Industrial technology may not be a subject you immediately connect with an artist, but for 29-year-old Jonathan Sims, metalworking is an essential part of his craft. Sims, artist in residence and director of art events at the Commons Gallery, will be featured on "Mississippi Happenings," tonight at 7 p.m. on WLEZ, 100.1 FM, Jackson's community radio station.

Among Sims' many personal projects is creating metal violins, which is where his classes in industrial technology come in handy. One of the instruments is based on the work of famed Italian violinmaker, Antonio Stradivari, who died in 1737. Musicians worldwide prize Stradivarius violins for their beautiful tone, and today they sell for millions of dollars.

Sims is working on a number of projects for the Commons Gallery, located at 719 N. Congress Street near downtown, and says he would like to use the space for community-oriented artistic or musical demonstrations and to display artists' works-in-progress.

"We'd like to show some ... of the lesser-known individuals that are doing unique things with unique techniques," he told the Jackson Free Press last month.

Be sure to tune in tonight to hear about his upcoming plans.

Previous Comments

ID

151100

Comment

Correction: The Commons Gallery is located at Eudora Welty's Birthplace, on North Congress Street, very near downtown Jackson. The Commons at Eudora Welty's Birthplace is a recently developed writers' and artists' community that includes a coffee shop, used book store, events hall, gallery space, and public square. The Eudora Welty House is located in the Belhaven neighborhood at 1119 Pinehurst Street and is a literary museum. Tours are given there Tuesday through Friday at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. Reservations are strongly encouraged. These two sites compliment each other, but are not affiliated.

Author

weltyfan

Date

2009-08-21T08:54:15-06:00

ID

151102

Comment

Fixed...good catch.

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2009-08-21T10:13:47-06:00