The Fredericksburg Art Gallery's Contemporary Masters

When you start a project like Thunderbox Road, people who support you from the start, are stars to you. That's how we feel about all of the Thunderbox artists and presenting partners; and that's how we feel about Donna Strickland, of the Fredericksburg Art Gallery. She was instrumental in educating us about some of the talent in the Hill Country, especially around Fredericksburg.

It wasn't planned, but it worked out great that Thunderbox Road was just outside of Fredericksburg in November of 2008, the same month of Donna's 10th Annual Contemporary Masters Invitational. We were fortunate to have three of the Contemporary Masters work with us in Thunderbox Road.

Here's Donna with our Thunderbox artists. Left to right: Greg Glowka, Donna Strickland, C.J. Latta, Betty and Barry Rhodes.

with Musical Guests, Rhodes and Glowka

"Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back"

as performed by Bily Ed Wheeler at the West Virgina Folk Festival in the late 1960's.
Performed on Saturday, November 15th by Mr. and Mrs. Greg Glowka and Mr. and Mrs. Barry Rhodes

"They passed an ordinance in the town:
they said we'd have to tear it down,
That little old shack out back so dear to me,
Though the Health department said, "Its day was over and dead"
It will stand forever in my memory.

Chorus:
Don't let em tear that little brown building down,
Don't let em tear that precious building down,
Don't let em tear that little brown building down,

For there's not another like it in the country or the town.
It was not so long ago that I went trippin' through the snow
Out to that house behind my old hound dog
Where I would sit me down to rest like a snowbird on his nest
and read the Sears and Roebuck catalog
I would hum a happy tune,
Peepin' through the quarter-Moon,
As my daddy's kin had done before;
It was in that quiet spot,
That daily cares could be forgot...
It gave the same relief to rich and poor.

Chorus:
Don't let em tear that little brown building down,
Don't let em tear that precious building down,
Don't let em tear that little old building down,
For there's not another like it in the country or the town.

Now it was not a castle fair
But I could build my future there,
an' build my castles to the yellow jacket's drone:
I could orbit round the Sun,Fight with General Washington,
Or be a King upon his golden throne.
It wasn't fancy built at all.
It had newspapers on the wall
It was air-conditioned in the wintertime;
It was just a humble hut but its door would never shut,
And a man could get inside without a dime.

Chorus:
Don't let em tear that little brown buildin' down,
Don't let em tear that precious buildin' down,
Don't let em tear that dear old buildin' down,
For there is not another like it in the country or the town.

More at http://www.jldr.com/shackpoem.html

Grape Creek Vineyard Artists Reception

Here are some of the Thunderbox artists, at the Artist's Reception at Grape Creek Vineyards on November 15th, 2008. Left to right, C.J. Latta, Nancy McGalliard, Donna and Ken Malson, Greg Glowka and Betty Rhodes, Thom Evans and Tami Kegley.

Greg and Betty prepared a special presentation with their partners. See "Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back" post which follows.