Visionary CrossFit to host Art Walk, drum and bass show

Visionary CrossFit, the innovative local gym known for its unique blend of exercise and art, will host an Art Walk Exhibition this Friday, where Gainesville residents can also enjoy a drum and bass showcase by Prof Goat.

Prof Goat, a notorious DJ from Orlando, has made a name for himself in the drum and bass community since the ‘90s. The drum and bass genre is a fast-paced subgenre of electronic music as a whole, composed of breakbeats, heavy bass and synthesizers.

According to the press release, Prof Goat has performed alongside many drum and bass headliners throughout Florida, including the Miami Winter Music Conference and elsewhere around the country. The exhibit will also include music by Capt Bli, Illterror, Choppa Train, Adikt, LZRKMMNDR and Mickey Flair.

Lexi Aulabaugh, a 21-year-old UF criminology and law senior, said she was interested in attending the event due to her desire to support the local music and art scene, while also enjoying the drum and bass showcase.

“Drum and bass is my favorite genre, and you don’t see many drum and bass events around Gainesville, so I definitely wanted to check it out,” Aulabaugh said.

Aulabaugh stressed that attending events like this can really make a difference in Gainesville’s art community.

“I think Gainesville’s art scene is comprised of a lot of talent, but more attention should be brought to them,” Aulabaugh said.  

Dee Carolina, a 29-year-old second grade teacher, is just one out of a long assembly of 11 local artists promoting their work that night. Carolina said that while Gainesville is super supportive of local art, there could be more of an effort made toward reaching out to artists.

“I do think the local art scene is thriving in the sense that we have a lot of creative minds here and the community puts a lot of events together, but again, I think more invitations of some sort could help bring out even more folks into the mix,” said Carolina.

Carolina, who will be showcasing four pieces at the exhibition, said she incorporates materials such as lace, bugs, acrylic, pencil, thread, wood and metal to create her abstract expressionist art, and her work can take from two weeks to three months to complete.

“The pieces I’m displaying that are geometric are called Voronoi diagrams and are with acrylic and thread,” said Carolina. “One is an abstract figure painting with acrylic, molding paste, lace, nail, wood, grass and an atlas moth.”

Carolina said her art is inspired externally by nature and society and driven internally from her low moments, interpersonal challenges and self-discovery.

“Art is my way to cope and create a dialogue in hopes to get rid of the stigma around mental health needs,” said Carolina. “I don’t like to say mental health issues because I feel it’s more normal than it’s portrayed. I think it’s a natural part of life — trauma, habits and coping.”

Carolina said Visionary CrossFit includes a lot of diversity within the art they showcase at their gym, and she’s looking forward to seeing the other artists and meeting everyone participating and visiting.