Soap Making Workshop, led by Summer McCreless

Plants have been used for many purposes by people living in Alabama, including for use in soap recipes. This workshop will allow participants to learn about historic and homemade soap making and the evolution of that process. Over time, soap has been used medicinally with specific herbal combinations to bring the user to a more centered and healthy state. Today, soaps are used for cleansing the body and enjoying the infusion of native plants through the senses. Participants will get a small bar of soap to take home.

This workshop will be led by Summer McCreless, owner of Mothering Herbs and a second generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over 17 years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over 30 years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States. 

Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite, here: https://tinyurl.com/253nm3fa

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

Open Art Workshop with Kayla McKinney

Do you have an art project that you just can’t seem to finish? Do you need motivation? Ideas? Guidance? Then this Open Art Workshop is for you! Don’t miss this opportunity to find inspiration and motivation to help you complete an unfinished art project OR start a brand new one!

Join art educator, Kayla McKinney on Saturday, March 22nd from 10:00-1:00 for an Open Art Workshop at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. Kayla has 16 years of experience teaching art and knows the key to curing your “artist’s block”! Bring any materials with you that you may want. We will also have a wide variety of other materials available to use, including papers, pencils, rulers, erasers, markers, color pencils, pastels, modge podge, , air dry clay, and more.

Workshop Details:

Saturday, March 22nd

10:00-1:00 with a 30-minute break.

Fee: $15

Minimum age: 16

2025 Spring Equinox Ceremony

Come celebrate and receive the blessings of the

Spring Equinox 2025

With the CORE Center and Friends of the Mound on

Thursday March 20th, 2025 at sunrise 6:54 a.m.

Please be at the Mound no later than 6:30 a.m. come with an Open and Loving Heart and wear white.

For more information call

Dr. Deborah Carter @ 256-386-9804 or the CORE Center 256-314-4542. If the weather is bad the ceremony will be held at the CORE Center.

There has been a change! The 3rd and last installment of Art Adventures 2025 will no longer focus on the life and art of Ansel Adams. Our new topic is The Art of the Trash.

Whether its called “Ready-made”, Recycled Art, Trash Art, or Trashion, they are all created from discarded materials.  Join us Sunday, March 16th from 2-4pm at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts as local Art Educator, Elizabeth Renault leads an exploration in The Art of the Trash and works created by famous trash artists.  

Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Soil Analysis Workshop

Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation and workshop on Saturday, March 15th, 2025, at 10:00am at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of workshops at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.  

Brett Hughes, soil scientist, will talk about common soil types in the North Alabama region, and the forces and processes that created them. The workshop will be an interactive way to learn more about the ground beneath our feet!

Hughes is a soil scientist that has mapped for the National Forests in Eastern Oregon, the Natural Resources Conservation Service from Alaska to South Carolina, and now privately throughout Middle Tennessee. He studies landforms and the soils beneath them so we understand our ecosystems and know how to properly manage them. This workshop will be a brief overview on how that is accomplished in the field. With LOTS of time for Q&A for all things soil. After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 6.

The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 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 14th, 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 Shape of the World: A Portrait of Frank Lloyd Wright, written by K.L Going and illustrated by Lauren Striner. Discover how a young Frank Lloyd Wright drew inspiration from shapes in nature to one day become America’s most famous architect. Afterward, we will explore shapes too with a hands-on building block 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 across the street. Weather permitting, Storytime will take place outside the museum on the Terrace. In case of rain, Storytime will be moved inside.

For tours, the Rosenbaum House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 1-4. For questions about Florence Arts & Museums events and programming, feel free to call our office at 256-760-6379.

RIDE THE COLOR: Cycling the Length of Japan

Presentation and slideshow by photographer Michael Parker

March 11, 2025 @ 6:30pm

at the KD Art Center Southall House

Join the Quad Cities Photography Club as they host photographer, Michael Parker. His topic for this meeting will be “Ride the Color”, featuring photographs of his cycling travels across Japan.

Michael Parker graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 1998 where he began specializing in architectural photography. Over 25 years he’s traveled to more than 45 countries building an archive of iconic images. He lived in Chicago, Toronto, and New York from 2007-2018 where he learned traditional bookbinding at the Center for Book Arts. He cycled entirely across the United States, Europe, Taiwan, Iceland, and Japan letting that mode of transit set the scene. He is a dedicated urbanist and cycling advocate for the Muscle Shoals region and believes that Tuscumbia and Sheffield are the best cycling cities in Alabama. Now in Sheffield he continues work in the book, paper, and photographic arts. He also makes short films for the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area.

This program is free and open to the public. We hope so see you there!

Using Kudzu, led by Beth Phillips

Kudzu is not a native plant to Alabama, but thrives in the state’s ecosystem. This workshop will familiarize people with examples of the different types of kudzu products and recipes. There will be an in-depth talk about the uses of kudzu, non-toxic methods of control, and ways to process the plant for use in products and recipes. Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite, here: https://tinyurl.com/58kwf9ad.

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

STORYTIME AT THE MUSEUM

Sunday, March 2nd @ 2:00pm

at Kennedy-Douglass Art Center

Join us Sunday, March 2nd from 2-3pm for a Read-aloud of "A Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom." This book was written by Bettye Stroud and beautifully illustrated by Erin Susanne Bennett! Following the story we will create our own quilt designs using the interactive Quilt Wall in the Learning Room!

This program and activity are recommended for children ages 5-8, but all ages are welcome.

This program is in conjunction with our current exhibit, "Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad," made possible through MidAmerica Arts Alliance and the National Endowments for the Arts.

Get ready for a night of heart warming poetry at our Florence Art and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on February 26th, 6:00 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. This month’s Open Mic features a special showing of the exhibit Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad in Kennedy Douglas Center for the Arts. For this event, poets are invited to share their original works that explore the Underground Railroad. 

This event will also feature readings by Riel Fuqua. The event will be followed by an open mic for audience participation. 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 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.

Herbal Medicine Workshop, led by Summer McCreless

Alabama plants have been used in various medicines by Native Americans and later adopted by European and African Americans. This workshop will provide an opportunity for people to engage with the history of some native plants of Alabama, while learning about their medicinal uses in the past and present. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase homemade remedies and receive recipes. Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite, here: https://tinyurl.com/229wudwt.

This workshop will be led by Summer McCreless, owner of Mothering Herbs and a second generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over 17 years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over 30 years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States. 

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

Storytime at the Museum: Exploring the Underground Railroad

at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts 

Currently showing at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is a travelling exhibit titled Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad. In conjunction with this exhibit, Florence Arts and Museums brings you two special Storytime at the Museum events Wednesday, February 13 at 10:00 AM and Friday, February 21 at 1:00 PM. This Free Family Event is recommended for children ages 4-8 but all ages are welcome!

Join our Museum Educator, Ana Peeples at the KD Art Center on Wednesday, February 13th as she reads Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. This Caldecott Award winning children’s book is written by Ellen Levine and beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson. It explores the life of Henry Brown and his unique journey to freedom.

 Then on Friday, February 21st Ana will be back to share Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford. This book, which received the Caldecott Honor as well as the Coretta Scott King Award, tells the story of Harriet Tubman’s physical and spiritual journey and her mission to lead others to freedom.

Storytime at the Museum will be held in ‘The Learning Room’ at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Design your own quilt square on our magnet wall. Plot a path to Freedom on our interactive map. Come explore all we have to offer and discover more about the Underground Railroad. 

Through Darkness to Light is organized by ExhibitUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance and the National Endowments for the Arts.

“The Removal of the Creek Indians from Alabama and Georgia, 1827-1849”

While most people are familiar with the Cherokee "Trail of Tears," fewer know that approximately twenty-three thousand Creek Indians were also forced from Alabama and Georgia to Indian territory, west of the Mississippi River between 1827 and 1849. This talk will explain how federal officials relocated the Creek people (including removing those who fled to the Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole Nations) and discuss the Creeks' experiences as they traveled over dusty roads and along frozen rivers to present-day Oklahoma.

Christopher D. Haveman is associate professor of history at the University of West Alabama and the author of Rivers of Sand: Creek Indian Emigration, Relocation, and Ethnic Cleansing in the American South and Bending Their Way Onward: Creek Indian Removal in Documents. Haveman earned his Ph.D. from Auburn University in 2009. He grew up in Bellingham, Washington, and graduated from Western Washington University before receiving an MA from Marquette University.

The lecture is a part of the Draughon Seminars in State and Local History sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University. The series is funded by the Kelly Mosley Endowment in honor of Dr. Ralph B. Draughon, president of Auburn University from 1947 to 1965. Draughon was a historian with a deep commitment to both state history and public education.

For more information about Draughon Seminars and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, please visit auburn.edu/cah.

In this second installment of the 2025 Art Adventure Series, presenter Elizabeth Renault explores the art of people who use they synesthetic condition to paint or play music. Synesthesia is a condition where one sensory pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory pathway. Some people paint what they hear; some paint what they see when using their sense of touch or smell. Different sensual overlaps produce a variety of experiences and artworks.

Storytime at the Museum: Exploring the Underground Railroad

at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts 

Currently showing at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is a travelling exhibit titled Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad. In conjunction with this exhibit, Florence Arts and Museums brings you two special Storytime at the Museum events Wednesday, February 13 at 10:00 AM and Friday, February 21 at 1:00 PM. This Free Family Event is recommended for children ages 4-8 but all ages are welcome!

Join our Museum Educator, Ana Peeples at the KD Art Center on Wednesday, February 13th as she reads Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. This Caldecott Award winning children’s book is written by Ellen Levine and beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson. It explores the life of Henry Brown and his unique journey to freedom.

 Then on Friday, February 21st Ana will be back to share Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford. This book, which received the Caldecott Honor as well as the Coretta Scott King Award, tells the story of Harriet Tubman’s physical and spiritual journey and her mission to lead others to freedom.

Storytime at the Museum will be held in ‘The Learning Room’ at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Design your own quilt square on our magnet wall. Plot a path to Freedom on our interactive map. Come explore all we have to offer and discover more about the Underground Railroad. 

Through Darkness to Light is organized by ExhibitUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance and the National Endowments for the Arts.

Balms and Infused Oils Workshop, led by Summer McCreless

Alabama plants provide many uses, including as ingredients in balms and oils. This workshop will allow participants an opportunity to learn about historic natural recipes for different balms and oils and how they can still be used today.

This workshop will be led by Summer McCreless, owner of Mothering Herbs and a second generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over 17 years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over 30 years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States.

Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite, here: http://tiny.cc/5nu6001.

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

Please join us for a presentation on Saturday, February 8, at 1pm at the Florence Indian Mound Museum. This talk explores Cherokee Removal in Alabama by looking at Wills Valley and the family of George Lowrey, Assistant Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Lowrey rose to leadership after serving in the Creek War of 1813-1814. He and his extended family claimed land in Tennessee before being driven south of the Tennessee River, some of them settling in Wills Valley. Lowrey's leadership strategy reflects a focus on unity and community, sustained through multiple "removals" in the 1820s and 1830s.

Stuart Marshall is a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Sewanee—The University of the South and Secretary of the Tennessee Trail of Tears Association (TNTOTA). He completed his Ph.D. in 2023 with his dissertation, "The Age of Junaluska: Eastern Cherokee Sovereignty in the Long Civil War Era." Since arriving at Sewanee, he has worked on a database about the Bell Route of the Trail of Tears—"Retracing the Bell Route: An Archive of Cherokee Removal" (cherokee-bell-route.org).

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Alabama Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association. The Florence Indian Mound Museum is located at 1028 S. Court St. Florence, AL, and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6427 for more information.

Get ready for a night of heart warming poetry at our Florence Art and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on January 29th, 2025, at 6:30 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. Poets are invited to share their original works that explore The Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water.

This event will feature readings by Melissa DeOrazio of Dirty Revelers Fame and distinguished poet Harry Moore. The event will be followed by an open mic for audience participation. 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 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.

Weapons and Tools Presentation

With Bill Brekeen, cultural interpreter for the Chickasaw Nation, Heritage Preservation division

Please join us for a presentation about Chickasaw weapons and tools on Sunday, January 26, at 1pm at the Florence Indian Mound Museum. Bill Brekeen will display and discuss weapons and tools for hunting, warfare, and farming. He will talk about the “Waste not, want not” theory, and respect for the natural world and for life. When harvesting animals, Chickasaws took great care to use as much as possible.

Bill Brekeen serves as a cultural interpreter for the Chickasaw Nation, Heritage Preservation Division, in the historic Chickasaw Homeland. Bill began employment with the Chickasaw Nation as a Cultural Interpreter in March 2015 after retiring with The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks after a 30-plus year career. His duties include providing Homeland tours to tribal officials, employees, Chickasaw citizens, and the public. Bill conducts research for general knowledge, programs, and publications, assists with the development and facilitation of educational programs for all age groups, and provides presentations at local agencies, organizations, schools, and community outreach events.

Bill enjoys anything outdoor-related and is passionate about sharing the rich and proud culture and history of the Chickasaw people.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Alabama Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association. The Florence Indian Mound Museum is located at 1028 S. Court St. Florence, AL, and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6427 for more information.

The Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers kick-off Art Adventures 2025 with a presentation on Francisco Goya.

Goya is considered the most important Spanish artist of the 18th and early 19th centuries. He is often referred to as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. his art changed from elaborate and beautiful to dark, cynical, and remorseful. Find out why is in this presentation by art educator Elizabeth Renault.

 “A Winter’s Day with Quilts”  Exhibition at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present “A Winter’s Day with Quilts” exhibition that will open December 17th and continue through January 16th. 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!

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.

Get ready for a night of heart warming poetry at our Florence Art and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on December 11th, 2024, at 6:30 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. In celebration of Christmas, poets are invited to share their original works that explore family.

This event will feature readings by Shannon and Eli Milliman, followed by an open mic for audience participation. 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 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.

TOPIC:  THE QUAD SITE The Origin of Paleoindian Research in Alabama 

It has been fifty years since Dr. Frank Soday, Director of Technology with Chemstrand Corporation of Decatur and avocational archaeologist, published the initial report on the Quad site, located near Decatur in northwestern Alabama in the Tennessee Archaeologist (Soday 1954). In the half century since, the site has become one of the most fascinating and important Paleoindian locales in the Southeast and recognized as one of the largest Paleoindian occupations in terms of both acreage and artifact density in the United States (Anderson 1990). Now largely eroded and destroyed by nature since the construction of Wheeler Dam, the silted knolls produce few artifacts, but elicit many memories.  As one interested in the prehistory of the Tennessee Valley, it is sometimes difficult to cross the Tennessee River in the Decatur area and not daydream of days past. Federal antiquity laws now prohibit surface collecting on the site without permits, and thus for the most part we have heard little from the area since the late 1980s. Many researchers (Futato 1996) have noted, however that some collectors are still willing to accept the risk of stiff penalties for an opportunity to discover artifacts on one of the most famous sites in the Southeastern United States.  For the younger army of men and women searching for references on the site, few can be obtained. Most information has been passed through numerous channels by word of mouth or as legends comparable to those told by current Native Americans. Many of the original collectors have joined the men for whose artifacts they searched and thus, as time passes, so does the truth. The author spent a number of evenings and weekends discussing the site and other Paleoindian finds with a few of those men, their identities obscured, but their stories shared for prosperity.

Found Object Ikebana | Workshop with Abraham Rowe

at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present a workshop opportunity with Abraham Rowe, entitled “Found Object Ikebana”, on Sunday, November 17th from 2:00- 4:00 p.m.  Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging flowers, a centuries old art form in which humanity and nature are brought together.  In traditional Ikebana there are many rules and coded meanings.  Join Abraham Rowe and learn the basics of the practice; let found objects from a short walk, along with seasonal blooms, branches, and weeds, guide your construction of a work of art; and explore the exercise of seeking beauty in the mundane.  Learn more about creating thought, attention, and balance from discarded, ignored, or lost objects.  This workshop is free, but space is limited—so register today by either stopping by in person at the KDAC or by calling (256) 760-6379.

Abraham Rowe is a photographer and artist, based in Florence, Alabama. He is passionate about documenting culture in real time and collecting stories of the South through the experiences of everyday people. Some of his projects include Hidden Spaces, Folks of Florence, Found Object Ikebana, The Highway 72 Project (oddities and life along the Hwy 72 corridor of North Alabama), as well as documenting the local music and art scene.

Abraham works alongside his wife Susan Rowe in commercial, portrait, and editorial photography. They offer expertise in photo styling, product, and lifestyle photography for manufacturing companies, artisans, musicians, e-commerce businesses, and food brands.  Editorial work has been printed in Elle Decor, Local Palate, Bitter Southerner, Rolling Stone, The National, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Relix, No-Ala Magazine, and Business Alabama as well as online at Kinfolk, Paste, and The New York Times T Magazine. 

Current projects include photographing Jackson's Military Road for Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area and a grant from the Alabama Folklife Association documenting tornado shelters as folk architecture in Northwest Alabama.  For more information, go to www.abrahamrowephotography.com/

Herbal Tea Making Workshop, led by Summer McCreless

Native Americans in what is now Alabama used plants to create different types of drinks. This workshop will help participants learn about native plants and different liquid drinks that were created from them. The facilitator will demonstrate how different teas were created, and attendees will have the opportunity to taste different teas made from Alabama plants.

This workshop will be led by Summer McCreless, owner of Mothering Herbs and a second generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over 17 years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over 30 years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States. 

To sign up for our Herbal Tea Making Workshop visit our Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/4rj34m4j

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

Making Ink with Native Plants, led by Nadene Mairesse

This workshop will introduce the basic principles of ink making using locally foraged black walnuts. We will discuss the historic use of native nuts, bark and roots as a source of pigments for ink and dyes, and learn how different ink making processes were developed regionally, dependent on the chemical properties of locally available pigment-rich plants. Florence-based natural dyer Nadene Mairesse will demonstrate the ink extraction process and discuss how to forage responsibly when using local plants for inks and dyes. Participants will receive a bottle of black walnut ink and the recipe and instructions to make their own ink at home. To sign up for our Making Ink with Native Plants event visit our Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/bdda5ue3

This program is free and hosted by Florence Arts and Museums. This workshop is made possible by support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum 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.

“Snapshot: Climate” traveling and community exhibitions at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present “Snapshot: Climate”, a traveling exhibition originating from the published “Snapshot: Climate” issue of Southern Cultures Quarterly.  This exhibit includes 25 photographs and short reflections from artists, activists, scientists, and students that provide a “Snapshot” look at climate impacts across the south.  Included in this exhibit is a highlight on Colbert and Lauderdale Counties that features an excerpt written by Natalie Chanin and photographs by Robert Rausch.  An opening reception will be held on Fri., November 1, 6-8 pm at the Arts Center.

In congruence with “Snapshot: Climate”, the KDAC is pleased to present “Our Community and Change”, an exhibition that will be displayed in the Southall House showcasing photographs by current UNA students that depicts climate and environmental change in our own area.  The opening for this exhibit will also be held on Fri., November 1, 6-8 pm together with the traveling exhibition. 

Get ready for a night of haunting poetry at the Florence Arts and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on October 30th, 2024, at 6:30 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. In celebration of Halloween, poets are invited to share their original works that explore their deepest fears.

This event will feature readings by Jason McCall and Nancy Owen Nelson, followed by an open mic for audience participation. 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 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.

EDIT >>THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL<<

Check back for future programs and events at the Rosenbaum House!

The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House is thrilled to invite you to a special event filled with conversation and refreshments. On Monday, October 28th, at 3 PM, join us for “Tea on the Terrace,” an afternoon English tea hosted by docent, Dorlea Rikard. 

This event offers guests an opportunity to enjoy the English tea tradition while immersing themselves in the history of Alabama’s only Frank Lloyd Wright designed home. The afternoon will feature guided tours of the Rosenbaum House along with a selection of tea-time refreshments, including finger sandwiches, scones, and small cakes. 

This event continues the tradition established by Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum, who were known for hosting and providing entertainment within their home. The Florence Arts and Museums, along with the Rosenbaum House staff, are proud to uphold this legacy by providing engaging and informative experiences for our guests. 

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House is located 601 Riverview Dr, Florence, AL, and is open for tours Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/ycyvbkuv

In partnership with Florence Arts & Museums, the Shoals Art Collective is excited to present the inaugural Pope’s Tavern Fall Family Art Day. This event is meticulously crafted to celebrate creativity and community through a series of engaging art workshops taught by professional artists and catered to both children and adults. Inspired by the collection in the museum, the event focuses on sustainability, emphasizing the use of natural and recycled materials foraged or found locally. The event is designed to appeal to children aged 5 and above, along with their parents, as well as adults looking for a unique artistic experience in a welcoming and inclusive environment for creative expression. 

Click here to register: https://forms.gle/8P58gqpqycddrghR6

Morning Session (10am - 12pm)
Participants will have the opportunity to partake in three art activities, including:

- Nature Cyanotype Paper Printing with Heather Fleming

- Collage Self-portrait Silhouettes with Erin Dailey

- Windchime Sculptural Storytelling and sensory experience with Ellen Dempsey

Mini parfaits and breakfast bars will be provided for children. We welcome parents to enjoy fall cider and the museum while your child participates. Parents are welcome to join in as well. 

Afternoon Session (1pm - 4pm)
Participants will work with Nadene Mairesse to learn how to hand-stitch a historical quilt block using native plant dyed fabric. Participants must pre-register for the afternoon workshop by visiting this link.

We encourage participants to arrive early as the Alabama Renaissance Faire will be taking place at nearby Wilson Park, and parking will be limited in the area. 

For questions, please email shoalsartcollective@gmail.com