Bellevue Blaine

George Devore to make special appearance at Mahoney’s in Bellevue on Thursday July 1^st

 Mahoney’s Bar and Grill is pleased to announce George Devore from Austin Texas will be playing a free outdoor show on Thursday, July 1

^st, 2010 as part of their 2010 summer concert series.  The show will begin at 6:30 but plan on getting there early for a good seat. As always, the Thursday night concerts are free and family friendly.

George DeVore is making a mark with a worldly voice, honest songs, and a stage presence that caused Playboy to name him a "Pop-Powerhouse". Before moving to Austin, George earned a bachelor of liberal studies degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and spent five years touring the Midwest club circuit as lead singer and guitarist for the band Fat Bertha. Soon after arriving in Austin in 1996 with only a guitar and two phone numbers, DeVore took the "Best Tape" award in the Austin Music Awards. Since then, he's been recognized in its top five categories, including rock, pop and male vocalist. The power of his positive rock has garnered a growing following with much-anticipated local shows at the Saxon Pub, Stubb's and Antone's. But DeVore hasn't limited himself to the United States. He's toured Europe five times in the past two years, performing two separate 60-minute concerts for German National Television, being featured on Swiss TV , French TV and making appearances on Swiss, German, Dutch, British, Belgian and numerous American radio stations. DeVore has earned specific praise from reviewers here and abroad for his songs, which many are about taking bad things in life and putting a positive spin on it along with his high-energy performances that captivate audiences and pull listeners onto dance floors -and hold them there. DeVore's solid pop-rock songwriting, boosted by textural musicianship and that evocative voice makes CD releases: "Wonderland" and "Four Under Par" pure gold.

 

For More information please call Mahoney’s at 788-4449

Original Publication Date: November 10th, 2009

Two of the Wood River Valley's most acclaimed and increasingly popular musicians -- Sheryll Mae Grace and Aaron Pugh -- will be performing together again this coming Saturday (Nov. 14) at one of the Valley's most acclaimed and increasingly popular eateries, The Brickhouse bar and restaurant (in Bellevue), from 9pm "until midnight or so."

Grace, who's been written about extensively already at both www.sunvalleyonline.com and its sister network, www.sunvalleyevents.net, during the past year, landed 2nd Place in 2008 in an international, online-only video performance contest sponsored by http://www.yobi.tv that is geared toward up-and-coming musicians from around the world (Grace was eventually bested, after a very close finish, in last year's contest by a singer in Australia).

Pugh, a very gifted (20-something) singer-songwriter-guitarist in his own right, has already performed alongside Grace several times this year, including at Papa Hemi's Hideaway, Chapter One Books, and Penelope's Cafe (inside Ketchum's Galleria Mall)

This will be the first time either of them has performed at The Brickhouse bar and restaurant.

In addition to having performed onstage alongside Pugh several times this past summer, Grace has performed in the Wood River Valley for several years now as a very accomplished and acclaimed SOLO artist as well -- at numerous Valleywide venues, including the Northern Rockies and Big Wood folk festivals, The Sawtooth Club, Papa Hemi's Hideaway, La Strega, IL Naso, Penelope's Cafe, the 2007 Castle Rock Fire-inspired "Haul Ash" concert, "Ketch'em Alive!," the Thursday "Ketchum Town Plaza" concert series that debuted this past summer to immediate success and, more recently, during the very popular three-day weekend "Feastival" celebration Grace helped organize that was held on the other side of Trail Creek Summit (at Basecamp), in early September.

For more information, contact The Brickhouse in Bellevue (202 Main Street -- across the street from Guffy's), at 788-4999.

**************

RAVE REVIEW:

I've now had the pleasure of seeing and listening to Sheryll Mae Grace and Aaron Pugh perform alongside each other several times now -- btw, I've seen Grace perform as a SOLO artist for at least six times now -- and their on-stage synchronicity, poise, presence and style are REALLY something Valley residents and visitors alike need to experience AT LEAST once here!!

I have to confess that the very first time Sheryll Mae Grace told me that she'd be performing alongside her singer-songwriter-guitarist friend, Aaron Pugh, I was a weeeee bit nervous -- and even sorta hesitant and skeptical, too, if truth be told -- about seeing those two performing together side-by-side, 'cuz if you ever HAVE seen Grace perform on-stage as a SOLO artist before, you know already that she has a rather unabashedly-soulful, quietly-beautiful, magically-liting and genuinely-lovely voice that really doesn't require any sort of verrry ill-advised enhancements or tweeking to make it stand out or otherwise make it anymore memorable than it ALREADY IS ... a hauntingly-melodic voice that stayed with me for literally weeks after I first heard her sing early last summer, at Penelope's Cafe. (I probably listen to each of her four albums I own at least a couple times a week -- and NONE of them are getting even remotely old or repetitious for me in ANY way.)

But the surprisingly palpable and wonderful harmonic convergence that takes place when Grace and Pugh ARE happily singing and strumming their respective guitars up on-stage together is truly inspirational and captivating, I must say -- MUCH MORE SO than I ever envisioned the first time I did hear them play as a duo. (During the end of Grace's first (solo) set at Papa Hemi's Hideaway this past summer during a three-hour gig there, Pugh rather valiantly agreed to go up and sing a "couple" of songs of his while Grace took a much-needed -- and deserved -- break, and that was my very first (totally stellar) introduction to his music ... and it was verrry apparent to me verrry quickly that I sooooo wasn't the ONLY one in the audience that evening wondering "WHO is this young man?" and "WHEN and WHERE is he going to be be performing next?")

Which makes the ongoing Valley-wide success of both Grace's AND Pugh's music here THAT MUCH MORE exciting for me to report on now because, even though they DO have a very distinctive, powerful and poetic sound and persona that IS very much their own -- and also because even though they haven't actually known each other that long either -- their on-stage synchronicity easily makes it seem as though they've known (and played alongside) one another for many, many years!!! Verrrry cool and wonderful, that...

It really IS something of a "harmonic convergence" of sorts when Grace and Pugh perform together, people!!

Find out for yourselves this coming Saturday, Nov. 14th, at Belleuve's The Brickhouse, at 9pm (202 Main Street -- across the street from Guffy's -- in that classic brick building that formerly housed Mama Inez's Restaurant, and Glen's Grocery).

Questions or comments regarding this article/rave can be sent to John at: WriteStufIdaho@gmail.com

Find samples of Sheryll's and Aaron's music at:

http://www.myspace.com/musicsheryllmaegrace

http://www.myspace.com/amelodicgrace

http://www.myspace.com/aaronjamesmakesmusic

Tree Rock

Original Publication Date: November 13th, 2009

I soooo can't believe it was just a week ago today that I was happily and eagerly riding my bike around 10:30am from Hailey (after visiting that wonderful Melissa Graves-Brown/Christopher Brown Gallery there -- ya know the one with that stuffed Winnie the Pooh that was "suspiciously eyeing me in the corner" the entire time I was there -- to Bellevue (in order to visit the Green Antelope Gallery) on a delightfully sunny and increasingly warm day.

I say that because right now, at 2:24pm on Wednesday, Nov. 11th, it's unceasingly cloudy, cool (44 degrees) and rainy. But hey, that WAS a "week ago," right???!!! (LOL)

Anyhow, I have to say upfront

('cuz I'm STILL ALL ABOUT "full disclosure" people -- me and the Mt. Express' Pat Murphy both, I guess) that I was expecting relatively little from the Green Antelope Gallery. I mean I'd seen their verrry entertaining, extremely well-presented and endlessly-informative www.greenantelope.net website prior to visiting the gallery, but I guess my NORTH Valley snobbery got the better of me -- and let's face it folks: There's A LOT of that going on here, and it REALLY needs to cease and desist permanently because, between a number of superb eateries there in Bellevue (the River Bend Coffee House, The Brickhouse bar & restaurant, the Giddy-Up Coffee & Kitchen, the Rosebud Deli, the Full Moon Restaurant (now once again open to the public for lunch during the week, btw, 11;30-2:30 -- which is where I had an absolutely KILLER meatball sub just prior to visiting the Green Antelope last week!!!), the now-shuddered (and greatly-missed, already) Milana's Restaurant there, and very cool places such as the Red Door Design Studio, Bellevue has A LOT going on that is verrry positive and verrry much worth your time and money -- that I guess I was expecting some sort of "podunk" sorta/kind-of/not-really "art gallery" there in often much-maligned Bellevue.

But boy, ohhhhhh, boy was I wrong, people!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean the Green Antelope Gallery is a friggin' HOUSE, for God's sake -- a huge, white, beautifully- and lovingly-restored house just a block off Main Street there in downtown Bellevue (at 116 S. 2nd Street; 788-2353. Open Wed-Sat., noon to 5pm) And its proprietor, Brooke Bonner -- she's also one of the featured artists there, along with her similarly very talented mother, Helen -- couldn't be nicer, or more accommodating!!!!

Wolfgang Golden, "Birds on a Bronze Branch"

Which, of course, made me feel verrrrry shallow and stupid in equal measure after I arrived there last Wednesday around noon -- EVEN MORE so after I remembered that the Green Antelope Gallery often graciously hosts get-togethers and fundraisers involving the various selfless volunteers who comprise the majority of the Wood River Valley's Hunger Coalition here! (During the two hours or so I spent at their beautiful art gallery last Wednesday, Brooke was constantly on the phone doing Hunger Coalition-related business).

So, as I began perusing the main entryway there -- and taking copious notes ("cuz I'm also always ALL ABOUT the "copious notes"-taking stuff, people!!) -- I secretly prayed that my insidious NORTH Valley snobbery would NOT become readily apparent to poor Brooke there, whose Microsoft-based computer was causing her repeated grief that afternoon (biggggg "surprise," huh?!? LOL).

Guess the first thing to mention at this point is the truly vast array of multi-talented artists whose often extremely-inspired work is represented there at the Green Antelope Gallery: Lorraine Conner, Dinah Cross-James, Michael Edminster, Wolfgang Golden, Lee Higman, Dev Khalsa, Brooke and Helen Bonner, Sarah Long, Mary Ellen Mahar, Jerry Mells, Ellen Nasvik, Wendy Pabich, Buddy Paul, Sharon Payne, Kathy and Zoey Pierce, Mark Sheehan, Craig Wolfrom, Sonja Allender, Ann Yoder, and Don Yeager!! Pretty amazing for just one gallery, huh???

Okay, so maybe you haven't heard of any -- or at least most -- of those various artists before EITHER, but so what?!? Their works are full of life and passion and beauty, and they're positively brimming with energy and inventiveness, too (I know that for a FACT 'cuz there's nooooo way in hell I would've happily and eagerly spent more than TWO HOURS inside an art gallery on a day as gloriously warm and sunny as LAST Wednesday was if they WEREN'T!!! (LOL)

I'd already seen a few of the Green Antelope's artistic offerings at the River Bend Coffee House (whose owner, Michelle, is an absolute sweetie, btw!!!!), and also at Red Door Design House there on Main Steet as well, so I kinda knew even before I actually arrived at the Green Antelope Gallery that I'd enjoy at least SOME of what they had inside.

But NOTHING quite prepared me ahead of time for those various eye-catching Italian paper clay and ceramic-based motorcyle vests by Wolfgang Golden that greet you from the otherwise white walls as you first enter the Green Antelope Gallery!!! (And yesssss, Golden REALLY IS an avid motorcyclist, too -- when he's not busy being an inventive and active artist, that is!). Verrrry cool and imaginative those -- with full-size vests that feature various creative inspirations such as "Bamboo," "Leaves & Grasses," "Angels," "3 Birds," the "Murder of Crows" (???), "Brawny Paper Towels" (????) "Chrome Birds," "Little Flying Skulls," "Little Flying Hearts," "Maps," "Flame Birds" and "Tree Crows."

Golden also has some lovely green-glass bowls and plates on display there as you first enter as well, which are soooooo different from those ceramic motorcycle vests you'd never guess in a million years that they ARE from the VERY SAME artist!!!

Those very amusing paintings of the smiling camels by Brooke Bonner's mother, Helen, were one of the very first things I highlighted in my copious notes that day -- partly because having ridden a camel myself when I was on a school trip to Morocco (back in 1976) I can tell you the camel I had that day was in noooooo way, shape, or form smiling or otherwise even being REMOTELY NICE to me; instead, it was constantly spitting and snorting and snarling at me, and desperately trying to BITE me at EVERY opportunity!!! But Brooke told me her mother lived in Saudi Arabia for "over a year" at one point -- and evidently the camels THERE merely SMILE at you and are otherwise verrrry WELL-behaved (yeah, RIGHT!!!!!!! (LOL)

Sarah Long, "Bella"

So, as the Intrepid Interloper ("I.I." for short - and no, it STILL doesn't bother me a bit you calling me that so please feel free to do so whenever the mood strikes you, ok?) made his way from room to room there at the Green Antelope Gallery, I was frequently struck at the sometimes wildly-diverse and always-inspired array of lovely art on display there!

I mean there's Sarah Long's genuinely lovely (and often verrrry well-endowed, indeed!! (LOL) nude, or semi-nude, bronze sculptures of mermaids and pregnant women in repose, and also those various bronze masks of hers (some of them Africa-inspired, btw), as well as those Wolfgang Golden bronze, steel and fired-ceramic birds on branches (and Japanese "Ronin" swords, too!!) -- HUH, and here you probably thinking he only just creates ceramic motorcycle vests, and green-glass bowl and plates; shows what YOU know!!! -- and those equally lovely and memorable Ann Yoder watercolors (the "Three Reasons" one featuring white and pink flowers was another I immediately made a note of), and Katie Flood's brown-and-white "Birds in Flight" painting, and those various beautiful jewlery offerings by Lorraine Conner (stick pearl and quartz crystal, Irish water pearl, moonstone and Iolite, etc), and those dazzling Brooke Bonner b&w ("Giclee" high-resolution digital scan print) photos such as "Seaweed", "Sawtooth Lake Saddle," "Rockfall," "Two Chairs," and "Driftwood" (all printed, btw, on Hahnemuhl German paper stock -- a favorite of hers because of its high resolution factor, and also because of its long lifespan), and those superbly-detailed closeup color photos by Dev Khalsa of various flora and fauna, and those gloriously-jubiliant and nuanced Wendy Pabich oil-on-canvas paintings (her "Pomegranate," "Sea Drift," "Fractal I-III," "Cherry Blossom," the India-inspired "Shanti Stupa," and "Columbine" paintings were all vivid standouts for me during the gallery tour there), and the Kathy and Zoey Pierce jewelry collection (featuring materials such as jade, wood, turquoise, brass, spiney oystershell, coral frog, carnelian sterling, agate, angelskin coral, and abalone shell). and those Dinah Cross-James oil-on-canvas works ("Red Comet" was another standout for me on my self-guided tour), and some of those similalry beautiful Sonja Allender paintings (evidently inspired, in part, by the works of Pat Lambrecht Hould), and those Helen Bonner b&w photos of horses (she loves horseback riding -- I mean, when she's NOT hanging out in Saudi Arabia with incessantly-smiling, bemused-looking and unbelievably WELL-behaved camels, that is!!! (LOL), and a number of other gorgeous works of art there at the Green Antelope, I was repeatedly annoyed and embarassed with my own arrogance and narrow-mindedness where visiting a BELLEVUE art gallery was concerned.

Helen Bonner, "Camels"

And then, as if I wasn't feeling foolish and arrogant enough ALREADY, Brooke Bonner graciously offered to take me next door -- to the Bella Cosa Studio -- so I could actually MEET in-person one of the very gifted artists whose work I had been repeatedly wowed over for the past two hours (Sarah Long), who eagerly greeted us covered in plaster dust, but still looking quite vivacious, I must say (must've been that beautiful spiked-blond hair of hers that did it for me). Long often hosts classes there at her pottery-filled studio, teaching both French and Art, simultaneously. Tres bon, that....

Soooooo much more I saw there at the Green Antelope Gallery I want to tell you about -- be sure also to check out Ann Yoder's gorgeous "The Replenishing Spoon" painting there in the gallery's bathroom (a vividly-depicted silver spoon holding a single rose), and those acrylic-on-canvas works by Jerry Mells, and Aimee Commons' sterling silver handmade jewelry there in the gallery's kitchen, and also Mark Sheehan's steel black sculptures, and those verrry inspired and lovely vintage hood ornament-derived sculptures by local musician Don Yeager ("Egyptian Bird," "Quick Turn," and "Flamin' In" were all standouts for me there as well, people), also that absolutely G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S bluish-purple cast recycled glass work by Wolfgang Golden that's sitting in the window there by the gallery's main entrance.

ALL of them quite, quite beautiful and breathtaking in their own ways -- and ALL of them very radiant and very humbling reminders to me that the Wood River Valley's genuinely-wonderful and ever-expanding art scene soooooo DOESN'T begin and end in Ketchum.

Not even close, people!!!!

Hope you get a chance to visit the Green Antelope Gallery very soon because it DEFNITELY IS worth the trip. For more information, contact Brooke Bonner there at 788-2353 and/or by e-mail at: info@greenantelope.net

The main goal of this ongoing weekly sunvalleyonline.com series is to make Art more accessible to people here in this Valley of ours who, for whatever reason (s), tend to SHY AWAY from it, and the Green Antelope Gallery seems to genuinely and proudly embrace that goal ... which makes me very happy that I was able to feature their gallery here today.

Questions or comments regardng this article/rave can be sent to John at: WriteStuffIdaho@gmail.com

You are invited!  The Blaine County Hunger Coalition is extending an invitation to everyone in the Wood River Valley to join them for an Open House celebration in their new building.  The Open House is Wednesday, January 27th from 5 – 7pm at 121 Honeysuckle Street in Bellevue.  Purchased through a major Building Project fundraising effort, the new Food Bank offers this rapidly growing non-profit organization ample space for critical long-term food storage, increased food distribution and an exciting expansion of their client services.  

The Hunger Coalition goes beyond feeding the hungry.  They offer hope and a sense of well being to many members of our community who find themselves in the unfamiliar place of making decisions between buying food and paying bills.  Their new building will allow them to expand their services to include projects like a garden and nutrition classes.

Through the tireless efforts of volunteers and donors, The Hunger Coalition served over 155,000 meals in Blaine County last year, more than double the amount served in 2008.  These meals are helping to sustain our friends and neighbors in times of remarkable difficulty.

The Coalition has experienced incredible growth over the last year.  Considering that just over 5,000 meals were distributed back in 2006, it is easy to understand their continuing need for the community to get involved and help them make a difference.

As a non-profit, they rely on contributions in the form of time, money and food donations.  Many are already pitching in – grocery stores donate a fabulous wealth of healthy, fresh food on daily basis; Valley churches and community organizations encourage food donations with yellow Hunger Coalition food bins; and more than 150 active volunteers spend countless hours throughout the year.  Volunteers distribute food through the Mobile Food Bank, prepare backpacks of food for students to take home on weekends through the Backpack Club, sort food donations at the Food Bank, and so much more.  

The Hunger Coalition invites you to join them in their efforts to wipe out hunger in Blaine County.  The Open House is Wednesday, January 27th from 5 – 7pm at 121 Honeysuckle Street in Bellevue.  Call 788-0121 for more information or visit their website at : www.thehungercoalition.org.  Get involved, Make a difference!

Winter Wilderness Skills & Wool Crafting at TMS: January 6- March 1

Our After School Programs are open to all students ages 4-12.

We pick up at Hailey and Woodside Elementary at 2:30pm and drop back off

At Roberta McKercher at 5:15pm.  The Bellevue school bus drops at our school.

 For 7-12 year olds: Each Wednesday and Thursday for 9 weeks from 2:30-5 pm

             Wednesdays: Make your own wool slippers and mittens with Jessica Banks,  a certified Waldorf Teacher and crafting expert.

            Thursdays: Join us for Winter Wilderness Skills with John DeLorenzo, avid  outdoorsman and big game hunter for Winter activities of shelter building, wildlife tracking, fire building in the snow and also making pouches and crafts  from rawhide.      

  For 4-6 year olds: Mondays through Thursdays   

             Art, Farm and Wilderness with Gwen Mesce. Have your child join for  indoor crafting, outdoor Farm and Garden play.

 Call Patti Lousen for information and to sign up: 788-3170

 *We are closed the Feb. 16- 19week for the Western Waldorf Conference

 Info & Applications available on our website: www.themountainschool.info

                      Sliding Scale Tuition of $6-8/hr

 Our programs  are an engaging voyage to discover the world and oneself

while the magic and wonder of childhood are protected and respected.

Two sessions are now available to introduce you and your child to Waldorf based Education and child development. Join our Parent and Child playgroup and experience our rhythm of indoor free work and play, ring time with songs, rhymes, finger plays and movement, baking, snack, story time and outside play. During free play, parents will work on ironing and sewing, craft projects, snack preparation or classroom care. When adults are involved in purposeful work, the children, through imitation, are involved in their play. 

  These sessions are taught by Jessica Banks, a Waldorf certified teacher and past Kindergarten teacher at The Mountain School. As she so eloquently states, “My work with children is not work, it’s my life’s purpose and I would love to share that with a school and a community.”

 Session I is January 15 - March 5 for 3-4 year olds.  Older 2.5 yr olds welcome.

1.  Session II is for 2-3.5 year olds:    April 2 - May 21.                              

Each session is 8 weeks and is from 9-11:15 am on Fridays.  Parents need to sign up for & pay for the whole session.  Full rate is $144 and sliding scale rate is $99 ($6-8/hr price per hour for the whole time).   

To sign up Contact Jessica Banks at 721-8654 or jlbanks234@yahoo.com 

By The Brickhouse Bar & Grill

Bellevue's Brickhouse Bar & Grill and the Red Light Variety Show present New
Years Eve Burlesque Show on December 31st from 11pm-1am.

Tickets are only $35 for the show!

If you have New Year Eve dinner at the Brickhouse tickets are only $30.

Get your tickets NOW before they are all gone. Contact 788-4999 for details.