Arts & Crafts: Laurie Craw

Laurie Craw is our dear friend and a wonderfully talented writer. She is also a talented artist and potter. Here are a few of her works that we own and love. Three of the pieces came to us from my sister Debi recently as she downsizes after retirement.

Heart-shaped slab bowls:

I especially like the pottery "kudzu" basket so I'll use several pictures.

And here's a "kudzu" wreath.

And another.

When our youngest, Lillian, was born, Laurie painted this for us:

She also painted an oval ceramic disk to commemorate Brannon's birth in 1983 -- but I can't that right now.

[More to come] 

 

Yard Sign = Chrysalis?

Our friend Jeremy Smith loves to make art out of pumpkins and stumps and logs and, as it turns out, old political yard signs. We were pleased to donate a few of our signs to him and look what he did with 'em.

I don't know nothin' 'bout TikTok so I had to make screen captures to share some stills from his little Other Levels Studios video. 

 

Discuss the Holy Books

In 2000 I got to play Tevye in Rome Little Theatre's production of Fiddler on the Roof. Oh, how I relished that experience. 

The cast of RLT's 2000 production of Fiddler on the Roof, back when my beard was brown.

During the years around the turn of the century the arts in Rome had a wonderful cheerleader whose name was Sam Peller. I did not know him well but met him several times and at least twice was the beneficiary of his kind reviews in letters to the editor of the Rome News Tribune. 

Mr. Peller and his wife were also acquaintances of my Mother, I think through the Rome Area Writers group. Anyway my mother saw this piece of art that he created and bought it! That's right, ladies and gents, my frugal Mother, the daughter of the depression, who rarely bought anything besides staples outside of Rome's thrift stores, paid good American money for a piece of artwork. 

And I always loved it, because it reminds me of the man who said nice things about my performances in Shenandoah and Fiddler on the Roof and it reminds me of these lines from one of my very favorites roles:

...If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack

To sit in the synagogue and pray

And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall

And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, 

    seven hours every day

And that would be the sweetest thing of all...

-Tevye, from Fiddler on the Roof  

Now I am executor of my Mother's estate and last week my siblings and I distributed part of the estate, and this artwork was my first choice in the "Wall Stuff" category. I haven't decided yet where I'll hang it. But is is one of only a few items I was really hoping that I'd get to keep of Mother's belongings. Now the piece will also remind me of Mother.

Maybe some of my friends knew Mr. Peller. Here is Mr' Peller's obituary from the Daniel's Funeral Home website:

Mr. Sam Peller, 94, of Rome, GA, passed away at his residence early Saturday, December 15, 2012.

Mr. Peller was born July 5, 1918 in New York City where he spent most of his life until moving South in 1991. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 70 years, Rose Goodman Peller. Survivors include his children, Mrs. Nancy (and Bruce) Matzner of Great Neck, Long Island, and Dr. Jeffrey (and Shelly) Peller of Rome, Georgia. Survivors also include grandchildren Adam Peller of Asheville, NC; Rachel Peller of Atlanta, GA; Andrew (and LeeRay Costa) Matzner of Roanoke, VA; Gregg (and Jennifer) Matzner of Philadelphia, PA; and great grandchildren, Tallulah, Dahlia, and Naomi Matzner. 

Although trained as a commercial artist, Mr. Peller spent his working years in the diamond industry, initially as a diamond cutter and then as a diamond broker. He maintained his artistic interests and creativity throughout his life, and he never lost his desire to sell, gift or donate his various pieces of artwork. 

Mr. Peller was an active member of the Diamond Dealers' Club in NYC, B'nai B'rith, and Rodeph Sholom Congregation in Rome. For many years, Mr. and Mrs. Peller, and later just Sam, hosted a weekly Jewish study group in their home with interfaith community members. Mr. Peller was an avid lover and supporter of the fine arts in Rome, with opera and and classical music his two favorites. In past years, he was known to have written numerous letters to the editor of the Rome News Tribune singing the praises of local artists and performers and urging support and attendance at many plays, concerts and recitals. He frequently praised local talent as being comparable to the performers on Broadway or at Lincoln Center. 

Funeral services, led by Rabbi Judith Beiner, were held graveside, Sunday, December 16th, 1:00 PM, at the Jewish Cemetery on Mt. Aventine. The family will receive friends at the residence, 206 Sherwood Road, following the funeral service. Friends are invited to join the family as they observe the shiva (mourning) period, Monday through Thursday evenings this week, at the home of Jeffrey and Shelly Peller.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Rodeph Sholom Congregation, P.O. Box 425, Rome, GA 30162-0425, or to your favorite arts organization. Daniels Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements. 

Gleaning Facebook: Art for the People

On my morning walk this today I got out about 6:15 and walked all the way down to the old business section of Vista. Like much of southern California and America in general, Vista's late 1900s was blighted by unregulated strip development and a lack of effective zoning regulations during its growth periods of the past.

But in recent years citizens groups have pressed for more creative elements. Especially in the quaint downtown section there is lots of public art and more sensitive development, as there has been in our hometown Rome. A grassroots arts group, The Backfence Society, has been a part of that. Sarah Spinks, our son-in-law's sister is quite an artist herself and a leader in the effort to beautify Vista by cleaning up and preventing littter (Only Losers Litter!) and by encouraging public art. The Backfence folks seem a bit on the fun and quirky side. For example a bumper sticker they distribute, and which adorns the back of my daughter's Chrysler, reads "Make Vista Weird".

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Here are pictures of just a part of the public art: sculpture, murals, painted utility enclosures, artistic takes on public necessities like streetlights, bus-stops, and bike racks and more.

Rome has done some of this same sort of thing.

• Mike Burton's beautiful painting on the wall of the building next to The Foundry.

• The statue of First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson.

• The statue and surrounding plaza dedicated to Adm. Tower.

• The firefighters memorial that incorporates the archway from the Mountain City fire hall.

• the temporary "Heart" art each year.

• the temporary piano installations we had one time all around downtown.

• the Rome Knitterati installations along Broad Street

• veterans memorials at Myrtle Hill and along the river at the Forum.

• Buddy Mitchell Plaza and fountain

• Etc.

But I'd really like to see much more. My friend

Michael J. Burton

has proposed more public sculpture and murals for Rome for fifty-plus years. It's great to see us beginning to see that happen. The River Arts District is another opportunity for that sort of thing. And the proposed moving of the Confederate memorials to a more appropriate location may give an opportunity to commemorate other parts of our history in public art, such as the sit-ins on Broad and other civil rights history, the textile industry in Rome, Rome's past leaders in medicine, arts, literature, women's rights, education, etc.