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Hickory Arts in 2012
As we continued our tenth-anniversary reflection on the history of Hickory Arts, we found ourselves looking back at a year filled with momentum, creative collaboration, and emerging artists.
By 2012, Hickory Arts had firmly established itself as more than a teaching studio. It was becoming a crossroads where musicians, actors, writers, photographers, filmmakers, educators, and organizations could learn, collaborate, and create together.
Looking back, 2012 was the year many of the ideas that define Hickory Arts today began to take shape.
Supporting Emerging Artists
One of the most rewarding aspects of arts education is watching students grow over time.
In 2012, artists such as Savannah Spencer and Victoria Summer Whetzel continued developing their skills through performance opportunities, vocal coaching, recording projects, and mentorship. Both appeared as finalists in Hickory Rotary Club's Rotarian Idol competition, a partnership that helped provide valuable real-world performance experience for developing artists.
Programs like Rotarian Idol reinforced something we continue to believe today: artistic growth happens not only in lessons, but also through meaningful opportunities to apply those skills in front of an audience.
The House Concert Series Continues to Grow
The Hickory Arts House Concert Series continued gaining momentum throughout 2012.
Artists such as Kay and Patrick Crouch of Strictly Clean & Decent, Julia Rush, Denise Baxter-Yoder, Sydney Torin Shepherd, and many others helped establish the series as a unique listening-room experience for both performers and audiences.
At a time when many traditional performance opportunities were disappearing, house concerts created meaningful connections between artists and listeners.
The philosophy remains simple: provide artists with a welcoming space to share their work while giving audiences an opportunity to truly listen.
That mission continues to guide the House Concert Series today.
The Everything Artist
If there was one idea that emerged repeatedly throughout 2012, it was the concept of the "Everything Artist."
Artists are rarely just one thing.
Many write songs, perform, act, record, teach, direct, produce, collaborate, and create across multiple disciplines.
Few artists embodied that philosophy better than Sydney Torin Shepherd.
While recording her Gypsy Life project, Sydney demonstrated the qualities we continue to encourage through Artist Development: independence, creativity, discipline, curiosity, and a commitment to authentic artistic expression.
The goal has never been to create copies of other artists.
The goal is to help artists discover and develop their own voice.
Recording, Production, and Original Work
Recording projects remained a major part of studio life throughout 2012.
Projects ranged from artist development recordings and original music releases to film scoring and promotional work.
The year also saw the release of Better Live, a live album by Jeff Hartman that was mastered in Hickory by Michael French, co-founder of Down to Hear Studios and a longtime collaborator whose work has reached artists across multiple genres and platforms.
Among them was score work for 9-Ball: The Movie, continuing Hickory Arts' involvement in film and media production.
Original music also remained central to the studio's mission. Whether helping artists write, record, release, or perform their work, Hickory Arts continued building a creative environment where original voices could flourish.
Community Theatre and Creative Partnerships
The relationship between Hickory Arts and regional theatre organizations continued to grow throughout 2012.
Promotional work for productions such as Into the Woods, Winnie the Pooh, and The Full Monty reflected the studio's ongoing commitment to supporting live theatre throughout the region.
These collaborations extended beyond marketing and promotion. They created opportunities for artists, students, performers, and organizations to work together in ways that strengthened the broader arts community.
Theatre has always been one of the foundations upon which Hickory Arts was built.
The year also included a revival of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised], bringing together Tim Bolick, Bob Smith, and Jeff Hartman to reprise roles they had originally performed years earlier.
Creative Media and Community Storytelling
2012 was also a year filled with media production and storytelling.
Collaborations with Jackson Group (now Jackson Creative), The MESH, VIMBY, community theatres, local nonprofits, and organizations such as Catawba Science Center allowed Hickory Arts to contribute to a wide range of creative projects throughout the region. One memorable collaboration involved promotional work for the Catawba Science Center's Dinosaur exhibit, highlighting the intersection of education, storytelling, and creative media.
These experiences helped expand our understanding of how storytelling can connect communities and support meaningful causes. The year also included cross-promotional projects with The MESH, including Storytime Station, where Jeff Hartman participated in a reading of Fibbety Frog.
Another memorable opportunity came through VIMBY when Jeff Hartman served as audio operator during an interview with Dr. Maya Angelou for History Channel's The Bible miniseries project, produced by Mark Burnett's team.
The same philosophy continues to influence our creative services today.
Learning from Great Artists
One of the privileges of working in the arts is the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals.
In 2012, Billboard charting artist Kyle Vincent returned to Hickory Arts for both a house concert and an intensive songwriting workshop.
Students ranging from beginners to advanced writers participated in sessions focused on songwriting, creativity, production, and navigating the music industry.
These master classes reflected Hickory Arts' commitment to connecting developing artists with working professionals who could share practical knowledge and real-world experience.
A Remarkable Year for Collaboration
Looking back, one name appears repeatedly throughout the story of 2012: Jeff Hartman.
As a pianist, educator, performer, composer, mentor, and collaborator, Jeff is an important part of the Hickory Arts family.
His conversations about education, artistry, fundamentals, career development, and creative sustainability mirrored many of the values that continue to guide the studio today.
His influence extended far beyond the piano.
He helped shape the culture of mentorship and artistic excellence that remains central to Hickory Arts.
Creative Services in Action
Photography, video production, marketing, headshots, audition materials, personality reels, recording projects, and promotional campaigns filled much of the year.
Much of that work centered on projects for organizations such as the YMCA and NewArts School of Ballet, along with audition reels, headshots, theatre promotions, and marketing materials for artists and organizations throughout the region.
Carol Anne Hartman Photography continued documenting artists, actors, dancers, musicians, businesses, and community organizations throughout the region. Her work could be found at area YMCAs, Hickory Community Theatre, Newton-Conover Auditorium, and with organizations and clients ranging from Jackson Group and Old Colony Players to pageants, nonprofits, and performing artists.
Meanwhile, Hickory Arts supported developing artists through recording projects, promotional materials, and media production designed to help them share their work with broader audiences.
These efforts eventually evolved into many of the creative services still offered today.
The Artists Who Inspire Us
Every so often, an artist comes along who reminds us exactly why we do this work.
Artists such as Aly Adams, Julia Gruver, Shannon Underwood, Alec Nance, Kevin Barrett, Sydney Torin Shepherd, and many others helped shape the creative culture of Hickory Arts during these early years.
Their growth, creativity, and willingness to pursue original work continue to inspire us.
The greatest reward of teaching is not simply passing along information.
It is watching artists discover what they are capable of becoming.
Looking Back
The year concluded with another collaboration alongside Molly Bass through a revival of Christmas Eve with Steve at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, continuing a creative partnership that would span many years.
By the end of 2012, Hickory Arts had become much more than a studio.
It had become a community.
Students were performing.
Artists were recording.
House concerts were thriving.
Theatre collaborations were growing.
Creative services were expanding.
Most importantly, artists were finding opportunities to learn, create, and connect.
Looking back now, it is easy to see the beginnings of the philosophy that still guides us today:
Personalized instruction.
Creative collaboration.
Community engagement.
And the belief that home is where the art is.
Continue the Hickory Arts Anniversary Tour
This article is part of the Hickory Arts anniversary retrospective series documenting the people, projects, performances, and partnerships that helped shape the studio and the regional arts community.
Additional entries from the original anniversary tour can be found through the Mailchimp archive:
