Click here to learn about some of exciting cultural activities to do and places to visit in Grant Park.
Category Archives: Things to See
Friday night at Church
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It’s Friday in Atlanta, and you’re sick of dinner and a movie. Take a walk down Edgewood and you’ll see a sign for “Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium.”
Known to savvy, ATL locals as “Church”, this bar is known for its quirky features like church organ karaoke.
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“Church” was spontaneously founded in 2010 by a former divinity student named Grant Henry. (His alter ego is “Sister Louisa”, a fallen nun turned folk artist)
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CHURCH (It’s a Trucker Hat!) pic.twitter.com/xjfsIEBgDt -
The New York Times describes Church as a place that, “..plays with, and spoofs, church culture. Karaoke is
performed in choir robes, and walls are decorated with faux-religious pop art.” -
Jesus was a hippie
hanging out with the people at the Chapel Bar at CHURCH. pic.twitter.com/ifgdmwMywi -
His bar became so successful, it’s open on almost every holiday. So if you have been searching for a hiding place during Christmas/Thanksgiving/50th birthday parties, now you know about Church.
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I mean, if it’s good enough for Jessica Alba, it should be good enough for you.
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JAH:
Jessica Alba Henry at CHURCH pic.twitter.com/iiBypzLpch -
Artwork, religion, and booze, y’all.
No,this is not the service entry way. -
Have a hankering for harmonicas?
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How about doing a little this?
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And listening to this? …….It will sound a little better after you’ve had a few
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Don’t let the title fool you. There is next to nothing holy about this place
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Earliest I’ve ever been to church on a Sunday #brodown @ Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and… http://instagram.com/p/jV00tgKLLz/
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Not your cup of tea? Well, have a nice day, they aren’t changing for anyone.
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So if you find Sunday services lackluster, try Jesus with a side of whiskey!
The walls are alive with the art of many
Artists breathe life into the walls of Decatur
Scattered across Atlanta you can find beautiful paintings on walls of buildings. These murals are part of the the Living Walls Atlanta Conference, a collective effort between local and international artist to use street art “to promote, educate and change perspectives about public space,” according to the organization’s mission statement. Started in 2010, Living Walls has created public art in various corners of metro-Atlanta. You can currently find six living Walls murals on Decatur’s walls. Here they are!
1. 430 West Trinity Place
(Beacon Hill Complex)
by Michi and Adrian Barzaga
Pumped up to see the first wall, I followed the GPS on my phone. When the GPS announced that I had arrived, I looked up to see this:
The construction workers at the site could not remember tearing down a mural on one of the walls, but numerous residents could confirm the construction site was formerly the Beacon Hill Recreation Center, where the mural had been previously. Living Walls creations have a history of being torn down or painted over for different reasons. As seen in the photo below, this wall seemed to have been demolished as a part of a larger remodeling project for the whole block.
Disheartened, I continued my search for the murals.
2. 113 East Court Square
(Squash Blossom Building)
by Gaia and Nanook
Located in the middle of the courtyard, the second wall was the easiest to find.
The first picture didn’t capture the intricacy of the mural, so I tried to capture some of the details in a close-up picture.
3. 133 Sycamore Street
(Dancer’s Core Alley)
by Sam Parker
The third location was the most difficult to find. Although you can see the alley from the courtyard, a bolted gate blocks that entrance.
The second entrance is through a parking lot. it’s definitely not a location you’ll stumble across.
Then the narrow alley made it impossible to capture a single picture with the entire mural. Here is a portion of the mural.
4. 211 East Trinity Place
(Back wall of Twain’s)
by Doodles, Gaia and Clown Soldier
There was another mural on the adjacent wall of the Living Walls mural. Twain’s garbage small deterred me from getting closer to the second mural (pictured right).
The last two murals can be found on opposing sides of a seemingly abandoned building right down the road from Twain’s.
5. 302 East Howard Avenue
by Freddy Sam and Ever
The larger of the two murals faces the west.
6. 308 East Howard Avenue
by Jason Kofke
The final mural in Downtown Decatur can be found on the opposing side of the larger mural.
There is an additional wall in south Decatur, located at East Lake Drive in Oakhurst.
The highlight of my trip was that although I got lost numerous times, every single person I stumbled across went out of their way to answer my questions. Thank you residents of Decatur!
The Paintings of Peachtree
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Known for its vibrant culture, Midtown is blossoming into one
of Atlanta’s hottest neighborhoods. Midtown is Atlanta’s heart of the arts. From street art to esteemed museums, Midtown is home to some of the best artwork
in the city. While there is no shortage of renowned artists featured in the museums,
many of the galleries introduce up-and-coming talent. -
The High Museum of Art is the leading art museum in the southeastern United States. With more than 13,000 pieces of artwork, the collection houses everything from the classics to the contemporary.
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The Birthday Girl With Her Favorite Painting. Dragon (Drache) by Anslem Kiefer. @nicomeadows #modernart #highmuseum #anslemkiefer #vsco #vscocam -
While the High Museum is the most famous in Atlanta, Midtown is lined with noteworthy museums and galleries. Just across the street, The Museum of Design Atlanta highlights creativity through design.
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MODA even curated a competition in the form of a museum exhibition. Emerging artists collaborated with interior and set designers to showcase unique, original designs.
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#5ThingsToDoToday ‘Alchemy 3’ at Beep Beep Gallery, Dave Nelson and Marlon Patton at the Goat Farm http://ow.ly/rSTsD -
Midtown does not have a specific art district. The neighohood is peppered with numerous hidden gems. Beep Beep Gallery is one of them — tucked away on Charles Allen Drive, the gallery is home to eclectic artwork created by emerging Atlanta artists. Rumor has it that their exhibition openings, or parties, are the place to be if you’re one of the “cool kids.”
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Mentions and buzz for Beep Beep Gallery: http://sch.mp/0jC0A – RT @carolinecox All the cool kids will be at beep beep gallery tonight … -
Beep Beep Gallery always has something exciting to honk about.
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“Gold Party” featuring 7 new artists opens this Saturday at Beep Beep! http://fb.me/XdRj8B8t -
The Robert Matre Gallery displays artist Robert Matre’s own photography and a collection of unique modern paintings and sculptures. The gallery is known for its “bold, vibrant and impactful works.” Rotating exhibitions feature both national and international, emerging, and established contemporary artists.
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Good stuff @MatreGallery tonight pic.twitter.com/jwfjfqWi -
In Midtown, art is not just in the galleries, but on the city’s walls, streets and bridges. The shots below are just a taste of how street art brings the neighborhood to life.
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Whether you set out for a day at the museum or are dashing between a tattoo shop and a bistro, keep you eyes open because you’ll be sure to experience some of Atlanta’s finest art.
Swoonin’ and Groovin’ in the ATL: Jazz Night in Decatur
Hotlanta’s notorious reputation as the global leader in hip-hop illustrates the city’s affinity to producing quality beats; however, the city has a thriving live music scene catering to various types of music aficionados beyond crankin that Soulja Boy or gettin’ back to Ludacris. A particular gem is Jazz Night in Oakhurst, a neighborhood in Decatur. Free and open to the public, Jazz Night draws hundreds of curious music lovers during the warm month of April. Situated at the Historic Scottish Rite courtyard on West Hill Street, concertgoers bring blankets and picnic to lounge and dine in the courtyard among friends and neighbors to enjoy the show.
Imagine sitting with your buddies, drinking a cold brew while listening to melodic saxophone complement a improvisational piano riff as the warm breeze hits your back. For the most up-close and personal concert experience, consider reserving a front-row table complete with fresh linens, flowers, and candles for $25. Last year, attendees were treated to some of the best Jazz artists in the Southeast. Though Jazz artists may not have much name recognition, all of the performers are supremely talented and extremely exciting to watch perform.
Check out this short video to hear some of the tunes from last year’s festival:
Check this video out of one of the slotted performers for this year, Audry Shakir:
Deep vibes and soothing tunes create a warm environment, a welcome change from Atlanta’s intense rap scene. Adventurists seeking new experiences should definitely head to Oakhurst to experience Jazz Night. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m., leaving you enough time to pursue the wide selection of restaurants Decatur has to offer.
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Lineup:
Thursday April 3: Emrah Kotan
Thursday April 10: Jason Passmore
Thursday April 17: Audry Shakir
Thursday April 24: Dan Baraszu & David Ellington
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Main Website URL: http://www.oakhurstjazznights.com/index.html
Email Contact for Questions: concerts [at] oakhurstjazznights [dot] com
Phone Contact: (404) 370-0888
Address: 321 West Hill St, Decatur, GA 30030
WonderRoot: saving the world, one artist at a time
Imagine a place where creativity goes to flourish. Where artistic and creative types convene to develop their work. Where artists are empowered to engage their community through the arts.
A place where art is thought of as a tool for social change.
This place is WonderRoot (http://www.wonderroot.org), a nonprofit organization with the mission is to “unite artists and community to inspire positive social change.” The organization, which was founded in 2004, has many facets. There is the Arts Center, which is located at 982 Memorial Dr. SE and houses a community garden, community library, performance venue, darkroom, ceramics, screenprinting and recording studios, digital media lab and a gallery. WonderRoot provides access to computers (loaded with software) and wireless Internet. Members of WonderRoot pay either $10 a month, or $60 for the year and get access to all that the organization has to offer.
Past events at the organization have included:
- Power2Give: Loose Change Magazine – Building Community Through the Written Word – WonderRoot’s literary magazine, Loose Change, is eligible for a grant through the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. According to the WonderRoot website, the $10,000 grant will support Loose Change to “publish a second print issue, conduct three additional writing competitions, launch the inaugural writer in residence program and host a series of community literary events throughout 2013.” http://www.power2give.org/atlanta/Project/Detail?projectId=2271
- Between Passages – A showcase of color photographs by Nicole Akstein, from her time living in rural northeast India, where she taught art and photography classes to elementary students in the Dhampur Sugar Mills in Dhampus, Uttar Pradesh. Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. through Fri. March 15.
- Music Show — $5 show on March 13 at 9 p.m. featuring Lux Noise, D. Charles Speer and the Helix, Jason Howell and Jesse Nighswonger. Join the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/714944665203199/.