WORKSHOP April 9, 2022

Location: 701 Center for Contemporary Art (https://www.701cca.org/)

701 Whaley Street, Second Floor Columbia, SC 29201

Welcome 

Thank you for sharing this experience and growing in community with TINYisPOWERFUL! As additional support this page contains contextual information about TINYisPOWERFUL, the team and important details about the April 9th workshop including the agenda, recommended readings and research, website links, and access to other resources that will aid in getting most out of this time together.

History of TINYisPOWERFUL

While TINYisPOWERFUL has only existed as it is today for a few years, this work has rich base and history filled with community driven work and many meaningful transformations. Learn more here: https://www.tinyispowerful.com/2022/02/08/art-in-with-community-the-charleston-rhizome-collective-tinyispowerful/

Bios 

VICTORIA RAE (SHE/HER) is a native of Charleston, SC where she studied dance at Charleston County School of the Arts before earning a BA in journalism and mass communications from the University of South Carolina. Her work has led to features in local and national media including Charleston City Paper, Azalea Magazine, HuffPost, and Eater. Victoria was hired as an assistant to conNECKtedTOO by the Charleston Rhizome Collective, quickly advancing to the role of facilitator with the artist-led project which has now transformed into TINYisPOWERFUL of which she is the Executive Director. She is curious, optimistic, and building a legacy with JA Moore and their daughter, Mariah Rae Love. As a multi-racial Black woman, Victoria is committed to social change through the arts for more true, inclusive representation of the past and the present as we shape a future together.

ASHA SIMMONS (SHE/HER) attended Shaw University where she completed her studies in Psychology.  It is through these studies that she confirmed her passion for acting, as it allows her to explore the development of life and choices through various characters. She is an actress of both film and theater.  When she is not filling a character role, she takes on various other roles within the industry which include but are not limited to: Producing, Costume Design/ Wardrobe Assistance, Stage Management, and creative content development.  It is when she steps into the shoes of a character role that she genuinely gains understanding of another’s life journey.

PAMELLA GIBBS (SHE/HER) is an experienced Activist, Educator, and Advocate for an equitable quality education. She is a retired primary school teacher assistant from James Simons Public Montessori, and was engaged in its 100th anniversary leading the team in A Whorl of Time with Sonia Osio. Pam Gibbs leads the development of the TINYisPOWERFUL’s Mentorship, Apprentice program and education engagement in general.

KIT LONEY (SHE/HER) has an M.F.A from the University of South Carolina in Fiber Arts, and taught art to youth and special needs students for decades. She is a visual artist, a poet, a weaver and now specializes in handmade books. In conjunction with conNECKtedTOO she created a series of accordion books in which hundreds of “house pages” were folded from grocery bags, then were painted, drawn, and collaged to represent past and present tiny businesses in the Charleston area.

JEMAGWGA, GWYLENE GALLIMARD and JEAN-MARIE MAUCLET (THEY/THEM | SHE/HER | HE/HIM) are the lead artists of the Charleston Rhizome Collective. A longstanding collaborative artistic duo “JEMAGWGA”, some of their prior collaborations include two French cafes; art installations and participatory visual art programs about the health insurance industry, homelessness, the arts, gentrification and religious beliefs. Their work has received support from Ministère De La Culture (France), the SC Arts Commission, Alternate Visions, Spoleto Festival, the SC Humanities Foundation, Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, Alternate ROOTS, and the National Endowment of the Arts. They have led the creation of the Residency program at Azule, NC. www.jemagwga.com  www.Azule.org

ARIANNE KING COMER (SHE/HER) is a BFA graduate of Howard University, and has served as an Artist in Residence in the state of South Carolina since 1995. She specializes in indigo batik dyeing, and presents lecture demonstrations on creating indigo textiles and preserving the heritage of indigo dyeing across the Southeast. She was the owner of Ibile Indigo House on St Helena House ’98-04. She is an active member of Alternate ROOTS, Charleston Rhizome and a designer for Seeking Indigo. Her work is in several traveling exhibitions nationally as well as statewide. She represents historical scenery as much as she fabricates wearable art, allowing others to practice with her. http://ariannekingcomerart.com/

JASON GOURDINE (HE/HIM) is an entrepreneur/filmmaker and owner of Crown Vision Media. In 2014, Gourdine made his directorial debut with his feature film, Enter the Dominion. In 2015, Gourdine started Black Collective, a digital media platform, along with filmmaker Travis Pearson. Accustomed to addressing societal issues involving race through film Gourdine took on the task of telling the story of Denmark Vesey. Gourdine is the SC Arts Commission 2018 Media Production Fellow. He is the main Documenter for the conNECKtedTOO project. 

RAYN🌼(THEY/THEM) can be described as a design-centric person with an appreciation for the cute and pastel. At this time Rayn lends their writing, computing, and artistic skills to support the administration and many projects of TINYisPOWERFUL. And one day they hope to open up their own TINY business whether it be an art studio, a corner store, a cafe or a combination of the three. 

AGENDA 

Checkout the April 9th Agenda (located at the bottom of the page): https://www.tinyispowerful.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/701POSTERdisplacementMemoryErasure.pdf

Additional Reading & Research 

Feedback Loop 

We are introducing a feedback component to this workshop to create an another space for critique and continued connection.

Google Forum: LINK HERE

Contact 

For additional information (or conversation) please reach out to tinyispowerful@gmail.com

To inquire about the different projects and moving pieces of TINYisPOWERFUL please reach out to the different leaders and co-leaders (NOTE: please CC TINYisPOWERFUL on all emails that are connected/collaborations with/in the organization.): 

Pam Gibbs & Kit Loney | Good Trouble | gibbspamella@gmail.com & kitloney@bellsouth.net 

Victoria Rae Moore & Asha Simmons  | I Like My Tea Sweet | tinyispowerful@gmail.com & ashaas2015@gmail.com

Rayn | 843? | justraynwithay@gmail.com

Jean-Marie Mauclet | A Tale of Charleston & Soul Food | jemagwga@gmail.com

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