A group art show coming Friday, July 11, to a St. Elmo coffee shop promises talent "too abundant to be relegated to wall space alone."
So "Brews, Beats and Hues" also will feature live performances at its opening reception, set for 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Pasha Coffee & Tea, 3914 St. Elmo Ave.
Featured in the art show are John Somerville, Rushelle Frazier, Jason Reeves, Jocelin Yagel, Maggie Martin and Jared Hartig. Frazier says she and the other artists work in a wide variety of mediums, making the show "near guaranteed to have something for everyone."
It is, she says, "a vibrant sample of some of the best underground artists in the Chattanooga area."
Music will be performed by Divine Jazz and acoustic singer/songwriter Alia Holiback. Performance poetry sets are planned by Frazier, Genesis the Greykid and Marcus Patrick Ellsworth.
Donations to support the performers are appreciated.
For more information, email rushellefrazier@me.com.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Resumé notes about the visual and performance artists in Friday's show:
¦ Joy Divine: The frontwoman of Divine Jazz has been singing since before she could walk. From 2004 to 2008, she performed with guitarist Scott Dercks in the Minneapolis area. Now living in Chattanooga, she performs with David James, who has, she says, "a Chet Atkins sound and a voice like Elvis."
¦ Marcus Patrick Ellsworth: Originally from New Orleans, this Chattanooga poet blends spirituality, politics and identity into verses that can be fiery calls to action or humorous abstract musings. He has self-published two books of poetry and has been featured on several live albums by the improv jazz band The Undoctored Originals. He is the organizer and host of Wide Open Floor, the monthly open-mike variety show at Barking Legs Theater.
¦ Rushelle Frazier: The activist, organizer, poet and visual artist was born in Queens, N.Y., and raised in Worcester, Mass. She has been involved with poetry - page and stage - for the past decade. She has self-published seven chapbooks and recorded one poetry CD.
¦ Genesis the Greykid: The artist/poet was born in Chattanooga and raised in Virginia Beach, Va. "Sometimes, I say things. Sometimes, people like it," he says.
¦ Jared Hartig: He attended Savannah Collage of Art and Design for animation and continues a family tradition of woodworking and woodturning.
¦ Alia Holiback: A self-taught bluegrass guitarist, she has since expanded into a multi-instrumentalist powerhouse, adding piano, mandolin, dulcimer, fiddle, upright bass, ukulele, banjo and harmonica to her repertoire. She released her first EP, "Generalized Statements of Observable Facts," in July 2013.
¦ Maggie Martin: Hailing from Michigan, the Iraq War veteran and anti-war organizer has lived in Decatur, Tenn., for three years.
¦ Jason Reeves: Raised in Alabama, he holds to the notion that he is a hillbilly for life, "even though he graduated with a BFA in painting from a fancy art college," factors that result in a mix of surrealist, expressionist and pop/folk art. He has been in Chattanooga a little over 10 years.
¦ John Somerville: Originally from Dallas, the Chattanooga-based photographer seeks out "the bold confrontation" of his pieces, by manipulating lighting and perspective in his work to draw the viewer in.
¦ Jocelin Yagel: The Chattanooga-based artist produces pen-and-ink drawings and acrylic- and oil-based paintings characterized by detail, pattern and storytelling.