Art Lecture, Border Bash, Plumb Alley Day: Arts Alliance to Participate in Community Events
04.29.2008BRISTOL, TN-VA — Arts Alliance Mountain Empire (AAME) is partnering with Believe in Bristol (BIB) and the Kiwanis Club of Abingdon for three regional events.
Art Lecture/Luncheon
Learn more about the Neal & Alice Caldwell Art Collection during this BIB program on Monday, May 14 from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Bristol Public Library. Bring your own lunch or reserve one for $8. 423-573-2200.
In December 2003, the Caldwells presented King College a group of works from their personal art collection. Since that time, the College has continued to receive gifts from the Caldwells, forming an impressive gathering that features some of the world's finest artists.
Included works represent an expansive variety of genres and eras, including originals from such masters as Rembrandt, Corot, Turner, Picasso, Dal?, Toulouse-Lautrec, Whistler, Marsh, Chagall and Matisse, among others. Now known as the Neal and Alice Caldwell Art Collection at King College, it represents one of the most diverse gatherings in the Southeast.
Border Bash: Art, Music & Literature
AAME and BIB are partnering again this year to bring Border Bash to downtown Bristol. Border Bash is a musical meet-and-greet that takes place every third Friday during summer months in the 500 block of State Street. Children's activities start at 6 p.m., with live music until 10 p.m.
Kicking off the May 16 Border Bash will be Aaron Dowdy, a sophomore at Bristol Virginia High School, performing at 6 p.m. The 15-year-old singer/songwriter says he is inspired by folk music. He has recorded his 200-plus song repertoire in his own studio. He plays acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica, ukulele, bass, and "anything else around."
Headlining the event will be two bands that will appear in Bristol's Rhythm & Roots Reunion Festival in September.
? The Near Misses is an all-female quartet performing an eclectic blend of originals, drawing upon American roots, rock, pop, contemporary folk, country and jazz influences. Their songs feature unforgettable melodies with layers of gorgeous harmony.
"In musical terms, you could say that 'near misses' means taking risks and having them work out in an exciting, unexpected manner. That's as close of a definition of the Near Misses sound as you can get...." — Jeff Eason, Mountain Times
? Bombadil draws on a unique melange of influences to create a sound that is unclassifiable. The group was born in Bolivia, where two members first met. The folk music indigenous to the region lit a creative spark and inspired the two to write songs incorporating international instruments and styles. That influence, paired with their collective backgrounds in Piedmont blues and psychedelic rock, and another band member's background as a classical pianist, stands as the driving force behind the ensemble's unique sound.
Two local authors will also participate in Border Bash:
? Carol Jackson is a visual artist and author. On display and for sale will be her charcoal and pastel art, as well as her children's books, Georgie the Gifted Giraffe and Adventures of Little Jacky Bear. A third book, Devlin's Valley & Other Stories, will be available later this summer.
? Darrell Fleming is the author of Family, Friends and War Heroes, Reflections From World War II, which is based on his father's memoirs aboard a U.S. Navy war ship while serving in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
The author spent five years researching, writing and locating the shipmates, officers and Captain to include the stories of those who served aboard his father's ship. It is also about the author's mother left at home in Southwest Virginia to care for their six children, ages 1-13. In honor of Armed Forces Day, May 17, sales for veterans and military personnel will be discounted 25 percent.
? Call for Artists: AAME has issued a call for fine artists and crafts people to exhibit and sell their works from May-September during Border Bash. Call 423-538-0015 or email carolus101@embarqmail.com
Plumb Alley Day
Some 10,000 residents and visitors are expected on Saturday, May 24 when the Kiwanis Club of Abingdon holds its 26th Annual Plumb Alley Day. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the heart of the town's historic district, Plumb Alley runs between Main and Valley Streets, where 150 vendors will sell pottery, art, photographs, crafts, jewelry, antiques, and other items. Entertainment includes a strolling magician and a performance by the Xtreme Dance Company. At 10 a.m. a sidewalk art contest for children begins in the parking lot opposite Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church.
AAME will have a booth at this annual event, rated one of the largest one-day events in the Southeast. Pick up free copies of A! Magazine for the Arts; Art in Public Places walking tour brochures; Our Cultural Crossroads, a visitor's guide to our region; and more.
Admission of $1 benefits the Kiwanis Club which supports community programs. 276-614-0875.
