(Featured photo from Thomas Crowther’s exhibition at CANDL Fine Art. Charmain Z. Brackett/Augusta Good News)
First Friday means art, and here are a few art happenings on Broad Street on March 1.
Brittany Fields’ exhibit “every thIng waS something else before. [sic]” opened Feb. 2 and runs into April in the main gallery at Westobou, 1129 Broad St. Fields was Westobou’s artist-in-residence for 2023.
In the MICRO gallery is a new exhibit by Mikaela Fuchs called “Into the Hollow Earth.”
Matt Porter, Westobou executive director, said Fuchs was inspired by a call-in radio show she listened to and some of the conspiracy theories expressed by the callers. The idea of a “hollow earth” sparked her creativity, and she imagined what a world inside the Earth might be like.
“She has people exploring magma and strange oversized bugs,” he said.
The pieces are oversized silk screen designs and “are really affordable,” he said.
To make it an even more festive First Friday event, the Spiritual Uplifters’ band from the United House of Prayer will be providing music from 5 to 8 p.m. and Savannah River Brewery is providing beer.
Also on First Friday is the monthly ArtZilla at ANBU, 850 Broad St. Area artists will paint live from 7 to 10 p.m.
The reception for the Soul of Augusta exhibition will be from 4 to 6 p.m., March 1, at Augusta & Co., 1010 Broad St.
The “Soul of Augusta” show features work by members of Nu BAG, New Urban Black Artists’ Guild, featuring Destinee Love, Allan J. Lewis and Baruti Tucker. The exhibition will be available through March 28.
There are only two weeks left of Thomas Crowther’s 2nd Act at CANDL Fine Art, 1128 Broad St.
Crowther, a native of England, is a former art instructor at Augusta University.
“His work is heavily focused around experiences in both Great Britain and the landscape of the Deep South, creating large nostalgic oil paintings, melding both regions into loose autobiographical narratives,” according to a news release from CANDL Fine Art.
”2nd Act” promises to be a captivating exploration of the human form, transcending traditional boundaries to unveil a vivid, organic, and multi-colored psychological landscape. Crowther’s artistic vision transforms familiar shapes into a frolic of vibrant hues, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a world of visual story-telling,” the release continued.
Drake White, of CANDL Fine Art, said a reception isn’t planned for March 1, but he does expect Crowther to be at the gallery Friday night.
Upcoming events include the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s Wet Paint Party with its “Wizard of Oz” theme on March 8 at Sacred Heart Cultural Center.
Wet Paint will feature more than 80 local artists, photo booth installations by Emily Bender, performances by ShoFusion Dance Arts, Emcee Kigg Cherry & KATz Audio, food by Edward Mendoza of Cucina 503 and the Augusta Junior Women’s Club. Two Oz-themed craft cocktails will be served, according to a news release from the Arts Council.
To learn more, visit the arts council website.
Whiskey at Ware’s will be from 7 to 9 p.m. March 15 at Ware’s Folly also known as the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art.
The sixth annual event includes a whiskey tasting and artwork from the annual Spring Artists’ Market.
An artist fun day will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16.
For more information, visit here.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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