9 minute read
Liz Lane Gallery: Now Open in Bluff Park
ARTS CULTURE&
A MOVEMENT IN HUES
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Ross Bridge’s Liz Lane opens a new gallery in Bluff Park with a goal to create “art for the modern life.”
BY HEATHER JONES SKAGGS PHOTOS BY BLAIR RAMSEY
PPacking up an entire art gallery and moving to a new location is hectic. Still, Liz Lane Bryan says she found more than a silver lining in her gallery’s story and a new home in the historic community of Bluff Park in Hoover. After storm damage to her beloved gallery of five years in Homewood, Liz and her collective of artists had to find a new space somewhat quickly. A location closer to her family’s home in Ross Bridge was ideal. Liz discovered a vacancy in Bluff Park Village for her new studio home, which opened in July. The carefully curated space is full of pieces the artist would love to hang in her home. Liz compares her new gallery to opening the pages of a crisp book and being introduced to a new adventure, going into a place where art is created and sold as you experience the story.
“I don’t want the art in my gallery to feel off limits to anyone. I love for people coming in to be interactive and ask questions. I want kids to come in and be curious with their creativity,” she says.
The love of art runs in the Lane family. Liz grew up in her mom’s galleries, The Renaissance Gallery in downtown Northport and the Liz Charles Gallery in downtown Tuscaloosa. According to Liz, constant exposure to a group of professional artists was the best education and fundamental in developing her own voice in art.
You’ll often find Liz front and center, working on
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As we reflect on the past year and on those who have helped us to shape our business, Three Sixty is overwhelmed with gratitude for you - our clients, our community, our family and friends. We are so blessed and grateful to be in this lovely community! We wish you a very happy Christmas Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity!
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a new creation that will adorn the gallery walls. “I’m so extroverted! So painting around people, having an open and interactive studio space adds to the experience,” she explains.
The soft hues of grays, pinks, greens and yellows bring life to the abstract creations that seem to move across the studio’s walls. “Sometimes I don’t know what a painting will look like before it’s done, because the moment I’m working in influences everything. I’m pulling in the emotions of the moment. There is a story, but it is not linear. There is no defined beginning or end, but perhaps that’s the most honest approach to understanding life,” Liz says.
Along with Liz, the gallery hosts a group of contemporary female artists with a collection that includes paintings, ceramics and jewelry, including Liz’s mom, Lorrie Lane, a painter. “Much of our art is abstract, but if you ask, I have a narrative behind each piece,” Liz says. “I always ask our artists what inspired their work, so I try to be like a librarian in that regard.”
Represented in the gallery you will also find the works of Joan Curtis of Vestavia Hills; Kellie Newsome from Columbus, Georgia; Anne Corhern of Mountain Brook; Jennifer Chaney of Birmingham and Karen Davis from Nashville, Tennessee.
Liz says that “these women are wonderful. Some have been painting their entire lives, which is truly a passion. I always ask myself, ‘Why do I care?’ When choosing art, these painters make me and our customers care. It isn’t just art to fill a wall; it’s the art that makes a wall.”
With a full gallery, Liz says she hopes customers find that unique piece for their homes. “I always advise people first and foremost to buy art that they love. Art can make you feel things you don’t know and teach you about yourself. So, find a piece that moves you.”
Another recommendation Liz gives is to try art on approval first, especially with large pieces. That means bringing the selection home and ensuring it works for you and your family in your space before purchasing it. “Often, it’s good to try it out first. We offer a lot of smaller pieces that are super easy to place, but for our larger works, it can help to try it for a few days first.”
For the aspiring artists, Liz says she likes to encourage people who want to start to ‘just start.’ “Make art; it’s the only way to learn. If you can’t figure out where to start, think back to your childhood, where you were less likely to think about how things should be and were more likely to imagine. Get your head in that space. Open yourself up to play. That looks completely different for everyone, but there you have it; that’s where you invent and create things that are unique to you.”
Liz hopes her business will attract other small businesses to the area and add more cultural awareness to the city. “Several people and families in the Hoover area are now proud owners of paintings from our group of artists after attending our open house,” she explains. “I love wandering around areas full of local businesses. I especially want girls to know that they can run and manage their own business and all kids to know they can make a good living as artists. Lead by example, and I hope this is an example of what can happen when you listen to your instincts and play, dream and build community.” IS PROUD TO WELCOME TO OUR EXPERT TEAM OF PHYSICIANS
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Winter in the Gardens
With the long, hot summer of 2022 fully behind us, we are enjoying the beautiful fall colors of late autumn and early winter here at Aldridge Gardens. The Doggett Japanese Maple Trail is sure to fascinate all of Aldridge Gardens’ visitors, who enjoy the rich colors of this time of year. The more than 60 unique varieties of maples strategically located about the grounds afford some breathtaking views. Going into their third autumn, the maples should be “strutting-their-stuff” this year along with the other plants on our beautiful grounds. Watch our social media feeds for the “Ginkgo Update”-a near daily report on the incredible golden display of our ginkgo tree. Remember: ginkgo trees usually drop their leaves all at once!
As the Christmas holiday season nears, don’t forget the events and opportunities at Aldridge Gardens. This year, our annual Greenery Sale coincides with Gifts of Art. Gifts of Art, which is a one-day-only event, begins on Thursday, Dec. 1, and the Greenery Sale starts on that same day and ends at noon on Saturday, Dec. 3.
Gifts of Art has quickly become a Birmingham and Hoover holiday tradition. Our 7th Gifts of Art will have some of the artists you have come to enjoy along with new ones, offering gift ideas to meet even the most discerning shoppers. Give a truly unique gift this year, a gift of art!
The Greenery Sale will be a 3-day-long affair this year, starting on the Thursday of Gifts and running until noon on Saturday,
Dec. 3. This year, we will have our usual assortment of beautiful greenery, but we will also have wreath frames and mailbox covers. Some “starter” wreaths—partially made to be customized and finished by you—will also be available! We will also have ribbon and bows. Plan to come to the Gardens on Thursday, Dec. 1 and enjoy Gifts of Art, shop for your fresh greenery and kick December off in style this year!
The city of Hoover is blessed with two outstanding venues to hold holiday gatherings—Aldridge Gardens and the Hoover-Randle Home. Both offer incredible opportunities for holiday parties, each unique, each fully decorated and each flexible enough to handle parties of all sizes.
Contact Amanda Baker at 205-759-6554 or by email at amanda.baker@ hooveralabama.gov today and book your events—dates are filling up rapidly. Don’t wait!
On behalf of the staffs at both Aldridge Gardens and the Hoover-Randle Home, we wish you all a happy holiday season!
From Our CEO
Over the past few months, we have been very busy, painting the Aldridge House and the Gatehouse inside and out. We hope you enjoy the new colors and touches we have added!
For a very active venue like Aldridge Gardens, it is quite interesting to see how the painters get in and out during our ongoing events. But, they did it with such an expertise that we hardly knew they were here, and the results are just beautiful.
In addition to our winter weddings that are planned, we get to host many holiday parties for families, as well as corporations, too. The festivities seem to never end!
Our visitor numbers continue to increase during winter months as local residents entertain their holiday visitors by bringing them to Hoover’s Aldridge Gardens. As a reminder, we are open daily with no admission charge and encourage everyone to stop by for a visit.
We will host our 7th annual Gifts of Art on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., featuring one-of-a-kind gift items from local artists. Along with Gifts of Art, we will have our annual winter greenery sale. The greenery sale has fresh cut greenery for the holidays available as well.
From our Aldridge Gardens’ team, we hope that you and your families have wonderful holidays and find time to visit Aldridge Gardens during this special season.
