Coming to Third Avenue Playhouse...

Although Gavin Coyle may be a new name to Door County, he owns an impressive resume. He’s been featured on WGN Radio with hosts Dean Richards and Spike O’Dell, at the Irish Fest in Oak Forest, singing the national anthem at Chicago Cubs, Bulls and Bears games and in performances throughout Chicago’s western suburbs. The Irish-born singer/songwriter performs in concert at Third Avenue Playhouse on Saturday, March 20 at 7:30 pm.

As a “wee kid” in Derry in Northern Ireland, Coyle says he had a fondness for America, fostered by endless TV programs. From the time he was very young, he also had a beautiful singing voice, enabling him at age 14 to win the title of All-Ireland Singing Champion. He went on to perform in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem and has also performed on the BBC both in Northern Ireland and in England. Now, he’s here, living in the Chicago area, sharing that beautiful voice and a repertoire of Irish songs with American audiences.

Coyle’s musical range covers pop and folk music as well as traditional music from his homeland. In addition to being an excellent guitarist, he plays several other instruments including the bodhran (an Irish drum) and the flute.

His musical influences are “a varied lot” according to Coyle and include Elvis, Patsy Cline, Beethoven, U2, The Velvet Underground, and John Williams.

“My mother loved people like Pat Boone, Connie Francis and Perry Como,” he explains, “and my father had Patsy Cline and all the good country artists from the ‘50s and ‘60s and Elvis Presley too. I was always singing stuff I was told to sing. I didn’t start listening to music myself until I was 15 in Ireland. I loved R.E.M., classic rock … people like The Velvet Underground, Doors, Rolling Stones. Then I started listening to more modern, contemporary music.”

At 32, he has a number of CDs to his credit including “Three,” a collection of Irish songs. His newest recording, “Footlights,” was released in February of 2009 and features songs of the stage and screen.

Tickets for Gavin Coyle are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $8 for children under 12. Tickets are on sale at the theater box office, 239 N. Third Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, 920.743.1760. The box office is open Monday – Friday, 10 am – 3 pm and one hour prior to performances. Tickets are also available at Dancing Bear, 13 N. Third Avenue, Java on Jefferson, 5^th and Jefferson and on-line at www.ThirdAvenuePlayhouse.com. MasterCard, Visa and Discover accepted.

Promoting social, economic and environmental sustainability of Door County

This forum brings to the discussion about local sustainable development, some objective, research-based information in the forms of keynote speeches and break-out sessions on related topics.  Registration includes lunch on Thursday.  Optional entertainment by Big Top Chautauqua is scheduled for Thursday evening. Policy makers, community and business leaders, teachers, students, and everyone concerned about the effects of resource scarcity and the effects of environmental degradation on our way of life are encouraged to participate and apply for the Sustain Door scholarship.

Participants in the Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum will:

• Develop a deeper understanding of the concept of sustainability
• Understand linkages between sustainability theory and practice
• Identify and share best practices and success stories
• Identify local and state policy needs
• Identify the education, research, and outreach needs surrounding sustainability

The Forum is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Colleges, Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, University of Wisconsin Extension and the UW Extension Sustainability Team, and the University of Wisconsin.

Interested Door County residents can register for either or both days of the Forum and find lodging online. For information about the Sustain Door scholarship, applicants need to contact Rick Rogers at 920.746.9792, rsrogers@dcwis.com.

A carpool is being organized to commute to the Forum from Sturgeon Bay. Some accommodations in local homes are available. Contact Ann Hippensteel at 920.743.3337, ann@windandsun.com regarding home stays and carpooling.

LINKS:

Official Sustain Door Website
Become a Facebook Fan of Sustain Door

Printmakers live in a land of line, texture, and detail. And many printmakers love the idea of narrative – telling a story, or parts of a story – to intrigue their audience. When visitors take a look at the new exhibition at the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, it won’t matter if they know what printmaking is about. Because the images pull a viewer right in to find out what is going on. Sixteen printmakers with ties to Wisconsin have their work included in the “Printmakers Invitational” exhibition which opened at the Miller Saturday, March 6. Eight of the artists live in Wisconsin; the other eight are scattered across the country from California to Ohio. Miller Art Museum curator Deborah Rosenthal will discuss “What IS a Print?” in the museum’s gallery Thursday, March 11 beginning at 10:30 am; the galleries open at 10 am and coffee will be available. The exhibit continues through April 20.

Curated by Miller staff Deborah Rosenthal and Michael Nitsch, the printmaking exhibit intentionally covers a wide slice of what printmakers are doing today. Wisconsin had the honor of renewing national interest in printmaking in the 20th century by building a world renowned printmaking program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The woodcuts and wood engravings of one of those influential Wisconsin artist/professors, Raymond Gloeckler of Portage, Wisconsin, can be seen in this exhibit (example right).

Door County artists Donna Brown and Hermke Timm have monotypes and intaglio prints in the show. Wisconsin artists Stephanie Copoulus-Selle (Waukesha), Toni Damkoehler (New Franken), Doug DeVinny (Racine), Bill Greider (Oshkosh), Caren Heft (Stevens Point), Gail D. Panske (Oshkosh), Larry Welo (Blue Mounds), and Chris Style (Green Bay), are also all featured.

One aspect of printmaking that continues to confuse the public is the difference between fine art prints and commercially printed reproductions. The explanation is both simple and complex, as the two groups may use the same technology, but to different purposes. Since this exhibit includes straightforward examples of many types of traditional printmaking – etching, engraving, mezzotint, stone lithography, and relief prints such as linoleum and woodcuts – gallery visitors can take a close look at the images that these earlier technologies produce and see for themselves what fine art prints look like. For anyone who loves texture, color, and paper, the surfaces these artists create are irresistible.

The second component of the show features fine art prints that use contemporary technologies. Photopolymer intaglio printing plates, computer generated models, and digital printers are all employed to create some of the exhibited images including the work of nationally known artist Janet Ballweg (Indianapolis). Printmaking can also be surprisingly dimensional as well as topical. Just take a look at Caren Heft’s artist books or Gail D. Panske’s references to our throw-away culture in her installations using discarded materials to create a “gift shop” of printmaking.

Whether someone is looking at the luxurious color mezzotint surfaces created by a master of the process Art Werger (Athens, OH), eight-color woodcuts by internationally celebrated wildlife artist Andrea Rich (Santa Cruz, CA), or masterworks of color lithography created by the hand of Wayne Kimball (Pleasant Grove, UT), this exhibition is a feast for the eye.

This exhibition is sponsored in part by Bob and Bonnie Hartmann and supported by the members of the Miller Art Museum, the city of Sturgeon Bay, and the county of Door. Further information is available from museum staff at 920.746.0707 or dmam@dcwis.com. Museum admission is free and fully accessible. Museum hours are Monday 10-8 pm, Tuesday through Saturday 10-5. Closed Sunday.

Sustain Door, Inc. has.set the date for Saturday, April 24, an appropriate climax to Earth Week.

In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development defined “sustainability” as that which “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Who wouldn’t support that lofty goal?  But how?

In September of 2005, Mary Rehwald of Ashland, Wisconsin presented a lecture at Crossroads  called “Sustainable Sweden and Its Lessons for Northern Wisconsin.”  Inspired by this lecture,  a group of eleven area citizens formed a study circle which met at Crossroads under the leadership of Ann Hippensteel to discuss the book, The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti..

Members of that original study circle organized  Sustain Door, Inc., an organization dedicated to  promoting  the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of Door County using the Natural Step framework and process. This organization now has brought five guest speakers to Door County, has facilitated eight study circles and each year, presents a Sustainability Fair.

Crossroads currently is offering a class through the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Education Outreach called “The Natural Step: An Introduction to Sustainability for Teachers” and thanks to grants from a local family foundation and Sustain Door, have been able to provide tuition assistance to the teachers taking this class.

Recently, in the interest of sustainability, Crossroads requested an energy audit from Sturgeon Bay Utilities, and WPPI Energy Services Representative, Melissa Moren found several areas in which we could save significant energy.

Admittedly, the initial investment for energy efficient lighting will have a cost,  but rebates are available and within two years, we could  recoup our investment.

Idea! Can  you see that little incandescent light blink on? In the run-up to the Sustainability Fair,  Crossroads will  hold a Benefit Lecture Series on Sustainability to raise the money  for energy efficient lighting. With  suggested donation of $5/lecture, we hope to replace the halogen lamps  in the entry level of the Collins Learning Center.

The series starts on Wednesday, March 10, at 4 pm. John Hippensteel, of Lake Michigan Wind and Sun, LLD will present a lecture on “Alternative Energy.” This has been a particularly hot topic in recent months. John has over twenty-five years of experience installing solar electric, solar thermal and wind energy systems world-wide. He will help sort out fact from fiction and share insights separating reasonable sustainability efforts from the too-good-to-be-true gimmicks currently being touted.

On Wednesday, March 17, also at 4 pm,  Virge Temme, of Virge Temme  Architecture,  Inc. will present a lecture on “Sustainable Architecture.” She will explain   what make a home  “green” or “sustainable”  and will focus on techniques for making homes attractive and comfortable while at the same time, increasing their efficiency.

“Asiatic Lilies” will be the topic of the Master Gardener Lecture on Tuesday, March 16. at 7 pm. Guest lecturer  Nate Bremer spoke at Crossroads last year and his  program was so fascinating, the Master Gardeners invited him back..

Bremer is plant hybridizer, specializing in northern-hardy daylilies and peonies. He will discuss his work developing registered plants and describe how he  field-tests more than 10,000 seedlings and cultivars each year at his Solaris Farms,  located near Reedsville, Wisconsin.  This program is free and open to the public.

If we have snow, the Friends of Crossroads will continue to loan out skis and snowshoes on Sundays from 1 – 3 pm. If it appears that spring has arrived,  we invite visitors to welcome the season on our hiking trails

Crossroads at Big Creek is a donor-supported preserve welcoming learners of all ages to activities focusing on science, history and the environment. The Collins Learning Center, located at 2041 Michigan (County TT) in Sturgeon Bay, is open daily 2:00-5:00 and during scheduled activities.

Wednesday, March 10, 4:00
Sustainability Lecture: “Alternative Energy”

The first of the Crossroads Sustainability Lecture Series, this lecture will focus on the extremely timely topic of green energy. John Hippensteel will sort out the facts from the fiction. A suggested donation of $5.00 will be designated  to purchase energy efficient lighting for the Collins Learning Center.

Sunday, March 14, 1:00-3:00
(maybe) Community Ski

If snow conditions allow, the Friends of Crossroads will continue to loan skis and snowshoes, free of charge to those who want to get in touch with nature through environmentally gentle recreation.

Tuesday, March 16, 7:00
Master Garden Lecture:  “Asiatic Lilies”

Guest lecturer  Nate Bremer, a plant hybridizer, specializing in northern-hardy daylilies and peonies, will. discuss his work developing registered plants and describe how he field tests more than 10,000 seedlings and cultivars each year at his Solaris Farms,  located near Reedsville, Wisconsin.  This program is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, March 17, 4:00
Sustainability Lecture: “Sustainable Architecture.”

Virge Temme, of Virge Temme  Architecture, Inc will explain  what make a home  “green” or “sustainable”  and will focus on techniques for making homes attractive and comfortable, while at the same time, increasing their efficiency. A suggested donation of $5.00 will be designated  to purchase energy efficient lighting for the Collins Learning Center.

Who goes there?

Have you ever explored the outdoors at night? Too scary? On this hike, you’ll discover that night explorations can be great fun and not at all frightening. We’ll learn about nighttime animals and their adaptations, call owls and finish with a bonfire and s’mores. Bring a small flashlight (put red cellophane over the lens so you don’t affect your night vision) if you’d like.

On the second weekend of the month – Friday, March 12 and again on April 17 from 7 – 8:30 pm, you are invited to explore the Ridges Sanctuary, 8288 Hwy Q, in Baileys Harbor. The programs are limited to 15 families. Register by calling the YMCA at 868-3660. The cost is $10 per family.

Brian Linden sends his Door County fans and friends the following heartwarming news from The Linden Centre in Yunnan Province, China:

The swallows have returned to the Linden Centre. Every morning, we are entertained by their songs and graceful flights throughout our courtyards. The Chinese believe that they bring good luck to whomsoever they visit. Our Centre is alive with their activity, and our luck, as we enter the Year of the Tiger, seems to be growing.

Throughout the New Year holidays, we hosted dozens of families, whose children energized our courtyards like never before. Daily badminton, basketball, baseball, mahjong, and Wii contests were common. Nights were spent together cuddled under covers in our DVD screening room, drinking local teas and wines in our cafe, or sharing painting and calligraphy tips in our library. Everyone left enchanted by the experience, and many tears were shed when it came time for us to say goodbye to our new friends.

We also were honored to host renowned actress Luo Haiqiong at the Centre for a three day photo shoot in the Centre that will appear on the cover of China’s leading travel journal – Voyager.

Our Centre and our programs were given one of the top travel honors in Asia in February- Sina.com’s award for the Best Boutique Hotel in China. This was one of the first times that a foreign hotel, and one that has been opened for less than two years, has been so honored. In recognizing our Centre, the writers acknowledged that even though we have successfully created one of China’s most elegant accommodations, we offer so much more in terms of learning and cultural programming. Jeanee, Brian and Lei Lei traveled to a resort just north of Hong Kong for two days of awards ceremonies, attended by some of China’s leading celebrities. The ceremony was also covered on Chinese television and broadcast live on Sina.com- one of China’s largest and most popular websites.

During the coming twelve months, the Linden Centre is excited to be offering programs in areas such as Culinary Arts, Photography, Writing and Painting.

The Year of the Tiger is supposed to bring fortune and success if you can be flexible and ride out the changes that may occur. Please come visit us this year and lose yourself with us in the China of Pearl Buck and W. Somerset Maugham. We promise you the experience of a lifetime!

The Linden Centre Schedule:

A Family Dream, South of the Clouds – Summer, 2010
The Linden Centre opens its doors in the summer to families who are interested in learning more about the cultural roots of China. These programs enable guests to experience life in a rural Chinese village while participating in scheduled classes in subjects such as calligraphy, cooking, weaving and tie-dyeing, wood carving, martial arts, farming, fishing and language learning.

The week-long sojourns in the summer, which are consistent with the Lindens’ mission to promote intercultural exchanges, are led by both Western and local Chinese mentors. Each day, guests will have a chance to participate in a different activity, as well as learn, or practice, basic Chinese.

Photojourney to Yunnan – Oct.20 – Nov.2, 2010
Acclaimed photographer Alison Wright, represented by National Geographic and Corbis, leads our guests on an adventure to discover the perfect moments that can be captured by the eye and film. Not only does this program venture further north into Lijiang and Shangri-La, but features Alison’s invaluable one-on-one instruction for leisure photographers and amateurs alike.

Adventures in a Chinese Kitchen – November 4 – 16, 2010
Head Chef Janice Thomas of the Savory Spoon Cooking School rejoins us for another adventure into the tastes and diversity of Chinese cuisine at the Centre. Our first program with Janice in 2009 proved to be a great success, and this tour will build upon that into an even more memorable immersion.

Spirit of the Middle Kingdom- February 15 – 28, 2011

The Linden Centre is proud to host a photography program for the avid photographer of landscapes, architecture, people and cultural events. Led by inspirational photographer Douglas Beasley, this program will take photography principles, skills and creativity to a new level in the picturesque regions of Dali, the karst peaks of Yangshuo, and the canola fields of Luoping.

A Writer’s Workshop – March 3 – 14, 2011
Writers will be mentored by Don George and Book Passages. Don is the Global Travel Editor for Lonely Planet Publications. His new book, Travel Writing, will be published this month. In 25 years of wandering, Don has visited more than 60 countries and has published more than 600 articles in newspapers and magazines around the globe. The program will also include some guest lectures by Chinese writers and details on publishing opportunities in China’s increasingly lucrative writing profession.

You may sign up for any of these tours online at The Linden Centre. For more information, please contact: info@linden-centre.com.

The Soloist is based on the true story of Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a musical prodigy who develops schizophrenia during his second year at Juilliard School. Ayers becomes homeless and plays a two-stringed violin in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. One day Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.), an LA Times Columnist, meets Nathanial and decides to write a newspaper column for the Los Angeles Times about Nathaniel Ayers and his homelessness. An old woman takes sympathy and sends Steve a cello for Nathaniel to play. In attempting to help Ayers, Lopez is forced to grapple personally with the complex issues and frustrations surrounding the thousands of mentally ill who are homeless on the streets of L.A.

The Soloist, directed by Joe Wright, was written by Susannah Grant, based on a series of columns written by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, who chronicled the plight of Nathaniel Ayers, Jr., a musician with schizophrenia, and eventually was chronicled in Lopez’ book, The Soloist.

The film will be shown in the loft above the Deli at Greens N Grains grocery in downtown Egg Harbor and screenings are free – however, the seating is limited to 30 persons. You may make a seating reservation by calling 920.868.9999 or by email at info@greens-n-grains.com.

“The $6.50 natural and organic dinner special; soup, salad, a fresh baked roll and tea will feature another tasty example of the Deli’s specialties,” says Kathy Navis, store owner. “We start serving at 6 pm with the film screening at 7 pm. The dinner special is available to anyone without reservations, but our film seating is limited.”

Greens N Grains Natural Foods and Deli is open daily from 10 am – 5 pm – except on movie nights when they will remain open until 9 pm.

This is the time of year when people often look out their car windows and assume the skiing is done. However, most of our trails are in wooded areas and this preserves the snow from melting as fast as it does in open areas. The bonus of longer days and mild temperatures adds up to more skiing enjoyment! For the best conditions, you might want to head out early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are lower. If you use waxable classic skis, don’t be afraid to break out the klister wax. That stuff works! Spring is in the air but you can still ski in this area and be ready for the bike season that is around the corner!

Weekly Cross Country Ski Report brought to you by Door County Silent Sports Alliance.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Potawatomi State Park:

Conditions – fair for striding and good for skating.  Last groomed Tuesday night March 2.   Coverage is still 100% and you can use good skis.  Striding track is icy so bring klister.  Skate lane is flat, fast and fun.

Crossroads at Big Creek:

Trails are still fair to good with only a few bare spots.  Conditions are better when the temperatures are below freezing such as early in the morning.  Trails have not been groomed this week.

Cherry Hills Nordic Center:

Trails are hard packed and fast.  Skating lanes were transformed by our Ginzu groomer on March 1 and now flat enough to play marbles on.  Enjoy!  There is nothing else on the Door Peninsula to compare with the conditions here right now.  The stride tracks are still present but you will need to use klister if you are using waxable skis. The head groomer will groom again soon as he is en route back from Colorado.

Whitefish Dunes State Park:

Conditions are poor to un-skiable.  No new snow in the past 7 days, last groomed February 17.  There are many bare areas with an occasional stretches of snow with some track left, but those areas will either be glare ice or slushy depending on the time of the day.

Peninsula State Park:

Conditions are poor to fair.  Extremely icy in the mornings, better skiing at mid-day.  Many bare spots, but still skiable – probably time for the rock skis.  The conditions are better than expected for the weather we have had recently.

Newport State Park:

Probably not skiable at this time.  Not groomed.  We are looking forward to spring hiking!

Featuring the Lambeg and Bodhran drums, as well as the guitar, snares, long drum, pipes, and vocals, Different Drums of Ireland celebrates the musical traditions, customs, and sounds of that wee part of the world, crossing boundaries in an effort to promote peace and unity.  The group makes its Door County premier appearance on the Door Community Auditorium (DCA) mainstage, Friday, March 5 at 8 pm.  Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students under 18.

The music also features the Uilleann or elbow pipes, whistles, guitar, snares, long drum, four voices and is driven by the engine of the African djembe.  Adding myriad percussion and other instruments to original and traditional songs makes a unique and exciting combination of traditions and sounds.  A unique celebration of cultural diversity and linkages.

The band has played across the world, for everyone from US and Irish presidents to school children – The message is the same: Celebrate that which makes us different and that which bonds us together.

“…an amazing sensory experience, the vibrant drum playing is genuinely stunning but over the top we hear whistles and pipes playing flying melodies with gorgeous ballads and spoken word sections…” says one reviewer.

Band members include:

Roy Arbuckle

“Roy has a voice you could take a bath in.” O.R.Melling – Irish Times

People with long memories will remember Roy from his early days with show bands and in the 70’s with folk band Chaff. He moved to North America in 1978 and toured extensively with Fiddlers Elbow and later The Rambling Boys of Pleasure.

Roy conceived and founded Different Drums in 1991 as a community relations project and has led its development since.

Dolores O’Hare

Dolores is a multi-instrumentalist playing Uillean (elbow) pipes, whistles, fiddle, button and piano accordion, concertina and Bodhran.  She comes from Mayobridge in County Down, an area steeped in music which has also produced the renowned Sands Family. She is a talented teacher, her pupils achieving great success in the Ulster and All-Ireland Fleadhs.

Stephen Matier

Stephen is one of the earliest members of Different Drums and has been involved in music for most of his life. He is a native of East Belfast and has lived in Belfast for the last 10 years after spending time in England and Derry. He began playing music as a schoolboy in a variety of rock bands, most notably the band that went on to be known as “Ghost of an American Airman” He then found the blues with Noella Hutton. Once involved in Different Drums he has been exploring the roots of Irish and world music and has interests in Middle Eastern and American roots music.

Paul Marshall

Paul is an instrument inventor, multi-percussionist and instrument designer for STOMP. With Different Drums since 2002 he brings a wealth of percussive experience having played drumset for 40+ years and hand percussion for 30+ years. He has wide experience in music recording, editing and production and is responsible for the band’s website and management of the band’s audio/video/image archive.

Richard Campbell

Richard is the most recent addition to Different Drums and sports the official band hairstyle.   Hailing from New Buildings in Co L’Derry, Richard comes from three generations of competitive pipers and drummers, having learned his snare drumming in Bready Ulster Scots Pipe Band, Co.  Richard plays marching snare, Lambeg, djembe and longdrum. He joined the band in december 2004 and has brought new sounds and influences to the group.

Tickets for Different Drums of Ireland may be purchased on line at www.dcauditorium.org, by phone at 920.868.2728, or at the DCA box office on Monday and Friday from 10 am to 3 pm and one hour prior to the performance.  Adult tickets are $20, students under 18 are $10, plus tax and handling.  All seats are reserved.  Doors open at 7 pm on Friday, March 5 with the concert at 8 pm. Door Community Auditorium is located at the north end of Fish Creek on State Highway 42.