by Liza Roberts photographs by Nick Pironio “It does something for you. Something rich and powerful and exciting. It has to be around.” Jim Patton is in his Chapel Hill apartment, surrounded by extraordinary art and talking about it. “I can’t imagine…
When Albert Einstein famously said that “imagination is more important than knowledge,” he did more than make daydreamers feel better about themselves. He zeroed in on the source of innovation, adventure, and progress. At Walter, we often remark on the…
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,…
by Liza Roberts Ten years ago, Ashley Harris was an optimistic 27-year-old entrepreneur with a bank loan and a big idea: to sell high-end designer fashion in Raleigh. Today, she’s a successful and seasoned retailer whose Vermillion boutique has earned real…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Catherine Nguyen Living above the store is a good way to ensure working around the clock. Even when “the store” is a gorgeous 1891 Queen Anne Victorian mansion set on nearly five lush acres, there’s an…
by Liza Roberts photograph courtesy of Highwoods Properties “It’s fun to be a part of downtown,” says Highwoods Properties CEO Ed Fritsch. He’s admiring the Raleigh skyline from a vantage point four miles north, atop Highwoods Tower. But Fritsch isn’t talking…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Tim Lytvinenko “I need to make.” Justin LeBlanc’s fingers fly across a swath of mesh, attaching zip-ties to fabric in careful rows. “I’m a maker. If I don’t make…I go crazy.” Not that there’s any…
by Liza Roberts photograph by Nick Pironio When Raleigh artist Luke Buchanan met developer James A. Goodnight, Buchanan was pouring drinks behind the bar at Poole’s Downtown Diner, where he works many evenings. The two developed a rapport, and Goodnight became…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Carla and Kristopher Williams Christmas time at Donna and Kirk Preiss’s house is a fairy tale – an enchanting story with 1,500 characters. Each is an ornament on one of the Preiss’s 13 Christmas trees,…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Nick Pironio “The way people work is changing,” says Citrix vice president Jesse Lipson. “Work and play used to be clear-cut. Those lines are blurring.” As a result, “The nature of an office has changed.”…
by Liza Roberts For five decades, Peter Max has been painting America. In the ’60s, his cosmic Pop Art canvases were vivid totems of the age. In the ’70s, his portraits of the Statue of Liberty became indelible images and…
by Liza Roberts illustration by Vanessa Mercante Boyd When Vanessa Mercante Boyd, a native of Marostica, Italy, moved to North Carolina in 1997, the trained artist was working in technology, writing code, and enjoying a flourishing, computer-tethered career. “I thought technology…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Chris Fowler When 1,700 museum professionals from 30 countries gather this month at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for the prestigious global Association of Science-Technology Centers convention, these international scientists, researchers and educators will…
An Evening to Remember WALTER editor Liza Roberts hosts an evening event featuring N&O food writer Andrea Weigl and four of the Triangle’s celebrated women chefs for a lively conversation about the farm-to-table movement, their career success and challenges, and…