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ART: WOMAN WITH A FAN

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Laverne Hamberlin- The Bridesmaid
Laverne Hamberlin- The Bridesmaid

September 25, 2014
Art: Woman with a Fan

Coming to Woodville meant leaving my curatorial job at the Ogden Museum.
So one of the first things I did when we settled into the Woodville /New Orleans shuffle was to head out each week in search of artists in the area. I do suffer from the affliction, visual greediness, not sure there’s cure (or that I would want one)- but the only successful treatment I’ve found is to keep looking for and hopefully finding wonderful art. Two of the most significant artists I was introduced to here, work in wood. Woodville and the area surrounding is known for its timber and logging – hence readily available materials, and it’s name. Probably it’s a good bet that’s why this area is filled with great carpenters. Several of whom have lent their artistry to our projects, Mike and Kevin in particular.

Laverne Hamberlin, Angel (Detail)
Laverne Hamberlin, Angel (Detail)

I want to first introduce you to the work of the wood artist Laverne Hamberlin, who lives in Fayette, MS, not far away. The first piece of his I saw through the glass of an office window on the square, the power and emotion he captured in the piece was riveting. I had to meet this artist. Thanks to the owners of that piece, I did. Mr. H’s work is figurative and rooted in his history. His church woman with a fan, his bridesmaid and his monumental angel with metal wings are expressions of his love of his material and his astute observations of the life around him. Recently I was flipping through (actually going through with a fine tooth comb) the Slotin Auction catalogue I saw a piece by Mr. H, Woman with Fan, a study for a larger piece, it was going on the block in a few weeks.
I recently heard an NPR interview with the great cellist Yo Yo Ma – he said he is a great believer in accidental meetings between objects and people- so am I. I wanted to meet her. So MGB and I decided a road trip was in order, we drove up to Buford Georgia to see if we could bring her home.

I have this theory about auctions- if a piece comes up that you really want you can either go in aggressively bidding it up to scare other bidders away or stay on the sidelines as long as possible to see where your opponents are and how serious they are. What I do is a combination- I wait a bit, then go in with a strong bid- if someone counters I go in much stronger and wait to see if I’ve scared them off- let me tell you, you can really get stung following that theory, and I have. But I’ve also brought home some wonderful art.
I really wanted the Woman with a Fan so I tried it yet again- it worked this time- MGB and I put her in the car and the three of us headed back home.

 

Woman with a Fan, Laverne Hamberlin
Woman with a Fan, Laverne Hamberlin
ART, Life on the Town Square

HOW OUR SWEET LAB, BOSCO, BROUGHT US TO WOODVILLE

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September 19, 2014
How our sweet Lab, Bosco, brought us to Woodville

Bosco, our Lab, 65 lbs of pure love.
Bosco, our Lab, 65 lbs of pure love.

Bosco is our loveable black Lab, now 12 years old.

He weathered Katrina in MGB’s house in New Orleans, rising water and airborn tree limbs all around. MGB and I holed up in a New Orleans hotel, thinking at first that evacuation was unnecessary.

On the Tuesday following that Katrina Monday, we came to our senses. MGB (aka Robinson Crusoe) decided it would be a good idea if we left New Orleans. I think the children calling to say, “have you lost your mind” helped moved it along. MGB waded in to get Bosco, who swam, tethered, to safety at the edge of the French Quarter. And get out we did- with Bosco in the back of the car- we took the only way out- barrelling down Canal Street with the water coming in behind us- we went over the MS river bridge to Houston-the city was going under.

We drove through the night and ended up at a very distant relative’s house who wouldn’t let us keep Bosco with us- having no choice, we boarded him for 6 weeks.
Eventually, we returned home, but way before anything was approaching normal, no birds, no children’s laughter, National Guard trucks rolling down the streets. I said to MGB we need a tiny apt somewhere, so we can keep Bosco with us if this ever happens again.

MGD said he didn’t want a “second home,” but maybe a new renovation project. So in April, 2006 we bought the former Woodville Hotel. Well, I did get the apartment- but in the middle of the demolition, sheet rock dust and plumbing of this 14,000 sq ft building that had holes in the ceilings, floors and windows.
And that’s how I ended up in Woodville, MS. (Well the shortened version).
Bosco has the sweetest heart and it turns out, a wonderful sense of direction, he led us to our new life.

Thank you, Bosco
Thank you, Bosco
ART, Life on the Town Square

STORYTELLING IN MISSISSIPPI

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September 11, 2014
Storytelling in Mississippi

So far almost every native Mississippian I’ve met has a story that they’ve been working on since birth- and let me tell you they are much more interesting than the ones we city folks come up with- but more on that later, when you get to meet some of these Woodvillians on the blog. Which brings to mind the” art of family” – at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art we talked about it a lot- for example- my friend David Rae Morris, photographer and his Dad, writer Willie Morris (notice how I chose a MS example). The Mississippians that I’ve met keep their family, past and present, close. There is a palpable feeling that they are the keeper of the flame- it’s a lovely quality.

David Rae with a photo of his Dad, Willie Morris in the background.
David Rae with a photo of his Dad, Willie Morris in the background.
My Mississippi, written by Willie Morris, photographer, David Rae Morris (this is the cover photo).
My Mississippi, written by Willie Morris, photographer, David Rae Morris (this is the cover photo).
Photo by David Rae Morris, post Katrina
Photo by David Rae Morris, post Katrina

 

 

 

Life on the Town Square

BLOGGING AFTER 50

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September 5, 2014
Blogging After 50

MGB and me in front of Studio 137. Note MGB' s hat with the number 5 to signify that we are now on our 5th renovation/restoration project on the town square in Woodville.
MGB and me in front of Studio 137. Note MGB’ s hat with the number 5 to signify that we are now on our 5th renovation/restoration project on the town square in Woodville.

I’ve noticed a distinct absence of bloggers in their 50’s and 60’s (particularly in the top 10 bloggers list)- we need to step out and let the world know we aren’t dead yet. So for some odd reason I thought it a good idea for me to start a blog – partly because I thought it might keep me sane (with all this back and forth between two worlds) and partly because I wanted to share a big city girl’s (can hardly refer to me as a girl) immersion in small town life and from time to time talk about art. Since I’m a part-time Mississippian now I had hoped the writing skills would come with the property tax bills- but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I’ll try to stay off the soapbox, try to not overly sentimentalize the rewards of small town life or the importance of saving beautiful old (crumbling) buildings and avoid trying to convince anyone to do what my husband and I have done- trade a fairly normal, routine, happy (and did I say mostly) retired lifestyle for the schizophrenic one we have created! Actually, I promise nothing, except to report the facts as I see them.

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Life on the Town Square

Our W’ville Projects

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No.2:August 29, 2014
Our W’ville Projects

Woodville Mercantile- 1869
Woodville Mercantile- 1869
Our newest project across from the Courthouse Square- Woodville Mercantile
Our newest project across from the Courthouse Square- Woodville Mercantile
Close up of crumbling back wall, Woodville Mercantile
Close up of crumbling back wall, Woodville Mercantile

MGB loves to save old historic buildings. We have just bought our 4th building on the square- it’s an 1869 beauty, and the back brick wall is just about ready to collapse – but it’s in a lot better shape than the first building, the one that brought us here- an old unused 11,000sq ft hotel building, woodvillelofts.com, just a step ahead of the wrecking ball- lots of new life lessons learned.

Life on the Town Square

Me and MGB

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Woodville water tower
Woodville water tower

No. 1: August 28, 2014
Me and MGB

Allow me to introduce us. I am a lifelong New Orleanian, formerly full-time, but now a devoted resident both of the Crescent City and Woodville, MS where I own and operate Studio 137, just East of the town square. My husband Jim Derbes, the “visionary maniac” who brought me here,

Courthouse on Courthouse Square, Woodville, MS
Courthouse on Courthouse Square, Woodville, MS
MGB sketch by unknown car lover
MGB sketch by unknown car lover

will be referred to as “MGB” since that’s what he was driving when we first met over forty years ago. Together we have restored two historic buildings in this tiny town, and a third restoration is under way. My background is in art; and you might say that I am also the art consultant to these projects. I was a museum associate director and curator, a jewelry designer and a gallery owner – all in New Orleans. Here in W’ville my Studio 137 on Boston Row features the work of artists and craftspeople whom I have come to know and admire. The Studio is my way of sharing those experiences with the W’ville community.

An interior view of Studio 137
An interior view of Studio 137

If what I have to say here is life-changing, pearls of wisdom you can take to heart or prompts an epiphany for you, the reader, you have my assurance that such is a mere coincidence. I hold no keys and have basically forgotten much of what I’ve learned.