Across My Desk with Brenda Durant
September 2024
September 2024
Where did August go? When Heather asked for my for my blog for this newsletter, I could not believe it was September! Of course, the entire office is racing towards September 20th at 5PM when we open the gates for Arts in the Heart. This is the time of year I remind my husband that I won’t be cooking… I will be tired…I’ll try to be patient with him if he is patient with me. At the office we have a routine of saying ‘I’m Sorry” to each other a few times a week. We may not need to say it, but during the festival weekend and the time leading up to the festival we are sure to be snappy, to be short or to offend in some unknown way. This way we have a few “I’m sorrys” in the bank to be used as needed. If I have driven you crazy lately, I’m sorry!
This is also the time of year that I am so thankful. I love the small crew I work with. Thank you Denise, Heather, Rhian, Tripp and Lillie. Thank you to for our Arts in the Heart intern Zoe and our surprise volunteer, Felice. Arts in the Heart wound not be possible without our dedicated team of volunteers who make the festival possible.
Mike Sleeper works to make our map work- laying out the space for our Fine Arts and Craft Market, all the Sponsors, Member Arts booths and Family Area. Nancy Johnson was in the office this morning to meet with Intern Zoe to make sure Young Artist Market was ready for 2024. We have quite a list of volunteers and team members who manage areas like Volunteers, Global Village, Stages and the Global Village. We held a meeting with numerous City Departments who will work to spiff up Broad Street, ensure we have power, and that our artists will have dry feet during the weekend. The ACE team, who helps keep Downtown Augusta clean, will add their hands in to be sure we are spiffy for our visitors who might not come downtown that often. Welcome to Augusta!
I still try to burn my candle at both ends, a habit that’s hard to break. Tonight, I am headed to the Imperial to catch the Shawn Mullins concert, and Friday I have a list of a few galleries to visit for First Friday—Rhian Swain will be at the Jessye Norman Gallery, Heather will be in the Creel-Harison Gallery on the 3rd floor of Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art to (sharing her second reception with the opening for Sense of Place) while both Westobou and APMU are hosting openings. Go-B-Go!
So, put those white shoes up and embrace September!
-Brenda