What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1323916
pop, rock and folk favorites. "To me, we're fostering community — that's what I've loved the most about what's happening," said Ken Weatherford, the Bentonville-based founder of these local events, in an interview with this newspaper last year. "Singing, drinking, all kind of have — I hesitate to use the word 'magic' power, but they really can help break down some barriers for people. We live in such a divided world today. Nothing hurts my heart more than that, and so that's what I love about Beer and Hymns." That's a reason worthy enough to hold the events, but Beer and Hymns is not just a social event. In 2019, the organization donated over $50,000 to area nonprofits. So when it became clear that the global pandemic was going to close down events where large groups of people gathered, Weatherford was loathe to let down the organizations to which he had promised proceeds — especially given the fact that the pandemic was affecting all sectors of the nonprofit world. "We were dreading having to cancel on our charities for the rest of March and April," he explains. "So, it was really an easy decision to pivot to Facebook Live at that point, as we were hoping it would only be for a short period. As time went on, we realized this was going to be our only way of doing things for the foreseeable future, and we were thankful to have a way to stay connected with our audience and still give back to our community. Giving is down, but we have truly been blown away by the generosity of our community and the remarkable capacity of people to care for their neighbors during an unprecedented time." It hasn't been easy, especially given that the bar-based Beer and Hymns depends so heavily on the give and take from the audience. "Performing to a camera is just not the same — the energy and dynamic of a crowd is exhilarating and infectious," says Weatherford. On the other hand, he says, "people can now tune in from all over the country. We've received donations from people in other states who are caring for charities in our community. Our hope is to continue with an online option, even when we return to in-person events." Despite the setbacks, Beer and Hymns raised nearly $28,000 for 12 different nonprofits, including the Northwest Arkansas Women's Shelter, Arkansas Support Network, Northwest Arkansas Center for Sexual Assault and Ozark Guidance Center. — LARA JO HIGHTOWER Kat Wilson Quarantine Habitats One side effect of Pandemic 2020 was a certain stressful boredom: Though worried about the global health crisis, we were also confined to our homes, bereft of any kind of community contact or outside stimulation, leaving many stultified and depressed. But artist Kat Wilson stepped in the void and presented two ways for folks to be creative, even — or especially — while social distancing. #geokatting encouraged people to get outside for a digital treasure hunt, and #quarantinehabitats, a play on her previous "Habitats" series, challenged individuals and groups quarantining together to photograph themselves surrounded by the items that had become enormously important to them in this particular period of time. "My No. 1 goal in my art career is to be a pioneer," notes Wilson. "I take a lot of chances by trying out new ways to create art. Sometimes I bomb, and sometimes there's a beautiful gem, like #quarantinehabitat. You will remember that my work had started to become very community- outward in the few years before the current pandemic. I'm sure I've told you in one of our interviews that my portraits are so good because of my sitters performance for the camera. This thought expanded into the #selfiethrone, where I collaborated with local artists to create a scene where people took their own photographs and disseminated them through the hashtag #selfiethrone. So when the sh*t hit the fan, I knew we would all do something together. I wanted it to be profound, layered and beautiful. I almost did several other ideas before settling on the #quarantinehabitat project. I wasn't sure I wanted to demystify my life's most significant work." The result? It was a hit. Submissions flowed in to Wilson's Facebook page from all over the world. Just like Wilson's original series, there was something deeply personal about these photos — with the added bonus of a communal thrill in taking a peek at what was keeping the spirit of strangers up during this difficult time. Wilson has an idea about why the project became so popular. "Because we all wanted to be part of history," she says. "Some talk about where they were when Kennedy got shot, some describe what they were doing when 9/11 happened, but we can show you what we were doing during the Great Pandemic of 2020." — LARA JO HIGHTOWER 6 WHAT'S UP! People Continued From Page 5 "I was never forthcoming about what I viewed as the most important piece to the #quarantinehabitat portraits, which would have been way too stressful for the public to consider under such an unclear time," says Kat Wilson. "I felt that #quarantinehabitat portraits were similar to death photographs — the last peep show of our lives." (Courtesy Photo) JANUARY 3-9, 2021 2020 IN REVIEW