Westobou Vip Reception
Celebrate the launch of this year's Westobou Festival and view the marquee visual art exhibition, Like A Weird Sweet Spot by Michi Meko. The curator and artist will join the party to mingle with guests. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served. Invitations and RSVP required.
“Bloom Where You Are Planted” is a floral art installation designed to inspire conversations about cultivating culture and economic success, locally. Join the conversations with community members on two popular topics.
**Inhale Yoga with Taylor Watts
Allow Taylor to guide you through a yoga class in a unique immersive environment. From a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system to the rich culture of the venue, this experience will cater to the senses. We’ll create body awareness, soften, and find ease as we flow through a series of postures designed to open up and release the body and mind. Afterwards, enjoy a curated selection of cocktails along with a generous selection of regional craft beers accompanied by the best local music.
The concepts surrounding Stephanie Jolisa Woods’s art are rooted in African-American culture, but the questions she raises are universal. Working in photography, sculpture, film, collage, and installation, the Charlotte-based artist asks us to consider how gender roles, racial signifiers, and beauty standards become social norms.
Lauren Haynes, Curator, Contemporary Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, will facilitate a discussion and Q&A session between Westobou Festival exhibiting artist, Michi Meko, and Stephanie Jolisa Woods, whose work is on display during the Festival at Augusta University’s Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art.
Choreographer and dancer T. Lang performs a call and response piece to a snare drum influenced by the artwork of Michi Meko’s Like A Weird Sweet Spot featuring percussionist, Amber "Doddie" Jenkins.
In anticipation of the exhibition, Meko states, “Like a Weird Sweet Spot is the patina and so polished; it’s automatic. It’s like right before the breath. It’s the moment, that space in metered time before the beat, on it, and off it. It is potency and depth.”
One of Georgia’s foremost emerging artists, Alabama native, Michi Meko lives and works in Atlanta.
Having captured the attention of curators and collectors throughout the region, Meko continues to stay in the limelight as the recipient of the 2017/2018 Working Artist Project Award presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Georgia’s for which the museum will mount a solo exhibition of his work, December 1, 2018 – January 26, 2019, curated by Joey Orr, Andrew Mellon Curator for Research at Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas. His recent accolades also include the notable exhibition co-produced by Montgomery Builds and Dashboard, U.S. This is where you’ll find me, Kress on Dexter, Montgomery, AL, April 21 – July 21, 2018, and his work is featured in 2017 One Last Smile Before the Undertow, Dodd Galleries, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 2016 Circle of Rivers, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA; 2016 Before We Blast off: The Journey of Divine Forces, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA; and 2015 Pursuit: Almost Drowned, Alan Avery Art Company, Atlanta, GA.
Critical writings concerning his works are featured in journals such as Art Papers, ArtsATL, Burnaway and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His work is collected by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Hull-McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Training and Innovation, Augusta, GA; King & Spalding, Atlanta, GA; Scion (Toyota Motor Corporation), Los Angeles, CA; MetroPark USA Inc., Atlanta, GA; CW Network, Atlanta, GA and The Jones Group, Atlanta, GA.
Image by Karley Sullivan, Courtesy ArtsATL
Robert Foster and guests
Southern raconteur Paul Thorn and his six-piece band will team up with five-time GRAMMY-winning gospel icons the Blind Boys of Alabama and the legendary McCrary Sisters. These critically-acclaimed artists, raised in the church, come together for a special blend of rock, gospel, blues and country. The show, Mission Temple Fireworks Revival, is a unique experience that not only spans genres, but generations as well.
“Bloom Where You Are Planted” is a floral art installation designed to inspire conversations about cultivating culture and economic success, locally. Join the conversations with community members on two popular topics.
Mixing the sunny swoon of sixties pop with a dark swirl of Warholian garage rock,*repeat repeat create their own geography,dreaming up songs rooted in the spirit of both coasts.Based in Nashville,TN—where frontman Jared Corder,then-drummer Andy Herrin,and keys/singer Kristyn Corder kicked off the band's career with 2014's Bad Latitude— the band looks beyond the borders of their land locked hometown and,instead,mix California surf culture and NewYork street smarts into the same track list.They're a blend of bloom,doom,and boom.They're Dick Dale's snot-nosed grandkids.
AJ Ghent [J-ent] and His Singing Guitar are all about energy: musically, physically and spiritually. He takes his family’s heirloom Dzthe sacred steel sounddz and brings to a broader audience, by standing up: which allows him more freedom in performing and connecting with others. Over the years, Ghent has shared music with Zac Brown, Dave Grohl, and legendary freeform artist, Colonel Bruce Hampton. Ghent’s new creation, THE NEO BLUES PROJECT (March 2018) debuted at #7 on the Blues Billboard Charts, and is filled with everything that it should be: grooves, riffs and above all, message.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Chef John Benhase out of Atlanta, Georgia and local artist Gabi Hutchison come together to prepare a unique dining experience at the Old Academy of Richmond County.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
In this free workshop offered at Westobou Central on the Augusta Common, instructor Christina Berkshire will share how a simple child’s toy, the hula hoop, can be used for meditation and relaxation through movement. This throwback relic has become modern again, and you will learn the unexpected health & wellness benefits of taking a hoop for a spin in a beginner-friendly environment. All skill levels welcome. A limited number of hoops will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to borrow, but participants are welcome to bring their own adult-sized fitness hoops.
Presented by Westobou Central
The Poetry Fox writes custom poems on-demand on a vintage typewriter...AND he's a giant fox. Give the fox a word-like unicorn, hope, kaboom, ephemeral, or even your name-and get a poem with that word in it.
A place to meet, greet and engage, Westobou Central features a live music stage, food vendors, a beer garden and an assortment of family-friendly activities. Make sure you take a spin on the FREE Ferris wheel.
LIVE MUSIC STAGE:
THURS: AJ Ghent with opener weird around strangers
STARLIGHT CINEMA:
FRI: Avengers: Infinity War
SAT: Isle of Dogs + Jurassic Park
CHILDREN’S FUN FACTORY:
THURS: "History is LOCOmotive Picture Frames" hosted by Augusta Museum of History/"Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
FRI: "Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
"Live Painting by April Henry King"
SAT: "Derby Field Day" hosted by Soul City Sirens
"Live Music by Exodus"
DAILY:
Muscle City Salvage Skate Plaza by Brian McGrath
Poetry Fox
Lectio continua (Latin for continuous reading) refers to the practice of reading a book in sequence over a period of time. Each reading begins where the previous session ended. Stop by The Book Tavern anytime Oct. 4-6 from 5-11PM daily to witness Lectio continua in action.
Coming of Age in Mississippi is a 1968 memoir by Anne Moody about growing up in rural Mississippi in the mid-20th century as an African-American woman.
Lang Dance creates poetic movement landscapes, illustrating deep, rousing investigations into identity, historical narratives and interdisciplinary creative practices. Through the vehicle of dance and technological innovations, Lang’s work articulates perspectives with depth and style that capture the viewer with evocative physicality and emotional range.
As a site of intervention, A Graveyard Duet of the Past Now asks a series of questions, including: How do we care for one another?
Diane Haslam, vocalist
Carol Cook, pianist
Sony publishing artist Angie Aparo is the song writing talent behind Faith Hill's 'Cry' (for which Hill won a Grammy) and 'Big Time' by Big & Rich. Aparo's new album, 'Life is a Flower; Life is a Gun' is out now.
The Wooks translate the sights and sounds of the people, hills, bars, roads, and creeks around them into songs and shows that captivate. With both respect for their heritage and innovative originality, The Wooks are the natural evolution of a sound that has always been there.
This late night get-down features regional hip hop artists-rappers, rhymers and assorted breakers of beats including Stono Echo, Love Moor, Dillon, Bat Sauce and Dolla Menu. Fresh is the Word is a place where art with attitude meets musicians with storyteller hearts against a backdrop of bass and beats.
Part virtuoso and part storyteller, you might say that Jacob Johnson does with a guitar what Gene Kelly did with dance. Although his songwriting has won awards and his guitar-playing has put him on stage with Tommy Emmanuel and Phil Keaggy, his ability as an entertainer is what has won fans throughout the southeast. He refers to himself as "a ham that just wants to be on stage" but he’s much more than that. Jacob is an amazingly talented guitarist and songwriter which, combined with a bit of a personality, makes for a wildly impressive stage performance.
A poppy rock band with a little psychedelic twang. The Norfolk, Virginia band released their first album in May 2015. Their second album, Moonlight Anthems, was released in June of 2017.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Savannah chef and cookbook author, Libbie Summers and artist Leonard "Porkchop" Zimmerman of Happy: a Small Film with a Big Smile, come together as the perfect match to bring you a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience on the ball field at SRP Park.
Ticket: $150 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
FALL/WINTER 2018 Presentation
RESPONSIVE TEXTILES is a sustainable knitwear line, which is founded on the belief that clothes are your second skin, and they should be as unique and human as you are. The line is handmade by designer Kristine Rodriguez out of her Evans, Georgia studio. With spools of luxurious yarn and her knitting machine, Kristine crafts each garment one row at a time. The result is knitwear which is polished, thoughtfully-designed and, most importantly, human. Note: This is not your grandma's knitwear.
Inhale yoga with Space Yoga Studio
Join Space Yoga Studio for one hour of gentle vinyasa flow yoga followed by time to socialize and sip on featured wines. All skill levels are welcome. Don’t forget your mat and water bottle. Limited mats available for use.
Mapping the Ethics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with twenty films and counting, increasingly dominates the vision and imagination of millions of Americans. Given that these films present a wide variety of moral outlooks and dilemmas, they can also shape our sense of right and wrong. With that in mind, we seek to apply the art of ethics-as the study of right action and good character-to the films in order to map the ethics of the MCU. Attendees will work together as they review clips of key films-and bring their own experience of the films-to map this ethically complex franchise.
The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
All aboard! Join the trolley hop showcasing downtown galleries and exhibitions. The multi-venue event will offer patrons easy access to 5 unique exhibitions as well as Westobou Central at the Augusta Common. The trolley will run on a continuous loop between locations.
The Augusta Photography Festival and the Jessye Norman School of the Arts present the works of two internationally recognized photographers in a combined exhibition at the Ann and Ellis Johnson gallery. Richard Calmes' expressive images of dancers capture both the grace and power of ballet. Joel Grimes' recent series of Harley Davidson owners and their machines do likewise for these icons of American roads. Grimes, based in Arizona, is a Canon Explorer of Light, a designation earned by only a handful of professional photographers. Calmes, based in Atlanta, is among the most sought-after dance photographers in the world. (Both Grimes and Calmes will be featured speakers during the 2018 Augusta Photo Festival Oct. 19-28.)
Student Showcase Concert featuring students from the Augusta University
Jaycie Ward and Taylor Swan have been taking Augusta by storm with their folk renditions of popular music. Ward's voice and acoustic guitar playing accompanied by Swan on the mandolin creates an incredible dynamic duo that you'll want to come back to see over and over again.
This First Friday dance party will take you on a ride from one end of the open genre music spectrum to the other. Come get down to the sounds laid out by heavy hitting scratch innovators, renaissance party rockers, and performance DJs.
.
Joe Pug is an American singer-songwriter from Greenbelt, Maryland. He has released two EPs, as well as the albums Messenger, The Great DespiserandWindfall. Pug's acclaimed narrative songwriting has led critics to draw comparisons between his work and that of John Prine and Bob Dylan
**NEW COLLECTION
Come see and shop STATE's new collection. Try on the new seasonal styles and take a piece home with you. STATE designs artful women's clothing, many of which are hand painted and dyed, making them works of art. STATE is based in Thomson, Georgia, and all items are made in the USA.
Glow yoga with Bethany Smith
Join us for a night of yoga, music, and creative expressions that make your body and soul GLOW! This glow-in-the-dark yoga class is practiced under black lights. Arrive early for extra fun & flare: black light body paint, glow sticks and more. Optional: Dress in White, Neon, or Costume to really *glow* under the black lights.
Make your own hula hoop
Hula Hoops have come a long way since Wham-O! Since the toy made its debut in the 1950s, it has evolved into a revolutionary fitness tool for kids and adults alike. Learn how to craft your own custom hula hoop to put your spin on this fun form of dance and self-expression, right inside Westobou Gallery. Christina Berkshire, longtime hoopdancer and crafter, will share the supplies for creating your unique hoop and walk you through the process in a simple, beginner-friendly format.
Come see Lupita's Revenge, an elaborate 45-minute shadow puppet show with a live soundtrack created by eight Athens, Georgia-based performers.
Depictions of Southern Culture in American Cinema
A panel of film enthusiasts, writers and southern culturalists come together to select and screen films with the theme- Depictions of the South and Southerners in movies followed by a moderated Q&A.
12:00 Beasts of the Southern Wild
3:00 Thunder Road
5:00 Panel Discussion
6:30 Daughters of the Dust
9:00 Deliverance
Students free with ID
A night of movies under the stars with a double-feature of animals on islands featuring Jeff Goldblum.
Set in Japan, Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his lost dog.
A Steven Spielberg classic, Jurassic Park takes you on a journey of a theme park suffering a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
Sonata for Two Pianos, by Claude Bolling
Martin David Jones and Clara Park, pianists
Travis Shaw, bass
Edwin G. Hamilton, percussion
Four friends from Athens, Georgia have started a revolution in rock music. Driven by passion and purpose, the band Walden seeks to evoke emotion an inspiration through their music and live performance. To do so, these young men have stripped away every stigma and stereotype associated with playing in a rock band to focus on what actually matters: the music, the message, and the people.
Animal Years singer-songwriter-guitarist Mike McFadden's catchy, emotionally direct songwriting is matched by the band's exuberant performances, which combine McFadden's openhearted vocals and surging acoustic guitars with punchy rhythmic kick of bassist Anthony Saladino and drummer Anthony Spinnato.
Since 2013, Pretty Sweet Party, hosted and curated by Sean Fahie and Reggie ‘Kut Daily’ Sykes, has ranked as one of Atlanta’s most exciting monthly outdoor parties. The event is coming back to Augusta for the third time to honor thetradition of supreme funk and soul music in Augusta. Don’t miss Pretty’s deep grooves. Visiting and local DJs will perform.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Eric and Kristi Kinlaw from the Bees Knees and The Hive featuring Chef Caleb Taylor team up with musicians Monet Robinson and Travis Shaw as VOXNBASS to bring you an elevated dinning experience at the Miller Theater.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
Homestyle Chakra Tune-Up/Tuning & Sound Bath Savasana
Each Chakra is an energy center in the physical body associated with a particular talent, gift, or skill that can enhance our lives when open and vibrating at maximum intensity. Using simple meditative and yogic techniques of the Kundalini tradition, we will increase awareness of our 8 human talents for a more tuned-in experience of self. Stick around for a Sound Bath Savasana with Robin Goldsmith.
The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by this band of native South Carolinians, who mix low-country traditions with large doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. Since the inception, they have gained years of valuable experience while developing a deeper appreciation for the South Carolina Gullah tradition they came from. They celebrate the bone-deep mix of spirituals and gutbucket blues that mark the low-country mainland and Sea Islands music made by a self-contained culture of descendants of enslaved Africans. The Gullah culture has shaped American art, food, language and attitude.
The word "Gullah" comes from West Africa and means "a people blessed by God," and "Ranky Tanky" translates loosely as "Work It" or "Get Funky!"
The human condition is forever bound to the impressions that are received through the senses. Jacki Mayo's work explores a multi-dimensional dream world of tricks and illusions we perceive from those senses which often fail us. She aims to make viewers question what is real by exploring beyond our own perceptions of reality and to be awakened to the infinite possibilities of life.
Remember You Are Dreaming opens on February 1st with a reception from 5-8 PM.
Artist Statement: I enjoy exploring themes of space and sea, two vastly unexplored regions of mankind. Painting these scenes has become a tool for me to navigate and process my thoughts as I delve into the depths of my own consciousness. It has provided catharsis in the sometimes painful process of illuminating the dark corners of myself while also helping me to live in the present moment. It is my goal to inspire others, to encourage them to question their realities, to integrate the wholeness of their beings, and to awaken the creative child within, while also bringing attention to the natural and supernatural world.
Artist Bio: Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, Jacki first became interested in art at a very young age after watching her mother doodle a woman's portrait. Later influences of Lisa Frank, Bob Ross, Alex Grey, and Jay Jacobs would build on that foundation and help shape the work she creates today. It has since become her goal to plant seeds of creativity in hopes that others may find solace in the wonderful worlds of their own imaginations.
Atlanta-based artist, Jordan Graves works with computers and code to create physical objects with digital qualities. Her exhibition, Interference, will include an interactive LED light installation that reacts to movement, creating complex, multi-dimensional patterns.
Join us for an artist talk at Westobou Gallery on June 7 at 5 PM followed by an opening reception with the artist from 6-9 PM.
Jordan Graves is an Atlanta-based artist and designer making art with code in a variety of mediums, including jewelry, textiles, and interactive LED installations. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012 with a BFA in Motion Media Design. Jordan launched her line 3D Printed Jewelry, Repeat Offfender, in 2013. Over 80 stores across the continent have stocked her collections, including the Renwick Gallery, High Museum of Art, Phoenix Art Museum, and the Royal Ontario Museum. In 2018, Repeat Offfender expanded to include made-to-order generative knitwear.
Jordan completed her first large scale LED works while a SCAD Alumni Atelier Ambassador-in-Residence in Spring 2016, and has since been commissioned for larger interactive installations including The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and TechSquare Labs. She also works as a visiting artist, teaching workshops on the intersection of art and technology.
Robert Foster and guests
Southern raconteur Paul Thorn and his six-piece band will team up with five-time GRAMMY-winning gospel icons the Blind Boys of Alabama and the legendary McCrary Sisters. These critically-acclaimed artists, raised in the church, come together for a special blend of rock, gospel, blues and country. The show, Mission Temple Fireworks Revival, is a unique experience that not only spans genres, but generations as well.
Diane Haslam, vocalist
Carol Cook, pianist
A place to meet, greet and engage, Westobou Central features a live music stage, food vendors, a beer garden and an assortment of family-friendly activities. Make sure you take a spin on the FREE Ferris wheel.
LIVE MUSIC STAGE:
THURS: AJ Ghent with opener weird around strangers
STARLIGHT CINEMA:
FRI: Avengers: Infinity War
SAT: Isle of Dogs + Jurassic Park
CHILDREN’S FUN FACTORY:
THURS: "History is LOCOmotive Picture Frames" hosted by Augusta Museum of History/"Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
FRI: "Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
"Live Painting by April Henry King"
SAT: "Derby Field Day" hosted by Soul City Sirens
"Live Music by Exodus"
DAILY:
Muscle City Salvage Skate Plaza by Brian McGrath
Poetry Fox
AJ Ghent [J-ent] and His Singing Guitar are all about energy: musically, physically and spiritually. He takes his family’s heirloom Dzthe sacred steel sounddz and brings to a broader audience, by standing up: which allows him more freedom in performing and connecting with others. Over the years, Ghent has shared music with Zac Brown, Dave Grohl, and legendary freeform artist, Colonel Bruce Hampton. Ghent’s new creation, THE NEO BLUES PROJECT (March 2018) debuted at #7 on the Blues Billboard Charts, and is filled with everything that it should be: grooves, riffs and above all, message.
Mixing the sunny swoon of sixties pop with a dark swirl of Warholian garage rock,*repeat repeat create their own geography,dreaming up songs rooted in the spirit of both coasts.Based in Nashville,TN—where frontman Jared Corder,then-drummer Andy Herrin,and keys/singer Kristyn Corder kicked off the band's career with 2014's Bad Latitude— the band looks beyond the borders of their land locked hometown and,instead,mix California surf culture and NewYork street smarts into the same track list.They're a blend of bloom,doom,and boom.They're Dick Dale's snot-nosed grandkids.
Sony publishing artist Angie Aparo is the song writing talent behind Faith Hill's 'Cry' (for which Hill won a Grammy) and 'Big Time' by Big & Rich. Aparo's new album, 'Life is a Flower; Life is a Gun' is out now.
This late night get-down features regional hip hop artists-rappers, rhymers and assorted breakers of beats including Stono Echo, Love Moor, Dillon, Bat Sauce and Dolla Menu. Fresh is the Word is a place where art with attitude meets musicians with storyteller hearts against a backdrop of bass and beats.
The Wooks translate the sights and sounds of the people, hills, bars, roads, and creeks around them into songs and shows that captivate. With both respect for their heritage and innovative originality, The Wooks are the natural evolution of a sound that has always been there.
Student Showcase Concert featuring students from the Augusta University
Part virtuoso and part storyteller, you might say that Jacob Johnson does with a guitar what Gene Kelly did with dance. Although his songwriting has won awards and his guitar-playing has put him on stage with Tommy Emmanuel and Phil Keaggy, his ability as an entertainer is what has won fans throughout the southeast. He refers to himself as "a ham that just wants to be on stage" but he’s much more than that. Jacob is an amazingly talented guitarist and songwriter which, combined with a bit of a personality, makes for a wildly impressive stage performance.
Jaycie Ward and Taylor Swan have been taking Augusta by storm with their folk renditions of popular music. Ward's voice and acoustic guitar playing accompanied by Swan on the mandolin creates an incredible dynamic duo that you'll want to come back to see over and over again.
This First Friday dance party will take you on a ride from one end of the open genre music spectrum to the other. Come get down to the sounds laid out by heavy hitting scratch innovators, renaissance party rockers, and performance DJs.
.
A poppy rock band with a little psychedelic twang. The Norfolk, Virginia band released their first album in May 2015. Their second album, Moonlight Anthems, was released in June of 2017.
Sonata for Two Pianos, by Claude Bolling
Martin David Jones and Clara Park, pianists
Travis Shaw, bass
Edwin G. Hamilton, percussion
Come see Lupita's Revenge, an elaborate 45-minute shadow puppet show with a live soundtrack created by eight Athens, Georgia-based performers.
Joe Pug is an American singer-songwriter from Greenbelt, Maryland. He has released two EPs, as well as the albums Messenger, The Great DespiserandWindfall. Pug's acclaimed narrative songwriting has led critics to draw comparisons between his work and that of John Prine and Bob Dylan
Animal Years singer-songwriter-guitarist Mike McFadden's catchy, emotionally direct songwriting is matched by the band's exuberant performances, which combine McFadden's openhearted vocals and surging acoustic guitars with punchy rhythmic kick of bassist Anthony Saladino and drummer Anthony Spinnato.
Since 2013, Pretty Sweet Party, hosted and curated by Sean Fahie and Reggie ‘Kut Daily’ Sykes, has ranked as one of Atlanta’s most exciting monthly outdoor parties. The event is coming back to Augusta for the third time to honor thetradition of supreme funk and soul music in Augusta. Don’t miss Pretty’s deep grooves. Visiting and local DJs will perform.
Four friends from Athens, Georgia have started a revolution in rock music. Driven by passion and purpose, the band Walden seeks to evoke emotion an inspiration through their music and live performance. To do so, these young men have stripped away every stigma and stereotype associated with playing in a rock band to focus on what actually matters: the music, the message, and the people.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Eric and Kristi Kinlaw from the Bees Knees and The Hive featuring Chef Caleb Taylor team up with musicians Monet Robinson and Travis Shaw as VOXNBASS to bring you an elevated dinning experience at the Miller Theater.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by this band of native South Carolinians, who mix low-country traditions with large doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. Since the inception, they have gained years of valuable experience while developing a deeper appreciation for the South Carolina Gullah tradition they came from. They celebrate the bone-deep mix of spirituals and gutbucket blues that mark the low-country mainland and Sea Islands music made by a self-contained culture of descendants of enslaved Africans. The Gullah culture has shaped American art, food, language and attitude.
The word "Gullah" comes from West Africa and means "a people blessed by God," and "Ranky Tanky" translates loosely as "Work It" or "Get Funky!"
Westobou Vip Reception
Celebrate the launch of this year's Westobou Festival and view the marquee visual art exhibition, Like A Weird Sweet Spot by Michi Meko. The curator and artist will join the party to mingle with guests. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served. Invitations and RSVP required.
In anticipation of the exhibition, Meko states, “Like a Weird Sweet Spot is the patina and so polished; it’s automatic. It’s like right before the breath. It’s the moment, that space in metered time before the beat, on it, and off it. It is potency and depth.”
One of Georgia’s foremost emerging artists, Alabama native, Michi Meko lives and works in Atlanta.
Having captured the attention of curators and collectors throughout the region, Meko continues to stay in the limelight as the recipient of the 2017/2018 Working Artist Project Award presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Georgia’s for which the museum will mount a solo exhibition of his work, December 1, 2018 – January 26, 2019, curated by Joey Orr, Andrew Mellon Curator for Research at Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas. His recent accolades also include the notable exhibition co-produced by Montgomery Builds and Dashboard, U.S. This is where you’ll find me, Kress on Dexter, Montgomery, AL, April 21 – July 21, 2018, and his work is featured in 2017 One Last Smile Before the Undertow, Dodd Galleries, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 2016 Circle of Rivers, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA; 2016 Before We Blast off: The Journey of Divine Forces, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA; and 2015 Pursuit: Almost Drowned, Alan Avery Art Company, Atlanta, GA.
Critical writings concerning his works are featured in journals such as Art Papers, ArtsATL, Burnaway and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His work is collected by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Hull-McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Training and Innovation, Augusta, GA; King & Spalding, Atlanta, GA; Scion (Toyota Motor Corporation), Los Angeles, CA; MetroPark USA Inc., Atlanta, GA; CW Network, Atlanta, GA and The Jones Group, Atlanta, GA.
Image by Karley Sullivan, Courtesy ArtsATL
The concepts surrounding Stephanie Jolisa Woods’s art are rooted in African-American culture, but the questions she raises are universal. Working in photography, sculpture, film, collage, and installation, the Charlotte-based artist asks us to consider how gender roles, racial signifiers, and beauty standards become social norms.
Lauren Haynes, Curator, Contemporary Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, will facilitate a discussion and Q&A session between Westobou Festival exhibiting artist, Michi Meko, and Stephanie Jolisa Woods, whose work is on display during the Festival at Augusta University’s Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Chef John Benhase out of Atlanta, Georgia and local artist Gabi Hutchison come together to prepare a unique dining experience at the Old Academy of Richmond County.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
A place to meet, greet and engage, Westobou Central features a live music stage, food vendors, a beer garden and an assortment of family-friendly activities. Make sure you take a spin on the FREE Ferris wheel.
LIVE MUSIC STAGE:
THURS: AJ Ghent with opener weird around strangers
STARLIGHT CINEMA:
FRI: Avengers: Infinity War
SAT: Isle of Dogs + Jurassic Park
CHILDREN’S FUN FACTORY:
THURS: "History is LOCOmotive Picture Frames" hosted by Augusta Museum of History/"Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
FRI: "Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
"Live Painting by April Henry King"
SAT: "Derby Field Day" hosted by Soul City Sirens
"Live Music by Exodus"
DAILY:
Muscle City Salvage Skate Plaza by Brian McGrath
Poetry Fox
The Augusta Photography Festival and the Jessye Norman School of the Arts present the works of two internationally recognized photographers in a combined exhibition at the Ann and Ellis Johnson gallery. Richard Calmes' expressive images of dancers capture both the grace and power of ballet. Joel Grimes' recent series of Harley Davidson owners and their machines do likewise for these icons of American roads. Grimes, based in Arizona, is a Canon Explorer of Light, a designation earned by only a handful of professional photographers. Calmes, based in Atlanta, is among the most sought-after dance photographers in the world. (Both Grimes and Calmes will be featured speakers during the 2018 Augusta Photo Festival Oct. 19-28.)
All aboard! Join the trolley hop showcasing downtown galleries and exhibitions. The multi-venue event will offer patrons easy access to 5 unique exhibitions as well as Westobou Central at the Augusta Common. The trolley will run on a continuous loop between locations.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Savannah chef and cookbook author, Libbie Summers and artist Leonard "Porkchop" Zimmerman of Happy: a Small Film with a Big Smile, come together as the perfect match to bring you a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience on the ball field at SRP Park.
Ticket: $150 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
Make your own hula hoop
Hula Hoops have come a long way since Wham-O! Since the toy made its debut in the 1950s, it has evolved into a revolutionary fitness tool for kids and adults alike. Learn how to craft your own custom hula hoop to put your spin on this fun form of dance and self-expression, right inside Westobou Gallery. Christina Berkshire, longtime hoopdancer and crafter, will share the supplies for creating your unique hoop and walk you through the process in a simple, beginner-friendly format.
The human condition is forever bound to the impressions that are received through the senses. Jacki Mayo's work explores a multi-dimensional dream world of tricks and illusions we perceive from those senses which often fail us. She aims to make viewers question what is real by exploring beyond our own perceptions of reality and to be awakened to the infinite possibilities of life.
Remember You Are Dreaming opens on February 1st with a reception from 5-8 PM.
Artist Statement: I enjoy exploring themes of space and sea, two vastly unexplored regions of mankind. Painting these scenes has become a tool for me to navigate and process my thoughts as I delve into the depths of my own consciousness. It has provided catharsis in the sometimes painful process of illuminating the dark corners of myself while also helping me to live in the present moment. It is my goal to inspire others, to encourage them to question their realities, to integrate the wholeness of their beings, and to awaken the creative child within, while also bringing attention to the natural and supernatural world.
Artist Bio: Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, Jacki first became interested in art at a very young age after watching her mother doodle a woman's portrait. Later influences of Lisa Frank, Bob Ross, Alex Grey, and Jay Jacobs would build on that foundation and help shape the work she creates today. It has since become her goal to plant seeds of creativity in hopes that others may find solace in the wonderful worlds of their own imaginations.
Atlanta-based artist, Jordan Graves works with computers and code to create physical objects with digital qualities. Her exhibition, Interference, will include an interactive LED light installation that reacts to movement, creating complex, multi-dimensional patterns.
Join us for an artist talk at Westobou Gallery on June 7 at 5 PM followed by an opening reception with the artist from 6-9 PM.
Jordan Graves is an Atlanta-based artist and designer making art with code in a variety of mediums, including jewelry, textiles, and interactive LED installations. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012 with a BFA in Motion Media Design. Jordan launched her line 3D Printed Jewelry, Repeat Offfender, in 2013. Over 80 stores across the continent have stocked her collections, including the Renwick Gallery, High Museum of Art, Phoenix Art Museum, and the Royal Ontario Museum. In 2018, Repeat Offfender expanded to include made-to-order generative knitwear.
Jordan completed her first large scale LED works while a SCAD Alumni Atelier Ambassador-in-Residence in Spring 2016, and has since been commissioned for larger interactive installations including The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and TechSquare Labs. She also works as a visiting artist, teaching workshops on the intersection of art and technology.
Westobou Vip Reception
Celebrate the launch of this year's Westobou Festival and view the marquee visual art exhibition, Like A Weird Sweet Spot by Michi Meko. The curator and artist will join the party to mingle with guests. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served. Invitations and RSVP required.
**Inhale Yoga with Taylor Watts
Allow Taylor to guide you through a yoga class in a unique immersive environment. From a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system to the rich culture of the venue, this experience will cater to the senses. We’ll create body awareness, soften, and find ease as we flow through a series of postures designed to open up and release the body and mind. Afterwards, enjoy a curated selection of cocktails along with a generous selection of regional craft beers accompanied by the best local music.
Choreographer and dancer T. Lang performs a call and response piece to a snare drum influenced by the artwork of Michi Meko’s Like A Weird Sweet Spot featuring percussionist, Amber "Doddie" Jenkins.
“Bloom Where You Are Planted” is a floral art installation designed to inspire conversations about cultivating culture and economic success, locally. Join the conversations with community members on two popular topics.
Lectio continua (Latin for continuous reading) refers to the practice of reading a book in sequence over a period of time. Each reading begins where the previous session ended. Stop by The Book Tavern anytime Oct. 4-6 from 5-11PM daily to witness Lectio continua in action.
Coming of Age in Mississippi is a 1968 memoir by Anne Moody about growing up in rural Mississippi in the mid-20th century as an African-American woman.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Chef John Benhase out of Atlanta, Georgia and local artist Gabi Hutchison come together to prepare a unique dining experience at the Old Academy of Richmond County.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
Presented by Westobou Central
The Poetry Fox writes custom poems on-demand on a vintage typewriter...AND he's a giant fox. Give the fox a word-like unicorn, hope, kaboom, ephemeral, or even your name-and get a poem with that word in it.
A place to meet, greet and engage, Westobou Central features a live music stage, food vendors, a beer garden and an assortment of family-friendly activities. Make sure you take a spin on the FREE Ferris wheel.
LIVE MUSIC STAGE:
THURS: AJ Ghent with opener weird around strangers
STARLIGHT CINEMA:
FRI: Avengers: Infinity War
SAT: Isle of Dogs + Jurassic Park
CHILDREN’S FUN FACTORY:
THURS: "History is LOCOmotive Picture Frames" hosted by Augusta Museum of History/"Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
FRI: "Puppies and Prints" hosted by Augusta Animal Services
"Live Painting by April Henry King"
SAT: "Derby Field Day" hosted by Soul City Sirens
"Live Music by Exodus"
DAILY:
Muscle City Salvage Skate Plaza by Brian McGrath
Poetry Fox
In this free workshop offered at Westobou Central on the Augusta Common, instructor Christina Berkshire will share how a simple child’s toy, the hula hoop, can be used for meditation and relaxation through movement. This throwback relic has become modern again, and you will learn the unexpected health & wellness benefits of taking a hoop for a spin in a beginner-friendly environment. All skill levels welcome. A limited number of hoops will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to borrow, but participants are welcome to bring their own adult-sized fitness hoops.
Lang Dance creates poetic movement landscapes, illustrating deep, rousing investigations into identity, historical narratives and interdisciplinary creative practices. Through the vehicle of dance and technological innovations, Lang’s work articulates perspectives with depth and style that capture the viewer with evocative physicality and emotional range.
As a site of intervention, A Graveyard Duet of the Past Now asks a series of questions, including: How do we care for one another?
This late night get-down features regional hip hop artists-rappers, rhymers and assorted breakers of beats including Stono Echo, Love Moor, Dillon, Bat Sauce and Dolla Menu. Fresh is the Word is a place where art with attitude meets musicians with storyteller hearts against a backdrop of bass and beats.
Mapping the Ethics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with twenty films and counting, increasingly dominates the vision and imagination of millions of Americans. Given that these films present a wide variety of moral outlooks and dilemmas, they can also shape our sense of right and wrong. With that in mind, we seek to apply the art of ethics-as the study of right action and good character-to the films in order to map the ethics of the MCU. Attendees will work together as they review clips of key films-and bring their own experience of the films-to map this ethically complex franchise.
FALL/WINTER 2018 Presentation
RESPONSIVE TEXTILES is a sustainable knitwear line, which is founded on the belief that clothes are your second skin, and they should be as unique and human as you are. The line is handmade by designer Kristine Rodriguez out of her Evans, Georgia studio. With spools of luxurious yarn and her knitting machine, Kristine crafts each garment one row at a time. The result is knitwear which is polished, thoughtfully-designed and, most importantly, human. Note: This is not your grandma's knitwear.
Inhale yoga with Space Yoga Studio
Join Space Yoga Studio for one hour of gentle vinyasa flow yoga followed by time to socialize and sip on featured wines. All skill levels are welcome. Don’t forget your mat and water bottle. Limited mats available for use.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Savannah chef and cookbook author, Libbie Summers and artist Leonard "Porkchop" Zimmerman of Happy: a Small Film with a Big Smile, come together as the perfect match to bring you a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience on the ball field at SRP Park.
Ticket: $150 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)
The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Jaycie Ward and Taylor Swan have been taking Augusta by storm with their folk renditions of popular music. Ward's voice and acoustic guitar playing accompanied by Swan on the mandolin creates an incredible dynamic duo that you'll want to come back to see over and over again.
This First Friday dance party will take you on a ride from one end of the open genre music spectrum to the other. Come get down to the sounds laid out by heavy hitting scratch innovators, renaissance party rockers, and performance DJs.
.
Depictions of Southern Culture in American Cinema
A panel of film enthusiasts, writers and southern culturalists come together to select and screen films with the theme- Depictions of the South and Southerners in movies followed by a moderated Q&A.
12:00 Beasts of the Southern Wild
3:00 Thunder Road
5:00 Panel Discussion
6:30 Daughters of the Dust
9:00 Deliverance
Students free with ID
**NEW COLLECTION
Come see and shop STATE's new collection. Try on the new seasonal styles and take a piece home with you. STATE designs artful women's clothing, many of which are hand painted and dyed, making them works of art. STATE is based in Thomson, Georgia, and all items are made in the USA.
Make your own hula hoop
Hula Hoops have come a long way since Wham-O! Since the toy made its debut in the 1950s, it has evolved into a revolutionary fitness tool for kids and adults alike. Learn how to craft your own custom hula hoop to put your spin on this fun form of dance and self-expression, right inside Westobou Gallery. Christina Berkshire, longtime hoopdancer and crafter, will share the supplies for creating your unique hoop and walk you through the process in a simple, beginner-friendly format.
Glow yoga with Bethany Smith
Join us for a night of yoga, music, and creative expressions that make your body and soul GLOW! This glow-in-the-dark yoga class is practiced under black lights. Arrive early for extra fun & flare: black light body paint, glow sticks and more. Optional: Dress in White, Neon, or Costume to really *glow* under the black lights.
Come see Lupita's Revenge, an elaborate 45-minute shadow puppet show with a live soundtrack created by eight Athens, Georgia-based performers.
A night of movies under the stars with a double-feature of animals on islands featuring Jeff Goldblum.
Set in Japan, Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his lost dog.
A Steven Spielberg classic, Jurassic Park takes you on a journey of a theme park suffering a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
Since 2013, Pretty Sweet Party, hosted and curated by Sean Fahie and Reggie ‘Kut Daily’ Sykes, has ranked as one of Atlanta’s most exciting monthly outdoor parties. The event is coming back to Augusta for the third time to honor thetradition of supreme funk and soul music in Augusta. Don’t miss Pretty’s deep grooves. Visiting and local DJs will perform.
Homestyle Chakra Tune-Up/Tuning & Sound Bath Savasana
Each Chakra is an energy center in the physical body associated with a particular talent, gift, or skill that can enhance our lives when open and vibrating at maximum intensity. Using simple meditative and yogic techniques of the Kundalini tradition, we will increase awareness of our 8 human talents for a more tuned-in experience of self. Stick around for a Sound Bath Savasana with Robin Goldsmith.
Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Eric and Kristi Kinlaw from the Bees Knees and The Hive featuring Chef Caleb Taylor team up with musicians Monet Robinson and Travis Shaw as VOXNBASS to bring you an elevated dinning experience at the Miller Theater.
Tickets: $100 (Separate and not included with a Festival Pass)