META 2008

Took the Greyhound overnight from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina. Met up with Duncan Laurie and his daughters Lena and Bryn. Headed into the “hippie” part of town for some vegetarian lunch at the Laughing Seed Café. Found one of Duncan’s cast metal belt buckles from the 1970s in the Paul Taylor Sandals shop.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/57611802@N00/2558293776 “View ‘One of Duncan’s “Star Buckles” from the 1970s [center] at Paul Taylor’s’ on Flickr.com”)

Finished lunch just as it started to rain. Piled into the car and headed for Rockmont, the former home of Black Mountain College. For one week, the Rockmont Camp for Boys would serve as host to a hand selected group of artists, musicians, and filmmakers from around the world. Primarily friends of filmmaker Roger Manley, the family is continually expanding.

Notable participants included: champion for world peace Lane Berk, visionary artist Paul Lafolley, multi-media artist Jonathon Hexner, photographer Cheryl Dunn, writer Tom Maxwell, harpsichordist Elaine Funaro, photographer Deborah Luster, cellular biologist Kevin F. Sullivan, Ph.D., cinematographer Dyanna Taylor, documentary filmmaker Les Blank, tenor Michael Bennett, composer Giuseppe Gavazza, sculptor František Skála, musician Steve Nalepa, sculptor Duncan Laurie, and filmmaker, author and host of META Roger Manley.

Spent a fantastic week meeting new folks and hearing talks about what they were doing.

Duncan and I set up the IBVA with rocks and plants 3 times to show off how they work. Lots of interest and at one session, an interesting trio of harpsichord, tenor and plants.

One of the nights I set up the projector and a Rutt-Etra Max patch with a live camera input going for the others have a go at it.