N2 The Woods celebrates a harvest of art and music
When we last heard from N2 The Woods productions in August, they brought us Take Us Back to the ‘90s, where performers and audiences spent the night strolling through Nostalgia Town. It was a huge success, with director Garrell Woods stating that the event was “more phenomenal than I could ever have imagined.”
This weekend, N2 The Woods returns, but unlike Take Us Back to the 90s, this event is rooted firmly in the present.
The Harvest: A Showcase of Arts is advertised in a recent press release as “the act of gathering crops; [a] reaping of what was sown.” The release eloquently continues, “Artists scatter their seeds into the Earth, the atmosphere, and into the ether. They scatter seeds of thought, inspiration, reflection, therapy, even pain.” The release echoes Woods’ own hopes for the showcase—hopes well reflected in his choice of artists.
“We felt it was important that the artists all be women,” Woods said, “and that they represent different backgrounds, styles, and walks of life. For example, Tiffany Learis is a twenty-something African American artist who employs multiple mediums, such as watercolor, digital art, and even wood burning. Whereas Mary is a forty-something Caucasian American artist that employs more of a tradition paint-and-canvas style that ranges from realism to abstract, depending on where the muses take her.”
Local music acts Deejaye Luvv, Pashin, and Kemo will also be featured, another aspect of the festival Woods is passionate about. “We wanted to offer another level to this pop-up gallery that made it a unique experience, and I felt music was just the thing we needed.” He continued, “Deejaye Luvv, and Pashin are both members of my arts education outreach program Young, Gifted, & Black, and this was the perfect opportunity to create yet another performance opportunity for them. Kemo is a phenomenal independent artist, with a voice of gold and extraordinary lyrical skills. Our audiences are in for a treat.”
With a diverse set of artists with such varying experiences, the harvest is sure to be unique and abundant, and a wonderful illustration of Woods’ original hopes for N2 The Woods productions. “The mission of N2 The Woods was inspired by my noticing that certain performance venues made themselves inaccessible to certain groups and halted advancement for talented individuals. I personally operate under the mantra of never waiting permission to be great, and when the gatekeepers won’t open up, N2 The Woods creates its own way.”
Take Us Back To The ’90s was one example of such trailblazing, and this writer is confident The Harvest will follow suit. Woods seems to agree with me; when asked what attendees can expect from this event, he said, “They can expect to see the product of true creativity and what greatness can come of true collaboration and taking destiny into your own hands.”
As to what he’s most looking forward to, Woods said, “The joy on the faces of artists as their work is seen, appreciated, and purchased by the public. That’s what it’s all about.”
The Harvest: A Showcase of Art
Friday & Saturday, 4 p.m.
Mercy Junction Justice & Peace Center
1918 Union Ave. ∙ Admission: $5