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Author: Red Sage

The Athenian Players to present Log Cabin by Jordan Harrison

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October 11, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Athenian Players invite you to join them for their Fall 2021 performance of Log Cabin by Jordan Harrison. Described by TheatreMania as an examination of “our impulse to slam the door behind us just as we cross the threshold of privilege,” Log Cabin presents two upper-class married couples, one gay and one lesbian, struggling to understand the continued legislative and social issues endured by their trans male friend. While set in a familiar domestic situation of living room conversations between friends over drinks and cheese trays, Log Cabin presents that even “liberal minded progressives” still harbor some conservative thought that prevents them from recognizing their own cultural privilege. Dr. Hugh K. Long, Associate Professor of Drama & English at Athens State University notes, “This is truly a play about friends, trying to discover what identity, marriage, parenthood, and progress means in the 21st Century Digital Age.”

Log Cabin’s talented cast includes Taylor McPeters as Ezra, Marcus Patten as Chris, Chelsea Baker as Jules, Honey Cox as Pam, Dallas Coffey as Henry, and Katie Springer as Myna.

Directed by Dr. Hugh K. Long, Log Cabin will run from November 11-13 and November 18-20. All performances will take place at 7:00 pm in the Studio Theatre of the Performing Arts Center at the Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 Second Avenue NE, Decatur, AL. General Admission tickets are $15, and Students/Seniors/Faculty/Staff are $10. Audience members are encouraged to wear masks in accordance to CDC Guidance and to practice socially distanced seating in the Studio Theatre.

This production is rated Theatre-MA for Mature Language and Adult Themes. Audience discretion is advised.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/athenianplayers.

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The Athenian Players are the resident theatre company at Athens State University. They make their home in the new Studio Theatre in the Alabama Center for the Arts, a black box theater that features state-of-the-art lights and sound. The Athenian Players produce a play each semester, drawing the cast and crew from the diverse and talented ASU student body, students at other nearby schools, and the local Alabama community. Their goal is to continue the long tradition of quality dramatic productions from Athens State University’s illustrious history and to be a beacon for future theatre artists in the greater North Alabama region. For more information, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/athenianplayers. For information about the Drama program at Athens State, visit www.athens.edu/drama.

“SUSTAINING DIALOGUES: TWO PAINTERS” TO OPEN SEPTEMBER 9

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September 1, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Alabama Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the opening of “Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters” in the Center’s Main Gallery on September 9. The exhibit will feature 20 paintings a piece from Alabama artists Daniel White and Tony Sturgis. Sturgis will exhibit new works from over the last year and White will exhibit work culled from over the last few years.

White’s work in “Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters” focuses on the abstracted portrait. Often these paintings can serve as studies for larger paintings, but the intimacy of the facial expression and the abstraction it offers within that framework is intentionally paired with Sturgis’ larger, often monumental works, to hopefully create a dynamic conversation for the viewer about painting abstraction. While different in approach and styles, the intersection of patterns, color, and line bring Sturgis’ and White’s work together for this show.

Daniel White is a painter living in Northport, Alabama. His work is figurative painting that explores the realm of personal narratives and the formal principles of painting, aiming to create a formal painting using informal subject matter. Often, White uses bodies of water as the backdrops in the painting, which is a familiar scene from his childhood. He says, “I paint to understand the world around me, to connect with art history, to connect with others. In my recent work I have focused on the figures in my painting, while concurrently alternating between figures and narrative scenes.”

White serves as the Museum Director of the Paul R. Jones Museum and the Gallery Director of The University of Alabama Gallery in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Trained in studio art, he holds an MFA from the School for American Crafts at RIT, and a BFA from the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.

Robert (Tony) Sturgis is a painter living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As a full time Firefighter Paramedic with Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue, creating art has cathartic and healing qualities for him. He works as a professional artist creating portraits, murals, and painting abstract paintings. Sturgis is a studio artist at Kentuck Art Center in Northport, Alabama and holds a BFA from the University of Montevallo.

“I am drawn towards abstract shapes and lines; evident in all I see in the world around me,” Sturgis said. “The juxtaposition of these elements provide a platform for the painting to take a life of its own with vague figures peering out at the viewer. Interaction of these figures become more tangible with bold colors and textures. It is in the work I ask existential questions like: what is our place in the past, present, and future?”

“Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters” will be on display through Thursday, October 28. A Reception and Artist Talk will be held at the Alabama Center for the Arts on Thursday, September 16 at 5:30 pm. The exhibit will be on display during Decatur’s annual River Clay Fine Arts Festival (October 16-17). The ACA will be open during the festival with special weekend hours.

The Alabama Center for the Arts is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.

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Sustaining Dialogues Poster

Call for Artists: 8th Annual Juried Festival of the Cranes Exhibition

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​The Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) is excited to again call students, alumni artists, faculty, and staff of Athens State University and Calhoun Community College for the eighth annual juried Festival of the Cranes Exhibition.

We encourage innovative and progressive work that utilizes a diversity of art forms and media that depicts Whooping cranes, Sandhill cranes, birds, waterfowl, ducks, geese, raptors, eagles, falcons, owls, fish, deer, other wildlife, nature, and anything to do with General Joe Wheeler (“Fighting Joe”) or his home, Pond Spring, in nearby Hillsboro, Alabama.

This event is in conjunction with the annual Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Festival of the Cranes to be held on Saturday & Sunday, January 15-16, 2022.

​DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ART ENTRIES: November 29, 2021

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“Hidden Spaces: People and Places of Northwest Alabama” Now Open

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July 13, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Alabama Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the opening of “Hidden Spaces: People and Places of Northwest Alabama” in the Center’s Main Gallery. The exhibit is a photo-historical documentation project that explores the people and places of lesser known locations and ongoing histories in North Alabama communities. “Hidden Spaces” identifies, displays, and interprets cultural landscapes, built environments, and natural features that highlight the inherent uniqueness and diversity of the greater Shoals region. In this exhibit, the focus will be on Old Town in Decatur where the community was explored in an in-depth manner and collaborators worked with residents/former residents to identify stories, places, and people to help better understand the history and identity of the community. Other locations in Morgan and Limestone Counties will also be featured.

“The Hidden Spaces project began as a collaboration between the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, the University of North Alabama Public History Center, and Abraham Rowe Photography in 2017,” said Carrie Crawford, Director of the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. “Since then, the Hidden Spaces team has traveled around North Alabama, exploring places off the beaten path and sharing their stories. This exhibit explores four sites from the eastern counties of the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, the historic Byler Road, and Old Town Decatur. We are very grateful that many Old Town community members, including Peggy Towns, Dr. Ragland, and Frances Tate, helped us to understand the significance of this community’s story.” “Hidden Spaces” will be on display through Tuesday, August 31. A gallery talk featuring guest speaker Peggy Towns will be held at the Alabama Center for the Arts on Thursday, July 29 at 5:30 pm.

The Alabama Center for the Arts is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.

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HELEN KELLER ART SHOW OF ALABAMA TO OPEN JULY 8

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July 1, 2021, Decatur, AL – The 2021 Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama is scheduled to open at the Alabama Center for the Arts on Thursday, July 8. The exhibit is a traveling juried art show that displays artwork created by students throughout Alabama who have visual impairments, blindness, and/or deaf-blindness. The show will be displayed through Wednesday, September 15 in the Walking Gallery. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama has been hosted by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Vision Science Research Center and Education Outreach Module for over 20 years. The show travels throughout Alabama to eight museums over the course of the year.

Children who participate in the show use various media to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. The arts are included in the students’ academic curriculum in areas such as the development of communication skills utilizing visual and tactical abilities, math, science, reading, and leisure-time activities. This year’s exhibit will feature 31 unique pieces of art that can be purchased for a donation starting at $100.00. The funds collected help with the costs of framing, the opening reception, scholarships, and summer workshops.

The Alabama Center for the Arts is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.

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ACA Announces Summer Professional Development Workshops For Art Educators

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May 25, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Alabama Center for the Arts located in downtown Decatur, AL is pleased to again offer professional development (PD) workshops in art to area art educators and administrators. You will find the list of ACA’s PD opportunities at the end of the attached SMORE Newsletter from the Athens State Regional In-Service Center. There are various workshops offered in multiple areas, but the art topics offered through ACA can be found in the last section.

When you go into the Newsletter, there is the option to view all courses through a spreadsheet. Click on the section that says “2021 Summer Professional Learning (Spreadsheet)” and it will take you to the spreadsheet view. To register for any course, click on the hyperlinked title and it will take you directly to registration in PowerSchool.

FYI, the In-Service Center will not be able to provide certificates (hard copy) this year as everyone should be in PowerSchool and should receive credit that way. If you are not in PowerSchool, and you hold a valid teaching certificate in Alabama, we can assist you in getting set up in PowerSchool. The State Dept. is using PowerSchool for transcript history for renewing certificates.

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“COLLECTIVE IMAGINATION” NOW OPEN AT ALABAMA CENTER FOR THE ARTS

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May 7, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Alabama Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the opening of “Collective Imagination,” an art show featuring works from the Alabama Center for the Arts’ full-time visual and performing arts faculty from Calhoun Community College and Athens State University. The exhibit is located in the Center’s Main Gallery and will remain open until Wednesday, June 30.

This is the first time the ACA has featured only its full-time faculty in an exhibit. Featured artists include:

  • Jamie Adams – Assistant Professor of Art, Studio Art
  • Dr. Mary Beth Johns – Associate Professor, Visual Art Education
  • Pamela Keller – Professor of Art
  • Dr. Hugh Long – Associate Professor of Drama & English
  • Kimberly Parker – Visual Communications Instructor
  • Lauren Cantrell Salerno – Theatre Instructor
  • Jessica Spowart – Assistant Professor of Art/Graphic Design
  • Jax Vadney – Assistant Professor of Drama and Theatre Arts: Scenic and Lighting Design
  • Kathryn Lansing Vaughn – Art Instructor
  • Chris Vrenna – Music Technology Instructor

“Collective Imagination” features 33 works created with a variety of mediums ranging from acrylic, watercolor, alcohol ink, and oil paintings to woodcuts, wire frame millinery, and charcoal. In addition, the show also features a large plasma screen to showcase photos, music, and digital art.

“I feel very fortunate to work with such gifted educators, but sometimes we’re so consumed with classes and curriculum, that I forget that they are also truly talented artists,” said Kim Parker, Visual Communications Instructor at Calhoun Community College. “Then we get the opportunity to exhibit our work and I’m stunned all over again by the level of skill they possess. I’m honored to be included in the gallery with artists of their caliber.”

“It is important to allow our students to see that their professors are not just teachers, but are professional artists with original ideas to express outside of the classroom,” said Dr. Mary Beth Johns, Associate Professor of Visual Art Education at Athens State University. “I work in the open area of the ACA so that students walking by can see that I am a painter with the same processes as and problems they have when creating a work of art. I plan, revise, experiment, and complete. Finally, students see the fruits of that labor in the gallery – from start to finish.”

The Alabama Center for the Arts is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. For more information, please contact the Alabama Center for the Arts at 256-260-4293.

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The Alabama Center for the Arts is the region’s premier art center and degree program. The project continues a long-standing collaborative academic effort between Athens State University and Calhoun Community College and serves as a model of academic institutional cooperation for the state. The Alabama Center for the Arts is a venue for cultural events and activities and will enhance an appreciation of art while promoting opportunities for creative expression for residents throughout the region.

JUNIOR DUCK STAMP SHOW TO OPEN MAY 5

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April 29, 2021, Decatur, AL – The Alabama Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the opening of the Junior Duck Stamp Show on Wednesday, May 5. The Junior Duck Stamp Program is a youth art contest sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that is coupled with a curriculum that is designed to teach youth about waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) and their habitat needs, featuring only waterfowl that are native to North America. The show will be featured in the Center’s Walking Gallery until June 30. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The annual art contest takes place in each of the 50 states and is open to students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. At the state level, students are judged in four groups according to grade level: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Three 1st, three 2nd, and three 3rd place entries, along with 16 honorable mentions, are selected from each age group. Contest judges select one “Best of Show” from the 12 first place winners. Each state or territory “Best of Show” is then entered in the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest which occurs in April.

Artwork is judged on the basis of originality, anatomical accuracy, artistic composition, and suitability for reproduction on a 1.5’’x2’’ stamp. Artistic mediums include acrylic, watercolor, and pencil and artwork is submitted from students in schools and art studios from around the state including Mobile, Auburn, and Montgomery.

To further the interdisciplinary goals of the program, students are encouraged to include an original conservation message along with their artwork. The message should explain something about what the student has learned about wetlands, conservation, or waterfowl and wildlife. It may also be a statement encouraging others to learn about and participate in conservation.

The Best-of-Show this year was a Red-breasted Merganser that placed 1st in the 10-12 grade age category. The artist, Grace He, is a 16-year old student from Auburn, Alabama and is a student at the Barbara Keel Art School. The show will feature 37 pieces of art including the artwork that accompanies the Conservation Message that was selected as Best-of-Show.

Duck hunters and conservationists purchase the Federal Duck Stamp (not to be confused with the Junior Duck Stamp) each year to support wetland conservation across the United States. Junior Duck Stamps can also be purchased and the proceeds go to provide recognition, incentives, and scholarships to students, teachers, and schools who participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. The $5 Junior Duck Stamp can be purchased online (https://www.duckstamp.com/).

The Alabama Center for the Arts is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. For more information about the contest, visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Wheeler/JDS/ or www.fws.gov/juniorduck/.

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CALHOUN ANNOUNCES ANNUAL SPRING STUDENT ART SHOW

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Decatur, AL – The Calhoun Community College Fine Arts department is set to display one of its most anticipated annual exhibits – The Student Art Show Competition. The show will be held at the Alabama Center for the Arts, Visual Arts Gallery, in downtown Decatur, 133 2nd Ave NE, from April 2 – April 14, 2021.

According to Kathryn Vaughn, Calhoun Art Instructor, the showcase is held each year and will consist of student paintings, drawings, sculptures, digital imaging and photography, mixed media, pen and ink, ceramics, etc. Some student artwork may be available for purchase or designated as NFS (not for sale). Students receive 100% of the artwork sale price.

“Our students are extremely talented and produce such beautiful artwork,” commented Vaughn. “We love hosting events such as these because it allows us to not only showcase our student’s wonderful pieces with the community, but it also provides an opportunity to promote our many arts programs and state-of-the-art facilities in which our students learn,” added Vaughn.

An awards ceremony will be held in the gallery after the competition on Tuesday, April 13, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

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Youth Art Month Under Way At Alabama Center For The Arts

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Decatur, AL – This March, the Alabama Center for the Arts is celebrating Youth Art Month, a yearly showcase of talent in the visual arts. The Annual Showcase of Young Talent features 106 pieces of art by K-12 students, in coordination with local school art teachers, in Morgan County including area city, county, and private schools. The exhibit will be open from March 4 – March 30. There will be a virtual Awards Announcement posted on Carnegie Visual Art Center’s Facebook page on March 11 at 5:30 pm. The post will include a link to a virtual tour of the exhibit as well. Youth Art Month encourages support for quality school art programs and promotes art material safety. Administered by The Council for Art Education, the program helps children of all ages develop problem solving, observation, and communication skills while enhancing their creativity. The event is sponsored by the Alabama Center for the Arts and the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, with artist awards to be given by Daybreak Rotary Club of Decatur. The Carnegie provides educational and cultural opportunities to the Decatur area and strives to encourage a greater involvement in art at all levels and ages. Their excellent children’s art education program promotes creativity via hands-on activities. In addition, a variety of other programs, events, and collections are offered for all ages. The Alabama Center for the Arts is located at 133 2nd Avenue NE in Decatur. They are open Monday – Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. For more information about Youth Art Month, please contact the ACA at 256-260-4293.

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Early Elementary School Awards

1st – Yaretzi Reyes
Patterned Portrait With Pet, Digital
Benjamin Davis Elementary

2nd – Laura Alcaraz-Sanchez
Fox, Liquid Watercolor
Oak Park Elementary

3rd – Mila Blankenship
Masking What Makes Me–Me!, Crayon
Benjamin Davis Elementary

Honorable Mention – Trinity Yarbrough
Nutcracker, Paint Sticks
Walter Jackson Elementary

Elementary School Awards

1st – Khloe Salgado
Bunny, Charcoal on Brown Paper
Decatur Heritage

2nd – McKenna Kurecki
Pup, Charcoal on Brown Paper
Decatur Heritage

3rd – Gillian Wisener
A Christmas Spark, Clay
Decatur Heritage

Honorable Mention – Henderson Hall
Bald Eagle, Colored Pencil
Priceville Elementary

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Middle School Awards

1st – Ava Rogers
Hollow House, Clay
Decatur Heritage

2nd – Sophia Scott
Azure, Clay
Decatur Heritage

3rd – Kaylee Durham
Paper Weaving, Paper
Austin Jr. High School

Honorable Mention – Ford Sparkman
Fred, Charcoal on Brown Paper
Decatur Heritage

High School Awards

1st – Shayan Jennings
Through the Eyes of a Child, Charcoal and Graphite
Brewer High School

2nd – Mekhi Kalil
Running Wild, Digital
Hartselle High School

3rd – Florence Bowman
A Step in Time, Mixed Media
Decatur Heritage

Honorable Mention – Caroline Thompson
Welcome, Clay
Decatur Heritage

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