A Picnic to Remember: John Beerman’s Art Class

Hillsborough is ever the collective edge of talent from our prolific writers
to artists. On the new scene is landscapist John Beerman who has taken a break from teaching art in college and now offers private classes in Hillsborough, where he now resides. His classes are held in a dilapidated old blue and white filling station next to Walker's Funeral Home on the main drag.

On other days, we had the privilege of hanging out at Joe Rowand's fabulous home on old Highway 86. A recent Saturday at Joe's was an absolutely perfect setting for outdoor oil painting.

In addition to classes, our wonderful communal lunch was time
spent exchanging verbiage and sharing food. It was during one of these moments that we discovered one student raised bees. He brought us fresh honey, fig jam. We also savored chocolates from Matthew’s Chocolate Shop in Hillsborough; decadent and delicious.

Our final day together was beautiful fall weather. We concluded our paintings and celebrated with a fabulous feast. As a private chef and having been inspired by impressionist's painting of picnics, this was a special lunch to conclude our six weeks of study with John.

I would like to take this opportunity to share a recipe from a fellow student.
"Thank you Susan!"

Susan Nelson's fabulous Molasses Sugar Cookies

¾ cup shortening (2 ¼ sticks when doubling)

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Melt shortening in a saucepan. Cool. Add sugar, molasses and egg. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Chill. Form dough into balls. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Even as an art major, I never learned as much about grids (yes, even “painting by numbers"), values and hues. John helped us to see colors and shapes as never before. He had us squint to view different interpretations of the scene we were creating. We all experienced “aha” moments very much as a preacher’s sermon touches our soul.

Our group had different and even eclectic backgrounds; a NYC cabernet singer, engineer to a mental health specialist. From other places, backgrounds all found common ground. We learned to interpret the beauty that surrounds us from our eye to the palette to the canvas.

Thank you John for your shared vision and experience.

For more information about classes with John Beerman: johnb280@aol.com

The Ultimate Southern Gentleman

My father, Dr. Bob Murphy, was the ultimate southern gentleman: gracious, giving, and charming. People loved him not only because he was a doctor who would make house calls at 4 a.m., but also because he cared. There is another southern gentleman and his name is Joe Rowand. Joe is the owner of Somerhill Gallery, a place of beauty that reflects Joe's excellent taste and has been around for 28 years. I met Joe with my Daddy at one of his gracious gallery parties, perhaps 20 years ago. Joe still hosts wonderful gatherings and I am a lucky girl to sometimes be part of the "Joe Team." Yesterday, at his lovely white house on a hill with vistas looking into woods and over an Angus cattle field, we honored the historical Burwell School in Hillsborough. It was "Tomato Sandwiches and Poetry." Jaki Shelton Green was the reader who brought prose to life and tears to this girl's eyes. I provided the tomato sandwiches and with a little white wine, a slight breeze, and lovely guests, it was just about perfect. They stayed and stayed, and maybe some of them are still in the pool!

Anne Graham Lotz; Speaker, Southern BBQ and Fellowship at UNC Coach Sylvia Hatchell’s Home in Chapel Hill Country

Under the big oak tree, Lamb Jennifer Evans and Anne Graham Lotz

Last Sunday, was a remarkable evening at UNC women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell’s home. Most of us were under a huge oak tree with a breeze; despite the humidly of the 90 degree day. This gathering was a combination of Sylvia’s bible study, The Lambs and Albert Long and Danny Lotz's combined Men’s Group. Lamb Jennifer gifted us with her personal ministry of healing and music by singing "Amazing Grace", "Jesus Loves Me", "Elijah Rock", and "He Looked Beyond My Faults".

Anne Graham Lotz was our guest speaker. She is lovely in statue with the same infinite grace and passion for preaching as her father and the beauty of her mother. Anne's AnGel Ministry is currently drawing large crowds. Her father, Billy Graham says she's "the best preacher in the family." Having last heard Anne at Phillip’s Arena Atlanta, with 28,000 attendees, Sunday's gathering was a special evening to be with her; up close and personal.


Anne Graham Lotz speaking at one of her stadium events - CREDIT: AnGel Ministries

I first met Anne when she was 17 and engaged to Danny Lotz, the brother of assistant basketball coach, John Lotz. Danny was on the ’57 UNC National Championship team. Lennie Rosenbluth and Pete Brennan, also basketball heroes, and former Duke basketball coach Bucky Waters, attended Sunday's event. Anne spoke to us without a note card. “Could have blown away in the breeze,” she humbly remarked when mentioned to her. Anne shared some personal and current information about her world-known father, Billy Graham: he is 91 and sharp of mind, but with a body in decline. As she remembered him, she noted he was not the kind of father who would tuck you into bed. He was gone much of the time, but as a Christian role model, she would not trade for any other.

Then, Albert Long spoke about our hurried nature: that we rush and scurry and don't have time to make time. All of a sudden, the breeze picked up. There was that same kind of hush when you can hear a pin drop and time, if only briefly, seemed to stand still.

The evening ended as a gaggle of geese flew over and reminded me of an excerpt from Anne's book The Magnificent Obsession about what prompted Abraham’s desire to know God. Was it when Abraham observed the migratory habits of the birds and the way the sun came up every morning and went down every evening? Abraham reflected, these things must be more than just an accident or a coincidence?


Front cover of Anne's book, The Magnificent Obsession