks. Boxed lunches, nominal charge, reservation required. Library.• 2pm Diane Chamberlain, our Festival Read author, writes page-turning and captivating stories. Ashe County Public Library.• 4pm Sarah Shaber. Hear about Sarah’s wonderful character, Louise Pearlie, and her WWII OSS service, and more. Friday, September 16:• 9:30-11:30 am Darnell Arnoult. Workshop. Poetry and the Meaningful Specific. Ashe County Public Library. Reservation required.• 12pm Lunch with an Author. Informal discussions over lunch with our authors. Chat, ask questions, and share a meal. Sign-up to dine with authors Arnoult, Chamberlain, Hawkins, Lovett, Macy and Shaber. Reservation required. Local restaurants/venues. Dutch treat.• 2pm Beth Macy. Join author of the NY Times bestseller “Factory Man” and hear about her upcoming book “Truvine” due out in October. • 4pm Jeremy Hawkins. Author of “Last Days of Video” reads from and discusses his novel about a college town in North Carolina and the characters he created. Ashe County Public Library.•7:30 pm Telling Stories Live: An Evening of Song and Storytelling. Featuring Judy Cook and special guests. Ashe Arts Center.Saturday, September 17:• 8am-1pm Ashe County Farmers’ Market. Downtown West Jefferson on the Backstreet. Admission is free. Produce, craft items, and more are available for sale. Check outour vendors’ book favorites while you’re there.• 8:30 am Page Turner’s Breakfast. For OTSP Festival supporters; at the West Jefferson home of Chris Arvidson & Henry Doss. • 10:30 am Darnell Arnoult, poet, teacher, novelist, shares her new poetry book “Galaxie Wagon” with the Festival. Ashe County Library.• 12:30 pm On the Same Plate. Luncheon and panel discussion with Festival authors. Nominal charge, reservation required. West Jefferson United Methodist Church Community Room

Most festival events are free and open to the public; a few require tickets and/or advance registration, and fewer still carry an admission charge. Check the Festival’s website for additional information, www.onthesamepageliteraryfestival.org. Registration and ticket infor-mation can be obtained from the Ashe County Arts Council at 336.846-2787. ON THE SAME PAGE has been awarded a grant from South Arts, along with funding and support from SkyLine Telephone Membership Corporation, the County of Ashe, the Friends of the Ashe Coun-ty Public Library, Town of West Jefferson, and Caddell Communications.

WKSK GARY POE RADIO SHOWMark your calendars for the popular WKSK Gary Poe Radio Show broadcast live! Be-ginning “a little after 11:00” Gary will bring the best in bluegrass and old time music to the Ashe Arts Center Saturday, September 24 with The Sheets Family Band, and to the stage of the Ashe Civic Center October 15 with Sugarloaf Ramblers and November 12 featuring a reunion of the Rock Bottom Band. Admission is free! Don’t miss it!

AMAZON SMILECan’t find what you need locally? Ordering on-line? If you purchase from Amazon, make sure you are signed up for the Amazon Smile Program (smile.amazon.com). You can designate that your purchas-es support the Ashe County Arts Council and we will get a percentage of what you spend. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, it’s easy, and the arts in Ashe are the beneficiary! Thanks for your help.

SEPTEMBER

PAGE TURNERSThe Arts Council and Library gratefully acknowledge the financial contributions from the PAGE TURNERS, individuals and businesses committed to supporting ON THE SAME PAGE and reading and writing in Ashe County. The following donations have been received as of August 17, 2016. Thanks for helping us to keep turning those pages! Sponsor $500-up:Chris Arvidson, Karen & Gil Brock, Melinda Hamrick, John MacConnell, Skyline/SkyBest Communications

Benefactor $250-$499:Chip & Judy Anderson, Judi Brown, Bobby & Susan Caddell, Christopher Jones, Katrina Miller, Janet Montgomery

Patron $100-$249:Pete & Mimi Brandt, Kathy Chefas, Pat Considine & Alice Atwood, Bennett Darnell, Linda Dreyer & Jenny Bezingue, Jane Davis, Ted and Billie Goodman, Debbie Handy, Mike & Rhonda Herman, Clint Johnson, Phil & Carolyn Johnson, Wayne & Diane Johnson, Edith Jones, Henry Jordan II in honor of Ruth Jordan Ashe, Julie Landry, Tom Lane, Nita Langer, Dallas and Sandra Lassen, Jane Lonon, Becky Marsten, Tom and Linda McClintock, Anita Pangle, Sandy Pinto, Louis & Janet Pittard, Lewis & Pat Poag, Ray Podd & Linda Stanley, Felicitas Bugarin Santos, Bill & Sue Stiles, Jim & Pam Tapp, Julie Townsend, R.E. Services, Patty Wheeler, Carol Williams

Contributors $20-$99:Mike and Carole Acquesta, Becky Burgess, Barbara Chatham, Miriam Haddad, Evalynn Halsey, Connie Hardison, Libby Hoff-man, Kathy Howell, Ron and Jane Huber, Glenda Jones, Karin and Gerhard Kalmus, Sharon Kasel, Susan Meredith, Charles Mitchell, Karen Moll, Jack & Pat Moncrief, Vaughn & Beth Morrison, Gay Murrill, Diana Renfro, Larry and Martha Rhodes, Chuck and Ann Rice, Peter & Becky Stragand, Margaret Todd, June Weaver, Gary & Carolyn Wolfe

COFFEE HOUSE LIVE!

It’s Coffee House Live time on October 29! Everyone’s favorite evening of local entertain-ment, food, and fun will be held in the West

Jefferson Methodist Church Hensley Hall beginning at 7:30 pm.

Featured entertainers include Mary Greene performing folk songs and traditional music on

the dulcimer, the favorite old time band, Elkville String Band with Trevor McKenzie

(fiddle and vocals), Herb Key (guitar and vocals), Bill Williams (singing harmony and bass), and Jim Lloyd (banjo and vocals), and David Van

Hoy (songs and stories). Other guest performers will be announced.

Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and the Arts Council’s famous desserts will complement the evening.

Join the Arts Council for a night of entertainment and fun you won’t forget! Admission at the door

is $12 for adults and $5 for students.

MORE THAN WORDSMore Than Words, an exhibit of visual art and literary works, is a collaborative venture by Ashe County artists and writers. The challenge to the participants was to work together to cre-ate new works each inspired by their partner. A writer draws pictures with words, and an artist places words in your head with pictures. More Than Words showcases paintings, pho-tography, poetry, prose, short stories, and narrative pieces that relate to each other.

Participating artist and writer teams include Joanie Bell and Chris Arvidson, Pete Benda and Diana Renfro, Berkeley Brown and Mar Stegall, Doug Butler and Scot Pope, Brenda Carson and Judy & Pete Benda, Kelly Clampitt and Lyn Soeder, Cassandra Greer and Melissa Edmondson, Karen Gross and Suzanne Moore, Evalynn Halsey and Frank Kruesi, Adam Kahn and Aviva Kahn, Jane Maddocks and Peter Leslie, Judy Mitchell and Becky Stragand, Pat Morrison and Becky Henderson-Gow, Gay Murrill and Hugh Howey, Ron Pehmoeller and Mickeal Goss, Scot Pope and Nan Zoppi, Linda Dease Smith and Kathy Leahy, Dawn Wicklow and Earl Leclaire, Susan Van Wyk and Sandy Lassen.

More Than Words opens September 7 and runs through October 8. A reception for the artists will be held from 5-8pm on Friday evening, September 9 in conjunction with the Gallery Crawl and the On the Same Page Literary Festival.

TREE FEST Christmas is coming, and the Ashe Arts Center will be decked out in its finery again this year! Tree Fest celebrates the holiday season with seven beautifully decorated trees, an exhibit of miniature artwork, and Christmas Marketplace. Tree Fest opens November 21 and may be viewed Monday through Satur-day throughout the holiday season. The Arts Council’s popular, handcrafted ornament tree, My Favorite Things, will include new ornaments for your seasonal collection in clay, paper, fibers, wood, and stained glass. Look for details of Tree Fest in the December issue of ARTS/DATES.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!Grant funds are available for artists! The Regional Art-ist Project Grant deadline is soon, September 9. Check the website, www.ashecountyarts.org, or call the Arts Council now for more information and an application form. This might be your lucky year!

Donald Sinta QuartetFour saxophones in concert? Really? Really! The Donald Sinta Quartet will be present-ed in the Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center on Friday eve-ning, November 4 beginning at 7:30 pm.

Since forming in November of 2010, The Donald Sinta Quartet (DSQ) has quickly achieved international renown for their recit-als, concerto performances, completely memorized presentation, and championing of the very latest repertoire from emerging young composers. Hailing from across the country, DSQ is named for leg-endary University of Michigan Saxophone Professor Donald Sinta, the group’s mentor.

DSQ’s repertoire spans centuries and encompasses the great string quartet repertoire of Dvorak, Schubert, and Shostakovich, as well as numerous saxophone standards and several new commissions and premieres. They have toured internationally and have been fea-tured frequently on American Public Media’s Performance Today.

Tickets are $14 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the Ashe Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787.

ARTS COUNCIL RECEIVES GRANTSThe Ashe County Arts Council is grateful for the receipt of grants from local, state and national organizations in support of arts programming in Ashe County for 2016-2017.

North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:• Grassroots Arts Program Grant • Regional Artist Project Grant for Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Watauga counties to fund individual artist projects • The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) Program is supported by a Folklife Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and a grant from the Wayne C. Henderson Festival.

South Arts provided a Literary Touring Arts Grant in support of the On the Same Page Literary Festival and authors Beth Macy and Darnell Arnoult.

The Ashe County Arts Council’s mission is to enrich the cultural life of the region. Ashe County appreciates the support from South Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the National Endow-ment for the Arts to help make quality arts happen in rural Ashe County. North Carolina is truly “The State of the Arts.”

GALLERY CRAWLS continue in downtown West Jefferson the second Friday of each month through October from 5 – 8pm. Participating galleries include Acorn Gallery, Ashe Arts Center, Ashe Custom Framing & Gallery, Barn Quilt Headquarters, Backstreet Beads, Bohemia Gallery, Catchlight Gallery, Dawg Lot, Foxfire Holler Fiber Art Gallery, Florence Thomas Art School, Frenchy’s Art Gallery, Great Southern Gothic Gallery, Originals Only

Gallery, Quilt Square Girls, Riverside Trading Post, RT Morgan Art Gallery, Stephen Shoemaker Studio, and West Jefferson Coffee Shop.

The many galleries and craft shops that comprise the ARTS DISTRICT will be open September 9 and October 14 giving visitors opportunities to see new, creative, innovative works by Ashe County’s leading artists. Admission to the Gallery Crawl is free. Maps are available at the Ashe Arts Center and other participating galleries. Many galleries offer refreshments, and special in-store promotions will be held throughout the evening at select stops on the Crawl. Live music is also offered at select galleries and on the streets. As a companion piece to the On the Same Page Literary Festival, street readers will be spread through-out the Town during the September Crawl. The Street Readers will share their favorite books, original writings, and poetry with the Crawl crowd.

The Crawl is sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council. For more informa-tion, call the participating galleries or the Arts Center at 336.846-2787.

Painters from Ashe and surrounding counties are invited to submit works for THE BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE, a juried fine art com-petition and exhibition. Visual artists residing in Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga, Wilkes, Grayson and Johnson Counties are eligible to sub-mit original work that has been executed within the last three years. Paintings, drawings, hand pulled prints and two-dimensional mixed media works will be accepted. There is a non-refundable entry fee and delivery dates are October 8 and 10 at the Ashe Arts Center. A Prospectus for the show is available from the Arts Council.

Juror for the Best of the Blue Ridge is Toni Carlton, owner and curator of Carlton Gallery which exhibits fine art and promotes art-ists in all media. Toni earned a degree in Art and Industrial Arts at Appalachian State University and a minor in Business Administration; she also earned a certificate in Expressive Art. Toni Carlton began her art career as a fiber artist. Currently Carlton’s holistic work is a series of mixed media paintings incorporating calligraphic writing and symbols along with her own handwoven fibers.

Carlton has developed her own unique style she calls Art Blessings which offers not only the creative arts but also meditation, expres-sion of energy through movement, sound, voice, writing, prayers and art making. Each modality adds a different element of expres-sion that can be experienced not only by the artist but also by the viewer.

Awards for the show are provided by corporate sponsor Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. The popular People’s Choice Award will be awarded on November 1 following voting by visitors to the exhibit.

The exhibit opens October 12 and runs through November 16. The public is invited to the opening reception for the artists on Friday, October 14 from 5 – 8pm in conjunction with the Fall Gallery Crawl. The awards presentation will occur at 6pm. For more information, contact the Arts Council at 336.846-2787.

RAPUNZELAuditions will be held for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of RAPUNZEL from 3:45 to 5:45 pm Monday, October 17 in the Civic Center Auditorium. Those audition-ing should arrive at 3:45 pm and plan to stay for the full two hours. Some of the cast members will be asked to stay for a rehearsal immediately following the audition.

Among the roles to be cast are Rapunzel, the Princes, Madame Gothel, Rapunzel’s parents, the Wood Elves, Ears of Corn and a Potato, Unicorns, Pixies, Gremlins, Billy Goats Gruff, a Troll, Three Bears, a Beaver, Ogres and Mushrooms. Students, ages Kindergarten through 12th grade, are encouraged to audition. No advance prepa-ration is necessary. Assistant Directors will also be cast to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and to take on essen-tial backstage responsibilities.

Missoula Children’s Theatre touring productions are com-plete with costumes, scenery, props and makeup. MCT Tour Actor/Directors will conduct rehearsals throughout the week from 3:30 to 8pm each day.There is a $25 fee per cast member to help defray the cost of this learning experience. This production is sponsored and funded by the Ashe County Arts Council, the Ashe Civic Center, and the Ashe County Little Theatre. RAPUNZEL will be presented at 3:00 and 7:30 pm Saturday, October 22 at the Civic Center. Ticket price is $12 for adults and $5 for students, and will be available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center or by call-ing 336.846-2787.

OCTOBER

Best of the Blue Ridge

Thank you! For volunteering at Christmas in July, Ashe County Bluegrass & Old Time Fiddler’s Convention, Blue Ridge Brutal 100, Concerts, Gallery Crawls, and more!Mike & Carole Acquesta, Chris Arvidson & Henry Doss, Sierra Adams, Madeline Baker, Wesley Barker, Michael & Joanie Bell, Tab & Eileen Bell, Susanne Black, Swift Black, Vicky Blevins, Nancy Breen, Brian Bunten, Fowler & Jennie Bush, Gabriel Cambre, Mary Cannon, Kelly Clampitt, Maykala Church, Phil Cole, Mable Coleman, Baron Cooper, Theresa Early Curd, Judy Current, Destiney Cummings, Judy Dancy, Jane Davis, Robin Delgado, Anita & Dan Dimon, Jeff Dreyer, Dave Eastburn, Tom Fowler, Jay & Marilyn Gibbs, Sally Glass, Elaine Graham, Karen Gross, Debbie Handy, Russ Hanes, Connie Hardison, Kelly Halsey, Jeanette Herman, Zachary Holman, Donna Howell, Kathy Howell, Earl & Pattie Huffman, Shanna Huffman, Earl Inge, Eva Ingle, Kim & Richard Isler, Dana & Donnie Johnson, Diane & Wayne Johnson, Sharon Kasel, Steve, Drew and Alex Katz, Ed Kline, Mike & Mary Fran Knight, Pat Lanno, Matthew Lonon, Gilly Macknee, Monica Madden-Lynn, John Maddocks, Becky Marsten, John MacConnell, Julie Meredith, Susan Meredith, Jennifer Miller, Les Miller, Robin Miller, Suzanne Moore, Oliver Moss, Bill & Barb Naser, Terri Palmer, Gerry Patterson, Allyson Perlman, Owen Peeler, Ed and Ellie Perzel, Gary Poe, Scot Pope, Lindsey Postlethwait, Susan Powers, Burt Prange, Celeste Ramseur, Katelyn Rash, Lynn Rees-Jones, Ramona Renfroe, Shelton Resnick, Jim & Karen Reynolds, Brittany Rutherford, Brooke Rutherford, Sarah & Wade Sanders, Bobbi Jo Scott, Barbara Sears, Jake Shepherd, Ike Smith, John Smyre, Becky Stragand, Pam Tapp, Tom Truxal, Susan Van Wyk, Charlie Vitale, Della Vodenicker, June Weaver, Jim Williams, Victoria Wirth, Carter Wilson, Jim Wilson, Janice Wright, Mandy Wright, Jo Wohlfeld, Erica Wrencher. Thanks to the Blue Ridge Brutal Rest Stop Volunteers, SAG Wagons, Ashe Amateur Radio Club and the Mountain Dawgs!

Promoting West Jefferson’s Arts District

Ashe County Little Theatre

presents

October 7 - 9, 2016Ashe Civic Center

Adults: $16 • Students: $5includes applicable sales tax

All seats reserved Call (336) 846-2787

WORDKEEPERS SALONWordkeepers, an afternoon salon featuring writers reading their latest prose and poetry will be held at the Ashe Arts Center on Saturday, October 15 beginning at 4pm.Five-minute open microphone time slots are available; spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing Chris Arvidson at chris@chrisarvidson.com. Wordkeepers was begun in 2010 by local writers Arvidson, Scot Pope and Julie Townsend to encourage the creation of new work and to provide an appreciative audience for the writer. Word-keepers is free and open to the public. Refreshments are provided.

SEPTEMBER

PAGE TURNERSThe Arts Council and Library gratefully acknowledge the financial contributions from the PAGE TURNERS, individuals and businesses committed to supporting ON THE SAME PAGE and reading and writing in Ashe County. The following donations have been received as of August 17, 2016. Thanks for helping us to keep turning those pages! Sponsor $500-up:Chris Arvidson, Karen & Gil Brock, Melinda Hamrick, John MacConnell, Skyline/SkyBest Communications

Benefactor $250-$499:Chip & Judy Anderson, Judi Brown, Bobby & Susan Caddell, Christopher Jones, Katrina Miller, Janet Montgomery

Patron $100-$249:Pete & Mimi Brandt, Kathy Chefas, Pat Considine & Alice Atwood, Bennett Darnell, Linda Dreyer & Jenny Bezingue, Jane Davis, Ted and Billie Goodman, Debbie Handy, Mike & Rhonda Herman, Clint Johnson, Phil & Carolyn Johnson, Wayne & Diane Johnson, Edith Jones, Henry Jordan II in honor of Ruth Jordan Ashe, Julie Landry, Tom Lane, Nita Langer, Dallas and Sandra Lassen, Jane Lonon, Becky Marsten, Tom and Linda McClintock, Anita Pangle, Sandy Pinto, Louis & Janet Pittard, Lewis & Pat Poag, Ray Podd & Linda Stanley, Felicitas Bugarin Santos, Bill & Sue Stiles, Jim & Pam Tapp, Julie Townsend, R.E. Services, Patty Wheeler, Carol Williams

Contributors $20-$99:Mike and Carole Acquesta, Becky Burgess, Barbara Chatham, Miriam Haddad, Evalynn Halsey, Connie Hardison, Libby Hoff-man, Kathy Howell, Ron and Jane Huber, Glenda Jones, Karin and Gerhard Kalmus, Sharon Kasel, Susan Meredith, Charles Mitchell, Karen Moll, Jack & Pat Moncrief, Vaughn & Beth Morrison, Gay Murrill, Diana Renfro, Larry and Martha Rhodes, Chuck and Ann Rice, Peter & Becky Stragand, Margaret Todd, June Weaver, Gary & Carolyn Wolfe

COFFEE HOUSE LIVE!

It’s Coffee House Live time on October 29! Everyone’s favorite evening of local entertain-ment, food, and fun will be held in the West

Jefferson Methodist Church Hensley Hall beginning at 7:30 pm.

Featured entertainers include Mary Greene performing folk songs and traditional music on

the dulcimer, the favorite old time band, Elkville String Band with Trevor McKenzie

(fiddle and vocals), Herb Key (guitar and vocals), Bill Williams (singing harmony and bass), and Jim Lloyd (banjo and vocals), and David Van

Hoy (songs and stories). Other guest performers will be announced.

Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and the Arts Council’s famous desserts will complement the evening.

Join the Arts Council for a night of entertainment and fun you won’t forget! Admission at the door

is $12 for adults and $5 for students.

MORE THAN WORDSMore Than Words, an exhibit of visual art and literary works, is a collaborative venture by Ashe County artists and writers. The challenge to the participants was to work together to cre-ate new works each inspired by their partner. A writer draws pictures with words, and an artist places words in your head with pictures. More Than Words showcases paintings, pho-tography, poetry, prose, short stories, and narrative pieces that relate to each other.

Participating artist and writer teams include Joanie Bell and Chris Arvidson, Pete Benda and Diana Renfro, Berkeley Brown and Mar Stegall, Doug Butler and Scot Pope, Brenda Carson and Judy & Pete Benda, Kelly Clampitt and Lyn Soeder, Cassandra Greer and Melissa Edmondson, Karen Gross and Suzanne Moore, Evalynn Halsey and Frank Kruesi, Adam Kahn and Aviva Kahn, Jane Maddocks and Peter Leslie, Judy Mitchell and Becky Stragand, Pat Morrison and Becky Henderson-Gow, Gay Murrill and Hugh Howey, Ron Pehmoeller and Mickeal Goss, Scot Pope and Nan Zoppi, Linda Dease Smith and Kathy Leahy, Dawn Wicklow and Earl Leclaire, Susan Van Wyk and Sandy Lassen.

More Than Words opens September 7 and runs through October 8. A reception for the artists will be held from 5-8pm on Friday evening, September 9 in conjunction with the Gallery Crawl and the On the Same Page Literary Festival.

TREE FEST Christmas is coming, and the Ashe Arts Center will be decked out in its finery again this year! Tree Fest celebrates the holiday season with seven beautifully decorated trees, an exhibit of miniature artwork, and Christmas Marketplace. Tree Fest opens November 21 and may be viewed Monday through Satur-day throughout the holiday season. The Arts Council’s popular, handcrafted ornament tree, My Favorite Things, will include new ornaments for your seasonal collection in clay, paper, fibers, wood, and stained glass. Look for details of Tree Fest in the December issue of ARTS/DATES.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!Grant funds are available for artists! The Regional Art-ist Project Grant deadline is soon, September 9. Check the website, www.ashecountyarts.org, or call the Arts Council now for more information and an application form. This might be your lucky year!

Donald Sinta QuartetFour saxophones in concert? Really? Really! The Donald Sinta Quartet will be present-ed in the Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center on Friday eve-ning, November 4 beginning at 7:30 pm.

Since forming in November of 2010, The Donald Sinta Quartet (DSQ) has quickly achieved international renown for their recit-als, concerto performances, completely memorized presentation, and championing of the very latest repertoire from emerging young composers. Hailing from across the country, DSQ is named for leg-endary University of Michigan Saxophone Professor Donald Sinta, the group’s mentor.

DSQ’s repertoire spans centuries and encompasses the great string quartet repertoire of Dvorak, Schubert, and Shostakovich, as well as numerous saxophone standards and several new commissions and premieres. They have toured internationally and have been fea-tured frequently on American Public Media’s Performance Today.

Tickets are $14 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the Ashe Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787.

ARTS COUNCIL RECEIVES GRANTSThe Ashe County Arts Council is grateful for the receipt of grants from local, state and national organizations in support of arts programming in Ashe County for 2016-2017.

North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:• Grassroots Arts Program Grant • Regional Artist Project Grant for Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Watauga counties to fund individual artist projects • The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) Program is supported by a Folklife Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and a grant from the Wayne C. Henderson Festival.

South Arts provided a Literary Touring Arts Grant in support of the On the Same Page Literary Festival and authors Beth Macy and Darnell Arnoult.

The Ashe County Arts Council’s mission is to enrich the cultural life of the region. Ashe County appreciates the support from South Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the National Endow-ment for the Arts to help make quality arts happen in rural Ashe County. North Carolina is truly “The State of the Arts.”

GALLERY CRAWLS continue in downtown West Jefferson the second Friday of each month through October from 5 – 8pm. Participating galleries include Acorn Gallery, Ashe Arts Center, Ashe Custom Framing & Gallery, Barn Quilt Headquarters, Backstreet Beads, Bohemia Gallery, Catchlight Gallery, Dawg Lot, Foxfire Holler Fiber Art Gallery, Florence Thomas Art School, Frenchy’s Art Gallery, Great Southern Gothic Gallery, Originals Only

Gallery, Quilt Square Girls, Riverside Trading Post, RT Morgan Art Gallery, Stephen Shoemaker Studio, and West Jefferson Coffee Shop.

The many galleries and craft shops that comprise the ARTS DISTRICT will be open September 9 and October 14 giving visitors opportunities to see new, creative, innovative works by Ashe County’s leading artists. Admission to the Gallery Crawl is free. Maps are available at the Ashe Arts Center and other participating galleries. Many galleries offer refreshments, and special in-store promotions will be held throughout the evening at select stops on the Crawl. Live music is also offered at select galleries and on the streets. As a companion piece to the On the Same Page Literary Festival, street readers will be spread through-out the Town during the September Crawl. The Street Readers will share their favorite books, original writings, and poetry with the Crawl crowd.

The Crawl is sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council. For more informa-tion, call the participating galleries or the Arts Center at 336.846-2787.

Painters from Ashe and surrounding counties are invited to submit works for THE BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE, a juried fine art com-petition and exhibition. Visual artists residing in Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga, Wilkes, Grayson and Johnson Counties are eligible to sub-mit original work that has been executed within the last three years. Paintings, drawings, hand pulled prints and two-dimensional mixed media works will be accepted. There is a non-refundable entry fee and delivery dates are October 8 and 10 at the Ashe Arts Center. A Prospectus for the show is available from the Arts Council.

Juror for the Best of the Blue Ridge is Toni Carlton, owner and curator of Carlton Gallery which exhibits fine art and promotes art-ists in all media. Toni earned a degree in Art and Industrial Arts at Appalachian State University and a minor in Business Administration; she also earned a certificate in Expressive Art. Toni Carlton began her art career as a fiber artist. Currently Carlton’s holistic work is a series of mixed media paintings incorporating calligraphic writing and symbols along with her own handwoven fibers.

Carlton has developed her own unique style she calls Art Blessings which offers not only the creative arts but also meditation, expres-sion of energy through movement, sound, voice, writing, prayers and art making. Each modality adds a different element of expres-sion that can be experienced not only by the artist but also by the viewer.

Awards for the show are provided by corporate sponsor Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. The popular People’s Choice Award will be awarded on November 1 following voting by visitors to the exhibit.

The exhibit opens October 12 and runs through November 16. The public is invited to the opening reception for the artists on Friday, October 14 from 5 – 8pm in conjunction with the Fall Gallery Crawl. The awards presentation will occur at 6pm. For more information, contact the Arts Council at 336.846-2787.

RAPUNZELAuditions will be held for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of RAPUNZEL from 3:45 to 5:45 pm Monday, October 17 in the Civic Center Auditorium. Those audition-ing should arrive at 3:45 pm and plan to stay for the full two hours. Some of the cast members will be asked to stay for a rehearsal immediately following the audition.

Among the roles to be cast are Rapunzel, the Princes, Madame Gothel, Rapunzel’s parents, the Wood Elves, Ears of Corn and a Potato, Unicorns, Pixies, Gremlins, Billy Goats Gruff, a Troll, Three Bears, a Beaver, Ogres and Mushrooms. Students, ages Kindergarten through 12th grade, are encouraged to audition. No advance prepa-ration is necessary. Assistant Directors will also be cast to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and to take on essen-tial backstage responsibilities.

Missoula Children’s Theatre touring productions are com-plete with costumes, scenery, props and makeup. MCT Tour Actor/Directors will conduct rehearsals throughout the week from 3:30 to 8pm each day.There is a $25 fee per cast member to help defray the cost of this learning experience. This production is sponsored and funded by the Ashe County Arts Council, the Ashe Civic Center, and the Ashe County Little Theatre. RAPUNZEL will be presented at 3:00 and 7:30 pm Saturday, October 22 at the Civic Center. Ticket price is $12 for adults and $5 for students, and will be available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center or by call-ing 336.846-2787.

OCTOBER

Best of the Blue Ridge

Thank you! For volunteering at Christmas in July, Ashe County Bluegrass & Old Time Fiddler’s Convention, Blue Ridge Brutal 100, Concerts, Gallery Crawls, and more!Mike & Carole Acquesta, Chris Arvidson & Henry Doss, Sierra Adams, Madeline Baker, Wesley Barker, Michael & Joanie Bell, Tab & Eileen Bell, Susanne Black, Swift Black, Vicky Blevins, Nancy Breen, Brian Bunten, Fowler & Jennie Bush, Gabriel Cambre, Mary Cannon, Kelly Clampitt, Maykala Church, Phil Cole, Mable Coleman, Baron Cooper, Theresa Early Curd, Judy Current, Destiney Cummings, Judy Dancy, Jane Davis, Robin Delgado, Anita & Dan Dimon, Jeff Dreyer, Dave Eastburn, Tom Fowler, Jay & Marilyn Gibbs, Sally Glass, Elaine Graham, Karen Gross, Debbie Handy, Russ Hanes, Connie Hardison, Kelly Halsey, Jeanette Herman, Zachary Holman, Donna Howell, Kathy Howell, Earl & Pattie Huffman, Shanna Huffman, Earl Inge, Eva Ingle, Kim & Richard Isler, Dana & Donnie Johnson, Diane & Wayne Johnson, Sharon Kasel, Steve, Drew and Alex Katz, Ed Kline, Mike & Mary Fran Knight, Pat Lanno, Matthew Lonon, Gilly Macknee, Monica Madden-Lynn, John Maddocks, Becky Marsten, John MacConnell, Julie Meredith, Susan Meredith, Jennifer Miller, Les Miller, Robin Miller, Suzanne Moore, Oliver Moss, Bill & Barb Naser, Terri Palmer, Gerry Patterson, Allyson Perlman, Owen Peeler, Ed and Ellie Perzel, Gary Poe, Scot Pope, Lindsey Postlethwait, Susan Powers, Burt Prange, Celeste Ramseur, Katelyn Rash, Lynn Rees-Jones, Ramona Renfroe, Shelton Resnick, Jim & Karen Reynolds, Brittany Rutherford, Brooke Rutherford, Sarah & Wade Sanders, Bobbi Jo Scott, Barbara Sears, Jake Shepherd, Ike Smith, John Smyre, Becky Stragand, Pam Tapp, Tom Truxal, Susan Van Wyk, Charlie Vitale, Della Vodenicker, June Weaver, Jim Williams, Victoria Wirth, Carter Wilson, Jim Wilson, Janice Wright, Mandy Wright, Jo Wohlfeld, Erica Wrencher. Thanks to the Blue Ridge Brutal Rest Stop Volunteers, SAG Wagons, Ashe Amateur Radio Club and the Mountain Dawgs!

Promoting West Jefferson’s Arts District

Ashe County Little Theatre

presents

October 7 - 9, 2016Ashe Civic Center

Adults: $16 • Students: $5includes applicable sales tax

All seats reserved Call (336) 846-2787

WORDKEEPERS SALONWordkeepers, an afternoon salon featuring writers reading their latest prose and poetry will be held at the Ashe Arts Center on Saturday, October 15 beginning at 4pm.Five-minute open microphone time slots are available; spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis by emailing Chris Arvidson at chris@chrisarvidson.com. Wordkeepers was begun in 2010 by local writers Arvidson, Scot Pope and Julie Townsend to encourage the creation of new work and to provide an appreciative audience for the writer. Word-keepers is free and open to the public. Refreshments are provided.

SCHOOL ARTS IN ASHEThe Arts Council’s sponsorship of cultural programs in Ashe County Schools continues to enhance students’ education through the arts. Concerts, programs and residencies are offered throughout the year in music, dance, theatre, visual arts and literature.

The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) Program offers free instruction in guitar, banjo and fiddle to the county’s fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students beginning in October. The Ashe County Choral Festival brings chorus students together for a public concert in December. The visual arts are well represented in the Council’s annual Young at Art exhibit in The Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center. Spring Fest and the Very Special Arts Festival offer daylong celebrations of the arts for Ashe County’s young people.

The Arts in Education programs are sponsored jointly by the Ashe County Arts Council and local schools with funding support from a North Carolina Arts Council Folklife Grant for the JAM Program, and a Grassroots Arts Program Grant for Spring Fest, Mike Wiley, and the Choral Festival. The North Carolina Arts Council is a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

During the 2016 – 2017 school year students will experience:

• Timmy and Susanna Abell, traditional music, stories, and more• Elliot Engel, lecture-drama on literary great, Charles Dickens• Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, a musical journey, Rolling Down the Tracks-A Celebration of Railroads • Paul Taylor Dance Company, fresh, unique contemporary dance• Missoula Children’s Theatre, workshops• The Bully of Bullybay, anti-bullying theme with music, dance, and a message• Maximus Mars, anti-bullying theatre for older students that focuses on cyber bullying• Didgeridoo Down Under, the music, rhythms, and culture of Australia• Mike Wiley, Tired Souls• Scott Ainsley, music and history of the blues• Barter Theatre Players, Great Expectations• Appalachian Young People’s Theatre, The Mischief Makers - foolery, suspense and fun • Mickey McMasters, visual arts residency

JuniorAppalachian

Musicians

Elliot EngelProfessor Elliot Engel returns to the Ashe Arts Center on Tuesday evening, September 13 at 7:30 pm for an entertaining evening of humor, literature, and enlightening entertainment with The Brilliance of Jane Austen - The first great author in our language who was not a man. Using anecdotes, analysis, and large doses of humor, Dr. Engel’s presentations are fast paced, fascinating, and full of information. His previous programs on Dickens, Twain, Shakespeare, O.Henry, The History and Mystery of Wine, and L. Frank Baum were standing room only crowds! Tickets are $14 for adults and $5 for students, and are available in advance at the Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787.

ON THE SAME PAGE LITERARY FESTIVAL A CELEBRATION OF READING AND WRITINGON THE SAME PAGE, Ashe County’s Literary Festival, will take place over five days in September. During the festival, the Ashe County Public Library and the Ashe County Arts Council will present two dozen events in and around West Jefferson, North Caroli-na. More than a month of related events will precede and follow the festival proper. The 2016 Festival features guest speakers and authors Darnell Arnoult, Diane Chamberlain, Judy Cook, Elliot Engel, Georgann Eubanks, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Jeremy Hawkins, Charlie Lovett, Beth Macy, Sarah Shaber, and Kevin Morgan Watson.

On the Same Page will be held from Tuesday, September 13 through Saturday, September 17. Highlights include: Tuesday, September 13:• 10:30 am Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. Songs and learning for Birth to Age 5 and Adults. Sing to Your Baby. Ashe County Public Library.• 3:30 pm Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. Singing together for Grades K-2, Parents and Grandparents. Yodel-Ay-Hee-Hoo. Library.• 7:30 pm Elliot Engel. Literary performance. The Brilliance of Jane Austen. Ashe Arts Center. Tickets/Admission.Wednesday, September 14:• 8:30-10:30 am Georgann Eubanks. Workshop. Writing Documentary Style Nonfiction. Reservation required. Ashe County Public Library.•11am Kevin Morgan Watson. Founder, Press 53. Navigating the Publishing Universe. Friends of the Ashe County Library feature presentation. Ashe County Public Library.•1:30–3:30 pm Jeremy Hawkins. Workshop. Unforgettable First Chapters. Reservation required. Ashe County Public Library.• 4pm Festival Read Discussion. “Pretending to Dance” by Diane Chamberlain. A lively discussion and wrap-up of this year’s Festival Read, led by Susan Caddell. Ashe County Public Library. Thursday, September 15:• 10am Charlie Lovett shares tales from his mystery novels with a literary twist. Ashe County Public Library.• 12pm Literary Trails Luncheon. Lunch with Georgann Eubanks. Boxed lunches, nominal charge, reservation required. Library.• 2pm Diane Chamberlain, our Festival Read author, writes page-turning and captivating stories. Ashe County Public Library.• 4pm Sarah Shaber. Hear about Sarah’s wonderful character, Louise Pearlie, and her WWII OSS service, and more. Friday, September 16:• 9:30-11:30 am Darnell Arnoult. Workshop. Poetry and the Meaningful Specific. Ashe County Public Library. Reservation required.• 12pm Lunch with an Author. Informal discussions over lunch with our authors. Chat, ask questions, and share a meal. Sign-up to dine with authors Arnoult, Chamberlain, Hawkins, Lovett, Macy and Shaber. Reservation required. Local restaurants/venues. Dutch treat.• 2pm Beth Macy. Join author of the NY Times bestseller “Factory Man” and hear about her upcoming book “Truvine” due out in October. • 4pm Jeremy Hawkins. Author of “Last Days of Video” reads from and discusses his novel about a college town in North Carolina and the characters he created. Ashe County Public Library.•7:30 pm Telling Stories Live: An Evening of Song and Storytelling. Featuring Judy Cook and special guests. Ashe Arts Center.Saturday, September 17:• 8am-1pm Ashe County Farmers’ Market. Downtown West Jefferson on the Backstreet. Admission is free. Produce, craft items, and more are available for sale. Check outour vendors’ book favorites while you’re there.• 8:30 am Page Turner’s Breakfast. For OTSP Festival supporters; at the West Jefferson home of Chris Arvidson & Henry Doss. • 10:30 am Darnell Arnoult, poet, teacher, novelist, shares her new poetry book “Galaxie Wagon” with the Festival. Ashe County Library.• 12:30 pm On the Same Plate. Luncheon and panel discussion with Festival authors. Nominal charge, reservation required. West Jefferson United Methodist Church Community Room

Most festival events are free and open to the public; a few require tickets and/or advance registration, and fewer still carry an admission charge. Check the Festival’s website for additional information, www.onthesamepageliteraryfestival.org. Registration and ticket infor-mation can be obtained from the Ashe County Arts Council at 336.846-2787. ON THE SAME PAGE has been awarded a grant from South Arts, along with funding and support from SkyLine Telephone Membership Corporation, the County of Ashe, the Friends of the Ashe Coun-ty Public Library, Town of West Jefferson, and Caddell Communications.

WKSK GARY POE RADIO SHOWMark your calendars for the popular WKSK Gary Poe Radio Show broadcast live! Be-ginning “a little after 11:00” Gary will bring the best in bluegrass and old time music to the Ashe Arts Center Saturday, September 24 with The Sheets Family Band, and to the stage of the Ashe Civic Center October 15 with Sugarloaf Ramblers and November 12 featuring a reunion of the Rock Bottom Band. Admission is free! Don’t miss it!

AMAZON SMILECan’t find what you need locally? Ordering on-line? If you purchase from Amazon, make sure you are signed up for the Amazon Smile Program (smile.amazon.com). You can designate that your purchas-es support the Ashe County Arts Council and we will get a percentage of what you spend. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, it’s easy, and the arts in Ashe are the beneficiary! Thanks for your help.

Ashe County Arts Council303 School AvenueWest Jefferson, NC 28694

No. 184 September – October – November 2016

Publication of the Ashe County Arts Council

ARTS/DATES

STAFF: Jane Lonon, Executive Director; Linda Dreyer, Director of Operations; Rebecca Williams, Program Director; Zaneeta, Resident Mouse-Catcher

Website: www.ashecountyarts.org E-mail: jane@ashecountyarts.org303 School Avenue, West Jefferson, NC 28694

336.846-2787

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

1-3... “Doors and Windows” exhibit, Ashe Arts Center2... Zephyr Lightning Bolts in concert, 5:30 pm, Backstreet Park4... Mountain Home Music: A Special Labor Day Tribute to American Workers, 7:30 pm, Harvest House, Boone 4... 14th Annual New River Blues Festival, River House, Grassy Creek 6... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center7-30... “More Than Words” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center8... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4 pm, ASA8... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center9... Gallery Crawl, 5-8pm, Downtown West Jefferson9... Artists’ reception for “More Than Words” exhibit, 5-8pm, Arts Center13... Elliot Engel, 7:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center13-17... On The Same Page Literary Festival, various Ashe County locations16-17... A Quilt Hanging, Ashe County Senior Center, West Jefferson 16-17... West Jefferson Olde Time Antiques Fair, downtown West Jefferson17... Tribute Show: Blues Brothers & Buddy Holly, BR Dinner Theatre23... Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 pm, Ashe Civic Center 24... Blue Ridge Art Clan meets, 9:30 am, Mt. Jefferson Presbyterian Church24... Art on the Mountain, 9am - 3pm, Ashe Arts Center24... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Arts Center26... Tribute Show: Rod Stewart, BR Dinner Theatre, 336-246-290028... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library

NOVEMBER

1-18... “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center4... Donald Sinta Quartet, 7:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center12... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Civic Center15... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center10... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4pm, ASA10... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center20... Emile Pandolfi in concert, 2pm, Ashe Civic Center23... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library22-29... “Tree Fest” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center

OCTOBER

1... Autumn Leaf Festival, Museum of Ashe County History, Jefferson1-8... “More Than Words” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center 7-9.. Ashe County Little Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird, Civic Center8... Fall Harvest Festival, Ashe Farmer’s Market8... Festival of the Frescoes, Glendale Springs, 9am-3pm8... Todd Fall Festival, Todd. www.toddruritan.org10... Ashe County Little Theatre quarterly meeting, 5:30 pm, Arts Center11... Ashe County Arts Council meets, 6:30 pm, Ashe Arts Center13-31... “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, Gallery of the Ashe Arts Center13... Ashe County Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meets, 1:30-4pm, ASA13... Shapenotes Singers meet, 7pm, Ashe Arts Center14... Gallery Crawl, 5-8pm, Downtown West Jefferson14... Artists’ reception for “Best of the Blue Ridge” exhibit, 5-8pm15... WKSK Old Time & Bluegrass Radio Show, Ashe Civic Center15... Dixie Dawn Band, BR Dinner Theatre, 336-246-290015... Wordkeepers Salon, 4pm, Ashe Arts Center 17-22... Missoula Children’s Theatre residency, Ashe Civic Center22... Blue Ridge Art Clan meets, 9:30 am, Mt. Jefferson Presbyterian Church22... MCT’s Rapunzel, 3pm and 7:30 pm, Ashe Civic Center26... Friends of the Library meet, 11am, Ashe County Library29... Coffee House Live!, 7:30 pm, WJUMC Hensley Hall

IT’S FUND DRIVE TIME FOR THE ARTS! September is always a banner month for the Arts Council, as we announce the new programming season and celebrate our 38th year as an organization serving the arts needs of Ashe County. We’ll kick off our annual fund drive in September to raise funds for the arts.

As we begin another year of community concerts at the Ashe Civic Center and Ashe Arts Center, gallery exhibits, school arts assembly programs, the Junior Appalachian Musicians Project (JAM), downtown murals, the Gallery Crawl, Spring Fest, On The Same Page Literary Festival, the Barn Quilt Project, the Fiddlers Convention, and the Studio Tours we realize that you who have shared in the Arts Council’s vision all these years play a dual role in its success. You provide both intangible gifts of time, energy and enthusiasm and the financial support we need to continue our mission of promoting the arts in all forms in Ashe County.

Information about the 2016-2017 Fund Drive and schedules for the year will be in the mail soon. The Arts Council expresses its gratitude for the past contributions and thanks you in advance for your future support. Contributions may be mailed to 303 School Avenue, West Jefferson, NC 28694, or online donations are accepted at www.ashecountyarts.org.

WESTERN PIEDMONT CHAMBER ORCHESTRAThe Western Piedmont Chamber Orchestra will fill the Ashe Civic Center with music at 7:30 pm Friday evening, September 23. Under the direction of John Gordon Ross, the Orchestra is in its 52nd year of providing musical performances of distinction that enrich and enliven the community’s classical music experiences.

The concert, Night Train: Rolling Down the Tracks, A Celebration of Railroads, includes works by Johann Strauss, Aaron Copland, John Phillip Sousa, Scott Joplin, three big

band hits, and Antonin Dvorak’s Humoreske. The concert selections take you on a musical journey! Re-served seating tickets are available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center or by calling 336.846-2787. Ticket prices are $21 for adults and $5 for students.

Funding for the concert is made possible through the generous contributions of Friends of the Symphony and is sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council.

EMILE PANDOLFI in Concert Special Guest Vocalist Dana Russell

The holidays are coming early to the Ashe Civic Center! Classically trained pianist Emile Pandolfi returns to the Ashe County stage for a concert at 2pm on Sunday, No-vember 20. Pandolfi has performed professionally for more than 35 years, applying his outstanding technique to favorite melodies, coupled with an intimate rapport between artist and his audience.

Emile’s concert of holiday selections will feature rich arrangements of time-honored standards including “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and “Winter Wonderland.” His performances are laced with an endearing dose of humor & feature the polished vocals of guest artist Dana Russell. Piano. Passion. Emotion. Entertainment. You’ll be hearing familiar songs as though you are experiencing them for the very first time. Reserved seating tickets are available in advance at the Ashe Arts Center, $22 for adults, $5 for students, or over the phone with a credit card. Call 336.846-2787. This is an event you don’t want to miss - and just in time for the holidays!

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT # 3609CHARLOTTE NC