701 Center for Contemporary Art (701 CCA) is excited to announce the return of Columbia Open Studios on April 21-22, 2012!

FOR INFO, FAQs & ARTIST APPLICATION:

http://www.701cca.org/programs-and-events-2/columbia_open_studios/

Now an official partner of the 10-day Indie Grits Festival!

This weekend-long event will take place on Saturday and Sunday April 21-22, 2012 as an official festival partner of The Nickelodeon Theatre’s 6th annual Indie Grits Festival – now 10 days, the festival’s other partners include Morihiko and the SC Philharmonic, Slow Food Columbia, Crafty Feast, the smash hit ConvergeSE interactive conference, live music all over town, and the Spork in Hand Puppet Slam at Indie Grits.

What is 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios?

It’s a self-led, driving tour of artists’ working studios spans the City of Columbia and Richland and Lexington Counties, showcasing the Midlands’ talented visual art community.

Artists open their studios to the public from 10am-6pm on Sat., April 21 and noon-6pm on Sun., April 22. Participation fee is $100 for 701 CCA members and $150 for non-members (comes w/one-year Family membership), plus a $50 refundable deposit. Artists keep 100% of sales — 701 CCA takes no commissions.

Statewide marketing plan and more

The statewide+ marketing plan includes distribution of 60,000-80,000 printed program guides in hip cultural spots as far as Asheville, Charleston and Augusta, plus a massive social media campaign, statewide PR + advertising (and into Asheville, etc.), road signs, partnership support from the “Famously Hot” Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau with their out-of-market outreach efforts, and much more.

As a nonprofit visual art center, 701 CCA is committed to giving artists maximum exposure at the most minimum cost possible.

JANUARY – MARCH 2012 EXHIBITION

Exhibition: Faster Forward
Curator: Frank McCauley
Period: January 19 – March 4, 2012

Opening Reception: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 7 – 9 pm at 701 Whaley, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201

Faster Forward presents experimental film and new media and video works by nine artists from Israel to Canada and Italy to New York. This first exhibition of its kind at 701 CCA is curated by Frank McCauley, curator of the Sumter County Gallery of Art in Sumter, S.C. The diverse group of artists represents a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds, geographies, perspectives and educational and professional careers. The works show great aesthetic and technical diversity and are at once experimental, interactive, dynamic and reflective. The artists in the exhibition are Yoni Goldstein & Meredith Zielke, Sean Hovendick, Jillian McDonald, Sarah Boothroyd, Blake Carrington, Brooke White, Simon Aeppli, Bill Domonkos and Pascual Sisto.

ARTISTS: Registration deadline for 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios is January 31, 2012. Register now to participate in the official art component of the 10-day Indie Grits Festival:

http://www.701cca.org/programs-and-events-2/columbia_open_studios/artist-application/

Earlybird discount of $25 off for all artist registrations submitted by 5pm on Friday, December 23!

FOR INFO, FAQs & ARTIST APPLICATION:

http://www.701cca.org/programs-and-events-2/columbia_open_studios/

This weekend-long event will take place on Saturday and Sunday April 21-22, 2012 during the 6th annual Indie Grits Festival – a new partnership for 701 CCA!

701 CCA Columbia Open Studios is a self-led, driving tour of artists’ working studios spans the City of Columbia and Richland and Lexington Counties, showcasing the Midlands’ talented visual art community.

Earlybird discount registration deadline: Dec 23, 2011 at 5pm

Regular artist registration deadline: January 31, 2012 at 11:59pm

Wingo, Vertical Formation I, 2011, cast bronze, 16’ x 9 x 5

Winston Wingo

Spartanburg resident Winston Wingo (b. 1952, Spartanburg, S.C.) has had recent solo exhibitions at his hometown’s Wofford College; the University of South Carolina in Columbia; the Fayetteville (N.C.) Museum of Art; the Florence (S.C.) Museum; and the Burroughs and Chapin Museum in Myrtle Beach, S.C. His work has been shown in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, France Canada and Italy. Wingo earned a BA in art education from Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C., in 1976.  In 1980, he received an MFA in sculpture and painting from South Carolina’s Clemson University.  His post-graduate study includes the Instituto Statule D’Arte’ Lucca in Italy with sculptor Roberto Bertola. Wingo is an art instructor and the chair of fine arts at Spartanburg’s Carver Jr. High School.

Statement of support:

Winston Wingo is one of South Carolina’s premier sculptors. His public commissions include cities, colleges and universities in both North and South Carolina, and he has exhibited in the United States, France, Italy and Canada. Wingo’s strength is his knowledge and application of a variety of materials used for sculpture. He works comfortably in wood, welded steel and bronze. His post graduate studies in Lucca and Pietrasanta, Italy, provided a firm “old world’ foundation that adds richness and charm to his contemporary works.

Leo Twiggs, Claflin University

Halloween Night. Monday, Oct. 31. The Grand Hall and all of 701 Whaley. Giant bash to benefit 701 CCA!

LIMITED ADVANCE DISCOUNT TICKETS ON SALE NOW: http://701cca.eventbrite.com/

Imagine: hundreds of fellow art lovers, a concept art costume contest w/local celebrity judges including Mayor Benjamin, Wim Roefs, USC Art Dept. Chair Brad Collins, Eva Moore of the Free Times, Otis Taylor of The State, The Shop Tart, Larry Hembree, Morihiko, and more!

Plus: Food Truck Food Court; full cash bar; free Pop-Up Studio photo portraits sponsored by Sid & Nancy and Forrest Clonts Studio; Troll 2 (the “best worst movie ever”) courtesy of The Nick; decor pieces by artists like Kara Gunter,  & more; a fab ghost story salon upstairs by Jasper Magazine; the SC Biennial Part 1 exhibition, and more! 701 CCA wants YOU to be a part of it.

Event ELEMENTS:

Watch the TV segment that Pretty Penny Productions llc. just released to promote the Halloween Night Costume Bash at 701 CCA!

Featuring Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina and their “Style Spooktacular” Facebook costume contest. We are so excited about all of the talent coming together to make this party happen on Monday, Oct. 31!

Original decor pieces by local ARTISTS:

Jenny Mae Hill

Olivia Thompson

Jason Stroud

Reno Gooch & Thomas Crouch

Kara Gunter

Michael Krajewski

Travis Millaudon

Michael Pope

Lucas Sams

Michaela Pilar Brown & Eric Tory Brown, Brown Studios

Costume Contest JUDGES:

Following us on Twitter yet? http://www.twitter.com/701CCA

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/701CCA

P.S. We support our fellow arts organizations in their Halloween traditions! Go to Carpe Noctem, the Black and White Ball, and the Animal Mission party. Take in all that creative inspiration, revel in it, then release it in the form of a mind-blowing costume for Oct. 31 at 701 CCA.

Our current exhibition:
The 701 CCA South Carolina Biennial 2011, Part 1
Exhibition runs Oct 7, 2011 – Nov 13, 2011

November 17, 2011, 7-9pm
Opening Reception for the 701 CCA South Carolina Biennial 2011, Part 2
701 Whaley, 2nd Floor
Complimentary signature drink by Ryan Ditman, Bar Manager at 116 State Espresso and Wine Bar; catered heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar
Exhibition runs Nov 17, 2011 – Dec 21, 2011

Save the date: April 21-22, 2012 for 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios! Will be held in conjunction with the Indie Grits Festival! Call for artists will go out soon.

BUY TICKETS RIGHT HERE:

MidlandsBiz Podcast Series’ mission is to support leadership in Giving Back, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Continuous Education, the Knowledge Economy and the Arts. Wim Roefs, Executive Director of 701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia. Wim is also the owner of if ART Gallery on Lincoln St. Wim Roefs talks about the creative process and the role of art and artists in the community. Wim is also the owner of if ART Gallery in the Vista.

<View Interview>

August 18-September 25, 2011

Featuring:

John Acorn (Pendleton), Aldwyth (Hilton Head Island), Michael Brodeur

(Greenville), Clay Burnette (Columbia), Jocelyn Chateauvert (Charleston), Stephen Chesley (Columbia) Bruno Civitico (Charleston), Jim Connell (Rock Hill),  Debbie Cooke (Greenville),  Tyrone Geter (Elgin), Peter Lenzo (Columbia), Elizabeth Melton (Rock Hill), Phil Moody (Rock Hill), Jane Nodine (Spartanburg), Herb Parker (Charleston), Colin Quashie (Charleston), Lee Sipe (Columbia) and Tom Stanley (Rock Hill). 

<Click here for more>

Art In the Dark – One Night Only

MICHAELA PILAR BROWN

I Am Dark But Lovely: A Mixed Media Video Installation

Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 8:30 – 10:30 pm

Admission: Free

For one night only, 701 Center for Contemporary Art will present on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, a mixed media video installation by Great Falls, S.C., artist Michaela Pilar Brown. The event will take place 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. in the 701 CCA gallery on the second floor of 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, S.C. For the occasion, the gallery will be completely dark.

Brown’s installation, I Am Dark But Lovely, consists of a tall sculpture made from colored tissue paper, hung in a circle from the ceiling, and a film loop projected through the sculpture against the walls behind and to the side of the sculpture. The video is multi-layered, creating ghost-like imagery as it shows the artist dancing in the forest in a pink gown, dragging mannequins.

The installation was part of 701 CCA’s recent SC3D exhibition, but will now for the first time be seen as initially conceived by the artist.  During the exhibition, the installation was confined to a small intimate space in the gallery. This culmination event presents the projection of the video in a dark space on a massive, spectacular scale.

Brown is a painter, photographer, sculptor and installation artist.  She studied sculpture and art history at Howard University in Washington, D.C. “My current art practice,” Brown says, “focuses on cultural hierarchies relating to beauty, and how race and history play into these cast systems.”

Attached are two images of Brown’s installation, including a detail shot, as well as two film stills from the video part of the installation.

Whichard, Bastille, 2010, monotype, series of 21, 30” x 24”

Thomas Whichard

Thomas Whichard (b. 1985, Rock Hill, S.C.) has recently had solo exhibitions at Beam Gallery in Dallas, N.C., and the McLaurin Student Galleries at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. He has participated in numerous group shows in Rock Hill; Dallas, N.C.; and Columbia, S.C. Whichard is the recipient of a purchase award from the Gaston County Museum of Art and History in Dallas and a commission from Winthrop University. He received an Associate of Fine Arts degree from Gaston College in Dallas. Whichard resides in Fort Mill and is pursuing a BFA with concentrations in painting and sculpture at Winthrop University.

Statement of support:

Much of Whichard’s work depicts a seemingly close relationship to the subject in shallow space – space that is rather undefined. The subjects seem familiar yet at times inscrutable despite their apparent proximity. The angle of a figure’s chin, averted glances, along with textures of hair and washes of fabric communicate a sense of longing, achieving a deceptive feeling of intimacy. The images reference everyday media. They suggest a fleeting moment captured as part of a narrative that unfolds mainly outside of the image presented. The artist’s hand is present in the direct, tactile manipulation of the imagery, emphasizing the subjectivity of perception and memory.

Frank McCauley, Sumter County Gallery of Art, Sumter