Sementha Mathews

The Valdosta Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2020, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 21, at 11:30 a.m., in the second-floor board room of the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, located at 527 N. Patterson Street.

The purpose of PAAC is to further the purchase, creation and appreciation of public art for its aesthetic value to the community. The PAAC also encourages the preservation and protection of works of public art which play a vital role in the economic development of the community.

For more information about the PAAC, call 229-247-2787.

The Turner Center for the Arts has rescheduled the opening of the 33^rd Annual Spring into the Art Exhibition to Monday, May 11, allowing artists an additional four weeks to create outstanding works of art that the community has come to expect at this event.

“We have adjusted our schedules—as everyone is having to do—on account of the coronavirus pandemic and in consideration for the health and safety of others,” said Executive Director Sementha Mathews. “In the weeks ahead, we will continue to monitor conditions and will make additional adjustments as necessary.”

Spring Into Art, the Turner Center’s largest exhibition and fundraiser of the year, traditionally features more than 200 regional artists and showcases more than 400 original works of art. The entries will be accepted and displayed within the Turner Center’s elegant gallery space at 527 N. Patterson Street. All artwork will be available for purchase and are eligible to win award prizes totaling $6,000.

The artist entry deadline is Thursday, April 16, and the entry fee is $40 for one piece or $60 for two. Delivery of the art work is scheduled for April 23-25 and 27-28.

“We have received a flood of calls and emails from artists concerned about the original scheduling of Spring Into Art. The outreach has shown us that the artists, for whom the exhibit was created to support, have strong desires to continue this annual tradition,” said Curator Bill Shenton. “We are so grateful for the artists’ continued support and participation in Spring Into Art, and we look forward to celebrating the art in life with our community on May 11.”

The Center is also currently welcoming sponsors for the 33^rd annual event. All Spring Into Art sponsors are listed in the exhibit program, on the walls of the Turner Center galleries, on the Center’s website, and in other printed and online materials to show appreciation for their commitment to the arts.

Additional information about artist deadlines, sponsorship opportunities and revised Spring Into Art schedule may be found at here.

In consideration for the health and safety of our patrons and guests, the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts has cancelled all of its classes through March 28. All facilities are closed; however, staff is accessible by phone and email and all center-related information is posted at www.turnercenter.org.

We’ve been keeping up with the troubling news of how quickly and severely the Coronavirus is spreading, and we are trying to figure out how to keep our doors “open” while keeping them shut. Beginning today, Turner Center staff will post daily art engagement activities to keep our homebound audiences of all ages entertained and engaged via social media and website posts. We thank our local artists and art teachers who are also supplying us with inspiring information to share with you. We hope it will bless you as much as it does us to serve you.

According to the Americans for the Arts, the arts are fundamental to our humanity. They inspire us and foster creativity, goodness and beauty. The arts bring us joy, help us express our values, and build bridges between cultures. The arts are also a fundamental component of a healthy community, strengthening them socially, educationally, and economically—benefits that persist even in difficult social and economic times.

As always, thank you for your support. Most importantly, please be safe as you make your own decisions for personal health and safety. Our community will endure this, as we’ve done many other incidents, by praying and working together.

Turner Center Offers Cultural Hula Dance

As part of its cultural enrichment focus, the Turner Center for the Arts will offer Hawaiian Hula as part of its class offerings, beginning in October 2019. The dance instruction, which will be held in the art galleries at 527 N. Patterson Street on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m., will cost $50 for four weeks of instruction.

“Cultural enrichment is built into our mission statement, so we are proud to expand our art classes to include introductory Hawaiian Hula, beginning in October,” said Executive Director Sementha Mathews. “We anticipate these classes to not only shed light on the Hawaiian culture, but to also provide hours of fun for family and friends to make some great memories together.”

Instructor Jan Gochenouer has taught Hula and other forms of Polynesian dance for over a decade. A native of Hawaii, Gochenouer moved to Valdosta from Hawaii in 1995. She began dancing Hula at age 10 and performed as a professional Polynesian dancer for six years.

Each month, Gochenouer’s students will learn the hand and feet dance movements to a particular Hawaiian song. By the end of four lessons, students will have learned the entire song and dance coordination. Gochenouer has planned to start the classes in October with the Hawaiian song, “Little Brown Gal”—a song that she taught to a North Florida beauty pageant contestant who went on to win her contest.

Gochenouer said she wants to bring the spirit of “aloha” to South Georgia. The first set of Hula lessons will take place on Oct. 1, 8, 15 and 22. Three addition sessions are on the Turner Center’s schedule for November 2019 and in February and March of 2020.

For more information or to register for the Hula classes, call the Turner Center at 229-247-2787 or visit www.turnercenter.org.