26th Year Carol Butler Is Proud New Owner Of

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The Original Downtown Newspaper, 26th Year
26th Year
Vol. 26, No. 2
Carol Butler
Is Proud New
Owner Of
Pembroke Title.
For the last 10 years Carol Butler has
owned and operated The Butler Company, a provider of real estate classes
throughout the State of Virginia. Her
company offered attorneys and realtors
continuing education plus pre-licensing
and taught continuing education classes
for title insurance agents.
Her longtime friend and business partner, Severn Kellam, offered to sell her
Pembroke Title and Carol thought it was
perfect timing for a career change. The
knowledge she gained from The Butler
Company proved valuable and she was
well on the way to a smooth transition.
To read the full story on Carol Butler
and Pembroke Title, please see page 3
inside.
(In the photo at right, Carol is pictured
at Kellam Galleries in Norfolk.)
PEMBROKE TITLE, LLC
130 W. Olney Road,
Norfolk, VA 23510
Tele: 757.627.4700 - Fax: 757-6270229 - Cell: 757-409-7614
cbutler@pembroketitle.com www.pembroketitle.com
ALSO INSIDE: OUR USUAL OFFERINGS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
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restaurateur and Ghent community
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Mike was an avid golfer, and the fight
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Tournament proceeds benefit the
Strelitz Diabetes Center at Eastern
Virginia Medical School.
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Elizabeth Manor
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2 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
By Jack Armistead
Downtowner Editor
Carol Butler Now Proud New Owner of Pembroke Title
What better place to move seamlessly
between business opportunities than
downtown Norfolk? And who better
with whom to celebrate it than the loyal
readers of The Downtowner?
For 10 years Carol Butler successfully owned and operated The Butler
Company. Her company provided real
estate classes throughout Virginia, offered attorneys and realtors continuing
education plus pre-licensing and taught
continuing education classes for title
insurance agents. And in the Spring of
2011 The Downtowner recognized Carol for her achievements.
That Fall, Butler received an intriguing phone call from long time friend and
former business partner, Severn Kellam,
offering to sell her Pembroke Title. After 25 years owning Pembroke Title, Sev
was ready for a new venture - an art gallery that offers a wonderful collection of
original paintings, sculptures, rugs and
furniture.
“He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” says Butler. “It was perfect timing
as I was burned out from 11 years traveling up and down I-95 teaching monthly
seminars! It was also perfect that I knew
most of his clients.”
The deal was completed. Kellam and
Butler visited Pembroke Title’s customers, and the baton was passed!
Pembroke Title began in the Pembroke
area of Virginia Beach in the 80’s, but in
the mid-1990’s, Sev moved the company
to Norfolk. Sev has a great affinity for
Norfolk, having been born and raised
here. He wanted to bring the business
back to his roots.
The first year was challenging as Butler
ran both companies. But Carol was not
without experience in the title company
world. In the past, Carol co-owned four
title companies: Victoria Title, Breen
Title, Lake James Title & Norfolk Title.
She has a great reputation, which enticed
Gail Burgess, an underwriter with over
30 years experience, to immediately join
the team. Rose Day, licensed underwriter and real estate sales person with Judy
Boone Realty, came on board May 2012.
Together, Pembroke Title has over 80
years experience in title examinations
and insurance.
At the end of 2012, realizing Pembroke
Title could support her in the manner to
which she’d become accustomed, The
Butler Company closed, and Carol could
focus 100% on Pembroke Title.
Knowing that no one is successful
alone, Carol is quick to give praise where
it is due. “We have the pleasure of working with the best certified examiners in
Tidewater,” she stated. Pembroke Title
is an agent of WFG National Title Insurance Company (“WFG”), Fidelity
National Title and First American Title.
Carol is a product of Portsmouth and
was raised both on the Peninsula and the
Southside. Her roots are here and she
knows the area very well.
“My career began in Tidewater law
firms”, says Carol. “Back in the 70’s you’d
only see suits in the Courthouse record
rooms, as attorneys would search their
own titles. And, back then, only attorneys could close loans!” In the mid-80s
the law changed and title companies
were able to conduct real estate settlements/closings.
“I closed thousands of loans and was
always aware when issues were over my
head. So many times I would contact
an attorney to see if they’d be willing to
step in - handle the legal issues and close
the deal. Having worked so long in law
firms, I knew what I didn’t know!” said
Butler.
And having great relationships with
attorneys all over Hampton Roads has
allowed Butler to run Pembroke Title
as a “title only” shop - handling the title
examinations and insurance and referring the closings to attorneys. “To me
it’s cleaner with the law firms conducting
the settlements. I’m not competing with
the attorneys,” states Carol. Pembroke
Title acts as a partner, cleaning up title
issues behind the scene and helping that
deal to close.
WFG opened a settlement service for
its agents who do not conduct settlements. “It’s a great service for attorneys
who do not have a real estate practice.
WFG handles the paperwork and deliv-
Carol Butler, above, who was featured
in The Downtowner in 2011, now owns
Pembroke Title.
ers it to the attorney. I’m able to assist
by notarizing and making sure all goes
smoothly. It works well for attorneys
who specialize in personal injury, divorce,
bankruptcy, estates, etc. When clients
need assistance with real estate issue, the
attorneys don’t have to send them elsewhere for a closing and they have someone they can trust to take great care of
their clients,” says Butler.
Attorneys also use Carol as an expert
witness in court cases that involve a title
issue. With over 40 years of experience
and her high standards for accuracy,
Carol is an asset to attorneys with real
estate needs.
Except for three years playing music
up and down the East Coast, Butler
has worked in real estate since the 70’s.
Along with the examinations and insurance, Pembroke Title also assists law
offices with education for their employees, an aspect that Carol wanted to keep
from The Butler Company.
“I enjoy working with the attorneys
and being their real estate resource.
Together we work on commercial and
residential transactions in Virginia and
North Carolina. It’s what I know! It’s
what I love!”
Oh, and don’t be surprised if you hear
Carol’s soulful voice around Norfolk.
Her passion for music is rivaled only by
her passion for all things Norfolk.
Gail Burgess, who has 30 years experience as an underwriter, is a key employee at Pembroke Title.
Rose Day joined the Pembroke Title
team in 2012
Pembroke Title has always had a
great reputation in Hampton Roads
and this continues under Carol’s
astute business practices and her
genuine concern for attorneys and
their clients with real estate needs.
PEMBROKE TITLE, LLC
130 W. Olney Road, Norfolk, VA
23510
Tele: 757.627.4700 - Fax: 757627-0229 - Cell: 757-409-7614
cbutler@pembroketitle.com
www.pembroketitle.com
•••
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 3
Off The Beaten Path With Jack Armistead
Even though an Arctic blast of cold air
penetrated New Orleans in early January,
Bourbon Street was still hot and inviting.
With temperatures as low as 28 degrees,
the music offered our party a great warming trend. When we could get it, that is.
Many of the bars that featured live music
did not have heat. That was the determining factor of whether we should stay or
move to another cafe that did have heat.
Nonetheless, the food was delicious and
our first drink was a Hurricane offered at
Pat O’Brien’s. The large glass, shaped like
a hurricane lamp, is a favorite souvenir for
tourists although none in our group took
one home. Yes, we did the touristy thing
first to get it over with. Dueling piano
players made the stop interesting. Pat
O’Brien’s celebrated its 80th Anniversary
last year.
The breakfast highlight of the 4-day trip
was a stop in Cafe Du Monde for a full
plate of beignets. The beignet is a square
piece of dough, fried and then covered
with powdered sugar. They are served in
orders of three. I couldn’t eat but two and
gave my third one to a saxophone playing street musician who was performing
outside the front door. The original Cafe
Du Monde Coffee Stand was established
in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. It closes on Christmas Day.
The musical highlight of the trip was a
stop in a local restaurant-pub (that was
warm) and featured a jazz combo.
To our delight, clarinet player Pieter
Meijers of Holland sat in with the group
that night.
According to his bio, Meijers was born
in the Netherlands and began his musical
training at age six. He played in a concert band with his father as the conductor. While a student in Amsterdam he
became a regular at the Dutch trad jazz
scene but he quit playing jazz to complete his studies. He continued concert
band activities and became a conductor
in 1967.
Meijers has become a frequent featured
artist at jazz festivals and jazz cruises and
has performed all over the world with
some of the most famous bands and
musicians. His wife owns and operates
Jazzdagen Tours. A cruise will be offered
this year featuring over 20 stellar musicians that will go through the Panama
Canal. Check it out at www.jazzdagen.
com.
•••
A lantern shop in New Orleans was a photographic highlight on a recent trip to
New Orleans. See Armistead column at left. (Photo by Jack Armistead)
Founded
May, 1988
A Positive Voice Serving the Greater Norfolk Area and Olde Towne Portsmouth
Publisher & Editor . . . . . . . . . . Jack Armistead
Senior Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judith A. Scharle
Technical Advisors . . . Pete Vester & Susan Platt
Dining Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Newbegin
Sales Associates
Jack Armistead, Joyce Newbegin & Larry Stark
Contributing Writers. . . . . . . . . . Jack Armistead,
Brad Cox, Sean Hillegass,
Peggy Haile McPhillips, Mike Murphy, Joyce
Newbegin, Gary Ruegsegger, Abbott Saks, Holly
Armistead Rose, Judith A. Scharle, Pete Vester
and Susan M. Vertullo
Photographers
Joe George, Ruth Gray,
Carlos Fink and Barbie Peirce
Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catherine Hugo
Website design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arlene Page
Visit our website at www.downtowneronline.com
The Downtowner is published once every month,
except January, by Target Advertising Co., Inc. (Established 1981). The mailing address is 1439 Mallory Court, Norfolk, VA. 23507. Editorial contributions are welcomed but may be edited. Opinions
expressed by contributors are not necessarily the
opinion of this publication. Only mailed or e-mailed
contributions accepted. No faxes please.
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December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 5
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God Bless Our Troops!
God Bless America!
Thank you to every man and woman
who is serving our country in the
Armed Forces.
Thank you for keeping
America safe!
Great job!
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6 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
It’s Been 50 Years Since First Hit Single By The Tams
By Sean Hillegass
February 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the
Tams highest charting single “What Kind Of Fool (Do
You Think I Am).”
The Tams, consisting of Floyd Ashton, Horace Key,
Robert Smith and brothers Charles & Joe Pope had
been performing around Atlanta for a decade before
being discovered by music publisher Bill Lowery in
1962.
The Tams debut single “Untie Me” entered the Billboard Hot 100 on October 20, 1962, reaching number
sixty. They released several more singles that garnered
quite a bit of airplay regionally, but little else. Around
this time Ray Whitley, an aspiring sixteen year-old
song writer stopped by the Lowery music company and
pitched several songs, two of which “Laugh It Off ” and
“What Kind Of Fool” were recorded by the Tams at the
Fame recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
In 1963, Lowery signed the Tams to ABC-Paramount
Records. The Tams first release for ABC-Paramount,
“Laugh It Off,” was released on October 24, 1963 and
once again met with much success on a regional level,
but disc jockeys began playing the B-side “What Kind
Of Fool.”
On December 14, 1963, “What Kind Of Fool” entered Billboard’s Hot 100.” On February 15, 1964,
“What Kind Of Fool” reached the number ten spot on
the singles chart. A week later on February 22 it went
to number nine, making the highest spot of any of their
songs.
Gary Hardy, who was a member of Bill Deal and
The Rhondels from 1968 to 1980 recalled, “When
‘What Kind Of Fool’ was released I thought it was a
great song. Little did I know some five years later that
the band I was in would release it and have a smash hit
with it.” The Rhondels version co-arranged by Hardy
and Bill Deal ended up at number twenty-three on the
singles chart.
In the spring of 1964, the Tams had their first personnel change when Floyd Ashton was replaced by Al
Cottle Jr. The line up would stay the same into the
1970’s.
Tom Fauntleroy, who was in his junior year at Huntington High School in Newport News said, “’What
Kind Of Fool’ was rite of passage for me. It was at
a time when things were changing and happening for
me. That song struck a chord with me. I could relate to
it.”
When Fauntleroy enrolled at Howard University
in 1965 he joined the group Al & The Vikings, and
“What Kind Of Fool” was in their repertoire. In 1968,
Fauntleroy’s group changed their name to the Unifics
and had two chart topping hits “Court Of Love” and
“The Beginning Of My End.”
Before 1964 was over the Tams would penetrate the
Billboard Hot 100 four more times. One of those
songs, “Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me” would be released
in the UK in 1971 where it went to number one for
three weeks.
In 1965, the Tams released “I’ve Been Hurt,” which
didn’t chart nationally but topped the music charts of
many radio stations from Georgia to Virginia and is
considered a beach music classic.
In 1968, the Tams released their final hit, “Be Young,
Be Foolish, Be Happy” which became not only their
signature song but also an anthem for the beach music
genre.
Above is a 1963 promo photo of The Tams.
Lenis Guess, who had a mammoth hit in 1966, with
“Working For My Baby” said, “’What Kind Of Fool’
is a true R&B classic. It captured that southern soul
sound. This is one of those songs that stand the test of
time.”
The Tams are more than deserving of the title, the
Dukes of Southern Soul.
•••
Downtown Norfolk Crimes Rate Drops in 2013
Incidents of Crime in Downtown Shows Significant Decrease
Norfolk, Va. – ( January 21, 2014) –Newly released crime rates from 2013 exhibit
a 9.7% decrease compared to 2012 in the
greater Downtown Norfolk area.
This decrease can be a primarily attributed to the 7% fall in vandalism and
the 19% decline in larceny from auto
crimes. The crime rate in downtown has
dropped a total of 29% over the course
of 5 years. The progress is a result of
the concentrated presence of the Norfolk Police Department, the Downtown
Public Service Ambassadors and the
citizens in Downtown Norfolk.
“It’s great to see this kind of reduction of incidents at the start of a new
year for Downtown Norfolk. Surely our
job is never done until there are no significant incidents in the entire City,” said
Norfolk Police Chief Goldsmith. “We
recognize the impact of this downtrend
for downtown, and continue to work
towards similar results in other Norfolk
communities and neighborhoods.”
In 2012, the Downtown Norfolk
Council (DNC) contracted with the
Southern Institute of Research and conducted a Consumer Usage and Percep-
tion Study for Downtown Norfolk. The
survey identified that the perception of
safety is one of the key drivers of Downtown Norfolk’s overall positive reputation, likeliness to recommend and likeliness to visit.
“It is extremely important that
downtown visitors, residents and businesses feel safe,” expressed Mary Miller,
President & CEO of DNC. “With our
Public Service Ambassadors program,
we physically have a presence on the
streets to promote safety in downtown.
As an organization, we will continue to
advocate for a safe, friendly and spotless
downtown.”
The Norfolk Police Department continues to work within the community to
ensure safety through the Downtown
and Freemason civic leagues, the citizens
of Norfolk and the Downtown Public
Service Ambassadors.
Statistics based on the 2013 Downtown Planning District 59 crime report
from the Norfolk Police Department.
•••
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 7
Noted Photographer Turns 66
By Gary Ruegsegger
Downtowner Contributing Editor
Walking in Your Big Brother’s Footsteps
No matter how old you get or how gray your hair turns,
you never stop being someone’s kid brother. Such is life.
This month my big brother Bob flips his life’s calendar
for the 66th those years I’ve witnessed up close and personal.
He was the first in our family to graduate from college,
teach English, own a flashy sports car, or write for a newspaper. It seems I’ve been following in his footsteps forever.
Since my retirement last year, most every Thursday
we take a road trip somewhere – Yorktown, Smithfield,
Hampton, Gloucester, Williamsburg. Next to the worldfamous Bill McIntosh, Bob’s the best photographer I
know.
Usually I get to ride shotgun and end up carrying his
photo equipment. Occasionally, when the master photographer’s not looking, I snap a few shots of him.
Rather than writing about big brother this month,
I thought I’d share a few snaps from our Thursday road
trips. Happy birthday, Big Boy.
•••
Bob shoots the Battle of the Hook reenactment in
Gloucester.
Bob knows the Governor’s Mansion in Williamsburg
better than Thomas Jefferson.
Pictured with two British cavalry officers, Bob occasionally hangs out with the enemy.
Secured in the stocks at Williamsburg, Bob had no
choice but to pose for this picture.
Bob surveys the Yorktown battlefield from behind a
Colonial gun emplacement. He knows Yorktown better than Cornwallis ever did.
8 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
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December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 9
From Skyline to Shoreline, Shannon Sells Norfolk
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Diane Wright to Join Chrysler Museum of Art as the Barry Curator of Glass
The Chrysler Museum of Art has hired
Diane C. Wright as the Carolyn and Richard Barry Curator of Glass. Wright begins
her new appointment in March 2014.
She will be responsible for the display,
interpretation, study, and care of works
of art in the Museum’s glass collection of
over 10,000 objects, many of which will
be showcased in the newly expanded glass
galleries when the Museum reopens in
spring 2014.
Wright comes to the Chrysler Museum
from the Pilchuck Glass School in Stan-
wood, Wash., where she was the marketing and communications manager. She
received a master’s degree in the history
of decorative arts and design from Parsons
The New School for Design, specializing
in glass studies. She has conducted research and lectured on glass for a number
of institutions and has served as the Marcia Brady Tucker Senior Curatorial Fellow
in the American Decorative Arts Department at the Yale University Art Gallery.
Wright has extensively researched the
leaded-glass windows and mosaics of
Tiffany Studios. She co-curated the exhibition “Louis C. Tiffany and the Art
of Devotion” at the Museum of Biblical
Art in New York and recently co-curated
“Wheaton Glass: the Art of the Fellowship” at the WheatonArts American Museum of Glass in Millville, N.J.
Wright taught courses on the history of
glass at the Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons The New School for Design,
and George Mason University and has
written on glass for Modern Magazine,
Glass Quarterly, the Journal of Glass
Studies, and the Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin. She is the recipient of the
Rakow Grant for Glass Research from the
Corning Museum of Glass.
“Diane arrives with an impressive array of
academic achievements and an extraordinarily wide range of practical experiences
within the world of glass,” said Jeff Harrison, chief curator. “We are certain she will
prosper as our new Barry Curator of Glass,
and we are delighted to have her on the
curatorial team.”
•••
10 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
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757.271.7000 | VA115@POSTNET.COM
Make your donation now at jdrf-hamptonroads.ejoinme.org/hopegala2014 or call 757-497-2202 for more information.
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 11
Longtime Receptionist Retires From Norfolk Plumbing, Inc.
Edna Hopkins is a familiar voice to many of you
reading this article, but most of you have never
met her. Edna lives in Portsmouth and has been
married to her husband for 25 years. She has 4
sons and 5 grandchildren, 5 stepchildren and a
large extended family. She retired from Norfolk
Plumbing, Inc. on January 31st.
Edna and Jeff Hux, the owner of Norfolk Plumbing, began working together in 1990 for another
local company. Edna and Jeff worked together for
11 years. Jeff left that company and with his wife,
Dee, started Norfolk Plumbing, Inc. A few years
later Edna retired to do some traveling. Jeff and
Edna remained close.
When Norfolk Plumbing moved into their new
office and needed additional office support, Edna
came out of retirement to help. Jeff and Dee say
that they truly can not thank her enough for that.
She came out of retirement to put up with tunnel
traffic, alarm clocks, multiple personalities and did
it all with a smile. Edna has been with Norfolk
Plumbing’s new location for 9 years.
Edna has been a positive addition to Norfolk
Plumbing. She has a way with customers, our crew
and most of all, Jeff. She has always been able to
speak her mind, and straighten you out if need be
with a soft voice.
Edna has gone above and beyond being just the
secretary. She has watched our daughter at the office so that we could go to a last minute meeting or
luncheon. She has been a taxi to technicians, picking them up and giving them rides to and from
work. Edna has been known to come to work in
a wheelchair a time or two when on the injured
reserved list. The word “trooper” comes to mind.
Edna has been a true friend and a guiding force
for everyone at Norfolk Plumbing and will be truly missed by all of us and especially by “Stripey”
the cat.
Edna plans on continuing to travel, plan lunches
instead of dinners with friends and just sleep in.
-- Dee and Jeff Hux, Norfolk Plumbing, Inc.
Grammy Award Winning Artist Shawn Colvin
Opens Fest April 10 At NARO Expanded Cinema
NORFOLK, Va. – ( January 22, 2014) – Tidewater
Arts Outreach (TAO) will present the 7th Annual
Sea Level Singer/Songwriter Festival April 10-12.
Grammy award-winning artist Shawn Colvin will
headline the kick-off concert at NARO Expanded
Cinema, 1507 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, Thursday,
April 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. for general admission seating, and the show will start at 7 p.m.
Shawn Colvin is a three-time Grammy winning
and 10-time Grammy-nominated American singer/ songwriter with eight albums to her credit. As
one of the leading lights of the so-called “new folk
movement” that began in the late ‘80s with female
contemporaries Tracy Chapman, Suzanne Vega,
and the Indigo Girls, Colvin set herself apart with
a diverse musical approach and a personal, popinfluenced style. Her debut record, Steady On, released in 1989, won the Grammy Award for Best
Contemporary Folk Recording. Colvin’s 1992
sophomore effort, the more pop-oriented Fat City,
earned her two more nominations, as well as considerable critical praise and a growing crossover
audience.
It was her 1997 single, “Sunny Came Home,”
that earned her two Grammy Awards for Record
and Song of the Year and firmly catapulted her
into the mainstream, with A Few Small Repairs
becoming her first album to reach platinum status.
During the new millennium, Colvin has released
three solid albums of original material and a live
retrospective recording, as well as collaborating on
projects with musical icons the likes of James Taylor, Sting, and Bela Fleck.
This same evening, TAO welcomes veteran
Austin-based singer/songwriter Darden Smith as
a special guest for the April 10 kick-off concert.
Opening this special evening at the NARO, is local musician Logan Vath, a Nebraska native who
has lived in Norfolk since 2007 and has recently
released his debut album, “Better Man or Ghost.”
Tickets for the Shawn Colvin concert are $37.50
in advance and $42.50 the day of the show. General admission tickets can be purchased at TidewaterArtOutreach.org beginning February 10 at
10 a.m. A limited number of reserved seats will be
available to “friend-of-the-festival” sponsors beginning January 20. The Sea Level Festival weekend of events includes other local venue concerts,
open stages, street musicians, Instruments of Art
Celebration and the Emerging Artist Showcase.
Advertise in The Downtowner.
Call 627-2216 to place your ad today.
Edna Hopkins has retired from Norfolk Plumbing, Inc. after
playing a key role there for many years.
Young Shakespeare Camps
Again at VSF
As we they have been doing for over a decade now, the
Virginia Shakespeare Festival (VSF) in Williamsburg will be
offering two one-week day camps for young performers wishing to study the acting of Shakespeare’s plays.
Camp sessions will be July 14 - 18 for ages 10 to 13 and
July 21- 25 for ages 14 to 17. Camp Directors Kyle Downing
and Elizabeth Litwak will be joined by various members of
the VSF Acting Company to instruct the camps in the playing
of Shakespeare’s language, stage combat, and clowning as part
of the week’s instruction, culminating in the performance of
an abridged version of Twelfth Night at the end of the week in
the Studio Theatre.
As a special treat this year, the camps will perform their
rendition of Twelfth Night on portions of the actual set of
the VSF production of Illyria, the musical version of Twelfth
Night that will run on the main stage June 25 - July 6.
For both weeks the camps will run 9am to 4pm, Monday
through Thursday and then from 9am to 5:00pm on Friday
when the Twelfth Night is presented to the public. Classes
are held at Phi Beta Kappa Hall on the campus of the College
of William & Mary. Tuition for the week is $240. No housing is provided and those students attending from out of town
would need to find their own housing for the week of camp.
Camp registration opens February 15, with 24 slots available each week. Interested parents are encouraged to contact
VSF early in the registration process. You may apply for registration via email to clowen@wm.edu or by calling the Virginia
Shakespeare Festival administrative office at 757-221-2683
after Feb. 15.
12 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December, 2013
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim
Announces Re-election Bid
(Norfolk, Va.) Norfolk’s current mayor,
Paul D. Fraim, said today that he is seeking re-election on May 6, 2014. “While
we have accomplished a lot together,
there is more to do.”
Fraim was born and raised in Norfolk,
he received a BA from Virginia Military
Institute, a M.ED from the University of
Virginia and a law degree from the University of Richmond.
He was first elected to City Council in
1986 and was chosen by Council to be
mayor in 1994. In 2006 he became the
first popularly elected mayor in Norfolk
since 1916. He won re-election in 2010.
“In 2013 Norfolk was named an AllAmerica City, one of the 11 most resilient cities in the world, and our municipal bond rating received a significant
upgrade. All are high honors earned
over many years,” continued Fraim.
“2014 will see the opening of the new
Kroc Center in Broad Creek, new retail
in Wards Corner and Ghent, the construction of the new Slover Library, the
completion of hundreds of housing units
to serve our growing population, and
more,” he said.
Fraim said plans are also underway
to build schools in Campostella, Broad
Creek, Larchmont, Ocean View and
Camp Allen.
Fraim added, “It is a great honor to
serve as your mayor. I have and will
work hard to earn your vote.”
For more information, visit his website
at www.mayorfraim.com.
•••
Attention Business Owners:
1. Best Restaurant -- Small’s Smokehouse and Oyster Bar located at 2700
Hampton Boulevard. Try the barbeque!
2. Best Waitress of All Time -- Shirley
Holton of Doumar’s who has been
there since 1968. Terrific job, Shirley!
3. Best Cleaners Employee -- Gail Jackson of Albano Cleaners at 234 W.
22nd Street is tops. Way to go!
YOU’RE
THE
BEST!
4. Best Wish of the Month -- No more
icy roads, please!
5. Best Photographer of the Month -Pamela Manning of The Manning
Studio. Need a photo? Call her at (757)
623-7888.
6. Best Saying of the Month -- Happy
Valentine’s Day to all of Hampton
Roads’ Beautiful Couples.
7. Best Jeer of the Month -- To Phil the
Groundhog for prolonging this frigid
winter. Boo, Phil!
8. Best Salute of the Month -- To all of
our Armed Forces who are currently
serving and have served this great nation. Thank you!
9. Best Congratulations of the Month -To the new inductees into the Virginia
Sports Hall of Fame! See page 16.
10. Best Music Recognition of the Month
-- Veer Magazine’s Local Music
Awards earlier this month was fantastic. Congratulations to Veer Publisher
Jeff Maisey and all of the winning musicians.
Do You Have A New Business?
Is Your Business Ready
To Celebrate An
Important Anniversary?
If So, Call The Downtowner And Ask About
Our Popular Front Cover Business Profile.
The Next Opening For This Effective
Promotion Is The July, 2014 Issue.
Please Reserve Your Space
As Soon As Possible.
Call Us at 627-2216.
Beagle Country USA
It was time to round up all the Beagles at Happy Tails Resort for a photo shoot.
Happy Tails Resort is located at 861 W. 46th Street in Norfolk near Old Dominion University. The upscale boarding, daycare and grooming facility features
12,000 square feet and has a large indoor pool that the dogs love. The resort has
suite boarding complete with custom made beds, doors and windows, recessed
lighting and piped in music. For more information call (757) 226-8444 or visit the
website at www.happytailscamp.com.
(Photo Courtesy of Jana Underwood)
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 13
Norfolk Cosmopolitan Club Names “Trisha Rawls First Citizen
Patricia P. “Trisha” Rawls of Norfolk has
been named the 86th recipient of the annual Norfolk First Citizen Award. She
will be honored by the Norfolk Cosmopolitan Club at a banquet on March 8,
2014.
The award honors Rawls, retired executive director of the Business Consortium
for Arts Support, for her “unselfish and
beneficial service” to the community
during 2013 and in recent years. She is
a long-time community volunteer who
is president of the Norfolk Botanical
Garden Foundation and served twice
as board chair of the Norfolk Botanical Garden Society. She currently serves
on the society’s finance committee and
is leading the drive to preserve the 11
statues in the garden created by sculptor
Moses Ezekiel in the 1880s - one of the
top 10 endangered artifacts in the commonwealth.
Rawls is on the board of the Norfolk
Convention and Visitors Bureau and
previously was its chair and treasurer.
She serves on the Norfolk Arts Commission and the boards of the Norfolk
SPCA, Harbor’s Edge Foundation,
Business Consortium for Arts Support
and Harborfront Garden Club.
Rawls, a Franklin native, is a graduate of
Hollins University and Lead Hampton
Roads. She has served on the board of
the Hollins University Alumnae Asso-
ciation and is active in her alma mater’s
Hampton Roads chapter.
The Norfolk First Citizen Award has
been presented every year since 1928
to an outstanding citizen. The Cosmopolitan Club, which sponsors the award,
helped start the Strelitz Diabetes Institutes at Eastern Virginia Medical
School. The organization continues to
support diabetes research and education
efforts.
The March 8 First Citizen banquet will
be held at the Norfolk Yacht & Country
Club starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $120
a person and may be ordered by calling
757-963-7750 or emailing cmcook28@
cox.net.
Patricia P. “Trisha” Rawls
Emerging Artist Contest Looking for Unsigned Talent for
7th Annual Sea Level Singer/Songwriter Festival Showcase April 12
NORFOLK, Va. – ( January 9, 2014)
– Tidewater Arts Outreach invites unsigned singer/songwriters to showcase
their work at the Sea Level Singer/
Songwriter Festival’s Emerging Artist
Competition on April 12, 2014 at the
Attucks Theater, 1010 Church St. Norfolk. The festival is accepting submissions of original music by unsigned solo
artists of all ages who live within 100
miles of Norfolk. Anyone interested in
participating must review entry rules,
pay the appropriate entry fee, and upload
their music at http://www.tidewaterartsoutreach.org. Entries must be submitted by March 1, 2014.
The top ten semifinalists will perform
one song each at the Emerging Artist Contest, a live concert on Saturday,
April 12 at the Attucks Theater at 1010
Church St, Norfolk. Three finalists will
then be chosen by a panel of judges to
perform a second song, and based on
these performances, a winner will be selected. The winner will be invited to be a
guest on Hunter at Sunrise onWHRV
HD3, The Hampton Roads Show on
WAVY News 10, and Out of the Box on
WHRV FM 89.5.
Entries can be a professional recording or a demo made in the kitchen. Entries will be judged on content, rather
than recording quality to determine who
makes the final cut. To qualify each singer/songwriter needs to:
• Live within 100 miles of Norfolk, Va.
• Not have a released a full-length album
• Upload two MP3 files and submit
an entry fee no later than March 1,
2014
• Be able to perform live in Norfolk on
April 12, 2014.
About the Sea Level Singer/Songwriter
Festival:
The Sea Level Singer/Songwriter
Festival, now in its 7th year, is a multiday celebration of live, original music
and features local and national singer/
songwriters at venues including the Naro
Expanded Cinema, Attucks Theater, and
Nauticus; an instrument-themed art
auction, the Emerging Artist Contest,
indoor and outdoor live performance
showcases by local musicians and a custom Merrill Guitar raffle. The festival is
the largest annual fundraiser for Tidewater Arts Outreach; it is created and
run by volunteers.
About Tidewater Arts Outreach:
Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO) is a
nonprofit organization founded in 2003
to share the joy and healing power of the
arts with people who have special needs
and who are isolated from society.
TAO provides workshops to bring
state-of-the-art arts and health programs
to Hampton Roads. TAO also presents
dozens of programs each month in hospitals, retirement homes, rehabilitation
centers, homeless shelters and other
facilities throughout Hampton Roads.
These performances and programs promote human interaction, intellectual
stimulation, happiness and healing for
people who have limited access to the
arts due to health, economic or social circumstances. Last year, nearly 8,000 people were reached through 306 Tidewater
Arts Outreach programs and workshops
at 67 locations. Tidewater Arts Outreach supports the spirit of empathy and
caring in the music and arts community,
and hundreds of artists participate in its
programs. For more information, visit
www.TidewaterArtsOutreach.org.
• • •
Advertise in The Downtowner.
To place an ad in the March issue, Call (757) 627-2216.
14 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
Hampton Roads’ Biggest “Born & Raised” Know-It-All!
The Downtowner Answerman
A Property for Your Consideration...
7320 GLENROIE AVENUE
# 2F Norfolk VA 23505
Dear Downtowner Answerman,
My wife has apparently grown a mustache but I don’t think she notices it
because it’s difficult to see. Should I say
something to her or maybe ask her to
shave it off ? -- Jaspar, Freemason Street
Dear Jaspar,
No-No!
•
Dear Downtowner Answerman,
What did you do when we were snowed
in for three days in January? -- Jennifer,
22nd Street
Dear Jennifer,
I was lucky that my new mail-order girlfriend from Russia was with me at the
time. She brought some top shelf vodka from Moscow so we read a lot and
watched TV.
•
Dear Downtowner Answerman,
Did you ever find a new part time job to
supplement your income? I suspect you
don’t get wealthy being The Answerman.
-- Katie Will Stay, Colley Avenue.
Dear Katie Will Stay,
Yes. I untangle coat hangers in closets
at various locations around town. Even
though it’s time consuming, I like it..
• • •
Hurrah Players Announce Expansion Into
The Norfolk Arts And Design District
NORFOLK, VA: The Hurrah Players are
thrilled to announce expansion into the
Norfolk Arts and
Design District. Hurrah celebrated the
New Year by closing on the purchase of
112-116 West Wilson Avenue located just
off Granby Street.
Constructed in 1907 to serve as a horse
and cattle stable for the Miller, Rhodes,
and Stewart Department Store, this building later housed Cherry H R & Company
auto repair until 1945 when it was purchased and renovated by Sutton Manufacturing Corporation.
This 12,000+ square foot building will
provide additional classrooms and a rehearsal studio for
Hurrah’s ever growing educational program, as well as establish a permanent
design and creation workshop for performance scenery and props. As the premiere
performing arts education center in this
new District, Hurrah will be active leaders
in the cultural transformation of the community.
Establishing The Hugh R. Copeland
Center is another dream come true for
Virginia’s Leading Family Theatre Company. “Moving our permanent headquarters to downtown Norfolk in 2010 remains
one of the greatest achievements in our 30
year history, but we have always known
an additional facility would be necessary
to accommodate our company’s dynamic
operations, and to meet the needs of our
community.” states Hurrah founder and
Artistic Director - Hugh R. Copeland.
Over the past year, Hurrah has actively
investigated potential properties and quietly sought major partners and supporters for a Capital project. The $1.5 million
“Reach for the Stars” Campaign includes
the purchase and complete renovation of
this new arts and education center, as well
as establishes an endowment for the organization. John Tymoff of Tymoff and
Moss has been secured as the architect
along with Ashett Construction to lead
the renovations.
Through very generous support of several community champions, including the
Norfolk Southern Foundation, Hurrah has
already raised more than $800,000 toward
the project. With the official closing on
the property complete, renovations to the
Center and public fundraising initiatives
will begin within the next few weeks.
The grand opening for the Hugh R. Copeland Center is scheduled for Summer
2015.
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Chrysler Museum is Now Accepting
Online Votes for Artwork to be
Displayed in the Waitzer Community
Chrysler Museum of Art is now
accepting online votes for a people’schoice exhibition to be shown in the
new Waitzer Community Gallery. The
exhibition will be on display starting
with the Museum’s Grand Reopening
on May 10 and will run through the
summer of 2014. Titled “By Popular
Demand,” this exhibition will showcase
artworks from the Museum’s vaults as a
complement to other collections displayed throughout the Museum. Individuals can vote once a day for up to 10
works of art on the Museum’s website
(chrysler.org). Voting ends February
26, 2014.
Founded in 1939 as the Norfolk
Museum of Arts and Sciences, the
Chrysler Museum of Art combines
one of America’s great fine arts museums, two significant historic houses
and a Glass Studio, the only one of its
kind on the East Coast. In addition to
maintaining a distinguished permanent collection of over 30,000 objects
spanning nearly 5,000 years of history,
the Chrysler Museum offers a comprehensive program of changing exhibitions and education activities for visitors of all ages.
The Chrysler Museum is currently
closed for a major expansion and will
reopen May 10, 2014. The Moses Myers House and the Chrysler Museum
Glass Studio are open. The Glass Studio is open Wednesday through Sunday and is located at 745 Duke Street
in Norfolk.
To learn more about the Chrysler
Museum, visit chrysler.org or call 757664-6200.
• • •
Advertise in The Downtowner. Call 627-2216 to place your ad today.
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 15
Some Notable Events
Around The Town
* “CELEBRATE MAY DAY ” - Sponsored by The
Harborfront Garden Club and The Garden Club of
Norfolk,Thursday, May 1. 2014 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Celebrate May Day and experience the Norfolk
Tour debut of six outstanding waterfront homes located along the banks and tributaries of the Lafayette
River in Algonquin Park and Meadowbrook. Full ticket
price of $35 includes admission to the 6 private homes
and gardens. Single site admission $15. For more details see websites: www.vagardenweek.org and www.
norfolkgardentour.org
* NORFOLK PUBLIC LIBRARY SET TO FOCUS
ON CIVIL RIGHTS DURING BLACK HISTORY
MONTH FEBRUARY 2014 - Norfolk, VA. Norfolk
Public Library (NPL) has planned a variety of events
during February in recognition of Black History
Month. Events reflect the 2014 theme “Civil Rights
in America,” and include a Jeopardy!-style youth competition, a historical reenactment, book discussions, art
and artifacts exhibits, films and documentaries on the
black experience, and gospel concerts.
Entertainment is also planned with mass appeal
to children, teens and adults. Dr. Anthony Hailey of
Multicultural Performing Arts Consulting (MPAC)
will offer World Music Workshop, demonstrating steel
drums and other instruments from around the world.
Teaching artists Cory and LaQuita Staten from the ensemble Atumpan—The Talking Drums will captivate
audiences with their West African folktales and drums,
and Storyteller Dylan Pritchett will stretch imaginations while teaching morals and values with his adventurous stories.
Black History Month events are scheduled at
branches citywide all month-long, and are free and
open to the public. A booklist has been prepared with
an emphasis on this year’s theme and may be obtained
from the NPL website, along with a complete listing of
events. Go to www.npl.lib.va.us/AAHM.
* SHAMROCKIN IN GHENT is returning to Colley Avenue on Friday, March 14th from 6pm-10pm,
and Hope House invites you to be part of the 20 year
tradition. This event brings people from all over the region to our doorsteps. The event is free and open to
the public. There will be live entertainment throughout
the evening, and food and beverages will be for sale.
All proceeds will benefit Hope House Foundation, a
local not-for-profit, which is the only organization in
Virginia that supports adults with developmental disabilities exclusively in their own homes.
Hope House is seeking area businesses to become
contributing sponsors. This is an opportunity to be part
of a 20 year St. Patrick’s Day tradition, which marks the
beginning of the St. Patty’s Day festivities in Hampton
Roads. For more information on Hope House events
go to www.hope-house.org.
* A FREE TO THE PUBLIC COIN SHOW, sponsored by the Tidewater Coin Club, a not for profit organization.
At the “Virginia Beach Coin Show” the Tidewater
Coin Club will provide educational displays that depict
the history of coins, Foreign, Ancient and US. There
will be give away items and free raffles for books, magazines and other numismatic material. Kids will also
receive free coins at the door and be able to participate
in various treasure hunt activities. The Virginia Beach
Coin Show will be held the weekend of February 15
& 16, 2014 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center
(VBCC) located at 1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach,
VA (last exit off 264 E). The show will be open Saturday from 10 AM – 6 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 4
PM. For more info, please visit www.tidewatercoinclub.
org
* VIRGINIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2014 PORTSMOUTH,
VA – The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
announced its class of 2014 on Thursday at the Virginia
State Capitol in Richmond as chosen by the statewide
Honors Court committee. The Class of 2014 features:
• Rondé Barber, former University of Virginia standout who enjoyed a 16-year career in the NFL with
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and five-time Pro Bowl
selection.
• Sean Casey, a graduate of the University of Richmond who had a 12-year career in Major League
Baseball, was a three-time All-Star, and posted a ca-
reer batting average of .302;
• LaTasha Colander Clark, a native of Portsmouth, an All-American at the University of North
Carolina and gold medalist in the 4x400 relay in the
2000 Summer Olympics;
• Marty Miller, former Norfolk State coach who is
the winningest baseball coach in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association history and 15-time
CIAA Coach of the Year;
• Ticha Penicheiro, two-time Kodak All-American
and Wade Trophy recipient at Old Dominion University; she played 15 years in the WNBA and was
named to four All-Star teams;
• David Teel, a decorated sports writer for the Daily
Press and has been honored more than 50 times by
the Associated Press Sports Editors and other organizations;
• Lou Wacker, head football coach for 23 seasons for
the Emory & Henry Wasps where he won nearly
70-percent of his games and was named ODAC
Coach of the Year five times.
The 43rd Annual Induction Banquet will take place
on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel & Waterfront Conference Center in
Portsmouth, VA as the headline event of Hall of Fame
weekend. Tickets are now on sale. For more information, call (757) 393-8031 or
visit www.vshfm.com.
* PADDLE THE DISMAL SWAMP CANAL from
North Carolina Welcome Center and State Park in
South Mills, North Carolina, to the Ballahack Boat
Ramp in Chesapeake, Virginia May 3. For more information call Gladys Jones, 757-382-6411 or www.
CityofChesapeake.net/PADDLE
16 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December 2013
Carroll Walker’s Old Norfolk
Wood Towing Company Tug “Atlas” passing under the old Berkley Bridge in Norfolk in 1935. (Photo By H.D. Vollmer)
By Peggy Haile McPhillips
Norfolk City Historian
When the deed establishing Norfolk was
recorded in August 1682, the little town
of 50 acres was almost an island, bounded by water in every direction except for
a narrow strip of land first called “The
Road That Leadeth into the Woods” (later
Church Street).
The nation’s first ferry service across the
Elizabeth River had been established by
A Look Back At the Berkley Bridge
English settler Adam Thoroughgood in
1636; but, with water intersecting the
town in every direction, bridges were also
constructed to enable citizens and visitors
to pass through the streets in a generally straightforward manner. Low-lying,
marshy areas were shored up by logs, enabling carts and foot traffic to pass without sinking hub- or hip-high. Foot bridges
were constructed across interior waterways; one of these, Armistead’s Bridge, is
remembered in a street name today.
Crossing the Elizabeth River, however,
required more than the laying-down of
logs or a simple foot bridge. The Norfolk
Draw Bridge was constructed in 1821 to
connect the eastern end of Norfolk’s Main
Street with the Great Bridge Road (an
extension of today’s Liberty Street in the
Berkley neighborhood). It was destroyed
by a hurricane in September of the same
year, and rebuilt in 1822. The first Berkley
Bridge was built on the site of the Norfolk
Draw Bridge in 1918. It was torn down
in 1952, when the first Downtown Norfolk-Portsmouth tunnel, including a new
bridge link to Berkley, opened.
Here, the Berkley Bridge opens so that
the Wood Towing Company’s tug Atlas
may pass beneath in 1935. (Image from
the collection of Carroll H. Walker in the
Sargeant Memorial Room, Kirn Library.)
• • •
December, 2013 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia 17
Dos Manos Art: Where Beauty and Resourcefulness Go Hand-in-Hand
By Susan M. Vertullo and Dan Mack
As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another’s
treasure.” Local artist Nick Gallegos of Dos Manos
Art has built a profitable career using discarded items
that might be considered trash and turning them into
treasured works of art.
The self-described eco-artist uses only recycled
materials to create his art, which ranges from boldlycolored abstract canvas paintings and funky jewelry to
functional body surfing items and edgy mixed-media
photography. During a recent tour of Gallegos’ home
studio near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, the artist
admitted with a smile, “I did not become an eco-artist
because I cared about the environment. I did it out of
necessity. It wasn’t until years later that I realized the
additional values of using eco-friendly materials.”
A man of humble beginnings, Gallegos was born,
and raised by his grandmother, in Compton, California. His journey into the art world began in the in the
early 80’s through an unlikely series of events. As a
teen, Gallegos got into trouble for painting graffiti art
on buildings and other structures around town.
“I had a $750 fine to pay. I didn’t have any money, and that was a lot of money for my grandmother,”
Gallegos explained. At that point, Gallegos was approached by a local entrepeneur, who recognized Gallegos’ artistic abilities and offered to help. This shrewd
businessman often recruited young, economically disadvantaged graffiti artists to produce paintings in exchange for payment of their fines for defacing property.
The 16-year-old Gallegos took advantage of the offer, and was soon painting in an old warehouse. The
paintings were mass-produced. Gallegos described the
process, “The original paintings would be hung on the
walls, and there would be a row of blank canvases. It
was mostly abstract art. We used paint guns like the
ones that house painters use. I had to paint on paint on
one canvas, then another, and another.”
After paying off their debts, the young artists were
paid by the painting. Faster painting meant greater
profits. The ever-resourceful Gallegos came up with a
quicker way of producing the artwork. “I went to my
uncle’s body shop and borrowed some paint guns used
for cars. They were a lot faster than the ones we were
using.” Gallegos was able to double his productivity and
his profits in no time. His misfortune of being caught
painting graffiti turned out to be Gallegos’ lucky break,
providing him with the opportunity to develop his talents as well as to earn some cash.
To keep the production costs low, the young artists
used free or low cost materials. Old bed sheets discarded
by hotels were cut and mounted on frames made from
scraps of wood found in dumpsters and junk yards. This
was Gallegos’ introduction to the concept of using recycled materials. It wasn’t long before Gallegos was
creating and selling his own paintings from the back of
an old truck.
Although born out of necessity, Gallegos’ use of recycled materials has been nurtured by social consciousness. “I would use wood from old furniture and broken
stuff people would throw away. At the time I really
didn’t think about saving trees or saving the environment. I was looking for ways to get materials I couldn’t
afford to buy,” Gallegos said. He even found a way to
recycle torn canvases by overlaying the frames to cover
the holes, and then painting the layers of overlapping
canvases, creating a captivating multi-dimensional effect. Looking at one of these pieces hanging in Gallegos’ home, it is hard to imagine that this artistic
technique was developed as a means to cover flaws and
conserve costs rather than purely for aesthetics.
Today, Gallegos sells his art under the name Dos
Manos. Instead of a traditional signature, his artwork
bears a symbol of two hands and the words, Dos Manos, which means two hands in Spanish. The use of a
symbol was inspired by his fellow artists in the warehouse years ago. Gallegos noticed that certain artists
embedded signatures into their work. Many of these
artists were Asian immigrants, and they used characters instead of letters, which were easily integrated into
their designs. The name, Dos Manos, also pays homage to his Navajo background. Gallegos explained that
many Navajo people adopted Spanish surnames while
living on reservations. “I’m not Spanish, and I don’t
speak Spanish,” he said.
Gallegos’ most recent artistic endeavor, the eco
plane, was also born out of necessity. Several months
ago, a friend approached Gallegos about borrowing
some tools. Jeff Baines wanted to make a more sturdy
hand plane for bodysurfing. A hand plane is a paddle,
roughly the size of a dinner plate, usually made of wood.
It is worn on one hand while body surfing to add control and speed. Gallegos’ eyes lit up as he described the
inception of the eco plane. When Baines approached
him, Gallegos offered to make a good, sturdy hand
plane for him. “I had some old wooden skateboards lying around, and I thought those might make good hand
planes,” he said. Gallegos set to work, creating a product that is functional and visually appealing, as well as
environmentally friendly. The eco planes resemble small
surf boards. “Every eco plane is a work of art. They serve
a purpose, but they’re also beautiful,” he said proudly.
Gallegos calls his custom-made hand planes eco planes
because, like all of his creations, they are made of recycled materials. Not only are the materials recycled,
but there are no leftover materials to be thrown away.
Gallegos says the concept of recycling fits well with
Gallegos’ most recent artistic endeavor is the eco
plane, pictured above. (Photo By Christina Trapani)
Pictured above is Nick Gallegos with some of his
outstanding wall art. (Photo By Christina Trapani)
his Native American heritage. “Native Americans
use every part of the animal [they kill]. Nothing goes
to waste.” As the years have passed, and his products
line has grown, Gallegos continues to draw on those
principals. “Recycled bicycle inner tubes take years to
decompose, and they make great belts,” Gallegos explained, pointing to the belt around his waist, which
looks remarkably like fine black leather. “Make a belt
out of it, and you’ll wear it for years.”
Gallegos now uses leftovers from his recycled inner
tube belts to make the handles for his eco planes. He
also uses excess materials and scraps from other projects
to make wooden jewelry and other fashion accessories.
Since fabricating his first eco plane last October, Gallegos has partnered with Jeff Baines to create
a new website, Ecoplanes.net, devoted exclusively to
eco planes and other bodysurfing accessories. Baines
and Gallegos attended last month’s Bodysurf Expo in
Orange County, Florida, where they had an opportuContinued on page 19
18 The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia December, 2013
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Dos Manos Art
(Continued from Page 18)
nity to display their products. Since the
Expo, orders for eco planes keep rolling
in. Over 500 eco planes have been sold in
less than six months.
Gallegos' story, like his art, is emblematic of the American dream. Given the
opportunity, this self-trained artist has
managed to create beauty out of trash,
using ingenuity and resourcefulness. For
more information about his eco-friendly
works of art, contact Nick Gallegos at
dosmanosart.com.
(Nick Gallegos’ eco-friendly artwork
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