2008 Woodie Awards
The Arts: Everywhere's a gallery
Ariel Davis
Issue date: 4/2/07 Section: Fine Arts
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I learned two things about the Mobile arts community this week. The first -- in Mobile, everywhere has the potential to be a gallery and the second -- when arts organizations collaborate, they are a force to be reckoned with.
The first lesson came to me as I walked the halls and classrooms on campus at USA. At the Alpha Hall East building, natural light photography crowds the lobby, and, even in the conference classroom at the Communications building, original Mardi Gras photographs line the walls.
On Saturday, I saw the work of artist Jamie Kirk at an unlikely place: the Starbucks on Airport and Downtowner. They have replaced their abstract brown paintings with original Kirk oils.
That got me thinking about the millions of other commercial spaces that could benefit from having local art up -- grocery stores, chain restaurants and the university cafeteria.
Since I'm interested in artists making unlikely unions, I'm glad that the arts organizations in Mobile have been joining together lately to create new exhibits and shows.
Patrons benefit when minds meet to think outside the box, and that's another thing I learned this week.
Recent examples include both the USA music and drama departments collaborating for their upcoming production of "Drood" and the art and English departments working together for the "Art Inspired by Poetry" show at the USA Library. Last Saturday at Satori Coffee House, both music and art combined at "Symphony of Nature."
Across the bay at the Eastern Shore Art Center, Mobile Ballet artistic director Winthrop Corey is showing his costumes alongside artist Stephanie Morris' portraits in "Amazing Grace."
I attended the opening reception, where Mobile Ballet dancers served as live models, and the crowds from the Fairhope First Friday Art Walk filtered through the gallery.
Though the connection between the costumes and the work was not immediately recognized, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two forms.
I left the show reminding myself that it is these collaborations that bring another element to the average event, and the arts should always aim above average.
The first lesson came to me as I walked the halls and classrooms on campus at USA. At the Alpha Hall East building, natural light photography crowds the lobby, and, even in the conference classroom at the Communications building, original Mardi Gras photographs line the walls.
On Saturday, I saw the work of artist Jamie Kirk at an unlikely place: the Starbucks on Airport and Downtowner. They have replaced their abstract brown paintings with original Kirk oils.
That got me thinking about the millions of other commercial spaces that could benefit from having local art up -- grocery stores, chain restaurants and the university cafeteria.
Since I'm interested in artists making unlikely unions, I'm glad that the arts organizations in Mobile have been joining together lately to create new exhibits and shows.
Patrons benefit when minds meet to think outside the box, and that's another thing I learned this week.
Recent examples include both the USA music and drama departments collaborating for their upcoming production of "Drood" and the art and English departments working together for the "Art Inspired by Poetry" show at the USA Library. Last Saturday at Satori Coffee House, both music and art combined at "Symphony of Nature."
Across the bay at the Eastern Shore Art Center, Mobile Ballet artistic director Winthrop Corey is showing his costumes alongside artist Stephanie Morris' portraits in "Amazing Grace."
I attended the opening reception, where Mobile Ballet dancers served as live models, and the crowds from the Fairhope First Friday Art Walk filtered through the gallery.
Though the connection between the costumes and the work was not immediately recognized, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two forms.
I left the show reminding myself that it is these collaborations that bring another element to the average event, and the arts should always aim above average.
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