Community Gallery

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. Those that are vaccinated are not required to wear masks in the gallery. View our extended Virtual Gallery program, implemented during the 2020 quarantine, online here. 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.

2024 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

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Exhibition schedule is subject to change.*

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

March: “For Lynda” by Lynda Touart & “Elevating Refugee Voices”, Curated by Dwell Mobile & Alabama Folklife Association

Stop by MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 to shop in our gallery gift shop and to see two new exhibitions: For Lynda by Lynda Touart and Elevating Refugee Voices curated by Dwell Mobile & Alabama Folklife Association. These exhibitions will be featured in the MAC Gallery through March 30th, 2024.

Designed to elevate the lives and cultures of resettled refugees and to create exchange and connection among refugees and the broader community of Mobile, Alabama, Elevating Refugee Voices tells the stories of eight local refugee families through self-generated photography, children’s artwork, family portraits, and oral histories. Mobile takes pride in being a welcoming city for resettled refugees and other displaced individuals. They often arrive with minimal possessions and limited English. At best, they may know a few neighbors or acquaintances from their home country, but they are largely alone as they adapt to a new culture. These newer residents of Mobile often feel isolated and afraid. They’ve survived so much and want to take advantage of their opportunity. To support them, Dwell builds relationships between the people of Mobile and these refugees. Through our special events and regular programs, the Dwell family is there as they create a new home. Connect with Dwell Mobile to learn more about refugee resettlement in Mobile and how to get involved.

Lynda Touart, this year’s Arty Award recipient for Visual Artist, was a screen printer and darkroom technician as well as a painting and drawing instructor at USA and Faulkner State. She was a medical illustrator at the USA College of Medicine from 1991 – 2003. Lynda received her BFA from USA and MFA from Florida State University. She has been a member of the Watercolor and Graphic Arts Society of Mobile since 1991 and secretary since 1999. She has actively exhibited her works at local and regional art exhibits including Greater Gulf State Fair, Gulf ArtSpace in Fairhope, Center for the Living Arts in Mobile, the Eastern Shore Art Center Whiting Gallery in Fairhope and others. You can donate towards Lynda’s recovery from recent life-altering injuries here: https://lyndatouart.com/pleasehelp/

PAST EXHIBITIONS

January Exhibitions: Women Veterans Project, Jeremy Wolff, & Nature’s Masterpiece

Dates: January 4th – 30th, 2019

This January, MAC’s galleries will feature the “Women Veterans Project,” a collection of portrait photography and stories by Pam Kuhn, in the Skinny Gallery; a new photography series by Jeremy A. Wolff in the Danielle Juzan Gallery; and “Nature’s Masterpiece,” an exhibition of butterfly paintings by Joanna Myers, in the Small Room.

Pam Khun’s obsession is photography. She grew up in New Jersey, and after graduating college, she spent some time in Arizona working with Native Americans.  She joined the Coast Guard in 1993, and was transferred to Mobile in 2003. She retired in 2012 and started my own photography business. She initiated the Women Veterans Project in 2018, and says that it’s been a life changing experience, and is planning to carry on the project well through 2019.

“There is an enduring perception that there aren’t many women veterans in our country. We are invisible, obscured and sometimes ignored. Did you know there are over 2 million women veterans in our country? We are young, middle aged, and mature; Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian; single, married, divorced, and widowed. Some of us are mothers and grandmothers, others are childless.  We are teachers, doctors, truck drivers, supervisors, coaches, caretakers and stay-at-home Moms.  I’d like my portraits to highlight the diversity of women veterans, and hopefully dispel some of the stereotypical ideas of women who serve in the military.” – Pam Khun

Jeremy Wolff is a native Mobilian, an entertainment entrepreneur, and a professional photographer. He shoots concerts, other entertainment, and finds time to shoot and create his own original art work, which will be on display in our gallery this month. Wolff’s exhibition is almost all landscape photography, and some of his pieces are fairly abstract. His works ranges from blurred night scenes to clear days at the beach, which reflects the photographer’s lifestyle – staying very in touch with nature, but also of urban nightlife. His compositions are thoughtfully balanced and make clever use of line and negative space.

Joanna Myers began the journey of Nature’s Masterpiece during a difficult time in her life.  According to Joanna, “As I completed the series, I became aware of how our lives are much like the butterfly.  We enter this world naïve and, like a caterpillar, we bump along. Eventually, we find ourselves surrounded by challenges, as though trapped in a cocoon. Finally, we emerge stronger and wiser from our experiences, like a butterfly.” This series of paintings shows the painter’s love of old-world style with vivid color and depth, but with a touch of simple surrealism.

MAC’s exhibitions will hang from January 3rd – 30th, with a special reception from 6 – 9 p.m. on LoDa ArtWalk night, January 11th. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays.

December Exhibitions: Botanical Art, Ben Shamback, and Herb Willey

Dates: December 4th – 21st, 2018

This December at MAC, see an assortment of flora recreated by Mobile’s botanical artists; take a trip down the Gulf Coast with watercolorist Herb Willey; and enjoy a collecton of landscapes in oils by Ben Shamback.

The Mobile Botanical Gardens is a unique treasure, home to one of the last remaining stands of longleaf pines in Mobile as well as hundreds of plants native to coastal Alabama. As such, it serves as prime inspiration for local artists and botanists alike. The Coastal Alabama Botanical Artists’ Circle and the MBG Botanical Sketch Club have combined efforts to create a florilegium of the Garden’s plant collection, which will be on display in the Danielle Juzan Gallery this month.

For decades, artist Herb Willey has found his inspiration along the Gulf of Mexico. A native of Florida, his work in recent years has taken him along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as well. Willey paints everyday scenes and common people – fishermen, beachcombers, birdwatchers – and creates a narrative with his paintings. He seeks to invoke in the viewer the emotions that he felt while observing the scene himself, inspiring you to give each of his paintings a close look.

With his masterful use of oils, local artist Ben Shamback intends to tell a visual story about “the pictorial spaces, places, and ideas for which there are no words.” In his exhibit this month in MAC’s Small Room, Shamback has broadened his subject matter from still life to include landscapes, inspired by his enjoyment of painting plein air.

The exhibitions will hang December 3rd – 21st. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays, with a special reception on Sunday, November 9th from 5 – 7 p.m. and on ArtWalk night, Friday, December 14th, 6 – 9 p.m. The gallery will be closed for the Holidays December 24th – January 1st.

“The Voices of Strong Women” and “The Art Group”

Dates: November 6th – 30th, 2018

This November at MAC, see “The Voices of Strong Women” by local photographer Karen Bullock and an exhibition of works by local painting collective “The Art Group.”

The story behind “The Voices of Strong Women” began with Karen Bullock’s photo of dancers from Vigor High School performing in a Mardi Gras parade. After it was chosen as an editors’ favorite in NatGeo’s Your Shot community, Bullock realized she wanted to explore the theme of powerful women in her life, using her camera to capture their strength.

The collection “The Voices of Strong Women” includes portraits as well as written statements Bullock gathered from interviewing the women she photographed. Bullock received a grant from the Mobile Arts Council in 2017 to fund the creation of this project. Visit and be inspired by the collection this month in MAC’s Small Room.

The Art Group is an area group of artists who meet on a weekly basis to share the joy of painting. Through the group, its members aim to develop each other’s skills and hone their individual talents. The Art Group’s members have achieved recognition on the national level.

Participating artists include William Morris, Barbara Davis, Gina McGee, Nola Powell, Helen Thurber, Dare’ Radcliff, Eric Green, Margaret Richey, Judy Campbell, Harriet Cain, and Debbie Guy.

The exhibitions will hang November 7 – November 30. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays, with a reception on ArtWalk night, Friday, November 9th, 6 – 9 p.m. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays d ring Market at the Park.

“My Endless Dreams” Installation Unveiling

Date: October 12th, 2018

“My Endless Dreams” is a street-art project based on Sahar K Alford‘s personal experience of growing up as a member of a minority religious group in Iran. Because of her religion, she was denied the right to pursue a higher education. This project is part of #EducationIsNotACrime and the “Changing the World, One Wall at a Time” international street art and human rights campaign, promoting educational equality for the Baha’i’s in Iran.

Sahar Alford is the Mobile Arts Council’s chosen collaborator who has been working with female residents from the James T. Strickland Youth Center to create this art project. The work will be installed and a reception will take place at 106 Dauphin Street on National Free Thought Day, Friday, October 12, 2018 during LODA Artwalk.

Ainsley McNeely, Dawson Morgan, and the Watercolor and Graphic Arts Society

Dates: October 4th – 30th, 2018

This October, see the Watercolor & Graphic Arts Society of Mobile‘s Fall Exhibition; a new series of paintings by Ainsley McNeely; and “Splash,” featuring ceramic sculptures and wall hangings by Dawson Dunn Morgan.

In addition to our fabulous exhibitions, MAC staff will be dressed in costume for Spooky Walk, our Halloween edition of LODA Artwalk! Bring the kids by in costume for gallery trick-or-treating.

The exhibitions will hang October 4th – October 30th. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays, with a reception on LODA Artwalk night, Friday, October 12th, 6 – 9 p.m. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 7:30 a.m. – noon on October 13th, 20th, and 27th.

Mobile Fashion Week

Dates: September 10-30, 2018

This September, catch a glimpse of Mobile Fashion Week 2018 through “Draped,” an exhibition focused on the art of draping. From Ancient Egyptians to Modern/Contemporary designers, draping has been a trend that has survived throughout the ages. Some of Mobile’s best local designers will dazzle you with their draped creations in anticipation of Mobile Fashion Week’s big show.

Mobile Fashion Week is September 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Fort of Colonial Mobile. This is their 7th year of Fashion Week, and they are bringing every facet of the fashion industry (models, designers, makeup artists and hairstylists) together to support Camp Rap-A-Hope. This year, they are hoping to donate the largest check yet to this amazing camp for kids with cancer. Order your tickets now online for $30 (tickets at the door will be available for $40).

Sneak a peek at The Throwdown contestants’ talent

MAC is starting a new annual tradition at this month’s ArtWalk: an exhibit featuring the work of the upcoming Throwdown contestants! Think of it as your chance to scope out the talent, and maybe even place bets on a winner. This year the Skinny Gallery will feature Ardith Goodwin, Ben Kaiser, Cat Pop, conz8000, and Devlin Wilson, along with their equally fierce artist assistants Shauna Meiri, Marnée Wiley, Kristin Dunreath, DeAnthony Dulaney, and Ben Hebert. Each artist will display three to five of their works.

Once you’ve seen the art, you’ll want to see the artists at work. The Throwdown is a live art competition featuring local artists competing for the title of Throwdown Champion. Competitors have 90 minutes to create works of art from a shared supply table. Your job as an attendee is to watch the art happen while enjoying live local music, sipping drinks from Haint Blue Brewing and O’Daly’s Irish Pub, chowing down on appetizers fromHeroes and The Royal Scam, and partaking in a silent auction for a variety of locally-provided goodies. At the end of the night, you can even participate in a live auction to take home the champion’s masterpiece!

If this sounds like a fun night, visit MAC’s website to buy a ticket now! The Throwdown takes place Thursday, September 20, 5:30-9 p.m. at 23 East.

Memory Palace

Dates: September 10-30, 2018

Printmaker and installation artist Grant Benoit’s exhibition “Memory Palace” is a commentary on the layers of memory and experience held by everyday objects. Benoit compares our memory to a house: “Everyday paths and rituals become evident as carpets thin and edges darken with touch. Shelves overflow… closets fill—first systematically, then later with forceful containment.” Expanding on his training in traditional printmaking, Benoit prints wallpapers and layers them in concert with household ephemera and sculpted objects to “explore notions of memory in a way science cannot convey.”

Benoit received his Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Spring Hill College, then earned an MFA in Printmaking from Southern Illinois University in 2015. Since then he has exhibited his work internationally, stretching the boundaries of printmaking to explore ideas of memory and multiplicity. He currently works as the Museum Educator at the Louisiana State University Museum of Art. Learn more about his work at www.grantbenoit.com.

Annual MAC Member’s Exhibition

Dates: August 3-30, 2018

This August, the Mobile Arts Council will feature works by our Artist Members! Featured works include quilts, photography, illustrations, prints, ceramics, sculptures, paintings, and more by over 50 MAC artists.
 
Participating artists include Ainsley McNeely, Alma Hoffmann, Barbara Rettig, Benita McNider, Bertice McPherson, Catherine Helmsing, Cheryl Nicholls, Elise McClellan, Frank Jurjevich, Gail Bramer, Guy Marcinkowski, Herb Willey, Hunter Cobb, Jack Dempsey, Jeff Johnston, Joan Adams, Joanne Brandt, Julie Day, June Reddix-Stennis, Karen Bullock, Karen McGhagin, Kathy Friedline, Kay Newman, Kellie Jane Holland, Kevin D’Amico, Laura Jurjevich, Laurie Shaerer, LeBaron Heathcoe, Lisa Warren, Lucy Gafford, Lynda Smith Touart, Marsha Hodges, Michael Smith, Michael Thomas, Michelle Jones, Michelle Pujols, Mike Carmichael, Mitchell Dembowski, Mrinal Joshi, Nikki DeBert Shaw, Robert Schroeter, Ruby Lange, Sahar Kamali, Sarah Rutledge Fischer, Satomi Kamei , Shawn Berdux, Sherry Peckens, Stewart Heath, Tamara Jordan Lindsay, Terry Lepre, Trey Oliver, Vanessa Quintana, Vincent Lawson, and William Morris.
 
The exhibition will hang from August 3rd – August 30th. Gallery hours are 9 AM – 4 PM on weekdays, with a special MAC Member’s Only reception from 5:30 – 7 PM on August 30th.

July Exhibitions at MAC

Print by Sarah Dittman

Dates: July 5-31, 2018

This July, MAC will feature prints depicting the seven deadly sins by Sarah Dittman in the Small Room; “Rise like the lotus from muddy waters” – a mixed media exhibition of sculptures, paintings, and prints by Shawn Berdux, in the Danielle Juzan Gallery; and artwork created by students of the Optimist Boys & Girls Club in the Skinny Gallery.

Sarah Dittmann is a printmaker and illustrator from Fairhope, Alabama. From a young age she has shown an inclination towards art and has strived to perfect her art skills. She graduated in the Spring of 2016 from the University of South Alabama with a B.F.A in Printmaking. She has recently been accepted into the Graduate Program at the University of Alabama to pursue a M.F.A in Studio Art: Printmaking for the Fall 2018 semester. She currently is living and working in Appleton, Wisconsin. Her exhibition features the seven deadly sins depicted as duchesses, as well as prints of skulls and crystals.

Shawn Berdux is a self-taught artist, and this is her first solo exhibition. Shawn was previously a nurse, and her creativity often helped her with patients and families. She has always dreamed of being a artist. Through life’s ups and downs, she has found art to always be her therapy. Shawn continues to explore all mediums she can. She loves to sculpt clays, rocks, and bamboo as well as dabbling in mixed media and painting abstract figures.

The Boys & Girls Clubs were provided with two free weeks of ChARTing New Directions summer art camps, which were held at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center. MAC and Alabama Contemporary partnered together to provide these classes, which focused on many different forms of art, including ceramics, painting, stenciling, paper-making, yarn-bombing, and public art projects (to be installed in downtown’s Lost Garden off Dauphin Street next month). We will fill the Skinny Gallery with their works for the month of July. On July 31st from 4 – 6 PM, MAC will host a closing reception for all the camp participants and their families, open to the general public.

The exhibitions will hang from July 5th – July 31st. Gallery hours are 9 AM – 4 PM on weekdays and during Market in the Park hours on Saturdays.

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