Jasper's Sidewalk Gallery at the Meridian Building Featured Artist - Debi Kelley
The Jasper Project welcomes four new artists to our 24/7 gallery space in the large streetside windows of the Meridian Building along Washington and Sumter Streets in downtown Columbia. Our board of directors member and Sidewalk Gallery curator, Kimber Carpenter, shares the goods on a new artist each week. This week we’re featuring the artist, Debi Kelley!
Debi enjoys painting classic cars/trucks, wildlife and the colorful landscapes of the South. She is currently an Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America and a Master Pastelist with the Southeastern Pastel Society. She is also a member of the Pastel Society of SC and the Crooked Creek Art League. She has received awards in international, regional and local shows, including the Pastel Society of SC, Southeastern Pastel Society, Union County Arts Council, Fairfield County Arts Council, Spartanburg Art Museum, SC State Fair and Crooked Creek Art League. Her work has also been exhibited at ArtFields.
"My goal as an artist is to draw the viewer in to the painting for a closer look by using liberal touches of color, unusual angles, and detailed drawing to capture movement and life. I want my audience to create their own story while traveling through the painting."
Join The Jasper Project for Dogon Krigga’s Closing Reception and Artist Talk at Koger
The Jasper Project and the Koger Center for the Arts have teamed up to showcase the work of Dogon Krigga in The Nook, the rotating Jasper Gallery in the latter’s second floor lobby. The work will be up until the third week of March, but we will host a Closing Reception and Artist Talk for the exhibition on March 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Dogon will be present to give a talk about Afrosurrealism in art, what inspires them to create, and the intentions behind each piece. Additional prints and merchandise of Dogon’s will be available for purchase during this reception! We are excited to work with Jared Johnson, the onsite photographer and reporter, for the evening, who will be moderating the talk.
Dogon’s Artist Statement:
I use vinyl, paper, and other media on a variety of surfaces to create mixed media collages and murals printed on vinyl, paper, and other adhesive substrates. I draw inspiration from spiritual principles and esoteric concepts found across the African Diaspora to create surrealist artworks at serve as portals into other worlds, and viewsations of Queer, Black people, culture, and identity in an alternate dimension. I use these materials and approaches to encourage the viewer to experience and seek the subtle and unseen worlds, while reflecting on their place in it. I use my work to challenge the status quo and disrupt the conventions of what we know to be cisgendered, heteronormative, and patriarchal ideologies, while offering something beautiful and uplifting in its place. Through this creative process, I seek to make a real way of being in, thinking of, and viewing the universe that celebrates, preserves, and restores historically excluded communities.
Jasper Collabs with Richland Library for A BIG TINY GALLERY Art Exhibition March 15th through ARTISTA VISTA
The Jasper Project is delighted to join forces with Richland Library for A BIG TINY GALLERY, an art exhibition inspired by the Jasper Project’s Tiny Gallery series which originated in the Jasper studio at Tapp’s Arts Center in October 2018 and transitioned to an online only project early during the Covid pandemic. A BIG TINY GALLERY will feature a selection of previous Jasper Project Tiny Gallery artists who were invited to show and sell physically smaller pieces of art at affordable price points that would ostensibly be more attractive to beginning art collectors and other artists. No art measures more than 25 inches in any direction or is priced over $250.
The exhibition will open on Friday March 15th from 7 – 11 pm during Richland Library’s OVERDUE: Curated for the Creative event, with a closing reception on Friday, April 19th from 6:30 – 8:30 as part of Richland Library’s celebration of Artista Vista. Both events are free and open to the public.
Visual artist and Jasper Project board of directors member, Keith Tolen, is managing this project, working with Ashley Warthen, who is a librarian and arts coordinator at Richland Library.
Artist - Renee Rouillier
Participating artists include Tennyson Corley, Ginny Merritt, Chilly Waters (Richard Hill), Regina Langston, Benji Hicks, Ron Hagell, Christopher Lane, Keith Tolen, Lucas Sams, Lindsay Radford Wiggins, Thomas Washington, K. Wayne Thornley, Jeffrey Miller, Kathryn Van Aernum, Mary Ann Haven, Fred Townsend, Adam Corbett, Crush Rush, Vanessa DeVore, Pascal Bilgis, Michael Krajewski, and Sean Rayford.
Artist - Sean Rayford
The Jasper Project will oversee sales of art via QR codes, scannable with a smart phone anytime the library is open. Proceeds go directly to the publication of Jasper Magazine.
The Jasper Project is an all-volunteer organization with no paid employees and a working board of directors who manage a number of multidisciplinary projects ranging from the Second Act Film Project to Fall Lines literary journal, the Play Right series, and many more one-off adventures. For more information please visit JasperProject.org.
Opening Friday March 15th from 7 – 11 pm during Richland Library’s OVERDUE: Curated for the Creative
~
Closing Reception on Friday, April 19th from 6:30 – 8:30 during ARTISTA VISTA
2024 Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibition Call For Submissions
The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs announces a call for submissions for the City Gallery’s 2024 Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the City Gallery at Joe Riley Waterfront Park and on view from May 24 through June 9, 2024.
The annual juried art exhibition highlights the recent work of artists across South Carolina featuring painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and photography. Open to all SC residents, the 2024 Juried Art Exhibition will be held at the City Gallery at Joe Riley Waterfront Park, with an art delivery date of May 13. This year’s Juror is surrealist artist Richard Hagerty.
This year’s prizes include Best in Show, with an award of $750, second place, with an award of $500, and third place, with an award of $250. Artworks receiving prizes are presented alongside a limited selection of pieces identified by the juror as meriting display.
Applications are due by April 8, 2024.
Entry Specifications:
Submitted work must have been completed within the last two years. Work previously exhibited in the 2023 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Juried Art Exhibitions, the 2023 MOJA Arts Festival, at the City Gallery at any time, or exhibited at the 2023 ArtFields or the 2023 North Charleston Judged Art Exhibition will not be considered.
Artwork in the following categories may be submitted: oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, printmaking, drawing, photography, and graphics. Additional work in fiber, sculpture, metals, ceramics, basketry, and mixed media will also be juried. Wall pieces must be framed or gallery wrapped and ready for hanging. No pieces will be accepted with saw-tooth hangers. Freestanding pieces must be fully assembled and ready for installation.
City Gallery reserves the right to exclude work based on the way a piece is framed and mounted to ensure a cohesive look for the exhibition and the right to exhibit sculpture in alternate locations to accommodate work of varied size or scale.
Accepted artwork may not be removed before the assigned time. Early removal or late pick-up will result in disqualification from future Exhibitions. An exhibition program listing participating artists, their phone number, title and value of artwork will be available. Insurance is provided while on display.
Submissions
Submitted artwork must comply fully with the following requirements for originality and date of completion:
the artwork is an original creation completed within the last year and is not, in whole or in part, a copy of any person’s work or photograph, and
the artwork was created solely by the artist and not in a workshop, class, or under supervision of an instructor.
Deadline: April 8, 2024
Application Fee: $20.00 (USD)
Application Link:
https://cgwp.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/77242
Selections for the exhibition will be made by early May, and artists will be notified of their status by email.
For More Information:
Please contact Anne Quattlebaum, City Gallery Manager, via phone
(843) 958-6484 or email QuattlebaumA@charleston-sc.gov; or visit the City Gallery website here and the Piccolo Spoleto website here.
About the Juror
Richard Hagerty, American Surrealist
Richard Hagerty was born in 1950 in Durham, NC, at Duke University Hospital, the place for which he is nicknamed “Duke.” He was raised in Charleston and studied at Porter-Gaud School. Hagerty’s first serious exposure to art came in his youth, when he attended the salons of the museum and education pioneer, Laura Bragg, in her Charleston home. Bragg introduced Hagerty to the work of the famous Flemish artist, Hieronymus Bosch, and the self-taught genius, Henri Rousseau, whom he deeply admired.
Hagerty grew up with his future wife and “muse” Barbara, who joined him at Johns Hopkins University, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1973. The couple married that year, moved to Durham, and he started Duke University Medical School. They began a family and lived in Atlanta during his residency training in plastic surgery at Emory University from 1977 to 1984. He returned to Charleston that summer and entered his father’s practice, which evolved into his own.
While painting creative visions in the night hours, he and Barbara have raised a family of four children. Hagerty has also been the focus of numerous solo and group exhibitions at such museums as The Gibbes, Albany, Burroughs-Chapin, and Bascom, and in numerous galleries in Charleston, Atlanta, New York City, Nantucket and elsewhere. His solo exhibition, Richard Hagerty: American Surrealist was held at City Gallery in 2015.
He has a special interest in cleft lip-and-palate surgery and has traveled overseas regularly as a volunteer to train local surgeons in Haiti, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Peru, and China. An ardent environmentalist, he is involved in land conservation in several capacities. Hagerty has been actively engaged in civic service, having served as a City Councilman from 1996 to 1999.
Closing Reception for Michael Krajewski's Jasper Galleries Exhibition at Sound Bites Eatery, Saturday, March 2nd
Please join the Jasper Project on Saturday March 2nd from 1 - 3 pm at Sound Bites Eatery as we celebrate the closing of Michael Krajewski’s Jasper Galleries exhibition.
1425 Sumter Street
Columbia, SC
Opening Reception for Anthony Lewis at Harbison Theatre - Friday, March 1st
Anthony Lewis at Harbison Theatre Gallery
Friday, March 1, 2024
6:30 PM 8:30 PM
Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College7300 College Street
Irmo, SC
Join The Jasper Project and Anthony Lewis as we celebrate the opening of his exhibition in the gallery space at Harbison Theatre.
At 6:30 PM, Anthony will speak briefly and give you the opportunity to enjoy his work prior to the opening curtain for The String Queens. During intermission, you’re invited to revisit the art and speak with Anthony individually. His artwork will be available for purchase. Learn more about Anthony and his work below.
The exhibition is free and available for viewing from March through May 2024.
About Anthony Lewis
Anthony Lewis is a South Carolina based abstract figurative painter and photographer. Lewis studied at the School of Visual Art and Design where he graduated from the University of South Carolina with his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art with a concentration on painting.
Anthony, a multi-disciplined visual artist, likes to explore the good the bad and the injustices around the black folks' experience in the United States such as, mass incarceration, black on black crime, police brutality, mental health, suicide, the beauty of being black and the everyday struggles of the black man, woman, and child dating back to the early 1900s throughout the great black migration, Harlem Renaissance and well up into the 70s. He enjoys the concept of being able to travel back in time and capture the being of black folk.
He likes the use of different techniques and mediums such as acrylic, oil, charcoal, mixed-media, assemblage, and black and white film photography. He merges small scale vintage black and white photographs and larger scale paintings of black people in his paintings to form a collage. He enjoys the exploration of the creative process so he can stretch the limits of his ingenuity, flexibility and mediums needed to be successful during the process. He admires the thought of not being confined in an innovative box.
Artist Statement
As a visual artist, I like to explore the good the bad and the injustices around the black folks’ experiences, such as, mass incarceration, black on black crime, police brutality, mental health, suicide, and the beauty of being black and the everyday struggles of the black man, woman, and child. His African American men and women dating back the early 1900's, the Black Migration, and the Harlem Renaissance.
I have always enjoyed thinking about what my life would have been like if I could time travel and live in a different time and place, how I would have existed, loved, struggled, and breathed in another climate, so I named this series, “Blk Beingz-Essence of Matter’ as a need to revisit the existence of black children from different times in the past, like the renaissance era, slavery, the early 1900s and the great migration.
This series will introduce you to the work I have done over the course of my BFA program at the University of South Carolina. This body of work includes different techniques and mediums such as oil, graphite, mixed media, collage, assemblage, black and white photos.
I enjoy the exploration of the creative process so I can stretch the limits of my ingenuity, flexibility and mediums needed to be successful during the process. I also admire the thought of not being confined to an innovative box.
Some of Anthony’s influences are, but not limited to, Jacob Lawrence, Gordon Parks, Augusta Savage, Bisa Butler, Kara Walker, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Romare Bearden.
Jasper's Sidewalk Gallery at the Meridian Building Featured Artist -- REGINA LANGSTON
Regina Langston
Gina’s paintings embody the goddess mystique, celebrating the curves and edges of the feminine form using intense colors and vividly bold compositions. While she often varies her subject matter, her work largely focuses on the female figure as well as on the myriad faces of the nonbinary human spirit.
At first glance, it is easy to see the influences of Picasso and Klimt in Gina’s paintings. However, she has a wide portfolio of inspiration, including the whimsical post-war modernist work of a lesser-known painter, the late Friedensreich Hundertwasser of Austria, whose wildly colorful work was punctuated with organic shapes and spirals.
Gina returned to the Palmetto State with her family in 2018 and currently resides in The Avenues of Cayce. Her work has been exhibited at numerous SC venues, including 701 Whaley, Tapp’s Arts Center, University of South Carolina at Beaufort, and – most recently – as part of Jasper Magazine’s “Tiny Gallery” series. She was featured in The Limelight, A Compendium of Contemporary Columbia Artists, Volume II, published by Muddy Ford Press in 2015. She has a studio in downtown Columbia, where she creates her own works and accepts commissions
Jasper's Sidewalk Gallery at The Meridian Building Featured Artist - CAROLINE CLARK
Caroline Clark
My functional ceramic sculptures highlight a sense of joy and wonder in everyday items. I explore my own variations of the hidden symbiotic systems of coral reefs and mycelium networks: systems that seem simple and beautiful at first, but upon closer examination are wildly complicated and predicated on mutual care. These systems in which every part depends on the others, and in which every part is vital and precious, draw a parallel to our human communities and support systems and invite examination of our own interconnectedness, growth, and movement.
I believe in magic. Not the potions and poof! kind, not the creation of another more beautiful and mysterious world, but the deep and unshakable knowledge that this, our world, is more extraordinary, strange, and awe-inspiring than any I could imagine. My work highlights that magic, refines and amplifies it, revealing a secret world nestled into the fabric of our own.
Jasper Welcomes Dogon Krigga to the Koger Center’s Nook for February’s Third Thursday
The Jasper Project is proud to present Dogon Krigga as our featured February artist in the Koger Center’s Nook Gallery. The opening reception is February 15, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the Grand Tier lobby of the Koger Center. The event is free and open to the public, and features DJ Nori Noir providing live music.
Dogon is known for their mixed media collages and murals printed on vinyl, paper, and other adhesive substrates. They draw inspiration from spiritual principles and esoteric concepts found across the African Diaspora to create surrealist artworks. The viewer can then view their artwork as a kind of portal that allows them to peer into other realms, providing perspectives of Queer and Black people, identities, and cultures in a type of alternate dimension. Dogon’s work aims to challenge the status quo and disrupt the conventions of what we know to be cisgendered, heteronormative, and patriarchal ideologies, while offering something beautiful and uplifting in its place. The featured collection of work in the Nook is a body of work completed from 2021 through 2023. These pieces have also shown at the Columbia Museum of Art, Mike Brown Contemporary Gallery, Tapp’s Outpost, the 1013 Co-Op, The Bakery ATL (Atlanta, GA), and The Space (Charleston, SC).
Even if you can’t make it to the reception, Dogon’s art will be available for viewers to stop by and admire until mid-March. The Koger Center is open from 9 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday, and an hour prior to any Koger Center performance.
Artist Bio: Dogon Krigga (they/them) is a Columbia based multidisciplinary artist. Their interests in journalism and music production brought them into the community with musicians for whom Dogon began creating commissioned works of digital collage. They received early creative mentorship and influence from Tom Feelings and Walter Rutledge.
Krigga evolved their practice from digital art to include hand-cut paper collage and assemblage with printed and cut vinyl on acrylic and metal as well as installations. Krigga is a graphic designer with experience in commercial print, signage design, and signage project management that includes wide-format printing, metal fabrication, and acrylic fabrication. Krigga has created murals, exterior and interior signage displays for the main branch of Richland Library, SC State University, the 1801 Extension of SCSU, and Urban Wok restaurants.
Their works have been shown in several solo and group exhibitions including Tapp's Fine Art Center, The Sumter County Gallery of Art, Columbia Museum of Art, and The Goodall Gallery. Krigga's work can be found in numerous public and private collections, including the IP Stanback Museum. In 2023, they were Artist-in-Residence for Richland Library in Columbia, SC, producing and hosting community-based art programming and an exhibition Time & Time Again: Exploring the Antique Blacks--A Rootworker's Tarot. Dogon's artistic ventures also include the Collaborative Cohort Residency with the Highlander Center in New Market, TN (2020). Krigga is a recipient of grants from the SC Arts Commission.
Publication features of their work include "The African American Dream" by De Volkskrant (Amsterdam, March 2018), Volume 25.1: Yemassee Journal (USC, 2018), and "Dogon Krigga and Afrofuturism" by Jasper Magazine (2017). Krigga has been commissioned to design artwork for the covers of "Black Quantum Futurism" by Rasheedah Philips, and "BloodFresh" by Ebony Stewart. Dogon served as the lead designer for Ingrid LaFleur's 2017 mayoral campaign for Detroit, MI. Krigga has designed album artwork for King Britt, Kyle Bent, Hieroglyphic Being, Monty Luke, and Vibes Records. Dogon currently serves as the Art Director for the Atlanta-based music festival, Camp N Trip.
Hyatt Park Community Art Project with Artist Keith Tolen
Join visual artist Keith Tolen and his young guests and collaborators in the unveiling of the Hyatt Park Community Art Project Friday, February 15th at Hyatt Park.
Hyatt Park students have partnered with veteran artist and arts educator (and member of the Jasper Project board of directors, we’re proud to say!) in creating this beautiful piece of public art which will go on display in the city of Columbia.
Their collaborative sculpture will be unveiled at 4200 North Main Street. The event is free and open to the public.
Come out to celebrate public art, young art, and the collaboration of youth and experience!
Jasper's Sidewalk Gallery at The Meridian Building Featured Artist - BOHUMILA AUGUSTINOVA
Bohumila Augustinova
Augustinova spent her childhood in Czechoslavakia, now known as the Czech Republic. She recalls that her younger years were spent always making something and that she could “never keep her hands still.”
My mom and dad were very supportive, so even as a small child they taught me how to knit, crochet, sew, cook and use power tools.” Augustinova remembers, “My mom and I used to make all the costumes for me and my brothers, and I was making my own clothes by the time I was 9.”
Augustinova used to experience and passion to pursue fashion design, which she received a degree in, but soon after, she desired a fresh artistic venture and has since worked with primarily wire art and pottery, being self-taught in both.
Augustinova notes that beyond being inspired to make art, the process of making is inspiring and therapeutic all on its own. She insists that the mutable clay sliding under her hands and the constant hum of the wheel moving is meditative, and she often throws with her eyes closed.
“What I hope is that people will see my pottery as usable art. Almost all of my pottery is fully glazed and food safe. I love seeing flower arrangements in my vases, and I love people drinking out of my cups.” Augustinova effuses. “One of my favorite pottery moments was when a friend told me that he was visiting a friend and his tea was served in one of my mugs.”
Jasper's Sidewalk Gallery at The Meridian Building Featured Artist - ANNA HERRERA
I am a local artists originally from Charlotte NC, but I have lived in Columbia for 15 years. I work with acrylic paint mostly, sketch, and use charcoal in my free time. I enjoy the downtown area, going to art events and markets that support locals. I hope to one day have my own show at my mother’s restaurant, Sound Bites Eatery, which is located on Sumter street that regularly hosts art shows and events.
I take art lessons when I can at Painting with a Twist gallery located in the Harbison area, which I’ve been going to for years. I hope to learn more about painting and how to apply different techniques and materials to my work. Expanding my knowledge can benefit my work and allow me to further my potential as an artist as well as become better recognized for more future showing opportunities.
Jasper Welcomes MICHAEL KRAJEWSKI to SOUND BITES EATERY GALLERY for First Thursday
A veteran of Jasper Galleries, we’re excited to bring artist Michael Krajewski to our gallery space at Sound Bites Eatery, which is one of our favorite places to admire and discuss art with so many of our Midlands area friends. The exhibition opens Thursday night, during First Thursday, at 6 pm. Sound Bites is located at 1425 Sumter Street, just a short block off Main
Jasper asked Krajewski for a little tease about what he is bringing to Sound Bites and he’s what he gave us:
Jasper: What have you been working on lately and what should we expect to see in this new show? Any surprises?
Krajewski: I've been doing a bit of everything! Commissions, teaching private lessons, and ongoing mural work at the Black Rooster. Newest mix media project is a 72in trout sculpture for City of Columbia. For the new show at Sound Bites, folks can expect to see some familiar favorites and some new smaller pieces, as well as some older work. I do have a new larger piece that I'll be showing for the first time, but no spoilers there [puts on his best Matthew McConaughey impression] 'Wouldn't be a surprise if I told ya, now would it?"
Jasper: There seems to be a new and unique quality to your work -- have you noticed it? to what do you attribute this?
Krajewski: I can't really say that I've noticed. That's really interesting though, and I'll take it as a compliment. I think my art evolves with me, so I'd like to think that it's just a sign my own evolution.
Jasper: Can you tell us about 2 or 3 of your favorite pieces that you will be offering at this show?
Krajewski: This show is sprinkled through with notes on love and nostalgia... I'm hoping folks check out "Holding hands" (especially if you like otters in party hats) I just finished a mix media piece (paint on a record) Titled "Love Me for What I am" that I hope people respond to.
Thanks Michael! We’ll see you all this Thursday night, February 1st, 2024 from 6 - 9 pm!
For more info on Jasper Galleries and to submit YOUR WORK for consideration, please check us out here!
Jasper Presents Laurie Brownell McIntosh at Harbison Theatre - Reception January 25th at 6:30 pm
The Jasper Project is delighted to present the work of visual artist Laurie Brownell McIntosh at the Jasper Gallery at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College, 7300 College Street in Irmo, SC. On display from December 2023 through February 2024, McIntosh’s exhibition is currently on display and available for viewing during normal business hours and special events.
There will be a reception for the McIntosh show at 6:30 pm on January 25th during which the artist will meet and greet patrons and answer questions about her work. The artist reception is in conjunction with the evening’s performance by Ruben Stoddard and Clay Aiken. The artist reception is free to the public but tickets are required for the musical performance.
McIntosh says, “I was raised in an environment that supported and encouraged the creative process.” Continuing that, “I have discovered through the years that I don’t work like many artists do. I don’t have an exact style or medium that defines me. I work in large bodies of work that usually take years to explore. These large bodies are many times divided into series within the body. Most of these bodies of work are driven by line and shape trying to express ideas and stories through mark making, color, shape and texture.
Several times it has been a true calling from within myself... sounds corny but it’s true. This is the work that can’t be denied. Or I find something that intrigues me, something I want to explore, and then I research and pursue that avenue until I have exhausted my curiosity and then I move on. The medium I use is the one that solves the problem presented before me.
In my head I compare it to a writer who writes novels. The idea.. the reserch.. the execution.. the editing… the chapters... the final execution and the presentation of the finished pieces. Once this is done, onto the next. Almost always, within the present body of work I stumble on the next path. Almost...
I have also discovered that the quickest way to become dissatisfied with my work is to create art for people I do not know. I have to trust my gut and follow my own lead and my own truth. If I make art with the thought of what others might like, or buy, I’ve sold myself out. I will have left none of myself behind when I’m gone if I’ve spent my time trying to please others and by guessing what strangers might want.
In my newest body of work in linocut is a result of studying a new medium, navigating the isolation of the past three years and celebrating our coming out of it. My family enjoyed being together during that time, spending time gathering crabs and fish, growing tomatoes, and doing the things outdoors that we love. It kept us busy.
My family’s most treasured times are sharing that bounty with dear friends, which is reflected in the collection. Being able to gather with people again and enjoy homegrown and home-caught food, tell some tall tales, drink a cold beer, and have a laugh is what my family is all about. I hope that love of people and the land comes across in this body of work.”
In a brief interview with Jasper Magazine editor Cindi Boiter, McIntosh answered the following questions:
Jasper: I know your art often presents itself to you as something of a project and that sometimes it takes a while for that project to reveal itself to you. This seems fairly mystical to me and it's one of the things I most appreciate about your work. How does this exhibition represent where you are with this body of work? How far along the way are you? What does this exhibition mean to you at this stage of your artistic journey?
McIntosh: That’s a big ole question…I started this journey with linocut reductions towards the end of my Swimmer series and the beginnings of Covid. I love the line quality and color breakdown it brings to an image. This process is a big-time commitment and takes a lot of muscle, but the results are worth it. Added bonus is you get multiple original works. I find the carving involved to be meditative and calming which is why it was such a God send during Covid. I keep pushing the difficulty factor and I am presently experimenting with taking the outtakes and leftovers into mixed media pieces. The images that result from the bones of the plate after it has been carved to its bare minimum are fascinating. Might work…might not. I won't know until I try.
I always feel so good about showing my art in Columbia. Especially at a venue that is so dedicated to the arts with the support and backing of Jasper.
Jasper: Can you talk about your medium for this exhibition?
McIntosh: Linocut Reduction is a relief printing process in which the artist carves a reverse image in a block of linoleum. The image is inked in a single color and printed on paper. The artist then carves an additional layer, applies a different color, and prints again. Each piece must be carefully and exactly registered into place for each color pull. The process is repeated until all color layers are applied. Because the process does not allow an artist to adjust a prior layer, the process is sometimes referred to as “suicide printing.”
The artist must commit to a number of prints from the start knowing there is going to be spoilage along the way. I normally begin with 10-20 knowing I will lose 25-40% to errors along the way.
Jasper: Of the pieces in this body of work, what do you like the most and why?
McIntosh: I love the large, complicated pieces such as Henredon Heron, The Alligator King, and Git Da Net. They take so much time, muscle, and energy. I just have to be proud of them. Henredon Heron alone has over 150 hours of carving and hand printing time involved
Jasper Welcomes Charles Hite to the Warm Walls of the Jasper Sound Bites Gallery
As we come out of our cozy holiday shells and start blinking in the cold winter sun, Jasper invites you to visit Sound Bites Eatery where both the food and the walls are comforting and warm.
Jasper’s featured artist for January is photographer Charles Hite, whose work is engaging and inspiring.
Charles is a lifelong resident of Lexington County. A retired U.S. Army veteran Hite started paying closer attention to his art in 2009 at the tender age of 60. His love of nature in all aspects can be seen in his images. When asked, he enthusiastically shares the stories of his images with others and he enjoys listening to their experiences, thereby gaining information about interesting subject matter. Many of his images are of nature, old buildings, historic sites, and astronomy related events.
Most of his images are visually accurate, but he no longer feels constrained to “take what the camera gives him.” Instead, he embraces the freedom to use available tools and capture techniques to render his impression of the scene before him, much like a painter, to make the subject his own.
In the artist’s own words …
I have lived in Lexington County of SC all but 2 years of the 74 years I have been alive. The other 2 years were spent in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971. During my time in the Midlands, I have seen a lot of change. Some good and some not so good…but mostly good.
I do not photograph people (except family) …for money or pleasure. It is too much like work for me. Instead, I enjoy nature and “things” …especially old “things.” And it seems the older I get the more I like old things. I like to be outdoors and take my time with my subjects. I like to be at the site well before the good light begins and watch the scene develop and well after the good light in the evening. I capture the scene and then I spend leisure time there.
As you can see from my images, there is no rhyme or reason to what interest me. Fortunately, some of my work has been juried into several shows and exhibitions. Some shows that I’m especially proud of are these:
Columbia Metropolitan Airport 2014 Exhibition
Rosewood Art and Music Festival…several years.
ArtFields in Lake City, SC, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
SC State Museum 30th Anniversary Art Exhibition - 2018
Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC – 2019, 2022
Jasper Project Announces THOMAS WASHINGTON as our FEATURED ARTIST in the 701 Whaley Hallway Gallery in February
The Jasper Project is excited to announce that ephemeral visual artist Thomas Washington will be our featured artist in the 701 Whaley Hallway Gallery for February 2024 with his one-person show LOVE QUEST.
There will be an opening reception on Sunday, February 11th from 3 - 5 pm in the gallery.
In keeping with 2023’s featured artists — Wilma King and Wayne Thornley and their two-person show Love Hurts/Love Heals — Washington’s exhibition of LOVE QUEST will show for the month of February and will coincide with the Jasper Project’s fundraising Valentine’s Day show and party INFAMOUS LOVERS on February 14th at 7pm in the 701 Whaley Market Space. (Tickets available here.) Infamous Lovers will feature the music of Fleetwood Mac cover band, BIG LOVE, Tiny Coven Dance, and more!
Washington’s reception on 2/11 is free and open to the public and will offer light refreshments.
More about Thomas Washington, in his own words …
“Perhaps the most important pursuit of an artist is the facilitation of Escapism. Perhaps each project is the equivalent of a Narnian door…or that lamppost beyond, coaxing a wanderer into another realm.
Thomas Washington Jr. (thomas the younger) functions on that premise. Since his childhood, he has produced multitudinous works in this vein—from being hired (out of high school) to illustrate in a local graphic anthology, he has subsequently striven to bring stories in every medium; to breathe life into the fantastical by imbuing it with the familiar…and, of course, to find fun and fulfillment along the way.
As a result, it required the birth of his children to make him care about money. (He still struggles with this.) –For years, he was perfectly fine living as a Bohemian: he laid his head in strange places among strangers, eventually becoming a pleasant strain of strange in the process. He thus entertains all sorts of bizarre notions—the importance of world peace, an unshakeable belief in fundamental similarities that make Humanity one big family, intense opinions on interstellar travel, and so-forth.
Recently, he took the leap of emerging in his local scene. He has sat on panels, joined the instructor roster for community arts centers, partaken in various shows, (finally!) founded a website, and essentially joined the dialogue of Art’s Place in Society.
Jasper's Tiny Gallery Features Fred Townsend
Fred Townsend—Jasper’s January Tiny Gallery artist—grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where his childhood had plenty of adventure—though art itself was not originally in the forefront.
“Art was not directly part of my childhood, I was more inclined to be in the woods near my house playing with bamboo,” Townsend recalls, “I had art classes in middle school, but did not get fully immersed in art until high school.”
Townsend attended the Baton Rouge Magnet High School, a visual and performing arts school that set the foundation for attending the University of South Carolina and graduating with a degree in Studio Art. Townsend’s courses here were foundational for him in the mediums he still uses today.
“I loved to draw in charcoal, but then I took an oil painting class, and that was that. I did use other mediums for my own art pieces while still in college, pastels, and acrylic paint, but nothing gave me the feeling like oil paint,” Townsend says. “I recently made a decision to start using oil pastels with some pieces, but it is hard to break away from just oil. Oils give me the textures I want for my floral paintings.”
Though oil is a consistent love, Townsend’s style is harder to pin down. “I have only dipped my foot into themes that are close to me—mental health, loss, and decay,” Townsend shares. “It’s hard to go there and focus because it’s a touchy subject matter and takes me to a sad place.”
Townsend often works out images in his sketchbook, putting together “concrete images”—“the only thing I may play with are the color schemes for dramatic effect,” he says. “As far as feeling finished, it’s done when I see and get that feeling that gave me the initial emotion for the idea.”
For his Tiny Gallery show, Townsend has put together “a mix of new and old.” Viewing the show, patrons can see brightly colored frogs, wary warm cats, vivid stormy sunsets, and creatures that marry the wild with the feminine. The show also has “some smaller sizes of things [he] want[s] to do larger. The cat and the door. The door has been on the back burner to do larger for a while.”
Recently, Townsend received his certification to teach art and to share his perspective with others. Currently, he teaches for Richland One at Edward E Taylor Elementary. In the past, he has worked as an activity therapist for students with mental health struggles at Williams S. Hall.
Townsend reflects on the selling of two of his magnolias here in Columbia as well as meeting other local artists and educators like Tyrone Geter and Keith Tolen as highlights of his art journey. He also recently had a piece that was accepted into an online gallery exhibition.
Interested patrons can view Townsend’s work via Jasper’s online Tiny Gallery until January 31st. People can also follow Townsend on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with his work.
Koger Center’s Third Thursday Lineup in the Nook Kicks Off with Wilma King
It’s a new calendar year, which means a brand-new lineup of talented artists from the Midlands will decorate the walls of each Jasper Gallery location. In the Nook at the Koger Center, Wilma King is the opening artist. King is a South Carolina native who endeavors to combine her experiences of living around the United States with her educational background into a visual storytelling collaboration through her painting.
King’s featured exhibit in the Nook is titled Love Heals: The Margins and Time In-Between. This body of work expands upon her Love Heals collection, which debuted at our Bernie Love Valentine’s Day event in 2023. The addendum includes 14 new works and received funding by the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Emerging Artist Grant. King notes that the pieces are a “series of montages comprised of memories of two generations before and after [her] -- thus, the time ‘in-between.’” She highlights the dreams, hopes, and desires of individuals at different stages of their lives while facing different obstacles like cancer or mental illness. Much of the subject matter derives from King’s own memories of adolescence and the relationships she fostered with her family. No moment is too small or grand for King to make compelling subject matter. Memories and storytelling often mesh to create a brand-new path for her work to take.
The opening reception will be held from 5:30 – 7 p.m. on January 18, 2024, on the Grand Tier Lobby of the Koger Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Excerpt from Wilma King’s Artist statement:
“I tell stories of my parents, their lifetimes, their influences. There are memories of me playing with my grandfather Manuel’s gold pocket watch; wallpapering the walls of my aunt Sedonia’s house (which was destroyed by a Louisiana storm last year); me ritually painting my mother’s nails; or dancing like nobody’s watching just to keep my cousin upbeat during her last few months!
We all have turning points in our lives -- some are cataclysmic. But I believe that the persistent, more powerful triggers are those that are slow, unforgettable images, sometimes rising out of nowhere, that quietly give us a heartfelt thump. Words are not needed, but touches, smells, soft sounds, and even tastes lend to the very intimate and secret thoughts that we hold close inside. These moments are the perfect companionship and fulfillment – a very pure form of love and loveliness – for whatever voids we need or want to fill. Although faceted, these “ordinary” and “frequent” thoughts and memories are what I wish to capture in my art.
I usually rely on memories, and sometimes collaborative storytelling with family and friends. Most often, the fusion of these memories and recollections are didactic approaches manifested in the art that I enjoy creating. I fully enjoy the outcomes as I see the bits and pieces of the storytellers’ realities and attempts to bring the pieces together in a relationship-building effort and artwork.”
— Emily Moffitt
Jasper Project Announces Our Full 2024 Line-up of Artists for JASPER GALLERIES 2024!
Jasper’s first regularly scheduled gallery – Tiny Gallery – opened in October 2018 at an intimate space inside Tapp’s Arts Center on Main Street in Columbia, SC. Over the past five years, many shifts have happened, including the moving of Tiny Gallery online and the inception of five additional gallery locations. As these spaces increased, Jasper Galleries itself was created as an expanding series that promotes Midlands artists’ work.
Jasper is delighted to announce the lineup of over 60 artists whose work we will have the fortune to support and show in 2024. Be sure to mark your calendars, follow our social media, and sign up for our weekly newsletter to hear more about these creators as their individual shows draw near.
Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College
Shows at Harbison Theatre are Jasper’s only galleries that run seasonally versus yearly, with shows opening and closing in conjunction with the theatre’s season of shows. 1-2 final artists will be announced in late summer along with Harbison’s 2024-2025 season calendar.
January 8th: Laurie Brownell McIntosh
March 1st: Anthony Lewis
June 9th: Barbara Yongue
Koger Center for the Arts
Shows at Koger feature artists in The Nook, an intimate open-wall gallery adjacent to Koger’s Donors Gallery. All shows open on the Third Thursday of the respective month. In April, Jasper will feature a group show of artists painting works related to compositions from the Philharmonic’s “The Art of Symphony” event.
January: Wilma King
February: Dogon Krigga
March: Josef Berliner
April: Group Philharmonic-Inspired Show
May: Malik Greene
June: Jordan Sheridan
July: Toni Elkins
August: Christopher Lane
September: Ellen Yaghjian
October: Heidi Darr-Hope
November: Janet Swigler
December: Ellie Rose
The Meridian Building
These street-facing windows in the Meridian Building feature group shows accessible to viewers 24/7. On both Washington Street and Sumter Street, patrons can view a pair of 2D and 3D artists in each block-long window. First Thursdays are a wonderful time to walk around and see these two-month long shows.
January—February: Gina Langston Brewer, Anna Herrera, Bohumila Augustinova, and Caroline Clark
March—April: Libby Gamble, Debi Kelly, Gretchen Evans Parker, & Curran Stone
May—June: Judy Sellers, Devon Corley, Tennyson Corley, & Lucy Bailey
July—August: Charles Hite, Steven White, Levi Wright, & Renee Rouillier
September—October: Richard Lund, Pat Gillam, Debbie Patwin, & Jennifer Hill
November—December: JJ Burton, Sean McGuinness, Chilly Waters, & Sharon Licata
Motor Supply Company Bistro
These quarterly solo shows fill the walls of Motor Supply Bistro with opening receptions typically occurring the first or second Friday of the respective artist’s starting month. Official announcements will be made on Jasper’s online magazine and social media.
January—March: Ija Charles
April—June: Laurel Steckel
July—September: Darren Young
October—December: Michel McNinch
Sound Bites Eatery
These shows at Sound Bites Eatery have artist’s work prominently displayed across one of the restaurant’s main walls, celebrated monthly in conjunction with First Thursday. August, the restaurant’s birthday, is curated by the restaurant’s owners, and December features a unique holiday show whose theme will be announced later in 2024.
January: Charles Hite
February: Michael Krajewski
March: Benji Hicks
April: Jean Capalbo
May: K. Wayne Thornley
June: Sean Madden
July: Elisabeth LaRose
August: Sound Bites Birthday Show
September: Kelly Bryant
October: Jean Lomasto
November: Jarid Lyfe Brown
December: Holiday Show
Tiny Gallery
Finally, the gallery that started it all. Moved online during COVID-19 and kept there due to its success and the ability to show local art to patrons anytime, anyplace, Tiny Gallery features solo artists monthly with an ornament show to close the year. 2024’s ornament makers will be announced midyear.
January: Fred Townsend
February: Jamie Peterson
March: Cait Patel
April: Candace Catoe
May: Pat Callahan
June: Pat Gillam
July: Virginia Russo
August: Alex Ruskell
September: Emily Moffitt
October: Olivia Pope
November: Kristin Holzer
December: Ornament Show
Jasper is incredibly grateful to the artists, patrons, and especially the business owners that continue to make promoting local art and supporting artists a possibility.
Happiest holidays to all, and we look forward to helping you fill your walls with local art in 2024!
