There was a time when people scoffed at the words “culture” and “Newport” in the same sentence. However, that was then and this is now.
In recent years, a cultural renaissance has enveloped this village about 20 miles northwest of Harrisburg, led by the Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA). Founded in 1979, PCCA operates the gallery that anchors the square and showcases the work of more than 180 established and emerging artists.
“The gallery is a friendly place where visitors can enjoy looking at photographs, illustrations and paintings in a variety of techniques,” said Manager Jasmine Colbert. “Visitors quickly realize that not only does the gallery have a complete collection of quality art and crafts, but that PCCA showcases unique gifts, gifts you might not find in other places.”
A perfect example is reflected in the work of Harrisburg artist Jason Lyons, whose animal sculptures are made of repurposed kitchen utensils, tools and typewriter parts.
“I feel the main reason for my continued success is that Jasmine as gallery manager nurtures new talent and promotes established artists’ work with a wide-ranging and ever-changing inventory of high-quality fine art and crafts,” said Lyons. “This creates a fresh experience every time a patron visits the gallery.”
In addition to the gallery, PCCA operates an arts-in-education program, which places professional artists in classrooms in Perry, Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties.
“In 2012, over 50,000 people took a class, saw an exhibit, displayed their art, attended a recital, interacted with an artist, read their poetry, bought artwork, met, danced, sang, painted, or photographed, all under the auspices of PCCA,” said Executive Director Roger Smith.
Heart of a Community
Arthur Clair and Bertha Landis, who had lived the life of expatriates in Germany directly after World War I, left their home in Hamburg and returned to central PA when the Nazis rose to power. In 1938, they purchased a stately home in Newport at 67 N. Fourth St. Bertha and youngest daughter Mary briefly returned to Germany and arranged for the shipment of the contents of the Hamburg mansion to Newport.
Upon her death in 2004, Mary Landis bequeathed her home, its contents and an endowment to PCCA. It was Mary’s wish that Landis House become a museum and a venue for recitals and exhibitions. It opened to the public in September 2009 with its first exhibition, “Central Pennsylvania Self-Portraits,” in which 32 contemporary artists from the region revealed how they saw themselves.
Within the Landis Collection are scores of Meissen and Dresden figurines, military campaign buttons from the Spanish-American War, flapper dresses and tuxedos, artwork from noted European painters, including the French realist Gustav Courbet, beautifully hand-carved and inlaid German furniture and a 90-year old Bechstein grand piano.
Since its opening, Landis House has witnessed many recitals of classical music, including Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Maestro Stuart Malina on the fabulous Bechstein piano, plus evenings of show tunes and country, bluegrass, jazz and Celtic music. Exhibitions of contemporary art by both established and emerging artists have drawn participants from around central Pennsylvania.
Coffee to Kale
After visiting the PCCA Gallery and the Landis House, it’s time to satisfy your palette at Espresso Yourself Cafe. Proprietor Cheryl Miller ran a natural food stand at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg for 17 years before opening the café on the square in Newport. In addition to coffee, tea, and delightful pastries, she serves breakfast and lunch from a menu boasting a commitment to natural, organic and local ingredients.
“I learned to cook from my grandmother, but I like to incorporate modern techniques and global flavors into my recipes,” said Miller. “I enjoy making my meals as healthy as possible, but I’ll have to say that my potato rivel soup, a Pennsylvania Dutch classic, is one of the most popular items on the menu.”
Stacey and Mark Butcher are happy to be a part of Newport’s growth.
“We farm 100 acres of produce that we fresh pick every morning and take directly into our market two miles away,” Stacey said. “We want to give our customers that real farm experience by seeing the produce being brought in from the fields on our green tractors and wagons—mud on those tires and Hunter the dog, riding the tractor with farmer Mark.”
Five years ago, they could not give kale away, but this year they are planting double the amount of kale from last year.
“Now, the increased sale of kale is due to the many new customers who have made Newport their home or who visit Newport on a regular basis,” said Stacey. “Not only are we growing more kale, but we are growing many new items, including Chinese cabbage, bok choi, radicchio and broccoli rabe—to name a few.”
The last stop on your visit should be Hunters Valley Winery, located about 10 miles east of Newport. It’s a small winery, producing about 4,000 gallons of wine annually. The vineyard offers a magnificent view of the Susquehanna River and valleys to the east. Opened in 1986 by Bill and Darlene Kvaternik, the winery moved into its current hilltop location in 2006.
The winery offers two free open house and craft fairs yearly. Local vendors display their wares on the lawn, and musicians perform in the nearby pavilion.
“We love to see our customers enjoying the wine and the scenery and having a place to meet with friends.” Darlene said. “Our winery takes part in two wine trails: Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail and the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country.”
So, is it time to give Newport a try? Long-time Camp Hill resident Diane Beible thinks so.
“I’ve found Newport to be a charming town with lots of surprises,” she said. “I’ve taken many friends on visits there, and they all return and bring more friends. It’s a great way to spend the day.”
Going There
Perry County Council of the Arts: Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.perrycountyarts.org.
Landis House: Open Wednesday and Friday afternoons, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the first Saturday of each month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment.
Hunters Valley Winery: Open Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. www.huntersvalleywines.com
Butcher’s Farm Market: Open year around. Summer hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.butchersfarmmarket.com.
Espresso Yourself Cafe: Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. He recently published his second, “Devil’s Den.” He lives in Perry County and is hard at work on his next thriller, “Red Dog.” Contact him at www.donhelin.com.
