Few other individuals can claim to have fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. In fact, he and his perfect pitch have 16 Grammy^® Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe to prove it.

One of the most illustrious composers of our time, Foster created hit songs and award-winning gold and platinum albums for a diverse array of artists, including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. He has escorted singers who have straddled both pop and classical styles like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into the mainstream. He has created culture-defining soundtracks for blockbuster films like The Bodyguard, Urban Cowboy, and St. Elmo’s Fire; and crafted timeless holiday classics, including perennial best-sellers like Michael Buble’s Christmas, Rod Stewart’s Merry Christmas Baby, and Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas.

For his remarkable work, Foster has also racked up three Oscar nominations for “Best Original Song,” and been rewarded with professional honors, including being inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2002, The Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2007, both Canadian and U.S. Songwriters Halls of Fame. In 2013, he continued to round out his awards with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Official Website

The 29th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition™ – the largest in the world – will be held at the resort on Monday, November 22, 2021. This year, the Competition will be a combination of aspects from The 2020 National Gingerbread House Competition™, while bringing back the in-person events that make this experience so special to the competitors, Gingerbread enthusiasts, and the hotel. It is our mission to ensure that the Competition’s legacy built on design, innovation and tradition continues for future generations.

Like last year, the Competition will conduct the first round of judging virtually. This will enable documentation of the creation process, enhance the first round of the judging experience, and ensure the competition will continue safely, even if unforeseen circumstances were to arise. The first round is meant to give the judges a visual idea of the creation by showcasing a framework and different portions of the piece that highlight the story behind it- even if your final product is not yet completed. More details on this below.

The second round of judging will be done in-person at the hotel in the Grand Ballroom as in years past. The Omni Grove Park Inn is thrilled to once again display all Gingerbread entries at the Resort for public viewing to celebrate the hard work and dedication that goes into these edible works of art. All Gingerbread entries will be reviewed in-person during the second round to ensure the integrity of the Gingerbread creation physically meets the criteria.

For those who may not travel this season, the hotel will continue, “The 12 Days of Gingerbread” by releasing one of the Top 12 finalists, per day, on the hotel’s Facebook (@omnigroveparkinn) and Instagram (@omnigrovepark) channels from December 1 – 12, 2021 to spark Ginger-love for all during the happiest season of the year! This provides an in-person and virtual way for all to enjoy.

The winning creations will be on display Sunday, November 28, 2021 – Sunday, January 2, 2022. The Omni Grove Park Inn invites guests not staying at the Resort to view the display after 3:00 p.m. on Sundays or anytime Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and the following dates: December 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and January 1. Public viewing on December 26 and January 2 will reopen after 3:00 p.m. Please note that only Registered Resort Pets will be permitted. No outside pets will be allowed.

With the convenience of being open year-round, 7 days a week, the WNC Farmers Market offers a selection of farm-fresh produce at the lowest prices in Western N.C. Our popular retail buildings, providing a selection of non-perishables, fruits, vegetables, crafts and more, are open daily.

Artist Michael Fowler creates evocative abstract landscape paintings by incorporating vibrant colors with subtle, complex details. His semi-large-scale approach invites viewers to step into his work and build a sense of wonder and contemplation surrounding the natural world. Fowler’s artistic response in contemplating nature is to capture something of a landscape’s pleasantness, which is often unexpected harmonies of color and shape. In his latest exhibit, Arbor Huescapes, Fowler highlights the distinctive vegetation – primarily trees – and topography of North and South Carolina’s midlands and piedmont regions.

Fowler received his Bachelor of Arts from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas with a focus in Advertising Design. He then attended the University of Nebraska where he received a Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing with a minor in Art History. From there, he attended the University of Memphis where he earned a Doctorate in Higher Education. Based in North Augusta, South Carolina, Fowler is currently an associate professor of design and computer graphics and serves as the Mary Durban Toole Chair of Art at the University of South Carolina in Aiken. His paintings are in a number of public and private collections nationally, and he actively exhibits in regional and national shows.

Please note: Arbor Huescapes has been rescheduled due to the COVID-19 crisis and will now open in fall 2021. The exhibit is on display daily September 18, 2021 – January 9, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Baker Exhibit Center. All works are available for purchase and a portion of sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Greenville Humane Society’s mission is to preserve the lives and enhance the well-being of animals. Our Vaccine Clinic does just that. We’re proud to offer common preventive services like vaccines, testing, and more to help keep your pet healthy—without breaking the bank, starting at $10! Here, you’ll get the same stellar care you deserve, but our costs are lower than traditional veterinary clinics (plus, you’re supporting a great cause!).

“Attitude”

Today’s newsletter is about a sketch artwork entitled “Attitude.”

This particular piece was created on 9 x 12″ archival paper using a black ink pen and pastel pencil.

This artwork was created in 2016. I have created over 500 figurative artworks in the past 20+ years, since the early 2000’s.

We have all heard it a million times, a good attitude is the key to happiness. If this was an easy task, we would be living in a far different world than the one we live in.

These days, the challenge to maintain a good attitude seems as tough as ever. Whether it be about our battles to try and save grand mother earth, the expanding human and political divides, economics, health, love, compassion, kindness…and so on.

But yet, – on those days we wake up on the wrong side of the bed…we do our corrective thinking. Coming back to place of optimism, of potential, – and of seeing beauty again.

Of Caring..about the whole, – and not of us singularly.

Remembering as well that because “our little world” seems to be in good shape, – the world as a whole is not.

It needs help, – and lot’s of work.
It needs more good vibes.
And it all starts with “Good Deeds”..both large and small.

Do a “Good Deed” Today! ..whether it be large or small..

I hope you have enjoyed today’s brief discussion on “Attitude.”

Happy Holidays!!

Note to Serious Art Collectors:  If you are a serious collector of fine high art, please feel free to contact me for a list of my special “Master Works” collection of currently completed and available. There are a limited group of these works, and all were conceived and built in the wide variety of modern / modern advanced / contemporary high-art styles I am known for. Budgets for these pieces start at 20K and going into the six figures.