The Supper Table Goes to Jasper County!

THE MORRIS CENTER FOR LOWCOUNTRY HERITAGE

We’re delighted to announce that the Supper Table, the Jasper Project’s most ambitious project to date, is traveling to the South Carolina Lowcountry this summer for a 6-month-long residency at the Morris Center for Low Country Heritage in Ridgeland, Jasper County, South Carolina.

The Supper Table, an homage to the 40th anniversary of Judy Chicago’s 1979 epic feminist art exhibition, is a multidisciplinary arts project celebrating the history and contributions of 12 extraordinary South Carolina women and featuring the work of almost 60 of South Carolina’s most outstanding women artists in the visual, literary, theatrical, and film arts.

Place setting honoring SC artist Eartha Kitt by Mana Hewitt

The Supper Table was created between 2018 and 2019 and began touring the state in November 2019, traveling from Columbia to Irmo, Camden, Florence, Lake City, and more, but its itinerary was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information on the women honored with seats at the table created by outstanding SC women artists, as well as the writers, filmmakers, theatre artists, visual artists, and portrait artist Kirkland Smith, please visit the Supper Table page on the Jasper Project website.

Place setting honoring SC’s Dr. Matilda Evans by SC artist Rene Rouillier

The Morris Center for Low Country Heritage has a number of educational and interpretive events planned to further explore and celebrate the Supper Table including the following.

7/16/2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Table Talk: The Supper Table Opening

Kayleigh Vaughn/Cindi Boiter

Part history lesson, part art installation, all homage. The Supper Table, its origins and impact on South Carolina Women’s History is the topic of conversation with Morris Center Curator Kayleigh Vaughn and Jasper Project Director Cindi Boiter.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/table-talk/

8/12/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Visual Artists' Panel

Tonya Gregg, BA Hohman, Flavia Lovatelli

Enjoy some lively table talk as several of the visual artists from The Supper Table discuss their role and process in contributing to the art installation.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/take-a-seat-visual-artists-panel/

Many of the SC artists involved in the Supper Table project

9/20/2022

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

South Carolina "Herstory"

Dr. Valinda Littlefield

Scores of women have left an indelible mark on “herstory” in the Palmetto State. This inspiring talk connects to The Supper Table.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/south-carolina-herstory/

10/21/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Writers' Panel

Christina Xan, Claudia Smith Brinson, Kristine Hartvigsen

Food for thought? In conjunction with The Supper Table, several writers share about their role and process contributing to the exhibition.

11/18/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Filmmakers' Panel

Ebony Wilson, Carleen Maur, LeeAnn Kornegay

Food for thought? In conjunction with The Supper Table, several filmmakers share about their role and process contributing to the exhibition.

THE BEAT: Sam and Illia The Duo of All Trades

By Emily Moffitt

Sam & Illia are not your average cover duo. Based out of Columbia, the two talented musicians met up through a mutual association with the local music instruction school Freeway Music and decided to form a performing duo with Sam playing bass or guitar and Illia on vocals. Both of them have been around music for most of their lives, with Sam picking up the guitar in college after playing piano as a child, and Illia participating in theater groups while taking voice lessons since the age of 4. Falling in love with the idea of musical performance was what set them on the track to pursue music as a career.            

There is no preferred genre of the duo; rather, they perform everything they love to hear from soul and jazz to punk rock. Both musicians developed their craft on their own at first; Sam learned to utilize one of the most powerful tools a musician can use: his own ears. “I love bands like Pink Floyd, and drew a lot of bass specific influence from Flea,” he says. “What was big for me in learning to play would be putting on some recordings of my favorite songs and just listening to the bass lines by ear, or I would just have to learn the song by ear entirely.”  

Illia herself grew up through an emo phase with the music she listened to, finding Paramore to be heavily influential. She eventually got into the R&B scene, citing Bruno Mars and Kehlani as two beacons of inspiration for forming her own lyrical style. Her secret weapon to developing her voice and deciding what style works for what song is repetition. “I try to get creative with runs when I’m singing, and repetition helps a lot with that. I try to do something different every time I record, so I can go back and pick out something I like, then try to repeat what I did that sounded the best.”  

Sam and Illia each have their own creative techniques when it comes to creating the duo's distinct sound. Sam’s own guitar playing is heavily influenced by guitarists like John Mayer, and the desire for the cleanest sound. Illia’s solo sound is rooted in a balance between punk or soul. For Illia, her goal is to be a true individual; “I don’t want to sound like anyone else,” she states. “I really want my voice to be my own.” Put them together, and the duo accomplishes beautiful covers of everything they touch, from jazz pieces to pop music.

 The duo appreciates how great the music scene of Columbia is for anyone wanting to kick off their career; “The scene in Greenville was extremely competitive, and in Columbia I’ve never had an easier time getting gigs for us than now,” Sam states. The two value the business side of the music scene highly, something that both musicians believe other musicians should take into consideration when they’re starting their own careers. “It matters a lot more than some realize,” Sam and Illia say. “Learning marketing and how to make the money work for your gigs is super important.”  

Illia’s biggest piece of advice for other musicians emphasizes both talent and persistence; “It really matters how much you pursue it. You could be the best musician ever but if you don’t put yourself forward, you’re not going to get to the place you want to get, which I’ve learned even more since we started working together.” 

Sam & Illia can be found on Instagram (@samandillia), Facebook (@samandillia), and their personal website (https://www.samandillia.com/). Upcoming performances include a show at Gardeners’ Outpost on Franklin Street on June 24, Lexington Farmer’s Market on June 25, Steel Hands Brewing on July 17, and more! 

Chapin Theatre Company Announces CALL for 10 Minute Play Scripts

CALL FOR SCRIPTS!

Exciting News from our Friends at Chapin Theatre Company!

Submissions will be open from June 15 through August 26.  We will accept only one play per playwright this year, so submit your best piece!

Other rules:

• Playwright must live in South Carolina

• Play must be no longer than 12 minutes in length

• Maximum of 5 characters

• Simple production with limited set pieces

• Keep it PG 13 or less

• Play should be in a "play format" and saved as a pdf. Play title and page number must be written on each page

• This is a blind submission, so your name must NOT be written on the script

Plays will be selected in early September.  The eight winning plays will be part of the 2nd Annual 10-Minute-Ish Play Festival on November 4-5 at the Firehouse Theatre in Chapin.

Good Writing and Good Luck!

Submit

here!

Art Show by Jasper Magazine Spring 2022 Cover Artist Lindsay Radford Wiggins Opening at 701 Whaley on July 10th

with Linda Toro

Artist Lindsay Radford Wiggins’ show, Stardust, will be featured at the hallway gallery at 701 Whaley St. in Columbia, SC July 10–Aug. 27. The public is invited to view the artwork and meet the artist, as well as purchase original works and prints during a reception on July 10 from 6–8 p.m. 

Radford Wiggins is the cover artist for the Spring 2022 issue of Jasper Magazine which is circulating around Columbia now. 

Stardust features a series of oil and watercolor paintings that embody a spiritual authenticity and Wiggins’ signature whimsical flair. Influenced by German expressionism and women surrealists, the works speak of the artist’s personal experiences, connections, and emotions, making each piece a diary-like entry of celestial swirls. The playful imagery and repetition of symbols invite the viewer to call upon their own life experiences and create their own personal dialog.  

The exhibition offers an opportunity to see the breadth and depth of Wiggins’ work – in addition to larger canvases and watercolors, a series of her smaller paintings will also be on view. Wiggins says, “The process of painting many small works in one sitting helps with meditative flow and opens me to being more playful with imagery.” 

Born and raised in Alabama where she attended the Booker T. Washington Magnet Art School, Wiggins says that the experience helped shape her as a young artist. Now living in Columbia, SC, where she completed her BA in Studio Art at Columbia College, Wiggins says, “Art, for me, is a therapeutic way of moving what is inside me into a physical form. My hope is that my work uplifts, inspires, and empowers others to seek their own voice.”

THE BEAT: Glass Mansions Homecoming

Photo credit: Mia Al-Taher

When Glass Mansions plays New Brookland Tavern this Saturday night, June 25th, it will be a homecoming of sorts for the former Columbia band, which packed up and moved to Austin Texas in January of 2021. Now a duo of founding members Blake Arambula and Jayna Doyle, Glass Mansions is on their first cross country tour since relocating, and they couldn’t be happier to be back on the road.

“The music scene here is all different genres, and they’re all really supportive of each other, but I’m still trying to find my New Brookland Tavern out here,” says singer Jayna Doyle, referring to the West Columbia venue that was their home base for many years. “There’s not really anywhere that’s going to replace that for us yet–that’s why we are excited to be back on tour and coming home to Columbia to play again.”

It has been a long road, metaphorically speaking, for Doyle and Arambula since their move in the middle of the pandemic.

“When Covid first happened we were in the middle of a tour, in the middle of Iowa, driving through corn fields and listening to AM radio as they were talking about this virus, and local cases in the US, it felt like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie,” Arambula recalls. “We were booked at SXSW that year for ten different showcases, a lot was going to be happening. We showed up in Austin and it was a ghost town, it was crazy to see that. Usually when we would come it would be buzzing and busy.”

In January 2021, the pair made the move to Austin official.

“It was surprisingly easier than we thought it would be,” Arambula says. “I work in live events, so when all that got canceled we had a window of time where we could do whatever we wanted, and that became moving to Austin.” Once there, the duo had to negotiate the local scene and find their way around a new town, however.

“As soon as we got there Blake started hosting an Emo Bingo night and since it was one of the only things going on mid-week around town, we got to meet a lot of people through that,” Doyle says. “We were able to become friends with people and then when covid became less of a danger and things opened up more, we already had these connections established.”

Austin, Texas has a reputation as a live music town, and both Doyle and Arambula agree that it has been living up to the hype for them.

“We feel a little spoiled,” Doyle says. “There’s often too much to do. We went to the Austin City Limits Festival, one of the biggest festival shows I’ve been to. We’ve been soaking it all in, and we have been fortunate to get to see a lot of bands we look up to, bands we are influenced by in our own music.”

Their own music, after all, is what they are in Austin for, and it’s what has brought them back to live performance and touring. 
“We hit the ground running this year, and got some cool opportunities to open for other bands,” Doyle says. “It has been nonstop for us the past few months. There’s a pop scene here, a synth scene, there’s a space for our kind of music, too.” 

That music is still the same bracing electro-pop alt-rock sound Columbia audiences know from previous releases, though the two-piece nature of the current lineup means they have been refining, and redefining, their sound. 

The pair have been working on new music, and plan for its release soon.

“We are being more intentional, especially with the lyrics,” Doyle says. “In the past things have been kind of rushed, but now we have been doing some recording in Austin with Taylor Webb producing–it is a new thing for us to trust someone else we don’t know with our music. That’s exciting, and a little scary, and we are challenging ourselves and the process more.”

Arambula is just happy to be playing music in front of an audience, he says. “We were unsure before now about booking anything for the past year, but finally decided that the time was right. We needed to play, to get back on the road and revisit the places we have been, and see our friends and fans out there.”  

Glass Mansions
New Brookland Tavern
Saturday, July 25th
Facbook Event

The Art of the Dad Joke

No, Neil Patrick Harris and his beautiful family are not from Columbia, SC, but I wish they were. And since he has started a whole new newsletter project that, in honor of Father’s Day, shared some classic so-bad-they’re-good jokes this week, I decided to take a closer look at the Art of the Dad Joke - which, let’s face it, takes a certain skill set to pull off. Or not. Which really is the key to the Dad Joke to start with.

The following Dad Jokes come straight from the brain of Dr. Olaf Doogie Horrible himself, and You can subscribe to his newsletter, too, by simply clicking here.

To all the dads, granddads, stepdads, baby daddies, special uncles, and father figures out there, Happy Father’s Day. But most importantly, learn how to tell a joke and how to take yourself less seriously.

Now, are you ready to roll your eyes?

• Two guys walk into a bar…you would have thought one of them would have seen it.

• My son turned four today. I didn’t recognize him, I had never seen him be four.

• Do you know about the king who was 12 inches tall? He was a horrible king but he made a great ruler.

• Dad, can you tell me the difference between a grape and a raisin? No sun.

• Why do naval ships in Norway have barcodes on the sides? So when they get to port they can Scan-da-navy-in.

• Today this guy knocked on my door asking for donations for the local pool. So I went into the kitchen and gave him a glass of water.

• What rhymes with orange? No, it doesn’t.

• What’s the difference between a well-dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly-dressed man on a bicycle? Attire.

• You’ve heard of Pop Tarts, right? Why aren’t there any Mom Tarts? It’s because of the pastry-archy. - (My Favorite!)

• Dad jokes are how eyeroll. (My least favorite!)

ELVIS TRIBUTE by BERNIE LOVE & THE MEMPHIS THREE (aka Columbia's Favorite Playboys & Friend) - July 2nd at the Art Bar

JULY 2ND, 2022!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few words from Marty Fort, founder and director of the Columbia Arts Academy and longtime member of the Capital City Playboys, who encourages music lovers to mark their calendars for July 2nd.

“So everyone's excited for the new [Warner Brothers} ELVIS movie coming, out...But I want to HIGHLY encourage you to come to Art Bar on July 2nd to see Columbia's full blown and brand NEW Elvis Tribute set Bernie Love featuring the Capital City Playboys with Patrick Baxley bringing the heat as Elvis.” 

“[We’re] so excited to rock this set of Elvis tunes, many of which we performed at the Guest House at Graceland in April. So come out for this EARLY show 8:30 p.m. Who knows if we'll ever do it again?” 

Bernie Love will be followed by a rocking set by the Capital City Playboys as well as Jared Petteys and the Headliners. There may even be more surprises in store.

The Art Bar is located at 1211 Park Street in Columbia’s historic Congaree Vista.

DRAW JASPER and Be on the COVER of JASPER MAGAZINE!

Draw Jasper

Win YOUR SPOT on the Cover of Jasper Magazine!

Have you always wondered what Jasper would look like if Jasper was a real living and breathing entity? Would they have purple hair and sexy eyes or be bald and bodacious? Would they have a big nose and bigger ears, bowed legs or knocked knees? Hairy arms? A shiny grill? Now you can let your imagination run wild as you create an image of Jasper as you see them!

The winning entry will score the coveted spot as the Cover Artist for the Fall 2022 issue of Jasper Magazine as well as a $250 cash prize.

All accepted images will be included in the Draw Jasper Art Show and available for purchase at the artist-designated price, with the artists receiving 75% of the sale price and 25% going toward the publication of Jasper Magazine.

Entry Requirements

• Photos or scans of the original artwork should be emailed to JasperProjectColumbia@gmail.com no later than August 15, 2022 DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 9TH! and should include your name, contact info, and the price point for your original art. The original art will be exhibited in the Draw Jasper Art Show.

• Emailed images should be 8.5x11” and high-resolution (ideally at least 300 dpi and in CMYK).

• The original art should not exceed 8.5 x 11 inches and there should be space allowed for the masthead along the top or bottom of the image.

• Any medium is allowed as long as the original is 2-D.

• Jasper may be depicted full-length, as a portrait, or anything in between.

• Finalists will be notified by September 1, 2022 and details of the Draw Jasper Art Show will be announced then.

SCENT by Heather LaHaise Opens at Stormwater Studios Wednesday June 15th

In the new Heather LaHaise art show, Scent, opening on Wednesday June 15th at Stormwater Studios in Columbia, SC, the artist says, “Dogs possess an amazing sense of smell and the scents they gravitate to inspired this series. They have the unique capability to analyze smells well beyond any human. Aside from being our best friends, They sniff out bombs and drugs, pursue suspects, find dead bodies, and even help find cures for disease.”

She continues, “In SCENT. I have researched and then selected 20 scents (one per painting) they are drawn to. I hope to acknowledge the scent, while at the same time create a work that appeals to the human visual sense!”

While LaHaise’s portfolio certainly includes her share of abstracts and attractive, inviting interiors, like the one above, it is her collection of canine portraits for which she has become well known.

Macron

The Stormwater show at 413 Pendleton Street runs from June 15-19 with a reception June 16 from 5 - 8 pm.

The public is invited to attend.

VOTE FOR JASPER for Free Times Best of Columbia Local Website Music/Entertainment

There are a lot of reasons to vote for Jasper for the Free Times Best of Columbia Local Website Music/Entertainment.

1. Jasper is the only Local Website devoted JUST to local music, art, and entertainment, so you know we have you covered when it comes to staying on top of news and events

2. Jasper is written and maintained entirely by artists and entertainers themselves who have a vested interest in keeping the local music, arts, and entertainment industry healthy and vital!

3. When we go wherever we go to work or play we are surrounded by friends and colleagues who are going to hold our feet to the fire to keep us accountable to them and to you, our readers, to make sure we are giving you the best local coverage we can.

But most of all, vote for us because Jasper loves you and we’re in your corner- swinging, and fighting, praying and loving, and sending out all the good vibes to make Columbia the best music, arts, and entertainment city it can possibly be.

Support your local grassroots, non-profit, ain’t-nobody-making-no-money-offa-you arts organization - THE

An Evening with the Columbia Repertory Dance Company THIS SATURDAY

The Public is invited to an evening with the city’s newest professional dance organization, the Columbia Repertory Dance Company, on Saturday, June 18th at 7 pm at Columbia Music Festival Association - 914 Pulaski Street.

There will be snacks and adult beverages, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the dance company and its mission for performances and growth in the South Carolina Midlands. Attendees will also get an inside look at works in progress and meet new company members.

The event is hosted by the board of directors for the Columbia Repertory Dance Company including company founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins.

There is a suggested donation of $25 which can be made

online

or at the door.

THE BEAT: Both Sides Now Lang Owen explores stories and sounds on his new album "She’s My Memory"

By Kevin Oliver

Columbia singer-songwriter Lang Owen’s new album She’s My Memory is a relationships album, but not in the classic boy-meets-girl pop music mold. Rather, the sixty-something Owen has collected what amounts to a lifetime of thoughts here on friendships of all kinds, from romantic partners new and old to co-workers and the people we see on TV screens and newspaper bylines. In putting the album together, he also relied on musical relationships built over the past five years since he emerged onto the local scene. 

Owen enlisted fellow songwriter and guitarist Todd Mathis as his producer, with a diverse cast of additional players on board and additional recording and mastering from Carl Burnitz. The result is a shimmering statement of purpose, a beautifully rendered collection of songs that tell stories in a way that captures the heart and the imagination. Musical touchstones from James Taylor to Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Todd Rundgren, and more reveal themselves upon repeated listens, but Owen has firmly established his own sound and style with this new album.

There are stories both told and implied here, from the simple work ethic of “Man With A Broom,” to the internal evaluation of “Where Does The River Start?” Of the latter, Owen says, “On the surface the narrator is dealing with a breakup, but in my mind, he’s questioning himself–how did I get to this point, where am I going from here, and especially, how have I made some of the choices I did along the way?” 

Some of the choices Owen made in recording these songs included expanding his musical palette well beyond just himself, with the assistance of producer Todd Mathis. It was all in the preparation, Owen says.

“We sat down with scratch tracks of the songs I recorded on my own and brainstormed what kind of instrumentation would work with each,” He recalls. Guest musicians who ended up participating include drummer Mike Scarboro (The Runout), guitarist Zach Bingham, and backing vocals from Becca Smith of Admiral Radio. Bass duties were split between Chris Paget, Jeff Gregory (The Runout), Mathis’ former bandmate Kevin Kimbrell, and Mathis himself, who also filled multiple other instrumental roles. 

Being in a “band” situation isn’t exactly a new thing for Owen, though it had been a while, he admits.

“I played in bands in the 1980s, and I enjoyed playing with other people,” He says. “When I picked music back up in 2017(after decades as a teacher, visual artist, and social worker), I played by myself mostly because I just didn’t know any other musicians.” 

There are story songs here that those who have followed Owen’s solo acoustic shows the past few years will recognize as falling directly in his usual style, such as the topical “Last Gasp Of The News.” This time around there are also songs where the sound falls more toward the “band” side of things, with a particular vibe that a simple acoustic guitar arrangement wouldn’t be able to achieve as vividly.

“Collection Day” is one such tune, with an unhurried, yet rhythmic indie rock feel not too far from bands such as Yo La Tengo. “Smile From You” leans on Owen’s strummed guitar, but the other elements contribute to the song’s unsettled, foreboding atmosphere of an uncomfortable snapshot in time.

“We spent a lot of time on working out that one,” Owen says. “It went through a lot of different variations to get where it did–any time you work with great musicians, they’ll come up with great ideas.” 

Even with the expanded arrangements and feel of the recording sessions, Owen’s flair for narrative shines through. The title track “She’s My Memory” is a story song about telling stories, where a comment from a co-worker about remembering his life better than he does prompted a story of a person losing their memory who is still able to remember it through his wife’s anecdotes.

“I think that song sets the tone for the album,” Owen concludes, “which in part is about the importance of relationships to our well-being.” 

In “Everybody Here” the opening lines, in their own way, reach that same conclusion–we all help each other, whether we realize it or not: 

“Everybody here’s my therapist

I need all the help I can get

I look around, I’m losing my ground

I don’t like what I see one bit

I float by like a whisper, you hand me a megaphone

In our own little worlds somehow, we’re not alone

We’re not alone”

Lang Owen releases “She’s My Memory” officially on all platforms June 17th. The release show, featuring a full backing band of many of the players on the album, happens at Curiosity Coffee on Saturday, June 18th, from 5-8 p.m. $10 

Facebook Event with ticket link

Summer Reading: Columbia Folks Share What They're Reading This Summer

Joelle Ryan-Cook

Love them or hate them there’s something about South Carolina summers (or wherever you go to escape them) that make you look forward to losing yourself in a fabulous book or two, or four, or five.

For me (Cindi), the world has been a bit too much lately and I’m craving the escape and pretend power that comes with magical realism and fantasy. I want to lose myself in a world that allows me to twitch my nose and make all those NRA lobbyists and the politicians who take their money turn into the cockroaches they really are. So, I’ll be reading the 4th in Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series, published late in 2021, The Book of Magic.

Practical Magic, the first book on which the 1998 movie starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman was based was published in 1995 and was so much better than the film. (So, if you loved the film, you’ll flip over the book!) The other books in the series fully develop the history of the Owens sisters and the magic they possess. This last volume ties all the loose ends together and I can’t wait!

I asked several of my friends to tell me what they were either looking forward to reading this summer or what they would recommend for summer reading. Here are the goodies they shared --

“I’m looking forward to reading The Art of OOO by Chris McDonnell. This is a coffee table sized art book about the creation of the Cartoon Network show Adventure Time. The book is filled with process art and sketches used to invent a visual universe and creative characters from scratch and I’m excited to see how they did it!

That is when Mary the Dog is through with it!”

-       Marius Valdes

“I loved the Netflix series Heartstopper--so sweet!--so I just ordered all four graphic novels. One of my students had recommended it. Maybe I'll get a chance to teach it next spring!”

-       Ed Madden

“I love sharing books I’ve read! My two favorites are below! 

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney 

Fabulous story told by a woman who walks around NY City on New Year’s Eve and remembers her life through the people she meets - Jazz Age to current times. Fiction but based on actual person.  

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - love everything by her!

A “present-day” story with a mystery element and an unlikely team of investigators including a discredited psych – this book tells the story of Alice in her childhood and college years and her decision to go to Africa to study elephants. Lots of fabulous info about elephants – Picoult did her research!” 

-       Dolly Patton

“Oooh...I love this... 

“I’m looking forward to reading, actually listening to (truth be told, I prefer audiobooks these days) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. May not be "summer read" material for some, but I just listened to his "The Nickel Boys" and my two teenagers were entranced. Hoping they'll feel the same on summer road trips with this book as well!  

-       Melanie Huggins

“I like crime and heavier stuff. If you haven’t read the Patricia Cornwell Scarpetta novels, start. Postmortem is the first. Dr. Kay Scarpetta is one of my favorite characters and Cornwell’s forensic knowledge keeps you enlightened and turning every page as you learn the gruesome details as well as her well written characters. 

-       Kristin Cobb

“For me, the slower pace of summer is something I look forward to as I like to spend time discovering new recipes and cooking for friends all season. This year I have been thinking about my mother’s Italian family and how much their zest for life is expressed through gatherings around the table with great food and wine. I am going to take a deep dive into that heritage through the classic 1992 cookbook The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

Reading cookbooks full of stories, history, glossaries, and technique is a summertime joy.” 

-       Joelle Ryan -Cook

“This summer, I’ll be spending a lot of time with Alice Childress’ play Wedding Band, because I’ll be editing it for inclusion in South Carolina Onstage, a 200-year history of Palmetto State drama. That bit of officiousness notwithstanding, it’s a terrific read at a time when marriage rights are still being debated and dinosaurs still stalk the land. It’s set in Charleston and explores the sociopolitical complexities of interracial marriage during a flu epidemic—I mean how topical can you get? It opened at New York’s Public Theatre in 1972 and has remounted around the world many hundreds of times.” 

-       Jon Tuttle 

“I’m looking forward to reading, Hopes and Impediments by Chinua Achebe because he's one of my favorite authors and that's one of the only books in his collection I haven't read yet. 

I have been obsessed by Thomas Freidman's Thank you for Being Late because while it does do a great job of making you rethink being "late", it incredibly breaks down how far behind technology human adaptability is and how critical it is that we update all of our societal systems: education, criminal justice, transportation, social, city development, etc. - to be able to adapt to our new tech-driven world.”  

-       Sherard "Shekeese" Duvall

THE BEAT: Former Voice contestant CammWess debuts new single, video for “Tired”

By Kyle Petersen

It’s been a few years since Columbia area native CammWess made somewhat of a splash on season 18 of NBC’s The Voice. The young, fresh-faced R&B singer got to work with one of his biggest inspirations and influences in John Legend at just 21 years old, and ultimately finished 4th on the show, just shy of the finals.

The reason he was on The Voice at all, of course, is his tremendous talent. Blessed with a deep, sultry voice capable of rattling the rafters as well as a crooning falsetto, CammWess also demonstrated some budding songwriting chops on the show and was allowed to premiere an original, “Save it for Tomorrow,” in addition to his covers of tunes The Weeknd’s “Earned It,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” and “Say Something (I’m Giving Up On You),” A Great Big World song famously performed with Christina Aguilera.

While the peak of his fame on the show was unfortunately timed with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, CammWess has doubled down on his original material in recent years, including his most recent single “Tired.”

In addition to showcasing his consummate vocal talent and increasingly polished songcraft, the tune features fluttery background vocal processing that lends a contemporary edge and hints at a more adventurous production style in the artist’s future. But most compelling is the video from HoneyButter productions, a fully formed production that brings the song’s romantic heartbreak to life. View it below. CammWess is set to play the SolFest RollFest in Earlewood Park July 2.

Happy Hour Release Party for Jasper Magazine Spring 2022 - Thursday, June 9th at Black Rooster Rooftop Bar

Join us as we celebrate all the artists honored in the spring 2022 issue of Jasper Magazine for the official release event at 5:30 on Thursday, June 9th at the Black Rooster’s beautiful rooftop bar.

Among the artists we’ll be celebrating are cover artist Lindsay Radford (written by Kristine Hartvigsen) and centerfold Michael Krajewski (which was shot by Brad Martin in the Black Rooster itself!)

In a jam-packed 64 pages you’ll find another piece by Kristine Hartvigsen on Mike Miller’s new novel, The Hip Shot, as well as excerpts from Jane Zenger and Angelo Geter’s new books of poetry from Muddy Ford Press.

Music editor Kevin Oliver put together a detailed section of new music called “10 to Watch” featuring new work from Saul Seibert, Katera, Desiree Richardson, Tam the Vibe, Rex Darling, Space Force, Admiral Radio, Hillmouse, Candy Coffins, and Lang Owen, with contributing writing from Kyle Petersen and Emily Moffitt.

Tam the Vibe

Stephanie Allen writes about Josetra Baxter and Tamara Finkbeiner’s Walking on Water Productions and their new series Secrets in Plain Sight, with photography by Bree Burchfield.

And we highlight Columbia artist Quincy Pugh as well as feature Will South’s interview with Tyrone Geter all the way from Gambia.

The Three Graces by Quincy Pugh

USC filmmaker Carleen Maur helps us understand more about the art of experimental filmmaking.

Emily Moffitt profiles visual artists Rebecca Horne, Lucy Bailey, and designer Diko Pekdemir-Lewis.

Ed Madden curates poetry from Juan David Cruz-Duarte and Terri McCord.

Christina Xan details the incredible success of Cooper Rust and her non-profit organization, Artists for Africa.

Cindi Boiter profiles SC Arts Commission executive director David Platts, with photography by Brodie Porterfield, and writes about the new public art, Motherhood by Nora Valdez, with exquisite photography by Stephen Chesley.

Motherhood by Nora Valdez, phot by Stephen Chesley

And finally, we memorialize two pillars of the Columbia arts community, Mary Bentz Gilkerson and Wim Roefs, whose loss this spring we are still reeling from.

——

We look forward to seeing you Thursday night.

The event is free and Black Rooster’s regular rooftop bar will be serving drinks and food. Come by for happy hour and grab a drink, a magazine, and a hug from your favorite folks. Or plan on staying a while and grabbing dinner or snacks.

Thanks to restauranteur extraordinaire Kristian Niemi for hosting us.

We can’t wait to see you and show off these exceptional artists who call Columbia, SC home!

Jasper Welcomes Cindy Saad to the Tiny Gallery

By Emily Moffitt

Jasper is happy to announce the launch of Cindy Saad’s breathtaking jewelry art in our Tiny Gallery for the month of June.

Saad is an artisanal jewelry maker who draws inspiration and creativity from the natural world around her, soaking in the beauty and artistic value of anything from a beach scene to a beautiful sunset. Her creative process for many of her works, including those featured in Tiny Gallery, revolves around the subtle manipulation of the stones and thin wire in order to create undulating works of wearable art. Other pieces for Tiny Gallery include paperweights, cufflinks, and many of her pendant necklaces. 

Saad’s portfolio has been showcased in many art galleries, including the I. Pinckney Simons Gallery, the Columbia Museum of Art, and the City Art Gallery. Alongside these honors, Cindy also placed 2nd in the State Fair Open Media category and was selected to the American Craft Council Southeast Region Spotlight in 2003. 
Saad’s work will be available to peruse and purchase via Jasper’s online gallery until the end of June at https://the-jasper-project.square.site/tiny-gallery.

Film “Common as Red Hair” by Robbie Robertson Depicts Under-told Story of Intersex Birth

by Stephanie Allen

The “I” in LGBTQIA+ doesn’t stand for invisible. It stands for intersex.

This is the message that intersex activist Kimberly Zieselman wants people to know about upcoming short film, “Common as Red Hair.”

Until a year ago, Robbie Robertson wasn’t even aware of the issue that would become the subject of his screenplay. “Common As Red Hair” is a narrative film that covers the aftermath of a funeral where two parents are forced to reevaluate their decision to have gender “corrective” surgery on their intersex child.

Robertson had heard of intersex, but didn’t realize the frequency of intersex births and the regularity of medically unnecessary (and often harmful) surgeries performed on intersex infants for the sake of “normalization.” This film, more than an artistic endeavor, is meant to raise awareness about the damages of these operations.

Zieselman was brought on board to the project to give her expertise, not only as an activist, but as an intersex person herself. Now serving as the project’s executive producer, she distinguishes between intersexuality, gender identity, and sexual orientation. “It’s really talking more about the body and the physical sex traits or sex characteristics… like genitals, reproductive organs and hormone levels and chromosomes,” she says.

Essentially, intersex is a broad term used to describe people who have sex characteristics that fall outside of the male-female binary. Being intersex is different from being transgender, though both groups fight for bodily autonomy. Additionally, intersex people can have any gender identity— being intersex does not mean a person identifies as non-binary. The film’s title, “Common as Red Hair” contextualizes how frequently these kinds of births occur— nearly two percent of births are intersex.

Starring Days of Our Lives’ Kassie DePaiva and Wally Kurth as mother and father, the film has already garnered attention for its script. “I know good dialogue when I read it,” Kurth says. “Robbie’s always had a good ear for dialogue… it’s a really well-written story.”

Kurth and Robertson met about 14 years ago through UCLA’s online screenwriting program. From there, Kurth became a fan of Robertson’s writing. So, after reading the script, Kurth knew he wanted to be part of the project.

DePaiva describes her addition to the cast as a “God moment.” Kurth introduced DePaiva to Robertson at a soap opera event, and she was open to working on the project before even reading a script. “I had no idea he was going to come up with such a beautiful, powerful script about something that is so relevant and portent right now,” DePaiva says.

Much like Robertson, Kurth and DePaiva were unfamiliar with the subject of intersex children. “If I am so uninformed,” DePaiva says, “I’m sure I’m not the only person out there that goes ‘what is this?’ So, it’s important to me to grow as an actress and as a human being doing a project… Hopefully people will have their eyes opened to the differences in all of us.”

As a narrative writer, Robertson wanted to tackle this lack of information from an accessible perspective. Because anyone can parent an intersex child, Robertson emphasized the need for a wide audience— this story isn’t just one for the queer community.

A father himself, Kurth says “All we really want is to protect our children and do right by them and make sure that they’re happy.” Though his onscreen character has similar objectives, the character— through no fault of his own— fails to make the right decision for his child. The weight of having to live with a parent’s choices is something, according to Kurth, that everyone has to grapple with— whether parent or child.

According to Zieselman, this shame and stigma surrounding intersex people originates from society and even medical practices that falsely assert that there is something wrong with intersex bodies. The vast majority of intersex births are healthy; only through awareness and acceptance can these discriminatory practices begin to be corrected. Films like “Common as Red Hair” can help start these important conversations.

To help the cause, you can donate to the project for the next three weeks. For additional resources about what it means to be intersex and to promote legal advocacy, check out nonprofits such as interact.

Laura Valtorta's Bermuda is the Dream Vacation You’ve Been Looking For: An Interview with the Filmmaker

By Emily Moffitt

If you’re looking for a brand-new comedy to watch and rave about this summer, you need not look any further than “Bermuda,” a brand-new film directed and written by Columbia’s own Laura P. Valtorta. Featuring an all-star cast of local actors and prominent thespians around the state, the film follows Mildred, played by Pat Yeary, who so desperately wants to take a vacation for herself that she steals her son’s disability benefits to fund a trip to Bermuda. Other notable actors within the cast include Peri S. Jackson, Kit Phillips, Rob Sprankle, Cris Griffin, and Ursula Robinson.  

Laura started her film career in 2011 and has plenty of experience filming documentaries and short films. Bermuda is her first narrative feature, but Laura is no stranger to the genre of comedy. “Everything that I write turns into a comedy,” Laura jokingly says.  

Laura’s documentary portfolio includes White Rock Boxing, Water Women, and Water Stories: the Pee Dee Indian Nation of South Carolina. The good humor of the cast of Bermuda and the resonance with the script made the filmmaking process a lot easier for Laura and revealed the amount of talent that the cast held with their craft. “For some reason, this cast just clicked. Everyone has a unique sense of humor. They sound natural with the most ridiculous lines.” 

Laura’s love for Columbia and the greater Midlands area shines with the involvement of local companies and producers. Much of the film was shot in both Columbia and Newberry, and Bermuda is not unlike Laura’s past projects as it focuses on the diverse, small-town communities of the Midlands and the problems they face every day. Laura’s mission statement for filming is clear; “My goal in filmmaking is to get an audience that is diverse in age and community,” Laura states. “I want the film to reflect the community in large and not one particular one or the other.”            

The filming of Bermuda was an extremely personal project for Laura; aside from being her first narrative feature, there was plenty of involvement from her family in the production of the movie. Laura, her husband, and her son all feature in small acting roles within the movie. Prior to the start of filming, the table readings of the movie at Tapp’s and local libraries really showed to Laura that she had an extremely special and impactful work on the table. The audience’s reactions to the humor of the movie’s script helped bolster that sentiment even further. If there’s one thing Laura wanted to highlight, it’s a sense of humor; “Sense of humor is very personal to me. I’m glad I find Bermuda very funny, and my family thought it was funny too.” While Laura has plenty of professional experience as a lawyer, her love for filmmaking has shifted from a side hustle to a serious business practice. Keeping in mind her father’s passion for side projects and achieving any goals he set his mind to, Laura decided to follow suit and put this mentality towards filmmaking.  

There’s a lot of multidimensionality within the movie's plot, which was part of Laura’s intention as she wrote the script. Despite the overt comedic tone and crazy hijinks that the characters get into, there’s a deeper commentary about the lifestyle choices women often find themselves having to make. “The film is a comedy, but the themes are serious. It’s about women’s rights, and sometimes their backs are up against the wall,” Laura states. “If they want to live the way they want to, sometimes they have to resort to crime. It’s about the fact that women need to be empowered more.” Mildred’s character represents the side of womanhood that aims to reject traditional gender standards for what a real mother looks like; rather, she lives for herself and makes decisions to make herself happy, all the while still making sure her children are secure and happy as well. As Mildred herself does not believe in marriage, Laura hopes that audience members who face criticism for their own life choices can see themselves reflected in a character on the screen. “Not every woman wants to be settled down and to live a very traditional life. There’s a conflict between Mildred and her daughters about this. Mildred wants to stay single and be a bit freer with her life choices.”  

Bermuda is available to stream on Tubi TV and Amazon Prime. Laura’s other films are also available on Tubi and Amazon Prime. Laura P. Valtorta is the director and writer of Bermuda, with Clifton Springs as the Cinematographer, John Collins as the Editor, and Genesis Studios of Cayce, SC working as the movie crew.  

WE DANCE - New Project by Wideman-Davis Dance Premieres at Tribeca Film Fest June 18th

By Christina Xan

Tanya Wideman Davis and Thaddeus Davis

Dancers, creators, professors, directors. Columbia couple Thaddeus Davis and Tanya Wideman-Davis have many titles. In their newest project, however, not only are they exploring a novel medium to them – film – but are stepping back from titles and stripping down to question what it means for them to inhabit the bodies they are in, where those bodies came from, and what those implications mean for all who migrate within America. 

“We've been really thinking about patterns of migration and thinking about our families…how the shaping of the way we eat is different than the way we may have grown up,” Wideman-Davis reflects, “How we can figure out new pathways to merge old and new ways of thinking about food and have those communal experiences still be nurturing. 

We Dance is a 12-minute experimental film that combines documentary, dialogue, imagery, and dance to share, less a narrative, and more a story—or perhaps more accurately, a series of stories. The film has three parts: in part 1, “Spin,” Wideman-Davis reflects on her grandmother’s home in Chicago; in part 2, “Rise,” Davis reflects on his grandmother’s home in Montgomery; and in part 3, “Hold,” the two reflect on their lives together. 

“A big part of this didn't start out as a love story, but in the end, it was that. But it wasn't just about the love between the two of us, but the love for these pivotal women—Tanya's grandmother and mother and my mother and grandmother” Davis intimates, “People in our families who sustained us like food and allowed us to have these careers that we've had in dance and beyond.” 

In the first two segments, each of the pair’s grandmothers are seen baking a staple in their history—pound cake and sweet potato pie. This focus on food is in many ways the hinge of the stories being told. Food is more than a substance for staying alive – it is life-defining. The process of sourcing and consuming food, the accessibility of food, and how food shifts across region and culture all define our bodies. For certain groups of people, like the black adults and elders featured in the video, food is a distinct way of finding, creating, and asserting identity. 

While the women bake in the background, Wideman-Davis and Davis narrate, speaking words related to the cooking process, themes of their life, and dialogue they recall from these inspirational women. Stitched within the cooking and the words are images from the cities and surrounding areas these families call home – houses, cityscapes, rivers – as well as extemporaneous dance from the married pair. 

Throughout the film, the two dance and speak their histories. And though this intimate portrait allows you to know the duo better, it is not only their story. “It's not just the black migratory patterns. That's what it references, but this is a part of the migratory patterns of people around the world,” Davis emphasizes. 

One of their hopes in creating this film is that the viewer will be able to understand more about where they come from, their own migrations, and how each individual history is in some way interlaced with collective histories. What foods do you eat? How did what you ate shift as you moved from place to place? What did you take with you or leave behind? How does your body express what you consume? How do you dance? 

For if food represents a part of our identity in which we take within us what is part of our culture and selves then dance is how we reveal outwards what is part of our culture and selves. In the migration process, wherever and whatever the reason in moving, we are doing just that—moving. Sometimes the world moves around us while sometimes we move around the world, but this film asks us to acknowledge and embrace the movement, learn how and when flow versus resist, all the while being grounded by what always moves with, in, and out of us—food.  

This is exemplified in a scene towards the end of the short film where Wideman-Davis and Davis stand, completely still, hands clasped around each other’s, in white garb, as an Alabama river rushes fast and hard around them.  

“There’s something about being in that water, at that specific space that was a segregated space,” Wideman-Davis ruminates, “To come back to it and to have to anchor yourself in the water with this current, knowing that it has all the racialized history and the deadly components that it could have had 20 years ago, us being there.” 

It is this stunning tension that has gotten the attention of film festivals nationwide, with We Dance being accepted to the Oxford Film Festival, the Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival, the Experimental, Dance & Film Festival, the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, the Ouray International Film Festival, and, most excitingly, the Tribeca Film Festival, where it will premiere Saturday, June 18th.  

The two’s hard work could not have been possible without director and cinematographer Ethan Payne and director and writer Brian Foster, all of whom met when Wideman-Davis and Davis were sanctioned by the Southern Foodways Alliance. 

If you’d like to see the culmination of all their efforts and dive into a world that not only teaches you about the vulnerable movement of others but of yourself, starting June 8th, you can purchase a $25 ticket to all Tribeca shorts here: https://www.tribecafilm.com/films/we-dance-2022

COLUMBIA REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY MAKES CHARLESTON DEBUT AT CANNON PARK AS PICCOLO SPOLETO POP-UP SELECTION

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will make its Charleston debut at Cannon Park on May 29, 2022 as an official selection of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.

This dance concert is presented as part of Piccolo Spoleto’s new Pop-Up program which transforms neighborhood parks and public places around Charleston into pop-up performance spaces.

This performance will also feature performances by Columbia pop band Say Femme with Charleston dancer and choreographer Jenny Broe opening.

The concert will begin at 7:00 PM at Cannon Park, and admission is free to the public.

In the company’s third season, Columbia Repertory Dance Company will be premiering new pieces from their 2022 season featuring works by Artistic Director Stephanie Wilkins. Attendees will experience athleticism and emotionally evocative performances that have become a trademark for the group over the last three years.

In 2018, co-founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins founded the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company with a desire to offer dancers more options in a city focused heavily on ballet. They started with the financial backing of a local arts organization, a plan focused on summer performances (Columbia’s dance offseason) and a sold out debut performance in 2019 which was followed by a sold out concert in 2020. In the past year, the company has extended their season length and become a 501c3 non-profit organization. The group’s popularity among Columbia natives comes from their commitment to exploring refreshing narratives and styles of dance in their work. The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will perform on Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:00 PM at Cannon Park (131 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29401). Admission is free for this public event, and more info can be found at http://www.piccolospoleto.com/ or at www.coladance.com.