Featured Artist Greg Little - Oakland Park, FL

Greg spent some time as a child in the Gadsden area and studied with one of the GMA/GAA founders, the late Dorothy Willingham. He now resides in South Florida and is active in the art scene there.

"I am a painter living in South Florida. I paint mostly from life doing plein air landscapes, self portraits, and a few still life pieces. In the past year I have allowed myself to start working in the studio from photographs....this in itself has been quite a learning experience...."

Pat Frazier, Volunteer Extraordinaire

Hearts are heavy here at GMA today. Two volunteers who have helped with the planning and organization of the Plein Air Festival from the beginning: Dr. Evelyn Brannon, pictured in an earlier blog was the visionary of the whole event. The other was Pat Frazier, who was willing to do almost anything to make the Festival happen: take photographs, set up appointments, secure venues for socials, or chase down prices. The Plein Air Festival at GMA would not have happened without both their efforts and input.

Evelyn, Pat and I were meeting weekly to make sure everything was being covered. We met on Wednesday, the 25th, and had another scheduled for today. But that won't happen. Pat was killed in an automobile accident last evening. The loss today seems almost unbearable. The photographs you see here were taken at my desk as we hammered out a schedule and timetable for functions.

Dear Pat - life will not be the same without your verve and zest for living. God speed, good friend.

Robin Roberts paints light

"Light - that central factor of life. It defines us, and it defines our images, and it illuminates who we are...." Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts, a native of Alabama, has lived in Texas twice, Iowa twice, Missouri, Arkansas, and now resides in Decatur, Alabama. "Some artists say they paint because they have to, and I would agree. . . . I've been fortunate to learn from ....artists who have taught me traditional principles that are the springboard that allows me to express common sights with an uncommon verve. . . . Like many artists, I'm always following the light in all its manifestations."

Tommy Tompson, Featured Artist for Plein Air Festival

Tommy Thompson of Florence, Alabama, was an architectural and commercial illustrator for more than 30 years before devoting all of his time to painting landscapes in oil. Growing up in near Starkville, Mississippi, instilled in him a love of nature which now finds expression in the area near the Tennessee River in Northwest Alabama. "Painting is so much a part of my everyday life that it would be difficult to live without it. . . . I ride the roads less traveled looking for the play of light and shadows on tranquil pastoral landscapes, beautiful horses, architectural structures, and people as they go about their everyday life."

Painting at Noccalula Falls

Noccalula Falls Park is one of the areas artists will be painting during the Plein Air Festival. These photographs, taken during the dead of winter, give a feel of the natural beauty of the area. The Falls cascades over 90 feet into Black Creek ravine; Black Creek meanders through the ravine and winds its way through Gadsden into the backwaters of the Coosa River. The ravine and Creek bed (although treacherous when the waters are flowing full) are rich with caves and Indian carvings plus many species of rare plants and wildlife for the adventuresome visitor. There is also a botanical garden which should be in bloom in time for the Festival, and a pioneer village on site. So use your artistic imagination to "fill in the blanks" as you anticipate a wonderful day of plein air painting! These photos were taken by Gadsden artist Craig Reynolds who is one of the Plein Air Painters , and GMA Volunteer Pat Frazier.

V....Vaughan of Texas had an exhibition at GMA during 2008 365 days on the Farmand conducted a workshop during that time. This was a plein air workshop on the banks of the Coosa River, in front of City Hall, looking South. A great workshop and a wonderful exhibit. Virginia is coming back to Gadsden to be one of the Featured Artists during the Plein Air Festival.

Dr. Evelyn Brannon, GMA Volunteer, and Elaine Campbell are working together with Pat Frazier, GMA Volunteer, making sure the Plein Air Festival comes off as planned. Things are moving along at break neck speed! This is a list of the Professional Artists who have committed to participating in the First Annual Southeastern Plein Air Festival hosted by GMA:
Ronald Bayens - Auburn, Alabama

Donna Chieves - Birmingham, Alabama

Greg Little - Oakland Park, Florida

Deborah Pellock - Suwanee, Georgia

Brenda Plunkett - Cave Springs, Georgia

Jan Polk - Southgate, Kentucky

Rick Reinert - Charleston, South Carolina

Craig Reynolds - Gadsden, Alabama

Robin Roberts - Decatur, Alabama

Dmitriy Proshkin - Tennessee

Linda Steed - Huntsville, Alabama

Anne Stickney - Northport, Alabama

Tommy Thompson - Florence, Alabama

V....Vaughan - Roundrock, Texas

Look for more tomorrow!

Job Well Done

Thanks, Jennifer, for taking your Friday and Saturday to make the Student Exhibit at GMA look better than ever!

Saturday at GMA

The museum is still not open on Saturdays on our usual schedule due to renovations, but had a busy workday at GMA. Jennifer Restauri, Intern from University of Montevallo, came up to help hang the Student Art Exhibit. Always one of our biggest annual shows, there were over 300 pieces of school art work to hang.
Plans are ongoing for the first annual Southeastern Plein Air Festival April 27 - May 1, 2009. Monday I will begin posting professional artists who will be participating and photographs of their plein air work.