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 Our goal is to promote poetry and create a welcoming space where both published and unpublished poets can share their work while bringing together our diverse communities.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

EXHIBIT: October 20 - November 18

RECEPTION: Sunday, October 20, 2-4pm

at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

Coming Soon - “Art Expressions”, an annual exhibition of the latest works by the Shoals Artists Guild members from October 20th through November 18th. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, October 20th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend this 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.

The Florence Indian Mound Museum is hosting a series of children’s programs where students can explore the early history of the Shoals through short lessons and hands-on learning exercises. Each month will feature a practice that relates to Native American culture! Participants will explore the history and cultural meaning behind each practice while engaging in an activity related to that topic.

Join us on Saturday, Oct 19th at 10 a.m. for a program and activity about Native American Dance.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. 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.

Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is happy to host Huntsville Artist Monica Yother at the Southall House on Saturday, October 19th from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Join us for this Open Art Journaling event. If you are currently working on an art journal, bring it with you! Art Journal starter kits will also be available for purchase. 

There is no instruction for this event, just time to work on our art journals together! Paint and other materials will be available to you. PLUS - a SUPPLY SWAP! Bring supplies you keep meaning to get rid of and take home some new-to-you stuff!

Coffee and tea will be ready for you, and there will be lots of great conversation. Bring a friend and spend the morning creating!

Registration is $25. 

Sign-up through Eventbrite HERE

“Abstractions at Play” exhibition by artist Erin Dailey

at the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House

 The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House is pleased to present “Abstractions at Play”, an exhibition by artist Erin Dailey beginning October 18, 2024, and continuing through December 28, 2024.  An opening reception for this exhibit will be held at the Rosenbaum House on Fri., October 18, 6-8 p.m. Of this exhibit, Dailey explains, “As an artist with a background in architecture, I am honored to exhibit my work at the Rosenbaum House, a space designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  My work draws inspiration from Friedrich Froebel’s Gifts—historic childhood building blocks that have deeply influenced my understanding of creativity.  Those blocks also profoundly impacted Wright, who credited them with shaping his approach to architecture.”  

Erin Dailey is a visual artist who explores the relationship between art, design, and play.  With a background in architecture, she brings a unique perspective to her work—drawing inspiration from geometric forms, color, and grid patterns.

Her artistic journey began in 2022, inspired by watching her son play with building blocks and studying the history of kindergarten’s influence on 20th-century art and design.  This led her to explore how play and creativity shape our understanding of the world from an early age.

Erin uses paper and upcycled materials to create abstract, playful, and thought-provoking pieces.  This year, she received two grants to support her evolving practice, encouraging viewers to engage with creativity and playfulness.  The Rosenbaum House exhibition is made possible through the Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grant, a program of South Arts.

In her artist statement, Dailey continues to share, “In this exhibition, I have created pieces that connect with the unique features of the Rosenbaum House—its light, materials, colors, and textures.  By considering the purpose and feel of each room, my goal is to create an experience that feels both unexpected and harmonious within this historic space.”

“This project challenges me to experiment creatively and to engage with the architecture and its visitors thoughtfully.  I am excited to present art that resonates with the spirit of the house and invites play, curiosity, and exploration.”  Erin Dailey lives in Florence, Alabama, with her husband and five-year-old son.  For more information about her work, visit her website erindaileydesign.com 

The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House is located at 601 Riverview Dr. Florence, AL. The Museum is open for tours Tuesday – Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 1-4. For admission details, call our office (256) 718-5050 or visit our website www.wrightinalabama.com 

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is excited to host an evening of poetry by poets connected to Seven Points Press, on Thursday, October 17th from 6-8 pm at 209 East Tuscaloosa Street. The event will feature poetry readings, and light refreshments. This event is free, and everyone is welcome.  

The mission of Seven Points Press is to offer unpublished and under-published creative writers and other artists associated with the Shoals area of Alabama the opportunity to bring their work to print. It is a non-commercial enterprise designed to ensure that any profit accruing from the sale of the author’s work goes directly to the author. Writers and other artists who feel their work is ready for a public audience are encouraged to submit their work for review.  

The event will feature the poetry of Hank Lazer, Jared McCoy, Shannon Milliman, Nancy Owen Nelson, Dorlea Rikard, and Tyler Young.

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. Please note: the event will be held at 209 East Tuscaloosa Street, just next to the KD Art Center.

Matt Gage: Environmental Change in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene in the Tennessee River Valley

 

After the recent inland river system flooding related to Hurricane Helene, we can see archaeological correlates indicating similar events in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. We will discuss how populations in the Tennessee River Valley addressed these changes and what evidence we have for shifting strategies of subsistence, settlement, and technology.

 Matt Gage serves as the Director of The University of Alabama, Office of Archaeological Research. He started his professional career in archaeology and cultural resource management more than 30 years ago when he began work at the Moundville site. Gage received his MA in Anthropology from The University of Alabama in 2000 where he received the award for excellence in research by a Master’s student from both the College of Arts and Sciences and the University for his work on the earthen structures of Alabama. He has served as project director or principal investigator on hundreds of cultural resource management and research projects throughout the region and has worked for both state and federal agencies as a compliance coordinator. His research interests are focused on Southeastern populations prior to European contact and he is currently conducting research on the archaeological record of paleoclimates and culture change.

Please join Florence Arts and Museums and community members coordinated by Ms. Anita Smith Cobb for a presentation on the history of the Stewart Spring neighborhood on Sunday, September 29th from 2:30-4:30 pm at the Coach Harvest Mitchell Gymnasium at Burrell Slater School, 610 West College Street. A group of African American citizens who formerly resided in Stewart Spring have collaborated with Florence Arts and Museums to record the history of this black community which no longer exists. Interviews, photographs, newspaper clippings, art and memories tell the story of the neighborhood, which is compiled into two 40-minute video presentations.

This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and is free to the public. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.

This workshop has been cancelled - The instructor will reschedule this workshop for 2025.

Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to host a workshop from artist Amita Bhakta titled “Rangoli: Folk Art from India” on Saturday, September 28th from 10-12pm. Admission is $10 per person. 

Rangoli is an art form from India, it is generally done on the front porch and floor in placement of a rug using common household materials such as spices, grains, flower petals, etc. to create patterns.  This tradition is passed down generation to generation and performed daily to welcome a new day.  During festivals and special occasions, more elaborate designs are created as celebratory decoration. 

Amita Bhakta moved to the United States with her family as a teenager. She is now living in North Alabama and working as a full-time artist. Amita’s work combines elements of her ancestral heritage, her present-day life, and the possibilities of the future. Now a master in the art of Rangoli, Amita learned the tradition from her mother. It has become a mission of hers to pass this knowledge on to others through endowments and workshops. 

The Florence Indian Mound Museum is hosting a series of children’s programs where students can explore the early history of the Shoals through short lessons and hands-on learning exercises. Each month will feature a practice that relates to Native American culture! Participants will explore the history and cultural meaning behind each practice while engaging in an activity related to that topic.

Join us on Saturday, September 28th at 10 a.m. for a program and activity about Native American music.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. 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.

Come celebrate and receive the blessings of the

Fall Equinox 2024

With the CORE Center and Friends of the Mound on

Sunday September 22th, 2024, at 9 a.m.

Please be at the Mound no later than 8:30 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.

“Furtherance” UNA Alumni Ceramic Exhibition at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

EXHIBIT: September 6 - October 25

RECEPTION: September 6, 6:00-8:00pm

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Furtherance, a UNA Alumni Ceramic exhibition beginning September 6, 2024, and continuing through October 25, 2024.  Five artists will be featured in this exhibit, including:  Marissa Childers, Peyton Lawler, Summer Hall, Lucas Stephens, and Allye Grisham.  The community is invited to attend the opening for this reception that will be held at the Arts Center on Fri., September 6, 6-8 p.m.

Of this exhibition, Aaron Benson, UNA Chair of Visual Arts and Design, shares, “The exhibition Furtherance celebrates the journeys of five talented University of North Alabama art alumni who have advanced their careers in ceramics beyond their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. Each artist has furthered their education through the pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or a Post-Bachelor program, bringing their unique talents and concepts to the medium of clay. From intricate sculptural pieces that challenge traditional forms and concepts to innovative functional works that blend textiles and architecture with utility, their creations reflect a deep commitment to the material and the artistic process. This exhibition highlights their individual achievements and underscores the dynamic evolution of ceramics as a contemporary art form. They each embody what it means to be a committed artist.”

“The Beautifully Strange World of Wayne Sides” exhibition at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

EXHIBIT: August 30 - October 11

RECEPTION: September 6, 6-8pm

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present “The Beautifully Strange World of Wayne Sides”, beginning August 30, 2024, and continuing through October 11, 2024.  Artist and UNA Professor Emeritus, Wayne Sides, describes this exhibition as “three shows in one.  It’s a little bit of a strange retrospective in the sense that it borrows work from different periods of my career, 3D and 2D, but also includes new work too.”  A reception for Sides will be held at the Arts Center on Fri., September 6, 6-8 p.m.

Wayne Sides is a native of Calhoun County, Alabama.  He has received a bachelor’s degree in visual and performing arts from the University of Alabama New College in Tuscaloosa and earned a master’s degree in photo image making/art from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.  He worked as a lecturer and artist in residence with Southwest State University of Marshall, MN, the New York Federation for the Arts.  His work has been displayed nationally and internationally in galleries that include the OK Harris Gallery, Soho, NYC; A Palazzo Panichi Museum in Pietra Santa, Italy; and Birmingham Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham, AL

His photographs are published in several books such as Side Show, Litany of a Vanishing Landscape, White Knights, Silence and the Hammer, Human Traces, Gather Up Our Voices, and Interpreter.  His work has also been used as cover art for The Ballad of Little River by Paul Hemphill, Goodbye to the Buttermilk Sky by Julia Oliver, and three collections of poetry by Jeanie Thompson: How to Enter the River, Witness, White for Harvest, and New and Selected Poems.

Saturday, August 24th from 1-3pm Join us for Restoration Through Creativity - an Art Journaling Workshop with Huntsville artist, Monica Yother. Registration is $55 and includes instruction and materials.

Restoration: the act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment.

The benefits of creative activities are well recorded, and not disputed. Art journaling is a form of art that is very personal, highly engaging, and can be beneficial in many ways. An art journal can be a place to record thoughts, ideas, emotions, memories or lessons learned. It can be a place to work through fear, grief, or a creative block. An art journal can be a place to explore ideas, places, or new creative territory.

This workshop will introduce you to the practice of art journaling. You'll be supplied with a new journal made especially for this purpose, materials to use in your journal, a primer, writing prompts, and instruction on some simple techniques to get your started. You'll be able to take some materials home to continue.

No artistic experience is needed, it doesn't matter if you have never picked up a paint brush or if you are a regular crafter. Art Journaling is a truly unique form of expression that each person makes their own.

This workshop is being presented at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts as part of our "Healing Through Art" programming.

The Florence Indian Mound Museum is hosting a series of children’s programs where students can explore the early history of the Shoals through short lessons and hands-on learning exercises. Each month will feature a practice that relates to Native American culture! Participants will explore the history and cultural meaning behind each practice while engaging in an activity related to that topic.

Join us on Saturday, August 17th at 10 a.m. for a program and activity about Native American pottery.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. 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.

Members of Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will meet to continue excavating Test Unit 4. For membership information, visit https://www.florencealmuseums.com/archaeology

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present an opportunity to participate in a ceramics hand-building workshop with Aaron Benson, UNA Chair of Visual Arts and Design, Associate Professor and Director of Ceramic and Sculpture.  Join us 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 3rd and learn more about clay by building and glazing your own work in this one-day class!  Registration is limited, so sign-up soon! 

Aaron Tennessee Benson has a combined twenty-years of experience working in clay.  He received his MFA in Ceramics from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  He has been an intern at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Colorado and a long-term resident and MJD Fellow at Archie Bray Foundation in Montana.  Benson’s work has been published, collected, and exhibited both nationally and internationally.  His current body of work uses traditional ceramic handbuilding methods to create large scale public works. 

Register in person at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence, AL 35630 (Note: payment can be made with cash or check only; deadline to register is August 1st).

WHEN: 9 am- 3 pm, Saturday, August 3rd

WHERE:  Kennedy-Douglass Art Center

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:

9 am- Noon:  Introduction, design, and hand-build

Noon-1:00 pm:  Lunch Break (while clay dries)

1:00- 3:00 pm:  Glaze and place in kiln.

Art pick-up:   August 11, between 1-4 pm.

WORKSHOP FEE:  $95 (includes Instruction & materials costs)

Mostly Blues Invitational Exhibition

at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Mostly Blues, an annual soulful exhibition of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media works by regional artists that visually interpret and pay homage to the power of music.  While invited artists from Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties have diverse interpretations—whether depicting a scene from the W.C. Handy Music Festival or literally painting in ‘blues’—all works have a common musical theme that celebrate this area’s ties to the music world.  A reception is planned for Sun., July 21, 1-4 p.m., with an awards presentation to be held at 1:30 p.m.

The Mostly Blues exhibit was started in 1994 to honor Florence native W.C. Handy, “Father of the Blues”.  Since then, the music-themed display has become a popular summer highlight!  The KDAC again looks forward to this opportunity to exhibit the soulful collection of art by well-known and established area artists—as well as new, up-and-coming artists.  This visual homage to the power of music will open on July 14 and remain on display through August 29, 2024.

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.  For more information visit www.florencealmuseums.com or call (256) 760-6379.

The Florence Indian Mound Museum is hosting a series of children’s programs where students can explore the early history of the Shoals through short lessons and hands-on learning exercises. Each month will feature a practice that relates to Native American culture! Participants will explore the history and cultural meaning behind each practice while engaging in an activity related to that topic.

Join us on Saturday, July 20th at 10 a.m. for a program and activity about Native American storytelling.

This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. 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.

Come celebrate and receive the blessings of the

Summer Solstice 2024

With the CORE Center and Friends of the Mound on

Friday, June 21, 2024, at sunrise 5:38 am

Please be at the Mound no later than 5:20 am and come with an

 Open Mind and Loving Heart and wear white (not required).

If the weather is bad, the ceremony will be held at the CORE Center, 503 W State St # 1 Muscle Shoals, AL.  For more information call Dr. Deborah Carter at 256-386-9804 or The CORE Center at 256-314-4542.