Fabulous Cake Walk cakes for Town Day were coordinated by Aimee Symington (left) and Hunter Busse
Beautiful weather is the key to successful outdoor activities and last week was no exception. Dee Beard Dean had beautiful days for her plein air painting classes, Town Day in Davidson was marvelous in bright sunshine, and graduation at Carolina was picture perfect.
These activities are reported today in Around Davidson as well as Woodlawn School news of winners at National History Day. We also send special birthday greetings to a well known Davidsonian.
Dee Beard Dean (blue cap at front) instructed her group in plein air painting.
PAINTING IN PLEIN AIR
Many of our readers are familiar with plein air painting. Wikipedia defines the term en plein air as a French expression which means “in the open air,” and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Dee Beard Dean describes it in one of her books as learning the economy of palette colors, details and decision making done quickly on a small canvas to catch the light and shadow you desire before it changes.
Dee and her husband, Dr. Nicolai Chalfa, are Davidson residents. Dee holds an annual plein air class, which attracts some dozen artists from up and down the East coast. This year’s class traveled to Davidson on May 1 from as far as New York and as close as the Cabin Creek neighborhood. The group met with Dee and her husband for dinner on Sunday evening before starting four days of painting. Monday they worked on the Davidson College campus with easels set up near Main Street and the church. Tuesday found them at Bradford Store; Wednesday at Lake Norman (at class member Kim McCulloch’s home); and the final day, Thursday, at Barger Farm.
This lively group of enthusiastic painters first learned from a demonstration piece painted by Dee and then following lunch, chose a specific scene with specific light and created their own art canvases using oil paint.
Our town is blessed with so many artists who work in so many mediums. Thanks to Dee for letting us know a bit more about her work. (For more information on Dee, www.deebearddean.com)
"Librarian extraordinaire" Leland Park was greeted at Town Day by the Cat in the Hat.
TOWN DAY
It’s been 36 years of Town Days for your correspondent and it never gets old. Wilson Sadler is always there with some kind of fire or rescue equipment. The Boy Scout rope bridge has been a staple on The Green for decades it seems. Cake walks and cupcake walks are a big hit. What a treat to see the Davidson Presbyterian Church selling fish once more. And this year there was the added attraction of the “Got Brick” unveiling. (See DavidsonNews.net‘s Town Day photo gallery.)
Finding a certain commemorative paver on the library’s new patio takes some time but you will be rewarded with the familiar names you read, the serious quotations and the whimsical creations. But how about all those blank bricks surrounding the named bricks? Why not sell those off as well? Kim Fleming, are you listening? (See May 8, 2011, “Ceremony unveils new patio, celebrates saving library.”)
Library employee Rosie Chapman worked tirelessly sorting and pricing books for Saturday’s sale – outside on The Green and inside in the Community Room. During Town Day the book sale brought in almost $1,700. Kudos to Rosie for her hard work – and thanks for the good help of Spot, the Dog and “the Cat in the Hat.”
What a great start for the sale and there is still much good reading available through this Saturday, May 14. Come shopping tomorrow from 10-7 or Friday-Saturday from 10-5. (Remember the library is closed on Thursdays.)
Grandson Will is the apple of Papa and Mimi Cockrill's eye!
HELLO WILL SPENSIERI
Fun to see Papa Bill and Mimi Kathy Cockrill at Town Day introducing their grandson, Will, to his very own brick in the library patio. Will, the son of Spence and Rachel Cockrill Spensieri, lives in Charlotte but loves to visit with his doting grandparents in Davidson. Fourteen months old, Will had a good time at his very first Town Day – in spite of the fact he was rather nonplussed about his very own brick.
MBA grad Sam Barger was cheered by his wife, Nora (right), sister, Emily (left) and her fiancé, Jordan Hylton
CONGRATULATIONS, GRADS
A few of us took time this past Sunday, May 8, to celebrate Mother’s Day and then head east to Chapel Hill to be in our seats in the Dean Dome for graduation ceremonies for 294 students earning an MBA from Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business. Two members of the class with Davidson connections were Karl Samuel Barger and Nathan Guerrant Byrd.
John and Paula Kelton were delighted to greet MBA grad and grandson, Nathan Byrd
Sam is the youngest child of Hugh and Brenda Barger. A Wake Forest grad a few years ago, he now has an MBA to add to his resume when he starts work this summer in the Chapel Hill area. Hugh and Brenda were present to cheer for Sam as were his wife, Nora, sister, Emily, and her fiancé, Jordan Hylton.
Nate Byrd is the oldest child of Cissy and Rich Byrd of Spartanburg and grandchild of Paula and John Kelton of Davidson. They were all in Chapel Hill to congratulate Nate on his MBA. Nate, who has taken a job in New Bern, also finished his undergraduate degree at Wake Forest. Interesting to note that during his two years at UNC, Nate rented an apartment in the home of Dr. Joan Huntley who is the widow of Charlie Ratliff’s Davidson roommate, Robert Huntley (Class of ’47). What a nice connection for the Keltons and of course, Cissy, who grew up in Davidson and knew Charlie Ratliff during his years on the faculty of the college. Dr. Huntley is very active in Davidson College Alumni affairs and serves on the Board of Visitors.
(l-r) Elia Ramirez, Matthew Shaw, Sam Packard, Sydney Bowman, Andrew Nielsen, Olivia Berkey
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
Kudos to Woodlawn School students competed for top honors in the National History Day competition. Several of their middle and upper school students traveled to Raleigh the weekend of April 30 for the event. Congratulations to Sydney Bowman, Matthew Shaw, Olivia Berkey, Andrew Nielsen, Sam Packard, and Elia Ramirez for advancing to the national competition, to be held in College Park, MD in June. For a full list of results, please see the NHD Results Page.
With 18 categories and over 300 NC regional winners, students were up against some stiff competition. The contest is sponsored by the History Channel. There are six categories or topics which students could address. All material had to relate to this year’s theme of “Debate and Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, Consequences.” The students conducted research and presented their findings in one of five formats: as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary or a web site. If a student won at state level, he or she was invited to compete nationally in College Park, Md., later this summer. We congratulate the six students who will be making the trip north with their projects. Olivia, Andrew, Matt and Elia all live in Davidson. Sam is from Mooresville and Sydney from Cornelius. (For more about the Woodlawn winners, access http://woodlawnschool.pbworks.com/w/page/37970553/National-History-Day-2011)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!
Once a year we get to say Happy Birthday to David Boraks and today is the day! If you see him anytime today or tomorrow or the next day, wish him well. He and DavidsonNews.net continue to be a very good “work in progress!”
Send us your news
Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.
