A’Court’s Art
Two summers ago A’Court Bason (the artist, musician, and recluse who I wrote about here) was in our neighborhood performing an impromptu outdoor concert for the Zephyr Farm community. We gathered around on my friend Jayn’s front porch listening to A’Court play until the stars came out. As far as I know, he hasn’t been out-and-about since then. That is, until now.
A’Court’s art is currently on exhibit at The Black Water Loft Café in downtown Floyd. The artist’s reception, which took place last night, is a date that had been circled on my calendar for weeks. My husband, Joe, and I stopped by to see the exhibit and to say hello to A’Court before our dinner reservation at Oddfella’s Cantina.
The Loft, located where the old Harvest Moon used to be, is a hip and comfortable place to hang-out, conducive to art shows and poetry readings. I particularly enjoyed seeing A’Court’s lotus paintings grace the walls, and I was especially happy to discover that his mom, Ruth, was in attendance. Ruth is a petite white-haired matriarchal figure with a sharp wit. I remember her most for her meditative dance practice. Back in the day, I occasionally danced alongside her at her Travianna farm house, or some other community event. 
She started our conversation saying, “I had never heard of Floyd the morning I bought our farm here.”
It was 1971. A’Court’s brother, Will, had seen a Floyd farm “For-sale” ad in a Raleigh NC newspaper, and they made an appointment to see it that very day. Ruth says when she drove into Floyd County and saw the Blue Ridge Parkway, she fell in love and said to herself, ‘If the farm isn’t the backside of a mountain, I’m going to buy it on the spot.’ And she did.
But now it was 6:45 and our dinner reservation was at 6:30. We bid our farewells, knowing that the exhibit will be on display until the end of May. We can also view A’Court’s art at his website, travianna.com.
May 14th, 2006 4:56 pm
Hello from Michelle and pleased to meet you (such that we do as we dip our toes into someone else’s blog!).
May 14th, 2006 9:13 pm
I have that same clip on my site. It is hysterical!
Michele sent me tonight.
May 14th, 2006 9:30 pm
Here from Michele this time.
Lovely painting there.
What a nice event just before Mother’s Day.
I’m sure his mom is very proud of her son.
May 15th, 2006 7:26 am
Thanks for the video clip….it is hilarious. We absolutely love that web site. Great to know about the exhibit too. Thanks, Colleen.
May 15th, 2006 10:21 am
I saw that on Chatty’s and loved it!
I hope I can get up to see the exhibit….sounds intriguing.
May 15th, 2006 10:54 am
Very Interesting Art from an interesting man. He looks so cool I wish I could paint him!
May 15th, 2006 8:47 pm
I really like A’Court’s Praise painting on his website. And he’s just the coolest looking guy too. That’s a super cool photo on his website’s homepage.
The Mother’s Day video clip kills me. It is so much like all the brothers I knew growing up. And it will probably be like my boys one day.
June 1st, 2007 5:47 pm
Coleen,
I like that pic of A’Court. Can you email me a copy?
He will be playing music up there Sunday June 3 2007
with his current exhibit of oil paintings on display. The show goes down the next day so Pat Woodfuff can hang her show.
love,
Melody
August 23rd, 2013 10:37 am
[…] Way, the English translation of his home farm, Travianna, or what he liked to call Kooky Town. He came to Floyd with his family at the age of 13. A pioneer of redefining boundaries from an early age, he was […]