TRUST BUT VERIFY: As our communities deal with the challenges presented by the novel coronavirus, please be aware that events may have been postponed, rescheduled or existed only in our dreams. Check before attending.
Stir Crazy
The Arts Council of Moore County and Mrs. John Daughtridge will present “Art in Quarantine” beginning Friday, Oct. 2, and continuing through Oct. 30 at the Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The exhibit includes paintings, sculpture, jewelry and face masks created during the COVID-19 lockup. For more information call (910) 692-2787 or go to www.mooreart.org.
Feeling a Little Dirty?
The Moore County Historical Association began peddling soap in 2008 at the suggestion of Pinehurst’s Richard Huntwork, the founder of Greenwich Bay Trading Company, and now they’re cleaning up. With vintage labels and zippy language — all of their own creation — they’ve slipped into a lucrative niche. From a few hundred bars a year, the soap now sells in over 400 stores and 27 states. All the work is done inside the bubble by staffers and volunteers, from designing and wrapping to shipping. Scrubbing is extra. The proceeds cover the expenses of maintaining the Historical Association’s five historic properties, a new museum, and the 259-year-old American Revolution cemetery in Southern Pines. Shower yourself with further information by visiting www.moorehistory.com.
They’re Baaaaack!
The North Carolina Museum of Art reopened to the public on Sept. 9. The David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University — and its exhibition “Rembrandt: The Sign and the Light” — opened to the public on Sept. 11. The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington opened to the public on Sept. 15. The Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem with its current exhibition, “Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light,” opens to the public on Oct. 6. All the museums will be functioning at a reduced capacity and most require advance ticketing with timed admission. The rules vary, so be sure to check their websites first. And welcome back. They need your support.
Live Sparks
Bestselling author Nicholas Sparks will stop in to sign books for — and have a picture taken with — customers at The Pilot, 145 W. Pennsylvania Ave., in Southern Pines, on Thursday, Oct. 1. Tickets can be purchased for a time slot to attend the socially distanced gathering. Masks will be required. For information and tickets, visit www.ticketmesandhills.com.
Cousin Culture
Susan Zurenda, the author of the Southern literary novel Bells for Eli, will talk about “cousin culture” and how it relates to the conflicts of her widely praised novel in a socially distanced event at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6. It’s free and open to the public. For more information visit www.thecountrybookshop.biz or call (910) 692-3211.
100 Years — But Who’s Counting?
Join the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange for a lunch and talk by Faye Dasen, who will discuss “The 100 Year History of The Pilot Newspaper” on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 10 a.m. The cost is $25 and includes a box lunch. Bring a lawn chair for the outdoor event at Cav Peteron’s Garden, 15 Azalea Rd., Pinehurst. Should the weather prove uncooperative, the rain date is Oct. 15. For information call (910) 295-4677.
Pitch and Sway
Or jog, peddle, run, walk, canter, trot, jump. You pick. Complete 100 miles on horseback, on foot, on a bike, on a carriage, on your hands and knees, between Oct. 1 and March 31, 2021 (no more 2020!), log the mileage and receive the “100 Miles for Moss” commemorative medal. The $50 entry fee supports the Walthour-Moss Foundation. You can sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/SouthernPines/100MilesforMoss. Mileage updates will be posted. You can even include a selfie.
Old Abe
New York Times bestselling author John Cribb will discuss his new work of historical fiction, Old Abe, on Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. The event is free and open to the public, and socially distanced. For more information go to www.thecountrybookshop.biz or call (910) 692-3211.
Real Live Musicians
Progressive bluegrass artists Hank, Pattie and the Current will perform outdoors beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, on the McNeill-Woodward Green at Sandhills Community College’s Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Masks, social distancing, the whole nine yards. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.
The Boiling Point
White Rabbit Catering will serve up a delicious Low Country boil dinner, either in person or as a pickup, to support the Given Memorial Library on Wednesday, Oct. 28. For cost and details visit www.giventufts.org or go to www.facebook.com/givenmemoriallibrary.
As Seen in the Sway:
Pine Pressed Flowers Brings Backyard Beauty Indoors
Katie Tischler has been drying and pressing flowers since her teenage years. Extra time gained from the pandemic allowed her to take her longtime love of all things floral to the next level with Pine Pressed Flowers. It helped that both resin and floral art are making a comeback.
Through Pine Pressed Flowers, Katie preserves flowers by layering resin to make decorative wall hangings, keychains, bookmarks and more.
In the sunroom of her Whispering Pines home sits a desk, a wooden press and pages of dried flowers. According to Katie, the environment plays a big role in how the resin sets and dries.
“You have to have a clean space, free of dust or anything that could be drawn in by the resin. Humidity places a role, too, so the environment has to be just right,” Katie said.
And that’s just the beginning. A tedious process, resin preservation takes time and patience. She starts by drying out the flowers in a wooden press. She then mixes the resin and then, begins to layer it on.
“You have to know your end goal for the display and strategically plan out how many layers,” Katie said. “Bubbles will form, so you have to stick around and make sure to eliminate those. It’s not a project you can just walk away from.”
In addition to decorative work, Katie freezes memories through custom orders. Wedding bouquet preservation has become one of her most popular services. She also offers take-home flower pressing kits on her website that include everything you need to press and dry flowers or plants.
“This has been so fun for me so far. It’s work that I really do enjoy,” Katie said. “I just feel so lucky to be creating something that people love and want to buy right now.”
Find her work locally at Twigg & Co. and The Estate of Things, or check her out on Etsy and Instagram.
