Authors | Flagpole Magazine | Athens, GA News, Music, Arts, Restaurants

Blog posts by Jessica Smith, Editor

Flagpole Premieres: Listen to Dream Tent's New EP, 'Songs From the Quarantine Tent Vol. 1'

Blog: Homedrone

Woolfolk initially planned on only releasing a single today, but after this hellacious week—which has left him and Strout temporarily unemployed and left home alone to jam for the time being—he managed to crank out an entire EP called Songs From the Quarantine Tent Vol. 1.

By Jessica Smith | March 20, 2020
Athens Twilight Criterium is Postponed

Blog: Culture Briefs

The 41st annual Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium, originally scheduled for Apr. 24–25 next month, has been officially postponed until Sept. 18–19 this fall. The annual race brings in cyclists representing teams from all over the world, while the festival itself attracts thousands of locals and tourists through its live music, food court, expo and other various activities. The cancellation is in accordance with safety precautions against the spread of coronavirus. See the official press release below.

By Jessica Smith | March 19, 2020
SXSW is Canceled Due to Coronavirus Concerns

Blog: Homedrone

In an unprecedented twist of fate, representatives for the city of Austin announced the cancelation of this year’s South by Southwest festival on Friday afternoon due to concerns over the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

By Jessica Smith | March 7, 2020
Flagpole Ends Delivery to 'Space Kroger' on Hwy. 29

Blog: In the Loop

Beginning with this week's issue, Flagpole will no longer deliver to the Kroger Marketplace located at 700 U.S. Hwy. 29—known locally as "Space Kroger"—a change that will affect over 800 readers who pick up the paper there every week.

By Jessica Smith | November 5, 2019
Trio Contemporary Art Gallery Is Closing

Blog: Culture Briefs

Back in June, Pixel & Ink Studio made the decision to close retail hours and transition to an appointment-only system, allowing for more project-based work and a busy schedule of artist workshops and classes. Monday, the studio announced that in addition to cutting a few services—scanning, photo restoration, art capture and film dropoff—the business will close Trio Contemporary Art Gallery upstairs.

By Jessica Smith | September 12, 2018
Double Dutch Press Will Close in June

Blog: Culture Briefs

Double Dutch Press, the fine art printmaking studio founded in 2012 by Amanda Burk and Katherine McGuire, has announced plans to close its storefront at the end of June. Operating “straight outta Normaltown,” the studio has offered press rental, screen services and numerous workshops over the past few years. In addition to designing handmade items that have made popular gifts at craft markets, the duo has also showcased multiple series of prints in exhibitions, such as the “Athens Neighborhood” collection which will open at the Lyndon House Arts Center this upcoming Thursday.

Burk and McGuire intend to continue creating and selling art, and the sad news does at least come with a bit of positive news; Indie South Fair will officially take over the Prince Avenue space to establish a brick-and-mortar headquarters offering handmade and vintage items, consultation services and workshops. Approaching its 10th anniversary this December, Indie South has demonstrated remarkable growth, expanding into a 100-vendor biannual market with smaller-scale events held throughout the year in Athens and across the Southeast.

See the official statement below.

By Jessica Smith | May 27, 2016
Bulldog Inn 'Annual Bi-annual' Postponed Until Fall

Blog: Culture Briefs

Will Eskridge's "Wolf City"

The 2016 Bulldog Inn Annual Bi-annual has been postponed until later this fall. Launched in 2010 as a venue for experimentation and alternative art, the one-night event transforms ordinary bedrooms into multi-faceted installations dreamed up by local artists.

Originally scheduled for Friday, Apr. 22, the event was later moved to Wednesday, May 11 in hopes of accommodating more artists. Due to growing construction in Athens, however, the iconic motel on Commerce Road is currently occupied by long-term residents, making it impossible to reserve enough rooms.

By Jessica Smith | April 25, 2016
Community Will Move to a New Location this Summer

Blog: Culture Briefs

Local fashion boutique Community officially announced plans this afternoon to relocate to a new space at the end of June. Currently located downtown at 119 N. Jackson St. above Jittery Joe's, the shop will move across the street into 260 N. Jackson St., the former home of the recently shuttered Jackson Street Books. The shop plans to carry out business as usual in its current location while renovations are underway.

Community

By Jessica Smith | April 7, 2016
AthFest Educates Selects Lou Kregel as its 2016 Theme Artist

Blog: Culture Briefs

Local colorist and pattern designer Lou Kregel has been officially named as the theme artist of the 2016 AthFest Music & Arts Festival and AthHalf Half Marathon. Her artwork will be used on the event websites, merchandise, signage and as cover art of the 20th anniversary AthFest 2-CD set.

By Jessica Smith | March 22, 2016
AthFest Educates Announces David Hale as Mural Artist

Blog: Culture Briefs

"Bow and Bend Web" by David Hale

Back in October, AthFest Educates announced its plan to commission a large-scale public mural to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the AthFest Music and Arts Festival. Proposals were sought from three separate collaborators: a youth-serving organization interested in producing the mural as part of a multi-month arts program, a professional artist to create a design and oversee the youth as they participate in painting the mural, and a local business property owner willing to donate a highly visible outdoor wall as the site of the mural.

This afternoon, the non-profit announced that artist David Hale has been selected to partner with the Lyndon House Arts Center staff, who will facilitate the youth art program. Fashion boutique Philanthropy has offered their wall as the mural's site.

By Jessica Smith | February 11, 2016
Tonight in Athens: BFA Exit I Show at Lamar Dodd

Blog: Culture Briefs

“Paradise Sux” by Peter B. Samuels

The Lamar Dodd School of Art at UGA will host an opening reception for “BFA Exit 1” tonight from 6–8 p.m., celebrating the work of exiting undergraduate students in the areas of art education, painting and drawing, photography and printmaking. If you miss the reception, the show will continue to be up on the walls through Friday, Nov. 21, and the galleries are open every Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

By Jessica Smith | November 14, 2014
Get a Glimpse of ATHICA's Upcoming Tarot

Blog: Culture Briefs

For “Athens Arcana: A Contemporary Tarot,” the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art invited 78 regional artists (including Flagpole contributors Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, David Mack, Larry Tenner and myself) to each design one card for a custom tarot deck. Loosely based on the traditional Rider-Waite deck, artists were encouraged to interpret their card’s symbolic meaning in their own unique way, with any hangable media welcome.

Much like “ATHICARDS,” the creative deck of playing cards the gallery produced last winter, “Athens Arcana” serves as a time capsule of the current local art scene.

Three of Pentacles by Lauren Gregg

By Jessica Smith | November 13, 2014
Eleanor Davis Creates Google's Spring Equinox Doodle

Blog: Culture Briefs

In celebration of today's vernal equinox, Google's homepage features a charming animated Google Doodle by local illustrator Eleanor Davis. In the piece, a boldly-outlined, smiling figure uses his watering can to help flowers grow into the shape of Google's letters. Way to go, Eleanor!

By Jessica Smith | March 20, 2014
Driving Miss Daisy Author to Be Inducted into Georgia Writers Hall of Fame

Blog: Culture Briefs

Olive Ann Burns, Mary Hood and Alfred Uhry have been selected as the newest members of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, to be officially inducted in a ceremony this fall on UGA's campus.

By Jessica Smith | December 17, 2013
Artist Brock Gordon Exhibits New Series at 'The R. Kelly House Party'

Blog: Culture Briefs

Right in time to hear the recent release of R. Kelly's 12th solo studio album, Black Panties, The World Famous is hosting "The R. Kelly House Party," an eclectic art exhibit and dance party combo, on Friday, Dec. 13, beginning at 10 p.m. Brock Gordon, a 2013 graduate of the MFA program at UGA's Lamar Dodd School of Art, will exhibit a series of paintings that recreate the R. Kelly mansion room by room. DJ Quincy (John Swint of Modern Skirts) will provide a special R. Kelly-themed set, and chapters of the infamous "Trapped in the Closet" rap opera will be screened throughout the night.

Read the artist statement below.

By Jessica Smith | December 12, 2013
UGA Press & Special Collections Libraries Host Film Fest

Blog: Culture Briefs

God's Little Acre

Kicking off tonight, the University of Georgia Press and the UGA Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries will host a four-day film festival featuring flicks that were either based on or were the inspiration for books printed by the UGA Press. Each free film begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium and will be followed by a Q&A session.

By Jessica Smith | November 12, 2013
Margaret Cho Announces Shows at World Famous

Blog: Culture Briefs

Comedian Margaret Cho is best known for her outspoken stand-up routines addressing issues pertaining to race, sexuality, global politics, human rights and other hot topics. She's also an actress (Face/Off, "Drop Dead Diva") author (I'm the One That I Want and I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight), musician (Grammy award nominee Cho Dependent) and fashion designer (High Class Cho). Cho will perform with opener Jim Short (Cho's co-host for the podcast "Monsters of Talk") on Monday, Aug. 19 and Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. each night. Tickets cost $30 and are only available at The World Famous. All four shows are capped at only 50 seats each, so hop to it!

By Jessica Smith | June 4, 2013
Another Neutral Milk Hotel Show Added! Tickets on Sale TODAY

Blog: Homedrone

40 Watt's talent buyer, Velena Vego, announced this afternoon via Facebook:

"As a gesture to Athenians who might have been disappointed by missing out on NMH tickets, the band has committed to a third show at the 40 Watt for October 24th, and these tickets are not available online, but can only be acquired locally at the 40 watt today, Saturday May 4th at 2pm. Sorry that this has to happen so quickly but it was the only way to give Athens fans the chance they deserve. With Circulatory System. Exciting News- We encourage you to use Cash instead of using CC today when buying tickets at the 40 Watt club today."

Throw on your rain jacket and go get in line!

By Jessica Smith | May 4, 2013
Adron Debuts Lovely New Video

Blog: Homedrone

Adron, an Atlanta-based act who recently opened for Space Trucks at The World Famous, has just released a new video sure to break up any rain clouds with its sunny, cheerful spirit. Directed by Barry Alexander Brown and funded through Kickstarter, the video for “Pyramids” offers a taste of Organismo, an album full of mesmerizing tracks swaying at the crossroads of warm ‘60s Brazilian Tropicália and dreamy ‘70s psychedelic folk.

By Jessica Smith | April 30, 2013