THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 20, 1995 TAG: 9501190144
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
Ted Liles would be a busy man even if all he did was manage Planet Music, the biggest music store in Virginia Beach.
He's the general manager of the 32,000-square-foot superstore on Virginia Beach Boulevard, which stocks approximately 125,000 titles. By anyone's standards, it's a big place.
But at least once a day Liles gets into his car and drives 11 miles into downtown Norfolk. There, along with three other local artists, A.B. Hollowell, Larry Green and Anthony Hurt, he runs the Alive Art Studio at 737 Granby St. Stocked with paintings, sculpture, photographs and other works of art by Liles, his colleagues and other predominantly local minority artists - young and old - it's one of the only minority-owned galleries in the area.
In addition to his ``day job'' at Planet Music, Liles is a working artist.
``He does at least three or four paintings a month,'' said Green, also an artist-in-residence at the gallery.
Liles painted the portraits of J.S. Bach, Beethoven and Bernstein that gaze down, larger than life, upon visitors to the classical room at Planet Music. It took three days and one enormous canvas. It took a U-Haul-It truck to get the painting, done in acrylics, from his studio to the store.
He's also painted pictures with a musical motif for the chain's stores in Charleston, S.C., and Memphis, Tenn. His works cover a wide range, from portraits to abstracts, in various media, such as acrylics, charcoal and pencil.
``It's turned out to be a pretty good partnership,'' Liles observed. ``Music and art ties in well. I've been involved with music all my life and doing art ever since I could hold a pencil.''
Compared to Planet Music, the gallery - at 5,000 square feet - is small. But it is making its presence felt. Space is rented to other artists. Its two floors are home to art shows, classes, a writers' guild, poetry readings, modeling and singing.
``Anything with cultural aesthetics,'' Liles said. ``There are children's groups. We work with the schools, artists come from Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and Tidewater Community College to display their art here so they can get a grade. We're involved with outreach service to the community, encouraging and nurturing struggling artists. We're one of few galleries owned and operated by artists and try to be `artist friendly.' We're not elitist but try to stay close to the street. We've discovered a few jewels.''
Born in Norfolk and raised in Titustown, Young Park and Tidewater Park before moving to Lamberts Point where he grew up, Liles was selected to judge ODU's student juried exhibition last year. His works have been exhibited in one-man shows at his gallery and at the now-defunct IFA Studio in Norfolk as well as numerous shows in Pennsylvania, including a three-man show at the Race Street Gallery in Philadelphia. One of his works was displayed in a show exhibited at WHRO in Norfolk in 1993 and he previous participated in other local shows.
Liles graduated from Norfolk State in 1969 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design and a commission in the Army that eventually took him to Vietnam. Returning in 1971, he went to work in the graphic arts department of Hershey Chocolate, in Hershey, Pa., where he stayed for nine years.
He taught school and worked at several different jobs in retail sales before going to work at the former Music Man at Military Circle. ``Dave Campbell, the owner, was the best man in the world to work for,'' remembered Liles. ``His focus was the same as mine: customer service and good selection. We had the best selection of music in town for a small store. And we did everything; it was a great team.''
Liles joined Planet Music in October 1993 as floor manager. He became general manager last spring. As general manager he approved Planet Music's underwriting of the weekly ``Gramophone on the Air'' program carried by WHRO-FM 90.3.
His own musical tastes include traditional jazz, early blues and some contemporary jazz. Liles also enjoys reggae and some rock.
``Thanks to my family, I hear a little of everything,'' he said. ``I like to listen to traditional jazz when painting. My favorite artist to paint to is Miles (Davis).''
Liles and his family have just moved from Norfolk to Virginia Beach. His wife, Philomena, works part-time for Metro Traffic and MIX 105, a local FM radio station. Two girls and a boy, ages 9 to 13, round out the family. Liles also has a daughter, 27, by his first marriage.
He's a happy man.
``Planet Music is a good company to work for,'' he said. ``They offer opportunities for creativity, in a different medium, the same as art. They enhance each other.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
Ted Liles manages Planet Music and runs Alive Art Studio. ``I've
been involved with music all my life and doing art ever since I
could hold a pencil,'' he said.
by CNB