AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT IS BOTH EPHEMERAL AND MEMORABLE, LIKE THE QUALITY OF LIGHT ACROSS A ROOM ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON. THE COMPLEXITY OF EVENT PLANNING MEANS WE’RE USED TO BREAKING DOWN EACH EVENT INTO COMPONENTS—THE SPACE, THE FURNISHINGS, THE DECOR, THE CATERING—BUT IT’S THE FINAL ALCHEMY IN AN EXPERIENCE THAT MATTERS. WE BELIEVE A GREAT EVENT REQUIRES MORE THAN A ONE-OF-A-KIND SPACE, UNRIVALED DESIGN, AND WARM HOSPITALITY—ALTHOUGH SOUTHERN EXPOSURE OFFERS EACH OF THESE AND MORE. OUR PASSION LIES IN BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER INTO AN EXPERIENCE THAT’S INIMITABLE AND IMMINENTLY MEMORABLE, AN EVENT THAT STAYS WITH YOU LIKE A FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH. WE HOST EVENTS WITH WARMTH AND SOUL THAT CAN’T BE DUPLICATED. OUR SPACES CAN ACCOMMODATE MANY NEEDS, BUT YOU WON’T FIND ANYTHING HERE THAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A “CONFERENCE ROOM”—WE LIKE IT THAT WAY, AND HOPE YOU WILL TOO! FOR AN ESCAPE FROM THE CITY, WE OFFER SERENBE, A UNIQUE COUNTRY ESTATE. WE’RE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS PRODUCTION AT OUTSIDE VENUES BY REQUEST.
WHO WE ARE
LIKE ANY GREAT PARTY, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE BEGAN WITH AN EASY RAPPORT BETWEEN FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. SALLIE JOHNSTON AND ROB BRINSON WERE FRIENDS FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE INSPIRATION STRUCK TO COMBINE THEIR PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS INTO A BUSINESS. THE KERNEL OF THE IDEA THAT BECAME SOUTHERN EXPOSURE BEGAN WITH ITS NAMESAKE SPACE: THE SOUTHERN EXPOSURE LOCATION AT FORMER TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY PLOW FACTORY KING PLOW ARTS CENTER. THE 25-FT CEILING AND 2,000 SOUTHERN-FACING GLASS WINDOW PANES FLOOD THE SPACE WITH THE KIND OF EXPANSIVE NATURAL LIGHT THAT’S IDEAL FOR PHOTOGRAPHY—THE NAME “SOUTHERN EXPOSURE” IS AN HOMAGE TO THIS QUALITY OF LIGHT. ROB AND SALLIE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING TRULY UNIQUE, AND SOUTHERN EXPOSURE WAS BORN AS A SPECIALTY EVENTS SPACE. WE’RE ALSO AVAILABLE BY REQUEST FOR OUTSIDE PRODUCTION.
SALLIE JOHNSTON, MANAGING PARTNER
SALLIE’S EVENT PLANNING CAREER BEGAN WITH AN INSTINCT FOR MORE CHALLENGE AND VARIETY AFTER AN INITIAL STINT IN CORPORATE MARKETING. “I JUST DIDN’T WANT TO BE IN THE SAME 4 WALLS DAY IN AND DAY OUT,” SHE EXPLAINS. OVER THE YEARS, SHE’S AMASSED AN IMPRESSIVE ROSTER OF CLIENTS FOR A WIDE RANGE OF EVENTS, INCLUDING THE PATRON SECRET SOCIETY DINNER SERIES FOR THE EAST COAST MARKET AND THE INAUGURAL ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL. THOUGH SHE’LL TELL YOU SHE’S THE ANALYTICAL “LEFT BRAIN” HALF OF THE TEAM, SHE HAS HER OWN KILLER INSTINCT FOR STYLE AND DESIGN. SALLIE’S ECLECTIC TASTE AND PRODUCTIVE WANDERLUST DRIVE HER TO PLAN EVENTS THAT ARE ALWAYS ONE-OF-A-KIND, WITH THE PRACTICAL EXPERTISE TO KEEP IT ALL RUNNING ACCORDING TO PLAN.
ROB BRINSON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ROB BRINSON IS A FINE ART AND COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER WITH AN ECLECTIC BACKGROUND OF HIS OWN. THOUGH HE’S REMAINED A DEDICATED ARTIST THROUGHOUT HIS VARIED CAREER, HE’S ALWAYS SHOWN A KNACK FOR THE BUSINESS SIDE OF CREATIVE WORK WHILE ALSO PURSUING HIS OWN PASSION AND PATH IN ART. AS A FOUNDER AND FACULTY MEMBER FOR PORTFOLIO CENTER AND CREATIVE CIRCUS, BOTH NATIONALLY LEADING ART SCHOOLS WITH A FOCUS ON ADVERTISING THAT WERE FIRSTS OF THEIR KIND, ROB TAUGHT AND SHARED HIS CREATIVE PASSIONS. HIS MULTI-FACETED CREATIVITY INCLUDES STYLING IMAGES AND SPACES FOR CLIENTS IN FASHION, ADVERTISING, FOOD, AND INTERIORS, AND HE BRINGS THIS KNACK INTO PLAY FOR SOUTHERN EXPOSURE BY PERSONALLY SOURCING FURNISHINGS AND DECOR WITH AN EYE FOR THE DISTINCTIVE AND THE ARRESTINGLY CHIC. ROB’S DESIGN AND INTERIORS MAGIC IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE SOUTHERN EXPOSURE EVENT EXPERIENCE.
