The Opening of AndersonSmith Gallery was a Huge Success!

By Tessa Owens

The AndersonSmith Gallery had its grand opening on Sept 16th, and it was a night to remember! The event was sponsored by Flourish Magazine, and there was a diverse range of entertainment, from the artistic performance on skates by Kyoko Takeuche to the spoken word by poet Papi Picasso. Of course, there was also food, drinks, and plenty of art featuring several local artists' modern/ abstract works. This event was attended by the Who's Who in Atlanta, with a special appearance by Marlo Hampton, Reality Star/ Serial Entrepreneur, in support of her long time friend's momentous occasion.

Smith, the gallery's owner, "believes that art is not for him to interpret to you but is instead how you interpret his art". Growing up on the South Side of Chicago and currently residing in Atlanta,Georgia for the last 21 years, he took to art at a very young age. His dream was to be a cartoonist and the colors, the shapes, and the fun were what attracted him to art in the first place. Currently, his art resides in collections at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport, Fellaship ATL as well as in the possessions with Cam Newton and Clifford "T.I." Harris, to name a few.

The Opening Night Reception

The opening night reception was truly something special as guests were mingling and enjoying the hors d'oeuvres and drinks while taking in all of the beautiful artwork on display.  The attendees of the event were truly impressed with the art gallery's presentation and were excited to meet local artist of who's artwork was being displayed.

Japanese-American skater, Kyoko Takeuche took the stage for an artistic performance on skates that wowed the crowd. Her skating style left everyone in attendance mesmerized by her signature moves. She has performed all over the nation, and her unique skating style combines the elements of dance, acrobatics, art and storytelling. Kyoko stated "she was excited and honored to be a part of the grand opening of the AndersonSmith Gallery".

Up next was Poet Papi Picasso who took to the stage for some spoken word. He delivered an incredible piece that left everyone in attendance inspired. Papi Picasso, one of the performers at the event, is a local spoken word artist who has been writing and performing for over 10 years.  His work often explores themes of social justice, race, and gender role identity. He has performed at venues all over the nation and locally in the city, and was thrilled to be a part of this grand celebration. To close out the night, Anderson Smith gave a brief speech thanking everyone for coming out and supporting him and the local artists.

If you missed the opening of The AndersonSmith Gallery, don't worry – there's still plenty of time to check out all of the amazing artwork on display! Be sure to swing by and support these local artists as well. The art gallery is located at 294 Buckhead Ave NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305.

The grand opening of The AndersonSmith Gallery was a resounding success, thanks in no small part to the fascinating artwork on display as well as the talented performers who helped make this event truly special. If you're ever in Atlanta, be sure to check out the gallery for yourself and see what all the buzz is about!