Three Local Artists Tell a Story of Race and Solidarity

Charlottesville changed everything for me,” Pete Fanning remembered. “I guess I was naive. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but I wasn’t aware it was so mainstream. It really shook me.”

In 2017, when a Unite the Right counter-protester was killed on the Charlottesville Mall, the country—and those of us in Charlottesville’s backyard—was left reeling from such a public glimpse into the country’s widespread racism and white supremacy. 

“I remember turning on the TV and being floored that this was here and an hour away,” Fanning said. “Seeing the fighting in the streets just tore at my heart and stayed there.”

As many artists do, Fanning took to his craft to process the horrific events, not realizing that the basis for his latest book, Hometown, was being formed. Just a few years later when Fanning and his son attended a local high school football game and saw a racial rift between the two opposing teams, Fanning saw the full story unfold.

“My kid was too young to notice. But I couldn’t get it out of my mind,” he said. “That’s when I wrote the first chapter.”

From there, Hometown, a young adult fiction, effortlessly flowed to the page. Fanning pulled from his memories of Charlottesville, the high school football game, and his own experiences to weave a tale about life, racism, unity, and a little bit of football. While this is a book for children ages 13 and up, Fanning recognizes that anyone can take away something from Hometown, which will be available for purchase where all books are sold in April.

“This book is for kids who want to make things better for their siblings,” Fanning said. “It’s like a passing of the guard—we’re trying to find a space for everybody.”

As he finalized Hometown and started going through edits, Fanning reached out to his friend and fellow-artist Jon Perry who had created cover art for Bricktown Boys, a book Fanning published in 2021.

“I reached out to [Jon] for Hometown. As a Black man, he has this vision. The first thing he showed me was a piece featuring the two [main characters] and a monument. But inside of the monument was a burning Confederate flag. We got into a friendly pushback,” Fanning said. “Writing this book I discovered my own little habits and the way I see things. It’s a book about unity, but he saw it in different ways that I never, as a white guy, would think about.”

Fanning and Perry connected over the story and the ways in which they each related to different characters in the book. From there, Perry created story and cover art that put into visuals the characters’ journeys from division to understanding. 

Fanning also reached out to Quincy Cunningham, a local musician, to write and produce a song for the book’s trailer, which can be found on YouTube and on Fanning’s author website.

“Quincy had just released some music on Facebook and it caught on pretty big,” Fanning said. “He had written a song about Virginia and I was blown away by it. He got back to me and was interested in doing the music for the Hometown trailer. Hearing his music, I knew it was going to be good. He’s a little younger than Jon and myself, so we have that perspective too.”

With such a collaborative effort in telling the Hometown story—from Fanning’s words to Perry’s art to Cunningham’s music—the creative process in and of itself has been a lesson in crossing lines and meeting people where they are. While the three artists come from different backgrounds, they worked together to flesh out the true narrative of the story and see Hometown from each other’s perspectives. 

“Discussions of race are so eye-opening at times,” Fanning said. “It’s one thing to write it down—it’s a story and I’m closed in an office, writing my thoughts. It’s a whole other animal to put it out in the world where we live. Yeah, it’s racial but it’s more about unity. So I’m telling the story in the best way that I can.”  

Hometown is being published by Immortal Works, a publishing house that focuses on clean genre fiction for general audiences. Hometown will be available for purchase in April via Amazon,
Barnes and Noble, Target, or online at www.petefanning.com. Fanning will be releasing another book later this year.

Laura Beth Davidson’s Refreshing Approach to Photography

In theory, photography is the only art form that allows us to capture a moment as it actually exists, but in practice, the staging that often occurs before a photograph is taken can undermine that innate authenticity. Of course, photographs serve a variety of different purposes—educational, promotional, and commemorative, among others—and sometimes staging is needed to
convey certain information, advertise a specific product, or properly honor an occasion or
person. Staged photography also ensures that documentation occurs at all; in our fast-paced, productivity-obsessed society, we can tend to forget that moments become memories unless we schedule a time to remember. That said, how magical would it be if that feeling you get when you think back on what once was—that poignant nostalgia, that kinetic pull toward what was real and true—was encapsulated in your photographs? The work of local photographer Laura Beth Davidson proves that this kind of magic is possible.

Davidson refers to herself as a “visual storyteller,” a title that speaks to her abilities to closely observe, thoughtfully capture, and artfully relay the authentic narrative unfolding around her rather than a desire to control and direct the narrative. After starting her photography journey in 2012, she wasn’t sure if her introverted personality would allow her to turn her talent into a successful business.

“In 2012, I stumbled upon ‘Clickin’ Moms,’ an online community for photographers that offered virtual workshops and a forum for sharing photos and feedback,” Davidson recalled. “After I took the first class, I was hooked, and I knew I had found something that would be part of my life forever.
I’ve always been a bit of an entrepreneur, and once I felt confident in my ability to take good photographs, it seemed like a natural next step to find a way to make my hobby profitable. Unfortunately, I’m an extreme introvert, and the thought of being face-to-face with clients who expected me to pose and direct them made me really uncomfortable. I couldn’t figure out a way to make photography into a business that wouldn’t give me a chronic stomachache.”

Shortly thereafter, however, Davidson learned about documentary-style photoshoots and realized that both her personality and her longstanding love of storytelling parlayed perfectly into that approach to photography.

“I heard a couple of different podcast interviews with photographers who offered in-home documentary photography sessions,” she noted. “As an English major and literature lover, I relished the idea of becoming a visual storyteller who could offer families an alternative to typical photos—and as an introvert, I breathed a sigh of relief that I could work for families while letting them carry on with their everyday lives instead of stepping in and bossing them around.”

Before starting her business, Laura Beth Davidson Photography, in 2017, Davidson took additional classes and honed her craft by taking documentary-style photos of her own growing family. 

“I fell in love with the idea of capturing our real life through little details, gestures, and moments that ran the gamut of emotion,” she said.

In fact, such was Davidson’s passion and commitment to her craft that she took on a year-long photo project entitled “29 & Counting” in 2013.

“The day I turned 29, I decided to take one photo every day until my next birthday: I would mark my 30th year with 365 photos that would document my life that year,” she recalled. “My daughter had just turned two, we were in the process of selling our house and buying another that we would be renovating, and my husband and I were planning to have a second child. All of those big life events unfolded over the course of the year as I steadily honed my skills and my eye. The resulting book of photos is one of my favorite possessions.”

This April, Davidson will have completed her current year-long photo project, “39 & Counting,” and she says the experience has been just as rewarding as her previous year-long venture and has given her even more perspective on the importance of documenting the small moments—which are, in fact, the big moments—of everyday life.

“Some days, I forget to take a picture until very late in the day and have to scramble to find something vaguely worth documenting; some days I take so many photos that it’s hard to choose just one,” she noted.

“My subjects range from members of my family to our new dog, from beautiful light to a random plant that catches my eye.

For this project, I’ve learned to not expect to create something amazing every day, but that the effort of pushing myself to create something daily is never a wasted effort.”

When it comes to taking photos for clients, Davidson is flexible, open-minded, and committed to capturing and conveying the unique narrative of a family’s day together.

“I offer day-in-the-life photo sessions that I have designed to make the process as simple as possible,” she remarked.

“My clients are a lot like me: we’re busy and a little stressed, we’re sleep-deprived and tired of making decisions at every turn. I want my clients to only have to choose which day and how long they want me to come, and then let me do everything else. I emphasize that I don’t expect any kind of coordination of outfits or activities and that I want people to pretend I’m not even there.”

Davidson spends anywhere from three to 12 hours with a family as they do everyday things like go grocery shopping, play outside, cook dinner, and get ready for bed. She then edits the photos down to a collection that “tells a strong story of the day” before laying out and printing a photo book that is included in every package. 

“I want the time I spend with a family to be recorded as it happens and then preserved in a way that will last for generations,” she said.

In the future, Davidson hopes to continue to photograph families across the country—and perhaps even around the world—and has a specific goal to photograph a specific family.

“My big dream is to pursue a job as a White House photographer,” she remarked. “To me, that experience—especially if I could have the opportunity to work for a President with a young family—would be the ultimate opportunity for visual storytelling.”

No matter what comes next for Davidson, her work—and the work of all photographers and artists who strive for authenticity in capturing and expressing the human experience—can help us remember that there is magic in the mundane, perfection in imperfection, and a memory worth holding onto in each moment.  

To learn more about Laura Beth Davidson Photography, visit laurabethdavidson.com.

Heather Elizabeth King Builds Worlds and Wonder

By Megan Williams  |  Photos by Ashlee Glen

Dark fiction writer Heather Elizabeth King is a builder of worlds. The author of three book series with themes ranging from urban fantasy and horror to paranormal romance, she’s an expert at crafting captivating tales that hook a reader from the first page.

“When I first started my main series, I thought it was a cozy mystery. I’d submit to publishing houses and they’d say they like the characters, but it was too dark for their line. So my editor finally said, ‘I hate to tell you, but you write pretty dark,’” King laughed.

King admits that even her romance novels have a dark element to them.

“There’s typically some kind of supernatural element but, with romance, the goal or the main point of the story is the relationship and falling in love. The subplot, though, is there’s this scary thing happening and in the process they fall in love,” she explained. “With my horror or urban fantasy books, the main point is whatever scary thing is happening.”

King, a Long Island, New York, native relocated to Appomattox County when she was a teenager.

“Manhattan was an hour away,” she remembered. “As a kid, I thought everyone went to Broadway shows. I thought everyone had the ocean. On all levels it was a shock when we moved to Concord.”

After high school, King moved around a bit but returned to the area in 2007.

“It was a lot different then than it was when I moved here originally,” King said. “In the main series that I write, the story takes place in this area. Of course, I created a fake town under a different name, but it’s inspired by downtown Lynchburg. There is so much that inspired that whole series—everyday life at the community market, how much people in this town have joy when something new opens. Everyone feels like they own a little bit of Lynchburg.”

A self-proclaimed “major plotter”, King spends an incredible amount of time planning her books before ever putting pen to paper. 

“I jot down all of the ideas that I get, but when it comes time to develop a story, I’ll come up with a mind map with the idea in the center and the who, what, where, and how around it. I build layers of questions that help me get a good foundation or idea of what’s happening,” she explained. “Then I’ll go and make a fully fleshed out outline. After that, I’ll write three chapters. Once I start writing, I can feel the story more. I can start to understand the characters and motivations better. If I don’t outline, I’ll write myself into a corner.”

King is a self-published author with books available for purchase online at Apple Books and Amazon, but also available at our local libraries.

“Initially when I was writing exclusively romance, it was such a different experience in terms of getting published,” she said.

“It’s a lot easier to be published as a romance author, even as a Black romance author.
But publishing horror fiction, you start hearing back from editors saying that, while they thought characters were good, they didn’t see a market for a Black heroine or for a lot of Black characters. That was really frustrating, which is why I decided to go independent.”

King admits that it is more work publishing independently. Where publishing houses will often take care of hiring editors and cover designers, King has to manage all of that work herself, on top of her full-time technical writing job. But at the end of the day, the process is worth it so she can write the stories she and other readers ultimately want to read.

“Before I’m an author, I’m a reader,” King concluded. “There are books I’d love to see more of. Now it’s gratifying to make sales and see that people are enjoying those stories and there is in fact a market for those stories.”  

Academy Center of the Arts Unveils Artistica.Shop

By Emily Mook / Photos Courtesy of Artistica.Shop

The Academy Center of the Arts (ACOA) consistently proves that maintaining a rich and longstanding history of serving a particular community while also coming up with innovative ways to increase that community’s visibility is possible—and one of the organization’s newest endeavors, Artistica.Shop, epitomizes this dual ability. Launched in July 2023, this online gallery and art sales website spotlights the work of local artists for audiences near and far and allows the artists to focus on their work rather than on the many logistics associated with selling their work.

“The focus for Artistica is incorporating a way for our organization to support artists with their creative endeavors here by providing them an online platform that connects them with a larger audience,” says Michelline Hall, Chief Programming Officer of ACOA. “With Artistica, the artists don’t have to worry about the overhead of trying to advertise, sell, and ship their work, so they can focus on being creative.”

The Academy’s desire to expand and evolve while still honoring its grassroots-inspired origins led to Artistica’s creation.

“One of the biggest roles of an arts center that distinguishes it from a museum or gallery is that arts centers are reflective of their communities,” she notes. “We kind of walk hand-in-hand with artists from our regions and serve as beacons of support for them. The pandemic taught us how to think outside the box about how we can provide that support, and a 21st century mindset also lends itself to this sort of online presence.”

Whether an artist is just beginning to embark on their career or is already well-established, they are encouraged to submit their work for consideration for inclusion in the Artistica gallery. 

“We want to feature work from and give a platform to emerging artists all the way through very established artists who are already touring in prestigious spaces,” remarks Hall. “Of course, as an artist’s portfolio grows, they may get picked up by larger entities. That’s something we love to see.”

Several ACOA staff members work together to make Artistica the pioneering project it is. The point person for the site is Online Curator and Art Sales Manager, A’Nyeja Adams. Adams and Ted Batt, ACOA’s Director of Visual Arts, work together to select the artwork that will be featured on and set for sale through the site.

“A’Nyeja and Ted work closely to review artist submissions, which are submitted online,” Hall says. “They engage in discussions with artists about their work, and they’re the ones who make the final decisions. Our focus is on artists from Central Virginia and Virginia as a whole, but artists from other areas are welcome to submit their work as well. All mediums are encouraged! We feature oil paintings, pottery, photography, and much more. The key requirement is that the work must be original and created entirely by the artist.”

Hall notes that ACOA’s Assistant Director of Programming, Mele Thompson, and Director of Marketing, Joel Williams, also play integral roles in the development and maintenance of the project. Artistica is sponsored by Moore & Giles.

“It definitely takes a community to keep Artistica running!” Hall exclaims.

Indeed, community is at the heart of all of ACOA’s programs and initiatives, including Artistica. The Academy’s official mission is “cultivating a healthier and more interconnected populace through cultural infrastructure and community-building arts programs.”

“Artistica highlights the cultural infrastructure piece of our mission statement in that it allows us to provide a foundation for artists to be artists and not businesspeople,” states Hall. “They are able to generate sales and income through their work without having to deal with the associated logistics. The gallery also creates a more interconnected populace because we understand how art has the power to bring people together and break down barriers.”

One of the most common barriers is a steep price point, and, as such, the Artistica team strives for more accessible pricing on the website.

“We want art to be accessible to people from all walks of life, and for that reason, the art featured on Artistica represents a wide range of price points,” Hall notes. “We want people to be able to think, ‘Before I go to a random box store for art, I should check Artistica to find something original and support a local artist.’”

Although Artistica has a wide reach, it simultaneously maintains and highlights local touchpoints by featuring artwork that can be found at the Academy itself or at one of its three satellite locations.

“Among the art featured on Artistica is art that is currently showcased in our physical galleries,” remarks Hall. “In addition to our on-campus gallery, we have three satellite galleries: one at Westminster Canterbury, one at the Virginian, and one at Magnolia Foods. If someone sees a piece of art they love in passing at one of these locations, they can visit Artistica.Shop to learn more about the artist, look at their other work, and make a purchase if they so desire. The reverse is also true: if someone sees one of these pieces they like on the website and wants to view it in person, they can do so. As such, the online gallery allows us to serve our First Friday and other local audiences in a greater way.”

Local performing arts enthusiasts will also notice that a wall in the lobby of the Historic Academy Theatre has been converted into an interactive Artistica.Shop gallery, complete with a touch screen panel and a featured artist display that changes each month.

ACOA hopes to continue to raise awareness of the site and expand its reach and accessibility, and Hall personally hopes to continue to challenge people’s perceptions about what art is and who it’s for.

“Art is truly for everyone,” she says. “I love helping people discover the healing aspects of art and learn that they can communicate things through the arts that are hard to communicate through conversation. And I think it’s beautiful that art can then actually lead to conversations, even about really tough topics.”

In this fast-paced and sometimes isolating world we live in, it’s nice to know that the beginning of some of those meaningful, community-building conversations could be a mere click away.  

How to Spot Authentic Pieces and Navigate Online Listings

Art possesses an ineffable quality that resonates with individuals on a deeply personal level. Whether you’re an art enthusiast seeking to adorn your walls with captivating pieces or a collector in pursuit of unique finds, the world of second-hand art offers a treasure trove of possibilities. Exploring thrift stores, antique shops, and online platforms like Facebook Marketplace can unearth hidden gems at affordable prices. However, distinguishing between an original masterpiece and a reproduction requires a keen eye and some know-how. Here are essential tips for discerning authenticity, evaluating online listings, and discovering second-hand art in various locations:

Identifying Authenticity: Original vs. Reproduction

When shopping online for artwork—either via Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, eBay, or even looking at upcoming local estate sale listings ahead of the sale—one of the first questions that will come to mind is, “Is this a good deal?” One of the first steps in answering that question—though the answer is often entirely subjective, as art is always a good deal if it means something to you—is determining if the piece is original or simply a reproduction. And, it’s often even more nuanced than that. But, to determine if a piece is an original, look for:

• Artist’s Signature: Look for the artist’s signature, which should be consistent with known signatures or documented styles. Beware of printed signatures or signatures that seem out of place.
• Brush Strokes and Texture: Original artworks often display brushwork depth and unique texture, while prints or reproductions may lack these details, appearing flat or uniform.
• Materials and Aging: Inspect the materials used, such as canvas, paper, or paint. Authentic pieces may show signs of aging, like cracks or discoloration, which reproductions won’t replicate accurately.

Oftentimes, artists completed numbered reproductions of their original work, which can also be quite valuable. However, it takes a discerning eye and a little bit of research to determine if the piece you’re looking at is an example of one.

• Artist Background: Familiarize yourself with the artist’s style, techniques, and history. Research their portfolio or consult reliable sources to authenticate their works.
• Provenance and Documentation: Request provenance or documentation confirming the artwork’s authenticity, such as certificates of authenticity, receipts, or previous ownership records.

If the artist is relatively unknown or is even a local artist, the above inspection techniques of looking at the signature, brush strokes, and materials used will still inform you of whether or not it’s an original. There are also a number of questions you can ask the original poster or certain details you can look for, such as:

1. Detailed Descriptions and Images:

• Clear Photos: Look for listings with high-resolution images showcasing the artwork’s details, including close-ups of signatures, textures, and any imperfections.
• Comprehensive Descriptions: Seek listings that provide detailed information about the artist, dimensions, materials, and condition of the piece.

2. Seller Reputation and Communication:

• Seller Reviews and Ratings: Check the seller’s ratings and reviews on Facebook Marketplace or other platforms. Positive feedback often indicates a trustworthy seller.
• Inquire and Verify: Don’t hesitate to ask the seller for additional information, such as authenticity documents or more images. A reputable seller will readily address your queries.

Shopping Locations for Second-Hand Art

However, there is absolutely nothing better than finding a diamond in the rough at a local yard sale or spotting the artwork of your dreams at a local thrift store. Spend a weekend hopping around to local shops and see what type of artwork you can find for your home.

1. Thrift Stores and Goodwill:

• Diverse Selection: Thrift stores often boast a wide array of art pieces, from paintings to sculptures, at affordable prices. Visit regularly as new items frequently arrive.

2. Antique Stores and Estate Sales:

• Quality and Rarity: Antique shops and estate sales may feature higher-quality or rarer pieces. Be prepared for potentially higher prices but also for unique finds.

3. Online Auctions and Classifieds:

• Variety and Convenience: Platforms like eBay, Etsy, or local classifieds provide access to a broad range of art pieces from different eras and styles, offering convenience and diverse options.

Seasoned thrifters and second-hand shoppers will tell you that consistency always pays off when second-hand shopping. Get to know the turn around days for your local thrift stores—when new merchandise often comes in. You’ll soon learn the best days of the week and times of the day to shop.

Purchasing second-hand art is an exciting endeavor that allows you to uncover exceptional pieces while adding character and depth to your space. However, exercising caution, conducting thorough research, and honing your observational skills are crucial when determining authenticity and evaluating listings. Exploring various shopping locations, both physical and online, expands your chances of stumbling upon remarkable treasures waiting to adorn your walls.

Remember, the joy of finding a genuine masterpiece in a second-hand store or online platform not only enriches your collection but also speaks to the serendipity and allure of the art world. 

Local Musician Jamie Trent Chronicles His Daughter’s Life Through Song

Photos by Ashlee Glen

Everyone knows the “Happy Birthday” song played at parties and sung right before the birthday boy or girl blows out the candles on the cake. Lynchburg local Jamie Trent transforms the idea of the classic birthday song when he creates a new song for his daughter’s birthday every year.

Since she turned one, Kardigan’s father has written her a song and played it over a slideshow of photos for her birthday. The songs feature lyrics about her and her life. Trent’s wife came up with the idea and suggested it to Trent as an original way to capture memories. 

Trent has been a musician his whole life. His father and other relatives sang at church, he played in high school bands, and he even performed as a way to help pay his way through college after he served in the military.

About ten years ago, Trent took his music in a new direction—one of healing. He started volunteering with SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a nonprofit that connects veterans and songwriters, where he would partner with wounded veterans and those who suffered from PTSD to write songs as a way to process their experiences. 

“Music is such a powerful tool. You don’t have to be famous or make money from it,” Trent said. “It grips at those emotional heart strings, whether it’s a happy song or a sad song. It can take you places you never thought you could go.” 

After finishing eight songs for Kardigan, Trent has a process laid out. He jots down notes throughout the year on everything from milestones to little moments in Kardigan’s life. When he sees something that catches his eye, he might snap a picture of it to put in the slideshow that accompanies the song. 

By the time her next birthday rolls around, he has about 50 ideas. However, he condenses them into a single song, often cutting 90 percent of the list.

“As she gets older, it’s becoming more demanding. She’s expecting these songs now,” Trent said. “She’s very in tune with it. In a couple months, she’ll start saying, ‘Dad, what’s up with my song? You started taking any pictures, you got any ideas, what’s the title gonna be?’”

For the past few years, Trent has collaborated with Arlis Albritton, a professional songwriter based in Nashville. Together, they keep the songs fresh and stop them from being redundant.

To kick off the songwriting process, he tends to start with a title or bigger picture of what he wants the song to look like. 

“I’m a very good title and idea guy. [Albritton is] a very good rhythm and chorus guy,” Trent said. “I start with the idea, then bring the music in afterwards. You know what—I say that now, but it could be the exact opposite the next time. I don’t fight it. It’s whatever comes naturally.”

Though he originally had other artists sing the first few songs, Trent now sings all the songs he writes for Kardigan. 

Through trial and error, Trent has discovered what type of songs his daughter likes the most. He avoids writing sappy ballads, since Kardigan better appreciates a fun, upbeat song where the chorus is something the listener can sing along to. He describes most of the songs as upbeat with a country flair.

According to Trent, music “puts a sparkle” in his daughter’s eyes.

It’s hard for Trent to pick a favorite song. Each song is better than the last, because as Kardigan grows, so do the songs. 

Due to the emotion behind it, Year to Remember was one of the most rewarding songs for Trent to write. Trent wrote it during the lockdowns of 2020. That year, he and his family grew closer together and realized they didn’t need the outside world as much as they needed each other. 

One of the lyrics Trent is most proud of writing is one that references when Kardigan hit the head pastor at their church with a water balloon. Though it happened years ago, Kardigan still remembers the lyric and what happened.

“It’s moments like that when it’s like, man, she is gonna remember these songs,” Trent said. “At nine years old, she’s thinking back to five years old about [that verse] in the song. I feel like [they resonate] with her, and that’s the goal.”

At the heart of it all, Trent wants to show his daughter how much he and his wife love her. 

“I want her to know how deeply we love her.
She’s adopted, so … I would never want her to think that she isn’t massively loved … that she wasn’t loved to the moon and back. That’s first and foremost,” he said.

Trent hopes that other parents find their own way to capture life’s special moments, whether it
be through songs, scrapbooking, or eating together at the dinner table. To put it in perspective,
Trent references Kenny Chesney’s song Don’t Blink because he knows others don’t want to blink and miss out on life’s special moments.

“We only have so many Sundays, so many weeks left in our kids’ lives until they’re out the door,” Trent said. “That time is precious, and these songs are a constant reminder of that for me.”  

Unique woodburned ornaments

Photo by Ashlee Glen & Courtesy of Melanie Layne Hylton

Art has been part of my world since I was old enough to grasp a Crayola crayon,” said Melanie Layne Hylton.

“My mother, an introverted homemaker, was my earliest creative influence. A wonderful example in so many ways, she encouraged artistic expression from toddlerhood.”

A Bedford, Virginia, native, Hylton has had a long and meandering relationship with art, spurred along by supportive parents and teachers who championed her creativity. While Hylton has dabbled in many mediums over the years, one art form in particular sparked: pyrography. 

Pyrography, or woodburning, is a freehanded artform where the artist will create burn marks on wood or other materials to create intricate designs. 

“My familiarity with pyrography goes back to childhood when an older brother received a woodburner for Christmas,” Hylton remembered. “Mama warned us girls that the tool was not a toy and, like the hooks and lures in his tacklebox, we must leave our brother’s things alone. I fondly recall the sweet aroma while watching him burn simple lettering on a grainy round of wood. I was not allowed to get close, but the deliberate intensity of his hand fascinated me as it moved over tiny peaks and valleys in the grain.”

As Hylton grew older, she acquired a woodburner of her own and taught herself how to burn.

“Through experimentation, my own techniques emerged right away,” she said. “My lifelong signature style of hyperrealism transferred naturally to burning. I was completing large complex woodburnings at nearly the same skill level previously acquired in my drawings.”

While Hylton often completes detailed portraiture, landscapes, still life, and architectural subjects on large scale pieces of wood, she is also well-known for her wood-burned Christmas ornaments. She applies her same hyperrealistic focus to small pieces of wood, creating winter wonderlands, commemorative pet portraits, and custom designs to don customers’ trees. 

“Making art on organic material requires patience and flexibility,” she explained. “Dark streaks, knots, and checked areas are often visible upon inspection of a round of wood. But not all flaws are hindrances. Some prove to be assets, adding interest to a work of art.”

While some ornaments are left organic—with only the intricate burn marks—Hylton will often finish her ornaments with a pop of color.

“Second only to burning, color is the most joyous part of my creative process,” she said. “I thoroughly enjoy marrying the mediums to create special effects in my work.”  

To follow along with Hylton’s work, find her on Facebook at Olde Dominion Artworks. She is currently booked with commissions for the current holiday season.

The Willing Suspension of Disbelief

Royal Shirée brings activism and change to the stage

Photo by Ashlee Glen

Royal Shirée began her playwright and solo performing career while she was in college, but her flair for dramatic storytelling goes back to when she was a toddler. Shirée used to volunteer for story hour in school and spin fairytales, but as she grew older, she began to tell stories rooted in today’s societal issues. In her plays, all the “-isms” became the dragons that needed to be slain.

“Theater is the willing suspension of disbelief,” Shirée said. “You have to place yourself in that moment, in that time, and forget that you are looking at a stage or looking at a person saying lines. Theater is an active part of activism. It is also a very real part of connecting to people and their spirits.”

For Shirée, theater is more than entertainment; it’s education. Shirée grew up in a family of educators and so was raised with an educator mentality. Her award-winning play Sisters, a collaboration with Connecticut-based playwright Joanne Hudson, was incorporated into the Ridgefield, CT, middle school curriculum.

Markedly, Shirée wrote her solo piece Clippings while she studied at Hollins University to earn her MFA in playwriting. Shirée values this play for its important themes. Clippings explores global female abuse through domestic violence, rape, the system sworn to protect, and notably, the horror of female genital mutilation, which is practiced in areas of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

“Everyone has a backstory and there are a lot of social ills that people fall victim to,” Shirée said. “I want to address those issues to help change and positively affect the lives of the ignored.”

Shirée harbors a deep love for writing. She describes it as her escapism, with the need of “the intellectual stimulation of writing.”

“Writing is an expedition,” Shirée said. “You have to really discover [the story], then you have to exhume a lot of facts, then you analyze [them] … I always want to know why—why this and why that …. Instead of writing ‘this is the person,’ I want to write about how this person came to be.”

Storytellers like Jamaica Kincaid, August Wilson, Spike Lee, and Maya Angelou inspired Shirée to be bold in her art. Their work also helped Shirée learn how to develop characters and give them authenticity. 

That being said, writing and performing activate two different parts of her brain. Shirée describes performing as being all about the timing, rhythm, accents, and crescendo. Her role as a performer is to bring to life all of the voices she wrote into the script.

“I think it’s really important that the voices are heard. … These voices may be male, may be female, may be drunk, may be dying, whatever the case may be,” she explained.

Shirée currently works as the resident playwright at the Hamner Theater. Though she is battling health issues, Shirée refuses to abandon her passion. She makes an effort to think creatively, if not write, every day.  

To support her work, visit her website at www.royalshiree.com.

Artist Richard Riley Creates Surreal, Spooky, and Sublime Replicas

Photos by Ashlee Glen & Courtesy of Richard Riley

He has created pop culture and movie prop and character replicas for major amusement parks, Disneyland, orthodontist offices, museums, and myriad private clients. Madison Heights–based Riley Replicas has shipped creations around the globe, finding his work featured in France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, and Australia. What turned into a full-time passion enterprise for Richard Riley began as a side job when the artist needed a second income. 

In 1999, Riley was working for a fire extinguisher company. The Lynchburg-area native needed a second job to supplement his regular paycheck, and an idea came from his brother. 

Riley’s brother subscribed to a magazine called Toy Fair, which catered to action figure collectors, he said. The magazine was hiring artists to make dioramas they could stage their featured action figures in. 

“He was like, ‘Why don’t you try that?’ I said, ‘Sure, why not?’” Riley said. So, he made some dioramas, took photographs of them, and sent them in to the magazine in response to their job advertisement. He was hired on the spot.

Riley worked for the magazine making dioramas for a year, until operations shifted and the work started drying up. Riley’s brother, once again, gave him another idea.

“My brother, again, showed me where people were making replicas of figures from Star Wars and he said, ‘They’re selling them on eBay.’ And again, I was like, ‘I can do that!’ So I just jumped into it and started making these small figures,” Riley said. 

After launching that endeavor, Riley got what he considers his big break in the replica-making world. 

In 2003, a New York City client who owned a comic book shop commissioned Riley to make some Star Wars replicas for his private collection. This contract had Riley making a replica every two weeks. One of his first projects was a Jabba the Hutt replica, re-creating the infamous sloppy space slug. 

One day, the client asked Riley if he would start making some Star Wars mask replicas. His vision was to put them on full-size mannequins, dressing them to look like various Star Wars characters to set up around his comic bookstore. 

“I had no idea how to even begin to make one, but I could either lose a customer or figure it out, so I told him ‘I’ve never done a mask. I know the principles behind it. Let me try something but of Styrofoam.’”

The Styrofoam mask was a success. 

Styrofoam has been Riley’s go-to material ever since. 

Sometimes he works with fiberglass or uses plastic resin molds when making multiple pieces of the same item, but Styrofoam is by far the most common and primary material used to create his replicas. 

“It’s more economical for the client, and also it’s so forgiving,” Riley said. “If you cut something or if you carve something and it’s not exactly right, just cut that part out, put a new piece in, and then carve it again. No big deal.” 

In 2015, Riley went full-time with his business. 

He is mostly a one-man show, except on occasion where he needs something like a metal frame or a metal decoration for a particular replica. In these cases, Riley said he hires a local specialist for whatever service he needs. 

All of Riley’s clients find him online, he explained. 

“The internet has completely changed how people like me do work,” Riley said. 

In a competitive market, Riley chooses not to limit himself to a hyper-specific niche and makes sure he always delivers by his promised deadline.

“I’ve really diversified when it comes to what I make,” he said. “I don’t try to pigeonhole myself.” 

The most fulfilling part of his work, Riley said, is troubleshooting—figuring out how to go from nothing to the final product. Each creation is different and requires a different process as a result.

“I know what the piece is going to look like before I finish it. In my mind’s eye, I know exactly what it’s going to look like. It’s just the figuring out how to get to that point because certain pieces will require it to be hollow. Other pieces may require it have an internal structure. It might have to have a metal frame in it, or a wood frame in it,” Riley said.

The least favorite part of his job is shipping the items, particularly large ones, Riley admitted. Trying to pack and pay for everything can be a headache. When possible, he said he drives a project to its destination himself. 

One hundred percent of his work goes out of state, Riley said. Although he is based in Virginia, no client has contacted him directly from the Commonwealth. 

Riley’s annual commissions vary year by year, but this year he is booked solid through 2024. Clients are on a waitlist for next year, he said. Sometimes, he might only do five jobs a year, but they are usually major ones. 

In May, Riley had a replica of the head of the shark from the classic movie Jaws. The nearly four-foot piece will be mounted on the wall of a 1970s/1980s movie-themed Texas restaurant, he said. As a major fan of this movie, the job was an extra special one for the artist. 

The dream job would be to make a replica of the full-sized shark from Jaws, Riley said. That, along with a life-size T-Rex and some spaceships from the Star Wars universe. 

If people visit Kings Dominion during Halloween, they might see one of Riley’s creations on display: a cemetery arch. This commission was made through a New York-based firm working with the amusement park. Other Halloween pieces can be found at Six Flags amusement park, and Disneyland in California. 

Out of his extensive portfolio, three projects stand out to Riley among the most memorable. 

Around 2013, Riley made a replica of a Star Wars creature for a car manufacturer. His work was featured in that year’s Super Bowl advertisement for the manufacturer. 

A few years ago, Riley received a commission to make an ancient-looking statue of the legendary Greek hero Hercules fighting Cerberus, the three-headed dog who, in mythology, stands guard in the realm of Hades. After delivering the piece, Riley found out it was displayed at an event the president attended. 

Riley said his personal favorite project was making Max, the dog from Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas. This piece went to an orthodontist office in South Carolina, where the holiday theme was “the Grinch.”

Chris Jerrigan, the orthodontist at this office, has been a regular client of Riley’s for five years now. He practices what he calls “experiential marketing,” setting up elaborate quarterly themes in his office. Countries of the world; Disney themes with castles, cottages, and soon an eight-foot dragon; and a 12-foot Rockefeller Center replica; seasonal themes for Halloween and Christmas—there is always something set up in the small-town practice. 

“I always wonder if he’s not going to get snapped up by Lucasfilm or Universal to start making their stuff. It’s just crazy, his level of talent,” Jerrigan said. 

Riley’s biggest piece of advice to fellow artists, which he wishes he had done, is to take business courses.

“Whatever job or dream someone has, there’s absolutely no reason why they can’t follow it. None whatsoever,” Riley said.   

Julian Raven, Opens Gallery and Studio on Wards Road

When artist Julian Raven shares his story, he paints a picture as vivid and lively as the stunning works he displays in his new gallery on Wards Road.

Raven’s journey from a young English boy living in Spain with a penchant and talent for art to an internationally celebrated artist with a vast and versatile catalog of work has been full of peaks, valleys, and serendipitous moments. He seems to recall every step of his journey with gratitude for bringing him to where he is today.

Raven’s earliest memory of loving art occurred when he was about eight years old and living in Spain.

“I can remember sitting with my father on a veranda in a villa in southern Spain, where I grew up,” he recalled. “It was a sunny day, and I did a colored pencil drawing of some beautiful bougainvillea that was wrapped around a white-washed wall. It was a clear picture of my inclination towards the visual arts.”

When his family moved to Portugal when he was a bit older, Raven attended tiny international English-speaking schools and continued pursuing his passion for art. He won several art contests, but because the arts were not prioritized in these schools, Raven was not fully supported in his pursuit—that is, until the day his math teacher found him sketching in the school’s library.

“My math teacher saw me doodling in the library at the English International College and set a crushed can of Coke in front of me to sketch,” said Raven. “After I was done sketching, he basically took me by the hand and walked me over to meet David Bodlak, an artist and teacher in the art department.”

Bodlak mentored and championed Raven when the latter was in his mid-teens and continues to be a source of great inspiration to him to this day.

“He was a wonderful mentor,” Raven stated. “His enthusiasm and encouraging spirit were incredible. In an art class where you have all different skill levels, he would go from student to student and always find something redeemable about each person’s work. He has had a tremendous impact on me.”

Raven graduated high school at the age of 16 and took a year off to focus on his art. He then went on to study at the prestigious Chelsea College of Arts in London.

During his time at the College, Raven experienced a series of highs and lows. Although he “was in heaven because the facilities were huge,” he was struggling greatly with his father’s death, which happened when Raven was only 10, and with the political climate that surrounded him. He notes that he lost his faith in God and often felt hopeless and lost during this time.

Raven ended up leaving the College and going back to Spain, where he began to work in the bar business. Then, in early 1992, Raven’s life changed dramatically as he sat alone on a mountain.

“I came to faith in God in Spain, alone and sitting on a mountain, contemplating nature,” he recalled.
“That experience changed my life and led me down a spiritual journey where I began to pursue missionary work.”

This missionary work brought him to America. He originally planned to do missionary work in California for six months and then move to Mexico as a missionary, but he ended up moving to Elmira, New York, in 1996 instead. There, he met his wife, Gloria, and they started their own business: Raven’s Custom Creations. As Raven used his artistic skills to create custom-painted and decorative furniture, his passion for art was invigorated.

In addition to thriving artistically, Raven was spiritually and personally fulfilled. He and Gloria had three children, and he opened his own gallery in Elmira in 2007. Then the 2008 financial crisis occurred.

Forced to close the gallery, Raven and his family moved back to Spain for a year and a half. Ultimately, they moved back to Elmira and Raven opened a new gallery.

After entertaining the idea of RVing out west, Raven and Gloria decided to move to Lynchburg, where all three of their children still study at Liberty University. Raven knew that he wanted to open a gallery here; the challenge was finding the right spot for it. Julian Raven Artist, LLC, found a home at 2121 Wards Road and officially opened on March 25.

“I could have gotten a warehouse and been off the beaten path,” he said. “I looked at those options but decided that if I wanted to get up and running, I needed to be in an area with more movement. It’s sort of an unlikely setting for an art studio because I’m stuck between a Wendy’s and a McDonald’s, but it’s also sort of fitting because I’m a contrarian by nature. It just had what I saw as the bones to be something great.”

Raven and his son spent six weeks completely renovating the building, which houses not only Raven’s work, but also what he calls his “Renaissance Creative Palette” of services: painting parties, art classes, portrait painting and photography, and more. There is a screen-printing room downstairs and a brand-new photo studio, for which a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on June 15.

Raven says that his painting parties are a “real way to connect with people,” and adds that “seeing people who have never painted before create works of art is remarkable.” According to Raven, one gentleman came in a couple of times to paint, and after Raven shared the man’s second painting on Instagram, it sold for $100.

When it comes to Raven’s own work, he is a multimedia artist and photographer.

“I have a lot of very broad experience because my artistic hunger has made me curious to discover and try new things,” he noted. “I like to be constantly challenged. I always seem to find difficult things to do!”

That said, Raven specializes in abstract expressionism, which he says allows him “to share his inner-world experience and joy.” He recalls that an attendee of one of his shows referred to him as a “happy Pollock,” a moniker that he happily embraced.

There is no telling where Raven’s journey will take him next, but one thing is certain: he will continue to see the beauty in all things and to share his interpretations of that beauty with others.

“Beauty, for me, is so arresting,” he stated. “When I see true beauty—nature, people—I want
to capture it and share it with others. We live in some pretty serious times right now. I want people to feel lighter after leaving my gallery.”  

To learn more about Julian Raven, his gallery and studio, and his art, check out his website (julianraven.com) and Facebook page.