The last workshop of the season for the Alabama Plant Series will be on Sunday, March 29th at 1pm. Hosted by Nadene Mairesse, this workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about historical dyeing processes. Participants will dye and paint 2-3 pieces of 12" square cotton muslin which they can use as quiltblocks, cushion covers, or framed wall hangings.

Students will be introduced to the history of plant based dyes and guided through historical dyeing processes including mordanting (preparation) of the cloth to creation of the dye bath using foraged native plants such as Osage Orange, Staghorn Sumac and Black Walnut. Nadene will give an overview of native Alabama dye plants and tips on foraging responsibly. As their textiles are soaking up the plant dye, students will mix mineral based paints to apply pattern to their dyed cotton cloth. Nadene will then explain how to finish the dyed textile pieces to ensure color and lightfastness.

The Alabama Plant Series is a set of five workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions.

All of these events will cost $20 per participant and will take place at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Sign up at link below:

https://www.florencealmuseums.com/aps26

We invite those interested in applying to come to Pope’s Tavern Museum for an Interest Meeting on Thursday, March 26th at 6pm.

Florence Arts & Museums (FAM) is seeking proposals from local artists for a mural at Pope's Tavern Museum, thanks to a grant from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. The objective of the project is to enhance the historic site at Pope's Tavern with a creative expression of historical events relevant to the Shoals area. We seek to encourage learning, contemplation, and discovery, while bringing people together through an exploration of the area's past, present, and future. We are hoping this project will add to the interpretation at the Museum, which focuses on 19th century history of Florence and Lauderdale County, including domestic life, slavery, and the Civil War. The extended deadline for submissions will be April 17th, 2026 at 5pm. The request for proposal form can be downloaded from our website (www.florencealmuseums.com). The design that will go on the building will be chosen by a selection committee.

Call 256-760-6379 or email connect@florencealmuseums.com for more information.

Florence Arts & Museums is excited to launch the Alabama Plants Series for 2026. This year the series will feature a combination of demonstrations, presentations, and workshops.

The fourth of the Alabama Plant Series events will be on Sunday, March 22nd at 1pm. Hosted by Summer McCreless, this demonstration will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about Soap Making.

The Alabama Plant Series is a set of five workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions.

All of these events will cost $20 per participant and will take place at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Sign up at link below:

https://www.florencealmuseums.com/aps26

Art Adventures Spring 2026

Florence Arts & Museums is pleased to announce the return of Art Adventures at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. Join us at Southall House at KD this Spring for two new presentations by Art Educator Elizabeth Renault. 

On Feb. 15 from 2-4p.m. Renault will explore the life and works of Thomas Danbo, a Danish artist who creates gigantic troll characters made from recycled materials. His trolls have been installed and displayed throughout the world, including at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, AL. 

Then on March 15 from 2-4p.m. Renault’s presentation will focus on Pointillism and how color can be used to trick the eyes. She will also highlight the artists who discovered and practiced these color techniques. 

Elizabeth Renault grew up in Florence, graduated from Coffee High School, and earned her undergrad degree in art and education from Auburn University. Later she received her master’s in art from UNA, as well as a master’s in special education. Her career has taken her from teaching high school in Birmingham to teaching elementary art throughout the Lauderdale County School System. Now retired, Renault has never stopped pursuing her passion of teaching and sharing her love of art to those who are willing to learn. 

This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums and the Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers. The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL, and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Southall House, just next to the Art Center office, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Storytime at the Museum
at the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House

Florence Arts & Museums will celebrate National Reading Month with Storytime at the Museum on Friday, March 13th, 3:30pm at the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House. Join us for a read-along, followed by a hands-on activity. National Reading Month is celebrated every March as a time to encourage people of all ages to discover – or rediscover – the joy of reading.

Our Museum Educator will share with us Prairie Boy, written by Barb Rosenstock with Art by Christopher Silas Neal. Afterward, we will explore shapes with a shape-map making activity! This event is free and recommended for children ages 5-8, but all are welcome. 

The Rosenbaum House is located at 601 Riverview Dr. in Florence, AL 35630. Parking is located across the street. Storytime will take place inside of the Rosenbaum House in the dormitory room. For tours, the Rosenbaum House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 1-4. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Florence Arts & Museums is excited to launch the Alabama Plants Series for 2026. This year the series will feature a combination of demonstrations, presentations, and workshops.

The third of the Alabama Plant Series events will be on Sunday, March 8th at 1pm. Hosted by Summer McCreless, this demonstration will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about Herbal Medicine.

The Alabama Plant Series is a set of five workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions.

All of these events will cost $20 per participant and will take place at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Sign up at link below:

https://www.florencealmuseums.com/aps26

Florence Arts & Museums is excited to launch the Alabama Plants Series for 2026. This year the series will feature a combination of demonstrations, presentations, and workshops.

The second of the Alabama Plant Series events will be on Sunday, February 22nd at 1pm. Hosted by Summer McCreless, this demonstration will provide an opportunity for participants to learn how to make tea out of native plants.

The Alabama Plant Series is a set of five workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions.

All of these events will cost $20 per participant and will take place at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Sign up at link below:

https://www.florencealmuseums.com/aps26

Art Adventures Spring 2026

Florence Arts & Museums is pleased to announce the return of Art Adventures at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. Join us at Southall House at KD this Spring for two new presentations by Art Educator Elizabeth Renault. 

On Feb. 15 from 2-4p.m. Renault will explore the life and works of Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist who creates gigantic troll characters made from recycled materials. His trolls have been installed and displayed throughout the world, including at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, AL. 

Then on March 15 from 2-4p.m. Renault’s presentation will focus on Pointillism and how color can be used to trick the eyes. She will also highlight the artists who discovered and practiced these color techniques. 

Elizabeth Renault grew up in Florence, graduated from Coffee High School, and earned her undergrad degree in art and education from Auburn University. Later she received her master’s in art from UNA, as well as a master’s in special education. Her career has taken her from teaching high school in Birmingham to teaching elementary art throughout the Lauderdale County School System. Now retired, Renault has never stopped pursuing her passion of teaching and sharing her love of art to those who are willing to learn. 

This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums and the Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers. The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL, and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Southall House, just next to the Art Center office, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Florence Arts & Museums is excited to launch the Alabama Plants Series. This year the series will feature a combination of demonstrations, presentations, and workshops. The first of the Alabama Plants Series will be a Kudzu Demonstration.

Hosted by Beth Phillips, this presentation will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about Kudzu by familiarizing people with examples of the different types of kudzu products and recipes. This event will take place on Sunday, February 8th at 1pm. 

The Alabama Plant Series is a set of five workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions.

All of these events will cost $20 per participant and will take place at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Sign up at link below:

https://www.florencealmuseums.com/aps26

Grit and Grace from Alaska to Alabama, An Essay Reading

Florence Arts & Museums is happy to host an evening of storytelling with nationally staged playwright, essayist, and performer Shannon Milliman. Join us Saturday, February 7th, 2026 at 6pm at Southall House at KD Art Center. Blending the humor of David Sedaris with the haunting charm of Southern Gothic, Milliman delivers a poetic and passionate performance drawn from her journey as an Alaska-born transplant finding home—and herself—in Alabama.

Through essays that examine family, faith, and the fleeting nature of childhood, Milliman invites audiences into a world where everyday moments take on unexpected beauty. Her work, featured on the TEDx stage and published in 7 Points Poet, showcases her talent as a playwright, storyteller, and humorist with a uniquely heartfelt voice. 

This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at the Southall House, next door to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center’s main building, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Rosenbaum Book Club

Florence Arts & Museums is pleased to announce the revival of the Rosenbaum House Book Club! We will meet at 6:30pm every Thursday during the month of February inside the Rosenbaum House, located at 601 Riverview Dr. here in Florence. The first meeting will be February 5th, 2026. This meeting will discuss chapters 1-4.

We will be discussing "Frank Lloyd Wright: A Biography" by Meryle Secrest. This in-depth portrait of America's most famous architect includes personal letters, first-hand accounts, and colorful stories of Frank Lloyd Wright, his family, and his friends. Secrest tells the story of his life so beautifully and honestly - this is a MUST READ! Copies of the book are available in our Gift Shop.

The February Book Club will be led by Dorlea Rikard, who currently serves as a docent at the FLW Rosenbaum House. As a retired educator, she still shares her love of learning any chance she gets. Dorlea has organized several events at the Rosenbaum House, including the previous iterations of the Book Club as well as Tea on the Terrace. We are happy to have her returning to host the 2026 FLW Book Club at the Rosenbaum House.

To sign up for Book Club, visit our website calendar page at www.florencealmuseums.com/calendar or call the Rosenbaum House at 256-718-5050. We look forward to hearing from you. 

This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums. The Rosenbaum House is located at 601 Riverview Dr. Florence, AL 35630. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 1-4. For tour information, visit our website www.wrightinalabama.com, call our office at 256-718-5050, or visit our admissions office. 

Get ready for a night of poetry at our Florence Art & Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on Tuesday, January 27th, 6:30 pm at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. For this event, poets are invited to share their original works that explore the theme of frequencies. 

Matt Layne will be sharing some of his original poetry. Layne is a multiple Hackney Award winning writer who has been recognized by the National Society of Arts and Letters. His poetry collection, Miracle Strip, was named 2023 Book of the Year by the Alabama State Poetry Society and received a 2025 Alabama Author Award for Poetry from the Alabama Library Association.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums.The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL, and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Southall House, just next to the Art Center office, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

All Florence Arts & Museums locations will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026.

A Look Within: Hiram & KD at the Turn of the Century
Celebrating 50 years at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

In conjunction with the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, the KDAC is pleased to present A Look Within: Hiram & KD at the Turn of the Century beginning January 18, 2026, and continuing through March 5, 2026. This exhibition showcases the life of Reverend Hiram Kennedy Douglass through a collection of items from the Florence Arts and Museums’ Hiram Kennedy Douglass Collection. While known throughout his life as Reverend Douglass, FAM staff know him affectionately as “Hiram.” Organized by guest curator, Luke Grissom and with graphics designed by Grace Ann Griffin, the exhibit follows Hiram’s life chronologically, from his youth in Florence to his early career in the ministry. His generous bequest established the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts out of his own family home—the home from where we now offer this intimate glimpse into his early life. All are invited to attend the opening reception that will be held 2-4pm on Sunday, January 18th.

Hiram Kennedy Douglass was born on August 21st, 1893, in Centre Star, Alabama, to Mary Sue Brooks Douglass and James Josephus Douglass. Hiram attended the college training program at State Normal School of Florence (what is now UNA) from 1900 to 1912. After graduating, he pursued a degree in Business Administration at Columbia University in New York City from 1913 to 1915. While working at White Door Settlement House in New York City, Hiram realized that a business career was not what he wanted in the long term; instead, he wanted one that directly helped those in need.

This reorientation drew him to explore a career in ministry through the Episcopal Church, despite his Methodist background. Hiram left Columbia in 1916 to pursue a degree at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Sewanee in 1919 and later earned his graduate degree at Oxford University in England that same year. Hiram returned to the United States in 1921 and was ordained as a priest on June 29th, 1922, at St. Luke's Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1926, Hiram was appointed as rector of The Church of the Messiah in Detroit, Michigan, where he served until 1929. He returned to the south in 1929 to work as Chaplain of the Convent of St. Anne in Memphis, Tennessee. Hiram retired from the ministry in 1937 due to medical reasons and came home to Florence where he remained an active member of the community.

Upon his death in 1975, Hiram Kennedy Douglass donated his home, property, and many of his personal belongings, for use as a public cultural space. In 1976, the City of Florence took ownership of the home and property to make it a place to appreciate the arts, and the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts first opened its doors. 2026 marks the 50th Anniversary of the KDAC, which now includes three historic houses dedicated to the promotion and celebration of the arts.

This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at KD Art Center, at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Threading the Past: Vintage Quilts from the Glenn Rikard Collection

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Threading the Past: Vintage Quilts from the Glenn Rikard Collection. This exhibition features select 1850s-1940s quilts from Tuscumbia collector and quilt enthusiast, Glenn Rikard. Opening January 18, 2026, concurrent with the exhibit, A Look Within: Hiram & KD at the Turn of the Century, this colorful display will continue through March 5th. All are invited to a reception planned for 2-4pm on January 18th at the KD Art Center.

Inspired by the beautiful and intricate patterns made and quilted by his own family, Rikard began collecting quilts, patterns, and fabric by other artisans. His collection now numbers more than 150 quilts.

This exhibit highlights traditional quilt patterns and techniques, including an example of “Redwork.” Popularized in the 1870s, Redwork Quilts were named for the Turkey red thread created from the first colorfast dye, meaning the color would not bleed on adjacent patterns. Also on display is a quilt made from feedsacks that were commonly—and creatively—used during this period. These are just a couple of the many examples showcasing the beauty and ingenuity of early quilters’ artistry that visitors can look forward to in the coming months.

Join us in celebrating our 50th anniversary and enjoy these new exhibitions with a reception that marks their opening on Sunday, January 18th. This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at KD Art Center, at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Storytime at the Museum:
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Florence Arts and Museums is happy to announce the continuation of our Storytime at the Museum series. Museum Educator Ana Peeples is inviting families of all ages, but especially students ages 7 and older to celebrate and remember Martin Luther King Jr. and how his words changed the world. Together we will read Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier, followed by a “Write the Room” activity. The program will take place on Friday, January 16th from 10-11am at Pope’s Tavern Museum.

This program is sponsored by Florence Arts and Museums. This event will be free to the public. Pope’s Tavern Museum is located at 203 Hermitage Dr. Florence, AL. Pope’s Tavern Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm, regular cost of admission is $5 for adults, $2 for students. Contact us at 256-760-6439 with any questions you may have regarding this specific event.

All Florence Arts & Museums locations will be closed for New Year’s Day on January 1st, 2026.

Holiday Gift-Making Demo with Mothering Herbs

Florence Arts & Museums is excited to announce our Holiday Gift Making Demonstration with Mothering Herbs. Hosted by Summer McCreless, this demo will provide an opportunity for participants to learn tips, tricks, and recipes for hand-made holiday gifts they can make on their own at home. This event will take place on December 7th, 2025, from 1-2pm at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence. Registration for this event will be $20 per person and can be found on the calendar page of our website. 

Summer McCreless is the owner of Mothering Herbs and a second generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over eighteen years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over thirty years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States. 

Pope’s Tavern Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and Sunday from 1-4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call: (256) 760-6379 or email: connect@florencealmuseums.com.

Storytime at the Museum: Nature in Winter

Florence Arts & Museums is happy to announce another one of our Storytime at the Museum class series. Our Museum Educator is inviting families of ALL ages, with children’s literature focusing specifically on ages 3 and up to listen to a winter story in celebration of the upcoming season on Friday, December 5th from 10-11am at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. The story read aloud will be, The Lights that Dance in the Night by Yuval Zommer, a beautifully written story of what animals do when they see the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis.

After listening to the story, families will have the opportunity to learn a little more about the science and the cultural history of the Northern Lights and create their own paper and chalk artwork to take home or display at the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center windows to share with the community.

This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts & Museums. This event will be free to the public. The Kennedy-Douglass Art Center is open to the public for self-guided tours and other scheduled programming on Monday-Friday from 9-4pm, and on Sunday from 1-4pm. The Kennedy-Douglass Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL 35630. For more information, call FAM’s central office at (256) 760-6379.

Open Mic Night

Join us Tuesday, November 25th at 6:30pm in the Southall House at KDAC for the next Open Mic Night where our theme will be Honor, featuring original poetry by Lori Lasseter.

Our goal is to promote poetry and create a welcoming space where both published and unpublished poets can share their work while bringing together our diverse communities.

This program is free and is sponsored by the Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at the Southall House, next door to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center’s main building, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

This class has been CANCELED.
Beginner Make-and-Take Southeastern Basket Weaving Workshop

Florence Arts & Museums is happy to host a beginner basket weaving workshop with Sue Fish at the Florence Mound Museum on Saturday, November 22 from 10am to 1pm. This event will be limited to 20 participants (ages 13 and older) and participants will leave with a basket they created.
Registration for this event is $20 and you can register below.

About Sue Fish: Her passion for basketmaking began 30 years ago. She learned the skill from her cousin, the late Betty Dodd, during a Chickasaw Nation art class that was offered in the late 1980s. Since that time, she has continued to hone her craft and share the gift of basket making through classes at schools, universities, museums and various events. She also assists other tribes in basket preservation. Fish serves as vice president of the Oklahoma Native American Basket Weaver’s Association and is a member of the Oklahoma Basketweavers Guild. Her art pieces are on display at the Chickasaw Cultural Center and the Artesian Art Gallery in Sulphur, Oklahoma and Chickasaw Nation Homeland Affairs in Tupelo, Mississippi. Baskets made by Fish are also included in the “Chickasaw Renaissance” book, authored by Phillip Carroll Morgan and featured in the film “First Encounter,” part of the Chickasaw Heritage Series. In 2016, Fish received the prestigious Chickasaw Nation Silver Feather Award for preserving and revitalizing Chickasaw basketry and her contributions to Chickasaw culture.

This program is hosted by Florence Arts & Museums. The Florence Mound Museum is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10-4pm, and on Sunday from 1-4pm. The Florence Mound Museum is located at 1028 S. Court Street, Florence, AL 35630. For more information, call FAM’s central office at (256) 760-6379 or the Florence Mound Museum Desk at (256) 760-6427.

Please join Florence Arts & Museums and community members coordinated by Ms. Anita Smith Cobb for a presentation on the history of North Florence on Sunday, November 16th from 2-3pm at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. A group of African American citizens from different North Florence neighborhoods have collaborated with Florence Arts & Museums to record their history.

Interviews, photographs, newspaper clippings, art, and memories tell the story of these neighborhoods, which include Woodland Road, Chisholm Drive, Napier Heights, and Norwood Park. The project is compiled into an hour-long presentation. This presentation follows Ms. Anita Smith Cobb’s completion of the “East End” and “Stewart Spring” projects, the latter of which is available on our website at https://www.florencealmuseums.com/neighborhoods.

This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts & Museums and the Alabama Humanities Alliance. This event will be free to the public. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

More information coming soon.

7 Points Press presents A Book Release Celebration

7 Points Press will be hosting a book release celebration at Southall House on Thursday Nov. 6, at 6pm. Admission is free for this event. 

The authors will read and discuss their work, and books will be available for sale. Authors include Donna Geise, J. D. Manders, Jeanie Thompson, and Wayne Sides. 

About the authors:

Donna Geise began writing after her recent retirement as a literature and composition teacher. Expressing meaningfulness beyond sentimentality, creating accessible poems in a conversational tone, and the linking of sound and sense are her ultimate goals. Her poetry collection Searching for a Song was published in the fall of 2025 by 7 Points Press.

J. D. Manders is an author, historian, and poet who deployed three times to the Middle East with the U.S. Army National Guard. The Desert Calls is a cycle of poems that explores his deployment experiences. Although many of the poems are highly personal, he chose to publish them to help other veterans.

Jeanie Thompson (Montgomery) is an award-winning poet and literary arts leader. She is the retired founding Director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum. Her books include The Myth of Water: Poems from the Life of Helen Keller, The Seasons Bear Us, and White for Harvest. In 2024 Thompson received the Albert B. Head Legacy Award for her work as a poet and literary arts activist.

Wayne Sides is Professor Emeritus at the University of North Alabama Department of Art and has been a force for more than 40 years in the Shoals area community art scene. His photographs have been published widely and exhibited in museums throughout the country and abroad. Thompson and Sides have collaborated since the mid-70s while attending the University of Alabama.

About the books:

Searching for a Song – Donna Geise: Searching for a Song is a gathering of accessible poems meant to provide reassurance, solace, and optimism without being didactic or heavy-handed and that sometimes incorporates a bit of wry humor. Each poem--written in a relaxed conversational style--shares a fresh viewpoint on such universal ideas as hope, perseverance, and the importance of relationships. Intentional choice of form and structure contribute to meaning in poems that range from free verse to fixed forms including ballade, sonnet, sestina, and villanelle as attention to details, diction, imagery, and syntax connects sound to sense.

The Desert Calls – J. D. Manders: Written during and after his three deployments to the Middle East, this cycle of poems by J. D. Manders explores the desert experience, including absence from home and family, the tribulations of a combat zone, visions of death and suffering, emotional longing, trials of faith, and the long road to recovery from war. In the end, he discovered that, though he's left the desert, it remains with him and in him. Although many of the poems are highly personal, J. D. Manders chose to publish them to help other veterans in overcoming their own desert experience.

My Gaia – Jeanie Thompson and Wayne Sides: My Gaia, a poetry and photography collaboration, is a lyrical view of Alabama. Thompson’s eleven poems range from sketches of the resonant Alabama landscape to personal interactions with imaginary figures such as a North Alabama cotton farmer, and Helen Keller’s gifted teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy. Sides’ photographs focus on aspects of Alabama landscape, with a few European scenes thrown in for good measure. In a choreography of images and details, Sides’ eye travels with the poems, deepening their imagery and expanding it.

This event will be held at the Southall House, next door to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center’s main building, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

Mary Linville: Retrospective

Exhibition at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Mary Linville: Retrospective, a memorial exhibition that features the paintings and drawings of the late Mary Linville (1941-2024) beginning November 2, 2025, and continuing through January 5, 2026.

Linville, a long-time member of the Shoals Artist Guild, was not only very talented, but also prolific in giving what she learned back to her community, such as teaching countless watercolor classes and offering many demonstrations throughout her artistic career. She had an amazing passion for art and generously shared her creativity with others. Mary Linville truly exemplified a life artfully lived! An opening reception for this memorial exhibition will be held 2-4 pm, Sunday, November 2nd at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.

Born in Wayne County, TN, Linville was first inspired by her simple, rural surroundings.  She was stirred by the beauty she saw around her and the works of other artists, such as Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, and Edgar Whitney. She said that she paints because of a need inside her to express the beauty and wonder she sees, which provides fulfillment of her inner self. 

Linville produced a wide variety of work, including florals, local historic places, abstracts, and landscapes. She stated, “Subject matter is no problem, art is everywhere.  Landscapes are my favorite and everywhere you look there are landscapes.”  Additionally, she said, “Watercolor is my first love!” and she taught many classes sharing this love with others. Although she was mainly a watercolorist, she also worked in oils, acrylic, mixed media, and pastels.  

While she considered herself to be a self-taught artist, she studied and participated in numerous workshops with accomplished artists across the country, such as Tony Couch of Georgia, Zolton Szabo of North Carolina, and Margaret Martin of New York. She studied oil with Billy Kirk of Mississippi and with Heidi Moran of Arizona. As a private instructor, she conducted workshops across Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Her interests also included pottery and photography. She felt that all media is linked together. She was always learning new ways to create art! 

Linville described some of her artwork as mood paintings, “This I do, with nothing sketched on paper. Sometimes I don’t have any particular thing in mind when I begin, I just follow whatever is happening with the paint to form the landscape. This can be very exciting. I usually start with a wet-on-wet technique, make everything blend together and then use a process of ‘lifting out’ the damp pigment with an almost ‘thirsty’ brush to form negative shapes - tree trunks, a light house, moon, etc.” 

Linville has received countless awards throughout the span of her artistic career, and her artwork can be found in collections across not only the United States, but also in New Zealand, Australia, England, China, Japan, Norway, and Sweden. Potential collectors will be pleased to learn that many of the works displayed in this retrospective exhibit will be available for sale.

For more information, contact the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 9-4 and on Sundays from 1-4. The Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Florence, AL and can be reached by calling 256-760-6379.