19th Century Book Illustrator Howard Pyle, Producer Mike Reiss, North Carolina Zoo Poetry and More..

Lets kick things off with art historian and Wake Forest University Professor David Lubin's take on 19th century book illustrator Howard Pyle. Never heard of Pyle? Well, how about Robin Hood, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Norman Rockwell? Yes, the Pyle footprint is that long and that wide. Then The Simpsons writer/producer and 4-time Emmy Award winner Mike Reiss provides us with a fly on the wall view of the writing room.  Next, how do you deepen your understanding of nature by drawing attention to its beauty, diversity and fragility? The Poetry of Conservation! NC Zoo Poet in Residence Bill Griffin's here to share. Then, author Diane Ott Whealy has a new book out "Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver".  She's on a mission to save North America's garden heritage for future generations. 

 

The Reynolda House in Winston-Salem proves that outdoor cinema is alive and well right here in the Triad today. On Friday night, August 15^th the 9^th annual Cinema Under the Stars presents the classic 1977 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" on Reynolda's beautiful front lawn. Showtime is 9:00pm, tickets are 5 bucks, and the feel good feeling you'll get is on the house.

Back in 2012 The Reynolda House Museum of American Art kicked off Cinema Under the Stars with the 1938 Errol Flynn movie The Adventures of Robin Hood. The Oscar-winning classic, along with countless other adventure films that came after it, was greatly influenced by 19th century book illustrator Howard Pyle. Hollywood directors, costume designers, screenwriters, and more have continually drawn on Pyle's colorful recreations of the past, and movie pirates from the golden era of cinema to Johnny Depp have all worn costumes inspired by Pyle's illustrations. 

Art historian and Wake Forest University Professor David Lubin has long been dumbstruck by Pyle's work, and his talk Buried Treasure: Howard Pyle and the Silver Screen preceded the film at Reynolda.

On the 100^th anniversary of Pyle's death, David was invited to speak at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, Pyle's hometown, where the largest collection of Pyle's work resides. Prior to their conversation David had just returned from another talk on Pyle's work and influence at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts. 

 

    Producer Mike Reiss of The Simpsons

 

The Simpsons co-creator and producer Sam Simon was in the news this week. In 2012 Sam was diagnosed with colon cancer, and on Wednesday, he announced that he is allowing the ABC News-Univision startup network Fusion to document the final months of his life.  Sam's TV program The Simpsons is now the longest-running scripted show in television history. Last year his colleague The Simpsons writer/producer and 4-time Emmy Award winner Mike Reiss visited the Triad. Mike Reiss has produced The Simpsons for 28 years and he spoke with David Ford by phone from his home in Manhattan.  

MIke Reiss was in Greensboro at the Triad Jewish Film Festival where he presented "Jews in Toons: An Animated Evening" at Temple Emanuel. It was a hilarious evening featuring rare clips and inside stories from his decades-long career.  He's also independently produced internet cartoon series, feature films, and he's published seventeen children's books, including How Murray Saved Christmas, published by Penguin. 

 

In addition to being a phenomenal zoo with fantastic, natural displays and scenic views throughout, The North Carolina Zoo also has a wonderful educational program that harnesses the power of the arts to engage people with nature and conservation. It's called The Poetry of Conservation and the Zoo's poet in residence, is family physician and geriatrician is Bill Griffin. Bill's given workshops for kids ages 7-14 where they learn about animals by putting themselves in their walk and their "talk".  Bill also teaches the techniques of writing a "persona" poem. Older teens and adults can enjoy Bill's workshop "Naturalist Poet/Poet Naturalist". 

The zoo's hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM through October, and they're open every day of the year except Christmas. 

 

Diane Ott Whealy is Co-Founder and Vice President of Seed Savers Exchange, the nations' leading nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds. This extraordinary organization was begun back in 1975 with just a few seeds and it has grown to include over 600 varieties of vegetables, flowers, herbs and plants. Today Seed Savers has more than 13,000 members; there are orchards, ancient White Park Cattle, heritage poultry, and even trout. Diane's new book, "Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver", is about the exchange and its mission to save North America's garden heritage for future generations. In 2012 Diane brought her message of hope to Old Salem Museums & Gardens with a lecture in Gray Auditorium followed by a book signing and local heirlooms tasting.

The Old Salem Horticulture Program maintains impressive gardens that feature open-pollinated heirlooms, and seed saving is a core mission. From the Miksch family backyard garden to the expansive Single Brothers' Garden, Old Salem's award-winning restorations might just inspire ideas for your own garden. You can stop on by any day of the week. 

     WFDD's Local Performance Broadcasts

 

Earlier this season they talked about his performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto op. 61 which he performed with the Greensboro Symphony in January.

 

 

Greensboro Symphony Music Director Dmitry Sitkovetsky will be keeping company with his orchestra during WFDD's Local Performance Broadcasts on Friday, September 19^th. He'll be joined by renowned pianist Alexander Schimpf, a performance recorded live on May 8^th, 2014.