BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
Opelika Art Haus and Windhorse Gallery are collaborating for the Art, Song & Moonshine art exhibit next Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29.
The free event is open to the public and brings together 13 Alabama artists for an evening of community, art, food and music. This is the fourth event that Windhorse Gallery and Art Haus have partnered to host, but according to event organizer Barbara Birdsong, this one will look a little different.
The main thing that makes this exhibit unique is the sheer talent of the artists attending. Three in particular, Jerry Seigel, Scott Owen and Charlie Lucas, have garnered national acclaim for their artwork. The work of Seigel, Owen and Lucas will be highlighted separately from other artists at the event. And although all the artists and artwork make the event worth attending, the presence of the aforementioned three is what excites Birdsong the most, she said.
“They are internationally known artists,” Birdsong said. “They all have been featured in big-time museums, and they all happen to be from the South. What we liked about these three artists is that they are all storytellers in the way they do their work. And how they feel about the South, how it has shaped our region and how it has shaped who we all are as people — they all play to that in different ways.”
Windhorse Gallery is an initiative led by Birdsong and Mary Ann Casey that facilitates local art events, from pop-ups to gallery shows, each with the purpose of elevating the art community and bringing more creativity to central Alabama. It serves a niche for artists who are creating good art but who might lack a permanent place to display their work.
“Our mission is to bring art to this community, to educate people on art and the importance of it and making it accessible to more people,” Birdsong said. “Our goal was to kind of eliminate the stuffy feel that is behind gallery exhibits, and [we] wanted it to be more fun, like a celebration of life, art, fun and love. We felt like art was the medium to do that.”
Friday night’s exhibit, which runs from 4 to 9 p.m., plays into the name with the “Moonshine” section riffing off the natural light of the night sky. Come early to enjoy a chat with the local artists. The Saturday showing runs from 9 a.m. to noon. However, don’t fret, there will also be wine and old-fashioned drink available to enjoy as well. For the food, the exhibit is bringing in local vendors to supply charcuterie-type snacks to all who attend.
“The moonshine really is in reference to the moon outside shining; it’s kind of play of words,” Birdsong said. “We always try to tie in and use local vendors, and we do have food featured.”
The full lineup of artists includes:
• Jerry Seigel (@jerrysiegel | www.jerrysiegel.com)
Born in Selma, Alabama, Jerry Siegel is a photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia, and working throughout the Southeast. Siegel focuses his work in the traditions of documentary and portrait photography.
• Scott Owen (@owenartist | www.scottvaughnowen.com)
An artist and painter with bold use of line and powerful negative space combined with strong color choices creating works that rival mid-century expressionists such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
• Charlie Lucas (@charlielucas_thetinman | Tin Man Studio – Selma)
Contemporary southern sculptures of people and animals constructed from welded metal bands.
• Barbara Birdsong Designs (@barbarabirdsongdesigns | www.barbarabirdsongdesigns.com)
Unique handmade jewelry collections, each a symphony of feelings and natural findings, each reflecting her love of jewelry making.
• Mary Ann Casey Art (@maryanncaseyart)
Expressive, contemporary acrylic paintings and sculptures that carry a presence into any space.
• Rabbit Fish Ceramics (@rabbitfishceramics | www.rabbitfishceramics.com)
Small-batch ceramics made by Laura and Brian Cooley that embrace imperfection, oddness and flights of imagination.
– Idyllwilde (@idyllwilde | www.idyllwilde.co)
Nadene Mairesse uses natural fiber cloth, repurposed textiles and botanical dyes to create clothing, accessories and home provisions in limited edition collections.
– Color Terra (@color_terra | colorterra.com)
Transforming clay into stunning and colorful ceramics with a passion for creating beauty and color inspired by nature.
– Counter Balance (@bon_appetype | @jerrodbw | www.courtneywindhamdesign.com/kinetic-mobiles)
Custom kinetic mobiles as unique sculptures that incorporate movement through the use of natural means, creating a dynamic and ever-changing display that engages and captivates the viewer.
– Lauren Duncan Art (@laurenjohnstonduncan)
Whimsical mixed media color studies.
– Alex Smith (@unsungicons)
Artworks depicting a contemporary observation of the roles of the natural world in our day-to-day existence, mythology and the spiritual roles nature plays in our lives.
– Margaret Cunningham
Artful organic ceramic sculptures that double as unique table features.
– Pottery Palustris (@pottery_palustris)
Ceramic stoneware embellished with pine needle weaving.
– Deborah Strawn Glass (@strawnglass | debstrawnglass.com)
Self-taught maker of glasswork using lead, paint, etching and found objects.
