Spotlight on Studio By The Tracks Artists Featured in BPL Exhibition

Ken O'Loughlin, Rainbow Houses, acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"

Birmingham, Ala.  - If you haven’t yet visited the exhibition featuring works by artists from Studio By The Tracks, now is the time! A World in a Grain of Sand is reaching its final days at the Birmingham Public Library and will be open to the public through the end of the day on Saturday, June 1. The show is on display in the First Floor Gallery at downtown’s Central Library

Studio By The Tracks is a nonprofit community arts studio that has been serving artists with autism for 35 years. A World in a Grain of Sand showcases works in various media by 29 of SBTT’s artists. The works originate from the Studio’s core adult program, which serves more than 50 artists weekly from the greater Birmingham area.

All pieces in the exhibition are for sale. Your purchase supports SBTT and its artists, who receive 60% of all sales of their work. Following is a sampling of works on display in A World in a Grain of Sand, along with information about the artists.

Ross Bullwinkle, Saint Timothy the Apostle, colored pencil on paper, 16” x 12”

Ross Bullwinkle draws exclusively religious-themed art, usually in the tradition of Byzantine icons. He also creates renderings of Bible stories and “Gospel Man,” his original comic book character. He is a man of deep faith and prides himself on an extensive knowledge of the Bible, church history, religious art, and the Hebrew and Greek languages. In the studio, he is serious and diligent about his work, which reflects his commitment to these themes.

Tynesha Coleman, Red Hot Standing Knot, clay and acrylic

 William Gosha, Fred Sanford – Portrait, ink on paper, 14” x 11”

Tynesha Carlton follows her instinct, usually letting the materials take the lead. She works in any medium that suits her vision, including clay, metal, fabric, and paint. When working three-dimensionally, her organic shapes might appear random but are actually the unique result of an intentional process. Tynesha has grown tremendously during her time at SBTT and has started work on a degree in a creative field.

William Gosha has been an artist at the Studio for well over a decade, but he has been a visual artist his whole life. Themes of love, connection, strength, and nostalgia run through his work. The work also features icons of popular culture – particularly from the 1960s – and a rich vocabulary of personal symbols that have evolved over a lifetime. Images such as horses, cowboys, cars, stars, spaceships, and upside-down people appear over and over again, defining William's distinct creative voice. His artwork never stops inspiring fans with its honest exploration of the world around us.

Linda Cooper, Bronze Ladies on Blue, mixed-media collage, 18” x 24”

Linda Cooper has been an artist at the Studio for over 20 years. She discovered her talent for drawing later in life, and her innate style has refined itself over time. She is fascinated by fashion and figures, especially wedding dresses and brides. While Linda occasionally paints a still life or animal portrait, most of her work centers around the figure of a woman. Regardless of subject, her work is always characterized by bold, fearless lines.

Robert “Bebo” Davis, Portrait of a Person acrylic and watercolor on paper, 24” x 18”

Robert “Bebo” Davis has a wry sense of humor that clearly comes through in his artwork. Not afraid of a bold palette or a little whimsy, his work reflects his energetic nature and hints at the influence of comics and animation. Some of his favorite subjects are animals, insects, superheroes, and community helpers such as policemen and firefighters.

Patricia Hefner, Flock of Birds, mixed-media collage on canvas, 24” x 30”

Birds are Patricia “Trish” Hefner’s passion. Her knowledge is encyclopedic, and her devotion comes through in every clear line and confident brush stroke. Her clean, graphic style is accompanied by a bold color sense and minimal aesthetic.

Mychal Hicks, Charese Smith, acrylic on canvas, 16” x 20”

Mychal Hicks has been working at the Studio since 2005 and primarily creates portraits of his friends and family. Every portrait is a multi-step process beginning with establishing a relationship, capturing his subject on camera, and then bringing him or her to life with his own style. He interviews his subjects to include biographical information in his compositions, layering this text on the background of each work. In his portraits, he shares the lives of his personal community, offering the viewer a window into his relationships and his creative process. He also has an in-depth knowledge of games shows and fast food, which often finds its way into his work in delightful and surprising ways.

Monika Woody, Bronze, Blue, and Green acrylic and graphite on canvas, 48” x 48”

Monika Woody is decisive and confident in the studio. This is evident in her strong lines, bold shapes, and fearless use of color. Although Monika is mostly non-verbal, her opinions and inherent creativity are evident in her active working style, dynamic abstract images, and mischievous sense of humor.

A World in a Grain of Sand is one of the most recent exhibitions in BPL’s visual arts series Art for Everyone, which débuted in January. Art for Everyone is made possible by a grant awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library.

By Margaret Splane| Library Asistant III Community Engagement & Fundraising