Marius Valdes Mounts Massive Exhibition of JOYOUS CREATURES at Koger Center for the Arts

The Koger Center for the Arts’ Upstairs Gallery is now home to the wonderous, whimsical works of Marius Valdes. The featured exhibition is aptly titled “Joyous Creatures,” and will reside in the Upstairs Gallery from December 1, 2023, to March 11, 2024.

Marius Valdes is an artist currently based in Columbia, South Carolina. Valdes has been recognized by design publications such as Graphic Design USA, HOW, Print, Communication Arts, Creative Boom, Creative Quarterly, Step, and industry competitions including American Illustration, and The World Illustration Awards. In 2022, the UK's Creative Boom Website named Valdes as one of its "20 Most Exciting Illustrators" to follow. This recent creative endeavor of Valdes’ holds over 200 paintings on both canvas and paper bags. Those familiar with his work can expect to see big, bright-eyed creatures of all kinds, shapes, and sizes amidst boldly colored backgrounds. Anyone interested in getting a sneak peek at the featured work can visit the exhibit’s website, www.joyouscreatures.com. This website functions as a digital catalog as well as the site to use for any artwork purchases.

Joyous Creatures Artist Statement: Joyous Creatures aims to make you smile or laugh if only for a moment. I celebrate characters and creatures from the imagination whether they are dogs, frogs, blobs, or aliens. Character-based art has the capacity to create memorable and engaging visual language that speaks to people of all ages and nationalities. I use my characters to educate, inform, and entertain.

There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on December 6, 2023, from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Koger Center’s Upstairs Gallery. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact the Koger Center at kogercenter@sc.edu, or 803-777-7500.

Jasper Welcomes Lucas Sams to First Thursday at the Bourbon Courtyard

It’s the Jasper Project’s second First Thursday at the Bourbon Courtyard and, this time, we’re excited to welcome Columbia-based visual artist Lucas Sams.

Sams is a multi-media artist living and working in Columbia, SC; an alumnus of the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, the University of South Carolina, and Temple University, Tokyo, working in painting, sculpture, film, digital/multimedia, sound and installation art, with works exhibited in major art festivals, galleries and alternative spaces, and featured in Jasper Magazine, the SC State Newspaper, Garnet and Black Magazine, and the Timber Journal of the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Sams is bringing a selection of his work to the Bourbon Courtyard for a one-night-only exhibit on Thursday, October 6th, as part of First Thursdays on Main.

Start your evening as early as 5 pm with a cocktail from Bourbon’s cutting-edge bar offerings while enjoying the art and chatting with the artist, then move on down Main Street to Columbia Museum of Art and one block over to Sumter Street and Sound Bites Eatery where Jasper is also hosting the opening night reception for First Thursday Artist in Residence, Marius Valdes.

It’s just like old times and we can’t wait to see you on and off the streets!

Jasper Welcomes Marius Valdes to October's First Thursday at Sound Bites

We’re delighted to welcome one of Columbia’s most soul-lifting artists, Marius Valdes, to the walls of Sound Bites Eatery for First Thursday, October 6th, starting at 6 pm—no matter what Facebook says!

Happy-hearted Valdes has a reputation for finding and appealing to the child in everyone, and we’ve been excitedly awaiting the day when we could finally hang his art on the walls of one of the happiest places in town to feed your body and spirit, Sound Bites Eatery.

Marius Valdes is an artist currently based in Columbia, South Carolina. He is an Associate Professor in studio art concentrating on design and illustration at The University of South Carolina. He lives in Forest Acres, South Carolina with his wife Beth, daughter Emma, and very lazy but adorable dog, Mary.

Valdes received his BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia and his MFA in Visual Communication from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2005.

Valdes has been recognized by design publications such as HOW, Print, Communication Arts, Creative Quarterly, STEP, and industry competitions including American Illustration, AIGA InShow, AIGA SEED Awards, and The South Carolina Advertising Federation Addy Awards.

Valdes' work has been featured in several books about contemporary graphic design and illustration. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions internationally. Valdes has presented at academic conferences about design and illustration related topics.

In 2017, Valdes completed a one-year residency as the first visual Artist in Residence at the award-winning and innovative Richland Library. Currently, Valdes putting the final touches on a mural installation at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. 

Sound Bites Eatery is the perfect place to begin or end your First Thursday Festivities with food and drink and happily-ever -after art by Marius Valdes!

Jasper presents Line-Up for First Thursday Featured Artists at Sound Bites Eatery

It almost feels like we’re back to normal.

But really, what is normal? Will we ever be normal again? Were we ever normal to start with?

You can help answer these questions and more by joining Jasper as we bring back one of our favorite pre-pandemic events - gathering with the Jasper tribe (that’s YOU!) to welcome art from a featured artist to our walls. But now, given that the Jasper Project no longer has walls on Main Street we’ll be gathering for First Thursdays Slightly Off Main at Sound Bites Eatery at 1425 Sumter Street, one block off Main Street between the Taylor and Hampton Street blocks.

After an exciting launch of our new series in April with featured artist Michael Shepard, we’re thrilled to announce our line-up for the season below:

May 5 – Alex Ruskell

June 2 – Kimber Carpenter

July 7 – Ginny Merett

August 4 – Marius Valdes

September 1 – Quincy Pugh

We’ll start at 6 pm and the artists will be in the house to chat with you about their art and maybe grab a photo with you when you pick out a treasure to take home.

Terri Mac and Mai Turner will have the kitchen open so plan on grabbing a delicious dinner or glass of vino or beer to enjoy while you check out new art and either catch up with friends or meet some new ones.

In the meantime, stop by Sound Bites Eatery by the end of April for some yummy food and the art of Michael Shepard!