FIRST THURSDAYS

 

Things to do in Columbia! Finally. My friend Gwyn told me about first Thursdays, of which I had heard nothing about prior to. why? because I’m a homebody. Who wants to go outside when I can stay at home in comfy socks and watch tv and eat ice-cream with a fork because I forgot to run the dishwasher?

Yes, some correction in my thinking might need to happen. Life is happening right outside the door. Sometimes it’s worth just going out to observe people. Because I talk on the phone with people all day, and im an introvert…my first inclination when I get of work is MUST. AVOID. PEOPLE.

In’s todays case I had an arguably-more-important list of things that needed to be done when I got home: laundry, editing, life things. My simple plan to such list was to ignore it. I would not recommend this strategy, but if you should go this route you will find yourself with more opportunity to do things. (i e. I really didn’t want to miss first Thursdays because Gywn was having a huge art sale…she’s moving her gallery and needed some extra space for new creation).

1st thursday is basically an amazing time to meet artists and talk about art. It’s a bunch of people walking around main street, enjoying wine and food and seeing exhibits put on. Tapps art gallery usually has a themed show going on upstairs and then open studios where the artists hang out in their studio for people to say hello. Some of the other participants are the Nickelodeon, Wine Down, Free Times, Grapes and Gallery, One Columbia, Mast General, Cigar Box, The Whig, and S&S supply store.

Also there is lots of free/not so free food and drink: DJ Deft Key, Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse-outdoor service, Crepes and Croissants,  KC's Hotdogs, Wine Down-outdoor service, New York's Famous Hot Dogs-sausage dog service with German Brats, and the 2 Fat 2 Fly Food Truck AND the Pawley's Front Porch Truck. (and who can say no to a good food truck?).

Gywn has a cute studio brimming with things to look at. hundreds of paint cans, piles of plywood, the smell of art supplies and her incredibly fun and colorful sculptural paintings. Her series/ emphasis right now is to layer acrylic paint and then carve away and build up with paint chunks. Each piece is unique and fun to look and touch. I personally enjoy that the viewer is allowed to explore the negative space by the shadows and depth of the piece…not just a flat color.

   

I got to see my friend Abbie for just a little second (you may remember her looking awesome in a renaissance dress), but I did get to hang out with a handsome little dog named Arrow. (dog’s aren’t allowed into Tapps so we hung out while abbie+co checked out art).

FIRST THURSDAY ON MAIN STREET ARE:

• Located: Main Street
• Venue: City Center / Main Street
• Recurring: monthly on the 1st Thursday
• Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

 

AND then I bought a painting from Gwyn and booked it to my car because the rains in the plains were about to break loose. It was a very very very very freakishly heavy painting….maybe she used lead paint….or elephants. I’m pretty darn excited about it and trying to figure out the best place to display it!