Dear Friends,

Halloween got off to a loud start when a hawk crashed into my back window. Thankfully she readily recovered. My daughter Becky provided a little gentle assistance courtesy of wildlife rescue information she found on the internet. A Facebook commenter determined that this was a sharp-shinned hawk, most likely a female because of the small size. Such a beautiful bird.

Ten years have passed since the Moss Art Center opened its doors in Blacksburg, VA. The center remains fresh and vital thanks to the many donors and artists that provide support. A number of us gathered together Thursday evening for a dinner celebration. Among the guests was my dear friend Nikki Giovanni, who I hadn’t seen since her retirement party last year. Nikki is currently involved in a production called the Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni. In this artistic venture she collaborates with renowned tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson. Together they share hymns and spirituals rewritten in a jazz format with an overlay of Nikki’s favorite poetry. This performance has best been described by the Kennedy Center as a “meaningful meditation on struggle, sacrifice, resilience, liberation, and victory.” Nikki also makes a rare vocal appearance singing Night Song as a tribute to her friend, Nina Simone.

Meet Javon Jackson, the brilliant musician whose vision has reimagined traditional hymns and spirituals into a jazz format. The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni will be performed Friday, November 3rd at 7:30 pm at the Moss Arts Center. Tickets are available by following this link. https://artscenter.vt.edu/performances/jackson-giovanni-freelon.html

So warm and engaging, Nikki Giovanni’s smile can light up a room.

I have a confession. I was so engrossed in visiting with everyone last weekend at King James Galleries Winchester, that I did not take a single photo. The gallery was abuzz with friends and collectors as we released my fourth print in the apple tree series. There is one particular conversation that stood out for me. Her name was Stacy, and she is a nurse in northern Virginia.  As the conversation progressed, I asked her where she was from. She replied, “a little town in southwest Virginia that no one has heard of named Chilhowie.” As it turns out my son-in-law Kerry is from Chilhowie and I have visited there. This opened up another layer of conversation where we discussed commonalities among people, and how many more of them there are as opposed to differences. It was a special show for me, and even though I don’t have pictures to remember it, know that I hold these memories in my heart. Thank you for coming.

Until next week,

Love,