Saul Seibert on Jealousy
As Kyle Petersen described him in a 2018 profile he wrote on Saul Seibert and his older brother Zach Seibert for Jasper Magazine, “… Saul is a consummate frontman, with a steady intensity that crackles with a voodoo-like mysticism punctuated by unfettered, anxious hollers that bring to mind the most wiry aspects of early post-punk.”
It’s hard enough being an artist and dealing with the difficulties the outside world sends your way — money problems, relationship challenges, and the general drama of daily life as a human — but when you add in all the internal battles specific to being an artist, a person whose job is basically interpreting life, processing feelings, and sharing it with the world, it can get seriously rough.
Saul Seibert has been at this battle for a while now. The 44-year-old musician and, let’s-face-it, philosopher, has become one of the Columbia music scene’s leaders, of late, cranking out stellar albums and hard-hitting performances alongside Scott Tempo in the band, Boo Hag.
This morning on social media, Seibert shared his take on dealing with one of the demons most of us don’t even want to admit we have caged up in the back room of our minds — Jealousy. Jasper was moved and asked Seibert if we could wrap his words of wisdom up in a tidy little package and share them with our readers.
He graciously agreed, and here you have it.
Competition motivated by jealousy can often be the Achilles heel of any artist or progressive movement and it's ugly. Guard your heart from such an insidious seduction. Here are a few things you can do to avoid such a pitfall.
1. Posture yourself in such a way so as to learn from those who have gone before you and ask questions.
2. Don't trust all your judgments and seek out council from your peers and other proven people in the art community.
3. Don't pretend. People are smart and can spot a poser.
4. It's ok to be an asshole, (the industry will make you one and that's ok) … just don't be a dick. There's no excuse for that.
5. Apologize and ask for forgiveness.
6. Fail. It's good to fail.
7. Sometimes the critics are right and sometimes they are wrong … either way they are in general paid to write about what you do. Take it on the chin and put it in box under the bed. Remember they can't do what you do.
8. Build relationships with younger players and performers and model the movement you want.
9. Look up the definition of "Service".
10. You are dying. Remember that. In general, that can kill a jealous mood.
Saul Seibert and his beautiful mom, Brenda Seibert.
“She taught this outlaw kindness.” — Saul Seibert
Ginny Merett Shares Multilayered Stories Through Collage-Based Tiny Gallery Show, WORDS
“I don’t like to say I have given my life to art. I prefer to say art has given me my life” —
Frank Stella
April showers bring May flowers, but for our May Tiny Gallery, we’re bringing you collages by artist Ginny Merett. Merett’s show, WORDS, which opened virtually on the Jasper website on the 1st of the month, was so wildly popular, we sold out nearly half the show in the first 8 hours. In response to the overwhelming love, Merett has decided to add 12 new pieces to the show – learn more about her and preview the pieces below!
Merett grew up in a Denver, Colorado, household of musicians as the youngest of 3 children. Her mom was a pianist who taught lessons from the home, and her father was a trumpet player. “Music filled our house, but big band music was their favorite,” Merett recalls, “Mom was also artsy, always making something, and she inspired me to do the same.”
Merett’s family supported her art inclinations from a young age, providing her with lessons and supporting her freedom with various art materials. This led to her taking several art classes and electives throughout school, receiving an art education degree in college, and teaching art for 30 years.
This life rife with loving and making art has made Merett proud to call herself an artist since far before she started officially exhibiting her work a decade ago. “I agree with artist Frank Stella,” Merett quotes, “‘I don’t like to say I have given my life to art. I prefer to say art has given me my life.’”
In the past ten years Merett has been showing work, she has worked exclusively in collage. However, she dabbled and worked in many forms and mediums before finding home in collage. She focused on drawing and painting in undergrad, fiber arts and photography in grad school, and murals, watercolor, and pencils while teaching. Collage, though, allowed Merett to achieve something no other medium could.
“Collage allows me to use a simple material that looks polished when completed in a work of art, and my style in collage gives me a chance to create art that is playful and irrational because of the new characters I create,” she effuses, “I have a wide variety of materials to use and unlimited subjects, and besides that I just have a really good time doing it.”
As she puts her hands on different pieces and stitches them into a story, Merett finds herself drawn towards portraying human beings and their unique personalities, spirits, and bodies. These portraits are sometimes commissioned but mostly inspired from places in and around Merett’s life.
“I create portraits inspired by photographs in my grandma’s 1920’s photo album and by people I see around town and in popular culture,” she reveals, “The most fun for me is taking parts and pieces from pictures of popular culture’s “beautiful people” found in magazines and using them to create new personalities and characters.”
For her Tiny Gallery show, Merett continued on with her love for collage and people, putting together 25 stand-alone pieces made specifically for the show. The images range from bright, bold colors to multilayered neutrals; from repeating images to one striking set of eyes; from large pieces with mouths wide open to demure figures that ask you to come closer.
“I usually use text in my work but only for color and texture, not meaning, so for this show, I created works that used phrases taken from magazine text to describe each piece—I made each collage prior to finding the words,” Merett explains, “The theme of each collage is the human condition, and on an unintentional level deals with how I felt through 2020-2021. I hope people can relate to one of the pieces and generally understand my serious and often tongue-in-cheek message.”
This year, as for all of us, has presented challenges for Merett, who says she oscillated between motivated and withdrawn throughout 2020. She created art as a solace while mourning the safety and joy of being outside, as well as a good friend lost to the virus. She says that it was art and art events that were a continued light during this darkness.
“I have been so blessed to have my art during this time. I feel like it fed my soul, as always,” Merett intimates, “For those struggling to make art right now I suggest being gentle with yourself but keep showing up in your studio or work area. Reach out to other artists for fellowship and realize that you are not the only one feeling lackadaisical.”
Some particular lights among the dark included winning Honorable Mention in the 1593 Project at the Koger Center for the Arts and exhibiting her work alongside Jim Arendt and Gina Moore in the Alumni Art Exhibit at the UofSC’s SVAD. Merett was also one of the featured artists in Jasper’s pandemic project Sheltered 2020: A Collection of Visual and Literary Arts.
The largest support for Merett, a mother of two and grandmother of four, though, comes from her family, pandemic and beyond. “My greatest memory is working at my drawing table with my young kids playing around me,” Merett reminisces, “More times than not, these moments were tranquil and made me feel like I had the absolute best of both worlds.”
If you want to see how Merett has explored herself and the world around her, her show, WORDS, is up until May 31st. When this blog is posted, her new 12 pieces will have just been added to the show. You can peruse and purchase work 24/7 via the Jasper’s virtual Tiny Gallery: https://the-jasper-project.square.site/tiny-gallery
During and after the show, you can find her art at her website www.ginnymerett.com and on Instagram (@ginnymerett) and Facebook (Ginny Merett Artist). You can also see her work locally around Lexington and Columbia, specifically at places like Land Bank Lofts on Hampton Street.
— Christina Xan
April Tiny Gallery Features Betsy Kaemmerlen’s Eye-Catching and Intricate Ceramic Creations
“We Exist to Revere the Great Spirit of Life and Enjoy All the Beauty of Its Expression.”
The Jasper Project welcomes Betsy Kaemmerlen as this month’s featured Tiny Gallery artist. Kaemmerlen’s show, which started on the 1st of the month, features 25 pottery pieces, from bowls to dishes to vases to fish.
Kaemmerlen spent her childhood in New England before moving to Syracuse to attend the SUNY School of Forestry for Landscape Architecture. During her childhood, she was inspired to create by her artistic grandparents, an architect father, and a mom who was a nurse by day and crafter by night.
“Woodworking, paintings…refinishing furniture, caning, quilting, rug braiding, knitting…embroidery, painting, shell art, gardening, and flower arranging,” Kaemmerlen reflects on her family’s interests, “Yes, I’d say the art was a huge part of my family life!”
Kaemmerlen’s departure to SUNY both honed in her love for the arts and broadened her horizons. She ended up falling in love with Eastern Culture, taking classes in Japanese Aesthetics and Zen Buddhism and spending her final year studying the cultural response to the environment in Kyoto, Japan.
“Living and immersing myself in the centuries old treasure of Kyoto for six months was a peak experience in my life—art and aesthetics were ingrained in the culture,” Kaemmerlen recalls, “The ceramic tradition there was lovely, along with the gardens, ikebana and tea ceremony.”
Fifteen years after experiencing that tradition, Kaemmerlen got into pottery herself, and it was love at first touch.“ Clay is such a great medium for me since I can impress whatever cool pattern or image into the surface that I can dream up,” she divulges, “Leaves, bugs, Asian and Celtic designs, shells, snowflakes, you name it!”
Kaemmerlen’s career in Landscape Architecture has afforded the artist the best of both worlds, but since so much of her work has become computer-based, her home has been transformed into a hands-only zone. “Making an Ikebana container and going out into the yard to collect material for an arrangement is my idea of heaven!” she effuses, “Creating pottery that is both useful and beautiful is a privilege, and I am so grateful to have this means of expression.”
When it comes to her Tiny Gallery show, Kaemmerlen has focused on unusual but functional pieces, a mix of old and new, with some even being collaborative. John Taylor threw the dragon-lidded urn that Kaemmerlen carved, decorated, and glazed; and David Scott made the molds for the Bluegill and Perch, and he also taught Kaemmerlen how to make the molds for her gourds.
“I love bright colors and, unlike many professional potters, don’t have a deep appreciation for ‘brown pots,’” she jests, “While celadon is a personal favorite, cobalt and coral also rank high in my aesthetic!”
Even the tools the artists used were often handmade, the fish bowls and dish set crafted with roller stamps Kaemmerlen created herself. “I carve a design onto a napkin ring sized piece of porcelain, fire that, and then can use that pattern on pieces—[it] takes a common element and elevates it to a design that can be truly stunning!” she shares. “I hope people notice this and appreciate all the wonderful beauty that surrounds them in their lives.”
Beauty has fortunately surrounded Kaemmerlen’s experiences as an artist. Reflecting on her artistic career, she says standout moments have been an Artist Residency at Wildacres Retreat in Little Switzerland, showing her work in Greenville at a Ceramic Invitation alongside artists like Alice Ballard and Valerie Zimany, and being part of many SC Arts Commission award luncheons and auctions.
Much of Kaemmerlen’s experience is indebted to workshops, but one outstanding series was led by Gerry Williams, the founder of Studio Potter Magazine. “For many summers I went to his Phoenix Workshops in New Hampshire and learned the background and inspiration of many successful artists,” she says. “We had such fun working together, sharing techniques and experimenting with clay… those memories will be hard to beat.”
In reflecting on the memories of this past year, Kaemmerlen chooses to focus on the positive. “I sincerely hope that this past year has brought more people the simple joys of being creative in their own home and garden,” she intimates, “Growing what you eat, cooking it in a beautifully decorated kitchen, and serving out of a handmade bowl to a few close friends is a sustainable, deeply meaningful pleasure.”
You can view Kaemmerlen’s show and all her beautiful, unique pieces until April 30th on the Jasper Project website: https://the-jasper-project.square.site/tiny-gallery
After the show, Kaemmerlen will have more vases at SC Arts Foundation’s ‘Find Joy in Art’ online auction this May. She also usually has pieces in the Sumter County Gallery of Art. If you follow her on Facebook, you can see when she posts albums of her latest work and purchase via direct message.
The motto Kaemmerlen has over her studio door is, “We Exist to Revere the Great Spirit of Life and Enjoy All the Beauty of Its Expression.” Take a virtual step into the beauty of these ceramic creations and steep in the spirit of their expression.
—Christina Xan
Jasper Project Galleries at Motor Supply Welcomes Trahern Cook aka Easel Cathedral
The artist Trahern Cook - photo by Perry McLeod
Trahern Cook was born in 1970 in Columbia, SC and has been drawing and painting and telling stories his entire life. In 1987 he attended The SC Governors School for the Arts as a visual artist and in 1992 he graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design with a focus on Illustration. He married his wife Lori in 1994 and they moved to Murfreesboro, TN where their two children were born n the late 1990s. Cook worked as a Full time Freelance illustrator from 1993 to the early 2000s and ,in 2006, the family moved back to Columbia, SC. There, Cook took the easel outside and has been painting all over the southeast and abroad ever since.
His work shows in private galleries, homes and work spaces throughout the country.
Cook has coined himself a “Jam Painter” given that so much of his subject matter is musicians of every genre playing everywhere from small taverns to large outdoor festivals. In those moments he explores brush strokes and colors matching the rhythm of the sounds being played.
As a “Live Painter” of events and weddings, Cook creates visual stories of his surroundings in his own unique painterly style, marrying a free folk recklessness with a trained and practiced deliberateness. This performance shares the space with everyone in attendance, enhancing the moment and using the the created vibe to inform the painting itself.
And then there’s the painter and his easel, going anywhere light falls on the buildings, homes, trails and roads of towns, cities and landscapes.
Cook welcomes anyone around to come hang out by the easel.
“It just paints better,” he says.
JASPER WRITES! A New Opportunity for SC Writers
JASPER WRITES!
The Jasper Project invites SC writers and writers with a connection to SC to submit poetry and prose for weekly publication on the Jasper Project website.
Jasper is delighted to announce our newest project—JASPER WRITES!
Hosted by Jasper Magazine poetry editor Ed Madden and editor-in-chief Cindi Boiter, the Jasper Project invites SC writers of both poetry and prose to submit their best work to us for publication consideration in a new segment on the Jasper Project website.
Our immediate goal is to cultivate an online space where SC writers and readers can visit for inspiration and pleasure and to bask in the abundant literary talent this state offers.
Our long-term goal is to collect samples of this talent from the accepted submissions to publish in a perfect bound compilation on a regular basis.
Our over-arching goal is to preserve for posterity the eloquence of the Southern voice as it is created in SC at this point in time.
Submission Guidelines may be found here.
Gracious welcome to our first two contributors, Jennifer Bartell and Gina Ercolini.
Columbia City Ballet Concludes Season and Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Return of Fan Favorite Show - The Beatles Ballet!
ADDED PERFORMANCE
FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 16TH @ 7:30
Anna Porter
The past season of the Columbia City Ballet (CCB) has been unlike any other in its 60-year history. As for all of us, COVID-19 presented difficult obstacles for the CCB, but leaping over barriers is what dancers are built for.
After having taken the time to consult with members of the CCB and several public health officials, the Columbia City Ballet has still been able to safely offer 22 performances this season. If there’s ever been a time for art, it’s now, and with costumed masks, adapted rehearsals, and tenacious community, the CCB has risen to the challenge.
Now, this unparalleled season is coming to an end with a show as special as it has been—The Beatles Ballet. This show, created by Artistic and Executive Director William Starrett, was exceptionally popular when it first premiered in 2018. The effervescent aesthetic of The Beatles and their 60s vibes, coupled with the echoing love for the show, made it the perfect candidate to not only end this season but to celebrate what the CCB is calling their “Diamond Anniversary.”
“When Beatles The Ballet premiered in 2018, it was instantly a hit with audiences,” Starrett expresses in the CCB’s Press Release, “I had always wanted to celebrate our 60th Anniversary Season with a ballet that means so much to me. After everything we faced, it just makes sense that we would end our 60th season with Beatles.”
Claire Richardson, Dini Tetrick, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, and Anna Porter
Sakura Oka
The show is a mix of energies, crafting a braid out of interweaving classic and modern music and dance. “In many ways, [The Beatles Ballet] is among Columbia City Ballet’s most ambitious projects,” asserts Michael Layer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, “It incorporates talent, artistic styles, and inspiration from all over the world.”
Putting a show with so many elements together takes a lot of hands (and feet!) and a plethora of talent. The full company is dancing with the addition of 6 guest dancers. 12 choreographers came together to set the tone and craft a through-line of bodies across these themes of old and new, which will be traced across more than 35 songs.
Live music will accompany the show—the first time since the pandemic started—played by local musician Mark Rapp and his Little Big Band as well as members of The Return, a Beatles Tribute Band. Having live music matches the style of the show, which moves in part like a jukebox musical or mixed-rep show, with dancers’ bodies flowing between many sounds and tones.
Beyond sharing this creative take on ballet and widely loved music, the “multimedia ballet will follow the story of The Beatles’ careers beginning in the 1960’s and [examine] their cultural impact and the elevation of social consciousness throughout their music,” the CCB states on their website.
The show, which is sponsored by the Lexington Medical Center, will open on Friday, April 16th with a newly added performance at 7:30, followed by performances on April 17th, 2021 at 3:00pm and at 6:30pm. Additionally, in honor of their anniversary, the CCB will be screening a film highlighting their history at the very beginning of the evening show.
The show will take place at the Koger Center for the Arts, which enforces COVID-19 regulations for the safety of all patrons. Tickets are sold in pairs, seats are socially distanced, and face coverings are required at all times. These tickets, which start at $25, can be purchased at the Koger Center’s website or by calling their box office at 803-251-2222.
—Christina Xan
Art in the Yard - This Week it's Keenan Terrace w/ 20+ Artists & Music AND Art from Adam Corbett
It’s spring and, along with the blooms and blossoms reminding us that there is life outside our homes, there is a mightily welcome crop of cultural events beckoning the vaccinated among us to don our loveliest masks and venture out to see what the winter created.
Some of these events are still scary — it’s surprising how many people are hesitant to get that free superpower injected in their arms. (But chances are they’re the same people who still refuse to wear a mask, no matter how fashionable they’ve become.)
But some of these events are no-brainers even if you’re concerned about conspiracy nuts and their germs, given that the events are outside and you’re on your feet at all times, ready to run away from unsavory-looking mask-less marauders.
Neighborhood art festivals, for example.
Saturday brings us Keenan Terrace Art in the Yard and April 25th bring us Melrose Park Art in the Yard — two completely different but equally exciting events.
The Keenan Terrace show, created in the fall of 2020 by Columbia-based artist and curator, Bohumila Augustinova, is located in and around 409 Cumberland Drive, runs from 2 to 6 pm, and is free and pet friendly.
Among the artists whose work you’ll both see and hear is Adam Corbett.
Adam Corbett is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and visual artist from Lexington South Carolina best known for his work in local band, The Restoration. After releasing numerous records, helping to produce a musical, and ending his career as a music teacher, Adam branched out into visual art as a way to cope with the COVID-19 lockdown. Throughout this period, he has experimented with various mediums in a variety of formats focusing always on exploration, play, and following his muse.
Corbett will also be providing live music for the event.
artist - Adam Corbett
artist - Adam Corbett
artist - Adam Corbett
Additional artists include but are not limited to Michael Krajewski, Flavia Lovatelli, Bohumila Augustinova, Candace Cotterman Thibeault, K. Wayne Thornley, Stan Cummings, Lucas Sams, Aimee Norris, and many more.
Now is a great time to start thinking about Mothers Day and Graduation presents, or even something special to reward yourself for making it through this winter of our discontent and embracing the new day.
artist - Stan Cummings
artist - Flavia Lovatelli
artist - Michael Krajewski
artist - Susan Lenz
artist - The Tie Lady
artist - Candace Cotterman Thibeault
artist - Bohumila Augustinova
"It's Been a While" - Group Art Exhibition at Outpost Arts Space by Ron Hagell (Guest Writer)
“It’s Been a While”
Group Art Exhibition at Outpost Arts Space
715 Saluda Ave., April 3 – 24, 2021
Care. Comfort, and Kindness by Olga Yukhno
The Free Times leads off it’s piece in this week’s paper by saying, “Artists get lonely, too”. In fact, this was one spark for this exhibition that helped to start it. Flavia Lovatelli, Kristi Ryba (a Charleston artist) and I were discussing how long it had been since we went to an opening and the general lack of exhibitions over the pandemic year. We decided that it might be possible to ask if the Outpost’s new exhibition space might be available in April. It turned out that the space was free and Caitlin Bright was very interested in helping get us off the ground. I’m not sure we were all “lonely,” maybe just missing what had become a rather active arts scene in Columbia. But once the artists started showing up with work this week, I realized how much I missed seeing everyone – so did they! Our exhibition, “It’s Been a While,” opens on April 3 at Outpost Arts Space in Five Points.
You may remember that this group [along with the Jasper Project] used to be in the Tapp’s building on Main Street and we always had a new exhibition each “First Thursday on Main.” Then we were called The Tapp’s Arts Center and some still refer to us as “Tapp’s Outpost.” There are similarities between the two, the people and mission continue, but many things have changed beyond the actual location.
You may recall that, in addition to our exhibitions, we also had open studios (where shopping was possible) and you could pick-up a beer to start your art crawl on Main. Now we all know that First Thursday is not the same now that most of the “art” on Main has left for many reasons. For us, this location has made a big difference. Obviously the amount and character of the space is a vast difference, but the foot-traffic is very different. Often at Tapp’s we had very few visitors except for exhibit nights, but in Five Points there is a constant flow and some of us have experienced much better sales.
… we are hopeful that “It’s Been a While” will continue the spark of creative activity and be the rebirth of more and better days for our whole Columbia arts scene
There are also plans afoot to improve our new home and build even more and better studio/workshops inside and behind the existing shop fronts, as well as collaborative activities with the vast space behind the White Mule that is scheduled for future renovations.
But, we are hopeful that “It’s Been a While” will continue the spark of creative activity and be the rebirth of more and better days for our whole Columbia arts scene. We invited many artists to join us and have a real cross-section of folks taking part. Charleston-based artist Kristi Ryba, whom we met in 2019 while participating in Lake City’s annual ArtFields competition, has agreed to show two new works and many more local friends also wanted to take part. There are sculptures by Olga Yukhno and Sharon Licata and a couple of large hanging fabric pieces by Janet Swigler. Columbia Photographer Molly Harrell shows her recent work and I’m putting in an older video because it just speaks to this moment so well. But, I’m also showing a few smaller paintings that I’ve been working on during this downtime.
In fact many others are showing works that deal directly with the pandemic such as Gerard Erley’s “Pandemic Cardinals” and more – not to be missed.
Pandemic Cardinals by Gerard Erley
Also showing are works by Susan Lenz, Michael Krajewski, Keith Tolen, Bonnie Goldberg, Stephen Chesley, Heidi Darr Hope, Kirkland Smith, Tabitha Ott, Diko Pekdemir, and Flava Lovatelli. Some have direct connections to our past year and the pandemic or the political shift while others do not. It is a very eclectic event.
ABC by Michael Krajewski
As always our group wants to engage the community in ongoing conversation and creative connections. But now we really need to catch-up after over a year. It’s 17 artists wanting you to see their work and, as Caitlin says, she anticipates “a lot of sharing, commiserating, sympathy and empathy.”
Because, it’s been a while…
Ron Hagell, Studio Artist, Outpost Arts Space
Ron Hagell is a Columbia, SC-based artist who makes films and art with installations featuring paintings, projections, prints and film centered on portraiture.
Teacups by Kirkland Smith
If you haven’t joined the Jasper Project Guild yet this year, now is a good time to do so, guaranteeing that YOUR NAME will appear in the next issue of Jasper Magazine, releasing May 2021 and, depending on your contribution level, securing you a space at some of the limited seating events Jasper has in the works for the coming year.
Plus, everyone gets to see your name here!
FALL LINES 2021: CALL for SUBMISSIONS for the 2020-2021 DOUBLE ISSUE
Fall Lines – a literary convergence is a literary journal presented by The Jasper Project in partnership with Richland Library and One Columbia for Arts and Culture.
Fall Lines will accept submissions of previously unpublished poetry, essays, short fiction, and flash fiction from April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021. While the editors of Fall Lines hope to attract the work of writers and poets from the Carolinas and the Southeastern US, acceptance of work is not dependent upon residence.
Publication in Fall Lines will be determined by a panel of judges and accepted authors (ONLY) will be notified by September 30, 2021, with a publication date in October. Two $250 cash prizes, sponsored by the Richland Library Friends and Foundation, will be awarded: The Saluda River Prize for Poetry and the Broad River Prize for Prose.
DOUBLE ISSUE: Due to restrictions surrounding COVID-19, the 2020 issue of Fall Lines will be published in conjunction with the 2021 issue as a DOUBLE issue. Two unique sets of poetry and prose and two sets of winners will be bound together in ONE BOOK and celebrated with ONE Launch and Reading event at a TBD date in October. Both 2020 and 2021 prizes will be presented at the October 2021 launch event.
Ø POETRY: Up to five poems may be submitted with each submitted as an individual WORD FILE.
Include one cover sheet for up to five poems. Submit poetry submissions and cover sheet to FallLines@JasperProject.org with the word POETRY in the subject line.
Ø PROSE: Up to five prose entries may be submitted with each submitted as an individual WORD FILE.
Include one cover sheet for up to five prose submissions. Submit prose submissions and cover sheet to FallLines@JasperProject.org with the word PROSE in the subject line.
COVER SHEET should include your name, the titles of your submissions, your email address, and mailing address. Authors’ names should not appear on the submission. Do NOT send bios.
ALL ENTRIES SHOULD BE TITLED.
There is no fee to enter, but submissions that fail to follow the above instructions will be disqualified without review.
Simultaneous submissions will not be considered. Failure to disclose simultaneous submissions will result in a lack of eligibility in any future Jasper Project publications.
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The Columbia Fall Line is a natural junction, along which the Congaree River falls and rapids form, running parallel to the east coast of the country between the resilient rocks of the Appalachians and the softer, more gentle coastal plain.
Columbia City Ballet Opens Cinderella After a Year-Long Postponement -- Christina Xan Talks with Bonnie Boiter-Jolley
The Columbia City Ballet (CCB) is finally getting the chance to open Cinderella after having to cancel it last year due to COVID-19. Jasper got the chance to sit down with Cinderella herself, danced by Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, who has been with CCB for 10 years and is dancing her third season as principal dancer.
Jasper: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me about the show — I know you’re busy!
Boiter-Jolley: It’s no problem!
Jasper: So, this show was actually postponed, right? It was supposed to happen last year?
Boiter-Jolley: Yeah, it was supposed to happen late March of last year (2020). We toured it to Florida, came home, had a performance in Columbia on Friday, the 13th and that was our last performance of the whole season. And last year, I was fairy godmother—our original Cinderella is a new mom, but I’ve been dancing all the principal roles this year because I’m the only principal in the company currently.
Jasper: Oh, I didn’t know that! I assume that’s just one of the many changes since COVID. And dancing in a mask! I can’t imagine — what’s that like?
Boiter-Jolley: It is definitely a challenge. Dancing in a mask is not fun, I will certainly say that, but it is something that a lot of us have been working with since last year, as soon as we were cleared to get back into the studios. It doesn't make it any easier, but you do kind of get used to the feeling of having something strapped to your face. But it's not just a breathing issue. If you inhale sharply, it’ll get stuck in your mouth, and you don't have your usual full range of vision because the mask is cutting off everything below your eyes. There've been a couple of times that a mask has actually slipped up over people's eyes. It's a little frightening, but I think, honestly, most of us feel as though it's a small price to pay to be able to do what we love and continue to work at our passion. And we really want to protect, not just ourselves, but our coworkers, our families, everything.
Jasper: How has this affected rehearsal?
Boiter-Jolley: So, we test every week. And we've actually been really, really lucky. Everyone has tested negative except for one false positive, and on that day, all rehearsals were cancelled and didn’t resume until we knew everyone was safe. We do our classes broken up into three different groups of people so that we're not all in one same group sweating and breathing together all day. It kind of gives us a little bit more space, so we feel like we have a little bit more room if we do need to pull our mask down on our face for just a second to get some water or to just catch a breath quickly. Partnering wise, we're trying to keep switching partners to a minimum when we can and trying to stay as closely quarantined amongst ourselves as possible.
Boiter-Jolley rehearses with guest artist Mark Krieger, coached by William Starrett
Jasper: And how long have y'all been rehearsing for Cinderella now?
Boiter-Jolley: We started last week, which isn’t particularly normal, but this is a show we had practiced for last season. I personally started rehearsing my role on my own over our Christmas break, and I came back into the studio in January, and [artistic director] William Starrett worked with me some individually. But many dancers had a head start and were able to recall roles they’ve danced before. And, of course, we’ve been trying to get in as much dance as we can because people need it these days. We just did “Off the Wall” two weeks ago, last week we had “Body,” and we're also working on “The Beatles” ballet.
Jasper: That’s so exciting! And even more so, this is your first time ever doing Cinderella, right?
Boiter-Jolley: Yes!
Jasper: You’ve danced so many roles—I’ve seen you in several! What do you think is unique about Cinderella?
Boiter-Jolley: There's a lot of acting in this role as well as some pretty hard dancing. I'm finding the partnering stuff in this one kind of challenging because I have a lot that's new to me. I'm actually learning some new bodily vocabulary—learning some new steps and new things that I haven't really been able to do before, I've never really tried before, or never been asked to do. I'm getting to push my boundaries, if you will, as far as what I am capable of. I've always been kind of a solo dancer, and that's just been my strength, to go out there and do my thing, but I'm going to get to carry this ballet. I start from the first scene and go all the way to the last scene. I'm a little bit nervous, but I'm also really excited because this ballet is all about Cinderella finally getting her chance to go to the ball. And I kind of see it that way, that it's finally my chance to go to the ball.
Boiter-Jolley in Off the Wall - photo by Ashleigh Concannon
Jasper: You said this show is more acting heavy than others. What did you mean by that?
Boiter-Jolley: Well, you know, there are the stepsisters and the stepmother, and they're kind of fun, I mean, they're mean, but goofy. And then Cinderella has to deal with them, she meets the prince and falls in love at first sight, and she’s on a path of self-discovery. So, it's kind of going back and forth between how I portray this sad girl and then how I transform into someone who will open themselves to love, who will accept it and become a princess…and all of that happens in a couple hours. So, to effectively communicate that to an audience is a challenge, and that's mostly my challenge in this coming week. I know all the steps, I know all the choreography, and this week, I'm really hoping to do a deep dive in character work to find out how I can bring this character to life.
Jasper: What does that look like for you? How do you do character work and make sure you're translating the ideas and emotions in your head into your movements?
Boiter-Jolley: That's a great question, and it's going to be a little bit different this time around because we are masked, so it all has to be physical—there's going to be a lot of physicality. How does my body language read? If I turn a shoulder this way, point my fingers that way, what does it mean? I need to spend some time just myself thinking through each moment. I need to sit with the music in the studio on my own, dancing through things. When you stop thinking about the steps, then you can start thinking about what the character is, who that character is, you know? And then, likewise, once you stop having to think about the characters, you can just become that character.
Jasper: If you had to describe this show in only 3 words, what words would you choose?
Boiter-Jolley: Romantic, whimsical, and inspiring.
Jasper: Oh, I love that! What do you think is inspiring about it?
Boiter-Jolley: I think it gives you the sensation that anything is possible.
Jasper: For people who may only be familiar with the Disney story of Cinderella, what should they expect? You know, coming to this show, what will they see that's familiar and that's unfamiliar?
Boiter-Jolley: Well, they're definitely going to see their favorite characters: Cinderella, the fairy godmother, the Prince, the stepmother, the stepsisters. But they're also going to see there's a whole horde of fairies from the traditional story that come to help the fairy godmother and bring her gifts that help her transform Cinderella into a princess at the ball. And I like to think these are just representations of things that Cinderella already has inside of her. You’ll see specific dances when the fairies give her gifts, and later on, she dances similar steps in her variation, so she kind of repeats the same steps that they did. I think that it's really showing that this is what was there all along, and they've just brought attention to it. Because you don't need a fairy godmother to make you a princess. You might just need a fairy godmother to let you be the princess you already are.
Jasper: I love that! Well, thank you again for talking to me. Good luck on the show!
Boiter-Jolley: Thanks! I just hope that people do get a chance to come see it because we've all really been excited to try to bring this ballet to life for the past year.
Cinderella will open at the Koger Center this Friday the 26th at 7:30pm and continue Saturday the 27th with performances at both 3:00pm and 7:30pm. The Koger Center is taking several COVID-19 precautions including limited, spaced seating and the seating of patrons immediately upon arriving at the theatre. Tickets can be purchased here: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/USCK/#/events
Two additional performances will be done at the Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College Friday, April 9th at 7:30pm and Saturday, April 10th at 3:00pm. The theatre will also be implementing precautions but says the show could be delayed. Tickets can be purchased here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35980/production/1039663
—Christina Xan
(Full disclosure: Bonnie Boiter-Jolley is the daughter of Jasper Project executive director, Cindi Boiter.)
Tiny Gallery Artist Shelby LeBlanc Stiches Little Pieces into Bold, Bright Landscapes
“It might not work out right away, but it won’t work out at all if you just give up.”
– Shelby LeBlanc
As we move into the warmer weather, so do we move into warm, inviting, and colorful pieces with our March Tiny Gallery show. Shelby LeBlanc, a Columbia native who recently made Charleston her home, brings us Little Pieces, a collection of inviting scenes stitched together with puzzle pieces.
LeBlanc, 29, recalls being artistic since a young girl with a natural talent for drawing. Her parents, noticing this, signed her up for classes with a local artist, Ms. Mossley, and she continued to take classes throughout high school with another artist, Angel Allen. After going to college, LeBlanc stepped away from art but found her way back when she needed it most. “I started back after a terrible time with depression,” she recollects, “Art probably saved my life.”
Open Road
When it comes to what kind of art LeBlanc crafts, she is drawn to people, places, and nature and, like a photograph, her paintings develop into a concrete image over the time from conception to finality. “I’m not one for abstract work,” she asserts, “I like to paint what I see, but I want to enhance the colors, highlights, and shadows. I want the viewer to know what they're looking at.”
LeBlanc appreciates variety not just in subject matter but style. She experiments with various paints, pens, and watercolors and continuously expands her color palette. “I love pushing myself to try new subject matter, styles, mediums,” she remarks, “But I like to hide elements in my work with the book pages I use and love the textures it creates.”
In Little Pieces, LeBlanc’s creativity is clearly at play. Vivid colors of cerulean, rose, and emerald leap out from the scalloped pieces, making the scenes appear more animate than still. LeBlanc offers a perspective of her environment while still allowing others to feel at home within its boundaries, boundaries you can trace with your own fingers.
Weekend Waves
LeBlanc shares that she often uses recycled books in her work, but she wanted to try something new as she explored the Charleston landscape she has fallen in love with. “They are all actual puzzles that I assembled during quarantine” she reveals, “The sizes and the outer edges were a mixture of my own vision and manipulating the puzzles to fit the criteria for the show.”
While the Charleston landscapes and puzzle pieces may be newer to her portfolio, Columbia patrons will be familiar with her bold colors and line work. LeBlanc has shown work at Sakitumi, Vista Lights, Richland Library, 701 Whaley, Spencer's Art Gallery, and Art Mecca and even designed the origami room in Immersion SC. In 2019, she was the runner-up for Free Times’ Best Visual Artist.
When it comes to her favorite memories, while LeBlanc says there are too many to put into words, the highlights always seem to cycle around family. “I love when my family gets to come to my shows, especially my 96-year-old grandmother,” she reflects, “I met my boyfriend, Sean, while I was working on a mural, and I spend most days at my house working alongside my dogs.”
Though a lover of creation, LeBlanc’s motivation, like many artists’, took a blow with the events of 2020. “I had moments of doubt unlike ever before because no one knew what tomorrow was going to look like,” she recalls, “But I received several messages of encouragement for my work and openness about my mental health, and knowing that I had supporters, friends, and family in my corner helped me overcome those feelings and keep working.”
Storm Off Sullivans
If you want to see LeBlanc’s stories, told through the lens of a love for her city, they are available for view and purchase 24/7 on the Jasper website until March 31st: https://the-jasper-project.square.site/tiny-gallery
After the show, you can keep an eye out for LeBlanc’ work at Affordable Art of Charleston’s showcase “Go Bold” on March 25th in Mt Pleasant and Avondale’s Highfalutin in Charleston this August and September. You can also see her work anytime at Art Mecca of Charleston, on Dress the Room, and via her Instagram (@shelby.leblanc) and Facebook (@shelbyleblancart).
“Art has helped me through many crises before and this year was no different,” LeBlanc effuses, “I would tell any artist to keep at it. It might not work out right away, but it won’t work out at all if you just give up.”
— Christina Xan
CALL FOR POETRY! Columbia City Poet Laureate Ed Madden Issues Call for POEMS ON THE BUS!
A new call for poems for our Columbia area bus system! South Carolina writers welcome, Midlands writers and young writers encouraged!
CALL FOR POEMS!
POEMS ON THE COMET – SPRING 2021
WHEN IT’S OVER
Again this spring we are putting poems on the Comet, our regional transit system buses. Past projects have included poems on the stories of our city, poems about our rivers, poems about time. This spring, let’s think about what to do when it’s over.
We’ve all seen lists on social media of things people plan to do when the pandemic is over. What do you dream of doing when the pandemic is over? Or thinking more broadly, what will you do when that interminable office meeting is over? Or when the semester is over? Or when winter is over?
These are poems about dreams and plans, poems about transitions. What’s next?
Poems should be 10 lines or fewer. Submit to poetlaureate@onecolumbiasc.com for consideration. Rolling deadline, but we are hoping to have 30 great poems by the end of April.
PLEASE SHARE!
REVIEW: Bad Girls -- Chris Bickel's 2nd Feature Film Embraces a New Paradigm for Indie Filmmaking
The democratization of access to equipment and technology has given creators an ability to create films that are deeply personal, or in the case of Bad Girls, a film that is like a blitzkrieg with moments of Zen sprinkled throughout. When that equipment and technology is put in the hands of someone like Bickel, who isn’t afraid of putting every ounce of energy and passion into his filmmaking, you get an achievement like Bad Girls. - Wade Sellers
Whether you click your phone, hit your spacebar on your computer, or hit play on your DVD remote, when you start director Chris Bickel’s 2nd feature film Bad Girls, make sure you are in a comfortable seat because you won’t be leaving it for the next 97 minutes.
There are plenty of accolades to spread around but the major achievement of Bickel’s micro-budget 2nd feature is the director’s ability to create an overwhelmingly inviting atmosphere from scene one. The film is violent and bloody from the start and Bickel commits to his script from the first frame to the bullet and blood-soaked end.
At its heart, Bad Girls is a hyper-violent, drug induced road movie that follows the main characters Val, Carolyn, and Mitzi Ann on the run after they rob a strip club, steal a car, and begin a night of violence that is fueled by the search for love, and bullets. A lot of bullets.
The three women who play the leads are the beautifully balanced center of Bad Girls. Bickel flexes a lot of clever low budget filmmaking tricks throughout the film, but a director can never escape bad casting. It's hard to look away from Morgan Shaley Renew the moment she appears center screen. Renew’s “Val” is strong, on a mission, and in charge, and the actor creates a magnetic performance. Shelby Guinn’s “Carolyn” and Sanethia Dresch’s “Mitzi Ann” are expertly balanced as Val’s co-conspirators. These three actors didn’t demand your attention throughout the film.
Bickel’s choice for a supporting cast doesn’t disappoint either. Mike Amason plays nasal spray sniffing Special Agent Mike Cannon with a fun campiness that doesn’t turn into caricature. Special Agent Cannon chases the girls during their terror spree with the help of Special Agent McMurphy played by Dove Dupree. Dupree’s straight man to Amason is a fun turn from the normally dumbed down partner roles.
It’s a night that finds the Bad Girls terrorizing young lovers, beating obnoxious bar patrons, kidnapping rock stars, and fighting redneck white supremacists.
Bickel and Shane Silman’s script is solid, with some incredibly funny throw away lines hidden throughout the film. And Bickel isn’t too proud to put his influences in a box, shake them up, and mix them with his growing adeptness to a relatively new style of indie filmmaking that has become more prevalent in the past 5 years.
Bad Girls couldn’t have been made more than 5 years ago.
Bickel could have raised the same money (the film was made for $16k) and pulled a crew together to shoot his script on video, but something has changed in recent indie filmmaking. The democratization of access to equipment and technology has given creators an ability to create films that are deeply personal, or in the case of Bad Girls, a film that is like a blitzkrieg with moments of Zen sprinkled throughout. When that equipment and technology is put in the hands of someone like Bickel, who isn’t afraid of putting every ounce of energy and passion into his filmmaking, you get an achievement like Bad Girls.
No detail is overlooked. Poor production design and bad audio can kill a film. Both excel in Bad Girls. The original and previously recorded music are used perfectly. The difficulty of taking an independent voice and translating it into an independent feature film when you have limited resources cannot be understated.
The real achievement of Bickel and his film is the ability to understand the resources in front of him, ignore those saying it can’t be done, and bring together a group of people committed to helping make your vision a reality. Bad Girls is part of the new wave of American filmmaking- stories from creators who choose only to make films on their terms because they can.
Once you start Bad Girls, you have just about 90 seconds to decide to back out before you find it impossible to pull away for the next hour. I suggest you hop in the car with them and just enjoy the ride.
Bad Girls
Directed by Chris Bickel
Written by Chris Bickel and Shane Silman
Review by Wade Sellers
2021 Cottontown Art Crawl is Just What Everyone Needs Right Now
It’s like all the art gods got together and whispered in the ears of Julie Seel and her team of talented friends and neighbors in the charming little hamlet of Cottontown at once, “Your community needs art and sunshine and music and a reminder that people are basically good and giving. Give them the art they crave!”
And it was so.
This Saturday from 10 - 3 plan to put your troubles on a plane to the moon, but take yourself and everyone you love to Columbia’s Cottontown-Bellevue historic district where you can bask in the vibes of 83 artists who have been cooped up for a year with nothing to do but express the gamut of their emotions with their hands and pent up creativity.
There is no telling what these amazing people have put together for us.
What we do know is this:
the Host Station is at 2150 Sumter Street where you can pick up maps or meet your friends
42 art sites are neighborhood porches, yards, & in the areas of local businesses
the Cottontown Art Crawl organizers are committed to creating a safe and inviting atmosphere so social distancing and masks are required across the entire area
the event is free but the art is not - while almost all artists will take cards, it’s a good idea to have a little cash on hand
this is the third annual Cottontown Art Crawl, but it’s the biggest thus far, so plan accordingly
there will be music in the Indah Coffee parking lot - see the line-up below
While you’re here, why not check out all our friends who have committed to supporting their local arts magazine by joining the JASPER GUILD
HERE
and maybe while you’re there you might want to add your own name to the list of esteemed supporters
Sarah Garvin & Lillie Morris's UISCE - Opening Tonight at the Arts Center of Kershaw County
Jasper loves few things more than a collaboration between multidisciplinary artists which is what the Bassett Gallery offers tonight.
The Arts Center of Kershaw County, in partnership with Irish Fest Camden, presents the Bassett Gallery Opening of "UISCE," an exhibit by Lillie Morris. Uisce /ish-ka/ is the Irish word for "water," and happens to be the origin of the word "whiskey."
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m on Thursday, March 4. There will be a cash bar for patrons and all COVID-19 guidelines will be practiced.
Best known for her acrylic, collage and mixed media paintings, Lillie also occasionally works in cold wax and encaustic painting. She specializes in abstract art, both representational and non-representational. Her paintings, whether collage, acrylic or a mixture of mediums reveal a love of texture, color and experimentation. Richly layered and with her own vocabulary of gestural marks and linear elements, Lillie strives to convey the emotional impact of her source of inspiration...be it the landscape, music, poetry or deep personal experiences. Lillie enjoys creating visually stimulating images that leave the subject open to the viewer’s interpretation. Ms. Morris has travelled to Ireland many times and will display works depicting the people and places of Ireland. Mrs. Morris will be at the reception, so patrons will have the opportunity to meet with her and discuss her artwork.
Visit www.lilliemorrisfineart.com to view Lillie’s work.
Music will be provided by Sarah Garvin. Sarah is the violin teacher for the Arts Center of Kershaw County. She is a violinist of almost 20 years, proficient in Classical, Bluegrass, Irish, and Scottish Celtic Fiddle music. She studied Music Performance at West Virginia University, and has extensive repertoire and experience in various genres for solo, orchestra and group ensemble. She has competition experience in Celtic and Bluegrass and is an experienced teacher of private and group lessons.
Sarah holds a Bachelor's Degree in Japanese Language and Literature from The Ohio State University. She lived for six months in Tokyo, Japan for additional intensive language study.
Visit www.irishfestcamden.com for more information about Irish Fest Camden and the other events going on around town!
CORONA TIMES - Bonnie Goldberg Shares her Thoughts on Painting, the Pandemic, and Virtual Art Friends with Jasper
Photo by Anastasia Chernoff
I was born in Columbia so I have definitely been here a long time! I received my degree in sociology from the University of South Carolina and got married shortly after graduation. I definitely thought that I would be someone who would save the world!
Being a part of the art world affords me the opportunity to meet and engage with so many people…and art is so healing and powerful…I do believe that artists have an impact on the world in a very positive manner. The arts show us who we are…where we come from…where we want to go. I have been drawing and painting for 30 years and feel that the journey is one that has enriched my life in so many ways. I am so fortunate to have had this in my life and I know that art is something that I can always do and make and create and share.
I started painting when my children were teenagers. I knew that I didn’t want to be an empty nester with no direction and I had always wanted to start painting, so I took some courses at Columbia College. From there, I went on to study with some wonderful artists at workshops out of town. Art became an important part of my life and I have never looked back.
I have always drawn and painted from life. I worked from a live model several times a week for 20 plus years, and although I also paint pure non-objective abstracts as well, figurative work remains my main focus.
I now work from reference materials of my own work…reworking an old painting, repainting an old drawing, reimagining an old image…Alex Powers used to tell me to do 5 or 6 interpretations of the same piece and this is how I work now. Different versions of the same subject yield new interpretations…more abstract, more color, more experimentation. This has allowed me a greater freedom in my work and has allowed me to continue working and growing during the pandemic.
I have sold over 900 pieces of art over the last 30 years…drawings and paintings…and I have photographed them all. So now I am able to take the work that I previously did and use the photo references to do new versions. Although the originals are long gone, the artist always retains ownership of the images, so I have lots of reference material to work from.
I do occasionally hire a model (not during the last year since the pandemic) and I will do commissions from photographs of people who want to be the subject of my work so I have that as well. The pandemic has actually offered me the opportunity to work more…grow more…and reach more people. I use social media to promote my work and because people are home and on social media more than ever, I find that I am reaching a larger audience than ever.
My conversations with my artist friends still happen…we still share our work and talk about art…just not in person. I look forward to the in person again…I really miss it…but it has not kept us from sharing and loving what we do.
I am also represented by galleries and interior designers, and they too, have found that the audiences for art have grown with the increasing use of social media. Art has sold really well this past year…the galleries and designers have sold my work as well. I think the focus of being at home gave the art buying public more time to look and reach out to artists for work. I have had several commissions as well and I think my connections to people who love art have grown.
So, for me, the art has not suffered during this time. I am so grateful for this and for the opportunity and the time to focus on this part of my life that I love so much.
One of the great pleasures of my art is the friends that I make…both with artists and patrons. I often have repeat sales to people who collect my art and these people often become my treasured friends; but in the meantime, we have email and text, Instagram and Facebook.
And I find that I can deliver the art easily…by shipping or meeting at an outdoor space and delivering the art from the trunk of my car. Curbside art deliveries!
My conversations with my artist friends still happen…we still share our work and talk about art…just not in person. I look forward to the in person again…I really miss it…but it has not kept us from sharing and loving what we do.
There is definitely a “magic” to painting someone in person…. “magic” to interact as artist and model…and “magic” to interact as artist to artist in a room full of working artists. But we have all had to adjust and I do believe that artists know how to adapt and grow in many different circumstances.
I see brilliant work on Instagram from artists all over the world. And they reach out and communicate with each other…I have artist connections all over the world now….someone in South America will like something that I post and reach out via private message and we share what we do. I think it is an amazing thing that is happening right now in the art world. I have always studied art and artists…people like Schiele and Modigliani and Picasso and Hoffman, Richter and Diebenkorn….I love their work…but the current artists are fantastic and creative and wonderful…and everyone shares their art on Instagram. So, we all learn and grow from each other.
I don’t have any shows coming up but I do show my work on Facebook, Instagram, and on my website plus I am represented by the Anne Neilson Fine Art Gallery in Charlotte and Meredith Christenberry Designs in Columbia. I retain the right to represent myself and sell my own work in Columbia so people are free to call me and come by my studio in the Arcade on Main…1332 Main Street…Suite 221 upstairs. I am back working in the studio again after a year of working mostly at home. And I do insist on people wearing a mask in the studio until we are free of this virus, but I do have a lot of work on the walls in the studio and it is always visible whether I am there or not.
I would end by saying that this year has truly been a nightmare for all of us. We have not been able to spend time with the people we love most…children, grandchildren, friends, parents. My Dad died in June and my Mom and my family and I have had to navigate his loss in the midst of a pandemic, but we survived the struggle and for that, we are grateful.
So many people have lost so much…and the world has suffered so much…but hopefully, we have all grown and learned something about ourselves and our lives; and as we return to normality, perhaps we will take some good from the experience and move forward into our lives stronger, healthier, more knowledgeable, and perhaps, happier….knowing that we did survive and now have more opportunities to live and laugh and love.
And of course, create.
~~~~~
THANKS TO THE
2021 MEMBERS OF THE JASPER GUILD
Please support stories like this by
JOINING the JASPER GUILD today!
Jasper Talks with Cellist Idris Chandler about Covid, Challenges for Classical Musicians of Color, How South Carolina Treats Black Artists, and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood
“South Carolina has a special responsibility due to its past, to check racism, biases, and judgement in the continued effort to support black communities. In my opinion we should be given, yes given, more education, guidance, grace, and support because of the history of white supremacy in South Carolina.”
JASPER: Thanks for agreeing to chat with us about your life as an artist, Idris.
Can we start with learning a little about your background like where you’re from, where you went to school, and how you got to Columbia, SC?
CHANDLER: Thanks for asking me to participate. I’m a native of Columbia, born at Richland Memorial. I went to Brennan and Lyon Street Elementary, Crayton and Gibbs Middle and Eau Claire High Schools.
“I love wooden instruments. The resonance and beauty of the material is fascinating. Something that people build out of trees makes such special sounds.”
JASPER: Who have been your biggest influences as a musician?
CHANDLER: I am a fan of so much music. I fell in love with classical music in middle school, but grew up singing everything on the radio, especially R&B, and listening to reggae which my father played constantly though I didn’t understand why he loved it so much.
A pivotal moment was seeing Yo-Yo Ma on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I listened to him speak so calmly about music and the cello and watched an intimate performance with him and Mr. Rogers who seemed so appreciative and fascinated. I think my parents got me a cassette tape of his Cello Suites and I was hooked. I pretty much taught myself how to play the first few weeks.
JASPER: In addition to playing cello, I know you play a number of additional string instruments, as well. Can you talk a little about that, please?
CHANDLER: Starting on the violin in 5th grade I switched to cello at Crayton and was amazed at the sound of this huge instrument. In 9th grade I picked the violin back up and even played it in the District Orchestra for a time. Having gone to USC to pursue an education degree and a performance certificate, I had to play the other string instruments (viola and bass) which I also have grown to admire, but I don’t play them as often or as well as the cello. I love wooden instruments. The resonance and beauty of the material is fascinating. Something that people build out of trees makes such special sounds. I generally play cello professionally and explore the others in my private studio.
I’m teaching myself guitar and tenor guitar, though I’m not very good. One day I’d like to own all the guitars related to bowed strings like the mandolin and madola.
JASPER: I first learned about your work when I heard Day Clean several years ago and was blown away by your technique and musicality. That was a duo with you and Marcus Thomas, right? Is Day Clean still a thing?
CHANDLER: DayClean!!!! Sorry for yelling. The duo was me and Marcus who plays guitar. He’s an amazing soul, hip-hop, lyricist and songwriter. He currently leads worship and teen ministry in Virginia. I wrote string arrangements for the album and sang backup. It was and still is my favorite thing and I’m proud because it’s good music that speaks to people. I always wanted to do more than classical music and the time with Marcus was my education. He moved a couple times, and I blame him for being allergic to creating long distance! We still play occasionally.
JASPER: Where else do you perform?
CHANDLER: COVID has made things difficult obviously, but I usually play with the Resonance String Quartet, EdgeWire Music, and several regional orchestras which this year includes the North Charleston Pops. Like many musicians, in normal times, I’m also contracted for engagements including, studio recording, and other live concerts and shows.
“Navigating the emotions of this time has been difficult. Being unable to perform with my colleagues and friends, keeping track of my family, staying healthy, then watching hundreds of thousands of people die in the richest nation in the world, questioning how a musician and teacher can be of service during this time.”
JASPER: Can you tell us a bit about your personal practice and rehearsal schedule? (I think non-artists are always surprised by how many hours/week a performing artist logs in.)
CHANDLER: These days I’m averaging about an hour and ½ a day. I’d love to play for myself more! As I’m also an educator, most of my time is spent devising curriculum strategies. The pandemic has changed the way we teach, so a lot of my work has been revising the curriculum to teach online. The entire job has changed. Sometimes when people ask what I do it seems insignificant to say I practice, research, study, write and create. But that’s the life.
JASPER: What has been one of your greatest challenges as a classical musician and how have you overcome it?
CHANDLER: The biggest challenge is making a living. I’m learning as a musician to be flexible and versatile. It’s helpful to be open to new opportunities, while being discerning about the ones you except. Being a classical musician is about being business minded, a skill that doesn’t come easy to me, but I’m learning.
JASPER: And you’re a teacher, as well, is that right? Can you talk a bit about what and who you teach, and where?
CHANDLER: Yes, I was counseled that if I wanted a career I needed to teach. Low and behold, teachers don’t get paid much. And while teaching in the public school I realized that I couldn’t perform as much. Playing the instrument that I love became the sticking point. I decided if I couldn’t perform then I didn’t want to teach. I found that teaching privately and performing is a workable balance for me. I teach violin, viola, cello & bass to students from typically 7 to 70 years old. Though recently I started a really focused 4-year-old violinist and it has been a pleasure and an education. It’s reminded me how interested I used to be in early childhood music ed. at USC but didn’t have space for it. I’ve maintained a private studio at Freeway Music studios for over 10 years. Generally, beginner to advanced students, though my most advanced students are on cello.
JASPER: I also understand that you’ve had the privilege of performing with some pretty big superstars. I’d love to hear more about your brushes with greatness – what can you tell us?
CHANDLER: Ha! Not too many brushes, but as a bowed strings musician I’ve gotten to meet a variety of artists from Ray Charles and Valerie June to Pablo Casals and Edgar Myer. I’ve also performed with Edwin McCain, Lou Rawls, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Mannheim Steamroller, Trans Siberian Orchestra, and many more but I need to do better at keeping track. I’m not the most star struck guy. I’m pretty quiet when it comes to meeting people and doing my job, but it’s cool the stages you get to share with great artists especially when you play in the orchestra. When I was a kid, one of my few dreams was to perform on tour with Janet Jackson. Fingers crossed…
JASPER: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as an artist?
CHANDLER: I wish I could say I’ve had time to catch up on unfinished projects and self care but its not the case. As with most people I lost income as 99% of performing was cancelled and several students had to quit. Juggling which bills to pay and calling companies for assistance became imperative. I’m thankful to have an education background so teaching has kept my head above water. Many of the students were able to transition to virtual lessons, but it’s not lost on me that technology is difficult if not nonexistent for many.
I volunteer as the worship leader at church as well. Moving our worship services online has been a very difficult endeavor, with a weekly deadline. The learning curve has been steep with countless hours of trial and error. As an artist, feeling inadequate to encourage the congregation has also been a struggle.
Navigating the emotions of this time has been difficult. Being unable to perform with my colleagues and friends, keeping track of my family, staying healthy, then watching hundreds of thousands of people die in the richest nation in the world, questioning how a musician and teacher can be of service during this time. It’s been a huge weight. I’ve had to trust that God will work for good even in these difficult times.
“I have however, experienced racism in spaces where I am known as well, but it’s South Carolina so you get used to it.”
~~~
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that not seeing yourself in the world has been a hindrance.”
JASPER: Have you found ways to problem solve some of the constraints COVID has presented?
CHANDLER: I’ve pivoted to different aspects of the profession including arranging and composing and keeping my chops up so that when restrictions are lightened, I’ll be ready to play. Also outlining ideas and creating pages for a string method book, creating videos to use my YouTube page better and overall trying to figure out how to make more income with the skills I have. It’s so tempting to want to pivot to a different field or add another hustle, and maybe there’s a time for that; but one of the pitfalls of being an artist is doing too many different things, and I definitely succumb to that. Being a classical musician requires more creativity due to its place in our culture. I’m trying to stay open to the possibilities.
“It’s difficult to be a classical musician unless you have means. So, wealth inequality keeps black musicians from the profession.”
JASPER: What are your thoughts about being a working artist of color in the SC Midlands? Does the community of artists in general give you the support you need? If not, where do you get your support? Your sense of community?
CHANDLER: This is a difficult question. The classical community has been as “supportive” as it can be; they know me because I grew up here. I have however, experienced racism in spaces where I am known as well, but it’s South Carolina so you get used to it. In college I had teachers who were outwardly racist toward me for which I had to receive counseling. It was where I “learned” that those that have control over you can determine the outcome of your circumstances. I also had very generous professors for whom I’m very grateful.
It’s been a solitary existence. I’ve struggled with being one of the only black male string players working in Columbia. I can count on one hand how many there are. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that not seeing yourself in the world has been a hindrance. Without “stars” to reach, some personalities can languish in mediocrity, in the median, waiting for someone to tell them they can do “it” or recreating the wheel because there are few mentors. I wish it wasn’t like this, but it’s human. I want to grow to be an artist that sees what hasn’t been and isn’t afraid to try. I need to work smarter, not harder.
I believe that if SC and more locally Columbia wants to be a thriving city, that locals and tourists enjoy it will need to support the arts and entertainment in a more substantive way, by supporting artists. A specific issue that I experienced was not being able to find affordable housing. It took me a year to find an agency that would rent me the cheapest apartment I could find in a pleasant area. There is a lack of concern for artists in this regard. If artists can’t find affordable housing it must follow that they won’t be able to live here and add to the culture of our city. I’d rather not argue about the profession that I chose and my work ethic as I’m sure many readers will immediately question. Being an artist is a profession that has always required a bit of subsidy and/or help from patrons. I just hope that Columbia isn’t a place where only those that can afford to be artists; that come to the table with a level of wealth can make it work.
JASPER: How prevalent are classical musicians of color? How do the challenges of being a classical musician differ for artists of color – or do they? And if they do, what are your recommendations for meeting these challenges?
CHANDLER: There are more and more of us. In my opinion being in the classical music industry is difficult for everyone involved. It is a niche that is only now beginning to appeal to a wider audience mostly due to those entertainers who are trying to expose the art, with more contemporary styles and genres. However strictly “classical” music is still an artform that needs to be considered an investment not for its revenue stream but for its cultural and spiritual significance to our society.
It’s difficult to be a classical musician unless you have means. So, wealth inequality keeps black musicians from the profession. In fact, I’ve counseled students to be discerning when considering music as their only career option, for fear that they’ll have some of the same struggles that I’ve faced.
More positively I’ve participated in a few Black Classical Conferences like the Sphinx and Colour of Music organizations and its really nice to see you’re not alone; so nice to sit next to someone that has had similar experiences, someone you can look up to, or help inspire.
“I think it’s interesting that we pay so little for art, but the tools of the trade are so expensive.”
JASPER: As a culture, what needs to happen for us to see more young men and women of color pursuing careers in classical music?
CHANDLER: Columbia has a history of providing string education, particularly in the public schools. We should have more black musicians performing after high school. Many of things I’ve mentioned are barriers to this. Access to quality instruments is important. I got into a disagreement some time ago with a lawyer who claimed that anybody can succeed in this field if they work at it. I proposed that without means its difficult to pursue this career. The students that cultivate the best sound usually have a good instrument, whether they purchase or borrow it. Most black students borrow their instrument if the school provides it, or they don’t play. In most cases it will be the cheapest instrument the district deems it should spend, which won’t sound good and will not encourage the best from a student. When the year is over, they return it. The end. Communities that value this art form invest in it.
I think it’s interesting that we pay so little for art, but the tools of the trade are so expensive. Owning a good, bowed instrument is like owning a car. I was trying to explain how expensive quality instruments are, including all the accessories and maintenance. I’m grateful for being given the opportunity to acquire an instrument through many donors when I was in college. It’s an intermediate cello that I play professionally, a $4000 instrument and bow that I still play to this day. Where would I be without the generosity of thoughtful patrons?
We also need to be able to make and see more opportunities for success. I pray that the biases of the business community don’t make it hard for black artists to present their work and make a decent living doing so. Classical music is a small niche. It’s not beloved and sought after in the popular sphere. There are unique challenges for an art form that is in the minority culturally. Let’s take this a step further. Are rap artists, whose art informs popular culture, being given a chance to showcase their art in Columbia? When they are, are they treated equitably? More widely are black businesses being prejudged for the clients they might attract? Is it assumed that a black artist will not provide a quality experience? Are black artists being admonished to succeed without avenues to hone their skills? We know that white entrepreneurs are allowed to fail, but if they are black the judgement is disproportionate, and second chances are less likely. I wonder sometimes if I play less than perfect if I will be called again. There’s a level of doubt and anxiety that is perpetuated by all the things we encounter as black artists. It takes a lot to be confident under the pressures of this culture. I don’t have all the answers, but we can at least consider these types of issues when we are planning events and making spaces for artists.
When people move here, the complaint I here is that there is a lack of diversity and variety in the arts and entertainment. Could we be missing out as a city? I can’t speak for other groups, but I believe and will espouse that South Carolina has a special responsibility due to its past, to check racism, biases, and judgement in the continued effort to support black communities. In my opinion we should be given, yes given, more education, guidance, grace, and support because of the history of white supremacy in South Carolina.
JASPER: So, what’s next on the horizon for you, Idris?
CHANDLER: I’ll continue to push forward in business and my art. I find myself doing lots of things for other people, which is fun and informative, but I’d like to publish work and create art of my own. I have lots of interests and projects to finish. I’m passionate about making things whether it be art, music or students that thrive in their endeavors. I’d love to study abroad.
I’m very grateful that we are at a place where we feel it important to talk about race. In South Carolina, this willingness is long overdue and must be continued in the face of objections. Thanks for this platform. Thanks for highlighting the arts in Columbia, and thanks again for having me.
JASPER: Thank you so much for agreeing to take part in this unique interview form.
THANKS TO THE 2021 MEMBERS OF THE JASPER GUILD
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K. Wayne Thornley Presents Haunting Gallery Show Reflecting Loss, Memory, and What it Means to be Human
“Creating art has always been my…tether to my true self.”
On February 1st, we kicked off our Tiny Gallery show with K. Wayne Thornley. In five days, the show, Figure Studies, sold 9 out of 12 pieces. To learn more about Thornley and the inspiration behind this haunting and stunning collection, keep reading.
Thornley grew up in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and notes that being an artistic boy in the South was not exactly easy. His talents were acknowledged and appreciated—Thornley recalls family saying, “he can draw real good”—but a career in art was not a viable option.
“It took a long time for me to realize my parents simply did not have the tools to understand me or my fascination with making things,” Wayne recollects, “Luckily, I had some friends who supported me, and we all hung together until going to college.”
“he can draw real good”
When it comes to college, his parents were insistent on Thornley getting a degree. While he picked out a handful of colleges he was passionate about, like Parsons and RISD, his parents were not on the same page. They were concerned “art schools” did not promise a real job with security.
“It took a long time for me to realize my parents simply did not have the tools to understand me or my fascination with making things,”
“I basically said, before the phrase was popular, ‘Uh, hello! Do you know me?’” Thornley jokes, “They had something more practical in mind – like a business degree. Fast forward to them unloading me at UofSC in Columbia, giving me a kiss, wishing me luck, reminding me to make the Dean’s list and driving away.”
Thornley recalls that he spent the beginning of his time at school trying to find a major that could balance his parents’ wishes and his own desires, which he found in the school of journalism. Graphic design was an integral part of advertising, and upon following that path, Thornley could take several art classes.
“I graduated with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and what would equate to a minor in art studio,” he shares, “My first job was as a graphic designer, then art director. Because I could write, I became a creative director, then senior producer, communications director, VP of marketing, and so on.”
Throughout all these ventures with a variety of positions, Thornley has kept a studio at home for creative work. Even though he has never made a living from art, he has made a life with it: “Creating art has always been my escape, my therapy, the tether to my true self,” he intimates.
When it comes to what kind of art Thornley creates, he does not like to be limited. In the past four years, he has focused on painting and wire sculpture. However, throughout his creative journey, he has experimented with printmaking, fiber sculpture, painting, drawing, and assemblage.
“Because I have never made my living from art, I have always felt free to explore and experiment with many mediums, and I love object-making as much as image-making,” he remarks, “I have been fortunate enough to find a few gallerists, jurors and patrons who have found merit in my work over the years.”
The largest influence on Thornley’s work, though, was being a part of his father’s Alzheimer’s experience. Thornley had often worked with images and objects that, in his eyes, mirrored the past, like landscapes of the Lowcountry he was raised in. However, watching his father’s decline was an experience that altered his art as well as his life.
“Watching my dad slowly fade away, forgetting words, names, and faces changed my perspective on who we are as individuals in this life. Without memories, everything loses its significance. As the mind becomes a blank slate, the body becomes a shell,” he imparts, “That kind of thing changes you. All my work deals with that experience on some level whether in figures that seem to be searching or wire structures that represent cages or containers of fragile elements.”
And these themes move through the lines that trace each figure in Thornley’s Tiny Gallery show. He wanted to “continue [his] investigation of the human form in space, some strong, some weak, some uncertain” and to create works that may serve as inspiration for larger pieces in his upcoming show at Stormwater Studios.
If you visit Figure Studies, you will see 12 individuals, sketched in graphite and painted with acrylic. Some seem to lean forward from their boards as if to await conversation or whisper almost tangibly. Some look away, just off-stage, or cover their heads, both at something unknown. Some are tethered, to wings and to wrappings. Though all appear as people, they all seem to ask: “What is it that makes us human?”
Those in the Columbia area are likely not new to the staying power of Thornley’s work. He has been on this journey of storytelling for some time now. Full of memories, he recalls that his favorite moment as an artist happened around two years ago, when he spent a week at Arrowmont School in Tennessee.
“I worked in the fiber studio combining my sculptural forms with abaca fibers and handmade paper,” he reflects, “It was a freeing experience for me, to finally be an artist at ‘art school’ with other artists and no other purpose or agenda than to create.”
On the note of recent events having a profound effect, 2020 and 2021 have been unlike any other years, for every artist, and Thornley shares that they have shaped his work, building on and contributing layers to the themes he already explored.
“The things that have happened in our country, mostly beginning with the election of 2016, have only added to my perceptions of what is real, what is important, and what the value of our lives, together, really add up to,” he asserts, “In my opinion, any artist whose work has not been affected in some way by the world events of the last four years might need to reconsider what they are doing.”
As stated above, Thornley’s next exhibition will be in May at Stormwater Studios here in Columbia. He will be showing new figurative paintings alongside the sculptural work of clay artist Lucy Bailey.
“While our interpretations of the figure are quite different, I think the juxtaposition of the two will make for an interesting show,” Thornley states, “We are not sure about what form the opening of this show will take. We may do a virtual opening. As with everything else in these uncertain times, you must move forward and make your choices as they arise.”
As for after the show? “I plan to continue painting small works and put more time into exploring my wire structures,” Thornley ruminates, “Maybe I will weave myself a cocoon and reemerge when COVID-19 is not the major focus of each day.”
You can see Thornley’s show 24/7 via the Jasper website until the final day of February. If you want to be one of the lucky people to snag one of the last 3 pieces in the show, you can also do so at any time: https://the-jasper-project.square.site/tiny-gallery
—Christina Xan
Spotlight on Writer Aliada Duncan
Aliada Duncan
Aliada Duncan was born in Beaufort, SC in 1992 and relocated to Columbia in 2008. A graduate of Limestone College, she will be graduating this year with an MSW from Winthrop University.
Duncan says she began writing at the age of thirteen. “Writing was a way for me to express myself. My pre-teen and teen years were tough. I started off writing poems. I was most inspired by Langston Hughes.”
Duncan says, “I’ve self-published six books thus far in total. My first book, Wordplay: A Potion Name Poetry was officially my introduction to the world of writing. It was composed of poems that I had written throughout the years.”
Her other publications include Gumbo: A Potent Poetry and Parables, a novella titled Satan, You Can’t Have My Marriage, two books of erotica titled Secrets Under My tongue and Flames: Magic at Midnight; and her most recent book is, Tongues: Enter My Ethos. All have been self-published and are available from Amazon.
Duncan started her own business in June of 2020, Anu Vision LLC and says, “I’ve been busy with getting that off the ground. I haven’t written in a while; however, you haven’t seen the last of me.”
And here’s a sample of Duncan’s work:
The G.O.A.T Chronicles
I am God frequency energy
The inner-G in me is key to immortality
What I am relaying is a result of what I am displaying
Slaying the odds with my warmest regards
I am the essence of this message
I have opened a portal and undefeated by mortals
In totality and in total
Whether local or worldwide, my illumination, you just can’t hide
Fruitful and forbidden, my power cannot be hidden
With pride and stride, I conquered the battles presented to me
Now they realize that my presence is a present
I am King to the peasants
Power I devour, it’s what I represent
I ascend and send solutions for my revolution
I descend and suspend executions of my evolution
Consistency is infinitely embedded inside of me
My levels is hard to reach, hard to sustain
My reign on the throne is solidified
My magnetism defies the isms
My prism holds the light—
It cannot be dimmed, try as you might
I have summoned my sanctuary
Building contrary to what was meant to bury, me
You’re not even worth my stardust
I am governed by the divine
This brilliance is my shrine
This is the rhythm, this is the rhyme
My potency should be a crime
The G.O.A.T— Greatest of all time