2025 Exhibits
Quad Cities Photography Club Member Exhibition
Nov. 23, 2025 - Jan. 8, 2026
The Quad Cities Photography Club Members Exhibition will open with a reception at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 23rd and will continue through January 8th. The Quad Cities Photography Club was created in January 2022. Their mission is to provide an informal, friendly, and supportive environment for local photographers at all levels of experience and with interests in all types of photographic imagery. They share ideas and knowledge with one another through participation in meetings, guest lectures, and club excursions.
This diverse exhibition offers photographers an opportunity to display their works and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, the exhibit gives the public a chance to view club activities, enjoy and purchase fine art, and possibly consider joining the group as they pursue their most enjoyable pastime. For more information, join their group on Facebook, Quad Cities Photography Club (The Shoals).
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.
Mary Linville | Retrospective
Nov. 2, 2025 - Jan. 5, 2026
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. 256-760-6379.
Art Expressions | Shoals Artist Guild Member Exhibition
Oct. 19 - Nov. 17
“Art Expressions,” the annual exhibition of works by the Shoals Artists Guild members will be held from October 19th through November 17th, with an opening reception Sunday, October 19th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend this community-inspired event and enjoy the opportunity to meet the talented members of our Shoals Artists Guild.
The purpose of this artistic group is to foster an interest in sketching and painting in the Quad-Cities and surrounding areas. The members organize field trips to places of artistic interest to sketch or paint, as well as offer monthly art demonstrations. Currently, they meet every third Friday of each month. For more information, contact the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.
Monarch | Retrospective
A look back on a decade of Monarch Tile National Ceramics Competition at KDAC.
Sept. 7 - Oct. 23
Beginning September 7 and continuing through October 23, 2025, fifteen ceramic works from the KDAC permanent collection will be on display to commemorate the exceptional artistry in clay that was brought to our community between 1990 and 1999 through Monarch Tile, Inc. Participation in this far-reaching competition grew from national to international status, attracting modern-day ceramists from all over the world and building this event into a major presence! Learn more about the influence of Monarch Tile, Inc, and KDAC’s commitment to contemporary ceramic art during your next visit to Florence Arts and Museums.
Monarch Tile, Inc., the world’s fourth largest manufacturer of ceramic wall tile, was the founder of this premier competition of ceramic art. Through this competition, Monarch Tile showcased and celebrated the achievements of artists and what they create using the most basic ingredients of mud and water. Originally headquartered in San Angelo, Texas, the first Monarch National Competition was held in 1986 at the San Angelo Museum of Fine arts where select pieces of the exhibition were shown. By 1990, the KDAC began to showcase these selections annually through traveling show opportunities. In 1989, Monarch Tile had moved their corporate headquarters to Florence, Alabama and, by 1995, the competition had also moved here.
Thomas White, Monarch’s President and Chief Executive Officer, had approached the KDAC about assuming responsibility for coordination of what had become a major annual event. This request was accepted and as Sandra J. Blain shared in her 1995 juror’s statement, “I applaud the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts and their sponsorship of the Monarch Ceramic Competition. It is a major undertaking and demonstrates their interest in commitment to contemporary ceramic art.” The Monarch Tile National Ceramic Competition would continue to exhibit annually at the Arts Center until 1999.
Over the years, this competition furthered careers and enhanced the reputations of innovative artists who made everything from large sculptural pieces to delicate teacups.
During this time, opportunities to acquire unique ceramic works by these exceptional artists would also benefit KDAC’s permanent collection. The tradition of celebrating artist achievements and what they can create using clay continues today through Florence Arts and Museums programming. To learn more about the latest educational workshops and classes at Florence Arts and Museums, go to www.florencealmuseums.com/calendar
Once Upon a Time | 1920s Watercolors by L. Vasser Elam
August 31-October 10, 2025
This collection of 1920s watercolors by artist and Tuscumbia native, L. Vasser Elam features 23 paintings of sunlit, rolling hills and the young neighborhood views of Tuscumbia’s earlier years. On temporary loan from a local collector, these nostalgic scenes highlight our area’s past as seen through the eyes of this nationally renowned artist.
Click HERE to read more!
Holding on to Past and Present Memories | an exhibit of fiber art by Lukuise Swanigan
July 6 - August 21, 2025
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present a fiber exhibition, “Holding on to Past & Present Memories” by Mississippi artist Lukuise Swanigan beginning July 6, 2025, and continuing through August 21, 2025. A reception will be held on Sun., July 13, 1-4 p.m. in conjunction with the opening of the “Mostly Blues Invitational” exhibit. Please join us at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon for a ‘Meet & Greet’ opportunity with Lukuise and learn more about her fiber art and her creative process!
Born in Aberdeen, MS and residing in Columbus, MS, Lukuise Swanigan is a self -taught artist inspired by nature and childhood memories. Before making the decision to become an artist, Swanigan attended Ashworth Community College for floral design, a craft which she continued even after graduating. In 2009, she had a vision and found ways to create art using wrapped fabric. She honed her craft until she decided to start appearing at art shows in 2018.
Her process begins with a sketch. From there she transfers the image to her canvas and begins the process of wrapping printed cotton fabric in vibrant colors into art. The time it takes to complete a piece can take from one week to months, depending on the amount of detail. Swanigan has been a member of Fine Art America since 2019.
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts tours are free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 9-4, and on Sunday from 1-4. The KD Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence, AL and can be reached by calling (256) 760-6379.
Arts Alive 2025
May 17 - June 26, 2025
The annual Arts Alive juried fine arts and crafts festival is located in downtown Florence, Alabama. The festival takes place in Wilson Park and at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts and features quality national, regional and local artists and crafters. Admission is free so bring the family and stroll through the park as you meet artists, find one-of-a-kind treasures to add to your collection, and enjoy good food.
The festival showcases artists specializing in painting, stained glass, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, fiber art, woodwork, photography, and much more. In conjunction with the festival, the Arts Alive juried gallery exhibition at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts features local, regional, and national artists in all mediums. All gallery work is for sale and 25% of the proceeds help support art education in our community.
2025 Artistic Renderings of Youth
March 24 - May 1, 2025
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts welcomes back for 2025 Artistic Renderings of Youth, a juried exhibit of work by 7th through 12th grade artists from Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties. AROY will be on exhibit from March 24 through May 1, 2025 with the reception to be held on Wednesday, April 2nd, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Founded by Florence art educator, Jerry Foster, Artistic Renderings of Youth provides an opportunity for the community to discover the young artistic talent in our area. The competition is coordinated by middle school and high school art teachers to give students a chance to exhibit their artwork and receive recognition for their talent.
As a juried exhibition, students have the opportunity to receive awards such as the Jerry Foster Avante Garde Award, the Ronnie Riner Memorial Drawing Award, and scholarships from the University of North Alabama’s Visual Arts Department and School of the Arts. Ribbons are awarded in three grade divisions: Division 1, 7th and 8th grades; Division 2, 9th and 10th grades; and Division 3, 11th and 12th grades.
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 or visit our website www.florencealmuseums.com.
Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad
January 31 - March 7
They left during the middle of the night—often carrying little more than the knowledge that moss grows on the north side of trees. An estimated 100,000 slaves between 1830 and the end of the Civil War in 1865 chose to embark on this journey in search of freedom. They moved in constant fear of being killed or recaptured, returned, and beaten as an example of what would happen to others who might choose to run. Under the cover of darkness, “fugitives” traveled roughly twenty miles each night traversing rugged terrain while enduring all the hardships that Mother Nature could bring to bear. Occasionally, they were guided from one secret, safe location to the next by an everchanging, clandestine group known as the Underground Railroad. Many consider the Underground Railroad to be the first great freedom movement in the Americas and the first time when people of different races and faiths worked together in harmony for freedom and justice.
Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales has spent more than a decade meticulously researching “fugitive” slaves and the ways they escaped to freedom. While the unnumbered routes of the Underground Railroad encompassed countless square miles, the path Michna-Bales documented encompasses roughly 2,000 miles and is based off of actual sites, cities, and places that freedom-seekers passed through during their journey.
This exhibition features beautifully dramatic color photographs, ephemera, and narratives that together tell the story of the Underground Railroad. The author is working with Princeton Architectural Press to prepare a publication that will combine eighty-two original photographs and text with a diverse sampling of related ephemera.
This exhibition was organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.
A Winters Day with Quilts
December 17 - January 16
Traditional and contemporary quilts from a private family collection will be on display over the holiday season at the KDAC.
Quilts tell stories. They represent not only practical necessity during cold winter months, but also memories, celebrations, and artistic expression. This family collection explores various quilting techniques past and present. Come view this cozy exhibit just in time for winter!