November 2020

Wishing to visit my from the Morgan with a place to test Catacombs mentioned THINKING with PETER LOEWER old stomping grounds in to see if my computer microphone and a marvelously Manhattan, I occasionally and speakers worked correctly (they entertaining visit to the visit various New York did), and precisely at 11 am, my Louvre Museum in Paris, museums, checking out screen became the Morgan's screen, where I must admit that the exhibits and see if they my Dell computer screen have an online connection with a beautiful Gainsborough did a great job of bringing to viewing some of drawing in front of me, with the art of that great the art on exhibition. small and moving squares museum to my cluttered A few months ago, in containing the two lecturers desktop. Meet the Tour so doing, I found the for the talk. Off we went for a Guy (www.thetourguy. following announcement marvelous hour and a half of com/tours/tours-in- on the Morgan Library beautiful drawings intelligently europe-open-this-year?). site: Upcoming Virtual described by Morgan scholars, Programs | Live Video and when it was over, I stood by And this coming Learning with Curators, for announcements of coming Sunday at 5:50 pm, Docents, and Education programs. we'll visit Halloween Staff. Join our Morgan Virtual Special: Ghost curators, docents, and That led to my contacts with and Ghouls of London education staff as they guide you Eventbrite (www.eventbrite. through the Ages. With on up-close virtual explorations com) and connections for a tour of The two millennia of history, London has inspired by the institution's treasured Museum of Modern Art in the city and many ghosts who jostle for space. collection. August 19, 3 pm, A Master's next weekend a visit to the Barnes With our special guest guide, Alex, Techniques Revealed: Foundation outside of Philadelphia. you'll meet warring queens, cold A Conservator's Study Next, by searching the Web, I grasping hands and pumping hearts, of Gainsborough found an entire group dedicated to body snatchers, and disembodied Drawings. Thomas Upcoming Virtual Programs and tours hands as she takes you around the Gainsborough's (1727- worldwide. So far, we've visited the creepy and old parts of the city. You'll 1788) curious mind and take a trip back in time to find out experimental approach where the spirits of the past walk to making drawings along the dark alleys, moody streets, was investigated by the and secret corners. In a city as old Morgan's Senior Paper as this, there is sure to be some Conservator Reba F. unfinished business, and we are off to Snyder in conjunction find out what it is. Come along if you with a 2019 exhibition. dare! Using scientific analyses and close So take off your mask, sit down at looking under varied light sources, your computer, and look for Virtual she will discuss her approach to Tours to take your mind off of the the drawings and the results and general stupidity of politics and interpretation of the analyses. trade it in for Virtual Travel and trade political overbite for improving what's I registered for the program, and on left of your mind. the day selected, about an hour before the lecture began, I received an email VOL. 24, NO. 3 — NOVEMBER 2020 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 101

CREATIVITY Opinion / Culture The Creativity of Defining and Defending Cultures of \"Southern Appalachia MariJo Moore CREATIVITY WITH MARIJO MOORE H. Byron Ballard, BA, MFA, is a western NC native, witch, folklorist, and writer. She is a senior priestess and co-founder of Mother Grove Goddess Temple and the Coalition of Earth Religions/CERES, both in Asheville, NC. Her books on Appalachian folkways include Staubs and Ditchwater and Asfidity and Mad-Stones. Her most recent book Earth Works: Ceremonies in Tower Time, explores cultural collapse. I have known Byron for many years and admired her wisdom of Appalachian cultures and skillful tenacity as a wordsmith. I asked her the following questions concerning the purposefulness of her work. MM: When and why did you decide to share your cultural heritage and wisdom in books? HBB: It started with talks and with a paper, I gave at a Harvard colloquium in 2007. I was ambivalent about sharing these folkways - especially the healing and magical ones - because the Appalachian culture is often denigrated in the larger society. After a great deal of thought, I decided I'd write a simple primer that would be educational and personal, and I'd see what happened from there. Since then, I've toured the US and the UK, written two other books on the subject, and am humbled to be a spokesperson for culture. MM: What do you feel is the most misunderstood aspect of Appalachian cultural beliefs, and do you make a point to correct this in your writings and lectures? HBB: Appalachia is a despised part of the country. It's in the South, Art copyright © MariJo Moore 102 |RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | VOL. 24, NO.3 — NOVEMBER 2020

WNC native, witch, folklorist, and writer H. Byron Ballard so people from other regions lump that can be stripped out of the culture MM: What creations are you working CREATIVITY WITH MARIJO MOORE it in with all the South's stereotypes to enrich outsiders, with little or on now? and misconceptions. But the South nothing coming back into the region. despises Appalachia because the HBB: Roots, Branches, and Spirits: the region is the ugly step-child of the I can go on and on with this, and Folkways and Witchery of Appalachian: South. But more than the urbanoia often do. I try to write about the a book on Appalachian folkways coming of Deliverance and the fact that complex set of cultures that make up out in February 2021, from Llewellyn. \"hillbillies\" are one of the last groups the region and invite my readers and that can be openly mocked without listeners to look past the stereotypes (A new book now) tentatively judgment, the region isn't a monolith. and examine these old, poor cultures' titled The Seasons of a Magical Life: WNC isn't like eastern Kentucky. realities. I write about class and A Pagan Path of Living from Red Southern Appalachia is different xenophobia and don't shy away from Wheel/Weiser will be released late from northern Appalachia. There racism, misogyny, and culturally- summer 2021. I am also working on a is a difference between the trials excused violence. But it is so hard musical adaptation of Shakespeare's and folkways of \"Coal Country\" and to get people past thinking that A Midsummer Night's Dream and Dollywood's tacky glamor. But it's anyone with an accent like mine is just starting a sociological study easier to steer away from the nuance ignorant and backward, which is one of Appalachia and its people, in looking at the level of poverty that reason I've spent my adult life code- tentatively called The Ragged Wound: still pervades the region because it's switching - speaking a more standard Tending the Soul of Appalachia. For viewed as \"low educated,\" \"in-bred,\" English that doesn't brand me more info, please visit my website \"violent,\" \"racist,\" \"backward\" people with the insulting stereotypes that myvillagewitch.com who lack any real value in the broader everyone outside the region seems to [email protected]. culture. Except for the value of the believe is the truth about the people @myvillagewitch.com. music, crafts, food, or anything else who live here. MariJo Moore is an author/poet/anthologist/seer/medium. She has authored over 20 books, the most recent being Amid the Chaos-Poems. Currently she is working on an anthology titled Power of the Storm: Indigenous Voices, Visions, and Determination - Dedicated to John Trudell, which was released in Oct. 2020. She resides in Asheville NC. marijomoore.com VOL. 24, NO. 3 — NOVEMBER 2020 | RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | 103

LAUGHTER Comics Ratchet and Spin By Jess and Russ Woods Corgi Tales Ratchet and Spin © 2020 By Phil Hawkins Best in Show By Phil Juliano 104 |RAPIDRIVERMAGAZINE.COM | RAPID RIVER’S ARTS & CULTURE | VOL. 24, NO.3 — NOVEMBER 2020



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