The true colors of a community can best be seen through the lens of its art. From murals to sculptures to giant mosaics, art speaks to the soul and communicates where words fall short. Outdoor art installations are cropping up all over Lynchburg to enhance its already picturesque and historic landscape. These outdoor art projects belong to everyone—creating a blossoming, dynamic cultural scene for all to enjoy. Here are some of the latest works of outdoor art around town.

Storm Drain Mural Project
The City of Lynchburg, in partnership with the James River Association and Skeo Solutions, launched its first-ever Storm Drain Mural Project in early 2017. A large storm drain located at the Fairview Heights Recreation Center on Campbell Avenue has been transformed into an inspiring, informative outdoor art installation. Artists were invited to submit storm drain designs to a panel of judges, then the public had an opportunity to vote for the top five finalists. Benjamin Brown’s design won, so he was commissioned to complete the project, assisted by Christina Ball.

Brown’s inspiration for the mural came from the James River. “Our theme was ‘It All Drains to the James’ and we had an actual storm drain on the mural site to incorporate into the art,” said Brown.

“We wanted to present a scene that looked like Lynchburg. Elements including the cityscape, wildlife, the storm drain, and—of course—the river were all intertwined to show that these seemingly distant real-life aspects of Lynchburg are in fact very much connected.”

Brown’s favorite thing about creating the mural was certainly the art itself, but also the interaction with the community throughout the process. “During our painting sessions, people would walk up and comment on the art, which opened the door for us to explain the theme and educate the community on why this was important.”

Brown was assisted in the mural project by Christina Ball, a self-taught Lynchburg native whose public art projects include the gymnasium mural at Leesville Elementary School, a veteran’s mural in Manassas, and volunteering for the Amazement Square mosaic wall in downtown Lynchburg.

“Lynchburg is home,” said Ball. “I’m inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds the James River and the importance of maintaining that beauty for years to come.”

As a painter, Ball appreciates the rhythm created by the flow and circular pattern of the river throughout the piece, including a vibrant blue that ties the mural together.

“My favorite thing about doing a project like this is that it’s fun and it’s great to work and collaborate with other artists,” said Ball. “Art is a way of giving voice to an important message.”

Brown and Ball completed the storm drain mural over the course of a month, clocking over 150 cumulative hours.

“I enjoy applying my art to as many situations as I can that inspire or educate others,” Brown commented. “Art is a soothing activity that I’m passionate about, and it was such a pleasure creating this mural.”

The Craft Crucible Building
Randy Smith is the owner of The Craft Crucible, a workspace and lumber shop, on Thurman Avenue in midtown Lynchburg. In late 2016, he approached Kimberly Gibson-McDonald, a cultural arts teacher at E.C. Glass High School, to ask if the art students could create some street art for his building. Knowing that an outdoor art project like this would enhance the midtown area, Gibson-McDonald eagerly accepted the challenge.

“I wanted an artistic style that would enable everyone to find success,” Gibson-McDonald recalled of her inspiration for the project. “Since I knew I’d be doing this project with introductory art classes, I immediately thought of the artist Keith Haring, his simplified graffiti figures, and his passion for creating community artwork with a message.”

The project, which took six weeks to complete, includes two 8×20-foot murals on the side of the building. “After we learned a little art history about Keith Haring, his artwork, and his motivation for creating large graffiti murals, students created their own murals using simplified Keith Haring figures,” said Gibson-McDonald. “These figures were in motion and had to visually express a theme of community.ˮ

The white spaces around the figures are filled with movement lines, doodles, and words that students created when prompted with the question, “What words would express how you feel about ‘Lynchburg’ or your ideal community?”

Gibson-McDonald’s favorite part of the project was watching the students work together to make one communal piece of art and displaying it in a public setting. “They do amazing artwork on a daily basis,” she said. “I display it in our hallways at E.C. Glass and the hallways at the school administration building regularly, but the general public misses out on the artistic talents of the kids in their community. Randy gave us a special opportunity to help bring art and beauty to midtown Lynchburg, and my students take pride in knowing that their artwork will be up for the community to see.”

“I truly believe that the display of art in the community brings us together,” said Gibson-McDonald. “The artist whose work is on
display is giving something to the viewer and that person takes that something, whatever it may be—a feeling, a memory, an idea—and
shares it with someone else. This begins a domino effect of communication, all starting with a piece of artwork.”

Craddock Terry Shoe
Homegrown artist Paul Clements is experienced with outdoor art installations around Lynchburg. His work includes the LOVE sculpture at Percival’s Island, the city skyline cutouts on the steps from Commerce to Jefferson Street, and his latest artwork—a giant shoe in front of the Craddock Terry Hotel.

“I realized that people really like photo opportunities and I thought that a giant shoe that could comfortably seat four people would be just that,” Clements recalled about his inspiration for the piece. “Being in front of the Craddock Terry Hotel, it just had to be a shoe.”

Clements enjoys the entire process of creating outdoor art, from concept to completion. “I enjoy when all of the planning is done and the project gains momentum. It’s like a book that I really get into and it engulfs me.”

The Craddock Terry shoe took six months to complete, from sketches to its installation in late 2016. “I came up with the idea, pitched it to the hotel, and when they agreed to it, I had to deal with the fact that I had absolutely no idea how to make it happen,” chuckled Clements. “I had never tried to recreate an existing object before. I was copying a 6-inch heel and it needed to be 8 feet tall, so I had to multiply everything by 16. It was like unlocking a new dimension for me.”

Conceptualizing and designing outdoor art is a process that Clements takes seriously. He is attentive to detail in considering space, aesthetic, lighting, structure and safety concerns. “I like to visit the site at various times of the day and night to see what happens there and I simply observe,” said Clements. “I ‘listen’ to the space and imagine multiple possibilities. Once the client and I settle on something, I spend a lot of time with structural and safety concerns before I begin. To make something appear to be simple is never simple.”

That apparent simplicity is the real beauty behind Clements’ work. He creates outdoor art that is thoughtful, detailed and rooted in community. “Every town has the same sort of buildings and stores, but not every community has a giant shoe, for example,” he noted.
“I enjoy seeing outdoor art change with the seasons, from being draped in snow to being surrounded by spring flowers. Public art belongs to everyone, and it’s a fun, surprising, inspiring addition to the landscape.”

Title: Sculptor | Age: 50

When did you first discover your passion for art and sculpting?
I was really little. My parents were divorced and when I was six years old I got to spend a summer with my father in California. He took me to Disneyland, and I was amazed—but not for the reason most kids are. I just wanted to know how they built it. I went on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I knew they weren’t real people, but they looked like real people. Before we left the park, my dad bought me a magazine and it had pictures of the original Disneyland Imagineers as they were sculpting. Then, he gave me $20 for allowance, and I went to the hobby store and bought every piece of clay they had. I spent the rest of the summer sculpting all of the characters in that magazine. I was only six years old, but I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

Once you graduated from high school, did you receive any formal training?
I was mostly self taught. I had my own little mask business—making rubber Halloween masks and dentures. And then Dick Smith, who was the undisputed master or “Godfather” of special effects makeup, started a mail order course. I sent him a couple of pictures of my work and within three days I got a letter back that said, “Your work is fantastic. You can take my course at any time.” I was about 18 or 19. That was the only kind of training I had.

Where did your career take you next?
In my 20s, I moved to Colorado to work for this huge mask and prop company. I worked for them for a year and I absolutely hated it because I had to run everything by a committee. It got so tedious. I didn’t know at the time I moved… but the town I lived in, Loveland, had the highest rate of sculptors per capita than anywhere in the world. The world’s best bronze foundries were right there in town. So I left the mask company and started working at a foundry creating huge, monumental pieces. I stayed there for three years, then started working as a freelance sculptor for independent projects. I would get hired by these independent companies and I would sculpt something, then they would put their name on it. People don’t realize this but there are so many “sculptors” out there who haven’t sculpted anything in their lives. For years, I made really good money doing that.

Did you encounter any major setbacks?
When I worked for a company in Connecticut I got really sick on the job with toxic chemical overload. Doctors told me I would never sculpt like I used to ever again. But while I was recovering and couldn’t get out of bed, I worked on little pieces that ended up becoming some of my best sellers.

What did that teach you?
After all of that, I said I would never work for anyone else. So I started taking part in fine art shows and worked my way up to better shows all while learning how to market and brand myself. And the rule for me now is I won’t create something I wouldn’t have in my own house. There is no amount of money that’s enough… because it’s like selling a part of your soul.

You first came to Lynchburg in 2010 to visit a friend. What made you stay?
It took only two days for me to fall in love with the city. First, the historic district—I think every artist is a secret architecture nut. I just fell in love with the whole design of the town and architecture. And I started meeting so many nice people. Everybody was just so nice. I love it here.

Now you’re a key player in the community and one project in particular has you very busy.
Oh yeah—the M.W. Thornhill statue on the Fifth Street roundabout. It will be nine feet tall in bronze. Thornhill was the first African American mayor back in the 90s, and he did so many good things in this town…he stirred stuff up and worked hard for equal rights.

How are you making it look like him?
Multiple photos. The News & Advance was a huge lifesaver for me. They let me go through their archives and scan tons of photos of him. It’s a really challenging project because once I put it out there…this will be how Mr. Thornhill will be remembered by future generations —it’s a lot of pressure. And his family has been a part of the process.

You’re also doing some work for the owners of the Villa Maria?
They have commissioned me for a dream project to create some sculptures they want. I came up with a series of designs and they picked one and said, “Let’s start with that one.” They are great to work with. They don’t put any pressure on me and just let me do my thing.

So—what’s next for you?
I would like to have a facility where I could have interns and train them in this type of work. Ideally, I can foresee teaching the particular skill set I’ve learned over the last 35 years to someone who is interested in the process so that I can eventually step back a little bit from the production aspects and be able to focus more on just creating the sculptures. I’m doing almost all of it at the moment and it gets a little overwhelming at times. I’d love to find the time to get back to oil painting too; I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it.

What’s your vision for Lynchburg’s arts community moving forward?
I’d love to help turn Lynchburg into a sculpture mecca, with a sculpture garden located somewhere in town. I’ve seen them in a few places that I’ve lived and they seem to be a popular tourist destination. If you build it, they will come.

How can people get in touch with you?
Faraoni Studios on Facebook
Ken Faraoni on Instagram
www.kenfaraoni.com

Lynchburg Symphony Rises to the Occasion

As musicians tune their instruments on stage, a palpable excitement grows among the audience. The lights dim. The performers silence their instruments. A young conductor takes the platform and raises his baton over the sound of hushed anticipation.

With a swift stroke of that baton, Dr. Christopher Swanson leads the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra into its 35th year with a bang.

LSO is a Hill City tradition. Founded in 1983, the symphony was established with a vision of cultivating musicianship through performance of timeless works. Today, the orchestra is blending old with new, staying true to its roots and its core mission while innovating for the future.

In the Beginning
LSO came from humble beginnings, starting as a small orchestra under the umbrella of the Fine Arts Center. The musicians enjoyed the ensemble and believed it could grow into something more. With a spirit of innovation—and a desire to expand the symphony—the group ventured out to become its own entity.

“We decided to head out on our own and form the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra,” said Bruce Habitzruther, who served as Conductor and Music Director in 1983. “We put together a cracker jack board and received great financial support from the community.”

In the earliest days, LSO performed one concert per season at the Fine Arts Center. Gradually, they expanded to five concerts per season. “We had at least one major soloist—many of national stature—perform with us each year,” said Habitzruther. “We also had an annual ‘Pops’ concert that was funded by two special donors for 16 years.”

The LSO is comprised of 50 musicians who primarily live and work in Lynchburg. They are Lynchburg’s private music teachers, working and retired school teachers, and local band and orchestra directors. Several members have been with the LSO since its inception 35 years ago. As positions open up from year to year, the group eagerly welcomes young musicians into the orchestra.

The result is a thriving ensemble of talented musicians that make up the heart and soul of the symphony.

“One of my favorite memories was performing at Lynchburg City Stadium for one of our annual ‘Pops’ concerts. Over 4,000 guests attended, and one of the Lynchburg Hillcats players in attendance commented that he wished the baseball team could draw a crowd this size,” Habitzruther chuckled.

“It was an honor conducting the dedicated musicians throughout the years,” Habitzruther said. He served as Conductor and Music Director at LSO for 30 years, until he retired in 2014, in order to fully devote himself to the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra and Junior Strings, which he and his wife, Ellen, founded in 2001.

Rising to the Occasion
During the summer of 2014, a young music professor from Longwood University joined the LSO board. Dr. Christopher Swanson quickly fell in love with the organization and assumed the role of Conductor and Artistic Director.

He came with a vision of collaboration and revitalization that helps find a balance between preserving the symphony’s past and looking out for its future.

“I have always drawn my inspiration from collaboration,” said Swanson. “I enjoy the process of getting to know another person or another organization and letting them get to know me and the orchestra. I also love to find out how other people feel about music.”

Over the past two seasons, Swanson has dedicated himself to enhancing the symphony through collaboration with other arts organizations, universities and individuals. One of the first collaborative projects he led was with students at T.C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation.

“We asked the kids to listen to music that we were going to perform and create art based on what they heard,” recalled Swanson. “During the concert we projected giant images of their art above the orchestra as we performed. I will never hear Pictures at an Exhibition the same way again!”

At its core, the LSO has a goal of serving the Lynchburg community. The symphony accomplishes that goal by providing high quality orchestral music in a series of live concerts. With a new generation comes new opportunities, and Swanson has a plan to make the symphony even more relatable for audiences both young and old.

“Some people feel like if they don’t know anything about classical music, they shouldn’t come to a concert,” notes Swanson. “Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that one doesn’t need to be educated in music to appreciate good music. One only needs an open mind and perhaps a little sense of adventure.”

Adventure is definitely in the repertoire this season. LSO is creating programs that audiences will love. Families will hear music that they recognize, and they may also hear something new along the way.

“We have a spectacular season planned for our 35th year,” said Swanson.

“We will be celebrating music from the cinema and pairing it with great classical masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire. Some musical highlights that I am really excited about are Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ ‘Fantastic Symphony’ by Hector Berlioz, and music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and from ‘Star Wars.’”

Collaboration is vitally important to Swanson. It allows him to tap into local talent and to expose the symphony to an even broader audience. But that’s not the only reason that collaboration is so significant to him.

“The biggest reason is simply this: I love to make music with other people,” said Swanson. “For me, there is no greater joy than to bring a large group of people together to explore a great work of art. In this, we not only learn about the music itself but we learn about each other and ourselves. So, whether we are working with a group of opera singers, or ballet dancers, or a children’s choir, we will all gain from making music together. With that, the community wins every time.”

A Major Scale for the Future
LSO’s 35th year officially begins on June 10, 2017 when they’ll perform an outdoor concert at Riverfront Park that will feature American music, patriotic medleys, a hip hop symphony, and a fireworks display.

“We are very excited about the American Music Concert on June 10, hosted by the Academy Center of the Arts,” said Linda Edwards, who serves as the President of the Board of Directors for LSO. “BWXT is our generous sponsor, making the event free to the public!”

Edwards is also looking forward to LSO Night at the Lynchburg Hillcats on July 16. “Our Maestro, Dr. Christopher Swanson, will sing the National Anthem accompanied by LSO brass players, and he will throw out the first pitch.”

In the coming years, LSO is looking forward to performing in a spectacular restored venue downtown. When the renovation of the Academy Center of the Arts Historic Theatre is completed in late 2018, the LSO is planning to come home to the Academy, performing in the majestic, historic venue for many seasons to come.

With a strong focus on collaboration and exciting opportunities ahead, the LSO has a strategic plan to ensure they are a fixture in the region for years to come.

“Orchestras in the United States have gone through major changes, particularly in the past 5 years,” Edwards explained.

“Our Board of Directors has encouraged a diversity in the orchestra’s sound and audience appeal. We believe that a symphony orchestra has to prove its value each and every day to the community that supports it. This is a challenge we take seriously.”

LSO has accepted the challenge and risen to the occasion.

Today, the symphony is an integral part of the dynamic arts scene in Central Virginia. Lynchburg is proud of the LSO and—with a rich history of 35 years of music—this is just the beginning.

Occupation: Artist and Teacher (Randolph College) | Age: 67

Did you notice your artistic talent early in life?
No, I did not realize I would grow up to be an artist. But a quote by the Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman described my experience. “All of us collect fortunes when we are children. A fortune of colors, of lights, and darkness, of movement, of tensions. Some of us have the fantastic chance to go back to his fortune when grown up.” Without the knowledge that I was becoming an artist, I spent my childhood up in trees, lost in daydreams, books and being with animals. On weekends, my family either went to the St. Louis Zoo or to the art museum. Looking at art and animals is a wonderful way to become an artist.

After your childhood, what was your educational path?
I received a Bachelor of Professional Studies from State University of New York. This program of study gave me a studio in Manhattan’s Westbeth Studios where regular visiting artists would see my work and speak to me about it.

I was also apprenticed to the abstract expressionist painter, Milton Resnick.

New York City was my most real, most intense, most beloved and most germane education. To be in a city full of art and artists and to have the chance to see art and talk about it on the highest levels made me realize that I was an artist. It set the bar high and the challenge was exhilarating. I have felt nowhere as much at home as an artist as when I lived in New York. I was born in Austin, Texas. I was born an artist in New York City.

What was your career like in New York City?
My husband and I lived in a loft in downtown Manhattan. It was a time when it was illegal to live in lofts. But the city knew that the development artists were making of rough neighborhoods was good for the city. So they looked the other way. I was fortunate to have five New York galleries represent my work in the 20 years I lived there. Between sales of work, grants and awards and occasional teaching, we were able to live and work in the city. Days spent in the studio and nights, when not at home, spent with other artists either at exhibition openings, meals at each other’s studios or bars. The camaraderie of other artists and the conversations helped clear the cobwebs that isolated work in the studio can weave. Weekends were often spent going to museums and galleries to see art. This life as an artist in New York formed me intensely, to the point where I knew
I could always be an artist wherever I lived. It sustains me even now.

Tell us about the year you spent in Rome.
Both my husband and I were awarded the Rome Prize—Jim in 1981-82 and me in 1987-88 so we lived for two years in Rome at the American Academy. What an incredible experience. Living in a villa on one of Rome’s seven hills, the Janiculum, with other fellow artists and scholars. Those two years were filled with travel, conversations, studio work and freedom to spend days in pursuit of art. I often felt like Alice in Wonderland.

One day, wandering in the medieval section of Rome, an art historian got a key from a shoe cobbler. We crossed the lane and when she unlocked a small, non-descript door we were looking at the edge of a giant sundial the size of a football field. It was covered by a foot of water and made of marble inlaid with bronze Greek inscriptions. The sundial’s gnomon was an Egyptian obelisk that now stands before the Italian parliament. Another day an archaeologist drove a few of us out to a Roman suburb. He lifted a manhole cover, stuck a ladder in it and when we climbed down we were looking at a vast catacomb. So vast, we were warned not to set off exploring it.

I never knew what adventure a day was going to hold.

You later decided to switch gears into higher education. Why did you choose to pursue a career at Randolph Macon Woman’s College in 1994?
The people I met on campus when I came for an interview embodied a serious and intriguing idea of education. The idea that the arts played such a significant role in education was important to me. The fact that the college had an annual exhibition of contemporary art at the Maier Museum of Art was extraordinary. And with its program for bringing artists and scholars to campus, I knew I could contribute to this endeavor of exposing students to the world of art. The collection of art at the museum assured me that I would still have a chance to stand before art. The painter Paul Cezanne said that the only proper place to speak about art is standing in front of it. So the exchange with students would have that authenticity.

What do you enjoy about teaching?
Being with the students. I enjoy thinking of ways to help them make their art. I enjoy sharing the art I love with them. I love the fresh way students look at things. I like their openness to new ideas. I hope to inspire in them a lifelong relationship to the life of the mind. I want to encourage their curiosity before their criticism. When the writer Toni Morrison was asked what she most loved about having children she answered, “They ask me for things nobody else does.” Exactly. Students enrich my life. It’s a two-way street.

How would you describe your artistic style?
Metaphoric abstraction

What are your favorite mediums?
Oil paint and watercolor

Tell us about your most recent exhibition in New York City. This was a big honor!
My paintings were selected by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for a group exhibition in New York. The American Academy of Arts and Letters was established in 1898 to “foster, assist, and sustain an interest in literature, music, and the fine arts” and is chartered by Congress. Since the opening of the exhibition I have learned that I have been awarded a Purchase Prize, which began in 1946 to place the work of talented, living American artists in museums across the country. Two of my paintings have been purchased by the Academy. These paintings will be on exhibit during the awards and induction ceremony in May and will remain on exhibit through June. And after that, they will be given to museums.

Are there any pieces you have created in your career that you would say are your “favorite”?
It is like having children. You love them all in different ways. But there are certain paintings I call breeders because that is just what they do.

Other paintings come directly from them. Ideas seem to just fall off of them and onto the next canvas.

What are you inspired by?
Art and artists, books, music, nature, and animals.

What role does art play in a community?
Or, what role should it play?
It reminds us of our commonality. Art is a reflection of us and also a world unto itself. It invites an open mind. It offers a place for rest and contemplation. Art reminds us that we are not alone. What we feel has been felt before, by someone else and evidenced in a book, a piece of music, a work of art. Art can take you by the hand and say “I know, I understand. Come with me.”

What’s next for you in your journey?
Setting my life as an artist determines everything. Next is to attend the award ceremony and exhibition of my work at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York. (Note: The Academy’s Ceremonial Exhibition is May 17-June 11.)

How can readers get in touch with you? kmuehlemann@randolphcollege.edu

Local Music Festival is Bigger Than Ever As It Celebrates 5 Years

It’s an unlikely story. Five years ago some music-loving friends decided to host a day of live music on Buchanan Street. With a wooden pallet stage as their only platform, four bands performed to a “crowd” of roughly 100 people, sustaining a broken generator after just the first set.

Fast forward to Spring 2017 and that unassuming day of music has grown to epic proportions—50 live bands, national headliners, five stages, dozens of food trucks and vendors, thousands of festival goers, and, best of all, a front row seat in the heart of Downtown Lynchburg.

“It was always about the music,” says Jonathan Smalt, co-founder and current director/producer. “It was about the art, and it’s about the community that starts when you are creating with other people.”

Riding the wave of this unlikely story from the very beginning, Smalt surveys the current developments with a mix of awe and excitement.

“When we first said our vision was to create a music festival that gives to the city and happens in the heart of Downtown Lynchburg—for that vision to be happening now is very humbling,” Smalt remarks.

THE BEGINNINGS
To hear him tell it, the first festival in 2013 was a long shot, but it clearly filled a void. At the time there were no regional music festivals to showcase local talent like Glass Oaks, of which Smalt was a member. So, as he says now, “If it’s not there, do it yourself.” By 2014, they hosted Lynchstock at Keep Colony, which at the time was a communal arts collective housed in the former Seven Hills School building on Rivermont Avenue. They sold over 800 tickets, but with open-air stages and an outdoor setting, Smalt says plenty of people snuck in, pushing their numbers closer to 1,200.
Going into 2015, the amount of time and energy invested in planning and logistics was rapidly growing, plus they were unable to secure a venue large enough to host the festival inside city limits.

So, in the interest of growth, they relocated to The Yard at Benjamin’s Restaurant in Forest.

“It gave us a concise festival footprint,” Smalt says. “We knew we were going to outgrow that space, but we did so in a way that we learned how to really run a festival.”

Things really caught steam by their fourth year in 2016. With closer to 3,500 people attending the festival at Benjamin’s, some food trucks were selling out completely while others picked up more burgers in the middle of the day just trying to keep up with demand.
“Several vendors said it was the best sales they’d ever had in Lynchburg,” Smalt recalls. “That is exactly what we wanted—everyone is walking away successful.”

This year, Lynchstock is poised to grow by even more leaps and bounds. Not only are they relocating to the heart of downtown—where they always wanted to be—the festival is also partnering with the Academy Center of the Arts to kick off a summer concert series.
“It’s been a slow crawl where we could get to the point of having national headliners,” Smalt says. But that time has finally arrived, and it’s a match made in heaven for both sides.

DOWNTOWN REVIVAL
In addition to being a lover of all things music, Smalt also champions the continuing resurgence of downtown life and culture in Lynchburg. Having spent his college and graduate years at Liberty University prior to moving to Nashville in 2015, Smalt now returns to town every few months.
“What’s been refreshing is seeing a lot of these new restaurants popping up,” he says. “We really think changes are happening in Lynchburg on the cultural front.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Geoffrey Kershner, Executive Director of the Academy Center of the Arts, who thinks anchoring Lynchstock in the heart of downtown is a “huge win.”

“The artists that Lynchstock will bring to downtown and the careful curation of the event as a youthful, community-building event will take our cultural life up a notch,” Kershner says. In a word, it brings “validity” to the concert series that both organizations are putting together.
Kicking off on April 22 with the Lynchstock Music Festival, the Academy’s Riverfront Park Concert Series will continue with a free concert on June 10. The remaining three concerts—July 8, August 12, and September 30—will feature a variety of musical genres at $10 a piece. While produced by the Academy, the series is organized by Lynchstock and is partnering with Lynch’s Landing and various community sponsors.

Kershner describes the purpose as two-fold: “accessibility and experience.” More people can come due to the size of Riverfront Park, plus community members will enjoy the cultural benefit of live musical performances “in a beautiful location where our city skyline meets the natural beauty of the river.”

Expanded arts events are a win for downtown businesses as well. “Cultural events like Lynchstock are extremely important to a vibrant and successful downtown,” says Lynch’s Landing Executive Director Ashley Kershner. “They increase tourism, drive traffic to local businesses, introduce new people to what downtown has to offer, and provide the vibrant, cultural scene that helps shape the identity of our city.”

For Smalt and Lynchstock organizers, having a partnership with the Academy has opened doors and opportunities they desperately needed.

“Geoff has been speaking for us and going to bat for us and really helping establish Lynchstock as a festival for all ages,” says Smalt. It’s a goal they both hold tightly—to reach young and old with great music.

This Year’s Festival
Pops of pink and turquoise greet visitors to the official Lynchstock web site, a purposeful rebranding choice. Smalt and his co-organizers asked, “How do we make this year really fresh and celebrative and fun?” The vibrant redesign is one part of their overarching goal of cross-demographic reach. “Kids are the future artists and musicians,” Smalt says of why the festival is free for those 12 and younger; it also makes it easier for families to attend as a whole.

Inclusivity and creativity go hand-in-hand for organizers. “We want to make this as cool and unique an experience as possible for everyone,” Smalt says.

Headlining this year’s festival is classic rock band Dawes—“one of the best in the nation today” Smalt says—and Oddissee, an “up-and-coming, hip-hop sensation” who is in the midst of a national tour. This year, Smalt explains, “We are wanting to diversify and be more accurate to what the community wants.”

The festival will include a stage dedicated to metal and hard rock—a “huge scene” in Lynchburg according to Smalt—plus blues, soul, folk, singer-songwriters, EDM, electronic, and DJ sets.

And while national acts bring a level of credibility to Lynchstock as a whole, it will still include the best of local music, a foundational element of the festival from the beginning. Local musician Lee Campbell and his Indie/Emo Rock-inspired group, Quick On My Feet, were one of the bands selected to perform this year—no small feat. Smalt says choosing talent is one of the hardest aspects of the entire festival especially when you have more than 250 submissions like they saw this year.

“I love that it has become more versatile and dynamic,” Campbell says of Lynchstock. “It really allows individuals to gain a larger appreciation for different styles of music, sheds light on unique artists that are coming out of Lynchburg, and puts a spotlight on the music scene here in the Hill City.”
For all the effort and months of planning, one thing remains to be seen, and that is the weather. Regardless of what Mother Nature decides, the show will go on rain or shine.
Says Campbell, “This year has many more diverse bands and allows the city to come together under the umbrella of music and arts, which seems to spark an interest in other creative endeavors here in Lynchburg.”
View a short documentary about the festival’s complete history at
www.lynchstockmusicfestival.com/about.

By Jennifer Redmond

Title: Choral Instructor,
Staunton River Middle School & High School

Your teaching job at Staunton River High School (SRHS) isn’t too far from where you grew up.
As a child, I grew up in Madison Heights with my mother. I attended Madison Heights Elementary, Monelison Middle School and Amherst County
High School.

When did you start to develop an interest in music?
I had always enjoyed listening to music. I remember as a child I was drawn to the music of Whitney Houston and consider her to be my favorite artist.

It wasn’t until the age of 13 that I began singing, which began in church.

Aside from church, did you focus on music in school as well?
Yes. I began singing in the high school choir at Amherst High with the group Amherechos, which included concert choir and show choir.
You eventually decided to pursue music as a career.

Describe your experience at Lynchburg College (LC).
Attending LC was the best choice I could have ever made. The music department was like a family, and they pushed not just me but all their students
to be great musicians and educators. I give a lot of credit to my voice instructor, Dr. Jong Kim, for making me the musician and educator I am today.

By 2007, you made your professional debut here in Lynchburg. Tell us about that performance with Opera on the James.
In 2007, I was a junior at LC. During this time, the choral department would participate in the opera productions with the local opera company, Opera on the James. During this particular season the opera company was in search for a baritone to play the role of the Duke in their production of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. My professors excused me from a few of my classes to complete rehearsals and take French lessons in preparation for the role. For me, this performance was one of the highlights for me and my career. Being able to perform with “professional” artists was simply amazing.

After you graduated, where did life take you next?
After graduating from LC in 2008, I immediately went into completing my master’s degree at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Then you decided take your talents overseas.

How did you end up with a music-related job in China?
During the summer of 2009, I visited China with the Morgan State University choir as we toured and performed in some of the major cities there. Dr. Oeida Hatcher, dean of Communication and the Arts at Lynchburg College, knew that I had just come back from the tour. In an email, she sent me information about a performance hall in search for an artistic director. Once I figured out where the position was I decided to apply thinking that they wouldn’t hire me since this would have been my first professional position right out of college. A couple of weeks later, I interviewed via Skype and two weeks after that, they called back saying I had the job as Artistic Director of the Mulan Children’s Choir at the Tianjin Concert Hall in Tianjin, China.

What was it like teaching in China?
It was a wonderful experience. I taught at a performance hall, so this served as an extracurricular activity for the students. Classes were held on Friday through Sunday. The students learned primarily the Western style of music, while also teaching me Chinese for the opening music festival of the performance hall held each summer.

One statement I heard often especially once returning from China was, “I bet the students were a lot more well behaved than here.” Not sure if I would agree with that 100 percent. In China, I taught about 140 kids. They were all excited about music and a majority of them had some type of music background.

And you also recorded an album along the way?
When performing locally, many people always asked if I had a CD, and I would tell them no. This encouraged me to record one of my favorite styles of music, spirituals, which is the title of my album. The album Spirituals can be found on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon.

Now in your current position at SRHS, what does an average day look like for you?
I am currently the choral director at Staunton River Middle School and Staunton River High School. In the morning, I teach at the middle school where I have one seventh-grade choir and two eighth-grade choirs. In the afternoon, I travel to the high school where I teach a general chorus (beginning students) and my advanced choir. I teach roughly 140 students between both schools combined.

What do you enjoy the most about working with your students?
Being able to see my students growing musically and making wonderful choral music is the greatest joy.

And as if you aren’t busy enough, you’re getting your doctorate at Columbia University. How does that work since you are still here in Central Virginia?
I am currently working on my Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
During the academic year, I complete online courses, and my summers are spent in New York City completing summer intensive courses.

Once you obtain that degree, what’s next for you on your journey?
Once completing this degree, I would love to teach vocal/choral music on the college level and perform as a soloist more.

Any ultimate goal you hope to reach with your musical talents?
I currently feel I have had one of the greatest careers so far as an educator and musician. It is my goal to continue to perform and touch the lives of those who attend my performances.

How can readers get in touch with you?
Readers can visit my website at www.derrickthompson.webs.com.

Title: Artist and Handyman
Awards: Best in Show, Academy Center of the Arts Juried Art Exhibition (April 2015)

Before we jump into your current life as an artist, tell us a little bit about your childhood.
I grew up in Virginia Beach, in Norfolk—around those areas. Just a poor kid from the inner city. I did horrible in school—failed at everything. I dropped out in 7th grade and went to work like most kids do where I come from.

You are becoming well known in Lynchburg for your sculptures made from recycled materials. Do you remember the first time you turned “trash” into treasure?
Since we were poor, I didn’t have toys. I would go into the trash and find things and make them. I remember being 4 or 5 years old. I had a G.I. Joe guy, but I had no vehicle. So, I found some toilet paper rolls and made my own tank.

At what point along the way did you realize your pieces were not just a hobby—but an art form?
It gradually evolved. It started with toys, then I started building bigger things as I got older. I built houses for people, then built cars. And it kept growing.

And you had a handful of jobs over the years that helped improve your craft?
Right. They were all construction and labor-type jobs. Interior and exterior work on homes. Landscaping. My art really does come from my work.

How would you describe your career now?
I’m a full-time handyman and artist. I just do what I do for the day—always something different. For about seven years, I’ve been committed to my art. I work as a handyman for the minimal amount of hours I can to eat and pay the bills so I can keep making art.

Tell me about a few of your favorite pieces.
Well, the horses I make are the best sellers. But for me, I don’t have one certain piece that’s my favorite. I put part of myself into my art so each piece has meaning and is original and is important to me. Even though they are made from trash, I treat them like they are glass.

How long does it take to complete each piece?
It just depends. I’ve had pieces take anywhere from a week up to three months. Depends on the size. And sometimes it takes so long because I have to find the right element to add to a piece.

What is your favorite “medium”? What inspires you?
None of them… and all of them. All of my sculptures are built from my imagination and dreams. I call myself a “magnet to media” because the things I need to make a sculpture just come to me.

You have a nickname “Bartertown Bobby.” Can you explain where that came from?
It has a lot of meaning. To start with, it’s my stage name… my name as an artist. The meaning is…I’m a drifter and a wanderer. I’ve never really had a home or have been accepted. I wanted to have my own town so I created one. Kind of like a place where I’m welcome and people like me, even if I’m the only one.

You have a unique lifestyle to go along with your unique art. Can you explain the story behind the teepee at your house?
I live in that teepee. Most of my art comes from thoughts of my childhood and my imagination so I try to apply that to my life. A teepee is what every boy wants to live in. I also have Native American lineage, and I enjoy having contact with nature and the environment.

Moving forward, are there any other types of art you want to learn?
I want to taste all flavors. I want to try all types of art. I have a million plans. Street art is one of them. I’m also interested in starting up mobile art galleries. I really want to show people that it’s all right to be an artist and take a chance on yourself.

What’s next for you in your journey?
More participation in the community. Taking part in the community as an artist and as myself, trying to be accepted and show acceptance. It’s not about the money, not about things I can sell but about giving from the gift. I hope to show that you can make a life from art, by living my art and all the aspects of it.

How can readers get in touch with you?
They can call or text me at (434) 544-1182. I also keep in touch with the community on Facebook and on Instagram (@barter_town_bobby).

Making Memories… One Project at a Time

Photo-sharing website Pinterest is undoubtedly a great source of ideas and inspiration. Users can create themed boards for things like recipes and clothes and then search for and “pin” images to those boards. One of the most popular board themes is DIY crafts and projects as more and more people are electing to make their own decor and gifts rather than simply buying mass-produced items from stores.

When it comes to these DIY images and tutorials, however, Pinterest can sometimes fall short. Unclear directions can lead to what are known as “Pinterest fails”: unsuccessful but admittedly humorous attempts to recreate pinned crafts. New Lynchburg crafting haven Rivermont Makery has the solution to this problem.

Like Pinterest, Rivermont Makery offers DIY inspiration, but it also offers things that Pinterest can’t. For starters, it boasts expert instructors who will help you avoid DIY disasters; they specialize in activities like painting, drawing, ceramics, photography and sewing. The business also offers access to arts and crafts supplies in both class and open studio settings.

Owner Laura Watts has over 17 years of experience in the art industry. She opened Rivermont Makery in August 2016 after discovering she had a knack for teaching what she herself has learned. “To be completely honest, the idea for the makery just kind of happened!” Watts exclaims. “For as long as I can remember, I have always loved arts and crafts, and as I got older I found myself exploring both of those options further in college. With my degree in Fine Art, I went on to work in interior design and decorating, furniture refinishing, faux painting and murals, and then went into graphic design and finally slowed down and found myself teaching all that I had acquired.”

Watts found the perfect home for her business on Rivermont Avenue, an area that inspires her both artistically and personally.

“Lynchburg, especially this Boonsboro/Rivermont area, is just perfect for this business,” she says. “My aunt and uncle lived just across the street on Elmwood, and I spent a lot of time there. I can remember saying even when I was very little, ‘I’m going to live here one day.’ There is something about the timeless feel of this street and the beautiful homes that line it that I just love. It’s home.”

This notion of home carries over into Watts’ business philosophy; she and her team strive to offer a fun, relaxing and collaborative space where all feel welcome. “Our vision for this program is for everyone, young and old, to be able to come, use the space, use special supplies and just unwind,” Watts says. “I would love to have home school groups, Boy and Girl Scout troops, book clubs, small groups, etc. involved in creating! [Rivermont Makery is] a place to come, craft and create, and get out a little more!”

There are several different options for those interested in participating in projects at the makery. Monthly and yearly membership options are available for adults and children, and there is a Mini-Makers Club for children ages four to 12, which includes admission to “Kids Crafternoons” programs. These membership options include access to open studio time and arts and crafts materials as well as discounts on classes.

Non-members may also use the open studio for an hourly fee. A schedule of upcoming classes is available on Rivermont Makery’s website (rivermontmakery.com), and those who wish to attend a specific class can purchase admission online. Private parties are also available.

When it comes to selecting what classes to offer, Watts and her team of instructors seek exciting ideas from Pinterest and put their own spins on them to create unique crafting experiences. “I am always perusing Pinterest,” Watts says. “If something catches my eye or one of our instructors sees something unique, we do it! It’s really that simple. We don’t follow trends and really seek to provide new and unique activities for everyone!”

Among the classes Rivermont Makery has offered are hand lettering, watercolor monograms, passion tea sugar scrubs, open air terrariums, canvas embossing, and string cactus art. In November, the makery transformed into Hogwarts by offering several crafts from the world of Harry Potter; attendees made their own mandrakes, wands, golden Snitch bath bombs, and more. Watts says the bath bomb projects were her favorite: “They make the whole place smell great, and it’s so fun seeing everyone so excited when they come out of the molds.” In December, attendees traveled to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars–inspired crafts and activities.

Watts hopes to offer more events inspired by pop culture in 2017. “We are planning to have a lot more themed events,” she says. “We are also exploring wood burning, more advanced level creative lettering and calligraphy workshops, silk painting, and experimenting with some cookie decorating!”

Watts encourages those who are interested in becoming an instructor at the makery to fill out a form on their website: “We are always looking for makers! We want to showcase the best Lynchburg has to offer.”

One of the current instructors, Azalea Faye Smith, teaches children’s craft classes such as collage, nature art, fairy houses and flower crowns. “I’ve been with the makery from the beginning, before they opened the doors,” Smith says. “I love being an instructor at the makery because the owner is so genuinely nice and supportive of all of my ideas. Laura and her husband are two of the most hilarious people I’ve ever met. I also have to mention how pretty the space is, and it has the most awesome natural lighting.”

Regardless of a given day’s goings-on, Watts is inspired by the constant love for crafting and sense of community at the heart of the makery and its customers. “Handmade products are more than just a product; there is love, creativity and uniqueness in each item,” she says. “Handmade goods always feel more personal to me. I also love that here at the makery, it often feels like a craftsman community. We learn from one another, and there is a sense of fellowship that you can’t get in a shopping mall.”

Whether you visit the open studio for an hour, become a member, or take a class or 20, Watts and her Rivermont Makery team hope your experience is one you will cherish. “Our goal is to make certain your time in the makery is a memory, and one you will want to revisit again and again.”

Yarn & String Winter Wreath
By Laura Watts
This project is best done while watching TV, chatting with friends and just spending time relaxing. It’s not only simple but also very helpful for those “after holiday blues”!

You Will Need:
1 large MDF craft ring
Variety of Styrofoam balls in different sizes
(Cheaper option: use newspaper and masking tape)
3 to 5 different colors of yarn, string or fabric strips
Other objects (Can be natural or artificial such as pine cones or ornaments)
Standard glue gun
Approx. 15-20 standard glue sticks

DIRECTIONS:
To begin, wrap your Styrofoam balls with yarn, alternating different yarn colors for different size balls. I started with just a dab of glue on the ball and then continued to wrap until I didn’t see any of the original Styrofoam peeking through. Then, simply cut the piece of yarn and finish with a dab of glue.

After all the Styrofoam balls are covered, place them around the craft ring, making sure to disperse the colors and sizes of yarn balls equally. After I arranged them, I secured the largest balls first, followed by the medium, then small. After all of those were glued down, I used the pine cones to fill any holes that may have been allowing the craft ring to show through.

Lastly, I attached the snowflake ornament to the back of the wreath so that it hangs down the center—and voila! I hope the warmth and whimsy of this wreath is just perfect for your home this winter.

By Emily Hedrick

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hacksaw Ridge

It’s been said heroes are made, not born. His birthplace of Lynchburg, however, set the first scene in the heroic true story of Private First Class Desmond T. Doss. His story is now told by Hollywood in the major motion picture Hacksaw Ridge, in theaters November 4.

“I thought it was just a faith-based war story,” Randall Wallace told Lynchburg Living in a phone interview from California. “I read it and couldn’t believe it said Lynchburg, Virginia.”

The moment that a screenplay titled The C.O. (Conscientious Objector) came to famed Hollywood screenwriter Randall Wallace was every bit as serendipitous as years before, when a trip to Scotland to learn more about his Scottish-American roots led Wallace to discover the legend of a medieval Scottish patriot. That journey inspired his first produced screenplay, Braveheart. In The C.O. Wallace found another compelling true story of patriotism and sacrifice, but this time he and the patriot shared roots in common ground.

“I had grown up in Lynchburg and never heard of Desmond Doss. He was remarkable to me,” said Wallace. “Commitment to God and country, for him it was not either or, it was both and.”

At age 21 Doss became a deacon at Lynchburg’s Park Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church. Within five years he would become the first Conscientious Objector to receive our nation’s highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the wake of Pearl Harbor, Doss felt compelled to serve his country in World War II, but he had to reconcile that with serving God and upholding His Sixth commandment–Thou Shalt Not Kill.

Doss concluded he could do both by serving as an Army medic. He would not carry a rifle because of his deeply held Christian beliefs, drawing the disdain of fellow soldiers. Nevertheless, he saved the lives of as many as 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa, by carrying or dragging them one-by-one to the edge of a cliff and lowering them down the jagged face to friendly hands waiting below.
Wallace committed to the script’s re-write, deciding it should be called Hacksaw Ridge, the name Americans gave the portion of the Maeda Escarpment on the island of Okinawa, Japan. It’s where Doss found himself under unrelenting enemy fire while working to save his fellow soldiers. Wallace took his screenplay draft to friend and colleague Mel Gibson, who directed and starred in Wallace’s Braveheart. Hacksaw Ridge is Gibson’s directorial comeback, after a ten-year hiatus.

The distance to cross the White House lawn, the shaky feeling one might have preparing to stand face to face with President Harry S. Truman—the events of October 12, 1945, the day Pfc. Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor, pale in comparison to what Doss had endured to get to that day. Two weeks after receiving the Medal of Honor Doss unceremoniously caught a bus home to Lynchburg. His hometown threw a parade in his honor.

Today drivers make their way from one end of Lynchburg on the Pfc. Desmond T. Doss Memorial Expressway. Lynchburg City Council named the portion of highway for Doss in 2007, the year after his death. The night before their surprise appearance at Liberty University’s commencement in May, Wallace, Gibson, and actor Vince Vaughn, who plays Doss’ sergeant in the film, wanted to see Lynchburg, to get a better appreciation for where Doss came from, according to Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. Falwell said their driving tour included a trip down the expressway named for Doss and to see Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy.

Following commencement select guests gathered with the screenwriter, director, and star for an intimate screening of a yet to be finished or promoted Hacksaw Ridge at the university’s Cinematic Arts school. The local audience felt as if they’d been taken back to 1940s Lynchburg, despite the film having been shot on location in Australia. An Australian mental hospital was used to represent “Lynchburg Hospital” in the film. Becki Falwell, wife of Jerry Falwell, Jr., said moviegoers with connections to our area should watch with a keen eye to spot what would seem to be familiar sites in the film.

“There’s a scene where Desmond and his girlfriend are running through the woods,” said Becki Falwell. “The rocks, it looked Virginia. It looked Lynchburg. It looked real.”

“There were a number of discussions about what Lynchburg was really like,” said Wallace.

Wallace was just the person for filmmakers to ask. He moved with his family from Tennessee to Lynchburg at the age of 11 and graduated from E.C. Glass High School.

“Lynchburg became home to us,” said Wallace.

Wallace said financial considerations kept filming in his adopted hometown off the table, but the filmmakers still wanted it to feel authentic. They hoped to capture the essence and beauty of the area.

“They found locations that looked remarkably like Lynchburg and surrounding areas,” said Wallace. “The mountain scenes looked like the Peaks.”

Location was everything, and while getting the sights right was important, sound adds another layer of authenticity to the film. Wallace suggested filmmakers talk to people with real local accents, then Hollywood came calling Lynchburg. Locals found themselves chatting on the phone with a dialect coach.
“They were trying to get the native accent,” said Lynchburg Museum Director Douglas Harvey, who answered a cold call from the coach. “How do people in Lynchburg say house?”

Cindy Childress, who works in the Lynchburg College Admissions Office, responded to an email filmmakers sent to the office’s inbox. The dialect coach was wanting to chat with a local female, over age 50. Just shy of her 50th birthday and having been in the Lynchburg area since third grade, Childress was perfect for the role.

“She just asked me to talk,” said Childress. “Tell me about your family. Tell me about your last vacation, just broad things that would get me talking for a while.”

At a private screening for about 75 Seventh-day Adventists near Washington D.C. in August, producer Bill Mechanic told of another secret visit.

“Andrew Garfield had come to Lynchburg sometime back to see all the places associated with Desmond,” said Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy Principal Steve Doss, who attended the screening.

Garfield is best known for portraying the skyscraper scaling superhero in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel. Desmond Doss, coincidentally, was the subject of a comic book published in 1946. Wallace said Garfield was well suited to take on the identity of a real-life hero.

“The young man who plays Desmond is absolutely committed to accuracy,” said Wallace. Desmond Doss moved to Georgia in the 1950s where he built a home with his wife and raised a son. There under the authority of the Georgia Cumberland Association of Seventh-day Adventists, the Desmond Doss Council was created to preserve, protect and manage the intellectual rights to Desmond Doss’ life story. Steve Doss, who has no known familial relationship to Desmond Doss, had a chance meeting about three years ago with Dr. Charles Knapp, chairman of the council.

“If my memory serves, Dr. Knapp told me they had held on to his story for some 12 years to find the one that would stay true to who Desmond was and what he did,” said Steve Doss. “He told me then they had just gotten the story to someone who would stay true to it. I felt confident the story was going to be done right.”

On one visit to the school that bears his name, Desmond wore his Army uniform and Medal of Honor. He showed the students how he tied the bowline knot he used to lower wounded soldiers to safety. Another time he talked to young people about where faith could take them in life. For Steve, the movie’s portrayal of Desmond Doss did not disappoint.

“He was very humble when he spoke. Desmond seemed to be the opposite of what one would think a war hero would be. At the end of the movie, they have actual footage of an aged Desmond telling one of his stories. I felt like that was the confirming point for the audience, to know the man in the movie was a real man telling the story,” said Steve Doss. “He never seemed to represent what he did with his words because the words didn’t match his small 150-pound frame. For me, the movie makes the two now match.”

By Angela Hatcher

Title: Altavista High School student/Sketch Artist | Age: 17
Editor’s Note: Deon Calloway has autism and sometimes needs assistance communicating. His teacher and mentor, Jessica Ward, helped him answer the following questions. They were edited only to improve clarity and not take away from Deon’s voice.

You have a lot of talent for a young artist. When did you first realize that you were very good at drawing?
When I was a little boy, I knew I was a great artist.

Pencil sketches seem to be your niche. Why do you like those types of sketches?
I like to use pencil, because it makes me happy. Pencils are cool because [they make] shading, dark, light, and more.

How do you begin your sketches? Do you have a plan or do you just start drawing?
Most of time I look at the pictures. I use photos from my camera. I do assignments from my art teacher.

What types of things really inspire you to start sketching?
Amazing pictures of buildings or cars. I love buildings like Avoca in my town.
Tell me about a few of your favorite pieces you’ve created so far and why you are proud of them.

[My] favorite drawings are motorcycles. I [am] proud of it, and they are fantastic. I get to see Harleys in Lynchburg at Harley-Davidson too when I show my art there.

You’ve taken your masterpieces out to many different art shows. How does it feel to have people want to buy what you create?
The people want to buy my art, because it is amazing. I feel proud and happy when people want my art. I like to go to my bank account and make deposits. I have great Facebook fans too. I have 1300 likes. The likes make me happy. People tell me they love my art.

What kind of encouragement or feedback do you get from your fellow classmates?
My friends think my art is beautiful. My classmates are my fans too because they know I work hard [on] my art.

How have your teachers played a role in your talent through the years?
My teachers [have] seen me working hard They know I am great artist. Ms. Ward helps me talk to my fans and [takes me] to A.C. Moore and art shows and do the TV interviews. My old teacher Mrs. Gail helps me too.

What do you think people misunderstand about people with autism?
Autism means I need help sometime[s] but I can do it.

What kind of message do you want to send to the public about the disorder?
Autism means that some people think I am weird, but I am not weird—I am just Deon.

Are there any other types of art you want to learn?
Oh yes I do. I [learned] painting and pastels in my art class, and at Michael’s I go to classes, and I learn on YouTube.

What’s next for you in your journey?
My goal is to save more gold [Note: this is what Deon calls his money]. I like to make deposits and spend. I like to do more art shows and learn good talking to my fans. I am going to practice new types of art. Some will be big, and some will be small. I like it when people like my art; I do not like to erase and change my art. I only like to make it perfect to me.

Any closing thoughts?
Like my Facebook page. I like people send[ing] me pictures to draw for them.

How can readers get in touch with you?
My Facebook page is ArtByDeon and email ArtByDeon@gmail.com