14 minute read
The Guide
THE 59TH ANNUAL BLUFF PARK ART SHOW
OCT. 1 9 A.M.-5 P.M. Hoover Metropolitan Complex
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Calling all artists and enthusiasts! The Bluff Park Art Show is not only back again this year, but it also is being held for the first time ever at the Hoover Met. More than 130 artists will be featured at this event, and 40 artists are newcomers to the show! Admittance is free, and this event is open to the public. Food, drinks and hands-on, family-friendly activities will be available, too. Learn more at bluffparkartassociation.org.
Hoover High School Varsity Football
The Hoover Bucs are gearing up to dominate this fall! Come out to support them!
AUG. 26: vs. Bartlett SEPT. 2: vs. Spain Park SEPT. 9: vs. Vestavia Hills SEPT. 16: at. Hewitt-Trussville SEPT. 23 at Mountain Brook SEPT. 30: at Oak Mountain OCT. 7: vs. Tuscaloosa County OCT. 14: vs. Chelsea OCT. 21: at Thompson
SEPT. 24
Head Over Teal 5K & 10K
8-11 A.M. The Preserve
The 13th annual Head Over Teal 5k/10k is back, benefitting the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation. Participants can run, walk or stroll to the finish line. Food, drinks and family-friendly activities will be available for participants and sponsors after the event concludes. For more information, visit thinkoflaura.org/headoverteal.
THURSDAYS THROUGHOUT THE FALL
Trivia Night Brock’s Gap Brewing Company
SEPT. 8 Wild at Heart Fundraiser & Gala Birmingham Zoo
SEPT. 9-11 Alabama State 9-Ball Championship Bumpers Billiards
SEPT. 11 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony & Patriot Day Celebration Vestavia Hills City Hall
SEPT. 15 PJ Storytime Hoover Public Library
SEPT. 18 Bacon and Blues Fest Riverchase Galleria Parking Lot
SEPT. 19 Death on the Nile Movie Showing Hoover Public Library
SEPT. 23-24 Homewood High School Patriot Band 50th Reunion Homewood High School & Surrounding Areas
SEPT. 24 Samford University vs. Western Carolina Samford University
SEPT. 28 Mary J Blige Presented by Legacy Arena
SEPT. 29-OCT. 2 Antiques at the Gardens Birmingham Botanical Gardens
OCT. 4 Homewood Chamber Golf Classic Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley
OCT. 6 Taste of Hoover Aldridge Gardens
OCT. 7 Black Jacket Symphony: Saturday Night Fever Presented by BJCC Concert Hall
OCT. 8 Samford University vs. Wofford Samford University
OCT. 8 Jimmie Hale Mission Rescue Run 5K & 10K Downtown Homewood
OCT. 13-15 The 49th Annual Greek Food Festival Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral
OCT. 24-25 The Beauty of God: Preaching, Worship and the Arts Conference Samford University
OCT. 29 Halloween Havoc Half Marathon Oak Mountain State Park
OCT. 29 Greta Van Fleet: Dreams in Gold Tour Presented by Legacy Arena
OCT. 29 Halloween Bar Crawl Steel Gastropub
OCT. 29-31 Back to Broadway Presented by Red Mountain Theatre
OCT. 30 2022 Annual Witches Ride benefitting the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Beginning at Homewood Central Park
Spain Park High School Varsity Football
Come out and cheer on the Jags as they play to shut out their opponents!
AUG. 26: at Briarwood Christian SEPT. 2: at Hoover SEPT. 9 at Thompson SEPT. 16 vs. Vestavia Hills SEPT. 30 vs. Tuscaloosa County OCT. 7: at Chelsea OCT. 14: vs. Hewitt-Trussville OCT. 21: vs. Oak Mountain OCT. 27: at Pelham
SEPT. 15
11:15 A.M.-1 P.M. Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel
Join the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce for its monthly luncheon, featuring ABC 33/40 Chief Meteorologist James Spann! James will address the state of the city and speak on a variety of topics, and the chamber will also recognize new members, too. Networking begins at 11:15 a.m., and lunch will be served at noon. Reservations are $25. To register, visit https://business. hooverchamber.org/events/details/hoover-areachamber-of-commerce-september-luncheon-1610.
NOV. 16-19
Market Noel
The Finley Center
Hosted by the Junior League of Birmingham, Market Noel showcases more than 100 merchants’ work, including handmade items, art, jewelry, artifacts and more. All of which will make great holiday gifts. This event’s hours are Thursday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 18 from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Learn more about the Junior League of Birmingham’s mission and this holiday shopping extravaganza at marketnoel.net.
SEPT. 29-OCT. 1
Vintage Market Days of Birmingham
The Finley Center
Vintage Market Days is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Don’t miss this opportunity to shop local vendors showcasing vintage goods, antiques, handmade luxuries, art, jewelry, holiday gifts and more. Interior decorators, residential designers, house artists and others will also be displaying home designs and room props for your viewing pleasure. This is an indoor event, and service animals are permitted. Children under 12 are allowed free admittance. To stay updated on this event, visit https://vintagemarketdays.com/market/ birmingham/
ARTS CULTURE&
MINI MASTERPIECES
This one-of-a-kind art collection must be seen to be believed.
BY LAUREN H. DOWDLE PHOTOS BY EVELYN ADAMS
WWhat began as a hobby that sometimes got Karen Libecap scolded as a child has led to a full-time passion, awards and a stunning collection of tiny works of art. “When I was little, I would always draw really small and write my name really small—and get in trouble in school for it,” Karen says. That interest in tiny things began when she was a child and has only grown since. Her grandfather owned a print shop where her father worked after his day job as an engineer. The typesetting there was done by hand compositing, and each character or symbol was a small piece of metal.
Karen’s job at the shop was to file the tiny pieces when they were finished with them—partly because she was the only one who could see them well enough. In between filing, she would gather leftover scraps of paper to write stories and draw on.
With those, she began creating her first collection of tiny art—and her love for all things small was born. But her passion for art had already been ingrained in her.
“My mom was an artist—she painted, knitted, sculpted, everything—so I grew up around that,”
MEET THE ARTIST
As more events start back following the pandemic, Karen says she’s enjoyed participating in art shows and tries to do as many as she can. “I didn’t realize before doing the shows how important it was to meet the artist,” she says. “I’m not a fan of being front and center, but doing the shows helped make me more personable and put myself out there.” Residents can see Karen and her work at the Bluff Park Art Show on Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. She will also be at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts from Oct. 15-16 at Kentuck Park in Northport, Alabama. “I’ve met so many people and heard positive responses that have been helpful and keep me doing what I’m doing,” she says.
-Karen Libecap
she says. “She was always encouraging me to follow my passion.”
After high school, Karen planned to go into illustration but ended up earning a degree in graphic design from Kent State University. But after college, getting married, having three children and working as an art director in several large cities, she set aside her paint and drifted away from art.
That changed after she got divorced and reconnected with her high school sweetheart in 2009. He asked her why she had stopped drawing, and soon after, she decided to start painting again. When she first started back, she focused on traditional-sized pieces.
But halfway through one of those projects, she would want to move on to something else. She decided to go back to her “little” roots and create a tiny piece of art—and it worked. The miniature size held her attention and allowed her to finish many of the pieces during one sitting.
“It was a natural thing for me,” Karen says. “I can put as much detail in them as I want.”
She now uses watercolors, gouache and oils to create paintings that are 1.25-by-1.25 inches or smaller—and a very tiny brush. The process takes a great deal of patience and attention to detail, so it’s not surprising few artists create tiny paintings.
She tries to add as much detail as she can to each one, with pieces now taking her anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days to complete. “It started out like therapy,” Karen says. “I would just get lost in the painting. I had no idea it would take off like it
would.”
Some of her hyper-realistic tiny paintings include a grouping of Fisher Price Little People, cheeseballs, album covers, drinks and characters. She only creates 20 prints of each painting, so once a design sells out, it’s gone. Each original piece gives her the opportunity to let her creativity run wild.
“I love that I can be quirky and random. When you look at my collection, it’s like walking inside my head,” she says. “The ones I choose to paint, I can connect with in one way or another. Maybe it’s a favorite toy or my brother’s favorite food. I pick something that connects with me.”
While she hasn’t kept any of her paintings, she did come close once. “There was one of a jar of pickles, and I just really liked how it turned out,” Karen recalls. “I’d decided if it didn’t sell at the show, I’d keep it. But then a guy came running up to my tent at the end and said, ‘Please tell me you still have the pickles,’ and he bought it.”
She didn’t truly realize how important those interactions and art shows were until the pandemic hit and cancelled them. “Because the pieces are so small, it’s hard to take a good picture of them,” she says. “They’re something you have to see in person to really appreciate.”
So, she began creating larger abstract landscapes and portraits during that time, but her true love remained with her tiny paintings. As more art shows and events began opening back up, Karen
took full advantage of those opportunities.
That has also included attending art festivals, where she recently won best of show. She took home the award at the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival in Texas this past spring for her miniature paintings.
“I’m still in shock people like it so much. It’s relatable to a lot of people,” Karen says. “They’re affordable pieces of art that people can connect with—and they make great gifts.”
When she isn’t painting tiny artwork for shows and festivals, she also accepts commissioned projects. Her commissioned pieces include a lot of pet artwork, though she has had more unique requests—like a latte machine and defibrillator.
No matter what she’s crafting, each piece requires her to solve an equation to fit so much detail on such a small canvas. “When I paint, I look at it as a math problem—as one part is in relationship to another,” she says. “If I’m off one dot, it will change everything.”
While her canvas may be small, the possibilities of what she can create are anything but.
“I love that I can pretty much paint whatever I want to,” Karen says. “It’s unlimited.”
To view or purchase her pieces, visit karenlibecap.com. Her prints can also be found locally at Thomas Andrew Art in Homewood and The Grand Bohemian Art Gallery in Mountain Brook.
Fall in the Gardens
Fall cannot get to Hoover fast enough this year. This summer’s heat will soon yield to those glorious, crisp, cool autumn nights, and what better way to spend one of those evenings than at Taste of Hoover? This has grown into THE premier fall event for the metro area, and the 2022 event looks like it will top all previous efforts! The line-up of Hoover eateries, beverage vendors and caterers is outstanding, with more than 30 booths scheduled. Live entertainment returns this year as well. And, as we always say, if you leave Taste hungry, there is something wrong—there is food for even the most discerning palette! Taste of Hoover 2022 is Thursday, Oct. 6 from 5-8 p.m. (Oct. 13 rain date) “under the stars” at beautiful Aldridge Gardens. Tickets are available on the Aldridge Gardens website, aldridgegardens.com, or those interested can call Janet Abernathy at 205-739-6553. This event has been a HARD sell-out in recent years, so get your tickets early!
This year’s holiday season kicks into full gear with the 7th annual Gifts of Art, which is on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Quickly becoming a Hoover holiday tradition, Gifts of Art (GOA) features unique, one-of-a-kind gift items from local artists. From handmade jewelry and glass items to fabric to hanging art— GOA has an incredible array of gift items. All are reasonably priced, too. Why fight the crowds at the stores when GOA has something for everyone on your Christmas list? The addition of our new tent on the rear patio of the Aldridge House has enabled us to expand our artist line-up this year, so plan to visit the Gardens, shop and have some cookies and cider to kick off the
Christmas season!
Speaking of kicking off the season, while at GOA, visit our Annual Greenery Sale! This year’s Greenery Sale will be three days—Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and until noon on Saturday. Our greenery is always fresh-cut days before. We have a wide assortment of different plants for holiday decorating, including holly, elaeagnus, pine, cedar, juniper, ivy and viburnum, including boughs with berries. Before your “butcher” you own shrubs, visit the Aldridge Gardens Greenery Sale!
As you mark your calendars with these dates, also remember that it is not too early to plan your holiday parties! Both Aldridge Gardens and the Hoover-Randle Home and Gardens are the perfect venues for your holiday get-together, with a variety of settings at both facilities for whatever size gathering you have in mind. Spaces at both facilities fill quickly during the holiday season, so call Amanda Baker at 205-739-6554 and book your space before time runs out! As we close out 2022, the staff at Aldridge Gardens wishes you a joyful and merry holiday season!
From Our CEO
Fall in the Gardens is amazing. Summer camps are over and school has started, and with that there is a majestic quietness that happens in the Gardens.
The weather is starting to change, and that allows our visitors to have cooler early morning walks and late evening strolls to see the fall flowers blooming and leaves changing throughout our 31-acre Gardens.
Fall celebrations are on everyone’s mind, and our annual Taste of Hoover is planned and ready to take place on Oct. 6, 2022. We have more than 26 Hoover restaurants, caterers and vendors signed up to put on a big food show.
Our event sells out every year and is a great fundraiser for Aldridge Gardens. If you haven’t gotten your tickets, they are available at aldridgegardens. com.
Aldridge Gardens and our sister venue, the Hoover Randle House and Gardens, are both ready to take your reservations for your holiday parties. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the perfect months to book your family and corporate celebrations at one of Hoover’s best venues.
It is also the time of the year that we like to thank you, our supporters and volunteers, for everything you do throughout the year.
Happy fall from all of us to you.
