From YAC 

The community-supported arts (CSA) program at YAC is halfway through and your local artists are making their mark on the Oxford arts and small business scenes. Whether your interests are in bonsai and nature, pop art or just staying organized and focused in 2024, these artists have you covered.

Komorebi Bonsai is the dream of artist Zach Adamz. In 2019 he apprenticed at the Korea Bonsai Museum in Seoul, South Korea, where he qualified as a bonsai master. Since locating to Oxford, Adamz has integrated bonsai into his new home, establishing the Magnolia State Bonsai Club (MSBC) in 2023 and teaching beginner bonsai courses. His aesthetic inspiration from bonsai comes from growing up in the east Tennessee woodlands of Appalachia, and his subject matter highlights native species of the American South. 

Adamz is offering online class material and a raffle to win a bonsai tree. He will be teaching a course in Greenville and has begun to film the online classes. 

Vintagia by Jana Wilson features assemblage art to spark memories and nostalgia. Wilson is photographing her 3D pieces for sale as prints on greeting cards. Long term, she has dreams of creating a series of works that engage people multidimensionally. She envisions creating immersive spaces in which participants experience art all around them. 

“I want people to feel, to laugh, to be uncomfortable and to remember,” Wilson said. “Most of all, I want to share the curiosity and excitement that I experience when objects catch my eye and their stories unfold in front of me.”

The Evolve Brand is Charlesa Peters’ take on traditional planners– but she adds some extra organizational muscle. Go for her undated calendar if you’re the type of person who has trouble committing to a planner. You are able to start or stop whenever you want (and save money), unlike a dated planner. Peters also offers a budget planner, perfect for setting financial goals, debt tracking, bill tracking, paycheck breakdown and more. Stop bad financial habits in their tracks by using her budget planner to reduce financial stress, make better financial decisions, create financial accountability and allow you to prepare for major expenses. 

Above all Peters uses her graphic artist skills to provide customization: “There are so many women (and men) who struggle to find the perfect planner,” she said, “and to solve that problem, I have started offering a custom planner service. With this option, I give you the ability to create a planner that actually fits your needs.” 

The CSA program is now in its 10th year of helping entrepreneurs connect with small business resources and experts and grow creative economy small businesses in North Mississippi. CSA participants like Adamz, Wilson and Peters attend professional development workshops like the Big Bad Business series and peer learning sessions to develop skills and make their small businesses more sustainable. 

To purchase a share or learn more about the program, visit https://oxfordarts.com/artsincubator.