First Thursdays on Main

From all of the galleries and stores who participate in First Thursdays on Main, Thank You.  June First Thursday was an amazing success, especially given the weather issues we all had to deal with.  It is such an honor to be a part of a city that loves and supports its Arts community the way Columbia does.

Thank You once again and be prepared for July.  Yes, the First Thursday in July is the 4th and yes, First Thursday is still going on.  We have some exciting events in the works so stay tuned.

We just wanted to remind you that First Thursdays on Main happens EVERY first Thursday of EVERY month RAIN or SHINE! :)  All of the galleries will be open and all of our new artists will be waiting to share their latest work with you!  The only thing that varies when it rains is the outdoor performances or vendors. SO…heads up…the FUN IS STILL ON FOR TONIGHT ON MAIN STREET! See  y’all here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31, 2013

First Thursdays on Main:  June 6th, 2013 on Main Street Columbia SC 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

firstthursdaysonmain.com

Frame of Mind

FOM Series: The Journey Home by Jenna Sach
With great pleasure, Frame of Mind would like to announce the return of one of Columbia’s favorite daughters and artists to our gallery, Ms. Jenna Sach! Jenna has certainly become a vital fixture to our Main Street community, and we’re excited to be a part of her latest work. For this FOM Series she is sharing images close to her heart and taking us all on “The Journey Home.”

“For this show I wanted to ‘bring it home.’ Though I have always taken photographs on my journeys to Europe, I’ve never displayed them (unless you count my mom’s walls). With this series I maintain my style, keeping the rich blacks in contrast to the cool whites. All the photos are taken from North Derbyshire, which is located in the East Midlands of England. A large portion of the Peak District National Park is within this county, as well as part of the Pennines. Within this region, there are various stately homes, castle ruins, gardens, caverns, and the beautiful rolling hills, for which it is so well known.

During a recent two week visit home, I traveled around North Derbyshire with my camera, occasionally making my family pull off to the side of the road, just so I could jump out and capture the landscape to share with you! For putting up with my artistic endeavors on this, and many others trips, I dedicate this show to them. Places featured include Buxton, Chatsworth Stately Home, Bolsover Castle, Tideswell, Castleton, Peveril Castle, Hardwick Hall and Haddon Hall.”

Born in Southampton, England, Jenna Sach immigrated to South Carolina in 1990. Ever since she was a young girl, she has shown a fondness for art. However, it was not until she was 16 that she began her passion for photography. Jenna’s high school offered a darkroom course; it was her first experience developing film, and she fell in love. Over the years Jenna took pictures of the places she visited, but it was not until she arrived at the University of South Carolina that she began to formulate her style. There, she connected with her mentor and darkroom professor, Toby Morriss. Under his guidance, she perfected her printing and found her style. He taught Jenna how to combine her two passions, photography and psychology. She obtained her B.A. in Experimental Psychology and hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

And a little extra inside…Brian Maynor will be in-house giving his excellent advice on the right sunwear for your face.  He’s built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding nationally and internationally. Fortune 500 Companies, celebrities, and individuals alike are regularly following Brian’s style philosophy “It Takes 3 Seconds To Make An Impression.”

For over a decade, Mr. Maynor has utilized his education and training as a broadcast journalist/commentator on various fashion events from fashion shows/expos to charity events. Find, Flatter & Flaunt is his 3-step program launched in 2011 that transforms a client’s wardrobe and image.  Each step is designed to build confidence through knowledge empowering clients to embrace their bodies and work with them, not against them to create their ideal image.

Mr. Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region.  His approach is innovative, creative and fashion forward balanced with classic pieces to keep the look grounded.  He is a regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities; he uses social media to help spread his message that image is crucial and controllable. In like fashion, Brian has been a style lecturer and event MC for numerous brands including Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s, and Macy’s.

A former attorney and program director for legal aid, Mr. Maynor helped victims of domestic violence reclaim their self-esteem, dignity, and sense of self-worth through the power of image. He can often be heard saying, “Investing 5 minutes on yourself can change your life.”

Outside…For our outdoor performance, we’re so proud to feature Columbia’s own DJ Deft Key of Entropy Studios, Raymond Howard. Deft Key’s shows are full of the energy and sounds of global beats and dubstep. For a sampling, check out his music on http://soundcloud.com/deftkey. And VOTE for his latest
https://beta.indabamusic.com/opportunities/how-to-destroy-angels-welcome-oblivion-remix-contest-strings-and-attractors/submissions/26220000-c752-11e2-976d-12313b0b1241?sort=hottest
. His CD is available for purchase.

Entropy studios is a recording/production studio that was founded in the fall of 2011 by Raymond Howard, Timothy Miller, and Jeramie Conrad. A unique type of studio with services ranging from simple recording/tracking to full production including song creation, adding audio to film, voice overs and foley, their mission is to provide a fully operational studio capable of facilitating any and all audio needs for musicians, film producers, theatrical directors, and voice actors both regionally and internationally. Their menu of services include: recording, tracking, mixing, mastering, voice-overs, composition, songwriting, foley, DJ services, live sound/lighting, post-production audio for film and video, album art, logo design, photography services, merchandise design, band photos, business cards, and flier design. Please visit Deft Key on Facebook at 
https://www.facebook.com/deft.key.3?fref=ts
 or Entropy Studios on Facebook at 
https://www.facebook.com/TheEntropyStudios?fref=ts
 .

S&S Art Supply

A Study of Self & Other:  Photographs by Jessica Christine Owen

June’s installment of First Thursdays will be a special treat for Columbia, as this is her first solo exhibition in the Capital City. Jessica Christine Owen is an innovative photographer that uses herself as the subject matter. Through physical alteration as a performative aspect of the final photograph, her works are beautiful and eerie, funny and disturbing all rolled into one. DJ B will be out front spinnin’ some awesome family-friendly tunes as well!

Her Artist Statement reads:
The term grotesque has the contemporary definition of being something strange, fantastic, ugly or disgusting. The grotesque has formed an attachment to other terms proliferated to describe aspects of experience, among them, the abject. The abject is something that exists between the concept of an object and of the subject. The abject becomes a reaction to the threatened breakdown in meaning caused by the loss of distinction between subject and object or self and other. My intention is to create an emotional bond with the viewer through a combination of unlike things that challenges established realities or constructs new ones. By altering physical form through self-inflicted acts or complete physical alteration, the viewer is meant to see the blurred lines of what we perceive to be self and what is other.

Jessica Christine Owen received her BFA in Photography and BA in Art History with honors from New Mexico State University in 2010. She currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina where she is pursuing her MFA in Photography at the University of South Carolina.

Anastasia & Friends

Color Movement: Paintings by James Dwyer and Michael Dwyer

Anastasia & Friends is honored to present Color Movement, an exhibition which features paintings by father and son, James Dwyer and Michael Dwyer, who have spent a combined nine decades creating abstract paintings, rooted in Modernism, with color as a primary focus.

“I grew up in a home in which both parents were artists and paintings by them and their friends always hung on the walls. Although my mother mostly put aside her professional art career to raise a family, my father was an energetic and accomplished painter all the years I knew him, only giving up his studio work at the age of eighty-seven to care for my mother. My father also taught painting and drawing at Syracuse University for thirty-some years, including while I was there as an undergraduate. I never took a class with him, but I learned a great deal from my Dad, whether it was during dinner conversations or trips to museums. Probably, most of what I learned was just from the long-term exposure of having his paintings around the house.

As a kid, I loved to draw from the time I could pick up a pencil and I received enormous encouragement and support from both parents. Sometimes I’d visit my Dad’s studio and make little drawings while he painted. Once, when I was seven or eight, my father stretched a small canvas for me to work on (my first abstract painting!) while classical music played on the radio and he worked on a large canvas. The scale of his paintings – often seven or eight feet – made an early impression, too.

A few years before my father’s death in 2011, we had a couple of conversations about how we might be able to put together a two-man show, but we were never able to make that happen during his lifetime. Before he died my father shipped me about thirty of the paintings he’d made over the past few years. That shipment has allowed me to finally, and very happily, assemble this exhibition.” Michael Dwyer

Color Movement will open as a part of the First Thursday art crawl on Main on June 6th, from 6pm to 9pm and run through June 28th.

Special thanks to Maria Kennedy Mungo for preparing delicious food for this very special opening.

For more information, contact Anastasia Chernoff at 803 665 6902 or stasia1825@aol.com

James Dwyer:
Since space is the fundamental characteristic of drawing, painting, sculpture, and architecture, I have long understood that eloquence in those forms is to be achieved through the structuring of space. Within the past ten years or so, I have stumbled my way into a style based on low relief as its principal component.

In low relief I have discovered that I can offer variable visual and tactile experience controlled only in part by me. The viewer is invited to share in control through physical viewpoint. Elements within a work change, or are perceived as changing when seen from different angles. This, I believe, can bring about an especially intimate and creative communication.

Michael Dwyer:
A sense of movement has been an important element in my work for a long time. Earlier pieces often conveyed a feeling of forms drifting in space. Then, there was a shift toward using linear composition to create direction. I wanted the viewer’s eye to move along a variety of circuits and have experiences along the way. I also found from my earlier collage work, that I like the crisp, definitive edges that result from cutting shapes with scissors, so I began using masking tape for a similar effect.

Recent works often have a sequential aspect that comes partly from a fascination with similarities between visual art and music. Thinking of musical composition as one note followed by another, and so on, I wondered if this might be a basis for a painting. Ultimately, I’m always after that transcendent moment when abstract elements come together in a way that‘s thrilling and somehow right.

Tapp’s Art Center

MAIN GALLERY:  “The Animal Attraction” Art Show in the Main Gallery

A group show of animal themed art featuring many of Columbia’s favorite artists. Paintings, Photography, Sculpture and mixed media pieces representing the diversity of the animal world will fill the Main Gallery.  A portion of proceeds from all art sales from this month long show will benefit two great causes. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Division and The Animal Mission.
SKYLINE ROOM:

In the Skyline Room the USC School of Music’s Spark Laboratory will be presenting three performances from the winner, and two runners-up, from their competitive chamber music competition.

7:30 PM         Clocks in Motion   (Madison, WI) 
http://www.sc.edu/music/spark_laboratory/retreat/chamber_music_competition/clocks_in_motion.php

8:30 PM         Quintet Sirocco   (Greensboro, NC) 
http://www.sc.edu/music/spark_laboratory/retreat/chamber_music_competition/quintet_sirocco.php

9:15 PM         C Street Brass    (Pittsburgh, PA) 
http://www.sc.edu/music/spark_laboratory/retreat/chamber_music_competition/c_street_brass.php

Wine Down on Main

Jessica Ream

Wine Down is excited to present Jessica Ream.  Jessica Ream was born in Columbus, Ohio early in the year 1990, but was raised south of the Mason Dixon, in Carolina suburbia. She is a jack-of-all trades artist and incorporates her knowledge of painting, photography, print and sculpture into her mixed media pieces.

She began her studies at Columbia College but transferred to Savannah College of Art and Design where she graduated with honors and her BFA in Painting. She returned to Columbia shortly after graduation and currently works for the Columbia Art Museum while continuing her work as an artist.

“I seek emotional catharsis. My work is saturated with ideas of identity, perception, family and memory. Each thought is confessed with an unbridled honesty I find paradoxically terrifying and liberating.  I am a painter, a photographer, a printmaker and a seamstress. I am a sculptor and a habitual collector of discarded objects. I am process driven. The physicality of the material appeals to my natural curiosity and fascinates the child in me. This child like act of discovery and alteration allows me to speak about what I cannot say audibly and drives me to create.”

Paradise Ice

Come cool off at Paradise Ice this June First Thursday! Look for exciting new delicious ice and frozen custard flavors like Blackberry Sage, Ginger Strawberry, and Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie. We will also unveil a new home made cookie sandwich. Don’t forget that we have doggie pops for our furry friends. All money raised for June will go to Animal Mission.

Columbia Museum of Art Gift Shop

The Shop will have its tent up and running.  This month they are bringing back their famous “make an offer” sale.

Mast General

We are pleased to present Pocket Buddha for June First Thursday on Main.   ”Wires, Wood & Harmonies” We write and play acoustic music using guitars, a cajon (box drum) and voices. It’s a little bit country, and little bit funk. Whatever it is, we try to keep it simple and groovy.

Sammi’s Deli

“Come join us for Neo Soul / Spoken Word at the Deli
Come speak out, listen up, eat in, and participate.  Open Mic. No fee.  Receive buy one get one free deals from the kitchen.  This is another way to enjoy the downtown features after dark.  Organized by Kevin Drakes the manager at Sammi’s Deli, Contact Kevin for further details 803.738.5085.  Sammi’s Deli 1621 Main St 7pm-9pm Sammi’s 803-255-0001

The Cigar Box Main Street

The Cigar Box Main Street is the newest edition of the Cigar Box.  Awesome selection of tobaccos. Comfortable smoking lounge. BYOB!  Premium Cigars – Fine Tobaccos – Pipes – Accessories – Smoking Lounge…yes…right here on Columbia’s Main Street!

Something Special Florist

Just come in and see what is new for Spring and Summer at Something Special! We are more than a flower store! We have brand new candles, gorgeous costume jewelry, and pretty new greeting cards, just to provide you with a little sneak peak.

Michel’s Drugs

From Marble Falls’ Main Street to Columbia’s Main Street…Michel’s Drugs will be set up and ready to see you at May’s First Thursdays on Main event THIS Thursday from 6-9 pm. Over a hundred years ago, Kyle Michel’s family started this iconic TX drug store and general store hybrid. Now, our Main Street neighbor is bringing a whole different idea to us…SO join Kyle on Main Street in front of his office (between Frame of Mind and Anastasia and Friends/Free Times).

He has the BEST vinyls around. Be prepared to shop for records at Michel’s Drugs. Open during First Thursdays on Main…now on YOUR Main Street!

The Nickelodeon

South Carolina’s Non-Profit Cinema since 1979, the Nick is a 99 seat theater run by The Columbia Film Society.  It is home to three film screenings daily, and special series with extra showtimes.  Check them out at
http://www.nickelodeon.org/programs/
for the latest programming during this First Thursdays on Main event.

The Whig

Well everyone knows that The Whig is the official Afterparty locale for First Thursdays, but maybe try starting there BEFORE you begin our art crawl. Best Gouda Mac & Cheese around.  It is located in the 1200 Block of Main right under ABC News.

Outdoors (1500 and 1600 blocks):

Alternacirque:

Columbia’s own Alternacirque will be here promoting their next show (IN FULL COSTUME!), 1001 Arabian Nights, being performed at Earlewood Park from June 7-15 nightly at 8 pm. Make sure you find them at First Thursdays on Main and get your picture taken.  Tickets are now on sale for the performances and selling fast!

For More event details, check out Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/371805622924472/?fref=ts
.  To purchase tickets in advance and online (recommended and all kinds of packages available), go to www.alternacirque.com .

Columbia Children’s Theatre:

The Children’s theatre will be here to highlight their upcoming show, The Commedia Rapunzel, which runs June 14-23 at its theatre in Richland Mall. This special version is presented in the traditional style of commedia dell’arte, a largely improvisational style of street theatre originating in 16th century Italy.

Amsha:

Amsha (a Swahili word meaning “to awaken”) is a fashion & accessories brand made by highly talented artisans in Kenya & Rwanda. Our designs speak to the modern world while respecting their African roots. We aim to address social issues through trade and believe that a business run on fair trade principles can alleviate poverty, empower women and artisans with disabilities, provide jobs, and improve access to education. Many of our pieces are made from recycled or upcycled materials, including brass, bone, horn, clay, glass, and leather. Hope you will stop by to see our debut collection of jewelry, bags, and baskets.

Entertainment and Food:

DJ Deft Key (1500 block in front of Wine Down on Main and Frame of Mind), DJ B (1600 block in front of S&S Art Supply), Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse-outdoor service, Crepes and Croissants, Columbia’s favorite KC’s Hotdogs, Wine Down-outdoor service, New York’s Famous Hot Dogs-sausage dog service with German Brats, and the nationally renowned 2 Fat 2 Fly Food Truck

First Thursdays on Main is Columbia’s monthly art crawl and streetfest hosted by the Main Street merchants on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 9 pm.  This event showcases the revitalized Main Street community and includes our merchants from the Capital to City Hall.

You may contact Mark Plessinger by calling (803)988-1065 or via email at firstthursdaysonmain@gmail.com.

Please also visit our website for additional info and happenings at www.firstthursdaysonmain.com.   ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26th, 2013

First Thursdays on Main:  May 2nd, 2013 on Main Street Columbia SC 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

firstthursdaysonmain.com

Frame of Mind

FOM Series Fifth Anniversary: Five MORE Artists for Five Years

You know how people say your birthday only comes around once a year? Well, we don’t ascribe to that philosophy! In fact, we will continue to celebrate the FOM Series turning FIVE for the month of May, too! After a successful 5 Artists for 5 Years themed April show, we knew we had more artists to honor and more incredible work to share with you during May’s First Thursdays on Main event. Are you ready??!!!

It is our honor to welcome back Amanda Ladymon, Michael Krajewski, Whitney LeJeune, Jarid Lyfe Brown, and Jen Phelps!

Amanda Ladymon is a mixed media artist, exhibiting around the southeast, as well as internationally. Amanda is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina and Columbia College. She is very involved in the local Columbia Arts community in many different facets, mainly as the Exhibition & Event Coordinator for S & S Art Supply. She also teaches adults and children’s art workshops at her home with her newest business, Ladybug Art Studios. Her work’s aesthetic formula is derived mostly from biomorphic abstraction. Amanda’s artwork primarily is in drawing/painting, sculpture, and installation. We are thrilled to have her creative force back at our gallery!

Michael Krajewski’s last show at FOM landed in The State’s Life & Style section revealing gallery walls packed to the max popping with colors and ideas unending. Krajewski style. Specifically, his style has been called neo-expressionist and compared to Jean-Michel Basquiat’s though Krajewski is less interested in defining, more interested in producing. We’re excited to welcome Michael back to FOM; we look forward to the rush of energy his work delivers!

Whitney LeJeune works to satisfy viewers on an emotional and an intellectual level – mating form, color and the power of suggestion in every effort. Her enchanting images draw collectors from coast to coast. Her style is influenced by her early childhood home, Austin, Texas, the southern elegance she finds in her family’s South Carolina roots, and her inescapable feminine perspective on the world. “My work as a female painter is bringing passionate art into peoples’ lives. I’m pleased when I’ve captured the easily overlooked moments and emotions in life, and said a lot with a just a few strokes of paint”.

Jarid Lyfe Brown’s creations are well-known in our community; they are filled with what we like to call “creative lyfe.”
Undefined’s 2011 article describes Jarid’s works as “thoughtful, vibrantly colored, light emulating paintings — many of which depict animals that possess human-like qualities.” Well said! To quote the artist, “Art is what I make.” Charismatic forms and colors galore!

Jen Phelps’ use of a mix of subject matter and printmaking inspires the art enthusiasts and appreciators alike. Says the artist regarding her craft, “Change is the constant in this life. Lives change but creativity and friendships make great foundations for those challenges.” In fact, she has recently experienced a change in residence and career herself. “When a career as a non-profit leader began to take up my life full-time, I always went back to Penland each summer to re-energize and get a creative grounding for whatever life-changing events that I would encounter. Some of the work that I’m contributing to the FOM Series Anniversary Show was created at Penland and some from my new home in Austin TX. I wish I could be there in person, but I send my love with my art!”

https://www.facebook.com/events/166142086879371/

S&S Art Supply

Mixed Media Works by Amanda Ladymon

This May’s First Thursday at S & S is a last minute surprise! Amanda Ladymon, local artist extraordinaire, owner of Ladybug Art Studios, events & marketing coordinator for S & S Art Supply is coming back for a solo exhibition! Amanda is happy to be back showing brand new works, along with some older pieces ranging from 2008 to present. DJ B will be spinning some awesome family-friendly tunes out front.

Amanda’s work is continually evolving and exploratory in process, medium, and conceptual interests. Her more recent works (2011-present) address issues of women and family, along with her love for collaging in various materials, hand-drawn biomorphic abstract images, and found objects. This exhibition will also include her larger paper and wood panel abstracts.

Amanda’s most recent work deals with family imagery and the concept of motherhood. Being a new mother has had the greatest impact on her artistic approach, opening up her visual dialogue into new areas of exploration into imagery, color, and materials. Being a full-time mom and part-time teacher has become a new, exciting adventure that she will continue to address in her work. Amanda Ladymon’s earlier works involve creating a circular dialogue, with one part affecting another, creating an endless flow of biomorphic, organic forms and evolving experimentation with materials. Research on the interior workings of the human body and of plants and ocean life on the macro and microscopic level creates the initial cognitive drive for the work. Balancing a tension through visual relationships of form and color, her mixed media pieces are the product of a natural, self – organizing principle that operates intuitively. There is an endless interplay between the structured and the amorphous or between evolution and entropy.

Amanda Ladymon is a mother of 10-month old Lily, her most precious work of art. She and her husband own and run S & S Art Supply and are very involved in their local community and downtown Main Street’s revitalization efforts. Amanda earned her MFA in Sculpture from USC in 2009. She is an Adjunct Professor at USC’s Art Department and Columbia College Art Department. She is also a free-lance writer for the Free-Times. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Amanda moved to Columbia in 2006 to attend USC. She met her wonderful husband the first week his little art shop in Rosewood opened and well, the rest is history….

https://www.facebook.com/events/398150716959659/

Anastasia & Friends

A Way With Watercolors

For the month of May, Anastasia and Friends presents “A Way With Watercolors,” featuring the works of Rachel Parker. The exhibition will be a powerful combination of animals, people, landscape and abstract paintings on paper and canvas, all created with watercolors.

Rachel Parker is a self taught artist who works mainly in watercolors. As the daughter of artist Gretchen Parker, she was raised going to art lessons and watching her mother paint. She has been drawing since she was old enough to hold a pencil and began painting professionally in 2000.

“I work primarily in watercolor because I love the sense of light this medium conveys. In all my paintings, I try to make light the central theme. Dramatic lighting can make a potato sack beautiful. Light is a life-giving force, and this is true in a painting as well – it breathes vitality and a sense of awe into the every day.”
Rachel Parker

Her motivation for creating is to capture what may otherwise go unnoticed, to reveal the beauty in simple moments and objects. Making an image come alive on the paper is her inspiration. Rachel has sold her work nationally and internationally and her work was recently juried into the Atlanta Equestrian Exhibition and was featured on the cover of national magazine “Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.” She paints at night and during weekends and works full time as a school social worker.

The opening reception at the gallery will take place as a part of the First Thursday on Main art crawl on May 2nd, from 6pm to 9pm. Special thanks to Maria Kennedy Mungo for furnishing delicious snacks for our opening event.

“A Way With Watercolors” will run from May 2nd through May 30th at Anastasia & Friends and then from June 1st through August 2nd as a part of the Anastasia & Friends Eat With Art Series at Gervais & Vine. For more information, contact Anastasia Chernoff at 803 665 6902 or email at stasia1825@aol.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/456077007813335/

Tapp’s Art Center

2013 University of South Carolina BFA Photography Exhibition

The Bachelor of Fine Arts Photography degree candidates in the Department of Art at USC present their senior thesis exhibition. You are cordially invited to join the artists for the opening reception at Tapp’s Art Center, located at 1644 Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina on May 2, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Artists on display:  Jake Adams, Hannah Collum, David McGowan Hicks, Taylor Singmaster, Cheryl Jordan Upchurch, Caroline Weaver, Gabrielle Wingate and Rachel Wolfe.

MAIN GALLERY: USC BFA Photography Thesis Exhibition

https://www.facebook.com/events/112380965597506/

SKYLINE ROOM: 6:30 Sneak Preview of “Miss Saigon” from Town Theater & 8:00 Gentleman of Distinction

FOUNTAIN ROOM: 8:30 The Caddy Boyz-A musical improv duo, the Caddy Boyz will be bringing all of their mojo to the First Thursday event in Downtown Columbia. If you’ve never had the experience of seeing them live, you’re in for a treat-even THEY don’t know what will happen!

Wine Down on Main

Brandon Faucett

Wine Down on Main is excited to announce Brandon Faucett as our next artist!  “The footsteps of the master, their angelic abilities, divine like inspirations and historical significances they have created is what inspires me. The human condition, love and spirit is my drive. I have been sketching since I was a child and continued into adulthood. As a machine gunner in 1st battalion 8th Marines I was able to use my skill of sketching in the field for drawing map overlays, landscapes for reconnaissance and range cards.”
“I also work in traditional ornamental hand engraving. I am currently attending school for a welding certification in order to broaden my work. I apply heavy contrast and detail from my sketching ability into other mediums and a more instinctual than professional process.
I believe that art is the opportunity to tap into the divine. Through the art produced by that inspiration I believe one can manifest oneness and contribute to raising the consciousness of society.”

https://www.facebook.com/events/418007138295088/

Paradise Ice

There is always something new and exciting at Paradise Ice! Join us this May First Thursday for new delicious ice and custard flavors like Strawberry Basil, Avocado, and Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake. We will also be bringing out a new home made cookie sandwich. For our furry friends that visit, we now make doggie pops as well! All proceeds will be donated to different animal rescues each month.

Columbia Museum of Art Gift Shop

We’re breaking out one of our most popular offerings just for you this First Thursday… our Make an Offer Sidewalk Sale! Our treasures sell fast, so come see us early!

Mast General

We’re thrilled to have John Scollon and Bitteroot playing at Mast in May for First Thursdays.  Here’s a little background on the group from their bio.  “To quote an old Jackson Browne song, John Scollon “Must’ve played in a thousand bands”. A 25+ year veteran of the Columbia SC music scene (and professional puppeteer by day), Scollon spent what he admits was way too long playing cover tunes in local bars. What he gained from his time paying dues in the honky tonks was a beat up guitar case full of road stories and near-life experiences. Now he has finally put his tallish tales to song, and assembled an eclectic group of musicians to form Bitteroot, a band capable of leaping from folksy Americana, to funky jam-rock, to haunting a capella harmonies… often within the framework of a single piece of music.”

Weddings 101

The studio will be open late from 6-8pm, and we will feature tasty treats from Indigo Jones Catering paired with a wine tasting by Vidalco International! Browse our studio and see what our other fabulous vendors have in store!

Sammi’s Deli

The South Carolina Artists group & Sammi’s Deli are hosting an open mike night. Come out to sing, act, read poetry, perform and enjoy the company of other artists and lovers of art! Also, enjoy paintings & works or art by members of SCA. Participation is free so sign up early by emailing contact@southcarolinaartists.com.

The Cigar Box Main Street

The Cigar Box Main Street is the newest edition of the Cigar Box.  Awesome selection of tobaccos. Comfortable smoking lounge. BYOB!  Premium Cigars – Fine Tobaccos – Pipes – Accessories – Smoking Lounge…yes…right here on Columbia’s Main Street!

Something Special Florist

Just come in and see what is new for Spring and Summer at Something Special! We are more than a flower store! We have brand new candles, gorgeous costume jewelry, and pretty new greeting cards, just to provide you with a little sneak peak.

Michel’s Drugs

From Marble Falls’ Main Street to Columbia’s Main Street…Michel’s Drugs will be set up and ready to see you at May’s First Thursdays on Main event THIS Thursday from 6-10 pm. Over a hundred years ago, Kyle Michel’s family started this iconic TX drug store and general store hybrid. Now, our Main Street neighbor is bringing a whole different idea to us…SO join Kyle on Main Street in front of his office (between Frame of Mind and Anastasia and Friends/Free Times).

He has the BEST vinyls around. Be prepared to shop for records at Michel’s Drugs. Open during First Thursdays on Main…now on YOUR Main Street!

The Nickelodeon

South Carolina’s Non-Profit Cinema since 1979, the Nick is a 99 seat theater run by The Columbia Film Society.  It is home to three film screenings daily, and special series with extra showtimes.  Check them out at
http://www.nickelodeon.org/programs/
for the latest programming during May’s First Thursdays on Main event.

The Whig

Well everyone knows that The Whig is the official Afterparty locale for First Thursdays, but maybe try starting there BEFORE you begin our art crawl. Best Gouda Mac & Cheese around.  It is located in the 1200 Block of Main right under ABC News.

Uniquely MC

Come help welcome one of our newest vendors/guests to our neighborhood…introducing a local artist who specializes in design of handbags, accessories, and home décor. You’ll find her booth on the 1500 block near Michel’s Drugs.

Outdoors (1500 and 1600 blocks)

American Gun frontman, Todd Mathis (1500 block in front of Wine Down on Main and Frame of Mind), DJ B (1600 block in front of S&S Art Supply), Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse-outdoor service, Crepes and Croissants, Columbia’s favorite KC’s Hotdogs, Wine Down-outdoor service, New York’s Famous Hot Dogs-sausage dog service with German Brats, and the nationally renowned 2 Fat 2 Fly Food Truck

First Thursdays on Main is Columbia’s monthly art crawl and streetfest hosted by the Main Street merchants on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 9 pm.  This event showcases the revitalized Main Street community and includes our merchants from the Capital to City Hall.

You may contact Mark Plessinger by calling (803)988-1065 or via email at firstthursdaysonmain@gmail.com.

Please also visit our website for additional info and happenings at www.firstthursdaysonmain.com.

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The gallery openings (Frame of Mind, Anastasia & Friends, S&S Art Supply, Tapp’s, and Wine Down on Main)  and One Columbia’s performances, as well as performances up and down the street are all ON!  Everything has been moved been indoors.  We’re excited to see everyone tonight from 6pm-10pm. 

In Conjunction with One Columbia’s “One Month” celebration Tapp’s will be hosting a variety of dance groups in our Skyline Room.

Schedule:
7:00-7:20PM   SAPPHIRE MOON
7:30-7:50PM   CAROLINA BALLET
8:00-8:20PM   COLUMBIA SUMMER REPERTORY COMPANY
8:30-8:50PM   TAGA DANCE
9:00-9:20PM   UNBOUND DANCE
9:30-9:40PM   TO DANCE INC. with TERRANCE HENDERSON

Wine Down on Main

“Written Words’ Impending Doom” by Jonathon and Jenna
Wine Down is excited to present a joint collaboration with Jonathan Bouknight and Jenna Sach for April’s First Thursdays Line Up.

“Written Words’ Impending Doom” is a commentary on how print is being slowly phased out with the digital age. With an arrangement of over 30 photos, this is a show you do not want to miss.

Jonathan Bouknight is currently residing in Los Angeles, however he will be out here mid April.

Paradise Ice

Spring into Paradise Ice this April First Thursday for tastes of happiness!  We will be featuring new custard and ice flavors as well as a new ice cream cookie sandwich. Milkshakes??  Yes, we are now making those, too!

Something Special Florist

Please join Something Special Florist on Main for our Spring Open House during the First Thursdays On Main event. Come in and see what is new for home: Spring accessories, jewelry by December Diamonds, and our new line of Tyler Candles. A representative from The Tyler Candle Company will be in house giving away FREE candles. While shopping, enjoy a glass of wine and treats from Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse.

Columbia Museum of Art Gift Shop

We’re breaking out one of our most popular offerings just for you this First Thursday… our Make an Offer Sidewalk Sale! Our treasures sell fast, so come see us early!

Mast General

Dr. Roundhouse will be playing beginning at 6:00 pm on our front sidewalk. Dr. Roundhouse started as an acoustic duo, DNR that rocked the Columbia music scene. They rocked it hard. Frontmen, Jon and Russell, perfected their original compositions in this early carnation of the band. The duo added Nate Poston to the mix, bringing what is sometimes referred to as the heat. The bass guitar addition led the group to Nick McGill. Despite lacking in the height department, the band felt that he may be the drummer for them. While barely visible to the eye, his presence is more than audible. The group now cobbles shoes and makes custard pies. Also they rock. They rock hard.

The Cigar Box Main Street

The Cigar Box Main Street is the newest edition of the Cigar Box.  Awesome selection of tobaccos. Comfortable smoking lounge. BYOB!  Premium Cigars – Fine Tobaccos – Pipes – Accessories – Smoking Lounge…yes…right here on Columbia’s Main Street!

Michel’s Drugs

From Marble Falls’ Main Street to Columbia’s Main Street…Michel’s Drugs will be set up and ready to see you at February’s First Thursdays on Main event THIS Thursday from 6-10 pm. Over a hundred years ago, Kyle Michel’s family started this iconic TX drug store and general store hybrid. Now, our Main Street neighbor is bringing a whole different idea to us…SO join Kyle on Main Street in front of his office (between Frame of Mind and Anastasia and Friends/Free Times).

He has the BEST vinyls around. Be prepared to shop for records at Michel’s Drugs. Open during First Thursdays on Main…now on YOUR Main Street!

Weddings 101

The studio will be open from 6-8:00pm Thursday, 4/4 for First Thursdays on Main!  We have a special treat from Indigo Jones Catering and The Traveling Photo Booth. Come in and browse our library of Columbia’s best wedding professionals!

First Thursdays Cruise In

Come check out what has become a signature piece of First Thursdays on Main’s activities, the official Cruise In. The 1500 and 1600 Blocks of Main Street get taken over by classics and customs of all types, shapes, and age. For December’s First Thursday event, the classic Christmas theme will abound. As always, First Thursdays Cruise In is brought to you by Curran Stone/Cartoys Auto Spa and Mark Plessinger/Frame of Mind.

One Columbia’s One Month Celebration: Official Kickoff!

One Month – April 2013 – is when arts and history come to life!

There’s no denying that April is all about the arts – and history and culture and more! With dozens and dozens of events, One Month is a celebration of Columbia’s bustling cultural community.

Meet us on Main Street during First Thursdays for the official kickoff of One Month. Caroline Lewis Jones of Unbound Dance Company has pulled together nearly every dance company in the area to kick things off.

There will be 4 solid hours of dance performances on a stage at Boyd Plaza and also at Tapp’s Art Center.

Bring your friends and stroll up and down the street. Merchants will be open throughout the night with different art shows and music and more!

Don’t forget to stop by the new One Columbia office located at 1219 Taylor Street and see Columbia’s new cultural one-stop-shop.

Event cover photo courtesy of Shani Gilchrist via discoversouthcarolina.com.

Uniquely MC

Come help welcome one of our newest vendors/guests to our neighborhood…introducing a local artist who specializes in design of handbags, accessories, and home décor. You’ll find her booth on the 1500 block near Michel’s Drugs.

Outdoors

Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse-outdoor service, Crepes and Croissants, Columbia’s favorite KC’s Hotdogs, Wine Down-outdoor service, New York’s Famous Hot Dogs-sausage dog service with German Brats, and the nationally renowned 2 Fat 2 Fly Food Truck

First Thursdays on Main is Columbia’s monthly art crawl and streetfest hosted by the Main Street merchants on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 9 pm.  This event showcases the revitalized Main Street community and includes our merchants from the Capital to City Hall.

You may contact Mark Plessinger by calling (803)988-1065 or via email at firstthursdaysonmain@gmail.com.

Please also visit our website for additional info and happenings at www.firstthursdaysonmain.com.