"Keep It Fake: Inventing An Authentic Life," Visual Artist Barbara Mellin, And Jeffrey Dean Foster

Barbara Mellin is a fairly recent transplant to North Carolina from Massachusetts. The Art History Harvard grad is a national award-winning artist and writer. She has a knack for capturing scenes in oil that draw you in and make you feel like you're right there, and the descriptive language she uses in her travel writing does the same with the written word. This year you'll find Barbara's paintings in juried shows from New York to California and just about everywhere in between including Unleashed Arts Center Gallery in Winston-Salem. Her exhibit "Art from SouthHouse Studio"—the home studio she established earlier this year—combines her passion for painting and printmaking. And next week on July 17th, she'll tap her love of writing and education with a reading and reception for an Ekphrasis Evening of poetry and prose inspired by art in the exhibit. Authors are invited to submit writing via email to southhousestudio@gmail.com. The deadline for your submission is Sunday, July 12^th. Barbara and her husband retired to NC, and chose Winston-Salem precisely because of its moniker: City of Arts and Innovation, and they have not been disappointed.

Barbara's husband is a scientist, and Barbara has since become a juried member of Associated Artists if W-S, Women Painters of the South East, a member of Printmakers of NC, and more. A frequent contributor to Renaissance Magazine, Barbara is also on the Board of the Winston-Salem Writers. Now in retirement, the empty nesters are able to pursue another of their many passions: travel, from the Great Wall of China to the steps of Machu Picchu.

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Jeffrey Dean Foster

Jeffrey Dean Foster is a world-class songwriter who calls Winston-Salem home. His new album The Arrow is somewhat of an outlier in the modern music world – the variety of styles, and warm sounds of The Arrow harken back to a time when albums were crafted with care, yet executed with confident abandon. There are traces of The Replacements, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, even the Rolling Stones on The Arrow. Jeffrey's stellar songs were ably assisted by Kernersville's star citizen and Fidelitorium Recording Studios boss-man Mitch Easter. Triad audiences will get a chance to sample selections from The Arrow and more during Jeffrey's upcoming performance at The Garage in Winston-Salem where he'll be joined by Amigo. He spoke with WFDD's Eddie Garcia just ahead of the CD release party.

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Triad To Do

David: The 2015 MUSEP Concert Series is underway. Grab a blanket, head to a nearby park, and enjoy great music! 

Eddie: The new documentary Amy is out. Catch the movie and listen to the Fresh Air interview with director Asif Kapadia and Amy Winehouse's former manager Nick Shymansky. 

Bethany: Sciworks' Plutopalooza Camp-in is this Tuesday, July 14th. Spend part of the evening or the entire night (!) at the museum and experience the New Horizons rendez-vous with Pluto.