Utah State University - » North Logan kicks off Year of the Rabbit with a twang

North Logan kicks off Year of the Rabbit with a twang

February 8th, 2011 Posted in Arts and Life

Story and photo by Emily Pannell Johnson

NORTH LOGAN—Local cowboy band Tumbleweeds celebrated the Far East with the musical stylings of the West at the Chinese New Year Celebration recently hosted by the Little Bloomsbury Foundation.

Steve Fillmore and Earl “Ugly Earl” Bradley kicked off the “All About the Rabbits” event at the North Logan Library with songs like “Sneaky Snake” and “Don’t Jump Off of the Roof, Dad.” Fillmore and Bradley, who brought along a guitar, banjo, harmonica and full size bass, said they love composing music and playing together, and it’s not about money.

“All real musicians have day jobs, you see,” Fillmore said, gesturing to the plunger on the bottom of Bradley’s full size bass.

However, Brenda Sun, founder and executive director of Little Bloomsbury Foundation, said that the economy is actually one of the reasons for what they do. “We believe in using art, music and literature to promote economic self-reliance,” she said.

Sun, who is Chinese-American, compared and contrasted bits of Chinese and American culture for the 30 children and adults who attended, pointing out that while the American New Year’s celebration only lasts one day, the Chinese celebrate for two weeks. The reason for this, Sun said, is food.

Xu Buck, a Utah State University student majoring in nutrition, dietetics and food sciences, said lack of variety, portion size and fast eating is what sets the American diet apart from the Chinese. Buck spoke about the importance of remembering activity, moderation, personalization, proportionality, variety, and gradual improvement in our diet and lifestyle. Activity is most necessary for young kids, Buck said.

“Activity is important for you because you’re growing,” Buck said. “So you can make sure you’re growing taller and not wider.”

The evening ended with Willa Miller, who told the stories of “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “Brer Rabbit,” and with Grant Lund, senior artistic director for Little Bloomsbury Foundation, who showed pieces of his artwork and gave advice to budding artists.

“Start with an idea; think of a really good idea, and then decide how you’re going to do it,” Lund said. “You’ve got to make the familiar strange, and the strange familiar.

For more information on Little Bloomsbury Foundation’s programs, go to littlebloomsbury.blogspot.com or call 435-787-1303. To see Lund’s artwork, go to the foundation’s website, or to the North Logan Library to whom he donated a copy of his poster “Lincoln Learns.”

The Tumbleweeds will be at L.D.’s Café in Richmond beginning at 6 p.m. on Feb. 19.

NW

Tags: Bloomsbury Foundation, Chinese new year, North Logan, Tumbleweeds