Podcasts about bakersville

Malene Barnett returns for an interview about her new book Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practice of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers. In our interview we talk about Black cultural memory, her process for interviewing and building an archive of Caribbean artists, and the influence of Caribbean material culture around the world. The book will be published by Artisan Books on October 29th and will be widely available where ever fine books are sold. www.malenebarnett.com   I would like to highlight a few friends of the podcast that need help recovering from Hurricane Helene. Joy Tanner and Will Baker from Wood Song Pottery were affected by flooding of their studio and kilns in Bakersville, NC. You can help them get back on their feet by donating to their GoFundMe campaign. Artist and entrepreneur Josh Copus's businesses were severely damaged by catastrophic flooding in his small town of Marshall, NC. You can help him rebuild the hotel at the Old Marshall Jail and Zadie's Market by donating to his GoFundMe Campaign. You can also volunteer your time to help clean up and make direct donations to other businesses in Marshall by visiting helpmarshall.org.   Today's episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Cornell Studio Supply www.cornellstudiosupply.com Archie Bray Residencies www.archiebray.org

Beth, Kelsey, and Leslie joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about Bakersville 2024.

We bring you a special Keep it Rural this week. Claire speaks with her colleague, Daily Yonder reporter Sarah Melotte about the devastating hurricane Helene. Sarah is currently unable to get to her home in Bakersville, North Carolina. She lives in the western part of the state where roads in and out are completely flooded. Claire talked with her about what it's been like to see her community reeling from a hurricane, and what it all means for rural Appalachia.  If you have reporting ideas about Hurricane Helene or want to share your experiences, email Sarah Melotte at sarah@dailyyonder.com To contribute to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, visit: Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina: https://homewardboundwnc.org/The World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/All Hands and Hearts: https://www.allhandsandhearts.org/

The national parks in North Carolina attract numerous visitors each year, but they can also be treacherous if you aren't well prepared for your trip. We discuss the case of Frances Apperson, a 67-year-old who went missing after heading out for a solo hike at Linville Falls, 48-year-old Michael Hartley, who went missing in Spruce Pine on a foraging trip, Barry Hertel, who disappeared after a quick trip to a hardware store in Banner Elk, and various rescue missions in the Linville Gorge area. We'll also share the story of Justin Miller, who left his home in Bakersville in 2015 and hasn't been seen since, and Lynn Keene, who was murdered by the woman who was supposed to be keeping her safe in her home in Linville Falls in 2021. Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Check out the Third Season of Dateline: Missing in America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dateline-missing-in-america/id1634842284

Dale Earnhardt Jr. invites NASCAR Hall of Fame engine builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson to the Bojangles Studio for a conversation about his storied career. Waddell details his journey from his home of Bakersville, North Carolina to the Nashville Auto Diesel College, which he learned about from a recruiter at his high school. Upon graduation, his journey took him to Florida, where he actually took a chance on racing himself at Miami-area strongholds like Hialeah, Palmetto and Hollywood. Eventually, a demolished racecar would extinguish his hopes of making a living behind the wheel and he headed back home in search of work.Waddell explains that at the suggestion of a friend he went to inquire about a job at the famed Holman-Moody race team, which at the time was Ford's manufacturing arm in NASCAR. After a chance meeting with owner John Holman, Waddell was thrown into the most challenging area of the shop: the engine room. He passed an initiation of sorts and over time developed into one of NASCAR's greatest engine building minds. Waddell went on to build engines for and work with some of NASCAR's greatest drivers, and he fills listeners in on the characters inside the helmet like Fireball Roberts, Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker. Finally, Dale gets to pick Waddell's brain about the legendary “Gray Ghost” Oldsmobile that helped Ranier Racing and Buddy Baker be a dominant force at superspeedways in 1979 and ‘80.FanDuel Disclaimer: Must be 21+ and present in select states. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dale Earnhardt Jr. invites NASCAR Hall of Fame engine builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson to the Bojangles Studio for a conversation about his storied career. Waddell details his journey from his home of Bakersville, North Carolina to the Nashville Auto Diesel College, which he learned about from a recruiter at his high school. Upon graduation, his journey took him to Florida, where he actually took a chance on racing himself at Miami-area strongholds like Hialeah, Palmetto and Hollywood. Eventually, a demolished racecar would extinguish his hopes of making a living behind the wheel and he headed back home in search of work. Waddell explains that at the suggestion of a friend he went to inquire about a job at the famed Holman-Moody race team, which at the time was Ford's manufacturing arm in NASCAR. After a chance meeting with owner John Holman, Waddell was thrown into the most challenging area of the shop: the engine room. He passed an initiation of sorts and over time developed into one of NASCAR's greatest engine building minds. Waddell went on to build engines for and work with some of NASCAR's greatest drivers, and he fills listeners in on the characters inside the helmet like Fireball Roberts, Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker. Finally, Dale gets to pick Waddell's brain about the legendary “Gray Ghost” Oldsmobile that helped Ranier Racing and Buddy Baker be a dominant force at superspeedways in 1979 and ‘80. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You wouldn't think that a town of under 500 people could be home to a thriving art gallery, let alone two competing ones across the road from one another. But in Bakersville, North Carolina, that is exactly the case. Joining us today is Andy Palmer, who co-owns the In Tandem gallery with his wife Silvia Ferrari-Palmer on the main street, and Vicki Essig, who runs Mica, another beautiful gallery just across the road. We talk with Andy and Vicki about their work as artists, and how the symbiotic relationship between their two galleries has contributed to the rich artistic community of Bakersville. Tuning in you'll learn about the process behind Vicki's incredible artworks (woven by silkworms!) and how her small community has supported her labor-intensive creations. She also shares the powerful story of a pair of silk overalls made in honor of civil rights activist, Joyce Ladner, how they were sold to a descendent of hers, and what this fortuitous connection demonstrates about community building. We hear from Andy about how his wife's digital outreach transformed their gallery, the immense impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online sales, and how he utilizes his background in ceramics to find artists for their gallery. Our conversation also covers Mica and In Tandem's approach to branding, the Toe River Council's important work supporting artists, and details about Artsville's new virtual gallery of artists. To hear all the fascinating details of this thriving artistic community and how to partner with other galleries, be sure to tune in!Key Points From This Episode:Get to know today's guests, Andy Palmer and Vicki Essig.Insight into Vicki's weaving artworks and how she uses silkworms for her threads.The benefits of being part of a small community and how they have supported her process.Details of Andy and his wife Silvia's gallery, In Tandem.How Silvia improved digital outreach and how COVID-19 increased their online sales.Where they find their artists and how Andy uses his expertise as a ceramics artist.Vicki's gallery Mica and its location across from In Tandem in their small town, Bakersville.How they work together instead of competing with one another.Mica's selection process and how they support their artists.How Bakersfield's thriving artistic community has supported economic growth in Bakersville.An overview of how In Tandem and Mica approaches branding.The Toe River Arts Council and their impactful work supporting artists.Details about the Hilloween event in the Blue Ridge Mountains.Learn about Artsville's exciting new virtual gallery of artists.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Andy Palmer — https://www.intandemgallery.com/andy-palmer-bioIn Tandem Gallery — https://www.intandemgallery.com/Vicki Essig — https://www.vickiessig.com/Mica — https://www.micagallerync.com/Penland School of Craft — https://penland.org/The Toe River Arts Council — https://toeriverarts.org/Hilloween — https://www.hilloweennc.org/Hilloween: A Mechanism for Unity with Gina Phillips —

Kewanee Parks Director Andrew Dwyer was our guest on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Wednesday morning. Mr. Dwyer was on hand to run down the most recent Kewanee Park Board meeting and the items discussed. In our conversation we touched on improvements to the Parks insurance and the change has helped move the Parks along on repairs following damage to the parks from weather over the past year. Mr. Dwyer also tells WKEI that Bakersville, the annual Halloween event at Baker Park was a huge success, giving all credit to the organizers who did an incredible job of making the event a huge hit. And finally, we talked about the upcoming holidays and how work has already begun on getting holiday decorations ready at Northeast and Windmont Park. 

British born artist, Joanna Manousis creates sculptural objects and installations in glass and mixed media, manipulating materials through a multi-disciplinary process that includes bronze casting, enamels, and even taxidermy. With a hands-on studio practice spanning 17 years, she strives to transform cast glass surfaces into reflective, three-dimensional mirrors, shifting the viewers' perspective and bringing new experiential possibilities. Wrote Eve Kahn in a 2018 Todd Merrill exhibition catalog: “Joanna Manousis mines her life experiences while exploring broader themes—materialism, memory, domesticity, vanity, iridescence—in acclaimed sculptures that mingle glass with wheat husks and taxidermied birds. Viewers may find themselves reflecting on the transience of existence while seeing themselves literally and metaphorically mirrored in her works.” An only child raised by her mother, growing up Manousis loved drawing and painting. During early meditations with mirrors, she had the initial experience of being somehow detached from her body – a phenomenon whereby her spirit seemed disconnected from her visual appearance. In college, Manousis set out to become a painter, but the canvas plane gave her artist's block. She enrolled at Wolverhampton University for a bachelor of fine art-glass degree, and during a year abroad studied neon and glass casting and blowing at Alfred University in western New York. In 2008, she earned her MFA at Alfred, and by then had met her future husband, the Maine-born glass artist Zac Weinberg.  Now a working mom of two, Manousis travels the world to teach, exhibit, and make artworks, while winning awards and grants. Her work has been recognized with nominations for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award and a Bombay Sapphire Award Nomination for ‘Excellence in Glass' as well as the Margaret M. Mead Award and the Hans Godo Frabel Award. She has received support from internationally recognized residency programs including the Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio; the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; the Corning Museum of Glass, New York; and Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France. Her work has been exhibited at Design Miami and Art Basel, Basel, Switzerland; FOG Art + Design, San Francisco; the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, Ebeltoft, Denmark; and the British Glass Biennale, Stourbridge, England. The artist has worked, studied and taught in Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Manousis states: “My work is born out of a sustained exploration of human nature and the conflicts that exist between our inner reality and the world we occupy. I often emphasize decadence and grandiosity to illuminate the superfluous nature of accumulated luxury when faced with our own impermanence. I am also interested in engaging the viewer's gaze, drawing the participant into a state of reflection, literally and philosophically, about the essence of human existence and ideas related to growth, emotionality, aspiration and mortality.” She continues: “Glass is my chosen medium, and I am drawn to its contrasting qualities–transparent yet solid, it simultaneously reveals yet barricades. In recent works I use cast glass as a lens to magnify residual formations of objects within. On occasion these negative spaces are mirrored, enlivening static surfaces in my pursuit to reflect the viewer and the environment that the work inhabits. Incorporating the audience's gaze, whether it is distorted or clear, centralizes the viewer within the work itself, facilitating a stronger connection between observer and object.” ToYG podcast caught up with Manousis just prior to two US workshops: Penland School of Craft, Bakersville, North Carolina, July 2 – 14 and The Corning Museum of Glass, July 31 – August 6. In addition to her core-cast pieces with internal spaces, she continues her PhD testing, along with a new venture in customizable wall installations made with graphite molding techniques that she and husband Weinberg create together in their company Manberg Projects. Manousis' PhD research focuses on three-dimensional mirrors within cast glass resulting in work that deals with reflection, both physically and metaphorically. The artist has also recently started making jewelry – small scale pieces that are more accessible and used to adorn. Check out this new work on Instagram @jomanousis. Her sculptural practice can be found @joanna.manousis.  

Pacific Northwest glass artists Kelly O'Dell and Raven Skyriver, who create sculptures inspired by marine life, species endangerment, extinction, and conservation, will exhibit their work at Habatat Galleries during next week's Glass Art Society conference in Detroit, Michigan. Titled Confluence, the show is a tour de force of works created in homage to the natural world and to raise consciousness in viewers about the need for preservation of natural spaces and species. On June 5, during Habatat's first ever VIP Artist Gala, Skyriver will present a glassblowing demo at the brand-new Axiom glassblowing facility, followed by artist talks given by Skyriver and O'Dell. On June 7, VIPs travel to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation to view its important glass art collection and experience a rare opportunity to see the culmination of O'Dell's residency there via work she created onsite at Greenfield Village. In 2018, Skyriver and O'Dell launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowd-fund building their own studio on Lopez Island, Washington. They wrote: “We're now asking you for assistance to build our own glass studio where we can deepen our practice, give back to our community, and nurture our family… This project came from a vital need: to have more time together (AND about 10,000 fewer miles traveled on the freeway every year). We are moving to the island where Raven was born and raised to allow our son to grow up surrounded by his grandparents and extended family, but the island has no glass studio available for our use. So, we're building one, from the ground up, with the support of our friends and family.” Aside from creating their own work there, Skyriver and O'Dell's studio represents a place of education and community where visiting artists can be invited for residencies, short-term apprenticeships can be offered, and small teaching workshops can be hosted. They wrote: “This hotshop will allow us to pass on the knowledge that was so generously taught to us by our creative masters, and give back to our glass community.” Though they surpassed their initial Kickstarter goal, the studio remains a work in progress, evolving physically as well as philosophically. Born in 1982, Raven Skyriver (Tlingit) was raised in the San Juan Islands. Growing up connected to the land and its surrounding waters, and living in a creative household where carvers came to learn Northwest Coast style carving and design, helped push him towards an artistic path. At the age of 16, he was introduced to glass by family friend and mentor Lark Dalton and was immediately captivated by the medium. Exploring every opportunity to work in glass led Skyriver to being invited to work with Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen for the William Morris team in 2003. This was his introduction to sculptural glass and how building a vocabulary for narrative in his own work began. In 2018, the artist returned to Lopez Island where he was born, and he and wife O'Dell constructed a home studio where they can create their glass art. Says Skyriver: “I was raised near the sea and in a family that valued and practiced artistic pursuits from as young as I can remember. Some of my most vivid memories as a child were smelling the fresh cedar chips that were being removed by master carvers' blades as they sculpted beautifully elegant forms. The most excitement I have experienced in my life was the first salmon I ever landed, the time I saw a Sea Lion a paddle's length from my boat, and seeing a humpback whale feeding on smelt. When I was introduced to glass as a junior in high school, I was immediately captivated by the mesmerizing, alchemic, fluid nature of the material. From that day forward I have dedicated myself to honing my craft and perfecting my technique.”  Skyriver continues his artistic practice utilizing close observation of his sculptural subjects to create an ongoing personal dialogue. This inner conversation touches on the celebration of biodiversity, his understanding of his heritage, the importance of Native species, the gifts those beings bring to their communities, and the delicate balance that sustains our collective existence.  He states: “I draw from my experiences as a child and my continued fascination with the natural world to inform the work I make today. My goal is to capture the fluidity of an animal in motion, using the liquid glass to portray a dynamic moment in time. I attempt to imbue the subject with a hint of life and capture the essence of the creatures I depict. I want my work to speak to the viewer's own understanding of the wild and their place in it, and to instill a sense of the delicate balance that is our existence.” Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1973, O'Dell was raised by glass artists in Kealakekue, Hawaii, where her father built himself a hot glass studio at their home. In 1999 she graduated from the University of Hawaii (UH), Manoa, earning a BFA in Studio Art with a focus in glass, which she studied under Rick Mills. The UH program afforded many opportunities to study glass at Pilchuck Glass School, where she eventually relocated and became a member of the William Morris winter crew from 2003 to 2007.  Says O'Dell: “My upbringing happened in the Hawaiian Islands. I grew up on the Big Island, home of active volcanoes. Coming from a place so diverse in culture and climate, teeming with flora, fauna, and really great food, I noticed the difference as soon as I left it at 25. That difference made me feel the responsibility to honor what is lost, or extinct, not just with plants and animals, but with culture and climate, too. It is fascinating and devastating that our existence has so much impact on the delicate balance of life, our own species included. Through sculpture, my work explores themes of Memento Mori as well as extinction, preservation, and origin. The Ammonite, an intelligent coiled-up cephalopod, became extinct 65 Million years ago, leaving impressions in its habitat to fossilize. We learn from the past to be responsible in our future. I hope my artwork could serve as a reminder or Memento of this.” O'Dell's recent exhibitions include Fired Up: Glass Today, The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, 2022; Chinese Whispers, curated by Erin Dickson, Glazenhuis, Lommel, Belgium 2022, and Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, Denmark, 2019-20; Glass Lifeforms 2021, The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA; and Fluid Formations: The Legacy of Glass in the Pacific Northwest, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA, 2021. This year, the artist will serve a glass residency at The Henry Ford Museum, MI, and received The Myrna Palley Collaborators Award, University of Miami, FL. She and Skyriver will be instructors at Penland School of Craft, Bakersville, NC in July 2023. In her creative process, O'Dell is often inspired by a non-fiction book, a curious detail in nature, or a podcast about science or spirituality. That leads to research, and most ideas make it to her sketchbook. States O'Dell: “I'll return to those ideas later, after they've passed the test of some time. I need to be sure before I start a fresh project that I will be challenged with a new sort of problem-solving, which I really love most about making artwork. The process of glassmaking is hot, fluid, demanding, and not without help! In the glass shop, my favorite part about making artwork is working with friends. Glass is special in that it usually requires skilled teamwork, and we all sort of know the same language in the shop. Working with a team, it is possible to accomplish some pretty crazy challenges. While we help each other make artwork, we push each other and the limits of what glass can do. We cross paths regularly, and so we become community. We raise each other's kids, we bbq together, we camp at the beach, we travel to faraway places together, and we gravitate to one another in socially awkward situations. I feel very lucky to be part of this vibrant community.”  

Bakersville is back! The annual Halloween celebration in Kewanee returns in October with skits and hayrack rides for the whole Halloween loving family. Andrew Dwyer, Kewanee Parks Director, along with the organizers of Bakersville 2022, Kelsey Neels and Cassandra Swearingen, joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to promote the return of Bakersville and urge everyone to get their tickets early as the event is expected to completely sell out. Bakersville returns to Baker Park in Kewanee on October 15th. Contact Cassandra Swearingen with the Kewanee Parks Department to get your tickets or stop by Cerno's Bar and Grill. Full ticket details in our interview.

Kry die nuus soos dit breek.

Die Bakersville-projek naby Walvisbaai is steeds in die nuus. Daar is uiters min inligting oor die ontwikkeling wat bekostigbare behuising wil verskaf. Die ooreenkoms is dat erwe teen 30 000 Namibiese dollar gekoop kan word deur maandelikse betalings van 1 000 dollar. Wanneer 50 persent afbetaal is word die titelakte-oordrag begin. Given Botha, die agent wat met Bakersville se verkope werk kon nie inligting verskaf oor hoeveel erwe reeds verkoop is nie en sê net daar is baie navrae in verband met die projek.

Born in Mirano, Italy, Emilio Santini comes from a family with centuries of tradition in glass. With skills in the areas of lampworking, glassblowing, casting and diamond point engraving, he has taught primarily torchworking at many of the major glass schools in the US including Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington, Penland School of Craft, Bakersville, North Carolina, and Pittsburgh Glass Center, as well as at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. Currently residing in Blacksburg, Virginia, Santini is dedicating more time to his first love – writing poetry and fiction, with a particular focus on the glass world, past and present. The product of over 500 years of glassblowing tradition, Santini's father was his first teacher. At the age of 11, Emilio was sent to work in Cenedese glass factory during the three-month summer break from school. His uncle, Giacinto Cadamuro, was his teacher during that year. For the next five years, the young Santini went back to work for three months in the same glass factory but with different masters, including “Petà” and “Mamaracio”. At 17, Emilio's father started teaching him lampworking, an activity that became the primary focus of his career as a glass educator.   Santini spent nearly 10 years refining his skills before — after four summers of persistent courtship during her studies in Venice — he married Theresa Johansson and moved to her family home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Without the close family and workshop connections that helped him so much in Murano, Santini struggled to sell his work. He failed to grasp the much more demanding and decentralized nature of the sprawling American art glass market, and the couple returned to Murano. In 1988, Santini moved with his wife to Williamsburg, Virginia, where he established a small lampworking studio. He made his third and final attempt to immigrate to the US when his wife was hired at William and Mary. During this period, the artist received a call from Peninsula Glass Guild co-founder Ali Rogan, who tracked him down after stumbling across one of his impressive works in a small York County craft shop. With her encouragement, Santini entered the Guild's annual juried show, where he not only won top prize, but so impressed the juror — a nationally prominent Washington, D.C.-area gallery owner — that she bought his piece and gave him a solo show. Also during this time, Santini received his first invitation to conduct a demonstration before an audience of collectors, gallery owners and other glass artists at Penland School of Craft. That's when he knocked on the door of internationally known Studio Glass pioneer, Harvey Littleton, who was so impressed with his unexpected guest from Murano that he invited him in for an eye-opening 3-hour conversation. Santini says: “Up until then, I really had no idea of what to do with glass beside production and fine design. I didn't know about making art objects.”  Over the past few years, Santini has concentrated primarily on sculpture and creating pieces that incorporate cast, blown and lampworked elements, along with metal and stone. These represent a major shift in his work, though many of these pieces had their genesis as sketches or models made throughout his creative life. Most recently, the artist has turned his focus to the written word, both prose and poetry, to which he dedicates considerable time and energy. Since venturing out on his own 34 years ago, Santini has combined his production and fine design work with one-of-kind art objects and sculpture to become widely recognized as one of the top lampworkers in the country. His work can be found in numerous private collections and museums such as the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; The Ca' Pesaro Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Venice, Italy; the Sheffield Museum, England; the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia; and many others. He's blended his superlative technical expertise with his humor, imagination and friendliness to become a nationally known teacher at Virginia Commonwealth University as well as the workshop circuit. What has been the secret to Santini's success? He knows Venetian techniques so well, but instead of being secretive about them, he's generously shared his talents with students, collectors and glass lovers around the globe.   

This week we continue our series More than a Maker with an interview featuring Bakersville, NC artist Will Baker. He is known for his beautiful atmospheric fired pottery, along with his kiln building skills which have taken him all over the eastern U.S. In our interview we talk about dealing with burn out through a variety of mindfulness practices, as well as the theory of flow states. To see examples of his work, visit www.williambakerpottery.com.   More than a Maker is made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, proud sponsors of wellness for makers. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana is focused on building healthier communities through strategic investments to improve population health, increase access to care, and to make healthcare more affordable for all. For more information please visit www.bcbsmt.com.

Image by Marjan Blan | @marjanblan The following recording of Radio Ukraine International was broadcast via WRMI on 5010 kHz. This recording was made via a KiwiSDR in Bakersville, NC on March 3, 2022 starting at 12:02 UTC.Note: The first two minutes of the broadcast are missing due to a glitch in recording.

Well-known early on for their signature blown glass Bags, the subsequent cast glass work of John Littleton and Kate Vogel provided a new outlet for complex contemplations, questions and reflections. In this dramatic departure from their lighthearted Bags, faces and hands are used in various poses and combinations to explore states of mind, relationships, and even spiritual themes. Cast arms with hands in amber glass hold a brilliant jewel-cut form, which seems to spread its glowing light to all that surrounds it. Use of multiple techniques by Littleton and Vogel reveals an intimate understanding of their medium, and the execution of each work reflects artists deserving of their place at the top of the contemporary glass movement. Not only visually stunning, their sculpture allows the viewer to create a narrative, each piece a captured moment in a story of the viewers' choosing. They state: “As we focus on each form, we see possibilities for the next, and our vocabulary of form and ideas expands. We bounce ideas back and forth, we build on each other's concepts, and we learn from each other's insights. Collaboration brings our individual sensibilities together to generate something neither of us would have made alone. “ Littleton and Vogel are nationally renowned American Studio Glass Movement artists who work and reside in Bakersville, North Carolina. Their creative partnership began in the mid-to-late 20th century, when they began collaborating on their first glass pieces in 1979 after meeting as art students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  Creating sculptural blown and cast glass works and installations that speak to the importance of their relationships to one another, their family, and their community, Littleton and Vogel currently exhibit their works in Between Us: A Retrospective Exhibition of Work by John Littleton and Kate Vogel at the Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, Wisconsin. On view now through February 13, 2022, the exhibition is accompanied by a perfect bound 84-page publication with essays by Casey Eichhorn, exhibition curator, and Susie J. Silbert, Curator of Postwar and Contemporary Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass.  “This retrospective exhibition highlights important works, milestones, and innovations in their shared careers,” says Casey Eichhorn, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions,” – all while tying their experiences and influences back to John's father, Harvey Littleton, an American glass artist, educator, and one of the founders of the American Studio Glass Movement.”  Harvey Littleton, whose influential work will also be shown in the exhibition, is often referred to as the “Father of the Studio Glass Movement.” In his role as an educator, he initiated the first hot glass program offered by an America University at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and promoted the idea of glass as a course of study in university art departments in the United States. Littleton's students went on to become the dominant figures in the American Studio Glass Movement while broadening the study of glass art and university-level hot glass programs throughout the U.S.  John Littleton states: “Harvey introduced glass as a medium for artists. The Toledo workshops were dad's idea. He had help from Norm Schuman and later Dominic Labino. The workshops wouldn't have happened without him. He certainly had help developing technique, but more than anyone else he saw the possibility of putting glass in the hands of artists. The industrial model was designers who worked on paper passing the design to the factory worker who had little expressive input. There were artist craftsmen and women who worked with glass individually, but dad pursued the idea of glass being available to art students. The early years were a time he pushed to get glass into universities to expand glass's creative and expressive potential. He saw the need for many artists working with glass for the growth of the field.” Littleton and Vogel's work has appeared in several group exhibitions including the Sculpture Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) in Chicago and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C. Their glass works can also be seen in private and public collections in North America, Europe, and Asia. Locations include the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, AR; the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts in Switzerland; Glasmuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark; the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY; The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA. Features on their work have appeared in various publications—such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, and CBS Sunday Morning.  Littleton and Vogel state: “Choice, chance, circumstance, seductive qualities of the material…a little bit of all of the above. We stay with glass because it feels right. The process allows us to collaborate, start to finish. Glass is versatile, and we see endless possibilities in it and through it. In our work we strive to make something that is a personal expression of our thoughts and experiences.”  

Kewanee Parks Director Andrew Dwyer joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday to talk about the golf cart sale that is ending this week. If you'd like to bid on a golf cart you need to get in touch with the Parks Department today or Wednesday to place a bid. The 19th Hole Restaurant closed for the season as of this Friday, and sadly, it's official, Bakersville will not take place this year. Organizers informed the Parks Department that they would not be going ahead with Bakersville 2021. Mr Dwyer says the Parks Department will be ready if Bakersville makes a comeback in 2022.

Episode #103 – Fantastic Fellas Friday- we talk about Black Farmers and how banks are protesting President Biden's debt relief bill for black farmers.  Celebrating how Black Farmer's Association President John Boyd, Jr. is fighting back. John Wesley Boyd Jr. is a Bakersville, Virginia farmer, civil rights activist and the founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA). He owns and operates a 300-acre farm where he grows soybean, corn and wheat and currently raises a hundred head of beef cattle. For 14 years Boyd was a chicken farmer in a Perdue Farms breeder program. He was also a tobacco farmer for many years.  REVERSE DISCRIMINATION TO HELP BLACK FARMERS? There are 3.4 million farmers in the US and just 1.3% are Black, according to the USDA.  That is a precipitous decline from nearly 1 million Black farmers in the 1920s.  Two different lawsuits now challenge a USDA loan forgiveness program for farmers of color, including Black farmers, contained within in the COVID relief package advanced in the initial days of the Biden administration and Democrat-controlled Congress. While USDA and Congressional authors defend the program, the lawsuits claim it creates reverse discrimination. Three of the biggest US banking groups want the US Department of Agriculture to reconsider the terms of billions of dollars in planned debt relief for minority farmers, claiming it will cut into banks' profits -- and warn they may have to cut those same farmers off from future loans.  President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief package passed in March includes $4 billion to help pay off farm loans for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers -- a group that includes Black and other minority farmers, who have long faced discrimination from lenders and the USDA. The payments will cover up to 120% of outstanding debt for each farmer or rancher, according to the USDA, which is what the banks are made about.  They said black farms are lazy and always go into collection.  WOW.  WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?  LINKS BELOW FOR: APPLE, GOOGLE, PANDORA, AND SPOTIFY. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ladiespromotingtransparentadvocacy/id1526382637 https://www.pandora.com/podcast/ladiespromotingtransparentadvocacy/PC:52161?corr=17965216&part=ug&_branch_match_id=81955799824.9581330 https://open.spotify.com/show/5x7xSxWi2wj2UXPsWnZ0cw?si=peGax6j6SIumBT5tq7_hhg https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2xhZGllc3Byb21vdGluZ3RyYW5zcGFyZW50YWR2b2NhY3kvZmVlZC54bWw&ep=14  Sources:  CNN.com - https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/19/politics/usda-debt-forgiveness-banks-minority-farmers/index.html  and CNN Don Lemon Show Black Enterprise - https://www.blackenterprise.com/large-banks-are-fighting-president-bidens-4-billion-debt-relief-for-black-farmers/ New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/us/politics/black-farmers-debt-relief.html Agriculture.com - https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/legitimate-reason-behind-debt-relief-for-minority-farmers-says-vilsack, Farm Progress - https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/black-farmer-loan-forgiveness-challenged  Follow us on Twitter: @AdvocacyLadies Podcast Email: podcasthostshapta19@gmail.com Org. Email: Ladiespromotingtransparentadvo@gmail.com Podcast Call-in Line: 404-855-7723

Relato de ciencia ficción, Escrito por Nieves Delgado, muchísimas gracias de nuevo por dejarme leer tu relato. Te mando un abrazo de 36”. Amante de la ciencia ficción, esa mirada elegida por la autora da a sus textos otra característica destacable: Son inquietantes. 2014: Finalista Premio Ignotus al mejor cuento por Dariya (TerBi 7, 2013) 2015: Ganadora Premio Ignotus al mejor cuento por Casas Rojas (Antología Alucinadas) 2018: Finalista Premios Guillermo de Bakersville por 36 (Editorial Cerbero, marzo de 2017) Puedes encontrar a Nieves aquí: Twitter: @nievesd36 Biografía: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieves_Delgado Si no has escuchado el anterior relato de Nieves Delgado, puedes hacerlo aquí, ¡¡No te lo puedes perder!! https://www.ivoox.com/relato-inteligencia-artificial-la-pregunta-correcta-autor-audios-mp3_rf_29505223_1.html Colaboración en este relato con el gran Corman, Muchas gracias amigo, puedes encontrar su podcast aquí: https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-cuentos-de-la-casa-de-la-bruja_sq_f1421745_1.html Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

The team behind Bakersville have teamed up with WKEI 1450 Am and 100.1 FM to bring you a holiday radio play, Miracle on Chestnut Street. Written by Jacque Komnick and featuring the many Bakersville players, this play set in Kewanee tells a wonderful tale of Christmas in Kewanee featuring references to City's past culled from the memories of the many who responded when Jacque Komnick reached out for memories of Kewanee's past.

The team that brought you the Bakersville radio play are back at it for Christmas. Jacque Komnick brought her elves together to create "Miracle on Chestnut Street" a Kewanee set original Christmas radio play that will air on WKEI on Wednesday, December 23rd, at 8 Pm. The 1 hour, commercial free presentation will feature local, Kewanee voice talent bringing to life a story written by Jacque herself who joined WKEI on Thursday for the big announcement of the broadcast and some behind the scenes information on how the play came to be.

The clock is ticking. Mercer must get to the rendezvous before BaKersville turns to ashes. But James finds himself face to face alone with the General in the town’s Audubon center. The lives of Bakersville and the future of mankind have fallen into his hands. email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

After the revelation that the General is alive and healing in the town lake, James along with his deputies and Hiro head to the lake front to locate and kill the monster once and for all. Unfortunately, they must also deal with another horrifying discovery: the FBI’s plans for Bakersville. email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

Bakersville tries to pick up the pieces and get things back to normal after killing the General. But James isn’t sure it’s over. And with Mr. C dead, Mercer is on his own. Could the nightmare still be a reality? Could the General, in fact, still be alive? email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

While James tries to reach them, Hiro, Sarah, AJ and Bob must fight off a swarm in the hopes that Mercer will reach them in time. The only problem is the General has reached them with his remaining soldiers and they have limited fire power. Death is knocking at the front door of the Bakersville police department. Who will live and who will die? email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

While James tries to reach them, Hiro, Sarah, AJ and Bob must fight off a swarm in the hopes that Mercer will reach them in time. The only problem is the General has reached them with his remaining soldiers and they have limited fire power. Death is knocking at the front door of the Bakersville police department. Who will live and who will die? email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

Apologies for last week! We took our first week off in 4 years. This week James and John recap the Jags game and prepare you for Bakersville. We really need to beat the Browns for our own dignity... Go to www.Manscaped.com and use promo code Texans for 20% off your first order! Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/texansunfiltered And the hats we released earlier this summer: https://www.laststandhats.com/collections/texans-unfiltered Join the discussion on Discord: discord.gg/BH3Mp8Y Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/HoustonFBPod Stay up to date on our website: texansunfiltered.com Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/houstonfbpod

As a queer person of mixed race, Corey Pemberton often feels other. Knowing nothing about his African roots and very little about his European heritage, the artist considers lineage and the idea of connectedness in his glass art, paintings, and other works on paper. Pemberton’s vessels, blown glass baskets based on those of his presumed ancestors, are made in a European style that borrows forms and patterns from the sweetgrass weavers of South Africa. He says: “I use color and pattern as vehicles to describe situations where society has used a person’s uniqueness against them; where people have been labeled or categorized based on physical characteristics in an effort to hold them back. Can we, as a society, find a way to unite in our otherness?” Born in Reston, Virginia, in 1990, Pemberton received his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. After graduating and relocating to Augusta, Missouri, he worked as a production glassblower under Sam Stang and Kaeko Maehata. Subsequent travel through Norway and Denmark exposed the young artist to both country’s rich design history as he worked with fellow glass artists. Upon return to the US, Pemberton participated in a Core Fellowship at Penland School of Craft, Bakersville, North Carolina. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Pemberton splits time between production glassblowing, his painting practice, and Crafting the Future (CTF), an organization he co-founded with furniture artist Annie Evelyn in early 2019. CTF partners with organizations across the country such as Louisiana’s Young Aspirations/Young Artists, known as YAYA; Kentucky’s STEAM Exchange; North Carolina’s Penland School of Craft; and Maine’s Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, with the goal of increasing access to education and opportunity for underrepresented artists in order to help them develop thriving careers. In 2019, CTF raised more than $8,000 to send two young New Orleans students, Tyrik Conaler and Shanti Broom, to Penland School of Craft.  Despite the challenges of COVID-19, a growing number of artists have banded together to fundraise for student scholarships. The CTF membership page went live in February 2020, and in the next three months culled around 50 members and $2,000. Following the killing of George Floyd and several other innocent African Americans, and the ensuing protests that raised awareness of racial injustice, membership increased to more than 1,200 by late May. Over the next few months, CTF raised over $175,000 for scholarships and other programming, though more is needed to affect lasting change. If you’re interested in joining or donating to Crafting the Future, visit: https://www.craftingthefuture.org Striving to bring together people of all backgrounds and identities, Pemberton breaks down stereotypes and builds bridges, not only through his work with CTF, but in his personal artistic practice. In the artist’s recent solo show creature, comfort at the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) of Raleigh, North Carolina, painting, photography, and hand-blown glass came together to create visual environments that depicted subjects in both real and imagined homes. Pemberton’s goal was and is to make his subjects relatable and intriguing, so that viewers consider those subjects fully and are able to see themselves in the work.  Join Corey Pemberton next spring at the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio for a lecture and free demonstrations during the 2021 Visiting Artist Series. Next summer, the artist is scheduled to teach at Pilchuck and in the fall at Penland with Cedric Mitchell.  

After the deadly aftermath at Maguire’s farm, Mercer has awoken to discover he has been taken hostage by Mr. C in the Bakersville campgrounds. He must find a way to save himself and his deputies, before time runs out and the general and his monstrous soldiers make their way to them. email@soundsscarypodcast.com www.soundsscarypodcast.com Sounds Scary Instagram

COVID-19 forced the organizers of the Halloween tradition, Bakersville, to innovate and come up with a new way to frighten and delight audiences. And, innovate they have with an all new radio play that they will be putting out via social media and in a special audio presentation at the Wanee Cinemas. Jacque Komnick, one of the organizers of Bakersville, joined WKEI on Tuned In to talk about how this all new presentation of Bakersville came together and how you can be part of enjoying Bakersville in person courtesy of the Wanee Cinemas.

We are introduced to the Chief of Bakersville, Mr. James Mercer. He is a man sworn to uphold the law and keep the town safe, while simultaneously dealing with his own inner demons. But today he’ll have to face something worse, something that has decided to settle into the town he protects. Something beyond his understanding. Something made of nightmares. www.soundsscarypodcast.com

Our story begins in the fictional rural town of Bakersville. It’s early morning and a train has derailed near the town line. The train is carrying something of immense government interest, cargo that was supposed to reach a vital undisclosed location. At this current moment in time, the FBI is investigating the crash and collecting data in order to determine the damage and potential hazardous outcomes. Mr. C a mysterious government agent with first hand knowledge of the operation, has shown up to resolve the situation. Unfortunately, what they don’t know is the cargo inside the train is alive and waiting for the right moment to strike. www.soundsscarypodcast.com

En el podcast de hoy leemos los primeros pasajes de "El nombre de la rosa", una excelente novela de misterio y crímenes en una abadía de la Edad Media. La novela fue llevada al cine y protagonizada por Sean Connery, como el franciscano Guillermo de Bakersville y un joven Christian Slater, como su discípulo Adso, quien es el que cuenta la historia de cómo llegaron a descubrir al ideólogo de los asesinatos. Y cómo hicieron? Bueno, fijate si te enganchan los primeros párrafos de esta novela histórica, después te conseguís el libro o el audiolibro, o me mandás un mensaje y te digo cómo lo podés leer online y te enterás! Gracias por escuchar hasta el final!

Conversations with Sam Ames, producer of SoCal's RockCobbler and El Gravelero and Tim Farrar, producer of Canada's Paris to Ancaster. Rockcobbler Website Paris to Ancaster Website Thesis Website  Tech Corner sponsored by Thesis: Today we’re going to talk about one of the most fundamental yet overlooked aspects of getting the perfect bike: fit.  Put simply, a bike that’s fit to your unique body and biomechanics will reduce risk of injury, improve comfort, power, and efficiency, and ultimately make you a faster, happier rider. Here are the components to focus on:   First, frame. Everyone starts with frame size, but unfortunately many get it wrong and few go any further.  Second, crank. Getting the length right will enable a smoother pedal stroke throughout a wider range of cadences. I’m 5’11” and perform best on 170mm cranks. My cofounder Alice is 5’2” and needs 155s to get a similarly dialed fit. Few companies offer cranks this short, so if you’re a smaller rider or have flexibility issues, pay special attention here.   Third, handlebar. You want the width at the tops to be roughly equal to that of your shoulders, and for gravel I recommend some degree of flare for increased control in the drops.   Forth, stem length. This determines where your handlebar can be positioned in space, which in turn affects effective reach, hip angle, mass distribution, handling, and aerodynamics.    Of course, the right parts are just a starting point. To truly become one with your machine, you need to calibrate it to your body. This is why I always recommend working with a professional fitter. Whether you’re dealing with pain or discomfort, or looking for a performance edge, a professional fit as the single best bang-for-buck investment you can make in your cycling.   And with that, back to Craig and this week’s guest. Automated Transcript (forgive the typos): Sam Ames -- Rockcobbler + El Gravelero Sam, welcome to the show. Well, thanks for having me. Yeah, I'm excited to talk to Sam. I always like to start off by learning a little bit more about you and what your background is as a cyclist and then how you came to event promotion. Yeah, happy to share. , I got into road cycling during the summer of 1985, early 85. Uh, actually I picked it back 1984. , I had seen a, uh, bike race on TV, which at the time was Paris Roubaix. Uh, and in those days we were getting to the John Tesh tour to files coverages and those sorts of things. So I just kinda got inspired sitting there watching very rubric and people sort of, you know, riding through the mud and, and you know, gnarly conditions. And so I'd worked all summer pulling a great boxes onto a truck. It's called there being a swamper here in the central valley as I was making a whopping $5 an hour. And I felt rich. So I immediately went to the bike shop and, uh, bought my first motor, a road bike for $235, and, uh, started riding in sneakers and just, uh, loved the sport. So stayed after it and stayed on it. , did a little bit of racing in Europe when I was younger, uh, raised at the cat one level for a while, , and then really gravitated towards, , rotting into dirt more. So cyclocross became a big love for me and I had some good success, , on the cross, serve it as, as an elite for a little while, uh, way back in the day and then pick the sport back up after a hiatus, , with jobs and kids and their parents and life and a little bit of masters and using in and around southern California and other parts of California and really loved cross. So that sort of was the precursor to what everybody knows as gravel now. And, uh, that was something that I kind of felt like I've been doing forever and ever. , so yeah, there's the sports just been, uh, a huge, huge part of my life. And from there we, , we really got into, uh, I had a business partner for a few years, uh, well for many years. We started in 2010 and we started sandbar and promotions. , and I dabbled in a few races here in Kern county, in Bakersfield for awhile, but then we started the promotion company and really wanted to, to share some of the venues that we had. We've pretty good with the course and pretty good area to do some cyclocross races and mountain bike races. So we did that for quite a while. And, , I think some of the emphasis was shifting that the stars are lining up differently and we really, , what having some of the successes Bakersville kind of in a funny location geographically, we're part of southern California, but we're really not and it's just sort of stuck in the middle. So it was difficult for us to get decent attendance. And, uh, so we kind of started slowly putting a few events on the show and, uh, and then we, uh, when we got into the cobbler and all the stuff we're doing now, so there's a, there's the brief history. And when did the cobbler, the first Rockcobbler event come to be? So the rock cobbler was created out of say, or, you know, what was your inspiration or what were you seeing? And it was, it was two falls and it was actually quite specific. We had gone, I had been riding, you know, rode bikes in the dirt and all screwed and glued to a few already bikes, you know, that I eventually broke several of those. And those were kind of the hot cycle cross bike back in that early 90, late eighties. , I was, you know, doing a ton of what I would call gravel or adventure riding. And so I never really thought much of it. I was really maybe one of only a handful of people that was doing that besides traditional mountain biking. And, uh, so we , went one year down to event that we had heard about, which was the Belgian waffle ride and a, of course mark, everybody has Michael Marks now. And I did not know Michael. I knew of him and he had actually come to bigger scope for one of our cross races. So we went to, I think it was either the second or third VWR and wasn't a ton of people compared to what they're doing now. It started at spy headquarters. It was maybe 150 people. And when I heard more about it and kind of knew what the course was and there was going to be dirt sections on a road bike, I was like, oh, this is, this is going to be gray. So we have an awesome cha on. Often times we'd defended Michael and shared some, some fun stories with him and kind of hit it off. So the next year we came back and we kept talking about VWR and talking about all local trails and stuff we wanted to do. And so we just started pitching around names and this was in maybe November and a buddy of mine, we were, I know exactly where we're geographically, he's like, what about rock toddler? We, I'll stop and look at each other and that's the name that's going to stick. So this will be our seventh year. , so we started with uh, the , the cobbler in 2012, I guess 2013. So, , yeah, it's just something that we, we kind of wanted to put our own spin on and , that's how I, that's kind of literally how it was born. So I went back and toasted beers and they were like, nobody's going to come to this. We'll have, you know, 15 people and sharing them. After we got a phone call from Neil Shirley and he said, hey, I heard about your ride. I think I'd really like to come, you know, doing some stuff that road bike action and that, that was really a failure on the hat for us from day one. He, he was a big fan and he hadn't even been here. And I could just tell by talking to him that I thought we really would enjoy the route and what we did. And uh, and he did. And the, you know, the successes, it's sort of grown very organically and, and very naturally since then. And what was your intent with the original route? How far is it, what's the elevation gain and how has it evolved over the last seven years? So the terrain that we have, if you, if you really kind of define, , gravel, I think, , dirty Kansas, some of the Midwest events and things that have been going on, you know, longer than astro or at least an equal amount of time. There's really kind of true traditional, , gravel starts on gravel, finishes on gravel, whether it's got a lot of elevation and it's flat, I think it doesn't necessarily matter. So the cobbler very similar to, to BWR and it's concept is not really a gravel ride or I mean you, we, we kind of say it's sort of a mixed bag of multi surface. , so we, we looked at it and we said, well, we don't really have the, the, you know, the, the true ingredients or the gravel race. So we're going to take the best of what we call our, our backyard special, the or out. We'd have some private property that we were very fortunate to get early on orchards and vineyards and in various components. So we looked at the distances and we sort of settled on anywhere from 80 to a hundred. , and then the elevation would, we'd just kind of evolve, you know, we tried to find, you know, stupid trail that people didn't necessarily want to do that were too steep. And of course that led into our every year legendary, you know, Hika bikes that people can't believe, I'm gonna make them hike, uh, offend. Uh, so we're kinda known for that. So that was sort of the distance and then maybe five to 7,000 feet of climbing in total. So we try to really do a little bit of everything, single track, double track, gravel, road, asphalt, , you know, any, anything that we can find. And then we changed the route every year. There, there were a few staple features, , a couple of canyons and goalies that we always try to use, , certain sections just because of how the route has to go. , generally stay the same. And then from there we just try to find new stuff and then add that into the mix. And, and obviously we're well known for keeping the, the Shenanigan meter high as well. So yeah, that's kind of our m o we, we, we, the little team of guys that I worked with on and we say, you know, we're not changing every year and doing stuff that other people aren't doing. We got to really look at it. So we just, we try to be different and they're very, , they're very Bakersfield where, yeah, that's awesome. I think, you know, it's interesting, there's, there's something to be said for going back to the same course every year as an athlete. But for me it's super exciting. The prospect of going to an event that I know is well put together who spices up the course. So we have different things to think about every year. Yeah, that's, you know, that was really a big element for me. And sometimes I think a lot, you know, male, female, doesn't matter. Friends and cyclists and people that are very, , very passionate, very energetic, very excited that to want to share, you know, we, we'd love, we're get so happy to bring people to Bakersfield or even for local people to kind of have that like, oh gosh, I wonder what they're going to do next. And I wonder if we're going to ride through his house again. Hey, I wonder if we're going to ride through a church. I wonder if we're going to do that trail. I mean, that for us really is the reward gets turned into a tiny little business and, and we're grateful for the support. But that's really the fun element for us is how can we keep tweaking it? And you know, after, after a couple of beers, everybody starts getting excited and they're like, hey, let's, let's hang bags taken off of sticks. And I'm like, no, no, somebody's already done that. Let's, uh, let's put a water slide and nobody's done a water slide. We just, we just have so much fun trying to prove with respect to events that really don't change. And the first one that comes to mind, which is actually my favorite gravel event, is the, uh, texture crusher. So a Burke swindlehurst came to getting concerns with Neil and he's come to a couple of cobblers and, and I really hit it off with him as well. And, you know, he's got a route that's very traditional every year and he sells it out and in like lightning speed. And I've been three times and every time I go, I just love it, you know, so maybe it's enough time as tab. It's got enough features for me that I really love how it all sort of comes together. So, you know, I think people dig the changes and that's sort of our emo. But the big part is, you know, we, we are all cyclists and we caught out. We have a mom culture that's, you know, quality events by writers, for writers. That's part of my San Blind, uh, you know, slogan. And, uh, and that's really true. Put on a great event, keeping me and have fun with it. So as with the diversity of terrain that you put people through, what kind of advice are you giving people? As far as the type of equipment and tires they should be riding? So because it does have elements that can be a little bit more dramatic, we've had a lot of people with great success on a mountain bike and by and large most people are bringing a gravel or cross style bike with 38 up to 42 millimeter tires. I mean we've, we've had a few people attempt and actually succeed with doing the a cop, a lot of road bike. , very difficult with some of the rocky sections and things that we have. So you know, I think like other events that are similar to ours that you, that have the multi-surface elements, you get a pretty wide variety. But if we were to align all the machines that, you know on the morning of rock harbor, we recommend to them, you know, minimum of 34 millimeter definitely, you know, file tread are more aggressive and uh, and that's sort of, you know what, we're after, you know, 34 by 36 I'm daring for, for somebody that needs a maybe a little bit lower, you can go lower. It's always safer. So we're still kind of recommending that sort of gravel bike adventure setup. And usually when we're testing the course and we're trying to find the features, you know, you've got that varying degree of ability. But somebody will do on a mountain bike, I might be crazy enough to try out a road bike, but then there's somebody else who's going to be walking down, you know, a trail or whatnot. So we try to have fun without being too nutso. , but then you have another nature and you can't do anything about her. So sometimes things can get a little treacherous. So now, long story short, gravel, gravel bike was a slightly bigger tire and wheel veering we think is a great setup. It going back to shenanigans, I'm not exactly sure how riders are going to understand how to plan for riding through a house on their gravel bike. Yeah. Yeah. So the short story of that evolution was obviously what I previously discussed. We wanted to try to find, you know, you need crazy stuff. , so the riser, the house thing had come to me many years ago before we even did it the first time and I couldn't figure it out. Number one, whose house we were gonna use. Although we did use my house last year and it, it's sort of [inaudible], it's hard to have to turn people around and go down the street. He came in and whatnot. But we, we made it go. So the first year we did it, two years ago, I have a buddy who actually worked with and he lives not too far away just around the corner and you have a, a dirt field entrance to his backyard. Just luckily enough. And then a good street ran out in the front. So we got the talk and I think we're getting ready to remodel. And his wife is just, she's such a game where she's kind of one of the guys and so we were drinking wine and sitting around and he says, I check you out. Let's do it. And we didn't really expect that response. So we worked pretty hard on how are we going to get across this road. It's recently busy. , and sort of hide the house. We didn't want anybody to see it or they got there and it, it really couldn't have gone better. Like they dropped in off this little trail with a bunch of tall grass that they couldn't see and it was like right into the fence and people were just, you know, his whole family and friends are over there. People were just going nuts. And some of the early, some of the video's still floating around. You can, you can see the look on people's places. I mean, they're riding through a gate, they're going around a cooler and going through a sliding glass door and you know, out the front. I mean, it was just, it was just so ridiculous, , that it was just so good. So we accomplished the first year of riding through a house with a cobbler. And last year, you know, we all sort of look at each other and said, well, nobody's going to envision that. We're going to do this twice. Like we didn't breathe a word about it. People would ask, they can, I don't know what we're going to do that again. And I said, no, there's no way we're going to do a house fly if we can't do it. While, while the meantime, we were secretly plotting of whose house are we going to do and how are we going to do it? So we ended up putting it all together and doing the best we could to make the route sort of script work. And it worked out just fine. And, uh, you know, it really did cost me a trip to the beach and a trip to the beauty salon. For my wife. She was like, I am out of here. She wasn't quite the game or that my buddy Randy's wife is and about writing through it, write it in that chesty and fantastic. We had red carpets, , that a local rental place had used. We'd had a lot of rain and they'd had supplied into a wedding. So he called me because he saw my need or the event was coming up and said, hey, I got all this red carpet that were thrown in the trash because it's ruined. And I said, I will take every bit we can. So we cut up the red carpet and I think it's still the, the, the photo on my Facebook page with a caption that says, you know, why stop now? So we rolled out the red carpet and that went over as a big hit and rolled everybody down my front lawn. So you know where we go from there on, you know, a other thing I do, it's tough to call. We, we won't beach balls at 'em. We've, uh, had dark girl, Langley done some fun stuff and we do have a pretty good list of shenanigans so we'll, we'll certainly come up with something. So 2020. Yeah, I have to say I have seen some of those videos and some of the images from riding through the house and it is just, it's, it's so funny to watch some of the expressions and everybody's having such a good time. I'll definitely put a link to some of those that I can find in the show notes for this event because I do think, you know, these shenanigans as you were saying earlier, such that they go viral and it makes people enthusiastic too. You know, I'm in northern California, maybe a four hour, five hour drive down to Baker's field, but it's like it's on my list of things to do because I want to go see what kind of shenanigans you're going to throw out next. Yeah, no, the fun part is bigger. So at that time of year, you know, we always do bigger self help stuff. I founded my entire life and I have lived here my entire life. People asked if I'm from Bakersfield, I'm like, I wasn't born here. I was actually born overseas and I, my parents were both in the military, but my mom was on Bakersfield. And so yeah, I've lived here my entire life. So instead of [inaudible] things get quite green and usually the, the dirt is he wrote there and we just had amazing weather every year. Last year was the first year we had rains. And in some ways I'm really glad we did because it, it wreaked a little bit of havoc was , some course marking. I learned a couple of valuable lessons. We had a few people go the wrong way, but the funny part is not all, but almost all of those writers turned around and went back. So they had already done this gnarly hike, a bike, and it was money. They ended up going back and finishing, you know, the whole course. And, and that's to kind of talk about shenanigans or people smiling and having fun. The rider base of what cobbler brains or a BWR brains. And, and we, we don't call the cobbler race. I mean it's definitely much more of an organized ride and you know, people can make it as competitive as they want, but having fun is just paramount. And for us, we've, you know, want to call it gravel on surface or adventure rides or whatever. That's really the name of the game. We, we get a large audience of people that, some of them I've known for some time in the cycling community that things very competitive and still are. But there's just a, I think there's really a desire for, for people that want to just go and have a great experience, you know, they want to have good party, they want to have a hard ride, they want to feel challenged. But you know, sending a number on and trying to be everybody. A ritual for use is really not that, not the name of the game for us. So we just, we really, really want to treat him like a customer. I think that leans into everything that's great. A great bow, gravel, that kind of intention. Like there's plenty of opportunity to go fast and push yourself and try to be the first one across the line. But it's also about enjoying the day, making new friends, having a true adventure. , two rock cobbler was in February, so we missed it this year. But you've got a second event that is going through a name change. So can you tell us about how Grapes of Wrath has evolved to El Gravel Arrow he'll grab aware of. So yes, we had, uh, one of our good supporters and riding buddies, , and family friends, uh, his family operated in those at a table grade company and kind of just out in Kern county, but just outside of Baker. So for a long time, like 80 or 85 years. And unfortunately they, they ended up kind of closing up shop and some family wanted to do something else, so it sort of went away. But we had an event called Grapes arap and it was another route that was probably more BWR. Like it didn't ha it doesn't have all the cobbler elements pretty straightforward on, on the gravel road. You know, there's no single track, there's not a lot of, you know, technical dirt descending was very, very straightforward, but it was an amazing route. Uh, so unfortunately when there great business, , folded, we lost the venue, we had a kind of a big dirt field in the vineyards and had these really big reservoirs. We'd go swim in the reservoir. So it's just kind of like a camping weekend of some deer riding and some road riding and a ton of eating and drinking and campers and cause it was awesome and it was slowly starting to gain some traction. This last year, , Ryan steers came. We've had several other writers of note that are known that just like, man, here's a little nother little kid in gym that these guys as they're doing, so it's spaced out enough that it works. So we needed to retool the event with a new venue, which we have fortunate enough to go back to some private property that we use for the cobbler, which is real Bravo ranch here towards the mouth of the canyon that goes up to Lake Isabella. So we'll be positioning the venue and the food and our festivities and things that Real Bravo and we've retooled the route. And in that process we came up with grab Alara, which is actually a trademark name that belongs to another cycling buddy. We just happen to love the name. I said, man, if there was anything that ever worked for, you know, the free spirit of adventure riding, it's these guys that called themselves the gravel Leros. And uh, so my buddy Alex, yeah, let's, you know, let's, , you can use it like near the name and we wrote out on a cocktail Napkin and, and here we are. So it's a shorter route. We've taken some of the climbing out, but we really think it's just another great combination of a little bit of everything. And this year we will have the opportunity to do quite a bit of dirt descending. So there's a very long road. It's actually almost a 34 mile climb. If you go from the bottom and it just runs this entire ridge of some of the southern Sierras and it's called furniturea. So we're going to do the course clockwise instead of counterclockwise so it will still get all the farmland and oil fields and some of the funding preachers there. And then we've got a pretty gnarly three mile section of climbing, , averages 16% in 1500 feet in less than, less than like a mile and a half, two miles I think. So it's pretty, pretty nasty. But then you get this really cool sort of mentally challenging, physically challenging focus, challenging descent on a pretty chopping, uh, sections of ranch area. And then now we'll drop people right back into the end of the ranch where the venue is. So I think it's just going to work wonderfully. We've got a ton of traction already. People are excited and I'm so we're, we're very, very much looking forward to bringing that one into the fold and, and evolving it. That's awesome. Well, I'm excited to see more about that later in the year in October. And I wanted to thank you, Sam, for joining us on the show today and thank you, especially for putting on such great events. , it's really important to the gravel community that we have events that are professionally produced and are stable and kick up these amazing experiences so that people want to keep coming back and keep talking about why having an adventure style bike or a gravel bike is so important and such a great opportunity. So thanks for making the time, Sam. I can't wait to hear about the events later in the year. Well, thank you for having me. And, uh, we, you are welcome to out at our house anytime. So don't, don't be a stranger. Come, come down and play with us and we can experience it all firsthand. Cheers. Tim Farrar -- Paris to Ancaster Tim, welcome to the show. Well, it's great to be here. I'm excited to learn about Paris to Ancaster. I've read a little bit about it. I've seen some pictures and for anybody listening, go online and check out pictures from this event because it seems like you have everything from tarmac to double track to fire roads, to county roads to a single track, a heap of mud. It looks like a hell of a lot of fun. And then to learn that 2020 is going to be the 27th edition of this race. I was pretty staggered and excited to have you on board. So Tim let, let's start off with just learning a little bit about your background as a cyclist and what got you to the point 27 years ago to organize this crazy event. Well, my cycling background goes even deeper than they started cursing cast or I started a bike racing as a road racer when I was 13, 14. And got progressively more involved. A actually hit category one status on the road when I was uh, in my twenties. But more recently, I've just been, uh, a masters, masters Roadie and even more recently just a bike rider rode for a ride. So that's where I, uh, but when I came into organizing, I was a recently, uh, recently I graduated college student with a couple of buddies and that's where Paris and gastro started. So it wasn't commonplace obviously for people that are putting on gravel events that the pure term as we think about it today wasn't even invented at that point. What made you decide to put an off road event that wasn't a mountain bike event at that time? Well, at the time we had a, uh, same two buddies, uh, and the, I in college had a business doing, uh, photo timing and results for bicycle road races, you know, like, uh, stage races and stuff. And that grew out of our first event, which was a criteria in which grew to a road race, which could, was stage race. And we had some pretty, uh, big international years in the early or the mid eighties, late eighties. And, uh, we were looking for an event to basically get our season started. In nearly early spring. We had lots of work between May and October, but we didn't have much in the spring. So we, uh, basically put on a Perry Roo Bay tribute event as a closet mountain bike race. And I believe you shared with me that you had 266 participants that year. What were they writing? What were they into interested in doing? Well, the, the kind of interesting thing I think about race is that the, uh, they were the people, men, women, the one we're on cross bikes right away. And that was partially deliberate because I was pretty well tuned into the local, uh, road racing scene. So anybody that, uh, thought they needed a mountain bike, we sort of told them it was really more of a cyclocross race. And, uh, as it turned out, the guys, the men and women that won the first year were, you know, oh, actually one of them is from, uh, uh, northern California, Mark Halati. Uh, your listeners might know him in the, uh, group from the group ride community in north, in North San Francisco area. That's where he lives now. But he had a career as a division three pro, um, around the time that he won the race. And the first woman, the one was Krissy Retton who, uh, went on to represent Canada at the Olympics. I think it was Sydney, I'm not sure which year off offhand. So the, the thing about our sanctioning body at the time was they had all these mountain bike races starting up in the, uh, early and mid nineties. And there were all kinds of crazy things, you know, like, uh, you know, bike stage races that had a hill climb, a, uh, a descent competition across country and trials stage. So they had no idea how to officiate all of this, uh, all this of, but they did have a category for a, a mountain bike citizen race. And according to the rules of mountain biking at the time, it only had to be like 60% on, uh, unpaved surfaces. So that's what we called it. But we told everybody it was a cyclocross race. And, uh, most of the, you know, a good portion of the distance was on, you know, Polish dirt roads. So it was fast, like a road race and that's how it took off. And has that course changed over the years? Well, quite, uh, quite a bit. Uh, but we do have one guy who's written every edition, so he's probably a better authority on it. Uh, but two of the, two of the largest sections of our race are on rail trails and they have been for the entirety of the event. But one of those rail trails in the first years was, you know, they just taken the rails up. It hadn't been regraded or you know, uh, a chip, uh, filing, you know, the, to pack it down. It was, you know, rough rail bed with the railway ties still in place. So it was more of a hike and bike section in some, uh, some areas. But, uh, other than that, there's been a few, um, a few roads that were gravel that have now been paved. And, uh, we've recruited more and more private landowners to let us daily on their property for, uh, a couple of hours on a Sunday morning in April. Nice. So if I'm an athlete, considering it for 20, 20, walk me through the length of the event, the amount of climbing and what type of terrain I should be looking at. Well, the [inaudible] of the race is basically, it's a two hour winning time from their back. It could be, you know, anything from, uh, well a couple of seconds to a couple of hours covering all the, uh, uh, all the age groups. But we started off in waves and the basic principle is the fastest guys go first. So people have qualified well from previous years, get into the elite wave, invited pros and stuff, get into the elite wave, and then the other wave is fill up, um, as after registration opens. So we think it's pretty egalitarian in that mean two hours. So if you're in the neighborhood of two hours, two and a half hours of your regular ride, the ride is within reach. Uh, as for the, uh, the elevation, there's really not a ton of climbing, but the climbing that there is this kind of rolling hills, uh, you start off on one or Riverside rail trail for 10 kilometers, that's, you know, virtually flat. Then there's some punchy little, a little climbs, but nothing, uh, sustain into the seven or eight minute range. You know, they're, uh, they're short. But at the finish line, you finish at the top of the gravel road that's got, well, it, they seemed like 25% pitches. They may, they may not be too, might as well be a lots of people walk, let's put it that way. The final pitch, and it's, so over the years, how have you seen the equipment evolve from, you know, the winners to the participants? What are people riding? You said, you mentioned the sort of started with a, a cyclocross sort of skew and imagine that's where the bikes were at that time, but over the years, what have you seen show up at the start line? Well, we've seen almost everything show up and, uh, but the, the bulk of the top 100, even since year one has been cyclocross oriented. And I don't differentiate in recent years between cyclocross oriented and gravel oriented cause it's, but, and you know, but right from the very first year the men's and women's women's winters were on cyclocross bikes ever steel with canteens. But you know, the pilots were good. Um, but in the meantime, we've also had, uh, mountain bikers with, you know, 26 year olds size wheels, uh, paired right down to one inch slicks on and, uh, they would be well in the mix. And one a few years, uh, we had a guy who went two years in a row, uh, first on a cyclocross bike with candies. And then next year on the, one of the, uh, newer, uh, 20 niners years. Never seen that before. And then, uh, recently it's been guy gravel bikes and cyclocross bikes. But we also had a year where a guy won on road bike. And, um, of course he later that season he was world junior time trial champion. So you had a little bit of an engine and some good luck. Well, it certainly, it looks like you've created a interesting event. Uh, again, like looking at the pictures online and some of the videos people have shot over the years. It just looks like it. It's a great way to start your season in that part of the country and kind of push your limits across a bunch of different types of terrain. It looks like the event has grown quite substantially. Is there a rider cap next year? Yes there is, but it's a, uh, uh, it by distance cap. So we do have a limit in the 70, uh, nominally 70 kilometer race and nominally 40 kilometer race. But the, we also have a 20 kilometer family ride, which we're nowhere near approaching a limit on. So, uh, yeah, there is a, uh, there is a limit, but the, uh, um, registration opens in November. Typically when we get all our stuff together, um, and, uh, it doesn't sell out right away, that's for sure. Okay. And where can people find out more information about the event and if they wanted to register, where should they go? Well, a, our website does lead you to a, uh, uh, address. It's a pair of thank after.com. Um, a lot of the questions that website will know likely most likely be somewhat out of date. That's why if this is been broadcast in real time, uh, but generally where the last weekend in April and a lot of the FAQ is, or no answered there. But uh, we'd certainly like to talk to anybody about the race it's been, you know, yeah. Well, well yeah, hats off for, for completing 26 additions of the race so far and it continues to go on and on and on. So I'm excited. I appreciate it. On behalf of the community, always appreciate talking to event organizers because it's a lot of hard work. I know you've got a, a big volunteer base team that puts a lot of effort in every year and it's not inconsequential. Keeping the website up and doing all the logistics and making sure everybody's safe and having fun. So Tim, on behalf of the community, thanks for putting on the event. For everybody out there. Definitely do a Google search for some videos and images. There's lots that I found out there. It looks like a hell of a lot of fun if you can find yourself in that part of the country. Um, during the spring season, said, Tim, thanks for joining us. Hey, that was cool.

It’s not uncommon to read comparisons between Albert Einstein and Paul Marioni, artist and one of the founders of the Studio Glass movement, many based on their shared lifelong fascination with light. Known as an innovator in the glass world, Marioni has been pushing the limits of his medium for five decades, redefining what is possible not only in process but content. He says: “I work with glass for its distinct ability to capture and manipulate light. While my techniques are often inventive, they are only in service of the image.”    A surrealist whose work addresses issues of nature, identity, and emotion, Marioni relies upon dreams as well as political and social convictions to make statements, causing us to forget the unfair advantage that working with glass affords. Using material that is inherently beautiful, the artist inspires people to think rather than telling them what to think. Marioni’s work can be found in collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; and the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York.   Marioni, who graduated in 1967 from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a Fellow of the American Crafts Council and Glass Art Society Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. He has received three fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and has taught at schools worldwide including the Penland School of Crafts, Bakersville, North Carolina; Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington; the Glass Furnace, Istanbul, Turkey; and more recently at Soneva Art and Glass in the Maldives.   At 77, Marioni remains passionate about the “road show,” a grassroots effort started by artists like himself, Fritz Dreisbach, Dale Chihuly, and Richard Marquis, to spread knowledge and enthusiasm about glass to anyone who showed interest. “I’ve worked in glass all but three years of my life. What was I thinking to get into a field with no history, no books, no teaching? Obviously I wasn’t thinking. But we built the Studio Glass movement on cooperation, not competition, because there was no past. There was nothing for us to get. And we’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be done.”   In addition to gallery work, Marioni has produced over 100 public and private commissions in both cast glass and terrazzo. From his studio in Mexico, the artist currently works on the biggest commission of his career for the $52 million Bellevue, Washington, light rail station. Its train serves business powerhouses of the Pacific Northwest including Microsoft and Boeing. Selected as lead artist for the project through a national competition, Marioni is designing 3000+ square feet of art glass for the platforms as well as the terrazzo floors.   

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a live episode featuring Liz Zlot Summerfield, Ronan Peterson, Amy Sanders and Marty Fielding. Our wide-ranging conversation includes advocating for handmade through arts education, creating engaging low fire surfaces and why potters seem to dress like their pots. This episode was taped in front of a live audience as part of the Red Handed Symposium at the Clay Lady Campus in Nashville, TN.   Liz Zlot Summerfield is a ceramic artist based in Bakersville, NC. For more information visit www.lzspottery.com. Ronan Peterson is a ceramic artist based in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information visit www.ninetoespottery.com. Amy Sanders is a ceramic artist based in Charlotte, NC. For more information visit www.amysanderspottery.com. Marty Fielding is a ceramic artist based in Tallahassee, FL. For more information visit www.martyfielding.com.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, thanks for listening to this episode and for supporting the show with your iTunes comments. About a year ago I started using Patreon to create a sustaining membership campaign. It has been a great tool to raise funds, but I continue to need your help to meet my operating budget. If you can spare a few dollars a month I ask that you sign up at www.patreon.com/redclayrambler or give a one-time donation through the Pay Pal portal at www.talesofaredclayrambler.com. Every dollar helps, and no donation is too small. Thanks for helping to keep this show on the air!

We discuss the latest news on religion and atheism in the past week. In order for us to be able to continue the Atheist Republic, we need your help. We think if we reach 100 patrons we'll finally be able to afford all our costs. Help us get there: https://www.patreon.com/atheistrepublic  Watch the video version of this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/me8Kp2JfVzk  1. The British singer, once-One Direction member, Zayn Malik, was the celebrity many Muslims especially Pakistani ones, liked to claim as their own because he had a father who was a Pakistani Muslim and his family appears to be Muslim. In an interview to British Vogue, Zayn was asked if he would call himself a Muslim. His reply was, "No, I wouldn't". Some of his fans are canceling him. 2. Pastor Jean Jacob Jeudy, a 48-year-old Texas pastor of the church Walk By Faith International Missionary, was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a child. He blamed Satan for the charges. He said they are being made through the devil. He was booked Thursday into the El Paso County Jail on a bond totaling $30,000 and was released on bail later that day. 3. Kevin Stitt, an anti-vaxxer and a Republican businessman, got elected as Oklahoma's 28th governor. He beat Democrat Drew Edmondson by 12 points despite never having run for elected office before. He gives all the credit to God. 4. Before the rampage at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, the mass shooter apparently posted about the uselessness of "hopes and prayers" on Facebook. Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former Marine who served Afghanistan, shot people at the Borderline Bar & Grill Wednesday night. This was his post on facebook: “I hope people call me insane… (laughing emojis).. wouldn’t that just be a big ball of irony? Yeah.. I’m insane, but the only thing you people do after these shootings is ‘hopes and prayers’.. or ‘keep you in my thoughts’… every time… and wonder why these keep happening…” His motives are still unknown. On the other news, a mother of the mass shooting victim said that she does not want prayers, she wants gun control. Her son, Telemachus Orfanos was a survivor of another mass shooting in Las Vegas. The mother's message was: “I hope to God no one sends me anymore prayers. I want gun control. No more guns!” – mother of shooting victim Telemachus Orfanos. She says he survived the #LasVegasShooting but did not survive the #ThousandOaksMassacre. 5. The Parkway Playhouse came to Mitchell High School in Bakersville to perform the Shakespeare play on Thursday. A group of parents and pastors were so offended about the presentation that they formed a prayer circle for the students. 6. In the 1990s, Rachelle “Shelley” Shannon shot and injured abortion provider Dr. George Tiller who was later assassinated. Rachelle also committed multiple acts of firebombing and acid attacks against abortion clinics. She was sentenced to more than two decades in prison but now she is free. 7. Friday morning President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation that will bar migrants who cross into the US illegally through the southern border from seeking asylum. This would ban migrants from applying for asylum outside of official ports of entry. The American Civil Liberties Union has already called the rule "illegal," and legal challenges are expected to follow. 8. This week the Trump administration issued final regulations that give "conscience protections" for employers that have "religious or moral objections" to providing employees birth control. Under the new rules, businesses, nonprofits, and religious groups have much more flexibility to withhold any form of contraception from their workers, a decision that would primarily affect women. 9. A video showing the brutal killing of a young Syrian girl by her own brother has been released online. She was killed to "bring back the honour" of her family. The video shows a young man, Bashar Bseis, holding a Kalashnikov rifle in hand, pointing at a young girl wearing a scarf and couching on the floor. "Make sure we can see both your faces," a voice orders him. His friend told him, "Go ahead, Bashar - cleanse your honour." Bashar then proceeds to shoot multiple bullets into his sister and watches her die. This was reportedly live streamed on Facebook. The girl had been killed after indiscreet pictures of her were posted on the social media site. Bashar is a member of the Free Syrian Army, with its own police and courts and might never be held to account. 10. In the United States, the fastest-growing religious affiliation is "no affiliation," and it is leading to a major crisis for religious leaders. The report cited a Pew Research poll which found that 36% of younger millennials identify as either atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular." The report found that the vast information available through the internet is leading many away from churches, and toward their own personal journeys of spiritual discovery.

In a world of technological excess and social turmoil, one longs to return to the simple goodness of the earth and its bounty. Like a trip to the local farmer’s market, Jen Violette’s cornucopia of glass fruits and vegetables renews in the viewer a connection with the ground we walk upon and the faith that we remain part of a plan that makes life on earth sustainable.   A full-time glass and mixed media artist based in Wilmington, Vermont, Violette is known for her colorful, garden inspired glass sculptures that often incorporate metal and wood. Recreating plant structures with molten glass, the artist has mastered the use of glass powders to mimic the colors and textures found in nature. “Since the growing season is relatively short in Vermont, I enjoy gardening with molten glass to extend my growing season.”   A 27-year hot glass veteran, Violette received her BFA in Glass and Metal Sculpture from Alfred University School of Art & Design, Alfred, New York in 1994. She continued her glass art education through courses at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG), Corning, New York; the Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington; the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island; the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine; and Penland School of Crafts, Bakersville, North Carolina. Her mentors and inspirations include hot glass royalty such as Lino Tagliapietra, William Morris, Martin Janecky, Dante Marioni, Richard Marquis, the late Pino Signoretto, Randy Walker, Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen, Jasen Johnsen, Stephen Dee Edwards, Fred Tschida, Walter Lieberman, and Brian Pike.   Violette’s work can be found in private collections worldwide and is represented by a number of fine art glass galleries including Schantz Galleries Contemporary Art in Stockbridge, Massachusetts; Vetri Gallery in Seattle, Washington; Raven Gallery in Aspen, Colorado; Sandra Ainsley Gallery in Toronto, Canada; and Montague Gallery in San Francisco, California. Her work can also be found at Duncan McClellan Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, where from October 12–14, 2018, the artist will be featured along with glass artist Claire Kelly in a weekend event including glass demos by both artists.   Currently fabricating larger scale installations and glass sculpturesdirectly mounted to the wall, Violette’s aesthetic now includes forest floor imagery with fall leaves and branches. She moves in and out of the seasons, simultaneously creating a spring inspired installation containing fiddlehead ferns and glass trilliums, as well as an homage to summer with black-eyed Susans and sunflowers, and a wall piece featuring large-scale ferns installed at different angles.   Upon her return from the Glass Art Society conference in Murano, Italy, in May2018, Violette will participate in a Vermont Crafts Council Studio Tour held during Memorial Day weekend. During August 6–11 the artist will teach her first class ever, a Creative Glass Sculpting Techniques workshop, at the CMOG Studio.    

#A In the first half of this week's show we spoke with Rodney about the upcoming Heartwood Forest Council, one of two yearly meet and greet events by Heartwood. Heartwood "is a regional network that protects forests and supports community activism in the eastern United States through education, advocacy, and citizen empowerment. We are people helping people protect the places they love. Heartwood was founded in 1991, when concerned citizens from several midwestern states each defending their national forest from logging, mining, roads and ruin, met and began to work together to protect the heartland hardwood forest." They'll be holding their "Strong Roots", the 27th Forest Council from May 26-29 at Camp Spring Creek, 774 Spring Creek Rd, Bakersville, North Carolina, the heart of the Katuah Bioregion.  Info on the event, how to register yourself to attend, what'll be offered and how to get involved in Heartwood can be found at https://heartwood.org #2 The second half is an interview conducted by Pinda and aired on episode 192 of Dissident Island Radio, an anarchist podcast out every 2 weeks from London and available at https://dissidentisland.org.  In the chat, Pinda spoke with Crossbill, a bird of the Riseup! collective  about the recent FBI gag order ordeal and what this means for users of riseup mail and other services. Coming Soon Stay tuned to our website, social media & podcast feed for a special podcast release of an interview with the Liverpool based anarchist black metal project Dawn Ray'd. In this interview we speak about the inception of the band, the political situation in Liverpool, and the many ways in which anarchism and black metal can inform and augment each other. This band is just about to embark on a tour of the U.S., organized by the Milwaukee based label Halo of Flies, with dates in Cincinnati, Detroit, Texas, and in Asheville on June 1st at the Odditorium! You can check out their music for free on bandcamp, and keep in touch with tour dates and new releases by visiting their fedbook page. Announcement From the Durham Solidarity Center: "Dozens of southern anti-racist activists organized a counter protest today, May 20, 2017, at a so-called "Confederate Memorial Day" rally organized by the white supremacist organization, ACTBAC (Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County). Three were arrested and given serious charges and high bail - the highest was $15,000.  The Alamance County Sheriff is a notorious racist. According to witnesses, Alamance police were seen shaking hands with known Klan members.  We need your support to support these anti-racist fighters." Playlist

Robert Mickelsen’s second act in glass not only pays homage to his early career in flameworking, but couldn’t have happened without it. The artist gracefully transitioned from sculptural to functional glass, promoting his artwork to an entirely new fan base and resulting in the most successful years of his career. Born in 1951 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mickelsen apprenticed with a professional lampworker for two years in the mid ‘70s, then sold his own designs at outdoor craft fairs for 10 years. In 1987 he took a class from Paul Stankard that opened his eyes to the possibilities of his medium.  Mickelsen stopped doing craft shows in 1989 and began marketing his work through fine galleries and exhibitions in high profile shows nationwide. His work can be found in many prominent collections including the Renwick Gallery of American Crafts at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.; the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning New York; and The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Ohio.  Beginning in the mid 1990s, Mickelsen taught flameworking at major glass schools including the Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood Washington; Penland School of Crafts, Bakersville, North Carolina; and The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York. He has published numerous technical and historical articles on flameworked glass and served for six years on the board of directors of the Glass Art Society as treasurer and vice-president. June 19 - 23, 2017, Mickelsen will co teach with Jared Betty the first flameworking workshop at Pratt Fine Arts in Seattle, Washington, to include pipe making as part of the curriculum. From July 17 – 21, 2017 Mickelsen returns for his ninth year in a row to Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to teach the creation of organic forms made from bubbles of borosilicate glass. He also teaches private workshops at his home studio in Ocala, Florida. 

Today on Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I have an interview with Joy Tanner and Will Baker. Together they operate Wood Song Pottery in Bakersville, NC, making individual bodies of atmospheric-fired ceramics. In the interview we talk about being resident artists at the Odyssey Center, striking out to start their own studio, and leaning on the ceramic process for inspiration. For more information on Joy visit www.joytannerpottery.com. For more information on Will visit www.williambakerpottery.com.   This episode is the second installment of the Arrowmont-week series, recorded at UC7 held in Gatlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. Part of the campus was recently destroyed by wildfires that burned large portions of Gatlinburg. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. Every day this week I’ll release a new UC7 themed interview so check back tomorrow for a new episode.

Joy Tanner has been a studio potter in Bakersville, NC for 12 years. She received a BFA in Ceramics at UT Chattanooga, was a Resident Artist at the Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and the EnergyXChange.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a panel discussion about green energy and sustainable studio practices with Gabriel Kline, Kent Mclaughlin, and Erica Schneider. In our wide-ranging conversation we talk about balancing financial investment with long-term environmental safety, utilizing free recycled fuel sources to fire kilns, and best practices for establishing a waste free studio. This episode was taped in front of a live studio audience at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Art in Asheville, NC.   Gabriel Kline is a potter and the director of the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts in Asheville, NC. To find out more information about Gabriel please visit www.odysseyceramicarts.com.   Kent Mclaughlin is a potter based near Bakersville, NC. Along with his wife Suze Lindsay he runs Fork Mountain Pottery. For more information on Kent please visit www.forkmountainpottery.com.   Erica Schneider is the communications director for Sundance Power and an advocate for the adoption of clean energy technologies. For more information on Erica please visit www.sundancepower.com.

John Britt is a studio potter in Bakersville, North Carolina who has been a potter and teacher for over 30 years. He lives in mountains of western North Carolina although he grew up in Dayton, Ohio. John is primarily a self-taught potter who has worked and taught extensively, both nationally and internationally, at universities, colleges and craft centers, including the Penland School of Crafts where he served as the Clay Coordinator and then, as the Studio’s Manager. He is the author of the “The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glaze; Glazing & Firing at Cone 10” which was published by Lark Books in 2004, and his most recent book “The Complete Guide to Midrange Glazes: Glazing and Firing at Cone 6” which will be published October 2014. He also has and two e-books (PDF’s): “The Quest for the Illusive Leaf Bowl and Other Assorted Articles” and “Aventurine Glazes”. He also has a DVD produced by Ceramics Daily entitled: "Understanding Glazes: How to Test, Tweak and Perfect Your Glazes”. He was the juror for the book; "500 Bowls”, Technical Editor for “The Art and Craft of Ceramics”, and the “Ceramic Glaze: The Complete Handbook” by Brian Taylor and Kate Doody. He has written numerous articles for ceramics publications including: Ceramic Review, Studio Potter, Clay Times, Ceramic Technical, New Ceramics, The Log Book and is a frequent contributor to Ceramics Monthly.

This week's show explores the little town of Dunn in Harnett County, we go ziplining at the Kersey Valley Zipline, we tour the old Dellinger Grist Mill in Bakersville, go on a food tour of Winston-Salem, and enjoy Latin culture at Fiesta del Pueblo.