Almost
a hundred people turned out Saturday for the Circle Ten Gallery’s
Stew ‘n’ Brew, the artist cooperative’s annual
fundraiser. There were more than a dozen soups to choose from,
a competition for best soup, artwork to take home, homebrewed
beer from some newcomers to town and all of it to the accompaniment
of the ever effervescent Norm Czuchra and his accordion.
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Taking in the art, and the soup.
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Norm serenades the art gallery patrons, apparently fueled
by multiple bottles of malted beverage.
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The cold
day was just right for hot soup. More than a dozen soups were
made by the cooperative’s members and others. Attendees
sampled soups such as Candace Young’s Golden Pearl Corn
Chowder and Sue Byrne Russell’s Vegetarian Chili -- two
popular selections. Both art and soup are subjective....in the
voting that took place, top honors went to Phyllis McFadden’s
Walnut Stilton Cheese Soup. Second place went to Carole McFadden’s
pumpkin soup, and Third Place to F. Gutkowski’s Shrimp
Bisque.
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The Circle 10 art galley on Broad St.
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One unexpected
tasting was the "Orient-Ale" made by Selva and Don
Staub who just moved to Oriental. (They’d come to town
looking for a sandwich in December 2003, stayed three days and
eventually bought a house.) The beer was a Christmas style brew,
and hinted of cloves, ginger and we think orange peel. TownDock
senior management (known for consumption of dark hearty ales)
liked it.
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Selva, Don...and the "Oriental-Ale"
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The ale bottle up close.
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Those who
attended could also take in the February exhibition of photos
by the Oriental Photography Group.
Circle Ten is a cooperative of Oriental area artists. Smaller
works of art by the Circle Ten group were given away to those
who attended the fundraiser.
