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(02/21/14 1:17am)
The face of public art is changing for the Macon-Bibb County area.
The Macon Arts Alliance has started a program called “Art Matters,” which is a journalism partnership between the Macon Arts Alliance and Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism, where students can work as journalism interns.
As a project spearheaded by philosophy department chair Dr. Creighton Rosental’s Philosophy of the Arts class, the Macon Arts Alliance has been working with Mercer students to create a public art directory for the Macon-Bibb County area that is accessible through Ovations365.com.
The Macon Arts Alliance held a press conference about the new directory Feb. 3 in the President’s Dining Room in Mercer’s University Center.
The directory is an effort to unite the community by providing knowledge of local art and is credited to the hard work of Mercer’s Philosophy of the Arts class. Jonathan Dye, director of communications for the Macon Arts Alliance, was influential in the work for the public art directory as well.
Students from the class spoke about the impact of the work they had done with the directory.
“Art adds meaning to our lives,” said Mercer student, Anna Mae Kersey.
The Community Foundation of Central, Ga., Inc. and the John S. and James. L. Knight Foundation funded the website that hosts the directory.
Prior to new efforts, the Macon art database had not been updated since 1993.
The first step in the process of updating the database was to define what public art was. Then, the Mercer students took photographs, updated the info from the database and put it all online. Now anyone can find where public art is in Macon.
“The public art directory offers the best picture of what our community has in terms of public art. It's a building block on which future planning can be built,” Dye said.
Ryan Walters, a Mercer student and journalism intern with Macon Arts Alliance, stated there was a connection between philosophy and public art. “We are a part of what public art is, and we are its inspiration,” Walters said.
Mercer student Monica Hoyle added that she was really excited to be a part of this project and hopes to see it take off even more. She said that art really makes a connection to society.
The Philosophy of the Arts class projected the directory on the walls of the President’s Dining Room for everyone at the press conference to see.
The public art works are presented with pictures, descriptions, the name of the artist, the year it was created, the condition of the work and its location. Some of the works even include videos. Dye stated that the Philosophy of the Arts class is working to begin public art tours to foster a sense of art awareness in the community.
The Community Foundation of Central, Ga., Inc. and the College Hill Corridor Commission held another public art meeting on Feb. 4 at the Peyton Anderson Community Services building to talk about public art in the College Hill Corridor. Community members had the chance to give feedback on the public art projects that were submitted to the Knight Neighborhood Challenge for grants.
“As the local arts agency, Macon Arts Alliance is designated to act on behalf of Macon-Bibb County in terms of cultural planning,” Dye said. “Any plan for the future of public art in Macon will begin with this directory, and we have these students to thank for that foundation.”
(02/21/14 1:09am)
Irish artist Brendan Jamison recently visited Mercer University to give a talk about his art work and to install a contemporary collage show in the Plunkett Gallery. He has had a lot of experience with doing public art around the world. His most recent project has been “Sugar Metropolis,” a large-scale collaborative project in which visitors could participate in creating sugar cube sculptures for installation in museums. This installation will be coming to New york in May.
Jamison was born in Belfast, Ireland. He graduated from the University of Ulster and went on to get his Master of Fine Arts in 2004. He has also received many awards for his art work including several awards from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, being elected to the Royal British Society of Sculptors, and being awarded residencies in New York and New Delhi.
He has received large-scale media coverage of his work in a number of magazines and newspapers like Sculpture Magazine and BBC News. Brendan Jamison is a world-renown sculptor from Northern Ireland who has had his work in different public and private collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Himmat in India, the Grosvenor in England, and the University of Ulster in Ireland. He has also had art work hosted in Scotland, France, Austria, Canada, New Zealand and China.
Jamison is the founder and chief curator of the non- profit organization called IMPACTICA (Impact! International Contemporary Art). The organization presents exhibitions in art galleries and museums in Europe and North America. Its current exhibit, located in Hardman Hall, is entitled “GLUE,” and was brought here with the help of Mercer University, the University of Florida and Down Arts Centre (Northern Ireland). The “GLUE” exhibit, curated by Jamison, surveys international contemporary collage art that contains a variety of works using cut paper, computer images and many more techniques. Mercer’s art professors Craig Coleman and Steve Simmerman are hosted in this exhibit along with other American, Irish, Japanese and Welsh artists.
There are six sections to the exhibit which include Time, Odd Beings, Desire, Translucency, Global Dynamics and Architecture. The artists’ works are categorized within these unifying groups but represent diverse topics like 21st century culture, feminism and the architecture of espionage. During Jamison’s lecture in the Science and Engineering Building on Jan. 31, he talked about “The Art and Architecture of Espionage,” his three-year research project, and discussed the work he has created over the past 10 years. He talked about his work in not only sugar cubes, but wool, wax, plastic, wood and bronze.
Jamison also gave a gallery talk in the Plunkett Gallery on Feb. 3. Jamison said that artists tend to have a large white cube in their head in reference to working with sugar cubes. He gets called to work in different places around the world. He likes to work in alternative spaces.
He said that he has always enjoyed playing with unusual materials that he felt a special connection with and he wants the public to connect with his work, too. Everything that he uses is relatively accessible and that’s what makes it cool, in his opinion. Like sugar, it is a more domestic material. People know what it looks like, feels like and tastes like. Jamison likes having that multiple sensory effect in his work. Jamison embraces the nontraditional in his work and the “GLUE” exhibit that he curated also reflects that nontraditional feel.
The Plunkett Gallery will host “GLUE” until Feb. 28. For more information about Brendan Jamison, check out his website at http://www.brendanjamison.com/index.shtml.
(02/09/14 9:32pm)
Mercer Educators in Action (MEIA) is an organization for students on Mercer University’s campus who are pursuing education degrees in the Tift College of Education. The group is actively involved in the Macon community and strives to raise funds for local schools. During last semester, the group raised about $200 to provide school supplies to Ingram-Pye Elementary School and Matilda Hartley Elementary School.
MEIA was started in the early 2000s and is a relatively small group. Amelia Neiger, MEIA president, said this year’s officers and advisor have been great in the advancement of the group’s work. This year’s officers include president Amelia Neiger; vice president Jessica Wright; secretary Ashleigh Hightower; treasurer Min Oh; historians Emily Allardice, Kayla Kittrell and Nikki Rogers; and advisor Dr. Sybil Keebury.
MEIA participated in working the football concession stands multiple times last semester for fundraising. The group members raised $1,000 from their work there. The organization has also held a few bake sales, but the members would like to do more. One of their goals is to bring a playground to the children of Ingram-Pye. Neiger said, “It is important for the kids to have time outside.” It may take a few years for this is to happen, but MEIA is determined to make it a reality for the students.
The members of MEIA range from education majors to minors. They also range in their focuses; they are either studying holistic child (early childhood/special education), middle grades, secondary grades or P-12 music education. The members of the group want to make the organization bigger and broaden their scope.
At their recent meeting on Jan. 30, the members of MEIA had a discussion about the pros and cons of homework with students. They discussed it as a “controversial topic,” headed by Kayla Kittrell, a junior at Mercer. The group also talked about working with local businesses like Margarita’s and The Rookery. Their goal is to have fundraiser nights at these restaurants with the hope to fundraise even more for local schools.
Mercer Educators is also looking to do more philanthropy work. The members are planning to visit The Children’s Hospital at the Medical Center of Central Georgia to read and draw with the children. The members also discussed an option to participate in the Global Campaign for Education-United States Chapter Youth Advocacy Training to lobby for education.
MEIA will have a dessert social with the education professors early next month, and the members also plan to do more tutoring at Alexander II Elementary School. The group is also participating in the Box Tops for Education program by collecting and turning in box tops. The organization plans to meet again on Feb. 13 and welcomes all education majors and minors to join them in their work. For more information, contact Amelia Neiger at Amelia.A.Neiger@live.mercer.edu.
(01/23/14 3:03am)
"A visual concerto" is the self-coined interpretation for Dr. Steve Simmerman' s exhibit, “Arpeggios, Advertising, and Autobiography,” hosted in the Frances Sewell Plunkett Gallery of Hardman Hall. Simmerman is an assistant professor of art in the College of Liberal Arts. This is his first solo art exhibit in the gallery since joining the Art Department. The exhibit displays a variety of mediums including ink, color pencil, digital printing, oil pastel and acrylic paint on canvases and ceramic tile. Simmerman has been working on this series of artwork for several years.
The exhibit presented three different series of works, identified in the title. The first series, “Arpeggios,” started with illustrations of musicians. Some images captured musicians practicing, while others identified performers. Simmerman’s piece, “Jonesborough Jazz Jamboree,” is the largest piece in his exhibit. He grew up in Jonesborough, Tenn., which is the oldest town in the state. With its historical significance and influence on his life, Simmerman drew from his experiences to create the piece and pay homage to his hometown. He says that he often attends local concerts and draws inspiration from the musicians. The musicians depicted in the piece include a jazz pianist, a drummer and a meditating guitar player. Simmerman used acrylic paint on panel as his medium for this piece. Another piece from this series, “Leiper’s Fork Instru- ments,” is a color pencil drawing on Rives paper. This piece was inspired by a photograph that Simmerman took of a store in a quaint downtown area. Various musical instruments were for sale in the shop, which connects it to the series theme. The sign in the store originally said “Park while you shop,” but Simmerman, with his interest in typography, decided to replace the phrase with “Pick while you shop.” In addition to these pieces, Simmerman created several album covers on ceramic tile, coining original record label names, band names, and insignias.
In the “Advertising” series, Simmerman’s graphic design interests were displayed. He utilized these interests to create advertisements for different businesses. Some are from real places, while the rest are fictional that he made for fun. One of his most recent works, “Le Tourneau, Horn Player,” was a combination of ink and digital work. Simmerman took a still shot from a picture and layered it with black and white ink sketches. He scanned an original acrylic painting and added other elements digitally, collected books and pamphlets from antique stores, and gathered hymnals and sheet music. He manipulated all of these elements together to create the piece.
The “Autobiography” series was one of his most recent projects from the last three years. It is in the form of a graphic novel and is only semi-autobiographical. “Pinky’s Bienalle” was his first real attempt at telling a graphic novel story, and he hopes to finish the work within the next year. His goal is to have about six chapters, three of which are already completed. The chapters are divided by 13 years with each year representing a significant event in his life. It begins with 1987, goes to 2013. The chapters after these will be a prediction into his future. He says that it has been a fun process to see it all come together.
Simmerman says that he does not consider himself to be a fine artist. He does his work for his own enjoyment. He studied English in college with a minor in art. As he worked more with writing, however, he missed the visual art component in his life. Simmerman went back to school for graphic design, which allowed him to merge the visual and verbal aspects that are important in his life. He can incorporate different elements into his creative process, and he really enjoys telling a story through his art. Simmerman’s exhibit will last through the end of the month. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(01/22/14 9:00pm)
On Jan. 14, SHAPE held its second SHAPE Blitz event in the lobby of Connell Student Center. SHAPE stands for Sexual Assault, Hazing and Alcohol Prevention Education. It was started in 2007 to centralize the efforts of different programs and organizations on campus.That effort led to the creation of one group, SHAPE, to focus on those three issues and how they affect healthy decision making in college. Its goal was, and still is, to educate the students of Mercer on sexual assault, hazing, alcohol and drugs throughout the school year. The organization is composed of both students and staff members who are actively involved with and dedicated to keeping the student body informed on these matters.
SHAPE Blitz is held each semester to promote the organization and its upcoming events. Students can talk to current members and see what SHAPE is about.
SHAPE members hosted a table in the Student Center and offered information to students passing by. They also offered a small flyer with the dates of their events for the semester and applications for joining the 2014-2015 committee. The SHAPE members stayed busy talking with prospective members and answering any questions that they had.
SHAPE Graduate Assistant, Sara Black said, “We aim to host programs each semester that cover relevant topics like sexual assault, alcohol and drugs in fun and engaging ways. We want to educate Mercer students, but also make events interactive, enjoyable and fun to go to.” The Blitz event is primarily a promotional event. SHAPE members give out candy, post-it notes and whistles as well.
SHAPE will be hosting four events this semester.
From Feb. 10-13, SHAPE will have an event called “Ask Me About It?” in Connell Student Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This program will be about sexual assault. Designated students will wear buttons with sexual assault facts printed on them around campus. Participants will try to find these facts in a scavenger hunt game. It will be a fun, informative event that will allow students to meet new people on campus that they might not know. There will also be a table in the Student Center each day of the event so students can start playing the game at any time. There will also be prizes.
Another SHAPE event that will be held this semester is “Alcohol Awareness” on March 3 and 5 to inform students about making good decisions when it comes to alcohol.
SHAPE will hold its third event, “The Clothesline Project,” April 1 and 2 in Connell Student Center from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Black said that this event has been a success in the past. This is a modified project from a national sexual assault awareness campaign. Students will decorate t-shirts to support sexual assault and rape survivors.
Finally, “Take Back the Night” will follow “The Clothesline Project” April 2 on Cruz Plaza from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a common sexual assault awareness event that is held on many campuses in the United States. There will be a candlelight vigil for survivors of sexual assault and the t-shirts from “The Clothesline Project” will be displayed. Survivors and their supporters will also have the opportunity to speak at the event.
Black said, “[The Blitz] was a great success and we look forward to seeing more students at our events throughout the semester.” If you are interested in joining the SHAPE committee, you can find more information at the Counseling and Psychological Services Office located behind Mary Erin Porter residence hall, or you can e-mail SHAPE at shape@mercer. edu.
(01/22/14 9:00pm)
“Turn, Turn” is the name of the newest art exhibition at Milledgeville-Baldwin County Allied Arts, a non-profit arts organization. The exhibit at the Marlor House in Milledgeville hosts the work of current Mercer University assistant art professor, Mr. Eric O’Dell, and former Mercer associate art professor, Mr. Roger Jamison. The opening reception was held on Jan. 12 at Marlor Arts Center, where both artists gave a lecture and discussed in detail their work. The exhibit is a collection of O’Dell’s paintings and Jamison’s pottery. Brian Renko, a Mercer alumnus who graduated as an art major in 1994, works as the program coordinator for Allied Arts. He said that he “studied under Jamison while he was a professor [at Mercer] and [he has] been a long time fan of [Jamison’s] work.” Renko has known O’Dell since 1990, when they were in Alpha Tau Omega fraternity together. He also shared a studio space with O’Dell in downtown Macon for several years. He has been working at Allied Arts since 1997 and helps to curate, install and register all visual arts exhibitions that are held at the Marlor Arts Center. O’Dell said that Renko was an influential part in successfully coordinating the show for him and Jamison. O’Dell and Jamison talked a lot about the name of the show and how their work related to each other. For the title, they talked about using the elements (earth, wind, fire, water), but they sounded either too generic or too farfetched.
Finally, O’Dell came up with the title “Turn, Turn,” which related to both of their lives. Jamison turns his pottery on a wheel. O’Dell said that his work is about the death of his mother and “turning the pages of life.” The title also applies to Jamison having had his turn as a Mercer professor and now O’Dell having his turn as a professor at Mercer. Jamison worked in the art department for about forty years teaching various classes including pottery, drawing and art criticism. O’Dell was one of his students at Mercer. Jamison is a well-known potter in Middle Georgia. He came to Macon after completing his Master of Fine Arts at Indiana University in 1974 to teach drawing, ceramics and design at Mercer. He retired from teaching in 2009 to work full-time in his studio. One of Jamison’s influences is folk pottery, and he also spent time working in Italy and Japan during residencies. He likes to be at the mercy of the process of making pottery. He enjoys just letting it happen and seeing the outcome. He makes pottery for people to use and operates a pottery business near Juliette, Ga., where he also built his studio. O’Dell graduated with his B.A. at Mercer in 1992. He has participated in a number of art exhibitions in the area. He worked as a curator at the Museum of Arts and Sciences. He has lectured and taught at Macon State College (now Middle Georgia State College). He also taught at Mercer as an adjunct professor from 1994 to 2011. O’Dell said that he enjoys working in the same way as Jamison, and said, “sometimes you just have to surrender to the faith of the process.”
The collaborative exhibit, “Turn, Turn,” is located at 201 North Wayne St. in Milledgeville. The gallery is free and open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. O’Dell’s and Jamison’s art will be on display until Feb. 21. For more information, call Allied Arts at (478) 452-3950.
(12/04/13 12:46am)
Directed by Scot J. Mann, the Mercer Players opened the comical and charming play, “Love Kills,” by Vladimir Volkoff in the Back Door Theatre. The play is a part of “Exile Is My Country,” the International Colloquium held at Mercer on the writings of Volkoff, a celebrated and provocative Russian and French writer. This was organized with the help of Dr. John Marson Dunaway, Professor of French and Interdisciplinary Studies at Mercer. The production was an exciting way to celebrate the works of the late Volkoff. The plot of “Love Kills” is very complex, yet compelling. In this play, Volkoff presents a man, Landru, who has had four wives: Evelyne, Artemise, Valerie, and Junie. He murdered all of them. As he proceeds to say later in the play, he did not kill them; “they killed themselves.” He later tells his wives in purgatory that he killed them all because “love kills.” He killed them to preserve what he perceived to be the essentially best part of them.
In the Mercer Players’ cast did an excellent job in the presentation of “Love Kills.” Hannah Fancher (Evelyne), Hannah Hyde (Artemise), Leah Parris (Valerie) and Julie Allen (Junie) portrayed the four Madames Landrus very artfully. Their character mannerisms were convincing and consistent throughout the entire performance. Evelyne constantly touched her head as Artemise strangely gaped her mouth. Valerie repeatedly stretched and held her sore hand while Junie sniffed the air. Each of these acts symbolized the manners in which Landru killed them: a shot to the head, a drink of poisoned absinthe, the opening of a bomb, and exposure to a gas leak.
Just as they died in different ways, each one had a distinctly different personality. Fancher portrayed the ditzy, naive homemaker wife who could not stop going on and on about and scrambling to do chores. She was comically optimistic and annoyingly organized. She was beautiful, but in the eyes of Landru, she corrupted her beauty with her talk of household chores. Hyde vividly depicted the strongly opinionated intellectual woman. She presented friendship to Landru. But she “would not allow anything,” she would always complain and she was a slob. She was too busy with her astronomer work to be a wife to Landru and constantly drank absinthe. Her snippy attitude was absolutely toxic. Parris innocently presented herself as Landru’s young, incredibly beautiful niece. The audience observed the shift in her character as she later became selfish, destroying her beauty with her scandalous actions. Allen represented the closest ideal wife for Landru. She exemplified the personality of the most worrisome woman who had the highest hopes for her husband. Her worrisomeness also came from her clever intuition that Landru has murdered his other wives. She quickly ran around to try to do whatever it would take to make him happy and constantly asked if he was happy.
Dr. Landru, a psychiatrist, played by Liam McDermott, was absolutely clever, humorous and captivating. His cause for killing his wives was merely innocent in his eyes. McDermott was ever the idealist as Landru. He loved them all, but they were not true to themselves. Landru claimed “love has meaning only in relation to its object.” He saw their beauty and they corrupted it, so he had no other choice but to kill them. Whether that seems delusional or plain crazy, Landru remained loyal to his reasoning. McDermott’s clever banter with the grey angels-- all named Dugazon-- played by Cohen Bickley, Patrick Mathis and Braeden Orr, only emphasized how methodical the good little doctor was. He ends up in purgatory after being guillotined for killing his last wife. But in the end, he meets his true match: the beautiful, controversial and eerie Lucretia Borgia, played by Ninti Chance. With her cold stare and ruthlessness, she literally brings Landru to his knees and by her side for the rest of eternity. He might have thought that his fate with any of his other wives would be dreadful, but the play ends with a seemingly worse outcome.
The three Dugazons performed the set changes and interacted in varying ways with their fellow cast members. The set changes were funny and they occasionally included audience interaction. They all played their parts wonderfully and added more comedy to the story line. The set changes were minimal, but just enough to carry the varying ideas for the rooms that the characters acted in.
The Mercer Players’ production of “Love Kills” is a must see. It is a play that keeps the audience wanting more and the actors and actresses played their parts wonderfully. Their costumes were very charming and well-made for the early 1900’s scenes that were portrayed. With a play as complex as this, the cast definitely carries out the murderous and love-motivated plot of Landru and his four wives. “Love Kills” will be performed from Nov. 14-16 and 20-22 at 7 p.m. and on November 17, 23, and 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and the box office opens 30 minutes before curtain.
(11/10/13 3:10am)
In the spirit of Halloween and fall, there are some things that are always associated with this season. The common seasonal aspects that one thinks about around this time are the leaves changing colors, the change in weather, and ghost stories. It is time to pull out those jackets, UGGs and hot chocolate. But there is also something else: PUMPKINS! Pumpkins are always a popular item in the food world during this time of year. There are pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin blondies, pumpkin pancakes and, of course, pumpkin lattes. Pumpkin lattes are on the rage around this time and I am always excited when they are offered. The latte has definitely become a symbol of fall and what is associated with it over the last few years. It is warm and relaxing; it is almost like taking a walk on a beautiful autumn day. Plenty of places offer pumpkin lattes starting in late September and early October. Some of these places include Starbucks, Panera (my favorite!), our own Jittery Joe’s, and now McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. I’m definitely loving the different pumpkin lattes that they have to offer and I always go to try them out. That’s just what PLLs do (pumpkin latte lovers).
Starbucks is usually filled with lovers of their pumpkin spice lattes at the beginning of fall and they have even had shortages of the product in previous years. The demand is already high for them. Last year, Starbucks released their instant version of the latte as well, which completely sold out. With over 200 million lattes sold and the latte going international, Starbucks is now celebrating its 10th year with their pumpkin spice latte. Even though Starbucks’ version of the pumpkin latte contains no real pumpkin, its spice keeps the customers coming in. But this year there is competition from Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s. With an idea this great, it was bound to be imitated by others. Of course, everyone’s recipe varies a bit. But Starbucks seems to come out on top. It is comical not to think that Starbucks questioned whether the pumpkin spice latte would be a hit. They definitely cannot question that now.
The pumpkin latte craze has begun and the obsession is becoming greater and greater. I have already had my share of pumpkin lattes (bought and homemade) this month already, and I see plenty of other people are doing the same. PLLs are also posting pictures with their lattes all over Instagram and Twitter. The pumpkin public loves pumpkin lattes. I mean, what is there not to like? The sweet and smooth pumpkin flavor with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg spice, the hint of freshly brewed espresso and milk, and all topped with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin spice. No wonder pumpkin spice has become an instant craze of the masses. And it will definitely continue. As long as there are no shortages during this fall season, pumpkin lattes lovers will remain content with getting their pumpkin fix. Happy Pumpkin Latte Drinking!
(10/26/13 3:54am)
For the past couple of years, SHAPE (Sexual Assault, Hazing, and Alcohol Prevention Education) has put on their annual SHAPE Carnival. This year was SHAPE’s fifth annual carnival, and it was held on Oct. 15 on Cruz Plaza from 5-7p.m.
The groups is composed of faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to broadcasting issues about sexual assault, hazing and alcohol awareness throughout the year. With the SHAPE Carnival, students are given a chance to learn facts about these issues in ways that are meant to be fun and interesting.
Many of the student organizations on campus took part in the event by hosting booths with games dedicated to raise awareness about different issues. They also gave out prizes and candy.
According to graduate assistant for SHAPE, Sara Black, the SHAPE Carnival began as “an alternative to lecture series.” The lecture series, that included national speakers, did not seem to be a very effective route to reach students with this kind of information.
The purpose of the carnival is to provide a way to bring the information to students in a more interactive and fun way. Black goes on to say that it allowed “peers to teach peers.” Students and organizations learn facts about the issues of sexual assault, hazing, and alcohol prevention while preparing ways to show this information at their booths during the carnival.
This event has grown over the past five years, starting with 20 participating organizations in 2009 and increasing to 31 organizations this year. The groups included both Greek and non-Greek organizations, and they all came together to help spread awareness to their peers.
The SHAPE Carnival has turned out to be a successful event. With 31 student organizations this year, topics that were discussed included alcohol, drugs, date rape drugs, relationship violence, sexual assault, hazing, stalking and so much more.
Students who attended the event received a “passport” at the beginning of the event for each booth they visited to sign. If the participants received at least 25 signatures from the booths, their passport would be entered into a raffle.
SHAPE decided to change things up a bit this year by having a raffle instead of having free t-shirts. The prizes that were up for grabs were 12 gift baskets with themes of Mercer Spirit, Movie Night and Exam Cram. There were also 10 gift cards, including ones for Margaritas, Francar’s and Jittery Joe’s entered in the raffle. The winners will be announced the following week.
Sara Black explains that SHAPE is always thankful for the numerous organizations that participate and the many students who come to the carnival. She goes on to say, “We could not do it without you and we hope you all had a great time! Keep on the look out for more great SHAPE events!”
This event continues to grow, informing the students on our campus. The SHAPE Carnival is another successful example of Mercer’s student’s commitment to increasing awareness about these current and important issues.
(10/13/13 11:27pm)
On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Tift College of Education hosted a drop-in event at the new Emily P. Meyers Admissions and Welcome Center for any who were seeking a graduate degree in education. The drop-in lasted from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and allowed for anyone interested in pursuing this career path to stop by to chat with current staff members, such as Tracey Wofford.
Wofford is the director of admissions at the Macon branch of the Tift College, and was in charge of speaking to most of the students. When asked why the Tift College was so appealing to potential students, she replied that Tift is ranked no. 1 in the private preparation of teachers, which is a big draw. The opportunities that this college offers are also a greatly appealing factor—partnerships and internships, as well as the eventual placement of the teachers. Wofford stressed that every member of the staff at Tift has had years of experience, which also adds to the prestige of the college.
For those wondering what degrees Tift offers, the answer ranges from a master’s of education in early childhood education to an education specialist in teacher leadership. Are you more of the administrative type, and prefer to be on top of the crowd? Then the master’s of education in higher education leadership is for you. Want to teach 5-year-olds how to color and say their ABCs? Then you want to look into the education specialist of educational leadership (P-12).
Katie Hauser, a current teacher in Bibb County who stopped by the drop-in, said that the reason she was seeking the higher degree now was because of a law that was recently passed. The law states that those teachers who are not working towards their master’s, or who do not already have one, are ineligible for a pay increase. While Hauser loves her children, she agreed that love alone was not enough to pay the bills or buy extra goodies for her students. “Those costs come out of pocket for me,” she said, and sometimes she just likes to reward her students.
“I didn’t even intend to be a teacher,” Hauser said when asked how she got into education. Originally an anthropology major, she took an education class with her roommate one year and has been a teacher ever since.
There are several locations that the Tift College serves, with the closest one here in Macon. However, there are also a locations at the Atlanta campus as well as Regional Academic Centers that cater to evening students in Henry and Forsyth.
“Mercer Building Leaders in Education,” is the motto of the college, and it is definitely a motto that the college lives up to. They hold a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education certification known as “The Standard of Excellence in Teacher Preparation,” an accreditation that Wofford stresses that they are very proud of. “There’s a difference between being within the pure subject and education—how to transmit that knowledge,” Wofford says about the program and why it is so important.
For any student interested in the Tift Graduate program, contact Tracey Wofford at Wofford_TM@Mercer.edu.
(10/01/13 8:25pm)
Tartuffe, Tartuffe, Tartuffe. What a name, what a man, what a show! Opening at the Back Door Theatre, Mercer Players’ premiered their first show of the semester with a rendition of Moliere’s famous play “Tartuffe.” This play, when it first premiered 1664, was deemed scandalous and was originally banned from being performed. In today’s world, the play is merely a great mix of drama and comedy that is a delight to many audiences.
This production reveals many issues from the time of Moliere. Religious piety was a huge issue throughout the play especially with the actions of Tartuffe. He was either feigning to be a religious man or attempting an adulterous relationship with Orgon’s wife or twisting a lie for his favor. Throughout the play, however, there is a theme of genuine urging for honesty and faithfulness to God. It is evident in the play that high moral character was equally important as class. The Mercer Players successfully portrayed these social tensions in their opening performance.
From the direction of Scot J. Mann, the story of “Tartuffe” is brought to life in the Back Door Theatre after over 80 hours of rehearsal and over 120 hours of technical production. The costumes and set design were perfect for the performance. The combined artistry of the cast and the set successfully evoked the seventeenth century French atmosphere.
The cast gave a colorful performance full of comedy and drama. Cleante, played by Carlyle Glance, a new transfer student at Mercer, and Dorine, played by Hannah Hyde, a senior English and French student, were very convincing in their roles and together inspired the most laughs. Carlyle spoke with insightful prose and elegant gestures while Hannah was very impressive with her comedic quick wit. Valere, played by Kevin Kersey, a sophomore Theatre major at Middle Georgia State College, and Mariane, played by Leah Parris, a senior Voice, Theatre, and French triple major, made a lovely and comedic couple. Elmire, played by Julie Allen, a senior Theatre and Spanish double major, was the picture of a poised and good wife, but also a very clever woman. She was the perfect counterpart to her naïve husband, Orgon, played by Braeden Orr, a senior Theatre and Media Studies double major. He convincingly played the overzealous and gullible husband and father who revered Tartuffe. Damis, played by Cohen Bickley, a junior Theatre major, was full of passion and zeal like his father but was more aware than Orgon. Finally, the man of the hour, Tartuffe, was played by Liam McDermott, a sophomore Theatre and International Affairs double major. He was cunning and clever as the “oh-so” pious Tartuffe, who won over the heart of Orgon while frustrating the rest of the family with his obvious deception.
Overall, this production was incredibly humorous and an entertaining show to watch. The set and costumes along with the great acting created Moliere’s vision in this rendition of “Tartuffe.” The final showings of the production will run from Sept. 26-28 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. The box office opens 30 minutes before the curtain.
(09/13/13 6:02pm)
Mercer University’s Art Department annually hosts their Faculty Art Show at the beginning of each Fall semester. This year’s show had its reception on Aug 28 in the newly named Frances Sewell Plunkett Gallery in Hardman Hall.
Dr. Beth Stewart featured three of her works in the show: a 24-color reduction woodcut, a painting, and a drawing. She explained that she is interested in questions about perception as well as light, reflection and refraction. In the woodcut print, entitled “The Ponte Vecchio Mirrored in the Rippling Arno,” she focused on reflections in water. She used the balance of wood and ink with the gouge cuts to create the image. Her painting also expresses perception through the depiction of reflections on the water. In the drawing, entitled “A Twig-Being-Looked-At,” she utilized three different light sources: sunlight through the window and two light bulbs of different brightnesses, revealing interweaving shadows.
Dr. Craig Coleman exhibited two different works in the gallery. One was an untitled work with a modified slide projector, from which he hacksawed, removed pieces, and added an LED. In the projection, an image of a plastic bear rotated continuously. The projected light behind the bear appeared in tiny fragmented circles, distorting the viewer’s perception of the image projection.
Coleman has been conducting investigations with this kind of work concerning the qualities and aesthetics of light. His other works were digital photography prints of LEDs. He explained that he took off the lens of his 35 mm digital camera, and put a magnifying glass on the lens. He moved the magnifying glass until he got the particular abstract shape that he wanted, and took photographs of the LEDs. In his creation titled “Queen,” he made a mirror image of the photograph, revealing a figure-like shape in the middle. In “Iterations,” he used a similar process but instead, he cut the image in half from top to bottom and flipped it to create the effect.
Dr. Gary Blackburn utilized clay, wood, and metal for his pieces. The sculptures he displayed were the first of a series of five crow-themed pieces made with painted terra cotta clay. He explained that crows have their own kind of funerals; he once observed a “crow funeral” in his yard and was inspired to recreate the sentiment in his displays. His work depicts a crow dressed formally for a funeral and other crow “characters” dressed both formally and informally. Blackburn says that he has done work featuring crows, coyotes, and rabbits for almost thirty years.
Eric O’Dell and Steve Simmerman, two of the newest additions to the Art Department faculty, also contributed personal pieces to the faculty art show. Mr. O’Dell presented a piece that reflected his current painting style. His pieces vary in size and many of them, including the current one on display, were created this year. The passing of his mother last year influenced what he has been painting lately. He notes that “Last Year’s Lessons” reflects the relationship to music. In the piece, there are words and references to a song that is associated with his mother’s passing. He remarked that he feels lucky to be able to come back as a new full-time professor especially since he was a student at Mercer and was taught by these professors.
Mr. Simmerman presented three works inspired by the life of his grandfather. His grandfather was a farmer and passed away about thirty years ago. Simmerman created this series as a tribute to his passing. He began with sketches of his grandfather varying in ages. Simmerman then used a journal that once belonged to his grandfather as a field notebook. He combined the words with the images in the displayed mixed-media pieces. The works displayed showed three different times in his grandfather’s life: one when he was a soldier around the age of eighteen, and the others when he was in his sixties and seventies. The works are entitled “A Grandpa Series” and he displayed “No 1- Raconteur,” “No 2- Seed and Tweed,” and “No 3- Armistice Almanac.”
(09/13/13 3:59am)
Every year people tune in to watch the Grammys as the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awards the music community for their musical achievements. Grammy University Network (Grammy U) is a program created by the Recording Academy for full-time college students who are passionate about music and want to pursue a career in the music industry. The Recording Academy offers an array of hands-on opportunities for students in the program to network, learn, grow, and perform in the music world.
At the beginning of the month, Grammy U representatives hosted an information session for Mercer students. The speakers of the hour were Michele Caplinger, senior executive director for the Recording Academy of the Atlanta Grammy Office, and Steve Moretti, a professional musician and a previous Grammy nominee. They explained that the Recording Academy produces the Grammy Awards and is composed of twelve chapters across the United States, including the Atlanta chapter. The Recording Academy hosts events for its members year round. Whether a musician is interested in disk jockeying, music education or performing, there are many options for students to explore through the Grammy U program.
Grammy U hosts events called “soundchecks,” during which students get a chance to talk to artists like John Mayer, Jamie Foxx and The Skins. Other events include professional-development workshops, night-viewing parties, speed-networking events and film and documentary screenings and panel-style discussion events with producers, engineers and songwriters. Students can learn new techniques, different tools, music business, intellectual-property law and music placement. Grammy U members are invited to all events that the Academy hosts. Events differ between chapters but they all offer many opportunities to students.
Caplinger said Grammy U is all about “networking” and offers access to the entire industry. Meeting the right people can take students to the next step, allowing them to “connect the dots.” The key to success is forming connections with people. Caplinger and Moretti both profess that this is a great opportunity to take advantage of and it definitely launches the trajectory for students to meet influential professionals. The Atlanta chapter of Grammy U is a large music and business hub for Mercer-student members. Every genre of music is represented in Atlanta and all of the board members at the Atlanta chapter are voting members who are current and relevant in the industry.
Moretti believes much can be done in the Macon area in connection with the Atlanta chapter. He shared that all of the members want to educate and mentor students in order to sustain and further the industry. Moretti also wants to make Macon a music town like it was in the past. They want to invest in students because student will soon shape the music industry. Caplinger told the session participants, “You all are tomorrow’s Grammy winners,” and Grammy U wants to bring their relationships to Macon.
According to Caplinger, the next step for Mercer students is to take control of their future and take advantage of this great opportunity.
Sophomore Vocal Performance major, Dominique Wil- liams, who attended the information session, said, “This is a great opportunity for aspiring and serious students who want to move forward and make connections. It will be a great learning experience and will allow you to improve your skills. You can get the most out of this experience.”
(09/13/13 3:59am)
Although many Mercer students often don the oh-so fashionable standby of the very comfortable t- shirt, shorts or jeans, and sandals in the heat of summer, some trendy Mercerians have been flaunting other new styles.
With jewelry, the trend is big and colorful necklaces. Whether it is a thick chain or a big-statement necklace, it can definitely brighten up an outfit. Charms like a crosses or are in style. You can also layer different necklaces for a new look. If you want to add a bit of elegance to your outfit, wear a set of pearls, or try out the classic style of black and gold accessories. Some other accessories that you can try are the ever-so-light clutch bag or a small cross-body purse. With so many colors and designs offered, it can add a nice touch to the perfect outfit.
Want to show off those legs? Wear a high-low dress or skirt to accentuate them--the longer length in the back can make legs seem longer. Or you can wear a short skater skirt.
And if you don’t feel like showing off your legs, pick a maxi skirt or dress. They give a very elegant look with their length and flow.
Crop tops, crop tops, crop tops are everywhere. These tops go well with a maxi skirt or shorts, or you can dress it down with sweats. There are also the embroidered or graphic tops and dresses, like the ones with studs on the shoulders or a fun image in the center. You can also try the peplum top, which tapers at the waist and flares out just at the hip.
An overall trend at the moment is geometric or Aztec-like shapes. These patterns are on clothing, scarves, jewelry, etc. Adding a patterned accessory with a solid or simple outfit will make it pop.
In the shoe department, you can never go wrong with a slender pair of sneakers like Keds or a pair of ballet flats. A pair of metallic flats can spice up any outfit. In the heat, sport a pair of wedges or t-strap sandals in different colors.
If you haven’t done your toenails in a while, you can try the classic loafer-style shoe. And if you want to get creative, you can get a plain pair of Keds or Toms, which are in style, and decorate them to make them unique.
Searching for a new look? Try a jumpsuit or romper! Whether it’s solid or patterned, it’s bound to bring compliments. And if you want to continue with an old-school look, get some overalls. It’s another alternative to the jumpsuit or romper.
High-waisted shorts create that nice hourglass figure that every woman loves and adds a 70s flare. These shorts can be found in many clothing stores, such as H&M or Forever 21, and in an array of colors. Colorful bottoms are definitely in right now, as well. But if you’re tired of skinny jeans, you could try some loose-fitting pants. They’re more comfortable and relaxing.
As the transition from summer to fall arrives, the colors are changing. Instead of bright-colored bottoms like red, blue, and orange, fall brings with it: army green, navy blue, grey, pale pink, peach, beige, rust red, wine, and golden yellow.
To take that summer look into the fall, throw on a plaid or denim shirt or a blazer. You can also show off a patterned scarf, narrow belt, and a pair of boots or booties. They can go with every outfit and change up your look. Also with the weather cooling down, you can go from denim to corduroy bottoms and pair it with a knit or crochet sweater.
Another look re-entering the scene is punk rock. This style includes darker colors, reminiscent of the motorcycle scene, like moto jackets, leather, and zippers, but this tough look can be softened with a bit of lace or tweed.
Want to get a little international? Try some stripes. They’re a hit with the French. Très bien, n’est-ce pas? They also sport a lot of black, which can really never be wrong. And you could always throw back to the Spice Girls era of shirts representing the British flag.
(04/25/13 5:34pm)
To recognize our outstanding
athletes and the contribution
they make to our school,
Student Athlete Day was held
at Mercer on April 10, 2013.
This has been a big annual
event for all of the student
athletes to get together. Mercer
has had this event for
many years. There is a National
Student Athlete Day,
which is annually held on
April 6th each year, and Mercer
tries to keep close to that
date for their celebration.
The Student Athlete Advisory
Committee (SAAC)
wanted to work with Big
Brothers Big Sisters so that
the event would allow some
children to participate in the
program.
Ms. Tina Graham, the Area
Program Manager and Manager
for the Big Brothers
Big Sisters of the Heart of
Georgia, wanted Mercer to
invite children who are currently
on the waiting list for
Big Brothers Big Sisters to
spend time with our student
athletes. These children and
their parents came out to enjoy
the celebration and had a
great time, according to Ms.
Graham. They played kickball
behind the softball fi eld,
talked about sports, received
t-shirts and had food.
When asked why this event
is important to have at Mercer,
Dr. Jeff Hugdhal, the
advisor for the Student Athlete
Advisory Committee
and Faculty Athletics Representative,
said, “As athletes
we all have role models and
today is a big opportunity to
give back to the community
and support our teams at the
same time. All the sports get
to step back away from the
fi eld.”
The Student Athlete Advisory
Committee helped to organize
this event and invited
everyone to come out to celebrate
including the children
from the Big Brothers Big
Sisters program. Another
person who was instrumental
was Patricia Ann Upson
also known as “P.A.” She is
a part of the Student Athlete
Advisory Committee and the
women’s soccer team.
The Student Athlete Day is
planned in such a way that
the event is in conjunction
with a major athletic game or
event.
This year’s game was the
softball game versus Georgia
Tech held at 6pm at Sikes
Field. There was defi nitely
cause to celebrate with the
softball team winning the
game 9-1.
All the student athletes
come out from all the sports
to participate in the celebration.
Mercer hosts sixteen intercollegiate
sports including
baseball, men’s basketball,
women’s basketball, men’s
cross country, women’s cross
country, men’s golf, women’s
golf, men’s lacrosse,
sand volleyball, men’s soccer,
women’s soccer, softball,
men’s tennis, women’s
tennis, women’s volleyball
and football.
Dr. Hugdhal says that “Each
year we celebrate the event
by getting all of our student
athletes together for food, fun
and fellowship. As the Faculty
Athletics Representative, I
supply the food, drinks and
t-shirts. The National Collegiate
Athletic Association
(NCAA) mandates that each
school have a SAAC, comprised
of student-athletes
from each of team.”
The committee emphasizes
communicating well with
the student athletes and the
athletics administration. This
system seems to work very
well at Mercer and keeps the
student athletes well-rounded
and integrated in the school
especially with events like
this. Mercer’s student athletes
get a chance to enjoy
each other’s company and see
their appreciation as valuable
members of the Mercer community.
(04/25/13 5:30pm)
On Friday, April 12, SGA
executed its annual Taste of
Macon in the outfi eld of Mercer
baseball’s weekend series
against Florida Gulf Coast.
It did not take long for a
crowd to show up and get
in line for this event. While
students awaited their chance
to acquire a plate of local
delicacies, Mercer’s baseball
team began its game at
Claude Smith Field.
Students got to watch the
baseball team win their game
while enjoying a little treat to
eat.
There were more than
twenty different restaurants
participating in this event
and showcasing what they
have to offer at their loca establishments.
The restaurants ranged from
fast food to gourmet options.
The list of restaurants included
Mercer Village’s Margaritas,
Jittery Joe’s, Fountain of
Juice, Ingleside Pizza, and
Francar’s Buffalo Wings.
Some other restaurants from
the area were Dolce Vita Pizzeria
and Cafe, Bear’s Den,
Bearfoot Tavern, Greek
Corner Deli, McAlister’s
Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill,
Doughboy’s Pizza, Molly’s
Cafe, Nu Way Weiners, Out
2 Lunch, The Backburner,
Tic Toc Room, and Buffalo’s
Café.
The food included chips and
salsa, hotdogs, sandwiches,
chicken fi ngers, cookies,
brownies, and drinks. But
there was so much more than
that at Taste of Macon.
Most of these restaurants
reside in the College Hill
Corridor, which includes a
two-mile radius between the
university and the downtown
area. The restaurants offer
options that are better than
what can be found on campus
and are often cheaper,
with discounts. The corridor
offers not only these restaurants,
but historical features
as well.
The Student Government
Association organized this
event for Mercer’s students
to enjoy. Vice President
Joshua Lovett says that Taste
of Macon was created by the
Student Government Association
and has been going on
for about four or fi ve years.
The goal is to try to do
this once a semester. It takes
about one month to organize
the event and to get all
the vendors who will bring
food. Lovette said, “The
idea is to expose students to
more places and experiences
in Macon. The vast majority
of these restaurants offer
discounts to students.” They
want students to integrate
into Macon community more
because there really is a lot to
do here.
Taste of Macon just shows
a part of what Macon has to
offer and food is great way to
do that. A “taste of Macon”
shows that there are more
places to go to than students
might think.
Lovett said that it shows students
other options than the
Fresh Food Company and the
University Center that they
can go to when these options
are closed. Macon is full of
many things and offers a variety
of opportunities for students
and to take advantage
of them, especially historical
and cultural events.
Lovett notes that the Macon
Connections Chair of
the Student Government Association,
Jeremy Reardon,
was essential to making this
event come together. His position
encourages students
to become more involved in
the Macon community while
establishing connections
benefi cial to students. Taste
of Macon is an event that
allows the Student Government
Association to do that
for Mercer’s students.
(04/10/13 2:29pm)
On Friday, April 5 from 7:30 to 10 p.m., the First Friday Dance was held at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Every first Friday of the month people gather there to enjoy dancing. Various dances are taught including salsa, cha-cha, waltz and mamba. All the proceeds go to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
The dance program is meant to be a way to reach out to the Macon area.
From 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., a session on swing and jive dance was taught by a guest teacher, Julie Mulvihill, who has helped with the program before and soon will be moving to France. This time, she taught some East Coast Swing, which originated in the 1920s and involves some bounce and momentum. The dance was taught step by step and was easy for everyone to learn.
Each dancer practiced the dances as they learned them. The couples and people who attended thoroughly enjoy themselves. Some people danced, and some watched others dance. Some people were dressed in casual clothes, while others dressed in formal attire for the dance.
Paula East, cofounder of the First Friday Dance event, is an ambassador for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame under the dance department. She is a professional dance consultant who teaches dance in the Macon area. She was 16 when she went into show business. She worked as a professional dancer and singer before she started to teach. She has been a professional dancer all her life and has traveled abroad to Europe. This is her third time coming back to Macon to teach, and she thoroughly enjoys it. East founded this event along with Ms. Dianne Kent.
The idea of the First Friday Dance is to promote dancing in the Macon area. Even dancers who compete in competitions come to the dance.
The event is open and catered to everyone from college students to senior citizens. East notes that the seniors usually out-dance the young people.
The dance draws a crowd of about 35 people each time. The group likes to introduce ballroom dancing to new people. Therefore, a wide variety of dancers attend, including the young and old, and beginners and professionals.
First Friday Dances have been going on for six years with an admission of $5. The 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. time slot is the complementary lesson. The 8:15 to 10 p.m. time slot is open to a variety of styles of dancing.
Kent, the other cofounder of the event, said they host other dances, as well. Greater Macon Dance Chapter of USA Dance and the Medical Center of Central Georgia sponsored a hospice group dance called “Stars Over Macon” in 2012. It was a benefit dance to help build Pine Points, a new hospice on Peak Road.
The First Friday Dance was created to help the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame stay open, according to Kent. With the proceeds going to the Sports Hall of Fame, the dance not only promotes dancing but the building it is located in.
(04/10/13 2:22pm)
On the corner of Second Street and Poplar Street in downtown Macon sits a new attraction for people to enjoy.
Only a door with the restaurant’s name above is noticeable at first glance...Kashmir.
After entering and walking up a narrow flight of stairs, a very chic and relaxing lounge is revealed.
The lounge hosts a bar and different areas where people can mingle and sit. The lighting is low and the area is filled with lush décor and color, while jazz music plays.
The lounge provides a new drinking and eating experience in the downtown area.
The restaurant recently joined the Hot Plates Restaurant Group owned by Cesare Mammarella.
Some of Hot Plates’ other Macon restaurants include the Tic Toc Room, Ginger Stir-Fry and Grill, Bearfoot Tavern and Dolce Vita Pizzeria & Café.
Kashmir opened only five months ago under the management of Atlanta mixologist Tristan Robertson for customers 21 and older.
Kashmir’s atmosphere gives a new vibe to the downtown Macon night scene. It provides a relaxed feel with upscale taste.
Kashmir is a very “speak-easy” kind of place, hosting a selection of premium liquors and flavorful appetizers. Some items from the cocktail menu include the Pineapple Serrano Mojito with Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca, lime juice, Serrano pepper syrup, mint leaves, and pineapple juice; the Kashmir Cosmo, which consists of Kai Lychee Vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice; and the Tasty Thai made with Kai Lemongrass Vodka, lime, simple syrup, strawberries, and Thai basil.
The restaurant prides itself on its knowledgeable mixologists and chefs.
Mike Myers, a Mercer student who works as a mixologist, trained over seven months for the job.
“All Mercer students are welcome. Kashmir is a formal place and is good for networking,” said Myers. “A lot of law students and medical school students come in, as well, as business people.”
All 21 and older Mercerians are welcome to enjoy top shelf liquor from around the world, including scotch and bourbon.
Kashmir not only provides a wide range of specialty drinks but also offers Asian-themed appetizers, like Edamame hummus with nan and sriracha, Chicken Yakitori skewers, Asian Shrimp Tacos with cucumber sauce, and Pork Dumplings with sweet chili dipping sauce.
The restaurant provides a casual drinking experience in a non-smoking facility, perfect for both couples and group dates to enjoy.
Kashmir is something new – more than just a club, restaurant or bar. It adds a bit of city class to the downtown area. Downtown Macon has not had anything like Kashmir in recent times, and Mammarella wanted to bring this type of experience to the people of Macon.
It is conveniently located downtown with the other Hot Plates businesses and attractions.
Kashmir is open from 5 p.m. to1 a.m. on Thursdays, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information about Kashmir, call 478-744-0123, or go to www.hotplatesrestaurantgroup.com.
(03/27/13 2:19pm)
The Historic Macon Foundation, headed by Executive Director Josh Rogers, is busy working with their newest project, revitalizing buildings in Downtown Macon into lofts available for the public.
A press conference was held on Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. in front of the site.
This project is a part of Historic Macon Foundation’s revolving fund for downtown Macon.
Historic Macon has just completed fundraising with the support of different foundations, including the 1772 Foundation, the E.J. Grassmann Trust and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
The goal was to meet the challenge of the Peyton Anderson Foundation and reach a fundraising goal of $500,000.
Historic Macon has been successful in their previous projects, and the lofts development seems to be just as promising.
The foundation led the revitalization project in the Beall’s Hills neighborhood and successfully completed their Huguenin Heights and Tattnall Square Heights projects.
Historic Macon also preserves and supports the Sidney Lanier Cottage House Museum and is nominating the Ingleside neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Historic Macon Foundation continues to work on making its mark in the community and helping preserve pieces of Macon’s history.
The 3,600-square-foot space of three to four loft buildings and commercial space/stores will be located on 551 Cherry St.
These are available for sale to owners or occupants but not for rent.
The square footage of the lofts ranges between 585 sq. ft., 681 sq. ft., 725 sq. ft., and 1116 sq. ft.
The architect, Shannon Fickling, and construction manager, Rusty Poss, are working on the project with the help of the interior decorator and Historic Macon’s preservation designer, Cameron Robinson.
Construction has not begun on the lofts, so customization is available within the project, as it is still in its beginning stages.
The lofts are located off Cherry Street and near the Rookery, a great living and working area.
Jennifer Mayer, the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for the Historic Macon Foundation, said “Downtown is a great place to be and go for entertainment and potential residences!”
So much is going on in Downtown Macon, and foundations like Historic Macon want to rejuvenate the area while also keeping its history.
Historic Macon wants to create a core of residence in the area that will be long-lasting.
Jennifer Mayer wants Mercer students “to be aware of all the efforts in downtown Macon. It’s a great location. [The Historic Macon Foundation] is rehabilitating the buildings rather than tearing them down. We want to make them shine again.”
“Several developers down there are creating housing to rent as well,” Mayer added.
The Historic Macon Foundation is on a mission to revitalize the community and preserve the architecture already in place in Macon.
The foundations that helped finish the project’s fundraising have been described as the most helpful to this cause.
Josh Rogers said, “Our hope is to establish a core of homeowners in downtown Macon and to entice private developers to produce owner-occupied housing for the long-term stability of downtown revitalization.”
For more information, the Historic Macon Foundation is located at 935 High Street and can be contacted at 478-742-5084 or info@historicmacon.org.
(03/27/13 2:10pm)
The luck of the Irish was in Mercer Village on Saturday, Mar. 16, as it celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. Even though it was a bit windy, it was a warm, sunny day.
The event lasted from 11a.m. until that night with a number of different events and specials going on in the Village. Mercer Village brought back some of the Mardi Gras spirit during this celebration.
There were three parades that day at 2, 5, and 7 p.m. with awards going to the best groups. Bags and Pipes from Mercer and Southwest High School’s drum line performed during the parade.
There were various events that day: live music with bands playing in the Village, inflatables for children to play on, and people were making sidewalk art all down the street. Two bands played that day and some drag queens paraded down the street. There was also a dance group of young girls who performed African dances.
Kids and adults walked and participated in the parade. Dr. Cassidy, a local dentist, passed out dental supplies in the parade as well. There were also vendors selling their products.
The College Hill Corridor had a table where they passed out free items. They also put toy spiders around the Village and if people brought them to the table, they would receive “Village Vouchers” for food or beverages.
The five restaurants in the Village hosted Mardi Gras and St. Paddy’s Day specials. Ingleside Pizza had their special Lucky Green Pizza. Fountain of Juice had fried cod with their fish and chips, Guinness beef stew, and corned beef sandwiches on rye with sweet onions and Swiss cheese.
Beth Hyer, a Jittery Joe’s employee, said that they offered Irish Crème Mocha and Chicory coffee with green whipped cream during the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. She says, “It was very entertaining.” Their business was steady but not too busy.
The employees were glad to get a chance to see most of the celebration in the Village.
Francar’s Buffalo Wings had an array of different specials that included beignets, seafood gumbo with crab meat and sausage, spicy shrimp po-boy sandwiches, spicy catfish strips, red beans and rice, corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, and shepherd’s pie. Carl Fambro exclaims that they had a really great day and got lots of business. They made the seafood gumbo twice. He says, “Despite the fact that it was Spring Break and there was the Cherry Blossom Festival, the celebration was just as good as Mardi Gras. The weather was nice and we sold out of corned beef and cabbage.”
Margarita’s hosted different specials like crawfish nachos, crawfish quesadillas, corned beef tacos, hurricane drinks, and Guinness beer. The manager, Brad Cork, says, “We had a very good day. It was very successful. It seems to be the beginning of something big around Mercer Village.” He notes that it was a bit chaotic and they did the best they could. But overall, they really enjoyed the business and the celebration.
The streets were full of green luck and Irish charm on that Saturday and it went on into the night. Despite all the things going on, the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration was a complete success.