Phoenix Fall 2015

G E O R G I A

R E G E N T S

U N I V E R S I T Y

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facebook.com/GRUStudyAbroad

inside this issue 6 Student Life 8 The Enduring Buzz: The Life of a Honeybee on Campus Joshua Parrish

10 Ayurveda Erica Ruggles & Frankie Kraemer

14 Q & A with Aaron Snow Anna Sams

18 Low Creek Killers: Playing it by Ear Richard Adams

32 Discovering Doug Geraldin Lopez

34 The Georgia Literary Festival Michelle Haynie

36 Humanitree House: The Vision of an Artist Erica Ruggles

40 Wingspan

Macy Goodwin and Dayna Tang

43 The Economic Impact of Small Business Infographic Erica Ruggles

See “Ayurveda,” page 10

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anna Sams ASSISTANT EDITOR Erica Ruggles BUSINESS MANAGER Cody Woods ADVERTISING MANAGER Sidney Fowler CREATIVE CONTRIBUTOR Drew Greiner ADVISER Dr. Debra van Tuyll

STAFF WRITERS Aaryn Steinberg Amy Perkins Ashley White Eric Stallings Geraldin Lopez Iariana Devos Kristin Bowie Michelle Haynie Nafeerah Riney Sidney Fowler

Brittany Hatcher Cody Woods Nichelle Rouse Savannah Maddox Semone Sevion Stephanie McCray

Allgood Hall E159 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, Ga. 30904-220 GRUphoenix@gmail.com facebook.com/PhxMag instagram.com/PhxMag Phoenix magazine is published three times per academic year with a press run of 2,500 copies.

It is created on Macintosh OSX computers using Adobe Creative Suite 6.0. The cover is printed on 80# gloss paper; the text is printed on 60# gloss paper. The body copy is Georgia, cutlines are Century Gothic and the nameplate is Cicle. This issue was printed by K-B Offset Printing, Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania.

Phoenix magazine is a student publication of the Office of Student Activities and the Department of Communications and Professional Writing at Georgia Regents University. Phoenix magazine is a designated public forum and has been recognized as such by Georgia Regents University. The publication is funded by advertising sales and student activity fees. The opinions expressed in the Phoenix do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University System of Georgia, the administration or faculty of Georgia Regents University, the editorial staff or the advisor of the Phoenix.

On the cover: “23” by Macy Goodwin 11” x 27” multimedia on card paper

See “Q&A with Aaron Snow,” page 14

note from the editors On the heels of my receipt of the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award in spring 2015, I found myself in a position to be on the Phoenix editorial staff. It didn’t seem to matter that my life was a little crowded with assorted duties, including social media management clients, my own magazine, Creases, five classes and serving as copy editor for the Bell Ringer. It seemed like the universe was telling me that it was the right time to do these things, and it was my last chance to take advantage of these opportunities, even though everything was happening at the same time.

I suppose this issue of the Phoenix could function as a culmination of my college experiences, which is quite fitting, seeing as I graduate in early December. It’s been a long road, but I realized that if you’re not doubting yourself, you’re not human.

As I have pored over this issue, I can’t deny that I have felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, which is a feeling that tends to give way to humility. Although I do wish that I had just one more semester of work with the fine student publications at this university, I recognize that it’s probably high time to move on.

I would also like to thank the myriad professors who have deeply inspired me at this school: Debra van Tuyll, Matthew Bosisio, Terri Sasser, Edgar Johnson, Rick Davis, Rick Kenney and Melanie O’Meara. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of highly encouraging professors to lead me through the public relations track.

Of course, I can’t forget the editor-in-chief of this fine publication, Anna Sams. We made some lifelong memories this semester, that’s for sure! We’re the dream team, woman!

Finally, the boyfriend, Rick Stahman, who has been a pillar of strength for me during this semester and all the ones before - well, I couldn’t have done it without you.

Erica Ruggles

Fall is officially upon us, and winter will be here in the blink of an eye.

The changing seasons represent the most poignant pictures of life to me. As we inhale the crisp air and kick the falling leaves that grace the sidewalks, we accept the change that is coming: the cold air, the bare trees, and the impending holidays. Maybe not appealing to all, each of these holds beauty in their own right, while opening the gates for spring and the trees’ rebirth.

To me, this is symbolic of letting go of the old and embracing the new. Over the next few months, I’m running headfirst into some pretty big life changes. December graduation is quickly approaching, and I’m preparing to enter the workforce.

This idea is terrifying and exciting all at once. I’m leaving my familiar school, the routine of classes, and the teachers that have helped shape me. While the change is a bit daunting, I’m thankful to have learned in an environment that has prepared me for this new venture.

Of course, this means I will sadly be bidding farewell to the Phoenix. I came in as assistant editor, graduated to editor-in-chief, but now I’m passing the torch to a new set of hands for next year. I hold this little magazine close to my heart, and, boy, will I miss it, but I find so much joy in knowing that graduation does not mean the end. It simply paves the path for a new season; a season that I will welcome while carrying the memories, the relationships and the stories from my time here.

Of course, it takes many gifted folks to make the Phoenix come to fruition. Erica, I am so appreciative of your hard work and tireless efforts, and I couldn’t have put the magazine together without such a talented assistant editor.

Dr. van Tuyll (“DvT”), thank you for allowing me to be apart of this staff and entrusting me with the magazine that I know holds a special place in your heart. Thank you for teaching me, guiding me, and being a wonderful asset to this university.

Here’s to the changing seasons and embracing the new opportunities that come with them.

Student Life finding that future job, but sometimes College of Nursing infinding a job can be the greatest adven-

G

Story by Ashley White

eorgia Regents University’s Health Sciences campus holds a No. 1 ranked college of nursing in the southeast.

GRU has an outstanding nursing program that is finally being recognized across the country. Nurse Journal, an online social community for nurses, ranked the program in first place for the eastern division.

According to Nurse Journal’s website, the ranking took several characteristics into consideration to rank the different colleges of nursing. These characteristics include quality, affordability, convenience, satisfaction and value. The website also shows how other colleges measure up to GRU. The first place ranking of GRU’s College of Nursing would make any student proud of their school. The problem is, do the students know of this wonderful accomplishment?

Katie Bowen, a junior who applied to nursing school this fall, did not know about the recent recognition that the college received. But, whether or not the college is ranked No. 1 or 101, Bowen says, “I could get denied.”

At this point in her college career, Bowen just wants to get accepted. When she was asked if this new ranking could affect her chances of getting in she stated, “people are more concerned about getting in than going to a nice school,” and that “our generation just wants to get by.”

“At the end of the day, nursing school is nursing school,” Bowen said.

Career Center Story by SAvannah Maddox

G

raduating from college is something every college student dreams about from day one of school, but once that graduation day comes and goes, finding a job after college can be one of the hardest steps to take.

Every college class will help students

6 Fall 2015

ture and a long road of emotions. Taking a few extra steps in the right direction can help students to potentially get a job.

Haley Bourne, a Georgia Regents University graduate in public relations, took the extra step and landed her job at the Family Y. Bourne applied for an internship at the Family Y for the department of public relations and marketing in hopes of getting some extra experience in her field.

“I wanted to get some experience within my field. At the end of my internship, my former boss came to me and asked if I would like to join the family at the Y,” Bourne said. “Here I am now working for the Family Y and loving my job. I was lucky to have found my job while I was still in school and doing an internship helped me a lot.”

For some students, finding a job or internship during college might not be easy. Even after graduation applications are submitted and the end is in sight, some students are feeling the pressure in searching for a job.

Lucas Johnson, a senior business and finance major at GRU, is trying to finish school and search for a job before graduation. The road has been long and hard, but Johnson is still searching and reaching out for help through school.

“I have been searching for a job for a few months now. It’s been a rough road in looking for a one. I visit my advisers and they have been helping me get on the right path,” Johnson said.

The Career Center is a helpful place for students to learn how to take the right steps toward applying and finding a job before and after graduation. Amanda Boland, a career adviser for GRU, helps guide students in the right direction in hopes of finding a job.

“Students should meet with their career adviser soon as possible,” Boland said. “They need to have an updated resume, LinkedIn account and also Google yourself to see what your future boss might find.”

Students are welcome to set up appointments or take a free “Career Guide” booklet, which gives helpful tips for stu-

dents to read to help create and build their resumes. Even after graduating, students still have a full year of free service at the Career Center.

“Finding that pathway in making sure you’re up to date on social media will help in finding a job,” Boland states.

Finding the type of job a student wants will guide them in the right direction, and applying for internships will give students hands-on experience within their field.

“I would highly recommend finding an internship within your field. You never know, you might just find your job,” Bourne said.

The CREW Story by Aaryn Steinberg

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ost people will tell college students, “Your college years are the best years of your life.” But students have to make them the best years of their lives.

By getting involved with organizations and clubs in college, students are able to personalize their years on campus.

Georgia Regents University has so many clubs and organizations that students may join to help make their college years memorable. Some of the clubs and organizations include, but are not limited to: sororities and fraternities, clubs within your major’s department and student life organizations such as The CREW. Mayra Maura, a member of The CREW, strongly believes that the organization has helped make her college years more memorable. “I’ve met more people through The Crew and it’s made me more organized.”

She strongly suggests students should apply to be a part of The CREW. Maura is also the assistant director of CREW Unplugged. “CREW Unplugged is the last Tuesday of each month this semester and is something The CREW puts together to showcase students’ talents,” Maura said.

Katie Rogers, director of activities for her sorority, loves being a part of her sorority. “It’s given me a group of people

that value the same things I value.”

Rogers loves how it’s helped personalize her college years and hopes others will join organizations during their years at GRU. “People should be a part of Greek life because it gives you a home away from home and gives you connections for after college,” Rogers said.

Whether students join Greek organizations, clubs or other student life organizations such as The CREW, any of these options will enhance a student’s college experience.

GRU Enrollment Woes

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Story by Iarina Devos

lthough statistics have shown that the enrollment rates at Georgia Regents University (GRU) dropped, David Barron, associate vice president for Enrollment Services, says that GRU is growing in their outreach.

Since 2013, when Augusta State University officially merged with the Medical College of Georgia, enrollment rates have dropped. The general enrollment rates dropped in 2014 by 5 percent from the previous year.

According to Mark Allen Poisel, vice president for Student Affairs, “understanding and analyzing enrollment is complicated and composed of many factors.”

Preliminary numbers before finalizing figures for this fall semester show a total enrollment of 8,333. This semester, total new student enrollment was 1,944, an increase of 1 percent from last year.

Furthermore, the total new freshman enrollment for this fall is 775, compared to 745 last year and 730 in 2013. Freshman enrollments are increasing as years go by.

As mentioned before, these numbers are not official. The final figures for this fall term will be reported later on in order to allow time for any changes or withdrawals. According to Poisel, the dental medicine and nursing programs have the lowest enrollment figures because they can only admit and/or enroll a limited number of students.

According to Poisel, “Many institutions around the country have declining enrollments because the number of high school graduates is decreasing in many parts of the U.S.” However, regarding GRU, there are conflicting opinions considering potential reasons of the falling enrollments.

Most find that the main reason was the merger of the two universities. Poisel acknowledges that total enrollment has declined since the consolidation; however, that was planned and predicted. “A large part of the freshmen class prior to consolidation included students that needed learning support courses,” Poisel said.

Because of the BOR minimum requirements, fewer freshmen were admitted when GRU implemented the admissions standards.

Another potential reason for falling enrollments could be the name change and GRU not having the support of the community in the sense that people from the community would choose to send their children to study elsewhere. However, Barron argued that more than 50 percent of the enrolled students at GRU are still from Columbia County.

When asked whether economic reasons could be an issue, Barron disagreed again, mentioning that GRU probably has the lowest tuition fees in the region.

Even though tuition fees increase every year, he does not see it as a liable argument for falling enrollments. However, he said that the money coming from the government is limited, so it becomes a significant factor in falling enrollments.

Poisel said that, generally speaking, the economy impacts enrollment at most institutions nationwide. “Students are more likely to enroll in college when there are no jobs available to them, so, if the economy is struggling, enrollments generally increase,” he said.

GRU’s ambition of becoming a research university is an asset when recruiting students from out of the area and for students who prefer a more traditional university experience. Poisel mentioned that it also helps the university’s retention rate. Barron argues that these new changes in the university and raising

standards have increased applicant numbers and there are more people who want to come and join the university. Furthermore, this has also brought stability in the student body, according to Barron.

The university hopes to welcome more students and, as Poisel mentions, they are now working on both the recruitment plan and the retention plans. Both Barron and Poisel are very optimistic about what GRU has to offer. While Barron mentions that GRU is establishing new partnerships in the area, Poisel says that the strategies for recruiting students are improving and various marketing campaigns are being developed.

Even though, according to Poisel, “changes in enrollments are hard to predict,” GRU is confident in their new approach. Utilizing more technology, personalized messages and more involvement of the school and the deans have increased the retention rates.

Poisel considers that “enrollment has stabilized and with some additional efforts this year, plus new housing for next fall, he thinks we will be able to increase new student enrollment again which will start to increase overall enrollment.”

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7

The Enduring Buzz: The Life of a Honeybee on Campus Story by Joshua Parrish Layout by Erica Ruggles Photos by Richard Adams

8 Fall 2015

W

hile current students know there is always a buzz on campus, expect it to get a little louder this semester as the university grounds will be gaining an additional beehive near University Hall.

Unbeknownst to many students, there are two beehives on campus, one located next to the retention pond by the Public Safety building and one located in the outdoor greenhouse next to Allgood Hall.

Under the supervision of Tim Dobbs, building maintenance supervisor, and Donna Wear, professor of biology, plans are in the works to house additional hives across campus beginning with one located next to University Hall.

Among the chief matters of concern, besides student safety, is the well-being of the new bees, particularly their risk of exposure to harmful insecticides made from tobacco called neonicotinoids, which are among the leading causes of declining bee populations globally, as well as the risks of parasites and insecticides.

“The neonicotinoids without a doubt we know cause them to lose their homing ability so the bee, instead of going out and coming back in, they’ll just leave,” Wear said. “They get lost and can’t find their way back.”

According to Dobbs and Wear, as of two years ago, the campus has refrained from using neonicotinoid-based insecticides.

“I hope we continue that practice,” Wear said.

Bees play an important role ecologically, and while no research on the bees on campus is currently underway, Dobbs and Wear believe the bees still serve as a great educational tool for those who are interested in taking a closer look at ecology and environmental protection.

“We decided this was just going to be for observation,” Dobbs said.

While safeguarding the honeybees may not be the reasoning behind having the hives on campus, raising awareness about the importance of these creatures is vital to all life on the planet. Bees serve an important role as pollinators and according to the United States Department of Agriculture, honeybees are responsible for the majority of the pollination of Earth’s approximately 250,000 species of fruit, nut and vegetable flowering plants.

“One-third of everything you eat is pol-

linated by a honeybee,” Dobbs added.

Protecting honey bees is in the best interest of everyone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, some of the greatest additional threats to bees include parasites, disease, poor nutrition and lack of genetic diversity. These risks, combined with human interference, have resulted in an observable decline in bee populations across the globe, leading many in the scientific and agricultural communities to reach out and encourage actions to protect hives.

“Globally, honeybee colonies are experiencing what is called colony collapse,” Wear said. “And there could be a number of things causing them. We think even perhaps the way we do agriculture.”

Even on campus, there are plans in the works to bring greater awareness to the role bees play in ecology and the worldwide food supply.

“We are currently working on a beefact webpage to go on the Biology department website,” Wear said.

Additionally, Dobbs has video of the campus bees available on YouTube, including footage of the often elusive queen bee.

“I’ve got some pretty decent video sitting right here.” Dobbs said. “The queen, the waggle, a bee being born – the high points of stuff that goes on in the hive.”

As it stands, the newest hive is not like-

ly to be the last.

“We are going to wind up having five (hives) on campus,” Dobbs said.

The EPA encourages reporting of hive deaths and illegal insecticide use, as well as learning about safe practices to prevent toxic substances from contaminating potential bee food supplies as the best way to prevent further honeybee death and colony collapse. In the meantime, both Dobbs and Wear encourage interested students to contact them with any questions regarding the hives or for more resources on advocacy for bees.

Joshua Parrish is a senior communications major.

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ay u r v e d a

This is a crash course on Ayurveda; the practice is far-reaching into all areas of life. Frankie Kraemer, owner of hOMe Downtown Yoga and former student of Augusta State University, offers personal and detailed Ayurvedic consults that can help individuals create a plan of Ayurvedic action. Frankie has graciously provided this publication with divine recipes that can be tweaked to compliment all doshas.

Story by Erica Ruggles || Recipes contributed by Frankie Kraemer || Photography & layout by Anna Sams

10 Fall 2015

A c c o r d i n g t o Yo g a J o u r n a l , the practice of Ayurveda can be traced back 5,000 years to the

“Vedas,” an ancient Sanskrit text. The practice is essentially a

system of healing that focuses on three doshas, or energies, that are present in each individual. These doshas are known as vata, pitta and kapha, and usually one or a combination of two are expressly dominant. This balance can fluctuate with the seasons and other personal life events, and keeping this delicate balance can affect mood and general well-being.

d e t e r m i n i n g yo u r d o s h a : Vata:

Pitta:

Kapha:

◊ thin frames

◊ medium build

◊ naturally athletic with

◊ mentally and physically

◊ powerful frame

strong frames

active

◊ intense and irritable

◊ loyal and compassionate

◊ enjoys creative activities

personality

◊ prefer routines

and meeting new people

◊ skin that reddens easily

◊ enjoys new environments

◊ cold-natured and enjoy

with freckles

and people

humid weather

◊ natural leaders and quick

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energy

and

mood

can

learners

fluctuate rapidly

Most people tend to be bi-doshic, exhibiting strong tendencies from two doshas. It is also possible to be three-doshic, exhibiting equal tendencies from all three doshas.

Regardless, it is important to note your tendencies and engage in self-care accordingly, which can also change with the season.

flip over to the next page for Ayurvedic recipes >>> 11

Chai Tea

Kitchari

Tri-doshic

The perfect Ayurveda food. You may customize it by

Yields 4 cups

changing the churnas (spice mixtures) and adding vegetables. Can also make a tasty breakfast by add-

-6

ing cinnamon, raisins, and baked apples!

cups water

-3 inches of fresh ginger root, sliced or grated -5 cinnamon sticks -10 cardamom pods* -5 cloves

-1 cup Basmati Rice -2 cups moong dal (split yellow) -7 cups water -pinch of salt

-10 peppercorns -3 bags of black or Tulsi Tea* -2 cups organic cow’s milk -Honey, jiggery or succanat to taste Preparation Add the fresh ginger root, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves and peppercorns to a pot. Bring to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

-2 tablespoons ghee -3 teaspoons mustard seeds -2 teaspoons cumin seeds/powder -2 teaspoons tumeric root/powder -2 teaspoons coriander powder -2 teaspoons fennel powder -1 pinch asafoetida (Hing) -1 inch ginger root sliced/powder

Add the tea bags and milk, continue to simmer until hot.

Pour in mugsand add honey,jiggery or succanat to taste. (Note: Never add honey while still cooking/on the fire.) *If sensitive to caffeine in black tea, add cardamom to counteract.

Carrot Ginger Soup Frankie’s favorite!

Preparation Soak, strain, and rinse rice and dal to clean and remove any stones. Wash each separately at least twice.

Sautée the seeds in the ghee until they pop. Then add the mustard seeds, cumin, tumeric, coriander, fennel, asafoetida and ginger roor.

Add the moong dal and salt. Sautée for 2-3 min utes minutes. Add boiling water, bring to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or until the dal is about 2/3 cooked.

-2 whole carrots -1/4 inch ginger (fresh) -2 tablespoons celery stalk -2 pinches of black pepper -2 teaspoons olive oil -1/4 teaspoon mineral salt Preparation Place carrots, ginger and celery into a blender. Fill to

Prep any vegetables that suit your constitution.

Root vegetables are great for the season. Cut them into small pieces. Add rice and these vegetables.

Stir to mix, adding extra water if required. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Aim to have minimal water remaining, leaving the lid on the pot to allow any excess to slowly be absorbed.

the height of the vegetables with water. Puree. Pour Optional

into pot and boil with other ingredients 10-15 min-

Add any Vegetables such as asparagus, sweet po-

utes.

Vata Reducing Tea

tato. Root vegetables are especially suggested in this Vata season.

-1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated -1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon -1/4 teaspoon cinnamon -1/4 teaspoon ajwan (carom) seeds -1 cup water Preparation Bring water to a boil and incorporate ginger, cardamon, cinnamon and ajwan. Steep and serve in a mug.

12 Fall 2015

Visit Frankie for your Ayurvedic consultation: hOMe Downtown Yoga 105 Macartan St, Augusta, Georgia

carrot ginger soup

chai tea 13

◊ A U G USTA L o C A L ◊

Q&A with

aaron snow W e sat d ow n w i t h a a r o n s n ow , f o u n d e r o f S n ow ’ s c o f f e e & t e a , t o l e a r n h ow h e f us e d h i s pas s i o n f o r h e l p i n g t r o u b l e d yo u t h w i t h h i s g r ow i n g c o f f e e a n d t e a b us i n es s .

I n t e r v i e w a n d p h o t o g r a p h y b y A n n a Sa m s

14 Fall 2015

Aaron Snow, founder of Snow’s Coffee & Tea 15

What first spurred your interest in coffee?

I think, like for many people, coffee was a necessity. I was doing an internship and working a full time job where I first discovered [coffee]. So for me, up until then, it was all Mountain Dew. But someone in the office had coffee, and I was hooked.

Soon after, I went into a coffee shop and asked, “What do you have that’s stronger than coffee?” They gave me espresso and I choked really bad. They didn’t warn me! But since then, I’ve gotten deeper and deeper into [coffee] as far as quality, how I prepare my coffee, and where I purchase my beans. That’s been about a 15-year journey. I actually didn’t even get into coffee until after college, but, man, I’m so glad I did!

How did the transition from hot coffee to cold brew occur? Isn’t the process of brewing cold brew very different from the process of brewing hot coffee?

Yes, it is. I’m a hot coffee person 365 days a year, no matter how blazing it is in Georgia! But a coworker posted a link on my Facebook page, about a year and a half ago, and for about two or three weeks, I didn’t even look at it. I was like, oh he’s trying to be funny, but, you know, he was serious! He posted, “What’s this cold brew about, what do you think of it?” One day, I was flipping through my [Facebook] page, and I decided to click on that link. I studied the principles of cold brew, and the biggest thing was the

16 Fall 2015

low-acidity. People with health problems, acid reflux, or who even complain about the burnt taste of black coffee (which is actually related to the acidity level), can drink cold brew coffee because of the low acidity.

I’m naturally hot natured, so cold brew was very attractive to me. The idea of something cold and caffeinated made sense. I decided to experiment with the cold brew method, though. So I went to Target and bought the cheapest medium and dark roasts they had, because, well, if it was terrible, I didn’t want to have spent a lot of money on it. After some online research, I started experimenting and playing with the ratios. I took it to work, since they’re my test kitchen, and my coworkers liked it, but I went home and continued to tweak the recipe until I found the right ratio. The house favorite is the medium roast, which is lightly sweetened with brown sugar. When I took it to work, that was definitely the house favorite, even for the people who don’t usually like coffee! So that got me thinking, I wonder if I could start selling this?

Being able to do what you love and make money doing it is basically the dream, isn’t it? So was this the conception of Snow’s Coffee & Tea? Yes! I wondered if selling it was an option. Any good product, though, requires good marketing. I got the recipes down, but I could have the best product in the world, and if it’s not marketed well, what’s the point?

After I got the web presence up, people started responding and things started moving. People loved the idea and they were buying the jars of coffee. About two months in, the same coworker that posted about cold brew on my Facebook asked me, “So what’s the long term plan?

Are you going to franchise your business? Because the reality is, I know you love coffee, but you don’t love coffee that much.” And I said, “What do you mean?

Of course I love coffee.” But he knows what I do with the YDC, and he knows how much I love volunteering with them.

I started thinking that he’s right; the YDC is what I want to do full time. So thought, “How can I bring these two together?”

And what is the YDC? It’s the Youth Development Center for young adults. Once a young lady or man gets sentenced for a crime, they’re sent to a YDC. They can be there for a year, or from age 10 to age 18, based on the crime they are found guilty of. The Juvenile Justice System is different from prisons because prisons are intended to punish, but a juvenile correction facility, or the YDC, is intended to rehabilitate. The premise is that a young man or woman is still growing and still developing in every way: mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. The YDC is trying to help them become whole again, as people so that when they become adults in the community, they can function as a normal citizen.

So what’s the connection for you between the YDC and coffee? How do they relate?

Job placement and job skills are always an issue for those in community transition. Probably one of my biggest models for inspiration is Homeboy Ministries in Los Angeles. The priest who oversees it says, “A job will always stop a bullet.”

Homeboy does job training and job skills, and what we do now with YDC is we [also] have job placement at businesses like Bojangles and Barberitos. The thinking is, what can we do to create jobs so we can walk along side these kids? What can we do to support them when they mess up – when they get placed in a job, but they yell at a customer, or don’t show up for work? We want to be able to say, “Let’s work through this.” We can take these kids aside for a few weeks, support them, and then put them back into the workforce.

So where does coffee come in to all of this? The goal is that we want to be serving at large events, like weddings, and we can call up a few young folks and have them come work behind a coffee bar. Or even if we’re putting together a batch of, say, 20 jars for wedding gifts, we can call [the guys or girls] and have them come

and type up the labels. The great thing about cold brew coffee is that it’s a series of systematic, simple steps. It’s one step after another, and the same step each time. If someone is on a different learning curve, they can learn the repetition of that skill. Or, if someone is extroverted and a people person, we can have them come and work at the wedding or at the market.

Aesthetic seems to also be an important part of the brand. What inspired the authentic look and feel of the mason jars?

Each cold brew is packaged in a mason jar. I use a typewriter to type the labels for each jar, and I use twine to secure it.

Sometimes [my wife] is at the typewriter typing those labels. The great thing about the typewriter is even if you mess up, it still looks good! Each label also has a batch number, and the customer can go online and see when the batch was brewed.

interested in buying a batch, and I’ll meet them where ever is convenient. Our website also has information about each batch, and each label has an identification number, and customers can go on the website and read about their batch, like when it was brewed and what type of coffee was used.

Lastly, do you have any advice for young entrepreneurs?

I always believe in dreams, but I would tell someone to evaluate the dream over time. If it’s something that you keep evaluating, and you are continually excited about it, then give it try. Just give it time though. Then research the idea. Is anyone else already doing this? How can you expound on it? Feeding your knowledge of what’s already being done and how it’s being done can be so valuable. One of the bigger tips of advice I have, though, is find someone who is already doing what you want to do and seek advice. Learning from others is always the key to success.

What’s the best place to purchase the cold brew from you?

Social media is the best platform to reach us. We are on Facebook and Twitter, and customers can reach out to me if they’re

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Playing it by Ear Story by Richard Adams Layout by Erica Ruggles Photo by Happy Bones 18 Fall 2015

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UGUSTA, Ga. - Only a few seats were taken at the bar when the Low Creek Killers sat down to decide on the set list for their CD release party at Surrey Tavern in July. Slowly at first, the five members moved through little clusters of congratulatory family members, friends and fans to a small round table close to the stage but far enough to escape its spotlights and ensure a modicum of privacy.

One idea stood out as the hub around which the entire conversation flowed: keeping the audience anticipating what was next.

With his head leaned forward low over the wooden surface the necessary pens and cigarettes were scattered across, lead singer Walker Watson often looked up from beneath a shock of blond eyelashes in order to make eye contact. The result was immediate intimacy. Each remark, no matter whom the speaker, was given weight – even jokes about the outlandishness or bawdiness of a particular song factored into deciding which song came where in the show.

“All of us are really like best friends, making music together,” Watson said.

“Somehow that just works out. It’s just fun. That’s what I love about writing with

these people. It’s really organic. Like nothing’s really on purpose, we kind of fall backwards into it. And it just works.”

While Watson held the black Sharpie that would make the set list concrete, a comment by another member would often change the direction of the decision-making. One preference was as good as another, until a better suggestion was given.

Whether the contribution to the discussion-at-hand amounted to little more than a head nod or a knowing laugh, the band dynamic the Low Creek Killers have cultivated over the past four years was in full play. Sitting so close their knees touched in places, shoulders and elbows moved aside when one reached forward from the huddle to the table’s center to pull from one of several packs of cigarettes catching the light there.

A simple turn of the head could indicate a question, or a headlong stare point out discontent or some source of disagreement. Comfort in close quarters is something this band is used to, and it shows.

Part of this goes back to the band’s conception when three members, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Watson, bassist and multi-instrumentalist Rick Stahman and drummer Steve Josey, all lived together.

Photos by Richard Adams at the Surrey Tavern show 20 Fall 2015

From the beginning, Stahman and Watson shared a love of playing music.

Their first gigs together, though, were rudimentary at best.

“We had no idea how to book shows at the time,” Watson said.

Without the know-how to engage with a venue or booking agent, busking downtown became a natural outlet for their desire to play music live, as well as earn money from it.

Earning them little more a dollar or two and a few beers, maybe, if they were lucky, for an evening’s worth of work, the performances best served as a platform for a “proto-version” of the band.

Josey, who filled in as drummer whenever necessary, said this “set the precedent” for subsequent Low Creek Killers shows, meaning the band had only to be presented with the opportunity, as well as the promise of a good time, in order to do a gig.

Often, Watson played banjo, an instrument he has little time and patience for when playing live now, while Stahman would trot out what Watson called, a “big-ass” acoustic bass. Beyond that twoman core, they were sometimes joined by a fiddler or someone playing an electric drum pad.

“Busking is such a good way to sharpen

Watson on guitar and Stahman on bass. Photo by Richard Adams your talents as a performer, cause you really have to draw people in,” Watson said.

“You have to work harder. When people come to a show, they’re already there to see you. But if they’re on the street, they don’t want to mess with you. You have to give them a reason.”

Eventually, the act was able to move off the street and to the stage. The transition was a shaky one, though.

At the earliest shows, the band’s idiosyncratic sound and semi-chaotic stage presence was often incompatible with audiences, many of whom, Walker said, stood around and stared as if their conversations had been interrupted by an inconsiderate (and very loud) stranger.

At least, this was better than indifference.

Those shows, played at 8th Street Tobacco Hookah Lounge and Bar, could be best described as “avant-garde, very freeform.” Other descriptors the band tossed around were “metal bluegrass” and “circus act.” The lyrics then were “shouted, almost rapped.”

“We had no conception of what a band was,” said Watson, his breathless laughter slowing to a slight, sly grin, then stilling to focus back on the moment. The slightest curvature remained, the way a wink registers in the brain only after it’s gone.

In particular, one memory stands out for all three members who were present at that moment in the band’s history: Jo-

sey’s choice of percussion.

Because he was still a drumming novice (and the band needed someone to keep the beat), Stahman and Watson clipped an old guitar strap to a bass drum that Josey could then sling over his shoulders.

Despite the absurdity of this setup, hitting the drums hard was never a problem for Josey and, eventually, the role stuck.

Before becoming a full time member of the Low Creek Killers, no single instrument had ever struck a chord with Josey.

There was a brief period in middle school when he tried to take up the guitar, “but it never took.”

This has been a battle he has fought for a long time, he admitted, and, yet, it is in Stahman’s unfailing optimism that Watson said he finds the necessary ballast to guard against his own penchant for cynicism.

Best described as the consummate friend, when Josey first began with the band as an unofficial member, he was simply helping out his roommates in a pinch and picking up where others left off, as well as hoping to have some fun along the way.

“I think I was starting to teach him guitar, and we were so tired of trying to find a drummer,” said Watson, who was a member of his high school’s drum line for two years. “I was transitioning from being a drummer into doing guitar more full-time, and we were, like, ‘Dude, we’ll just teach him to play.’”

The first lessons consisted of Watson showing Josey how quarter notes worked. “I taught him just super basic beats,” he said.

Because they lived in an apartment at the time and weren’t allowed to play a full kit, the band’s electronic drum pad had to suffice.

The band had at least two other drummers over the past four years, who, despite their skill, never worked out for very long. But between these interim periods when the drum kit was otherwise occupied, something happened: Josey became a better drummer.

“It’s been weird watching him progress, too, cause, it’s like he’ll reach a plateau – and then he’ll, like, jump,” Watson said.

“He goes in, like, leaps and bounds. It’s definitely interesting. And that speaks to

21

The practice space on Central. Photo by Richard Adams the way we play, cause he always shines best at a show. He’ll always just pull something out of his ass that I’ve never heard him do, and I’m like, ‘Oh! Whoa!’

“It’s fun to see him discover that, I guess. You know, discover new things – stuff that I’ve known for years and, maybe, kind of take for granted. And it’s like, oh yeah, that feeling when you first hit that lick that you’ve been wanting to do but you couldn’t nail it, and then you nail it. It’s cool to see that happen.”

One indicator that his drumming has improved, Josey said, has been that Watson has been less likely to lose his cool with him during practice.

Watson would call Josey out when mistakes were made, often harshly – and, Watson and Josey agreed, there were a lot of mistakes.

Admittedly, in the past, Watson said, it was easy to be impatient. The pressure of gaining the band as much exposure as possible eventually became something that wore on him, sometimes fraying his relationships with the others.

“This, again, speaks to Rick – he is very much a team player,” said Watson, describing the level of calm and cohesive leadership that Stahman brings to the band. “He’s a football guy, a team player.

I tend to get real frustrated with Steve at times, because I felt like he wasn’t pro-

22 Fall 2015

gressing. I would have to step back and go, you know, ‘I’ve been playing for 10 years. It’s easy for me to criticize, but he’s only been playing for two.’”

At this point, the band is well-acclimated to this level of perfectionism and heightened expectation on the part of Watson.

Two days before the release of the newest album, entitled “Solisequious,” on which Watson served as the band’s producer for the first time, he was still fiddling with the mix on the opening track.

“Of course, you know, that song, I wasn’t very happy with the way that song turned out,” Watson said. “I was about to pull my hair out over it. It didn’t, like, come together the way I wanted it to, and I don’t know what needed to happen with it. Like something needed to happen and, finally, I just kind of gave up.”

The song, the deeply layered “Good Morning,” opens with the muffled sounds of a waking moment, capturing the ambiance of bodies moving around in a bedroom while the expectation of dawn light gently gives rise to birdsong and faint voices carrying snatches of conversation - like a little choir. A woodblock keeps a slow and steady rhythm while a guitar strums alongside the warble of Watson’s lyrics. The band’s combined, chimeric vocals drift across the tune like curtains

rustling in the wind.

It is an absolutely beautiful song.

Despite his reservations to the contrary, Watson accepted the compliment.

This has been a battle he has fought for a long time, he admitted, and, yet, it is in Stahman’s unfailing optimism that Watson said he finds the necessary ballast to guard against his own penchant for cynicism.

“If you want to talk about Rick’s contribution, that right there,” Watson said.

“That dude is so positive, it kills me sometimes, cause I’m a cynic at heart. I rely on cynicism a lot of times to kind of communicate things.

“It’s been an issue for me in a professional sense, cause if a show doesn’t go right or if I miss a chord, I get all pouty and shitty, and I kind of do ‘pouty asshole.’ But Rick’s always, always like, ‘Man! That could have been better, but …’

He just doesn’t let shit get him down.

“And that’s probably been the biggest contribution he’s made for me, in my life – and with the band, too, you know.

I mean, that’s helped me a lot. And it’s nice, too, when you start to feel like a gig’s heading south and you can see Rick still hanging in there, you know. He’s kind of ‘the Rock’ in that way.”

Since Josey became a full time member three years ago, the band has opened up

even more. In the past two years, they’ve added two more to the roster.

The enhanced dynamic provided by these new players, Jennifer Sparling on hand percussion, French horn and cornet, and guitarist Russell Herrmann, each of whom brought a unique personality and plethora of talent to the table, has played a major part in making a highly ambitious project like “Solisequious” possible.

Outside of her musical endeavors, Sparling is a poet whose work and live readings have grown to occupy a conspicuous role in the downtown arts scene, despite her humble protestations that this is not the case.

The quiet, pensive manner she carries herself with could be easily misconstrued as meekness, belying the ferocity with which she throws herself full-body into her rhythmic performance of various hand instruments, tambourine and cabasa among them, and the strength and confident obstinacy her French horn exudes as it vies to take its necessary place amid so many guitars tuned to the peak of amplification.

Like Stahman, the barreling bassist and former football player, Sparling’s performance is equally musical as it is

an exhibit of formidable physical endurance. Often, her lips stay numb long after a show is through.

Onstage, she dresses in cowboy boots and intricately patterned full-length skirts, the hems of which lap at her boot tops as she sways and swings into Stahman’s thrumming bass line and simultaneously keeps time with Josey’s bounding drums.

“I love playing with them,” Sparling said. “I love their music. I went to a show, and I met them. I was like, ‘I really like this stuff.’ And we just found places that it fit and it filled out in certain parts, I guess.

“They are some very special people, and they’ve made me feel very included.

Really, it’s between Rick and Walker that write the songs, but they make me feel like I add something in a way that one else has made me feel.”

When Watson discussed the decision to add Sparling to the band, the specific chronology of how she joined the band escaped him. Instead, Sparling’s talent and personality as a performer predominated the conversation.

“Jenn’s just a genius in her own right,” he said. “She puzzles in a way that just works.”

It was a choice that never needed much deliberation. Put simply, it felt natural.

Until that moment, the band had never employed brass instrumentation in their line-up, despite the fact that Stahman is an accomplished cornet player as well – a skill he now incorporates into the band.

The addition of Sparling vastly changed the makeup of the band, helping them to discover a depth they’d never known had lacked before.

“We were still really defining our sound and defining what we were going to try to do with our song writing,” Stahman said.

“And like I say, she fits so well. Like from the first time we jammed, it was like …”

Here, Stahman’s extensive vocabulary failed him momentarily. As if in a revivalist church and answering the opportunity for call-and-response, Watson joined in and said emphatically, “Yep.” Using the pause and Watson’s encouragement to reorganize his thoughts, Stahman continued thoughtfully: “I like to play a lot in the midrange and high on the bass. I like to try to do a lot with it, but it leaves gaps in the music. And Walker’s doing all this badass finger picking, Russell’s up on top of his guitar screaming and I’m trying to walk down the bottom.

“But with that polyphony, there’s no

Photo by Ron Vaz at the Oct. 3 Joe’s Underground show 23

Best described as the consummate friend, when Josey first began with the band as an unofficial member, he was simply helping out his roommates in a pinch and picking up where others left off, as well as hoping to have some fun along the way.

Josey on drums at Joe’s. Photo by Ron Vaz solid drone on the bottom – then (Jen) comes in with this French horn and it just fills out the whole song.”

The obvious example of this for Watson and Stahman is the way in which Sparling’s singular talents helped flesh out a song they’d been tossing around for over three years. The instrumental, “The Victory of Set,” had been with the band so long it was included on their first EP, but never truly felt complete.

“It’s definitely several years in the making,” Watson said. “It was a guitar song, then you had Jenn come in with this really sick riff on top of it. It tells a story in sound, that’s kind of how we felt about it, especially once Jenn started playing horn on it. Oh, man, she does it justice. She makes it sound like a battle, and it is.”

Being the next to last track on the new album, this re-calibrated version of “The

24 Fall 2015

Victory of Set” was intended to tie together the album’s larger themes.

“The concept of the album follows the course of a day,” Sparling explained.

Watson, expanding on the idea, said, “Instead of track numbers, we have times.

It’s a whole clock. It tells you the time of the day. It starts with the morning, and it ends late at night after you’ve done your work day.”

According to the album, Watson said, “more or less, our normal day involves going to work, a brief period of complete disillusionment and misanthropy and then some debauchery to cap it off at the end.”

For corresponding variety, Stahman said, “there’s also some fun little ditties in between to kind of put you in a place in time.”

Then, with perfect timing, Sparling

added, “With a shower in between.”

Much of the daily schedule described in “Solisequious,” an adjective meaning “following the course of the sun,” drew upon Watson and Stahman’s years spent as construction workers, too much of which, they said, was spent sanding cabinets.

“There were songs like where I’d be writing something, and I’d be like, ‘This feels like a night time, this feels like my lunch break,’ almost like a refractory period where you’re working away and it’s like a respite away from labor,” Watson said. “You daydream about wherever else you want to be, like, ‘I want to be fishing,’ and then you come back to a hard reality.”

In chronicling the span of a single day, listeners witness the prosaic giving way to the genuinely heartfelt, and the sublime falling privy to the carnal.

Amid these themes of peace and conflict, reflection and experience, the old but unfinished standard “The Victory of Set” finally found its place.

“The idea is that Horace and Set both represent day and night,” Stahman said.

“What the ancient Egyptians believed is that every morning Set and Horace battled, Horace won the battle against Set. In evening time, they fought again, and Set won and brought on night time. And so every day is the constant struggle between two gods, and that was the rhythm

of the universe.”

It was hard for the band to mask their excitement as they discussed the new album. The material, for the first time, seemed to be coalescing with the promise of the band’s combined talents and shared aspirations.

“Every time we do it, we keep getting a little better at mastering, and this one is kind of our magnum opus at the moment,” Stahman said.

In addition to selling physical copies of the album around town and at venues during shows, the band has made the record available on Soundcloud to give it as wide an exposure as possible.

“On the new album, there’s a lot of layers to it,” said Herrmann, pointing to the fact that some of the songs contain as many as four different guitar parts. “I really like it. It’s music I like to listen to, as well as play. I’m proud of it. Five different incarnations of the Low Creek Killers later, and here we are.”

Having been a childhood friend of Watson’s and part of Watson’s earliest

efforts at band creation, all of which, he said, were varying shades of awful, Herrmann has watched not only the the Low Creek Killers grow and develop, but Watson’s talent, as well.

“Really, me and Walker were the only two that stuck with it out of our group of friends,” Herrmann said. “He’s incredible. I think he’s the best songwriter in this city.”

When Watson and Herrmann first met in ninth grade and, shortly thereafter, began making music together, the driving impulse had been the youthful conviction that “Bands are cool!” As laughingly bad as their earliest bands were, the inspiration of being in a group encouraged Herrmann to take up the guitar seriously.

“When we first started playing together, all we did was cover System of a Down songs, Rage Against the Machine, you know, we were like 15 years old,” he said, laughing at the incongruity of some of those groups to the band’s present sound.

As distant as their music is to those groups, Herrmann paused, his voice be-

coming serious again, before adding the final influence from those early years: “And Modest Mouse songs. We would just play those songs over and over again.”

The impact of that Washington state band on the Low Creek Killers, especially when it concerns Watson and Herrmann, can be heard and felt in their music. It is a level of songwriting Watson said he still aspires to, and Herrmann’s soaring, pedal effects-heavy approach to the guitar is in a large part inspired by the bold experimentation he first heard modeled on those songs.

Most of the Low Creek Killers’ shows have at least one Modest Mouse cover.

The night of the CD release, the band plowed through an almost identical version of “Trailer Trash,” not an easy task considering the wailing energy, anger and intricacy of that song. So essential is Modest Mouse to the DNA of the Low Creek Killers, it took one run-through in practice, just five minutes of playing, to get that song down pat.

The band, Herrmann especially, made

Watson and Herrmann wailing on their guitars. Photo by Ron Vaz 25

it look as easy as breathing.

“You don’t have to rein him in,” said Watson. “That kid’s a beast.”

Having been with the band for two years, Herrmann, the last member to join before the addition of Sparling, said he sees the band meshing better together now than ever before. He credits the distinct mix of personnel to the level of creative energy they share together now.

“We kind of know where each other’s going to go musically,” Herrmann said.

“Like when Walker brings a riff, Rick, his brain is like a computer, he knows exactly what the bass needs to do. It’s great, and I just kind of try to fit in, you know, try to come up with something different, something that doesn’t sound like what everybody else is doing.”

Often, things seem to simply happen in this band. The simple act of playing together inspires the propulsion necessary to push the band forward. No decision seems to be made with the future in mind. Only what feels right matters.

Instincts lead to spontaneous discoveries, new members join in such a way as to open up the band’s sound and albums stubbornly force themselves into the light of day, the revealed product of years of work.

“One thing about us, we’re all really good at playing by ear,” Stahman said.

“So that’s kind of how we do all our practices and songs. ‘Hey, here’s this riff, there’s the key, play.’ All our songs get really organically built through that.

“We don’t tell each other what to play.

If you just listen to the song, it’s like, ‘Okay, I know what’s supposed to go here.’”

So far it’s worked well, landing them a spot at the 40 Watt in Athens, Georgia, the same stage bands as diverse as R.E.M. and Neutral Milk Hotel cut their teeth on. Even Nirvana played there early

on in their career.

In February, the band was voted Augusta’s Favorite Local Rock Band at the Lokal Loudness 2015 Choice Awards.

The way the band sees it, the secret of their longevity and hard-won successes is most readily found in their shared personal history.

“We’ve crashed on each other’s couches, we’ve put each other up when we were homeless,” Stahman said. “All this stuff, we treat ourselves like a family.”

O

ct. 3, as Hurricane Joaquin churns at the edge of the Southeastern coastline, helping to form a massive storm front that will result in some of the worst flooding experienced in South Carolina history, a cold and pervasive mist sits atop Augusta, seemingly unmoving and omnipresent.

Somewhere along Central Avenue, the band is practicing in preparation for their next-to-last planned show of the calendar year, to be held later that night.

Despite the fact that the rain drapes over the street like an old gray blanket thrown atop an amplifier, it’s not necessary to have an address to find the house where the band is jamming. Even as far as a block way, Stahman’s bass line is discernible, like the barely audible but ever-present thrum of a pulse.

The little two-bedroom is fronted by a row of dark green canna lilies feeding off the rhythmic fall of rain dripping from the house’s eaves. In spring, they will bloom bright yellow but, for now, lie dormant.

On the porch, the door knocker rattles to the time of the vibrations emanating from the house. It’s just a practice, but it’s loud.

“That’s just us,” says Watson. “We say play it like you’re going to play it on stage.”

The band at the practice space. Photos by Richard Adams

Once inside, the music isn’t merely heard, it’s felt.

In a corner, a red Marshall speaker cabinet with a Carvin V3 head stands almost three feet tall. It is a monster, and it takes up a fair amount of the precious little space left in a room already only measuring 13 feet by 10 feet.

Even without the musicians in it, it takes a measure of care to move around in. Cables crisscross a floor crowded with foot pedals and Josey’s drum kit spills out into the middle of the room, devouring almost a third of the space.

It has been three months since the band took the stage to promote their new album, and a lot has happened in the interim. For one, Watson is now engaged to his longtime girlfriend.

In a decision of equal personal importance, Stahman, having wrestled with the need to move on to greener pastures, has decided to solidify his roots in Augusta and postpone leaving the city for another few years, believing there is still much to be done in terms of the local arts scene.

The band has played two shows since, each to varying degrees of success. Getting the band together for practices, though, has been difficult.

“I live in Savannah,” Herrmann says.

“So, we’ve kind of got like a triangle-type deal going on geographically. Lately, we haven’t been getting together as much.”

A few months prior to the release of “Solisequious,” Watson and his fiancé moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he is studying timber framing and Old World construction techniques at the American College of the Building Arts.

It’s the kind of place, Watson says with relish, where you can find someone reading Dostoevsky during lunch break.

Despite their initial optimism, car problems on both ends of the band’s Augusta-Charleston continuum have hampered

Sparling on trumpet. Photo by Ron Vaz the band’s goal of holding practices every weekend.As a result, the band has decided to take a break, of sorts, for the time being.

“It’s been pretty tough, you know,” Walker said. “That’s why we’re kind of doing a hiatus for this semester till the end of the year, cause Jenn works weekends and, of course, that’s when everyone else is free.

“It’s hard, cause you’ve got to plan two weeks in advance – and my truck is cracking out on me, so it’s harder for me to come back to Augusta every other weekend. But that’s typically been what they were doing. And, Russell’s in Savannah, too. So yeah, it’s getting rough. I don’t know what’s going to happen after the end of the year.”

The last planned show of the year will be a birthday show in honor of the band’s artist, Joshua Smith, who has designed posters and album art for the band since they began doing shows. Smith’s promo art lines three of the four walls in the session room. Spaced a few inches apart, they sprawl around the room like an unfinished tapestry of the band’s time together.

Birthdays are often auspicious occasions for the band; “The Victory of Set” developed from a long weekend in Athens spent celebrating Josey’s birthday;

Herrmann first joined the band for a cover of “The Boys Are Back in Town” on his birthday two years ago; and the show the band is currently practicing for, to be held later in the night at the band’s old mainstay, Joe’s Underground, will serve as an unofficial 27th birthday party for Stahman.

Such shows provide the kind of revelry the band thrives on: a spontaneous mixture of music, people and the moment at hand. Tonight, they plan to have fun.

For now, though, the atmosphere in the practice room is intense. They are into a heavy jam, and few pauses exist between songs. When they do pause, the reverberations from their guitars linger in the room, leaving just enough down time

“We’ve crashed on each other’s couches, we’ve put each other up when we’re homeless. All this stuff, we treat ourselves like a family.”

for Watson to call out the next number, said as if a question mark came behind it. All the band has to give the selection is the slightest tilt of the head before Josey lays into it, setting the pace.

There is not a whole lot of starting and stopping. If there’s a problem with a song, the band deals with it mid-session, figuring it out as they go.

It is difficult for the band to quit practice – after agreeing to knock it off for a while, they rest for only a few minutes, before the conversation turns back to the music.

Their postures as they sit are not fully relaxed. Watson’s feet lie planted on the ground directly beneath him, and everyone is still leaning forward as if frozen mid-sit. Not fully concentrating on the college football game playing at low volume on the big screen in front of them, they share their attention with a larger group discussion, including statements that turn quickly to dissatisfaction. “Is that song done?” “It could use some more work.” “It’s still not tight enough.” It just isn’t perfect yet.

It has been less than five minutes, and they are back at it. One song turns to two.

Two begets a third. The songs simply slide into one another.

Eventually, Watson plays his guitar so hard a string breaks. “It’s his M.O.,” Jo-

27

sey says.

Years ago, he used to play with three guitars on stage, so he wouldn’t have to pause between each breakage. He is a little bit more cautious now. At the time, it wasn’t uncommon for Watson to go through $60 in strings a show.

These days, he sticks mainly to an amber-colored Ibanez archtop. It looks more like an antique, an artifact old and fragile that parents would tell their children to be careful around. That it would be played with such intensity and volume seems more the task to be put upon a much older man – a burden fraught with responsibilities.

Stringing his guitar, one leg crossed across the other, creating a platform for Watson to work on, he discusses everything from the art of wood bending, something he hopes to employ soon in the building of musical instruments, to his growing disillusionment with the state of the arts and culture scene in Augusta.

fumbling and triumphing in silence.

The question: “What keeps y’all going?” Watson’s answer: “Can’t stop, won’t stop.”

Stahman, fully attuned to this conversation, steps in.

He repeats Watson’s response like a mantra, but with bravado, giving it exclamation marks.

“I think one thing that, definitely for me, keeps it up is the fact there’s so many people around town that are so positive, and we get such a great reception from everybody,” he adds. “You know, we don’t have a lot of fans – we have a lot of friends.”

The conversation ends abruptly when one of the group members gets a text from Watson’s fiancé in Charleston. She has been trying to contact him with increasing frustration. He picks up his phone, ignored for the past few hours, to speak with her.

The pizza parlor where she works has just lost power. Watson counsels her to

comfortably in the living room. Like any house, there is room here for movement, for silence and privacy and the need to be alone.

By the end of the day, over 10 inches of rain would fall in Charleston, flooding the streets in what Charleston International Airport will call its wettest day on record.

Talking about it later, it makes quite the story in Watson’s telling: his fiancé driving around in a flood delivering pizzas.

“If you went in a truck, the water was up to the axle,” Watson reported. “And she’s driving around in a fucking Chevy Cobalt.”

The afternoon of the flood, though, his mood is different and much less certain of the outcome.

Returning to his friends, he is pensive, but still conversational. Stahman and Josey weave around him a lively and spontaneous nest of dialogue, engaging him, helping him. The years their friendship is composed of is not burden, but a buoyan-

The question: “What keeps y’all going?” Watson’s answer: “Can’t stop, won’t stop.”

Sloughing through the last of the set at Joe’s. Photo by Ron Vaz When the subject of the future is broached, the mood becomes suddenly somber.

“I don’t know,” Walker says. “I think we’re all getting to a point where we have different plans. Maybe five years ago, we would have jumped out and gone on the road or something, but now we’ve all got end games, you know. Everybody’s got a plan now.”

The football game, fully muted now, is a clash of colors on the screen, the players

28 Fall 2015

leave as soon as possible. His advice, delivered calmly and matter-of-factly, betrays his anxiety. In the living room off to the side of the practice room, someone overhearing the conversation exclaims, “Holy shit.”

Slowly, Watson pivots, turning away from the practice room. As he drifts further away into a unlit corridor of the house, the conversation gives way to the soft sound of the rain slackening and the movements of the others shifting un-

cy upon which their words and laughter float, intimate, witty and kind.

When the pace of their dialogue eventually slackens, Watson retires to the session room.

Watson has a tendency to tune his guitar incessantly. He will return to a song over and over, whittling it down to just a few phrases wherein the imperfection lies.

He is experimenting with ever-evolving iterations of the Christmas staple “What Child is This,” each version heading off in some unique direction. The song, in Watson’s hands, plucked along the strings of his guitar, is dark, sonorous and gorgeous.

The melody, an English folk song, dates back over 400 years. Like a wintertime lullaby, it stills the air, filling with it an almost Middle Eastern exoticism. The notes mix homogeneous with the incense

Watson, Herrmann and Stahman finishing out the show. Photo by Ron Vaz burning in the next room, and the show, only five hours away, seems both distant and benevolently expectant.

The look on Watson’s face as he whittles out this tune is not one of consternation but, instead, could be viewed as something closer to peaceful. “I could do this shit for hours,” he says.

“It’s fascinating that you can make all those sounds with six little strings and just convey the depth of emotion that certain people do.

“Maybe things are quite going your way, you know, you’ve had a shit day or something, you can sit down and pick up a guitar and it doesn’t necessarily matter anymore if you’re just picking out your little chords and singing a song. And you can do it to suit your mood, too, which is probably what’s so good about it.

“If you’ve had a bad day, you can sing a sad song and, you know, commiserate a little bit with that singer. Or sing a happy song if you’re in a good mood, and you can bring joy to other people, too.

“I guess that’s what it is. It’s kind of like a dissolving into a collective, an ego loss almost. When you get into a real heavy jam and, yeah, you’re feeling, you know, you guys are all tight and you’re clicking and everyone knows where everyone else is at, man, that shit is tight.

“It’s just … it’s a good feeling. It is.

I don’t know, it’s something that - I’ve loved that feeling since I was 14 and started jamming with people. There’s nothing quite like it.

“It just feels so natural, it’s just been something that we’ve just been doing. It would be hard to imagine not. Cause, you know, on the one hand, they are my band mates. But on the other hand, they’re like my best friends, too,” he says with contemplation.

The set list for the night’s show, three bands all playing covers, with each selection alluding to a different decade, reads like a combined musical catalogue upon which the band as a whole draws its inspiration.

Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” stands in for the ‘50s, then “After Hours” by the Velvet Underground sublimates the ‘60s, while “Ohio” by Crosby Stills & Nash eulogizes the ‘70s (Stahman’s mother knew one of the four war protesters killed at Kent State), “Caribou” complexifies the ‘80s and “The Bad Touch” by the Bloodhound Gang adds a touch of nostalgia and fun from the ‘90s.

For the new millennium, Modest Mouse’s “Paper Thin Walls” is obvious choice, considering the affinity Watson and Herrmann share for the band.

The last song, a track that, according to the rules, must be an original from the

current decade that best represents the band’s music overall, is the band’s newest song, one not yet included on any album.

Once titled “Let it Ride, Clyde,” “All The Darkest Horses” brings the band up to date. Created on the spur of the moment during the practice sessions leading up to the Surrey Tavern CD-release party, the song is tighter now, a blazing example of the band’s synchronicity. The day of the song’s creation, instead of practicing their old material, the band spent two hours developing the riff Watson brought down with him from Charleston: just the nugget of an idea. But that, in the hands of this band, Watson said, “is just like striking a match on tinder.”

The set is fun and fast, a dizzying display of talent.

Outside afterward, a huddle of cigarette smokers crowds together at the bottom of the stairs that lead down to Joe’s Underground, the steps wet black above them, opening up to the soaked city streets and heavy sky above.

As the evening winds down and the last players have left the stage, Stahman is toying with the idea of another cover show. This one would bring together several local acts that have collaborated and inspired one another.

Stahman, who is supposed to be celebrating his birthday, strides from one end

29

of the room to the other, sharing fierce handshakes and the possibilities of the new show with attendees.

He walks up next to another musician perched on a bar stool, the man’s elbows hugging the bar. Stahman leans forward his substantial frame within earshot amid the ambling, last call atmosphere of the club. His head moves excitedly, making plans and getting feedback.

When he has an idea like this, it is hard for him to sit still.

“Once you’re with someone for several years, you go through periods, you go through stuff with each other,” Stahman said. “We’ve all had rough spots in our friendship. We’ve had the good and the bad. The important thing is we’ve stuck together and we keep it together, we keep it going.

“Despite the distance between us, despite everything, we still keep it going. At this point, we’re finally breaking through now. It’s really exciting. We feel like we’re on the edge of something, on the verge of something big. We just keep throwing our heart and soul into it and, you know, what happens, happens.”

There is something Sparling, the band’s poet, said once. She was describing the strange set of circumstances that led her to join the band, several chance encounters with the others that eventually found her “puzzling in” with the whole. Neither she nor the other band members could decide whether it was she who chose the band or the band that chose her. Rather than disagree, she answered the question with an adage, seemingly self-penned (or if not that, then artfully utilized).

Stahman and Watson celebrating a successful show. Photo by Ron Vaz 30 Fall 2015

Smiling reflectively about the complexity that the past brings when other people are concerned and what it means for the future, the grace it takes to address the present moment unquestionably, she said with a large laugh, “Let’s just leave it at a mystery.”

Richard Adams is a senior communications and English major.

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T

he Oxford Dictionary defines time travel as “the action of traveling through time into the past or the future.” It is unbelievable to imagine that this is currently taking place at Georgia Regents University. Who is the mastermind behind it all? Professor Douglas (Doug) Joiner, transports students within time via the use of set design.

Through his visions and interpretations of set design, the spectator’s atmosphere is transformed and they are transported to the same location as the main character. No longer are they in the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, but they are beside the actor in their moments of struggles and happiness. Actors may very well be an important part of theatre, but the secret ingredient that completes the production is the magic of the set.

Joiner’s assistant, Brendon Riccardi, a student at GRU majoring in television and cinema and minoring in drama, spoke fondly of Joiner.

“I always try to get a class a semester with Doug. He is a great teacher.” Riccardi said.

When he candidly spoke about Professor Joiner, he stared into the skies searching for the perfect words to describe him.

“We know Doug from class, but here we see Doug the creator,” he said.

32 Fall 2015

He described Doug as a visionary, who provides a space for creativity.

“He loves to share the praise and the glory,” said Riccardi. Professor Joiner is great at what he does, yet there is a sense of humility about him. Toward the end of the conversation, Riccardi seemed to have found a close enough description of Joiner, which was that “he can find simplicity in things and hit home with that simplicity.”

As Joiner opened the door to the Chateau, where he was currently working on a recent set for Medea, it looked like a building full of paint cans, but to him, it was filled with his labor and passion for theatre and past pieces he had worked on.

The great research and thought that is put into how the sets come together is beyond expectation. Separated by massive pieces of woods and metals, Joiner explained that he has been a part of GRU for 16 years.

“Since I am a director, I am quite visual in nature and know how to present a story in the realm of the craft,” he said. “I can read a play and excavate images that translates into building a set for the spectator. I am good at finding a central image.”

A central image is the focal point of the play.

It is that one entity that will capture the audience.

Joiner explained that in preparation for the set design of Medea, he explored a lot of sculptures and paintings of the character.

“I go much beyond theatre,” he stated as he looked around. “I visualize.”

In his mind he begins to assemble the set.

His method is to not only explore theatre and the actual play when looking into set design, it is about exploring all aspects of what is defined as art.

When asked what reaction would satisfy him after putting so much work into the set, he simply stated he is looking to astound.

“I’m after what Peter Brook calls the golden fish, we want that moment, we do want to be transported.”

Joiner’s secret to this art is like traveling in time in itself. It is like being in the presence of a philosopher. Although he may not know it himself, he concluded the interview in true philosopher fashion, providing great words of wisdom, encouragement and motivation. He made it clear that it is important in life to be an originator, never a replica.

Geraldin Lopez is a senior communications major.

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The Georgia Literary Festival Story by Michelle Haynie | Artwork by Kenneth Benson | Layout by Anna Sams

The Georgia Center for the Book and the Georgia Humanities Council hosts an annual literary festival in rotating cities across the state. Augusta welcomes the festival this year as it celebrates Southern writers.

S

ome people may not realize how precious Georgia’s literary heritage is. According to Joe Davich, director of Georgia Center for the Book (GCB), the Georgia Literary Festival is a chance for people to experience the rich literary culture of the state.

“This festival allows us to say this is our voice. This is our distinct Georgia literary voice that we want out there in the world, and it’s great and so diverse,” he said.

The Georgia Literary Festival began in 1999 as the Eatonton Literary Festival in Eatonton, Georgia. Its only purpose was to celebrate the lives and works of three Georgian authors: Alice Walker, Joel Chandler Harris and Flannery O’Connor. However, as years passed and interest spiked, it became clear that Georgia’s literary heritage was something that

34 Fall 2015

many people took a great deal of pride in.

Realizing its potential, the GCB took over the festival in 2001, opening it up to celebrate not just three authors from Georgia, but multiple authors from the state. With the name change to the Georgia Literary Festival, Davich said the next step was to move it out of Eatonton.

“It was inhospitable to ask people to go to red clay Georgia in July where it’s 103 degree weather,” said Davich.

With the move, discussions of a new location began, and it was determined that the festival would have no set home. Instead, a new town would be selected every year from a list of applications. Now, after 14 years of the festival transitioning around Georgia, the event will be held in Augusta on Nov. 7 at Georgia Regents University.

“We always keep looking at sort of like middle Georgia,” said Davich. “We had the festival in Macon, and we had the festival in Milledgeville, but we never have done anything along the Savannah River other than the Jekyll Island festival, and you know it’s like well, Augusta has a lot of things going for it. There’s industry out there, so there is potential for sponsors.

There’s the college.”

With the location in place, Karin Gillespie, part-time instructor for Augusta University, and the GCB were given the task of selecting the authors who would be included in the event.

“I looked at other festivals to see who had books out and I mostly consulted with friends,” said Gillespie. “As an author, I know a lot of other authors.”

As an Augusta native and novelist, Gilles-

“This festival allows us to say this is our voice. This is our distinct Georgia literary voice that we want out there in the world, and it’s great and so diverse.” pie has the advantage of being a working author with several literary connections to writers within the region. Besides needing the authors to be from Georgia, she also looked at authors with recent books.

“People who had a book (out for) a year or two,” said Gillespie.

About 50 writers and authors will be in attendance at the event. According to Gillespie, most of them will be grouped into panels by their genres: young adult, children’s literature, historical fiction, chick lit, literary fiction, mystery and suspense, poetry, cook books, Georgia historical places, memoir writers and grit lit.

On the panel for novels for younger readers is Becky Albertalli, a contemporary young adult author from Sandy Springs, whose debut novel, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” came out last April. She said that she met her agent through similar events like this one.

“I went to a mixer where I met a bunch of other agents,” said Albertalli. “One of the agents I met at the mixer remembered me when I queried him a week or two later.”

Although Albertalli said that she understood that she wasn’t signed simply because her agent had met her at a conference, she did say that because they had met, he read her manuscript more quickly when she sent it.

She added that it meant a lot to her to be invited to a festival that honors only Georgia authors.

“This is where I grew up and this is where I’m raising my kids,” she said.

Another author who will appear on the debut author’s panel is Eric Morris, who graduated from Augusta College with degrees in English literature and communications. His book, “Jacob Junk,” is based on a river trip he took from Augusta to Savannah.

“I’m going to be thrilled to be there,” said Morris. “I was very happy to be thought of. You know, sometimes if you’re from a place they don’t think very much of you. But it’s nice that it came about this way.”

In addition to the panel talks, there will

be a special panel on people who have connections to Augusta’s history, says Gillespie. Some writers will be giving presentations on how to get published and the different ways to be published. There will be vendors set up street fair style, where self-published authors can sell their works, and a children’s stage.

“Everybody knows that children who read and love to read become adults who read and love to read,” said Davich.

The children’s stage will have picture books, a reptile show, a ventriloquist and story tellers. It will also feature author Deron Hicks, who writes “The Shakespeare Mysteries” series for middle grade fiction.

“Hopefully, when we have the festival out there, maybe there is going to be some kid that is going to absolutely fall in love with those ‘Shakespeare Mysteries’ on that children’s stage and thinks that writing is for them, and we end up with a national book award winner 10 years

down the road,” said Davich. “That would thrill me to no end.”

Anna Harris, assistant professor of English at Georgia Regents University and chair of the Georgia Literary Festival Augusta Steering Committee, said that the event is a chance for Augusta to show off its thriving arts community.

“It is an opportunity to prove that Augusta can host multiple cultural events,” said Harris. “So not just Arts in the Heart, not just Westobou. Those are wonderful events; however, there is a space for an event that exclusively focuses on literature.”

Though the location of the festival is important, the Georgia Literary Festival represents something more than a place.

It embodies the culture and heritage of a state that has so much to offer to the literary world.

“I’ve gotten to know a couple of writers and authors that live in Georgia, and it is so special to be able to hang out in person and also to have a common background,” said Albertalli. “I think people have a lot of ideas about Georgia and the south that just aren’t true. So it’s nice to see people that just get that.”

Michelle Haynie is a senior communications and English major .

Phoenix Staff Favorite Study Spot:

The Purple Cow

Grab a coffee, pimento cheese sandwich or frozen yogurt between classes or stay a while at this neighborhood favorite located within walking distance of the Summerville campus. A Phoenix staff favorite? 20 ounce Chai tea latte with coconut milk and a shot of espresso.

Located at: 1419 Monte Sano Ave. Across from St. Mary’s

35

Humanitree House: The Vision of an Artist Story, Layout and Photos

by Erica Ruggles

H

umanitree House, located at 230 8th St. in downtown Augusta, is a manifestation of Baruti Tucker’s 14 year long spiritual evolution. The storied painting, “Humanitree,” is the embodiment of the concept of humans being intimately connected with the Earth. It shows a human who is depicted as a tree, standing on a hill next to a sunset. The piece is part of a series of similar works created by Baruti Tucker, founder of Humanitree House.

He said that after he created the series, he wanted a gallery in which to showcase his art and that of others. He carried this vision with him for 14 years until it all came to fruition in the form of a retail space, juice bar and vegetarian and vegan café.

“When you think of connectivity, there’s always a possibility of disconnec-

36 Fall 2015

tion,” said Baruti. “So I just dug and dug and dug and I found that in the Earth, the Earth has the same colors as we do. The colors of the Earth are the three primary colors: red, yellow and blue. That’s all in us. I think that the word, ‘human,’ comes from that. Because the word, ‘hue,’ is in human.”

Ever since Baruti began painting, he has never used paintbrushes; he uses only his fingers as implements to create the stunning detail found in his work.

The human figure depicted in the painting is found all over the space: on the front of the store, on business cards and promo flyers, on the juice labels, even on a mural below the register. The figure has truly become a representation of the Humanitree vision and brand.

“I met Baruti through an artistic ven-

ture,” said Denise Tucker, Baruti’s wife and co-founder of Humanitree House.

“Someone showed him a picture of me and told him that he should paint me, and he looked at the picture and said, ‘okay, maybe,’ but we weren’t connected in any way until he went on Facebook and found me. Then he decided to paint me.

We talked and we talked, and eventually he came down here and we started dating, and the rest is history.”

Denise has lived in Augusta for 26 years. She grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and after she married her previous husband, who was in the military, he was stationed in Augusta. After the divorce, she found it was best to stay in the area because her children were still in school.

When she met Baruti, she thought she was going to move to his home in New

York City, but he relocated to Augusta instead.

“I was apprehensive, not necessarily about our vision, because I did a lot of vegan and vegetarian catering for years here in Augusta, but I was apprehensive about it being received in Augusta,” Denise said.

Although most new businesses tend to hold at least a small amount of capital upon opening, but that was not the case for Humanitree.

“We started with only $1000 in our

pocket,” Denise said. “Friends gave us paint to use on the walls, and we made some small modifications to the space here and there. But if we had started with more savings, we would be doing really well today. Every dollar that people spend here helps to keep us afloat.”

Humanitree is not actually the first juice bar in the area; there was another juice bar on Broad Street in downtown Augusta called, “Juice,” but it did not last very long and closed some time ago. SitA-Spell coffee house on Broad Street also

offered juices, but they were not coldpressed like the juices sold at Humanitree.

“We are the first cold-pressed juice bar in Augusta,” Denise said. “So I was a little apprehensive about how people would receive it, whether or not it would be sustainable, and my husband is a little bit more, ‘let’s just do it,’ so we just did it and here we are. We opened full time on Sept. 15, 2014 and just in the beginning of November (of that year), I had a consistent customer base.”

“We want this to be a universal space.”

However, while some of the menu offerings and juices may seem pricey, Humanitree’s items are priced well below similar products sold in larger cities like Atlanta.

“Since cold-pressed juice is relatively new to Augusta, we had to make the prices reflect the intended market,” Denise explained. “We thought $6.75 was fair for a bottle of juice because you would pay double the amount in a major city. Baruti and I went to a similar place in Atlanta once, and I got a 16 ounce bottle of cashew milk for $12. Baruti was cursing the whole time, not because of the price, but because of what we sell similar products for.” he storefront also functions as a meeting and event space, in addition to being a retail store and café. They also regularly hold

T

art classes and team up with other businesses in the downtown area. The business has been participating in the First Friday Gallery Hop for several months, as well as taking part in the monthly Sidewalk Saturday event. Recently, they also began tutoring students in grade school and secondary school. Such intensive involvement further allows Baruti and Denise to connect with the community and spread their vision and philosophy.

“We’ve let people use the space as long as they support us,” Denise said. “And regardless of what their mission is, regardless of their cultural background, their belief system, whatever it is they do, if we can make it work, we want this to be a universal space.”

They offer free Wi-Fi and a projector for public use and will even close off the gallery space to enable groups to hold

more private meetings.

“I respect what other people do. I think that there’s not a one-size-fits-all lifestyle,” she said. “I think people get really caught up in trying to conform to whatever it is that they think is right, when there is no normal. We allowed CSRA Normal, the national organization for medical marijuana, to have a meeting here, and we were criticized heavily for it. I said, ‘that’s their thing, that has nothing to do with me,’ you know, this is a meeting space. I want people to respect other people, and there’s no other place like this in Augusta.”

The space previously held a hookah lounge, and those who patronized the lounge may no longer recognize the space in its current manifestation; the walls, once painted black to echo the energy of the previous business, are now cream-colored and hold a smattering of tree motifs in the corners. hat sets Humanitree’s juices apart from store bought juices is the fact that they are unpasteurized. Store bought juices are required by the Food and Drug Administration to be processed and treated in order to extend shelf life, most commonly by adding preservatives and pasteurization. Humanitree’s juices have a shelf life of three days, and they recommend that their juice be consumed within 15 minutes of opening because it starts to break down as soon as it is exposed to oxygen. Denise is always hard at work on the in-house juicer to ensure that more than enough juice is produced for their growing customer base.

The secret ingredient? Love.

“When people talk about whether juicing or blending is better for you, they don’t realize that there is no right way of consuming fruits and vegetables,” Denise explained. “It just depends on what your body needs. With our juicer, we can completely extract all of the fibers from the ingredients. Drinking a juice allows your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals faster, while drinking a smoothie gives you the same benefits, but your body has to digest it first. So really, both methods are right!”

In addition to fresh juice and smoothies, the business has expanded the café offerings since opening last year to include a filling açaí bowl, veggie burgers, “jive turkee” and daily soup offerings.

Lunch is served 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. from

W

Humanitree’s high windows allow sunlight to stream into the space.

38 Fall 2015

Denise, “The Juice Mama,” managing daily operations.

Monday to Saturday, while smoothies are available all day and juice is stocked in the cold case while supplies last.

As Augusta continues to grow and evolve, Humanitree House seems to be

a venue that is more than appropriate to both begin and lead the movement of vegetarian and vegan centered cafés into the area.

Erica Ruggles is a senior communications major.

Art by Baruti

“The word, ‘hue,’ is in human.”

39

Georgia Regents University Bachelor of Fine Arts Facebook: The Cosmic Palace mgoodwin@gru.edu

artist feature

full trash costume litter, paper mache, found objects 6’ x 6” My work reflects my perpetual experimentation with life. My concepts come from the tensions between order and chaos. I spend a lot of time in the natural world, looking to the most ancient for guidance for the future. Sustainability, and the reuse of material is an important part of my artistic choices. I want to illuminate social misdirections, and involve people in my artistic practice and in change.

ceramic raku pinch pot 5” x 1” x 2”

ceramic pinch pot 2.5” x 1.5” x 3” 40 Fall 2015

My art walks the line between the serious and silly, with a fearless optimism. I am in a constant state of inspiration, creating a web of creativity and social elevation. I work in many mediums, nearly anything around me has the potential to be sucked into my aesthetic sphere, and regurgitated as an art form. I am mounted on the back of the infinite, pen drawn, ever questing for truth – and you are invited.

multimedia on card paper 11” x 27”

live painting made on First Friday acrylic on canvas 24” x 24”

multimedia 24” x 17”

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Georgia Regents University Bachelor of Fine Arts

artist feature

This piece was inspired by an internationally recognized artist, Keith Thompson. Thompson is most well known for his creative concept work. He creates his own characters ranging from creatures to robots, to the undead and more. Thompson’s work has been featured in books, magazines, films and video games.

Art has truly allowed me to escape and express my creativity through a wide variety of mediums.

Apart from traditional graphite, acrylic and oil paints, I also create digital paintings and drawings done in programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Paint Tool Sai. The exposure that I have had with different art has taught me that determination and ambition is the key to not only being successful in my college experience, but also in any other personal endeavors.

42 Fall 2015

Augusta University half page Generic Ad October 2015 copy.pdf 1 10/19/2015 2:46:11 PM

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