Jasper Welcomes Olivia Pope to Tiny Gallery by Emily Moffitt

Our newest resident artist in the Jasper Tiny Gallery is Olivia Pope, an artist with many hats who primarily works with stained glass. Pope is no stranger to visual arts – she has taught herself dozens of forms of art and creation over the years, such as watercolor, sewing, cosplaying, oil painting, crocheting, and more. Over the last four years, however, Pope fell in love with the art of stained glass.

“I was initially drawn into working with glass by an initial spark of inspiration from watching a game show where glassblowers compete with one another,” Pope says. “The hands-on nature and sheer intensity of the whole process is fascinating, and one I hope I get the chance to try one day. Shortly after looking into glass as a medium, I realized creating art with stained glass was more accessible than I originally assumed.” Pope got to collect the necessary tools to break into the foray of stained-glass work, all in the comfort of her own home.

The process of creating a new work of art with glass is both meditative and exciting for Pope. It is also extremely rewarding. The versatility and variations within each piece of glass provide unique challenges that she encounters every time she comes back to work on a glass project. Throughout a lifetime of working with various media, Pope typically would learn to create something by starting with the basics, then learning from mistakes, and eventually stopping when satisfied with the project altogether, keeping the medium in the back of her mind to return to for a potential future project. Working with stained glass felt different, however. “Every step of stained glass is its own challenge with varying difficulty levels,” Pope says. “No two pieces are the same, even if they are literally the same pattern. There is always something to learn, a trick to discover, an “a-ha!” moment.”

Pope’s life has been surrounded by the arts and she engages in them almost every day. If there was one moment to pinpoint as a catalyst for the arts continuing to shape her life, she recalls a moment from when she was an anchor vendor and artist in the former NoMa Warehouse. “I was chatting with a shopper who told me that the work that I was creating will become family heirlooms – valuable works of art that deserve to exist from generation to generation,” Pope says. “That comment struck me in such a way that completely reframed my thinking on so many levels. The reality that visual arts have become—and will become—the legacy of so many people, even me, is profound.”

Pope’s artwork is available for purchase through the rest of October. She also plans to donate 10% of her sales to hurricane relief.

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre's People Places & Things by Kristine Hartvigsen

The Trustus Theatre stage play People, Places & Things by English playwright Duncan Macmillan is not feel-good entertainment. But don’t let that stop you from seeing it. 

It isn’t pretty, this sobering depiction of the messy, meandering journey from drunken debauchery to addiction to detox to denial to relapse to denial to acceptance to the beginnings of lifelong recovery.  

The play follows Emma, a troubled actress, through the process of acknowledging her debilitating addiction to drugs and alcohol. Portrayed with authenticity and skill by Christine Hellman, Emma is a drunken, self-absorbed mess who suffers from imposter syndrome on the stage. As a result, she is crippled by self-doubt and has difficulty distinguishing between her stage roles and her often mind-bending, party-filled reality. “If I am not in character, I am not sure who I am,” Emma reveals. 

The most riveting scenes in People are when Emma is agonizing through detox. She shakes and writhes and suffers a terrifying madness complete with hallucinations as many versions of herself emerge repeatedly from her hospital bed like cloned apparitions also seizing and retching and screaming in pain. All the Emmas together reach a cacophony of terrifying volume.  

Incredibly compelling stage design, lighting, and sound convey the emotion and multi-sensory torture Emma experiences. Background screens run video behind the actors that further strengthen the performance. Recorded sound, including broadcast static and echoing narratives, as well as flashing overhead lights contribute to the feelings of confusion and mania. 

When Emma expresses that the therapist and administrator of the facility cannot possibly understand what she and the other patients are going through, it is poignantly revealed that each themselves is a longtime recovering addict.  

In her alternating roles as doctor, therapist, and “mum” to Emma, Erin Wilson is believably straightforward, authoritative, and empathetic as group therapy facilitator. Josh Kern is equal parts likeable and knowing as the rehab facility’s administrator Foster. Each patient’s story adds depth and complexity to the multi-faceted struggles of recovery. Some of the therapy role-play scenes dragged some but included notable performances from William Paul Brown and Alex Malvern. 

While Emma’s first attempt at inpatient rehab fails, she has taken the lessons of therapy to heart and finds her way back to pick up the pieces once more. In trying to rationalize her substance abuse, Emma says things common among addicts like: “I needed something to take the edge off,” and “drugs and alcohol have never let me down.”  

There are moments of needed comic relief that emphasize the subtle contradictions inherent in the culture of substance abuse. In one nonsensical scene, the patients almost competitively spit out stories demonstrating how much more “fucked up” they are than the others — as if there was a certain dysfunctional pride in fucked-up-edness.  

Ultimately, the patients agree contextually that “The problem is not us; it’s the world.” However they also take responsibility for their behaviors and find comfort in realizing “We’re all the same.”  

Director Dewey Scott-Wiley is to be commended for delivering a brilliant play that bravely takes on an ugly topic with empathy and wit. The entire cast performing in People tackle unflattering and starkly challenging roles to tell an insightful story that touches nearly every American family on some level.  

The play does end on a positive note, with Emma acknowledging the “gift of desperation” and — having done the work — eventually resuming the necessary practice of going to auditions. This recovery milestone shows that it is possible to return to some semblance of a normal life. This revealing play is well worth seeing.

People, Places & Things (produced in partnership with LRADAC and The Courage Center) runs at Trustus Theatre through Oct. 12.

Review: The 39 Steps Opens at Chapin Theatre By Jane Peterson

The 39 Steps, a comedic gem originally crafted by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, debuted at Chapin Theatre Company Friday night to a packed house. Directed by Frank Thompson, this farcical adaptation spoofs Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film and John Buchan’s 1915 novel, blending the intrigue of a murder mystery with a comedic flair reminiscent of Monty Python, Mel Brooks, and chaotic productions like Noises Off and The Play That Goes Wrong.

In this witty reimagining, the entire plot of the 1935 Hitchcock film is recreated by just four actors, a feat that leads to boundless hilarity. George Dinsmore shines as the lead, Richard Hannay, an unsuspecting hero entangled in a spy conspiracy. Jennifer Kraus takes on the roles of three women (Pamela, Annabella, and Margaret), each of whom Hannay encounters in his desperate bid to clear his name. Ripley Thames and Julia Hudson steal the show as they juggle dozens of other roles, from innkeepers to police officers, to businessmen, showcasing their talent for rapid character shifts and physical comedy.

The plot centers on Hannay’s efforts to prove his innocence after being accused of murdering a mysterious spy, played with captivating charm by Kraus. Her portrayal of the dark-haired femme fatale Annabella sets the stage for the wild ride that follows. As Hannay evades capture, he crosses paths with a variety of eccentric characters, all hilariously brought to life by Thames and Hudson, who skillfully switch between personalities and accents with minimal costume changes. Their impeccable comedic timing keeps the audience in stitches as they bring the absurdity of the story to life.

Dinsmore plays Hannay with both charm and earnestness, effortlessly embodying the role of an accidental hero. His scenes, particularly the daring stunts—like hanging from the side of a train—are a delight to watch. Kraus, as his three love interests, excels in her ability to bring distinct personalities to each woman, with perfect comedic timing and facial expressions that add depth to the humor. Thames and Hudson, as the "clowns" of the show, provide endless gags, sight humor, and quick-witted dialogue, managing to make each character memorable despite the dizzying pace of their transformations.

A highlight of the production is the creative use of multimedia and projections, which are brilliantly integrated into the minimal set. Black-and-white and color images are used to transport the audience to various locations, riding on a speeding train, and in a car. We even witnessed a plane crash. Thompson’s direction ensures that the actors' movements, particularly in scenes involving the moving train and car chases, are synchronized perfectly with the projections, adding another layer of visual comedy to the show.

Though a few of the set changes felt slightly prolonged on opening night, it’s a small nitpick in an otherwise polished production. The actors' chemistry and energy more than compensated for any technical issues, delivering an engaging and highly entertaining experience from start to finish.

The 39 Steps runs from October 10 to 20 at Chapin Theatre, with evening performances and weekend matinees. Tickets are $15 in advance and range from $18 (seniors) to $20 (adults) at the door. Don’t miss this uproarious homage to classic cinema—this is a theatrical event full of laughs that you won’t want to miss! Visit www.chapintheatre.org for tickets.

Eclectic Mix of Short Plays Featured in USC’s 10 Minute Play Festival Oct. 24 – Nov. 3

The USC Dept. of Theatre and Dance will present the 10 Minute Play Festival, a fun and eclectic evening of short plays, October 24 – November 3 at the Lab Theatre.

Show times are at 7:30pm, October 24-26 and November 1-2, and 3pm on Sunday, Nov. 3.   Tickets are $10 and are available online at sc.universitytickets.com or at the door.  The Lab Theatre is located at 1400 Wheat St. on the first floor of the Booker T. Washington building.  

Enjoy a fast-paced evening of laughter, heartbreak and everything in between as we present a collection of (very) short plays, each directed by a different member of our theatre performance faculty. “A ten-minute play is a streak of theatrical lightning. It doesn’t last long, but its power can stand your hair on end.” (Take Ten, Vintage Books).

Featured plays include:

The Lobster Quadrille (Directed by David Britt)
Playwright Don Nigro’s quirky story depicts a casual encounter that quickly becomes a chaotic dance, as two lovers navigate the neurotic pitfalls of a one-night stand. 

So I Was Visiting Dad on His Birthday... (Directed by Lyle Browne)
In this sensitive and witty script by DC Cathro, a chance meeting between two women in a cemetery – one visiting her deceased father and the other hoping to join him in the afterlife – sparks an unlikely bond. 

Dead Giveaway (Directed by Mario Haynes)
Daniel Guyton’s unorthodox exploration of romance is set on Valentine’s Day, as Robert gifts his wife arrangements of the "final" variety, leading both to question the meaning of “’til death do us part.”

Tea Time (Directed by Patrick Michael Kelly)
Stabbings. Missing tea. A dropped goose. Something is afoot in Lady Gertrude's manor, and it is certainly not a game. Class and reality are dissected in Will Dunne's absurd comedy of manners and murder.

Cast in the plays are undergraduate students Isnerys Carrasquillo, Josh Cooke, Calvin DeLude, Donovan Dempsey, Destiny McCorvey, Reagan Michael, Aza Nyberg, and Morgan Passley.

While the wide variety of situations presented in these compact stories makes for a uniquely entertaining experience for the audience, the faculty directors say that the actors’ work is just as challenging and fulfilling as doing a full-length play.

“While the audience only sees these characters for 10 minutes, the actors have to develop characters that have lived full lives up to [the performance of] the play,” says instructor Lyle Browne. “Just as with a full-length play, that time has to be spent to engage the audience and bring them in.

Senior instructor David Britt concurs. “It really gives the actors a chance to study a character and flesh them out in one scene. It’s all or nothing, and that is exciting to an actor.” 

For more information on the 10 Minute Play Festival or the theatre program at the University of South Carolina, contact Kevin Bush by phone at 803-777-9353 or via email at bushk@mailbox.sc.edu.  

Welcoming Jean Lomasto to Jasper’s First Thursday Gallery at Sound Bites Eatery

This Thursday!

After an abbreviated showing of her work in 2023, the Jasper Project is delighted to welcome back Jean Lomasto to our First Thursday celebration by featuring the artist and her work in the Jasper Gallery space at our beloved soup, sandwich, and salad home, Sound Bites Eatery at 1425 Sumter Street.

Visual artist Jean Lomasto was born in Brooklyn, New York, but  when she was 15 years old her father took a job in Greenville, SC and moved the family to the SC upstate area. After attending college at the University of South Carolina and pursuing Costume Design, two of her undergraduate teachers, Lyn Carroll (costume design) and Terry Bennett (scene design) encouraged her to go to graduate school.

Lomasto says, “Many principles of design transfer easily from theatre to painting or seemed to for me. I have a Master of Fine Art in Costume Design from UVA. I have taken a few introductory painting classes locally and in LA. I took drawing classes at the Art Students League in New York, when I was working there in the field of costuming.”

With an MFA in Costume Design and a cover piece in Theatre Design and Technology magazine, Lomasto traveled to NYC where she worked in many costume shops, including the Julliard School as well as for a few Woody Allen films designed by Santo Loquasto. She became wardrobe supervisor for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and toured the world with the company, designing Dudley William’s finale costume for his performance at City Center.

Jean has two sons. While they were growing up, she taught elementary school in California for steady income and health insurance, occasionally doing some theatre work. They lived in Mestre, Italy for several years. 

She returned to Columbia, SC in 2014 and designed many shows for Trustus Theatre:  Peter and the Starcatcher, Marie Anntoinette, Appropriate, Marly’s Christmas Carol, among others.

“One of the greatest influences for my painting was Nicholas Wilton,” Lomasto says. “I signed up online at the start of COVID for a 10-week painting course. Design elements and using paint were important, but the biggest factor for me in this course was psychological.  ... meaning Nicholas Wilton encourages students to find what is in them and then paint. Locally, I find Columbia to be filled with amazingly talented people who support each other, but the following two take the cake for me: One day I was working in the library and Stephen Chesley walks up to me and says, ‘Hi, I like your work. Go bigger...just go bigger.’ I picked myself up off the floor and said, okay. I have had the opportunity to reconnect with Philip Mullen, who is kind enough to really look at my work and comment on it. This is such a generous thing to do on his part.” 

Lomasto says that she has “no official university training in painting. I was married to an art student as an undergraduate and hung around the art department a good bit, when I wasn't at the theatre.” Lomasto goes on to explain that “Philip Mullen was my husband's teacher in undergraduate school. I have always lived in places with easy access to art.”

1st Thursday w/ Sound Bites Eatery & The Jasper Project

featuring

Visual Artist Jean Lomasto

Thursday, October 3rd 5:30 - 8 pm

Sound Bites Eatery

1425 Sumter Street

SC JAZZ FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2024-2025 LINEUP: ORGANIZED

The SC Jazz Masterworks Ensemble, South Carolina’s premier jazz big band, will kick off its new season on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at Harbison Theatre with “The Birthday Concert,” featuring internationally renowned jazz organist Mike LeDonne.

Following the October 26 concert, this season features the ensemble in Swingin’ Holidays, Dec. 8, 2024; Jazz is for Lovers, Feb. 15, 2025; An Evening with Cyrille Aimée, April 12, 2025; and Season Finale Virtuoso Trumpet Star Sean Jones, June 14, 2025. The SC Jazz Masterworks Ensemble, under the musical direction of Dr. Robert Gardiner, features some of the most prominent and outstanding jazz musicians, soloists, and bandleaders from across the Carolinas.

“Mike LeDonne is one of the finest jazz pianists and organists in the world,” said Robert Gardiner, Executive Director of the SC Jazz Foundation. “We’re glad to be working with such talented guest artists, and I think each concert will have something that everyone can enjoy,” Gardiner said.

Tickets for each of the five concerts are on sale now, priced from $25 - $65 depending on show and seating section. Patrons may purchase a season subscription by visiting www.SCJazz.org through October 1 for guaranteed seats to each concert. 

Poetry of the People with Evelyn Berry

This week's Poet of the People is Evelyn Berry. Over a decade ago, led by Evelyn Berry, an inspired group of Aiken High School students would pile in a car and journey to Columbia to attend Mind Gravy Poetry. I am fortunate to still know several of them through the wonder of Facebook—and Evelyn continues to lead and soar above us all. Some day, we will say we knew and were energized by Evelyn Berry on her way up and be grateful for the experience.

-Al Black

Evelyn Berry is a trans, Southern writer, editor, and educator. She's the author of Grief Slut (Sundress Publications, 2024). She's a recipient of a 2023 National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship and lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

Self-Portrait at Nineteen 

All summer, I worked shifts at Old Navy

& snorted molly from an iPhone screen

in the backseat of a car parked nowhere,

a happy heathen not yet grief-plundered.

Once, I was a boy unafraid to die.

I would swallow almost anything meant

to kill me if, at first, it got me high:

pills left over from surgery pilfered

from my parents’ medicine cabinet,

coffee cups of dark liquor, gas station

feasts, bounty of grease, sugar, cigarettes.

How else to parachute from the body?

Aliveness, this useless extravagance

I have wasted once before, but no more.

prodigal daughter 

what I know of sin, i learned in the sty

amid the swine, slurped mud and called it wine.

femme-fouled boy, faggot-spoiled sacrifice

offered at the altar and abandoned.

forgive my reckless want, lord, to belong

as more than soiled sacrament, fat sow

knife-split to gorge the prophets of gendered

violence. prayer, in their hands, a blade.

what do i know of penitence, patience,

except once the lord sent frenzied demons

into a drove of blameless pigs to drown?

how did we decide which beast to slaughter?

lord, i too am an impure animal.

i left home a son, return a daughter.

Eos 

After Mary Evelyn Pickering De Morgan

Once, the goddess of dawn cried out, forlorn,

her son cast into dirt beyond the walls of Troy,

Achilles’ sword drawn through his chest,

his soul gone, replaced with a feathered flock.

Her tears poured graceless as swans,

like a vase overflowing with morning dew

until grief bloomed new gardens.

Describe to me the weight of this.

Mourning replenishes the earth, ushers

Soil into rebirth, new river traced

from the boy’s doomed blue veins.

What is a song worth without its wound?

Let me, for once, taste paradise without the tinge of blood.

Let me glimpse the cusp of dawn without the flood of night.

The Decoy

            After John Collier

To be painted femme fatale, condemned fatal:

a woman’s beauty is a dangerous deception

in the hands of a man who demands

to own her like a plucked rose.

Let me be the decoy instead,

damsel in undress, glinting

luminescent like a knife

bound to my ankle.

Two Greek Tragedies Kick Off the Season for USC Theatre & SC Shakespeare Company

Elaine Werren as Antigone

In this politically fraught time, how clever of two of our local theatre companies to program political productions that focus on the power of the individual – in both cases, individual female characters – to rise up in protest against their own uniquely perceived injustices. USC Theatre opens their 2024 – 2025 season with Antigone, and SC Shakespeare Company opens similarly with Electra, both during the first weekend in October.  

Both plays are based on characters from ancient Greek mythology, both are being performed in Columbia, SC, and both open the first weekend in October, but most of the similarities end there. 

While the SC Shakespeare Company’s production of Electra runs from October 3 – 5 and 10 – 12, outside in Historic Columbia’s beautiful Woodrow Wilson House Gardens, the University of SC’s Theatre program presents Antigone October 4 – 12 at the historic Longstreet Theatre on campus. 

The mythological characters of Antigone and Electra are both examined frequently by writers of antiquity in a number of classic plays, each serving as a catalyst for the call of moral fortitude by the titular women involved.  

Antigone is a tale of civil disobedience. When her two brothers are killed while fighting each other for the throne of Thebes, newly seated ruler Creon forbids the burial and mourning of one of her brothers, Polynices, and Antigone rebels by mourning and burying him against Creon’s decree.  

Elektra, whose story has received treatment by everyone from Sophocles and Euripides to Richard Strauss and Eugene O’Neill, is best known for her part in the Trojan cycle, as well as for being the namesake of Carl Jung’s psychological Elektra Complex. 

Here’s what you need to know to take in both promising productions: 

Electra will be performed outside at the historic Woodrow Wilson Gardens at 1705 Hampton Street. The performance starts at 7:30, is free, and attendees are invited to bring blankets and picnics to enhance their viewing experience. The cast and crew include Hunter Boyle, Katie Mixon, Brittany Lewis, Nekoda Moses, Kira Nessel, J B Marple, and Tristian Brown and is directed by Tracey Steele.

 Antigone will be performed at Longstreet Theatre, 1300 Greene Street, with showtimes at 7:30 Wednesday through Saturday with 3 pm matinee performances on October 6 and 12. Tickets are $15 - $22 and may be purchased here. Lauren Wilson will direct the play. The cast and crew include Elaine Werren (Antigone), Dominic DeLong-Rodgers (Creon), Olan Domer, Didem Ruhi, and Elizabeth Wheless; undergraduates Meagan AuBuchon, John Ballard, Eliza Dojan, Ben Doub, Mel Driggers, Ash Leland, Kyleigh McComish, Angie Tamvaki, Carlos Turner, and Olivia Wamai; and guest artist Talha Karci.

-Cb

Jasper Galleries: Ellen Yaghjian, The Newest Nook Resident by Emily Moffitt

As a member of the Vista Guild Association, the Koger Center for the Arts is proud to partner with the Jasper Project in Third Thursday Art Night. A different artist is featured every month in our rotating gallery, The Nook, with an opening reception on the month's Third Thursday. September 2024's featured artist is Ellen Yaghjian. The opening reception is on September 19, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Koger Center.

Ellen Emerson Yaghjian was born in Atlanta, GA, and grew up in Larchmont, NY. She received a BFA in sculpture from the University of Georgia and an MMA in media arts from the University of South Carolina. For ten years, Ellen worked in television production, first with South Carolina Educational Television and later as an Associate Producer at Turner Broadcasting. In 1990, she shifted her focus to sculpture. She began by designing commissioned based copper fountains for outdoor gardens and indoor offices across the southeast. In 2000, Ellen began creating figurative works with copper, hammering and heating the metal to produce sculpture reflective of the human body. She enjoys the warmth of copper and the colors that emerge through her process. During the pandemic Ellen took up painting in acrylic. Ellen resides in Columbia, SC with her husband, David.

Ellen’s Artist Statement:

“The focus of my art practice is to bring my attention to one place in time and to explore the ideas that come to mind. Reflecting on the grace and strength of the female form, I am drawn to the medium of copper. I use heat and my hammer to move and shape the metal into subtle lines of the human body. Observations of landscapes and natural elements lead me to my paints. I simplify 3 dimensional elements on paper and panels and in the process find gratitude and wholeness.”

If you can’t make it to the reception, the art will be up through mid-October, and can be viewed from 9-5 Monday through Friday, and an hour prior to any Koger Center event. You can follow Ellen’s work on Instagram (@ellenyaghjianart) and her website (ellenyaghjian.com).

Black Nerd Mafia Presents: “Live from the 803,” An Exclusive Local Arts Experience By: Liz Stalker

The only catch to these epic nights of entertainment is as of now, “Live from the 803” events are invite-only

Local arts organization Black Nerd Mafia continues to uplift indie artists in Columbia, particularly from the thriving though often underrepresented Black arts scene, through their new event series, “Live from the 803.” Hosted by The Player’s Club, “Live from the 803‘s” monthly main events consist of visual artist/musician duo, presenting a unique opportunity to experience the impressive range and passion that the Columbia indie arts scene has to offer.  

This month, “Live from the 803” will host visual artist Jakeem Da Dream (AKA Dominique Negus Hodge) and singer-rapper-songwriter JB SamSon. The event will take place Saturday, September 28th starting at 8 p.m. with a catered cocktail reception, where guests are invited to sit back, relax, and enjoy a curated display of artwork by Jakeem Da Dream, and will even be given the opportunity to chat with the artist himself about his work. Following the reception, JB SamSon will take the stage in a very intimate concert setting, allowing guests to get up close and personal.  

Such memorable special touches, from the box of worms to the live painting, truly set a remarkable expectation for what’s to come as the event series continues.

If the second installment in this series is anything like its debut event, which took place on Saturday, August 10th, the energy is sure to be electric. Painter and muralist Ija Monet set the tone for the evening with her stunning collection of work, which innovatively combined the mediums of painting and tapestry. She also gave attendees the chance to watch her genius in action, painting live at the center of the reception and impressing spectators with her speed and her technical prowess.  

For the musical portion of the evening, guests were escorted into a smaller room with a stage to watch alternative hip hop artist patX’s concert farewell to Columbia. The room was packed, but patX did not allow that to hinder his connection to the audience, a connection that he prioritized from the start, cultivating an environment of authenticity, and displaying a clear passion for his work. Alongside Airborne Audio–Live from the 803’s wickedly talented full time DJ–patX launched into a set of incredible musical diversity, showcasing his talent as a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. In the middle of his set, he unveiled a surprise that evoked shock, delight, and perhaps some disgust: a box of dirt and worms for audience members to dig through for mixtape souvenirs. He ended the night by taking requests, once again centering that connection between artist and fans (some old, some brand new). 

Such memorable special touches, from the box of worms to the live painting, truly set a remarkable expectation for what’s to come as the event series continues. The only catch to these epic nights of entertainment is as of now, “Live from the 803” events are invite-only—in other words, you have to know someone, or at least know someone who knows someone, to receive an event ticket. That being said, “Live from the 803” also hosts a variety of smaller-scale events and meetups at The Attic Lounge–including jam sessions, DJ sets, artist networking events, and other opportunities to both appreciate local arts or show off your own skills–which provide the perfect opportunity to express your interest in the exclusive Player’s Club events.  

To stay up to date with “Live from the 803” and all of their awesomeness, follow them on Instagram @803.live.

The Attic Lounge

Al Black's Poetry of the People with Duna Miler

This week's Poet of the People is Duna Miller. I first met Duna over a decade ago at a poetry reading. She can be seen haunting the poetry scene and the Mind Gravy mic when her church choir takes its summer break. Duna is a delightful human being and is a better poet than her humility allows her to project in our literary community. I am honored to call her friend.

-Al Black

Duna Miller began life in Vienna, Austria, as the first of eight daughters. When her father retired from the Army in 1964 their family moved to Columbia and she has resided in the Columbia area ever since. She met James Dickey in Fall 1969 at USC and continued to be his friend and student until he left for the starry place in 1997. Most of her working life was spent in education, and she retired from the USC School of Medicine in 2014.

____

To My Sister Bo

(1949-2024)

The sun left the sky

The morning you died.

I will always be sorry,

I will always be grateful -

You were part of my life

All the days of yours.

Inspiration

In the night, in the mind,

The untrained fingers find the keys -

Elusive harmonies,

Unwritten melodies unwind.

In the light, we are blind.

The pinpoint eyes behind us seize

Vague shadows through the leaves.

The unseen vision frees mankind.

Set loose like cats at play,

Imagination’s day begins

Before the dawn sheds light,

Obscuring in that brighter way

The truth the darkness wins.

The webless spider spins by night.

Skyfish

A school of silver minnows turn

In unison against the clouds.

Here and there a jellyfish rises

To the surface and plummets with a blink.

Sometime during the differentiation

Of the fetal eye, bits of matter left over

From other structures lodged in the jelly

Between the lens and retinal wall.

When this debris floats into our field of vision,

And the retinal corpuscles twitch,

The sky becomes a motion picture screen

For an ocean of finite depth.

Dialectic

Angels are guiding my hand.

I stand in a clearer light.

There is no right way to go.

The shadow is always near.

I hear but cannot tell why,

Just follow my inner voice.

Choice is the dream of angels.

About Last Night - A Magical Evening of New Theatre & Unique Visual Art with Chad Henderson & Nate Puza

L to R: Jon Tuttle - PRS director, Chad Henderson - playwright, Marybeth Gorman Craig - director, Kayla Machado - very pregnant actor, Libby Campbell - actor & Jasper Project board member, G. Scott Wild - actor

Last night was a wonderful night for the Jasper Project as we were privileged to celebrate two artists from two different disciplines at Harbison Theatre for a double dose of Jasper goodness. We opened the evening with a reception for our featured visual artist in the Harbison Theatre Gallery, Nate Puza and ended it with the premier staged reading performance of the 2024 Play Right Series winning play, Let It Grow by Chad Henderson.

Visual Artist Nate Puza offers and artist talk at the opening reception for hi exhibition at the Jasper Project’s Harbison Theatre Gallery

Nate Puza is a South Carolina based artist, designer, and illustrator with over a decade of experience working with some of the biggest bands and brands in the world including Jason Isbell, the Avett Brothers, Chris Stapleton, Phish, and more. Internationally known for his meticulous attention to detail and high level of craftmanship, Puza created the new design for the Columbia, SC flag. When not creating art for your favorite band Nate can be found playing music with friends, being outside, wrenching on his motorcycle, mowing the lawn, or drinking a beer on the back porch.

Chad Henderson is a professional theatre artist from South Carolina. He is known for directing contemporary plays, musicals and original works that mix music, movement, imagination and invention to create unforgettable works for the stage. Henderson served as the Artistic Director of Trustus Theatre (2015-2021) in Columbia, SC, and is the current Marketing Director for the South Carolina Philharmonic, where he most recently produced Home for the Holidays at Koger Center for the Arts. Selected Trustus Theatre credits include: The Brother/Sister Plays, Green Day’s American Idiot, Evil Dead, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Last 5 Years, Assassins, The Great Gatsby, Next to Normal, and The Restoration’s Constance - an original musical for which Henderson also authored the book.

Libby Campbell and David Britt on the stage for Let It Grow!

L to R: Libby Campbell, David Britt, G. Scott Wild, Kayla Machado

Jasper expresses our sincerest appreciation to Kristin Cobb, executive director of Harbison Theatre at MTC and her team for welcoming us into their home and supporting our mission. Check out all the exciting performances coming up at Harbison theatre here and support this state-of-the-art performance space the way they support the SC Midlands performing artists!

Kristin Cobb, executive director - Harbison Theatre at MTC welcomes the crowd.

Have You Heard About the Monthly After Dinner Cabaret?

At the Jasper Project, new art is our M.O. And we applaud the artist who, whatever their discipline, steps out of the long line of folks waiting patiently for their big breaks to take control and make their breaks happen for them with their own vision, fortitude, and faith in themselves and their sisters and brothers in the arts trenches.

This week we’re applauding The Monthly After Dinner Cabaret, a King/Henderson project - that’s Vicky Saye Henderson Van Horne and Clayton King - both prolific performers with a history of making art happen in the SC Midlands and beyond.

The pair offer a great explanation of their history and mission on their website, which we share with you below:

The Story of The Monthly After Dinner Cabaret

The Monthly After Dinner Cabaret offers a chance to enjoy some of the Midlands' most celebrated cabaret and theatre performers once a month in an intimate and lively atmosphere. Sharing an eclectic mix of music and stories, our performers have over 400 years of combined experience delivering lively and entertaining programs.

 We started small in 2023 with a six-month series in a small venue on Two Notch Road. As word got out that this fun event was happening every month, audiences started to grow, and over the course of the next year, we knew we were on to something. 

Our goal was (seemingly) simple. Provide an evening of live music without the need to purchase dinner or drinks. In other words, enjoy a dinner with a friend at your chosen place, and then come join us at the cabaret! Easy, laid back, and fun!

The Monthly After Dinner Cabaret is moving to a new performance space next month. We are excited about performing at Columbia Music Festival Association Artspace in downtown Columbia. Our new venue offers a more comfortable setting with better seating and acoustics, providing an improved experience for all. The intimate atmosphere you've come to enjoy will remain, with the added benefit of enhanced staging. We look forward to welcoming you to our new location for an evening of entraining and quality performances in a fresh environment. If you're not already on our mailing list, please subscribe by using the button below to receive updates as they unfold.

Congratulations to the entire troupe of MAD Cabaret performers, and thanks to Columbia Music Festival Association for providing this company a performance home.

MAD Cabaret’s next event is Tuesday October 8th at 7:30 at CMFA and features Mandy Applegate, Jonathan Monk, w/ Greg Boatright.

Purchase Tickets Here.

SCETV and USC Press Celebrates Jazz Legend Marian McPartland with Book Launch Event at Koger Center for the Arts

South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV), in partnership with the University of South Carolina Press, is proud to announce a special event celebrating the launch of Shall We Play That One Together: The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland, a biography by acclaimed jazz historian Paul de Barros. The event will take place on Oct. 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Gallery on the second floor of the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia.

This unique evening will feature live music from a jazz trio led by Mark Rapp of ColaJazz, light refreshments, hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet author Paul de Barros, purchase signed copies of the book, and delve into the life and legacy of one of jazz’s most influential figures- Marian McPartland.

Paul de Barros, known for his extensive work in jazz, has crafted a compelling narrative that chronicles McPartland’s journey from the British novelty circuit to becoming a revered jazz pianist and the voice of jazz in America. Shall We Play That One Together: The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland explores McPartland’s 30-year tenure on her NPR show, Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz, where she introduced tens of thousands of listeners to jazz music through interviews and performances with legendary artists.

The event will also mark the kickoff of a new season of ColaJazz Presents, a series dedicated to showcasing the rich jazz culture in South Carolina, featuring the ColaJazz Trio.

Shall We Play That One Together? Book Launch and Jazz Celebration

October 1, 2024, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

The Gallery, 2nd Floor, Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene Street, Columbia, SC

Free admission; books available for purchase onsite

This event is free and open to the public.

The University of South Carolina Press is a leading academic publisher, dedicated to advancing knowledge and scholarship through the publication of outstanding books across a range of disciplines, including history, literature, and the arts.

REVIEW—Pater Noster and the Mission of Light By Wade Sellers

The entire cast carries you through the film, but Bickel’s tongue-in-cheek record store comedy turned blood-soaked escape film pays off in a great way that I haven’t seen in any level of filmmaking in quite some time. 

Mike Amason stars as Pater Noster in Pater Noster and the Mission of Light

Simply put, Chris Bickel knows how to hit you in the face with his movies. His third micro-budget indie feature, Pater Noster and the Mission of Light, is a wonder of what pure will, a solid vision, dedication from indie-film lovers, new technology, and a load of talent can create in the current indie-film world. An end card after the credits states that Pater Noster and the Mission of Light was made in West Columbia for what you can buy a used car for. Bickel gives that number as $20,000. Every dollar of that budget ends up on the screen along with pints of blood and sweat from a crew that found a labor of love, and a cast that is both seasoned and practically pulled off the street. 

On the surface Pater Noster and the Mission of Light is a cult film. Pater Noster and the Mission of Light is a 70s religious group that has been off-the-grid for decades. What they do have is a slightly sought after catalogue of self-produced music that is worth a lot of cash to collectors. That’s how we meet Max, played by newcomer Adara Starr. Max works at the local indie record shop when a local vinyl trader tries to cash in one of his Pater Noster records and not so subtly mentions that he has a secret spot where more of the Pater Noster catalog sit. Max sweet talks and slips the collector a few bucks and hits the store herself, hoping to cash in. Max does find the stash and heads back to the record shop with her PNATMOL find. 

After bragging to store owner Sam, played perfectly sly and bitter by Bickel regular Morgan Shaley Renew and her co-worker and friend Abby, played smartly by another familiar face to Bickel films Sanethia Dresch, Max and Abby head to Max’s house to get high and soak in the Pater Noster find. Later, the co-workers hit a blood-soaked show featuring a local thrash metal band “Lunacide,” filled in by Columbia area band and Metal Blade recording artist Demiser. Filling out the group of friends is Gretchen and Lunacide drummer Jay Sin, played by Shelby Lois Guinn and Josh Outzen, respectively. Bickel’s curation of this group is a great homage to past horror film friend group dynamics. The friends head back to Max’s for a post-show afterparty. Max finds a mutual Pater Noster lover in Jay Sin and the Mission of Light mystery grows from there. With a brilliant cameo by the saxophone swinging 80s film icon Tim Cappello as Dennis Waverly, a conspiracy filled radio host leaning heavily on Art Bell, the friends get a stern warning of swimming in the Pater Noster pool. Moments later, another mysterious call is received from supposed Pater Noster surrogates, and the next morning the friends are in a car being chauffeured to the Pater Noster compound.

He mixes his blood with the blood spilled later in the film.

Bickel wastes no time getting his group of friends, and the audience, into the meat of the white robed, smile just a bit too wide, Pater Noster welcoming committee and their compound. Soon getting us in front of reclusive Pater Noster himself. Mike Amason plays Pater Noster, and brilliantly chews every line of dialogue Bickel gives him through to the end of the film. Once the friends enters the interior of the Pater Noster compound, that’s when Bickel starts cocking his fist further back, readying it for the audience’s face. 

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light’s greatest strength is Bickel’s growth as a filmmaker and growing chops as an editor. His willingness to inject a fair amount of tongue-in-cheek humor in the first half of the film also loosens up the audience for the bloodbath to come. He mixes his personal experiences working in a local indie record store with locally known Columbia fixtures, name play, and street addresses that will only resonate with locals. This makes the movie better because it adds Bickel’s personal roots with his loosely fictional settings and characters in the films. He mixes his blood with the blood spilled later in the film. 

Adara Starr stars as Max in Pater Noster and the Mission of Light

As the film gets into its 20th minute, the pacing seems to slow a bit- not boring, but methodical. Make no mistake Pater Noster is a micro budget B-Movie, but Bickel doesn’t rush the story. With B films there is pressure to get the blood before the eyes of the audience as soon as possible. And that audience is quick to give up and walk away. Bickel does a fantastic job of allowing us to know what we need to know with each of the characters as we get to the first level of the last act. 

Technology is the other advantage Bickel has with his third film. The visual look of the first half of the film is what it needs to be, nothing fancy, straightforward. There is no pretention here. When we move into the insanity of the third act, Bickel starts to flex the experience he has gained from his previous two features. Losing his Director of Photography two weeks prior to the first shoot day, Bickel took control of the camera himself. For a movie with a decent budget this can be incredibly stressful, for an indie horror feature with a 20k budget and 100 or so volunteers, off and on, crew members, you lose years off your life.  

Visually the last act is a bit of a marvel. Lit just enough to set the tone but not distract, the direction and camera work create an atmosphere of insanity. Bickel’s slow(ish) pacing at the top of the film is balanced with a frenetic pacing at the end. Somehow, he makes this digestible. Add a soundtrack of aural horror and everything blends into a beautifully psychotic escape sequence by those left alive. He successfully takes the audience into the maddening world that Capello’s radio host warns us about. Yes, there is blood. Gallons more than in previous Bickel films. But as the deaths mount when the Pater Noster cult reveals their true intentions, and their naked bodies, the audience can only grip their seats tighter and move closer to the screen. I viewed the film at a private screening with a small audience of 25 or so. We all gleefully soaked it in with the slyest grins on our face. 

A last-minute addition for the lead role, Adara Starr brilliantly turns Max from a cherub faced 20 something into a Carrie-esque crazed young woman over the film’s 90 or so minutes. All other supporting friends make the most of their life-or-death moments with no fear. Intentional or not, Bickel’s casting of the round-faced Starr contrasts her beautifully against her sharply featured friends.

This is the type of indie movie that is possible now. The camera that Bickel used is affordable to everyone. It allows capturing beautiful images in low light. It allows a filmmaker with Bickel’s experience and talent to create the horrific moments he makes in this film. Would a larger budget have served him well, of course. But how much larger? These movies aren’t made for a wide audience. They certainly are made with a pure love and Bickel’s love for the medium is caked all over Pater Noster. You can see Tobe Hooper and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre here. You can see some Rosemary’s Baby mixed in with Friday the 13th, even a taste of Clerks (if unintentional). And you can imagine the many gruesome horror titles that Bickel knows, and we don’t, that he is wearing on his sleeve at every part of the production process. 

Morgan Shaley Renew, Adara Starr, and Shelby Lois Guinn in Pater Noster and the Mission of Light

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light is a wild punch in the face of a horror film, and I suggest seeing it no matter your taste in movies. It’s a testament to the new way filmmakers can make the film they love in the city or town they live in. The entire cast carries you through the film, but Bickel’s tongue-in-cheek record store comedy turned blood-soaked escape film pays off in a great way that I haven’t seen in any level of filmmaking in quite some time. 

The Nickelodeon’s indie film roots no longer exist in this city and it is time to seek other outlets.

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light has its world theatrical premiere at the Independent Picture House in Charlotte on October 5th. The film is mixed in 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. It will stream on Night Flight during the month of October. 

The film features a soundtrack created by musicians local to Columbia, South Carolina. Prior to the film’s release, Bickel premiered music videos for each song of the soundtrack. These videos will be available on the Blue Ray release in 5.1 Dolby. An 18-minute short film prequel will also be included on the Blue Ray. 

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light is premiering in Charlotte, North Carolina and not Columbia. The Charlotte premiere is due to the Nickelodeon Theatre, located on Main Street in downtown Columbia and Bickel’s preferred theatre for the premiere, not being able to find time in their schedule to screen the film. There has been a lot of back and forth through social media about this situation, and reasonable arguments can be made from both sides. 

As an independent filmmaker who has made his living as a filmmaker in Columbia for 25 years, my take is simple. You can’t be taken seriously as a supporter of independent filmmakers and independent films in the city you operate if you don’t have a plan in place to screen local filmmakers and their work at a reasonably short moment’s notice. 

No film on the Nickelodeon’s current schedule starts past 9:30pm. Pater Noster is a perfect midnight film. The first showing in Charlotte, 100 miles away, sold out in a few hours. The Nickelodeon has deep roots in the independent film community in this city. It is where most local filmmakers, including myself, first saw their work on a theater screen. The Nickelodeon staff should be seeking out and celebrating local filmmakers. The answer should not be “we won’t have room for a few months” but should be “we will make this work.” I would gladly like to pop my head in to a 9:30 screening of Beetlejuice 2 on an upcoming Monday screening to count heads. The Nickelodeon’s indie film roots no longer exist in this city and it is time to seek other outlets.

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light 

Written and directed by Chris Bickel

 

Starring

Adara Starr as Max

Sanethia Dresch as Abby

Morgan Shaley Renew as Sam

Shelby Lois Guinn as Gretchen

Josh Outzen as Jay Sin

Mike Amason as Pater Noster

Announcing the JASPER MAGAZINE Fall 2024 Release Party & Potluck Supper!

Please join

the Jasper Project and the staff of Jasper Magazine

on Sunday September 22 from 4 - 7 pm

at the One Columbia Co-Op 1013 Duke Avenue

for our

Jasper Magazine Fall 2024 Release Party

& Potluck Supper Celebration

as we honor all the artists featured in this issue of

Jasper Magazine!

Please join us for another downhome potluck supper as we celebrate all the artists honored in the fall 2024 issue of Jasper Magazine.

Bring a dish to share and a cooler with whatever you’re drinking (we don’t care) and rub elbows with some of the visual, theatre, film, literary, and musical artists who make our hometown such a rich and beautiful place to live. We’ll have many of our featured DJs spinning for us, art from some of our featured visual artists, poetry readings, and all kinds of surprises. Feel free to bring lawn chairs or blankets to spread out in the co-op’s backyard. Kids are welcome, too!

The event is free (but we love donations to help offset the cost of publishing Jasper Magazine!)

Featured Artists include

Brian Harmon

Bekah Rice

Emily Moffitt

Mike’s Mugs – Kristine Hartvigsen

Chad Henderson

Jon Tuttle

Stan Brown

Libby Campbell

Marybeth Gorman Craig

G. Scott Wild

Jeff Miller

SC Underground Film Fest

Tom Mack

Corey Davis

Roni Nichol Henderson-Day

Michal Rubin

Meena Khalili

Nate Puza

Jeffrey Miller

Wayne Thornley

Mike Dwyer

Victoria Rickards

Eezy Olah -  Kwasi Brown

Todd Mathis – Kevin Oliver

Amos Hoffman

Kenya Spinz, DJ Wandergirl, and The Mixstress Madi Jo

Stay Tuned to This Space as we Announce the Line-Up of Artists Who Will Be Joining Us!

Announcing Jasper's Featured Artists in Our Meridian Sidewalk Gallery-- Richard Lund, Jennifer Hill, Trish Gilliam, and Debbie Patwin!

Jasper Project board member Kimber Carpenter has curated another exciting exhibition for our Meridian Sidewalk Gallery this season, featuring 2-D and 3-D artists Debbie Patwin, Trish Gilliam, Richard Lund, and Jennifer Hill. The Meridian Sidewalk Gallery is a 24/7 art experience nestled in the always-accessible windows of the Meridian Building along Washington and Sumter Streets in beautiful downtown Columbia. Patrons may view the featured art from all angles and make purchases just by scanning a QR code.

Welcome to our fall 2024 season of Meridian artists! Read more about them below!

Midlands Light Opera Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe!

Midlands Light Opera Society is pleased to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe September 27 - 29. Performances will be at 7:30 on the 27th and 28th and at 3:00 on the 29th. All performances will be in Bennett Hall at First Christian Church (2062 N Beltline Blvd, Columbia - enter through the double doors under the driveway). 

The Queen of the Fairies (Felicia Torres) has just pardoned Iolanthe (Evelyn Clary), whom she had exiled for 25 years for having married a mortal. Iolanthe spent her banishment at the bottom of a pond, so she could be near her half-fairy and half-mortal son, Strephon (Terry Artis), who is engaged to Phyllis (Christi Pirkle). Phyllis is a ward of the court, so the Lord Chancellor (Roddey Smith) must give his consent for her to marry, but he wants to marry her. So do Lord Tolloller (Nikki Anderson) and Lord Montararat (Ben Palmer). Leila (Stephanie Villamizar), Celia (Shelby Sessler), and Fleta (Amy Thomasson) lead the fairies in helping Strephon win Phyllis’s hand. Private Willis (Andrew Skaggs) attempts to keep order once deep seated family secrets come to light and the fairies start meddling in politics. The cast is rounded out by an all ages chorus of fairies and peers (Sophia Almeida, Lilith Clary, Mark Foil, Kim Foil, Harmony Hayslette, Julie Lumpkin, Alex Mabrey, Janice Boan Mabrey, Maria Martinez, Sara Martinez, Ashley Mize, and William Thomasson).

The production is directed by Roddey Smith, accompanied on piano by Ashleigh Morse,  musically directed by Ronnie Wise, costumed by Susan Scaccia, stage managed by Hollie Smith, choreographed by Leighton Mount and produced by Evelyn Clary.

“Even though this work premiered in 1882, the show is still captivating audiences. The tunes are catchy, people love fairies, and everyone likes to make fun of politicians,” says Roddey Smith. “This is a true community production,” says Clary. “It is a delight to see the diversity of talent. We have some cast members who have performed professionally, some who are back onstage after taking a break, and some just starting out. It is fun to watch everyone work together. The camaraderie of the cast and crew is beautiful.”

Tickets for seniors (over 65) and students are $10, all others are $15, and may be purchased with cash or check at the door, or online. There will be a $1 processing fee added to each ticket purchased by card at the door. Online tickets may be purchased here.

Midlands Light Opera Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, and behind the scenes sneak peaks, visit our website!

Al Black's Poetry of the People featuring Tre Fleming aka Poetré

This week's Poet of the People is Tre Fleming aka Poetré. Tre is an insightful poet and spoken word artist known professionally as Poetré. A multi-talented performer from Columbia; you should check him out the next time he hits the stage.

Poetré is a writer, comedian, poet, film producer, and podcaster from Columbia, SC. His works are inspired by his love of hip hop, mental health, social commentary, and self reflection. In 2024. He represented Columbia, SC as a part of the Tribe Slam team in the annual Southern Fried Poetry Competition in Florida, as well as competed in his first King Of The South Slam. He can be found on IG, and TikTok under @PoetreIsLife and for business inquiries at Poetreislife@gmail.com. 

____

LIVING OUT LOUD

If I have to stand onstage and scream, I will.

Yes, my people have come a long way, but still.

This is about community, living in unity.

My country, my world, not just you and me!

I am a voice for the voiceless, ones not in the room

Ones who have passed on, and ones in the womb.

I am justice for those who feel like it's just us.

And my Tribe will fight, even if it's nobody but us.

We are a generation of speakers, activist, and thinkers.

Not longer waiting for the cue from our leaders.

We are about that action, standing on business

Waiting on the revolution to be televised?

This is the internet!

We want it instant.

We will put our foot on your necks, until you show us respect

No matter race, gender, religion, I need us to shout.

Cause no longer will the minority be quiet.

WE ARE LIVING OUT LOUD!

FACES IN THE STREET 

The city is crowded, per usual.

Everyone busy in their own pursuit. 

A homeless man asks for spare change, if possible. 

A mother just got a call from her son in the hospital. A kid is lost. 

He knows where he is, but not in life.

A man texts a woman that's not his wife.

Someone is late for their first day of work.

Just trying to make sure there were no wrinkles in his shirt.

Someone is just out for exercise. 

Another person is smiling, but crying inside.

A couple is holding hands. They just got married.

A couple is holding hands. The wife just miscarried.

A girl scout is selling cookies, but people rarely stop.

A person is looking at a window of a store where they can't afford to shop.

A young teenager is looking for a place to stay.

The parents kicked him out because came out today.

A veteran is enjoying his first day home from war.

A lady holds her purse tight, cause she's been robbed before.

All these people around that I never get to meet.

Their stories untold. Just faces in the street.

BAD MEMORY

Remember when we first met?

It was on a day I'll probably forget.

It was raining,

Nope, it was sunny outside 

Things get foggy as the days go by.

Remember that time we laughed till we cried?

Couldn't remember what was so funny, no matter how hard I tried. 

Or how about that one trip you kept asking me to go?

I can't remember the name of the resort,

I just remember the snow.

Remember singing karaoke in front of everybody?

I forget what song we sang, but I remember you smiling.

Or when I tried comedy for the first time.

I remember you being so supportive, but what was the punchline?

Or what about the time we volunteered at the shelter?

I can't remember that one lady's name, but I'm glad we could help her.

I remember so many moments, I just forget some details.

I forget the exact words, 

I even forget to make this rhyme.

So I'll make up for it some time.

I remember what is most important, not names, days, places, or what we wear.

I just ask that when you remember those times, don't forget that I was there.

HEAVEN

She looks like heaven 

She's what angels sing about

She's what pastors scream and shout

She's my eternity

Cause being without her is hell to me

Those pair of eyes are paradise 

And her smile cause from somewhere high

She's the reason why I sing

When she laughs, an angel gets his wings

On my mind, she's my halo

Her love is Gospel, cause she says so

Her voice makes me rejoice when I hear it

When I'm down, she's my spirit

She came from somewhere far above,

She's the world, she's my savior, she is Love

Everyone knows it, the choir, the deacon, the ushers, the reverend 

I'll sacrifice everything, 

Cause she looks like heaven 

FIRST LOVE

The first time I fell in love was with a woman who loved other men before me.

Yet I was her first. 

It took me a while to build myself up to meet her.

Even though she had fallen for me way before I could greet her.

See I was nothing but love.

I had to form into an entity from God before we could meet.

Because the pain that she went through to meet me was the gift with no receipt.

The first woman that held me in her arms was the first woman I loved. 

I didn't pick a mother.

I was a choice she made and planned for.

And she prepared me for the women I would love.

What she did was traumatized me from light skinned girls!

Not, I'm just playing.

She taught me what love was through how she loved me and my siblings and to how she loved strangers. 

She showed what caring about someone means in the late night phone calls, the 2 am Emergency room calls, one call from jail, the cosign on a student loan, the "hey I love you" texts at 11:42 on a Tuesday just because. 

She taught me how to walk. Walk away from a fight that you don't need to win, walk away from a toxic relationship, walk away from a lie, and walk away with my head held high.

She taught me how to talk. Like literally talk. I could read before preschool. I am able to articulate what I want, how I want, to who I want. No just talking. She taught me how to speak. She taught me how to say something.

She taught me unconditional love. 

She taught me was hustling was.

She taught me how to save. 

And who not to save.

She never pushed my father out of my life.

She proved she'd never disrespect my wife.

I can never thank her enough.

And even though the roads been rough,

She's still my first love.

Kelly Bryant Brings Anthropomorphic Animal Whimsy to First Thursday at Sound Bites

Kelly Bryant’s work is the kind that immediately sparks smiles, urging patrons to come in for a closer look: saintly opossums praying, koalas applying lipstick, and lemurs licking lollipops. 

Bryant is a Connecticut-to-South-Carolina transplant who works full time as a legal worker and fills any spare time she has not wrangling her girls and two cats crafting her art. Fully self-taught, Bryant found painting in an attempt to keep her kids occupied during the COVID-19 lockdown when a Pinterest search for mom activities turned up finger painting.

This activity, however, soon became a passion as Bryant brought “animals doing human things or wearing human attire” to life through bright colors and finger strokes. These soon turned to brush strokes as, post-YouTube rabbit hole, experience and joy alike blossomed. Then, and now, Bryant holds to the lesson that “everyone should do more of what makes them happy.” 

As the hobby solidified into a part of Bryant’s everyday life, she joined the Crooked Creek Art League. Since then, she found oils, which have become her go-to, and she has begun officially showing her work. Bryant showed at this past South Carolina State Fair and at Crooked Creek’s Still Hopes Art Exhibition—where she won a Patron Award. 

It has been a whirlwind of a journey that Bryant feels ever grateful for. She is “finding [her] style and solidifying it throughout everything [she] creates,” and she is continuously grateful that she gets to “watch other people smile when they walk by and see [her] animals.” 

Bryant’s work for this show is an amalgamation of her time as an artist thus far: work from her early finger-painting adventures to oil pieces dry just in time for hanging. It is a collection of bright, whimsical, yet comforting creatures that are effortlessly her own. 

“My art is a reflection of my journey—ever-evolving and always having a bit of fun along the way,” Bryant emphasizes. 

To see Kelly Bryant’s work, join Jasper for her Opening Reception during First Thursday at Sound Bites Eatery on 1425 Sumter Street THIS Thursday, September 5th from 5:30pm—8:00pm.