Each month, our community gallery features new exhibitions of original works created by local and regional artists in our Gallery @ Room 1927, located at 6 South Joachim Street (next door to the Saenger Theatre). The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Any artists are eligible and may submit a proposal for consideration. Exhibitions are usually displayed from the first Wednesday through the last day of each month.
In addition to our traditional gallery, we are now also accepting proposals for quarterly exhibitions in our window display cases, located between Room 1927 and the Saenger Box Office. If you are interested in creating a window installation, email director@mobilearts.org.
Join us on the second Friday of each month during LoDa ArtWalk for our exhibition receptions. Meet the artists, see their work in person, and create a personal connection with what is on display. Our gallery is open to the public Tuesdays - Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. View our current and recent exhibitors below!
Our Community Gallery program is made possible thanks to the Daniel Foundation of Alabama and the J.L. Bedsole Foundation. To sponsor an exhibition, please see our Sponsorship Information.
2025 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
Exhibition schedule is subject to change.*
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is proud to present two inspiring exhibitions this October: Watercolor Society of Alabama’s Annual Fall Show & The Watercolor & Graphic Arts Society of Mobile’s Annual Members’ Showcase.
Watercolor Society of Alabama
The Watercolor Society of Alabama (WSA) was organized in 1939 and has been a continuing and vibrant influence in advancing the art of watercolor painting and has contributed to the enrichment of the cultural environment of the citizens of the State of Alabama. Yearly the society sponsors two shows, a national juried exhibition and a statewide juried showcase. The location of WSA National Annual Exhibitions changes throughout Alabama offering residents an opportunity to view collections of fine art watercolor paintings in their communities.
In addition to the educational benefits of the National Exhibition and State Showcase, WSA provides for their members water media workshops taught by prominent US artists. These classes provide an opportunity for members to increase their artistic skills and knowledge.
The Watercolor Society of Alabama has had a significant impact on the arts within Alabama by encouraging and fostering support of membership. The society is one of the oldest major watercolor organizations in the nation. Because of the media coverage it receives from national art publications, WSA has attracted favorable notice for its commitment to excellence. Explore other information regarding WSA exhibitions and view the galleries on the website, www.watercolorsocietyofal.org.
The Watercolor & Graphic Arts Society of Mobile
The Watercolor & Graphic Arts Society is probably the oldest arts organization in Mobile and one of the oldest in the state of Alabama. The Society began as an outgrowth of the celebrated Bayou Painters group on June 5, 1948. It was then known as the “Watercolor Society of Mobile” and was open to artists throughout Alabama. There were originally twenty-two members including Genevieve Southerland, Edmond deCelle, William Bush, and the late Bea Q. Tucker. Since then, many well known and well respected artists have become members. Records indicate that the graphic arts addition began in 1954. Today there are nearly one hundred members.
As a non-profit organization, the object of The Watercolor & Graphic Arts Society is to create, through education, more interest in the media of watercolor and graphic arts, and to promote finer watercolor and graphic arts exhibitions by Alabama artists.
Opening Reception
Join us for the official opening reception during LoDa ArtWalk on Friday, October 10th, from 6–9 p.m. at the Mobile Arts Council Gallery @ Room 1927. Visitors are invited to enjoy the exhibitions, meet the artists, and celebrate creativity in the heart of downtown Mobile.
Both exhibitions will remain on view from Tuesday October 7th -Friday, October 31st, free and open to the public.
*The Mobile Arts Council Gallery @ Room 1927 will be closed for a private event on Wednesday, October 8th.*
PAST EXHIBITIONS
The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is proud to present two inspiring exhibitions this September: Lunch Lines by Anne Brooks and The Edge of Abundance by Janie Johnson and Kathy Martin.
Lunch Lines – Anne Brooks
For nearly six years, while working downtown, artist Anne Brooks took time during her lunch breaks to explore the city with a sketchbook in hand. Capturing familiar sights again and again, she has found beauty in the subtle changes and shifting energy of the streets. “Drawing the same things time after time but with noted changes made it always interesting,” she shares. Lunch Lines offers the public a glimpse into her personal practice of observation and reflection, presenting a series of sketches born from these midday walks.
The Edge of Abundance – Janie Johnson & Kathy Martin
In The Edge of Abundance, artists Janie Johnson and Kathy Martin reflect on the richness of the natural world and the creative mind. An avid kayaker, Martin draws inspiration from the astounding variety of wildlife and plants she encounters on her paddles through Fowl River. For her, abundance is not only found in nature but also within the human imagination — our ability to transform the ordinary into something remarkable through writing, visual arts, and performance. Alongside Johnson, whose works explore complementary themes, this exhibition invites viewers to consider the many ways abundance shapes our lives.
Opening Reception
Join us for the official opening reception during LoDa ArtWalk on Friday, September 12th, from 6–9 p.m. at the Mobile Arts Council Gallery @ Room 1927. Visitors are invited to enjoy the exhibitions, meet the artists, and celebrate creativity in the heart of downtown Mobile.
Both exhibitions will remain on view through the end of September, free and open to the public.
The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Members’ Show, during our Members Appreciation Night celebration on August 8th at the Gallery @ Room 1927. More than 1,000 visitors poured through the doors to experience an evening of art, music, and community.
This year’s exhibition was juried by esteemed artist and educator Mr. Kevin King, who selected the following award recipients:
- Best in Show: Christopher R. Murray for The Decadence of Empire
- 2nd Place: Jenyes for Golden Hour
- 3rd Place: Laura Ledbetter for Shipwreck
- Members’ Choice: Heather A. Mitchell for Plot Twist
- Dempsey & Litchfield Award: Janet Hinton for Deer River at Theodore Port
- Honorable Mentions: Micah Mermilliod for Val and Evan, & Laurie Schaerer for Cedar Waxwing
The Members’ Show will remain on view through the end of the month at the Gallery @ Room 1927, offering the public an opportunity to experience these award-winning works in person.
The night’s success would not have been possible without the support of the community. MAC extends its gratitude to Greer’s St. Louis Market for providing delicious refreshments, and to the legendary Excelsior Band 1883, whose music and spirited second line down Joachim Street.
Once again, Mobile has proven its love for the arts — and MAC is grateful for every member, guest, vendor, and patron who makes celebrations like this possible.
The 2025 Annual MAC Members’ Show features 64 artists in a variety of artistic mediums and styles representative of our area. Unlike our typical month-long exhibitions, this show will be featured in our gallery throughout the months of July and August! We will announce the awards, sponsored by the Dempsey & Litchfield Fund, on August 8th during LoDa ArtWalk.
Celebrate the opening with us during LODA ArtWalk on Friday, July 11th from 6 to 9 p.m. This extended summer exhibition is the perfect opportunity to discover your next favorite local artist and explore everything from painting, sculpture, and photography to mixed media and digital art. Whether you’re a longtime collector or a first-time visitor, there’s something to inspire everyone.
The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Members’ Show, during our Members Appreciation Night celebration on August 8th at the Gallery @ Room 1927. More than 1,000 visitors poured through the doors to experience an evening of art, music, and community.
This year’s exhibition was juried by esteemed artist and educator Mr. Kevin King, who selected the following award recipients:
- Best in Show: Christopher R. Murray for The Decadence of Empire
- 2nd Place: Jenyes for Golden Hour
- 3rd Place: Laura Ledbetter for Shipwreck
- Members’ Choice: Heather A. Mitchell for Plot Twist
- Dempsey & Litchfield Award: Janet Hinton for Deer River at Theodore Port
- Honorable Mentions: Micah Mermilliod for Val and Evan, & Laurie Schaerer for Cedar Waxwing
Featured artists include: Eric Achenbach, Gwen Ainsworth, Brian Argo, Cassandra Bakotic, Jess Banx, Shelly Barcelona, Jerry Bousard, Stephanie Bromley, Beau Buchanan, Liv Byrd, Kathryn Cariglino, Curtis Clark, Hailey Clifton, Jennifer Clifton, Debbie Davis, Gary Davidson, Muffinjaw Designs, Diana Dyer, Daniel Domenzain, Kelly Estle, Chad Finch, Lamar Finch, Suzanne Fox, Vernon Fowlkes, Valerie George, Vincent Lawson, Hannah Georgina Legg, Janet Hinton, Patrick Hurley, Mayssam Iskandar, Crystal Jackson, Patty Johnson, Jessica Jones, Katharyn Kearley, Mike Kittrell, Walker Ladd, Frank Ledbetter, Laura Ledbetter, Savannah Mercer, Micah Mermilliod, Heather Mitchell, Christopher R. Murray, Matt O’Brien, Debi Parnell, Elsa Payton, Jordan Perryman, Michelle Pujols, Lyza Rodriguez, Laurie Schaerer, Nikki Shaw, LeaAyn Shurley, Cherrelle Jefferson Smith, Kathy Sowder, Barbara Spafford, Linda Angelina Stevens, Brian Tan, Patrick Thomas, Katie Thompson, Zachary Todd, Frank Vogtner, Carl Wade, Suzanne Wade, Jaytilya Watkins, and Amanda Youngblood.
This exhibition will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through August 29, 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please contact Sydney Cramer at scramer@mobilearts.org for more information.
George & Mermilliod are artists from Mobile, AL, who work in various media. They find connection in shared conceptual interests and a love of experimental photographic processes.
STARPRINTS is an exhibition of photograms and lumen prints that explore themes of transformation and transcendence, utilizing organic materials of the body and the earth.
Valerie George (she/her) is an artist whose work reflects holistically on art and life through installation art, site-specific works, video, performance, sound, sculpture, photography, new media, drawing, collaborative projects, and curatorial practices. Valerie received her MFA from the University of California, Davis, having worked closely with mentors Lynn Hershman-Leeson and Mary Lucier. She is a Full Professor of Art at the University of West Florida (Pensacola, FL), Arts Editor of Panhandler Magazine: A Journal of Art and Literature, a Co-Founder and Co-Director of the 309 Punk Project, and a member of Good Children Gallery (New Orleans),—she currently resides in Mobile, AL.
Micah Mermilliod (he/him) creates work that often incorporates elements of collage, both in the mediums used and the ideas at play. He is most interested in adaptive changes that humans make, especially in an environment that is rapidly changing due to catalysts such as technology, socioeconomic status, and environmental change. Much of his work from the past few years has explored his experience with quarantine and the new normal that has followed. Micah received his MFA from the University of South Alabama in 2022 in Creative Technologies and Practice, and he currently resides in Mobile, AL, where he works as a curator for the Alabama Contemporary Art Center.
These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through June 28, 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please contact Sydney Cramer at scramer@mobilearts.org for more information.
The National Photography Month open call group show instructed artists to “tell us your story,” and showcases the depth and diversity of photographic storytelling. The exhibit invites viewers into the personal and creative narratives of photographers from across the region. Each piece offers a unique perspective and visual voice, showcasing the many ways photography is used to reflect memory, identity, and place. Photography, the art of capturing light to create imagery, is a medium rich in history and emotion used to document, communicate, and express the human experience. From film to digital, portraiture to landscapes, photography continues to shape how we see the world and share our stories. In today’s era of camera phones and instant sharing, this exhibit offers a moment to reflect on photography’s roots and evolution.
Participating artists include Gwen Ainsworth, Jennifer Clifton, Hailey Clifton, James Currie, Walter Dedrick, Richard Dollison, Daniel Domenzain, Vernon Fowlkes, Jessica Jones, Rodney Kilgore, Mike Kittrell, Kandon Kyser, Vincent Lawson, Savannah Mercer, Micah Mermilliod, Cheryl Nicholls, Matt O’brien, Debi Parnell, Michelle Pujols, Lyza Rodriguez, Laurie Schaerer, Nikki Shaw, Katie Thompson.
Navigating the Broken Road exemplifies the power of photography as both a healing process and a storytelling force.
Karen Bullock is a photographic artist living in Alabama. She is known for her documentary-style images of the American South, with a focus on expressions of faith, considerations of home, and the enduring spirit of nature. Primarily lens-based, her practice uses vivid color and light to explore the unheard voice via gesture, sense of place, and mood.
Her photographs have been featured in over 30 exhibitions & various publications including: The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, USM Museum of Art, Alabama Contemporary Art Center (during the Pinky MM Bass exhibition), Float Magazine, Lenscratch, National Geographic Spain, F-Stop Magazine, and in several exhibitions at the Mobile Arts Council. Karen’s is represented by Sophiella Gallery in Mobile, Alabama. Her work is also available at Photographic Gallery-SMA (San Miguel Allende, Mexico).
In addition to photography, Karen enjoys curatorial work and collaborating to create group installations that foster community. She has curated collections from The Do Good Fund, and installed exhibitions on dance, discrimination, and art made with plant-based dyes. These exhibitions have included workshops led by quiltmakers from Gee’s Bend, artist Douglas Baulos, author Watt Key, and others from the local community. Prior to the sale of the property, she volunteered as the curator for art at The Lost Garden downtown on Dauphin Street. Navigating the Broken Road is a deeply personal photographic journey that documents a cross-country road trip covering over 11,000 miles across the United States. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, Bullock embarked on the journey in 2023 with her husband, capturing the beauty and complexity of the American landscape while navigating her evolving experience of life with MS. Her documentary-style photography explores themes of resilience, home, faith, and nature—inviting viewers to witness both a literal and emotional passage through adversity and awe.
These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through May 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please contact Sydney Cramer at scramer@mobilearts.org for more information.
The H2O Exhibit by Faye Earnest and Tom Telhiard is an abstraction of aerial views of water: Above the Water, Ocean Layers, and Seventy-One Percent. As the exploration continued, the view became closer and closer to the Earth.
Faye Earnest enjoys bold color with exotic textures. From her first landscapes to her examinations of geological formations, her aerial views have continued to evolve. Her work is collected nationally and internationally. Painting for over 30 years, she creates innovative views of our planet. With three degrees in art, University of Alabama, University of South Alabama, and University of Southern Mississippi, her work has been exhibited in New York, Germany, Greece, St. Thomas, Las Vegas, Miami, Santa Fe, Taos, Dallas, Asheville, Chicago, and New Orleans.
Tom Telhiard, BFA, MFA is a graduate of the University of South Alabama with a bachelor’s in fine art and went on to complete a master’s in fine art with Honors at Cranbrook Academy of Art, located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where his work remains today in the Cranbrook Museum permanent collection. Upon completing his degree at Cranbrook he served as full time faculty at Bishop State Community College, adjunct faculty at Faulkner University, Montgomery Alabama. During his faculty tenure at Bishop State, he completed cultural exchanges, through the department of education Fulbright program, studying art in Belgium and the Netherlands. He then entered a faculty exchange position for one year in Newcastle, England. Upon his return from England, he completed a public art commission for the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, the Dunes. Other significant Kinetic commissioned pieces were a mobile at the Riverview Plaza, the Aeolus at the Mobile Regional Airport, the Cantilever at the original Exploreum Museum, and the Wind Waltz, remains on the Alabama Sculpture Trail in Langan Park for the Mobile Museum of Art. He also had solo exhibitions of his paintings where a piece remains in the permanent collection at the Montgomery Museum of Art. He completed numerous other pieces in public and private collections along the Gulf Coast. Tom’s work is an exploration of the interplay between water, light and color, particularly through the lens of abstract seascapes. Using oil paint and glazes, he creates layers that evoke depth and luminosity, allowing the color to mirror the fluidity of the sea and sky. This series is inspired by growing up on the Gulf Coast and Tom’s world travels. His goal is to inspire reflection and to encourage a deeper understanding of the world we inhabit.
The Shibui Chapter of the Sumi-e Society of America presents The Essence of Ink. Dedicated to the tradition of Asian brush painting, the society, founded in 1985, fosters the study and practice of Sumi-e, a centuries-old technique that emphasizes simplicity, fluidity, and expressive brushwork. Meeting twice a month in Mobile, AL, members explore the delicate balance of ink and water to capture nature’s essence in its most distilled form.
These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through April 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please contact Sydney Cramer at scramer@mobilearts.org for more information.
The Mobile Arts Council is pleased to announce the opening reception for the group exhibition “Friends in High Places” on March 14th, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The event will be held MAC’s community gallery @ Room 1927, located at 6 South Joachim St, Mobile, AL. This exhibition, catalogued by Kathy Martin and Gail Bramer, brings together multiple local artists who have united across various mediums to celebrate the beauty and majesty of our feathered friends.
Participating artists include:
Anne-Marie Babington, Gail Bramer, Joanne Brandt, Debbie Clolinger, Joann Cox, Carolyn Greene, Mary Helen Harper, Ben Hill, Lydia Host, Janie Johnson, Harvie Jordan, Mary Elizabeth Kimbrough, Jenn Martin, Kathy Martin, Mary Matherne, John McAleer, Susan Rouillier, Kathy Sims, Renne Wallace, Carol Wiggins, and Janie Delchamps Zetsch.
“Friends in High Places” is an exploration of the ethereal beauty of flight and the profound connection between humans and birds. Through the lenses of painting, sculpture, and mixed media, the participating artists capture the essence of our avian companions, allowing their graceful movements and vibrant colors to take flight across canvas and beyond.
The Mobile Arts Council is pleased to host the 2025 District 1 Visual Arts Achievement Program and Young at Art! Those eligible for District 1 include public and private schools Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties. Every student who receives a District Award will be recognized in the State Awards from the Alabama State Council on the Arts online. Entry categories include craft, drawing, painting, photography, new media, printmaking, mixed media, and sculpture.
The Visual Arts Achievement Program provides opportunities for students in grades 6 through 12 to be recognized for their contributions to the visual arts at the local and state levels. Only one entry per individual student will be eligible. Teachers may submit up to 7 entries total. View the statewide schedule, including scholarship opportunities for students on ASCA’s website here. The District 1 juried exhibition will hang from February 4th to February 23rd.
Concurrently, Young at Art is for 5th grade students and below, and not included in the juried competition. Teachers working at one location/school may submit no more than 5 entries total, and teachers working at more than one location/school may submit up to 7 entries total. These entries must be equipped to hang (with a wire, sawtooth hanger, contact strips, or some other way that does not stick out of the top of the artwork). Unlike VAAP, this show is also open to private lesson teachers.
Due to Mardi Gras parades, the gallery will closed at 4:00 p.m on February 14th, 20th, and 21st.
Join us for a special awards reception where we will honor all participants, and announce the State winners on Sunday, February 23rd, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the MAC Gallery @ Room 1927.
Please email Sydney Cramer with any questions at scramer@mobilearts.org.
Catt Prints showcases a collection of Catt Sirten’s photographs, revealing his ability to find beauty in the most unexpected subjects—from the weathered hands of his father to the simple elegance of a high-heeled shoe. As Sirten once said in an interview, “Photography is a parallel endeavor to music. Both try to elicit an emotional response from a viewer using only our senses. Whether it is photography, video, or music, my goal is always to tell a story.” Catt passed away on August 6, 2023, leaving a lasting impact on the Gulf Coast region through his 40-year radio career. Known for his work on 92 Zew, Sirten’s creativity extended beyond radio. He discovered a passion for photography in his mid-40s, eventually becoming the director of photography for the BayFest Music Festival and capturing the essence of local musicians.
Lucas Jerome Roldan, Jr. “Jerry” grew up in Mobile, the only child of Philippine and Irish immigrants, Lucas Jerome Roldan, Sr. and Burnette Godwin Roldan. He graduated with a BA in art and then immediately began working on his MFA, both from the University of Alabama. After graduating, Jerry went on to teach art at Faulkner State Community College, the University of South Alabama, Spring Hill College, the City of Mobile’s Community Activities Program, and at the Shelby County Arts Center. An incredibly prolific and talented oil, acrylic, and watercolor painter, Jerry had a natural eye for the canvas and made beautiful art that hangs in public galleries and private collections for generations to enjoy. After giving kindness and love to so many for so many years, he passed away at age 83 on November 10, 2023.
On Friday, January 10, the Mobile community will gather during LoDa ArtWalk to honor these two influential Mobile artists, at The MAC Gallery @ Room 1927 from 6pm-9pm. The evening will provide an opportunity to honor these two artists’ remarkable contributions to the cultural fabric of the Gulf Coast.
These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through January 31st, 2025.
GLIMPSES is inspired by the fragility of innocence in all children. A precious quality that in fleeting moments of time often reflect who we really are. Jerry Bousard is a self-taught artist, and started pencil drawing as a young child. He always had a love of portraits. As an adult, he put it down for over 25 years, busy with life, marriage and raising two daughters. As his oldest daughter grew and showed a natural talent in art, it inspired Jerry to pick up his pencils again. With this exhibit, Jerry is partnering with “Make A Wish” for the benefit of providing a wish for a terminally ill child. Half of all artist proceeds will go to this organization. He thanks you for your support!
Art for All is an inclusive arts education program for adults. The goal of the program is to bring people of all abilities together to express their creativity and develop their skills in a variety of arts media including acrylics, graphics, watercolors, and more. These framed works from Art for All were all created by students with developmental disabilities over the last few years.
These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through December 21st, 2024.
MAC Holiday Hours: Closed 11/27/24 – 11/30/24 and 12/23/24 – 1/2/25.
The Artys is an annual awards program that celebrates the important contributions that individuals, groups, and businesses make to the Mobile cultural community. Finalists have been announced in the remaining nine award categories, with winners to be announced live at the event.
Artys attendees will enjoy a night of celebration, complete with food, drinks and entertainment in many forms. A jazz trio comprised of John Milham, Chris Spies, and Chris Severin will play, with performances by Mobile Opera and Joe Jefferson Players throughout the ceremony.
Photo Gallery
