Artist Michael Fowler creates evocative abstract landscape paintings by incorporating vibrant colors with subtle, complex details. His semi-large-scale approach invites viewers to step into his work and build a sense of wonder and contemplation surrounding the natural world. Fowler’s artistic response in contemplating nature is to capture something of a landscape’s pleasantness, which is often unexpected harmonies of color and shape. In his latest exhibit, Arbor Huescapes, Fowler highlights the distinctive vegetation – primarily trees – and topography of North and South Carolina’s midlands and piedmont regions.

Fowler received his Bachelor of Arts from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas with a focus in Advertising Design. He then attended the University of Nebraska where he received a Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing with a minor in Art History. From there, he attended the University of Memphis where he earned a Doctorate in Higher Education. Based in North Augusta, South Carolina, Fowler is currently an associate professor of design and computer graphics and serves as the Mary Durban Toole Chair of Art at the University of South Carolina in Aiken. His paintings are in a number of public and private collections nationally, and he actively exhibits in regional and national shows.

Please note: Arbor Huescapes has been rescheduled due to the COVID-19 crisis and will now open in fall 2021. The exhibit is on display daily September 18, 2021 – January 9, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Baker Exhibit Center. All works are available for purchase and a portion of sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Turkey Time! November is here so you know what that means – Thanksgiving! Every year, we put together Thanksgiving dinners so that our Neighbors in need don’t miss out on celebrating and having a delicious meal with their family. Below, you will see the list of items we need to make these boxes. Please consider donating items towards this cause. Help us put “giving” into Thanksgiving! Ham/Turkey Potatoes/Rice Gravy mix Corn Green Beans Mixed Vegetables “Cream of” Soups Cornbread Mix Cranberry Sauce Graham Cracker Pie Crust Pumpkin Pie Filling Evaporated Milk Here’s a joke to start your week: Q: Why did the cranberries turn red? A: Because they saw the turkey dressing!

Monday – Friday 9:00am – 11:00am
Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 1:30pm – 4pm

Closed Thanksgiving Day.

Things to do at Sky Top

Spartanburg photographer Chuck Reback always had an affinity for horror movies – and abandoned buildings – so when he had the opportunity to photograph inside the now-dilapidated Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia, he jumped at the chance.

Six years and three trips later, the results are his upcoming solo exhibition, “Asylum Images,” Nov. 2 through 27 in Gallery II of the Artists Collective | Spartanburg. A reception will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the third Thursday for ArtWalk Spartanburg.

The building was a state-run, Victorian-era mental hospital that was used up until 1994. The site has a lot of deferred maintenance and is deteriorating rapidly.

A veteran fused glass artist and a relative newcomer to the medium will present a joint exhibition, “Difference in Glass,” Nov. 2 through 27 in Gallery III of the Artists Collective | Spartanburg.

A veteran fused glass artist and a relative newcomer to the medium will present a joint exhibition, “Difference in Glass,” Nov. 2 through 27 in Gallery III of the Artists Collective | Spartanburg.

“We want people to see the different things that can be made with glass fusing – the different shapes, colors and ideas,” says Judy Martin, whose years of fused glass work “morphed” from her jewelry making, sculptures to painting on glass.

Martin encouraged Thomas Zumbach, who is new to the art of fused glass, to do the joint exhibition. The show will highlight “a veteran glass fuser wanting to show a new path and a ‘newbie’ wanting to show a new perspective of what can be made with glass.

 As the Clemson Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks prepare to face each other on the football field, The Blood Connection, your community blood center, is preparing for the 37^th annual “Blood Bowl” competition between both schools.  This competition, which will take place from November 15 – 19, comes as TBC continues to struggle to collect its daily need of blood donations.  TBC is relying on ‘Blood Bowl’ week to bring in the lifesaving blood products needed for local hospitals through the Thanksgiving holiday season.

 

For the past 35 years, Clemson and UofSC have battled it out to see which school can bring in the most blood donors, in one of the largest collegiate blood drives in the nation.  In 2019, both schools collected a combined 4,549 donations.  One unit of blood can save up to three lives, equating to more than 13,000 lives potentially impacted by this competition. In 2020, the annual Blood Bowl was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but both universities continued their commitment to supporting their community blood centers by hosting blood drives throughout the year.

 

For the first year, The Blood Connection (TBC) will host several blood drive locations on the University of South Carolina campus, from The Horseshoe to the Koger Center.  TBC is partnering with the Carolina vs. Clemson Blood Drive committee to bring several blood mobiles to campus, giving students and community members the opportunity to help maintain a stable blood supply.  “For all of us involved in the Carolina Clemson Blood Battle, it is a tradition that we hold close to our hearts. It’s a special way for us to embrace our rivalry with our counterpart, Clemson University, and give back to our community during a time in which blood donations are historically low,” said Julia Ballou, co-president of the Carolina Clemson Blood Battle Committee.

 

At Clemson, TBC has partnered with students in Alpha Phi Omega (APO), a national service fraternity, for more than 25 years.  The organization chooses to host Blood Bowl the week before Thanksgiving because of the blood center’s need for donations at that time. TBC typically sees a dip in donations during holiday seasons and winter months. The collaboration between TBC and APO every year emphasizes the critical need for consistent community involvement to support the local blood supply.

 

Clemson University took home the title in 2019, with their 17^th win, one shy of UofSC, who has 18 wins.  USC has a larger student body, so the playing field is leveled by competing based on the total number of units collected when thefootball game is played in Columbia, and on percentage of students donating blood when the game is in Clemson.

 

Right now, The Blood Connection is seeing continued low blood donor turnout, which impacts available supply to local hospitals.  TBC serves more than 75 hospitals across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, and must collect more than 800 units a day to adequately supply those hospitals.

 

Students and community members can make an appointment to donate blood for Blood Bowl by going to thebloodconnection.org/cubloodbowl for Clemson, or thebloodconnection.org/uscbloodbattle for UofSC. A list of locations at each campus can be found below.

 

Clemson University:

• Hendrix Student Center: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Bowman: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Vickery: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Ag Quad/Academic Success Center: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Riggs Hall: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Fernow Cafe: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Watt Family Innovation Center: Monday – Friday 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

 

University of South Carolina:

• Horseshoe – Sumter Street: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Koger Center: Monday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Engineering Center: Monday – Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Kappa Kappa Gamma: Monday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Zeta Tau Alpha: Tuesday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon: Thursday 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• 650 Lincoln: Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 

The Soldier Bishop: Ellison Capers, a special exhibit created by Faith Memorial Chapel, Cedar Mountain, NC, now on display at the Upcountry History Museum, presents the unshakable faith of Rt. Reverend Ellison Capers and how his fortitude created a lasting legacy.

Though he lost loved ones and survived many of his own near-death experiences in some of the most horrific engagements of the American Civil War (1861-1865), Capers’ trust in God and the path before him never faltered. In 1865, at the age of 28, he was promoted in the military to Brigadier General receiving recognition for his leadership and distinguished service. After the war Capers was elected Secretary of State for South Carolina. Even so, his calling to Christ was overpowering. The Governor told him, “You can be a Governor, Senator, or anything you like. You will be a fool to give all this to become a preacher.”

In 1866, Capers accepted a call to Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville, South Carolina, where he served for 20 years. He was consecrated as bishop of the State of South Carolina in 1893 and moved to Charleston. To escape the summer heat, he purchased a plot of land in Cedar Mountain, NC, and erected a cottage. This inspired in Mrs. Capers a dream to erect an Episcopal chapel for the local population. In 1894, this dream became a reality, and “Faith Chapel” was built.

“Faith Chapel” fell into disrepair following Capers death in 1908. In honor of his enduring influence and guidance, a disciple of Capers, the Reverend Dr. Alexander Mitchell from Greenville, began a movement to rebuild the chapel and dedicated the new church, “Faith Memorial Chapel,” in Capers’ memory in 1941.

The exhibit shares the story of Ellison Capers and the history of Faith Memorial Chapel. Historical artifacts, including Capers’ original military sword, the musket balls that nearly killed him, his war diaries and handwritten letters to his wife from the battlefield, and the preserved renderings for rebuilding the Chapel dedicated to his memory, highlight key moments of Capers life’s journey through war, faith, and salvation.

Please join us for our regular monthly meetup.

Running Order (Subject to Change):
11:30 am: Arrive for networking and refreshments
11:45 am – Opening remarks
12 pm – Speaker
12:40 pm – Open Q&A Session
12:50 pm – Closing remarks & Social
1:00 pm – End

******Anyone that comes to the MeetUp gets 3 MONTH FREE HOSTING of the Swift Hosting plan from our sponsor A2HOSTING.COM (https://www.a2hosting.com/web-hosting)******

Come prepared to listen to a great talk!!!

Important to know:
We use the same Code of Conduct for our Meetup that we use for WordCamp Greenville, and it can be found here: https://2020.greenville.wordcamp.org/code-of-conduct/

Please be kind and courteous to all attendees and employees!

“How is it that the coolest new show on Broadway is a 1943 musical?” says The New York Times.

This is Oklahoma! as you’ve never seen or heard it before — reimagined for the 21st century, and now the Tony Award^® winner for Best Revival of a Musical. Funny and sexy, dark and jolting, this acclaimed production of Oklahoma! “lets us experience Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatness anew” (The New Yorker).

Stripped down to reveal the darker psychological truths at its core, Daniel Fish’s production tells a story of a community circling its wagons against an outsider, and the frontier life that shaped America. Upending the sunny romance of a farmer and a cowpoke, this Oklahoma! allows the classic musical — and our country — to be seen in a whole new light.

“This production shocked me and moved me,” raves Frank Rich of New York Magazine. “This is the Oklahoma! that was there all along.” The Daily Beast raves “Forget your traditional idea of Oklahoma! Daniel Fish’s daring, brilliant, utterly absorbing re-interpretation is dark and different — brilliantly so.”

Official Website

The Study Buddies Afterschool program is offered at four community centers throughout Greenville. The program runs Monday through Friday from 2:30-6 p.m. Participants will receive homework assistance, life skills development, recreational activities, educational projects, and much more. A healthy meal is provided daily for each participant. This program is open to students in K through 8th grade.

Registration is currently open for city of Greenville residents. 

Participants in the Study Buddies Afterschool program  will receive homework assistance, life skills development, recreational activities, educational projects, and much more. A healthy meal is provided daily. This program is open to students in 5K through 8th grade.

We are committed to providing our students a safe, enriching, and healthy afterschool experience. View Afterschool Health and Wellness Policy (PDF)

Dates: August 17, 2021 – June 1, 2022                                                         *Program does not run when there is no school for holidays, half days, teacher work days, vacations, or snow days (following Greenville County School calendar).

Time: 2:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Fees:  $585 for City Residents

Discounts for families registering two or more children. Payment plan available in 9 installments with the first initial payment due upon registration.

Financial Assistance: City of Greenville residents with documented financial need will automatically qualify for a reduced fee after school program. Qualified participants must complete the application and submit all required documentation to be eligible for the reduced fee. Financial aid will automatically be added to the participants online account after their application and documentation has been approved. Applications are available online (see below under documents) or in person at David Hellams Community Center or Bobby Pearse Community Center.

Financial assistance rates are $270 for the year. Sibling discounts do not apply to financial assistance rates.

Locations:

• Bobby Pearse Community Center (FULL)
  • Elementary: Stone Academy
  • Middle: League Middle
• David Hellams Community Center
  • Elementary: East North Street
  • Middle: Greenville Middle
• Nicholtown Community Center
  • Elementary: Lake Forest
  • Middle: Northwood Middle
• West Greenville Community Center
  • Elementary: AJ Whittenberg (transportation will be provided)
  • Middle: League
  • Legacy Charter School also provides transportation to the Center

Bussing Directly From The School To The Community Center: The City of Greenville DOES NOT provide transportation from the school to the afterschool site. Parents are responsible for arranging school bus transportation and also letting the school know that their child will be attending this afterschool program.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Refunds are not available after the first week of the program.
• Prior to August 17, Parent/Guardian must submit all completed parent consent forms.

DOCUMENTS

Parent Handbook

Parent Handbook Forms

Financial Assistance Application Form

Afterschool Flyer