March 1, 2010
South Carolina artist Jonathan Brilliant will begin assembling coffee stir-sticks into a giant sculpture tomorrow in the Hammons Gallery of Mabee Fine Arts Building at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. Brilliant’s “Have Sticks Will Travel Tour” started last May in Charleston; he’ll have built sculptures in 10 cities by the time it wraps up next September in North Carolina. He refers to his assemblages of stir sticks as being part of his “Goldsworthy (as in natural materials sculpture Andy Goldsworthy) of the coffee shop project.” Brilliant will work on the sculpture every day — sometimes day and night, the OBU press office says — through March 10 and the finished product will be on exhibit March 11 through April 1. A reception is set for 5:30 p.m. March 11 in the gallery. Brilliant will also make a series of prints at Henderson State University’s Print Shop. According to a press release, Brilliant was born in 1976 in Charleston. He holds a B.A. in studio art from the College of Charleston and a M.F.A. in Spatial Arts from San Jose State University and has work in several group and solo exhibitions nationally. In December 2008 a panel of jurors including senior curators from the Whitney Museum of American Art, San Francisco Moma, and The Bridge Art Fair awarded him their myartspace.com Bridge Art Fair emerging artist prize. 

South Carolina artist Jonathan Brilliant will begin assembling coffee stir-sticks into a giant sculpture tomorrow in the Hammons Gallery of Mabee Fine Arts Building at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. Brilliant’s “Have Sticks Will Travel Tour” started last May in Charleston; he’ll have built sculptures in 10 cities by the time it wraps up next September in North Carolina. He refers to his assemblages of stir sticks as being part of his “Goldsworthy (as in natural materials sculpture Andy Goldsworthy) of the coffee shop project.”

Brilliant will work on the sculpture every day — sometimes day and night, the OBU press office says — through March 10 and the finished product will be on exhibit March 11 through April 1. A reception is set for 5:30 p.m. March 11 in the gallery.

Brilliant will also make a series of prints at Henderson State University’s Print Shop.

According to a press release, Brilliant was born in 1976 in Charleston. He holds a B.A. in studio art from the College of Charleston and a M.F.A. in Spatial Arts from San Jose State University and has work in several group and solo exhibitions nationally. In December 2008 a panel of jurors including senior curators from the Whitney Museum of American Art, San Francisco Moma, and The Bridge Art Fair awarded him their myartspace.com Bridge Art Fair emerging artist prize. 

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