Kazakhstan RPCV Emily Dewhirst opens Nomad Gallery



Kazakhstan RPCV Emily Dewhirst opens Nomad Gallery

Nomad brings favorite items to Market Square shoppers
Aug 29, 2004

Knoxville News-Sentinel
by Doug Mason, Mason@Knews.Com

The nomad in Nomad Gallery is Emily Dewhirst, whose itchy feet take her all around the world.

She's a traveler, not a tourist. She's just as comfy in a yurt as she is in the Market Square building where she lives upstairs and keeps shop downstairs.

Dewhirst has had trouble staying in one spot since she bicycled around post-World War II Europe as a teenager.

The Minnesota native has lived in France, Italy, Denmark, Egypt, Korea and Kazakhstan, the latter during a 1994-96 stint with the Peace Corps.

Her travels include stops in South America, Asia, India and the Middle East.

The more removed from malls and high-def TV a spot is, the better she likes it.

Her favorite cultures are those "not infected with modern civilization."

Since opening Nomad more than three years ago, Dewhirst has been sharing pieces of the places she most loves.

Anyone who can manage to find Market Square may enter the exotic world of Nomad and broaden his or her horizons with fantastic arts, crafts and textiles that Dewhirst has carted back from a dozen or more places, some of which most of us couldn't finger on a map.

The shortlist of items in her shop on a recent Saturday morning included holy tapestries from Tibet, tribal figures from Africa, jewelry from India, hand-knitted mohair shawls from Kazakhstan, silk tapestries from Uzbekistan, antique lace from France, Alpaca- toenail rattles from Bolivia, antique Tiger Hats from China (worn by children to ward off sickness and bad spirits), hand-dyed batiks from Thailand, silver jewelry from Bali, larimar gemstones from the Dominican Republic, hand-blown glass jewelry from Italy and baskets from New Guinea.

It's an eclectic mix with one thing in common: Dewhirst.

"I just love everything in this gallery," she says. "If it's not something I love, I don't buy it."

She also carries a few works by local artists, including potter Anna Maria Gundlach.

Doug Mason may be reached at 865-342-6441.

GALLERY CRAWLNews Sentinel fine-arts writer Doug Mason is profiling local art galleries in a series of summer stories.

NOMAD GALLERY

* Where: Market Square

* Hours: Usually 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, but hours will vary. If shop is closed, ring the bell and Dewhirst will let you in.

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference. RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls. Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate. Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

By Emily A. Dewhirst (216-107-103-126.wan.networktel.net - 216.107.103.126) on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 9:37 pm: Edit Post

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