Daniel, the son of Linda and Richard Fonner of New Martinsville, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in percussion performance, has studied for two years at Morehead State University in Kentucky, and will be a junior at Duquesne University this fall. He has studied under several nationally recognized musicians including Daniel Druckman of the New York Philharmonic, Eric Charlston of the Lion King on Broadway, Leigh Howard Stevens, international marimba soloist, and Lee Vinson of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He attributes much of his success as a musician to his opportunity to work with local teacher, performer, and ArtsLink Board of Directors member, Bruce Ensinger.

       Fonner has performed in many ensembles, including the Kentucky All-Collegiate Percussion Ensemble, the Kentucky Intercollegiate Orchestra, New Martinsville’s Lincoln Theater Musical “The King and I”, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He also plays at the New Martinsville United Methodist Church and helps instruct the drum line of the Magnolia High School Band. His awards include qualifying as a recipient of an ArtsLink grant to purchase instruments to educate the community about percussion, the Rachael Worby Performance Award with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, participant at the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar, and participant at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

       Fonner enjoys playing music and working with audiences as well as other performers. He plays classical percussion solos, jazz, and orchestral percussion, utilizing instruments that range from marimbas and xylophones to marching percussion and hand drums such as congas and djembes. His August 5 performance will feature the vibraphone, purchased via the ArtsLink grant.

Nearly two dozen local artists and craftsmen will be on hand Sunday, July 4 to demonstrate their skills to all who attend the annual Arts in the Park celebration at Bruce Park in New Martinsville. This event, sponsored by ArtsLink, the Monroe Artists Guild, and the New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department will begin at 1pm and conclude at 5 pm. Visitors can expect to see oil, water, and acrylic painting, engraving, quilting, fiber arts, marbleizing, jewelry and basket making, and a variety of needlework projects exhibited. Many artists who have participated previously will be returning, and several new individuals may share their skills this year as well. 

Need a good laugh? At this year’s Arts in the Park Magnolia High School student Christian Estep’s comedy, “Love Psych”, a hilarious play, will be presented by the Wayward Players—a popular local theatrical group. High jinks in the psych ward plus a surprise ending. Also playing is “A Tale of the Norse” by Heather Haskiell, a rousing romp through Norse mythology. Both plays were finalists in the annual West Virginia State Thespian Play Writing contest. 

Musical entertainment will be provided throughout the afternoon and Uncle Sam will be on hand to greet one and all. Games and face painting will be available for the young and the young at heart. Free Pepsi will be offfered, courtesy of the NM Parks and Recreation Department, and the New Martinsville Lions Club will be selling a variety of food items. All residents are encouraged to include a stop by the park as part of their celebration of America’s birthday. 

ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible. Persons with special needs may contact 304-455-2278 to request assistance. Questions concerning Arts in the Park can be directed to Barbara Vincent at 304-652-2939.

Financial assistance has been provided by West Virginia Northern Community College, Chesapeake Energy, WETZ/WYMJ Radio and Ohio Valley Online. New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department, Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce, and several local businesses serve as local sponsors for ArtsLink events. This festival is supported in part by the Ohio River Border Initiative, a joint project of the Ohio Arts Council and the West Virginia Commission of the Arts.”

  Two winning entries in ArtsLink’s recent juried art show include
this “Sculpture of St. John” by Patrick McGuane and
“Medicine Pipe Carrier” by Dana Hall.

Chatham Baroque
will perform at 
2:00 pm on Sunday,
October 25

           Tickets for the Sunday concert are available at the door, and the doors will open at 1p.m.  Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for non-members.  Family tickets are $20 and $25 respectively.

           This performance would not be possible without the collaboration between ArtsLink and the Tyler Revitalization Committee, which is serving as sponsor for the concert.  Many members of both groups share the same goals and anticipate additional activities to promote a better quality of life in the Wetzel-Tyler area.  Additional financial assistance comes from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.   The program is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program 
developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

           ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility whenever possible. Persons with special needs may contact Donna Earley at 304-455-2278.

  The

Mountain

Valley

Corn

Pickers

           The second in ArtsLink’s August Coffehouse Series on Thursday, August 13, was the "MOUNTAIN VALLEY CORN PICKERS".  The group was established many moons ago by Tom and TG Gray. This father and son duo digs down to the roots of great music.  According to Tom, “We pick and grin to the sounds of Johnny Cash, the Allman Brothers, Grampa Jones, and Eric Clapton.  We also play original pieces which reflect songs on helping save our environment.  Our main goal is to play music, recycle and have fun.”

          The event began at 7:00, at the Francis Creative Arts Center, which is located at the corner of Maple Avenue and Washington Street in New Martinsville.  Light refreshments were  provided.  The Coffeehouse Series is sponsored by Don Riggenbach, of Riggenbach Tile and Carpet, and his wife, Jackie.

  Gary Eller,

formerly

of Proctor,

opened the 

ArtsLink

Coffeehouse

Series.

ArtsLink presented the annual August Coffeehouse Series.  This year, the free event is sponsored by Don Riggenbach, of Riggenbach Tile and Carpet, and his wife, Jackie.  “This year’s line-up features some very exciting local talent.  And Gary Eller returned from the West to kick off the month on Thursday, August 6, and entertained us with a program entitled ‘Early Songs of Northern West Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley’," according to Betty Tustin, the Projects Chairperson for ArtsLink. August 13 will be Tom and TG Gray and the Mountain Valley Corn Pickers.  Carman Harman will be providing a Karaoke event on August 20.  Everyone’s invited to come out and sing!  Rounding out the month will be a return engagement by John Shreve of Sardis.

  The final concert in the ArtsLink 2008-2008 concert series featured the Phoenix Jazz Project at 2 p.m. April 19 at Magnolia High School.

  “ Pianist Tom Glovier and the Phoenix Jazz Project never seem to run out of good ideas, “ proclaimed the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “The group can do jazz classics such as "Kind of Blue." But it also can present songs flavored by bebop or contemporary bands. Or it might even do a song from "The Wizard of Oz." The group's work also is enlivened by Glovier's wife, Jessie, whose soprano voice sometimes sinks into a husky sound.

   Leader Curtis Johnson is a retired associate professor of music at West Virginia University, Johnson was on the WVU faculty for 20 years. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Slippery Rock University and West Liberty State College. 
      “We were really fortunate to be able to close out our concert series with a class act like the Phoenix Jazz Project,” Fran Caldwell, ArtsLink president, said. “Their treatment of old standards and original works are designed to have their audiences leaving the concert feeling mellow.”

    Major funding for the concert series was made possible with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.

  ArtsLink Offered Pottery Classes

       ArtsLink offered a pottery class at theFrancis Creative Arts Center beginning on Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 and continuing on each Thursday throughout July.  The cost for the class was $45 and included all materials for the projects of all four sessions.  Participants
worked on three different projects based on three basic hand-building techniques:  Pinch, Coil and Slab.  The first session will focus on learning how to mold the clay using the pinch technique.  Instructor for this course was Pat Ordile.  

  The Meistersingers, pictured here,
will be one of the musical groups
featured at this year’s
Arts In The Park celebration

  ARTS IN THE PARK, JULY 4TH

Mark your calendars now to plan to attend the annual Arts in the Park Festival at Bruce Park in New Martinsville on Saturday, July 4.   Thisevent, sponsored by the New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department, the Monroe Artists Guild and ArtsLink, will feature arts and crafts demonstrations, exhibits by area residents, musical entertainment, the Wayward Players, lots of games and face painting, and free refreshments.   Uncle Sam will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the festival, which will begin at 1p.m and continue until 5 p.m.

This festival is supported in part by the Ohio River Border Initiative, a joint project of the Ohio Arts Council and the West Virginia Commission of the Arts.   ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible.   Persons with special needs may contact ArtsLink at 304-455-2278.   For more information concerning the festival, please contact Barbara Vincent at 304-652-2939.

  The hand-hooked rug “Stone House” was created by L. Lee Eddy
of Friendly, WV and was featured in Rug Hooking Magazine,
a national publication, in August 2008.

The monthly exhibit sponsored by ArtsLink, the arts council for Wetzel and Tyler counties, featured the work of Tyler County resident L. Lee Eddy on Sunday, June 7, from 2 until 4 pm at the Francis Creative Arts Center in New Martinsville.   

Mrs. Eddy is skilled in the art of rug hooking and had one of her creations featured in Rug Hooking Magazine’s Celebration of Hand Hooked Rugs XVIII in August of 2008. That rug, depicting a stone house, was actually created from a pastel drawing that had been a gift to her mother from a relative in England.

 Thistledew Farms Exhibit at Art Center on May 3rd

The monthly exhibit sponsored by ArtsLink, the arts council for Wetzel and Tyler counties, appealed to individuals of all ages.   On Sunday, May 3, between the hours of 2 and 4 pm, items from locally owned Thistledew Farms were on display at the Francis Creative Arts Center at the corner of Maple and Washington Avenues in New Martinsville.   Steve and Ellie Conlon, owners of the business, showed a variety of objects ranging from decorative candles and handmade items to wooden folk toys crafted by local men and women.   Thistledew Farms has exhibited at fairs and festivals throughout the tri-state area, and their products are sold internationally.

ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible.   Persons with special needs may contact Donna Earley at 304-455-2ART (304-455-2278) to request assistance.  

    The Big Read a big success in ArtsLink territory !!

  Beulah Talkington gives a demonstration of items that might be used to hunt in the wilds of Alaska. She also talked about the wolf cub raised by her son.

  Sonya Haught, left, is presented with a certificate noting that 100 percent of the residents of Wick read “The Call of the Wild” by Betty Tustin, Big Read Co-chair.

  The Jim Rice family look over “The Call of the Wild.” AAA Homes was one of the sponsors of the project.

  Barb’s Restaurant in Middlebourne was the site of a book discussion group that read “The Big Read.”

  The Paden City Library Big Read discussion group was inspired  to  begin meeting monthly to discuss other books.

 Jessie Coleman of Proctor
brought her wire haired terrier to “Dog Paws,” one of the Big Read events.

   
       Co-chairs Marianne Hughes and Betty Tustin reported that the months of January and February found TBR committee members distributing copies of The Call of the Wild and its companion Reader’s Guide, furnished by the National Endowment for the Arts, all across Wetzel and Tyler Counties in spite of frequent inclement weather.   Betty Tustin organized readings and book discussions at a number of locations in Tyler County, including The Jug, Barb’s Restaurant, and the Meadville Mall.   Tina Neil coordinated the efforts in Wetzel County, scheduling book discussions at The Bookstore, New Martinsville Library, and the library at West Virginia Northern Community College.   Paden City Library also hosted a book discussion, and is making plans to do more on a regular basis.   Raffle tickets were given to participants at every event.

      The kickoff event on January 25 at WVNCC was well attended.   Presentations by Dr. Terry Craig, introduction of the NFL’s John Thornton of the Cincinnati Bengals, Reader’s Theater, Ellen Pope’s Iditarod stories, and Beulah Talkington’s presentation on life in the wild delighted the audience.   Tasty snacks were provided by Occasions.

      The Big Read Finale was held at the Meadville Mall near Wick in Tyler County on February 28.   Sonya Haught, owner of the Meadville Mall, was presented with a Certificate of Accomplishment for the communities of Meadville and Wick which pledged 100% participation in The Big Read.   Beulah Talkington repeated a section of her presentation on life in the wild, followed by Liz Hartman’s presentation on Alaska, including the training of sled dogs.   Those who attended were treated to Klondike ice cream bars and hot chocolate.   The raffle tickets were drawn for prizes which included backpacks, a genuine “Buck” knife donated by Talkington’s Gun Shop, gift certificates donated by The Bookstore, and an ArtsLink family membership.

      “Many thanks to all who contributed and participated in any way,” Hughes said.  “The community response was wonderful.”

      The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. Local sponsors were AAA Homes, New Martinsville Rotary Club, Wetzel-Tyler Volunteers for Better Reading, Radio Station WETZ/WAJR, and the Community Foundation of the Ohio Valley.

     The beautiful stained glass windows in the Middlebourne United   Methodist Church   will serve as the back drop for the Ferla-Marcinizyn Guitar Duo at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 8.  The church is located on East Street in Middlebourne.  The concert, part of the ArtsLink ’08-’09 Concert Series, features John Marcinizyn and James Ferla playing diverse musical styles dating from the Renaissance to jazz.   In addition to performing in many   community concerts, the duo has   performed for all ages at schools, museums, clubs, and festivals.   They have recorded five CDs including Kaleidoscipe, which features five centuries of guitar music.

     Admission to the concert is as follows:   ArtsLink Members--$10 per individual, $20 per family;   non-members--$15 per individual and $25 per family.   A family is defined as a couple and their children under the age of 18.  

     This event is sponsored locally by the Wetzel County Hospital.   It is also partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by the Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.   Financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts also makes the performance possible.  Additional local support provided by West Virginia Northern Community College, The Plaza Inn,  and W E T Z / W Y M J Radio.

     ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible.   Persons with special needs may call 304-455-2278 to request assistance.
 

  "BROWN BAG"
Flower Arranging Demonstration

     Pack a lunch, bring a friend, and learn to arrange those blossoms that will soon be flourishing in your flower gardens!   The second of several “Brown Bag Lunches” sponsored by ArtsLink, the arts council for Wetzel and Tyler counties, will be held from noon until 1pm on Thursday, March 19 at the Francis Creative Arts Center in New Martinsville.  
     Individuals who attend will enjoy a flower arranging demonstration by Brian Feldmeier, owner of Occasions on Main Street in New Martinsville.  The demonstration will include a “hands-on” time for all who wish to try their hands at the art.  

     All activities at the Francis Creative Arts Center are universally accessible.   Persons with special needs may contact Donna Earley, ArtsLink program coordinator at 304-455-2278.  

  Barbara Thomaselli

showed an example

of paper marbling.

      The public joined us at the Francis Creative Arts Center at 12 noon on Tuesday, February 24 for lunch and a demonstration of paper marbling.   Lunch included tortellini salad, soup, foccacia bread, jello salad, and beverage and lasted until 1:00. 
      Barbara Thomaselli demonstrated paper marbling and its uses.  This wa the first in a monthly series of lunches and upcoming demonstrations that will include flower arranging and quilting.   Lunch for February is $5 per person.  
      

 Lisa Yvonne Ferraro

headlined this year’s Valentine’s

Concert and Gourmet Dessert

Smorgasbord event,

presented byArtsLink

at the PPG McKenna Pavilion

in Proctor.

           The much-anticipated ArtsLink Valentine’s Day concert was held, appropriately, on Valentine’s Day.  Set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 14, at the PPG McKenna Pavilion in Proctor, the event again featured a smorgasbord of gourmet desserts.  J. C. Mensore Distributor, Inc. and PPG Industries were the local co-sponsors for this event.  The staff at Occasions provided the décor.

            As in past years, this concert featured a premier jazz vocalist, Lisa Yvonne Ferraro.  According to ArtsLink board member Barbara Thomaselli, “Lisa is a phenomenal jazz performer.  Her recent performance at the Stifel Center in Wheeling was incredible.  Ferraro is also a talented songwriter.  She debuted some of her original music with Marvin Hamlisch at Heinz Hall and composed music for “The Other Side of the River” which aired on PBS

            “The Healing Power of Music” workshop preceded the concert at 6:30 p.m. and was offered at no additional charge to those attending the concert.

           Financial support for this project was provided by ArtsLink, W E T Z / W Y M J Radio, the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, with funding from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. Additional funding from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

  FRAN CALDWELL

ELECTED PRESIDENT

OF ARTSLINK

            A former president is expected to be selected to lead ArtsLink, the arts council of Wetzel and Tyler Counties, following the annual membership meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, 2009.   Fran Caldwell, who launched the Sunday afternoon art exhibits during her earlier term as president, has agreed to succeed retiring president Eric Vincent. Others nominated for office include Barbara Thomaselli of Middlebourne, vice president; Patricia Block, secretary, and Larry Tackett, treasurer.

            Board members Fran Caldwell, Harry Caldwell, Ralph Strippel and Eric Vincent have been nominated for reelection to the board. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.

   “Boy Fishing in a Bayou”   

by Al Everett,

from the collection

of Donna Earley

      Works presented from David McCartney’s collection included three pieces by sculptor Art Wells’ series Eight Days of the Week; a self-portrait by Greta (Kristen) Haught, formerly of Reader, WV; and a miniature Chinese reverse painting of 1954 Chevrolet painted inside a perfume bottle.

      Pottery from Colleen McCartney’s collection included two pots thrown by Greta Haught and one thrown by well-known Albuquerque potter, Rose Williams, a Navajo Indian woman in her 90’s.  Williams makes her pots in a brush shelter, fires them in a cast iron kiln, and uses a finish made of tree resin.

      Included in Donna Earley’s collection were works by New Orleans artists, including photographs by Jack Beech and Louis Sahuc, paintings by Paul Samson and Al Everett and Mardi Gras prints by Danny Resnick.