2009 Ocrafolk Festival Artwork is Unveiled

2009 Ocrafolk Festival Poster Image by Kitty Mitchell

By unanimous decision, festival organizers chose Kitty Mitchell as this year’s artist for the 10th Ocrafolk Festival poster and t-shirt design. Now, Kitty may possibly be the busiest woman on Ocracoke, what with teaching grades K-12 at Ocracoke School, co-directing the School Music Club and Pep Band, organizing the annual Arts Week at Ocracoke School, AND working on her National Board Certification as an art teacher. She graciously agreed to be the Festival artist, as long as she could submit something she’d already painted. We ended up with six possible designs – all of them beautiful – so Dave Tweedie let people vote for their favorite. This lighthouse was the clear winner. (A few stubborn people are still holding out for the heron… maybe next year?) The quote on the back will be “I'll hoist my sails and set my ship back here to Ocracoke!” from the musical “A Tale of Blackbeard” by Julie Howard.

Soundside Records Winter Projects

During the busy summer months on Ocracoke, everyone plans and schemes about all the time they’ll have and all the projects they’ll get to come winter. Why does winter seem so long when in the beginning, but not long enough when it’s halfway over and the projects aren’t even started?

Not everyone has procrastinated through January and February, and in this blog post we’d like to highlight one Soundside Records folks who’s working hard to check some items off on his to-do lists.

Gary Mitchell, a.k.a. Guitar Gary of Molasses Creek, a.k.a. Recording Studio Executive and Engineer Extraordinaire hasn’t been idle this winter, or at least that’s what he wants us to think. He’s been keeping busy in Soundside Studio with some interesting recording projects.



A new recording is hot-off-the-presses! The latest CD from Soundside regular John Golden is Minstrel of the Times. John was accompanied in the studio by the “usual local gang” of Soundside musicians, and also an import – his friend Jeff Morris on electric guitar. Jeff traveled all the way from Denver, CO to record with John and Gary.



Minstrel of the Times is rumored to be John’s best album yet. We’ll tell you more about it next week, but meanwhile, you can be the first one on your block to order one from the new and improved Soundside Records website.

Gary has two new Ocrafolk ensemble CDs in the works. One is the highly-aniticpated Women of Ocrafolk CD, which will feature local performers Marcy Brenner, Jamie Tunnell, Sundae Horn, Katy Mitchell, and April Trueblood. We don’t want to give anything away, but rest assured that you’ll hear some of your favorites from the Women’s Opry and maybe even some new ones you’ve never heard before. Gary promises the CD will be ready and available at the Ocrafolk Festival in June.

The above-mentioned songstresses, along with their male counterparts, are working on an festive Ocrafolk Christmas album. Yes, we’ve been talking about this for years, and as Gary admits, it’s hard to find time to record Christmas songs during the holiday season and even harder to be merry and bright, holly and jolly-ish, in mid-February. He’s thinking of setting up a Christmas tree in the studio just to keep people in the mood. He’d like to promise this project will be done for the Festival, too, but, well, he needs a little encouragement. So, if you can dredge up some Christmas spirit as we’re heading into spring, please let Gary know you want an Ocrafolk Christmas album!

Some other Soundside projects include a recording of storyteller and Ocrafolk Opry performer Lou Ann Homan, talking about her travels following in the footsteps of the great poet Robert Frost, and an album by acclaimed guitarist Danny Gotham of Chapel Hill.

Ocracoke Preservation Society commissioned a unique recording project from Soundside Studio. Gary transferred a 1965 LP recording of Theodore Rondthaler’s Commencement Address to the Ocracoke School Class of 1965 to a digital archive and burned CDs for OPS and some of the ’65 grads.



Last, but certainly not least, is (drumroll, please)… a new Molasses Creek album! It’s going to be fantastic and will include fan favorites that haven’t been recorded yet and all-new originals that no one has heard! This is a transition album for the band; Kitty Mitchell is phasing out so she can have more time to paint, while Marcy Brenner is phasing in, joining husband Lou Castro who joined Molasses Creek two years ago. Gerald Hampton, who plays mandolin with the band when they tour, will also be on the new CD. The new CD will be available at the Ocrafolk Festival in June.

Gary’s Not the Only One Keeping Busy…

Busy Bees (Quilting Bees, that is)

The Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club meet twice a week to create beautiful quilts, most of which they donate to worthy causes. (They make a commissioned quilt once in awhile to earn more money for fabric and batting.) They are currently working on three new quilts – a Crazy Quilt will go to OPS for their annual quilt raffle, a Block Party quilt will be raffled off at the Ocrafolk Festival, and another Crazy was commissioned by Needle and Thread Club member Rosemary Wetherill as a gift for her granddaughter.



‘Way back in December, a very special quilt was donated to the Ocrafolk Festival. Festival fans and artisans Rita Horn (Sundae’s mom) and Jill Malone of Columbus, Ohio sewed a traditional Ocracoke Cracker pattern – with a twist. They turned it into a Christmas Cracker! Using only holiday fabrics with holly on them, (except for one red fabric with anchors, in honor of Ocracoke’s maritime history) Rita and Jill started a new quilting tradition.

The Christmas Cracker was raffled off at the Ocrafolk Christmas concert in December. It raised $270 for the Festival and the lucky winner was Reggie Mosser, who is delighted with her quilt. She says she’s still using it everyday while she and her husband are on Ocracoke.



And speaking of her husband…his name is George Brown and he’s an incredible photographer. George and Reggie rented a cottage on Ocracoke for four months this winter, and he’s been shooting pictures all over the island. You can see some of his stunning work at his photo blog, www.pixadilly.com, where he posts one photo a day. Sundae Horn wrote a story about him and his work for Island Free Press. Read her article here.

We Told You Kitty Was Busy…

Duck Stamps

Here’s a small sampling of the artwork that her students have painted for the annual Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Started in 1989, the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of a curriculum that teaches students about wetlands habitats and the waterfowl that live there.

Each year, over 27,000 students nationwide participate in the contest, and the winning entry is used as the official Junior Duck Stamp, available at the U.S. Post Office for $5 each. The proceeds are used to support conservation education, and provide awards and scholarships for the students, teachers, and schools that participate in the program. The artwork will be judged by grade level, and state finalists will compete at the national level.


by Waylon Underwood


by Matteus Gilbert


by Kyle Tillett


by Diana Perez


Brandon O'Neal


by Caroline Temple


by Ashley Zito

Pep Band Celebrates End of Season

The Pep Band, a.k.a. The Last Rebels of Rock, directed by Kitty Mitchell and Lou Castro, played the halftime show at all the home games this year, and they’re also slated to perform at the Variety Show on February 28th, the school talent show (tentatively scheduled for May 22) and the Ocrafolk Festival.









Farewell to a Friend


Lawton Howard & Fowler O'Neal play some tunes

We are sad to announce that a beloved Ococker passed away on January 28th. Fowler O’Neal was a sailor, a fisherman, a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a traveler, a reader, a hunter, a teller of tall tales – and a maker of meal wine.

Rob Temple has this to say about the meal wine: “A few years ago Philip Howard and I decided to make up a batch of Ocracoke meal wine just to ensure that the time-honored tradition wouldn’t die out. Fowler was our historical expert on the subject and not only made sure that we observed the right procedures but also kept us constantly entertained with recollections of his own youthful exploits. But he always strictly refused to sample our product. Philip and I often lamented not having known him in his “drinking days.” Fowler will be greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.


Fiddler Dave, Philip Howard, Fowler, Captain Rob Temple & little Lachlan

A Month Worth Waiting For . . .

One of Ocracoke’s best-kept secrets is that October is the prettiest time of year. It’s the sweet payoff for all those hectic summer days. As the season is winding down and the relative humidity drops to a reasonable degree, Ocracokers find themselves really enjoying their island home – or at least they would if it wasn’t for those darn mosquitoes!

October brings cooler nights, sunny days and a chance to slow down a bit and smell the salty fresh air. October also brings quiet – fewer people, less traffic and a break from the drone of air conditioners. Ocracokers are having a bit of a much-deserved rest – and preparing themselves for later in the month when wild Halloween revelry takes over the island. (Mark your calendar for the Ocracoke School Halloween Carnival on October 24th and check back in two weeks for details on Halloween happenings.)

One way we celebrate fall is to dedicate a day to appreciate the island’s many and diverse artists during the annual Art Walk. This year’s Art Walk events started last Friday with a reception at the Ocracoke Community Center (which was looking quite spiffy with its new paint job!). Baby Dee and the Free Moustache Rides Again got the place rockin’, and there was free beer and munchies, too!



Baby Dee and the Free Moustache Rides Again Rock the Ocracoke Community Center

Baby Dee and the Free Moustache Rides Again also played at the Ocrafolk Festival in June, at several island fundraising events over the summer, and are regulars at Ocracoke’s Creekside Café.

Art Walk coordinators Nancy Leach, Ann Ehringhaus and Debbie Wells presented a check to Kitty Mitchell to support the Ocracoke School Arts Program. The $1300 donation will help pay for next spring’s Arts Week, in which visual and performing artists visit Ocracoke School to do hands-on projects and workshops with the students from Kindergarten through high school.


Local potter Sarah Fiore in her Bella Fiore pottery shop

Saturday’s Art Walk was a fun way to meet local artists and ask them about their work. Every picture tells a story, and Art Walk artists are willing to share their inspirations and insights.


Barbara Adams showcasing many of her wonderful paintings at her studio


William Nathan Spencer with a host of original decoys

Community Matters

Ocracoke is a small community, and our geographical isolation requires us to rely on each other when something needs to get done. The independent community spirit is alive and well, and the island supports several non-profit organizations. We have a day care center, and a volunteer fire department, and a civic association and a preservation society and a library and a youth center and several scout troops and a burial society and a fish house and two churches and a festival – and they all thrive on the dedication of countless volunteers along with generous donations from local businesses.


A new sampler quilt created by the Ocracoke quilters as a raffle fundraiser for the Ocracoke Working Waterman's Association

In this blogpost we’re highlighting two of those organizations and the ways they’re giving and receiving community support.

Ocracoke Child Care

Ocracoke Child Care is the island’s only day care center, and maintains a 4-star rating, while always striving for the highest score of five stars. The center is rated on compliance with state childcare center regulations, staff education and program standards. Many of the teachers are taking classes toward various certifications in early childhood education. The entire staff will be participating in upcoming workshops related to the new curriculum, The Creative Curriculum, to continue to enhance the quality of care at OCC.

“The staff works hard to provide high quality, loving care to all wonderful children,” says interim director Paige Bennett.

OCC also depends on community volunteers, from the board of directors to classroom helpers to playground clean-up crews.

“OCC is very thankful to be a part of such a supportive and nurturing community,” says Bennett. “Thank you everyone!”

The children at Ocracoke Child Care recently enjoyed a week’s worth of visits from the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, Ocracoke Emergency Medical Services and the Sheriff’s Department during Community Week.



Firemen Albert O’Neal and Ernest Doshier talked to the children about how the fire department serves the community, and then the kids got to climb all over the fire truck.


Missy Warren from Ocracoke EMS showed the children the inside of an ambulance.



The kids got to try on handcuffs with Deputy Jason Daniels and see his police vehicle.


"Now if the time out chair doesn't work. . ."

The Community Week activities are a good example of the fun and creative projects that go on at OCC.

OCC is holding its annual membership drive. All are welcome to become a member of OCC – you can drop off your membership donation at the center, or mail it to PO Box 284, Ocracoke, NC 27960.

Friends of the Library

A public library is a good measure of a community. Public libraries represent the best in our society: freedom of expression, democracy, equality, wisdom and knowledge. Ocracoke Library has been serving the island well since the days when it was contained within an 8x10 foot building and was open for six hours a week.

The new library building was completed in 1997 and it operates as both the school and community library, funded in part by Hyde County Schools and the Regional Library System for Beaufort, Hyde and Martin counties. Fall library hours are Monday through Friday 2– 6, and Saturdays 9 – 1.

Ocracoke Library may be small, but like all good libraries it provides a welcoming and comfortable space to browse, research, or check e-mail. There's a well-stocked children's room and a North Carolina Room that features writing about the island including wonderful old Ocracoke scrapbooks and newspapers. There’s s a well-used shelf of "honor system" books, videos and DVDs for visitors (young and old) to borrow. Internet access is available for everyone.

Founded in 1997, Ocracoke Friends of the Library is a non-profit organization that supports the Ocracoke School and Community Library and promotes literacy on the island. They purchase software programs, videos, magazine subscriptions and hundreds of books for our library. They even pay part of the librarians’ salaries during the summer months in order to keep the library open all year long. Over the past few years, FOL has provided funds for new bookshelves for the adult and children’s rooms in the library, purchased new carpet for the library, and paid for carpet cleaning and custodial services during the summer months.

This year, Ocracoke Friends of the Library is providing grants and matching funds to each classroom at Ocracoke School. Every teacher will receive an initial grant of $100 to spend on books for the classroom. The classrooms are also eligible to receive up to $100 more in matching funds if they hold a fundraiser for books.

Over the past few years, FOL has chosen an Ocracoke classroom to support with money for books. This year, they’ve decided to offer their help to all the school’s classrooms at once.

“We’ve had very successful used book sales the past few years,” said FOL president Scott Bradley. “Having donated to some of the younger grades, the group felt it was appropriate, now that we have the money, to put books in every classroom.”

FOL holds an annual used book sale during the week of July 4th – this year’s sale has taken in over $1500 so far. They also raise money through membership dues and donations. Membership forms are available at the library, and everyone is encouraged to join.

Ocracoke First Grades Raise Money for Classroom Books

The students in Mary Ellen Piland’s first grade class raised $108.87 for books by asking parents and friends to donate their spare change. They put out a donation jar with the sign: “Let us use your change for a change in our classroom.”

The students needed $100 in matching funds to receive a donation from Ocracoke Friends of the Library. At the beginning of the school year, FOL offered each Ocracoke School teacher a grant of $100 to purchase classroom books, and the opportunity to receive $100 more in matching funds if the teacher held a fundraiser. Their classroom was the first in the school to take advantage of the FOL offer, and they now have $308.87 to spend!

“In this political time we thought focusing on ‘change’ would be good for us, as it seems to be working for Democrats and Republicans alike,” said Piland.

It worked for the first graders, too, as the money came pouring in.

“Each day we counted what we collected and made a graph,” Piland said. “The money added up fast!”

They raised $27.35 on the day one, and surpassed their goal of $100 in just five days!



The children sorted and counted the coins and put them in piles to be rolled. Piland and classroom assistant Lou Ann Gaskins rolled the coins, and then it was time to take their loot to East Carolina Bank. The students turned in their rolled coins at the bank, and in exchange they received a very impressive hundred-dollar bill, and an extra eight dollars.



The students plan to send their money on science picture books, and will be ordering them from Books to Be Red.

Piland wishes to thank everyone who helped the first graders reach their goal, and adds that donations to the book fund are “still being accepted.”



Soundside Records performer highlights ~ John Golden



John Golden of Wilmington, NC is a frequent visitor to Ocracoke Island and also to Gary Mitchell's Soundside Studio. John's interest and knowledge of coastal Carolina history goes all the way back to the Lost Colony, the pirates Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard, up to the colonial times and the Civil War blockade runners and pilots. He has written songs about Virginia Dare, pirates, the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, and has published many recordings of folk songs and stories. Current Cds available include Shipwrecks & Sea Songs, Volume 1 & 2, A Home for your Heart, & Hatteras Memories.









He always has a new album in the works, and his Cds can be found throughout the gift shops on Ocracoke island and of course online at http://www.soundsiderecords.com/ where you can listen to samples from the recordings.

John's wife Mary Ellen is a well known North Carolina watercolor artist.



Recently featured in “Our State” magazine, watercolorist Mary Ellen Golden lives in Wilmington, NC and operates a studio gallery downtown in The Cotton Exchange. Her work appears in numerous corporate collections, including General Electric, Boddie Noell, Bank of America, Japan Nuclear Fuel, IBM, First Citizens Bank, BB&T, DuPont, and Corning, and may be found in private collections throughout the world. At this year's Ocrafolk School Mary Ellen will demonstrate watercolor techniques and assist students as they paint their own Ocracoke watercolors. There are just a few spaces left, so don't miss this opportunity to join her class October 26-31. For more information visit http://www.ocrafolkschool.org/.

A Rather Blustery Week

As Winnie the Pooh once said, “I think today must be Wednesday, because that’s when the winds blow.”

Here on Ocracoke a strong nor’easter blew in this week. High winds were accompanied by high tides (or, as we say on Ocracoke, “hoi toides”), and by Wednesday afternoon, the ferries quit running and saltwater rose up out of the harbor and into the streets. The flooding wasn’t significant, but enough to make us wary of driving through the overwash. Traveling the Back Road proved tricky – a paddle of ducks claimed the big puddle in the middle of the road and caused a traffic jam during Ocracoke School’s lunch hour.

By Thursday afternoon, the wind had died down considerably, but Highway 12 was only open at low tide.

Rodanthe had its day in the spotlight. In an amazing coincidence, the exact spot where the ocean breeches the dunes and washes over the road in Rodanthe is the same exact spot where the movie “Nights in Rodanthe” was filmed, and at the exact moment that the film was being screened for the first time in Kill Devil Hills to an invitation-only audience, the high tide was forcing some travelers to spend an unplanned night in Rodanthe. To heap amazing coincidence upon amazing coincidence, it must be noted that a nor’easter blew in during the filming of “Nights in Rodanthe,” halting production and making the crew fear that the house they were using as set would fall into the sea. And not only that, but a pivotal scene during the movie is the storm party (complete with a Storm Party Band) that depicts the hardy folks of Hatteras Island weathering a hurricane while dancing on a pier.

Hollywood Premiere on the Outer Banks


The Knights of "Nights" (Lou Castro, Bob Zentz, Katy Mitchell, Speedy Price, Marcy Brenner, & Jule Garrish

But neither wide nor tide nor rain nor gloom of night could stop the intrepid members of the Storm Party band from attending the Outer Banks premiere of “Nights in Rodanthe” at the RC Theaters in Kill Devil Hills.

The musicians arrived in Hollywood style – by limousine, of course. They made a grande entrance into the theater (walking down the red beach towel), and were happy to see that they all got some “face time” on the big screen. According to proud dad Gary Mitchell, there was good footage of Katy singing with the band.


A Limo ride for the Stars

“The camera goes to the band several times during the scene while Richard Gere and Diane Lane are dancing. All the musicians showed up on the camera, and there was a good close-up of Jule singing. His head was twenty feet tall!” he said.

Bob Zentz came down from Norfolk to join the premier party, and he brought along the newly released “Nights in Rodanthe” soundtrack to play in the limo. They also heard the soundtrack over dinner at the Ocean Boulevard Restaurant, which kindly put it on for them.

Plans are in the works to go see “Nights in Rodanthe” again with even more folks from Ocracoke. Gary says he’ll be able to pay better attention to the plot the second time around.


Mobbed by paparazzi (Ocracoke Observer's Jamie Tunnell)

“It’s hard to judge the movie when you’re watching it for the Outer Banks scenery or to see people you know. I was really just looking for Katy.”

The “Nights in Rodanthe” soundtrack will be available by October 3rd at Village Craftsmen on Ocracoke, and all sorts of albums from theses musicians can of course be found at www.soundsiderecords.com

The Band With No Name


Fiddler Dave, Lou Castro, Marcy Brenner, Gary Mitchell

Marcy Brenner, Lou Castro, David Tweedie and Gary Mitchell have been playing all summer at the Jolly Roger and Howard’s Pub, using the rather unwieldy band name of “Marcy, Lou, David and Gary.” Kitty Mitchell calls them “MuLeDoG” but she’s not the only one to come up with a suggestion. Local writer Jamie Tunnell likes “Nuts and Honey” and I’m pulling for “Marcy and the TestosterTones.” Whatever you call them, you’ll enjoy their blend of fiddle tunes, country ballads (Marcy’s rendition of “Jolene” is not-to-be-missed) and bluegrass favorites. Come out and see them at Howard’s Pub on Friday, October 10th! Listen to Molasses Creek(Gary & Kitty Mitchel & Fiddler Dave) and Coyote (Marcy Brenner & Lou Castro) here!


Fiddler Dave and Lou jam it up (or ham?)

The Turtle with Three Names



Amy’s sculpture class completed the painting of their sea turtle sculpture and christened him with Paco Poochie Boris. Rumor has it that the next addition to the Ocracoke Youth Center sculpture garden will be a surf fisherman!

The Quilting News


The Ocracoke quilters sampler quilt for the WWA raffle

The Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club are close to completing a sampler quilt to be donated to the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association for a fundraiser. Fish, fishermen, boats, seashells, lighthouses, pelicans, ducks – even an embroidered pound net – have all found a place in the latest work of art from the quilters. When raffle tickets become available, we’ll let you know!

Amy Howard recently presented a small Ocracoke Cracker quilt to little Charlotte Castro, who’s mama, Marcy Brenner, is also a quilter. Each block was pieced by a member of the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club, and then Amy put it all together and finished the quilting and binding.


Marcy, baby Charlotte, & Amy

The Ocracoke Cracker pattern is believed to be unique to Ocracoke. It’s a variation on the traditional cracker, with a twist. Of the four strips in the block one of the middle strips must be red, and the placement of the red strip determines how the quilt is assembled. For Charlotte, the quilters started a new tradition and made the red strip pink – pink for baby girls and for breast cancer awareness.