Lucky me! I get to work with and for some of the coolest, most savvy people in town. As individuals and collectively they are committed to the health and well-being of our community. Yes, the members of artCentral’s Board of Directors (Betsy Flanigan, president; Jane Ballard, secretary; Jackie Boyer; Maddie Capps; Wendi Douglas; Doug Osborn; Jason Shelfer; and Kerry Sturgis) are a creative bunch of can-do folks even in the midst of Covid-19’s challenging times!
While artCentral at Hyde House is temporarily closed through July, in the interest of public health and safety we are reluctant to move too fast and too soon to throw open our doors for group gatherings. Statistics of rising diagnosed cases of this virulent virus behoove us to proceed with caution.
However, believing art and artCentral are here to uplift and inspire our spirits, a grand scale, outdoor “SCULPTURAL SPECTACULAR” will offer a “soft” artCentral reopening on July 3, 2020. This bright-bold-exciting collection will splendidly fulfill artCentral’s mission to sustain our souls as we ease artCentral toward full gallery reopening with the much anticipated end-of-August Annual Membership Exhibition.
In artCentral’s tradition of offering grand art for our small town, Board member and artCentral artist Jason Shelfer, is installing his original up-cycled, repurposed, found objects assemblages on the beautiful Hyde House lawn under the impressive canopy of old growth trees.
This drive-through (from the air-conditioned comfort of your car) and walk-through (to get some cool-of-the-day exercise) exhibition is free for your viewing pleasure at 1110 East Thirteenth Street in Carthage. For more information visit www.artcentralcarthage.org/sculptural-spectacular–jason-shelfer–exhibition or call (417) 358-4404.
As an artist of many, many talents, Jason Shelfer has a Bachelor of Arts in English (minored in Studio Art with a Sculpture Emphasis) and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He not only makes large scale sculptural constructions, he also creates lovely rosaries and whimsical jewelry and paints and contributes paintings to artCentral’s fundraising artist-generated auctions.
Jason, married to Meg Fethers Shelfer and father of Miles and Flannery, is a truly committed Carthaginian and has tirelessly supported our community as a City Council member. He works today as the Supervisor in the Child Support Division in the office of the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney. He serves on the board of Art Feeds National.
A graduate of Carthage Senior High School, he tells us he has shoes to fill:
“My Great Great Grandfather permanently moved to Carthage in 1918 where he was appointed to serve as Street Commissioner and eventually passed away at his home on Maple Street. My Great Grandfather worked for 23 years at Carter Hardware until he became a Deputy Clerk at the Jasper County Courthouse until his death at McCune-Brooks.
My Grandfather graduated from Carthage High in 1929. At one point he was a credit manager for the Carthage Marble Corporation and was the owner/operator of the local Buena Vista Dairy. My mother graduated Carthage High School in 1967 and has been a very active volunteer to numerous local organizations.”
Come see Jason Shelfer’s SCULPTURAL SPECTACULAR! Treat yourself, ask a friend to ride along or load up the car with your family and celebrate the art that is thriving on a beautiful lawn in our hometown.
For my artist husband David I painted a mini “Sculptural Spectacular” of another nature to hang on his studio door. “Sculptural” because in the 2D picture plane I built a sinuous image made of curving contours: “Spectacular” because I included a clip from David Bowie’s outlandish “Space Oddity” lyrics that go “Take your protein pills and put your helmet on!”
Lately this painting has been on my mind because right now we all need at least one personal “Sculptural Spectacular” to remind us that we are in the second surge throes of a pandemic that is revving up fast. I almost feel I should immediately crank up mass production of wall art that reads, “Take your temperature and put on your facemask!” In other words, do your small part to monitor and protect yourself and to show respect for the health of others. Put on your masks, people! Put on your masks and wear them everywhere!
