“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and our grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty.” – Daniel Burnham, Architect
Our October issue is all about the arts. The sound of the music, the smell of the paint, the rhythm of the dance, and the vision of the colors as they leap across the paper. We are an extremely fortunate “Best of the South” town to have the arts woven into our fabric. From a time long ago when the Aiken Center for the Arts, the Aiken Artist Guild and the Fine Arts Program at USCA sprung to life out of grounds at Rose Hill, to a new campaign of Aiken City Limits, on a mission to enrich the music scene in Aiken, our heritage has encouraged the growth of the arts in our community to excite our senses and move our souls.
It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with so many amazingly talented artists on all the visual sensations that dance across the pages of Bella. Please take note of our writers and the words of their craft as they share their stories. There would not be a Bella without them. They are the vocals that sing the voice of Aiken. The City of Aiken and the ADDA are major patrons of encouraging the pulse of the arts in our community. We are grateful for their support. Then there are those that never give up on the continued advancement of the arts… our big dreamers that make no little plans… Katy Lipscomb of Aiken City Limits, Diane Toole Miller of the Aiken Civic Ballet and Caroline Gwinn, the new director of The Aiken Center for the Arts. Dream big ladies… may God grant you the magic to stir men’s souls!
Christine McKeel approached me in September about an idea for the cover of October’s “The Arts” Issue. I wasn’t exactly sure what she was thinking… she said like the Norman Rockwell self portrait, but of a cellist. I thought, ok dreamer, let’s see where this goes. I was floored by the symphony of collaboration as the photoshoot of the cover commenced. There was buzzing and dancing and laughing in the cool morning as Elizabeth played the cello “on set,” Nan layered the color upon the paper and Christine adjusted the lighting for the perfect frozen moment in time that graces our cover. I encourage you, my dear town, to dip you toe into the water of “The Arts” this fall… if you are not already swimming in it. You will not be disappointed.
Ladonna Armstrong
The Story Behind Our Cover
Our Photographer
Christine McKeel shares, “When Ladonna told me the October issue was focusing on the arts and that she wanted the cover to be as exceptional as Tony Gouge’s portrait of Sydney Maddox, I asked her if she had a piece or art in mind. Always the seeker of community and connection, Ladonna explained that she didn’t want it to be about an artist, but about the arts. I found that intriguing and began to let ideas stew in my head. What popped out was a vision of a photographer creating a scene of a painter creating a portrait of a musician creating music. All of it taking place at the Willcox Inn where the art of hospitality shines through.” Christine McKeel is the subject of the featured article “Life in Focus.” Susanna King and Christine are the founders of Flourish Media,
the organization that handles all of Bella’s social media.
Our Artist
Nanette Langner is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She holds an Associates Degree from the American Academy of Art in Chicago where she majored in Illustration. Her work includes watercolor, acrylics, oils, alcohol inks, pen and ink. She is a resident of Aiken, SC where her work can be found in local galleries, collections, and in commercial use. A past President of the Aiken Artist Guild, she teaches adults and children around the CSRA.
Our Cellist
Elizabeth Colón-LaBorde began playing the cello when she was 5 years old. She plays with Aiken High School Orchestra, the Aiken Youth Orchestra, and the Aiken Civic Orchestra. She is a senior at Aiken High School and plans to attend USC Aiken next fall.
