As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, the upcoming Marginal Arts Festival just has too much going on for me to list in one sitting. Throughout the week, though, I’m going to try to highlight some of the events that I lacked space for in last week’s print story.

First up, Vinton artist Billy Bob Beamer, whose art serves as a form of meditation and pain management. His ongoing exhibtion “Asemic Writing/Alchemy” in Community High School’s Liminal gallery will be part of the festival, and he’ll have work in “The Aesthetic Document” exhibition at WVTF public radio.

Billy Bob Beamer: Asemic Writing / Alchemy

Liminal: alternative artspace
302 Campbell Avenue SE, Roanoke, VA 24013
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:00pm until Friday, February 24, 2012 at 5:00pm

An exhibit of intricate two-dimensional work, up during the course of the Marginal Arts Festival. Art By Night will take place the first Friday of February, 5-9 p.m. Billy Bob Beamer’s artwork usually occupies an area the physical size of a post-it note or two. The artwork unusually exists on a few planes… viewed from arm’s length as an interesting image… viewed up close, like you might lean into a painting on a wall… and viewed under a glass for magnification, the unfolding begins. From arm’s length, it’s easy to imagine seeing motion or flashes of color, especially after a studied look. Leaning in, awareness begins of life just under the visual surface, a movement of line that somehow hasn’t stopped when Beamer lifted his pencil. Beamer will also have work up during February and March as part of “The Aesthetic Document,” a Marginal Arts exhibit at WVTF public radio.

Beamer, a volunteer at Roanoke Rescue Mission, adds this about his show:

1. at the opening i played pocket trumpet with paul [Carter] and alexandra [Zierle] from england, performance artists for this yrs exhibit [Blogger's note: Zierle and Carter performed at the Taubman Museum during last year's festival] …we did an intoning/healing free improv, and were unexpectedly, pleasantly! joined by t j anderson, english prof at hollins and jazz drummer…i will be performing on the 20th at the gallery with heath heath nevergold [electronics] and reading text from my book publications

2. i plan to offer workshops on which my exhibit is based: meditational drawing writing performing for stress and pain management [Blogger's note: Billy Bob says he won't be offering workshops until sometime after the festival, but anyone who is interested is welcome to contact him at billybobbeamer@aol.com.]

3. students at the school were given a project, suggested by me and jim leftwich, to decorate old boxes with compositional gold leaf…this as part of the theme of the show: word dust asemic writing and alchemy