Pool of ideas

Virgina Center for Creative Arts

Virgina Center for Creative Arts

If the Virginia scenery isn’t inspiring enough, there’s always a night at the “dive in movie.”

I’m spending a little time away from home here at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts in Amherst, Virginia. The creative retreat provides quiet time and ample freedom for a small group of writers, composers and visual artists to develop new ideas (or recover from the last one).

Past Fellows are recipients of some prestigious fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as winners of National Book Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and MacArthur genius awards.

Whatever they put in the water here, has good effect.

On the drive up, I had some time to think about this last year. 2010 brought some new and challenging projects, and I wanted to thank all of you who shared in the creation, production, and performance of each of them:

Providence Gap
Beautiful Star
Songs in the Rear View Mirror
Redbird Round
Polecat Creek and Steep Canyon Rangers

A walk around this gorgeous campus is helping me settle in. A few conversations with some Fellow guests will help, too. And there’s always the pool.

Residents here turned the empty pool into a “dive in” movie. Just the kind of creative idea I’d like to dive into.

See you when I get back.

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  • 1 Sep 2010
  • Category: Theater
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Singing for the lands you love; Steep Canyon Rangers and Polecat Creek Friday night

photo by Keith Mcadoo

photo by Keith Mcadoo

Friday Oct. 16 is The Piedmont Land Conservancy
 Land Jam at the Carolina Theatre with Steep Canyon Rangers and Polecat Creek.

Your $20 ticket will be working to ensure that the Piedmont has clean air, clean drinking water and strong soil for vegetable and plant production for years to come.

Since 1990, the PLC has been working to permanently protect more than 138 of the Piedmont’s special places encompassing nearly 16,000 acres. Through the protection of these lands, the PLC helps ensure the people who live and visit this region have clean drinking water, access to locally grown food, outdoor recreational opportunities, and scenic views.

And Friday night, we’re singing and playing to literally save the places we all love.

Steep Canyon Rangers

Steep Canyon Rangers

We’re honored to play a part, and to share the stage with Asheville’s Steep Canyon Rangers. The group is fresh off a sold out tour with Steve Martin’s bluegrass project, The Crow. It’s good to have traditional bluegrass back where it belongs. Home.

The Piedmont Land Conservancy Land Jam
Carolina Theatre
8 pm Friday Oct. 16
Tickets are available online
Or, you can call the Piedmont Land Conservancy at 336-691-0088

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  • 12 Oct 2009
  • Category: Theater
  • Author: admin
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