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DRIVE BY CRITIC. COM |
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Studio 9
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 June
7, 2007 Have you ever returned home to find that things have
changed? I don't mean returning home from work or school to the
house you left that morning. I mean returning home to that now far
away place where you once lived but left for life and adventure away from
your parents. Thomas Wolfe gets credit for saying that "You can
never go home again". In truth, you can go home again...but home is
seldom the same. I arrived at "home" today in the once quiet town of
Tappahannock Virginia where I grew up to find, as I often do
after a long absence, that once again "home" had changed. More
traffic, more retail shops, and a traffic light where there had been a
simple stop sign not long ago where all signs of the change that had
happened. The change that most caught my attention however was
the appearance of something that could not exist. In the reality
that I had come to accept as that static constant for my home town the
thing I saw could not exist. No, ...I am not referring to "big foot"
or the Rappahannock River's equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster. I
am referring rather to a bona fide, and genuine art gallery. The
sign stated in plain English "
Studio9" and I could clearly see through the glass walls images
of what appeared to be oil paintings hanging on the walls. There right on
the main drag through town, in a building that over time had housed almost
every conceivable type of business was a "for real" gallery.
I quickly checked my watch while slowing my car and changing to the
closest traffic lane. I saw lights emanating from inside the
building....and yes...people. I was in luck. I could
investigate the matter more closely in person to make sure this was not
just another $10.00 knock off poster shop with overpriced frames. I
entered the building feeling like I had interrupted a party as there was
obviously some sort of reception taking place. I quickly introduced
myself as \a native of the town and an art critic and asked if I might
look around quickly. Keep in mind I am very much on a time budget as
I have passengers still waiting in my car who are exhausted after nearly
completing a 5 hour journey. A strikingly attractive woman
introduced herself as Worth Haile and welcomed me to the gallery. I
am happy to report that it was not a poster shop. Real art by real
artists was arranged upon the walls. Even in my haste I was able to
identify several that interested me. I left quickly promising to
return at another time when I would not be under a time constraint,
promising to add a link on my sight that my viewers could use to access
more information about the gallery.
I will return "home" again this weekend and once more in early July and hope to spend more time discovering this new treasure for my old home town. I encourage you to use the link above to visit the sight yourself and stop by should you ever journey through Tappahannock.
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