Last Week for Play Right Series Community Producers and Sponsors to Support a Brand New Play by Lonetta Thompson

CAST OF THERAPY INCLUDES

MARILYN MATHEUS, RIC EDWARD, ALLISON ALLGOOD, MICHELLE JACOB

DIRECTED BY ELENA MARTINEZ-VIDAL

STAGE MANAGER - EMILY DECK HARRILL

PLAYWRIGHT LONETTA THOMPSON

You’re invited to become a Jasper Project Play Right Series Community Producer or Sponsor

As a Play Right Series Community Producer you will be a part of an elite team of art supporters who invest a modest amount of money in the production of a brand-new play (Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy) to the staged reading phase of development.

How does this work?

Every Sunday afternoon in July, starting July 9, you are invited to join with the cast, crew, and fellow Community Producers of Therapy for an enlightening and entertaining session that pulls back the curtains of theatre development and illuminates how a stageplay goes from page to stage. Your first session will offer you a private viewing of the first step in play production, the Table Reading – the first time the cast of Therapy reads their parts together for their director, Elena Martinez-Vidal.

Subsequent sessions will focus on essential ingredients in the production of a successful staged reading, such as the stage manager’s job; props, lighting, blocking, and sound; unique insights from the director; how the actors prepare for their parts; playwright perceptions from this year and past projects; and an invitation to the dress rehearsal. In addition to your invitation to gather with the cast and crew every Sunday in July, each session will also feature exciting snacks and beverages. And many more surprises each week!

Finally, you’ll take your reserved, best-in-the-house seats to a ticketed staged reading of Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy on Sunday, August 6th.

But there’s more.  

Your name will be included as a Community Producer on programs, posters, press releases, and other promotional materials as well as in the perfect bound book, Therapy by Lonetta Thompson, published by Muddy Ford Press and registered with the Library of Congress, and you will take home your own copies of Therapy as a souvenir of your experience.

What is expected of Community Producers?

We hope you can make it to every exciting Sunday afternoon meeting, but we understand if you have to miss some. Each session will last from 90 – 120 minutes.

The financial commitment for a Community Producer is a minimum of $250 per person, but institutional sponsorships are also available and appreciated. You can also sponsor a student for $250 if you are unable to participate yourself.

Our hope is that you will be so enlightened and inspired by this experience that you will become a diplomat of live theatre, fresh playwrights, and the Jasper Project and encourage your friends and colleagues to participate in live theatre themselves!

Past Community Producers Include James & Kirkland Smith, Ed Madden, Bert Easter, Paul Leo, Eric Tucker, Bill Schmidt, Wade Sellers & more

Play Right Series Levels of Engagement

Community Producer    $250

Invitation to attend all five PRS CP sessions on Sunday afternoons, July 2023; reserved seats for you and up to 3 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Therapy on

August 6, 2023; your name in the book Therapy by Lonetta Thompson (Muddy Ford Press, 2023), as well as in the program, and all promotional materials; Jasper Project gift bag

Other Sponsorship Levels

Scholarship Sponsor      $250

Covers the cost of a local college student attending all Community Producer functions plus you can attend the ticketed Staged Reading on August 6th and meet your beneficiary. Your generosity will be recorded along with the Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive one copy of Therapy by Lonetta Thompson

Actor Sponsor                 $500 

This level sponsors one actor and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded along with the Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive one copy of Therapy by Lonetta Thompson and an invitation for you and up to 4 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Therapy on August 6, 2023

Corporate Sponsors

Playwright            $1000

This level sponsors the playwright and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded along with the Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive three copies of Therapy by Lonetta Thompson and an invitation for you and up to 5 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Therapy on August 6, 2023

Director                $2500

This level sponsors the director and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded along with the Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive six copies of Therapy by Lonetta Thompson and an invitation for you and up to 6 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Therapy on August 6, 2023

Spend the 4th with the SC Philharmonic at Segra Park!

From our friends at the SC Philharmonic —

TUESDAY, JULY 4, 2023 | GATES: 6:30 PM
CONCERT: 8:00 PM | @SEGRA PARK

BUY TICKETS NOW

DON’T MISS THIS EPIC 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION!

Join us at Segra Park for Fireworks with the Phil 2023. Gates open at 6:30 PM and the orchestra will begin playing around 8:00 PM. In its third year, this patriotic program has become a new Independence Day tradition for Midlands families. This year’s fireworks display is even bigger than last year’s, and you’ll get to enjoy all of Segra Park’s fun ballpark food and drink.

Segra Park is a CASHLESS venue and is a CLEAR BAG POLICY venue.

Call 803-726-4487 ext. 1 with questions or to inquire about Club Seating / Suites and food packages.

Please Note: Our rain date is July 5th, 2023 at the same times.

BUY TICKETS NOW

VISIT OR SEND US SNAIL MAIL:
1704 Main Street, Suite 100
Columbia, SC 29201

GIVE US A CALL:
803.771.7937

Columbia Arts Academy to Perform at Carnegie Hall!

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Excel as a student at Columbia Arts Academy!”

~~~~~~~~~~

On Saturday, July 8th, music students from the Columbia Arts Academy will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City! The performance begins at 1 p.m.  

The students are invited to perform one acoustic piece each. Regarding what kinds of music they will be tackling, founder Marty Fort says, “I’m very excited for the program. We’ve got performers from age 7 to 65 performing piano, violin, voice, guitar, drums, and it’s a real eclectic mix. We’re performing everything from Chopin to KISS and that says it all.” 

He goes on to say, “Admittedly I’m a little nervous to perform at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Being from Columbia, starting out playing in Five Points at the age of 15 at Rockafellas and now being on that stage in New York City, it’s pretty surreal. But I’m thankful for the experience, the staff, teachers, students, and parents for all being a part. It’s a key part and perfect way to help our 20th Anniversary for Columbia Arts Academy”. 

This isn’t the first time Fort has taken his students on exciting excursions. In fact, it is becoming part of his modus operandi. In the past Fort has taken students on the road to such iconic music locations as Graceland, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and Columbia’s own Koger Center for the Arts.

Columbia Arts Academy Student and Faculty Performing at Graceland

Columbia Arts Academy Student Shane Manning Performing at Koger Center for the Arts

Screen capture of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett social media post — performing with (pictured) Columbia Arts Academy Founder Marty Fort at Columbia Museum of Art, 2020

Family, friends, and supporters of all kinds are encouraged to attend if they are able, and tickets are $25 each. For more information about the performance, what audiences can expect, and to purchase tickets, visit the Columbia Arts Academy website.  

And watch this space as Jasper continues to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Columbia Arts Academy in the weeks to come! To give back to the community, the school is hosting a special 20th Anniversary celebration Friday August 4th through Sunday August 6th. The public is welcome and encouraged to stop by any of their locations in Columbia on Rosewood Drive, Lexington on Barr Road, and Irmo on Lake Murray Blvd.

By Liz Stalker

Join Jasper's Al Black, Ginny Merrett, and Cindi Boiter for an Ekphrastic Poetry Event Sunday, July 9th

Al Black and his friends are generously reading their ekphrastic poetry about Ginny Merett’s Tall Women series in what Al calls “Poetry Church.” Meet us at the hallway: community art, 701 Whaley, from 2-4 July 9, 2023 for what will be a show highlight!

Artists include:

Songwriter, Alison Trotter

Songwriter , Alyssa Stewart

Poet, Janet Kozachek

Poet, Jane Zenger

Poet, Tamar Miles

Poet, Cindi Boiter

Poet, Michal Rubin

Poet, Jennifer Bartell

Poet, Kristine Hartivigsen

Announcing the Cast & Crew of Lonetta Thompson's THERAPY - Winner of the 2023 Jasper Project Play Right Series

It is with great pleasure that we announce the cast and crew of the Jasper Project’s 2023 Play Right Series Winning Play — THERAPY — by Lonetta Thompson!

Elena Martinez-Vidal — Director

Elena Martínez-Vidal is an actor, director, and teacher. Recently she was in Montgomery, in 2019. The last show she directed was Marjorie Prime in 2019. Trustus Theatre is her theatrical home since appearing in a show in 1989 when the theatre was on Assembly street. She was a Company member from 1993 to 2019, then transitioned to Company Emeritus. Elena has a BA in French and Theatre Arts from Dickinson College, PA, and an MFA in Theatre: Acting from USC. She also has 30 hours of courses in Communication and a Certificate of Leadership in Higher Education from USC. By day, Elena works at Midlands Technical College.

Dr. V — Marilyn Mattheus

Marilyn Matheus is a theatre artist who portrayed Modjeska Monteith Simkins in the Supper Table theatrical performance. Matheus received her BA from Kent University and her MA from South University. She is currently the Director of Media Relations at the Department of Social Services in Columbia. Matheus has appeared in many local theatre productions with recent performances in the “Freedom Rings: A Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.” event at the University of South Carolina and A Song for Coretta at the Kershaw County Fine Arts Center

Alex — Allison Allgood

 Allison Allgood has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Furman University and loves stage and voice acting.  Some of her favorite roles in Columbia include MacBeth (Second Witch) with the SC Shakespeare Company, The Red Velvet Cake War (Elsa Dowdall) at Town Theatre, Belles (Audrey) at Workshop Theatre, and Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play (Jenny/Bart) at Trustus Theatre.  Allison has recorded eight full-length audio books.  She has a degree in counseling and works as a high school counselor

Chris — Ric Edward (Richard Edward III)

Richard Edward iii is a stage & screen actor based in Columbia, South Carolina. It is his mission to help his artistic community grow, and is an advocate for actors who struggle with the stigma of dyslexia, and ADHD. Special thanks to My daughter Cora Jean Calk for being the best scene partner in the whole world, and to my beautiful wife.

Not Pictured — Michelle Jacobs- Is excited to be performing again after a small hiatus. Credits includes: The Color Purple, Kinky Boots ,Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, (Workshop Theater), Hurricane Diane, By the Way Meet Vera Stark, Good People, The Motherfucker with the Hat, The Glass Menagerie, HAIR: The Tribal Love-Rock Musical, For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide/ when the Rainbow is Enuf, (Trustus Theater) Knock Me A Kiss, Henny Penny, & Whisper @ The Movies (The NiA Company).

Playwright — Lonetta Thompson

Lonetta Thompson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B. A. in English and a Minor in Theatre. As an actor, she has performed for years on stages in Columbia and surrounding cities, most recently touring with Spark, an Outreach initiative of the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in partnership with Workshop Theatre of South Carolina. She is a member of the NiA Company and Company Emeritus with Trustus Theatre.  Prior to entering the Play Right Series, she had written a handful of short stories and one other script. By day, Lonetta is an eLearning Developer with a large insurance company. She has one daughter and one grandson.

Stage Manager — Emily Deck Harrill

Emily has played a variety of roles in many theatrical productions in the Columbia area. She appeared in Love, Loss, and What I Wore and the 2014 production of Evil Dead: The Musical, both at Trustus Theater. She also appeared in The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor), Inherit the Wind, Arsenic and Old Lace, You Can’t Take It with You, and The Exonerated (Sunny Jacobs) for the Arts at Shandon series. Emily has directed and appeared in Smoke and Mirrors and All in the Timing. She designed the sound for Village Square Theater’s production of Harvey, and she’s served as Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager for a variety of productions over the years, including Trustus Theater’s production of The Flick and Chapin Theater’s 2022 Ten Minute Play Festival.  

By day, Emily is an attorney who has a terrible penchant for run-on sentences. She holds a double undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and government from the College of William and Mary. She has two adult children of whom she is quite proud.

Play Right Series Director — Jon Tuttle

Also …

Max — Michelle Jacob — photo and bio coming soon!

You’re invited to be an integral part of this project by becoming a Community Producer — Read more about the perks and fun of community producing here!

Ready, Set, Jasper’s Play Right Series is Ready to GO! We Just Need YOU!

Following on the heels of a super-successful 2022 season when the Jasper Project’s Play Right Series launched first-time playwright Colby Quick’s Moon Swallower onto the stage with a highly sophisticated staged reading directed by Chad Henderson last summer, we’re excited to kick off the winning 2023 Play Right Series selection of Lonetta Thompson’s THERAPY!

The cast and crew are on their marks, the rehearsal hall is reserved, and the schedule is set—we just need to recruit a few more Community Producers to be able to wave the starting flag.

Are YOU the Community Producer we’ve been looking for?

What is the Play Right Series?

In an effort to enlighten and empower audiences with information about the process involved in creating theatrical arts, at the same time that we increase opportunities for SC theatre artists to create and perform new works, the Jasper Project created the Play Right Series.

The purpose of the Play Right Series is to allow a select group of volunteers insider views of the process of creating theatre art by offering limited open readings, rehearsals, and discussions of theatrical work. We can also offer folks the opportunity to actually PRODUCE A PLAY by keeping production costs low and involving community assets already in place, in exchange for an established minimal financial contribution of $250.

This also increases opportunities for theatre artists to create and participate in new art without being attached to an existing theatre organization, while providing affordable and experimental theatre experiences for new and emerging artists and their audiences; thereby expanding cultural literacy and theatre arts appreciation throughout the SC Midlands.

How does this work?

Every Sunday afternoon in July 2023, starting July 9th, you are invited to join with the cast, crew, and fellow Community Producers of Therapy for an enlightening and entertaining session that pulls back the curtains of theatre development and illuminates how a stage play goes from page to stage. Your first session will offer you a private viewing of the first step in any play production, the Table Reading – this will be the first time the cast of Therapy reads their parts together for their director, Elena Martinez-Vidal.

Subsequent sessions will focus on essential ingredients in the production of a successful staged reading, such as the stage manager’s job; props, lighting, blocking, and sound; unique insights from the director; how the actors prepare for their parts; playwright perceptions from this year and past projects; and an invitation to the dress rehearsal. In addition to your invitation to gather with the cast and crew every Sunday in July, each session will also feature exciting snacks and beverages. And many more surprises each week!

Finally, you’ll take your reserved, best-in-the-house seats to a ticketed staged reading of Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy on Sunday, August 6th.

And there’s more.

Your name will be included as a Community Producer on programs, posters, press releases, and other promotional materials as well as in the perfect bound book, Therapy by Lonetta Thompson, published by Muddy Ford Press and registered with the Library of Congress, and you will take home your own copies of Therapy as a souvenir of your experience.

What is expected of Community Producers?

We hope you can make it to every exciting Sunday afternoon meeting, but we understand if you have to miss some. Each session will last from 90 – 120 minutes.

The financial commitment for a Community Producer is a minimum of $250 per person, but institutional sponsorships are also available and appreciated. You can also sponsor a student for $250 if you are unable to participate yourself.

Our hope is that you will be so enlightened and inspired by this experience that you will become a diplomat of live theatre, fresh playwrights, and the Jasper Project and encourage your friends and colleagues to participate in live theatre themselves!

If you are interested in becoming a

Community Producer or sponsor -

email playrightseries@jasperproject.org

“Record Keeping” Through Paint: A Q&A with Malik Greene By Liz Stalker

Resilience, 2022, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 in

Over the weekend of July 6th-9th, Stormwater Studios will host Malik Greene’s visual art show, My Eyes. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 6th from 6-8 p.m., and the closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 9th from 3-6.

Greene, a Columbia-based painter, is Stormwater Studios’ first artist-in-residence in their year-long BIPOC Residency Program. He seeks to capture the realities of his life and perspective of the world around him. He describes using painting as a form of “record keeping,” allowing for the permanence of a fleeting moment, thought, or action, and describes his work as a “bridge between creativity and capturing his own personal epic.”

Jasper: The central theme of the show, the neglect of Black children, especially young Black boys, within the American public school system, is incredibly interesting. What inspired this focus for this collection of works? Was there any personal or interpersonal experience you drew from?  

Greene: A lot of my work is really inspired by whatever needs that I believe should be addressed within the communities I am a part of. So before I sit down and think of what it is exactly I am creating I ask myself if is this an issue that is relevant to myself and even those within my community at large. The body of work originally started off as No One (Ever) Really Fails (There May Be A Reason Why) and it addresses systemic negligence regarding Black boys within life and more specifically the public education system. In time I will go further into what this body of work genuinely entails but with my residency at Stormwater I really wanted to give that exhibition its own life and room to grow and develop as a call to those whom I grew up with and those who can put themselves in my shoes; it’ll be unveiled officially at the conclusion of my residency. It really feels like my current magnum opus because I've been progressively painting my development as a man and an artist, so this body of work really feels like the next step in my career The concept of taking developmental milestones is also a prominent theme of this exhibition because it brings into question the fate of those who are stripped of those developmental milestones and how society at large may be responsible for some of these shortcomings. I relate that back to my days of adolescence and observe how those who I grew up with took a multitude of routes. Some for the better and some for the worst and although we share so many spaces, experiences, and memories we ultimately tailor our lives to what best suits our needs. Some aren't able to delineate which route best suits them and without proper guidance on the possible ways, some simply stop searching altogether. In my mind, it started off as a very bleak concept, but I've come to the conclusion that there is no true failure in life, I guess one can call it predestination, but I think everything that is meant for us ultimately falls into our grasp. The exhibition in July, My Eyes is a prequel to this next step of my narrative which is conveyed through paintings. It really chronicles my perception of the world, really the world that I’ve created inside of my mind because that's where I live most of the time. Some works tackle issues of race and class while some are pages from the notebook of my mind. It also serves as a welcome to the new residency that I have been awarded and is almost like a personal studio tour for those familiar and unfamiliar with me alike.

Jasper: In your artist statement, available on the Stormwater Website, you mention that the subjects of your work hold a kind of power that "does not rely on systemic pain, trauma, or past offenses." How do you accomplish this while still reflecting on the real-world struggle? Furthermore, are you aiming for your subjects to hold the complexity of living individuals? If so, what sort of technique do you use to "flesh them out"?  

Greene: For me, the easiest way to do this is by having a true understanding of the subjects I am painting and genuinely being connected to their circumstances, it almost feels like concern for their circumstance at times… I want to feel how they feel. Everything is subjective but my goal is to make it where my subjects feel as if they are seen and can identify with themselves through the work. If I am able to do that, I think that in itself conveys the nuanced experience of life these individuals are going through. Oftentimes these subtleties are achieved by actually experiencing these circumstances with the individuals I paint, which is why I enjoy using archival and personal references; sometimes I experienced these moments firsthand and it allows me to truly reflect on the feelings involved in these moments. Another way to achieve this is by simply engaging in a conversation and being able to see the subject from their perspective. I desire to create empathetic work that allows the viewer the opportunity to feel the figure and not simply what is happening to them. We all experience pain and misfortune in life but we all respond to it differently, it alters the way we see the world differently and I believe the work becomes successful when one can show discernment and capture the individual in their most vulnerable form. I think the power lies in simply being. I want my subjects in the work I create to simply be, I don't want them to be victims, martyrs, or slaves to their circumstances. I think keenly observing gives an indication to the world that my subjects are a part of, and those minute inferences can say more than simply regurgitating a pain-ridden narrative. I want my subjects to be in settings that are familiar to them, native to the world they know and within that viewers are allowed to connect their own dots as to what their conditions are. I flesh my subjects out by putting myself in their shoes and conveying them as they are not as the world wants them to be, I think that is the highest respect I could pay to anyone willing to be a part of my artistic journey. I could never compare my work to anyone else's because I believe the hand is unique but being a Southern-based artist a lot of work I’ve wanted to counteract convey Black people being slaves to circumstance as opposed to masters of their own domains despite the strife that life may be providing them at a moment. I think the pain only lasts for a moment. If my plan is to immortalize someone through my art, I want to show their strength and not trap them within a fleeting pain.

Three Fingers One Thumb (3F1T), 2022, Oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in

Jasper: Additionally, a lot of the way you talk about creating art in your statement makes it seem like a lot of it is a balancing act of realism and artistry. How did you manage to find the balance you landed on as an artist? 

Greene: Honestly, I just started creating the artwork that I personally wanted to see, really just filling the need that I saw within my community. Along the way of creating what I wanted to see I discovered a lot of artists who follow the same code and it's basically like I was able to develop a family tree of artists I'm working to get a branch on. That tree is really based on research and preference, the old saying goes there is nothing new under the sun and I wholeheartedly agree. I find a new artist every day who has a different perspective on topics that have been touched on all throughout time, and that’s beautiful. To me, that really boils down to two things. 1. We have so much more in common than we may give each other credit for and 2. There is always something to be learned from our predecessors. It’s so many different art styles and eras and it can be intimidating at first but I'm positive that there is a lane and a tribe for everyone looking to find community through art. I have a lot of influences and artists that I respect from a creative standpoint and my biggest takeaway that I get from them is to create what I like and those who resonate with it will. The moment I attempt to create for anyone other than myself it shows within the work. For me, I was influenced heavily by manga and high animation, and it just catches my eye in a way that pure realism doesn't so I tailor a lot of my work based on my past experiences and influences that pique my interest. That's not to say that it won’t change my direction along my artistic journey but as of now, I am extremely compelled by emotive figuration that is able to convey a story through the brushstrokes. Also, I think my beginning my career as a self-taught artist actually helped force me to develop an identity based on what I enjoy, as opposed to developing technique before finding style; I’ve always had my own style, and now I'm able to compile new techniques that amplify my style. Plus the biggest benefit of creating artwork for me is to create how I feel, that's the baseline that has helped me balance my style, being original. In my case that is conveyed through bold opaque colors and textural emphasis, but I envision my creative style and medium developing as I progress. The biggest underlying facet that I wish to maintain is creating my ways and bending the rules to fit my creative need.

Underneath The Veil, 2023, Oil on linen, 16 x 20 In

Greene: Honestly, I'm most excited to put my art out into the world, allowing it to exist outside my mind and studio. I know about myself, and I know I share this feeling with a lot of artists but, putting yourself out there is really the toughest part. Being able to paint, the very act of being creative is innate to me, it isn't really something I have to try hard at because it's a part of my identity without it I don’t know who I would be, but showing the work relates to a part of me that I haven't fully come into yet. It’s really surreal that this is my life, and I haven't grasped that in totality I must admit. Being able to work up the nerve to say this is me, this is what I've put my all into for the past so and so the amount of time is really an unearthing experience and at times I overthink how my perception will be received by those who witness it. So to answer the question I'm just really excited that I'm providing myself the opportunity to share a part of myself with anyone who chooses to receive it. To paint in my studio is one thing, it is my thing but I'm excited that all of the work that I have been putting in to create an experience is about to come to fruition. Being able to see supporters face to face, exchange stories with one another and really connect on a level that words simply can't convey excites me and I'm just extremely blessed that my art is giving me the opportunity to make those connections that last a lifetime.

For more information on Malik Greene and his work, visit his website at malik-greene.com

Amanda Ladymon Invites You to Her Y'Art Sale on July 15th!

Yard + Art Sale = Y’ART Sale

What better way to spend a Summer Saturday than perusing new art from some of Columbia’s finest local artists in the comfort of a friendly back yard?

Amanda Ladymon, whose work we haven’t seen in a while, is opening her back yard to her artist friends for a sale of both their own art and work from Amanda herself.

Amanda says, “Come out and support your local artists! We will have lots of art for sale but at Yard sale prices! Conveniently located just over the bridge, across the street from WECO. Make a day of it - get some art and then go across the street for food and drinks! Artists included: Amanda Ladymon, B.A. Hohman, Sabrina Danielle, Ashley Berendzen-Russell, and more to be announced!”

The event is Saturday, July 15th from 9 am to 4 pm and the public is invited to attend!

Call to Artists -- 701 CCA's 7th SC Biennial 2023

701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, SC seeks submissions for the 701 CCA South Carolina Biennial 2023, the center’s seventh survey exhibition of work by contemporary South Carolina artists. The exhibition will be held at the center in two parts with openings in November 2023 and January 2024. The submission fee is $25.00 per artist.

Artists working in all media and styles are encouraged to apply. Artists must be current residents of South Carolina.

Deadline is August 16, 2023; 11:59 pm. SUBMIT HERE

For more information about the Biennial, CLICK HERE.

Make Music Day at the Koger Center for the Arts featuring USC School of Music, SC Philharmonic, Whiskey Tango Review and MORE!

On Wednesday, June 21, the Koger Center for the Arts will host Make Music Day, a free family friendly day of creating and listening to music. The Koger Center is presenting the day in conjunction with Rice Music House and the SC Philharmonic, as well as the City of Columbia.

From 12 to 8 p.m., every hour will bring musicians of all ages to the Vista for everyone to enjoy. Presented by the NAMM Foundation, Make Music Day is a worldwide celebration held in more than 1000 cities in 120 countries, with origins from France in 1982. The day is all about exposing communities to the power of music from all genres.

The early half of the day features an experimental “ruckus hour” where visitors can play around and make music with unconventional instruments--like boomwhackers--alongside percussive ones like steel drums. Varna International Music Academy, Rice Music House, SC Youth Philharmonic, and Rhodes Music Studio will have several students and affiliates perform recitals throughout the Koger Center lobby, stage, and Upstairs Gallery. The SC Youth Philharmonic will also host an instrument petting zoo, a perfect opportunity for aspiring musicians to learn a little bit more about different instruments.

At 4 p.m., Columbia Operatic Laboratory will perform excerpts from their production of Pirates of Penzance as well as give an announcement about their season. Afterwards, around 4:30 the duo Alexandra Fowler and Max Feltes will perform covers of hit indie songs for audiences.

The night concludes with outdoor events, starting out with a drum circle open for everyone to participate in. The circle will be led by Ashley Cobb, a graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina’s School of Music. There will be three bands afterwards performing on the plaza stage: Whiskey Tango Revue with Lauren Sherr, Martha’s Vault, and Sam & Illia. All stage performances are also free, and don’t forget your lawn chair or blanket!

Make Music Day Columbia is a yearly event that helps to make the slower summers of Columbia that much more musical. For more information on the complete lineup, visit the Koger Center website or the Make Music Day Columbia site.

Grammy-Winning American Songster DON FLEMONS at Columbia Museum of Art

From our friends at Columbia Museum of Art —

The Columbia Museum of Art presents More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series Featuring Dom Flemons, the season two finale of the popular concert and conversation program, on Friday, June 23, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The evening features The American Songster himself, Dom Flemons, GRAMMY Award winner, two-time EMMY Award nominee, and 2020 United States Artists Fellow. In the pre-show conversation, series host and ethnomusicologist Dr. Birgitta Johnson and Flemons discuss his passion for storytelling through old-time music, his experiences with the award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, and his current projects that champion the Black contributions to American folk music.
 
“For two years, the More Than Rhythm train has passed through a myriad of genres and celebrated the indelible impact of Black artists and musicians on the rich fabric of American music,” says Dr. Johnson. “From sacred music to the blues, soul to hip-hop, classical to jazz, we have experienced some of today’s most innovative and genre-expanding artists from around the country. For our season finale event at the CMA, we are pulling into our final stop and digging into the ebony roots of American folk music with The American Songster, Dom Flemons.” 
 
Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor, music scholar, historian, record collector, and the creator, host, and producer of American Songster Radio Show on 650 AM WSM in Nashville, Tennessee. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife, and rhythm bones. Co-founder of the beloved Carolina Chocolate Drops, Flemons left the group in 2014 to pursue his solo career.
 
In 2018, Flemons released a solo album titled Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys on Smithsonian Folkways and received a nomination for “Best Folk Album” at the 61st GRAMMY Awards. This record is part of the African American Legacy Recordings series, co-produced with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In 2020, Flemons was selected for the prestigious United States Artists Fellowship Award for the Traditional Arts category, which was generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Available now, Traveling Wildfire is Flemons’ first new album since Black Cowboys and second for Smithsonian Folkways. In it he turns to an important, overlooked voice that he's proudly rediscovered: his own. Flemons is on tour this year traveling across the country.

“Be it string band, old-time music or Piedmont blues, Flemons is a GRAMMY winning multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who has been a part of amplifying the often-erased contributions of African Americans to American roots music styles,” says Dr. Johnson. “As a founding member of the acclaimed Carolina Chocolate Drops and as a solo artist and board member of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, Dom is a leader in connecting people — young and old — to Black folk music pioneers in the blues and country music. His recent album Black Cowboys illuminates another hidden gem in American music and folklore — the songs and stories of the original cowboys of America’s westward expansion. Our season finale show with Dom will also be a time to thank our More Than Rhythm audience regulars who have helped the series grow and make a powerful mark in Columbia’s thriving art and music scene for the last two years.” 
 
Series host Birgitta J. Johnson, Ph.D, is a jointly appointed associate professor of ethnomusicology in the School of Music and African American Studies Program at the University of South Carolina. Her research interests include music in African American churches, musical change and identity in Black popular music, and community archiving. She has published articles in the Black Music Research Journal, Ethnomusicology Forum, Liturgy, Oxford Bibliographies in African American Studies, and the Grove Dictionary of American Music.
 
Dr. Johnson’s recent publications include a chapter about 21st-century gospel archiving in The Oxford Handbook of Musical Repatriation, a chapter about gospel remixes of Beyoncé songs in Beyoncé in the World: Making Meaning with Queen Bey in Troubled Times, and sacred themes in the music of Outkast in An OutKast Reader: Essays on Race, Gender, and the Postmodern South. She has been quoted or featured in media and news outlets such as Rolling Stone Magazine, NPR, Vox, Public Radio International, and South Carolina ETV. 
 
A multi-instrumentalist and singer, Dr. Johnson has performed professionally and/or recorded with artists and ensembles from a variety of genres including the Southeast Symphony Orchestra of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Francisco Aguabella’s AfroCuban Folkloric Group, and the ESPY Awards with Justin Timberlake, The O’Jays, Yolanda Adams, Talib Kweli, and BeBe Winans. At USC she teaches courses on world music, hip-hop, the blues, African music, Black sacred music, Beyoncé, and the history of ethnomusicology.
 
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series Featuring Dom Flemons
Friday, June 23 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Conversation at 7:00 p.m. | Concert at 8:00 p.m.
Galleries and bar open at 6:00 p.m.
Free admission
 
Presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. This program is supported by a Connected Communities grant from Central Carolina Community Foundation.

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors is a Win!

“His Audrey II is a botanical Mae West.”

Once again Trustus Theatre knocks another show out of the ballpark. The Little Shop of Horrors was born as a movie way back in 1960. Directed by Roger Corman, the film featured (among others) a young Jack Nicholson. The musical adaptation opened Off-Broadway in 1982 as Little Shop of Horrors. It went on to open in the West End in 1983, Broadway in 2003, and has lived on in numerous tours and revivals, and countless community theatre productions. It has been produced more than once on various Columbia stages, with sold-out houses each time.

The show opens in a dark and dingy Skid Row. A Greek Chorus harkens back to the girl groups of the ‘50s in the prologue It’s funny, it’s sharp and it’s beautifully choreographed.

Our hero is Seymour Krelborn, an orphan employed in Mr. Mushnik’s run-down flower shop. (Of course it’s run-down. It’s in Skid Row.) His co-worker, Audrey, joins him in lamenting their lot and wondering if there is any escape to a better life. Seymour is seriously crushing on Audrey, bless his nebbish little heart. Audrey is in an abusive relationship with a frighteningly sadistic dentist. Mr. Mushnik bemoans the lack of business and wonders if it might be time to close the shop for the last time.

On the possible last day of business at Mushnik’s, Seymour comes in with a mysterious “exotic” plant. He suggests to Mushnik that if they put the plant in the front window, it might attract the customers they’ve been sadly lacking. With Audrey’s help, he convinces Mushnik to give it a try. Wondering what to call the plant, Seymour gallantly dubs it “Audrey II.”

Sadly, Audrey II weakens and appears to be dying despite Seymour’s valiant attempts to pamper and nurture. One evening, an accidental prick of Seymour’s finger gives Audrey II a taste of her favorite treat; the way to A2’s heart is blood. And chaos ensues….

Kristan Claiborne, Abby Smith, and Mel Driggers are the “Greek Chorus as Ronettes.”  They have gorgeous voices, and their tight harmonies are a counterpoint to the drab, dreary set and the drab dreary costumes and the scary underbelly of our story. “The human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence. And this terrifying enemy surfaced, as such enemies often do, in the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places.” 

The residents of Skid Row, Seymour, Audrey, and Mushnik are all yearning for something more, something better. Audrey “can’t” leave her abusive boyfriend because she sees him as a way out. Audrey II seemingly gives these characters the answers to their dreams. But (and there’s always a “but”) at what price? How far are our loveable ragtag residents willing to go to make their dreams come true.

Jessica Fichter’s (Trustus Theatre’s executive director — see our interview with Ms. Fichter in the spring 2023 issue of Jasper Magazine) vision of the piece makes this so much more than a musical with a puppet. The inequities of society, the substandard living conditions in which a frightening number of people live, underemployment, and the greedy, vociferous specter of insatiable capitalism are brough to life with vivid clarity. The set puts the audience square in Skid Row with its haphazard angles and dim, dingy lighting. (Warning – there is a “fog” effect from time to time. Nothing major, but if your sinuses are sensitive you might want to sit further back.) Janet Kile’s costumes are realistic and evocative, and each character is dressed perfectly. Randy Moore outdid himself (again) as Musical Director. Matthew DeGuire served as Props Master, and I do hope he had a dozen people helping him backstage. What a herculean task that had to have been. Every technical aspect of this show was without visible flaw (and I say “visible” because all manner of chaos can happen without the audience ever knowing it). Every member of the crew deserves the same kudos as the cast.

And what a brilliant cast. (I’ll attempt to mention them in order of appearance.)  As mentioned earlier, the “Ronettes” were perfection. Applause again to Kristan, Abby, and Mel. Katrina Patrice is stunning and funny and spot on in every role she takes on, and her blonde wig was just the right touch (IYKYK) Lanny Spires inhabited every one of his many roles to the point of disappearing completely. Jonathan Monk was the only person I could ever imagine playing Seymour. He was so pitiful and hopeful and … accommodating. Brittany Michelle Hammock was a most marvelous Audrey; her vocal quality matches her every mood and move. Hunter Boyle never disappoints. He always puts everything he has into every role he plays, and his Mushnik is no different. He is simply magical. Stann Gwynn is loathsome and despicable and delightful as the sadistic dentist, Orin. I have no idea how he managed to sing “Now (It’s Just the Gas)” while wearing a gas mask, choking, and dying without ever missing a note. He belongs in the same magical category as Hunter.

And then there’s Audrey II.  This ain’t no puppet, boys and girls. This is bawdy, bodacious, beautiful Terrance Henderson in all his glory. His voice, his moves, his costumes…. His Audrey II is a botanical Mae West. He is a gift.

This was the first time I’d ever seen Little Shop of Horrors. (I’m skeeved out by puppets.) I’m so glad I saw this one. I’m going back. Everyone should see this show. It’s a perfect storm of theatrical talent, with some of Columbia’s and the Southeast’s finest appearing on and behind the stage. Don’t miss it.

The Beat: Bedlam Hour Returns With New Album, Live Shows

By Kevin Oliver

The last time anyone in South Carolina heard from the positive hardcore band Bedlam Hour was in 1995, when the band released **Contact**, their final album–until now. Rumblings started online earlier this year as Bedlam Hour archival videos surfaced on YouTube, posted by bandleader Chuck Walker; news of new material on the way soon followed. Larry Parker’s River Monster Records signed the band, released **Win A Billion Dollars!** on May 1st and announced a trio of live shows, which happen this coming weekend in Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach. 

Here’s a brief history lesson for those unfamiliar with the impact Bedlam Hour had on the Columbia music scene in its prime. Formed in 1983, the band was an unpredictable, entertaining live experience, with cereal and hot dogs involved in classics such as “Frankenberry Mosh.” The song “Grey Sweater” has been mentioned in several “Best Columbia Songs” lists over the years, and the album it appeared on, 1987’s **Rock The Cradle** made them one of the first bands from the local rock scene to put out a record on a widely distributed indie label, Positive Force. Over the next 8 years the band toured internationally before what Walker terms as a “hiatus” in 1995.

“I was a first year teacher and wrote that album in my garage in Georgetown,” Walker says. “We recorded it at the Jam Room in two days.” After a few shows in support of the album, the band decided to take a break, he recalls.

“My wife and I were starting our family, several of the band members had moved away for their families and careers, it was a good time to take a break. So I checked out of the professional music business, though I still regularly wrote and recorded music, and stayed active as a player and singer in church for 27 years, which helped me develop my skills.” Walker is still teaching, and is now both a father and grandfather, and survived a cancer diagnosis in 2021.

Walker has always been more of a musician than the hardcore scene would give him credit for, whether it’s the perfect pop structure of “Grey Sweater,” the alt-rock precursor of his side gig with the band Virgin Ironpants, or the little-known garage project Mill Village Apostles that saw him write new punk and hardcore style music for ancient church hymns. Bedlam Hour drummer Derek Roddy has been the band member who took the professional musician path the most, he is well known internationally as a music educator and drum clinician and has played with several major death metal acts including Nile, Malevolent Creation, and Hate Eternal. It was Roddy that prompted this new chapter of the band, Walker says.

“This new album is the result of a dinner conversation between me and Derek, when we talked about the 40th anniversary of the band and how it would be fun to play a show,” Walker says. “Derek recommended we record something new to go with it, and I went home and wrote most of this album.”

The other core band members represented on the new material include bassist Adam Kolesar, who lives in New York, Scott Kenneally and Ed Baker, who are in Columbia, Brian McKenzie in Myrtle Beach, and Roddy, who lives in Florida. Johnny Walker contributes saxophone parts, and guest vocalists include Billy Riot of Soda City Riot, Chris McLane and David Sease of Stretch Armstrong, and Dylan Walker, Chuck’s daughter. 

“We recorded all of the tracks at Brian McKenzie’s studio, The Spiritual Center for the Creative and Sonically Inspired,” Walker says. “Brian and I handled production, and co-wrote two of the songs.” With modern recording techniques, the parts were done in various locales, from Roddy tracking drums in Florida to Ed Baker doing his keyboard parts in his own Columbia studio. For the live shows, all of the musicians will play live with the band, along with some of the guest vocalists. 

Getting back to Bedlam Hour after all these years has been both easier and more enjoyable than Walker had imagined, he notes.

“We are older and wiser, and technology has made punk rock a lot easier in terms of production and promotion,” He says. “Bedlam Hour was always its own category, we never really fit into trends–we just tried to create music that we loved and put on the kind of live show that we would like to see.”

The new Bedlam Hour album reflects both that newfound enthusiasm and the maturity that comes with several decades of personal and musical growth. Walker’s take on the new material shows that personal side, especially.

“Brian once pointed out that Bedlam Hour was a combination of heartfelt lyricism and humorous mosh-fueled bedlam,” Walker says. “So, the new record has "RE: Generation" which deals with staying positive and keeping the punk rock DIY ethos alive across generations. That song is also an anthem of encouragement for anyone going through tough times. "Quest For Truth" deals with the search for significance through reflection, exploration, and logic. "$1 Billion" tells the story of growing up in South Carolina punk rock, falling in love with my lifelong soulmate (my wife of 32 years), and becoming a proud grandfather. "Uncle Sam Slam/Kashi Moshy" is a humorous and autobiographical ode to living in an old man's body and all that comes with it. "Never End" is a love song to the South Carolina hardcore scene and a celebration of getting together to celebrate punk rock life.” 

This weekend’s flurry of shows isn’t a one-shot deal, Walker confirms. “My plan is to stay very active in music for the next 15-plus years,” He says. “There are already plans for future Bedlam Hour releases, and I am working on a new project called Astronaut Assembly for 2024-2026. Brian and I perform in a 60s garage rock cover band called Small City Rock, you can see us performing at the beach this summer.” 

Bedlam Hour plays the New Brookland Tavern on Saturday, June 17th. Brandy and the Butcher and Soda City Riot open this show. 

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Shaping the Summer Music Scene – USC School of Music’s Southeastern Piano Festival Returns for 2023

By Emily Moffitt

From June 11-17, 2023, Columbia will transform once again into a cultural destination for piano and classical music enthusiasts alike as the University of South Carolina School of Music’s Southeastern Piano Festival returns for its twenty-first year. The lineup this year includes distinguished pianists John O’Conor, Roman Rabinovich, Ying Li and Anthony de Mare. The festival has always had its roots in Columbia culture: founders Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers served as professors of piano at the School of Music. This year, Phillip Bush and Caroline Earp stepped into the leadership roles of Artistic Director and Executive Administrator respectfully. Earp believes one of the reasons that makes the festival so great is that “it’s a week of many different musicians showing off their own masterful interpretations of the instrument and the repertoire.” The festival draws in guests from across the Southeastern United States and gives pre-college age pianists an experience of a lifetime. Bush states that the festival is “an opportunity for the USC School of Music and particularly the piano department to showcase the work we are doing and the artistic values to which we are committed.”

Earp herself holds the piano in high regard; she credits the instrument as her first love. “Because the piano was my first love within the world of music, it’s extra special to me to serve in this role—it feels like a real full circle moment.” Earp said. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance, but she is ecstatic about working on SEPF since it allows her to share the wonder of piano with Columbia. She also addressed the power of the festival to attract prospective college students to the university; “The SEPF team and Tayloe Harding—the Dean of the School of Music—believe this is truly a wonderful opportunity to highlight what our school has to offer. Young musicians that participate throughout the week get to study with our illustrious faculty and get a personal look into USC’s School of Music.” Of course, it is difficult to isolate one specific thing that Earp is looking forward to the most about the festival; the idea is like picking a favorite child or song.

The festival will host several concerts that easily appeal to newer fans of classical music, or any interested guests who want to experience live music. The content ranges from unique works to standard repertoire, but accessibility to new audiences does not go unnoticed. “The opening celebration concert is very accessible, and we hope it will prompt attendees to attend more concerts throughout the week,” Earp said. The opening concert features the School of Music faculty including Bush and Associate Director of SEPF Nicholas Susi in a diverse and delightful program that features a few four-hand and eight-hand pieces. Later in the week, Anthony de Mare will perform selections from his project Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano. This project is a culmination of the efforts of de Mare and multiple modern-day composers like Steve Reich and Jonathan Batiste. Earp said, “De Mare’s Liaisons project consists of unique takes on recognizable show tunes. It appeals to fans of contemporary music and musical theatre all at the same time.”

De Mare will also host a lecture with Bush—who also serves as a professor of piano at the School of Music—to discuss the field of piano pedagogy. The lecture series formed in 2005 and was named after Marian Stanley Tucker, a staple of the Columbia music community who taught children the joy of piano playing for almost six decades. Earp highlights the importance of her impact on Columbia’s musical landscape, as there has been an endowment created in her name that supports the lecture series. “We always want to make sure that we recognize [Tucker’s] lasting impression on the lives of everyone she came across,” Earp said. “The lecture series in turn functions as educational outreach for piano teachers and connoisseurs who want to learn more about piano pedagogy.”

The SEPF team also includes Elizabeth Churchya, a doctoral candidate at USC in Music Performance who serves as the Associate Administrator, and Graduate Assistants Zhenyu Gao and Megan Rich. Earp considers the team, as well as School of Music Marketing Director Marlena Crovatt-Bagwell, invaluable to the planning of the festival. Outside of SEPF, Earp’s other role in the university is the Director of Alumni and Donor Engagement for the School of Music. When asked about the experience of working with the team outside of the academic school year, Earp said “getting to interact with my colleagues outside in separate roles and contexts, but still in the realm of music performance, has been a wonderful experience. This is something we are all passionate about, and I am overjoyed to see it all unfold and to watch everyone’s efforts come to fruition.”

Earp notes that every year, the Southeastern Piano Festival at the USC School of Music grows in its prestige. The Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition held at the end of the festival week is now considered one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the Southeast for pre-college students. The high rate of return from out-of-state attendees motivates the leadership staff to continue transforming Columbia into a cultural landmark for musicians everywhere. “It’s inspiring to hear piano artistry at the highest level from the visiting guest artists and to witness the talent and dedication of the young aspiring pianists attending the festival,” Bush said.

Tickets are available to purchase for each performance on the Koger Center website. Each performance will be held at the School of Music’s Recital Hall, and tickets for each performance are $20. More information about the Southeastern Piano Festival at the USC School of Music can be found online as well.

Tall Women in the Hall

Former Jasper Board member, visual artist and art educator Ginny Merett’s new exhibit Tall Women opens today, June 4, 2023 at The Hallway: Community Art at 701 Whaley. Each of these tall collage pieces, roughly 12x60”, showcase a beautifully constructed unique character with a big personality. According to Merett the series “pays homage to all women who stand tall even in the face of adversity”. The opening reception is today from 2-4pm and the show will be up until July 29th.

Ginny Merett is a visual artist and art educator who is known for her eccentric collage works. Her collage pieces have been shown in solo and group exhibits at Stormwater Studio, ArtFields, Koger Center for the Arts, the Jasper Project, USC’s McMaster Gallery, SC State Library, and other local venues like Sound Bites Eatery, Trustus Theater, She Festival, Cottontown Art Crawl and Melrose Art in the Yard. Her work is published in the Jasper Project’s Jasper Magazine Spring 2019 and Fall 2022 editions, and in Sheltered: SC Artists Respond During the 2020 Pandemic; and in Bullets and Band-Aids, Vol. 3.

Ginny graduated from the University of Georgia with in Art Education and holds two master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina. She taught K-12 art for 30 years and spent many years as adjunct at the University of South Carolina working with pre-service teachers.

She has two children and 4 grandchildren, and lives in Lexington. Look for her on all social platforms.

Potential: Quilted Abstractions by Janet Swigler

By Eden Prime,
Jasper Graduate Intern

On June 8 a new show is coming to Stormwater Gallery on Pendleton Street. Janet Swigler is a quilter and music educator located in Columbia. She is a student of Smithsonian quilter Nancy Crow and an avid creator, learner, and abstract thinker.

Nothing Stays the Same V

Time and memory fold into eachother in Janet Swigler’s work. As a quilter and professional music educator Swigler’s art is full of detail and exacting imagery. Her quilts are crafted deftly and with intention, exploring the synthesis of childhood impressions with experiences leading to the present–each piece carries forward a definitive picture of a passionate life devoted to creation.

Swigler lived on an airforce base in Japan as an adolescente. Her parents were intentional about teaching Swigler about the culture that surrounded them in Japan.

“The sensibilities and aesthtics of Japanese culture trained my eye,” said Swigler, “Their use of lines and wabi-sabi–I don’t think I realized it all at the time but looking back I think it influenced me a lot.”

Renowned quiltmaker Nancy Crow, who is a major influence on Swigler, encourages quiltmakers to dig into childhood memories. Studying under Crow is how Swigler discovered that she could bring organic beauty into the world, it was like she had opened a box of crayons and every color was hers to create with.

Repetition, balance, and form are disciplines that Swigler learned from being a music educator for elementary school children. She channels these balancing forms in table-like motifs depicted on her quilts. Like the Torii Gates in Japan, an architectural structure that has become a theme in Swigler’s work, they demonstrate balnce and harmony.

Swigler hopes that people come to her show ready to reach out and take the opportunities given to them to think creaitvly, look for memory portals of their own, and see the light through the cracks.

You can find Swigler’s work at Stormwater Gallery at 413 Pendleton Street. The show opening is Thursday June 8 from 5:30-8:00. The quilts will be on display from June 8-June 18 and there will be other events during that time. On Sunday June 11th there will be a gallery talk at 1:30pm and on June 18 there will be a “Pop-In for Pop-Corn” from 1pm-3pm to close the show. Come view Janet Swigler’s work any time the gallery is open Wednesday-Sunday 11am-3pm.

Tiny Gallery with Mana Hewitt – Aesthetically Pleasing, Conceptually Interesting

The month of June brings Mana Hewitt’s beautiful hand sculpted jewelry to Jasper’s Tiny Gallery. Hewitt is a recently retired Senior Instructor from the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design, where she helped develop the jewelry making program in 2007. Other teaching endeavors include Columbia College for eight years and a year at a middle school. Her experience in painting, ceramics and metalsmithing has led to her cementing a prolific legacy in all disciplines. Hewitt grew up in a household surrounded by the arts; both her mother and grandmother studied art in college, and her and her siblings all grew to appreciate the arts through music and visual arts, passions that Hewitt eventually shared with her husband and daughter. Starting with oil paints and large-scale metals, she shifted to working with more small-scale media in 2006. This shift turned into the sterling silver/enameled jewelry work that Hewitt is so well known for to this day. Having an interest in the transformation of a section of metal can have lends to the endless possibilities for the jewelry design that Hewitt undertakes. “I am intrigued by metal’s transformation from rigidity to vibrant and fluid designs through hammering, etching, casting and effort,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt’s earrings are perfect statement pieces for those looking to spice up their jewelry collection. There are a variety of monochromatic pieces like the “Freeform” pairs, iridescent and colorful sets like “Drops” or “Fans” and even some statement piece sets like the “Rockets.” She always aims to meet her goal of creating jewelry that is both aesthetically pleasing and conceptually interesting. Working with metal for so long, Hewitt describes herself as someone who may just think with metal as well.

Aside from talent and drive, Hewitt has an abundance of ideas and inspiration when it comes to creating new works. “I have never had difficulty in finding inspiration or ideas,” Hewitt said. In fact, I probably have too many and feel there isn’t enough time to do everything I want to do.” Hewitt’s creations have been featured in both group and solo exhibitions across the Eastern U.S. She has collaborated with the Jasper Project before by being one of the featured artists in the Supper Table project, where she created a piece based on Eartha Kitt.

The marketability of jewelry and the small scale is appealing to Hewitt, who mentions that some of her favorite pieces are ones enameled in the champleve and cloisonne techniques. While very demanding, Hewitt says that "jewelrymaking provides endless challenges but provides such satisfaction when it all comes together.”

Hewitt’s earrings are available for sale on the Jasper Project’s Tiny Gallery site through the month of June. You can find more of her portfolio on her website.

Just An Exhibition: Marie Boyd’s Quilled Art and Illustrations from Her Debut Picture Book Just A Worm on Display at Richland Library Main Branch

Marie Boyd’s exhibition at the Richland Library Main Branch, called A Quilled Garden, opened May 12th, 2023, and is on display until June 2nd, 2023. This exhibit includes original images and illustrations from her first picture book, Just a Worm, which was published March 14th by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Quilling is a style of collage art that uses strips of paper which are cut, folded, and or rolled, looped, crimped, curled, and coiled to create intricate patterns and designs. Kirkus Reviews called the quilled designs in Boyd’s book “stunning.” 

Kirkus Reviews is not the only one to recognize Boyd’s prowess as an illustrator and children’s author, however; she has also been interviewed on The Sunday Show on MSNBC, and last month, she read Just a Worm to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll.

Just a Worm tells the story of Worm, who has been referred to as “just a worm” by two young children. Worm then embarks on a journey through the garden to prove that they are a whole lot more than that. They meet several other creatures along their journey, all of which bring about Worm’s own discovery of self-worth.

Cover Art from Just a Worm

Needless to say, we are very proud to boast that Marie Boyd is from our very own city of Columbia, SC. In addition to writing and quilling, Boyd is a professor of law at the University of South Carolina. She lives in Columbia with her husband, Jaime Harrison, and their two children.

This exhibition was made possible by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund. The exhibition is located at 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201.

If you wish to learn more about Marie Boyd, or wish to view more samples of her work, you can visit her website. To listen to a “meet-the-author” recording with Boyd, visit the Teaching Books site.

NiA Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Lonetta Thompson's Play Jump at the Sun

The NiA Company will celebrate its 25th anniversary in conjunction with Family Fun Night at the Columbia Museum of Art on Friday, May 26, beginning at 5:00.  There will be DJ sets from DJ B Folks, arts activities, design challenges, scavenger hunts, and food and drink available for purchase.  At 6:00, NiA will reprise Lonetta Thompson’s family-friendly play “Jump at the Sun,” which it first performed ten years ago.  The play explores the historical events of the Great Migration and the Harlem Renaissance along with key artistic figures like legends Zora Neale Hurston and Jacob Lawrence.

Lonetta’s play “Therapy” is next in line for the Jasper Project’s Play Right Series.  Through July, she, her cast and an audience of Community Producers will meet to discuss the creation, development and marketing of a play, culminating in a public staged reading at the CMFA on August 6

Jasper sat down with Lonetta and NiA founding artistic director Darion McCloud for a quick Q and A:

Lonetta Thompson

JASPER:How did you get involved with JUMP AT THE SUN?  I realize you’re the author, of course, but what led you and NIA together for this project?

THOMPSON: If memory serves, NiA had the opportunity to perform during the time Jacob Lawrence's The Migration Series was on exhibit at the museum and Darion graciously allowed me write something (since I was running around calling myself a writer all the time).  

JASPER: Is this play connected to Alicia Williams children’s book?    Or does it come straight from Zora? 

THOMPSON: I wrote this over ten years ago, and I Alicia Williams' book was published in 2021. I was researching the artists from the Harlem Renaissance and came across a quote from Zora Neale Hurston where her mom used to always tell her to "jump at de sun" and thought that was the perfect title.  (The full quotation is: “Jump at the sun. You might not land on the sun, but at least you’ll get off the ground.”)

 

JASPER: What do you hope is the principal message an audience member might come away from the play with?  What do you want them to know or do or feel?

THOMPSON: First and foremost, I just want people to know these wonderful artists (a lot of whom came from the south) and how they came together and created magic. They were so gifted and talented and passionate and that community they created is still at the top of my list of times and places I would go if I had a time machine.  Beyond just exposing our audience to these artists, I want people to be inspired by all forms of art and the impact it has on our lives whether we realize it or not. 

JASPER: Your career as a playwright is suddenly getting a lot of sunlight, what with THERAPY going into development this summer by the Jasper Project.  How does this chapter of your life feel to you as a creative person?  And are there more developments afoot we should know about?

THOMPSON: I am definitely in awe of my reality right now! I've always fancied myself a writer but was hesitant to put myself out there. I was lucky to find a satisfying creative outlet by being on stage. I do have a few things I'm working on and just plan to continue to develop my voice (and confidence!). 

DARION McCLOUD

JASPER: What occasioned NIA’s performing this play ten years ago?  And why is now the right time to remount it?

MCCLOUD: I think it was more than ten years even but we’ll go with that. At that time I had a day gig as the Outreach Manager with CMA. And the Jacob Lawrence (one of my artistic heroes) Migration Series was on exhibit.  So I approached Lonetta with the idea of creating a piece about The Harlem Renaissance with Lawrence’s Migration Series at the center   

JASPER: Is NiA involved in/at the heart of the other activities going on at the CMA on the 26th?  Or is this a consortium of many other good organizations?

MCCLOUD: NiA is one of the museum’s offerings on that day including creation stations and of course access to the permanent collection.

JASPER: Now that COVID is lifting maybe, what can we look forward to next from NiA?  What changes will see from the pre-COVID NiA?  Perhaps a better way to put that: it’s been 25 years for NiA: how have you grown?  What have you learned?  Where are you going? 

MCCLOUD: After twenty-five years we grown exponentially. We first came together to give black actors opportunities. Now that mission has expanded with opportunities as the engine. That means opportunities for all kinds of actors, for audiences that don’t always get the type of work we present or can’t afford it. This idea of providing opportunities for those with little still drives us.

JASPER: You, personally, could rest on your many many laurels.  Why don’t you?   What motivates you?  This question never expires.  Your answer may change as time goes by, and if it doesn’t it needs repeating.

MCCLOUD: First, thanks for the kind words. But there is so much need. I still believe “art makes everything better” and the world is always in need of better experiences. We hope to contribute to making better fathers, better mothers, better leaders, better followers.. Yeah, all through the shared experiences of theatre…of Art.  

Exploring Jasper Tiny Gallery Artist Tennyson Corley’s Whimsical and Charismatic Ceramic Creations

Tennyson Corley has been making art in Columbia for years, but in the past couple of years, a chance encounter with clay led to an exciting journey rife with whimsical characters. Her current Tiny Gallery show features a snack-hoarding hoodie-wearing raccoon, a photography-loving frog in stripes and a young opossum boy playing a dead cowboy. 

A few years ago, when Corley signed her son up for a homeschool clay class at the Columbia Art Center, friend, and artist Bohumila Augustinova convinced Corley to take her own beginner wheel throwing class—and she did—eventually having her own wheel at the center. 

“By the end, I didn't want to stop so I put my name on a very...very long waiting list and a year later I was playing in the mud again. Cut to 2022, I had just completed a mural for The Audubon Society at Folly Beach and that felt like a completion to my painting journey,” Corley shares, “I began experimenting with sculpting creatures and I gave them little stories. Like a golem, or something, they needed a story to bring them to life.”  

Though her 2D art may not always have made this evident, Corley has “always been drawn to the illustrative art of children's books, and even deeper, descriptions of folkloric creatures and mythology,” made even more evident by her penning of companion stories.

“I never felt like those concepts fit easily into my 2D work. Clay opened a door for my true, weird essence to flow in some respect. I also have a dark sense of humor. I think giving my creatures certain traits acts upon a social commentary of society,” Corley intimates, “Like, is it ok to act like this just because they are cute? Or this one is quite different, but hey, they're just like me! Can we look past appearances and accept what is below the surface. I enjoy coming at it in a playful way.” 

The process for making these creatures is always different. Corley jokes that her mind is always running to the point she wishes she could shut it off. She may start with a specific animal and then create a story around it, or she may have a story in her mind that needs a creature. Something as simple as a song lyric or a quote may “ignite a spark that becomes a flame that [she] can't damper until it is out of the kiln.”  

Though all art has a story, Corley’s pieces have full narratives pulled right from her imagination that describe the identities, characteristics, and backgrounds of the characters. While everyone, including her, tended to ask, “what is this painting about,” she wanted the characters to speak for themselves. 

“I wanted to open the introductory door, so-to-say, for the viewer, the patron, to be able to compile upon the story. I also like the idea of making them more like a quick read children's story for adults. And maybe hope that if a child reads them, they wouldn't get the dark bits,” Corley details, “It's also fun to see people at events linger over the sculpture and their stories and even strike up conversations with complete strangers.”  

In this show, Lulu Leatherhead, Otis the Opossum, Snack-coon, and Artemis are Corley’s current favorites—but her decision always fluctuates: “It is actually really hard for me to pick a favorite. I spend so much time with each piece. From idea, to construction, to glazing, and story. I feel like they are all my weirdo children. I know them, and then I have to see them off to collectors.” 

Corley’s creations have been catching eyes even beyond Cola lately. She was recently published in San Antonio’s Pepper Magazine and asked to be an Arts Contributor. Each magazine will feature one of her ceramic illustrations (sculptures) along with its story as an evolved/revolutionized comic strip.  

You can find her works on Jasper’s Tiny Gallery until May 31st and continue to follow her on her Instagram @tennyson_corley_art. Corley is currently planning a small workshop with the Columbia Art Center for the fall to introduce people to her process.