Morgan County, West Virginia
Berkeley Springs has a robust arts scene. The Morgan Arts Council plays a key role in promoting the arts at local and state levels. We are members!
The Ice House is the home of the Morgan Arts Council and a community focal point for the arts. This 40,000 square foot former storage building in the center of Berkeley Springs was gifted to MAC in 1996 by U.S. Borax. Built circa 1910 to store apples, the four-floor yellow brick building had other uses through the 20th century including a furniture store, health club and teen center. Renovation is ongoing. Nearly $900,000 has been invested in space renovation, upgrading utilities and providing universal access. The first floor now has an Event Space, two galleries, retail art shop, a wet classroom, break room and MAC office. The second floor houses the Digital Media Center for Community Engagement, movement studio, two additional galleries, wet classroom and community meeting space. Construction has been funded by the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, HUD, Benedum Foundation grants as well as individual and business donations.
Tofu Roadkill
Tofu Roadkill has a fun and crazed spirit. The recording of my song is by Matthew Klein (AKA, Uncle Brother), a musician friend in Berkeley Springs. He has a wonderful sense of humor, which I greatly enjoy. His style is a perfect match for this song.
Bossa Nova Belly Dance in the Heart of Appalachia
This video is a collaboration with dancer Jennifer "Jensuya" Carpenter-Peak and filmmaker Robert Peak. Being fans of one another's work, we decided to create a video with Jennifer dancing to my music in Morgan County landscapes. She picked Twilight Sail, one of my bossa novas, for the project. While it is highly unusual for bossa nova and belly dance to be combined, Jennifer made it work.
Links to some of our friends
Froggy and Miss Mouse on a Picnic by Mary Anne Haines
Saving the Farmhouse
This video is a thank you to Jack Soronen, Jack & Kallie Shaffer, Jeff Jurick, Dan Snell, John Hobday, Dakota Peak, and Ken Troy who worked on our farmhouse. The house is 13 miles south of Berkeley Springs and was originally built prior to 1900. It had fallen into a bad state and needed a considerable amount of work. Thanks to the efforts of our friends, the old house has been given a new life.
The background music in the video is one of my fiddle tunes in an old-time waltz style. Recorded by Amy Leonard, violin; E. Shawn Qaissaunee, guitar; and Peter McCarthy, bass.
The background music in the video is one of my fiddle tunes in an old-time waltz style. Recorded by Amy Leonard, violin; E. Shawn Qaissaunee, guitar; and Peter McCarthy, bass.
Barn Restoration
Our latest project is having Jack Shaffer restore our barn. Based on family initials that were cut into posts, which Jack discovered and researched, he estimates the barn to be 120 years old (as of 2018).