New weekend, new year, new art

Thursday, Jan. 7

The mill town as art 
The artist duo Gwylene Gallimard and Jean-Marie Mauclet have been working for several months on"Olympia."

They've been doing this art show, but in a sense they really have been working on Olympia, the big mill village in Columbia.

The multi-media works (drawings, wood and metal and resin structures and more) are based on the mills, the people who have lived in the village and even the place where the show is being held, The 701 Center for Contemporary Art which was was originally the mill town community center.

The Charleston couple run the Fast and French restaurant on Broad Street which has made it possible for them to pursue their extensive art projects that have often involved an community collaborations, unusual mediums and most of the world.

Every Wednesday night at 7:30 through Feb. 22 a forum will be held with Olympia residents talking about the village, what makes this show art, and an open discussion about the arts in Columbia.On the final day, part of the show will be sold in a public auction.

"Olympia" opens tonight with a reception from 7 to 9.
The first Wednesday event will be by art historian Frank Martin giving a tour and talk called "But Is It Art?"

Free for 701 center members; donation of $5 for non-members. 701 Whaley St. Go to www.701cca.org or call 238-2351.

Art, poetry and music at Frame of Mind

Frame of Mind opens an exhibition by Susan Lenz with a poetry reading by Cassie Premo Steele, Melissa Buckner, Kristine Hartvigsen, and Christopher McCormick and Heidi Carey playing cello tonight.
Lenz will be showing photographic transfer and fabric pieces that are portraits of people who have made significant life changes or taken a bold stance.

The opening, poems and music are from 6 to 9. The exhibition is up through January. 1520 Main St. 988-1065. 

"Rent" reopens 

The musical about artists and lovers on the Lower East Side ofNew York during the '80s is back up at Trustus after the holiday break.As you can see by the costumes the show doesn't actually take a holiday break. Through Jan. 23. 254-9732. 

Two shows in Sumter

 “South Carolina Watermedia Society Traveling Exhibition” and “Sumter Artists Guild Winners Show” opens today at the Sumter Gallery of Art. An opening reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the show runs through Feb. 4. The gallery is at 200 Hasel St. (803) 775-0543.

 Those who teach also do

The South Carolina Art Teachers Invitational Exhibition at Columbia College is always filled with pleasant surprises. The exhibition, Jan. 6 to Feb. 7, is composed of works by 10 artists from around the state. (One of Tarleton Blackwell's "Hog Series" artworks pictured.)

A reception with many of the artists attending will take place at Jan. 22 from 5:30–7 p.m. 786-3899.

Friday, Jan. 8

Cowboys and Devils
 The Devil Music Ensemble sometimes does soundtracks for scary movies, but at the museum it will be providing live sounds for the silent western comedy “Big Stakes.” The concert and film, collaboration with the Nickelodeon Theatre, is one of many such performances the Boston-based classically-trained trio playing synthesizers, guitars, violin and various percussion instruments has performed around the U.S. and on a recent tour of Europe.

Admission is $8 for members; $10 general admission and $5 for students. It’s at 7 p.m.

Columbia artist retrospective
A show by Columbia artist Jeff Donovan covers several decades of his sculptures and paintings. 
It opens tonight from 5 to 9 at Gallery 80808/Vista
Studios, where he artist works. 
The show organized by if Art Gallery runs 
through Jan. 18. Call 238-2351.

Saturday, Jan. 9
An invite to check out new art school

The new School of the Arts opens this afternoon at the College of Charleston. The $27-million facility is home to a big new gallery, classrooms and studios. The event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. (843) 953-8222 or go to http://sota.cofc.edu/

Sunday, Jan. 10
A first look at "Prince of Tides" opera
We get a sneak peak at an new opera based on Pat Conroy's novel "Prince of Tides." The opera by Andew Fowler, a USC graduate, is a production of Opera at USC and FBN Productions, Inc. with the Carolina Master Chorale at the USC School of Music.
The recital version will be made up of scenes from the first and second acts of the opera, with music director Timothy Koch of the Master Chorale. Among the cast are Janet Hopkins, Walter Cuttino, Jacob Will and Jeffrey Jones.
The 5 p.m. performance at the USC School of Music is free. (Look for a full story posted Tuesday, Jan. 5.)

Minimalist art talk 

 USC art history professor.

Brad Collins. 50 artworks. 

Given by Herb and Dorothy Vogel. 

3 p.m. Columbia Museum of Art.

Tuesday, Jan. 12

Solo show by Tarleton Blackwell

 Tarleton Blackwell, a life-long resident of Manning, Blackwell has made a big mark with his paintings all over the country during the past 20 years.

Much of his work is related to animals and children which he paints with both technical and emotional care. The works are rich with metaphor and symbolism, as well as paint application. He often works quite large - huge in fact - but will have some new smaller pieces in this show.

He has a solo show opening today at City Art Gallery, 1224 Lincoln St. 252-3613.

Wednesday, Jan. 13
Humanities head heading here
 Jim Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, will deliver a public lecture on at the University of South Carolina.

Leach’s 7 p.m. talk in Gambrell Hall Auditorium is one of a series the university is holding on the subject of civility and discourse. Leach became NEH chairman last summer. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa for 30 years and founded and co-chaired the Congressional Humanities Caucus.
Leach is a graduate of Princeton University and earned a master’s degree in Soviet politics from the School of Advanced International Studies at The John Hopkins University. 
  
"But is it art?"
A talk and tour of the "Olympia" exhibition at 701 Center for Contemporary Art. (See first item.)