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SA1W ANNUAL ART DINNER
FEATURES TA
Torn Lovuery, official &47W Art
Dinner artist.
by Barbara Brayboy-Lockleax
Special to THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
Last fall when some area residents
were cutting trees for firewood from
the swamps of Robeson County, Tara
Lowery was wandering through them
in search of clues to the swamp- like
life of the county's lengendary
former citizen Henry Berry Lowrie.
It was shortly after the Lumberton
artist was commissioned by Robeson
Historical Drama, Inc. to paint this
year's official "Strike At The Wind
Art Dinner painting, that she began
an indept study of the life of the man
who roamed the county's swamps
during the period of 1865-72.
"The project totally consumed me
for nine months," says the 44-year -
old Lumbee. "I was absolutely
driven by it" She says she visited
Moss Neck Swamp several times to
get a feel for the area once traveled
by the Indian hero.
"And it was so beautiful during
the fall. Only then could I understand
why it would appeal to a lover of
nature as Henry Berry Lowne must
have been," she adds.
It was during one of several visits
to the swamp that she saw an
uprooted tree-still clinging to life.
The sight gave her a burst of
inspiration to create the project
assigned her last year.
"Henry Berry Lowrie was some
what like that tree in that he, too,
was uprooted. He couldn t live with
the people he loved and couldn t
safely live in his community," she
says. "Yet, he still survived, and he
still followed what his mission to
be."
The tree became a part of the four
by four-foot oil painting which will be
unveiled and later auctioned at the
upcoming SATW Art Dinner at
Lumberton's Ram an da Inn on Tues
day, June 28 at 7:30 p.m.
There were visits to other places in
search of clues to the life of the
American Indian most- loved, and
hated, by Robesonians. Lowery spent
hundreds of hours at the county s
libraries and interviewed family
members whose ancestors lived
during the Lowrie era.
She listened intently and patiently
made notes on each bit of informa
tion given her on the subjects'
personal manner, physcial features,
attire and family standing. She
worked with an actual pistol which
belonged to the man whose outlaw
exploits terrified a county from
1865-1872. And often times after a
long session of reading on her
subject, when she lay down to sleep
at night, Lowrie was with her even in
bed.
"I had many dreams about him,"
she laughs. The public school art
instructor says only after she had
read hundreds uf printed pages,
talked with downs of people, trotted
through half a dosep swamps, did
she feel satisfied that she'd left no
stone unturned in knowing the
subject which dominates the com
missioned piece of artwork.
"I painted him severe! times in my
mind before I put the first stroke of
oil on canvas," she comments. "I
i . .. #,*?
know the spirit of Henry Berrie
Lowrie." Lowery says she knew she
was finished with the piece of work
with the last stroke of the brush. And
even though the work is ready for the
auction block, she still hasn't quite
put Henry Berry Lowrie to rest
"The adrenalin still flows when
the painting is in the house," she
sighs. She says it's been difficult to
contain the pride she feels in having
created the work, because she'd like
to have allowed other professional
artists an opportunity to critique it
Due to a commissioner/artist agree
ment, this was not permitted. For the
time being, the painting is under lock
and key at an unannounced location.
With the painting out of her art
studio, Lowery is busy working on
other pieces which will be shown at
the art dinner. She is the exclusive
artist for the event and will exhibit 20
other pieces of her work. They will be
offered in several mediums.
For the first time in her art career,
she will show five batiks, a form of
art she recently taught to students at
West Robeson High School where
she has taught for several years.
Local art collectors will be interested
in five other pieces of work depicting
events which took place in the county
this year. Of these the artist says,
"There has been so many events
taking place in the Indian Com
munity, it becomes difficult for me to
select five to feature."
For those interested in general
American Indian art, the artist will
offer five works depicting American
Indian life and subjects. Five more
works will round out the one-woman
show. These will include Robeson
County scenses in abstract
"I love abstract art. It gives an
impression of something. Then it
allows a person's own mind to
interact with what's put forward,"
she says. "After viewing this kind of
art I can come out with something,
while another person comes out with
something totally different That's
what is so beautiful about the
abstract or impressionistic type
painting."
The general public may view
Lowery's artwork a few days after the
art dinner. During the week of
Lumbee Homecoming, it will be
exhibited in the Native American
Resource Center located in Pem
broke State University's "Old Main"
building.
Lowery is proud of being selected
as the official SATW Art Dinner
artist She says the honor bestowed
upon her has been the one for which
she is most proud. "My art has been
recognized more outside the Lumbee
coummunity than inside it And to be
recognized by my own people is,
indeed, a great honor."
CAROLI MA
INDIAN
VOICE
?
OXENDINE RETURNS
TOSATW
by Barbara Brayboy- LockLe or
Special to THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
wan an me main cnaracters casi,
Director David Oxendine hopes to
create magic for this year's Strike At
The Wind.
"In doing magic, one needs so
many people to work with in order to
create," says the 28-year-old director
and acting general manager of
Robeson County's outdoor drama,
"To the observer, magic looks real.
The magician knows it isn't. There's
a trick to it," he laughs.
The trick for the self-professed
vorkaholic is to bring together 60 cast
members, eight technical people and
numerous volunteers to produce the
show which explores the life of Henry
Berry Lowrie who is a true historical
character, whose outlaw exploits are
chronciled in the script for the play.
The drama opens its 13th season at
the Adolph L Dial Amphitheater on
July 2.
According to Oxendine, this year's
show offers a major change in
casting. With the casting of Carol
Oxendine, it becomes the first time a
female has taken charge of the
"Leader" role in the play written by
Randolph Umberger, a protege of
Paul Green.
Oxendine says that he believes the
change will give a different aspect to
the play. The story line will not
change, he added, but the per
spective will.
Audiences will notice several
changes in the script and stage this
year. Script changes will include a
revised version of the prologue. At
the recommendation of the play
wright, it will be shorter.
Another change came about a few
weeks ago when railroad ties were
placed on the stage to elimate
erosion problems. Because the stage
was slanted, rain water would remain
after a storm, causing a problem for
cast members. The ties raised the
stage two feet, making it level.
This becomes the third season
Oxendine, a Robeson County native,
has directed the 13-year-old show.
The 1982 graduate of Catabwa
College directed SATW during the
1984 and '85 seasons. In the play's
second and third seasons, he was an
actor. He also served as assistant
director in 1983.
Acting has become the profession
of the Lumbee Indian who once
dreamed of becoming an astronaut
A change of direction came about for
Oxendine when he was in the eighth
grade at Pembroke Junior High
School. An unshakable interest in
science lured him to the stage to
perform magic before high school
audiences. In 1976, he performed
tricks of magic to P.S.U. students.
He says a magician is nothing
more than an actor. And with that in
mind, he took drama classes in high
school and got hooked. He was to
play in numerous productions and
head the drama club during his high
school years.
After graduating from college, he
joined a repertory theater and toured
the U.S. for a year. He is a graduate
of the American Academy of Dra
matic Arts in New York and is a
member of the Screen Actors Guild.
In 1986, the theater major received
further training from the American
Playhouse in New York. The PBS
Production Company hired him to
cast Indian "extras" for its 1985
production of "Roanoke."
Oxendine admits it was a big
decision to undertake the role of
director for this season's SATW. He
was offered the position last summer
but waited six months before making
the acceptance decision. "I left all
that was going on, or was to go on, in
New York to come home and direct
because of what the show's about,"
he says. "Being from the county and
being a part of it, puts the drama in
my heart"
He says directing in a situation
where actors are semi-professional
offers him a challenge in patience.
He says the drama affords the
situation. "Professionalism is all
attitude. You come in, do a job, give
it all you've got then you leave."
Being director and acting manager
of the production lends itself to
working long days. The workaholic
says since rehearsal began two
weeks ago, a typical workday for him
is 8:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Rest for
the young director doesn't come
quickly, even after the epilogue each
evening. "If it's been an unusually
stressful night and there are
mounting problems. I just try to calm
down and think through them." A
late-night 30-minute drive through
the countryside usually helps, he
says. And when that doesn't work,
he joins a "rap" session with friends
who will talk about things other than
SATW.
Oxendine says he thinks events in
Robeson County since the February
1, hostage-taking at a Lumberton
newspaper will help publicize the
drama because they brought at
tention to the county where Henry
Berry Lowrie once fought for social
justice and equality for all people.
He says his favorite line in the
script best projects the theme of the
entire play: "No man walks in
darkness who has seen the face of
freedom, and no man lives in vain
who seeks in truth." "And that's
exactly how the events addressed
themselves as I see it," he comments
"They were about the rights for all
people."
And even though Oxendine has not
performed magic on stage in years,
he holds some under his director's
hat for this season.
"If the weather stays nice, the
state comes through on its promise
for financial support and people
come see the show, we'll have
i^O-n-r 1
David Oxtndin*, dinctor of SATW.
SAY VbU READ IT IN
THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
Girl Scourts Celebrate
Cookie Sales Campaign
Top cookie seller, Met/an Scott, left,
receives a plaque from 'J\vop leader
Joan Lourry.
Girl Scouts participating in thin
year's cookie sales, anil belonging to
1'embroke's Girl Scouts 'Dvops 72
and 719 are keeling left to right:
Adriene Cham's, Cortney Campbell,
Jessica Dccsc, Megan Scott, Sarah
Locklear, Btmuli Bivoks and April
Dcesc. Standing left to right are:
Joan licash i/, Katie Jacobs, Millie Jo
.At cobs, Stephanie Beasley, Serena
Oxendine, Chrish'na Dccse, Uclnvia
Brooks and Kimberljp Hammonds.
There were no cookies eaten when
18 girls from Girl Scout Troops 72
and 719 gathered at Kay's Suhs K
IV.zns to celebrate their successful
cookie sales campaign.
The pizza on ling brought daises,
brownie and juniors together to make
an end to a year and to recognize
their hard work in selling 2.300 boxes
of cookies last February. For tire past
nine months, they had gathered at
the First United Methodist Church in
Fein broke each Tuesday afternoon.
There they involved themselves in
various projects under the leadership
of Joan Lowry, Andrenn Scott and
Diane C'havia.
This year marked the first lime
both troops joined together in selling
cookies. "They really worked hard
when llie cookie drive started," says
leader Iowery. "The parents played
a tremendous port in helping to sell
and deliver all Die cookies."
Lowcry says as the cookie selling
season approached, former custom
ers began calling to placo orders.
"Then lite girls hit the streets and
started working very hard in order to
get commitments from hundreds of
Girl Scout cookie lovers."
After ntoulitfuIs of pizzas were
washed down with ice tea and colas,
the girls assembled at the sponsoring
chuieh to receive awards. F.very
participant received a patch com
memorating their achievement in the
project
Four girl scouts were recognized
as top cookie sellers. Megnn Scott
won lop award in the Daisy/Brownie
Department for selling 328 boxes of
cookies. Second plai-e winner in that
department was Adrione Chavis who
sold 281.
In the Junior Department, Jessica
locklcar and Shannon Nutting were
co-winners at 202 boxes sold each.
STRIKE AT THE WINO
ANNUAL ART AUCTION ANV PINNER
To uncut UnvaCUng o& Oniginal Faulting
"The SpuuX oj a People"
MOO Limited EcUtton PacnlA)
Fecutuned AnUstt Ma. Gloria Tana Louoeay
Gout Speak en* Congressman ChaOUe Rose
Tuesday, June 21, 7911
7: SO P.M.
Ramada Inn - Lumbeaton, Noath Carolina
$25.00 Pen Fenson
(Champagne and Pause R"? Dinner)
52?-*419 ok 131-1161
SfUkt At The ttuid
P. 0. Box J051
PembKoke, W. C. f!37t
Reception
GtoKla Ti Lawvy,
KioLpk L. Vial,
i HectoK Mclean
6t30 P.M. - 7?S# P.M.