OXFORD PUBLIC WORKS, WATER, & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING

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— courtesy City of Oxford, NC

CITY OF OXFORD
NOVEMBER 27, 2017
PUBLIC WORKS, WATER, & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING

The Public Works, Water, & Infrastructure Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM. The meeting will be held in the First Floor Training Room, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the solid waste removal proposal.

All those interested are invited to attend.

VanGuarantee Continues to Shine in National Spotlight

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— courtesy VGCC

The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees celebrated news from President Dr. Stelfanie Williams that the college’s VanGuarantee scholarship continues to gain national attention. The announcement was made on Nov. 20 at the board’s bi-monthly meeting on the Main Campus.

The trustees also welcomed two new board members and heard the results of a campus-wide campaign to raise money for the VGCC Endowment Fund.

In her report to the Board of Trustees, Dr. Williams said the “Community College Daily,” a publication of the American Association of Community Colleges, shared in October an annual report on the College Promise Campaign, described by the association as a movement focusing on providing a free community college education to qualified students.

In the past 12 months, the AACC said, more than 50 new programs were announced similar to VGCC’s VanGuarantee. “New College Promise programs are evolving at a rapid pace because communities and states recognize that a high school education is insufficient to secure a good job and a decent quality of life in today’s economy,” the report said, adding that there are now more than 200 such programs across 41 states.

The VanGuarantee benefitted 47 Vance-Granville students during the 2016-2017 fiscal year, according to VGCC’s Financial Aid Office. A total of $50,514 was disbursed to help those students.

Designed to help eliminate any financial barriers standing between students and their academic goals, the VanGuarantee was announced in March 2016, with the first scholarships awarded in the Fall 2016 semester. The innovative scholarship program was made possible by a $1.6 million bequest to the college from the estate of Wilbert A. Edwards, a Vance County native, who was living in Oxford at the time of his death. Edwards’ gift, announced in 2015, is the second largest in the history of VGCC.

The AACC said the annual report highlighted the efforts to create College Promise programs in rural areas of the nation, “which on average have fewer students attaining college credentials than students in cities,” citing specifically the program at Vance-Granville.

“More than half of the nation’s 1,400 community colleges in the United States are located in rural areas, and they serve a third of the nation’s community college population,” the College Promise Campaign annual report for 2017 says. “Some … like Vance-Granville Community College in North Carolina have the responsibility to serve a broad geographic area for their local populations. The aim of these rural programs is to help more students enter and complete a community college education within their region through shared education, business and philanthropic partnerships that identify sustainable financial resources for the College Promise.”

New Trustees

Xavier Wortham of Oxford, left, is sworn in as a newly appointed member of the VGCC Board of Trustees by Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Carolyn J. Thompson at the board’s meeting on Nov. 20. Wortham has been appointed to a four-year term by N.C. Governor Roy Cooper. (VGCC photo)

The Board of Trustees welcomed Xavier Wortham of Oxford as a newly appointed trustee at the meeting. Wortham, who works as executive director of the Oxford Housing Authority in Granville County, was sworn in by District Court Judge Carolyn J. Thompson, who serves District 9.

Appointed for a four-year term on the board by N.C. Governor Roy Cooper, Wortham replaces Michele Burgess of Henderson, who had served since September 2013.

Also joining the board for a one-year term was Sophie Taylor, who was recently elected president of the VGCC Student Government Association. Taylor, who is a student at Franklin County Early College High School, will serve as a Student Trustee, representing the interests of her fellow VGCC students at all meetings of the trustees.

Faculty-Staff Drive for Scholarships

The co-chairs of the annual faculty and staff drive for the VGCC Endowment Fund announced to the Trustees that $21,036 was raised this fall from among employees on Vance-Granville’s four campuses to support the mission of the college and students through scholarships.

VGCC Board of Trustees Chair Danny W. Wright celebrates the announcement of $21,036 raised in the Faculty-Staff Drive for the VGCC Endowment Fund this fall. Co-chairs of the campaign were Andrew Beal, public information officer for the college; Willie Mae Foster-Hill, receptionist at Main Campus; and Jeremy Lambert, assistant director of financial aid. Kay Currin, VGCC Endowment specialist, made the presentation to the trustees at their Nov. 20 meeting. Shown from left are Wright, Beal, Foster-Hill and Currin. Lambert was unavailable. (VGCC photo)

The drive co-chairs were Andrew Beal, public information officer; Willie Mae Foster-Hill, Main Campus receptionist; and Jeremy Lambert, assistant director of financial aid.

VGCC awarded 306 scholarships, including several funded by faculty and staff contributions, at its annual awards dinner this October.

Capital Projects

Trustee Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair of the board’s Building Committee, and Steve Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations, gave updates on several capital projects.

A final report on the assessment of needed exterior masonry repairs to buildings on the Main Campus is expected soon. Some county funds and additional monies from the Connect NC Bond will be used to restore, structurally repair and waterproof campus-wide building masonry rooflines, walls and bridges.

A report is expected in January on options to replace existing deteriorated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and to replace obsolete fire alarm systems on the Main Campus, using funds from the Bond.

A portion of the renovations to the Welding Lab at the VGCC Franklin County Campus is expected to be completed in December, with the remaining work being done during the Summer Term next year. State Bond funds are being used to add eight welding booths to the existing lab at the campus near Louisburg and to add a demonstration area in an adjacent classroom.

Other Action

In other action:

• Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the Budget Committee, presented a motion, that was approved, to write off $1,021.84 in uncollectable student accounts under $50 from the college’s financial accounting records and no longer recognize them as collectible receivables for financial reporting purposes.

• Graham, reporting for the board’s Investment Committee, noted the college’s investments have grown by 9.3 percent since the beginning of the calendar year.

• An informational report on new employees, retirements, resignations and changes in positions was provided by Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the board’s Personnel Committee.

• In her report to the board, Dr. Williams highlighted recent accomplishments and opportunities at the college. She noted the Vance-Granville Community Band concert will be held on Monday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson.

Presiding over the meeting was Board of Trustees Chair Danny Wright.

The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on Jan. 22 at the Main Campus. Normally held on the third Monday of the month, the meeting in January is being moved to the fourth Monday because of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

South Granville (@SGHSVikingFB) at North Davidson

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— by Jeff Jenkins, WIZS

Friday, November 24, 2017 — South Granville is still alive in the 2AA East bracket of the playoffs, after defeating outclassed West Craven in Creedmoor last Friday night by a lopsided 50-12 final score. Meanwhile, 1A Granville Central was soundly trounced in its playoff game 45-0, leaving the Vikings the lone team to carry the Northern Carolina Conference banner into the third round.

With basically two warmup playoff games behind them, the #3 seed Vikings (13-0) will give up home field advantage this Friday when they square off against #2 seed North Davidson (12-1) in Lexington – about a 150-mile trip (one-way) for South Granville’s team and their fans. This game will be the toughest test of the season for both teams, and the winner will play for the 2AA east regional championship on December 1 against either #1 East Duplin or #4 Randleman (which eliminated Roanoke Rapids in the opening round).

The Knights of North Davidson won their first playoff match 52-18 over the #15 seed, and then barely avoided an upset loss to #7 seed with a 17-10 squeaker. Matching up very closely on paper with the Vikings, the Knights are a true “football school,” with a huge (for 2A) 76-man roster. They won their Central Carolina 2A title with a perfect 8-0 record (like South Granville). They average scoring 41 points per game (to the Vikings’ 43), and their defense allows 8.2 points per game (even better than the Vikings’ 8.9). ND’s running game is highly effective (like SG’s), but is pretty much a 1-man show: Senior RB T. J. Boyce (5-11, 190 lb) leads the conference with 2000 yards on the season, 32 rushing TDs and 206 total points. SG has their own dominant runner in Allajah Mitchell (1700 yards, 26 TDs), BUT the Vikings have at least three other experienced and effective runners, including QB Tucker Brown, who ran for 4 TD’s last week to raise his total to 14 on the ground.

The major difference is in the passing game, and this could determine the outcome. Unlike South Granville, the Knights gain almost as many yards per game through the air as on the ground, and their QB has over 1800 yards passing on the season for 21 TD’s. By contrast, because the Vikings’ rushing attack has been so consistent and dominant, QB Brown has thrown for under 500 yards and just 6 touchdowns. This should be a great game between two real champions — it’s a shame it is not closer to home.

Vance-Granville Community Band to present free holiday concert on Nov. 27

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— courtesy VGCC

The Vance-Granville Community Band will perform its tenth annual winter holiday concert on Monday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. Admission is free of charge.

Included in the concert will be a host of holiday favorites, including “Silver Bells,” “White Christmas,” “The First Noel,” “A French Noel” (Pat-A Pan), “Appalachian Carol” (Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head), and a medley of Christmas classics including “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

“The Night Before Christmas” will be presented in a “story-time” format, as Clement Moore’s famous poem is read with band accompaniment.

The concert will begin with the traditional rendering of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the state song, “The Old North State.” Plus, as is customary for any ensemble led by the director of the band, Brian Miller, a Sousa march will be included. “No concert is complete without Sousa,” according to Miller. “This year, while we are playing almost all Christmas music, we will of course play a Sousa march. It will be Sousa’s classic ‘The Invincible Eagle March,’ which the master of American music wrote in 1901.”

Brian Miller conducts the Vance-Granville Community Band during its 2016 holiday concert. (VGCC photo)

Miller, in his second year as director of the Vance-Granville Community Band, was known locally as the man at the helm of the Louisburg High School band program for more than two decades, a band program that grew into one of the largest in the state and was known for its performance of Sousa marches and traditional band literature. Miller now teaches band and humanities at Crosscreek Charter School in Louisburg, is the organist for both Louisburg Baptist Church and Louisburg College, teaches part-time for VGCC, frequently serves as music director for the Louisburg College Drama department and is found at North Henderson Baptist Church on Sunday nights, playing the piano and sometimes preaching.

“We want everybody to come hear this free concert,” said Miller. “It will be played right in the heart of historic downtown Henderson, in the center of this great community. The concert will only last about an hour, and hearing the band play these great old songs is a terrific way to usher in the holiday season.”

The Community Band, which is sponsored by the VGCC Division of Arts and Sciences, includes people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from throughout the region. No auditions are required. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, on the Main Campus in Henderson, at Exit 209 on Interstate 85 (Poplar Creek Road). For more information, contact Brian Miller at (919) 496-5877 or at bmiller9302@vgcc.edu or Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

VGCC President appointed to major education commission

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— courtesy VGCC

Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of Vance-Granville Community College, has been appointed to serve on the “My Future NC” Commission, a new statewide group focused on educational attainment.

My Future NC was recently created by the leaders of the North Carolina public education systems, including the president of the University of North Carolina, Margaret Spellings; the acting president of the North Carolina Community College System, Jennifer Haygood; and the state superintendent of public instruction, Mark Johnson. The Commission’s work is being underwritten by grants from The John M. Belk Endowment, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Goodnight Education Foundation. My Future NC brings together top leaders from education, business, non-profit organizations and state government.

The commission will study and discuss state education and training needs, identify obstacles to meeting those needs, and generate policy recommendations. President Spellings is the co-chair for the effort, along with Dale Jenkins, chief executive officer of Medical Mutual Holdings, and Andrea Smith, chief administrative officer of Bank of America.

Dr. Williams is one of two community college presidents on the panel, along with Dr. Jeff Cox of Wilkes Community College. Other members of the commission include corporate and non-profit foundation chief executives, a local school superintendent, a university chancellor, a legislator, and a pair of members of the clergy. Darryl Moss, the mayor of Creedmoor and a member of the VGCC Endowment Fund board, has also been appointed to the commission.

“We have two North Carolinas when it comes to education and opportunity — the affluent, well-educated population centers — and the small towns and rural communities that have been left out of the rising economic and educational tide that has lifted our state,” said President Spellings. “And North Carolina is one of only a few states without a comprehensive strategic plan from pre-K through post-secondary education. The goal of this effort is simple but by no means easy: to develop a multi-year education plan that recommends a robust attainment goal for the state and a broad-based agenda for a stronger and more competitive North Carolina. We can do better and we should do better—the future of our great state depends on it.”

The commission’s goal is to complete its work by the end of 2018.

“Higher education is an absolute imperative for the future of our state and our workforce,” said Andrea Smith, Bank of America CAO and My Future NC co-chair. “Two of every three new jobs now require some form of post-secondary education — whether that’s training credentials, an associate degree, a four-year degree or higher. This reality underscores how critical education is to career growth and how important it is to increasing economic mobility.”

“I am honored to join a distinguished group of North Carolina leaders who will bring our diverse perspectives to the challenges of strengthening and aligning our state’s excellent educational institutions so that all children and adults can succeed,” President Williams said. “I bring to this task my experience from VGCC, which reflects the entire education pipeline, with our two five-star child care centers as well as our partnerships with K-12 school systems, with the business community and with universities.”

Williams became the sixth president of VGCC in 2012. Since then, she has focused the college strategically on educational excellence, continuous improvement, employee and student engagement in college life, and institutional stewardship. During her tenure, the college has added seven curriculum degree programs, secured the largest grants in the college’s history, the second-largest private donor gift, and held six consecutive highest-yielding annual golf tournaments for scholarships. With a focus on student success, the institution has improved completion rates, graduating the largest classes ever in 2015 and 2016, and initiating a private donor-sponsored college promise program called the “VanGuarantee” in an effort to make college more accessible for students with the greatest financial need.

Prior to leading VGCC, Williams served as faculty and in several administrative capacities at other North Carolina community colleges. She also currently serves as adjunct faculty for the North Carolina State University College of Education. Williams holds dual baccalaureate degrees from Duke University, a graduate degree from Western Carolina University, and a doctorate from North Carolina State University. In 2014, she was awarded the I.E. Ready Distinguished Leadership Award by North Carolina State University.

For more information about My Future NC, visit www.myfuturenc.org.

–VGCC–

VGCC Advisory Committees hold annual meetings

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— courtesy VGCC

Citizens from Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties came together at the Main Campus of Vance-Granville Community College on Oct. 24 as the college’s advisory committees held their annual meetings.

VGCC’s 36 advisory committees are made up of people from the communities served by the college who have worked in the fields for which the college offers training or who can provide certain insights or expertise. Committees advise not only curriculum and continuing education programs, but also VGCC’s South, Franklin and Warren campuses, the Small Business Center and other departments. Many committee members are VGCC alumni. Each fall, these committees meet on campus with the heads of the programs they advise.

At the Oct. 24 meetings, VGCC faculty and staff communicated with advisory committee members about new developments in academic programs, about how to tailor classes and training to meet employment needs, and about changes in the workplace. Committee members made suggestions on what the college should be doing to enhance or adapt instruction.

VGCC advisory committee meetings included this gathering of the Human Services Technology Program Advisory Committee on Oct. 24 in a classroom on the college’s Main Campus. Those present included, seated clockwise from left, Yvonne Faison of Franklin County Schools, VGCC academic and career coach/counselor Veta Pierce-Cappetta, Human Services program head Tracy Wallace, Kathryn Thompson of the Vance County Department of Social Services, Human Services instructor Sharon O’Geary and student representative Larecia Bullock of Oxford. (VGCC photo)

Students in VGCC’s Culinary Arts program prepared a reception in the Civic Center, preceding the meetings. The menu had an “international” theme and included heavy hors d’oeuvres like Beef Bourgogne, Tandoori Chicken, antipasti and orzo Greek pasta salad, along with assorted desserts representing Italian, Greek, Indian and Latin American traditions.

In remarks during the reception, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, expressed the college’s gratitude to the advisory committee members for their service and their support. “Your input is crucial to ensuring that our college’s programs and services remain relevant to our community and to our workforce, and that we have prepared our students well to enter into their professions and to continue their higher education,” President Williams told the attendees.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

VGCC names Burwell to direct Occupational Extension training

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— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College recently named Kyle F. Burwell of Oxford as the college’s new director of Occupational Extension and Human Resources Development (HRD). Burwell has been a member of the VGCC staff since 2006, as coordinator of HRD. She has also served as coordinator for a number of grants to the college, including grants from the USDA, the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, and the American Association of Community Colleges’ Plus 50 initiative.

In her new role, Burwell supervises HRD and prison programs as well as the various occupational extension courses, which include BioWork, Notary Public, information technology certifications and manicuring. Such courses are offered on all four VGCC campuses at various times throughout the year to meet the job training needs of the communities in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties.

Burwell holds an associate degree from Peace College (today, William Peace University) and a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University. Prior to joining VGCC, she served as child care resource and referral director for the Franklin-Granville-Vance Partnership for Children/Smart Start. Burwell is a graduate of the VGCC Vanguard Leadership Institute and of Leadership Vance, a program of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

Kyle Burwell (VGCC photo)

“We are excited to have Kyle in this position of leadership, as she oversees innovative programs that serve the residents and businesses of our region,” said Dr. Levy Brown, the college’s interim vice president of academic affairs. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and many years of experience to this very important role at VGCC in continuing education. I look forward to seeing Kyle continue to foster strong community partnerships.”

For more information on Occupational Extension programs, contact Burwell at burwellk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3276.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Franklin County Sheriff

Franklin County Active Shooter Training Exercise

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— press release courtesy of the Office of the Franklin County Sheriff

On November 18, 2017 the Franklin County Sheriffs Office and Franklin County Emergency Management, with participation from other North Carolina law enforcement, fire, and rescue service agencies, will conduct an active shooter training exercise on the campus of Long Mill Elementary School located at 1753 Long Mill Road, Youngsville.

The planning, training, and interagency cooperation leading up to this exercise began earlier this year, with the goal to assess our response capabilities and better shape each agency’s role in the event of an active shooter incident within Franklin County. A training operation of this scale has never been conducted before in our county, in both the number of agencies and personnel involved.

Those of us working in Public Safety know that the safety of our children is one of our highest priorities. While assessing our response capabilities is a primary goal, this training exercise is the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work and dedication by all those involved with a focus on our ability to quickly and safely reunite children with their families.

Participating agencies include: Louisburg Police Department, Franklinton Police Department, Youngsville Police Department, Louisburg College Police Department, Wake County Sheriffs Office, Nash County Sheriffs Office, Vance County Sheriffs Office, Granville County Sheriffs Office, Wake Forest Fire Department, NC State Highway Patrol, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Alcohol Law Enforcement, NCDMV License and Theft Bureau, Franklin County Emergency Services, Franklin County School System, and Franklin County Emergency Communications Center.

Residents and motorists will notice emergency vehicles in the area between 9am and 12pm. Law enforcement personnel will be in the area to provide traffic direction.

All media will be initially required to report to Capital Auto Auction, located at 2380 Long Mill Road, Youngsville.

Kent Winstead

Sheriff

West Craven @SGHSVikingFB (South Granville)

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— by Jeff Jenkins, WIZS

West Craven at South Granville — Friday, November 16, 2017

Looking very much like a Team of Destiny, the undefeated Vikings of South Granville started their 2AA playoff run last Friday with a 41-21 victory over Washington County in Creedmoor. Washington was the #14 seed in the 2AA East bracket, with an overall regular season record of only 4-7; but to their credit, the 21 points they scored on the Vikings was 2.5 times the average points allowed by South Granville per game this season, and they held the Vikings to 8 points for the entire second and third quarters. But South Granville scored 20 points in the final quarter to put the game away, gaining 503 total yards in the process, with 446 of those yards on the ground from scrimmage.

This Friday, the #3 seed Vikings will keep the home field advantage when they face the #6 seed, West Craven. The visiting Eagles, from Vanceboro (just north of New Bern) are in the same conference as Washington, the Eastern Carolina 2A, and will have about a 300 mile round trip tonight. The Eagles finished the regular season 6-5 overall, but took their league championship with a 5-1 conference record and a 25-23 upset win over Kinston, which finished 9-3 on the season after losing their first round playoff game last week. West Craven scored 47 points in their regular season win over Washington, but they averaged only 24 points per game on offense on the season as a whole, including last week’s 28-7 opening round win over Richlands. The Eagle defense has allowed 23 points per game, revealing a weakness on defense that South Granville will try to exploit with their bruising ground game.

So tonight will be a battle of two conference champions, and the South Granville Vikings should keep that in mind. However, that is about all these teams seem to have in common, since, South Granville is 12-0 on the season, averages scoring 43 points per game, and allows their opponent to score under 9 points per outing.

Granville County Logo

TIMBERLAKE TO COVER HOLIDAYS AT OXFORD LIBRARY WITH PHOART™ EXHIBIT

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— courtesy of Granville County and the Granville County Library System from R F Timberlake

Granville Native to Show & Share Art Exhibit on Display at Richard H. Thornton Branch

If you ask North Carolina artist R F Timberlake, as he says Frank to family and friends, how he got into producing fine digital art prints, he’ll tell you this yarn, “My fourth-grade teacher at Stovall, the very famous Katherine Royster told me that if I didn’t focus on business that I’d end up making license plates! Recently, after producing the print, Red Boats of Beaufort, I made my wife a custom license plate featuring that print. It hit me, Mrs. Royster was right. I am blessed to have had enough business to create and support my love art and to create PhoArt® for me and others to enjoy.”

You can visit the Richard H. Thornton Library branch of the Granville County Library System from November 15, 2017 until January 15, 2018 to see over 30 colorful prints from various locales including a few special Granville County and Kerr Lake prints. Several of the prints will be shown publicly for the first time at the Oxford library. “We are extremely pleased to offer Mr. Timberlake’s innovative approach to visual art that captures things and places that are special to him in a classical sort of way,” said Carly Cox, Adult Services Librarian. “We’re thrilled to hold a “Meet the Artist” reception a few days after the exhibit opens on Sunday, November 19th from 2:00-4:00 PM here at the Thornton branch, and we invite our library patrons and the public to come see this art and talk the artist.”

“Mr. Timberlake and his Shutter Art Gallery will give away a yet, unnamed print, from the Down East – Outer Banks Collection. Visitors who come to the reception and properly register with us will be eligible to win the print which we will draw for at the conclusion of the reception,” added Cox. The signed and numbered print will be on display at the reception.

R. Frank Timberlake told WIZS News that this print, “Ups and Down of Fishing Atlantic,” will be given away at the conclusion of the “Meet the Artist” reception on November 19th 2-4PM.

Timberlake and his gallery will also donate 20% of any prints sold during the Granville library exhibit that can be attributed by local address or if people call or email including GRANVILLE LIBRARY.

Born in Oxford, Timberlake was raised in Stovall and Grassy Creek. He’s a familiar face in the area visiting and being a frequent camping visitor. He is a cofounder of the 550+ member Kerr Lake support group, Kerr Lake Park Watch. Timberlake is a former news broadcaster and broadcast owner and is president of the award-winning advertising & PR firm, R F Timberlake & Company, Inc., that he and wife Linda founded 27 years ago. Their home, office and studio are in eastern Wake County. They have four sons, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“I didn’t like my painting. I wanted realism and I got impressionistic,” says Timberlake. “So, I worked, studied, got tutoring to improve my photography and then I incorporated digital technology to create PhoArt® which is simply making a photograph appear that it is painted and it’s a lot more detailed than people might think. My wife and business partner of 41 years, Linda, said that I should show and share my art. I did as she said and wham, it took off!” The artist adds that producing digital fine art allows him to take on more projects in a variety of locations.

“We’ve limited 200 issues of any print, and that adds a touch of exclusivity,” says the artist. Although he offers prints on fine linen, smooth and textured papers, unframed, Timberlake’s chosen presentation is “gallery wrapped” meaning the canvas is stretched around a wooden frame, backed and prepped for hanging. Those prints have museum backing and four coats of museum, archival art lacquer to prevent UV damage and fading. Another very unique point, for example, is that three people can purchase consecutively numbered prints and all three can be assorted sizes, a somewhat unique offering, even though the three prints are signed and numbered. All of the prints on display at the Thornton branch will be “gallery wrapped.”

“I have art in museums and some locations in Virginia, but it means the world to me to be able to come home to Granville County and to present my art to so many friends, both old and new! We’re even going to have a few prints for people to see and to promote the exhibit in the beautiful new Stovall library branch, added Timberlake.

The R F Timberlake PhoArt® exhibit can be seen during regular library hours through January 15, 2018.

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