In partnership with our friends at the Franklinton Arts District, we’ve proudly hosted the Franklinton Friday Summer Series, where our Beer Garden plays home to live local music during summer Franklinton Fridays. As always, these events are free to the public and serve as an opportunity to showcase immensely talented local musical and visual artists.
As part of the FFSS, we release a limited-edition benefit beer to showcase the artwork from a local visual artist, and donate a portion of the beer’s proceeds back to the Franklinton Arts District to support the art and artists in our community. A fun new part of this collaboration this year includes our partners at Side Hustle Syndicate, who host an exhibit for the feature visual artist at the Side Hustle Gallery inside the Columbus Idea Foundry during Franklinton Friday.
Visibility is the theme of September’s Summer Series, and our Franklinton Friday Benefit Beer is an Apricot + Ginger Amber Lager, featuring the artwork of Randy Crider. The beer will be released on Friday, September 9 and is exclusively available at the Land-Grant taproom.
Meet the September FFSS Feature Artists
What’s your background & how did you get into your art?
RANDY: We didn’t grow up with a lot, but paper is pretty cheap…so I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t drawing.
Name three of your artistic influences.
RANDY: I could never narrow it down to three artists so let’s just say pinball machines, comic books, and cereal boxes.
Is your art your full-time gig, or do you balance it with a different “day job”?
RANDY: I used to have a design job before the pandemic but I taught myself how to print while we were all locked in, so now I do this and freelance work.
How would you describe your art?
RANDY: Over the past few months I’ve had a lot of people describe my art to me and it’s always different than I’ve considered it, so I’m probably not the person to ask. My process is slow, messy, and no good and I can only hope other artists have much better ways of working.
Why is making art important to you?
RANDY: I’d stop if I could! I actually tried to knock it off in my twenties and make a solid go at a sort of regular life but I ended up doodling on all the important paperwork.
What do you want audiences to see in your art?
RANDY: Whatever they like. There’s absolutely a story behind most of what I am showing, but that’s my story. Ideally, someone can take something home and let it be part of their story.
What is your experience like working here in Franklinton?
RANDY: I’ve done Urban Scrawl for a few years with my painting pals the Rust Belt Monster Collective and it’s been some of the best weekends of my life.
Who would you love to collaborate with?
RANDY: I’m happy collaborating with my daughter most days. I would like to do some gig posters, beer labels, and a pinball machine though.
What do you like to do in your free time?
RANDY: I like the woods, it’s a good place to not feel guilty for not drawing.
You can check out more of Randy’s work at randycrider.com, and connect with him on Instagram.
What’s your background & how did you get into your art? RAY WOODS (on behalf of The Deal Breakers): Our background is Go-Go which is a sub genre of Funk that started in the 1970s in DC! As a collective we started working on Go-Go in 2017 and we wanted to create a different party-like atmosphere in Columbus.
Name three of your artistic influences.
RAY: 1) Chuck Brown 2) Stevie Wonder 3) Earth Wind & Fire
Is your music a full-time gig, or do you all balance it with a different “day job”?
RAY: Most of our musicians are full time and we have a handful of musicians/vocalist who balance it with a day job.
What does it mean to you to participate in the Franklinton Fridays Summer Series?
RAY: We always enjoy being able to connect with different communities within Columbus so it’s a memorable experience anytime that can happen, and it means so much to us. We’re able to introduce a genre to a lot of people that never heard of Go-Go, or it may be a reintroduction for people who grew up in the DMV.
Why is making art important to you?
RAY: Being a creative is an opportunity to express yourself and connect with different walks of life that may not have even came together without Music & Arts.
How would you describe your music, and what do you want audiences to hear in your performance?
RAY: The best way to describe our music is a non-stop movement of Funk & Rhythm. The star of the band is our percussion section which includes a three piece for us! We allow them to set the tone. We just follow the crowd. So it’s an opportunity to engage with the audience (Our Stars!)
Who would you love to collaborate with?
RAY: It has always been a dream to go to the heart of Go-Go in Washington, D.C. to collaborate with legendary bands Junkyard Band, Backyard Band, Vybe Band, and Still Familiar.
What do you like to do in your free time?
RAY: We LOVE Food & Fellowship, and of course watching our Ohio State Buckeyes….GO BUCKS! O-H!!!!!
You can check out more about The Deal Breakers’ music on Facebook, and keep up with them on Instagram at @thedealbreakers.
Meet our Emerging Musical Artist: Ty Kalil
Ty Kalil – a young, Columbus-based artist who has worked in several creative areas, including graphic design, producing, and releasing his own music – will be opening the September Franklinton Friday Summer Series. He has a passion to make the world a better place through his art and self expression, and is proud to be a young creator stirring up some buzz.Take a sneak peek of Ty’s music via his YouTube channel here or follow him on Instagram – @tykalil.