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!

Poetry of the People featuring Brooklyn Brown

This week's Poet of the People is Brooklyn Brown. 

Every year, two or three young poets meander into Cool Beans and adopt Mind Gravy Poetry as their home away from home. They are in love with poetry, but put off by the way they have been taught poetry; they believe the best poetry is from the heart - understandable and not obtuse. 

Brooklyn is a bolt of light in a fearsome night and assures me that poetry is cradled in good young hands.

~Al Black

Twenty-year-old Brooklyn Brown is a student at U of SC and believes that art is activism. She practices this notion through her poetry. She hopes to be a voice for young people who are struggling with the ups and downs of early-adulthood while also confronting bigger world issues. A creative from a young age, Brooklyn often expresses the turmoil of her own adolescence in her writing. Brooklyn is inspired by the classic romantic and confessionary poets that came before her, and hopes to connect with her readers’ senses through concrete language and vivid imagery, believing that good poetry is not only understood, but felt.


Peeling Oranges 

I split my finger 

on a piece of paper 

yesterday. 

today, 

you want oranges. 

you enjoy the way

the pulp does glut 

your shallow throat. 

and if the consumption

should bring you pleasure, 

I will peel and peel–

only stopping for a moment

inbetween, to wince

at the citrusy sting.

____

Question 

I have a question—

for legislators who have

an obsession with oppression, 

and teaching lessons 

that put people in their proper places

assigned by the shapes

of the features on their face, 

or the colors of

the skins 

that they live in. 

I have a question—

for the men in these positions 

at the top of their systems, 

I have question, 

about my body, 

about its most vital organ, 

not my mitochondria heart, 

but my ovaries, of course. 

I think that they are art— 

But, do their brush strokes

maim you? 

because they paint a mirror image of

the same ones that

made you? 

Is it self loathing or a hatred 

for the woman who created the soul

that would grow to rule 

the bones of a man so cruel

as you? 

Is it because your mother put 

her foot down 

since your father was 

never around? 

Do you still feel the weight of 

her on your little head

each night before bed

while you lay to rest

next to your wrinkling wife, 

who you’d stab with a hunting knife

if the decision of that fatal incision 

would not make you

look like a bad guy? 

do you dream that

your work to earn 

the respect of your daddy even

after he’s dead will pay

as well as the price of the 

people you damned to hell,

because maybe, 

in heaven you’ll throw a ball

back and forth and 

and back and forth

with him? 

and your miserable actions

will be worth

the poison of your politics, 

because at least you remembered 

to pray about it?  

oh, and I have a question—

for the righteous and resolute; 

if I don’t believe in the same god as you,  

must I burn for the sins that

killed your savior? 

must I adhere to the rules of a ruler 

who I owe nothing to, just because 

you say that’s what I should do? 

are millions of us wrong just because 

you will die on the hill 

where you took a red pill 

that told you you were right? 

well, what if 

my mother’s words

are my hymns, 

and when I hear them

they give me breath 

like my mind has grown a lung, 

and I worship the earth—

because it is she

 who is my creator,  

I’ve been my own savior 

since birth, and I crucified myself to stand

up straight and tall today? 

Is it not good

enough for you, 

that I am imprinted

on the opposite side 

of your same copper penny?

Will you not rest 

until I pass 

your grueling test, 

until you’re sure that 

I’m a perfect copy

of your idealistic embossing?

 

I’m left deafened by your preaching 

that drowns out children’s cries

who we could have helped

if you’d just be quiet, and listen

for one minute. 

so my question is— 

If you died today

would you die a martyr,

or a failure? 

was your mission for goodness lost 

under your hunger

to indoctrinate innocents? 

Would Jesus be proud 

of your mansion,

while hungry kids imagine 

a fridge full of food 

in a kitchen as big 

as the one that your

god-honoring 

family dines in tonight? 

you make sure to lead 

in saying grace, 

but did you ignore

 your teenage daughters’ 

pale face

as she stares 

at her untouched dinner plate? 

Do you thank god for the meal

that the help prepared, 

and ask for blessings 

before your son runs 

to the bathroom, to hide 

eyes full of acidic tears

because he fears to be 

feminine, so feeling

feelings makes him scared? 

I have a question— 

for leaders who

don’t lead by example; 

is it purpose or power, 

that fuels you? 

is it oath or ego? 

that is my question.

____

Dreams

A river flowing through

my dreams, 

taking pictures far

from me;

good and bad, 

and in between–  

they all float down 

the angry stream; 

until my mind is fresh 

and clean,

and I wake up on my 

sheets serene,

only dampened

by the feelings

that the erosion

left behind overtime. 

I dreamt a dream

 of better things,

and then I dreamt 

I grew white wings 

and flew too close

to a star, ‘till I burned

and turned

torched and charred. 

Lard with color and 

poignant plotlines,

I dream some dreams 

of beautiful things– 

that dense and darken 

before I wake, 

and then my memory

my dreams doth take.

____

TREPIDATION

The trepidation 

of my twenties 

is tilling over my

noisy nerves 

which wont shut up 

about my body,

or the boy

that i'm afraid 

will get bored of it– 

and I think when

I am an old lady

I’ll eat the pies

I bake instead 

of giving them 

away;

I’ll put extra cream

 into my coffee cup;

I’ll write a book

 for young people 

to read;

I think I’ll smell

like nectarine–

and maybe I’ll learn 

to play guitar and sing. 

I think i’ll feed pigeons 

by a fountain, 

and climb

a big mountain;

just to say it’s 

something I did; 

I think I’ll mentor 

a creative little kid. 

I think I might frequent

local art galleries, 

and be known by some

as “that quirky old lady”;

I think I’ll travel more, 

with someone I  adore–

I think I will make a lot

of soup out of peas, 

that no one will like 

to eat but me. 

I think i’ll reach out to a friend

 from high school

and spend more

 of my summers

 in a swimming pool; 

I think i’ll wear 

a cute swimsuit, 

and ignore the way it fits

my herky-jerky divots. 

I think I’ll start to pray; 

not to god,

but to my mother, who

I wish could live forever 

and always be there 

to give me her best answers. 

I think I’ll have children;

 in the form of house cats– 

and wear colorful 

bucket hats. 

I think I’ll care less

 about what people

think, and I will finally love

 all of my body;

because when I wrinkle 

and begin to grey

I’ll thank my bones

 for carrying me 

every day– 

even when my tattoos

 begin to fade

I’ll still have stories

 to tell the twenty-somethings,

 as well

as secrets to take

 to the grave; 

and when I think

 about my face

and how it might look, 

in a few decades– 

I smile at the picture

and wish that

I could hug her

she looks like me, 

but softer;

she’s full of forgiveness

 and laughter

she's a spitting image 

of her golden mother, 

she’s got paleing hazel 

eyes like her father, 

and the confidence

 of her brother. 

But I am her,

and she is me–

 she is everything I can be 

So I don’t have to wait 

to heal my heart,

or create my art;   

I think I just have to start.

The Jasper Project Welcomes New Members to the Board of Directors

We’re excited at the Jasper Project to welcome the following new members to our Board of Directors! These seven new members bring a wealth of experience and new energy to our board and they have already gotten to work doing their parts in helping Jasper meet our four integrated priorities:

  • Process – illuminating the unique processes endemic to all art forms in order to provide a greater level of understanding and respect for these disciplines.

  • Community/Collaboration – nurturing community both within and between arts disciplines.

  • Narrative – creating a more positive and progressive understanding of SC culture.

  • Economy – being efficient stewards of arts funding committed to creating more with less.

Help us welcome Meeghan Kane, Rhodes Bailey, Pam Bowers, Lauren Casassa, Stan Conine, Dick Moons, and Liz Stalker who join our already assembled board members Wade Sellers (president), Keith Tolen (vice president), Emily Moffitt (secretary), Kristin Cobb, Libby Campbell, Kwasi Brown, Jon Tuttle, Bekah Corbett (operating director), and Cindi Boiter (founder, executive director).

Currently, Meeghan Kane leads community engagement efforts at the South Carolina State Museum, developing public programs and supporting and fostering community relationships and partnerships with fellow cultural institutions and organizations. Prior to joining the museum team, Meeghan taught history at Benedict College for over a decade, where she specialized in African American history, 20th century cultural history, and the history of the American South. She moved to Columbia, South Carolina, from Tampa, Florida, in 2006 to join USC’s graduate program in history after completing her B.A. and M.A. at the University of South Florida. These days, if she’s not at the museum, you’ll likely find her and her family enjoying nice meals in local restaurants, day tripping to the mountains, camping in SC’s state parks, road-tripping back home to Florida, and, most importantly, enjoying the arts and culture of the Midlands. Meeghan is excited to be a part of the Jasper board. She hopes to help artists and arts supporters build new ways to connect and reach new audiences.

Rhodes Bailey is an attorney and the owner of Rhodes Bailey Law, LLC, and a long-term member of the Midlands-based band Whiskey Tango Revue with whom he plays guitar and pedal steel. A graduate of the College of Charleston and the University of SC School of Law (2007), where he received the Trial Clinic’s Professionalism Award, Rhodes is married and has two children. Rhodes says he is “looking forward to collaborating with like-minded artists and fostering talent in our state.” He somewhat jokingly continues, “I hope to help solve problems as needed and keep my fellow artists out of Jail!”

Pam Bowers is a Chicago native, but for the past 20 years she has divided her time between Columbia, South Carolina, the Umbrian hill town she calls her second home, and her world travels. Pam has exhibited her work internationally at venues that include the Guilin Academy of Chinese Painting in China, the University of Fine Arts in Budapest, numerous venues in Italy, University of Newcastle in Australia, and the Ecole Nationale in Rabat, Morocco. Nationally she has exhibited at the Bowery Gallery, New York, Blue Mountain Gallery New York, ARC and WMG galleries in Chicago, and many other university or museum venues including the State Museum of South Carolina, City Gallery at Waterfront Park In Charleston, the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and St. Mary's College of Notre Dame, among others. Pam has lectured on her work and conducted numerous workshops both here and abroad.

Lauren Casassa is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She received her BFA in Painting at the University of South Carolina and has been awarded the Scholastic Art & Writing Gold Key Award for excellence in Visual Arts, the Yaghjian Studio arts scholarship at USC, and the 2018 Artfields Solo Award Exhibition at Jones-Carter Gallery. She has been featured in Garnet and Black, Daily Gamecocks, The State, Free Times, and Susie Magazine. She has lectured for classes at USC, SC State University, and spent a summer residency in Monte Castello, Italy. Exhibitions include group shows in Italy, New York, South Carolina and solo shows in Iowa and South Carolina. 

Stan Conine is the retired President and Broker-in-Charge of The Conine Group, Inc. and the former Campus Director of Birchwood Campus, SC Department of Youth Services (currently SCDJJ) and a Life member in the Circle of Excellence of Central Carolina Realtors Association. He has a B.S. in Sociology from Georgia College, an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from University of South Carolina, and a M.C.J. in Criminal Justice also from USC. Stan says, “I have long respected The Jasper Project for promoting and supporting local artists of all genres, and for creating and promoting events which make it acceptable, normal even, for folks from all neighborhoods, all backgrounds, and all educational levels to access, enjoy, and appreciate the creativity in the works of these artists.” He continues, “I hope that I will be able to help Jasper expand and extend its support to more people with artistic dreams, including the very young and the very old, and I hope that I will be able to help spur an effort to bridge the gap and encourage more cooperation and coordination among different arts organizations with common goals in the Midlands area.”

Dick Moons says he is a “retired corporate flunky,” certified sound practitioner, professional drum circle facilitator, dad, and grandfather. Dick says he joined the Jasper Project board of directors because he believes “in what Jasper is about, its mission, and the way Jasper has gone about implementing and fulfilling its vision.” He continues to explain that “being a part of a talented bunch of folks who donate their time and energy for nothing more than their love of the arts – and thereby making Columbia a far cooler place” is reason enough to join the Jasper team.”

Liz Stalker is a 2024 graduate of USC with honors and a bachelors degree in English. The winner of the 2023 Havilah Babcock scholarship for poetry, Liz enjoys poetry and filmmaking when she isn’t serving up caffeine at Curiosity Coffee Bar. A former intern with the Jasper Project, Liz says, “I joined the Jasper board because Jasper opened a world of local artists to me, and I would love to help do that for others.”

The Jasper Project Mission Statement

The Jasper Project is a project-oriented, multidisciplinary arts facilitator serving the greater Columbia and South Carolina communities by providing collaborative arts engineering and community-wide arts communication.

Jasper Congratulates Winning Student Poets in the My Streets, My Stories Competition

My Street, My Story:

Celebrating History and Community through Youth Expression

Sarah Mae Flemming

In 2024, Columbia-area high school students were invited to participate in “My Street, My Story: Celebrating History and Community through Youth Expression,” a visual and literary arts contest created by the USC Center for Civil Rights History and Research. Inspired by the Center’s exhibition, Intersection on Main Street: African American Life in Columbia, in the Columbia Museum of Art’s Our Story Matters gallery, students were encouraged to use their preferred methods of artistic or written expression to create a body of work drawing connections from the stories of community and resilience of the Historic Black Business District in Columbia to their own present-day experiences in their community. 

The Jasper Project’s executive director, Cindi Boiter, was asked to serve as an adjudicator of the creative non-fiction portion of the competition and subsequently offered to further promote the participants in the project by publishing the winning poems in Jasper Online.

Winnings student poets include first place winner Alana Hills, who is a 9th grader at Richland Northeast High School; second place winner, Maelyn Carter, an 11th grader also at Richland Northeast; and third place winner, La’Cora Howell, an 11th grader at Ridge View High School.

Congratulations to all three winners whose works are published below. And be sure to pick up a copy of the spring 2025 issue of Jasper Magazine (May 2025) where you’ll find Alana Hills’ poem in print!

Sarah Mae Flemming

by Alana Hills

 

In the quiet of the South, where the roads were long, Sarah Mae Flemming

Stood strong, where others felt wrong.

A woman of courage, though her name not yet known,

She fought for her rights, and she stood all alone.

 

In the year of ‘54, the city of Columbia’s heat, she took a seat where

The world would meet.

On the bus, in the back where the rules did not bend,

But Sarah Mae’s heart said, “This must end.”

 

She was no Rosa, yet her spark lit the fire,

A young woman’s act, a fierce, quiet desire.

Before the marches, the protests, the chains breaking free,

She challenged the laws with quiet dignity.

 

Her name, though less famous, was no less bold,

For Sarah Mae Flemming was part of the story untold.

She planted a seed, one not yet in full bloom,

That would later explode in the fight for room.

 

To sit where she wished, to stand on her feet,

Her quiet rebellion, her victory so sweet.

A life of resistance, a spark in the night.

Sarah Mae Flemming – a champion for right.

Alayna Hills is a ninth grader at Richland Northeast High school who is enrolled in both full-credit and half-credit classes with the goal of graduating early and attending college. “I want my poetry to be discovered so that I can be recognized for my writing abilities and so college professors will possibly acknowledge my work,” she says. “I have big goals, and I hope that my writing helps me reach them.”

~~~~~

Black Woman Extraordinaire

by Maelyn Carter

Black Woman Extraordinaire 

mess with her, don't you even dare.

Always willing to give those she loves her ALL because she cares.

Delicate as an exotic jewel or stone…She’s oh so rare.

Wearing her Sunday-go-to meeting hat with oh so much flair.

She and Grandpa James Oh what a couple!  What a pair!

And a powerful love is what they shared.  

She’s  seen so much pain and loss almost too much to bare. 

When she walks into the room with all of her century plus poise and grace they all stare. 

All those years still walking in her light yet she doesn't boast or put on any airs.

So fine and classy No one can compare.

She has experienced many of her years on this earth fighting discrimination, racism, oppression,

some say beyond repair.

All of it so unfair.

She says to me “Chile  wear your Full Armor of God and always prepare.

Grandma says live right and I declare, you will make it to the other side over there!

Where there is no pain, no suffering or despair.

Grandma says but you better beware because the devil is always trying to scare,

catch you in a snare and your salvation he will not spare

Grandma says always be aware trust in the Lord and Stay in prayer.

She doesn't have much but her knowledge and wisdom makes her a billionaire.

The best moments are sitting at her feet in her favorite old chair while she combs my hair.

Grandma says if you don't know your past you ain't going nowhere!

My great grandma 101 yah that's her Black Woman Extraordinaire!

Maelyn Imani Carter is an 11th grade student a Richland Northeast High School. For Maelyn, writing poetry is a way to express herself, inspire, and share her view of the world. She has published Compilations by Maelyn, which features twelve of her most powerful pieces. Maelyn has received several awards for her community outreach initiatives. She most recently was named the Lovis 2024 award recipient, an award given to student who make a major difference in their community. She has also recently performed at the Soda City Poetry Festival and has recited her poems in many venues throughout the state.

~~~~~

She

by La’Cora Howell

Sometimes, I just wanna escape. I just wanna get away from all my problems. Maybe I should. Just go. Drop it all and leave this world. I don’t fit in here. Not this city, not this town. Not here. Maybe on a different planet, my mistakes didn’t form a target on my back, or maybe I wouldn’t be an outcast. Maybe, if I was somewhere else, people wouldn’t judge every expression my face makes without control. My size, my face, my hair, my clothes, my skin.

Why hate? Why bother the unspoken? AM I fresh, new bait luring through the deep? Am I unwrapped? Unused? I’m choking. Am I dying? With only a part of me slowly at part. She’s exquisite. She's fearless. She's kind and successful in many ways. She's noteworthy and genuine. She wants to grow. She's ready to lead the way. I am tired. I'm tired of the deluge and weight of everything and everyone controlling how I feel and what I want and do and say and like and my whole entire existence, and i just want to wrap it all up and shove it in a tight little box and throw it off a bridge into a never ending river of pessimistic things and energy and let it all go. Drown. Drowning under the weight of everything everyone predicts and foretells on my life. I can feel their words shove their way through my throat and up my nose and in my ears, fiercely flooding my body, soon taking me under and suddenly, I get pulled out.

Why? Who would save me? I was almost ready to endorse this death. Ready to give up, and let my problems take my life. There he tells me; this isn't worth it. He speaks life back into my soul. He lifts me back up out of this flood and puts me on my feet. Just by his presence I could tell who he was. He holds my hand as he walks me to my proclamation. He shows me what I am and what's worth living and who needs me, so they don't get dragged down, just as I did. He showed me my real sympathy. He is God, my father, and then “she” was brimful. She was a free spirit and was ready to take control. She was whole.

La’Cora Howell, a 9th Grader from Ridge View High School, was inspired to write this piece by some of the experiences and hardships she has overcome “unblemished.” La”Cora says, “I have a true connection and truth with this poem, and I hope people going through similar things as I once did, and honestly still am, take this poem as inspiration.”


 

 

Congratulations to Jasper Project Board President Wade Sellers for Being Honored as a 2025 Recipient of the SC Governor's Award for the Arts!

CONGRATULATIONS WADE!

The SC Arts Commission announced today that the Jasper Project’s own president of our board of directors, Wade Sellers, is the 2025 recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts in the individual artist category!

Wade Sellers (Artist Category) is an independent filmmaker in Columbia who produced his first film within months after graduating from USC in media arts. As the South Carolina Arts Commission’s first media intern, Sellers assisted with the Southeastern Media Institute where he later became an instructor. He became an in-demand lighting director and gaffer on commercials and corporate projects. His short film Gordon’s Ride was featured at the Independent Feature Film Festival. Sellers co-founded the non-profit Hybrid Films in 2002 to function as fiscal agent for underserved filmmakers in the region. Hybrid Films’ largest accomplishment was the Beg and Grovel Film Festival, the first true independent film festival in Columbia. His first Southeastern Emmy Award nomination came with South Carolinians in World War 2, a project he was commissioned to direct for South Carolina ETV. Sellers formed his production company, Coal Powered Filmworks, collaborating with local filmmakers and promoting independent filmmaking in South Carolina. In 2013 he founded the 2nd Act Film Project, helping 84 films be created by S.C. filmmakers solely for screening at 2nd Act. He has supervised more than 25 interns from USC and Benedict College since 2008, lectured and taught in the USC media arts department and was named a distinguished alumnus from the USC School of Visual Arts and Design in 2020. He has served as the board president for The Jasper Project since 2019.

Other 2025 honorees include Dr. Gail V. Barnes, professor of music education and director of the USC String Project. The organization Engaging Creative Minds which was established in 2012 as a private-public partnership resulting from a community planning process led by Charleston County School District; the College of Charleston; the cities of Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and North Charleston; the Charleston Regional Alliance for the Arts; the Youth Endowment for the Arts; and Crystal-Barkley Corporation. The Koger Center for the Arts at the University of South Carolina (Government Category) which supports exceptional art by hosting and presenting transformational experiences that enlighten, educate, entertain and inspire.  The Sumter County Gallery of Art (Organization Category), a non-profit, community-based institution formed in 1969, with a mission to present and promote diverse visual arts and artists, to increase knowledge and to provide art education opportunities to Sumter, Clarendon and Lee counties—an extensively rural region of the state, isolated from the major art centers in the U.S. by geography and economics. The SCGA is currently under the executive direction of Karen Watson.

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Jasper is delighted to share this news and we look forward to celebrating with Wade throughout 2025!

Columbia Classical Ballet presents Life Chance 2025 under the direction of Joseph Phillips!

It’s the time of year true ballet lovers eagerly wait for — LifeChance, a one-of-a-kind multi-dancer, multi-company performance so unique that dancers from all over the world clammer to claim their spots on the stage — is coming up on Saturday March 15th at 7":30 at the Koger Center for the Arts!

Columbia Classical Ballet has produced the unique dance benefit gala, LifeChance, to raise awareness and funds for a wide variety of charitable causes for over two and a half decades. LifeChance was originally created by Columbia Classical Ballet Founder Radenko Pavlovich, with the very first LifeChance benefitting the war-torn children of Bosnia, during their troubling conflict over two and a half decades ago! The LifeChance gala brings together some of the best dancers in the world, to share their gifts through a one-night only live performance at the Koger Center for the performing Arts in Columbia, South Carolina.

This year, under the direction of Columbia native, Joseph Phillips, the performance promises to be better than ever. Among the dancers performing are from the American Ballet Theatre, Léa Fleytoux, Jarod Curley, Elisabeth Beyer, and Takumi Miyaki. From San Francisco Ballet, Sasha Mukhamedov and Ruben Citores, and from Ballet Eloelle Grandiva, one of the few all-male comedic dance companies in the world, Walter Battistini and Jonathan Mendez. Joining these stellar performers will be Sakura Oka, previously of Columbia City Ballet, as well as the current company of Columbia Classical Ballet. However, with so many world class international dancers eager to perform in this renown performance, there’s no telling who the audience might find on stage!

As part of Columbia Classical Ballet’s greater mission of outreach, community involvement, and exposure to the artform of ballet, LifeChance gala tickets, like the company’s regular season program tickets, are offered at a fraction of what they would otherwise cost.

Columbia Classical Ballet is excited to welcome Joseph Phillips as its new Artistic Director. Phillips, a celebrated international dancer and choreographer, returns to his hometown of Columbia, S.C., to lead the company into a new era of artistic excellence and dancer development. He assumes the position following the recent departure of former Artistic Director Brooklyn Mack, who replaced Pavlovich a few years before.​

Often referred to as “the Golden Boy of Ballet” due to his winning more Gold Medals in prestigious international competitions than any American male danseur, Phillips brings a wealth of experience and acclaim to the role. He has graced the stages of renowned companies such as San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Manilla, and Mariinsky Ballet, Primorsky Stage, where he became one of the few American dancers to ever achieve the rank of principal dancer. He is also widely recognized as an esteemed teacher and choreographer, and currently serves as Artistic Director of El Camino Ballet.​

Deeply rooted in Columbia, where his journey in dance began, Phillips' first ballet school was Columbia Ballet School under the tutelage of Anita Ashley. His first male ballet teacher, Anthony Hampton, a South Carolina native, instilled in him the belief that ballet is for everyone, regardless of gender. His passion for ballet blossomed further when he performed in his first Nutcracker with the Columbia Music Festival Association. He continued to hone his craft, training with Stanislav Issaev at the esteemed South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, South Carolina. Throughout his career, Phillips has maintained a strong connection to his home state, notably as a guest artist with South Carolina Ballet. Over the past two decades, he has also continued to work with the Columbia Music Festival Association, Columbia Ballet School, and Carolina Ballet.​

"I'm excited to bridge my work with El Camino Ballet and Columbia Classical Ballet, creating opportunities for both companies to expand their reach and share their artistry," saysPhillips. "I envision bringing the unique creations of Columbia Classical Ballet to the West Coast, showcasing the talent and creativity that thrives in my hometown."​

"I'm honored to return to my roots and lead Columbia Classical Ballet into its next chapter," says Phillips. "Columbia holds a special place in my heart, and I'm deeply committed to nurturing the talents of our dancers and creating a company that is a source of pride for Columbia and a vibrant contributor to the international dance community."​

In recognition of his contributions to the arts, Joseph Phillips has been awarded ‘THE KEY TO THE CITY,’ declaring July 17 as Joseph Phillips Day in Columbia, South Carolina.

News from WOW -- WOWStudioOne!

WOW Productions is back and they are now WOWStudioOne.

The wait is over! The story that captured your heart (Confessions of a Good Man) is back with more drama, revelations, and life-changing moments!

Confessions of a Good Man 3: The Ultimatum is debuting THIS SATURDAY and SUNDAY, and trust us, you don’t want to miss it! Come enjoy a brand new show at a brand new venue!

 What to Expect:

  • Powerful performances that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer.

  • A gripping storyline packed with twists and turns.

  • A message that inspires and ignites the soul.

 Showtimes:

 Saturday: March 8th at 7:00 pm

 Sunday: March 9th at 3:00 pm

 Venue: Richland 2 Performing Arts Center | 763 Fashion Drive | Columbia, SC 29229 (A stunning, new, 1200-seat venue located in Sandhills next to R2i2)

Get your tickets NOW before they’re gone!

www.WOWStudioOne.com

Join us for the VIP EXPERIENCE including an exclusive black-carpet experience, a pre-show reception with exquisite hors d’oeuvres, a meet-and-greet with the cast, prime seating, and more.

Seats are limited, and the buzz is real! Gather your family and friends, and join us for a night of unforgettable storytelling.


Al Black's Poetry of the People featuring Xavier Khalil

This week's Poet of the People is Xavier Khalil. 

A few months ago, Xavier showed up at Cool Beans for Mind Gravy, he sat quietly in the back, eventually, he shared on open mic and kept coming back for more. He made friends with the regulars and felt confident enough to have his own 30 minute feature. 

Xavier is a kind and passionate poet with a voice that needs to be heard and I am blessed to have him in my creative life.

~Al Black

Xavier Khalil is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He has been involved in the arts from the age of 8; participating in oratorical contests in elementary school. He moved to Beaufort, South Carolina to receive better education opportunities and lived with many family members while attending high school. Creative writing has been a lifelong hobby for Xavier, and more recently has found his love for poetry in 2023. The 22-year old's poetry reflects the essence of the Black queer experiences surrounding themes of spirituality, love, activism, and life's quarrels with grief and addiciton. These passions are further extended in Xavier's work through his podcast Choosing Joy and various social media platforms where he constantly advocates for humanity. He is an alumnus of the University South Caolina Aiken where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communicaiton with a minor in Sociology. Currently Xavier is working on his Master in Higher Education and Student Affairs degree at the University of South Carolina in Columbia." 

“Meet Me”

Meet me at the coffee shop

Across the street from the Horseshoe –

Park by the meter

And, I’ll meet you at 2

 

This scene fits us

Is there an us?

Is it too early to discuss?

Maybe an idea we both want

I trust.

 

No matter I just want you –

I mean be with you –

I mean experience you –

Wait.

 

I just enjoy your company

Is all

How we engage

In conversation

And swoon as each other talks

Its cute

 

How we banter

Going on about psychology

(Stanza 5)

Sociology, biology

Theology, geography

Nationalities

 

Whew its…

And did you say

Music?

 

You be the R&B

To my neo-soul

You go On & On

Like Erykah’s songs

Making my soul glo

 

You’re “Golden” boy

Like Jill

Caught constantly

Giving me the feels

And chills and thrills

 

From Black history

To Mariah vs Whitney

Singin’ lil songs

Hearing you, “Say My Name”

Can we admit we’re

(Stanza 9)

The Children of Destiny?

 

After this please

Let there be more

Don’t let it end

Once you close your car door

 

After this

Come see me

Not in my visions or dreams

Comes see me, physically

Come see me, again, spiritually

Strip me emotionally

Nigga come see about me!

And allow me to be naked – fully

 

Sorry, if that’s too much

If, it was too strong

I’m sorry

I promise I wont do any wrong

Don’t run, please…

 

I’ll just be your friend

I know that love’s too scary

And we don’t want this to end

(Stanza 13)

So, I’ll just be your friend

 

May the love of our bond

Grow true

 And organic

But until then…

 

Meet me at the coffee shop

Across the street from the Horseshoe

Park by the meter on Monday

And I’ll meet you at 2. 

"Bridges and Railroads" 

Driving across the Broad River Bridge

It’s so different now

So the same

So opposite simultaneously

 

Chocolate neighborhoods

Replaced by golf courses

Shops for mommas and poppas

No replaced by corporations

Because they bought someone

Reparations

Thanks to high taxation

 

Chocolate faces

Moved to other chocolate places

Across the bridge – 2 or 3 –

On the other side of train tracks

2 or 3

Only for suited giants

To do it again

 

Killing off the wildlife

Destroying their land

Mossy, ancestral trees

Collapse

No care for the significance

Removing black bodies

Further from themselves

Because you pull them

By the root

 

It’s now deer season

But the bullets aren’t hitting

The right young Buck.

The shooter is jailed

While the true hunter

Mounts the bodies on the walls

 

Using the black bodies

And the brown/red skin

As rugs and mink coats

As you dwell in a home

Erected in a plot of land

That was once their own

 

Ignorance of the beautiful

Culture and bodies that inhabit

Are encouraged

Looked at as anomalies

Oddities of black magic

and spirituality

Not realizing

These beings are

Slowly being ostracized

Tantalized by outsiders

Who see their existence

As profit

And the lost minds

Haven’t a clue of what to do

About it.

 

Displaced

Shoved into obscurity

In massive fish tanks

Of barren yards

And unstable mobile homes

Chocolate people

Are losing their way.

In their home

Didn’t think I’d see the day. 

“Brown Boys Feel Fluorescent”

I make you feel like

A white boy?

Some safety

Visibility

Security

You adore from me?

 

I validate you

And give you innate freedom

In tandem

Denying myself that same

 

The right to exist

And be cherished

For the humanity

In your brown body

I make you feel

Like a white boy

 

Brown boy

I cherish

You make me feel like

Like a spirit

You make me feel like

Like a spirit

So big

Infinite

Free and confined

 

You give me space to be wild

You to have grand emotions

To obsess

To express

Display feelings

Be passionate

 

But, in making

Me feel my spirit

Makes me feel

Trapped in this human experience

I inherited

 

This one that you hardly

Acknowledged

This body you barely

Touch

This figure

That houses the very spirit

You freed

 

 

I make you feel

Like a white boy?

Not spoiled, but entitled –

Deserving.

Privileged.

 

You make feel like –

Like a spirit

Not holy; certainly not evil

Just too free

Too astral

 

Unfortunately

You only see that

The reinforcement of

Perfection

Not giving a human connection

 

I am guilty for this

I am merely a reflection

Of how you view

What is perfected

So in making you

Feel like a white boy

-protected-

You make me feel like Spirit

-easily neglected-

 

Picking and choosing

When to feel my presence

Yearning for me

But so displeased by

Your imperfection

My love you constantly

reject it

 

Oddly, I cannot be mad

At you

Because seeing my spirit

Means the “white boy”

In you wants to protect

 

Protect my pride

Protect my freedom

Protect my ambiguity

 My duality

Protect me from your truth

Protect my vibrant spirit

From being dimmed by you

 

Brown boy

Blue bird

Look at your reflection

In the river

Let the water cleanse your feet

 

It’s not whiteness you feel

It’s a freedom you’ve been denied

The freedom that heals

A freedom I had no clue

I could even give

 

As I look

My spirit

Shines outside this skin

It glows outwardly

And vibrates through me

Within

 

Standing parallel

Across the street

We a re on

You and me

Living separately

 

The Spirit you see

In me

Is shared

We share it with Thee

 

So, I thank you

Thank you for helping me to see

Brown boy I made feel safe

Thank you for recognizing

My grandness

 

The protection

The freedom

The privilege I afforded

It didn’t make you feel “white”

It finally made things

Feel to a degree

Alright

And you important

 

Hand to hearts

Eye to eye

Soul to soul

Brown boys make

each other feel free

protected and safe

 

Brown boys dance

In the dark

In the nighttime

Becoming jovial

-effervescent-

Transcends them

To fluorescence

 

Brown boys made

Each other feel like glowing

Bright, white

Hues

 

I never made you

Feel like a white boy

I simply made you feel your spirit, too.

“It’s Foggy Outside”

It’s foggy outside

In these times

There are blurred lines

Where cars and worlds

 Collide

 

It’s cold and wet

Out here

Be careful

Don’t slip

The weather makers are

Praying on your downfall

 

Our downfall

If you will

 

They want hit and runs

They want blame

They want pointing fingers

Stinging scars and burns

Cause by their flames

 

It’s foggy outside

Be careful walking

Through these low clouds

Be careful stalking

For your next meal

Stay low to ground

 

Look out for your neighbor

Don’t hurt each other on your prowl

In these times

Wanting to thrive

What a luxury to be

Alive

Right now we just survive

Until the sun dies

 

Behind the rain clouds

The sun still shines

But the time we once had

Is no longer on our side

 

Its of essence

And its precious

As the fog children

Walking in the midst

Of a global depression

 

It’s cold

It’s foggy

It’s rainy

It’s nasty

Barely sunny

It’s the time slipping

Down the road

And through our fingers

 

Please feel the hope

The faith

That still lingers

 

Don’t be fooled by

The occasional peak

Of sun during dark day time

Don’t let the warm day time

Dry up your inside

Don’t let confusion make

Your temperature rise

Be looking out the window

Because its foggy outside

Gerard Erley's Art at the Koger Center through March 9th

by Liz Stalker

There are still a little over two weeks left to check out Gerard Erley’s breathtaking show, “Sights Unseen,” at the Koger Center’s Gallery! This exhibition, which ends on Sunday, March 9th, features Erley’s stunning landscapes in oil paint, which employ inventive use of light and bold color so effectively that to witness them is a nearly spiritual experience. Jasper was lucky enough to interview Erley, whose responses to our questions were so insightful that they demanded to be presented as written.

Jasper: When and how did you get started as an artist?

Erley: I was drawing (scribbling?) before I could walk. Soon I was imitating the forms my eyes took in - trees, buildings, people. I feel (from where I stand today) that I had a compulsion to explore the world around me through the process of drawing. I came to know the physical nature of things through this process, and was soon aware of the emotional impact these images could have when translated into an artistic form. My precocious skills were noted and rewarded in school from kindergarten on. I believe my path as an artist was set at that point.

Jasper: What draws you to oil painting as a medium?

Erley: The majority of art images I saw reproduced as a kid were oil paintings. The medium survived the test of time for good reason. The quality and variety of the paintings attest to that. The quality was expressed in the exquisite craft and power of the artworks which amazed and delighted me. This instilled in me a strong reverence for art history, and I delved into the books I found in the library like a pig rooting for truffles.

Regarding the variety of the medium, oil paint can be slathered on the canvas in emotional outbursts or built up in painstaking layers in a search to express the inexpressible. It seemed every physical texture could be mimicked. At the same time oil painting could hint at something far beyond the perceivable.

Jasper: The use of light in your work has a huge impact on the tone--is there anything in particular you consider when deciding the role that light will play in your pieces?

Erley: I once was concerned mainly with the forms that light revealed, how light could sculpt objects, pulling them out of space. I have since come to know light itself as my true subject. I am particularly intrigued by light's duality - how it can both reveal and obscure form. It washes over all and becomes the main actor on the stage of my canvas. I am especially drawn to light that is transitional and fleeting - the pulsing warmth of sunset, the mysterious coolness of moonlight, the shafting radiance through a clouded sky. I employ these various types of light to express my changing emotions. Nature offers a vocabulary of visual equivalents which I use to express these sentiments.

Jasper: Your website states that you prefer to paint "from memory and intuition" as opposed to using photo reference. Why do you feel this way? And how do you think this might impact the concept of "realism," thinking of "realism" as both an art style and a reflection of reality?

Erley: A lot of artists are enslaved by photo images. They think what is shown is reality. But this so-called reality is predigested. The camera has determined the composition and the range of values and color. Things are distorted through the lens.

One antidote is the option of painting from life, experiencing nature firsthand in all its glorious variety. This is a wonderful way to learn the vocabulary of art without  imposing filters. Having followed this approach for a number of years, I found myself disillusioned with the process. Although I could produce a reasonable imitation of nature, there was a certain depth I felt lacking. One can get lost in all the details of the natural world and be unable to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. To quote Pierre Bonnard, “It’s not a matter of painting life, it’s a matter of giving life to painting.”

I felt the need to engage another part of myself in the process of art making. Therefore, I chose to work largely intuitively in the studio. And while I incorporate memory, it is never a one-to-one relationship ("I saw that, so I’ll paint that”). It is a loose recollection of various visual impressions. In the end, I believe the inner, emotional life has as much, if not more, validity than the purely perceptual. For me, that is where true reality resides.

Jasper: You mention poetry several times in your artist statement--if you had to pair a piece from this exhibition with a poet, who might you choose?

Erley: I am referring to a visual poetry rather than a literary one. But seeking an equivalent in the realm of words, perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson fits the bill. He says so much with so little. For him, the divine can be found in the everyday. My hope is that my paintings too point to something greater than the merely observable, taking you to a place more felt than seen.

Be sure to stop by the Koger Center by March 9th to see Erley’s work for yourself! You certainly won’t regret it.

REVIEW: Ain't Misbehavin' at Trustus Theatre

by Cindi Boiter

When the world is angry and disappointing, our nerves are frayed and our hearts are bruised, we turn to the arts to soothe and remind us of the things that matter most. High among those things we hold dear is the ability to lose oneself in joy. Luckily for Columbia theatre audiences, we have the opportunity to come together to laugh, pat our feet to the rhythm of the band, and experience the shared heart-flight of song when a vocalist takes us with them up and down the scales of music and emotion. We can do this by attending one of the performances of Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Musical Show which takes the stage at Trustus Theatre through March 22nd.

Directed by Terrance Henderson, this production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ features musical theatre veterans Katrina Garvin and Samuel McWhite, arguably two of the most talented and entertaining vocalists in the SC Midlands. Audiences have come to expect mighty performances and a heightened level of professionalism from both of these performing artists and, on the opening night of this run, we got what we came for.  John Ballard and Ara-Viktoria McKinney-Bookman both brought their A-games to opening night with vocals that ranged from soothing to soaring.

But the stand-out for this reviewer, and several other folks I spoke with in the audience, was Mel Driggers in the role originated by Charlaine Woodard. Having seen Driggers in several previous productions, Dandelion, Sweeny Todd, The Rocky Horror Show, and more, we knew that they brought their own uniquely cultivated style to a project, but opening night was the first time this reviewer has witnessed the level of comic acumen Driggers is capable of. As the Gilligan/Scooby Doo of the quintet, Driggers exhibited the kind of comfort with a comedic role that a lot of actors at the local level can’t quite pull off. That’s why, having clowned her way through an early song in the performance with missed notes and big-fun silliness, Driggers drew big-fun applause when they effortlessly hit the right notes, and hit them well, later in the performance.

Rather than being your typical musical theatre performance that adheres to a narrative punctuated by song, Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a musical revue written by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr, with arrangements by Luther Henderson. It opened at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 1978 with a stellar cast that included Nell Carter, Irene Cara, Andre DeShields, Armelia McQueen, and Ken Page. Playing these parts in the Trustus production are Garvin, Driggers, McWhite, McKinney-Bookman, and Ballard, respectively. Charlayne Woodard took over Cara’s part (Driggers) when the show moved to Broadway in 1982. While the playbill for the Trustus performance unfortunately does not provide a list of musical numbers and their performers, expect to hear all your Fats Waller favorites including, “I’m Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “Your Feet’ Too Big,” and “The Joint is Jumping,” among others. But don’t take your eyes off the actors who seem to be chilling at the set’s bar or comfy couch pit on the sides of the stage. Many times that is where the funny lives and, while one song is being sung, the cast is setting up the next song on the docket with clever direction and pantomime.

For this production director Henderson opted to make the six-member band a part of the show with the musicians positioned center back of the stage. Music director and pianist is Ayush Joshi, James Wolfe plays trombone, Nigel Ouzts is on trumpet, Ben Eidson on Woodwinds, Kris Phelps on drums, and Andres McNeil plays upright bass. Their presence on the stage exponentially adds to the performance and the little bit of interaction between band members and vocalists that we saw on opening night makes me hope that, with successive performances, the musicians will relax and become even more involved with the cast–because it really works when they are! Choral expert and recent Frank-N-Furter star in the Rocky Horror Show, also at Trustus, Walter Graham served as off-stage music director.

Other behind-the-scenes teammates include Trinessa Dubas as stage manager, scenic designer Corey Langley, whose life-sized characters from previous shows placed in the background of the set provided for some interesting detail, Garreth Hayward on lights with Matt Pound and Walter Kervin on sound, G. Scott Wild on props, and the multi-talented Mel Driggers on costumes. From the audience’s perspective, all these parts of the puzzle came together without a hitch.

There is little to critique about this show. One small detail that I’m sure will improve throughout the run is that, when McKinney-Bookman laughs or smiles, her face lights up and she pulls the audience helplessly into her part of the performance. It would be great to see even more consistent engagement with the audience and fellow cast members from this truly excellent vocalist.

There were too many stand-out songs to name them all, but I’ll mention that Ballard’s rendition of “The Viper’s Drag,” with Ballard fully engaging with the double entendre of the song, was a favorite of this reviewer and many other audience members—especially on a cold Friday night in 2025 when lighting “that tea” and letting “it be” sounds like a pretty good idea.

Certainly, the most moving song of the night had all cast members seated center stage to sing the Waller classic, “Black and Blue,” reminding us for a moment that the world is wrong in so many ways, but sometimes, for a few moments at least, the best thing to do is to sing about it. This performance of the well-known song gave this reviewer chills it was so expertly performed.

How will it end? ain't got a friend
My only sin is my skin
What did I do to be so black and blue?

Jasper recommends that you turn off the news, silence your phones, and grab someone you love to take them out for a night of fun and a fine performance from the cast and crew of Ain’t Misbehavin.’ We need this kind of joy now. It reminds us of what we’re here for, what we have to preserve, and that if artists like Fats Waller could see the sun shine through the cloudy culture that he had to deal with to have his music heard, we should celebrate the example he set by laughing, patting our toes to the rhythm of the band, and rejoicing in the songs he left us.

The Jasper Project Welcomes Toni Elkins to The Nook Gallery at Koger Center for the Arts this Third Thursday

The Jasper Project is excited to welcome Toni Elkins to our Nook Gallery at the Koger Center of the Arts this week. The exhibition will run from this Thursday, February 20th until the week of the third Thursday in March when the work of our featured artist for March, Thomas Washington, will be installed.

Toni M. Elkins is a Columbia-based artist who was educated at Boston University and the University of Georgia. She is a member of the Trenholm Artist Guild and the 2023 recipient of the Missouri Watercolor International: J. Richeson Award and a “Top 50 Winner of the artsfortrumpcoalition.com,” the artist says. In 2014 she won the Clark Ellefson Merit Award and in 2013 the Susie and Caroll Heyward Purchase Award, both from the SC State Fair, among other accolades throughout her life.

Elkins says, “My work has taken on a whole new meaning since the death of my husband. I find I am more introspective and more interested in my environment. I actually LOOK instead of SEE. I examine our world in a different way, and I hope to make positive changes in this world through my art.”

Elkins is sponsoring her own personal opening reception for this exhibition at the Nook Gallery at the Koger Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 20th from 5:30 – 7 pm. She is planning to bring her own bartender and beverages for this event. The Jasper Project extends it’s gratitude to the staff of Koger Center for the Arts and Jasper board secretary and Jasper Magazine visual arts editor, Emily Moffitt, for working with the artist on this unique situation.

Artist Profile: Sharon Funderburk - Jasper's February First Thursday Artist at Sound Bites Eatery

Sharon Funderburk, Jasper’s featured First Thursday artist in Sound Bites Eatery, spent the first part of her life in Pennsylvania where she was channeled into the arts by her teacher, her grandmother, and her father. They were all her inspirations.

Funderburk  went to school to be a commercial artist in the 1970s “before computers took over. I did mapping, some drafting, and advertising” she says. “I’m currently a Bob Ross instructor but I’ve also taught jewelry, and mosaic classes.” Now she teaches classes at the Camden Shoppes, and Crooked Creek Park in Chapin.

“I consider myself as a mixed media artist,” she says. “I like to be colorful and show multi layers, I like reflections and glass or water. When I start a piece, I like it to take me down the rabbit hole. Most of my pieces are done start to finish In one sitting. Like a journey.”

Funderburk has won awards with the state fair and SAMA mosaic society. She has participated in local arts initiatives like the Door Project, and the Trout Project with the city of Columbia, as well as having painted several wall murals in Columbia.

Sharon Funderburk - artist

Funderburk is currently a member of the Cayce Artist Guild, TAG, South Carolina Artists, and the Art Shoppes of Camden, and she just signed on to be a studio artist with Ron Hagel’s Gemini Arts in Columbia.

Funderburk’s art will be up through February. Visit Sound Bites Eatery at 1425 Sumter Street and scan the QR code of the painting you want to take home with you to make Sharon Funderburk’s art a part of your own personal collection.