Atlanta, GA — Here’s a look at business news in our community.

— Splatter Studio is now open in Virginia-Highland and is Atlanta’s first contemporary action painting experience. 

Splatter Studio is located at 792 N. Highland Ave. NE. It offers an immersive experience Tuesday through Sunday. It is open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from noon to 9 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 1-10 p.m. and Sunday from 1-8 p.m. Splatter Studio is closed on Mondays.

Here is the full press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Atlanta’s first contemporary action painting experience, The Splatter Studio, is now open in Virginia-Highland. Located at 792 North Highland Avenue Northeast, next to Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar, The Splatter Studio offers an immersive experience Tuesday through Sunday where guests can let loose and create art without worrying about the mess. Howard Krinsky founded The Splatter Studio and also owns Binders Art Supplies & Frames, Atlanta’s favorite art supply store started by his father and uncle in 1955.

Inspired by the action painting art movement of the 1950s and ‘60s, The Splatter Studio is a creative place where everyone can explore their inner artist. Upon arrival, participants are supplied with protective gear so they can wield paint brushes, tools or their own two hands to splatter paint on a provided canvas or a Splatter Studio t-shirt without a care in the world. The 2500-square-foot studio in Virginia-Highland features twelve painting stations, canvas-wrapped walls and floors, a paint bar and skylights that fill the space with diffused natural light, perfect for painting. Outside beverages are permitted to enjoy while painting, and all guests leave with an official Splatter Studio Take Home Box to easily transport their wet paintings.

“We’re beyond excited to open our newest location in historic Virginia-Highland,” says Krinsky. “My father and uncle opened Virginia-Highland’s beloved Moe’s and Joe’s in 1947, so the neighborhood holds a really special place in my heart. This is a full-circle moment, and we can’t wait to invite the community into The Splatter Studio!”

Guests of all ages and skill levels are able to book a session online here for a therapeutic activity, a fun memory with friends or family, a company team-building outing or even a date night. Sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who prefer to stop in for a spontaneous activity. One-hour paint sessions cost $55 per person and include everything needed for the experience. The Splatter Studio team, comprised of local Atlanta artists, are on hand during each session to offer tips, tricks and suggestions on different tools and techniques that can be used while painting. Additional canvases and cotton t-shirts are available for purchase during the session and digital gift cards are available here for the perfect experiential gift.

The Splatter Studio also hosts private parties. Designed for groups of friends, families or coworkers to have an uninterrupted studio experience for an hour-and-a-half, a private painting session is perfect for celebrations, reunions or a team-building activity. Guests get access to all twelve paint stations in the studio plus paint, individual canvases, tools, protective gear and a 24×30” canvas for group collaboration.

— Siblings Alexandria Edwards and Jermaine Hawthorne celebrated the first anniversary of their merged home healthcare agency, PSC Providers, this month. 

Alexandria Edwards and Jermaine Hawthorne celebrated the first anniversary of their home healthcare agency, PSC Providers, in January. Photo courtesy of PSC Providers.

Here’s the full press release:

This month, siblings Alexandria Edwards and Jermaine Hawthorne welcomed clients and friends to their Decatur office to celebrate the first anniversary of their merged home health care agency, PSCProviders (Pediatric and Senior Care Providers).

Alexandria’s role model, Sarah H. Johnson, her politician grandmother whom she followed every place as a child, was the first African American woman to serve on the Greenville, Mississippi City Council and as a Mississippi Congresswoman. Now 83, Mrs. Johnson inspired Alexandria– a single mom with three children– to start her company and a year ago to merge her fledgling home health care agency with that of her brother.

Before entering the home healthcare field, Edwards was an entertainer; and Jermaine managed a team of operations and systems engineers. Unique not only in the backgrounds of the partners, but also in their model of compassionate care for patients and caregivers, the partners are opening two private care facilities early in 2022 in Mableton and Smyrna where they see a need for both post-op and memory care.  They hope to integrate their residents seamlessly into their communities.

Alexandria, whose name means “helper”, recalls a former patient who requested the presence of her caregiver at her deathbed, as well as at her funeral, which truly touched her. Many of her patients remind her of her grandmother who now lives with Alexandria’s mother in Memphis.

PSCProviders operates within the senior care community with a target audience of individuals who range in age from 60-100. These clients require some assistance with day to day living and are usually referred by their physicians, attorneys or insurance companies. PSCProviders plans to expand into pediatric care.

— Atlanta visual artist Matt Letrs unveiled a mural on Jan. 22 at The Point, a retail, dining and entertainment center in Atlanta. 

Atlanta artist Matt Letrs unveiled a mural at The Point on Jan. 22. Photo courtesy of Matt Letrs.

He created artwork incorporating his unique pop art style at four different locations, including more than 700 square feet of window space at The Hatchery and facing Clifton drive, along with a 300 square-foot brick wall. His artwork will consist of bold and bright graffiti street art with Atlanta elements weaved throughout, according to a press release.

“We decided to partner with Matt Letrs because not only is he local to Atlanta, but also, his mural colors, imagery and design truly accentuate our unique and dynamic community at The Point,” said Rishika Mahtani, regional marketing manager for ShopCore Properties, owners and managing entity of The Point. “We are so excited to welcome a local artist to our property to bring the community together through art.”

Letrs is the founder and principal artist of All City Murals. As an artist local to Atlanta, he has been experimenting with concepts rooted in street art and graffiti for more than 20 years. While still an active mural and visual artist, his focus has shifted and expanded in recent years. His current body of work focuses on narrative-driven pieces. The intended message for the viewer to take away is that we are all the master caretakers of our own individual realities.

“This mural represents Atlanta’s current growth and ever-changing landscape,” Letrs said. “In every neighborhood our surroundings are constantly changing. Despite all the new faces and new places – the vibe of peace, culture and hustle stills holds strong.”

— Dad’s Garage Theatre Company has announced that Tim Stoltenberg was named as the artistic director. Previously, Stoltenberg served as the interim artistic director after Jon Carr, the former artistic director, left the company in December 2020.

Here’s the full press release:

ATLANTA (January 14, 2022) — Dad’s Garage is proud to announce that Tim Stoltenberg has been named as the new Artistic Director of the theatre. Previous to this, Tim served as Interim Artistic Director, stepping in to lead the company after Jon Carr (former Artistic Director) left the company in December 2020 to become the Executive Producer at The Second City in Chicago. After seeing Tim’s commitment to advancing Dad’s Garage during this time of great change, the board was excited to move him from interim to a permanent position.

During his time as Interim Artistic Director, Tim led the company through one of the most challenging times in its history. His successes include spearheading outdoor drive-in improv shows, as well as the return of indoor staged programming and mounting a production of Dad’s Garage’s beloved Invasion: Christmas Carol.

“I feel so fortunate to have this time at Dad’s Garage and I look forward to upholding our artistic goals: supporting artists as they discover, grow, and fail. That’s what Dad’s Garage does — it unites people in laughter, in failure, in a shared experience, in positive connection with strangers,” said Stoltenberg. “I feel that anytime a group of people can come together and unite in something positive, the whole is improved — even for just those few moments of laughter. To be part of the reason people are laughing together, united together, is the most rewarding and humbling feeling I know. That’s why I do what I do”

Tim previously worked with Dad’s from 02’-’08 as Ensemble member, director, teacher, and Improv Director, where he helped to create original improv formats and scripted shows. Tim also worked with: The Academy Theatre, The Center for Puppetry Arts, The Alliance, Laughing Matters, Agatha’s Dinner Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, and Jewish Theatre of the South. Tim worked with The Second City in Chicago from ’09-’14 as a member of the Touring Company, teacher, and actor in co-productions with The Goodman Theatre (Chicago) and Playhouse in the Park (Cincinnati). In Chicago, Tim performed at iO, The Annoyance, and many other venues.

Tim continued to work with The Second City in L.A., where he taught and performed at their Hollywood location. Tim has been seen in commercials for Southwest Airlines, Comcast, and Dollar Shave Club as well in TV shows Chicago Fire, Sirens, and Army Wives. Tim continues to book acting gigs for commercials.

Dad’s Garage Theatre is an ensemble-based, community-driven theatre specializing in improv and scripted comedy. As Artistic Director, Tim works in collaboration with our performers to come up with programming for our stage, festivals, special events, and online content. Shows are developed based on input and feedback from the Dad’s Garage ensemble of performers and artists; the Artistic Director facilitates the process of bringing our artists’ ideas to life.

— Freedom Plasma will open a new center in Stonecrest on Jan. 27, according to a press release.

“There is a tremendous demand for donated plasma,” said Blair McKinney, chief operating officer of ImmunoTek Bio Centers, one of the partner companies that built and will operate the center. “Donated plasma is used to create many important medicines and plasma-based treatments. As work continues in those areas, we see the need for increasing the number of plasma donation centers like the one we are opening in Stonecrest.”

The center will give local residents a way to help others and be compensated for their time when they donate plasma. Freedom Plasma also offers financial incentives for first responders, active-duty military and veterans in the community. Valid identification is required.

“Plasma donation is truly a life-saving gift,” said Jerome Parnell, III, CEO of ImmunoTek Bio Centers. “Donors who work to help others through their military, law enforcement, and first responder service are our heroes. We want to thank them and show our appreciation for their service.”

Following a screening, along with a medical history and physical examination conducted by the center’s medical professionals, donors can donate plasma the same way as a blood donation. The procedure is done using a safe, sterile, self-contained automated process called plasmapheresis.

Plasma can be donated up to twice a week.

“Plasma protein therapies and vaccines are made from donated plasma and are used to treat a myriad of immune disorders and many other diseases. There is promising research underway showing plasma-derived therapies may reduce or limit the effects from Alzheimer’s and dementia,” Parnell said. Plasma is also used in treatments for burn victims, those suffering from blood disorders, organ transplants, cancer patients, and many others.

The Freedom Plasma Stonecrest center is located at 3140 Turner Hill Road and will operate Tuesday – Saturday. Donation appointments can also be made by calling the center at 470-283-1825. For additional information about donating plasma, visit freedomplasma.com.

— The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has announced $1 million in grants to 29 small to mid-sized arts organizations to complete the 2021 grant application cycle.

Combined with grants announced in Oct. 2021, this doubles the foundation’s 2021 arts funding to a total of $2.06 million, according to a press release. Grants are made through the foundation’s Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund and support artistic pursuits across the sector including dance, design, film, journalism, music and vocal expression, theatre/stage performance and visual arts.

The artists work through nonprofit organizations and provide creative outlets ranging from hyperlocal and place-based temporary exhibits to regional museums and performance venues that reach broad audiences.

The Foundation received 48 applications to compete for this year-end grant cycle. In total, 45% of the funding from this round was awarded to Black, Indigenous and people of color-owned organizations. Six organizations are first-time recipients of arts funding. Grants range from $10,000 to $90,000 depending on each organization’s annual operating budget and funds are awarded in either one- or two-year timeframes.

“As we continue to struggle with impacts of the COVID pandemic, we aim to lift up those organizations that bring the light of the arts to our region and provide access to much-needed creative expression of the time at hand,” said Frank Fernandez, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “Our ongoing interaction with the arts community has brought our attention to organizations that haven’t been on our radar before. These artists are producing and performing in new and thought-provoking ways and with a wider array of performers, producers and audiences than we previously experienced. The arts can create indelible moments in time as well as bring together communities around a common story. Our arts sector is strong and holds promise for a bright future ahead.”

— Oak Street Health opened a new clinic on Jan. 20 to serve seniors at 1263 Moreland Ave SE. 

Oak Street Health is a value-based primary care center for adults on Medicare and the only primary care provider to carry the AARP name, according to an announcement. The new facility will provide a new healthcare option for Atlanta residents who are 65 and older. The center will be able to pick patients up and transfer them to and from appointments.

The new clinic has hired 25 local employees to assist the care team. Accepting patients as of tomorrow, the clinic has also created partnerships with Branan Towers Senior Building and Southeast Neighborhood Senior Center.