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May 29, 2022

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

Arts Arts Portal Lead Arts Arts Top Story

Spy Report: Chestertown Artists at the American Craft Council Show

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Last weekend the Spy went across to bridge to visit the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore to find five Chestertown artists who were attending the weekend event.

Now in its 45th year, this ACC event, formerly known as the Baltimore American Craft Show, was a welcome return for artists after two pandemic closures.

The Baltimore Convention Center was awash with crafts from all over the country, from giant steel fabricated rabbits to sheer silk scarves and miniature gold-leaf fantasy creations, glazed pottery and glass bowls that looked like candy and cases upon cases of jewelry.

Even among the cavalcade of visitors that would eventually account for 20,000 shoppers, we found our Chestertown artists, and even though they had little time for conversation we captured a few images as they talked with customers. It was inspiring to see them among presenters in this prestigious council flagship show.

Seasoned veterans of the national craft and art show circuit, glass artists Patti and Dave Hegland, potter and sculptor Marilee Schumann, silk textile artist Yuh Okano, and floorcloth designer Faith Wilson displayed their new creations.

“After so many pandemic shutdowns, it was great to see old friends and see what they’re up to. We all had masks on, so sometimes it took a few seconds to recognize each other,” Wilson quips.

And it was a tough weekend to have a show in Baltimore. The Preakness was running, the Orioles were playing, universities and colleges were having graduations and Saturday was sweltering. Nevertheless, craft and art shoppers were happy to get out to discover what their favorite artists have been creating.

And besides, who can pass a seven-foot steel rabbit or prowling bear without having it sent directly to home? We know who did.

To see more of these gifted Chestertown artists go to:

Marilee Schumann here.

Hegland Glass here.

Yuh Okano here.

Faith Wilson here

This whirlwind video is approximately four minutes in length.

 

 

Cross Street Leads Three Cheers for Two Generous WC Lacrosse Players

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The Spy noticed an heartwarming and novel event during a rather chilly First Friday in downtown Chestertown a few days ago. Cross Street Realtors celebrated two Washington College athletes by participating in the new NCAA ruling allowing amateur athletes to profit from their talent and personas.

A tectonic shift in how college athletes can profit from their images has been underway since last summer with the NCAA’s decision to allow the “NIL”(Names, Image, Likeness) rule. Now there are no restrictions on amateur athletes profiting from their success and receiving endorsements similar to professional athletes.
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Recently highlighted in the Baltimore Sun for befriending a Kent County man with autism who was having a hard time during the isolative months of the pandemic, Kain Domenech and Erik Parry, juniors on the Washington College lacrosse team, were selected for a NIL honor by Cross Street.

Both student-athletes have brothers with similar challenges and empathize with those facing the same issues. Each day, one of them would connect with their new friend to see how his day was going and plan to continue the connection after the academic year ends.

Stacy Kendall, owner and principal broker at Cross Street, sees their sponsorship as a way to recognize Domenech and Parry’s care and value for others.

Here, Sarah King, associate broke and new Executive Director of Kent County Chamber of Commerce, introduces and awards the town and College’s first NIL recipients.

This video is approximately two minutes long.

Compass Reflects on a Challenging Year: A Chat with Heather Guerieri & Kenda Leager

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Like many others, Compass’ CEO Heather Guerieri was cautiously optimistic last January that her hospice organization would have a much easier year than in 2020. With vaccines becoming more available, and many of her 90 employees planning on returning to work, Guerieri had good reason to believe that this critically important nonprofit health service provider, with its full range of services for those needing special care at the end of their lives,  support for their families, and help in  the grieving process.

2021 might be considered a better year than 2020 according to Heather and her colleague Kenda Leager, but the fundamental impact of COVID remained significant on Compass.  And yet, there was a great deal to celebrate as well.  In their Spy interview, Heather and Kenda talk about some of those highlights, including the expansion of their main facility in Centreville, the successful use of technology in connecting with their clients, and the continued support of donors to the Compass mission.  We also talk about other changes, including the closing of their in-patient facilities in Chestertown.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Compass or to make a end-of-year donation please go here.

Spy Report: Santa Shows Up on High Street

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I can’t feel my toes or my hands, but I don’t care because Santa is coming to town in a firetruck was Friday night’s mantra around Fountain Park as throngs of kids with parents in tow shivered and waited for the famed North Poler to arrive with his signature arctic blast, and candy.

The Fountain Park tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s grand entrance on a very red Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company ladder truck marked Chestertown’s official Christmas holiday season kick-off, with more to come next week with the fourth annual “Dickens of a Christmas” weekend, December 3-5.

The chill remained for Saturday’s gala parade sponsored by Mainstreet Chestertown organizations along with the Kent County Community Marching Band, Olaf, Rudolph and the Grinch, and floats showcasing community groups and upcoming events.

The day set the right tone for the holiday spirit and judging by the crowd, Chestertown is ready for it. Here are a few highlights from Friday night and Saturday.

This video is approximately five minutes in length.

 

 

 

Spy Moment: A Perfect First Friday

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Shops and galleries opened their doors wide for Chestertown’s July First Friday. For some venues it was the first day open since the pandemic began. Art galleries, from River Arts to Tish Fine Art Plus and Artists Gallery were crowded with guests celebrating the Fourth of July weekend.

We couldn’t get everyone in on our walkabout, but here’s a glimpse of some smiling faces.

This video is approximately two minutes long.

 

Compass Adds New Hospice Wing to Honor Mildred Barnette and Keep Mission Going

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For any Kent or Queen Anne’s County family who has lost a loved one, but was fortunate to have Compass hospice support at the end of that person’s life, there should be a certain degree of gratitude for Mildred Barnette.

While most of those who use Compass’s hospice care may not have a clue who Mildred is, they owe her a lot for her vision as the founding director of Compass Hospice for the loving, compassionate care of grandparents, parents, spouses, or children at their end of life.

Fortunately, one anonymous donor did know of Mildred Barnette’s remarkable contributions to the Mid-Shore community and quietly worked with current director Heather Guerieri to provide the leadership gift for the new wing of the Compass Centreville facility. And while the Compass board respects the privacy of this generous philanthropist, the staff and volunteers can’t hide how thrilled they are with the major $5 million addition.

The addition of five new patient bedrooms, family rooms, children’s space, and a commercial kitchen, are indeed major improvements but they are also essential to Compass’s commitment to Kent and Queen Anne’s community. While most of the Compass patients can use the organization’s services at home, Shore Regional Health Chestertown hospital, or in the soon-to-be-built facility in Caroline County, the Centreville home base is now able to take on far more of the region’s most serious of cases.

The Spy sat down with Heather a few weeks ago for a quick tour of the new wing and how the Barnette Center is a perfect way to honor Mildred’s important legacy of hospice care for the entire Mid-Shore.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about Compass please go here.

Both Sides Now (Part Two): Preserve Talbot History’s President David Montgomery

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As the Mid-Shore community begins a weekend of celebration of Juneteenth, the national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, it seemed like the appropriate time to focus on the controversial “Talbot Boys” Confederate memorial that sits on the Talbot County Courthouse lawn. While the arguments for maintaining or moving the statue are now increasingly well-known to Spy readers, for the first time, we have reached out to the two organizations who have either taken the lead in preserving it where it stands now (Preserve Talbot History) or moving it (Move the Monument Coalition) to a less controversial location to provide short summaries of each group’s position.

We conclude today with Preserve Talbot History’s President David Montgomery. In his interview with the Spy, David talks about the misinterpretations those seeking to move the Talbot Boys have on the statue and a false reading of Eastern Shore history. He also talks about his organization’s proposal to build a memorial to commemorate soldiers from the Union side of the Civil War. David also responses to the recent lawsuit by the NAACP/ACLU against the Talbot County Council and how the community should embrace its full history as part of its tourism industry. Finally, he speaks about his group’s desire to see a county-wide referendum on the future of the Talbot Boys.

On Wednesday, the Spy published our interview with Move the Monument Coalition leaders Ridgely Ochs and Jess Taylor. You can view that video here.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about the Preserve Talbot History organization please go here.

Spy Moment: The Great Downtown Chestertown Comeback

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Here’s a whirlwind tour of some of Saturday’s events in Chestertown. 

One bittersweet moment was at Create gallery, planned for closure at the end of June. But on Saturday, discounted sales were brisk, and many stopped by for wine and cake to express their gratitude for the gallery and the members of the cooperative artists’ venture who kept it going.

 As one of it’s founders Bob Ortiz said, “You have to celebrate a closing as well as an opening” to honor the accomplishment of any endeavor.  For five years the gallery showcased local and international artists. 

“We will continue exhibiting some members of the group at Hegland Glass and Bob Ortiz will offer space to others, so we’ll still be around,” says Patti Hegland, another founding member of the gallery.

With artists and easels on every corner participating in the RiverArts Plein-Air “Paint the Town Plus” celebration and a RiverArts tent of art for sale in Fountain Park, the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for Kent County Food Pantry, and a busy Saturday Market—the day was just beginning.

The Town was truly open for business and celebration again, complete with a ribbon cutting for the Town’s new mobile stage and special recognition of A & E District Coordinator Kay MacIntosh followed by a block party fronting the Best Kept Soul band with their Motown and Soul.

Not to forget that al fresco dining is back for Saturdays, and judging from the crowd in front of the Kitchen at the Imperial Restaurant, the summer looks promising for people yearning to get back into life after the pandemic. 

This video is approximately three minutes in length.

 

   

Spy Moment: Artist Fredy Granillo Talks about his Mural

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Artist Fredy Granillo discusses the outdoor mural he is currently painting inside of Robert Ortiz Studios at 207 S. Cross Street in Chestertown, MD.  The public is invited to see the painting process during next few weeks.  When completed the mural will be 10 ft tall by 9 ft wide and be mounted outdoors at Bob’s Studio.

Mid-Shore Scholars: Andrey Perez and Washington College’s Scholar Program

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It might tell you something about Andrey Perez that he’s a hard interview to get. With a full school schedule, sports, and a part-time job at the new Chick-fil-A in Cambridge, the only time he could fit in a Zoom call was during his lunch break at work.

It is one of many hints of how motivated Andrey is to move ahead in this world. The son of first-generation Americans, the Sts. Peter and Paul High School student started to lay out a plan for his future after taking a personal finance course and discovering his interest in the medical field down the road. And included in that plan was, of course, higher education.

And that’s when Andrey turned to the Mid-Shore Scholars program.

With the help of this unique organization’s support and mentoring, the Andrey Perez’s of the world can navigate the complex elements of college admissions, including the college selection process, filling out forms, or even finding the money needed to even apply to a school.

In Andrey’s case, he will be the second Mid-Shore Scholar since the program started a few years ago. While almost twenty-five students are now in the pipeline to follow him in the years to come, the volunteers and staff are collectively holding their breath as he awaits hearing from the school of his choice; Washington College.

Not only has Andrey applied, but he recently was nominated to apply to the school’s prestigious Washington Scholars program, which provides its award-winners a free ride for four years on both tuition and housing.

The Spy checked with Andrey and Mid-Shore Scholars director Vivian Landau a few days ago to hear more about his aspirations and the great benefits that come with participating in such a successful preparatory support program.

With fingers crossed, Andrey will hear soon from WC while his Mid-Shore community awaits the news with double-crosses theirs.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Mid-Shore Scholars please go here.