Jasper's NOOK GALLERY at the Koger Center Welcomes Dominique Hodge - aka Jakeem Da Dream TONIGHT!

The next artist in our Third Thursday lineup is Dominique Hodge, also known as Jakeem Da Dream. Hodge’s opening reception is on Thursday, June 19, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Koger Center for the Arts. The reception is free and open to the public and precedes Live in the Lobby Jazz: Rod Foster and Company featuring Brittany Turnipseed.

Born and raised in Sumter, South Carolina, Dominique Hodge, known artistically as “Jakeem Da Dream” is an Afrofuturistic artist. Upon graduating from high school he furthered his artistic knowledge by attending the Art Institutes, which exposed him to a larger world of art. Actively working in the community, instructing art classes and paint-and-sip events through local art studios and galleries. He is a member of the Sumter Artists Guild as well as the Sumter Gallery of Art in which he sits on the board. His work has won an honorable mention at the 2019 Sumter Artist Guild Exhibition. Aside from working on canvas, he has also completed several mural projects within local schools and businesses. He has been working with the Auntie Karen Foundation through its Artpreneur program since 2018, where he has been providing quality art education to South Carolina youth. He is currently an active member of Roc Bottom Studios, through which he also works with Gemini Arts.

Artist Statement:

“I am an Afrofuturist artist. My work, whether it be hand drawn illustrations, acrylic paintings, or intricate murals all reflect the heart, mind, and soul of black people. I view artists as the true alchemists, and the process of creating the true alchemy. Being capable of transmuting pain, suffering, and joy into a physical manifestation is pure magic. Being able to transmute the unseen world, viewed through the conscience of the black experience into works of visual art that transcends time and space is a real-world superpower. To achieve this goal, I draw from a plethora of sources such as mythology, religion, history, astrology, astronomy, esoteric and hermetic philosophy.”

Announcing ENTARTETE KUNST - The Jasper Project's Degenerate Art Project

Did anyone really think that Jasper would stand by and let the Bad Guys get away with trying to destroy our country and our culture without US making a fuss?

No, of course not. So, here’s a little peek at what we have planned for this July. Call it a protest, call it poking the bear — WE DON’T CARE!

We call it

Entartete Kunst

Jasper’s Degenerate Art Project

Jasper’s Degenerate Art Project Description

The Degenerate Art Project is an endeavor of the Jasper Project to provide a concerted opportunity for Columbia’s artists to express their responses to our country’s current socio-political situation. Taking place July 9 – 12 at Stormwater Studios in Columbia’s historic Congaree Vista, the project will feature an invitational exhibition of visual art throughout the week with one-off multidisciplinary arts events, such as Protest Poetry and Protest Music, scheduled on specific evenings.

The title of this project, Jasper’s Degenerate Art Project, is a contemporary and SC-localized reflection of the Nazi Party’s 1937  Entartete Kunst (Degenerate Art) exhibition in Munich at which more than 650 pieces of Modernist art were haphazardly displayed alongside graffiti and mocking text labels with the goal of denigrating and ridiculing the art and artists that the Nazi party disapproved of, including the work of Picasso, Mondrian, Chagall, Kandinsky, Klee, Dix, and others.

The purpose of this project is threefold: To provide a platform for expression and/or protest via art for Midlands area artists; to bring our local arts community together both physically and in spirit during this challenging time in order to support and encourage one another;  and, to preserve for posterity, via the Jasper Project website, Columbia, SC’s artistic interpretation and response to our country’s current socio-political situation.

Please mark your calendars for:

Wednesday July 9 - Opening Reception

Thursday July 10 - A Night of Protest Poetry Hosted by Evelyn Berry

Saturday July 12 - Music Event, More Details to Come

Participating Visual Artists as o 5/17/25

  • Robert Ariail

  • Eileen Blythe

  • Pam Bowers

  • Lauren Casassa

  • Heidi Darr-Hope

  • Corey Davis

  • Laura Garner Hine

  • Dominique Hodge

  • Michael Krajewski

  • Christopher Lane

  • Susan Lenz

  • Dre Lopez

  • Cait Maloney

  • Perry McLeod

  • Jeffrey Miller

  • Emily Moffitt

  • Lindsay Radford

  • Kirkland Smith

  • Keith Tolen

  • Marius Valdes

  • Thomas Washington

  • Olga Yukhno

More Events To Be Announced at a Later Date

ERRATUM -- Selected Poetry Authors and Bionotes Transposed in Spring 2025 Jasper

In the spring 2025 issue of Jasper Magazine the authors and bio-notes for our selected poems were transposed. The poem Children of the Sun, though attributed to Li Hubbard, was actually written by Ivan Segura, and the poem Do Not Tell Me to Flee, though attributed to Ivan Segura, was actually written by Li Hubbard.

Both poems are printed and correctly identified below and will also appear in the fall 2025 issue of Jasper Magazine with the correct attributions. The Jasper Project sincerely apologizes to both poets for this error.

Do Not Tell Me To Flee

by Li Hubbard

 

This experiment in necrophilia

we call the South

is my home

 

Here I have debts to pay

trans people to love

fights to lose

ropes to loose

 

Dialects and state

lines cannot separate my veins 

from the delta of blueish blood

 

The oaks take root in my marrow

the fronds blossom from my pores

the tides stain me red

 

Borders carved in human skin

a queasy commitment 

so easily mistaken for butterflies

 

Placing my nakedness in the fresh

turned, spit

spotted soil

sinking into the mud

 

It is the most natural thing

we are so good at dying slow

down here

 

Li Hubbard is a trans writer, museum guide, and server hailing from Florida. He co-runs Queer Writers of Columbia, a LGBTQ+ collective of creatives building community around craft. Li loves to gab about art and the local coffee scene. Follow him on Instagram: @li.hubbardd | @queerwriterscolumbia

Children of the Sun

by Ivan Segura


They say we don't know 

what we want

that we all come from 

a faraway land

That we are brown 

and speak in tongues

and are in places 

we don't belong

We all arrive

for different reasons

We are here to expand 

and to become

We come for work 

and also love

We are here for fate 

or just because

We are the children 

of the sun

we roam around 

all as one

this ancient land 

to all belongs

We move with freedom 

stay strong


Are we really a nation of immigrants?

I ponder

Are we not a nation of immigrants?

I wonder

We are the children of the sun

Where we are is where we belong.

 

Ivan Segura serves as the Director of Multicultural Affairs at the SC Commission for Minority Affairs. He is also the Executive Director of Palmetto Luna Arts, a non-profit organization fostering Latino arts and culture in SC. He has over 20 years of experience in community activism, arts advocacy, and grassroots leadership for Latinos in SC.

 

Al Black's Poetry of the People Featuring Ruth Nicholson

This week's Poet of the People is Ruth Nicholson. 

I run into Ruth at all the best poetry events. Her unassuming, friendly, and soft spoken nature belies the respect she has earned within the poetry community. Her poetic voice conveys her observations and craft with a gentle, humble, economy of words that many of us wish we possessed. She is always welcomed with smiles and respect at journal and anthology release events. She is a gift to our community of words and I look forward to hearing her share her poems the next time we meet.

~Al Black

Ruth Nicholson became a South Carolina resident forty-five years ago after receiving her formal education in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. She worked for Historic Columbia Foundation, Lexington County School District Two, and finally, Richland Library. Ruth is a member of the River Poets writing group. Her poems have been published in Emrys Journal, Kakalak, Jasper, several volumes of Fall Lines: a Literary Convergence, and American Journal of Nursing, among others. A memoir essay appeared in Fall Lines X, and three of her poems are included in the new anthology Coast Lines. In 2024 Ruth received the Scotty Davis Watson Prize and the Forum Prize from the Poetry Society of South Carolina. She lives in West Columbia with her husband and an eccentric tuxedo cat.

Doctor’s Orders

Take your creaking joints and fallen arches.
March them up and down the hilly streets
in circuits of your neighborhood.
Maintain your vigor with a healthy pace.
Ignore stares from the “cool dude”
who nurses his first cigarette of the day
before he lolls with the first of many beers.
Years from now, if he lives that long,
he will trundle his aging flesh and bones
in the same shorts you wear, the same
supportive shoes and socks.
Bask in morning birdsong as you walk.
Inhale the dimming moon and climbing sun.
Exhale frayed ends of last night’s dream
and be your own best medicine.


Only the Children

An autograph rides the wind
on the underside of leaves.
Dew clings to its pen strokes.
If the sun shines, italics bloom.
Children find it etched
on the monarch’s chrysalis
and lips of daffodils.
It nests in the chambered nautilus.
No microscope brings it into focus.
It defies the graphologist,
frustrates the naturalist,
mystifies the scholar of runes.
Eyes open, they glimpse it.
Eyes closed, they feel
its letters rise to meet
their fingertips, like braille.


Even Lions

Watch and listen as our cat laps water
from her bowl, eyes half closed.
Even lions at a water hole
look and sound this innocent.
Paws that launch switchblades,
teeth that tear flesh
are the last things we think of.
We hear in the lapping
a ticking clock, the click
of knitting needles,
rain that gentles us to sleep.
We smile and keep our distance,
as if entering a church
where someone kneels alone.


Jasper Project Announces Jane Peterson as Director for Our 2025 Play Right Series Winning Play - Busted Open by Ryan Stevens

At the Jasper Project we’re excited to announce that Jane Peterson will be directing our 2025 Play Right Series winning play, Busted Open by Ryan Stevens.

A Greenville native, Peterson studied theatre at the University of SC before working for the National Association of Campus Activities and ultimately serving as Communications Director for Columbia’s beloved Washington Street United Methodist Church. A community theatre veteran, Peterson has served as a Theatre Reviewer for Jasper Online for the past few years. The Director is in the process of casting up to 8 actors for the Ryan Stevens play now.

Jasper’s Play Right Series is a collaboration between area theatre artists and Jasper Community Producers—or theater aficionados, supporters and even newcomers. The project culminates with the staged reading of a brand-new South Carolina play. This year’s premiere staged reading of Busted Open will be performed for the public on Sunday September 14th at the Black Box Theatre at Columbia Music Festival Association.

Jasper Community Producers are audience members invested in the development process for new theatre and supportive of the state’s literary talent. In exchange for a modest financial contribution Jasper Community Producers are offered insider views of the steps and processes inherent in creating theatrical art by attending readings and rehearsals, and informative talks and presentations including conversations with the actors, director, playwright, stage manager, costumer, and sound and lighting designer. The result: Community Producers learn about the extensive process of producing a play and become invested personally in the production and success of the play and its cast and crew, thereby becoming diplomats of theatre arts. If you have a passion for knowing more, understanding process, inspiration, and impetus, and seeing how a virgin play goes from page to stage, you are a good candidate for becoming a Jasper Project Play Right Series Community Producer.

Jasper Project Play Right Series Winning SC Plays To Date

2025 - Busted Open by Ryan Stevens

2024 - Letting It Grow by Chad Henderson

2023 - Therapy by Lonetta Thompson

2022 - Moon Swallower by Colby Quick

2017 - Sharks and Other Lovers by Randall David Cook

Introducing the Jasper Project's 2025 Play Right Series Winning Playwright – Ryan Stevens

It’s the 5th season for Jasper’s innovative project, the Play Right Series and we couldn’t be happier to announce that Ryan Stevens is our 2025 winner.

A native of Greenville and a 2020 graduate of USC with an MFA in Playwrighting, Stevens received his MA in Theatre in 2017 and BA in English in 2015, also from USC. Currently a Playwriting Fellow at Emery University, Stevens will commute from Atlanta during the upcoming summer to workshop his play, Busted Open, alongside a group of Midlands-area Community Producers, a process  that will ultimately lead the play to the staged reading phase of development. In addition to this performance at summer’s end, Jasper will also publish his manuscript and register it with the US Library of Congress.

The purpose of Jasper’s Play Right Series is threefold: to empower and enlighten audiences by offering insider views of the process of creating theatre art via the roles of Community Producers; to increase opportunities for theatre artists to create and participate in new art without being attached to a theatre organization; and, to provide more affordable and experimental theatrical experiences for emerging theatre artists and their audiences.

This year’s Community Producers will witness the first ever table reading of Stevens’ new play, Busted Open, as well as attend a private rehearsal and informal presentations by the playwright, director, cast and crew, and ultimately be celebrated for their financial and personal contributions (minimum investment $250) to the project at the staged reading premiere of Busted Open in late summer.

Previous Community Producers, several of whom have re-invested year after year, have included community members like Bill Schmidt, Ed Madden, Linda Khoury, Paul Leo, and James and Kirkland Smith. Additional financial support has also been generously provided by folks like Jack McKenzie, Hunter Boyle, Robin Gottlieb, and many more.

Judges for this year’s competition were Linda Khoury, executive director of the SC Shakespeare Co.; Stan Brown, professor of acting at Northwestern University and professional actor who recently enjoyed his Broadway debut in Water for Elephants; and, Jayce Tromsness, a longtime multifaceted SC theatre artist.

~~~~~

Play Right Series 2025 Community Producer Schedule

 

SUNDAY, JULY 20: Introducing Ryan Stevens and Busted Open

Meet the 2025 Play Right Series Winning Playwright Ryan Stevens and witness the Inaugural Table Reading of Busted Open

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3: The Art of Stagecraft

The cast & crew of Busted Open explain the process of preparing for a role and tricks of the trade to demystify some of the magic of the theatrical arts   

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17: The Playwright's Craft

Learn about the processes of 4 award-winning playwrights including Ryan Stevens, Chad Henderson, Lonetta Thompson, and Colby Quick with your host Jon Tuttle, author of South Carolina Onstage, The Trustus Collection, and more

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST  31:  Sneak Peek Week!

Be a fly on the proverbial stage wall among an intimate group of guests to watch a working rehearsal of Busted Open – see how far the cast has come since the first ever Table Reading just six weeks earlier

~

SUNDAY: SEPT 14: The Big Event – Staged Reading of Busted Open

Take your reserved seat for the Premiere Stage Reading of Busted Open by Ryan Stevens at Columbia Music Festival Association and enjoy a post-show champagne toast to the cast, crew, and creator of Busted Open!

For more information  about the 2025 Play Right Series schedule and Community Producer opportunities please visit the Projects section of our website JasperProject.org.

The Jasper Project Welcomes Colton Giles to Our Online Tiny Gallery through May

Harvest Fae

The Jasper Project is happy to welcome artist Colton Giles to our 24/7 online Tiny Gallery.

Colton Giles grew up in Lexington, SC, where he says, “Art has always been a part of my life, as far as I can remember. It was always present and appreciated. My parents have always said that I started drawing as soon as I could hold a crayon, and they fully encouraged any artistic pursuits throughout my childhood. I've always gathered inspiration from book illustrations, video game art, movies, TV, music, nature, and literature.” 

Primarily self-taught, Giles focuses on multiple mediums for expressing his talents. “I can hardly focus on just one. I tend to love working in monochrome, so I trend towards pen and ink, graphite, charcoal, and most recently, linoleum relief printing. … I have really loved working with relief prints because I enjoy the process itself. It starts with a sketch that evolves into a precise final draft. The drawing is mirrored and transferred to the linoleum block, then carved. Once the carving is complete, I can begin making prints. After making a limited run of prints, I usually destroy the linoleum block,” the artist explains.

Giles says that “It’s hard to answer a question regarding my style, as I feel I am constantly searching for it! I would say I lean towards a more graphic and illustrative style. Working in monochrome as often as I do, contrast and negative space are key in describing shapes and form.” He goes on to say that “99% of my work is thematically rooted in fantasy, mythology, and folklore. It has always been what I enjoy creating the most. These themes translate very well into the mediums I work in, as they’ve been chronicled in similar fashions for hundreds, if not thousands of years.”

“All of the pieces for this show are personal works that I’ve done over the last few years,” Giles says. “My favorite is probably Harvest Fae. This is a digital piece, but it was created just like a physical pen & ink piece would have been. I think the total tally of pen strokes came to over 78,000 when it was all said and done! My other favorites are Duskwraith, The Betrayal of Morgan le Fay, and Keeper of the White Flame. I hope that through the gallery; people can find connections to the arcane and esoteric themes that I find so alluring. I create art for myself, but it brings me joy when others can find value in my creations and their themes.”

Duskwraith

Giles has participated in several local markets and shown work at the South Carolina State Fair. Duskwraith won 2nd place in the SC State Fair’s Amateur Digital Art Division in 2023. He says his favorite recent experience as an artist was, “running a booth at the 2024 Y’all-Mart Halloween Market and being blown away at the amount of support and love shown to not only me and my work, but all the artists and booths around me. It was really special to celebrate local artists alongside so many others. Maybe this hermit should get out a little more.” 

In addition to Jasper’s Tiny Gallery, Giles’ work can be found on Cara, Instagram, and Bluesky as heathenrelic as well as on TikTok as heathen_relic. His linktree has all of the above at linktr.ee/colku

Christopher Lane’s Whimsical Works Land in Jasper's Nook at the Koger Center

by Emily Moffitt

For the month of May and in celebration of Third Thursday, the Jasper Project’s Nook Gallery at the Koger Center welcomes the wonderous paintings of Christopher Lane on its walls. Celebrate the opening of this new exhibit by stopping by the opening reception on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and the event is free and open to the public.

Christopher Lane uses fantastic imagery to turn life experiences into visual stories that primarily focus on people and their relationships with one another. Lane is passionate about social justice to protect the environment and inhabitants of our planet, and paints about both as one can’t exist without the other. Employing flora and fauna, his paintings often feature historical, political, or spiritual narratives as he is passionate about these subjects. He is a modern surrealist and storyteller. Each painting can usually be broken down into several scenes yet are cohesive in theme. He uses vivid colors, lush symbolism, and double imagery to illustrate divisive topics, allowing viewers to see them through a new, perhaps softer lens.

He has created unity themed oil and acrylic paintings and presented them in multiple prominent group and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally. Lane’s work, Woodland Pond Owl, won first prize in the Fine Arts Division at the 2023 South Carolina State Fair. His current solo exhibition, “Circle of Life”, which illustrates how we are all interconnected, recently exhibited at the Sumter County Gallery of Art, and he is presently participating in numerous group exhibitions across the United States.

The Jasper Project’s Nook Gallery Space is on the second level of the Koger Center for the Arts at the Orchestra-Right entrance to Gonzales Hall. Lane’s work is for sale and may be purchased by scanning the QR code of the painting you’d like to see in your own home. Lane’s art will be exhibited through mid-June. To follow the exhibition schedule for the Nook go to the Jasper Project website and click on Galleries.

REVIEW: Workshop Theatre’s Legally Blonde is a High-Energy, Heartwarming Hit  

By Jane Peterson

Omigod, you guys—Legally Blonde has landed at Workshop Theatre, and it’s every bit as pink, peppy, and powerful as you'd hope! With performances continuing over the next two weekends, this high-energy musical comedy is an absolute must-see for Midlands theatergoers.

Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the 2001 Reese Witherspoon film, the stage version features catchy, clever tunes by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, paired with a witty script by Heather Hach that stays true to the film’s spirit. Under the sharp direction of Sheldon Paschal, this production is a charming whirlwind of laughter, girl power, and unexpected triumph.

Leading the charge is Camryn Cothran as Elle Woods, whose effervescent energy and powerhouse vocals make her a standout from the moment she steps on stage. She captures Elle’s transformation from an underestimated sorority queen to a confident legal eagle with heart and humor. And she’s not alone—the Delta Nu trio of Serena (Inaara Jadavji), Pilar (Kaeleigh Miller), and Margo (Raven Smith) are an absolute delight, adding sass and sparkle to every scene.

Other notable performances include Jessica Roth’s lovable Paulette, Bella Coletti’s poised Vivienne, Taylor Dively’s charming Emmett Forrest, and the hard-core professor played by Josh Dively. Brooke Blythe’s performance as the accused murderer, Brooke was another that stood out. Her vocals and breath control on “Whipped Into Shape,” was absolutely incredible. Each member of the ensemble brings depth and individuality to their roles, creating a vibrant, cohesive, and funny ensemble.

Paschal’s direction makes excellent use of Patrick Faulds’ dynamic multi-level set, with seamless transitions and clever staging that keep the momentum lively. Stephanie Wilkins’ choreography is terrific—especially the jump rope-intensive “Whipped Into Shape.” The dancing was expertly choreographed. No small matter with the large cast who were nearly flawless in their precision. Andie Nicks’ costume design adds a final layer of fun, with vibrant and era-appropriate looks for the entire cast. The musical direction by Kathy Seppamaki brilliantly blended the voices of this talented cast.

While the sound mix occasionally favored the recording over the vocals—a common hiccup in some older venues—it didn’t diminish the cast’s stellar vocal performances or the production’s overall charm. If anything, it is a reminder of how vital it is to continue supporting local theaters and the hard-working artists who bring these stories to life.

In all, Workshop Theatre’s Legally Blonde is a feel-good, high-energy celebration of resilience, friendship, and self-belief. It’s exactly the kind of uplifting experience that reminds us why community theater matters.

Catch the show May 15–17 and May 22–24 at 8:00 p.m., with a matinee on May 18 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are available at workshoptheatreofsc.com. Don’t miss your chance to bend and snap your way to a fabulous night at the theater.

Philip Mullen: A Few of His Favorite Things -- Art at the Koger Center for the Arts

The Koger Center for the Arts is honored to present a new exhibit of work by Philip Mullen in the Gallery at the Koger Center. The exhibit, Philip Mullen: A Few of His Favorite Things, is a collection of paintings, sketches, and prints from various points in Mullen’s career. The exhibit will be on display from April 28 through June 30, 2025.

According to Mullen, “This is an exhibit of works that have never or rarely been shown. Many of the works are borrowed from private collections.” Some works have not been shown because the artist chose not to sell them previously. The works on paper were not exhibited in his commercial gallery exhibitions because the galleries preferred to sell the more expensive works on canvas. 

Two Rains was last exhibited in 1975 at the Whitney Museum in New York. Petaluma was such a good example of making the air and light stronger than the objects that the artist wanted it as a reference for future works. Bhutan and Bhutan #2 are a rarity because the artist only had access to two sheets of handmade paper from Bhutan. 

While the earliest work in the show was done in 1969 and the most recent in 2025, reflecting when the artist has lived in South Carolina, it is not really a retrospective because the period of time represented in the permanent collection at the Koger Center is only lightly covered.

In lieu of an opening reception, Mullen and the Koger Center for the Arts are offering guided gallery tours on May 13, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. and May 18, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. To sign up for one of these tours, call the Koger Center Box Office at (803) 251-2222. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m."

Poetry of the People Featuring Arthur Turfa

This week's Poet of the People is Arthur Turfa. I have known Arthur for several years and shared many a cup of caffeine with him. He is one of the Midlands' hardest working poets - constantly working on his craft and promoting his work and the work other poets, If you write poetry your path has or will soon cross his path. 

~Al Black

Arthur Turfa is a poet/writer with six poetry collections, one novel, and one short story collection published. His writings appear in numerous print and online publications, A member of the South Carolina Writers Association, he is a Poetry Editor for the Eleventh Hour Literary Magazine, on the Editorial Board for the Petigru Review, and a Fiction Reader for the Northern Appalachia Review. His reviews appear in the Midwest Book Review and elsewhere. Turfa lives in Lexington, SC with and near family.

 

All I Can Do

Sculptors release an image they envision

from a block of Cararra or the sparks

 

fusing metal together. Composers render

a melody heard only by them into a

 

tune for everyone’s ears. Painters use

colors and shadows to display what

 

their trained eyes see. All I can do- I

will not speak for other poets- is to

 

capture the moment I experience in

one sense or another, select the words,

 

the sounds, all of it into something that

I carefully refashion as needed and release

 

it as a falconer does the bird into the

skies for all to see, to marvel, to see

 

what wonder I beheld and in my

own way, express what lies in them.

 

Long-remembered Aromas

Aromas wafted from the kitchen in

the apartment over a little shop:

crusty white French bread and Belgian Waffle

cookies before they became a staple

in those places strung along the Turnpike..

 

She told of wearing sabots and riding

to the ship bound for her new home. With her

some textbooks now on a shelf behind me.

 

Decades passed, relatives slowly spreading

across the new land, many lasting well

into their nineties. Did she sense on that

summer afternoon an urgency to

tell me things I later would understand?

I listened, then only years later began

to at last put those pieces together,

seeing gray and not merely black and white.

 

I have never baked, nor would even try.

Every so often I pass a place and

a whiff of le bon pain français brings me

to the kitchen above the little shop.

 

 The Beckoning Bank

 Late on an autumnal afternoon, crisp-

ness in the air warmed by sunlight, at last

 

reaching a stopping point downhill

from the distant ridge, Dampness around my

 

neck, trickling down my back under two layers.

Sturdy trees appear to invite me to

 

linger, their sentinel branches suggest

somewhere for me to spend time watching the

 

water and the beckoning  bank that re-

mains beyond my grasp. Once that would arouse

 

a sense of frustrated longing. looking

only would not satiate me at all.

 

I recall dreams I chased, visions from far-

off ridges I rushed to realize , then

 

stumbled along  paths to brambles and thorns,

only to wearily retrace my steps

 

to cast my glance elsewhere, to somewhere that

proved attainable even better.

 

Dreams and visions fade as sweet memories

supplant them, staying with me all my days.

 

Restored, I turn back, remembering the

bank that beckoned which I did not need.

 

Acts of Attention -- A PhotoPoetics Exhibition at Stormwater Studios

April 3 - April 13

“Acts of Attention” will be on view in the SVAD Studio at Stormwater Studios from Thursday, April 3 to Sunday, April 13, with an opening reception on Thursday, April 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

This exhibition brings together photographic works and writings from eight photographers, eight poets, and their instructors, all currently engaged in the Photopoetics course, co-taught by Ed Madden (English) and Kathleen Robbins (Art). The course explores the dynamic relationship between poetry and photography, encouraging writers and photographers to work alongside one another, exchange creative insights, and discover new ways of seeing and interpreting the world.

While poetry and photography are distinct forms, poets and photographers share the ability to capture moments, evoke emotions, and shape perception. The exhibition showcases the culmination of this interdisciplinary collaboration, featuring poetry and photography created throughout the semester. The reception will also include PechaKucha performances—a dynamic storytelling format that highlights the creative dialogue between words and images.

Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11 AM – 3 PM

Featured Artists & Writers:

Alexander Arquette, Gracie Belk, Amy Chalmers, Josh Kendrick, Katy McCormack, Nneoma Ohale, Ciara Orness, Ricardo Rodriguez, Audrey Savage, Fiona Schrier, Sarah Stoddart, Ceara Tellez, Daniel Wartham, Lauren Wickham, Nora Williams, Madison Yoest, Ed Madden, and Kathleen Robbins.

The Jasper Project is delighted to help spread the word that the Midlands Youth Queer Prom is back!

The Midlands Youth Queer Prom returns this spring, inviting LGBTQ+ youth and their allied friends from across the region to celebrate their identities, friendships, and individuality in a night of joy, community, and expression.

Taking place on Saturday, May 17th from 7:00 to 10:00 PM at the historic Seibels House, this year’s theme — Masquerade — promises a night of mystery, elegance, and vibrant celebration.

Open to LGBTQ+ students in grades 6 through 12 and their allied friends, including homeschooled youth, the Midlands Youth Queer Prom offers a welcoming and affirming space where young people can be their authentic selves without fear or judgment.

This free event will feature:

Catering by local favorite Joe Turkaly

A live DJ set by DJ Hannah of Capital Beats

Four fabulous drag performances by Don Javi, Chanel Cartier, Jonlly R. St Martin, and Vertigo!

The prom will be fully chaperoned, with adult volunteers and staff present throughout the evening to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all attendees.

The Midlands Youth Queer Prom is made possible through the generous support of sponsors such as Always Original Bakery, who will be providing treat bags for attendees, and Garden and Gather, who will be supplying beautiful boutonnieres.

Additional in-kind and cash sponsors include:

● Capital Club

 ● Insurance Solutions by Isabel

 ● Sakr8dRoyalty, LLC

 ● Something Borrowed

 ● Columbia Roller Derby

 

Hosted by the Harriet Hancock LGBT Center, the Midlands Youth Queer Prom reflects the Center’s mission to support, celebrate, and uplift LGBTQ+ youth throughout South Carolina. “We’re proud to create a prom where LGBTQ+ youth and their allies can celebrate themselves fully, freely, and without fear,” says Cristina Picozzi, MS, executive director, Harriet Hancock LGBT Center. “Events like this are about more than a dance — they’re about belonging, joy, and visibility.” — Please note: This event is closed to the press to protect the privacy of youth attend

Q & A with Jasper's Featured Tiny Gallery Artist Mia Estrada

White Colt by Mia Estrada — Size: 4.5”x4.5”
Medium: Acrylic gouache on wood $30

Jasper: Tell us a bit about you. Where did you grow up? Was art in your childhood/family? What led you to art? 

Mia Estrada: I grew up in Lancaster, SC. It’s a small town, for fun you’d usually meet up at the Sonic or the Walmart as those were the only places to really go to. Art was a big part of my childhood; my mom has a print of a Henri Matisse painting that I would study when I was little. She also had a rule that all of us, us being me and my three siblings, all had to either do a sport or an art. My brothers chose music, my sister soccer, and I did art and horseback riding. I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember, it’s just always been a part of me. 

 

Jasper: Tell us about your education as an artist.

Mia: I went to Andrew Jackson High School and Middle School for their Arts Focus program. That was the first time I really started to get better at art. Now I am a senior at the University of South Carolina getting my BFA for Graphic Design and Illustration. 

 

Jasper: What led you to your preferred medium? 

Mia: My preferred medium is acrylic gouache; I came about this through my internship at Iris + Marie Press. I used to mainly use watercolors and Prismacolor for my work, but the acrylic gouache is just awesome. It has all the benefits of watercolors but the coverage of acrylic paints. The colors are also very vibrant and create a great texture. Using these paints for my work gives me the flat yet vibrant look I prefer for my pieces. 

 

Jasper: What kind of styles do you use within your respective medium?

Mia: I used to struggle with my style. Originally, I thought all art had to be realistic which led to me thinking all my pieces had to be perfect. With the acrylic gouache, there’s almost an immediacy to the work and it makes me work a bit quicker. Now, I tend to create much more simple but colorful pieces, which I truly enjoy. 

 

Jasper:  Tell us about the themes or ideas you usually chase in your work.

Mia: In my work, I try to go for a more folk-art style. The simplicity of it is so comforting to me, along with my love for visiting the mountains and seeing that style brings me back to that joy. A subject that is heavily featured in my work is horses. Going back to my childhood, I have crude drawings of horses from when I was little. There’s a joke that artists hate to draw horses because of their awkward proportions, but I am the complete opposite. They are my absolute favorite things to draw. In a broader sense, I tend to stick to animals in my work. Translating them into my style is a bit of a process. I usually do multiple studies of a subject in pencil as true to life as I can, then I break it down until it is a bit simpler yet recognizable. 

 

Jasper: Tell us about the journey you embark on when you create, both emotional and literal/mechanical.

Mia: When creating, I like to put on a good playlist and mess around in my sketchbook. With my sketchbooks, I like to start the first page off by writing a paragraph of my intentions for the sketchbook. I usually have an idea of what I want to create, these ideas usually hit me in the most inconvenient times when I am away from my sketchbook. This usually gives me time to refine my head, from there I sketch and continue refining until I am happy. I start the final piece either right after or two weeks later. I usually feel finished with a piece a few days after I finish it. I let it live on my desk and look at it throughout the days, fixing and adding things as I feel necessary. 

 

Jasper: Tell us about this show specifically.

Mia: This show, which I’ve named “Small Joys,” are all paintings of subjects that bring me joy. These pieces are also smaller, so the name came naturally. All the works featured are made for this show. My favorite has to be “White Colt,” while painting him he just came off so sassy and full of personality. The mindset I had going into this show was to show flora and fauna that I have seen throughout my life that brought me joy. I love making people happy and bringing joy with my work, so in sharing subjects that bring me joy, I hope to bring that joy to others with this show. 

 

Jasper: If you’ve done any shows or won any awards you’d like us to highlight, let us know! 

Mia: I was an artist in the “Pen Pals” show at Good for the Sole in Five Points. 

 

Jasper: What’s your favorite memory and/or experience as an artist so far? 

Mia: My favorite experience as an artist was tabling at Soda City Market and seeing people enjoy my art. Having that in-person interaction and sharing my work with others is so rewarding and something that will never get old. 

 

Jasper:  What’s in the future for you? And where can we see your art after this show?

Mia: I will be moving to Washington, DC to live with my boyfriend and continue my art journey. I share my art on my Instagram (@mearts03) and will be making a website soon. 

 

Mia Estrada is a Latina illustrator based in Columbia, South Carolina. She specializes in digital art, but traditionally specializes in acrylic gouache, ink, and watercolor. Her art mainly features animals with a spotlight on her favorite, the horse. Mia currently attends the University of South Carolina as a senior and is majoring in Studio Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design and Illustration.

Check Out More of Mia Estrada’s Art at

Jasper’s Tiny Gallery Site

through March 30th!


Jasper Welcomes Lucy Spence to our Gallery Space at Sound Bites Eatery

If you’ve not been by Sound Bites Eatery during the month of March, you’re missing quite a bit! Not only can you enjoy some of the freshest food in the city, like their Boppin’ Berry Salad or their G.O.A.T. Avocado Toast, you can take in the art of Lucy Spence, and maybe even take a piece of her art home with you!

Lucy Spence says she “grew up around art and artists, forging early experiences using clay and paint. My mother was a potter who involved her children in the local art scene in Arizona. My father supplied us with drawing paper, pencils, and encouragement.”  After starting her family, as well as earning an M.Ed. in Education as a Ph.D., Spence moved from Arizona to SC and taught at USC’s College of Education.

Both an oil painter and a watercolorist, Spence says she strives for “a loose style, using both dry and wet paper,” but “wanting to learn more, I enrolled in drawing and painting courses at USC’s School of Visual Art and Design,” because she “wanted to learn oil painting to recreate a memory of flower fields from my childhood. My oils are impressionistic, using bold, quick strokes.”

In 2025, Spence retired from her position at the College of Education in order to practice art full time. “My Jasper show includes floral still life in watercolor and flower landscapes in oil,” she says. “These were influenced by shared interests with my brilliant husband, John.”

Both Lucy and John practice ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, and they are building a Japanese garden on their property near the Riverbanks Zoo. “John and I grew up in the same neighborhood  in Phoenix and his Japanese mother worked as a florist at the flower gardens that I remember so well. We have travelled to Japan many times and will return soon. John and I are planning to take a class in sumi-e painting while in Japan and I hope to gain inspiration for my art during a pilgrimage on the Chichibu temple route.”

Spence has recently added abstract elements to her paintings. “I have just finished a large format piece on Yupo with oil and am working on a smaller abstract piece on canvas. I experiment with a variety of tools and methods including sumi-e brushes and techniques. I also use hard-edged tools to drag my paints. My work is inspired by experiences that leave an indelible imprint on my mind and body. Painting allows my visual and tactile senses to come together in my body’s movements. Standing at an easel or table, my memories and emotions combine with my tools, paint, and surfaces,” she explains. “This makes complete sense to me, having studied how our brain and body systems continually communicate and interact with our environment.”

Spence’s solo exhibition via The Jasper Project at Sound Bites is her first solo show, demonstrating a unique and innovative take on fairly traditional subject matter. “I hope to soon have my new project appear on my website, lucykspence.com,” she says.

Spence’s work will be on display at Sound Bites Eatery at 1425 Sumter Street through the end of March. Stop by, grab a delicious Sammy or salad, and pick out your favorite piece of Lucy Spence art. Just scan the QR codes and the work is yours!

Jasper Welcomes Thomas Washington to Our Nook Gallery at the Koger Center

The Jasper Project and Koger Center are eager to welcome Thomas Washington to exhibit his work in the Nook for the month of March. We invite you to join us for the opening reception of his show on Thursday, March 20, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.

Perhaps the most important pursuit of an artist is the facilitation of Escapism. Perhaps each project is the equivalent of a Narnian door...or that lamppost beyond, coaxing a wanderer into another realm. Thomas Washington, Jr. (thomas the younger) functions on that premise. Since his childhood, he has produced multitudinous works in this vein—from being hired out of high school to illustrate in a local graphic anthology, he has subsequently striven to bring stories in every medium; to breathe life into the fantastical by imbuing it with the familiar...and of course, to find fun and fulfillment along the way.

Recently, he took the leap of emerging in his local scene. He has sat on panels, joined the instructor roster for community arts centers, partaken in various shows, founded a website, and essentially joined the dialogue of Art’s Place in Society.

REVIEW: Hairspray at Workshop Theatre – A High-Energy, Heartfelt Hit!

By Jane Peterson

If you’re looking for a night of infectious energy, dazzling performances, and toe-tapping tunes, look no further than Workshop Theatre’s production of Hairspray! Under the direction of Julian DeLeon, with musical direction by Taylor Diveley, this production brings all the fun, heart, and powerful messages of the beloved musical to life.

With music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Hairspray transports audiences to 1962 Baltimore, where Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on the local Corny Collins Show. Along the way, she fights for inclusion and racial equality—an ever-relevant message wrapped in a colorful, high-energy package.

From the moment the curtain rises, the cast delivers. Abby Brewer shines as Tracy, perfectly embodying the character’s charm, confidence, and powerhouse vocals. She captures Tracy’s optimism and determination, making her a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Charlie Grant brings classic heartthrob appeal as Link Larkin, effortlessly balancing Link’s internal struggle between fame and doing what’s right. Erin Niland is a scene-stealer as Amber Von Tussle, the spoiled and scheming rival who brings just the right mix of comedic villainy and show-stopping vocals.

Tracy’s delightfully awkward best friend, Isabella DeCola (Penny Pingleton), delivers an endearing and hilarious performance. Opposite her, Adai’shaun Cook (Seaweed J. Stubs), a newcomer to Workshop, is a standout, exuding cool confidence and bringing smooth dance moves that light up the stage.

The adult cast is equally phenomenal. Davis Herndon (Edna Turnblad) gives a warm, hilarious, and heartfelt performance, bringing both humor and humanity to Tracy’s devoted mother. Her chemistry with Chris Kruzner (Wilbur Turnblad) is a highlight, especially in their charming duet, You’re Timeless to Me. Jessica Roth (Velma Von Tussle) is delightfully devious as the controlling, bigoted producer of The Corny Collins Show, while Christy Shealy Mills (Prudy Pingleton) plays Penny’s overbearing mother with just the right amount of exaggerated sternness, but whose turnaround near the end is hysterical.

And then there’s Mia Oliver, a newcomer to the stage in Columbia, whose portrayal of Motormouth Maybelle is nothing short of extraordinary. Her soul-stirring rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been was an unforgettable, goosebump-inducing moment that left the audience in awe. Her presence on stage is magnetic, and her vocals are nothing short of breathtaking. Definitely some Gospel experience here!

The ensemble deserves immense praise for their energy, vocal strength, and commitment to their roles. Each performer brings a unique personality to the stage, ensuring that every scene feels vibrant and alive. Joy Alexander’s choreography is dynamic, especially with such a large cast.

Visually, the show is a treat. The set, though minimal, works seamlessly for this production, with smooth transitions that keep the pacing tight. The costumes are spot-on, capturing the vibrant spirit of the early ‘60s with bold colors and fun silhouettes.

Running through March 22 at Cottingham Theatre, Hairspray is a must-see for theatre lovers of all ages. Tickets are available at workshoptheatreofsc.com or by calling (803) 799-6551. Don’t miss your chance to experience this lively, heartfelt production!