June

Tim Snyder's 360 Degree View

Front Porch Magazine
June 2015 (pg. 3)

Each of us develops our uniquely perceptive eye attuned to our own experiences of the world around us.  You may have recognized your own in a glimpse of light chasing dust through a dim window, or in a moment of brilliance along a green highway in the springtime.  For some, it’s movement – the fast-flung arms of a dancer or the snaking flow of a river.  For photographer Tim Snyder, it’s the electric spiral of the stars, the pop of red peppers on a cutting board, and the grind and flight of a skateboard in midday light.  For nearly ten years, Snyder has been framing and capturing shots that reveal a unique appreciation for the unassuming activities that make life extraordinary.

Photos by Tim Snyder

In Communion with Change

Front Porch Magazine
June 2015 (pg. 11)

Change.  It’s a word that strikes fear into many hearts, especially when life is strolling comfortably along minding its own business.  However, situations sometimes call for a shake-up, as Fredericksburg’s newest face about town, Reverend Doug McCusker, knows all too well.  After a long career as an IT expert for the Department of Defense, McCusker took a leap of faith into a new job as a minister, landing at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg in Chatham.

Photo provided by Rev. Doug McCusker

Regina Bogomolova: Raising the Barre in Education

We often hear of teachers taking two jobs out of necessity, but rarely does that second job provide the benefit of pursuing a lifelong passion.  By day Regina Bogomolova is a high school chemistry teacher in Prince William County, and by night she satisfies a lifelong pursuit of dance as owner and instructor at Classical Ballet of Fredericksburg on Lafayette Boulevard.  Bogomolova says this paring of athleticism and intellect are the perfect complement to one another.  

Eyes in the 'Burg: Seeing is Believing

Front Porch Magazine
June 2014 (pg. 1)

The first thing you notice is a subtle, fresh fragrance: white tea and figs.  It’s a signature scent that Dr. Sandra L. Grossett, O.D., chose to soothe her visitors in the waiting area at Eyes in the ‘Burg, located off Cowan Boulevard.  In fact, every aspect of the retail space in the front of her practice has been selected for sensual enjoyment, from the earthy palette brushing the walls, to soft lighting, to the unique displays of eyewear featuring Fredericksburg’s premiere textile, painting, and ceramic artists.  It feels like a spa.

Plastic Fantastic: It Won't Match Your Couch

Front Porch Magazine
June 2013 (pg. 9)

Prepare yourselves, Fredericksburg.  E.C. Barker and A.E Bayne have collaborated for the past three years to bring you Plastic Fantastic at Populuxe.  Here’s what they have to say:

Amy: So, where did we get this idea?

Emily: I was going for EMDR therapy (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), and images came from childhood.  After much thought, I decided on Barbies, which we found at yard sales.  These are pictures from my psyche, and I would guess that yours are too.

Amy: Yeah, but I didn’t come at it from the same direction. Color influenced me, and I liked the Barbies because they create a metaphorical veil between animate and inanimate. Strange thing is I don’t even like dolls.

Emily: My dolls just don’t like each other! You developed some dark themes, like the headless Barbie.

Emily Barker is a member of Eyes Like Birds, a band from Fredericksburg, VA. 

Dance Matrix: All the Right Moves - Local Dance Company, Contemporary Choreography

Front Porch Magazine
June 2012 (pg. 11)

A dark stage gradually brightens to a tempestuous glow as dancers rise from the depths of garbage strewn around them. Music pulses tensely as they pull their bedraggled bodies across the stage, scratching and clutching at desirable objects. Enter three innocents, lithe and fresh in their sweet, pressed dresses. But wait! The gang of primal wretches lunges from upstage, overtaking these bright ingénues. What follows, death and resurrection, reflects the current climate of live performance today, as companies like Beverly Mendez’s Dance Matrix strive to revitalize attendance at dance concerts within the community of Fredericksburg.