Jim Langley is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in August.  The public is invited to his opening reception and one-man show on Sunday, August 6 at 1:30-3:30.  Admission is free.

The reception/show will feature the art and storytelling of former Leeds resident, Jim Langley.  Many of his paintings depict scenes and personalities from the Leeds and Birmingham area including the Alabama Theater; area churches, businesses, historic buildings and houses; and personalities such as Charles Barkley and Harry the Hat.  Proceeds from sales and donations will benefit the Leeds Art Council as well as Day Camp Scholarships for disadvantaged children at YMCA Camp Hargis.

The Delmont Show is a 30-minute “pure-dee Alabama” performance based on Langley’s book, Delmont’s Slang Blade, 1000 of the Best Sayings in the State of Alabama. Jim’s interest in Southern sayings started many years ago and the book contains a portion of his collection. Langley contends that everyone needs to have a favorite Southern Saying in their back pocket to pull out and use at the proper occasion. Quips include such as “The more people I meet, the more I like my dog,” or “Smiling like a dead pig in sunshine.” Come let Delmont tell you what that one means!

Mr. Langley, originally from Vernon in Lamar Co., AL, is now a resident of the Ross Bridge section of Hoover. He is married to the former Ann Whitehead of Nashville, TN. Jim graduated from Jacksonville State University with a degree in Political Science and from the University of Oklahoma with a Master’s in Public Administration. He was a Distinguished Military Graduate receiving an Army commission in 1971, and served active duty tours in Alaska, Fort Sill OK, and Korea, before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves.

During his civilian career, Mr. Langley spent 15 years with BellSouth Communications and had shorter professional associations with Dowzer Electric, SITEL, DES and AIDS Alabama. In retirement, Langley has become a prolific writer, artist and storyteller. He is well known for his book on Oak Hill, the oldest cemetery in Birmingham, and walking tours of the cemetery. He has also led many trips and tours for Hoover Seniors the last few years including local history tours in Birmingham and Hoover, tours of important places in our local Civil Rights history, and tours of Red Mountain Park. For more information, visit www.Langley.Rocks

Mr. Langley’s paintings will be on exhibit through September 8, 2017.

The Arts Center is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, in downtown Leeds.  The gallery is open during events.  In case of inclement weather, call the center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.

Marsha Nelson is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in July. The public is invited to the opening reception on July 2, 2017, 1:30-3:30 pm, to view her delightful paintings. Admission is free.

As a self-taught artist, Marsha has always enjoyed art. In the past thirteen years, she has pursued her art with new dedication and passion, taking eleven art courses at Jacksonville State University. Since 2011, she has been privileged to be a student in the Birmingham atelier of master oil painter John Lonergan.

Marsha is a representational painter whose favorite mediums are oil and watercolor. In 2016, she achieved Signature Bronze Membership in the Watercolor Society of Alabama. She is gratified to have received recognition for several of her paintings which were juried into WSA exhibits. Nunnally’s Noble Street Frame and Gallery in Anniston represents her as a member of East Alabama Artists, Inc.

“I am so grateful God has blessed me with a measure of artistic talent, as well as the incredible gift of my wonderful husband, who loves sharing my artistic journey.”

Ms. Nelson’s paintings will be on exhibit through August 4, 2017.  You may view examples of her work at:  http://www.marshanelsonart.com/

The Arts Center is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, in downtown Leeds. The gallery is open during events. In case of inclement weather, call the center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.

Amber Orr is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in June.  The public is invited to the opening reception on June 4, 2017, 1:30-3:30 pm, to view her delightful art work.  Admission is free.

Amber Orr is a Birmingham artist.  She is a 2007 graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing with a minor in art history from The University of Montevallo.  One of her recent portraits graced the front cover of the fall 2016 issue of the Birmingham Arts Journal.

The artist says, “My work celebrates the internal and external relationship of self-discovery.  I am being honest about who I was, am, and choose to become.  I haven’t always loved what I looked like on the outside.  Self-criticism left me feeling ugly, left me believing I was never enough.  During this endless cycle of frustration, I discovered I was the ultimate cause of my own unhappiness.  Constantly belittling myself only kept me thinking negatively.  Once I respected myself, inch by inch and day by day, I gained confidence.”

“The key to my happiness is positive thinking.  Instead of perfecting my appearance, I have chosen to accept it.  My hair is kinky, my skin is black, I have scars and marks times more.  I want to encourage you to embrace who you are.  We are all beautifully imperfect human beings.  That is worthy to be celebrated.”

Ms. Orr’s paintings will be on exhibit through June 30, 2017.  You can follow her art journey on Instagram: @mizzambero

The Arts Center is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, in downtown Leeds.  The gallery is open during events.  In case of inclement weather, call the center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.

Karla Shackleford Conway is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in May.  The public is invited to the opening reception on May 7, 2017, 1:30-3:30 pm, to view her delightful paintings.  Admission is free.

Karla Shackleford Conway is a native of Birmingham who now lives in Lincoln, Alabama, on Lake Logan Martin.  After a long career in advertising and public relations, where she particularly enjoyed the design and graphics side of the business, she took a one-time acrylic painting class.  The next day, she bought a package of canvasses and a starter set of paints and has been painting ever since.

Since 2010, Karla has taken classes from local artists and from well-known Maine landscape artist Tim Gagnon.  But mostly she has painted on her own, watching videos on specific techniques and studying the works of the painters she most admires.

While she constantly experiments with different subjects and styles, Karla’s favorite subject is birds, which became a fascination of hers when she moved to Lake Logan Martin.

In 2015, she retired from fundraising and promotion with the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega.  In retirement, Karla regularly leads painting workshops to benefit the Pell City Christian Love Pantry, a food resource founded by St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church which hosts the painting classes.

A selection of her paintings can be found on her website:  www.studiokarla.com

Ms. Conway’s paintings will be on exhibit through June 3, 2017.  For more information, please visit her website at www.studiokarla.com

The Arts Center is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, in downtown Leeds.  The gallery is open during events.  In case of inclement weather, call the center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.

The Leeds Arts Council will honor the Leeds High School Artists with an opening reception on Sunday, February 5, 2017, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm at the Leeds Theatre & Arts Center in downtown Leeds.  The public is invited to meet the artists and enjoy their beautiful and varied works.  Admission is free.

Artists participating in the show include Tania Alvarez, Amanda Boshears, Morgan Cleveland, Clair Gibson, Bailey Gosdin, Kaleigh Graf, Kayla Hayes, Nore Hodge, Julia Jones, Anna LaCruz, Lydia LaCruz, McKenzie Lockridge, Jordan Sherman, and Caleb Smith.

These ninth through twelfth grade artists work in a variety of mediums and styles.  Their works reflect their interest in nature, pop culture, music, humor, and everyday life.  Three of the students are members of the National Art Honor Society and eight are members of the LHS Art Club.

Their art will be on display through March 3.  For more information regarding the reception, exhibit, and other Leeds Arts Council events, visit  https://www.leedsartscouncil.org   In case of inclement weather, call the arts center at 205-699-1892 to confirm opening hours.