To finish out our summary of our activities last year we thought we’d tell ya what we were doing from September to December of last year. We skipped doing this last newsletter because, well…coronavirus.

from top: Easy Company Exhibit; guest interacts with artwork by Ryan Ross at the Friends of FriArts Exhibit; Kirk delivers wrap up remarks for Art Party 2019

September 2019 We completed our fourth gallery show in September with an exhibit of works from a regional artist and friend of the Rock Hill Arts community—Lila Shull. By this time we were getting use to running a consistent art show every couple months and it showed as attendance was significantly higher due to our preparations & marketing as well as the popularity of Lila’s work. This show revealed even more how important our serving through running the Courtroom Gallery has been.

October  2019 October was a prep month as we put up a new art exhibit in the Courtroom Gallery and began to narrow in on details for our annual arts festival, Art Party 2019. The exhibit was of works by friends of Friday Arts Project and it ran for several months. Kirk coordinated with local businesses participating in Art Party, by hanging the Juried Exhibition artwork in their shops as well as raising funds for the festival. Sarah worked hard on design needs for Art Party like marketing postcards and various imagery for social media. It was a busy month!

November 2019 Art Party 2019 was a huge success! Though the number of sites for art activities was down, the number of artists and pieces submitted for the Juried Exhibition was up – as well as attendance. We celebrated the final night with a party where 60-80 people attended to close out the festival. When Kirk gave a few words before handing out the prize money for the Juried Exhibition he said that he “believed Beauty will save the world”. After Kirk’s remarks he had a moment with an artist who he has befriended. “Andrew” (not his real name) comes from a Christian background but has not been exhibiting that in his life. As they were talking Andrew said he appreciated Kirk’s words about art and beauty. “I meant every word of it, Andrew. I truly believe Beauty WILL save the world,” and then Kirk put his hand on his shoulder and said to him, “And I KNOW you know what I mean by that.” Andrew shook his head and said, “Yes”, knowing Kirk was talking about Jesus and His unique work.

December 2019 We stayed in Rock Hill for Christmas this year though we usually head to Texas every other year. It was kinda nice to have a subdued holiday after a busy Fall, though we missed family.

April 2020

During this past month we’ve run into more fallout over the quarantine limitations. We’ve had to cancel a gallery show scheduled for May – June. The two artists whose work we were going to show were offered a spot for 2021 and they both accepted. It has been great to experience the graciousness of people in our community in the face of dealing with this mandatory isolation.

We also had to cancel our annual fund-raiser for Friday Arts Project this year because of the coronavirus. We flexed with this and planned an alternative digital event that happens the last week of May (more about how that goes in the next newsletter). If you’d like to participate, please visit: https://www.fridayartsproject.org/food-art-fundraiser-tickets

Thanks for the prayers and support. We are humbled by it and the work we do. Please pray for extra wisdom for us and our community as we face what adjustments will need to take place on the other side of the virus. Let us know as well, how we can pray for you in this time.