Hali Taylor & Jared Scheerer at Studio 105

Hali Taylor will display a selection of her archived portraits in her annual photography show from November 27 through December 6.  Her black and white portraits span the last 25 years and feature residents of Shepherdstown.  In a departure from previous years, the portraits will be printed digitally by Mark Muse.  There will also be portraits featured at the Blue Moon. Jared Scheerer is a partner and Senior Designer at Studio 105 in Shepherdstown.  His selection of clever and quirky visual puns are all First Place award winners in the world-renowned “Worth 1,000” design contest.  The reception will be held at Studio 105 on November 27 from 5 until 8pm at Studio 105 on Princess Street.  Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm , Sat-Sun 1:30 – 5pm through December 6. Afterparty:  Hard Swimmin’ Fish with Steve Kemp at the Blue Moon.

Rotary Club Honors Bookstore Owner

 The Shepherdstown Rotary Club presented its annual Vocational Service Award to Michael Raubertas, owner of Shepherdstown’s Four Season’s Books, at the Club’s October 20 weekly breakfast meeting at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown. The award is given each fall to a community member who has exemplified outstanding professional achievement while maintaining high ethical standards.

In presenting the award, Lisa Welch noted that Raubertas exemplifies what is good about doing business in a small town.  “He runs an independent book store—a rare thing to see in any size town these days—and he operates it in a way that enhances the community,” she said. “Four Seasons Books supports community reading programs and literary events, donates money from the sale of community-recommended books to the Shepherdstown Public Library, offers an intelligent selection of books, and is able to quickly get just about any book a customer wants. Mr. Raubertas’ friendly manner encourages patrons to shop locally and support their community.”

Raubertas opened Four Seasons Books in 1991. Prior to that, he was commuting from Frederick County, Maryland to a job with the Board of Appeals at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs in Washington, D.C.  He spent his lunch hours in a nearby bookstore and dreamed of one day owning his own bookstore.  He and his wife, Ruth, scouted locations and decided that Shepherdstown would be the perfect location in which to open a bookstore.

 The Woodshedders  At First Friday

 Friday Coffeehouse will feature the hot club-style gypsy jazz of The Woodshedders, November 6 at Trinity Orchard House on Route 45. Doors open for social time and open mic sign-up at 7:30pm. The Woodshedders are a popular area group that have perfected the infectious style of music made famous by legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt.  For this performance, front man Dwayne Brooke and upright bass/vocalist Aimee Curl will perform as a duo. Brooke has astonishing guitar skills that have delighted audiences at fairs, festivals and other venues throughout the region. Enjoy a great evening of music and fellowship. Snacks and refreshments served. A $10  donation is suggested.

 Table Games Forum

 The League of Women Voters of Jefferson County, in conjunction with the Shepherdstown Men’s Club, will host a Table Games Forum on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m., at the War Memorial Building, intersection of German and King Streets, in Shepherdstown. The purpose of this public forum is to give the public an opportunity to hear, and ask questions of, representatives for and against the December 5 referendum vote.

Al Britton, General Manager of Charles Town Races and Slots, will speak in favor of the upcoming referendum and Joe Brand, President of the Vote No Table Games organization, will speak in opposition. Jefferson County Sheriff Bobbie Shirley will also be on hand to answer law enforcement questions. This event is free and open to the public.

 Goose Route Dance Classes

 Goose Route announces its late autumn schedule of dance instruction for children and adults.  All classes are taught at the Shepherdstown Train Station in Shepherdstown. Here’s a sampling of upcoming classes: 

Mini Movers is for ages 3–5. Dance games are adventures as children explore moving through space, imagine themselves as other creatures, and challenge themselves to try new things, all with a variety of music to stimulate imaginations. Wednesdays, November 4, 11, 18 and December 2, 9 and 16 from 4:30–5:00 pm.

Meant to Move is for ages 5–8. This is a creative dance class that introduces basic technique while encouraging kids to discover new ways of moving and invent their own dances. Wednesdays, November 4, 11, 18 and December 2, 9 and 16 from 5:00–5:45 pm.

All Move Modern Dance class is for adults and teens. This class helps students rediscover their inner dancer. Students will stretch, strengthen, express themselves and experience the joy of moving with others in this challenging yet low-stress, mixed-level class. Saturdays, November 14, 21, 28 and December 5, 12 and 19 from 11am–12:30 pm.

For  information and complete schedule,  304-876-6751 or www.gooseroute.org.

Rude Mechanicals Merchant of Venice

 The Rude Mechanicals Medieval and Renaissance Players will present William Shakespeare’s dark comedy The Merchant of Venice in Reynolds Hall on the Shepherd University campus. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $2 for students.  Performance dates and times are Friday, November 6 at 7:30pm; Saturday, November 7 at 7:30pm; Sunday, November 8 at 2pm; Wednesday, November 11 at 8:45pm; Thursday, November 12 at 8:45pm; Friday, November 13 at 7:30pm and Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 pm. For more information, contact Betty Ellzey, 304-876-5208 or bellzey@shepherd.edu.

Jefferson County History Series

 On November 9 at 7pm, in the third of the history series presented by Jefferson County Historical Society and the Men’s Club of Shepherdstown, Dr. Bill Theriault will discuss a Jefferson County GeoHistory network he has recently developed. The free event will be held at the War Memorial Building, 102 N. German Street in Shepherdstown. It will be preceded at 6:00 p.m. by a social hour at the same location for members of the Society and the Men’s Club.

The network developed by Dr. Theriault is a geographically-based web resource for exploring the history, culture, and architecture of Jefferson County. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, digital imaging, and the rich concentration of local original source materials, such as wills, maps, deeds, newspapers, and books, it will be a freely-available resource for scholars, students, professionals, and laymen, such as home-owners, lawyers, and others interested in learning more about the history and ownership of local properties.

 SES Volunteers Needed

 Shepherdstown Elementary School’s autumn workday is Wednesday November 11^, 8am–12noon. Twenty volunteers are needed to help spread mulch on playgrounds, gravel on the trail, and woodchips on gardens. Come for an hour or the whole morning. Bring a metal rake, fork or shovel if you have one!  Kids are welcome!  Rain date is Saturday November 14^, 8am–noon.

 Audubon November Events

 Owl Banding Trip. The Potomac Valley Audubon Society will sponsor a nighttime field trip to watch an expert catch, band, and release migrating owls on South Mountain in Washington County, Md., Saturday, November 7, from about 9:15pm until about 11pm.

Steve Huy has been banding owls on the mountain for many years as part of Project OwlNet. He will be banding Northern Saw-Whet Owls, the smallest owl in eastern North America. Visits to his banding site offer a unique opportunity to see these birds up close and learn about their life history. Pre-registration is essential because space for the trip is limited to 20 persons. To pre-register or get more information contact Carolyn Thomas at 304-267-3115 or webethomas@aol.com.

Monarch Butterflies. PVAS will present The Magic of Monarch Butterflies November 11 at the National Conservation Training Center outside Shepherdstown, 7pm. The speaker will be Nicole Hamilton of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. She will review the lifecycles and habitats of these insects, with a focus on their annual winter migration to Mexico. Admission is free.

Eagle/Hawk Watch. Here’s a PVAS field trip to watch migrating eagles and hawks in the Harpers Ferry area of Jefferson County, Saturday, November 7. The primary migrants at this time should be Golden Eagles and Northern Goshawks, and the site selected for this trip will offer a prime vantage point to watch these magnificent birds as they ride the thermals along ridgelines. Local birding expert Matt Orsie will lead the trip and help identify the birds seen. For information contact Orsie at 304-261-5602 or wvbirder@comcast.net.

 Shepherd Student Art Show

 The Shepherd University Bookstore in collaboration with the art department is sponsoring “Visual Literacy Student Art Show and Sale.” This student-artist juried show and sale will feature the works of Shepherd students at the Shepherd Bookstore November 5–18. The show kicks off with an artist reception November 5, 3pm–6pm at the Shepherd University Bookstore.  For information, www.shepherdbook.com

Christmas Clearinghouse

 The Eastern Panhandle Christmas Clearinghouse is accepting applications for assistance for the coming holiday season.  Individuals and families who have not already applied for food, clothes, toys or gifts at a local organization are invited to complete an application.  For a list of application sites and instructions about what information/documentation is needed, call the Christmas Clearinghouse at 304-267-0100 ext. 222. 

Christmas Clearinghouse coordinates Christmas giving so as many people as possible are served and duplication is limited.  The project is spearheaded by the Eastern Panhandle Health and Human Services Collaborative, a partnership of numerous organizations and individuals and facilitated by the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle.

Organizations can participate by either serving as an application site for the general public or for just their clients.  Organizations that provide Christmas donations are encouraged to share data about who they serve with the Christmas Clearinghouse.

For information contact Trina Bartlett at 304-263-0603 ext. 224 or uwepdci@comcast.net.

Conservation Film Fest

The seventh annual American Conservation Film Festival kicks off Thursday, November 5, and continues through Sunday, November 8 in four venues around historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This year’s lineup offers a blend of independently produced films and high-quality broadcast productions with limited theatrical release, covering a range of diverse conservation issues, including water, food, coal, climate, culture, flora, fauna, fish, birds, and lifestyles.

On Saturday, November 8, ACFF will screen films suitable for children and families.  The free, family-friendly programming also includes a Photo Safari.  Professional photographers will provide children with digital cameras and offer instruction on capturing nature images during a walk around the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center.  Children will receive a disk of their photographic efforts at the conclusion of the activity.

The Festival will once again feature the popular “Conservation in Context” series, offering notable and knowledgeable speakers presenting information and sparking discussion on conservation issues.  The speakers include: marine ecologist Dr. Elliott Norse; author and farmer Joel Salatin; evolutionary and conservation biologist Dr. Michael Soule; freelance journalist and author, William Stolzenburg; and writer/producer/director Phyllis Geller.

Nearly 30 films will be screened, including:

The Linguists—Young scientists trek through Siberia, India, and Bolivia to document languages on the verge of extinction;

Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators—Maverick scientists, ranchers, and others explore the vital role North American predator’s play in the ecosystem;

Home—Mesmerizing aerial views provide a visually astonishing portrait of the Earth;

Sea Change—The threat of ocean acidification sparks scientific discovery and a personal odyssey; and

The Greening of Southie—A traditionally working class neighborhood is the unlikely site for constructing the first LEED-certified green building in South Boston.

The 2009 ACFF will serve as the U.S. or world premiere for a half-dozen films, including:

Running with Wolves—A biologist and former Olympic athlete struggles with a life-threatening condition, racing against time to save a pack of wolves in the Canadian Rockies;

In the Company of Moose—A filmmaker explores his biologist father’s lifelong passion and study of moose in Denali National Park; and

Wings Over the Marsh—A lush, evocative exploration of the drama of life among birds in a French marsh.

A festival pass covering admission to all films, presentations, and activities is available for $20.  Passes may be purchased through www.conservationfilm.org prior to the Festival, or on-site at the Shepherdstown War Memorial Building, 102 E German Street, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

The schedule for the 2009 Festival, film descriptions, trailers, and speaker bios can be found at www.conservationfilm.org. For information, or to volunteer to help with Festival activities, contact ACFF at 304-876-7373, or email info@conservationfilm.org.

Over the Mountain Studio Tour

“Exceptional art and craft” is the theme for the 20th annual Over the Mountain Studio Tour. Twenty-five artists and craftworkers in Jefferson County, West Virginia will open their studios for the public. This free self-guided tour runs Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 11am to 5pm. Artists represent all areas of Jefferson County. Individual studios and workshops are located in Harpers Ferry, Charles Town, Middleway, Leetown, Kearneysville, Shenandoah Junction, and Shepherdstown.

It’s a unique opportunity to see the work represented by such a diverse group of artists. “The crafts represent traditional and contemporary styles, and exceptional workmanship,” said Tom D’Onofrio, Windsor chair maker.

New artists on the tour include Harpers Ferry artist Jim Shumate. Whether the painting is a 35-foot long mural of the artist with his faithful dog companion, sitting as watchful critic, or a more intimate image of a Harpers Ferry garden, Jim captures our West Virginia landscape in a unique and emotional way.

Joy Bridy is a potter with a strong background in wood and atmospheric firings. Her studio, in Shenandoah Junction, is also a site for classes in clay.

Linda Wright’s studio, on the road between Middleway and Leetown, is full of decorative paintings. This self-taught artist brings new life to old treasures.

Sonnallama Fiber Group joins the studio tour for the first time. Elaine Fields, Cheryl Sonnabend, and Susan Holloway raise llamas outside Summit Point. They use the fiber in rugs, purses, hats and scarves, yarn and weaving. Customers can make their purchases directly from the artists who raise the llamas.

Returning to the Studio Tour in Charles Town are Thomas McGarry of Birnum Wood Joinery and Chris Cooper who lathe-turns bowls and pens from harvest wood.

Shepherdstown artists include glass artist Sheila Brannan, art jeweler Carrie Singer, Doug Kinnett and his “flower power” in ceramics and paintings; performance artist Colleen Tracey sews color-filled canvas Black Bottom Bags. Tom D’Onofrio and his Windsor chairs and Steve Adams, who sculpts hand-hewn bowls will join pastel artist Tara Bell on Persimmon Lane.

Blacksmith Eric Johnson of Southwood Farm Blacksmithing shares studio space with woodcarver Nancy Streeter.

Joining Ren and Pam Parziale of Sycamore Pottery, Leetown, will be Margot Ours who crochets, knits, and sews an astonishing variety of handwork, and Frances Brolle, who works in silver and hot glass.

Treva Blackford of Brown Shop Bears, and watercolor artist Roxanne Shields will be at the Middleway studio of Anne Bowers of Heirloom Baskets,

For information, Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, 304-725-0567 or studiotour@studiotourwv.org, or visit www.studiotourwv.org.