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Through January, Brewton native Catie Radney is the featured gallery artist. Walking the floor, York admires several pieces by award-winning potter Jon Brenley. He points out silver jewelry smithed by Linda Hayes, the lake watercolors of Steve Taylor, the whimsical works of Margee Bright Ragland, woodwork by Carolyn Ray, graphic compilations by Teresa Rodriguez, wood sculptures by Bob Puder, snake gourds by Janie Wright and head sculptures by Melinda Crider before York stops to admire a $1,300 chair crafted by Grant Lutz. The Shaker-style wood creation has Chippendale-like joinery and a horsehair seat covered in leather that looks straight out of the 18th century. But York isn't expecting riches for himself or his featured artists. He's already spent a small fortune pulling up rotted floors, pulling down brittle wall boards, installing gallery-quality, energy-efficient LED lighting, hanging a pair of West Virginia church chandeliers he'd lugged around for a half-century after getting them for $20 each at auction. "This is my Caribbean cruise," York says with a smile. "It's the thing I always wanted to do when I had the time and money." AH-LURING ANGLER UNIVERSITY People often dream of fishing full-time or, even better, living at a lake where they can go boating when the mood strikes. Jim Laws has built a business out of that fantasy. The former lumber and paper company executive grew up in Texarkana, Arkansas, where he fished on the Red River and Millwood Lake, which was similar to what he found nearly 20 years ago at Lake Martin. He soon was going after striped bass, spotted bass and crappie in Alabama rather than Arkansas. "I just like that type of casting; more of a finesse type using light lines," Laws says, noting that he realized lots of people are more familiar with fishing using heavier lines and lures. He became president, dean and professor of AH-Luring Angler University in 2008. "I take people out and show them how to use 28 28 York's Raining Dogs Gallery includes works from regional artists. Laws retired along Lake Martin and uses his fishing skills to help novices.