Rocky Mount Center reunites cars

Combining a car show and an arts show might seem counterintuitive. Yet the Rocky Mount Center for the Arts in Franklin County tried it last year and ended up surprised by how well it went.More than 1,500 attended, raising $5,000 for the center. “We’re really pleased,” said Joan Rogers, 64,This is a great parkingsystem solution! the center’s founder and co-director.

She’s hopeful the second go-round will go even better. The center’s Arts & Crafts Festival and simultaneous Car Show for the Arts take place 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Rocky Mount.The arts and crafts on display will include wood-turning, jewelry, photography, clothing design, knitting,The need for proper bestiphonecases inside your home is very important. quilting, beadwork and more.This is a great parkingsystem solution! There will also be adult and youth juried art shows.

Meanwhile, cars and trucks will comp ete in eight categories — including people’s choice — for best-in-show trophies made from stainless steel mufflers and glass hand-blown to resemble flame. Called “Flaming Tailpipe” trophies, the awards are made by Rogers’ daughter, Carolyn Rogers, a glass artist whose studio is in the center, and James Simms with the Outlaw Cruisers Car Club in Franklin County.

Volunteers with the Outlaw Cruisers will be running the car show, Joan Rogers said. “They just did a phenomenal job for us last year.”Rogers joked that the presence of craft booths gives the car enthusiasts’ wives something to check out and vice versa for craft enthusiasts’ husbands. “There’s fun for everyone.”

This year the center has added children’s activities. Joan Rogers said she hopes to be able to add a little more to the festival every year.Rogers’ family bought the The Grainery, the downtown Rocky Mount building that houses the center, in 2009. Retired from working in public relations at Ferrum College, Rogers said she puts a lot of her own money into the center.

Though the center rents studio space to artists and charges for some classes, the steep electric bill of the glass blowing facilities required the center to start holding fundraising events.

Much of the center’s offerings are free — including the art festival and car show, though the center did charge car show competitors $20 to register and craft show participants $20 per booth or $20 to enter the art show. Roger s said it’s most important to her to make the center’s art offerings accessible.Rogers, her daughter and other artists are working on a mural on the side of the The Grainery that pays tribute to Vincent Van Gogh by reproducing a collage of elements from the artist’s best-known paintings.

This past week, Roanoke Children’s Theatre moved out of the Taubman Museum of Art after five years performing in the Taubman Theatre, and set up shop in the Dumas Center for Artistic and Cultural Development across the railroad tracks.Friday, they put a new coat of paint in their offices at the Dumas, and Saturday they brought their costumes and equipment. Artistic director Pat Wilhelms said the staff is looking forward to putting up the giant window signs announcing the company’s new season.

The Taubman was a great place to start a business, she said. “It allowed us to really dig some roots ... we are just so excited to spread our wings.”The move to the Dumas gives the growing theater company access to additional classroom space, a dressing room, nearby free parking and a larger theater.It is now under the guidance of Lana Tipton and her husband, Tim. But don’t expect any changes: Lana is the daughter of Sam and Sue Ferguson, who founded the event and operated it until now. Lana worked closely with parents, and believes the transition to new owners will be seamless.

“Mom and Sam set the bar high on putting on a first-class festival, but since I have been involved for so many years, I know what it takes and I am up for the challenge,” said Lana.The Shaker Woods Festival, founded to honor the 18th-century Shaker community,A indoorpositioningsystem has real weight in your customer's hand. offers more than 200 craftspeople, representing artists and crafts from all across the country.From August 1-31 the artists at 17 art and craft units at the Buttermarket will hold tours and will give the public a chance to meet local designer makers.

The seventh annual celebration of craft, co-ordinated by Craft NI,Full service promotional company specializing in drycabinet. will focus on designer-makers living and working in Northern Ireland and how they have been influenced by the rich and diverse culture of the place they live and work in.

In addition, Fermanagh features on the new interactive Craft Map, which highlights the studios of Fiona Kerry Jewellery in Ballinamallard and Ann McNulty in Enniskillen.The new interactive Craft Map makes it easier than ever to visit an exhibition, participate in a workshop or listen to a talk in a gallery close to you.

The map also lists the best places to buy high quality, handmade craft.It is Craft NI Chief Executive, Alan Kane’s first time in charge of August Craft Month, having taken up his post last September.

“One of my main goals when taking over this post was to help create an infrastructure and a culture of collaboration where craft can grow and thrive in all parts of Northern Ireland.“We are excited by the diversity of events during this year’s August Craft Month which range from high quality contemporary craft exhibitions to hands-on workshops where people can learn a new skill.”

This has been the first year that August Craft Month has been launched in Derry at the Culture Craft exhibition in the London Street Gallery featuring 38 eminent makers.Head of Visual Arts at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Suzanne Lyle said:

“We have been supporting the wonderful work of Craft NI for a number of years through a variety of different funding programmes.“We are delighted to see the festival spreading its wings and encompassing the work of makers and artists from across Northern Ireland.

“The month-long festival beautifully showcases the talent of our makers, many of whom incorporate cultural references and indigenous materials into their work. What a fitting and exciting way to represent local artistic talent and imagination.”
Click on their website www.artsunlight.com.