Catching Up with Katie Fox

By Katie Fox A year and a half ago, after a fifteen-year professional career in the arts, I was given the opportunity to open a new performing arts center for Midlands Technical College – a tremendous opportunity for me, personally, and for our community. Beginning in September, Harbison Theatre will present world premier productions by […]

Can Art Make a Difference?

By Chris Robinson Columbia has a lot to be proud of. When I arrived here many years ago, there were few good restaurants and little to do, but promise of much more. One of Columbia’s greatest assets then was being reasonably close to the beach and history of the low country, or the mountains and […]

Women Artists

By Virginia Scotchie Professor of Art University of South Carolina In 1992 I moved to Columbia from Indiana to serve as Head of the Ceramic Area Studio at USC. The tenure track position was very interesting to me for many reasons. First, it would give me the opportunity to develop an international program in the ceramic […]

Let’s Read and Talk!

By Belinda Gergel, City Council District 3 As Jasper readers well know, Columbia residents love to read! Indeed, this past year we joined cities like Seattle, Cambridge, Portland, and Berkeley on Amazon’s “20 Most Well Read Cities in America” coming in at #16 on the list! In an effort to capitalize on all that this […]

Columbia, SC

By Mayor Steve Benjamin There is something special about Columbia. Since its creation 225 years ago, our city has continued to attract men and women of unparalleled talent and passion to explore new horizons or creativity and push the boundaries of human expression. Our streets are filled with these remarkable individuals leading their disciplines as […]

The Domino that Refused to Fall

By Ken May During recent months, the South Carolina Arts Commission has received national media attention. Of course, our state is no stranger to the national spotlight, but the light is usually shining on someone doing something wrong or embarrassing and attracting the attention of late-night TV comedians. This time, however, South Carolina and our […]

Aaron Pelzek – Lighting Designer

By Alex Smith One of the least visible, yet most integral positions in the theatre is that of the lighting designer. The theatre is an artistic medium that requires, in its fruition, the ability to both see and hear what is happening on the stage in order to fully comprehend what the playwright has written […]

Music Director Tom Beard

By Alex Smith The music director in regional repertory theatre wears many hats, and is directly involved in a theatrical production longer than just about anybody aside from the producers and the director. It is a rigorous position for even the most talented musician to hold. Tom Beard, one of Columbia’s great musicians and music […]

Matthew Kramer

By Kristine Hartvigsen Metal sculptor Matthew Kramer, 36, looks every bit the stereotypical blacksmith – burly, strong, and, well, kinda hairy. But look again. When the work gloves come off, those man-hands are sporting some pretty serious nail polish. Some days he goes with a glittery green or dark blue. He also likes lilac and […]

Design and Process with Clark Ellefson

By Kristine Hartvigsen Clark Ellefson has an idea − but instead of the figurative light bulb hovering over his head, imagine one of the artist’s glowing tin perforated Incredible Hulk lunchboxes instead. Or how about a charming postmodern “Mini Mojo” lamp with and artisanal paper shade. Ellefson is full of ideas, in fact, and you […]