The van of my dreams
by Ann Brooke Raynal illustration by Emily Brooks In the fog of my second pregnancy I decided that a minivan would make my life complete. I was devoting my life to these children, and a van would tell the world: Mother on…
Category: Arts & Culture
For Alex: A family’s climb to honor a lost son
by J. Andrew Curliss photographs by Patrick Davison Chuck Stuber is standing halfway up Mount Fuji at a place where climbers begin their slogging treks to the summit of Japan’s tallest mountain. There is a pay toilet here and a…
Sunday supper in the park
by Liza Roberts photographs by Juli Leonard When Raleigh resident Katherine Poole, 45, co-launched a table linen company in 2009, she knew it would be a good outlet for her creative talents and abundant energy. But she didn’t know Hen…
Labels need not apply
by Samantha Thompson Hatem photographs by Nick Pironio It’s fitting that even Karen Strittmatter Galvin can’t quite characterize New Music Raleigh’s most recent performance, All Souls. A one-woman opera? A cinematic drama? It was, after all, partly her brainchild. But…
A Collector’s Haven: Sterling Boyd’s home reflects a lifetime in the arts
by P. Gaye Tapp photographs by Catherine Nguyen An afternoon spent in Sterling Boyd’s company is a return to days of great elegance. The erudite octogenarian is ever gracious, schooled in the day when a gentleman took a lady’s wrap and…
The dance in the middle air: Poet David Rigsbee explores the space between memory and possibility
by Karen Lewis Taylor There’s no such thing as a casual conversation with David Rigsbee. His affinity for the complexities of human experience pushes against the limits of the everyday exchange. He speaks with an intensity that’s deepened by adept…
Deck of Oaks
by Emma Powell “I wanted to do something that was locally organized and gave back to the community,” says Raleigh graphic designer Ladye Jane Vickers. The result is the Deck of Oaks, a set of playing cards created to raise…
Spotlight: Ducking cannonfire
by Anna Long photograph by Michael McCloone On most days, Darrell Markijohn practices law in Canton, Ohio. He goes home at night to his wife Hillary and their four children, and spends his leisure time training horses on their historic farm. But…
Spotlight: Audubon’s lights out
by Jessie Ammons photographs by Jillian Clark In the early morning hours of spring, pairs of walkers take to the streets of downtown Raleigh. They meet at the Wells Fargo building at 6:30 a.m. sharp, rain or shine, to gather supplies –…
Reagan Weaver and the Rotary’s Centenary
by Todd Cohen The Rotary Club of Raleigh has long brought together people of diverse perspectives for the purpose of doing good. The nonpartisan club, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, has attracted civic, business and government leaders of all…
Collecting photography
by Allen Thomas Jr. Allen Thomas Jr.’s photography collection is widely known. A Wilson native and part-time Raleigh resident, Thomas has had solo exhibitions of his collection at several museums, including Raleigh’s North Carolina Museum of Art and CAM, and…
Tony Tata: Writing thrillers by moonlight
by Liza Roberts photograph by Robert Willett After his workday, in a study filled with memor- arablia from a 28-year career in the U.S. Army, N.C. Secretary of Transportation Tony Tata writes thriller novels. He writes about special forces officers, combat missions,…
Big band, big following
by Ann Brooke Raynal photographs by Doug Van de Zande There was a tense moment at the Five Points Center for Active Adults one recent Thursday night as Kesano “Kay” Bisset and Steve Catafygiotu reminisced about the war years. The…
Spotlight: Bark in the park
If your Shih Tzu is a superfan, get ready to celebrate. The Durham Bulls open their gates to canines of all stripes at Bark in the Park at the Aug. 12 game against the Norfolk Tides. This special event for the…