Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Ribbit the Exhibit on Display at Botanical Garden by STEPHANIE CRIDER Last year the Cape Fear Botanical Garden was invaded by larger-than-life bugs for several months as the Big Bugs exhibit entertained and educated garden visitors. On Sept. 1, Ribbit the Exhibit opened featuring, you guessed it, frogs — metal frogs that are full of whimsy and wonder and created by Andy Cobb. These outgoing amphibians aren't hiding under rocks or croaking from the depths of the swamp. They are dancing, watering the garden, mowing the grass and more. The exhibit features 10 to 13 unique sculptures located throughout the garden. Cobb's frogs are made from fl at sheets of copper that are shaped, textured and welded together around a steel frame so that the sculpture will last for years. When a piece is complete, a patina is added to give it a unique fi nish. Cobb has been working with copper for more than 15 years. One of the things he loves best about working with copper is that "… it moves, it's malleable, it feels like skin." captured what I was looking for, which is passion. They are right in the middle of playing and they are having quite a time." The other two are a frog version of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing. "The three musicians were a lot of fun for me," said Cobb. "I think I "He is in tails and she is in a little dress, and they are going full swing," said Cobb. "Those are fi ve frogs that I have wanted to do for a while and I was able to do them for this exhibit." Cobb explained that while many artists claim to create for themselves and then hope to fi nd buyers for their work, his career is built on creating work from other people's ideas. "The majority of my work is commission work, so I am usually doing a piece for somebody … periodically they will say 'do what you want,' but usually it is someone buying a frog with someone else in mind. It is fun for me to hear their idea and I try to execute in a way that they like. It is fun." Cobb's fi rst frog was inspired by Old Toad from the book Wind in the Willow. "I read that book later in life and really liked it," said Cobb. "This idea of an old toad in a morning coat and with a watch fob intrigued me. The reaction to that fi rs frog was so extreme that I was motivated to do a few more, and it just caught on." Whimsical frogs have invaded Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Ribbit the Exhibit. orders and spent fi ve months working seven-days-a-week to put together this exhibit. It gave him the opportunity to create a few pieces he has wanted to work on for a while. Cobb usually works on commission, but for this show he stopped taking receives cards during the Christmas season with pictures of the frogs dressed up for the holidays. Frogs from this exhibit are available for sale and can be purchased through Cape Fear Botanical Garden. The exhibit runs through Nov. 30. Admission is free for garden members. Regular admission applies for non- members: Adults $8, Military $7, Children 6-12 $2.50 and those under 5 are admitted free. Cape Fear Botanical Garden is located at 536 N. Eastern Blvd. in Fayetteville. His work is such a big hit with so many of his clients that Cobb often STEPHANIE CRIDER, Associate Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. What's happening this month at METHODIST UNIVERSITY Sept. 7 | Flute Recital – Linda Cotter FREE - 7:30 p.m., Hensdale Chapel Sept. 7 | Foreign Film – "Das Schreckliche Mädchen" (The Troublemaker) Michael Verhoeven, 1990, German with English subtitles FREE - 7:00 p.m., Hendricks Science Complex Rm. 122 Sept. 8 | Operation Homefront 5K 9:00 a.m., outside Reeves Auditorium Contact: 910.630-7062 or smorrison@methodist.edu Sept. 10 | Convocation FREE - 11:00 a.m., Reeves Auditorium Sept. 10 | Professional MBA Program Open House FREE - 6:00 p.m., Yarborough Auditorium Sept. 14 | Nimocks Speaker Series FREE - 11:00 a.m., Yarborough Auditorium Sept. 15 | 5K and 10K Run/Walk Sponsored by the MU Physician Assistant Program Class of 2013 Costs vary; see the registration form at methodist.edu Sept. 17 | Reeves School of Business Executive Speaker Marty V. Cayton, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship FREE - 11:00 a.m., Yarborough Auditorium Sept. 19 | Investigative Psychology, Serial Killers, and Criminal Minds Author Dr. Katherine Ramsland FREE - 3:30 p.m., Yarborough Auditorium Sept. 20 | Business Succession Forum Network Program Keynote Speaker: H. Dabney Smith, managing partner of Mosaic Capital Partners, LLC 11:00 a.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Cost $25 or free for BSFN members. Lunch included. RSVP required: 910.630.7642 or cfe@methodist.edu Sept. 21 | Vocal Recital – Shannon French and Erin Matson FREE - 7:30 p.m., Hensdale Chapel Sept. 21 | Foreign Film – "La Historia Oficial" (The Official Story) Luis Puenzo, 1985, Argentina, Spanish with English subtitles FREE - 7:00 p.m., Hendricks Science Complex Rm. 122 Sept. 27-30 | Methodist University Theatre Presents "Doubt" 8:00 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.); 2:00 p.m. (Sun.), Reeves Auditorium Contact: 910.630.7103 or pwilson@methodist.edu methodist.edu | facebook.com/MethodistUniversity WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2012 UCW 11