Sharing the Mic Barrier Islands Center

Jon Wehner of Chatham Vineyards - Chatham Vineyards is owned and operated by the Wehner family at historic Chatham Farm, a working farm for four centuries.Jon Wehner is a second-generation winegrower on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He learned about grape growing from his parents, who operated Great Falls Vineyard in Great Falls, Virginia, for over thirty years. He and his wife, Mills, and their three children own and operate the vineyard and winery.

Ken Heath of the gospel group Ken Heath and the True Disciples: Ken is part of the gospel band The True Disciples, who will once again perform at Art and Music on the Farm at the BIC in May. He is a native of Petersburg, Virginia, where he was raised to the sounds of the gospel music of the Black Holiness Church and Virginia’s rich gospel quartet tradition. The True Disciples are known for their spirited, electrifying performances.

Dr. Christopher Hein, Associate Professor in Coastal Geology at The College of William and Mary/VIMS. Hein’s research focuses on coastal populations, infrastructure, and ecological communities currently threatened by atmospheric warming, accelerated sea-level rise, changes in the frequency and intensity of coastal storms, and variability in sediment supply rates. His primary research focuses on the mainland and barrier islands of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He also has active projects stud...

Dutch artist Carole Böggemann Peirson has been a professional oil painter since 2005 and is mainly known for her East Coast landscapes. A few life-changing events in 2020 caused a shift in her work from figurative to semi-abstract. Her ethereal works in oil and cold wax are inspired by the idea that all living things are connected and that we are spiritual beings having a temporary physical experience. Carole hopes her love for life and her optimism about the future will shine through in her ...

For the past 13 years, Jim Spione has worked with the Barrier Islands Center to produce revealing and enlightening documentaries about the barrier islands of Virginia and life on the Eastern Shore. Jim and David discuss the 8th film currently in production about the history of the Almshouse- where the Barrier Islands Center is located.

Jon Lohman is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. Before that, he was the director of Virginia’s state Folklife Program, where he initiated and carried out numerous programs, including an award-winning Folklife Apprenticeship Program and the corresponding book In Good Keeping. Jon has presented and served on curatorial committees for numerous local and national festivals, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Richmond Folk Festival, Merlefe...