Discovering your neighbor in Russia
In 1990, Rappahannock artist Robin Purnell painted a beautiful series of portraits of Rappahannock residents, including the one of musician Lorraine Duisit, which can be viewed at the Rappahannock library. The painting was featured on the poster for Robin's “Mysterious Realism” show in St Petersburg, Russia, where it hung alongside the other portraits in the series. Margaret Warner, then-Rappahannock resident and Newsweek reporter, attended the Russian show, and asked Robin the identity of the woman with the cats and mandolin. “Why,” answered Robin, “that’s your next-door neighbor in Rappahannock County!”
The painting hung for a time at Woodberry Forest School in Orange, and in the lobby of the Maazel’s Castleton Theatre. Lorraine recorded “In my Heart, I am Dancing,” an album of original songs, with the idea of releasing them in conjunction with images from the portrait. This project was brought to fruition by Rappahannock Association for the Arts & Community and a grant from the Claudia Mitchell fund. A video walk-through of the painting, accompanied by the “title” track, Wild Bird in a Purple Plum, and lmed by RCHS graduate and guitarist Anthony DelGrosso, can be viewed at https:// youtu.be/nL3Vwl7q1nM
Lorraine is a former member of Trapezoid, who moved to the county in 1984, and raised two children here. Her original songs were featured on “A Prairie Home Companion,” Voice of America, and “All Things Considered,” and reviewed by the Washington Post: “an enchanting singer and writer of songs that sneak up out of old traditions and surprise you with new twists;” and Billboard Magazine: “ethereal vocals, acoustic instruments and intriguing melodies that mix folk, jazz, pop, and other strains . . . an impressively original talent.”
Featured on her new release are local music legends guitarist Smiggy Smith, who also recorded the album in his home studio, and Forrest Marquisee, whose brilliant pedal steel can be heard on several songs. Lorraine’s son Evan Espinola sings lead on “Can We” and he and Wendi Sirat of Mandalele provide harmony vocals.
The album is available digitally at lorraineduisit.bandcamp.com, and from cdbaby.com. The CD itself can be purchased at the Rappahannock Coop, Copper Fox Antiques, or direct from the artist.