From 6-8 p.m. this Saturday the Green Goat Gallery in Spencer (516 S. Salisbury Ave.) is having its first folk art show, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Folk Art Celebration.”
South Carolina native Bruce Chandler, now of Charlotte, will present her small impressionistic oil paintings and cigar box shadow boxes of rural Southern life. Lisa and Tim Kluttz of Salisbury own St. Peter’s Farm, where they collaborate on their bold and cheery artwork. The couple began painting about 10 years ago after being inspired by the outsider art at the Myrtle Beach House of Blues. With Tim as the “ultimate collector and recycler,” there is never a shortage of materials for their vibrant paintings of cats, flowers, dogs, chickens, mermaids and more.
Woodcarver Brad Smith is a native of Spencer who now calls southwest Virginia home. Comfortable in a variety of media, Brad will be demonstrating traditional Appalachian branch carving and will be exhibiting his cocky, colorful roosters.
Making her debut at the Green Goat Gallery is jewelry and fiber artist Erin Hinckley of Kannapolis. Recently the featured artist at the Asheville Art Museum, Erin is a graduate of Appalachian State University.
Rounding up the lineup are Salisbury artists Emily Brinskelle and Meredith Abramson who debuted their Whimziggy Style artwork last summer to great acclaim.
The Polka Dots Three will be on hand to lend their special variety of polka music. The exhibit runs through Aug. 16. For more information, call 704-639-0606.
Kids’ tractor pull
ROCKWELL ó As part of the Aug. 1 Music in the Park fundraiser sponsored by the Rockwell Community Association (RCA), there will be a Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull competition.
Kids age 4 to 12 are welcome to compete. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. for the event which begins at 5 p.m. Kids must register 30 minutes before the event and be weighed and classified by group. An adult must be present with each child. Prizes will be awarded for the winners in each category.
Other free events will include a magic show, gospel music, and Piedmont Primetime Community Band.
The Rockwell fire department will provide free blood pressure screening and the YMCA is providing their bounce house. Proceeds from the sale of food and drinks will to Nazareth Children’s Home.
Resuming in September, the Community Association holds monthly dinner meetings on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Rockwell Community Building behind the police station. To participate contact Ann McManus at 704-209-0422 or cmcmanus12carolina.rr.com.
Mooresville art show
MOORESVILLE ó Mooresville Artist Guild’s featured artists for August will be Leo Gordon, Sandie Bell and John Weidman. Also featured will be carved and painted gourds by Salisbury artist Whitney Peckman.
The show will be open at the Depot Fine Arts Gallery, 103 W. Center Ave., Mooresville, Aug. 4-30. Admission is free. The public is also invited to the opening reception 6-8 p.m. Aug. 14 during the Corner of Art & Main event. For more information, call the Depot at 704-663-6661.
Flat Rock volunteers
FLAT ROCK ó The Flat Rock Music Festival is looking for people wanting to volunteer and receive a complimentary ticket for 8 hours of volunteer time. Applicants must submit a written application to be considered for volunteer work. Submissions will be received up through Sept. 5.
The festival takes place Sept. 25-27.
The 2009 Volunteer application can be found at: www.flatrockmusicfestival.com.
Theatre festival
WINSTON SALEM ó The 20th anniversary National Black Theatre Festival will be held in Winston-Salem Aug. 3 through 8. The festival is produced by the N.C. Black Repertory Company.
The festival will feature events occurring at various locations, including the N.C. School of the Arts, the Arts Council Theatre, Salem Academy and College Fine Arts Center, and Winston-Salem State University.
The festival opens with a parade of African drummers and dancers, followed by a procession of well-known celebrities, including Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Kim Wayans, and LaChanze, Tony award winner from the Broadway production of “The Color Purple.”
Activities during the week include theatrical productions, collegiate productions, the NBTF Poetry Jam, a Youth Celebrity Project, Youth Celebrity Project, National Youth Talent Showcase, a readers’ theatre, and others.
Of local interest is the African Footprint in Old Salem. Old Salem Museums and Gardens and NBTF are partnering to illustrate how the African culture enhanced the lives of the Moravians in the 1750s.
Winston area hotels offer special rates to attendees of the festival. For more information, visit www.nbtf.org.
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts will perform with special guest Darius Rucker at the American Living Unstoppable Tour 2009 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte Saturday, Aug. 1. Rucker will open the show at 8 p.m.
Tickets are on sale at LiveNation.com, the Verizon box office, or can be charged by phone 877-598-8698.
An Egyptian ExperienceREIDSVILLE ó In 1929, while on world tour, a North Carolina businessman and his wife commissioned a Cairo, Egypt, artist to reproduce King Tut’s famous golden throne chair. That and several other ancient and replica Egyptian pieces will be on display in August at Chinqua Penn Plantation, the 1920s-era mansion built by the couple.
The special exhibit has been offered for a number of years, originally when Chinqua Penn was owned by the 16-campus University of North Carolina system. Most of the artifacts are not on regular display at the mansion, 2138 Wentworth St.
Other pieces in the exhibit include a 1600 B.C. bronze figure of the Egyptian deity Horus, son of Osiris; a glazed earthenware necklace; and an ivory fail.
Chinqua Penn is a 27-room, English countryside mansion built in the 1920s by tobacco businessman and farmer Thomas “Jeff” and his wife, Beatrice “Betsy” Penn. Surrounded by 22 acres of gardens and historic landscaping, the home is filled with artwork and elaborate furnishings from 30 countries. The site, now in private hands, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Egyptian exhibit can be seen throughout August. House tour admission is $20 for adults; $15 for seniors citizens and students; and $10 for children six through 15. For more information, call 336-349-4576 or visit www.chinquapenn.com.