Here for the art. Here for the artists.
April 30 — Hey, y’all, I’m Sherri Daye Scott, and I’m thrilled to step into this space as the new editor of Sketchbook.
Atlanta’s visual arts scene isn’t just something I admire from the outside. It’s home. Over the years, I’ve had the honor of collaborating with local artists such as Fabian Williams, Diwang Valdez, Tracy Murrell, Joe Dreher, and Christina Ward, among others. Our work together wasn’t just about shows or shoots. It was about telling the truth of our region: its beauty, its grit, and its brilliance.
Now, I get to carry on the work former Sketchbook editor Isadora Pennington started: spotlighting artists who shape the soul of our communities and making sure their work is seen, supported, and celebrated across the Southeast. That means amplifying galleries in Castleberry Hill, murals in Peachtree City, pop-ups in Decatur, studios in Alpharetta—and everything in between.
Art matters. The people behind it matter. And Sketchbook will be here every week to showcase that.
This week, we’re kicking off with a celebration of Art Papers’ bold 50-year legacy and a look at how the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade helped ignite a public art revolution across the city.
See you in the comments, on the walls, and in the work.
—Sherri
Art Papers marks 50 years with a bold goodbye – and a blueprint for what’s next
📚 Founded in 1976 as a scrappy newsletter for the Atlanta Art Workers Coalition, Art Papers grew into one of the longest-running nonprofit art publications in the U.S., and became a voice for experimental criticism, Southern perspectives, and the radical potential of artist-centered dialogue.
Now, Art Papers is preparing for its final bow, not with a whimper but with a celebration: “50 Years of Art Papers,” a retrospective anthology, is set for release in early 2026.
Preorders are available now through June 30, 2025, and will include a $10 discount off the final cover price.
➡️ Read more about the retrospective anthology here.
Share The Harvest, Know Your Farmer
SPONSORED BY FRESH HARVEST
🥕 We are Fresh Harvest! We deliver Georgia-grown, organic produce and groceries across Atlanta. Share the Harvest is our food access program, funding farmers markets for refugee and immigrant families in Clarkston, GA.
📦 We commit 10% of our profits to this work because we believe fresh food should be accessible to everyone. Every produce box, donation, and shared story helps grow a better food system.
➡️ Try us out, because when you eat well, so can your neighbors. We deliver to Dunwoody on Thursdays and Fridays each week. Learn more at FreshHarvest.com.
Lighting the way: how Atlanta’s Lantern Parade illuminated a public art revolution
🏮 When a few hundred glowing lanterns first floated down Atlanta’s Beltline in 2010, the vision was simple: create a space where anyone could light up the night with imagination. Fifteen years later, the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade is considered a defining moment in the city’s cultural calendar – and a catalyst for Atlanta’s public art renaissance.
On Sat., May 3, the 15th anniversary celebration will take a new route along the Beltline’s Southwest Trail, beginning at Adair Park I and ending at the Lee + White Food Hall. Thousands are expected to march, carrying handmade lanterns of all shapes and sizes, in a living, luminous testament to what public creativity can build.
➡️ Read more about the Lantern Parade’s 15th anniversary celebration here.
Art Happenings
✈️ The Sky Was Never The Limit: A Grace Kisa Solo Exhibition Opening Reception | 7–9 p.m., May 2 | Emma Darnell Aviation Museum and Conference Center.
🧵 The Bakery Atlanta’s “Interwoven” | 12–5 p.m., May 3 | The Supermarket.
🗾 “Well Here I Am” Thalo Halo Artist Talk | 6–7 p.m., May 4 | Gallery Chimera | show 6-9 p.m. May 3.
🍷 The Summer Invitational Reception | 6–9 p.m., May 15 | Swan Coach House Gallery.
🎟 ATLANTAVERSE: Art Party 2025 | 7–11:59 p.m., June 21 | Atlanta Contemporary.
Post of the Week
📸 The Atlanta Center for Photography is throwing a Block Party and you can be part of it.
Submit your photos or lens-based artwork for the Open Exhibition, a sprawling, one-day show where all submissions are accepted.
🗓️ Artwork Drop-off: May 2–3 or May 7–8, 12–5 p.m.
🗓️ Block Party and Open Exhibition: May 10, 12–5 p.m.
📍 Atlanta Center for Photography, 546 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta.
Learn more and follow ACP here.
