Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 2, 1994 TAG: 9409020046
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis-Banks
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 16th annual Claytor Lake Arts and Crafts Fair is happening this Labor Day weekend, and artists from all over will show and sell the fruits of their labor.
The show, presented by the Virginia Mountain Crafts Guild, starts Saturday and continues through Monday on the grounds of the Howe House at Claytor Lake State Park in Dublin.
In addition to paintings by Yukimo Ichikawa, Frances Hale and others, Al Simmons will be showing and doing his caricatures at the site.
Likewise, Ken Hamblin will play some good old-time music on his handmade dulcimers and other musicians will perform on the porch at the Howe House.
Crafts by local folks include fabric dolls by Jerry Powell of Pulaski, stuffed animals by Sally Pierce of Blacksburg and pottery by Ann Hess of Christiansburg.
Handmade rugs, candles, quilts, stained glass, jewelry, baskets and toys are among the wares. Bill Dalton and Herman Lowe will have woodwork, and Carolyn and Greg Neal will have leather handbags, wallets and accessories.
One of the unique crafts at the fair is Sophie Lehle's Wachskunst, or wax art. Lehle specializes in tree-top Christmas angels known as rauschgold Engel (rustling gold angels). The ornaments, handed down in German families since the 17th century, are named for their gold foil wings. Lehle also designs and makes clothing for the ornaments out of rich velvets, brocades and laces.
Volunteers with the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley will organize activities for children and sell baked goods. Lots of other goodies - such as barbecue and Chinese food - will be available, too.
The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday.
Parking is $2 per car. Claytor Lake's campgrounds, beach area, picnic areas, hiking and bridle trails and visitor's center also will be open to the public this weekend.
HEAR YE! HEAR YE! Professor George Parish always has something interesting to say when he's talking about his favorite subject - music.
Parish will give a lecture called "Musical Influence" Tuesday, starting at 8 p.m., in Radford University's Porterfield Theatre. He will discuss the nature, levels and importance of musical influence in an historical context.
After the professor's talk, several members of Radford's music faculty will perform. Assistant professor David Otis Castonguay will sing two versions of the old hymn, "At the River," one by Charles Ives and another by Aaron Copland.
Nitza Katz, piano, will play two of Chopin's mazurkas. A mazurka is the lively music for a Polish folk dance.
Elizabeth Curtis will close the recital by singing Samuel Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915." She will be accompanied by Caryl Conger.
Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children and free for Radford University students and staff.
FROM PICCOLO TO BASS TROMBONE: If it's a wind instrument, you'll hear it when the musicians in the New River Chamber Winds start tuning up.
The 15-member group includes Radford University and Virginia Tech faculty musicians, many of whom also play for the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
Founded by Radford University music professor Mark Camphouse two years ago, the New River Chamber Winds was an idea the conductor describes as "long overdue."
"These are wonderfully talented musicians and founding this group has been musically and personally rewarding," he noted.
The wind ensemble will open the season with three concerts this week, starting Saturday with an 8 p.m. performance in Squires Recital Salon at Virginia Tech. The musicians will perform again Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same place. Tickets, $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens, are available at the ticket office in Squires Student Center.
On Wednesday, the music moves to Radford University for an 8 p.m. concert in Preston Auditorium. Tickets will be available at the door. They are $3 for adults, $1 for children and free for Radford University students and staff.
Expect to hear music ranging from neo-Renaissance and classical styles to contemporary works. Camphouse says the music is both sophisticated and challenging:
"It's wonderful music that's not heard very often."
LAST CHANCE: The final two performances of "The Long Way Home" are tonight and Saturday at the Ingles Homestead Amphitheatre in Radford.
If you haven't seen the popular outdoor historical drama, get moving!
Based on the true story of the courageous Mary Draper Ingles, the play by Earl Hobson Smith tells of a summer day in 1755 when Shawnee warriors captured the pioneer woman and took her hundreds of miles from her home.
Ingles escaped from her captors and traveled 850 miles through the wilderness to warn her fellow Virginians of another attack.
Curtain time is at 8:30 p.m. Historical tours of the site where Ingles lived and is buried start at 8 p.m. You also might want to take a walk on the Ingles Ferry Trail. It starts at 7 p.m.
Admission is $7 for adults and $3.50 for children under 12. The fee includes tours.
For more information, call 639-0679.
by CNB