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| photo credit: Marla Kenney |
You can dream big and be whatever you can imagine: you can even become a successful ARTIST in your home state! That old saying about the "starving artist" need not apply in this day and age...
We have some very famous artists from Alabama, who have work exhibited in the Smithsonean Museum in Washington D.C. and in galleries all over the world. From Frank Fleming's sculptures to Gee's Bend quilts, to Robin Wade furniture and Samuel Mockbee's Rural Studio, our Alabama artists have gained much prestige! Also, our self-taught artists are internationally known for their unique brand of visual communication. There's the late Jerry Brown, our 9th generation potter who was one of the few artists who still used a mule to process his clay! Then, we have Don Stewart, the only professional artist I know of who used to be a medical doctor (surgeon, to be exact!).
I recently went on a search to find local artists (in the hopes of someday inviting them to the classroom!) and found folks all over the state who happen to be making a living doing what they love - creating everything from pottery to vine furniture to leather bags to fine art canvas paintings.
Below is a listing of over 100 online video clips. The majority of these videos feature current artists, but there are a few historical ones. Some of these artists are famous, some are not. This list is meant to be an inspirational one - where you can compare and contrast the artists' creative use of a variety of media, and where you can discuss the difference between fine art and craft or the difference between a classically trained artist and a self-taught artist.
These videos are in no particular order except for the artists' chosen medium:
ARTISTS OF ALABAMA:
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW....
*For a more complete listing of influential/historical artists, designers, and architects from Alabama, check out the "Encyclopedia of Alabama, Arts and Literature."
