The LocaL, May 2019

LocaL

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photo by Bo Bartlett

MAY 2019

LocaL

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MAY 2019

STUFF TO READ PAWS Humane Society

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BETSY EBY

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UPSTREAM

THROUGH A LENS

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Christian Ortiz

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Cocktail Club

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Barks & Blues

Creating Spaces

London Mahogany’s Creative Vision Is A One Man Band

Margaritas Flowers of Cinco de Mayo

706 250 7777

Letter from the Editor

I

never wanted to live in Columbus. I wanted to live and work in some unnamed big city. I wanted big city dreams, big city opportunities, the big city lifestyle. And then I came to live in Columbus.

I came home ten years ago. It’s still incredible for me to imagine the growth we have seen in ten, much less the last three, years. Columbus and the valley has become a destination—a place where creatives come to play and work. We might be a minor hub, but we are a hub none the less. Here, we—all jokes aside—do amazing.

I know we do amazing. I see it every day.

I see entrepreneurs like our friend Greg Hill. See artists like Charles Fowler. I see people like Christian Ortiz, who are both artist and entrepreneur, treading these lines and redefining community engagement. I see a community flush with the energetic, rife with the determined, and replete with the dedicated. Ours is a community of inspiration. All around, I see people who work daily to make this world a more colorful place, and they begin their efforts by making our community a better place.

Beginning can be intimidating. Take some advice from Christian Ortiz. Pick something and do it. There will always be people who dislike what you do. Forget them. There will always be people who love what you do, and they are the ones you respond to.

This community is ours. We can make it in our own image.

We have no choice but to make it in our own image. Do something today. Let me know about it. I’ll help. Because I love this community, and chances are, so do you.

t hel o cal co l u mbu s . co m f acebook .com/t helocalcolumbusga

What We Are All About.

The mission of the LocaL magazine is to bring you the best in art, music, food and fun from Columbus and the surrounding area. Locally owned and operated, we work to improve and expand community relationships through promoting positive events and stories. When good things are happening, we will be here to help you get involved. Our monthly print issues will feature stories and events that comprise and drive the ongoing surge toward a more beautiful community. This magazine exists because we who work on it believe in actively engaging with community improvement, and we invite you to join us, not only by reading these pages, but also by taking part in any of the many wonderful events we feature.

Best, Tom Ingram Editor

PUBLISHER

Monica Jones publisher@thelocalcolumbus.com ads@thelocalcolumbus.com

EDITOR

Tom Ingram editor@thelocalcolumbus.com

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Mat Cornett

CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS

Bobbie Yeo Joe Miller Jaylan King Cover Photo by Bo Bartlett

Photo By MJ LocaL

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MAY 2019

Sketching Under the Skylight Leave your voices at the door. From 4 to 6 p.m., witness the power of the creative process as professional artists from the GO FIGURE drawing group sketch from a live model in costume under the magical skylights of the Bartlett Center. Free admission and open to the public. Every Thursday, 4 p.m., The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition Reception May 4, 4 p.m., Illges Gallery, Corn Center for the Visual Arts, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus Mother’s Day Tea Mom and child will paint a teacup and saucer each while enjoying petit fours and tea. $32 plus tax for mom and child. RSVP. Additional children are $16 plus tax. May 11, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Bare Ware Pottery Studio, 3912 Woodruff Road, Columbus Get Hooked: Crochet Club Adults of all ages & levels are welcome to this lively, welcoming, non-judgmental group of makers! Call (706) 243 - 2782 or email mlt@cvlga.org to stay “in the Loop”! May 11 & 25, 4 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus Look! At Lunchtime Enjoy museum exhibits and a taco lunch. A great way to break up the workday with art and excellent food. May 14, 11 a.m., The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road Coffee and Coloring Club Adults, are you looking for a relaxing activity to help you de-stress? Want to create beautiful artwork at the same time? Join the library for freestyle coloring or focus on a theme, such as lanndscapes, animals or mandalas. All material will be provided, along with light refreshments. May 14, 4 p.m., North Columbus Public Library, 5689 Armour Road Cathy, Coulter and Fred Fussell Exhibition Reception Exhibition will be up through June 22. May 17, 5:30 p.m., Illges Gallery, Corn Center for the Visual Arts, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus Art and Transformation Join April Laxton, E-RYT 200 and national award-winning author Melissa Pritchard for a transformational journey into yoga, writing, music, art and meditation.

Dress comfortably and bring a large, unlined notebook and pen or pencil. Melissa has taught “Art and Transformation” classes in California and will teach again this summer in France. Collaborating with April, Melissa will offer short meditations, simple writing, drawing and sensory exercises as well as aromatherapy and music.

By listening to, acting upon and honoring your unique creative impulses you can begin a transformational journey of self expression, active creation and joy. $40 per person May 18, 1 - 4 p.m., Art of Yoga, 627 2nd Avenue, Columbus Guest Lecture Series: Dr. Evan Kutzler Dr. Evan Kutzler - professor at Georgia Southwestern and author will discuss his book Prison Pens, a memoir of a captured Confederate Soldier in northern Virginia and letters he exchanged with his fiancee during the Civil War. May 23, 7 - 9 p.m., National Civil War Naval Museum, 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus The Traveling Show: Pasaquan glo will activate Pasaquan’s ground with movement based initiatives, including People Parades, Movement Choirs, Neon Study #5, and Mappings. The Traveling Show is a series of community-driven, artist led initiatives made in collaboration with at-risk preservation sites and surrounding locals in Georgia. Public Event.

Suggested donation $10. May 23 through 26, Pasaquan, 238 Eddie Martin Road, Buena Vista, Ga. Art for the Ark June 1, 4 - 8 p.m., Animal Ark Rescue, 7133 Sacredote Lane, Columbus

NO SHAME THEATRE

At 10:30 every Friday night, the Springer plays host to NO SHAME THEATRE. NO SHAME THEATRE is an uncensored evening of original performance that allows anyone to explore their creative potential. Signup begins at 10 p.m., and the first 15 to sign up get a five-minute time slot to perform their original material.

Admission is $5, including for performers. Every Friday, Springer Opera House, 103 10th Street, Columbus, (706) 324-5714 Crown & Comedy at The Loft Every Thursday, 7 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus Marvelous Show on Ice Join the Columbus Figure Skating Academy to see local skating phenoms take to the ice in grand style as they perform their gold medal-winning routines and try out new tricks. $7 at the door. May 5, 2 - 4 p.m., Columbus Figure Skating Academy, 400 4th Avenue Invisible Voices This one hour theatrical piece fuses dance and spoken word poetry to highlight communities, groups and issues in our global community that are often overlooked or marginalized. May 5 & 6, 7 p.m., CSU Riverside Theatre Complex, 6 West 10th Street, Columbus Million Dollar Quarter This Tony Award-winning musical megahit returns to the Springer for a victory lap on the mainstage with the same dazzling cast that broke box office records in 2017. The show opens on the fateful night of December 4, 1956 when an extraordinary twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together at Sun Records in Memphis. Hit songs include: Blue Suede Shoes, Walk the Line, Sixteen Tons, Who Do You Love?, Great Balls of Fire, Folsom Prison Blues, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, Hound Dog and more.

May 3 - 19, Springer Opera House, 103 10th Street, Columbus Page One Awards Ceremony Piedmont Columbus Regional presents the Ledger-Enquirer’s Annual Page One Awards ceremony, which celebrate the area’s most outstanding high school seniors.

May 7, 7 - 9 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Kinky Boots Kinky Boots is Broadway’s huge-hearted, high-heeled hit! With songs by Grammyand Tony-winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos. With direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray) and a book by Broadway legend and four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (LaCage Aux Folles), Kinky Boots is the winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Choreography. Take a step in the right direction and discover that sometimes the best way to fit in is to stand out. June 4 & 5, 7:30 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Want to see your event listed here? Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com

Want to see your event listed here? Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com

LocaL

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MAY 2019

PAWS Humane Soci ety

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th ANNUAL

FREE ADMISSION

May 11th, Woodruff Park

Live Entertainment PET CONTEST

aturday, May 11th S marks the date of the fourth annual Paws Humane

Society Barks & Blues Festival. What began as a modest attempt to bring more families onto the Paws campus drew such a crowd that we had to move it to Woodruff Park last year. This year we expect over 3,000 attendees and we can hardly wait till the music starts at 4:00 pm. The Festival now has its own website www.barksandblues.com where you can find more information.

Barks & Blues is a family friendly event with something for everyone. Our Kid Zone will be situated near the splash pad at Woodruff Park and will feature a bouncy house with a slide, crazy hair, face painting and crafts. CORTA will be there as well with racquets and tennis balls.

Columbus’ finest food trucks will be cookin’ up barbeque, smoked sausage, hamburgers, hotdogs and funnel cakes. There will be plenty of ice cream and shaved ice to cool you down as the Festival heats up. Be sure to bring your appetite. And, of course, you can’t have the blues without plenty of beer.

This is a dog friendly event with an adoptions tent. Dress up your pet and she may be one of the lucky 15 chosen to enter the pet costume contest which will be held at 5:45 that afternoon.

We are fortunate once again to have our dear friends, Neal Lucas and his trio, get the music started. They are a well-loved Columbus staple, known for their mix of jazz, blues and southern rock. The Mark Sasser Ensemble, my personal favorite, will return to the Festival this year with music that is, “Infused with the Blues and is Good for the Soul!”

Our music line up has something for everyone.

GP38, a four-piece band from Muscle Shoals, Alabama delivers high-energy performances of real country music along with all your southern and classic rock favorites. This will be their second year at the Festival. In addition, we are adding local country band, Jonboy Storey to the line-up.

Damn Skippy is also returning to the Festival this year. They are described as a “full on party rock cover band with influences from Van Halen to Guns and Roses, Metallica and Hank Williams, Jr.” Prepare to be wowed by this year’s headliner, the Heather Gillis Band, coming to us from Nashville. This high-energy group is going to blow your hair back with their blend of rock, soul, jazz, roots and gospel. Heather is a singer/songwriter who knows her way around a blues guitar. You will want to stay up past your bed time for this one.

If you love music and you love animals then this is the place to be on May 11. Best of all admission to the 2018 Barks & Blues Festival is FREE! That is thanks to our amazing sponsors, especially the Stelzenmuller Rescues.u Adoption Hours: Mon-Fri•10am-6pm, Sat•10am-5pm, Sun•12pm-5pm 4900 Milgen Road Columbus, GA 31907 • www.pawshumane.org office@pawshumane.org (706) 565-0035 • Vet Clinic phone number (706) 987-8380 LocaL

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MAY 2019

B etsy Eby

C r e a t i n g

S p a c e s

By Tom Ingram

2018 solo exhibition, I AM OCEAN, Winston Wachter Fine Art - Seattle

pa i nte r B e t sy E by tal ks ab o ut h e r a rtistic life , c om m un ity a n d sh a rin g s pace, bo th phys ical and beyo nd There are stretches of the northwest coast where the gray-green Pacific Ocean imprinted on the windshield. Betsy emerged from the accident with a “voracious crashes against the rocky shores of old growth conifer forests. It was there, in desire to paint and play music.” She began exploring the idea of ascension, in the Seaside, Oregon, a village near the terminus of the Lewis and Clark Trail, hemmed spiritual sense: what is it and what keeps us grounded. She began with acrylics, by the Necanicum River to the north and Tillamook Head promontory to the while also finishing her education, but wanted greater depth in her work, and soon moved to oil. Betsy was searching for greater visual depth in her work, a way to south, where Betsy Eby grew up.

I met with Betsy in her studio, a loft in the old Swift Mill. She showed me suggest inevitability and obscure her mark-making, exploring how to manifest the around her work space, where she crafts her encaustic paintings. It’s a labor aesthetic of ascension.

After college, Betsy moved to Seattle, a city in the midst of a major artistic intensive process; she layers heated wax, damar resin and pigment on canvas in almost limpid coats, liquifying them with a blowtorch. When we met, she was renaissance, one which would leave a major impression on her own work.

Microsoft and Starbucks were starting to working on a new piece. Betsy pointed balloon; Betsy’s neighborhood was next to out a few of the details of the work, the Kurt Cobain’s. Betsy rented rooms in an old way layers interplay, and to demonstrate, Victorian home, and soon “commandeered she set the torch to a section. I watched the basement”—her housemates encouraged as the layers fused under the heat; when her work. Her eyes move excitedly when she she removed the torch, she encouraged recalls this time, a time free of calculation me to touch the surface; the wax was still or a concerted effort to be an artist. warm but already solidified. Betsy had Painting was a thing she was compelled to many, many more hours of application do; it was “biological,” she said, a manifold and coalescence to go. compulsion built of the car accident, her We settled into her sitting area, a childhood. “I never thought I was going to brightly lit space containing a grand be an artist,” she admitted. piano, tall bookshelves and two sofas. We Being compelled, driven to find visual talked for two hours about everything expression of her fascinations, Betsy did the under the sun, but we began where all sort of things a person must do in order to be things begin, especially for artists—her an artist. She took local art classes, learning childhood. Betsy’s demeanor is calm, all she could. Most of all, she spent time in and you catch her enthusiasm and the basement of the Victorian. She copied contemplation most in her eyes, perhaps and imitated works she admired, which she because her painting requires such says is a natural step for artists. She also patience and scrupulous crafting. When AdLib restaurant in Miami, FL. courtesy Miami Eater - photo by Chat Chow explored, developed her own rhythms and I asked about childhood, she eased back phrasings. When she was not exploring in on the sofa opposite me and closed her the basement, and in order to pay her way, eyes for a moment.

Betsy worked.

Betsy’s father worked in the timber “I developed a business where I worked with architects and designers doing industry. Her earliest, most formative impressions are of the untamed Pacific Northwest, a place she has longed for ever since. She also began playing piano color consulting and specialty materials installation,” she explained. “Seattle was at age five, and music suffuses the life of anyone who takes to it so young, Betsy (and continues to be) booming, so I worked with some of the greatest taste makers, maybe more so than most. Many of her encaustic works’ titles reference classical including world renowned architect, Tom Kundig.”

When Betsy was 27 or 28, she took at trip to Massachusetts, where she visited music, and those who see rhythms on walks along the Chattahoochee will find the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. There, a William Turner painting them too in her paintings.

Betsy studied art history at the University of Oregon, focusing on antiquities, captivated her. Turner was an English romantic painter, known for his turbulent until a serious car accident interrupted her studies. She remembers her face was and expressive paintings, particularly landscapes and marine paintings. The work LocaL

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to do was give permission—so often we, whatever our circumstances, don’t even consider a life path until someone simply speaks the truth that we can pursue it.

One woman in particular stood out to Betsy. At the beginning of the class, she was quiet, shut down. At the end of the class, Betsy had an open forum, where students could share about their experience. At the end of the class, the woman spoke. Betsy recalled the woman had “felt nothing when she came” but left with a sense of a new, enormous horizon to explore. “This was her permission-giving moment,” Betsy said of the class; “no woman had ever told her she could do what she wanted.”

The woman wanted to study design; she told Betsy, “I’ll see you on the runway in Paris.”

Betsy’s look was focused, intent, determined. This is the value of art.

Art connects. We can say something universal, even and especially in our own personal languages. The resonance comes from moments of mutual comprehension, where we recognize in a work, in a language not our own, the same ineffable experience that is ours and everyone’s. And when we can share that—whether it’s with our art or with our encouragement to others to make art—we build a better community. However small each particular instance of creation and encouragement, together the drops build into waves, into oceans, and we push ourselves and our communities toward openness. As Betsy said, “artists are the storytellers, the torchbearers for meaning.”

Six years ago, Betsy moved to Columbus with her husband and fellow artist, Bo Bartlett. Columbus is Bo’s childhood home, and they came excited to be a part of the community’s growth. “Artists are always starved for space, light and time,” Betsy said, “and Columbus has that.”

Betsy Eby Main Studio Since 2001, Betsy has shown work in a Seattle gallery space designed by her old friend Tom Kundig. “I had first hand experience in how his architecture supports art installations,” Betsy said. “So when Bo and I were in the early developmental years of planning the [Bo Bartlett] Center, I knew Tom would be the perfect fit. I invited him to Columbus. He took the project and Columbus now has this “ gorgeous architectural gem to call its own.”

“We look forward to future exhibitions as we collaborate with our museum contacts throughout the United States, dealers in NY and artist friends from both coasts. In addition to hosting world class art exhibitions, we are excited about screening films, hosting panel discussions, concerts and alike, as well as continuing the ongoing outreach programs that have already touched so many lives.

“We feel passionate about Columbus being a place where young, creative people want to live and prosper. The Bo Bartlett Center is our way of contributing to its growth and vitality.”

As I was leaving her studio, Betsy gifted me a copy of her book; it contains images of her work alongside insightful essays. You can find a copy of the book by visiting her website, BetsyEby.com, which is also a wonderful place to view more of her work and to keep up with ongoing and upcoming projects; there’s far more than we can include here. For more information about the Bo Bartlett Center, including events and the Center’s inspiring outreach programs, please visit BoBartlettCenter.org.u

resonated with her formative impressions of the seaside in Oregon. There, Betsy had her “aha experience,” as she called it. “I had to be a painter or I would live a false life.”

Betsy began to understand her mission to “create spaces,” to find “the place that’s unmoored from day to day concrete reality.” Betsy said that “painting is

Betsy Eby Studio

communicating the unsayable,” but exploring the unsayable drives us to a shared ineffable experience. She finds the sweet spot of art to be a synthesis of the personal and universal, “a space for people to feel something.” Feeling, to genuinely experience and let course through your self a feeling, requires an intense patience.

“I don’t think I would have had these awakenings if I had been on Instagram every day.”

“Finding your personal language is about being still enough,” Betsy explained, “paying attention to what’s going on in our own emotional bodies… we have to be willing to feel… stay present to feeling.”

Amid books on art and music on the bookshelves behind me, I recognized many titles; Kierkegaard and Thomas Merton stood out to me, authors for whom this stillness was so vital. I thought of the concentration of the concert pianist, the way the mathematical notes on the page take on life and visceral movement when played by a person with deep feeling. It occurred to me that in the life of an artist a continuity develops, and a thread of fascination, a movement almost melodic that courses through their various interests—their music, reading, work and civic activities. I began to review my notes, trying to reground myself in the conversation after losing my place with thinking about the synthesis of universal and personal—and then Betsy brought up a project that made real this junction.

In 2018, the State Department approached Betsy through the Art in Embassies Program, a public-private partnership that promotes cultural diplomacy by connecting American and foreign artists. Betsy had worked with the program for years, loaning pieces to embassies around the world, but now they wanted to send her to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. She was to teach and lecture on art and careers in the arts, but Betsy said “the real charge was female empowerment.”

Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands face many challenges, from the exploitation of natural resources by larger powers to dramatic and immediate damage resulting from climate change. But these nations are also incredibly violent, primarily a result of the abject poverty experienced by much of the population, which is driven by economic exploitation.

Betsy said the mission was the “hardest, most challenging thing I’ve ever done,” but “did I get a massive education about the world order and geopolitics.”

Betsy spent a lot of time with Betsy Eby with Jesse Brass, 2nd DP of “Things Don’t Stay Fixed” women, working with them on their Betsy is the Executive Producer art and their careers in art. “When you come in in an egalitarian way, as artists can do,” Betsy said of her approach to these workshops, “people open up when you relate on equal levels through art.”

In a society where women have limited choices, one of the things Betsy was able LocaL

2014 solo exhibition, PAINTING WITH FIRE, Center for Maine Contemporary Art

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are interested in becoming a sponsor or vendor, please email events@pawshumane. org. May 11, 4 - 11 p.m., Woodruff Park, 1000 Bay Avenue, Columbus Chris Knight & Kevin Abernathy @ The Loft May 11, 9 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus RBRM: Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike @ Columbus Civic Center May 16, Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Street Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Featuring GP38. Free and open to all ages, thanks to the support of Uptown’s generous sponsors. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and the entire family. Drink vendors available. May 17, 7 p.m., Uptown Columbus Kelen Heller @ Soho May 17, 8 p.m., Soho Bar & Grill, 5751 Milgen Road, Columbus GA ALA Band @ Wild Wing Cafe May 18, 5:30 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Road, Columbus Cantus Columbus: The Songs of Irving Berlin In this fourth concert homage to the founders of the American Songbook, the professional chorus Cantus Columbus and the distinguished string quartet Vega Quartet, directed by William J. Bullock, present tasteful arrangements of the songs of Irving Berlin (1888–1989). The concert follows previous collaborative tributes to Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, George & Ira Gershwin, and Jerome Kern. May 18, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Relative Sound @ Wild Wing Cafe May 20, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus Groove Monkey @ Dock’s May 24, 7 - 10 p.m., Dock’s, 9883 Lee Road 379, Valley, Al. Far Beyond Reason @ Soho May 24, 10:30 p.m., Soho Bar & Grill, 5751 Milgen Road, Columbus Fallen Heroes Memorial Show With Creek Johnson @ Omaha Brewing May 25, 3 p.m., Omaha Brewing Co., 265 Brew Street, Omaha, Ga. GP38 @ Wild Wing Cafe May 25, 9 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus Relative Sound @ Wild Wing Cafe June 3, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus Want to see your event listed here? Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com

Thursday Night Thunder of Live Music @ Wild Wing Cafe Every Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus Open Mic with Matt Kirkley TATTOO SHOP OWNER MAKES AWARD-WINNING WORK Musicians are welcome to come and show off their skillsNEW and hidden talents. All musicians wishing to play must sign up in advance. Sign up at 7 p.m., music from & A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS COMMUNITY 8 until 9. Stay afterward for Mango Strange. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus THUMP. feat. Crewsont Your night devoted solely to beat culture. Fresh DJs each week flexing bass bins, MCs spitting knowledge, and our sponsors there hooking you up with new swag all night. 21 and up, $5 cover. Every Thursday, 10 p.m., CIRCA Craft Cocktails, 900 Broadway, Columbus Music ’N Motion During this structured play time, children will be encouraged to explore music through songs, puppets, books, creative movement and physical activities. Connect and socialize with other families while helping your little ones build early literacy skills through music and play. Every Friday, 10:30 a.m., Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road Friday Night Jazz @ The Loft Every Friday, 7 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus Magnetic Musos @ The Loft Every Friday, 9:30 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus Guitar and Violin Studios Concert May 5, 4 p.m., Legacy Hall, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Cello Studio Recital May 6, 7:30 p.m., Legacy Hall, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Corey Smith @ Outlaws May 9, 8 - 10 p.m., Outlaws Saloon, 6599 Veterans Parkway, Columbus Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Featuring Mike Jerel. Free and open to all ages, thanks to the support of Uptown’s generous sponsors. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and the entire family. Drink vendors available. May 10, 7 p.m., Uptown Columbus Bigg Robb & Skyler Saufley @ Phenix City Amphitheater May 10, 8 p.m., Phenix City Amphitheater, 508 Dillingham Street, Phenix City Scott Mulvahill @ The Loft May 10, 8 p.m., The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus The Midget Wrestling Show May 10, 8 p.m., Kramer’s Sports Bar, 3211 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Phenix City Relative Sound @ Wild Wig Cafe May 10, 8:30 p.m., Wild Wing Cafe, 6525 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus Havana Nights Latin Fusion May 10 & 24, 9 p.m., CIRCA Craft Cocktails, 900 Front Avenue, Columbus Symphonic Dances Piazzolla and Rachmaninoff will have your toes tappin’. Bruch’s well-town violins concert will give you a chance to rest between these lively dances.

May 11, 7:30 - 9 p.m., Columbus Symphony Orchestra, 900 Broadway Barks and Blues Festival Free admission! This is our largest annual event fundraiser, and we have so much fun in store for you and your family! The 2019 Barks and Blues Festival will feature live entertainment to include six local and regional bands, a pet costume contest with celebrity judges, food trucks, adult beverages, raffles, arts and crafts vendors, kids zone, and pet adoption specials. Pets are welcome, but must be on a leash. If you LocaL

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MAY 2019

O N A FA S S - B E N D E R Cinephiles across America rejoiced last month at the return of the Criterion Channel, which had disappeared with the death of FilmStruck at the end of November.

Now it’s back, and back with a vengeance, loaded up with cinematic gems that have heretofore gone unseen in the movie streaming-verse.

As soon as it came online, I went straight for the greatly expanded Rainer Werner Fassbinder collection, where I found Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day, a television mini-series about working-class families that aired in 1972 and 1973, but has been unavailable even on disc until now. For a Fassbinder fan like me, it was a revelation: the notoriously bleak German director could actually tell stories with nice characters and happy endings. Each of the five episodes is the length of a movie, all with the same family of characters banding together and scoring little victories over management, City Hall, and the upper class.

The series is funny and heartwarming, yet it still carries the provocative critiques of society that Fassbinder’s rightly famous for. And it has that same, toothsome Fassbinder aesthetic, thanks in large part to the cinematography of Michael Balhaus, who shot nearly all of Fassbinder’s films in the 70s and would later go on to shoot some of Martin Scorsese’s most aggressively cinematic films, such as Goodfella’s and Gangs of New York.

Balhaus is perhaps best known for how he moves the camera, using dollies and cranes to enhance the drama and visual appeal. It’s a perfect complement to Fassbinder, who stages his scenes and arranges his actors to maximum emotional effect, often having them pause and hold their expression of anger or hurt or happiness or lust or whatever a few beats beyond what is normal. The effect is a deep emotional resonance with the viewer. And they’re simply gorgeous films, shot in Technicolor, which offers a range of deep, saturated colors that has never been rivaled in the history of film – bright 1970s oranges, yellows and blues popping out against steely grays and bleak browns.

I’ve written about Fassbinder’s work a number of times in this column,most prominently in the special World Cup of Cinema series last summer, where Fassbinder singlehandedly lead the krauts to victory over Argentina. I suggested then that the uninitiated to start with his 1974 Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, and then expand out from there with his other most highly acclaimed masterpieces Fox and His Friends, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant and the Marriage of Maria Braun, before moving on to his more experimental works such as Gods of the Plague, Love is Colder Than Death and Querelle (which, I have to admit, I still find difficult to get through, despite their abundant cinematic beauty).

I want to double down on that recommendation here: if you’ve not yet explored Fassbinder’s work, check out one or a few of his mid-1970s masterpieces. After finishing the Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day series, I jumped right into these favorites and have been even more amazed by them than I was during my first viewings. They’re absolutely perfect films—lovely to look at, brilliantly acted, emotionally engaging, and, ultimately, deeply and brilliantly critical of how humans relate to one another.

Joe Miller teaches at CSU and tweets mini movie reviews in Spanish @byjoemiller

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MAY 2019

THROUGH A LENS

London Mahogany’s Creative Vision

LocaL

P

By J aylan King

hoto shoots, short films, new parenthood—there’s a lot on London Mahogany’s plate, but as we sit down inside Houlihan’s in Uptown, he’s calm and composed.

Every table in the main dining room as well as the seats at the bar are occupied; the voices merge into one large, indistinct conversation. London and I find a table near the patio. London’s face as we settle in is impassive, and I have a difficult time gauging his enthusiasm. But once we begin to talk about his work, his face transforms immediately: pure joy.

The LocaL: You have been creating so much lately, using many different forms of expression. For the works you have done so far, what has been the one that pleases you most?

London Mahogany: So far it’s been my BLK CAT short film. The idea I had was to show not necessarily “Black Experience” but the beauty of the past. I wanted to take the aesthetic of the Black Panther Party of the civil rights movement as a fashion statement and use local models, local poets, and even other local photographers just to have a collaborative project for black history month. I released it on the final day to close black history month. It isn’t to say one race is better than the other, but more to show the positivity out of all the negativity. The bad news and racial pain we are going through even now; I wanted something to empower, especially people of color who’ve been put down for a while.

TL: Art, like anything else, can take direction from trends. Certain views may not be looked to as wanted or acceptable. In a time when it can seem that some issues you tackle in your short films are irrelevant, why did you decide to go in that direction?

LM: Number one motivation came from my view that a lot of creative black artists in the area seem to not have any type of representation online, they are unheard of, and that pushed me to do it in the beginning. Because of time constraints, I couldn’t include everything I wanted to. I decided to take time during all the chaos surrounding us and say, ‘hey, let’s do something that isn’t directed towards saying people of the black race being greater than any other race, but stating that we have been in this place of pain, crumbling and division before. We filmed in abandoned buildings and areas viewed as ugly to show that we can come together and unify to make beauty from struggle. Unity.

A better tomorrow than where we were yesterday. Outside of the aesthetic importance of unity was the focus.

TL: You’re a busy photographer. Of all the shots you’ve taken, what has made you the most proud?

LM: I have a photo entitled “Corporate America.” A man is lying in a pool of water surrounded by dead fish. That shot is saying a dead fish always goes with the flow, a fish that is alive only moves in its own direction, going upstream and downstream. Don’t become stagnant in your current situation—whether it’s a job, your living situation, your passion—don’t become stagnant. When I created the photo it was because I was going through my own issues with my job. My position was getting dissolved. I wasn’t getting fired; it was more so the whole company was going under. Making me come to the realization that I was becoming a dead fish. I felt as if I were in a pond amongst so many other people that all knew what direction they were going; meanwhile, I was just floating. That picture has touched me the most.

TL: How do you approach your work?

LM: I enjoy putting an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation or an extraordinary person in an ordinary situation. I don’t move outside of that thought process. I will put a woman with wings representing her as an angel inside a very domesticated environment. I will put someone inside a world they have never been in. Average Joes. As a kid growing up I was a only child, forcing me to create worlds and tap into something more extraordinary than who I actually was. Imagine powers, strange places, and the ability to fly, I could be watching a movie or a cartoon and see these spectacular adventures I wanted to be a part of. It all spawns from that. When I create, I try not to lose my childhood.

TL: Are you originally from the area?

LM: I was born in Columbus and raised in Phenix City, but you know you can spit from one side to the other with them being so close, so I just claim them both.

TL: In what way do you feel the area has played a role in your works?

LM: It’s played a big role with me being raised here. In Phenix City, there isn’t much to do. I didn’t have many friends so it was just me in the yard, with the trees, sticks, rocks and toys. Once I came to Columbus, I met others like myself. Going from a place where you had to create something to walking into an area where everyone is always creating and going to the beat of their own drum. The mix of environments has

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developed who I am today. Social connections come from Columbus and my imagination came from Phenix City.

TL: Being around so much creativity, what about yours do you feel stands out?

LM: I’m not focused on what anybody else’s work might look like, or how do I need to one up the next guy. I’m only sticking to my realm. Only consuming what I like and nothing that I consider negative. If I let go of my own realm, I will lose a piece of myself that got me where I am today. A lot of times people do things for popularity or recognition. I’m not trying to be recognized, I’m just doing what I love. People recognize that I genuinely have fun with my craft.

I would rather them continue to see that and know that I appreciate what I do. I don’t think I’m better than anybody else or that nobody else has amazing talent; I just don’t try to get influenced.

TL: You have a piece you did with your talk on Snow White. Do you often get to points where you say “I’m going to take this idea and put a twist on it?”

LM: I think when you take something recognizable to people, they will process it a little better. They will notice the differences. When it came to Snow White, I partnered with a makeup artist named Kristian Ladon. We came up with the idea to take Snow White and make her African American. I’m talking dark chocolate skin, so you have a clear view that she isn’t mixed with anything else; she is blatantly black.

If you think of the name Snow White, those words alone. Snow is white and white is white. So I felt if I can take someone of color and put them in a just as famous and recognizable as the original, then I think more people will be open to receiving it in a different way. A lot of times you won’t see anybody of color in these classic roles that have been predominantly portrayed as white. Yes, lately you will start to see more roles of diversity, but when it comes to old fashioned roles, you will usually see them as caucasian. It still feels close to home, but you can see this new take.

TL: What are three things you want people to take away when coming in contact with your work?

LM: First thing is that it’s completely original outside of my spins on other works. I have a signature take on everything I do. You might always grow to see that I enjoy dark tones and vibrant colors in my work.

It’s so important for colors to match the emotion.

Second is that the experience with me is exactly that. We will communicate as if we have known each other for years. It’s more than just showing up and taking a picture and leaving. Lastly, I would say communication. I always try to communicate that everyone is pleased with the end product, and even just the process of getting to the final product. I get my view across as well as yours.

TL: Whose work do you appreciate at the moment?

LM: A photographer named Paris Nuken, another by the name of Nirav Patel, and then there’s Hans Caspar. Those might not be known, but I never look to the most popular or most known people for inspiration. When it comes to film, I look up to directors such as M. Night Shyamalan; he is not the

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most popular, but he is one of my favorites because he always has something you never see coming, and that is something I look to have in my work. Jordan Peele is new, but he’s doing things that are very unique. He creates social thrillers, touching on subjects that are not often mentioned publicly. Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro walk that line of reality and fantasy, which is something I always try to display in my work. One day I hope to have my own niche that people recognize as my own genre of creativity.

TL: Someone hands you a camera; what do you see?

LM: I now possess the eyes of God. That camera, to me, can see through things, see auras, what something could be, should be, what it was. Past, present and future. Creation and what dreams are made of. The extension of my imagination that I had as a child. The lens seeing on a whole new plain of existence.

TL: Can we have any insight into your upcoming work?

LM: Going forward I’m taking a very directorial approach to my work. I have a lot of things I’m working on from short films, web series, photography projects, and more. I have my hands in so many different things that I don’t want to create any expectations prematurely, I’m still in the planning stages with a lot of my projects. I usually like to work spur of the moment and that makes it fun for me.

TL: You recently became a father. In what way has that affected you?

LM: Becoming a father has pushed me into another level of motivation. Knowing that I have a young life that’s depending on me to succeed has given me a creative boost. I can now try to magnify another imagination outside of my own. I look forward to watching my son experience life, to give me more ideas and hopefully inspiring him to follow his dreams.u DOVE’S FUNERAL

BROTHER NATURE

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Little Naturalists Enjoy this homeschool programming where students learn about the wonderful world of nature through play, exploration, observation and the senses. $5 per child, per program. Ages 3 through 6. May 8 & 22, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, 3535 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus Pedaling for Kids 9th Annual Spring Cycling Challenge Enjoy four routes to choose from, grilled lunch and beverages for all participants, a DJ for entertainment, and an awards ceremony for riders. May 11, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Midland Academy, 737 Psalmond Road, Columbus Junior Bee Keeping Workshop Join for a day-long workshop to see what the buzz is all about. Open to ages 7 to 12. $35 per child; caregiver is free. Reregistration is required; call (706) 507- 8559.

May 11, 10 a.m., Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, 3535 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus Bootcamp for New Dads This class teaches new dads to change diapers, hold babies confidently, feed and comfort their newborn. Will also discuss issues new dads might want to discuss with their partners. $20 signup fee for course. Visit piedmont.org to register. May 11, 10 a.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street Prepared Childbirth This class will cover signs of labor, stages of labor, hospital admission, medications and medical interventions. It will also cover your postpartum care. There is a $65 fee to attend this class. Enroll expectant mothers only (only one support person may attend, but should not enroll). Visit the Classes and Event section on Piedmont. org and search Prepared Childbirth in the event calendar to sign-up. May 11, 9 a.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street Mom and Me Partner Yoga The perfect Mother’s Day gift. Moms and kids of all ages will make unforgettable memories by working together with partner yoga postures. $25. May 11, 11 a.m. 12:15 p.m., Yoga Inspired, 1365 Warren Williams Road, Columbus Newborn and Infant Care This class is designed for the first time parent. You will learn the skills and how to manage the challenges of parenting a newborn. The class will cover feeding, diapering, bathing and comforting your new infant. You will also learn what medical conditions are normal and when to call the pediatrician. There is a $20 fee to attend this class. Enroll expectant mothers only (only one support person may attend, but should not enroll). Visit the Classes and Events section on Piedmont. org and search for Newborn/Infant Care to register. May 13, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street Hiking Basics Free Clinnic Our monthly Ladies only free Clinic in May will focus on Hiking Basics. During the clinic you will learn what to pack before your hike, how to choose a trail, read a map and about the trail marker systems. We will also cover wildlife encounters, fears and trail safety. This free Clinic is open to women and held at the Spencer Environmental Center, located on the corner of 12th Street and 3rd Ave downtown Columbus, just one block before the Post Office. Street parking is available, and you can enter the Spencer Environmental Center (it is a big yellow historic house) from the front gate on 12th. May 15, 5 - 8 p.m., Spencer Environmental Center, 303 12th Street, Columbus Ride of Silence The purpose of this ride is to raise awareness for cyclists on the road. This is a national event and shops across the country will be conducting rides at the same time. This ride will be conducted in silence, police escorted, and is approximately 8 miles at a slow pace through MidTown/city streets. It is fairly family friendly for your older kids and a video to be shown at the end about rider safety. Food and drinks served after. We really can’t stress the importance of this event enough, especially given the two recent bicycle related deaths. Please mark this evening on your calendar and help raise bicycle awareness in our community. May 15, 6 - 9 p.m., Ride on Bikes, 1036 Broadway, Columbus Keeping Baby Safe This class will show you how to keep your home safe for your baby and how to manage choking and other emergencies. Included in this class will be the safe use of your car seat taught by Safe Kids Columbus. There is a $20 fee to attend this event. Visit the Classes and Events page at Piedmont.org and search for Keeping Baby Safe in the event calendar to register. May 16, 6:30 p.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street Butterfly Keeper for a Day Ever wonder what goes on behind the curtain? Well, wonder no more! Come and be a Butterfly Keeper for a day! Learn how to care for butterflies, what they

Monday Sunset Group Run @ Jarfly Hosted by Vikena Yutz of Project 42 Running. All paces welcome for fun routes through the neighborhoods of Midtown. Reflective gear and a headlamp are recommended. Stay afterwards for a beer, craft cocktails and delicious food. Feel free to chat with Vikena about her training programs. Every Monday, 6 p.m., Jarfly, 1358 13th Street, Columbus Dance Lessons Let’s Dance Ya’ll of Columbus host dance lessons every Monday. Country Line lesson begins at 6 p.m., and ballroom begins at 7 p.m.. Cost is $5 per person; no partner required. Every Monday, 6 - 8 p.m., Hilton Terrace Baptist Church, 2236 Warm Springs Road, Columbus Ladies Night at Treadstone Ladies, enjoy Treadstone Climbing Gym for only $10 from 6 p.m. till close. Every Wednesday, 6 p.m., Treadstone Climbing Gym, 4209 Milgen Road, Columbus Lena Start Parenting Class Free class, free parenting kit, free books and lunch. Lena Start classes help parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers close the talk gap. Together with your class, you’ll explore practical strategies to start more conversations with children. Lena’s engaging curriculum will teach you brain-building talk skills through instructional videos, peer-group sharing, printed resources and self-reflection. Call (706) 3216322 to register. every Wednesday, 11 a.m., South Columbus Public Library, 2034 South Lumpkin Road Wednesday Sunset Group Run All paces welcome, dogs and strollers, too. Recommended to wear reflective gear and a headlamp. Enjoy a different route every week, a great way to explore Columbus. Afterwards, meet at Iron Bank Coffee for $2 drafts, coffee or other tasty beverage of your choice. Every Wednesday, 6 p.m., Big Dog Fleet Feet, 1200 Broadway, Columbus Saturday Sunrise Pancake Breakfast Run This sunrise group run is an invigorating way to start the day, explore Columbus and watch the sunrise. All paces welcome. Stay after for pancakes, then head to Iron Bank for some coffee. Every Saturday, 6 a.m., Big Dog Fleet Feet, 1200 Broadway, Columbus Yoga for All: a donation-based class This is a drop-in class designed for all. No matter your yoga experience, your background, your history. Whether you are a current RFY member, old member, or have never stepped into a yoga studio. All walks of life are encouraged to join.

Class is one hour and designed for all levels. A $5 cash only donation is appreciated, but not required. Please wear comfortable, breathable clothing that you can easily move in. Every Saturday, 11 a.m., River Flow Yoga and Wellness, 6801 River Road, Columbus Georgia Trail Summit Do you have an appreciation for the great outdoors and wherever the trail may lead? Enjoy this hands-on experiential learning event as trail advocates, landscape architects, planners, historians and other experts guide participants through realworld trail opportunities and challenges. May 5 & 6, noon - 4 p.m., Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Avenue Little Sprouts This program gives little visitors aged 0 to 5 and their caregivers a chance to learn, explore and experience the garden with developmentally appropriate activities.

Cost is $5 per family. May 7, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Columbus Botanical Gardens, 3603 Weems Road Blood Drive Help save lives by giving blood. May 8, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street LocaL

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need to be healthy and happy, and help our keepers with the day-to-day operation at the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center. You’ll learn how to identify tropical butterflies and help release newly-emerged butterflies into our Conservatory. You’ll get to participate in the unpacking of a new shipment of butterflies and learn all about where they come from. Participants will also help feed the butterflies by preparing and setting out fruit baskets. And you’ll see what kinds of plants are important for the butterflies and why; and how we maintain a conservatory filled with tropical plants.

May 17 & 31, 10 a.m., Callaway Gardens, 17800 US Highway 27, Pine Mountain, Ga. Relay For Life of Muscogee County Relay For Life is an overnight fundraising event that brings people together to fight to elimination cancer.

Each participant or team is encouraged to fund raise before the event. Teams are also encouraged to pledge to always have one person from their team walking during the entire 12 hour event. Throughout the event, there are a variety of events and ceremonies also have the opportunity to take advantage of teams having onsite fundraisers. Of course, everyone has an opportunity to take a well-deserved nap at their campsite. Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event, making an impact not only in the United States, but world-wide. May 17 7 p.m. through May 18 7 a.m., Kinnett Stadium, 7610 Schomburg Road, Columbus 2019 Columbus Walk to End Lupus Now On Saturday, May 18, 2019, we will take the Walk to End Lupus Now™ to the Columbus! You can raise funds and help us reach our goal of $30,000! Join thousands of others impacted by lupus to recognize those living with lupus, honor those we’ve lost, and fulfill our vision of a life free of lupus. If you are interested in joining one of our Walk planning committees, please contact us at walk@lfaga.org. We need your energy, input, ideas and most of all, your inspiration! May 18, 10 a.m. - noon, Kinnett Stadium, 7610 Schomburg Road, Columbus Full Moon TreeTop Adventure When the sun goes down, the heart rate goes up on our TreeTop Adventure! Our thrilling Full Moon TreeTop Tour is a special opportunity to climb, zip and run through the forest canopy at 30 feet above the ground, guided only by the light of the full moon. TreeTop Adventure traverses nearly 1,500 feet horizontally, features five zip-lines ranging from 44 to 210 feet long – and gains a whole new dimension when it’s done at night. Participants must be 54 inches or taller. Harness holds up to 260 pounds. Maximum waist size is 48 inches. Maximum thigh size is 26 inches. Closed-toe, secure footwear is required — no sandals, flip-flops, Crocs, etc. May 18, 8 p.m., Callaway Gardens, 17800 US Highway 27, Pine Mountain, Ga. General and the Mrs. Run for the Heroes at Omaha Looking for something to do this Memorial Day weekend? Well, look no further because House of Heroes, CVC has just the the thing. General and the Mrs. is a run as you please event which covers every ability level. This is a run as you please event. If you sign up, run one lap, you are a finisher. Run (or walk) 6 - 72 hours, or compete in the 72 hour team relay.

6 hour starts Sunday, May 26th at 8am 12 hour starts Sunday, May 26th at 2am 24 hour starts Saturday, May 25th at 2pm 48 hour starts Friday, May 24th at 2pm 72 hour (solo or relay) starts Thursday, May 23rd at 2pm This is a fundraiser for House of Heroes, Chattahoochee Valley Chapter and it will include an additional fundraising option.

May 23 through 26, Omaha Brewing Co., 265 Brew Street, Omaha, Ga. Want to see your event listed here?

Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com LocaL

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I wanted to talk to Christian about all of his projects for several reasons. First of all, he’s involved with and working on a bunch of really cool things. Whenever we can spotlight someone whose work might inspire, we’re there. But what makes Christian’s story so compelling is his motivation, the drive that keeps him moving well beyond his work-a-day corporate gig and into the myriad projects for which he is best known.

For Christian, staying busy is about showing others how much they can do, not for personal acclaim but so that they might reach out beyond themselves, too. He leads by example, and told us, “if I know I inspired someone, that’s the biggest payoff for me.”

Christian is a true autodidact: he’s self taught in all of his creative fields. He began his music career ten years ago, “back in the Myspace days.” At first, he was discouraged at how little impact his music seemed to have locally; but the internet, even in those early days, was and is a powerful vehicle, throwing our voices into spaces far beyond our immediate context. Christian was 24 years old when Paul Bond of the London Post wrote about his music, saying “he stays true to his roots.” From this line, Christian derived his stage name and a compelling insight that has helped shape his artistic efforts ever since. “There will always be a group of people,” Christian said, “who love what you do.”

STITCH ON CANVAS Getting started on a new project is always a challenge— not just for Christian, but everyone. Christian’s advice is straightforward. He implored people not to get hung up with how good they are at the beginning or how many people seem to care, but instead to trust in “the power in art, in creativity.”

“The best contribution you can give is yourself,” he said. Christian is always looking for new ways to give himself.

In 2012, Christian picked up a camera. Today, he is probably best known for his photography. Playing off the Modest Roots name, Christian hosts all of his photography projects under ModTography. He is an active professional photographer, adept with weddings, head shots, graduation photos—you name it, Christian is a go-to guy. True to style, Christian has found two additional ways to use his photography skills to build bridges, bridges within our community and beyond.

Inspired by Humans of New York, the popular photography project founded by Brandon Stanton that photographs people in the city and lets them tell their story in their own words, Christian started the online community journalism project, Our City of Fountains (OCOF). His first profile was fellow creative and videographer extraordinaire, John Houzer.

At first, OCOF focused on individuals and businesses that inspired Christian. His vision soon grew in scope, and he began to turn his camera lens to corners of our community too often overlooked. Three years

C hristian O rtiz IS A ONE MAN BAND

By Tom Ingram

FREEDOM

C

hristian Ortiz is a one man band. I mean this figuratively and literally.

As a musician, he records under the monicker Modest Roots, and his songs have earned international buzz and have been used most recently for a popular Netflix series. But Christian is more than a musician. He is a photographer, with multiple projects and platforms; he is a community journalist who sheds light on corners too often ignored; he is a father; he is an engaged member of the community. Most of all, Christian is a busy, busy man—one who busies himself by building up others..

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ago, Christian became interested in a burned-out, gutted building on Victory Drive.

He became curious about the building’s history, how it came to be I such a state of disrepair. So he went, camera in hand, to document the scene.

“I walked in to take pictures,” Christian recalled, “and found whole families of homeless people living there. It was absolutely disturbing. It was raining.”

Christian is truly humble about his roots. “I came from nothing,” he told us. His background informs his vision today, and discovering people living in such squalid conditions had a profound effect on Christian. He published his photos through OCOF, including the project’s Facebook page. His goal was to raise awareness, and three months after publication, the building was taken down. On the one hand, Christian says he feels like the impact was trivial; but he also knows the way small victories, of which he considers this one, compound, one upon the next, Christian Ortiz until undeniable change is found.

Today, OCOF is a passion project for Christian, something he cannot see himself shutting down. While not as active as it was when he began, he continues the vital work of featuring the whole community, not just the shiny parts.

His second photography project is similar to OCOF, but this time we find Christian looking for ways to bridge Columbus and Atlanta. Dogwood A gives Christian a platform from which he can create conversations between individuals and businesses between the two closely-related cities. While still in its infancy, Christian is ever the optimist and insists “if you have a will, you start talking to people, things will blossom.”

The key? Staying open to possibilities.

“Columbus,” Christian thinks, “is the most progressive city in the south.” For him, ours is a community ripe with potential. His ambition? To inspire as many other people as possible to just start—start playing music, taking pictures, painting friends; start with your own two hands on any thing, any project, however large or small in scope, and get moving in the right direction.

Of course, you do not have to start something new to make an impact. Always leading by example, Christian recently joined the Tri-City Latino Festival. He serves as the director of social media and marketing, and has launched a new website and Facebook (did we mention Christian consults with businesses for web design and development? He does). Last year’s festival, which features music and food and all kinds of family fun, brought more than ten thousand people out for a day of celebration.

2019 promises to be even larger, and on Sept. 23 at the Civic Center, you can see for yourself how one person, standing hand-in-hand with others and all working toward a common goal, can build and help blossom whole communities.

For more information about the Tri-City Latino Festival, visit TriCityLatinoFestival. com. For more information about Christian Ortiz and his various projects, start with ModTographyByChristianOrtiz.com.u

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LGBT Block Party

BYOB and open container! Enjoy music, dancing and entertainment. Free admission, open to all ages. May 4 & 18, 7 p.m., 1100 Broadway, Columbus

Spring on the Green

Enjoy food trucks, pony rides, a petting zoo and a crafts and farmers market. Bring your blankets and chairs to enjoy a concert by the River City Horns. Food available for purchase. Free and open to the public. May 5, noon - 5 p.m., Old Town Columbus, 8201 Veterans Parkway

Community Kick-Off: Chattahoochee Valley Basics Sunday Funday is back at the pavilion in the park. Vibes are light and chill with house and minimal techno, funk, wave and some live music sprinkled in as well. There are grills and picnic tables, so bringing food is encouraged. This is a way to support the growing scene.

Every Sunday, 2 p.m., Lakebottom Park, Columbus

Eighty percent of brain growth happens during the first three years of life. That’s why Columbus 2025’s Talented, Educated People Action Area is introducing a new communitywide initiative to promote learning and language development for our smallest citizens. Learn how you can support The Basics and celebrate the Chattahoochee Valley region becoming a Basics community with special event speaker and Boston Basics founder Dr. Ron Ferguson.

May 7, 8 a.m. - noon, Cunningham Center, 3100 Gentian Boulevard, Columbus

We love families that read together. Join us for this program dedicated to families with young children (birth to 5 years) as we sing, play games, and most importantly, read great stories aloud. Every Monday, 10:30 a.m., South Columbus Public Library, 2034 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus

Mayor Henderson will discuss the decisions he had to make once he officially decided to run for mayor of Columbus and how those decisions affected his campaign. May 7, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., WC Bradley Co. 1017 Front Avenue, Columbus

Sunday Funday at Lakebottom Park

Family Storytime

Free GED Classes

Do you wish you had your high school diploma? Let Columbus Technical College staff help you earn your GED in free, convenient afternoon classes. Don’t put your future on hold.

Call (706) 243-2782 to get started. Every Tuesday and Thursday, 3 - 6 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Chess: Unplug from the Computer for Chess’s Sake

Chess imitates life. Watch the moves you make. Learn winning strategies for chess and life from encouraging community mentors. Every Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Harry Potter Night at Your Library

Join the library for a magical night of crafts, trivia, photo ops and other fun activities. All ages are welcome, costumes are encouraged. Come with a team or be sorted when you get here. It’s magical fun for the whole family. We solemnly swear we’ll be up to no good. May 7, 6:30 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Blood Drive

Help save lives by giving blood. May 8, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Piedmont Columbus Regional, 710 Center Street

Junior League Spring Meet and Greet

Preschool Storytime

Let’s start getting ready for preschool. In this storytime, we will develop literacy skills by reading books aloud, reciting rhymes together, playing games, singing songs and more.

Every Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

ASL: Family Sign Language

This is an introduction and opportunity to learn and practice basic signs and sentences.

The goal is to become comfortable with American Sign Language and explore new ways to make friends. Every Wednesday, 4 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Game Night at Panera

Enjoy an evening of fun gaming. Whether a first-timer or a gamer extraordinaire, we’ll have games that are fun for you. Come and go as you like, event is free. Every Wednesday, 6 p.m., Ranera Bread, 6301 Whitesville Road, Columbus

Otaku Club

Teens ages 12 to 18. Do you enjoy manga, anime or Asian culture? Then join the library as they explore all three through fun activities and anime watch parties. Every Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., South Columbus Public Library, 2034 South Lumpkin Road

Baby Story Time

Baby, it’s time to read. This story time, designed specifically for babies and those just beginning to walk, is the perfect introduction to books, stories and music. Parents will take on the role of their baby’s first teacher. We’ll listen to stories, sing, move around, play with toys and more. Every Wednesday, 11:15 a.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Think you may be interested in joining the Junior League of Columbus? Join this informational meeting to meet league members, learn about membership and ask any questions you might have about the process. May 9, 6 p.m., The Wynn House, 1240 Wynnton Road, Columbus

Columbus Lions Vs. Massachusetts Pirates May 11, 7 p.m., Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Avenue

Wii Have Fun with Book

Join us for some exciting technology and reading based competitions, crafts, board games, and much more. Enjoy friends & snacks at this monthly tween and teen game night. You don’t want to miss it! For more information please call (706) 243- 2782 or email mlt@cvlga. org. May 14, 5:30 p.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

One More Chapter Book Club

This month’s title is The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye. May 16, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., North Columbus Public Library, 5689 Armour Road

YEAP Kick-Off Event

Interested in joining the Young East Alabama Professionals? Come out to our kick off event May 17th! We’ll have music, food, fun and information about our YP organization.

Don’t miss this fun opportunity to learn more about young professionals in your community and partake in terrific networking! May 17, 6 - 8 p.m., Chattahoochee Brewing, 505 13th Street, Phenix City

Holistic and Handmade Festival

SBDC StartSMART

Designed specifically for new business owners and serious entrepreneurs ready to start a business, SBDC Start SMART provides the resources and support to help put your dreams within reach. The program will help you build a business for today’s challenging times.

Questions? Email columbus@georgiasbdc.org or call (706) 569-2651. Every Friday, 9 a.m.

- 4 p.m., The University of Georgia SBDC, 3100 Gentian Boulevard, Columbus

Saturday Morning Walking Tour

One hour stroll along the brick-laden stretch of Broadway and its robust Uptown district.

Hear the stories that helped transform Columbus from the wild western frontier settlement of Georgia into the “Jewel of the Chattahoochee.” Reservation required; vicinitytours.com Every Saturday, 9 a.m., Vicinity Tours, 1006 Broadway, Columbus

Toddler Time at Launch

The Breathe Team will be hosting a Holistic & Handmade Festival! We are inviting all to come out to fellowship and shop with us. Its free to the public! We will be have chair massages, face painting, food , music and so much more. We will have all types of vendors that sell holistic and hand made items. Everyone love to buy unique pieces. Vendors are welcomed for a fee of $35. It will be first come first serve. There will be a few indoor vendors space available also. Come out and celebrate wellness with us. Breathe Holistic Health & Wellness Spa, 5402 15th Avenue, Columbus

8th Annual Bugs on the Hooch

A family Fun Event on the Banks of the Chattahoochee. Come relax and enjoy a laid back show by White Water Rafting. Kids will enjoy the splash pad so bring a bathing suit. Take a Zip line ride across the river and back. The show is always free to enter! We will be raffling off the Glory Bug at the end of our show for Wreaths Across America so get your tickets now. May 25, 8 a.m. 0 3 p.m., Woodruff Park, 1000 Bay Avenue, Columbus

Memorial Day Paddle

Come paddle with Team River Runner on Memorial Day. Relax and enjoy the Chattahoochee River. Hang out afterwards at Waveshaper Island. All supporters invited. The goal is to get a large group to go down the river I memory of those who’ve sacrificed their lives to the nation. May 27, noon, Whitewater Express, 1000 Bay Avenue, Columbus

Toddler time is set aside for children five and under to jump and enjoy the park. $10 pays for one toddler plus one guardian for the two hours. Every Saturday, 10 a.m., Launch Trampoline Park, 7607 Veterans Parkway, Columbus

Click, Clack, Type

Meet the ‘home keys’ before you meet homework. We can help your preschooler prepare to type. Call (706) 243-2782 to reserve a 30 minute slot. Every Saturday, 10 a.m., Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus LocaL

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Columbus Lions Vs. Carolina Cobras June 1, 7 p.m., Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Street Want to see your event listed here? Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com

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our mothers. A decorative cup & saucer are included with your admission. Many 11, 1 - 3 p.m., National Civil War Naval Museum 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus

Mother-Daughter Gala Tea Party

A night of fun and dance for all women of all ages. Food and entertainment. Tickets $20. May 11, 6 - 9 p.m., The Perfect Place, 5344 Kolb Avenue, Columbus

Mother’s Day Lunch at Epic

Columbus’ fine dining destination will offer a special à la carte menu for lunch service.

May 12, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Epic Restaurant, 1201 Front Avenue, Columbus

Uptown Happy Hour Tour

Two hours, three restaurants ad bars, appetizers and signature drinks. Fun for all aged 21 and up. May 17 & 31, 5:30 p.m., The Black Cow, 115 12th Street, Columbus

Trivia and Beer Night

Brush up on your knowledge of useful (or useless) facts with trivia. Enjoy prizes and great friends. Every Thursday, 7 - 10 p.m., Chattabrewchee Southern Brewhouse, 709 4th Avenue, West Point, Ga.

The Fundamental Truth About Food

Bites of Uptown Food Tour

You’ll stroll through the beautiful tree-lined streets of Uptown Columbus. You’ll stop at five to six local eateries to sample some of the best food this town has to offer. You’ll leave satisfied, educated, and entertained! Every Saturday, 11 a.m., My Boulánge, 111 12th Avenue, Columbus

1st Annual Moms and Mimosas

Enjoy light brunch, games and prizes. Will be raffling off a mommy pamper day, which includes hair style from Worth the Creation, a Face Beat by IamJkow and a pedicure gift certificate. Event is 21 and up, a fun break for moms. Attire is mommy glam, so come prepared to take pictures. May 11, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., The Party Place of Columbus, 8174 Fortson Business Park, Columbus

Mother’s Day Victorian Tea

In celebration of Mother’s Day, The National Civil War Naval Museum will be presenting a “Mother’s Day Tea”. Ladies are invited to join us at the National Civil War Naval Museum for a proper 19th century Victorian Tea – with china cups, scones, clotted cream, and a light lunch. As part of the event, Executive Director Holly Wait, will offer a special program, “Pushy Women”, shining light on women who influenced The Civil War for better or for worse. There will be live music serving as a soundtrack to this lovely afternoon, where we will be honoring the important women in our lives-

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The world of health and food can be overwhelming. There is always an extreme diet plan or detox tea that seems to become popular. But isn’t there some fundamental truth about food that just works? Can we love food and be healthy? This workshop will focus on helping individuals determine the macronutrients their bodies need, along with how their body composition goals impact those needs. We will discuss strategic planning, ways to simplify day-to-day nutritional intake, and finally, budget friendly meal preparation. Two sessions; $47. May 18 & 25, 10 a.m., Yoga Inspired, 1365 Warren Williams Road, Columbus

Coffee & Creatives For Women in Business and Leadership

Imagine you find the tribe you’ve been looking for to help you start, grow and launch your next big idea. It’s all here at Coffee and Creatives. Enjoy this positive vibes networking event. May 20, 6 p.m., Iron Bank Coffee Company, 6 West 11th Street, Columbus

Want to see your event listed here? Email events@thelocalcolumbus.com

MAY 2019

TOP SHELF MARGARITA

margaritas I

Flowers of Cinco de Mayo

like to drink, so I love when a month comes along that has a holiday dedicated to drinking. We have quite a few of them: St. Patrick’s Day in March; the 4th in July; Oktoberfest in October; and, at my house at least, Christmas in December. The month of May brings the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. I view this holiday as one of America’s true drinking celebrations.

Why is that, you may ask? It is a Mexican holiday, you say? Well? do you really know what is being celebrated on the 5th of May? If you do not, don’t feel bad; you still get to drink.

As a fact, not many people in Mexico observe Cinco de Mayo, except in the city of Puebla, where the Battle of Puebla, during the Franco-Mexican War, was won against the French in 1862. A ragtag group of 2,000 soldiers, pulled together by president of Mexico, Benito Juáre, beat a well trained and armed, French force of 6,000. By the time the French retreated, they had lost 500 men compared to 100 of the Puebla forces. All of this happening on Cinco de Mayo.

So how does this heroic victory of salt-of-the-earth farmers over well-drilled and provisioned imperial invaders translate into an American drinking holiday?

Well, for one, who cares, it’s an excuse to drink. But really, as stated before, not many people in Mexico partake in the holiday. On the other hand, in America, Cinco de Mayo is seen as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, especially within the Mexican community. Also, here, in America, Cinco de Mayo has become a huge corporate commercial gimmick geared to entice Americans of all backgrounds, to do one thing on one day: consume tequila, and other alcohols, in copious amounts.

So enough of the history lesson and lets get on with it. One of my favorite Mexican drinks is the margarita. In Spanish, margarita is the name for the daisy f lower. In Prohibition as people made there way to Mexico for alcohol, the first variations of a margarita were born. Let’s take a look at a few of them and celebrate!

1 ½ oz lime juice (about 2 limes) 2 oz tequila (top shelf) 1 oz Grand Marnier or Patron Citronge 1 ½ cup ice cubes Lime slice Coarse kosher salt

Run a lime slice around the rim of a margarita glass and them press the rim into a saucer of kosher sauce to create the salt rim. Put the ice in a cocktail shaker along with all other ingredients. Shake until beads form on the outside of the shaker. Strain the mixture into the glass, garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

CHILI LIME MANGO MARGARITA 1 ripe mango (cubed // 1 mango yields ~1 cup or 157 g) 1 cup orange juice 2 small limes 2.5 -3 oz silver tequila 1 oz triple sec or orange liqueur 1 dash hot sauce (optional) 1-3 Tbsp agave nectar 1 tsp chili powder ¼ tsp sea salt

Add all margarita ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness / strength of alcohol as desired.To chill, either blend in a large handful of ice cubes to make a frozen margarita or transfer half of the mixture to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. Rim serving glasses with a lime wedge and immediately dip in salt/chili powder mixture (or sub just salt or sugar), and fill with 1 large ice cube or several small.

Pour over margarita and garnish with lime wedge.

RHUBARB MARGARITA *

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lime wedges 1 cup Ruby Rhubarb Syrup ¾ cup Patrón tequila 1 tbsp Grand Marnier orange liqueur 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice chilled club soda

In a small pitcher, combine the Ruby Rhubarb Syrup, tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and orange juice.

Stir. Divide mixture evenly between the four prepared glasses, just a bit more than 1/2 cup per glass. Fill glass with crushed ice to fill the glass 2/3 of the way.

Top with club soda to almost fill the glass. With a spoon, gently stir the drink to incorporate the heavier rhubarb syrup mixture into the club soda. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top and then garnish with another lime wedge.

*This recipe was pilfered from the site afarmgirlsdabbles.com & provided by Brenda

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