During the annual Christmas party last December at The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery, a number of new acquisitions and donations were unveiled that enrich the history and collection of the hybrid museum-gallery with both rotating exhibits and permanent displays.
“This gives us the opportunity to give currently working artists a chance to exhibit in a museum setting. We want to continue to build our collection for future generations for the enhancement of artists’ work,” said Hope Brannon, The Kelly’s curator.
Recent donations include works by Montgomery folk artist Mose T; pieces done by Kelly Fitzpatrick and his Dixie Art Colony colleagues from the 30s; and recent artwork created by regional artists.
Board member Ron Drinkard recently donated 50 Mose T paintings, some of which are now on display in the Bobby Carr Gallery at The Kelly. The others will be rotated out throughout the year. Mose T originally began painting on scrap wood or cardboard, having his kids collect lumber from neighborhood houses that were falling apart, said Brannon. When he began making money, he was able to purchase nicer pieces of lumber, but still hangs all of his works by a soda can pop tab.
Another 12 original works by Mose T were given to The Kelly on extended loan for its Museum in a Suitcase project.
“These pieces of art are accompanied by PowerPoint presentations and lesson plans for classroom teachers of any subject to borrow for a week at a time to show students examples of this regional, influential art,” said Brannon.
These particular donations have become part of a new permanent Insider Outsider: American Folk Art collection, to be inclusive to other folk art as well, explained Brannon.
Another regular display at The Kelly is the Legends and Legacies collection in the Carmichael Gallery. This collection includes pieces done by John Kelly Fitzpatrick, but also encompasses work done by his colleagues at the Dixie Art Colony. Three new pieces were donated that will supplement this particular exhibit.
Kelly Fitzpatrick Jones and his mother Patricia Jones donated Little Dutch Girl, which was a painting done by Kelly Fitzpatrick in the 1930s.
Arthur and Frances Arnold donated Elizabeth Arnold’s scrapbook, which contains clippings and memorabilia from her life and work, along with photographs of her associates at DAC, according to Brannon.
The Arnold family also donated a hand-pulled wood block card created by Kelly Fitzpatrick in 1938, which was mailed to Elizabeth Arnold, who was one of his students.
“The year 1938 must have been a very prolific one for Fitzpatrick, as we are discovering more works from that time period,” Brannon said.
The third piece, newly donated by Elmore Smoake for this collection, is Dollar Day. This also was created by Kelly Fitzpatrick, which was later exhibited in the National Academy of Design.
“This colorful painting depicts a man with two children on a sidewalk shopping,” explained Brannon.
Other works in this collection are from the American Scene Style of the 30s and 40s, which included artists such as Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood, who painted in a regionalist manner.
“These are local scenes depicted by artists. Interestingly enough, some of these artists didn’t even live here, but had come to see Fitzpatrick at the Dixie Art Colony to study and play,” said Brannon.
There is another Museum in a Suitcase project from this collection with original framed works in conjunction with lesson plans and PowerPoints.
“We really hope teachers will take advantage of these available teaching tools,” said Brannon.
Another new permanent collection is The Kelly’s Southern Spectrum, which includes currently working, living artists depicting scenes of Southeast life.
Joe Coggins, a Georgia artist from The Kelly’s 2016 Abandoned Rural American exhibit, painted and donated Off the Jetties. Wayne and Adelia Turner donated an untitled abstract landscape created by Montgomery native Jim Sabel. Both Sabel’s and Coggin’s works will be displayed in the Southern Spectrum collection.
“Our donors have been so wonderful and generous. This would not be possible without sponsors,” said Brannon.
A total of 51 sponsors have endorsed and supported The Kelly’s exhibits, according to Hickman, and the organization currently has 219 members and 30 patrons who have donated art. To join The Kelly, visit its website theykelly.org.
In 2018, The Kelly will feature a number of new exhibits showcasing varying forms of art.
The Collectors and Collections exhibit is broken into two segements due to the high number of entries and showcases pieces collectors have loaned to the gallery. The first Collecting Genres and Generations exhibit is on display now through the end of May and the second will run from June 8 to the end of August. There are 121 different pieces of art from 112 various artists loaned by 30 different collectors.
“This is a unique show because the collectors get to shine in the spotlight this time,” said Brannon.
Another show in the planning process will be the Alabama Artists exhibit, which will be released toward the end of the summer. This will be a collection of all art guilds and organizations throughout the state of Alabama who submit their premiere pieces. The Kelly members will then judge the best of Alabama, said Carol Hickman, president of The Kelly.
“To find all these people and bring together the arts throughout Alabama is really very inspiring,” said Brannon.
A one-day Tulotoma Art Trail, free and open to the public, will be held in April throughout downtown businesses in Wetumpka to help increase foot traffic to this area, said Hickman. On April 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this inaugural juried art trail will include exhibits and museum tours, Earth Day activities and children’s art shows, contest and activities.
Another show in the works is the Southeastern Contemporary exhibit, which will feature abstract and contemporary pieces, although it’s unveiling date is still unknown.
“A lot of people are drawn to realistic, but a lot of people are drawn to abstract, and this will help round out our collection. Plus, our children need to see the different forms of art. We have three new abstract pieces that were recently donated that are coming soon,” Brannon said.
The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery was established in 2011 with a mission to engage, inspire and educate artists and the public by promoting local and regional arts, said Hickman.
Since its inception, The Kelly has presented 409 artists from all over the United States, and even some international, and hosted 58 different exhibits.
For more information about The Kelly and its exhibits, located at 408 S. Main St. in Wetumpka, visit thekelly.org.
