[piano intro] - Next on "North Carolina Weekend," join us from CAM Raleigh as we celebrate creative endeavors around the state.

We'll learn about the historic Flat Rock Playhouse, go on an art walk in Hillsborough, and listen to Jazz in North Topsail Beach.

Coming up next.

- [Announcer] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by Visit NC.

Dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

[bright music] [bright music continues] [bright music continues] - Welcome to "North Carolina Weekend," everyone.

I'm Deborah Holt Noel.

And this week, we are celebrating creative endeavors around our state.

We're at CAM Raleigh, one of my favorite places to visit.

CAM stands for Contemporary Art Museum, and it's a different type of museum.

They don't collect work, but rather provide an environment for all kinds of bold, non-traditional art.

We'll explore CAM throughout the show.

But first, back in the 1930s, a group of performers organized themselves as the Vagabond Players, and they performed plays all over Western North Carolina.

Let's find out how they established the Flat Rock Playhouse and how they're still entertaining audiences today.

[bright music] - So Flat Rock Playhouse is a professional producing theater.

Meaning we belong to the Actor's Equity Association mothership in New York City.

We are the state theater in North Carolina because in the early '60s, the North Carolina Government Assembly said, "Hey, we've been paying attention to what you guys are doing over there.

We know that it's a really special theater and we wanna honor your professional excellence with this moniker."

And we've been proud to have it ever since.

We actually started as the Vagabond Players in the late 30s by our founder Robroy Farquhar, who was looking for a permanent home.

He came up here, fell in love with it, brought his traveling group of actors, set up a couple of shows.

World War II came.

He left, he went, he fought, he came back.

And after the war was committed, then to saying, you know, "Hey, this is my life, and I'm coming back to this small town and I'm gonna start my theater."

So we started here on this rock in 1952 under a Barnum & Bailey circus tent.

And now here we are almost 75 years later, and we're a year-round regional professional company, still adhering to the two founding missions of the Farquhars, which is professional excellence, arts education for the next generation of professional artists and for the audiences that come and enjoy what we do.

- So what makes us a producing theater is we start from the ground up.

We don't call in a truck that brings the set to us.

We don't call in a a costume shop that's just gonna deliver us the costumes.

We're building everything.

The scenery, and we're building the furniture, the props, the chairs from ground up.

Our seamstress are making costumes either from pulling from local vintage shops and making them fit the actors or they'll start with a pattern.

We have a group of about six lighting and sound people that will hang every light we have in the theater and program it.

And all of our actors are wearing a microphone and we have three members that are just managing that sound.

So it's a group that we have that we bring in from pretty much March and through December that's with us all year long.

- So we work really hard to provide something for everybody.

So we have a really robust Music on the Rock concert series that features everybody from the Beach Boys to Lead Zeppelin, to Billy Joel and Elton John, and just about anything that you can think of.

And then our bread and butter is our main stage season.

So musicals, plays, dramas, comedies, mysteries.

We do a little bit of everything.

- Every season's different, and I budget per that season.

So for the most part, we're dealing with about 40 to 50 production artists that come in from out of state or out of the country to come in to help us produce these shows.

- First time we drove by, we saw this sweet little theater here, and so we decided to give it a try.

And we were just blown away.

And it's really, it's turned into a love affair.

And I've gotten involved volunteering.

We come every year, we have season tickets.

It's just like opening a present every time you walk through those doors because it's just new and different and totally unexpected.

- I've been here about eight times, nine times.

I don't know.

I love...

It's a small place.

They do a fantastic job.

We're just in New York to the Broadway, and they do as good as Broadway.

They really do.

- We have eight shows a week, up to eight shows a week, usually Wednesday through Sunday.

So there's a time for everybody that might want to come and visit with us.

We've got a really long legacy in this county.

The largest part of our audience comes from North Carolina and comes from this region, but we're really proud to say that we actually see people from literally every state in the country almost every year.

- One year, I bought tickets for my family, and my son-in-law said, "Betty, that was so good."

They're all good.

Oh, you better come.

Really.

You go out of town to place, but they're better here.

- The quality that we're doing here is I'm hiring designers, I'm hiring technicians that are doing this on Broadway.

So you're getting Broadway quality work here in the mountains of North Carolina for a fraction of the cost.

- There is literally no other theater like us anywhere in the state, and we're nestled quite beautifully in the awesome mountains, the Appalachian Mountains.

Come stay with us for a weekend.

It's a great getaway for everybody in the state to come and check us out.

- The Flat Rock Playhouse is at 2661 Greenville Highway in Flat Rock.

To book your ticket for an upcoming performance, call them at 828-693-0403 or visit their website at flatrockplayhouse.org.

Crows are known to like shiny objects, so does the Morrison family there.

Theresa Litsky takes us to their jewelry store in Sparta named after the trait that they share in common.

It's called Three Crows Metalworks.

- Three Crows Metalworks is, at its very basics, it's a jewelry store.

But it's an idea, it's a conception that Maggie, our oldest daughter, and I came up with.

- [Theresa] An idea that also included the patriarch of the family, Lou.

- It's just a hobby that's gone kinda out of control.

- [Theresa] The reason for that is obvious.

- You can watch the work being done.

And you just see the precision, but you see also their love for what they're doing.

- It's just very unique metalwork.

Beautiful craftsmanship.

- [Theresa] Since 2018, the Morrisons have created handcrafted metal jewelry.

And when they were looking for a name for their business, they look no further than one of their favorite species of birds, the American crow.

- And I always heard that they collect shiny objects for their nests.

And there are three of us, so we just settled on three crows.

And we do metalwork, so it's Three Crows Metalworks.

Yeah.

- [Theresa] The shiny objects made by the Morrisons are like no other.

- I would say that if you want something very unique, handmade, that nobody else is going to have, this would be the place to come.

Something different that you can't find anywhere else.

- They are individually handcrafted.

So if there're two that are the same, it's just an accident.

[laughs] - It's something that we saw out, we cut out ourselves, we texture ourselves.

Everything has a different size, a different shape, - [Theresa] But most are created from sterling silver and copper.

- With little embellishments of brass and bronze here and there.

- Another area that Diane has gotten into is cloisonne enameling.

- You take very fine silver wires and you stand them on edge to create your art.

And then you fill...

The spaces that you create with those wires are called cloisonnes.

And you fill those spaces with different colors of enamel until you get the picture that you want.

- [Theresa] Other pieces feature stones sourced from the Southwestern United States.

- You know, they have extremely high quality products.

- [Diane] Turquoise, picture jasper.

We use a lot of Sonora sunrise.

- [Theresa] The Morrisons were transplants to the North Carolina Mountains back in the 1970s, and it's the beauty they found here they hope to reflect in their jewelry.

- Inspired by nature.

- She sees it in her mind and she brings it to life, and it's unique and nobody else is gonna have anything like it.

- It's just like a breath of fresh air.

Much of the jewelry, it has a nature look to it, a nature feel to it, or the colors are warm and comfortable.

- Beautiful earrings with mountain seams on them, which is what I like.

- A lot of attention to detail and representative of the mountains here that we live in.

- We make owls, we make mountain scenes, evergreen trees, turtles, crows.

- [Announcer] Beautiful reminders of the home these self named crows love and are willing to share with the world.

- Would you make me one of those?

- If you love the mountains, if you love North Carolina, or if you're just traveling and want a memento, I think Three Crows Metalworks has a piece that you might like to take home with you.

- I agree 100% on that.

- Three Crows Metalworks is at 6 South Main Street in Sparta, and they're open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, give them a call at 336-469-4758 or visit their website at threecrowsmetalworks.com.

I'm here with Reagan Bullock, assistant curator here at the CAM.

Reagan, tell me a little bit about this exhibit that you curated, Look to the West.

- Absolutely.

Look to the West is an exhibition that is made up of eight artists from Western North Carolina.

We really wanted to highlight these artists, especially after the effects of the hurricane this past year.

We have artists that do a lot of different mediums.

We've got people from glasswork to sculpture to painting to fabric and textile work.

So, really a mixed bag, but everything is really wonderful that we have up right now.

- And these pieces are for sale?

- Yes, they're for sale.

100% of the proceeds is gonna be going back to the artists themselves.

- Reagan, this one is striking.

Tell me about this.

- Yeah, so this artist, her name is Geraldine E. Settles.

She's from Asheville, North Carolina.

That's where she's based.

This one is a digital work.

So she'll create the work digitally, and then she prints it on archival paper.

And it's really interesting to see how that compares to a painting.

I think that it's unique.

It pops.

- It does, it does.

- So It's a really nice addition to this show, I think.

So, Deborah, this is a piece called "Cake," and it's by an artist named Jeana Eve Klein.

She is based in Boone, North Carolina.

She's actually a professor in the art department at App State.

And this piece is actually tiny little beads that are woven into yarn to create a very large image.

She's inspired a lot by the political and social events that are going on in her community and in the world in general.

So her art speaks to a lot of people.

- And I see here one piece is never enough.

- Yeah, it's really cool to find little hidden, little hidden images or words like that in a piece.

I think it's super cool.

- [Deborah] This is another beautiful one, yeah.

- Yeah.

This is a piece by an artist named Andrea Keys Connell, and she is also from the Boone area.

She is affiliated with App State as well.

And she does these beautiful and whimsical sculptures, ceramic sculptures that are painted.

- Whimsical is right.

- Yeah.

- [Deborah] Reagan, what have you learned from the art about the impact of Helene on the mountain community?

- I think that I've learned mostly how well people band together after something like this happens.

I think that art specifically is great at bringing people together, and it's really just shown me how well people are persevering even after all of this has happened through art.

So it's wonderful to see that.

- The Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh is at 409 West Martin Street in Raleigh, and they're open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sundays.

Admission is free, but give them a call at 919-261-5920 or visit them online at camraleigh.org to learn more.

We all know that art can be displayed in a variety of mediums and styles.

But in Hillsborough, they can take place in a variety of different locations as well.

Let's join Rob Holiday on a Last Fridays Art Walk, an event that really shines a light on the town's creativity.

[upbeat music] - People are surprised.

When they come to a small town like this, they don't realize that the art is such a big part of the town and that the art is so good.

- [Rob] But that perception is changing in the town of Hillsborough one Friday evening at a time.

- We do a lot of big community events, and one of these is the Last Fridays & the Art Walk.

During the Art Walk, we've got about 29 venues around town that you can kind of choose your own adventure and go see gallery openings, you can go see live music being performed, other popup art markets as well around town.

- [Rob] During the peak Last Fridays & the Art Walk celebrations, which are hosted by the Hillsborough Arts Council and run from April through October, the lawn of the Old Orange County Courthouse is the center of activity.

Everyone from dancers to musicians and fashion designers to comedians is here to showcase their talent.

- There are art events like this, but what I think is really unique about this one is that it's been going on for a long time, 26 years.

And the other thing that I think is really unique about it is the way everyone rolls in together to do this event.

- [Rob] And that gives Last Fridays & the Art Walk a fun vibe that spreads all through town with law firms, restaurants, everyday residents and other non-traditional arts venues getting in on the act.

Chelsea Hignite and her friends knew they were in for a good time before they even parked their car.

- Having never come to Last Fridays in Hillsborough before, I wasn't sure how big of an event it would be or how many people it would draw.

So when we pulled in and had to go to the top level of the parking deck, I was like, "Oh, boy, this is the place to be tonight."

- [Rob] Because of the breadth of activities, you can start the evening with a live performance at the Old Courthouse, then grab dinner before checking out a few art galleries and maybe even an artsy dessert.

There are also lots of experiential art installations, things like this 3D word puzzle and a loom.

- It's kind of a good atmosphere.

It's family-friendly.

It reminded me of like the refrigerator magnets where like you move around the words, I suppose.

My daughter can't read yet, but she was really enjoying stacking the boxes as high as she could.

- [Rob] While they were stacking boxes, other folks were climbing stairs to see some of the works on display.

- You know, it's not all about selling art, it's about, you know, making community and sharing what we love with others and finding out what they think about art.

It's just really a wonderful way to connect with people.

- [Rob] Just as wide ranging as the number of places art is available is the variety of the art itself.

- We have everything from folk art to watercolor, sculpture, traditional North Carolina pottery as well, photography, everything you can think of.

- We've got very experienced artists, we've got self-taught artists, we've got people from all levels.

You know, many museums and art galleries are more formal.

We try and make it a conversation, an experience of informality.

- [Rob] That laid back atmosphere and variety of activities helps make Last Fridays & the Art Walk something you savor for the evening instead of just stopping by.

If you want to experience all there is to offer here, you'll probably need to make a couple of visits.

- There is too much to see in one night, honestly.

So we encourage people to come back month over month and try out different things.

- It's just a place to be social, a place to be together, and I think that's what a lot of families are looking for.

So when that opportunity is presented, it's popular.

Lots of families are here because there aren't many things like it right now.

- This was our Friday night plan.

We have been here for a couple of hours now and, honestly, still have not run out of a single thing to do.

I'm sure that we will be back for another Last Fridays and see new things.

But 100%, there's something for everybody to definitely enjoy and see.

- The Hillsborough Art Walk is hosted by rotating venues around Hillsborough on the Last Fridays of every month from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. To learn more, call the Hillsborough Arts Council at 919-643-2500 or visit their website at hillsboroughartscouncil.org.

Each summer, history, music and community come together on the sands of North Topsail Beach.

Celebrating its 16th anniversary, the Ocean City Jazz Festival brings together world-class musicians, as well as celebrates one of North Carolina's very first African American beach communities.

- Here on Topsail Island, I'm in one of the oldest historic structures, the Chestnut Memorial Chapel at the historic Ocean City Beach.

One of the oldest African American beaches in the state of North Carolina.

And the legacy of this community continues to this day with the annual Ocean City Jazz Festival.

The annual event takes place every 4th of July weekend here on the island and attracts visitors and performing artists from all over the world.

Let's go check it out.

[indistinct] - Here at this Ocean City Jazz Festival, we're bringing that traditional jazz, we're bringing that swing.

You know, that swing from the 40s.

[indistinct] This music emerged out of a dance tradition.

It's a beautiful event right here on the water, and it's a relaxed festival, and good history.

[indistinct] - This jazz festival is like no other.

It is a combination of what I call a trifecta of things.

We have the music, which is outstanding.

[indistinct] We have the history, which is most important.

- Here at the Historic Society of Topsail Island, you'll also see an exhibit about Ocean City Beach.

I'm here with Mr. Kenneth Chestnut, the son of one of the founders.

Kenneth, it is good to see you.

Can you tell us a little bit about this?

- Absolutely, I'll be delighted to.

This is a new exhibit, and it really goes through the history, the timeline, the people that were involved in developing this community and making it what it is today, as well as some of the photographs showing the evolution and events related to the community, both good and bad.

- And then we have really the cultural resources, natural resources surrounding area.

We have great trails, hiking, biking, all those type things that can be incorporated while you're here enjoying the music as well.

[indistinct] We have a tagline for the festival.

It's called Jazz with a Higher Purpose.

- The Ocean City Jazz Festival at North Topsail Beach runs from Wednesday, July 4th, to Friday, July 6th.

To book your tickets or find out more, call 910-459-9263 or visit their website at oceancityjazzfest.com.

Rumple Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock recently acquired two frescoes by celebrated artists, Ben Long.

These works, "The 23rd Psalm" and "The Good Shepherd," will be used by the church to raise awareness around its missions.

Here are a few scenes from the dedication of these two remarkable frescoes.

- And in 2006, Ben was commissioned to paint a frescoes for a hospice center in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

And Ben Long is probably one of the foremost fresco painters in the world.

And we were told about the frescoes and the fact that they might be available for purchase.

And so we as a church got together and decided that we would offer to purchase the frescoes and move them to Blowing Rock.

I talked to Ben and his family about that, and he was thrilled with the idea of his frescoes movement to Blowing Rock.

Blowing Rock and art are synonymous words, and this just adds to the overall art community here.

We expect literally thousands of people to come through here to view the frescoes.

- My hope, and I think our hope as a congregation, is that we will welcome thousands, even tens of thousands of people into this space every year.

But these paintings depict biblical art and they depict stories that I think are really beautiful.

And so people may never wander into the sanctuary, but they will wander into this space.

And so I think it just offers us an opportunity to connect with a even wider part of the community who we might not have connected with otherwise.

And so that's my real hope, is that we'll be able to engage even more people in this space.

- If you want to see the newly installed Ben Long frescoes, Rumple Presbyterian Church is at 1218 Main Street in Blowing Rock, and you can view them Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00.

To find out more, go to rumplechurch.org.

Well, that's it for tonight's show.

We've had a wonderful time here at CAM Raleigh.

It's a cool place to visit if you wanna experience innovation and all that's new in the contemporary art space.

And if you've missed anything in tonight's show, remember you can always watch us again online at pbsnc.org, or you can find our stories on our YouTube channel.

Have a great North Carolina weekend, everyone.

[upbeat music] [upbeat music continues] - [Announcer] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by Visit NC.

Dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.