Sculpture Gardens and Art Tour Planned for April 28

Two beautiful gardens in Malakoff filled with art by internationally famous sculptors, including James Surls and Glenna Goodacre, are open to the public one day only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 28, as a portion of an art tour presented by the Greater Malakoff Area Garden Club (GMAGC) that also includes studios, galleries, and shops representing more than 70 professional artists in Henderson, Van Zandt, and Kaufman counties.

More details on Page 18

Lakeside living is an option many seek in the Upper East Side of Texas. Luckily, lakeside property is not hard to come by in this region also known as The Texas Lake Country. From rustic individual properties to exclusive gated communities, there's something for everyone here.

One new outstanding lakeside community is Beacon Hill on the north shore of Cedar Creek Lake in Kaufman County.

As long-time residents of Cedar Creek Lake, Jim and Barbara Stewart know first-hand how tranquil, beautiful, and fun lakeside living can be and knew others would enjoy it as well. They envisioned a world-class lakefront community and the idea of creating Beacon Hill began to formulate.

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Anyone who watches a lot of TV probably has seen those commercials where coordinated groups of people, at the tick of a clock, break into song and dance to surprise – and hopefully amuse – everybody else in the train station, the mall, or wherever else the events break out.

Called “flash mobs,” the purpose is simple, whimsical fun, often arranged through Facebook or Twitter to get everybody to the right place at the right time doing the right stuff.

The concept’s been around long enough now that there are variations, the most intriguing of which is “cash mobs.”

Read Article Page 5

Guy Clark

 Every month is special for music in the Upper East Side of Texas, but it’s especially special on those rare occasions when Guy Clark is in the area. The rumor – unsubstantiated – is that Guy, Billy Joe Shaver, and Townes Van Zandt used to get into arguments about which one was the best songwriter.

Fans could make a winning case for any one of the three.

Guy is scheduled at the newly refurbished Liberty Hall in Tyler on March 15.

Just a few years ago, he won the first-ever ASCAP Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award for country music, although he’s just as much a folksinger/writer as he is country; he falls into that nebulous “Americana” roots category. A funky little Internet magazine, Twangzine, once described him as “a messiah who has come to tell us the truth,” which Guy said, laughing, “puts a little responsibility on you that you don’t need.”

The Texan and long-time Nashville resident has written a number of hits, mostly for the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Rodney Crowell, The Highwaymen, Bobby Bare, Jimmy Buffet, Asleep at the Wheel, etc. His most noted songs include “L.A. Freeway,” “Desperados Waiting For A Train,” “The Randall Knife,” “Texas, 1947,” “New Cut Road,” “Heartbroke,” “Oklahoma Borderline,” “The Carpenter,” “Blowin’ Like a Bandit,” “She’s Crazy for Leavin’,” “Boats to Build,” “Cinco de Mayo in Memphis,” and another songwriter circle favorite, “Homegrown Tomatoes.”

Genius manifested as quiet simplicity is the best genius, because it whispers to us rather than shouts at us.

“All I do is try to write stuff I know about, or that happened to me, or I saw happen, or in a lot of cases from my imagination -- and to do it in a way that pleases me and pleases other people.”

His own favorite of his own songs probably is “She Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere,” he said.

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In Bonham, there is no “artist of the month.” That’s because there are artistS of the month, with the plural. It’s a way to recognize more than one artist at a time, and more than one business that hosts each artist’s work.

In January, Roger Reeves was artist of the month City Hall. Roger, a native Texan, is described as an artist from the heart, primarily in mixed media, oil, and acrylics. After attending The University of Texas at Arlington and then being in the commercial printing industry with Reeves Printing Company for the majority of his life, he picked up the art brush. His style has been tagged pop art and loose.

In January, Carolyn Cook-Fauble was artist of the month at Legend Bank. She is the children art teacher at the Creative Arts Center and she also came in “best of show” at the art center annual art show in 2011.

In January, Bobbie Dudley was artist of the month at Red River Regional Hospital. She has been a member of the Red River Photo Club since 2007, and is also artist of the month for February at the same location. 

For more information, call the Creative Arts Center at 903.640.2196 or go to www.creativeartscenter.us.

Review by Patti Light

I am a compulsive list maker — my friends and family laugh when I begin another list each day. So, I am going to gift you the hungry reader with one simple list for preparing to dine at the best barbeque joint in East Texas.

Get there early. Be hungry. Grab a napkin and eat.

I have been eating at Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q since I was a college student. The pit master and cooks there create magic in the forms of smoked meat and simple good food. This is Texas-style barbeque is done to the master chef level.

READ MORE - FEBRUARY 2012 - PAGE 16

Review by Jeremy Light

I feel guilty when I have lived near a keystone of East Texas and have never visited it. Many of you might be familiar with Barron’s in Longview. In existence for almost 40 years, Barron’s started as a bookstore. It still is in part, but it’s so much more. It is a boutique and carries many unique items. It is also a fantastic restaurant, the latter category being my favorite.

READ MORE - FEBRUARY 2012 - PAGE 16

February 24-26: Tyler Area Builders Association Home Products Show will include seminars and home exhibits for home building and improvement.  Harvey Convention Center located at 2000 W Front, Tyler; Adults $5.00, children 12 and under $3.00;  Friday 6-9pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 1-5pm  www.TylerAreaBuilders.com

The Northeast Texas Regional Film Commission promotes 21 counties in this region. They work with the Texas Film Commission and others to promote the region to film, television, and media professionals.  There's a $250 per year membership fee which gets your city listed on the NETRFC website, photos of your city on the site, and access by location scouts to your city. They have a long list of movies on their website that were shot in this area. Let's get more of our Upper East Side of Texas towns in the movies! It's a great boost to the economy.

Get more info on them at www.netexasmovies.com or call Ronald Holloman at 903.241.1144.