INDIAN SUMMER ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL!!

ANNOUNCEMENT!! We are hosting the Indian Summer Art & Music Festival on September 4th! It will be held on the newly renovated Mobile Plaza in downtown Florence. We will have interactive art projects as well as a photo booth set up throughout the day. We will also have live music starting at 3pm by some amazing bands! We need artists to set up and showcase/sell their work, so if you are an artist/artisan and interested in setting up, e-mail us with the subject "Indian Summer" and be sure to include examples of your work!

We can't wait to hear from you!

update!

We had a benefit show on July 17th with music from Browan Lollar, John Cartwright, Matt Spencer (of Fistful of Beard), and Ursa Locomodus. Eli Flippen & Pegasus Records were generous enough to host the event for us. The fundraiser was a success & we are so thankful for all the support that we receive from the community!

Here are a few photos from the event.

We raised approximately $300 which will help us tremendously in applying for our 501c3 status with the IRS.

Also, if you're in Florence this week for the W.C. Handy Festival, we will be set up at Handy on the Plaza on Mobile Street tomorrow and Friday. We partnered with the end. to build an entry way for the event. Please come see us! We'd love to meet our supporters and get to chat with you about what we're doing.

One more thing! We are in the process of planning the Indian Summer Art & Music Festival. It is scheduled for September 4th. The event will run from noon until 9pm and feature music from Sparrow & the Ghost (Tuscaloosa), The Bear, and others. We will also have interactive art projects throughout the day and local artists set up showing their work.

ARTISTS!!! If you are interested in setting up for the event, e-mail us at thearthive.al@gmail.com with the subject "Indian Summer." We will get back to you with details for the event.

BENEFIT SHOW!!

We know it's short notice, but we will be hosting a benefit show at Pegasus Records next Saturday. We would love to see you there! We've steadily been receiving more and more interest in what we're doing and have had many people ask when we'll have the space open. The sooner we can raise funds for renovations, the sooner our doors will be open. We appreciate all the support we've received thus far!

Also, we've partnered with Rivertown Coffee Co. to have a Trunk Show every third Saturday of the month. We'll be set up on the sidewalk outside of Rivertown next Saturday from 1pm until about 7pm.

So, come out & check out the art & handmade goods and then head over to Pegasus with us for some awesome local music!

July Artist of the Month

Meet our July Artist of the Month, Aaron Keen! His work is now hanging up at Rivertown Coffee Co. through the end of August. Be sure to stop by sometime and check it out!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Raised by two old hippies and loving the life they have shown me. It’s about making a life, not a living.

What materials do you use in your art? (and why?)

Mainly I use spray paint and acrylics. I feel that the unforgiving aerosol makes my work more natural and how it was supposed to be rather than how I wanted it to be.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.
I really appreciate Brazilian graffiti. The "who gives a hell" approach really appeals to me. I don't try to make work that other people will enjoy as much as I try to make paintings that I can confidently talk about to the viewer.

What influences your art?
Dreams are the main influence in my art. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I try to make sense of what I was dreaming and then paint it the next day. I feel that the sub-consciousness is the most honest a person can get.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art? 

I want the viewer to enjoy the colors, the strokes, the contrast, and the story that goes with the piece. They are all simple enough but surreal enough to make a general thought turn into a conversation for a group of viewers

What do you do when you're not making art?

Bartending and sleeping.

How can people contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?
205-478-3581 or aaron_keen2002@yahoo.com or 512 Hermitage Dr. come on by.

NEXT TRUNK SHOW!!

Come out to our trunk show this month on the 19th! Rivertown Coffee Co. (117 N. Seminary Street, Florence) has agreed to host a trunk show for us the third Saturday of every month. We're very excited to have a set day for these now. Plans are in the works to book a few bands to play that night as well. We're planning on starting this one around 3pm, and the music should start around 8pm.

Artists: if you're interested in setting up with us this month, e-mail us at thearthive.al@gmail.com and let us know!

THANK YOU!

We would like to thank everyone that came out to the Roadrunner Alleycat Race today...it was a huge success! We ended up having 34 participants and an awesome time at the after party.

Special thanks to Ashton Lance for all of his planning; John Cartwright & Rivertown Coffee Company for sponsoring the event; & Eli Flippen & Pegasus Records for hosting & sponsoring the event. Also thanks go to the awesome bands that played tonight - The Bear, Feeling Positive, Janys Joplyn, & Rise Up Howlin' Werewolf.

It was incredible to have everyone's support. We can't wait for the next one!

Bike Race THIS SUNDAY!

Don't forget!!! Our Roadrunner Alleycat Race is THIS Sunday, May 23rd! Registration starts at Pegasus Records (located at 612 E. Tennessee Street) in downtown Florence at 4pm. The race starts at 5! There will be an after party once the race is over with live music by The Bear, Feeling Positive, Rise Up Howlin' Werewolf, and possibly more...music starts at 7. We'll be grilling hot dogs & hamburgers as well.

Race participants get into the after party for free, but if you'd just like to come hang out & hear the music, there will be a $5 cover.

Also, be sure to check out the article from today's Times Daily about the race!

See you Sunday!

shirts!

We have shirts in! The Roadrunner Alleycat Race shirts are $15. The design is printed on super-soft Alternative Apparel Vintage Soft tees. We ordered a small batch of them to start with and they're going fast! We'll place another order before the race.

We also ordered new Art Hive shirts...these are $15! This design is also printed on Alternative Apparel Vintage Soft tees. They will be available at all Art Hive events...if you're not local though and want one, we have a PayPal account and can mail one to you. Just be sure to let us know what size you need!

May Artist of the Month

Meet our May Artist of the Month, Shawn Wallace. His work is now hanging at Rivertown Coffee Co. in downtown Florence. Stop by and check it out!

Tell us a little about yourself...

I was born and rasied in the central Appalachian region of Virginia. I have been painting for 17 years. I started out as a sign painter but always made paintings for myself or family members. I started preaching the gospel in 2003 and I moved to Alabama in 2004 to preach for the Church of Christ that meets in Phil Campbell. I attend the Memphis College of Art and will be a graduate with a BFA in painting in May.

What materials do you use in your art? (and why?)
Most of my art is made using acrylic paint on found objects (mostly wood). I think the found objects lend themselves to the folk art aesthetic in my work and they also have a redemptive quality about them that I, as a Christian appreciate. I use collage from old magazines and books. I take anything people give me and I enjoy seeing what I can make from it.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.
My style of work is very hard to label and I really would rather not label it. Some people have called it Visionary, some Surreal, others call me a Regionalist. I just like to call it my own. My approach to painting is drawn from my unique life experiences growing up in the rural mountains of Virginia. The people, the landscape, all of it is one of the most peculiar and well preserved American cultures that still exist today that hasn't been dissolved in the proverbial melting pot of the U.S. My work is heavily story driven and reads very much like an illustration. I sketch and think a lot before I ever put brush to canvas.

What influences your art?
My life experiences and religious convictions are the two biggest influences on my work. Artists that have influenced me are Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Hart Benton, N.C. Wyeth, Mark Ryden and Red Grooms. I draw inspiration from the works of these painters, though most are very far from one another in style. It's their subject matter and honesty I relate to. I also draw influence from music, specifically that of The Avett Brothers and traditional mountain music.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art?
That not all crazy looking paintings are crazy.

What do you do when you're not making art?
I study the Bible, history and read every day. I enjoy spending time with my wife and dogs. I also enjoy architecture and seeing the country. I watch documentaries, the stranger the better and enjoy exploring new places. I collect old books and shop at thrift stores. I attend several folk art shows and when I get the opportunity I like to spend time with other artists or be alone. I find being alone a necessity for turning out a lot of work.

How can people contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?
Phone: 256-436-3581
Website: www.shawnwallaceart.com
Email: goodboyart@ymail.com

roadrunner alleycat race!

Everybody come to this! We're super-excited about this fundraiser. So far we've had prizes donated from Pegasus Records and Rivertown Coffee Company. We have a few bands lined up for the after party including The Bear & Rise Up Howlin' Werewolf...sure to be a good time!

NEXT TRUNK SHOW!!

We are having a trunk show at Rivertown Coffee Co. on April 10th! If you'd like to set up with us, PLEASE e-mail us and let us know at thearthive.al@gmail.com ! We ask that everyone provide their own tables/chairs, but if you absolutely cannot find one, let us know & we'll try to help out.

Thanks!

March Artist of the Month

Meet our March artist of the month (as well as one of our founding members), Maggie Crisler.

Tell us a little about yourself (name, affiliations, etc.)

My name is Maggie Crisler and I am a photographer & graphic designer. I graduated from the University of Alabama last May with a degree in graphic design & advertising. I moved back to Florence after 4 years in Tuscaloosa to marry my sweetheart. I'm also a barista at Rivertown Coffee Co.

What materials do you commonly use in your art (and why)?

As far as photography goes, I work mostly with my Canon 30D and Photoshop. I have an old 35mm Minolta that I still play around with from time to time. For design work, I like to stick with Adobe Illustrator. I also like to hand-print some of my design work and prefer either linoleum blocks or screenprinting. I love the slight variations and imperfections that result from hand-printing things.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.

People are most definitely my favorite subjects. I tend to talk a lot when I'm shooting...I feel it makes my subjects more comfortable. The more comfortable they are, the more natural the photos...and the closer I can get (which works well for my composites). I love shooting close so I can capture every detail possible. When designing, I spend most of my time manipulating type. I took a typography class when I was a junior in college and it ruined me. I'm a type freak now. I love design that is clean, simple & straight-forward. I suppose I feel the same about photography as well.

What influences your art?

People. The way they move, look, act, dress...everything. People fascinate me.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art?

I want them to see the beauty in the subject the same way that I do. I want them to notice all the little details that I do, and even some that I may have missed.

What do you do when you're not making art?

A fairly sizable part of my time is spent doing things for the Art Hive. I can usually be found at Rivertown - working or not working. I enjoy spending time with my husband and our Scottish Terrier, Simon...we're pretty hooked on The Office and Arrested Development. I love sewing and cooking. I spend a good deal of time with friends as well.

How can someone contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?

My website has contact info on it...please visit. www.magpie-photo.com or you can follow my blog: magpiephoto.tumblr.com

Upcoming events!

Hello everyone!

We wanted to inform you all about a few upcoming events that we would like you to participate in! We are having a general interest meeting this Thursday (Feb 25th) at 5:30 p.m. in the Visual Arts Building Rm 121 at UNA. We will be providing a few light snacks, information about what we are doing, what you can do to get more involved, and we will be there to answer any questions you may have. We know this is short notice, so we are also planning on having another general interest meeting at 5:30 pm on Thursday, March 11. It will also mostly likely be in the Visual Arts Building, but we have to get the date approved first. If the location changes, we will let you know.

We have a Draw-a-thon in the works! The date for this will be March 5th- March 6th (First Friday continuing into Saturday). This will be a 24 hour drawing event from 7 p.m. to 7 p.m. The cost will be $5 per person. Bring your friends & family and let's draw! We will have some materials provided, but you can also bring your drawing materials of choice. The money raised will go towards supplies to make this event happen and also to help us raise money to go towards our building. This event will be located at The End which is located at 106 South Pine Street Florence, AL, 35630.

Thank you all for your interest and support. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at thearthive.al@gmail.com

Next Trunk Show!

We're having our first trunk show of 2010!!! Come out & see us at Rivertown Coffee Co. next Saturday. We'll be there at 10am. Live music from Rhyal Knight, McKenzie Lockhart & Alexander the Great starts at 5!

Also, we'd like to thank everyone that helped or came out & supported us at our donation day at Wal-Mart last Saturday. Thanks to your generous contributions, you've brought us closer to the amount we need to start renovations on our building.

Artist of the Month (January/February ): Abraham Rowe

Here's our January/February artist of the month, Abraham Rowe. Stop by Rivertown Coffee Co. and take a look at the work he has on display.

Tell us a little about yourself (name, affiliations, etc.)

My name is Abraham Rowe, I am a professional freelance photographer and father of two young sons.

What materials do you commonly use in your art (and why)?

I really love all things photography from pinhole photography to film and digital. I find myself drawn to good architecture and furniture design as well as cooking. I am also beginning to learn the value of keeping a journal/sketchbook.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.

My basic approach is to document the history of everyday life. In doing that, it is my job to look at something, pull the essential elements out of it, and package it in an beautiful and interesting way.

What influences your art?

My surroundings are a huge influence on my work. A series I am working on right now is strongly influenced by observing the way my children play and how they view the world. Also, seeing the work of Robert Rausch, Billy Reid, Natalie Chanin, Gary Baker, Audwin McGee and so many others from The Shoals and knowing that it is possible to reach the world from Florence, Alabama is a huge source of inspiration for me.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art?

Art in it's most basic form is the sharing of ideas. It is my goal to keep the dialogue going in a visually interesting way.

What do you do when you're not making art?

I spend most of my time staring at a computer screen and chasing my kids. I also like to drink coffee and spend time outside, but not usually at the same time.

How can someone contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?

Check out my website: www.abrahamrowephotography.com for all of my contact information.

Newsletter for January!

Welcome to the New Year! Thank you all so much for your interest in what we are doing with The Art Hive. This is our first official newsletter and we just want to update you on what we are doing and our progress with this up and coming artist co-op.

Here are a few topics we want to share with you.


Fundraising

At this moment we are in fundraising mode. We have some great ideas in the works for January and February, and will let you all know details. We are aiming for two big fund raisers a month, at least until doors are open.

*Our big fundraiser for the month of January will be at the Walmart in Florence. We will be standing outside asking for donations and spreading the word about what we are doing. If you can donate any time to this project we would be very appreciative.

The dates of this event are January 22 & 23 (Friday and Saturday). The times are yet to be known and depend on how many volunteers we can get to help out. If you are interested PLEASE reply to this e-mail and we can let you know the times. This event is also weather permitting (so if we have a huge rain or snow storm we will reschedule).

We would also like to thank you all who have come out this past year and supported us. Your donations have been put to good use thus far, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal.


Our Mission

As most of you know, our vision is to bring workspace (private and communal) to professional and up and coming artists in the Shoals area. Along with this, we want to provide a gallery space for people to buy and sell local art work, and also to provide workshops to the community. We also want to offer this building as a venue for music and theater productions. We want our space to be your (the arts community) space.


Needs

We have already been given a gracious donation, a building! We will start working on the building soon. It needs to be brought up to code and has a lot of work that needs to be done to it. Right now we are looking at 6500 square feet to fix up.

A few of our needs for the building are...

- A plumber and licensed electrician

- 8ft and 14ft 2x4's

- People willing to come out and help with construction

- Working supplies (hammers, saws, nails, etc)

- Any monetary donations would also be very helpful (which will go towards utilities, insurance, and building supplies)


Artist of the Month

Our Artist for the month of Jan/Feb is Abraham Rowe. His work is currently hanging up at Rivertown Coffee Co. in downtown Florence, come and check it out! Also check out our blog at www.thearthive.org, where there will be information about our artist up soon!

If you are interested in being our artist of the month or hanging up your art work inside of Rivertown Coffee Co, let us know! Reply to this e-mail for more info.

Please feel free to e-mail us any time with questions! We'd also love to hear from you if you have a desire to volunteer your time and are willing to invest into bringing this vision into it’s fullness. Thank you again for your time, support and interest.

Happy New Year from The Hive!

Hey guys!

Sorry it's a week late, but we'd just like to say Happy New Year!

After taking a break for the holidays, we are back in action.

Be on the look-out for updates about fundraisers, events, and a general interest meeting sometime in February!

-The Art Hive