Paying Tribute to the Beatles

Artists inspired for Beatles tribute
Date	September 29, 2011
Section(s)	Our Town
Byline	By LINDSEY ADKISON The Brunswick News
Lois Henry remembers that electric night in 1964 when the Beatles debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show. Ever since, she's been an avid fan. "I think that we liked their long hair and the fact that our parents didn't like their long hair," she said. When Henry had children of her own, she shared the love of the group with them. "My children have always been music fans and especially Beatles' fans. I really like that," she said. There are many families with the same story. The Fab Four has continued to captivate audiences of various ages throughout the decades. In fact, it's this interest that still surrounds the band that intrigued members of the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association. Many of its members are just as fascinated with the group. That's why it decided to kick off the 2011-2012 Performing Arts Series with a big fete honoring the Lads from Liverpool. There will be an art exhibit, titled the "Magical Mystery Tour," featuring works of artists inspired by the Beatles. When the association put out a call for artists months ago, Henry couldn't resist. The owner of Color Me Happy in downtown Brunswick created a plate with her interpretation of John Lennon's self portrait along with her favorite quote. "It's my favorite John Lennon quote but also just my overall favorite - 'life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans,'" she said. "So I wrote that on the plate." Like Henry, Ian Kaszans couldn't wait to create something for the show. "My dad was a big Beatles fan, so I can remember the upbeat music throughout my childhood," he said. "As an artist, I am inspired by different opportunities to create images. The 'Magical Mystery Tour' exhibit allowed me to focus on the era and message of the Beatles, and to create three different ideas in three different mediums." Kaszans has submitted an illustration, a mixed media wood carving and a watercolor painting. For all three, Kaszans was able to create bold images with plenty of 1960s-esque inspiration. In addition to Henry and Kaszans, the exhibit will feature an eclectic array of more than 30 artistic interpretations by artists of all ages. Rob Nixon expects a huge variety. "Local artist Anne Goodstein submitted a collage based on the song 'She's Leaving Home' from the Sgt. Peppers album, and her company, H2O Creative Group, is doing a photo reminiscent of the Abbey Road cover," Nixon said. "Painter Lanny Brewster has created a landscape inspired by 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.' Athens-based musician Rob McMaken with the group Dromedary, which has played at the Ritz and elsewhere in Brunswick a number of times, contributed a photo montage of his 2-year-old son Finnegan, who one day put together an impromptu shrine to the Beatles in his room." There will be 10 to 15 pieces from the art class at Brunswick High School, as well. In fact, Nixon himself felt compelled to get in on the exhibit. He created a mock-up of a paperback book that is a takeoff on the song "Paperback Writer" referencing different Beatles songs, either in lyrics or titles. The exhibit is not the only way GIAHA is paying homage to the biggest band of all time. On Oct. 7, the same night as the gallery opening, the group will play host to the tribute band Yesterday. The response has big huge, he said. "We've been getting a lot of calls and drop-ins for tickets, even before publicity has gotten out there very widely. So word of mouth has already caught on big. It looks like this is going to be a very popular show, so we're advising people to get their tickets early," he said. That's because the staying power of the Beatles will likely bring in a huge crowd eager to celebrate the band's legacy. "The Beatles remain the most influential and best-known group of all time, and their appeal cuts across generations. People who were around in the '60s still love them, and there have been new generations since then who love the music and everything the Beatles represented," Nixon said. "It's not just nostalgia - it's music that is still very much alive and fresh for people all over the world." Check it out * Beatles Night in downtown Brunswick will begin with an opening reception for the Magical Mystery Tour art exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Ritz Theatre, 1530 Newcastle St., Brunswick. The pieces will be on display from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday through Oct. 29. Admission to the exhibit is free. * The celebration continues with Yesterday: A Tribute to The Beatles at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Ritz. Tickets are $15 to $25 adults and $10-$20 seniors, depending on member status and date of purchase. For those 18 and under tickets are $5. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 262-6934 or visit www.goldenislesarts.org.