Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
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May The Fourth Be With You: Celebrating Star Wars Day Every year on May 4th, a familiar phrase echoes through the halls of pop culture: “May the Fourth be with you, always!” This playful pun has given rise to Star Wars Day, a celebration of George Lucas’s iconic Star Wars franchise, which has mesmerized audiences worldwide. The origins of Star Wars Day can be traced back to the phrase itself, which cleverly riffs off the legendary line from the movies, “May the Force be with you.” This pun was first used in a full-scale organized event on May 4...
Reimagining Light: Artistic Approaches to Lighting Renovation The shadows that light creates make life interesting. If everything is brightly lit, everything demands attention. However, by using various levels of lighting, such as art lighting, column lighting, and focused decorative lighting, a theatrical component begins to emerge, making features more intriguing. Lighting designers recognize the importance of refurbishing existing lights, updating fixtures, and preserving the integrity of original decorative pieces. This often involves...
The air outside is scented with fresh-cut grass. Toads emerge from their hiding places, and docile bumblebees, reminiscent of Zeppelin airships, hover busily over a variety of flowers. In Tennessee, the landscape bursts into high-resolution color as everything blooms and various species of birds sing from dusk till dawn. As humans and artists, we have the opportunity to support our feathered friends by providing birdhouses. These structures not only bring gardens to life but also protect birds from predators, blending form and function...
For the Love of Fine Art Photography: Elephants Several criteria define what makes a photograph compelling. Photographer David Yarrow believes it hinges on how long people can gaze at an image. Three photographers who excel in wildlife photography—particularly in capturing elephants—are David Yarrow, Nick Brandt, and Chris Fallows. Their photographic styles differ, notably in their choice of angles. David Yarrow primarily uses low angles, focusing on individual elephants or small groups. Nick Brandt, on the other hand, opts for higher or direct...
Springtime Through Monet’s Eyes As the year progresses past the shorter days folding into longer ones, the Tennessee countryside begins its gradual shift towards spring, blooming with early flashes of color. Artist Claude Monet, a name that resonates deeply with the vibrancy of spring, emerges as a fitting emblem for this seasonal transformation. Monet (1840-1926) stands at the forefront of French Impressionism, distinguished for capturing nature’s beautiful moments with a brush dipped in the luminous palette of spring. Throughout his long car...
March, named after Mars, the Roman God of War, carries the vibrant energy of transformation. The expression “Mad as a March Hare,” originating in the 1500s, reflects the excitable behavior of hares, akin yet distinct from rabbits, during this springtime period. Lewis Carroll immortalized the March Hare in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865), presenting a character brimming with whimsy. Yet, for many, March heralds a season of celebration, a welcome shift to brighter days and vibrant colors in nature. This month ushers in handful o...
Less than a mile from the sugar-white sands of Grayton Beach State Park, at a depth of 58 feet, lies a one-acre permit patch of seabed known as the Underwater Museum Of Art (UMA). UMA is North America’s first permanent underwater sculpture park, nestled in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of South Walton, Florida. Beneath the surface, art and the aquatic environment fuse together as one, creating breathtaking experiences that dare our perceptions of the beauty of art and its potential. One purpose of UMA is to create art that becomes marine h...
The Golden Era of Sci-Fi Cinema: Exploring the Brilliance of the 1970s,1980s to the Early 2000s The influential German science-fiction silent film of 1927 (directed by Fritz Lang) could arguably be one of the most iconic films due to its elaborate Art Deco production design and pioneering effects, dubbed a “futuristic masterpiece.” The films message, “The Mediator Between the Head and the Hands Must Be the Heart”. However, the period spanning the 1970s/1980s to the early 2000s marked a golden era for science fiction cinema, producing timeles...
The Art of Painting: Without Sanding or Primer British artist and color expert Annie Sloan revolutionized furniture painting in the 1990s with her invention of Chalk Paint. With a lifetime of research and experimentation with color, the chalk paint she created in the ‘90s remains incredibly popular. Since 1988, Annie Sloan has impressively published 26 books, serving as an invaluable resource for those researching the idea of furniture upcycling and restoration. Both seasoned artists and newcomers to the world of Chalk Paint appreciate its flex...
The Art of Visual Comfort: Combating Artistic Burnout through Nature The vast greenery and historic buildings initially captured my attention in middle Tennessee. Many people have their ideas of paradise; some mention the beaches of Florida or the perfect weather of California. However, with the population at an all-time high, open space is my paradise. Hearing the wind through the trees and observing nature - it speaks in signs. To understand its language, we must first notice what’s around us. This becomes challenging in city life where n...
The Art of Black and White: Art and Fashion Three artists who stand out when utilizing dramatically applied wide brush strokes of black and white paint on canvas are Franz Kline, Robert Motherwell, and Pablo Picasso with his painting Guernica (1937). When an artist uses the contrast of black and white, it evokes a sensation of vast spaces, good and evil, yin and yang, while focusing the viewer’s attention on the artwork’s composition. This week, as I opened the latest Vogue magazine’s March issue, what stood out immediately was that the first...
In an era dominated by “Fast Fashion,” there’s a growing appreciation for the charm and authenticity that comes with vintage clothing. The Nashville Vintage Clothing & Jewelry Show, scheduled for February 16-17 at the Fairgrounds Nashville (Expo Hall 2), is set to be a haven for enthusiasts seeking a unique blend of history, self-expression, and timeless style. Clothing is more than adornment, its about fashion as art. Vintage clothing allows individuals to express their personality and style in a way that’s entirely their own. The pieces...
Collage, as an art form and technique, involves assembling individual pieces or materials into a new body of artwork with a predominantly two-dimensional character. An authentic collage artist uses photographs from books and magazines as found material, deconstructing and reconstructing them using paint as a visual method to create systematic artwork on paper. In the early twentieth century, collage as an artistic technique emerged primarily by Cubism’s greatest masters, Pablo Picasso & Georges Braque. Picasso’s “Still Life with Chair Canin...
Yes! Yes! Yes! It’s almost that time - Valentine’s Day. The card isle is filled with people picking up and putting down cards,(some smiling or furrowed brows) searching for the perfect words to convey love. Before the mad rush for the perfect card and gifts, before the vibrant reds and pinks adorned the aisles, there was St. Valentine. Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with “courtly love.” Although not much of St. Valenti...
Snow harbors a certain beauty all by itself and one way artistically to reimagine snow, is through the art of ice and snow sculpting. Ice sculptures stand as ephemeral masterpieces, captivating audiences with their beauty carved in frozen elegance. These unique creations, meticulously crafted from blocks of ice, showcasing the delicate dance between the artist’s vision and the unforgiving nature of their chosen medium. The art of sculpting ice dates back centuries, originating in regions with colder climates where winter’s icy grasp pro...
As the new year unfolds with calendars, goals, and agendas, the pursuit of joy extends to various forms of entertainment. The latest Golden Globe Awards underscores an ongoing list of new entertainment to watch. However, beyond movies, TV series, watch lists, and the top-selling books, the world of podcasts emerges as a captivating avenue worth exploring. Previously known from the 1980’s as “autoblogs”, podcasting as we know it now with internet and portable digital audio devices took hold in late 2004. Podcasting in its current state, has s...
The resurgence of quilted jackets and coats is a trend transformed from humble family heirlooms adorning beds and sofas to mainstream fashion statements. This trend gained a lot of traction in 2023 and it still strong for 2024 morphing from once quirky to now tailored and refined in its construction. The roots of quilted jackets run deep, originating from the familial warmth of homemade treasures. Tracing their historical evolution, these cozy textiles have transcended their domestic origins to become coveted fashion items, gracing the racks...
A dynamic shift is underway in 2024, signaling a departure from the stark minimalism and monochromatic palettes that have defined the past decade. Emerging trends suggest a resurgence of opulence, with a particular emphasis on the infusion of jewel-toned colors. This transformative movement encourages individuals to break away from the restrained aesthetic of recent years and embrace the lavish allure of colors like emerald green, sapphire blue, and deep burgundy. Don’t worry if you adore the mono-chromatic whites, creams and browns there is no...
There are many quotes about entertaining guests for more than a few days, warning that if you make it too comfortable for them, they will not want to leave. Benjamin Franklin famously quipped that a house guest is like a fish: Each begins to stink after three days. This may seem a bit harsh, especially since the holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and, for many, the gathering of family and friends. As a host, adopting an approach that treats guests as if your home were a comfortable bed and breakfast can create a memorable...
This particular time of year has always struck me as odd, especially mid-December. It’s a time filled with the hustle of finishing decorations and Christmas shopping, yet there’s also the waiting period for Christmas Day to arrive. This season is marked by a mix of anxiety and excitement, a limbo waiting period for both Christmas and the anticipation of the New Year. It’s easy to get lost in the uproar, forgetting the dreams and aspirations that fuel our passions. To-do lists and computer screen time dominate our attention, but in the backgroun...
Calligraphy, the ancient art of beautiful writing, originates from the Greek words “Kallos” and “Graphe.” It resides not only in the elegance of its decorative strokes but also in the wide array of pens and tools that artists can explore to bring their unique style to life. One of the essential tools in calligraphy is the nib pen. Nib pens come in various shapes and sizes, enabling artists to experiment with different line thicknesses and styles. For example, the pointed nib is perfect for creating intricate details, while the broad-edged nib p...
Beyond the anticipation of what lies within, the presentation itself has become an art form. From ancient traditions to the modern evolution of gift wrapping, it’s all in the details of creativity, culture, and expression. Gift wrapping, in its essence, is a practice that dates back centuries. In ancient cultures, the act of presenting a gift was often accompanied by elaborate rituals and symbolic wrappings. In Japan, the art of Furoshiki emerged, employing intricately folded cloth to encase and adorn presents, embodying a harmonious blend o...
As the last bite of pumpkin pie is savored, and the Thanksgiving leftovers find their way into the fridge, families across the nation start on the next festive journey—the Great Christmas Shopping Expedition! Amidst the frenzy of gift lists and sale events, there’s another tradition that takes center stage: the family Christmas photo. Enter the holiday card dilemma, where the decision is made for the swift efficiency of digital email cards or the vintage allure of snail mail and traditional cards. Online greeting card companies have rep...
Few creations manage to straddle the line between art, science, and entertainment quite like the humble pie. A gastronomic marvel, pies have been enchanting taste buds and sparking debates on the perfect crust-to-filling ratio for centuries. This timeless and meaningful culinary tradition of pie-making is never more prominent than on Thanksgiving Day. Simple crimped crust designs around the pie edge or architecturally intricate lattice work will adorn tables across America on Thanksgiving Day. The question every year is, who’s bringing the p...
Art of Live Performance Theater: The Vital Role of Small Plays in Community Theater Community theater is a vibrant mixture blended together by the passion and dedication of local artists, actors, directors, and technicians. Within this mix, small plays hold a special place, representing a crucial element in the thriving ecosystem of theatrical expression. These intimate productions may lack the grandeur of their larger counterparts, but they serve a purpose that is just as vital, if not more so, in fostering a sense of unity and cultural...