Jo Neace Krause: A Lady with Great Talent

Maddi’s Gallery is pleased to welcome the work of painter Jo Neace Krause to our collection. Born in Kentucky, Jo is a very accomplished writer whose stories and essays have enjoyed wide publication in literary journals including the Yale Review. Her most recent book, The Last Game We Played, is a collection of short stories and winner of the prestigious Hudson Prize.

Only in the past few years did Jo pick up the paintbrush and her work in oils quickly attracted a following. She has been praised for the depth and strength of her work. She now has pieces in the Kentucky Folk Art Museum in Morehead, Ky and many galleries and private collections. Her pieces can be seen at Maddi's in Dilworth and on-line at www.maddisgallery.com.

What a review!

Did you see the recent review by food critic, Gary Powell, in the Huntersville Herald? On nearly every score, he loved Maddi's. He raved: "For you foodies out there, think Paula Dean meets Alice Waters". Twice in the review he compared us to the famed Chez Panisse in Berkely, California. Wow!

Naturally, this is due to a lot of hard work and talent in our kitchen. We want to take our hats off to Chef Mike Wells (pictured on the right)who has taken the lead in establishing an exciting menu using lots of local produce and meat. And also to Sous Chef, Phil Richardson, (on left) who is also very inventive especially with the delicious soups at the Bistro.

If you would like to read the review, click here http://www.maddissouthernbistro/, and then go Press where the entire review is printed.

We would also be remiss if we didn't thank all the kitchen staff and the diningroom folks as well. Mr. Powell praised the "professional waitstaff" and we know all our guests are going to be treated to true Southern hospitality at every meal. And last, but not least, our hats are off to Jon Dalton, who manages the entire effort. Congrats to all!

Organic Vegies at the Bistro

If you love the taste of fresh, summer vegetables, make sure you order some at the Bistro. They're grown in the Dalton's lush backyard garden and Jon brings them in fresh each morning. We know a few other restaurants across the country who do this, the most famous being Chez Panisse in Berekely, CA. It was there that Alice Waters began the trend of serving fresh local produce, a concept she is still pioneering today.

And don't miss our summer specials, including the Big Maddi's Burger menu with eight interesting gourmet burgers. And my favorite, Tuesday Rib Night. The ribs come from right here in the Lake Norman region, from Grateful Growers Farm in Denver. They are sooooo delicious.

Oh, and that cute little guy is our grandson, Miller "Garden Meister" Dalton checking out the quality of the produce and learning to love eating it as well.

New Artist Jury

One of the most frequently asked questions at Maddi's is, "how do you find your artists?" In addition to buying shows, customer recommendations and research, we take artist submissions three times a year. Artists submit images of their work, plus biographical and professional information in March, June and September.

Then those submissions are evaluated by a jury of Maddi's owners and employees. They are looking for originality, quality, design and, probably most important, "sale-ability". The jury looks for work that is compatible with the Maddi's vibe and at a good price point.

The June jury took place last week and several new artists will be bringing their work to the galleries. One is Annika Bodenhamer of Costa Mesa, CA whose work is entirely one-of-a-kind pieces in fine silver clay and often with semi-precious stones. Her Bird Song pendant is seen above and you'll find more lovely pieces at Maddi's soon.

The complete instructions for Artist Submissions can be found at the top of our homepage at http://www.maddisgallery.com/. Just click on "Artist Submissions". Our next jury will be in September and we would love submissons of holiday-themed artwork.

A Day in the Country

Kentucky's most famous living folk artist is undoubtedly Minnie Adkins. Hailing from "Happy Gizzard Holler" in eastern Kentucky, Minnie is known for her carvings, paintings, quilts, and her generosity to the state's rich folk heritage. For many years, she hosted a "Day in the Country" at her rural home. Folk artists from all over would set up simple displays in Minnie's large yard as folk art collectors drove miles over the winding, hilly roads to scoop up the offered treasures.

As the event grew, it became a lot for the Adkins clan to manage, so several years ago they were pleased when the Folk Art Center in Morehead, Ky offered to stage the event. This June more than fifty terrific folk artists exhibited their work, led of course, by Minnie. Having missed the event the past several years, Madis and I were pleased to see how it has grown and prospered. These are the nicest people, the work is so very bright and fun. We returned with a very packed car, so look for lots of new folk art in the next few days.