Travel - The Word with
Heather René Dunaway
February 2025
January in the Arts Council office was a crazy time. We were super busy as a team with projects like WetPaint planning, training new team members, catching up on things after the holiday breaks. I was especially busy with the uninstallation of the last sculpture trail and installation of 10 new sculptures for the Augusta Sculpture Trail, installing art shows like the Augusta Black History Exhibition with Theron Cartwright and the Voices of the Diaspora at Better World Studios, putting out open calls for art like WetPaint and Augusta Intertwined and coordinating receptions, finalizing the Storm Drain Mural artist roster, plus Creative Conversations, Internship planning, and meetings on top of meetings. Looking back at my planner, the only date that didn’t have something planned for it was January 21st. What a relaxing day that must have been. Do I remember if I got to breathe or not? Nope.
Which is why I was relieved to leave Augusta for a bit to join some friends in the mountains and relax in a jacuzzi and explore Ashville, NC (one of my favorite day trip cities).
Traveling is so important as an artist. I think, after a while, without it your work starts to dull. Getting out of your comfort zone, physically, can bring new inspirations and connect you with a more global arts sphere. Even if it’s just a day trip, or some at-home-traveling. Getting new experience speaks to your art in a way that energizes. Going somewhere where no one recognizes you, where you can open yourself up to new opportunities or ideas helps you to build on your creative foundations. Expanding your horizons, and all that jazz.
Asheville, NC and the surrounding area got hit by Helene pretty hard. Just like Augusta, driving through the Blue Ridge and still seeing all the scars the hurricane left. It’s important to recognize that. The Blue Ridge has always felt like home to me. Not sure if that’s because my ancestors are from there or because it’s the same mountain range that my even older ancestors settled in. Whatever the case, I wanted to make sure to visit as soon as I was able. Tourism in these types of cities is a driving force. Not only am I helping to clear my brain out by traveling, but I’m helping the communities grow and/or get back on their feet just by being there. They travel to us, we travel to them.
It’s also really refreshing to see a community that stands behind their arts scene. Cities like Lake City, SC, Asheville, NC, Atlanta and Savannah, GA have all these amazing art shops, galleries and public art pockets. Seeing how these bigger cities support their creators inspires me to think of ways to implement their methods in Augusta. It’s also really inspiring to see just the art in general, as an artist.
One of my favorite places to visit while in Asheville is the Grove Arcade and Kress Emporium. The Grove is a converted train station with lots of local arts vendors and shops (it’s where I get my favorite Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce), Kress is like the Art on Broad of Asheville. They even have some recognizable Arts in the Heart vendors featured in their shop, which is always cool to see.
If you can’t afford to travel far, there is always plenty to discover in Augusta. It doesn’t always have to be arts related either. Sometimes a good hike or river trip is all that’s needed to recharge. Explore our own museums and art galleries. Pop downtown on a First Friday and catch some live performances. There is a lot to love about Augusta and for me it always feels good to come home after a trip.
So, that’s the word. Get out there and travel. See something new.
-Heather
