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The Changing Landscape Of Art
Mitchel Bamberger | August 17, 2020
Topics: coronavirus, covid 19, gallery 5, live music, live shows in richmond, music, Richmond live music
RVA Mag wanted to find out how local venues are surviving during the ongoing pandemic. In the fifth of a multi-part series of articles, we catch up with Gallery5 to learn about their latest art shows and live music online.
For avid live music-goers in Richmond, one local venue is a particularly essential, one-of-a-kind place to see a show. Gallery 5, or G5 as some patrons affectionately call it, is a nonprofit art gallery, music venue, and community space. Rivanna Youngpool is the venue's chief talent buyer and organizer, along with a dedicated team of volunteers. Youngpool sat down with RVA Magazine to explain how the venue is getting by, and re-directing their focus during the pandemic.
As a nonprofit, Gallery 5 operates uniquely from private businesses, simply because profit is not the end-all-be-all goal. As long as the space curates events and provides creative content for the community, they are achieving their ultimate goal. Gallery 5 is a highly sought-after platform for local bands, and some of the most popular local shows in town happen on its stage — or at least they did before COVID-19. One perk of a multi-purpose art space is that when one door closes (in this case, the front door of the venue), another opens. Attention can be redirected to other creative outlets, and that repurposing is exactly what Youngpool and her team have done.
"We haven't really been focusing on music so much," Youngpool said. "Through COVID, we've been able to re-think our operations a little bit, and also zoom in on the fact that we are not just a music venue. We are also an art gallery and community space. We've been doing things like Patreon, and we have a virtual art gallery that we're taking submissions for."
The venue's team has a keen ability to adapt with the times and pivot on a dime. Through Patreon's crowdfunding platform, fans of the gallery are able to donate an amount of their choosing (usually monthly), helping the organization keep creating content. Rather than Kickstarter and GoFundMe, Patreon allows supporters to donate to general purposes rather than specific projects, like an album or a film.
"We've been focusing more on our community work, our gallery space, and being present in new virtual ways," Youngpool said. "Pretty much 100 percent of the way we were operating before doesn't exist anymore… This has allowed us to open up new doors and experiences. It's been nice to have this time to zoom in on that, because when we have shows going on, it's harder to focus on the other community participation aspects we want to include in Gallery 5."
PHOTO: Gallery5 Arts
The experience of quarantine and the pandemic varies greatly from business to business. A lucky few have been hardly affected, while some have had to change operations or close down entirely.
Some businesses may save money on office space, realizing now that they work just as efficiently from home. Others may function competently with a fraction of their staff. Some may work with new safety and health regulations. With a diverse group of thinkers, curators, and creators, Gallery 5 is carving out a new path as well.
During the great live music shutdown of 2020, the venue has embraced live streams as a platform for entertainment. Like many venues, these events prevent familiar shows in a new, virtual manner.
"We're going to do a new kind of virtual show. We have a Quarterly Variety Dive, and it's a show with burlesque dancers, magicians, music, and different talents," Youngpool said. The new variety dives are set to begin at the end of August to keep Gallery 5 in the public eye. The team has put together a few Instagram and Facebook live shows, but this will be their first ticketed live show since the pandemic began.
Live music shutdowns have forced venue staff to think outside the box in new, unprecedented ways.
"I had to think of every single aspect of walking up to the gallery, going inside, and every single step that somebody attending a show would have to go through," Youngpool said. Gallery 5 will do live concerts in-person again one day, hopefully soon, but those shows may look different than they did in the pre-COVID era. "Possibly, we will work with reservations and do smaller groups at first."
PHOTO: An art installation earlier this year at Gallery5 Arts
The pandemic will have greater implications, and possibly long-lasting effects, on the live music scene in Richmond and throughout the country.
"Touring will look a lot different," Youngpool said. "I'm sure you've noticed the loss of venues in different cities. Not so much in Richmond, but that's always a possibility — and a scary possibility."
Shifting perspectives for a moment, Youngpool focused on the impact that this time is having for musicians, and for people on an emotional level. There is sometimes a disproportionate focus on businesses and the economy when speaking of the pandemic's effects, but on a micro level, many people are taking it one day at a time. Coping with this changing way of life has pulled the rug out from under many musicians.
"I think everyone has been restless, not having as many band practices," Youngpool said. "A lot of friends I have, and people I've worked with in the past, are definitely missing the community of music." This community has all but lost its meeting places. They do, however, stay connected and check in with each other. Youngpool shared two opposing perspectives for artists, exercising the voices of both a realist and optimist. "It's had a really rough impact on all musicians," she said. "It's also a great time for creating."
The Gallery 5 team has also continued to work together during this isolating time. "All of the little projects we have going on have been pushing us along," Youngpool said. "We still meet weekly, virtually of course, and come up with new ideas." Their ability to adapt with the times has allowed the venue to keep pushing forward. "We're [finding] new ways to engage with the community that don't require everyone in the same room. I think that has been optimistic, and motivational, because we are still able to create space and community without the physical building."
This community space continues to bring people together as a meeting place for the inspired, enthusiastic, and creative youth of Richmond. Against all adversity, Gallery 5 has found a way to be a place for artists when they need it most.
To support this cultural institution, subscribe to donate on Patreon, and find them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
From Pandemic to Protests: Chronicling Our Community During COVID-19
Rachel Scott Everett | August 14, 2020
Topics: Alicia Diaz, angela patton, Anna Laughlin, black lives matter, carol adams, Christina Marie, Confederate monuments, coronavirus, covid 19, Crixell Matthews, Daniel Davis, Girls for A Change, Laura Pho, Liza Mickens, Lorenzo Gibson, noah scalin, OnHoldAtHome, Shayy Winn, Sideeye, Tania del Carmen, Yeni Nostalji
As the COVID-19 pandemic upended all of our lives this spring, Rachel Everett got together with photographer Tania del Carmen Fernandez to document how well Richmond is holding up. Their multimedia project is called #OnHoldAtHome.
In March 2020, COVID-19 disrupted the lives of people all over the world. From the fear of falling ill to the awkwardness of social distancing to the adjustment of working from home or losing a job, our normal routines were upended on many levels.
As a creative director, my business, like that of countless other non-essential workers, felt an immediate impact from the pandemic. Despite the downturn, or perhaps inspired by it, the desire to create was stronger than ever. My neighbor, fine art photographer Tania del Carmen Fernández, felt the same way. After a year's worth of previously scheduled shoots was canceled, she was determined to find a meaningful way to remain productive.
At a social distancing gathering in our Fan neighborhood, it became clear the pandemic was affecting people differently. As a parent, Tania had the additional layer of complexity of trying to figure out childcare, while an immuno-compromised neighbor worried about exposure at the grocery store. We were all weathering the same storm, but we were definitely not in the same boat.
COVID-19 affects everyone, everywhere. But it affects different groups of people differently, deepening existing inequalities.
"I think we can truly grow as a society from this experience," states Noah Scalin (pictured here with his family.) Scalin is one of many local artists collaborating with Hamilton Glass, creator of the public art project Mending Walls. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
Given the varied situations just in our neighborhood, we knew more stories were out there. Therefore, Tania and I joined forces to create #OnHoldAtHome, a photo series documenting the hopes, fears, and lessons of Richmonders during COVID-19. As weeks turned into months, we expanded the project to feature people in other neighborhoods to better reflect our diverse community.
In May, the challenges of the pandemic were then met with the rise of protests over George Floyd's killing, bringing the topic of racial and social inequality front and center. Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy, soon found itself in the national spotlight with public demands for removal of Confederate memorials, amidst the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. On July 1, Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the removal of all city-owned Confederate statues, stating, "Richmond is no longer the Capital of the Confederacy – it is filled with diversity and love for all – and we need to demonstrate that."
What began as a project to unite people through shared experiences of sheltering in place has now transformed into a powerful documentation of this historic time in Richmond. #OnHoldAtHome aims to provide a platform to help amplify voices and foster open, honest discussions on race, politics, and systemic inequality. It is our hope that by sharing stories, we have an opportunity to learn and grow with one another and ultimately, cultivate a kinder, more compassionate, and more empathetic society.
It turns out that community, human connection, companionship… that is what keeps me sane.
— Christina
Christina Marie is a graphic designer and founder/bandleader of Turkish pop band Yeni Nostalji. She admits she's struggled with the amount of time she's spent alone, and feeling like she's not doing enough to help. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
#OnHoldAtHome is currently made up of three distinct chapters:
Chapter 1: The Lockdown Begins (March 15-April 19)
The first of many COVID-19 cases is reported in Virginia. Governor Northam declares a state of emergency and extensive closures of schools and businesses begin. As we witness the number of cases exponentially increase each week, the dangers of the virus become evident. Face masks and social distancing become the norm, and residents are urged to stay at home as much as possible.
When times are tough, it's important to help and be open minded to those around you.
— Nick
While martial arts specialist Master Lorenzo Gibson (left) is focused on financial and health concerns, his son Nick worries about social implications as people forget how to interact with others who have different beliefs and values. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
Chapter 2: Time Loses Meaning (April 19-May 24)
Days blur into weeks. Weeks into months. By the end of April, the U.S. reports over 1 million COVID-19 cases. The U.S. economy shrinks by nearly 5 percent (the steepest drop since the Great Recession in 2008) and unemployment is at nearly 15 percent. While there's a general restlessness, people also try to make the most of this rare time when the entire world is paused.
Having had COVID-19, I'm living proof that the virus is brutal and can harm very healthy people.
— Anna
"I'm not sure my lungs will ever be the same," states Anna Laughlin (pictured here with her husband and three children). Laughlin contracted the virus earlier this year and says the experience has been "very isolating and terrifying." Photo by Tania del Carmen.
Chapter 3: Revolution In The Air (May 24-present)
After Memorial Day weekend, the country learns of the senseless killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Protests erupt, and the Black Lives Matter movement sweeps the nation as well as abroad. In Richmond, Confederate statues are defaced and, eventually, most of them are removed. The pandemic remains, but the larger issues of racial and social inequality take precedence.
Racial and social inequality has always existed, but not many people (including those in power) were willing to discuss it…
— Shayy
Shayy Winn (right) stands with her mother and sister. The aspiring singer, who has a neurological condition causing vision impairment, competed in American Idol last year. She says the pandemic has helped her appreciate life more. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
Yes, we argue, but we also laugh more now.
— Alicia
"The depth of the inequities in this country and the world are alarming," states Alicia Diaz (pictured here with her daughters). Originally from Puerto Rico, Diaz is a dance artist and educator who is the process of reimagining her livelihood. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
The pandemic has given us a certain amount of appreciation for routine and our home.
— Crixell
"Part of me hopes that we'll see some positive change… but I'm also fairly pessimistic when it comes to humans," states Crixell Matthews (pictured here with her fiancée, Morgan). Matthews, a photojournalist at VPM, has been documenting the RVA protests. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
This is an opportunity for us to search within ourselves and check for our own privileges.
Daniel Davis, who is pursuing a career in music production, recently produced a socially distanced collaboration – all proceeds are being donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Color of Change organizations. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
Black lives have mattered for centuries, and will continue to matter in the future.
— Liza
Liza Mickens (left), great-great granddaughter of Maggie L. Walker, is encouraged by the real, honest conversations that are happening around the inequalities of our health and financial systems, as well as police brutality. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
I do not think we will ever return to normal, but we are trying to live each day guided by hope and gratefulness.
Laura Pho's family is one of many who have chosen to self-isolate together. Laura (pictured above) is flanked by her two daughters, her mother (left) and mother-in-law (right). Not long after this photo was taken, Laura's mother, Lucy Le, died unexpectedly. As part of their Buddhist faith, the family is honoring her in a 49-day mourning ritual. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
The world has been at a standstill, with clear minds and hearts – the truth rises.
Carol Adams, an essential worker for 30 years, acknowledges the difficulty in communicating and educating the deadliness of the virus. "Surviving this new norm is going to require a lot of patience from everyone," states Adams. Photo by Tania del Carmen.
According to The New York Times, the U.S. has the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the world, now surpassing five million. As we make our way through the first wave of this pandemic, it's clear the world has shifted and will never be the same. While no one knows what chapter is coming next, one thing's for certain: there are stories that still need to be told.
To learn more about the photo project or to nominate someone to be featured, visit #OnHoldAtHome and follow the stories on Instagram at @OnHoldAtHome.
Top Photo: Angela Patton in a moment of quiet reflection outside her home. Patton is CEO of Girls For A Change, a non-profit youth development organization aimed at empowering Black girls and other girls of color. Photo by Tania del Carmen. All photos were taken with the necessary precautions and from a distance of 6+ feet.
Striving For Normalcy
Topics: coronavirus, covid 19, Fuzzy Cactus, live music, live shows in richmond, Richmond live music
RVA Mag wanted to find out how local venues are surviving during the ongoing pandemic. In the fourth of a multi-part series of articles, we hear from Fuzzy Cactus, where they are looking to food and drink sales to help them through quarantine.
The live music situation in Richmond is a microcosm of what's happening across the country as venues grapple with the challenges and risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each venue is unique, as is their struggle to find creative, sustainable ways to keep business alive during these difficult times. There is no reference guide for businesses to turn to for wisdom and guidance, and the independently owned concert clubs and live music bars in RVA have no choice but to take things day by day. Northside-based restaurant and venue Fuzzy Cactus is no different. Co-owner Drew Schlegel sat down with us to offer an inside look at the unique experience of what it's like to own and operate a music venue in Richmond right now.
Part of what makes Richmond such a lively and thriving live music town is the diverse array of clubs and venues in River City. Fuzzy Cactus is relatively new to the local scene, but over the past couple of years, it has quickly become a destination for musicians and fans alike. Its vintage diner vibe, no-frills bar, and classic "rock-club" style stage and dance floor are standout aspects of this spot on Brookland Park Blvd.
Photo via Fuzzy Cactus/Facebook
One of the more appealing aspects of attending a show at Fuzzy Cactus is the intimacy of the shows there, mostly created by its modest size. Unfortunately, in the age of COVID-19, intimacy is not as desirable as it once seemed — quite the contrary, in fact. Being one of the smaller music rooms in town, with a capacity of around 150 people, makes live shows practically impossible under the current state-imposed health regulations for social distancing. So music has stopped altogether at Fuzzy Cactus. Thankfully, they still have a killer kitchen and bar. So for now, they are playing it safe, staying away from being a venue for the time being, and focusing on food and drinks, to-go orders in-particular.
"Fortunately we have a kitchen that serves some really awesome food," said Schlegel. "We have a bar program that's doing some really awesome frozen cocktails, cocktails, and craft beer to go."
Plus, according to Schlegel, they have a bit of a geographical advantage. "In the neighborhood we are in, there's not much in the way of to-go food in the area."
Schlegel says that Fuzzy Cactus's plan right now is to keep things simple and safe. "The safer we can be now, hopefully the sooner we can get back to some kind of normalcy," he said.
Normalcy where the music world is concerned is of particular interest to Fuzzy Cactus, where nearly all of the staff are musicians. Many of those who work there play in local bands, and even occasionally perform on the Fuzzy Cactus stage on their nights off. "We are all musicians. We're not just bartenders, cooks and people booking a venue," Schlegel said. "We're all itching to get out there, play music, and be a part of the scene again."
Schlegel knows that the live music fans of Richmond are missing the dance floor too, perhaps just as strongly as the musicians. "I've heard people say how they miss seeing live music. They miss dancing," said Schlegel. "They have that same look in their eyes and tone in their voice when they talk about missing it as my friends who are musicians do. It's hitting more than just the artists — it's hitting the whole community."
As many have said about this strange and isolating time, we are all in this together. There are many different facets to the live music industry, from musicians and fans to promoters, booking agents, live sound mixers, lighting techs, stage crew, and more. All of these different aspects rely on each other to come together and bring the music to us. Without the opportunity to do so, we all struggle.
This is why, even though they aren't putting live music on their stage right now, it's a good idea to support Fuzzy Cactus and the other venues around town like them. For that matter, buy an album from your favorite band, or get some art from an artist whose work you enjoy. Buy a bag of coffee from the local roaster down the street. If we don't do it now, they may not be there once COVID passes and we all try to get things running again.
Before the end of our interview, Schlegel made sure to let us know the best ways the community can support Fuzzy Cactus right now. "We're focusing on our to-go food and drinks," he said. "That's really what's going to help us keep our lights on and the doors open… is people supporting us by buying products from us. We have some t-shirts and some merch available online, and I think we're gonna do some more over the next couple weeks. That's definitely the best way to support us right now. We could use all the support the city can offer."
To order online, buy a gift certificate, or check out available merch from Fuzzy Cactus, head to their website.
Top Photo via Fuzzy Cactus/Facebook
Op-Ed: Justice For Youth Is the Antidote
Gary Broderick | August 12, 2020
Topics: Bon Air Juvenile Correction Center, coronavirus, covid 19, juvenile justice system, RISE for Youth
"Backwards or Forward? COVID-19 challenges us to incorporate a public health lens when approaching justice for youth and public safety," writes Gary Broderick, Legislative Coordinator of RISE For Youth.
This past month, the Sentencing Project released a new report tracking the spread of COVID-19 through juvenile detention centers across the US. At a moment when a global pandemic serves as the backdrop for a national movement demanding we rethink policing policies, this report reminds us that public safety and public health policies are not mutually exclusive issues.
According to the report, there were 512 known coronavirus cases among youth and 618 cases among staff in youth detention centers nationwide as of May 29. Since then, those numbers have been steadily increasing. Solitary confinement has become a standard means for youth detention facilities to socially distance children. In some facilities, frustrated young people have erupted in fights and are met with SWAT teams.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the most vulnerable throughout society, it is especially true for young people who are confined in juvenile detention facilities. All jails, prisons, and detention facilities are hot spots for the coronavirus. These structures have become petri dishes that allow infectious diseases to thrive because people are compelled to live in close quarters, where they cannot practice social distancing and face compromised hygienic conditions. As some states make efforts to release adults from prison to ease overcrowding and control the spread of the coronavirus, youth advocacy organizations and parents have been joined by criminal justice stakeholders to push for the release of children, fighting against the misconception that COVID-19 does not affect the young.
Photo via Gary Broderick/Facebook
In Virginia, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) did the right thing when it released just more than 30 young people from the Bon-Air Juvenile Correctional Center — the only youth correctional center remaining in the state — as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. However, the DJJ did not release these young people on its own volition or through its own initiative, but rather thanks to the work of advocates like RISE for Youth, a nonpartisan campaign committed to dismantling the youth prison model by promoting the creation of community-based alternatives to youth incarceration.
On March 19 RISE For Youth sent a private letter to DJJ Director Valerie Boykin, urging a comprehensive policy response to keep youth at the Bon-Air Juvenile Correctional Center safe and healthy, with their human rights honored. The public version became the #JusticeForYouth #IsTheAntidote policy response that state legislators signed onto. Notably, our statement was signed by both Del. Patrick Hope and Sen. Barbara Favola — the Chairs of the House Committee on Public Safety and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, respectively. They were joined by Delegates Jeion Ward, Betsy Carr, Joshua Cole, Elizabeth Guzman, Jennifer Carroll Foy, and Sally Hudson, along with Sen. Ghazala Hashmi. RISE for Youth also successfully rallied the support of Commonwealth Attorneys across the state, who adopted their own open letter to the Secretary of Public Safety.
The DJJ was subsequently forced to acknowledge on April 2 that two staff members, and on April 6 that one youth, had tested positive for COVID-19. This confirmed what youth advocates feared: COVID-19 had made its way into our juvenile detention facilities. On April 10, at a Governor's press conference, Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran indicated that more than one youth tested positive, responding to a question from reporter Max Thornberry of the Northern Virginia Daily. One week later, DJJ announced 25 youth incarcerated at Bon-Air tested positive for the coronavirus, but only after RISE for Youth filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
By April 28th, 27 youth and 10 staff persons had tested positive for COVID-19, according to the DJJ website. Families are concerned the numbers of cases may actually be higher, given that DJJ has still not implemented universal testing. By the time the facility reached 29 COVID-19 cases, the Bon-Air facility became a hot spot, suffering one of the most significant outbreaks reported among youth facilities in the United States. Youth in Bon-Air were locked in bathroom-sized cells for 23 hours a day with little human contact, and merely an hour to call their family, shower, and engage in some form of exercise. Standardized packets of learning materials that may not reflect the learning needs of each youth have been distributed. This is due to the facility's school closing due to the pandemic, which reflects a shutdown of education programs common among detention facilities housing 44,000 youth nationwide
Virginia must meet the needs of children involved in the justice system, who disproportionately come from historically disenfranchised communities. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Youth involved with the justice system are members of these marginalized and vulnerable populations and are entitled to special consideration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic." In a recent policy statement, the organization said young people in the justice system disproportionately are youth of color, more likely survivors of adverse childhood experiences, and have unmet social, medical, and mental health needs. "Similar to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among historically disenfranchised communities, disparities within the juvenile justice system are rooted in inequities in the social and environmental determinants of health and the failure of public policies to adequately address them," the group added.
Moving ahead, it is clear a number of things must change in Virginia's juvenile justice system. First, the responsibility for juvenile justice must move from the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. It is clear that so long as it remains under the jurisdiction of the former, it becomes impossible to make the categorical distinction between kids and adults. We have a responsibility to treat crimes committed by children as the result of the failures of adults — our policy and resource allocation failures. This is more appropriately understood as a public health concern than a criminal justice matter. This shift was recently made in California; their surgeon general, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, said, according to the LA Times, that "the new model would allow health officials to move toward one focused on addressing early childhood trauma and preventing children from falling into incarceration in the first place." (Click here for reference on how each state addresses youth justice.)
Second, the support provided to youth with the greatest treatment needs must transform away from large, remotely located, and sterile facilities to a truly community-centric treatment model. Healthy Communities Secure Care (HCSC) legislation limits the size — 30 beds or less — and placement of facilities to within the community of origin of the largest number of youth served. This past General Assembly session, Del. Jeion Ward and Sen. Mamie Locke, who both represent the Hampton Roads region, patroned the HCSC legislation (HB551 / SB1033). Hampton Roads is the region in Virginia that sends the greatest number of youth to prison. Del. Ward called the fight for the legislation her Queen Esther moment; the biblical reference points to her willingness to take a stand and risk all to do what is right for Virginia's children. Research and testimony from community advocates demonstrate that these measures are not only right, they are essential to help children heal, learn and grow. If Bon Air had been a smaller facility with better communication and less bureaucracy, the potential for the virus to spread would have been much less.
This demand for juvenile justice transformation is a part of a comprehensive policy agenda RISE for Youth has adopted for the 2021 General Assembly session. We are advocating for police out of schools, and broader democratic oversight of the police. We are advocating to end all fines and fees associated with youth incarceration that are little more than attacks on the poor. We will also continue to advocate for Black children to be treated as children. That means expanding the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system for youth to age 21 (in alignment with brain science, which documents that youth brains do not fully develop until age 25). This would also impact the scope of the state's ability to charge youth as adults.
In Virginia, RISE for Youth led the charge to preserve the safety of incarcerated youth amidst the pandemic. The release of young people from Bon Air was a victory for advocacy groups, youth in the juvenile justice system, and their parents. In the midst of a pandemic, society must ensure that its most vulnerable are protected, and their human rights respected. The actions of RISE for Youth and other state and national juvenile justice advocates — who acted collectively to force the releases and increased transparency from our juvenile detention facilities — are a testament to the role of community-based advocacy in holding the state accountable to communities. We deserve a responsive, democratic government that acts swiftly and decisively to solve the problems facing our communities.
Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect editorial policy.
Top Photo by Alex Matske, via Facebook
Nothing Left To Do But Smile
Topics: Cary Street Cafe, coronavirus, covid 19, live music, Richmond live music, Robyn Chandler
RVA Mag wanted to find out how local venues are surviving during the ongoing pandemic. In the third of a multi-part series of articles, we hear from Cary Street Cafe, where owner Robyn Chandler tries to stay positive even as they remain closed for going on five months.
Cary Street Cafe is one of the city's oldest continuous venues, having been a Richmond institution of live music since it was established in 1986. It has been owned by Robyn Chandler since 1995 and has been the central hub in RVA for local jam bands, Grateful Dead tributes, and an eclectic mix of other genres ever since.
Prior to the pandemic, Cary Street Cafe hosted live music seven days a week, and has a reputation around town for its Tuesday night open mic, which is often packed wall to wall and almost always runs into the wee hours of the morning. Cary Street has been a home away from home for many musicians, offering monthly residencies to some of Richmond's hardest working bands. It is a small, intimate room that is one quarter stage, one quarter outdoor patio and two quarters bar. Any night of the week before the quarantine, you could rest assured, it was going down at Cary Street Cafe. Now, though, it sits as an empty husk of what it was just five months ago. The bar, kitchen, and stage have all been closed since mid-March.
When asked how they are surviving this pandemic, Chandler responded with levity. "I would say we're not surviving; we closed down on March 15th, and haven't opened back up." She explained that some specific aspects of the space have left them unable to continue business in the way other venues and bars in Richmond have.
"Our size is so small and intimate — and then you add a band in the mix. It would be extremely difficult to make that happen," she said. "Not to mention, it would be asking a lot of the employees to risk their health and open back up."
Photo via Cary St Cafe/Facebook
Chandler is supportive of other venues in the city that have found ways to keep going by serving food and drinks, but she is skeptical of placing profit over the health and safety of the community. "I know some of the bigger places are doing live music, and I'm happy they are able to, but I can't say I agree with anyone being inside right now for any reason," she said. "I'm one of those people taking this very seriously. I also have an auto-immune disease, so I'm very susceptible to getting sick."
Chandler operates a food truck on the side. She said she'd brought it out to Main Line Brewing recently, and that it almost felt normal, with live music in a big outdoor space, similar to the way Brambly Park is functioning. But the pandemic has even affected her food truck business. "Usually this time of year," she said, "I'd be travelling all over the United States with the food truck to festivals."
For Chandler, the unfortunate side of the pandemic goes way beyond business. As a music fan, the loss of live music has affected her deeply. "It's something I've never experienced in my adult life," she said. "Almost no day went by in the last 25 years that I didn't get to hear live music."
This withdrawal of live music from her life has had a noticeable impact on her mental health. "I've been having bouts of gloom and doom and a little bit of depression," she said. "I don't know that it's so much this pandemic as it is the disruption of not having live music to lift me up." It's a sentiment that all avid live music fans can relate to.
Chandler sees the same thing happening to other people in her life as well. "Not just the musicians, but the sound techs," she said. "Like Jeremy, who does the booking at Cary St – and thankfully he's got his studio and other things going on. It's so widespread. Richmond is known for live music and for bars and restaurants, and those are the people that are getting hit the hardest."
No one was prepared for the pandemic, but things have been especially difficult for Chandler, who was planing to sell Cary Street before COVID-19 hit. "It's been 25 years, and I'm ready to not work so hard. My plan was and is to sell Cary Street and just do the food truck," she said. "I had a buyer for it, and the week of when the pandemic started, they backed out. And I can't say that I blame them. Here we are four and half months later and not even knowing when we could re-open. Going into this business is risky as it is, much less in these times of uncertainty."
The staff and crew at Cary Street Cafe is a close-knit group that cares for each other immensely. "What I'm most proud of with musicians is how they've thought outside the box," she said. "Giving virtual music lessons, and all the different ways they've been trying to make money and keeping positive. Everybody's been really supportive of each other."
Chandler sees this as going beyond Cary Street Cafe to the RVA music scene as a whole. "We're all in this together, and we're just one big giant family in Richmond," she said. "That doesn't just mean the jam band scene — it's all of us. It's the punk rockers, and the bands that play heavy metal. I think everyone has been really supportive."
Somehow, in spite of her business having been hit as hard as any business out there, Chandler manages to keep a positive attitude. Not once did she express animosity or resentment towards those businesses that have been able to keep their doors open. She had no air of bitterness as we spoke about her misfortune and the difficulties Cary Street Cafe is currently facing.
"I've always been optimistic and a positive person," she said. "I've been through some crazy things in my life, and I always get through them, and always get on the other side. That's how I'm tackling this — that it's not gonna last forever."
But Chandler understands the gravity of the situation and the impact of this virus on independently owned small businesses, and she candidly acknowledged the difficulties yet to come. "It's been almost five months now, and with every month that goes by, it's gonna make it a little harder to open back up," she said. "That's kind of a scary thing for me, but it is what it is, and you can only do so much. Nobody has control over this."
Coronavirus has made 2020 an awful year for many businesses, and the music industry is among those suffering most. For an industry that exists by bringing people together in large numbers, live music is sure to be one of the very last sections of the economy to recover. The state of the live music scene in Richmond is likely a microcosm of the current American condition. It is a bleak and terrifying reality, one that may change the landscape of the music industry permanently, and with dire consequences.
Thinking of the difficulties ahead, Chandler couldn't help but express some frustrations. "I do wish that our government… they could have done so much more to help the music industry," she said. "In my opinion they have done almost nothing. There is the PUA for gig workers, but what about small music venues? No matter whether you're open or you're closed, those bills keep coming, and there's no money to pay."
Top Photo via Cary St Cafe/Facebook
The Faces of St. Mary's Hospital
Zoe Hall | July 31, 2020
Topics: art, chris johnson photography richmond va, chris johnson richmond, community, coronavirus richmond va, covid 19, covid richmond va, james river richmond va, photographers richmond va, photography, st marys hospital richmond va
A day in the life of an ER physician: unlike most of us, photographer Chris Johnson knows what goes on behind the scenes in the emergency room. Lately, it's been a bit… quiet.
Between the emergency room and his kids, ages 6 and 9, Chris Johnson doesn't have a lot of free time. That's what makes photography the perfect side hustle. As an Emergency Medicine Physician at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, his shifts can last from 7am to 3pm, from 11pm to 7am, and even from 7am to 7pm. Usually, his spur-of-the-moment photography takes place outside of these hours, but when the pandemic hit, the hospital revealed itself to be a welcome, empty landscape.
PHOTO: Chris Johnson Photography
"When all this started in March, we had a pretty big decline in overall patient volume that would come through the ER," Johnson said. "I think a lot of that was because people were scared to come to the ER; they didn't want to be around sick people. It was very interesting to walk around the hospital. It was just empty, and that's not how it normally is."
Johnson, who studied theater lighting design during his undergrad years, saw potential in the hospital's gadgets.
"All of our rooms have an overhead light that you can move around, and it makes for some dramatic lighting," he said. "I feel really silly about it, because I don't think I'm a very vain person."
Johnson is a nice guy. He has a round, gentle voice. He is humble — excessively so — and genuine. He believes in what is right, and is annoyed when people don't do the right thing. His portraits have an ominous, almost medieval darkness that paints mask-wearers in a new light. They are to be taken seriously.
"It's not a political issue. It's a safety issue," he said. "And it's a safety issue for other people… you're not doing it for yourself, you're doing it for other people. So the fact that people don't want to do that is very confusing to me."
St. Mary's is fully stocked with masks, but Johnson still hears about hospitals in the country that are facing shortages. "It's July," he said. "We've known about this since January, and it seems like someone — I don't know who that someone is, whether that's the federal government, state government, whoever — someone should have prioritized, 'What are we going to do to make as many masks as possible?'"
He continued, "The fact that we are, A: short on testing, and B: [testing] is not even standardized… it makes it hard to contain this thing when you can't even accurately detect it. But now in [Virginia], we're in Phase Three, and as people have become more comfortable, they're starting to go back out. People have started to come to the ER more now."
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Johnson and his colleagues have worked around the clock to stay on top of the most relevant data surrounding treatment, diagnosis, and protocols for how to adequately care for patients (and each other). Their meetings happen virtually now, which has also been an adjustment.
"I think initially there was a lot of anxiety, at least amongst the people that I work with, because people didn't know what to expect. There's so much unknown, because it's not something that anyone's ever dealt with before," Johnson said. "Now we know more, and we are lucky to work in a health system that has adequate supplies and backs us up. Everyone works together as a team. The anxiety level is still there, but it's less than it was when all this started up."
The hospital staff featured in Johnson's photos, smiling beneath their masks and protective equipment, don't seem too frazzled. What's more surprising is the sheer number of them.
"If you've ever spent any time in a hospital or an emergency department, you would realize that a lot of people have to be there to make everything work," Johnson said. "A lot of those people were not necessarily being recognized, so that's what prompted me to post the pictures originally."
Johnson couldn't photograph patients, of course, but he could photograph the people we rarely get to see: nurses and behind-the-scenes workers. He wants these people to be seen.
"I learned photography first, and having actually studied light was very helpful," Johnson said. "Even though I didn't study it in the context of photography, light is light. Lighting a scene is very important; in terms of the mood conveyed, or the overall feeling of the photo. You can't necessarily alter that in nature, but you can use it to your advantage."
The photos were spontaneous, prompted only by a quick "Can I take your picture?" The staff happily obliged, likely because Johnson, recently-elected president of his medicine group, knows most of them by name.
"In the ER, geographically, we are in the same space," Johnson said. "We get to know each other really well. Certainly, we know the nurses we work with, the secretaries, the people who do environmental services, the people who register the patients — you're around them all the time."
In addition to his COVID-19 series, Johnson frequents the Lee Monument, Black Lives Matter protests, and the James River at every time of day, from sunrise to sunset. Now that it's summer, he goes all the time. Johnson isn't a morning guy, he says, but some scenes are worth it.
"Right now, sunrise is about 6 in the morning," Johnson said. "If you're going to get up to watch the colors — which is typically about a half hour before the sun comes up — you've got to be up at 4:45 or 5 in the morning. Once you get there, there's usually no one out, especially on the river. I spend a lot of time on the river; it's very relaxing, it's very peaceful. I joked that that's my quiet time, my time that no one's going to bother me. It's worth getting up early to do that."
Johnson continued, "We're so lucky to have the James River here. There's people who don't know that there are so many points you can access the river from, and the extensive trail system. I'm just showing people, 'Look at this amazing resource we have! Don't take it for granted.'"
Between the hustle and bustle of the ER, Johnson makes a point to find time for photography — and it's not just for himself. He's compelled to document everything from the James River to Richmond's Black Lives Matter protests to ensure all have a chance to see them.
"There's a lot of things happening that other people, for whatever reason, can't witness themselves or can't be part of," Johnson said. "I think that's part of it… to actually see what's happening is very important, and pictures can be a powerful medium for that."
Find more of Johnson's photography during COVID-19 below, and galleries from Richmond and the James River at his website.
PHOTO: A small chapel inside St. Mary's Bon Secours hospital.
Top Photo by Chris Johnson Photography


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Milky Way: 95 Posts
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11/17/14 West Spanish Peak at Night
10/26/14 Stars Circling the South Celestial Pole
10/25/14 Magellanic Clouds, Milky Way and Zodiacal Light
09/24/14 Shadow of the Cross
09/05/14 Panorama of Laguna Verde, Chile
08/24/14 Milky Way as Observed from Milos Island, Greece
08/14/14 Andromeda Galaxy from the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, Portugal
08/01/14 Bioluminescence and Galactic Glow
07/06/14 The Reddest Stars
04/12/14 Zodiacal Light, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way
04/11/14 Lake Irene's Milky Way Mirror
02/26/14 Stars Like Grains of Sand
12/28/13 Zodiacal Light and Milky Way from the Southern Hemisphere
11/21/13 The Majesty of the Milky Way
10/03/13 Why is the Night Sky Dark?
05/28/13 Milky Way Mosaic
05/16/13 Earth's Rotation and Polaris
04/20/13 Night Sky Observed from Paros Island, Greece
10/21/12 Barred Spiral Andromeda Galaxy
10/09/12 Serpent and Stars
08/10/12 Airglow Over Germany
05/28/12 Whirlpool Galaxy
05/15/12 Mega-mosaic of Coma-Virgo Galaxy Cluster
02/20/12 Galactic Storm
01/27/12 Milky Way Viewed from Reunion Island
12/03/11 Milky Way Rising from the Sea
10/02/11 Andromeda Galaxy
09/12/11 Cocoon Nebula in Cygnus
07/30/11 Milky Way Rising Over Monument Valley
06/19/11 Supernova in M51
05/07/11 Milky Way from Northern Ireland
03/24/11 Crux and the Milky Way from Easter Island
12/20/10 Lunar Eclipse Montage
09/20/10 Milky Way on a Mid Summer's Night
09/04/10 M31, The Brilliant Andromeda Galaxy
07/30/10 The Milky Way in Sagittarius
05/26/10 Skyglow Sources
04/18/10 Iris Nebula
10/14/09 Pelican Nebula
07/22/09 Milky Way from Las Campanas, Chile
04/10/09 Fisheye View of the Milky Way
02/18/09 The Milky Way, Jupiter and the Throne of Zeus
07/06/08 The Milky Way, Venus and Orion
12/07/07 Summer Milky Way From Pointe de Trévignon, France
10/05/07 Emission Nebula in Cygnus
Ice, Snow & Frost

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Desire of the Everlasting Hills
Three intimate and candid portraits of Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality: Dan, a gregarious artist who spent his life hiding a deep sense of isolation from those who loved him; Rilene, a successful businesswoman who realized that twenty-five years with her partner did not provide the fulfillment she had hoped for; and Paul, an international model who, after a life of self-indulgence, found grace in the last place he expected.
The Third Way
This documentary film presents the truth of the Catholic Church's teachings on homosexuality with love. Features first-hand testimony from several faithful Catholics who struggle with homosexual attraction. Most of them were heavily involved in the gay scene before committing to chastity. Their experiences shed new light and reveal how Catholics can help those experiencing same-sex attraction. Their stories ultimately affirm the great joy and freedom found in the Church's teaching, a "third way" centered on authentic love.


Captain-cool, Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be leading the Chennai Super Kings throughout this league. CSK has always been a team to look out for in the IPL. Their approach towards the game is totally different from that of other teams. Even though they were banned for 2 years, they managed to win the title and give their fans a performance to remember.
MS Dhoni has been the most dynamic mind when it comes to the game. Faf Duplessis and Shane Watson will be opening the innings for Chennai, while in the middle overs they have DJ Bravo along with the skipper himself to finish the matches. Their batting lineup looks hard to crack. The Super Kings have never disappointed when it comes to bowling. Hopefully their fans will be able to see a similar performance this IPL too.
The rising star Shreyas Iyer will be leading the Delhi Capitals this year. Hopefully, changing their name from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals might bring about change in fortune for Iyer. Statistics show that they have won only 5 out of 14 matches this season. With a weak batting lineup last season, many of their key players like Colin Munro and Rishab Pant didn't deliver when their team needed them the most. Now that Shikhar Dhawan is back, their game may change.
A fresh start to the IPL season, the Chennai Super Kings have defeated Delhi Capitals by 13 runs in their home grounds and lost to the Delhi Capitals at Feroshah Kotla. According to the statistics, Chennai Super Kings have a win record of about 11 to 7 against the Delhi Capitals. Their match is going to take place at Feroshah kotla, which is a purely chasing pitch. The Chennai Super Kings have Dhoni and Bravo in their den, two of whom are known for finishing matches seamlessly in their respective countries.
Overall, Chennai Super Kings will have chances to win over the Delhi Capitals due to their promising lineup and strong statistics.


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Hill Talk: They Like Ike For New Memorial
By Alison McSherry
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission unveiled architect Frank Gehry's design for the memorial last week.
The memorial, which will sit between Fourth and Sixth streets Southwest, south of Independence Avenue, not far from the National Museum of the American Indian, will consist of a grove of trees and stainless steel tapestries showing scenes from the 34th president's life.
"Like many people who were around at that time, we weren't aware of the great contribution to our country that this man made," Gehry said at the unveiling. It "made me tearful to realize that this great man was not recognized for his great achievement."
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) were on hand to thank Gehry for his design. Eisenhower lived much of his life in Kansas.
"This brings us one step closer to recognizing our native son," Roberts said.
The memorial is slated to open May 25, 2015. This time frame allows two years to finish up the design, six months to gather construction bids and two and a half years for construction. The Eisenhower Memorial then will be turned over to the National Park Service upon its completion.


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Home and Away is a book of eight sweaters and a hat. But like all of Hannah Fettig's patterns they are much more than that. Her patterns are straight forward to knit, even possible as a first sweater, and the type of patterns a knitter can see living their life in. Her patterns aren't the spur of the moment, 'what's in fashion this second' designs, but the kind that won't go out of fashion ever. The sweaters are ones that a knitter will pull from their closet again and again and reknit several times in different yarns. Home and Away is Hannah's first big self-published book and it is exactly what I expected. The thought in the planning, the execution, the photography, the extras included, even the paper is beyond the expectation of a regular knitting book.
Each sweater pattern is written as both a top down raglan and a bottom up, in pieces to seam pattern, letting the knitter choose. She even provides discussion about the benefits and downfalls of each style. I have never seen this in knitting patterns before and I applaud it wildly. There are points in the book where she clearly welcomes new knitters, the ones knitting or contemplating their first sweater, sections on gauge, choosing assize and how to read a pattern, just enough to give a new knitter confidence but not enough to make it feel like a 'new knitter' book to more experienced knitters.
All of the patterns are knit from Quince and Company yarn and she includes an interview with founder and guiding light Pam Allen. The photographs are bright, large and beautiful; if you don't already want to visit or live in Maine they will sway you in that direction. Everything in the book is large enough to see, the patterns aren't cramped, the detail of the sweaters are visible, there is actual white space in the page design; it is simultaneously restful and inspiring just to page through.
Each copy of the book comes with a code for an electronic version for knitters who would rather carry their patterns in a tablet than a book.
This book is masterful, giving quality patterns, thought through for many different knitters wrapped in a beautiful package showing the heart and excellence of modern independent publishing.
Sequence knitting is a new approach to creating knitted fabrics by knitting the same sequence of knit and purl stitches again and again. It gives you the freedom to create complex fabrics without having to follow charts or detailed instructions. Without these distractions, you can gain a deeper understanding of the use of colour and texture in knitting. This is illustrated by the many beautiful and inspiring swatches and projects such as scarves, hats and shawls. The book is a very-large-format hardcover with high-quality paper...an investment book, to be sure.
Campochiaro starts with explaining the concept of sequence knitting, something many knitters may wittingly or unwittingly be familiar with: a well-known example is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's One Row Hand-spun Scarf, but also mainstay patterns such as ribbing and moss stitch fall under this category. There are different ways of creating 1-row patterns, and they can be categorised in different types of fabric, and all are explained in clear language and illustrated with swatches. Sequence knitted fabrics are reversible, and some work beautifully with more than one colour, and the knitting projects in this book use these qualities to great advantage. The last chapter expands on how you can explore fiber and color together to develop new fabrics.
It's surprising this hasn't been written about before, as the premise of sequence knitting is inherently simple. This stimulating book had my mind racing about the possibilities, and, encouraged by the author, I have started to think about other stitches that build on the simple concepts presented in this book. I hope you feel inspired, too!
Simply Modern Lace is a greatest hits collection of lace knitting patterns from Interweave books and Knits magazine. The selection is first-rate, patterns I forgot that I wanted to knit and patterns I had bypassed the first time around.
The patterns are well selected, sweaters, shawls, hats and socks. They are wide ranging in the amount of lace from the just a little lace in the garter stitch Greenfield cardigan by Melissa LaBarre to the gossamer Rosebud shawl by Margaret Stove.
Included are reprints of lace articles on reading charts, shaping in lace and casting on and binding off in lace. This book is a solid collection for a lace-loving knitter.
In her first book , Florida resident Corrina Ferguson has created a great collection of patterns for warmer climates and those of us whose bodies just run a little warmer. Unlike most warm weather knitting books, this book is not just a collection of tanks and shawls. She wisely acknowledges that there are still seasons in warmer climates (I consider over-air conditioning a season) and different people have different tolerances for heat and cool.
The patterns are divided by season with Winter having cardigans and longer-sleeved sweaters, hat and socks and Summer having tanks, tees and lacy shawls. She doesn't shy away from wool for warmer weather, but she uses blends. Most of the patterns are knit from a wool blend yarn with silk being the favorite partner in wool. The designs just look cooler, not just by using less fabric, but by using drape and open stitches. The designs are modern and feminine, with lots of lace and shaping in bold colors. Standouts for me by season are Winter: Lochlan hoodie; Spring: Coralue tee; Summer: Junius shawl; Fall: Bayard pullover.
I hope Corrina keeps bringing more warm weather (and warmer body) designs!
Sock knitters often seem to get into conversations about which way to construct socks -- or which sorts of needles to use -- is "better". According to Lara Neel (and with apologies to Yoda), There is no bad -- there is only sock.
In this book, Neel covers a great deal of sock know-how. In her chapter on shaping, she addresses the variations that come from choosing to knit top-down versus toe-up, but then she goes one step farther than the other sock books I own: she talks about which choices to make depending on what foot you're trying to fit. She offers suggestions for blunt, normal and tapered toes; narrow feet and wide; high arches and low, even down to changes that could be made to accommodate a heel spur like her sister has. Her recommendation to do a "wet foot test" is shockingly simple and very, very helpful.
While this book could be used by a new sock knitter (Neel's Training Wheel Toe instructions are included to get a newish sock-maker started on toe-up socks), there is so much meat here that it will definitely be of interest to advanced sockateers and sock designers. I mean, how can a sock nerd's heart not beat faster at seeing chapter headings like "How flaps and turns affect gussets"?
There are 17 full sock patterns offered here and oodles of variants. All the patterns are (as Knitty's tech editor Kate Atherley calls it) "needle agnostic", meaning that they are not written with specific needle instructions and so may be easily worked by anyone using double-points, two circulars, magic loop or one small circular. In a few places I've found names for things that I've been doing for a decade but didn't know they were called anything in particular (the wide wedge toe, for example). There are even a couple of options offered in place of grafting to finish top-down socks, for those grafting-phobic folks.
My review copy was a digital version which had great internal indexing, and out-links to sources and references (of course, you have to be connected to the internet for those to work). I loved the photo index with clear pictures of each sock in the pattern section. In fact, the photography as a whole was spectacularly clear.
My favourite patterns were Checked & Square (in both top-down and toe-up options), the gorgeous patterning of Uncommon Dragon, and one called Procrastinatrix that seems made just for me -- an otherwise uncomplicated sock with a super clever afterthought heel (that it is also offered in top-down and toe-up versions makes my little woolly heart happy).
In Neel's opening chapter "Inspiration from the Museum", she discusses some of her research and sources along with her musings on even more design questions she has yet to pursue. It's hard to believe there is more to know about socks that isn't already here.
Part design collection, part art history lesson, From Folly Cove is a delightful gathering of patterns and stories based on the work of The Folly Cove Designers, a group of women textile artists from the 1930s.
Each design in the collection is a tribute to a particular artist and influenced by a particular work. If you are unfamiliar with the work of the Folly Cover Designers, here's a place to take a peek. I wish some of the art had been reproduced in the book so everyone could see how cleverly Julia interpreted two-dimensional art into three-dimensional garments.
Julia's garments are classically feminine without being frothy. I love that of the 11 designs, 7 are sweaters, skirts or vests. I hope this starts a trend to bring back sweaters to publications. Julia's designs are deeply thought out as far as fit and shaping. She designs for knitters that like a little extra thinking with their patterns. The Burton Hills Jacket, with short rows mimicking hills, is my favorite of the collection; it's a really cool update of a barn coat. I can't quit looking at it and reading the pattern and every knitter knows what that means.
I'm a geek. So is the woman who wrote this book. In Geek Knits she taps into one of the key aspects of fandom: wanting to surround yourself with things based on the worlds you read about or see on tv or film. And each design has been shot on or near a famous geek person. Such as the lovely uberGeek on our cover, Neil Gaiman; Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin and many more.
This book covers the three basic species of geek: the ubiquitous SciFi geek, the Fantasy geek and the Everyday geek. The patterns cover the range from frivolous and amusing toys to really lovely garments. In the SciFi section, I love the Bad Robot fingerless gloves (that are intentionally reminscent of a big British tin can intent on Extermination) and the Star-Trek inspired Red-shirt sweater. For your cat.	There's	also	a pair of socks striped to match the 4th Doctor's iconic scarf.
In the Fantasy section, we find my favorite pattern in the book: a stunning Fair-Isle sweater worn by Mythbusters' Adam Savge, called the Muggle Artifact Sweater (supposing that Mrs Weasley would have knitted this for her Muggle-artifact-loving husband). There's also a wee Direwolf sitting on Mr. Martin's beefy shoulder.
In the Everyday section, we have the tributes to Sherlock Holmes, like the excerpt we're featuring on our cover, the Baker Street Scarf, as well as a great Deerstalker hat.
There are lots more patterns for any geek to love contained in this book. It's a (phaser) blast to read and beautifully photographed. May the author Knit Long and Prosper!
I was SO excited to get to review this title. As I recall, I gushed more than a little about the first volume and the excellent, juicy photography of Jesse Wild.
Coopey's great eye for scale, colour and pattern are back in a collection of twelve fresh sock designs made mighty enticing again by Jesse Wild. The first pattern made me laugh out loud. Called "Dave", the introduction read "Everybody knows a Dave, and everyone needs some plain Dave socks." Hopefully there are more Kids in the Hall fans than just me, who immediately thought of the song "These are the Daves I Know". Even the Dave sock offers instructions for two kinds of heels.
The other socks in the collection present a smorgasbord of patterning including travelling stitches, cables, lace, and colourwork. Any "second sock syndrome" sufferers will be well-pleased as most of the patterned socks are offered as mirror images or fraternal versions of each other.
The colourwork pair, called Otis, make good use of a set of gradient mini-skeins as the contrast colours on the cuff, while the foot is worked all in the main colour. There's a touch of clever here too: the socks are identical, except that the beginning of round is shifted from one sock to the other so that any jogs that might be visible from colour changes are on the inside of each ankle, and less noticeable.
All the socks are worked top-down, and instructions are given that are "needle agnostic", meaning that you may use dpns, two circulars or magic loop as you prefer. Sizes are offered as small-medium-large for every pattern (several are shown on both male and female feet) with information given to lengthen both foot and calf to fit.
While Otis and the gradients (definitely going to be the name of my Earth, Wind & Fire cover band) are high on my list to make, the first place probably goes to the cheery Sidney for their happily related-but-not-identical mis-matched cables.
With a subtitle of "The never-ending quest for warm feet continues", I kinda selfishly hope Coopey continues to suffer the chill for some time to come.
For the curious knitter, this wonderfully detailed and generously illustrated guide to increases and decreases is a dream come true, and the answer to many technical questions and puzzlements.
Judith not only demonstrates a huge variety of increases and decreases, but she also very clearly articulates the differences between, and pros and cons of, the various techniques.
It's written in a very approachable manner, and will encourage knitters of all levels to expand their toolkits. Judith helps knitters make the an informed choice next time you see a simple "increase" or "decrease" instruction the next time you're working a pattern, and designers will welcome the resource, too. I was particularly impressed with the fantastically detailed section on multiple decreases -- directional and not, visible and invisible. Although you can find many of the other techniques in other reference books, this topic is rarely covered in books, and certainly not to this level.
One could quibble that the book isn't complete, in that there are always a huge variety of versions and twists on techniques -- one could argue that there's two version of the backwards loop make 1, for example! -- but it goes deep and broad, and is varied and authoritative. A must-have for any technique-oriented knitter.
As soon as I received the book, I took a quick look through it and really liked the bright, clear pictures of all the projects. There is something for everyone and many gift ideas I can make myself. The instructions are easy to follow and I like that the level of difficulty is noted.
T he different methods of finger knitting are shown and easy to follow. Once you learn the methods, the possibilities are endless.
The Tips are useful and provide inspiration for personalizing the project. I made something for our cat, Tiffy, from one of the patterns. Overall, I think this is a good book for beginners, with a few projects to inspire someone more experienced and tired of doing the same things.
Woolly does it again! A fantastic collection of hats, beautifully photographed and very well-presented in a self-published book. Woolly has a particular genius for designing interesting and flattering hats for all shapes and sizes of heads, and all tastes and situations. They're clever but not fussy to knit, and entirely wearable.
This collection focuses on painted yarns: those hand-dyed and variegated skeins that look so very tempting in the yarn store, but can be oh-so-challenging to use well. Each hat comes in a range of sizes for kids to adults, and the book covers a broad range of yarn weights. No matter whether you're a collector of variegated sock yarns or have acquired a healthy stash of leftovers from heavier-weight garment projects, the book has something for you. The patterns are entirely approachable for knitters of all skill levels. Woolly provides good tutorials for specialized techniques that she uses. I also appreciated her sizing guide.
As always, the photography is tremendous.
The latest in the whimsical series of Knit Your Own by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne welcomes the biggest variety of knitters and pet owners possible. Eschewing single-species pet owners and single level knitters, the adorable pets in this volume include a goldfish, guinea pig, mouse, rabbit (paging Amy Singer!) canary, parrot, pony, bearded dragon, corn snake and a simple dog and cat. Encouraging new knitters that need their own tiny pets, the book includes a section on how to knit and many of the patterns are simple enough for beginning and just-past-beginning knitters.
This book would be perfect for summer knitting with any kids a knitter might have in their life who want to learn to knit. The patterns are quick, simple and -- above all -- cute.
Given the popularity of websites like Stuff On My Cat, and the ubiquity of photos of four-legged family members sporting knitwear on Ravelry, it's not surprising that there's demand for a book like this -- a whole book of hats, scarves, sweaters, costumes and accessories for dogs.
Sizing is not offered for sweaters; rather, the knitter is guided to take some measurements and work those into the pattern provided to make a custom-fit garment for their pet.
A word of warning, though: no gauge is given for any patterns that I could find, and no particular yarns are recommended (except for two instances where a specific sort of texture is desired and a specific yarn is named). Yarn weights are given as "double knit", "aran" or "chunky" with a recommended needle size. While your pet will be pretty forgiving about the fit of their garments, the knitter may have a bout of trial and error before getting desired results. The absence of any stated gauge makes me very suspicious of instructions like "Multiply the chest measurement by 5 to gauge the number of stitches needed." Go forth and make cute things, by all means, as they take a smallish amount of both yarn and time, though the first time through they may come out sized for someone else's dog.
The back cover of this book demands "COULD YOUR BABY BE ANY CUTER?" and based on the photos here, the answer is "Only in these hats!"
This collection came about because Nancy Nielsen, the titular Gramma Nancy, entered her "Gramminals" in the 2012 Vanna's Choice contest run by Lion Brand Yarn Company, and won the Grand Prize. All the patterns are worked in Vanna's Choice yarn, a widely available worsted weight and washable acrylic with a great range of colours.
There are so many animals here -- from barnyard to safari -- that nearly any animal request could be met. I'm particularly taken with how wonderful all the birds are, especially the owl! There are 19 different animal hat patterns, plus instructions for great basic rolled brim and earflap hats. Most of the patterns are accompanied by instructions to knit coordinating "Handsies" (for newborns) or Booties (for older babies). Trust me, little flipper booties for your wee fish, or monkey toes for your tiny primate are completely adorable.
"Each hat pattern is offered in four sizes, stepping up every so gradually, so there is a hat size that will fit your little one from the happy day they are born until the sad day they tell you (in no uncertain terms) that they are way too old for Gramminals."
Lotion Bars -- New Scents!
The makers of these nifty solid shea butter bars have a couple of new scents on offer AND a new type of packaging.
Lynne's Citronella bar contains actual citronella essential oil, and has the advantage of keeping bugs away while smelling pleasantly citrussy. An evening's testing around the backyard fire pit was a success -- she had no bug bites to report while her companions were not so fortunate.
Lemongrass was Amy's choice. As someone with a sensitive nose, she found the gentler scent really pleasant.
The ability to pack this solid moisturiser in a carry-on luggage means it's going straight into Lynne's bag of travel necessities.
I spotted this booth from across the knitting trade show (TNNA) floor a few weeks ago and made a beeline. Shiny packages with little things inside. It was enticing. And then I looked closer.
Whether you're a stitcher or not, this kind of thing can't help appeal to the fiber lover in all knittters. For this	revirew,	i	tested the teardrop-shaped bamboo necklace. The kit comes with the pre-drilled bamboo pendant, antquied bronze colored chain, two colors of embroidery floss, instructions and two needles in their own bandaid-like packages.
The instructions were helpful, but I wasn't totally clear on how many strands of the floss to use until I visited Red Gate's website (just 1 strand, but you thread the needle in a particular way, which they clearly show). After that, it was a quick hour of stitching and I had the pendant below.
Although the colors of floss included were pretty, i had a hankering to try my own combination. I just matched the length of thread in the kit as i cut new floss and it was an easy swap. Hiding the loose bits of floss in the back is easy at the beginning, since the kit shows you how to make a seamless, secure start. The ends are a little harder, but if you make a mess of it, you can easily apply a piece of felt or fabric to the back with some tacky glue and make an even more polished piece. The front looks immaculate either way.
This was an hour's project with instant gratification and I absolutely adore the results. It looks great on my neck and has me wanting to make more in different colors.
There are other products in the line including earrings, and a variety of pendants in different shapes -- some with silver or black frames around the outside.
Clever product, well executed and super fun to finish yourself!
I'll get the disclosures right out of the way: I know Kate in real life -- she's my tech editor (and man, a darned great one), I read and provide feedback on her books and other products including this class, and I'm proud to call her a good friend in real life. That said, all the folks at Knitty could say the same things about Kate, and someone had to write this review. :) I'm pretty sure I'm qualified to evaluate newer-knitter information -- after nearly a decade working in yarn shops, I've seen all the troubles a new knitter can run into at least twice.
A typical learning curve goes something like this: learn to make the knit stitch; make a garter dishcloth, scarf, headband or other rectangle; learn to make the purl stitch; make a stockinette rectangle thing; wonder what to do next.
A ton of information to help answer that last part can be found in this class. The very first chapter is "Finding a Good Pattern", filled with places to look for a pattern and loads of guidance to help assess if a pattern is well-written, how to know it's within the knitter's skill set, and some flags to look out for to avoid getting into something too complicated.
The class goes on to "Yarn & Gauge" and discusses how to choose yarn, how to make yarn substitutions, what gauge is and how to measure it.
The third chapter, "Sizing & Measurements", I know would be of use to a lot of seasoned knitters as well. Too many times I've seen knitters disappointed in their finished garment, not because they did something wrong, but because they chose the wrong size to make.
Other chapters cover "Working from a Pattern", "Reading Charts", "Ensuring Project Success" and "More Advanced Patterns". These include really useful tips such as what to pack in your knitting kit, understanding how to parse instructions and the language that can vary from pattern to pattern while meaning the same thing, and how to track rows and count progress.
It's the sort of collection of really useful knowledge that I wish could be handed to everyone who takes up knitting because there'd be less crying involved and fewer people leaving the craft in frustration.
I started knitting lace very soon after I learned to knit so many years ago. Of course there have been plenty of mistakes. Sometimes I let them go and sometimes I fix them.
When this class became available, even though I feel like a very experienced lace knitter, I was excited to take it and learn from a lace designer that I really admire. I was not disappointed.
Laura is a teacher who takes the fear out of some things that can be very scary. She describes all of her tips and tricks and techniques very clearly and at a pace that is easy to follow. Some of the things she showed were things that I had figured out on my own over the years but it was fun to see someone else's way of doing it as well as some things that may improve my repair techniques. Laura also showed some wonderful methods that I hadn't tried and although I'm not excited to find mistakes in my lace knitting, I am a little excited to try some new things.
The class is in 7 lessons and each lesson is broken down into shorter chapters so you can take it as slowly as you like and make sure you have mastered a technique before you move on. Some basics are described such as the proper way stitches should sit on your knitting needles and what is meant exactly by single- and double-sided lace.
Some bonuses I found were tips for how to read my knitting. Though I am pretty good at it in progress, I have spent many hours in the past glaring at knitting that happened 10 rows ago trying to figure out where I went wrong. Laura has shown me how to confidently figure out a mistake without feeling violent tendencies to my newly made fabrics. In addition, I feel more positive about dropping back stitches and fixing mistakes in place rather than ripping back hours and hours of knitting.
This class was everything I had hoped, plus more. I think knitters of all skill levels will benefit from this class and the calm, confidence-building voice of Laura Nelkin.
Full disclosure: I was involved in the technical edit of the first draft of the book this class is based on, but I had no involvement in this class or or its content.
For sock aficionados, Lara's class dives wonderfully deep into aspects of sock fit: both sizing and sock constructions. She brings to life many of the key concepts and design elements from her book, Sock Architecture (see review above).
Lara provides recipes and instructions for many different types of sock constructions, with lots of detailed information about how they fit, and what feet they work best for. She empowers knitters to create socks to suit their feet -- and their knitting preferences! -- well. There's a huge variety of methods covered, and there's definitely something to suit everyone's needs.
This class isn't for new sock knitters, but that's not a bad thing by any means. Lara covers both toe-up and top-down elements, including heel and toe variations that work both ways, and the class is constructed so that you can focus on only the pieces that are relevant to you. There's a fair bit of math in the class, but it's well-explained, and the downloadable worksheets are a huge part of the value of the class.
Lara is a friendly and open instructor, and she's able to deliver even the most of complex of concepts in an approachable way. If you're looking to venture off the beaten path with your sock knitting, or to dip your toe into sock customization and design, you'll find a lot of value in this class.
Beginner knitters have enough challenge to learn how stitches get made, to learn how to interpret instructions, and then to practice both those things until they are making good fabric and understanding some of the steps involved in making more than just squares.
There aren't a lot of resources for the folks at the next step, though. Or rather, there are plenty of resources...once folks know what sorts of questions to ask. I put Patty Lyons DVD set firmly in the category of "answers to questions you maybe didn't know you had". Best-suited to knitters with a few miles on their needles, Lyons covers a wealth of ground with more than 30 demonstrations of the small changes you can make that result in big changes in your finished fabric.
There are tricks to cover casting-on (more elastic, more even, better transition to rib) and binding off (more even edges, no gaps). Tips to help in the middle include: more even ribbed fabric, better edge stitches, a whack of tidier decreases, and my favourite -- better transitions from ribbed to stockinette fabric. Lyons includes help for sweater-makers including more accurate measuring of armhole depth, better necklines, picking up stitches around curves and excellent two-row button holes.
My only quibble is a technological one, and it has absolutely nothing to do with Patty Lyons very useful content. I have to say, I love living in the future, where I can get instruction from knowledgeable resources when and where I want it. After having experienced the bells and whistles of another online instruction delivery platform, I really found I missed some of those tools, like a direct-access index, the ability to leave myself notes, or to click a button for a quick replay of what I just watched. (I reviewed digitally downloaded files on my laptop, but the experience was the same as if I had played them on my DVD player. Play, stop, rewind and fast forward are all that are available.) I hope Interweave can soon find a way to deliver this great information with a better user experience.
The tips here are more than worth the minimal discomfort of this techno-spoiled user. I plan to get myself a copy of Lyons' Advanced Knitting Fixes, available also from Interweave as a digital download or DVD.
For many knitters, the mere mention of the word "math" gets a sharp intake in response, almost as if it had been spelled with an "o" in place of an "a"! I'm not one of those folks who thinks it's a dirty word. In fact, I'm pretty likely to bend your ear and tell you that knitting is inherently about arithmetic and by virtue of being a knitter you're already better at arithmetic than a goodly chunk of the population. But even though I'm reasonably comfortable with numbers, my eyes cross at the notion of planning shaping or working out ratios for knitted edgings.
Enter the Knitter's Toolbox. Created by Amy Herzog of Custom Fit fame, this app breaks out some of the calculators used in the Custom Fit sweater engine and makes them available to knitters to use in all sorts of ways.
First and simplest is the Gauge Widget. You still have to knit a good-sized swatch -- there's no app, now or ever, that will take that part away. But you click +/- to tell the app the total number of stitches (or rows) you counted and the length you counted them in, and it spits out your stitch (or row) gauge.
With the stitch and row gauge you can use the "Pickup Calculator", and have the app tell you how many stitches you need to pick up to make a well-fitting edging such as a button band or facing. In a perfect world, patterns would tell you the ratio they want you to use (pick up 2 stitches for every 3, for example), but most simply tell you to "pick up 104 sts along the right front" or similar. That gets you in very hot water indeed if you tend to lengthen or shorten your sweaters. With this calculator, you use the numbers of the fabric in front of you, and take the guesswork away.
The "Buttonhole Spacer" is pretty self-explanatory. You tell the app how many stitches in your button band (because you figured that out with the pickup calculator!), how many buttons you plan to use, and how many stitches each buttonhole is worked over, and it spits out instructions to evenly space out your buttons.
The last and most powerful part is the "Shaping Placer". You tell the app how many stitches are in your row, how many stitches you need to end up with, and how many times in the row you plan to increase (or decrease) and the app works out the language for the instructions you need to work. This might come in especially handy for those prone to working written patterns in yarn that's a different gauge than the one specified.
For the price of one cup of swanky coffee, you can save yourself a lot of scribbling on the backs of envelopes.
This is an excellent book for the knitters making the jump to the siren song of weaving. The basics of weaving simple projects on a rigid-heddle loom are given in detail with photographs and illustrations. The book is set up and written to match a different learning styles. You may read it from front to back absorbing all of the information in a chronological way. Or if you have some weaving experience, you could skip around reading only the parts that interest you or reminding yourself of things you've forgotten. Or you can jump right into a project and flip back to the basic weaving instructions to move you along the weaving way.
The book is packed with information. Along with the flow of instructions there are sidebars, charts, a glossary, resources, a warping checklist, a project-planning sheet and a sett guide. As I read and had a question, I could find the answer in the book, even if it was in a sidebar or callout box. I love when I book effortlessly answers my questions. The 17 projects in the book are scarves, belts, bags, pillows -- small things that are quick and easy to weave with yarn I bet is already in any knitter's stash.
If you have the itch to start rigid-heddle weaving, this is the book to get!


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Remember The Titans - WHY ARE WE IN VIETNAM?
Bobbie Lou Pendergrass was upset. On February 18, 1963 she wrote a letter to President Kennedy. Her brother's helicopter had been shot down in Vietnam. Her family was bitter.
I can't help but feel that giving one's life for one's country is one thing, but being sent to a country where half our country never even heard of and being shot at without even a chance to shoot back is another thing altogether!
If a war is worth fighting - isn't it worth fighting to win.
...full scale war in Viet Nam is at the moment unthinkable.
In less than two years, the "unthinkable" happened. By 1968, more than 500,000 U.S. military forces were in Vietnam. More than 30,000 Americans were already dead.
Bos, Carole "WHY ARE WE IN VIETNAM?" AwesomeStories.com. Sep 01, 2000. Apr 24, 2019.


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Board index ‹ Federal Statutes Violations ‹ Federal Statutes Violations
OPP officer charged with criminal offence
These are violations by the Ontario Provincial Police officers dealing with the Criminal Code of Canada, Controlled Substance and Abuse Act, Customs and Excise Act, etc.
by Thomas » Sat Sep 08, 2018 3:48 pm
Ontario Provincial Police say a six-year member of the force has been charged with a criminal offence.
According to OPP, on Thursday an officer was arrested and charged following an investigation by the Professional Standards Bureau and Central Region Crime Unit.
Police say due to the domestic nature of the investigation, the accused member will not be identified and the specifics of the allegations will not be released in order to protect the identity of the victim.
However, police say the accused is a provincial constable assigned to a central region detachment.
Police say the alleged incident occurred while the officer was off-duty.
According to police, the accused remains on active duty.
OPP say the investigation is ongoing and more details will be released as they become available.
https://globalnews.ca/news/4434565/opp-officer-charged/
https://thepeakfm.com/news/4434565/opp-officer-charged/
OPP Officer Charged
The provincial police force says the accused is a 6-year veteran and will remain on active duty.
An OPP constable assigned to the Central Region detachment is facing charges.
The provincial police force says the incident happened on Thursday while the officer was off duty.
They say the Central Region Crime Unit are investigating the case and would only say that the officer is a member of the OPP the past six years and will remain on active duty.
They went on to say due to the domestic nature of the investigation, they will not be releasing any specifics of the case or releasing the officer's name in order to protect the identity of the victim and prevent revictimization.
http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news ... sID=104065
http://www.977thebeach.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=104065
Central Region OPP Officer Charged
(ORILLIA, ON) – On Thursday September 6, 2018, as a result of an ongoing investigation, an officer from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), who currently holds the rank of Provincial Constable and is assigned to a Central Region detachment was arrested and charged with a criminal offence that occurred while off duty.
Due to the domestic nature of the investigation that was conducted by detectives from the Central Region Crime Unit, under the direction of the Central Region Professional Standards Bureau, the OPP will not be releasing any information regarding the specifics of the allegations or the name of the officer involved in order to protect the identity of the victim and to prevent any form of revictimization.
https://saultonline.com/2018/09/central ... r-charged/
OPP Constable charged with criminal offence
by Thomas » Sun Sep 09, 2018 12:37 am
An officer with the Ontario Provincial Police remains on active duty after being charged with a criminal offence.
OPP Sergeant Peter Leon says the incident happened while the constable was off duty.
Leon would not reveal the constable's gender, but says they were arrested on Thursday.
It's not clear exactly what happened, but the incident was domestic in nature.
Investigators also won't say where the officer is stationed, but say the 6-year veteran serves at a detachment in Central Region.
https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/opp-constable ... -1.4085765
Return to Federal Statutes Violations