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'Aging Artfully' Author To Speak

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By BARBARA ROUTEN, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 28, 2007

Updated: 11/26/2007 07:23 pm

RUSKIN - Amy Gorman, author of "Aging Artfully: 12 Profiles of Visual and Performing Women Artists 85-105," will speak at the SouthShore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way, at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 6. She will show clips of filmmaker Greg Young's movie, "Still Kicking," based on her book.

"Aging Artfully" is filled with Gorman's photographs and interviews of 12 San Francisco Bay area women ages 85 to 105 who continue to sing, play instruments, dance or create visual art.

"As I say in the book," Gorman, who lives in Berkeley, Calif., said in a recent e-mail interview, "I woke up one morning, and age was on my mind.

"I was 62 at the time 67 now and frankly, was stuck in my sculpture. It's a hobby for me. I decided I wanted to speak with older women artists to see if they could help me get past my stuck places," Gorman said. "After all, they must have been through similar difficult times in their art. I was really looking for role models, I suppose. So I sought them out.

"I'm a retired social worker, worked for many years with the elderly, mostly the sick and those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease," she continued. "I wanted to meet older people who were not sick, but who were living life in their 80s, 90s and 100s with zest. ... We can have many decades to live, if we're lucky, past retirement, and I believe we can make them meaningful if we put a little effort into them.

"The women I found to interview were different in their backgrounds, art forms, ethnicities, lifestyles and interests. But they all had a positive outlook on life, looked forward to every minute, indeed, lived in the moment. They all had stories about their lives to tell, but did not dwell on their stories alone. They had too much to do each day! They had busy schedules and had to have time to do their art, music or dance, whichever they were involved in.

"Most of them did exercise regularly, or did until recently, and many had survived serious illnesses. Two of them still drive at 95 and 99.

"They all had some spiritual belief at some point in their lives, not necessarily now, but only two went to an organized religious service with regularity. As a group, they were more involved with community activities; several still wrote letters regularly to express their social and/or political concerns.

"The key seems to be to find something you love to do and do it, daily. All of them had activities they loved doing, and there is often not enough time in the day to do it all.

"The women I met are amazing, they are resilient, they meet an obstacle and overcome it. They move on, and always with a smile."
Gorman also noted, "These profiles, of course, are just anecdotal ... my book is not based on research, but on interviews and stories."

Her appearance is sponsored by the Friends of the SouthShore Regional Library. Information about this and other free library programs is available by calling (813) 273-3652 or visiting www.hcplc .org.

Riverview Announces Idol Winner

RIVERVIEW - Twenty-six contestants vied for the first cut on the path to becoming the 2008 Riverview Idol on Oct. 16 in the Riverview High School auditorium: Michael Barnes, Rodney Bueno, Alex Catalani, Bernice Collazo, Karla Costa, Alex Crenshaw, Dominique Dickens, Rebecca Edmond, Sasha Farrakhan, Paula Forero, Karli Gundersen, Rickeshia Harris, Melanie Hill, Careda Hurley, Brianna Jackson, Josh Moody, Caryn Noble, Andrea Opinion, Christina Ordogne, Anthony Pesquera, Cheyenne Quailey, Michael Quailey, Angelie Ramirez, Tanai'jia Terry, Kristen Thompson and Conrad Weaver. Amy Bueno, last year's Riverview Idol, served as master of ceremonies.

The audience voted for the top 12, who then competed Oct. 23: Barnes, Bueno, Catalani, Collazo, Costa, Crenshaw, Gundersen, Harris, Moody, Opinion, Ordogne and Thompson. Two days later, the top six stepped up to the challenge: Rodney Bueno, Catalani, Costa, Crenshaw, Gundersen and Moody.

On Oct. 30 the top three, Bueno, Catalani and Moody, "performed two songs in the finale," said Choral Director Liz Stewart, "one with a pre-recorded track and one with a live band."

Vision, Riverview High's show choir, also performed in the finale, along with some of the 2006-07 Idol graduates: Ben 'The Banana Man' Gettler and Frankie Steel, who was in the top five in Riverview Idol 2007 and wrote the Riverview Idol theme song.

The school band and orchestra director, John Davis, performed a duet with Stewart. Amy Bueno sang her 2007 Idol song. Then the winner was announced, and Moody came out on top.

His prizes included a two-hour limousine ride from 1st Class Limousine LLC, some promotional headshots by Chris Blem Photography and a recording session with Crystal Blue Productions of Valrico.

"Joshua has already performed at the night pep rally and sang the national anthem at the game for homecoming," Stewart said. He was a guest performer at the Rodgers Middle School Idol contest and Nativity Catholic Church's Novemberfest, and he has soloed in several other area concerts.

Holiday Tea To Feature Brandon's Aquilla

BRANDON - The Greater Brandon Chapter No. 4442 of the AARP will meet for a holiday tea at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Brandon Community Center, 510 Sadie St. Seasonal song and dance will be performed by Aquilla 2008, Brandon High School's show choir.

"Come out and get in the holiday mood," said Margrette Bell, publicity chairwoman.

"There are 19 singers mostly juniors and seniors in Aquilla 2008," said choral director Marilyn Rose Nicholson. "The group has received consistent superior ratings at district, state and national competitions and has performed at the Statue of Liberty, ground zero, the General Jackson Dinner Cruise in Nashville, Tenn., and the Sears Tower in Chicago.

"As many as 50 students audition each year for this group, which meets during the school day and performs dozens of times each year," Nicholson said. One of those public performances will be from noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Westfield Brandon mall.

For information about the AARP holiday tea, call Shirley Guthrie at (813) 689-2218 or Mary Starling at (813) 689-2890. For information about Aquilla 2008, contact Nicholson at (813)-744-8120, Ext. 289, or marilyn.nicholson @sdhc.k12.fl.us.

Wine-Tasting Event Scheduled

BRANDON - The Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Shalom invites adults ages 21 and older to the "Chai on Wine" wine-tasting at 7 p.m. Saturday at the congregation's temple, 706 Bryan Road, Brandon. Wine samples will be provided by Time for Wine in Tampa. Appetizers and door prizes will be included in the admission price, which is $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For information, call (813) 681-6547.

Elks Serve Holiday Meal To Military Families

BRANDON - Thanksgiving was celebrated early by about 300 families of service personnel stationed at MacDill Air Force Base - whether the person in uniform was able to attend or is serving abroad.

A dinner of turkey and the trimmings, including pumpkin and apple pie, was served Nov. 15 at the Brandon Elks Lodge. Phillip Morris' Tampa division and the Elks co-sponsored the meal, a bag of Kraft food products was given to the families to take home and photographs taken at the dinner were provided to be sent electronically to military family members overseas.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampabay.rr .com or call (813) 657-4531.

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