Russ Varnell was born & raised in Black Creek, NC listening to 100% hardcore
traditional country music. In the late 1990's a lifelong dream came true for
Russ when he decided on a whim to buy a plane ticket to Bakersfield CA just to
see his idol & hero Buck Owens perform at his Country Music Night Club. Little
did he realize he'd become friends with the legendary country music singer & be
extended an invitation to come perform at the annual Buck Owens Birthday Party
in California. Since then, Russ has been honored to perform on various
occasions with Buck & the Legendary Buckaroos. Russ has also performed at
various venues in Nashville, TN & has won several talent shows since he has
been performing. He has been featured in the Bakersfield Business Journal,
Country Weekly, & Music City News Magazines as well as various North Carolina
based news sources. Russ volunteers his talents to perform at local nursing
homes & BPW's annual Elsie Clark Memorial Nashville Opry. Russ has his own TV
show on WHIG which has been aired for more than one year now. Russ is also a
signed songwriter with the Nashville, TN based BMI Music. Russ is always on a
mission to make peo­ple hear "real country music the way it is supposed to be
done." Please join us at Nash Arts on Satur­day March 31, 2012 at 7PM as Russ
performs with his Too Country Band on our stage. Band features Russ Varnell on
lead vocals, steel player Ricky Hagan of Elm City; Roger Gilmore of Smithfield 
on drums; bass guitarist Evan Rose of Tarboro; Timmy Everette, lead guitar &
harmony of Red Oak; & vocalist Joy Williams of Princeton. Cost is $12 General
Admission/$8 Nash Arts Members. Call 252-459-4734 to purchase tickets. 
     
Elisabeth Cohen is an artist & mother who enjoys singing with the Tar River
Chorus, community volunteerism, teaching art classes, & painting. She
currently serves as President of the Wilson County Medical Society Alliance,
is a member of the WilMed Healthcare Auxiliary Board, & serves on the Wilson
Family YMCA Board. She is a member of the Wilson Active Artists Association, a
resident artist at Studio One, & resides in Wilson, NC with her husband &
three children. 
     
Artist Statement: There is beauty in ordinary things. There is meaning in the
memories of one's life. As an artist, I am inspired by the world around me and
the experiences that have shaped who I am. I enjoy working with mediums
including oils, watercolor, glass, paper, and pottery. Experimen­tation is part
of the fun of creating for me. I have been focused on oil paint­ing recently
and enjoy the different effects I am able to achieve with it. In most of my
work I use vivid colors and a lot of movement. My art reflects the joy I feel
in my life and I hope that is conveyed to those who view it. - Elisabeth Cohen
     
As a graduate from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in
Information Systems Cynthia Whalen moved to Wilson, NC to work at Merck & Co
where working her way up to IT Engineer. Never thinking she could make a living
being an artist she continued to take artist workshops & classes as they became
avail­able. A layoff in 2003 moved her towards a career in art. Her love of art
led her to the Arts Council of Wil­son. During her tenure, Cynthia met several
very suc­cessful artists. "Being able to talk with different artists & learning
from their experience gave me the confi­dence to work full time as an artist.
That experience was so good for me" says Cynthia. Cynthia has stud­ied under
Paula Patterson, Mi Su Ur, Alexander Paris, Paul McCormick, & Luana Luconi
Winner. "Cathy Tellefsen was a great influence & inspiration for me" Cynthia
states. Eventually she set out on her own & continues to paint today full time.
"Right now I'm in­trigued with encaustics, I love the love patina they give my
work." The works of Elisabeth Cohen & Cynthia Whalen will be on display at Nash
Arts Center through­out the month of March.

Artist Statement: I'm fascinated with history, time and women's stories. So
much of a woman's story is her children we invest so much of our­selves and
love like we have never loved before. As a Mother, we all have moments when we
just want to stop time. Everything is perfect. We don't want one thing to
change. But of course that's impossible; our children become adults and have
their own children. My portraits more than any­thing tell the story of a
Mother's Love. -Cynthia Whalen
      
The Nashville Business & Professional Women's Club's Elsie Clark Memorial
Nashville Opry was held at Nash Arts Center on Saturday January 28, 2012 with
81 in attendance & featured performances by  Erin Strickland, Father & Son
Bluegrass Gospel Band, Linda Ripke,  Meredith Collins, Ronnie Ezzell, Russ
Varnell, & The Davis Family. This is BPW's annual scholarship fundraiser. Nash
Arts began spon­soring this event last year by providing a venue in order to
keep this more than 30 year old event in the Nashville Community.  Event is
held the last Saturday in January each year & all proceeds go to the Hazel
Valentine Scholarship Fund. 
     
Nash Arts seeks to promote the cultural, vis­ual, and performing arts and to
sponsor and encourage arts education and activities for persons of all ages
and races throughout Nash County.