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October 28, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

5 News Notes

The Eastern Shore Writers Association and Cult Classic Brewing Company Announce Inaugural Holiday Book Festival

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The Eastern Shore Writers Association (ESWA), in partnership with Kent Island’s Cult Classic Brewery, is proud to announce the first ever ESWA HOLIDAY BOOK FESTIVAL, taking place on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the ESWA Holiday Book Festival at Cult Classic will offer book lovers an opportunity to connect with their favorite authors from all over Delmarva and discover new voices across a variety of genres. There will be books for sale, signings, readings, giveaways, and for the convenience of holiday shoppers, gift-wrapping services. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy the host location’s food, beverages, and hospitable cheer throughout the day.

Now celebrating its 40th year, the Eastern Shore Writers Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving writers and their supporters throughout Delmarva. In addition to this year’s Holiday Book Festival, ESWA’s annual efforts include the long-running Bay to Ocean Writers Conference and the publication of the Bay to Ocean literary journal. https://easternshorewriters.org/

Cult Classic is a brewery, bar, restaurant, and live entertainment venue hosting everything from concerts and comedy to creative revels and community fundraisers. Dedicated to supporting the arts, this locally owned business regularly hosts author presentations, a popular book club, and writers get-togethers. Teaming up with ESWA seems like the perfect plot twist.  https://cultclassicbrewing.com/

For media inquiries or to schedule interviews with ESWA representatives please contact Brent Lewis at 410-310-8216 or [email protected]. Organizers are excited to share more about this event and would appreciate your help in spreading the word.

Remember: It’s time for the Holidays – and books make great gifts!

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Fall Fest At The Trippe Gallery Features Watercolors

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Peace” by Kevin Garber

For the month of October The Trippe Gallery is hanging a special exhibition by 2 of the gallery’s favorite artists—David Csont and Kevin Garber. Both artists have been exhibiting at the gallery since its opening days.
Watercolor has been a passion of  David Csont and is evident in his painting and illustrative style. A perennial favorite many years as a juried artist at Plein Air Easton, David has always performed a demo at the gallery where his enthusiasm for sharing what he knows attracted many to learn and enjoy.  Over 25 years he has developed a colorful painterly approach, rooted in the tradition of English watercolorists like John Sell Cotman and Cyril Farey. Ever cultivating his technique, he can be seen painting traditional plein air watercolors as he travels the world. When asked about his creative approach to watercolor and plein air painting, David said: “As an artist my first response is to draw or paint to communicate my ideas. The act of painting is a process that involves all the sense. I immerse myself completely iostthe subject in order to draw out all of its character and hidden meaning, hong that if I observe it closely enough I may glimpse the true essence of what makes it special.”
Artist Kevin Garber has been drawing and painting birds for 40 years. From large-scale abstracted prints to tiny detailed renderings, Garber has used birds as a muse throughout his entire career.  As both a dreamer and an escapist, the bird suits him well, with its ability to pick up and fly away, disregarding the present for a change of scenery in any moment.

Birds are the ultimate changelings. Here one moment and gone the next, birds move from the past to the future seamlessly. No need for planning or forethought, birds know that their needs will always be met, no matter which wind they choose to ride. Instinctive, decisive and fluid, birds are “in the moment” in a way that humans can only imagine. They’re free. Garber’s bird art is as varied as one would expect. From large scale watercolor monoprints of birds and parts of birds, abstracted and undefined – to these tiny renderings of birds from around the world, Garber practices his drawing skills and mark-making with these simple shapes. These particular birds are representative of those found in an old natural history book that he picked up in an antique store. Filled with engravings and detailed scientific descriptions of birds and beasts from around the world, Garber became entranced, immediately propped the book up and pulled out watercolors to create these small one of a kind paintings. One immediately recognizes Garber’s hand in the detailed legs and feet, and the looser, dreamy backgrounds.These birds are stationary, however. Not one is in flight. It’s the moment, this one moment – that he captures in these watercolors. Who knows where they – or he – will end up next? You can be assured however, that the bird will appear again, and again, in Garber’s work.

Opening reception Friday October 3 from 5-7pm during Fall Fest’s Gallery Walk. The Trippe Gallery is located at 23 N Harrison St in Easton. 410-310-8727

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ShoreRivers Hosts Reading & Workshop on Power of Place

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Every year, ShoreRivers hosts a series of hands-on Expeditions to connect the community to the waterways of the Eastern Shore. Join Meredith Davies Hadaway for a reading and generative workshop for both aspiring and experienced writers who want to tap into the power of place in their poetry or prose. This event is on Monday, September 29th from 4:30-6:30pm at the Lawrence Wetland Preserve in Chestertown. Learn more and register for the event at Shorerivers.org/events. If you have any questions, contact Maegan White at [email protected]. 

An award-winning poet and teacher, Meredith Davies Hadaway is the author of five books of poetry including Small Craft Warning, a collaboration with artist Marcy Dunn Ramsey and most recently, [Among the Many Disappearing Things].  Her collection, At The Narrows, won the 2015 Delmarva Book Prize for Creative Writing. Hadaway is currently the Sophie Kerr Poet-in-Residence at Washington College.

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The Mid-Shore Honors Frederick Douglass on September 27

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On Saturday, September 27, Easton’s historic downtown will once again come alive as the Talbot County community gathers to celebrate the incredible legacy of Frederick Douglass, one of the county’s most inspiring historical figures. Born into slavery near Easton in 1818, Douglass rose to prominence as a powerful orator, writer, and abolitionist after publishing his groundbreaking autobiography. Frederick Douglass Day 2025 promises a full day of celebration and education with uplifting speeches, live music, engaging activities, and unforgettable experiences for all ages.

The festivities begin at 10am with a vibrant parade led by Grand Marshal Childene Brooks, former president of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society, and Community Marshals from the family of former FDHS president Brenda Wooden. Joining them will be local organizations such as BAAM (Building African American Minds), the Easton High School NJROTC Color Guard, Polaris Village Academy, the Easton and Oxford Fire Departments, and the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. The parade will also feature performances by the Easton Middle School and White Marsh Elementary School bands, along with the celebrated local bagpiper Randy Welch. The procession sets off from Easton Elementary School on Glenwood Avenue and makes its way to the Talbot County Courthouse on Washington Street.

At 10:30am, the celebration continues with a Welcome Ceremony on the courthouse lawn, hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Gabriella Thompson. The program opens with an invocation by 15-year-old minister Javion Jones of Union Baptist Church, followed by remarks from community leaders including Easton Town Council President Don Abbatielo, Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, Talbot County Free Library Director Dana Newman, Washington College’s Jaelon T. Moaney, and student leader Giuliana Thompson. Music for the ceremony will include the Mid-Shore Community Band under Matthew Fullerton’s direction, with special performances by Randy Welch and Dana Bowser.

Children won’t want to miss the always-popular Children’s Village outside the Talbot County Free Library. From face painting and Frederick Douglass–themed coloring books to a prize wheel, photo booth, and story time with Shauna Beulah at 11:30am and 12:30pm, the activities are sure to delight. Inside the library, families can explore multimedia exhibits on Douglass’s life and legacy, as well as view historic artifacts on loan from the National Park Service.

At 1pm, the library will host an engaging lecture by Nicholas Buccola, professor of humanism and ethics at Claremont McKenna College. His talk, “Frederick Douglass, American Revolutionary,” will explore how Douglass reimagined the ideals of America’s founding fathers to address the struggles of his time. Buccola, widely recognized for his scholarship on figures such as James Baldwin and Abraham Lincoln, is also the author of the forthcoming book One Man’s Freedom, which examines the ideological clash between Martin Luther King Jr. and conservative politician Barry Goldwater.

New this year is a special walking tour of The Hill, the oldest free African American community in the nation. Beginning at 3pm at Harrison and Dover Streets, historian Yvonne Freeman will guide participants through historic sites including the Hambleton House, James Freeman Home, and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. This fascinating tour offers a unique chance to step into history and learn more about a community dating back to the 1780s.

From noon to 3pm, the Entertainment Stage at Dover and West Streets will feature an exciting lineup of performers. Soloists include American Idol contestant Ayla Dennis, Ruby Fisher, and Sofia Fernandez, while group acts such as the Asbury United Methodist Choir, New St. John’s United Methodist Men’s Choir, the Allegra Academy Choir, and the Bay Country Chorus will lift their voices in harmony. The celebration will close with a lively block party set from Allan Butler, ensuring the day ends on a high note. A bustling marketplace nearby will showcase local food vendors and community groups throughout the afternoon.

Since its debut in 2011, Frederick Douglass Day has become one of Talbot County’s most treasured traditions, blending history, culture, and community pride into one unforgettable celebration. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, so mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27, and join us in honoring the life and legacy of one of our country’s greatest minds.

 

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A New Minister Starts a New Era for Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton

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The Rev. Chris J. Antal, who became minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton on Aug. 1, will lead the first Sunday service and deliver the first sermon of his new ministry on Sept. 14.

Rev. Chris J. Antal

Antal and his wife XingQin Feng moved into what he calls a “small ranchhouse” located a few miles east of Oxford, west of Easton, and north of Trappe. He is the father of five adult children – Justin, Eliot, Yuna, Sulhee and Makoto – by a previous marriage. Chris and XingQin visited the Eastern Shore for the first time while he was interviewing for the UUFE opening.

“We both felt immediately drawn to the natural beauty and historic significance of the region,” he said, adding that he was impressed with the UUFE leadership in sharing how the fellowship acted with what he gathered is “a fierce commitment to spiritual values and meaningful engagement with the surrounding community.”

Joy Gaddy, a member of the leadership team who interviewed Antal and traveled to Philadelphia with another member to witness his ministry as a Veterans Administration chaplain, shared her impressions: “Throughout our search process for a new minister, what impressed us most was Rev. Chris’ depth of knowledge and the way he spoke about Unitarian Universalism and issues of interest to our congregants. We felt that his manner and approach would be an excellent fit for our fellowship.”

After he signed a two-year contract as minister, the empty-nesters moved into their new home. XingQin’s son, Yang, a teenager when she and Antal married in 2023, is now in college. The couple has another home in Narberth, a suburb of Philadelphia, where since 2015 he has served at the VA hospital – now a part-time job as chaplain since starting his new ministry. XingQin, a native of China, is studying for a certified public accountant exam after a 22-year career as a financial adviser. Immigrating to the U.S., she and her son were both granted permanent U.S. residency last year.

In his time off between jobs, Antal says he enjoys cycling, hiking, paddling, yoga, beekeeping and sampling craft beers. Among his chief goals in ministry is, he says, “a passion about creating a sanctuary space that fosters spiritual health, moral engagement, and prophetic witness,” adding that he “strives to embody the values of honesty, respect, fairness, responsibility and compassion.” Among his major concerns, he says, is finding the right balance between human activity and preserving the planet.

Antal was born in 1972 near Niagara Falls, but spent most of his early years on the coast of Maine, later working as dishwasher/housekeeper in a family-run B&B. He recalls being “unaffiliated with any religion” while growing up. Antal attended college at Rhode Island School of Design and Cooper Union and earned a Master’s of Arts degree from South Korea’s Yonsei University in 2003, and a Masters of Divinity from the Unification Theological Seminary the following year.

By that time, Antal says he felt a calling to ordained ministry. He joined the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, New York and then interned at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany. He was ordained in March 2011 and hired as a contract minister by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern, a Hudson Valley community.

Taking a leave of absence in 2012 to deploy in Afghanistan as a U.S. Army battalion chaplain, Antal established the Kandahar Crossroad Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where he delivered a controversial sermon on Veterans Day and was reprimanded by a general for “politically inflammatory” speech. After his release from active duty for “retraining,” Antal, who had been promoted to captain, made national headlines when he resigned his commission in a 2016 letter to President Barack Obama, who released it in redacted form. The letter read, in part, “I resign because I refuse to support the U.S. armed drone policy . . . of unaccountable killing.” He left with an honorable discharge.

The Rev. Dr. Chris J. Antal earned his doctorate at Hartford (Connecticut) International University for Religion & Peace during his return to the UU Congregation at Rock Tavern, where he had served since 2011. In 2018, he became a fulltime staff chaplain at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia.

Antal succeeds the Rev. Sue Browning, who moved on in late June after 12 years as UUFE’s minister. Established in 1960, the UU Fellowship at Easton is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which Antal describes as “a liberal religion that is welcoming to all people who covenant to live well in right relationship with people and the planet.” According to UUA’s “What We Believe” statement of faith: “We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice in our own lives and in the world.”

Sunday services begin at 10 a.m. at the Fellowship, 7401 Ocean Gateway (U.S. 50), Easton; uufeaston.org, 410-822-8103

 

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Remembering Author Roger Vaughan

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Roger E. Vaughan, 88, died peacefully at his home in Easton, Maryland, on August 25.

Born in New Hampshire and raised in Massachusetts, Roger attended the Choate School and Brown University before embarking on his career as an internationally published writer of books, periodicals, television, the internet, and film. Beginning at The Saturday Evening Post, he went on to be a reporter, writer, and head of the Youth and Education department at LIFE magazine. He wrote 23 published books, was the founding editor of The Yacht magazine, and contributed to numerous periodicals, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Tidewater Times, and The Talbot Spy.  Roger wrote about the things that most interested him: people, places, and events all around the world. He was an internationally published photographer as well as a respected editor.

Roger was a dedicated sailor, beginning at Tabor Academy summer camp. He was a mate on the 12-metre Gleam, crewed on several Bermuda races, raced on Kialoa in the deadly 1979 Fastnet race, and rounded Cape Horn on Fazisi sailing from Auckland to Punta del Este in the Whitbread. Closer to home, Roger raced in the Oxford OARS races and, finally, raced with the much-loved Oxford radio-controlled Laser fleet.

He lived and worked in Philadelphia and New York City before moving to Little Compton, Rhode Island, as a freelance writer. Roger moved to the Eastern Shore in 1980, where he worked from his home office in Oxford, overlooking the confluence of the Choptank and Tred Avon rivers, for over 40 years until he moved to Easton.

Roger was a man of his time, moving from a manual typewriter to a computer keyboard; from reading news ticker tapes to instant internet communications; from cotton sails to Kevlar and Vectran; from an old Steinway upright to a Yamaha keyboard. He was confident, curious, modest, musically literate, and always a willing, helpful friend. Roger is survived by his wife, Kippy Requardt, his stepdaughter Leigh Todd and her daughter Hannah Marie Blackwood, all of Easton; and his son Roger E. Vaughan, Jr., as well as Andrea and Sinead Vaughan, his granddaughters, of Providence, Rhode Island.

A celebration of his life will be planned for later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Saving Future Feral Cats at www.savingfutureferalcats.org

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Compass’ Camp New Dawn Celebrates 31 Years of Hope and Healing for Grieving Children and Teens

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Compass proudly celebrated another successful year of Camp New Dawn, marking the 31st year of this unique program that helps children, teens, and families navigate grief in a safe, supportive environment.

Held each summer, Camp New Dawn brings together children and teens who have experienced the loss of a loved one, offering them a place to share their stories, build resilience, and find comfort among peers who understand. With the guidance of trained counselors and compassionate volunteers, campers participate in traditional camp activities— arts and crafts, swimming, games, and team challenges—blended with grief support sessions designed to promote healing and hope.

“Grief can feel isolating for children, but Camp New Dawn reminds them they are not alone,” said Rhonda Knotts, Director of Grief Support Services. “For more than three decades, this camp has provided a safe haven where young people can honor their loved ones, express their emotions, and begin to rediscover joy.”

Volunteers, too, experience the power of Camp. Longtime volunteer, Jane Anthony, shared: “The only thing I can say is that it was a supercalifragilisticexpealidocious camp! I saw healing. I saw connections being made, both campers and volunteers. I saw one big family just loving each other through the tough moments. I saw things that just make me want to come back year after year!”

 This year’s camp welcomed 53 campers, whose strength and openness inspired the entire Compass team. Many campers return year after year, forming lasting friendships and connections that extend well beyond camp.

Many campers and volunteers spoke about their experiences at Camp New Dawn and the profound impact it had on them, their children, and their families. One family shared, “By the end of family camp, we are all just a little bit lighter. The loss is still there, the heartache is still present, but now we have a number of tools to help us cope with our grief on our own terms and in our own time.”

Another supporter reflected, “At Camp New Dawn, I met some of the bravest little souls who showed up to heal their hearts from the pain of grief. I witnessed courage in teens and young adults continuing their own healing while walking alongside the younger campers. I saw bravery in the adults who pour their time and love into making this camp a meaningful, successful healing process.”

Group leader Hayden Rhodes expressed, “Year after year, I have the privilege of witnessing something truly remarkable over three unforgettable days. This is not just a camp—it’s a place where children who have experienced deep loss come together, surrounded by compassion, understanding, and hope. The most beautiful part is watching transformation unfold—by the last day, the same faces that carried such visible grief are glowing with the light of new friendships, deeper understanding, and a renewed sense of hope. Camp New Dawn is a sacred space where healing begins, where hearts mend little by little, and where God’s presence feels close and real.”

Camp New Dawn is made possible through the generosity of community supporters, donors, and dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy, and hearts to ensure each child feels seen and supported.

As Compass reflects on 31 years of Camp New Dawn, one thing remains constant: the power of community to bring light into even the darkest seasons of grief. With the support of volunteers, donors, and families, Camp New Dawn will continue to provide a safe, compassionate space where children and families can find healing, hope, and connection.

To find out more about Compass Regional Hospice, go here.

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ShoreRivers Hiring Executive Director

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ShoreRivers protects Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement. We are seeking a leader who can compassionately support and elevate a team of expert staff, collaboratively engage with the variety of stakeholders in our region, uphold the organization’s excellent reputation and financial stability, and communicate our vision of healthy rivers cherished by all communities. ShoreRivers’ next Executive Director will lead our impactful work by embodying our core values: solutions-oriented, optimistic, community-centered, and trusted.

ShoreRivers is a strong, regional Riverkeeper organization that formed from the merger of three local organizations in 2017. Our core focus is the waterways of the Chester, Choptank, Sassafras, Miles, and Wye rivers, Eastern Bay, and the Bayside Creeks. The Executive Director will be joining a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a 40-year history, $7 million budget, staff of 30+ professionals, and hundreds of volunteers. In 2024, ShoreRivers launched a three-year strategic plan that both honors our grassroots legacy and charts a course for us as a regional leader.

This position offers a competitive benefits package (see more below) and a salary range between $140,000–$170,000, based on experience. Position begins January 2, 2026, or a mutually agreed upon date. Employees work in-person with flexibility in their schedule when appropriate. This fulltime position is exempt salaried and “at-will,” and reports to a Board of Governors. The Executive Director will work out of both the Chestertown and Easton offices and must live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland within the communities we serve. This position requires flexibility to work longer hours, weekends, and travel as needed.

To apply, send your two-page resume and two-page cover letter to Deputy Director of HR & Culture Doug Mayorga at [email protected] by October 15, 2025.

In your cover letter, please address the following question: As Executive Director of ShoreRivers, how would you lead to maximize the protection of the Eastern Shore’s waterways at a time when critical protections are being rolled back and financial support from Federal and state sources is more uncertain?

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Annual Legacy Day August 15-17 in Fountain Park

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The Annual Legacy Day event sponsored by Sumner Hall will take place August 15-17 at Fountain Park in Chestertown.  This year’s Legacy Day theme is Historic Black Communities (HBCs) of Kent County.  The historic communities featured at Legacy Day will include Big Woods, Butlertown, Colemans, Edesville, Georgetown, Golts, Olivet Hill, Pomona, Sandfield, and Worton Point.  These communities were identified as some of the earliest black communities founded in the 1800s and were anchored by a church and a school.

An exhibit featuring the HBCs of Kent County will be on display at the Historic Society of Kent County beginning August 1st and continuing throughout the month.  Storyboards filled with photos and memories from all of the featured communities are featured in the exhibit.

Legacy Day will kick off on Friday with two events – a pre-opening public art performance at 6 pm at the Custom House, entitled Making Memory Move, sponsored by The Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.  The performance will combine dance, music, and “critical interpretation” to honor the lives of African American women whose names have been lost to history.

Friday’s second event will feature the Legacy Day Opening Reception , recognizing the communities and community members being honored. The event will be a Cabaret with live music and refreshments.  The opening program will begin at 7 pm at the Garfield Theatre.

On Saturday morning, the activities will kick-off at 9:30 a.m. with “Blacks on the Chesapeake” Digital Display at the Sultana Holt Center on Cross Street.  This Display is an immersive and moving presentation that lights up the floor—literally and figuratively—as it guides audiences through the rich and often untold stories of African American life and legacy on the Eastern Shore.

An African American Walking Tour of Downtown lead by staff from the Chesapeake Heartland will immediately follow“Blacks on the Chesapeake” and the tour will begin at Cross and Cannon Street.  Attendees will take a walk through time and explore the streets and structures that once formed the heart of Chestertown’s Black community.

The Sultana Education Foundation will offer two opportunities, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., for community members to join the crew of the 1768 schooner Sultana for a two-hour sail on the Chester River. Passengers are encouraged to help raise sail, steer using Sultana’s seven-foot tiller, and explore the authentically reproduced crew’s quarters below-decks.

At 1:30 pm, Legacy Day will move to High Street and open with a parade of historic cars in honor of the late Mary Fisher — the Mary Fisher Legacy on Wheels parade.  For many years, Ms. Fisher was the key organizer for the Legacy Day parades.  She was a highly regarded educator, coach and administrator in Kent County who passed away last year.

Following the parade, the Gospel Showcase will begin on the main stage at 2 pm featuring performances of songs, dance ministry, recitations, and readings by local and regional artists to celebrate the central role of gospel in Black history and culture.

The official Legacy Day dance party will begin at 4 pm. with DJ Turbulance.  Community members will be asking “where your fans at” with “Boots on the Ground” and other line-dancing hits.  “This year we are making a strong effort to involve youth in the Legacy Day events and are introducing a Youth Dance Contest,” notes Vanessa Ringgold, President of Sumner Hall.  “By offering cash prizes, we hope to highlight their talents and reward them for stepping up as active participants,” she added.  Those interested can sign up in advance by visiting the Sumner Halls website. Contestants can also join in at the time of the event.

Legacy Day will continue on Saturday with a celebrated evening of dancing in the street to the tunes of Comfort Zone, known for playing the classic R&B hits, at 5 pm.  Food vendors, craft vendors and information stations will be on site throughout the day to provide nourishment and other “goodies”.

The Legacy Day weekend will conclude with a Champagne Brunch, sponsored by and hosted at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, located at 101 N. Cross Street. This year’s Brunch theme is Hidden Figures, a celebration of influential Black trailblazers in the history of Kent County. Reenactors will take the roles of such luminaries as Henry Highland Garnett, the namesake for Garnett School in Chestertown, and Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Church. Several other “hidden figures” will be portrayed as well.

All Legacy Day events are free and open to the public.  Due to space limitations for some of the venues, reservations are recommended.  For reservations and more information, visit the Sumner Hall website at Legacy Day – Sumner Hall.

For more information contact:             [email protected]

 

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Where Land and Water Meet, The Photography of David Harp is Main Street Gallery’s Fall Exhibit

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Main Street Gallery is very excited to be exhibiting guest artist David Harp’s photographs for its September/October show. Dave’s work in this show focuses on the landscapes, people, and flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay region.  A renowned, award-winning photographer and filmmaker, who is a lifelong Marylander, Dave lives and maintains a studio in Cambridge and has been photographing the Chesapeake Bay’s “delights and dilemmas,” as he puts it, for over four decades. 

He explains that he often finds inspiration for his photographs in the marshy areas in and around the Bay, where the land and the water meet. This is where the above-water life he is looking for is so apparent, he says. He also seeks the edges of the days to work, from first light to sunrise and from late afternoon into dusk, when he finds his subjects “bathed in warm light and with long, revealing shadows.”

A graduate of Ohio University with a degree in English, Dave was staff photographer for the Hagerstown Morning Herald and photographer for the Baltimore Sun Magazine for nearly a decade. His magazine work took him to       far-flung locations such as the tropical rain forests of Panama, the coast of Normandy for a story on the 40th anniversary of D-Day, and to Australia to photograph the America’s Cup. His photographs have also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Smithsonian, Sierra, and Coastal Living Magazine, among others. In 1990 he left the Baltimore Sun Magazine and started his own editorial photography business in Cambridge. His highly acclaimed photographs have been published locally and around the world, and his photography and film depicting the Chesapeake were exhibited for two years at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD.

Dave has also produced several books with essays by longtime friend and collaborator Tom Horton. These are: Water’s Way: Life Along the Chesapeake published in 2000, The Great Marsh: An Intimate Journey into a Chesapeake Wetland, published in 2002, and The Nanticoke: A Portrait of a Chesapeake River, published in 2015. In 2011 Snowfall: Journey of the Tundra Swans, also created with Tom Horton, was republished. In addition to his books, Dave has produced eight films about the Chesapeake Bay with co-producers Tom Horton and Sandy Cannon-Brown. In 2004 Dave was awarded the Andrew White Medal by Loyola College for his Chesapeake Bay photography. He was also appointed to the Maryland State Arts Council by former Governor Martin O’Malley.

In addition to showing works by David Harp and the Main Street Gallery coop members, the Gallery is excited to have its first pop-up exhibit, featuring the paintings of Maureen Farrell. Maureen is an award-winning contemporary water media artist who lives and maintains her studio in Cambridge. A native of New York, she found her passion for creating art after she remarried, retired and “reevaluated my whole purpose in life,” she says.  Maureen’s current focus is on the human figure. 

Where Land and Water Meet will open at the Gallery at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge on September 5 and will run through October 26.

There will be two artist receptions on Second Saturdays, September 13 and October 11, from 5-8 p.m. Dave will speak about his work at the September reception. The receptions are free and all are invited. Light refreshments will be served.

Main Street Gallery is open Fridays through Sundays from 11-5, and online shopping is always available at mainstgallery.net. The Gallery, located in Cambridge’s thriving arts and entertainment district, is the City’s only artist owned and operated cooperative and has been downtown for 14 years. Main Street Gallery is currently reviewing work by prospective members and guest artists. Please contact the Gallery through its website or by calling 410-330-4659 if you are interested in being part of this vibrant artist community.

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