ROBIN McDONALD
A native of London, England, Robin came to Alabama with his parents in 1966. He is a graduate of
Emory University with a BA cum laude, and Columbia University with an MA, both in art history.
Returning to Birmingham, he switched careers to graphic design and photography. In 1979 he
became the art director of Horizon magazine, a national arts magazine. 1981 he received a Gold
and a Bronze Medal from the Art Director’s Club of New York for his work on Horizon.
Since 1984 Robin has been a freelance graphic artist and photographer with a studio in Leeds.
He has been the designer of Alabama Heritage magazine since 1991, and has been recognized
by the CASE awards for academic publications. He is the author of two books published by the
University of Alabama Press: Heart of a Small Town: Photographs of Alabama Towns (2003), and,
with Valerie Pope Burns, Visions of the Black Belt: A Cultural Survey of the Heart of Alabama (2015).
He is an active member of PaperWorkers Local, a printmaking cooperative in Birmingham.
Robin’s photographs have been included in three exhibitions at the Georgine Clarke Alabama
Artists Gallery of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and in a juried exhibition at the Gadsden
Museum of Art. In 2021, he had a one-man show at PaperWorkers Local in Birmingham. This is his
second exhibition at the Leeds Art Center.
RHYTHM OF THE WEST
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBIN McDONALD
I made my first trip to the American West more than fifty years ago, as a teenager. Having grown
up in England, I fell in love with the vastness of the western landscape. My family and I made
two more trips to the West in the next five years, but I had not had a chance to make the same
sort of rambling road trips until recently, when my younger son Shaun moved to Denver. In
May and June of 2019, we visited some of the places I had not seen since that first trip in 1966.
In many ways it was like seeing them for the first time. These images are from the first half of
the trip, across Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, to California. They are studies of the stunning landforms and breathtaking skies of the desert Southwest, some taken at the iconic sites,
some just by pulling over to the side of the road.

The Leeds Arts Council is pleased to announce their first theatre camp designed specifically for students in grades 1-8! We will be producing Seussical Jr. while teaching theatre basics that your child can bring into any theatre experience. This camp is great for students with or without theatre experience and everyone will learn something through this process!

The workshop will be held July 25-August 5 at the Leeds Theater and Arts Center, in downtown Leeds. The workshop is a two-week workshop, with students attending 8 am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday. There will be three performances: Friday, August 5 at 7 PM, Saturday, August 6 at 2 PM and 7 PM. The theatre camp will be directed by Natalie Godsey, Harper Soileau, Meghan Godsey, and Olivia Soileau, college students who have participated in and been counselors for theatre camps in Leeds and Trussville for over 10 years.

Seussical Jr. is a story all about the power of imagination! Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton must protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, and he must also guard an abandoned egg that’s been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.  Although Horton faces ridicule, danger and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him.  Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!

The cost of the workshop is $225 per child.  If more than one child from a family attends, the cost of any additional child will be $200. Each child who attends the workshop will have a part in the play and will appear on stage.  Tickets to all three performances will be open to family and friends of students for $6 each.

Enrollment will be limited to 25 students. Online registrations can be paid by credit card. Click on the button below to complete your registration form. We are looking forward to a great workshop!

We would love for your child to be a part of this experience, so if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Seussical Jr. team at laccampjunior@gmail.com.

Seussical Jr. is a story all about the power of imagination! Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton must protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, and he must also guard an abandoned egg that’s been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.  Although Horton faces ridicule, danger and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him.  Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!

The cost of the workshop is $225 per child.  If more than one child from a family attends, the cost of any additional child will be $200. Each child who attends the workshop will have a part in the play and will appear on stage.  Tickets to all four performances will be open to family and friends of students for $6 each.

Enrollment will be limited to 25 students. Online registrations can be paid by credit card. Click on the button below to complete your registration form. We are looking forward to a great workshop!

We would love for your child to be a part of this experience, so if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Seussical Jr. team at laccampjunior@gmail.com.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of musical entertainment with Brandi McClaran and her fantastically talented friends. All proceeds go to Leeds Arts Council to purchase sound/light upgrades. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at lac.booktix.com. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Leeds Arts Council- in cooperation with Leeds Community Chorus- is proud to present: Community Chorus Spring Concert

 The performance will be on May 15th at 3 pm at the Leeds Theatre and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Drive, Leeds.  All tickets are $10.  For questions or reservations please email leedsartscouncilal@gmail.com

Merle Dollar gives us a little preview of the Rick Carter Show coming up this weekend.

THIS SATURDAY – APRIL 23RD!

RICK CARTER
of Telluride & Rollin’ in the Hay

Rick will be doing a full solo show, featuring some of his original songs, as well as requests from the audience.

Rick will also be telling tales about his amazing lifelong career in music, as well as signing copies of his new book,

Fables & Stories, 
Tales of an Alabama Troubadour

Question:  What does Southern Rock and Bluegrass have in common?

Answer:  Rick Carter!    
After releasing the first, Self-titled, album in 1980 and  their single “Birmingham Tonight”, Telluride  was named one of the

top 3 bands in the nation by Miller Brewing Company which earned them a 2 year corporate sponsorship.  That in turn

led to a recording contract with RCA Records and catapulted Telluride onto the Top 100 Billboard Singles chart with their

songs “Let me in Tonight” and “Breaking Away”.  (If you still have your Telluride albums, bring ’em and I bet he’ll sign them!).

After 27 years on the road, Telluride stopped touring.  Rick then co-founded Rollin’ In the Hay, a forerunner to the

“New Grass” revolution in America.  Their music was described as high-octane groove grass with a touch of down home, foot

stompin’ southern rock, or more simply, Renegade Bluegrass!  They toured the country, drawing enormous crowds.  Fans

were known as “Hayheads”.  So now you know his connection between rock & Bluegrass!

Rick has been honored by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame as “Music Achiever” three times…for his individual

accomplishments, and for his role in both Telluride and Rollin’ in The Hay.

(Bring your Rollin’ In The Hay albums, too!  Time for a personal autograph

Date: Saturday April 23rd,
Time: 7pm
Cost:  $21

Three On A String
April 9th, 7pm // $21

Four entertaining guys who have learned their craft and enjoy sharing their talents with each new audience.  As TOAS puts it, “Let’s have some fun!”

Click here for Tickets

Rose Colored Glasses: A Tribute To The Town N’ Country Jamboree!
March 26th, 7pm // $15

The Town N’ Country Jamboree Show ran in Leeds Alabama for 13 years in the former movie theater. It was hosted by The Brasher Brothers family and showcased musical acts both locally and regionally. This show pays tribute to the family, friends and supporters of vintage country music! We can’t wait to entertain you

Click here for Tickets

https://fb.me/e/1htaunzeG

FREE! Sunday March 6 // 1:30-3:30

Janice McDonald Cook is a lifelong artist who devoted 33 years to teaching in public school as she raised her family of four with her husband, Jim. As a small child, she was encouraged by her parents, especially her mother, to follow her path of creativity! Her mom was an artist herself who sparked that desire to be an art educator in both Janice and her twin sister. A native of South Alabama and a graduate of Troy University, she did master’s work at Samford and SCAD. She is a member of the Birmingham Museum of Art, Leeds Arts Council and Cahawba Art Guild. Past member of the Birmingham Art Association. She has received several awards from juried shows in the past from the Southern Roots Exhibit, the Carrollton Art Council (GA) , the Birmingham Arts Association. Janice was honored as the Secondary Art Educator of the year 2000. In her retirement, she is active with teaching Art to Special Needs Adults and the Elderly at various programs and, of course, making her own art as a small way to thank our Lord for His constant blessings and to encourage a greater appreciation of the importance of the Arts in our schools and daily lives.

Leeds Arts Council Receives $10k Grant | Leeds Arts Council is excited to announce that they are in receipt of a $10k grant. Alabama State Representative Dickie Drake presented Leeds Arts Council with a check for $10,000 Monday evening through the Jefferson County Community Service Fund. These funds will be used for much-needed roof repair. Those present for this presentation were Board Members and friends: L-R: Brandi McClaran, Ricky Christian, Steve Karr, Dell Smith, Rep. Dickie Drake, Sandra Bailey, Mandi Rae, Christa Soileau, Doris Jarvis, Patricia Noell, Linda Miller (Chamber Board), John Gregory. This is not the first time that Drake has helped Leeds Arts Council in their time of need. Drake also presented a $10k check to them in 2019 through this community service fund so the arts council could purchase a new HVAC system to replace their worn-out system. Leeds Arts Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the visual and performing arts in the local and surrounding communities. Organized in 1985 as part of the Jefferson County Community Schools and then, became a separate entity in 1993 gaining its 501(c)3 status. Leeds Arts Council presents live plays, live music and concerts, acting classes, arts and theatre summer camps and so much more all throughout each year. Leeds Arts Council is located at 8140 Parkway Drive, Leeds, AL 35094. For more information, please visit their website at www.leedsartscouncil.org and their Facebook page.Photo courtesy of @donabonnett #LeedsArtsCouncil#donation#CityOfLeedsAL#leedshappenings#everyoneleeds#theatre#art#LeedsTheatreAndArtsCenter#historicleeds#leedsalabama#buildingcommunity Dickie Drake