Now a popular monthly tradition, Third Thursday was established in 2012 as a citywide initiative among established art venues in Athens to stay open late for after-hours art experiences. Third Thursday supports art venues through collaboration and cross-promotion and encourages residents to actively explore artwork in person at least once a month. Several of the venues, including the Georgia Museum of Art, have committed to staying open late every Thursday evening, and many often schedule special events such as opening receptions and artist talks to coincide with Third Thursday.
A new interactive activity called the Circulating Stamp Project, led by the Lyndon House Arts Center, will be held across three consecutive Third Thursday events this spring — March 20, April 17 and May 15 — to encourage engagement with the local arts scene. Inspired by vintage “Greetings from Athens, GA” postcards, the Circulating Stamp Project features a limited-edition design divided into four color layers on unique rubber stamps. By visiting all four participating venues — the Georgia Museum of Art, the Lyndon House Arts Center, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art (ATHICA) and tiny ATH gallery — visitors can use the stamps to gradually assemble the layers of their one-of-a-kind print. Participants can visit the venues in any order to create the print on high-quality French Paper cardstock.
Georgia Museum of Art
In addition to works from the permanent collection, the Georgia Museum of Art currently has three different temporary exhibitions on view. Drawn from the most extensive holdings of Florentine baroque art outside of Italy, “Beyond the Medici: The Haukohl Family Collection showcases the sensual, deeply religious and poetic style of Florentine artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, a chapter that has traditionally suffered from a lack of art historical attention. “The Awe of Ordinary Labors: 20th-Century Paintings from Ukraine” exemplifies socialist realism, a style of art promoted by the government of the Soviet Union to showcase an idealized representation of life, and how artists subtly communicated subversive statements into their works. Based on a photo book of the same name, Micah Cash’s photography series “Waffle House Vistas” explores built and natural environments by juxtaposing the characteristic interiors of the diner chain with the diverse landscapes visible through the windowpanes.
The museum also has several events that coincide with Third Thursday. Yoga in the Galleries, held 6 – 7 p.m. on all three evenings, is led by instructors from Five Points Yoga and open to any skill level. Teen Studio: Big and Bold, held April 17 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., invites ages 13 – 18 to explore the galleries, make artwork inspired by large-scale paintings in the permanent collection and enjoy a pizza dinner. Figure Drawing Open Studio, scheduled for May 15 from 6 to 8 p.m., is an opportunity for artists of all levels to sketch from a live model. All of these programs are free, and registration for Teen Studio and the drawing class can be completed by emailing gmoa-tours@uga.edu.
Lyndon House Arts Center
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Lyndon House Arts Center’s Juried Exhibition, which is on view through May 10 and features a wide variety of media, themes and perspectives. Guest juror Michael Rooks, the Wieland Family Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the High Museum in Atlanta, selected 150 pieces from a pool of 835 works submitted by 306 artists living in the Athens area.
“Unbroken Circle: The Musical Threads of Art Rosenbaum,” on view at the Lyndon House April 3 – June 14, narrows in on the intersection of the late artist, musician and professor emeritus’ interests in documenting American vernacular music through paintings and drawings. To see more of Rosenbaum’s work, check out the museum’s publication “Weaving His Art of Golden Looms: Paintings and Drawings by Art Rosenbaum.” The Lyndon House will hold a free life-drawing session with live musicians on May 15 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The annual “Green Life Exhibition,” scheduled for April 3 – May 1, invites PreK–12th-grade students in Athens-Clarke County to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and poems inspired by sustainability and nature. In the center’s lobby case through April 25, Emily Llamazales’ site-specific installation “Imposter Syndrome” draws from science-fiction and reimagined biology to address concerns about our ecological future. Up next in the lobby case, from May 5 to July 12, is “Pretend” by Anne McInnis, a site-specific work that explores the impermanence of identity.
ATHICA
ATHICA will host a different exhibition on each of the next three Third Thursdays. “Confluence III,” held March 17 – 24 in celebration of Youth Art Month, is a pop-up exhibition spotlighting the talents of high school students in the Clarke County School District. Organized by Zero Space Collective and curator Lauren Bradshaw, “Interstitial Agency” will share works by Heather Baumbach, Brooke Day, Human LaPlante, Sam Shamard, Jessica Swank and Theo Trotter from March 29 to May 1. “Quatro,” on view May 10 – June 8 and curated by Lauren Fancher, will exhibit artwork by Leah Mulligan Cabinum, Lori Brook Johnson, Ally Christmas and Mary Stuart Hall.
tiny ATH gallery
On March 20, tiny ATH gallery will host its fourth annual “Clean Your Closet” group pop-up show, an opportunity to take home low-priced pieces so artists can clear out some space in their studios and make new creations. In April, the gallery will host a solo exhibition by Ann Sears, an Athens fiber artist whose works often incorporate embroidery and stitching techniques.
Third Thursday is held the third Thursday of every month from 6–9 p.m. For a full list of what’s on view at each month’s participating Third Thursday venues, visit 3thurs.org. To receive this information directly in your inbox each month, consider becoming a Friend of the Georgia Museum of Art.
Authored by:
Jessica Smith
