Three things Alabamians have traditionally loved throughout time came together in support of the local art community Friday. The Art, Music and Moonshine Art Show at Perch Jewelry Studio presented the local art community two new artists to tweet about.
The studio held its second art show in their jewelry studio, where on a day to day basis their primary focus is giving people an opportunity to express themselves through unique jewelry hand made by consumers or staff at the studio. The proprietors at the studio recently took on showcasing local art, starting last month with a show of Mary Ann Casey's art.
Mary Ann Casey is a dear friend of and works closely with Barbara Birdsong, the owner of Perch Jewelry Studio. Casey said she believes the event is all about elevating new artists.
"It's not about age or gender," Casey said. "It's all about a coming together of ages. It's about communicating artistically and empowering people to be all that they can be and embracing their gifts. It's about inspiring creativity, plants, architecture and things in all forms and about community coming together to do it."
The art community gathered at the jewelry studio and its shabby chic back lot to hear the sounds of singer Nathan Coker and explore the artwork of Alex Lazzari and ceramic artist Po Wiese.
Lazzari is an Auburn University graduate and native of Fairhope, Ala. His collection of stippling art titled "Nothing and All" was featured at Art, Music and Moonshine. Lazzari said the collection was inspired by his surroundings, music and spirituality.
Lazzari lived across the street from Perch during his time at Auburn, where he said he became familiar with the small strip of businesses and became friends with the Birdsong family through seeing them in the community.
"It has a lot to do with the music by Sleeping at Last," Lazzari said. "I listened to it the whole time I did this project. This was my senior thesis. It's what I was inspired to do because I thought that it was really deeply connected to who I am and how I came up."
Po Wiese was the featured ceramics artist in the showcase. He was introduced to ceramics as a child when his mother taught ceramics at the mental health center in Lee County.
"The newest stuff was inspired by one single bowl from 10th century Iran," Wiese said. "I'm just inspired by so many things. I'm inspired by things I can't afford so I just make them myself." His showcased ceramics collection featured a blue, turquoise and brown color scheme. "Blue is an underglaze and it flows, and that's what I like," Weise said. "For some reason it runs more and I like the fact that it runs because it's more painterly and it's more unpredictable. They're more fun like that."
Many of the pieces are functional art spanning from vases to bowls, smaller trinkets, plates and more.
The ceramics and artwork from this show will be on display for the rest of the month. The Birdsongs and their supporters said they are surprised at the successful turnouts of the past two showings and hope to potentially make this a regular occurring.
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