Cooking with Bourbon

By Lisa Woodroof | Photos by RJ Goodwin

The holiday season elicits the flavors of spice and the experience of warmth—which perfectly describe my favorite relationship in a neat glass of bourbon.

A few years ago, I had an idea: what if I brought the contents of my glass… to the table? Each sip inspires numerous flavors—vanilla, caramel, honey, citrus, rose, black pepper, tobacco leaf, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon. My culinary soul danced at the idea of the collaboration! I took what I knew about this All-American beverage and started incorporating it into different types of recipes.

Cooking with bourbon will elevate your kitchen repertoire. So, shake a classic cocktail and get ready to be inspired.

Bourbon in Sauces

Wheated bourbons, such as Maker’s Mark, are sweeter and warmer enhancing jams, jellies, and barbecue sauces. They pair best with smoky flavors.

Tip: If you use bourbon in your homemade barbecue sauces for basting on the grill, don’t cook off the alcohol in advance. Leave a couple of shots of bourbon in the bottom of your empty bottle, add your vinegar or ketchup-based barbecue sauce into the bottle right over the bourbon and shake well. I recycle the flavors of every bourbon bottle with this technique.

Bourbon in Fruit Pies and/or Cobblers

Spicy, peppery high-rye bourbon offerings, such as Four Roses Single Barrel, work well with dressings and fruit-based dishes and have the brightness to offset rich and creamy ingredients.

Tip: Baking under 375 degrees in your oven will incorporate bourbon flavors richly. As the temperature is increased in cooking, you need to use a higher proof bourbon.

Bourbon in a Marinade

Bourbon will break down the enzymes in meat, so it works well as a multitasking tenderizer and marinade. Mix a shot or two of bourbon with brown sugar, sorghum, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, garlic, shallots, olive oil and your choice of seasonings and spices, and give your protein a soak for a few hours.

Tip: Bourbon marinades need more than a 10-minute pairing. Three hours in advance is ideal. Ensure your meat is brought to room temperature before cooking. This cooking technique is applicable to poultry or beef.

Bourbon on the Grill

Recipes that are exposed to higher temperatures on the grill need the body of a higher proof bourbon. You’re going to incorporate a bourbon bottle above the 100-proof variety. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Wild Turkey 101 and Old GrandDad 114 Barrel Proof, all perform well on the grill.

Tip: Use your bourbon-infused marinade to re-baste during the cooking process. You can even inject your bourbon sauces into your ribs and chicken.

Bourbon Season is Always in Season

From football fare to the Thanksgiving table, be inspired to capitalize on the bourbon spirit… pun intended.

BOURBON SERVED IN CLASSIC FORM

Classic bourbon cocktails inspire the holidays and guests alike. Here’s an early 19th-century recipe for the classic Bourbon Old Fashioned.

1 Demerara sugar cube

3 dashes Angostura bitters

1 teaspoon water

2 oz. bourbon

Add sugar, water, bitters into a rocks glass, and stir or smash until sugar is nearly dissolved.

Fill the glass with a single or multiple large ice cubes, add the bourbon, gently stir to combine the flavors.

Rim the oil of an orange peel over the glass, then drop it in.

Find more of Lisa’s recipes on the following pages.

Lisa Woodroof lives in Goode and is known as a Virginia foodie and Bourbonista. Follow Bourbon in the Kitchen on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram (bourbon_in_the_kitchen) for bourbon recipes and bourbon travel finds.

Bourbon Butter-Basted Cornish Hens

Ingredients

2 Cornish baking hens

Poultry baking herbs
(variety packs for easy purchase at grocer)

1 large onion, halved

1/4 teaspoon of salt & pepper

Directions

Warm your oven to 400 degrees (for electric oven)/375 degrees (for gas oven).

Wash your Cornish hens well and pat dry with paper towels. Place both hens in a baking dish that’s been touched with a good hit of non-stick spray. Place the halved onion inside the cavity of each hen. Within the skin and cavity, incorporate whole stems of the baking herbs. Baste hens well with bourbon butter. Top with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, maybe a little more if they are larger in hen size. Remember to baste throughout the cook time to foster a beautiful brown baking skin on the hen.

Baste with bourbon butter just before serving. If you have any baking herbs left over, garnish your plate next to the hen. It’s fragrant and reminds your guest that this is a holiday plate. A holiday smell can create a life-long memory.

Bourbon Creamed Corn Casserole
Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons bourbon
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 (15.25 oz) can, whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 (14.75 oz) can, cream-style sweet corn
1/2 teaspoon salt Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauce pan, heat the butter slowly over medium heat swirling until all butter is melted. Set it aside and measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk in the flour into the melted and cooled butter and incorporate well. Then whisk in the sugar, eggs, milk, and bourbon.

Stir the creamed corn into the butter mixture, along with the drained whole kernel corn. Season with the salt and pepper.

Pour into a shallow 8×8 baking dish that’s been touched with non-stick spray.

Bake uncovered for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the center is set and the corn casserole is brown and caramelized on top. You can always broil the top for a hot-minute if the casserole is set but you want a more caramelized appearance.

This is a custardy baked cream corn casserole recipe. It’s easy prep and under ten ingredients. This is an heirloom recipe for any holiday table…rich and a smidgen of sweetness.

Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4 (Can Easily Double)

Ingredients

4 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½” chunks
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease
15-20 sage leaves
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons of brown or Irish butter
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Warm oven to 400 degrees and cook off the bacon for 10-14 minutes depending on how thick your sliced bacon is. Set cooked bacon aside, draining off the extra fat.

Add potato chunks to large pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. While potatoes are in progress, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter and fry up the sage until it is crispy. 1-2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

By now, the potatoes are ready to mash. Once whipped, add in a smidgen of reserved bacon grease, the milk, the bourbon, and the brown and/or Irish butter. Mix until everything is combined. Taste the potatoes and add salt and pepper, seasoning more or less to your preference.

Place potatoes in a dish and top them with the crispy bacon, crumbled with your fingers and/or rough cut with kitchen scissors. If you’re waiting a bit to serve them, place in the oven on a warm 325-degree temp for a maximum of 25-30 minutes. Don’t forget to crumble the sage on top at the very end.

Bourbon Croissant Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 small stale croissants
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, thoroughly whisked

Directions

Warm your oven to 350 degrees. Tear croissants into pieces and place into individual ramekins that have been hit with a touch of non-stick spray. Add the sugar and water into a sauce pan. Bring to a rapid boil—remember this is hot stuff. Turn the heat on low and add the heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla and pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and let cool. Slowly add the whisked eggs into the caramel. Pour mixture over croissant pieces in the individual ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime recipe—holiday dessert or a stand-alone breakfast, the choice is yours.

Bourbon Brown Butter*

Melt a stick of butter in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. After the butter is melted, it will begin to foam and turn a blond color. A few more minutes and the foaming will subside and the milk solids will turn brown. Measure or eyeball a 1/4 cup of bourbon. Remove the skillet from the heat, and standing back, carefully add the bourbon. The mixture will sputter as the bourbon stops the milk solids in the butter from browning.

*Brown butter is known to French cuisine as beurre noisette. A type of warm sauce used to accompany savory foods and used in French pastry.

(Use this recipe to top the Cornish hens and yeast rolls.)

Expert advice for parents on how to tell the difference and, most importantly, how to react.

It’s not uncommon for a child to complain about a “mean” classmate from time to time. But for some parents, the abuse or attacks at their child’s school seem relentless and could be categorized as bullying.

As explained on StopBullying.gov, bullying affects everyone—the bullies, their targets and those who witness it—and is linked to many negative outcomes on mental health.

To gain insight on bullying and what parents should know, we sat down with Linda Grubba, MEd., SB-RPT, an adjunct professor of counseling at University of Lynchburg. She spent 37 years in education, 27 of those years as a school counselor.

First, how would you define bullying?

I’m glad you asked that. I think right now we have some misconceptions about bullying because there is so much attention paid to it. There should be attention paid to it, but it has almost gone to an extreme. If some parents hear that another child was unkind to their child, they think that is bullying. Bullying is more complicated and has three major components: it is a repeated pattern of behavior, an intent to cause harm (either physical or emotional), and there is a clear unbalance of power where one of the individuals doesn’t feel like they can defend themselves.

If a parent suspects their child is being bullied at school, what should they do?

Parents should first ask the child some questions such as: “How did you handle this?” or “Have you told anybody?” You should get a feeling right away about whether the child feels powerless. Also, look at how often the child talks about it. If your child is coming home every day for a number of days talking about this same other child, or situation, then you might have a bullying problem.

What should parents not say to their children?

“Just ignore it” is one thing I would avoid. Or, “They are all just jealous of you.” Not always! In some cases that might be accurate but sometimes it’s not. I had the parent who told their child to, “draw blood” and punch the other child. That’s not a good idea.

What’s the next step?

Ask your child, “Have you talked to your teacher or your counselor?” Help empower the child to take the first steps to solve the problem. We can’t always be with our children so we have to teach them how to ask for help. We don’t want them suffering in silence.

If a child sees a counselor, what can they expect?

School counselors are trained at assisting children to develop a variety of coping skills. They will meet with the child, assess the situation, possibly do some investigating, and formulate a plan of action. The purpose will always be to help the targeted child feel safe and have the situation come to a positive resolution.

What if that doesn’t seem to be enough?

The next step is for the parent to talk to the school. Parents can be great partners in problem solving; they bring an additional perspective. The school is in a prime position to do some investigating, observing and intervention. I remember when I was a counselor going out to the playground to watch certain students or sitting in the cafeteria to do the same. We want all children to be functioning at their best.

Some parents might wonder if calling the school means they are intervening too much? Being one of those “helicopter moms”?

Calling the school doesn’t mean you are filing a huge complaint. When you call the school, you don’t have to be angry and demanding. Just start small and try to get a handle on what is going on.

How has bullying become a bigger problem in recent years?

I think the area that is the most challenging at the moment is social media because of the lack of control. There is not that face to face accountability. People say horrible things to each other.

Even adults do!

Oh goodness, yes. We have a lot of adults who are engaging in bullying on social media. Then our children model that behavior—on social media and in real life.

Social media has definitely changed the dynamics. It used to be back in the day kids got a chance to go home and regroup.

Exactly. Our homes used to be the place where you got away from those stressors and got to refuel. But now, in just a split second, “There is another message on my phone.” They get so caught up in it. I’m not advocating that parents get rid of their child’s smartphones. But I think we really have to look at how they are being utilized and do we need more limits and controls? I don’t think kids necessarily have the judgment needed to navigate some of these social media platforms.

Looking at bullying in terms of mental health, what is the biggest concern for children who are dealing with it at school or online?

Bullying erodes the child’s confidence. So you want to intervene as soon as
you can with the school. We also need to help our children learn assertion skills.
If left unattended, it may lead to academic issues, school avoidance and more serious mental health concerns such as depression.

Assertion doesn’t come naturally for some kids, right?

Right. I could walk into a classroom and almost identify a student that would be a target. Some parents think aggression is assertion. And it’s not. Assertion is the ability to walk confidently and look at people when we speak, even if we are nervous on the inside.

What about the kids who are saying the mean things? There are concerns about their mental health, too.

When you label a child a bully, that’s such a negative label to carry. Bullying is something that many children often “try on” at different times of their life. We have to help them understand that’s not an appropriate way to get their needs met. We need to help the child who doesn’t have good assertion skills. We always need to help children who are using their power in a negative way learn how to get their needs met in a more positive way.

Bullying By the Numbers

28% of U.S. students in grades 6–12 have experienced bullying.

Approximately 30% of young people have admitted to bullying others in surveys.

70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools.

9% of students in grades 6–12 have experienced cyberbullying.

In one large study, about 49% of children in grades 4–12 reported being bullied by other students at school at least once during the past month, whereas 30.8% reported bullying others during that time.

When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time.

Source: Numbers found in surveys and studies compiled by StopBullying.gov.

YMCA partners with the VA to offer therapeutic yoga program for veterans battling PTSD

By Drew Menard | Photos by Ashlee Glen

The sacrifice of our American heroes in defending freedom goes beyond the time and distance of service, and the physical offering of their bodies, be it through blood, sweat and even lives. In protecting our country, many soldiers have carried home with them an unseen burden—scars of the mind.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that some 10-20 percent of veterans are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or PTSD-like symptoms after returning from military service. As high as 31 percent of Vietnam veterans are afflicted by PTSD.

PTSD symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic, include persistent, distressing memories, hopelessness, negative thinking, irritability, trouble sleeping, self-destructive behavior and overwhelming guilt.

In cooperation with Lynchburg’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office, the Downtown YMCA established a Yoga for Warriors program to help veterans who have suffered physical or emotional trauma as a result of military service and combat deployment.

There are close to 25,000 veterans in the Central Virginia region and their struggles “should not be ignored,” explained Kathy Thomas, Director of Healthy Living for YMCA of Central Virginia. “Research shows that programs like Yoga for Warriors at the Downtown YMCA can help individuals build physical, mental and emotional stamina to overcome issues caused by combat or non-combat trauma experiences.”

A group of veterans first presented the idea to the Y last summer and a pilot program for 10 veterans was held that fall. Since then, a yearlong program has launched with approximately 19 active participants in 2018.

“This was a grassroots effort of veterans working in our community to help other veterans heal and recover from PTSD,” Thomas said. “The YMCA and the VA have the tools and skills to be of service and we are grateful to be participating with veteran groups to support the program.”

Participants are recommended by the VA after undergoing proper medical care and group counseling sessions.

“YMCA Yoga for Warriors helps veterans who have experienced traumatic events during active military service deployments and are working to overcome physical, mental and emotional issues remaining from the experiences,” YMCA Yoga for Warriors Instructor Gary Sullivan said. “Trauma builds up in the body and has a detrimental effect on mental and emotional stability. In the yoga program, we work together to restore peace of mind and recover physical capabilities needed for active daily living.”

Sullivan evaluates the individual needs of each veteran and works with them to establish personal improvement goals over the course of the 12-month program.

“Yoga poses and movements help strengthen and stretch the body to overcome physical limitations, while restoring range of motion without pain,” Sullivan said. “Our goal is to achieve the full pain-free range of motion available to the body. We build strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and physical stamina in each class.”

Weekly small group sessions provide the tools and instruction to help veterans reach their goals.

“The weekly yoga class at the YMCA allows the individuals to participate together in physical exercises and mind body techniques to eliminate stress and anxiety,” Sullivan explained. “These include breathing techniques and yoga to relax the body, quiet the mind and restore present awareness.”

The rest of the week, participants are encouraged to continue the prescribed practices daily and Sullivan is available to evaluate and encourage them along the way.

“Each participant has reported steady progress, including weight loss, improved strength, better flexibility with better balance and physical coordination,” Thomas said. “The program has helped reduce physical pain and improved emotional stability as well.”

Mark Davis said he joined the program for stress relief after learning about it from a fellow veteran at a medical clinic in Lynchburg.

“Participating in this program has helped me with increasing the range of motion of my right arm and has helped with other physical limitations,” he said, noting he still must proceed with caution due to the nature of his injuries.

The best part of the program, he said, has been the positive, supportive community.

“Connecting with fellow veterans has been helpful to me all the way around,” Davis said. “Participating in the program has turned out to be a very positive experience for me after years of being mostly housebound due to physical limitations and illness, both mental and physical. I am grateful to Gary for all he has done.”

Robert Clay joined the Y with his wife in January, hoping to spark a healthier lifestyle.

“I had struggled with my weight and pain management since leaving the Marine Corps,” Clay, who served from 1997-2003, recalled.

He learned about the program after chatting with his spin class instructor, who happened to be Sullivan, one day.

“The guys in the group are fantastic and it’s nice to revisit the bond that I shared with my fellow Marines,” he said. “I also appreciate the different approach to managing my lifestyle goals that Gary coaches us on. He is also very willing to help everyone on a one-on-one basis if more is required.

“Physically, I have lost almost 25 pounds and I feel much more flexible,” Clay continued. “I also have a very high stress job and the emotional release that yoga helps me achieve is better, in my mind, than any prescription medication that a doctor can prescribe.”

Vietnam veteran Steve Bozeman served as a Marine helicopter mechanic and machine gun door gunner, experiencing many near-death situations.

“I saw enough carnage to last a lifetime,” he said.

Bozeman, who has two Purple Hearts and 18 Air Medals, struggled after his service ended, but found solace in exercise.

“When I was discharged from the Marines in 1970, I would put my combat boots on and go up to the local high school track and jog about 3 to 5 miles to help deal with the stresses of Vietnam,” Bozeman described. “Didn’t know it at the time, but … tens of thousands of other Vietnam veterans were dealing with the same stresses. It was called, ‘Vietnam Syndrome’ back then.”

Today, the syndrome is understood as PTSD.

Bozeman is very active in the local veterans community and was among the first group of yoga warriors.

“I have lost about 8 pounds and I know at age 72 that doing yoga will help me be more flexible and strengthen my core and muscles,” he said. “I feel more in the ‘present’ with my mind and body while doing yoga, blocking out all the ‘stuff’ that clutters the mind.”

Part of the initial grassroots effort, Bozeman has been actively promoting the program to other veterans.

“The other veterans, I’m sure, are seeing the same benefits and want to support each other, knowing the camaraderie we shared in the military is not over—it continues for a lifetime,” he said. “Gary Sullivan has been the perfect person for this as he does an excellent job leading us through the warm ups, stretches and encouraging us to do more as we warm up. But he also stresses to not do anything that hurts and stop at that point.

“The highlight is at the end of the hour of stretches and yoga movements that we can lay on our backs stretched out on our mats and start to relax and get into some mindful meditation for 10 to 15 minutes.”

Sullivan said it is rewarding to see the veterans achieving their goals.

“It takes commitment on their part to do the work, but the results are amazing,” he said. “We build lasting friendships and support one another. I have seen life-changing results and am truly grateful for each one of those who join our program.”

7 Ways to Cope When Life Gets Overwhelming

School is in full swing. The busy holiday season is around the corner with its gift lists and get-togethers. It can be hard to find time to slow down—especially for women. In fact, since 2007, the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey has found that women consistently report higher levels of stress than men.

According to Lynn Bufka, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and Associate Executive Director for Practice Research and Policy with the American Psychological Association, here are seven stress-relieving suggestions with women in mind.

1. Track your stressors. Use a journal to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. Taking notes can help you find patterns among your stressors and your reactions to them so that you can develop a management plan.

2. Set limits. List the projects and commitments that are making you feel overwhelmed. Identify which commitments are priorities and cut back on anything nonessential.

3. Tap into your support system. Reach out to family or friends. Your friends or family members may have tackled similar challenges and have useful ideas and perspectives.

4. Make one health-related commitment. Do what you can to boost your health so that you have the energy and strength to tackle the challenges you are facing. One small step, like cutting back on excessive snacking, can have a positive effect.

5. Manage your devices. People who report constantly checking email or social media typically report more stress. Give yourself a break over the weekend and in the evenings. Put your phone to bed before you go to bed.

6. Enhance your sleep quality. Women who are chronically stressed often suffer from lack of adequate sleep and, in some cases, stress-induced insomnia. Begin winding down an hour or two before you go to sleep and engage in calming activities such as listening to relaxing music.

7. Seek additional help. If you continue to feel overwhelmed or are having trouble getting through your daily routine, seek help from a licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist.

Source: www.womenshealth.gov/blog/7-ways-manage-stress

Look What I Found!

Have you bought Dad a tie more times than you can count? Or do your kids’ presents always seem to be the same cheap plastic year after year? Whatever Christmas shopping dilemma you’re facing, the 13th annual “Look What I Found!” Holiday Gift Guide is a place to get ideas and inspiration. On the next few pages, check out some items we hand-picked from local stores—a little something for everyone on your list!

Enjoy our Virtual Gift Guide below! You can zoom in to read all the details!

How Seniors Benefit from Geriatric-Focused Care

Aging is inevitable, but living a healthy and productive life as a senior is possible with the right planning and care. Seeking medical professionals who specialize in geriatric care will help seniors through the aging process and put their minds at ease.

“As we age we have a lot of unique issues related to aging, so it’s important that you have someone who is familiar with specific needs of seniors in the geriatric population,” said Brenda Dixon, marketing director at The Summit.

As you age, you might find a doctor who specializes in geriatric medicine to be more helpful. Geriatric medicine focuses on medical issues and diseases caused by aging. Geriatricians must be certified by two separate medical boards—certified in either internal or family medicine—and they must also work primarily with patients 60 years of age or older to become board certified in geriatrics. Doctors who work specifically with seniors are knowledgeable about the aging process and keep up-to-date with how aging can influence medical conditions and medication interactions.

“As seniors do get older, they seem to have more health issues,” said Melissa Hames, who works for Centra Home Health and is a home health liaison to The Summit. She explained that transitioning to a doctor that specializes in geriatric health is important because they are more aware of the common health issues pertaining to seniors, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, and depression.

“When [seniors] have multiple chronic illnesses and disability, or some complicated medical problems, that would be a good time to seek out a geriatric physician,” Hames said.

Dixon explained that a geriatric physician is more knowledgeable about interactions between common illnesses and better understands how they factor into other medical conditions.

“Being able to navigate through those issues is going to be very important,” Dixon said.

Aside from seeking out a geriatric physician, it’s also important to stay a step ahead when planning your future. If you or a caregiver cannot meet your needs, you need to have options in place rather than waiting until the last minute when options become more limited. Finding the right facility is key.

“If people can start looking ahead of time, so that they are not in a predicament where they do not have as much choice, then you can wait for the place that meets your needs, and the place you are looking for,” Hames said.

Many times seniors are reluctant to receive help, but Hames explained that there are a lot of options, including home health care, which is covered 100 percent by Medicare.

Places like The Summit offer a comfortable lifestyle for seniors. They have a variety of living options, such as apartment homes and lakeside garden homes. Community amenities include restaurant-style dining, a private dining room, library, spa, lounges and living rooms, creative arts room, multipurpose activity room, billiard room, fitness center, business center, a wellness clinic, and chapel. Outside, they have an eight-acre lake, a gazebo, boat house, garden house, raised garden beds, and walking trails.

The Summit provides seniors with an opportunity to live independently, with the assurance that help is there when needed.

Learn more at summitlynchburg.com.

Story & Photos by Susan Timmons

As passions go, gardening and art are at the top of my list. It’s pure joy to combine my love for flowers, plants, and indeed all nature, with my love for painting, sculpture, and other visual arts. I can’t pass by a blossom or interesting stick, shell, rock, or sloughed-off bark without taking pleasure in its shape, color, texture, or some other compelling characteristic.

Even as a small girl, I had a penchant for bringing newly discovered natural treasures home to savor their wonders for a while longer. This early pleasure gave rise to a lifetime of combining favorite finds in simple, unpretentious groupings with a flower and an interesting branch, or perhaps several of each, to enjoy the arrangement of the whole while featuring each special element.

This innate predilection, combined with an art degree and travel to Japan (where I felt a kinship with the Ikebana style of flower arranging), fueled my interest in floral arts and lured me to several Fine Arts & Flowers exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and a similar exhibition, named Art in Bloom, at the Taubman Museum in Roanoke in March 2017. There I reveled in the magic of the unique art form created from pairing museum masterworks with floral arts that interpret them to create works of art that transcend both.

Pairing Masterworks with Floral Arts

These exhibitions reflect a trend in recent decades in the U.S. toward floral design with an objective of story-telling, education, and enlightenment—a purpose deeper and more complex than merely presenting elegant, beautiful arrangements that conform to classical principles of design and current aesthetic norms. The arrangements are NOT a floral copy of the masterwork.

They engage, expand, and enrich the artistic experience, and the result is a new creation that is greater than the individual effect of either. This synergy not only enhances and enlivens the selected masterworks, but also has a practical effect of drawing large crowds and increasing knowledge and appreciation of the featured artworks, as well as offering floral artists a perfect venue for displaying their artistry.

According to Victoria Jane Ream, in her 1997 book, Art in Bloom, the concept of this art form was first conceived by Charles (Chuck) Thomas at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with the first Art in Bloom exhibition in 1976. It was a raving success, and the concept quickly spread to museums across the U.S. in cities such as San Francisco, Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Rochester, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Houston, New Orleans, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Hartford, Baltimore, and Richmond.

Today, these exhibitions, called by a variety of names, are a well-established practice. They continue to grow in popularity, expanding the museums’ visitor base and financial coffers through popular related events, such as galas and lectures.

Richmond’s VMFA organized its first museum-wide exhibition of Fine Arts & Flowers in 1987. This year the VMFA promises yet another spectacular biennial museum-wide FA&F exhibition of floral designs inspired by masterworks in their collection with 84 exhibitors from across the state. Floral designs will be created by members of the Garden Club of Virginia, Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, and other garden clubs in Virginia.

The 2018 exhibition will be Wednesday, October 24 through Sunday, October 28 and is free and open to the public Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The VMFA is promoting special events that kick off on October 24 and include renowned guest speakers, several luncheons, a luncheon-fashion show featuring designs by VCU students, workshops, docent guided exhibition tours, curator talks, and a variety of family activities. For a complete schedule and advance purchase of tickets (recommended), visit www.VMFA.museum/FAF or call 804-340-1405.

According to the VMFA website, “Proceeds from Fine Arts & Flowers events will benefit the inaugural tour of VMFA on the Road, the museum’s new artmobile for the 21st century. Through interactive learning experiences with staff educators, virtual-reality tours of VMFA exhibitions, and a traveling gallery of original artworks, VMFA on the Road will bring the museum experience directly to citizens in all areas of the Commonwealth.” This traveling gallery will, of course, enrich our own community here in Lynchburg.

Representing Lynchburg

Lynchburg has been well represented in previous VMFA Fine Arts & Flowers exhibitions by local Garden Club of Virginia member clubs, Hillside Garden Club and Lynchburg Garden Club. And the tradition continues this year. Imagine my excitement last December when I was invited to submit an entry into the 2018 FA&F exhibition, partnering with my fellow Hillside member and friend, Carter Paxton!

The next steps were an opportunity to prioritize masterwork preferences from a pre-selected list sent by exhibition chairs, assignment, and instructions to guide us through a polished process, including informative meetings at the VMFA and regular related communications. Our assignment is a 19th-century painting, A Boar Hunt in Poland, by the French artist Carle Vernet. Carter and I then started considering possibilities for our creation. Where to begin?

At our first meeting in Richmond, Carter and I not only received a private docent-led visit and discussion of our artwork, but we also were schooled by experienced, knowledgeable, energetic, and enthusiastic exhibition chairs on guidelines and factors to consider in our design toward a goal of enhancing and enlivening the masterworks, including:

• The subject matter of the work of art

• The aspects of culture and the historical time period of the work of art. Floral designers are not limited to only using design elements and materials that match the culture and historical period.

• The inspiration, mood, and meaning of the artist in creating the work of art

• Color – hue, value, and intensity

• Composition, line, shape, and pattern

• Positive and negative space

• Shape and form

• Mood

• The effects of light

• Texture

• Medium and materials

• Scale of the work of art

• How the viewer connects and reacts to the work of art

Well-organized exhibition chairs gave us logistical details pertaining to display pedestals, arrangement size constraints, lighting, and the required written description to explain how we created our floral art to be shared with visitors. They also shared information on floral and container requirements, set-up day, and daily watering/refreshing. Since the flower arrangements must be in top shape for the entire five-day duration of the exhibition, we were urged to use cut flowers with long vase life that perform well in dry museum conditions and offered examples of flowers to avoid for various reasons, such as short vase life, expense, or seasonal availability.

Carter and I analyzed our painting and researched our artist and his oeuvre, as well as the historical context and Romantic period in which this artwork was painted. We next considered our approach, style, and design; and we agreed to keep it simple and symbolic, with a focus on emphasizing the structural elements and color palette of the painting as well as the energetic action and mood.

We next decided on a container —a repurposed wooden box that evokes a feeling of the woodlands setting—and tested the liner for leakage (an absolute no-no at the VMFA); and we found a replacement liner after discovering the original wasn’t reliable. Then we hashed out details of our basic design and debated materials to use, selecting a couple of swirling fantail willow sticks (I had to include sticks, of course) to interpret the high-spirited horses, a rough pinecone to represent the boar, and spikey white spider mums to conjure up images of snarling dogs. Then we tackled challenges and decisions that weren’t so easy.

Challenges

The requirement that all plant material be sourced from professional florists for protection of artworks from bugs, diseases, molds, etc. is completely understandable; and Strange’s Florist in Richmond is the official source for most floral material, although other professional sources may be approved. However, for garden club arrangers whose comfort zone traditionally is plant material from our own gardens or scoured from surrounding countryside, this is both constraining and challenging. (Happily, a concession is made for us to use our own favorite sticks if well-seasoned and sprayed.)

A key to our design is the concept of power and control in this violent sporting scene as symbolized by the Polish nobleman’s lush red velvet coat. But what red flowers will be best? We love velvety roses and are most comfortable working with roses, but their growth habits (straight stems, upward facing blooms, etc.) don’t lend themselves to our design. Shall we use gladiolas? Will florist-provided gladiolas hold for five days? If not, how many additional glad stems must we provide to replace wilted flowers during the exhibition period? Ordering deadline for Strange’s Florist is September 8. The jury’s still out.

We’re still considering technical and mechanical details and have decided on frogs (pin holders) and a wire cage in deep water rather than floral foam for anchoring our flowers to give them a better shot at lasting five days. And we did a five-day water test on the dried fantail willow sticks to be sure the submerged stems wouldn’t turn soggy and fall over. How will we cover our wire and still leave a watering hole and finger hole for testing water level? Will it all come together as envisioned? We’ll give it all a trial run before wiring and gluing elements in place. And we’ll remain flexible to changing course as other challenges present themselves.

We continue to research this painting’s place in history since we learned that Verner, although French and painting in Rome, produced the artwork in 1831, right in the middle of the Polish rebellion of 1830-32. This cosmopolitan artist had supreme skill and control in balancing technique and narrative. Could he, as a master lithographer and political wit as well as master equestrian and horse painter, be making a political statement about this uprising as well as a statement about an exotic, intense, and grisly sporting scene? After all, the 19th-century Romantic period in art history featured fine arts subjectively interwoven with philosophical and political ideas and events of their time. These artists embraced emotionalism and rebellion against social conventions in addition to energetically expressing love of the natural world.

Food for Thought

As we know, creating a work of art using flowers and other plant material is a bit tricky. A painting, once the artist applies paint, is a permanent addition to the artist’s oeuvre; and with quality materials and care, the artwork can be preserved for millennia.

But flowers and the art works created by arranging them are ephemeral. So floral artists offer fleeting beauty for perhaps a day, or up to a week or even longer for some hearty varieties. Floral artists aren’t looking to amass a body of artworks for posterity. They revel in the process and delight in the product for a fleeting time; living in and for the moment. Then that moment passes, and they create again, as would sand artists awaiting the next big wave to wash away their creation.

This very characteristic of floral design is precisely what makes it such a complex and appealing challenge. We know that appreciating the beauty of botanic forms and their place in the order of life has inspired and informed the practice of floral artistry of devout spiritualists, royals, nature lovers, and aesthetes dating as far back as 2,500 BC in Egypt; and the art form was revered in ancient India and China before gaining global following. Purposes throughout history have ranged from pure decoration to celebration of the gifts of nature to a spiritual or religious discipline, and much more as cultures have evolved and flower arranging has become a common language of artistic expression worldwide.

And now we have yet a new purpose of expressing the essence or spirit of a work of art, integrating perceptions and feelings into the arrangements that educate members of the public to have more discerning eyes and open minds when they view the artworks, seeking to understand finer points of symbolic interpretation, and encouraging others to see the artwork as well as botanical materials in an entirely new light.

Why not consider such an exhibition in Lynchburg? The Maier Museum at Randolph College comes quickly to mind as an ideal location. I’d love to see how floral artists interpret the spirit of works of art in the Maier’s permanent collection.

Meet the Gardener

Susan Timmons served in the 1970s as Virginia’s first Environmental Impact Statement Coordinator, then Assistant Administrator and Acting Administrator of Virginia’s Council on the Environment and editor of The State of Virginia’s Environment. During that time she also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and received the National Wildlife Federation’s Award for Environmental Communications. More recently, she worked in higher education and nonprofit management and, in retirement, she serves as a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Hill City Master Gardeners Association with a series of talks on “Gardens of the World.”

Provider at Dermatology Consultants discusses the importance of regular skin exams

Skin cancer affects 1 in 5 people in the United States, and according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one American dies from skin cancer every hour. One of the most important ways to detect and treat skin cancer before it becomes deadly is to visit a dermatologist for a skin exam.

Skin cancers are an abnormal growth of skin cells, which are commonly caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. According to the EPA: “Both UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to your skin. Sunburn is a sign of short-term overexposure, while premature aging and skin cancer are side effects of prolonged UV exposure.”

Although it’s not as common, skin cancers can also form from scars caused by burns or disease, occupational exposure to certain chemicals, and repeated X-ray exposure. People have a higher risk if they have a history of skin cancer, burn easily, have blond or red hair and have a history of excessive sun exposure, which includes being sunburned and using a tanning bed. Additionally, people who have or have had an immune system-suppressing disease, are also at a higher risk.

Kappa M. Peddy, M.D., a provider at Dermatology Consultants for 18 years, recommends an annual skin exam as a method of skin cancer prevention and says these can either be full body or partial.

“Typically, an exam will include a review of your family history of skin cancer and any areas of concern. You can expect to get fully or partially undressed to allow for a thorough examination from head-to-toe. For females, it’s best to wear no make-up, nail polish and have hair down,” she says.

Peddy says the visit does not typically take more than 10 to 20 minutes. If something suspicious is discovered, they will most likely take a biopsy to help diagnose the skin condition.

“Skin exams are important because early detection of skin cancer provides the greatest chance of successful skin cancer treatment,” she says. “Skin cancer is most treatable when discovered early.”

Dermatology Consultants offers a variety of skin cancer services from prevention, to diagnosis and treatment.

“The dermatologists at Dermatology Consultants have a combined 150 years of dermatology experience, unmatched by any other local dermatology practice,” says Peddy. “We are patient-centered, … quality, and offer comprehensive dermatology services that include everything from general and medical dermatology to specialized skin cancer surgery.”

Other ways to prevent skin cancer include avoiding sun exposure at peak times (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.), avoiding tanning beds, covering up with clothing including a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses when outside, and using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher (re-apply every one-and-a-half to two hours).

Despite skin cancer being the most common type of cancer in the U.S., that doesn’t mean you should always stay indoors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can stimulate production of vitamin D in the skin. Having little or no sun exposure may put a person at risk for low levels of vitamin D, but too much UV exposure from the sun or artificial sources can increase risk of skin cancers and eye disease.”

The key is to find the right balance—we need the sun, but we need to protect ourselves at the same time. The most important aspect of prevention is finding the skin cancer early, meaning it is crucial to contact your dermatologist immediately if you notice anything suspicious on your skin or think you might have skin cancer.

“If left untreated, skin cancers can continue to grow and lead to disfigurement, loss of function and/or become life threatening,” says Peddy.

Dermatology Consultants is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They can be contacted by phone at 434-847-6132 or by email: info@lynchburgdermatology.com. Learn more about Dermatology Consultants online at LynchburgDermatology.com.