Textured Life: Ceramist Amy LeFever sees patterns all around us.

August 30, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

During a good portion of our interview at Little Amps, Amy LeFever was staring at the brick wall behind me in the Harrisburg coffee shop.

“I love a lot of the textures in there, the patterns—how it’s breaking down,” she said. “That’s as good as my piece in the State Museum. I would hang that.”

It’s everyday sights like these that inspire LeFever and help launch her into her next project. The Middletown resident created hundreds of ceramic pieces full of unique textures and patterns. One of her latest works, rectangular white tile pieces covered in diagonal lines and divots, landed her first place this year in the ceramics category of the annual “Art of the State” competition.

“It was a sense of affirmation of what you do,” said LeFever, a HACC adjunct professor. “I came in and hung the piece myself. I was kind of nervous about it. It was something I shouldn’t have been nervous about, but I was. I was thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong, but it went super smoothly.”

Before her piece was hung in the State Museum, before winning numerous awards, and before traveling across the country to study art, LeFever was a musician. She started playing classical piano when she was in the third grade, her favorite being Chopin.

It was in high school when LeFever first started “messing around” with art. Her sister Letitia, who was an artist, would fish out clay from the creek behind their house and together they would create different creatures and objects from it.

It wasn’t until she started at HACC in 2004 that she really fell into the ceramics world. For her general studies major, she needed an art elective, so she took “Ceramics 1.”

“It sucked me right in,” she said. “I just spent all my time in there, and then I just continued down that path.”

From then, she won first and second place in two student art exhibits at HACC and was a featured artist in the Radius Gallery in the State Museum.

After earning her associate’s degree, LeFever studied at Alfred University in New York and earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Her art then took her across the world to study at the Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute in China. For a month, LeFever went sightseeing in various cities, such as Shanghai, and learned different clay techniques.

“[My favorite part] was seeing ceramics in a new way, a new place, and working with new material,” she said.

Between her residencies at HACC and George Fox University in Oregon—and eventually earning her masters at the University of Tennesee in 2018—LeFever created numerous pieces and even dove into new media such as fabric work and digital design.

It wasn’t until three years ago that she started to really develop her signature look. Her art is known for having unique shapes and lines and for mixing different textures and patterns. It wasn’t something that was planned out or analyzed. According to LeFever, usually, when she is working on a piece, she doesn’t have a final look in mind. Instead, her work is the result of a series of reactions from the time she initiates the piece until she feels as if it’s finished.

“In some ways, I have a few different trajectories in ceramics that all come together at a certain point,” she said. “ I love rough sorts of textures and really playing with the material.”

Her upbringing also had a part in shaping her, and, therefore, her art. Living in Lancaster County with her conservative Mennonite family but going to church on Herr Street in Harrisburg, she saw a lot of different cultures mixing together.

When LeFever was in the eighth grade, her eldest sister was in a car accident that severely altered her brain.

“There was a certain tearing apart of the physicality of her brain, but also our family and how that changes you,” she said. “I always played with the concept of making a form, cutting it apart and reassembling it in different ways.”

Though these and other events have influenced her, she doesn’t really show them through her art.

“I wouldn’t say that my art is depicting these things, but they are integral to who I am,” she said. “I don’t think it’s why I’m interested in that certain visual language, but it just sort of makes sense to me.”

When asked what’s next, she shrugged and laughed. Her family keeps her pretty busy so she doesn’t have a firm timeframe for her art. However, she is still on the hunt for new shows, and, she says, making new art is always the goal.

But right now, having her work hanging in the State Museum where hundreds of people can see it—that’s enough for her.

You can check out Amy LeFever’s work at “Art of the State” at the State Museum of Pennsylvania through Sept. 8. To see more, visit her website at www.amylefever.com.

Meet the Artist: Brandon Spicer-Crawley installs his first large-scale work during Harrisburg Mural Festival.

August 30, 2019 | by Karen Hendricks

Artist Brandon Spicer-Crawley (far left), along with volunteers from Sprocket Mural Works, prepares his mural prior to installation.

Sandra Spicer-Sharp said it was one of her proudest moments as a mom.

Her son’s artwork, created on parachute cloth, was laid out on the grass aside the Stokes Millworks Lumber Storage Building on 4^th Street near the Broad Street Market on Thursday evening, ready to be installed as part of the Harrisburg Mural Festival.

“My emotions are all over the place,” she said. “When it goes up on the wall, I’m going to lose it.”

While some muralists paint directly onto primed walls, live during the festival, others like Brandon Spicer-Crawley create their works ahead-of-time on the durable cloth that is then adhered to a wall’s surface and sealed, preserving it as mural art.

Spicer-Crawley is no ordinary artist. Within the diversity of the 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival’s artist lineup, he is an intellectually disabled, African-American artist with a prolific ability for art.

“I knew he had artistic talent when he was 4 years old,” said Sandra Spicer-Sharp. “He was born with his own intrinsic drive to create art.”

Although the 38-year-old artist has had numerous gallery exhibits in his native Philadelphia area, this is his first mural and first large-scale work. Abstract in nature, it’s filled with patterns including repeating circles of bright colors. Like Spicer-Crawley himself, the work seems to radiate happiness and joy.

Brandon Spicer-Crawley’s mother, Sandra Spicer-Sharp, and his stepfather look at the mural installation site.

He created the mural over the past several months at the Wynnewood, Pa.-based studio, the Center for Creative Works, where he’s been a practicing artist since their opening in 2010. One tenet of the nonprofit Sprocket Mural Works is that artists creating murals for its Harrisburg Mural Festival are compensated for their talents; the rest of the festival is 100-percent volunteer-driven.

Thursday night’s installation means that festival attendees can view Spicer-Crawley’s mural during the entire 10 days of the festival, Aug. 30 to Sept. 8, and beyond. At the conclusion of the festival, 14 new murals will grace Harrisburg’s streetscape, bringing Sprocket’s grand total throughout the city to 40 murals.

Spicer-Sharp, who teaches special education at the Community College of Philadelphia, perched on a log bench set up by Millworks for the occasion and reflected on the significance of the moment.

“It’s poignant for me, because, in our special education textbooks, we note that, as a society, we talk about people’s exceptions before we talk about the person themselves,” she said. “But we also talk about people being capable—capable of anything with the right kind of exposure. I think today, with this mural, we’re moving the needle a little bit, creating a little change in the world.”

For more information on the Harrisburg Mural Festival, see https://www.sprocketmuralworks.com/. TheBurg is the event’s media sponsor.

20 Down . . .: Whitaker Center reflects on its past, plans for the future.

August 30, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

In the late 1980s, a group of local officials sought to build a cultural and science center for the growing Harrisburg area. They drafted a plan that included a fine arts center, a science museum and a theater.

Finally, in 1999, the distinctive-looking, $52.7 million Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts opened its doors in the heart of downtown Harrisburg.

Fast-forward to 2019, and this month, Whitaker Center celebrates its 20th birthday. The center, which includes the Harsco Science Center, the Select Medical Digital Cinema and the Sunoco Theater, has taken root and blossomed over that time.

Jeanne Schmedlen, who was involved in the creation of Whitaker Center, said that the cultural hub is central to the greater Harrisburg community.

“The mayor at the time, Stephen Reed, called this the crown jewel of Harrisburg when he cut the ribbon [at the grand opening],” Schmedlen said. “And often, still, people refer to it as the crown jewel.”

As Whitaker Center turns 20, President and CEO Ted Black is looking to the future, focused on modernization and expanding the center’s digital presence.

“We have some big plans and big things underway,” he said. “It’s just challenging getting through these transition phases, where you wish you had a magic wand and everything was built and up and changed.”

Renovations will both expand and modernize exhibits in the Harsco Science Center and Kids’ Place, providing a more enjoyable experience for children.

Kids’ Place will undergo some of the more dramatic changes. Not only will old favorites like the ambulance and the Midtown Market receive a new look, but visitors can expect the number of exhibits to double. Renovations will be implemented in three stages, with the first stage beginning Nov. 1. When complete, the revamped Kids’ Place will be 30-percent larger with new exhibits, such a life-sized Operation game.

Changes to the science center include a new grand entrance, which Black hopes will help to foster a sense of arrival and excitement as visitors eagerly await their entrance. Exhibits will receive a face-lift, too, with computers and software in the “Forces of Nature” exhibit set for upgrades, and some spaces may be reallocated.

Beyond the physical changes, Whitaker Center will have more technology-based programs to teach children crucial computer skills like coding. Classroom space, currently hidden behind plain doors in the science center, will be renovated for the first time since Whitaker opened to make it more accessible to interactive learning.

“We’re in the process of recruiting for a coding educator,” Black said. “Learning coding now is like learning Spanish 30 years ago. It’s a language you should know. And even if you don’t go in the computer direction, it’s also a way of thinking, a way of problem-solving.”

The “Surgery Live!” program for older students will continue in the Select Medical Digital Theater, which received a new Barco Smart Laser projector in July, providing a crystal-clear look into Hershey Medical Center’s operation rooms. “Surgery Live!” aims to pique interest in the medical field, allowing students to watch actual surgical procedures and ask questions.

Because the center offers programs for people of all ages, Deb Wagner, the communications manager at Whitaker Center, said that she enjoys watching local children grow up through the center.

“We celebrated 10 years of having ‘Surgery Live!’ last year,” she said. “We had a student who’s now a nurse who attended ‘Surgery Live!’ on a field trip. We get to watch a less-than 5-year-old grow through Whitaker Center and have a career in STEM. It’s incredible.”

New Ideas

Board member Gus Schmedlen said that Whitaker Center is working with Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, using state-of-the-art experimental learning design to rework exhibits and learning activities. Educational activities on science, technology, engineering and math will teach children how to contextualize the skills they’re learning in a larger community setting.

“Instead of just learning these isolated skills, they’re being enhanced with these so-called global competencies, or non-cognitive skills, which make students who learn them and the teachers far more flexible and adaptive,” Schmedlen said. “So, when the next disruptive technology comes out, these students will be able to navigate that using both the cognitive as well as the non-cognitive skills.”

Whitaker Center focuses on making an impact in children’s lives. During the 2018 fiscal year, it welcomed 11,600 students through the STEM scholarship program, up 2,000 students from the year before. It also has programming for underserved students, like the “Girls in STEM” initiative.

“[‘Girls in STEM’] allows us to bring in fourth- to eighth-grade girls for a weeklong discovery day camp that’s all focused on STEM for $50,” Wagner said. “So, it really provides an opportunity for an underserved population to come to the center. They get free play in the center, they get directed science, technology, engineering and math. They build roller coasters, they program robots to follow paths through the science center.”

However, the fun isn’t only for kids, as Whitaker Center has programs for adults, as well. Events like “Story Slam,” an acoustic singer-songwriter competition and sampling sessions of local beers and wines allow the over-21 crowd to join in the fun.

Looking to the future, Black wants to deepen Whitaker Center’s relationship with other local business and nonprofits, including nearby Harrisburg University, while continuing to foster an environment that supports new ideas.

“Fortunately, we have a really dedicated staff that believes in everything we’re doing here,” Black said. “I think that’s in the DNA of the building. This is a unique physical structure that not many places have, regardless of the size of the city. Everyone is excited to be a part of that.”

Whitaker Center is located at 222 Market St., Harrisburg. For more information about the center and upcoming events, visit www.whitakercenter.org.

Fit to be Tried: Bigger space, more amenities greet you at Next Step Performance’s new location.

August 30, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

If you’re a beginner gym-goer like me (and even “beginner” is a little far-fetched), it’s easy to be intimidated by Next Step Performance’s new space.

Besides the sight of owner Ivan Black, who seems to be in perfect shape, the new training studio, located in the 1500 Condominiums in Harrisburg, is filled with foreign equipment and weights that look like they could snap my arm in half.

But Black expects exactly that reaction when people first walk in.

It’s then his job to make them feel comfortable regardless of their fitness level—and in spite of the iron, machines and other equipment staring you down as you enter the location on N. 6th Street, directly across the street from where other heavy equipment (cranes, bulldozers, etc.) are erecting the new federal courthouse.

Black makes you feel at ease through his easy manner and infectious smile, as well as the group and individual workout sessions he’s developed that fit a wide range of fitness levels. With the new location, Black expects to help even more people get into shape.

“Inside of one movement, a top-notch athlete and a beginner can both perform them with relative safety, at their own pace, and it can be progressive for both of them,” he said.

Black opened Next Step Performance four years ago because of his love of exercise, movement and health.

“I love fitness for everything that it provides—aesthetic, health under the hood—but also for confidence, self-esteem and psychological maintenance,” he said.

As much as he liked his original location at the corner of N. 3rd and Herr streets, he admits that there were times when he felt claustrophobic because of the snug size. Not only is the new location more spacious for members (especially in a group setting,) but, according to Black, it also helps motivate them.

“It’s not just the added size, but that everything has a place—everything is clean, everything is put together,” he said. “So, there’s inspiration that comes from a space that’s designed with heart. You get here, and you’re like, ‘Woah, OK. It’s time to work out.’”

The new space was originally brought to his attention in March by one of his members. His lease on the 3rd Street building was coming to an end, so he thought, “Why not see if I can move?”

He scoured the city looking for a new place, but didn’t find anything that seemed like a good fit (no parking, too expensive, etc.). He was settling into the idea of staying in his old storefront until a member approached him about the 1500 Condominiums space. He fell in love with it, and, in early August, officially moved in.

Along with a bigger workout room, the new space comes equipped with a shower and two bathrooms. He also has a built-in customer base, literally—building residents living just above him who are eager to train. With more people looking to work out and a space to inspire them, Black is creating a motivational environment for his Next Step community.

Black provides at least two group workout sessions, six days a week. He said that he focuses on group sessions because of their ability to help people motivate and push themselves.

“Working out consistently is a challenge,” he said. “When you’re working out by yourself, for some, that can be pure misery. So, we try to get you into a space where you’re a little more comfortable.”

For those who feel better outside of a group setting and are tired of traditional gyms, Black offers individual and small group training. He also has a seven-day, free trial for people who want to try out the gym without immediate commitment. After that, members pay a monthly subscription that they can cancel at any time.

Right now, Black has nearly 80 members, but he’s always looking for more.

“To be able to have all these tools available and to come up with a unique recipe for the individual to be better out there, for a little guy from Elmont (N.Y.), you feel good about the effect you have on the world, even if it’s a small part,” he said.

Next Step Performance is located at 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information visit nsp.fitness.

Smooth as Silks: Taking flight at Artz N’ Motion.

August 30, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

Jane Bryan teaches people how to fly.

Well, not literally.

Bryan opened her Linglestown arts studio Artz N’ Motion in 2009 to share her passion of the aerial arts with the community.

“I love movement,” she said. “I fell in love with the circus and the high-flying trapeze when I was little, and then when I got the opportunity to do it, I was like, ‘I have to share this with everybody. I want everybody to learn this because it’s so much fun!’”

Bryan even wanted to join the circus at age 19 after doing gymnastics. However, she was young and afraid of leaving behind everything familiar. Then, in 2004, she discovered Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian-based circus arts troupe. After finding a studio in Philadelphia where she could learn, she was on her way to becoming an aerialist.

“I was not necessarily able to join the circus, but I was able to let my dream come true,” she said.

I Did That

Bryan has a long background in movement-based sports. She did gymnastics for seven years, dance, color guard and cheerleading before falling in love with aerial arts.

Aerial arts, which originated in France, is when a performer uses silks or nylon fabric to perform aerial acrobatics. It includes components of cardio, endurance, flexibility and strength training. Often a difficult workout, Bryan tailors the classes, which include beginner and aerial one and two classes, to the level of the student.

“A lot of people are like, ‘I don’t really have a lot of upper-body strength so I can’t do this.’ But you really can, because I’ll teach you how to use your legs,” Bryan said. “And we do conditioning. It’s a full body workout, and it is endurance.”

Tamara Palmer, who has been attending classes at Artz N’ Motion for the past two years, said that she was sore when she first started classes.

“I felt good, but I felt sore in places I didn’t know I could be sore in,” Palmer said. “It took a couple of weeks to start to build up strength. Jane’s programs are very good about not pushing you beyond your limit while getting your body conditioned.”

Classes are for all ages as Bryan currently serves people ranging from 5 to 74 years old. Students start slowly, with beginner classes, before moving on to more challenging techniques.

“It just boosts your confidence so much, especially if you’re afraid of heights,” Bryan said. “You get to experience that, ‘Wow, I did that, and I got over that fear.’ That just brings so much joy to me. I love it.”

Try It

Palmer described classes as therapeutic, saying that the sport has helped her with back pain.

“I feel healthy,” she said. “I have a degenerative disc in my back. It has alleviated so much of my back pain, so much so that I’m actually able to run again, which is something that I haven’t been able to do for several years.”

Beyond helping students build muscle, Bryan also tries to build community in her studio. She often starts with a warmup before gathering the students in a circle to stretch and introduce themselves, helping new students feel more comfortable.

“There’s a lot of encouraging the other students, clapping each other on,” Bryan said. “I want to build a community of people who want to encourage each other and learn this awesome sport.”

Although swinging and flipping on a nylon fabric 25 feet in the air might seem daunting, Palmer encourages everyone to overcome their fears.

“It’s really for anybody and everybody,” she said. “Even if you think you can’t, you will, and Jane knows what to do to get you there. So, I do encourage people, if you’re curious, come try it. You’ve got nothing to lose!”

Artz N’ Motion is located at 493 G Blue Eagle Ave, Harrisburg (Linglestown), in the CrossFit gym. For more information, including class schedules, visit www.artznmotion.com.

Electrifying Art: Color Carlisle is painting the town red–and every other color.

August 30, 2019 | by Karen Hendricks

Holly Cohick

Amie Bantz is constantly doodling.

“I never thought it would take off, but it’s evolved into my style,” said the 25-year old Carlisle High School art teacher.

Her latest doodles combine iconic images of Carlisle into a playful landscape across an unlikely canvas—one of the town’s electrical boxes.

“Amie’s artwork is vibrant and captures the story of Carlisle in a unique way,” said Greg Guenther, 33, founder and president of the nonprofit Color Carlisle. “It condenses all the features of Carlisle, all the things people love about Carlisle.”

Look closely, and you can pick out the classic architecture of Dickinson College, the old courthouse, Carlisle Theatre, Massey’s Frozen Custard and more landmarks from Cumberland County’s seat—all ideas that stemmed from brainstorming sessions Bantz held with her teenaged students.

Bantz and five additional artists, chosen from 15 applicants, worked street-side recently during Carlisle’s week-long Summerfair.

“There were three older gentlemen who lived in the neighborhood, who were a little skeptical of my work at first,” Bantz said. “But during their daily walks, they got to see the entire [artistic] process, and we started to form relationships. They would even check up on me and bring me water.”

The streetscape art initiative was given the name “Art While You Wait” because Color Carlisle chose six street corner electrical boxes along highly trafficked pedestrian crosswalks. A bonus seventh box was decorated on August’s First Friday.

The grassroots arts organization formed in late 2016. You could say that their mission, creating public art to unify residents, is electrifying the community. Operating under the umbrella of the Downtown Carlisle Association, Color Carlisle raised $10,000 in its first three months of existence and established numerous partnerships.

Their first project, a mural, involved 25 Carlisle High School art students, under the direction of artist-in-residence Ophelia Chambliss and Ashley Gogoj, a Carlisle High art teacher and Color Carlisle’s vice president. It was installed on the bricks of St. Paul Lutheran Church’s back wall in the spring of 2018.

Guenther said that the group is targeting one major public art initiative a year—with an intentional focus on involving young artists. Color Carlisle’s volunteer advisory board members all work with youth in some capacity, including teachers of a variety of subjects from grade school to college levels.

“We’re very passionate about Carlisle’s youth because we see the impact that we can have on them, giving them a voice and opportunity,” Guenther said.

The youngest artist to design an electrical box was 14-year-old Dinela Dedic.

Art While You Wait’s primary sponsor, PNC Bank, underwrote most of the project’s price tag of $2,750. In addition to supplies, each artist received a stipend for their work.

“I was super psyched to create my first work of public art,” said Holly Cohick, 24, a lifelong Mount Holly Springs resident.

Trained in art and design at CASA and HACC, she’s a graphic designer for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

Searching for artistic inspiration, Cohick considered the question, “Why do I love Carlisle?” And she hit upon a tasteful approach.

“I can relate to Carlisle through food, all the places I’ve eaten at growing up such as the Hamilton,” Cohick said. “I wrote down all the different restaurants and coffee shops, and I thought about what they are most known for.”

Much like Bantz, Cohick created a montage of artwork for her box design, titled “Smorgasbord.” There’s a sub to represent Al’s Subs, a hotchee dog from the Hamilton (conveniently located across the street from the box), and Cohick’s favorite dessert—French macaroons from Helena’s Creperie.

“I made a conscious decision to make my box very bright and vibrant with a graffiti feel,” Cohick said. “Using utility boxes which are kinda blah, it warms up the community.”

“Smorgasboard” was completed after 12 days and 57 hours. Additional utility box themes include nature and waterways, among others.

With a few projects now under the organization’s belt, Guenther says there is a “bubbling” or “ripple effect” creating excitement for future projects.

A future mural, in collaboration with the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County, is planned for the brick wall of North Hanover Antique Gallery—a GoFundMe campaign is underway. Artist Aron Rook of Carlisle is designing the mural. Her colorful work can also be found in Harrisburg and York.

“Creating opportunities to intersect people at all different levels of Carlisle in the form of public art, we’re focusing on big picture ideas, inspirational things for the community,” Guenther said.

Carlisle’s public art is also sparking community conversations.

“Art for a long time was geared to the elite,” said Bantz, who teaches art history. “I think the idea of public art being this free, beautiful piece of artwork—it’s very powerful. People are starting to recognize there’s something beautiful about people leaving their mark and changing their neighborhood.”

As for Bantz’s Carlisle-themed doodle, titled “LoveCarlisle,” it’s available as a print at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) with proceeds benefitting Color Carlisle.

“Art should be accessible to all people,” Bantz said, “So, this brings me a lot of joy.”

For more information on Color Carlisle, visit colorcarlisle.com. “LoveCarlisle” is located at Hanover & High streets. “Smorgasbord” is at High & Pitt streets. St. Paul Lutheran Church’s mural is located at 201 W. Louther St. (rear).

The Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) is located at 38 W. Pomfret St. For more information, visit carlislearts.org.

Book Bash: Bestselling authors are Harrisburg-bound for 2019 Book Festival.

August 30, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

Photo by Justin Ward.

Last year, Alex Brubaker, manager at Midtown Scholar, promised that the Harrisburg Book Festival would be back in 2019, bigger and better than ever.

With last year’s Grammy-nominated artist, an Oprah book club pick and countless other bestselling authors, I didn’t think that was possible. But then it happened.

The book festival returns in early October, featuring more than 20 authors ranging from emerging to award-winning. Over four days, authors will hold readings, panels, interviews and more, all free and open to the public.

“We’re really excited for this year’s festival,” Brubaker said. “It was really important for us this year to make everything free and open to the public. As the festival evolves, we’re able to clarify our mission and realize what’s important to us and to make the festival as inclusive as possible.”

This year’s lineup includes Wayétu Moore, author of “She Would Be King,” Eric Foner of “The Second Founding,” Andrew Shaffer of “Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery,” and critically acclaimed author Stephen Chbosky of “Perks of Being a Wall Flower.”

Chbosky will read from his first novel in 20 years called “Imaginary Friend.” The book follows Kate Reese and her son Christopher. After fleeing an abusive relationship, the two settle into Mill Grove, Pa. All is well until Christopher vanishes. He returns six days later with no physical injuries but something inside him has changed.

Along with a reading from his new book, Chbosky will read a new letter from Charlie from the 20th-anniversary edition of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Even though Chbosky is a Pennsylvania native, this will be his first time visiting the state capital.

“I can’t wait to meet fellow authors and fans of literature,” he said. “After 20 years away from publishing, it feels like I’m coming home.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Isha Sesay, international journalist and author of “Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family and the Lost School Girls of Boko Haram.” In her book, Sesay writes about the 276 girls from Chibok, Nigeria, who were abducted from their dorms by the militant group Boko Haram. The kidnapping sparked national outrage and the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. For a decade, Sesay reported on the kidnapping for CNN and even made contact with three girls who made it home.

“When you think about a dream keynote speaker, she was really at the top of our list,” Brubaker said. “She’s got a really impactful story to share. As haunting as it is, it has a strong message of hope behind it.”

There will also be a collection of familiar faces at this year’s festival. The festival’s 2017 keynote speaker, Ibram X. Kendi, author of “Stamped from the Beginning” and “How to Be an Antiracist,” is closing out the festival. R.O Kwon, Liz Moore and Madeline Miller are also returning.

“It’s always a pleasure [coming back to Midtown Scholar]—a beautiful setting, filled with passionate readers and exciting, well-chosen books,” said Miller, author of “Songs of Achilles” and “Circe.” “What could be better?”

The Midtown Scholar annual tent sale will also be a part of this year’s festival. On the corner of 3rd and Verbeke streets will be a tent full of thousands of discounted books.

“If the 200,000 books in store are not enough for you, I’m sure you’ll find something outside at the tent sale,” Brubaker said.

According to Brubaker, the Scholar worked hard to make sure the festival included a wide range of authors for every literature lover.

“There’s something for everyone,” he said. “These are celebrated authors coming from around the world. It’s a really diverse, good group of authors. If you want to meet an all-star lineup of authors at no cost, come to the festival.”

The 2019 Harrisburg Book Festival takes place Oct. 3 to Oct. 6 at Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit hbgbookfest.com.

Author Sightings

The 2019 Harrisburg Book Festival features numerous book- and literary-themed events, including appearances by the following writers, authors and illustrators:

Isha Sesay, international journalist (keynote speaker)
Stephen Chbosky, author, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian
Vashti Harrison, bestselling children’s author/illustrator
Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning historian
Madeline Miller, bestselling author, “Circe”
Tea Obreht, bestselling author, “The Tiger’s Wife”
Joanne Ramos, award-winning debut novelist
Liz Moore, award-winning novelist
Nisha Vora, vegan cookbook author
Andrew Shaffer, bestselling humorist
O. Kwon, award-winning debut novelist
Wayetu Moore, award-winning debut novelist
Jonathan Stutzman, local children’s author
Heather Fox, local children’s illustrator
Imani Perry, award-winning professor

Simple Is Best: A recipe that’s small on time, big on taste.

August 30, 2019 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

As readers of this column know, I love to cook and I love to cook for friends. But as time has passed in my culinary life, I am taking advice from one of my favorite cookbook authors and TV chef, Ina Garten.

While Ina makes beautiful food, she is a strong proponent of making entertaining easy—fun to do and not drudgery. She suggests easy nibbles before dinner like nuts and olives and simple desserts like a fruit-and-cheese tray or chocolate-dipped strawberries. She insists that, if a weekday dinner takes more than 30 minutes to prepare or a dinner party more than two hours, she is just not doing it.

I like that. Gone are my days of roasting veal bones for a demi-glace, making a lemon soufflé with candied violets on top or a molded tomato aspic. (Does anyone actually know what these things are anymore?)

So, I gathered together a few recipes from here and there: the salmon from a “Taste of Home” cooking magazine (it has quickly become a favorite), roasted cherry tomatoes (no idea where I got this one), and wasabi mashed potatoes (inspired by Café Fresco in downtown Harrisburg.) These three, combined with a green vegetable, have “rescued” me for quite a few company dinners. All are easy to prepare (even for a weeknight) and make a lovely presentation on the dinner table.

FIRECRACKER SALMON, ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES AND WASABI MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients (salmon)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger (sometimes I use the ginger paste I find in the grocery store)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
4 salmon filets (6-8 ounces each)

Ingredients (mashed potatoes)

4 very large yellow gold potatoes
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces half and half or 1 12-ounce can whole evaporated milk
Wasabi powder (I start with about 1 tablespoon and then add more to taste. It can get hot.)
Salt to taste

Ingredients (tomatoes)

2 pint boxes cherry tomatoes (I look for “fat” ones and choose the mixed variety of red, yellow, and orange if I can find them.) Remove stems.
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Handful of chopped fresh basil

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients for the marinade.
Pour ¼ cup marinade in a large Ziploc plastic bag. Add the salmon, seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes along with the remaining marinade.
Drain the salmon and discard the marinade in the bag.
Place salmon, skin side down, on a greased sheet pan with sides.
In a bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt and the chopped basil over them.
Arrange the cherry tomatoes on both sides of the salmon on the baking sheet.
Place the salmon and tomatoes in a 375-degree pre-heated oven and roast for about 30 minutes. But watch carefully. Remove when the salmon is nicely browned and tomatoes softened and slightly collapsed.

While the salmon is roasting, cook the yellow gold potatoes in boiling salted water until soft. Drain, mash and beat in the butter, cream or milk, and wasabi powder to taste. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Arrange the roasted salmon in a long row on a platter and place the roasted tomatoes on both sides. A few fresh basil leaves tucked here and there looked pretty. Sprinkle the sliced green onion over all.

Serve the salmon and tomatoes with the wasabi mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. Broccoli, green beans or asparagus work well.

So now, as the weather begins to cool this month, you have a lovely, easy to prepare meal for company. No need to roast veal bones. Invite everyone!

The Painted Word: As you gear up for Gallery Walk, come meet the Art Association’s Carrie Wissler-Thomas.

August 30, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Many people begin their journey with ideals to change the world, and, for the rare few, that happens. Central Pennsylvania has one of these people in its midst—Carrie Wissler-Thomas, who is starting her 40th year at the helm of the Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH).

Wissler-Thomas knew her life was destined for the world of art as a student at Ephrata High. When she married her high school sweetheart, Scott Thomas, and moved to Harrisburg, the dream began—a life of art unfolded as a publicist and copywriter at AAH. That stint grew into her becoming the main catalyst at the association, and, in 1980, she was elected president.

Later, Wissler-Thomas became the CEO and steered the vaunted institution from its 1926 humble beginnings to achieve its gold standard reputation today. When one enters the halls of the Art Association, it is like being ushered into a private club, without the pretense of pressure to fit into a certain niche. This state of mind is achieved through Wissler-Thomas, who is an expert in all facets of art through the ages.

Over a storied, four-decade career, Wissler-Thomas breathed fresh life into an association that relies on strong leadership across many settings. From art administrator to fundraiser to grant-writer, she does so many things well.

Her duties encompass full responsibility for the 500 students enrolled in the year-round art classes and in maintaining an art membership that now boasts 600 members. In addition, she supervises a part-time gallery staff of five and relies on 20 faculty educators. In fact, she is the first to recognize that the association is only as strong as every cog in the wheel and is quick to praise not only staff, but students and association members alike.

Gracious, genteel and gifted are but a few of the words that come to mind immediately upon meeting Wissler-Thomas. She welcomes you like an old friend of the family. And being in her presence is like taking a history lesson in the world of art.

In many ways, Wissler-Thomas was the progenitor of multi-tasking long before it came into vogue. She is an educator, painter, gallerist, author, mentor and the coordinator for the citywide Harrisburg Gallery Walk, which takes place on Sept. 8 for its 31st year. She also oversees 17 sites of rotating art installations found in select businesses, assisted in her mission by gallery Curator Rachel O’Connor.

Today, Wissler-Thomas whiles away any free time painting on the banks of the Susquehanna across from the association’s lovely building and on the wee shores of her beloved Scotland.

Wissler-Thomas is responsible in part for the Art Association’s new mission statement, “The AAH promotes the visual arts through education and exhibitions and enhances the wellness of area residents.”

Possibly the most fascinating chapter of the Wissler-Thomas/AAH relationship is the history captured in print by the CEO herself. Her book, “As the Paint Dries, the History of the Art Association of Harrisburg,” is more than a personal reflection on her life. It reads like a who’s who of both the association and the city that has supported the arts over the years. Rich in historical perspective, her lens lovingly recreates snapshots frozen in time from years predating her involvement with AAH and all the years since.

If longevity is a criteria for greatness, that box would be checked. If it’s the imprint one makes on a culture, then put an “x” in that box, as well. True greatness encompasses both and so much more. Greatness is measured on the tenets of enriching others’ lives and making the world a better place for all.

So, it is with a grateful heart that Harrisburg gets to acknowledge a veritable icon in the art world of central PA—Carrie Wissler-Thomas. Her orbit is as far-reaching as the number of lives she has touched throughout her career, equivalent to trying to count the stars in the sky.

2019 Gallery Walk is slated for Sunday, Sept. 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Art Association of Harrisburg is located at 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information on both, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

“The Painted Word” is an occasional column on the fine arts scene around Harrisburg.

Generation Now: For Julissa Morales, young people are the present and the future.

August 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

At the age of 11, Julissa Morales, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, stood on the state Capitol steps reciting her speech about her parents’ inability to get a driver’s license and the effect it had on her.

Her parents, Luis and Lorena Morales, had joined the Movement of Immigrant Leaders in PA (MILPA), doing advocacy work in the Harrisburg area, and Julissa quickly followed in their footsteps.

“As a kid, I didn’t even always know what I was talking about, but I wanted to help,” she said.

It’s been five years since her speech, and Julissa is now a 16-year-old senior at Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus. Most recently, she was named one of the two Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition’s (PICC) 2019 Youth Leaders.

Julissa hadn’t even known she was nominated. It was a shock that, out of all the youth across the state, she was chosen. MILPA’s Harrisburg coordinator, Maria Alejandra Hernandez, had nominated her.

But what came as a shock to Julissa was obvious to those from MILPA and PICC who knew her, as she has become so embedded and involved in the community on behalf of immigrants.

“She’s one of those people we need to look at,” said Maria Sotomayor, PICC’s deputy director. “I think she’s going to do big things.”

This year, Julissa joined the Harrisburg City Youth Council and networks with leaders in the community such as City Council members. She also has worked at the Latino Hispanic American Community Center, completing their LISTO program to enhance her leadership skills. She also was involved in the “Familias Separadas” mural.

Last year, Julissa attended the PICC Youth Convening, a weekend-long trip where 30 14- to 24-year-olds across the state meet to develop leadership skills, share their stories and connect with others like them. This is where she met Sotomayor.

“It is important to not just have young people in the front lines, but also making decisions and participating,” Sotomayor said. “Young people hold a lot for their families. Sometimes, we don’t talk about that.”

Julissa displayed the weight she carries as she has often thought, “This could be the last time my dad is coming home.”

Her parents never expected that she would become such a leader. She was always a shy child, but both explained how much they’ve seen her grow.

“Little by little, she started doing little things,” said Lorena, with Julissa translating her mother’s Spanish to English. “It’s really nice to see the young people standing up for things they believe in.”

Although her Capitol speech was five years ago, Julissa is still advocating for all immigrants to have access to driver’s licenses.

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 13 states and Washington, D.C., currently allow “unauthorized immigrants to obtain a driver’s license.” In Pennsylvania, to get a license you must have certain identifiers such as a Social Security card or passport—documents some immigrants do not have.

Julissa sees this as especially challenging in central Pennsylvania, where mobility is a necessity.

However, when Julissa protests or participates in an advocacy event, she has a higher goal in mind than just persuasion.

“I don’t want to change your opinion,” she said. “I just want to get you to respect us and our community.”

Julissa attended the PICC Youth Convening again this year and hopes to continue to show people that the youth are not just the future, but the present.

“This is something that has to be done,” she said. “If I don’t, who else will?”

For more information on PICC visit, www.paimmigrant.org. To learn more about MILPA, visit www.milpaen-milpa.nationbuilder.com.

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