Author: Kevin Ledgewood

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will present the 2023 Visual Arts Achievement Awards Exhibit at the Bama Theatre’s Junior League Gallery through March 10.  A closing reception and awards ceremony recognizing the winners will take place on Thursday, March 9 from 6-7 p.m. in the gallery.

The Junior League Gallery at the Bama Theatre is open weekdays from 9 a.m. -noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Enter the gallery through the PARA Building, located adjacent to the theatre, during daytime hours.

The exhibit will consist of the winners and other outstanding works accepted to the show by students from local public and private schools with works divided into two groups based on grade level. Group I will consist of middle school students in grades 6-8, and Group II will include high school students in grades 9-12.  The program was open to students from West Alabama counties in District 3. Entries were classified based on medium:  craft, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and photography/digital images/film/new media.

The local winners will be featured in the state level competition at the RSA Tower Artist’s Gallery in Montgomery. A program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Visual Arts Achievement Program provides local and state recognition for student achievement in the visual arts. The program is designed to offer encouragement to young artists, showcase their work and offer opportunities for advanced training beyond high school.

The judges for the District 3 competition were Ruth O’Connor and Kaitlin Redborg.

Top 2023 Winners

Overall Best in Show
Perri Payne, Paul W. Bryant High School
Teacher: Olivia Williams
Drawing: “Honeysuckle”

Best in Group 1
Emmitt Sesson, The Alberta School of Performing Arts
Teacher: Abel Phillips
Drawing: Untitled

Best in Group 2
Jessica Trotter, Paul W. Bryant High School
Teacher: Olivia Williams
Drawing: “Heartbreak”

To the list of all winners and those works that will move forward to the state level, visit
https://tuscarts.org/competition-visualachievement.php.

The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit www.tuscarts.org for further information.

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will host the annual Tuscaloosa County School System Fine Arts Showcase March 3-30, 2023 in The Arts Council Gallery and Black Box Theatre at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center.

An exhibit of select visual art comprised of art students from the TCSS secondary schools will open on March 3 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. during the First Friday Art Walk. Each art teacher will select seven to ten pieces for the display in a variety of media. The exhibit will conclude on March 30.

Also featured during the First Friday portion of the Showcase will be performances by the Tuscaloosa County High School Jazz Band (under Nick McDonald) from 5:15-5:45 p.m. and the Hillcrest Middle School Choir (Choral Director: Jerome Mays) from 6-6:30 p.m.

Gallery hours are weekdays 9 a.m.- noon and 1-4 p.m.  For more information about all gallery events taking place on First Friday and the locations, visit www.firstfridaytuscaloosa.com.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council, Bama Theatre or CAC, patrons should like the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The regional finals for Poetry Out Loud, a national recitation competition, took place on Feb. 2, 2023 at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. Prior to this final round in Tuscaloosa, the West-Central Alabama students participated in a primary competition at their respective high schools.

Poetry Out Loud is a competition that encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. Since 2005, Poetry Out Loud has grown to reach more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations in every state, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Students competing in the Regions 3 and 4 POL program were eligible to compete in the national anthology portion of the program, the original poetry portion, or social issue recitation. Traveling to Montgomery, Ala. this year, the winners will compete in the state-wide competition against winners in other Alabama regions.

The Alabama State Council on the Arts sponsored the competition and The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa administrates Poetry Out Loud on the local level. Sponsors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation and The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. Shannon McCue, Arts Council Education Director, served as Facilitator in Regions 3/4.

National Anthology Recitation:

1. Nalin Reed, Alabama School of Fine Arts

2. Rishab Samant, Vestavia Hills High School

3. Elizabeth McCure, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Original Poetry Recitation:

1. Abigail White, Indian Springs School

2. Elizabeth McClure, Alabama School of Fine Arts

3. Sarah Khamis, Indian Springs School

Social Issue Poetry Recitation:

1. Elizabeth McClure, Alabama School of Fine Arts

2. Aarvi Shah, Indian Springs School

3. William Bittner, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Judges for the day were Al Elliott, Salaam Green and Alina Stefanescu. Martie Sample was Accuracy Judge, Sandra Wolfe was Prompter and Reagan Fryer served as Scorekeeper.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council, Bama Theatre or CAC, patrons should like the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) February’s First Friday Art Walk will feature the Alabama Blues Project’s preview of visual art included in their upcoming “Evening of Art and Blues” event in the Arts Council Gallery at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. The preview exhibit, “City Blues vs. Country Blues,” will open on Friday, February 3, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. and will culminate with the organization’s annual “Evening of Art and Blues” event on Feb. 24, also at the DWCAC.

DWCAC will also feature a demonstration of pointillism with pen and watercolor pencil by artist Mikayla Hammock.

Gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Exhibit items will be available for silent auction at alabamabluesproject.betterworld.org. Visit www.alabamablues.org for more information about the exhibit and the upcoming “Evening of Art and Blues” at the DWCAC on Feb. 24, 2023.

Additional First Friday openings include:

• The University of Alabama Gallery at DWCAC: “Roscoe Hall: Two Houses” through Feb. 23
• Paul Jones Museum: “Patterns of Creativity – with Alberta School of the Performing Arts”              through Feb. 23
• Harrison Galleries: Avian Portraiture – Audubon, Gould and Ede,  1826-2016 and jazz ensemble; Demonstration by watercolor artist Libby Morris
• Lorrie Lane Studio- featuring Lane’s work and other local artists
• The Art Garage- Art activities for children
• Kentuck Gallery at Hotel Indigo: Prints by Scott Stephens
• Druid City Makerspace: featuring candle artist and ceramicist “Boogibear”
• uPerk: Featuring the work of local and regional artists
• Turbo Coffee: Art students from Shelton State CC; rotating monthly
• Avenue Pub: Demo by alcohol ink artist Amber Simpson
• Black Warrior Brewing: Featuring the work of local artists until 7 p.m.

For more information about the February First Friday, visit www.firstfridaytuscaloosa.com.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council, Bama Theatre or CAC, patrons should like the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa’s Bama Art House Film Series Winter 2023 will take place in January and will feature three movies. Screenings will take place at the Bama Theatre on Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 and 14 at 7:00 p.m., one half hour earlier than in previous series.

The box office, doors, and bar will open at 6:00 p.m. Single Tickets will be priced at $10 general, $9 seniors & students and $8 Arts Council Members and will be available at the box office prior to screenings. Discount Punch Card Tickets ($70) will also be available and will be good for any 10 Bama Art House films with no expiration date.

Patrons can visit www.tuscarts.org and to view the list of films, details and accompanying trailers.

January 24, 2023

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) Winners were announced in The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa’s 2022 Juried Show for West Alabama artists at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center on Friday, December 2^nd during the First Friday Art Walk. The exhibit will be open weekdays through December 16^th with limited holiday hours then will continue January 9-20, 2023.

West Alabama artists were allowed to submit up to three works for judging including two- and three-dimensional pieces. The competition was juried and the winners selected by Shawn Dickey, Department Chair and Professor of Art in the Department of Art and Design at Mississippi University for Women.

Established in 1985, the West Alabama Juried Show represents The Arts Council’s mission to promote the arts in Tuscaloosa County. The exhibit offers local artists in West Alabama counties the opportunity to have their work displayed in a public setting and win cash awards for their efforts.

The following prizes were awarded:

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama Purchase Award – $1,000

Charlotte Wegrzynowski for “Scatter”

Will be displayed at the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama

Gail Skidmore Memorial Award of Excellence Contributed by The Arts Council – $300

Rachel Wakefield for “The Red, The Blue”

One Cash Award contributed by The Arts Council – $100

Deborah Hughes for “Where Form Meets Substance”

Honorable Mentions

Daisy H. Young for “pregnancy is a portal; joint observations I”

Stephen Blades for “Composite God 1: Crescent”

Sharony Green for “Sis Lou and Ettie”

Visit https://tuscarts.org/gallery-exhibits-competitions/competition-west-al-juried/ for more information about the show. 

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council, Bama Theatre or CAC, patrons should like the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa is announcing its annual Small Grants Program, awarding projects by Tuscaloosa County artists and non-profit organizations. Grants to all local teachers for arts related projects are also available through the Community Foundation’s Arts in Education Grant. 

The Arts Council is now accepting grant applications from local artists and organizations for upcoming projects taking place between Oct. 3, 2022 and May 15, 2023. The deadline for applications is Oct. 3, 2022 with recipients announced by Oct. 31, 2022. A one-to-one match of funds is required for those applying for grants.

Organizations may apply for Small Grants Program awards for such projects as exhibits, festivals, residencies, consultants, attendance at seminars, institutes, workshops by artistic and/or administrative staff and productions. Professional artists may apply for grants covering pilot or short-term projects or opportunities such as seminars, workshops, conferences or apprenticeships with master artists. Since the advent of the Small Grants Program in 1986, local artists and organizations have received more than $140,000.  

The maximum Small Grant available to organizations is $1000 and $750 to individuals. 

The Arts in Education Grant provides funds that are specifically earmarked for arts related projects through the Community Foundation of West Alabama. Local educators pursuing any arts related project can apply for funding from the Foundation through The Arts Council with a deadline of Oct. 3, 2022 for grant activities which will be taking place between Oct. 3, 2022 and May 15, 2023. 

Guidelines and applications for both grant programs are available online at https://tuscarts.org/small-grants.  Additional information is available to individuals or groups interested in applying by contacting Shannon McCue, Education Director, at education@tuscarts.org or 205-758-5195, ext. 4.

For more information about The Arts Council, Bama Theatre, or Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, patrons should follow and like “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and also Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release                                            
The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa
Contact: Kevin Ledgewood
pr@tuscarts.org
205-758-5195, x6

DINAH WASHINGTON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER WILL HOST THE WORK OF CARSON GRUBAUGH IN HIS EXHIBIT “PRESENT”

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will host an exhibit of works by artist Carson Grubaugh in The Arts Council Gallery at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center Aug. 5-Sept. 30, 2022. “Present” will open on Aug. 5 during the First Friday Art Walk from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.  

Grubaugh holds bachelor’s degrees in both Art and Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He now teaches Visual Art at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa.

He was named the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Emerging Artist of 2011 and placed 3rd in the Portraiture category of the 15th Art Renewal Center Salon. His art is displayed at numerous museums and galleries in the United States, Canada, England, Spain and Germany.

The artist collaborated with Dave Sim on the Eisner Award nominated graphic novel “The Strange Death of Alex Raymond” and the comic book “You Don’t Know Jack: Two-Fisted Comic-Store Manager.” A collection of his short comics works, “Six Macro Cons,” has also been published. Grubaugh recently created the world’s first comic book series entirely illustrated by an Artificial Intelligence, “The Abolition of Man.” The first issue will be released in October of 2022.

Along with his publisher, Sean Michael Robinson, he runs the comics-centric YouTube channel, Living The Line.

The Arts Council Gallery and UA Gallery hours are weekdays 9 a.m.- noon and 1-4 p.m.  For more information about The Arts Council gallery visit https://cac.tuscarts.org/cacgallery.php.

In addition to the galleries of downtown Tuscaloosa, The First Friday Art Walk also features art friendly coffee shops hosting the work of local artists. Visit www.firstfridaytuscaloosa.com for complete First Friday information.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should follow and like “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and also Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release                                            
The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa
Contact: Kevin Ledgewood
pr@tuscarts.org
205-758-5195, x6

JASON GUYNES EXHIBIT CONTINUES THROUGH JULY IN THE ARTS COUNCIL GALLERY
AT THE DINAH WASHINGTON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will continue the exhibit of oils and drawings by Jason Guynes, titled “Unrealism,” through July 29, 2022 in The Arts Council Gallery at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. Due to the holiday weekend, there will be no First Friday Art Walk on July 1.

Jason Guynes is a professor of art and chairperson of the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Alabama. He holds the MFA from Tulane University and the BA in Art from Belhaven College. He has had academic appointments at universities in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Alabama and has been working in academia for thirty years, serving as a chairperson for twenty-six years. While at the University of West Alabama he founded and served as director of the UWA Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, an ongoing national exhibition of outdoor sculpture. At the University of South Alabama, he oversaw the design and construction of a state-of-the-art glass blowing facility and program, as well as the creation of an MFA program in Creative Technologies and Practice. He served as President of SECAC, the second largest arts organization of its kind in the US, from 2014 to 2017. Guynes exhibits his work internationally in competitions, galleries, and museums, and his work has been featured in Creative Quarterly’s virtual gallery, Negative Capability Journal, and Manifest Gallery’s International Painting Annual 8. In addition to exhibitions, he has completed numerous private and public mural commissions throughout the United States with major commissions in Mesa, Ariz., Joplin, Missouri, Philadelphia, Penn., and Mobile, Ala.

“Unrealism” is an attempt to depict reality in a contemporary form which inevitably entails an effort to capture that which is not seen and which goes beyond knowing from a purely visual standpoint. The work in this exhibit contains pieces from two bodies of work addressing different themes in similar ways. The oil paintings are from a series exploring the artist’s personal narratives and the drawings deal with experience and memory as it relates to place.

“The paintings relate to my upbringing among people who enjoy a good story. The struggle I engage in is to construct a narrative that has universal appeal, but to do so in a way that displays a uniqueness of personal experience, and that adequately captures those parts of any story that are felt rather than seen,” said the artist.

The University of Alabama Gallery at the DWCAC along with the Paul Jones Museum will continue the “Flow” exhibit through July also.

The Arts Council Gallery and UA Gallery hours are weekdays 9 a.m.- noon and 1-4 p.m.  For more information about The Arts Council gallery visit https://cac.tuscarts.org/cacgallery.php.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should follow and like “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and also Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.

###

(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa’s Bama Art House Film Series Summer 2022 will take place in June and will feature two movies. Screenings will take place at the Bama Theatre on June 14 and 21 at 7:30 p.m.

The box office will open at 6:30 p.m. and doors/Bama Bar at 6:45 p.m. Single Tickets will be priced at $8 general, $7 seniors & students and $6 Arts Council Members and will be available at the box office. Discount Punch Card Tickets ($60) will also be available and will be good for any 10 Bama Art House films.

Patrons can visit https://tuscarts.org/bama/bama-art-house/to view the list of films, details and accompanying trailers.

Tuesday, June 14:
“Firebird” (2021)
Winner at Film Festivals in Cleveland, Austin, San Francisco, Key West, San Diego
Rated R | 1h 47 min | Drama, Romance
Written by: Peeter Rebane (screenplay, Tom Prior (screenplay), and Sergey Fetisov (story)
Directed by: Peeter Rebane
Stars: Tom Prior, Oleg Zagorodnii, Diana Pozharskaya

Tuesday, June 21, 2022
“Lost Illusions” (2021)
Winner of 7 César Awards including Best Film; Venice Film Festival nominee for Best Film
Not Rated | 2h 29 min | Drama, History, Romance
Written by: Jacques Fieschi (adaptation), Xavier Giannoli (adaptation), Yves Stavrides (collaboration)
Directed by: Xavier Giannoli
Stars: Benjamin Voisin, Cécile de France, Vincent Lacoste

The mission of the Bama Art House series is to bring current and contemporary independent film to West Alabama, transforming the historic Bama Theatre into a cinematic art house. 

The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should follow and like “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram @tuscaloosaartscouncil. Call 205-758-5195 or visit bamatheatre.org for further information.