An old school friend was an organizer of the Arts d’Vine festival so we all packed up and made the 30 mile trek down to Kernersville to see what was up.
Over the past few years the western region of North Carolina has been working hard to become known as the Sonoma of the South. Wineries have been springing up all over the Blue Ridge foothills and, for the most part, they actually produce some very good wines. So I wasn’t as concerned about the “d’Vine” portion of the evening as I was the “Arts”.
You see the Piedmont has never been known as a hotbed of artistic talent. For years Jessie Helms did his best to suppress our creative urges replacing them instead with steady nicotine infusion to satisfy our souls. But I must say that in this post-Helms era the arts are flourishing and I think it is safe to say that the people of Kernersville are leading the charge. Gone are the coon jiggers of the past. No longer are lawn jockeys considered appropriate. Why you can even engage in lofty conversation while sipping tea and eating finger sandwiches at the local Pegg House Tea Room.
Yes art has come a long way in North Carolina and there is no better evidence of this than the image below.
The high water mark for southern art
I found this while walking down Main Street in Kernersville. It called to me begging for purchase. Had I not been unemployed and 3000 miles from my home I might have answered the call. Alas this solemn midget straddling a magnificent yet miniscule equine remains on the market. I can only hope that we will find each other again one day as there could be no more perfect pairing of art and owner.
Thank you Kernersville for awakening my love for art and fortifying it with enough free booze to almost make me part with my mortgage money. I will most certainly visit you again.
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