As cold, dreary weather sets into the South, visitors and locals alike escape into the bold, bright colors of Auburn-Opelika Tourism’s office art gallery on North Gay Street. Over 20 artists contributed roughly 150 paintings to share stories and encapsulate the beauty found within the local community.
AO Tourism Communications Manager Cat Bobo brought her love of art to the bare office walls when the company moved to Downtown Auburn last October. Since the office is located in a high-traffic area, showcasing art was the perfect opportunity to support local artists and promote the organization's location.
“What makes us special is that we charge no commission, and a buyer is able to pay the artist directly. We make no profit off of it; we are simply here to enhance the visitor experience, as well as the quality of life in our destination for our residents,” Bobo said.
Bobo began by inviting artists she knew to showcase their work on her walls. Soon, artists reached out to her directly, and recommendations for new talent fluttered into her inbox.
One of the artists featured is Randall Bartlett, a local watercolorist from Mobile, Ala. whose work reflects the beauty of the state. Bartlett studied industrial design at Auburn University and returned as a professor after 13 years in the industry.
His industrial design background is seen in his home portraits, but it is his bold watercolor seascapes and landscapes that grace the office walls with their southern charm.
“I have about four or five pieces there. If I have an art show somewhere, I may go grab some of the paintings to take to an art show, and if I sell them, I’ll swap them out or bring different work,” Bartlett said.
He recounted that all he did was send images of his paintings to Bobo, and she gladly accepted his work.
Lauren Duncan, another artist and one of Bobo's friends, is a gallery artist and an Opelika native who paints her prayers. She stated that God created her to create.
Her family owns J&M Bookstore in downtown Auburn, so her Auburn-specific art began with Tigers Unlimited and J&M. She watercolors Aubie portraits found on cards, stickers and even t-shirts.
Through J&M, she started a local market store and met Bobo. Duncan described Bobo as a lover and supporter of art and a great customer. Bobo reached out to Duncan to contribute to the gallery.
“She has done a great job with it," Duncan said. "It is a great thing for our community, and they have a great space and a great platform, and I’m very grateful for that opportunity and for what they’re doing.”
Along with Aubie paintings, Duncan’s abstract art is a depiction of her prayers. She uses painting as prayer time with the Lord. In hard times, she recounts that it is a place for her to process life. She paints dark strokes first and then puts light back into it, symbolizing her belief in God’s ability to make good out of hard times.
Duncan published a girls’ painting devotional book that teaches young girls how to paint their prayers and talk to the Lord through art. She wants to teach them that art can be a great outlet for stress.
She also painted a series of quilt paintings to honor her grandmother, who was a quilter. After she passed, she saw the Lord work in amazing ways and sew different aspects of her life together. She calls them her “Holy Spirit Quilts,” which hang in the art gallery as well.
“I just think the art gallery is a great addition to our city," Duncan said. "As Auburn grows and changes, there’s always going to be new things, and I’m just really grateful for Cat and her team and how they bring people together and show off our city.”
Auburn native Katy Doss also paints abstract paintings with her own clever twist in the titles. As the owner of both a local marketing and design firm, Here Molly Girl, and a nationwide landscaping firm called Script, Doss uses art as an outlet from the stress of running two businesses.
She initially picked up painting again during COVID-19, beginning with florals. She later moved on to abstracts with humorous titles. In efforts to take life less seriously, Doss keeps a running list on her phone of statements she finds funny.
From “Claps When the Plane Lands” to “Let’s Slip Into our Drinking Trousers,” her painting titles are anything but boring. The AO Tourism coworkers love reading her new titles when they see her abstracts on the walls.
Doss stated that she loves having her paintings in the office.
“I get people emailing me, saying they went in there for a meeting and saw [my work]. So I love having it in there,” Doss said.
Whether visitors come in to plan their next Auburn adventure or simply wander the halls of AO Tourism, the gallery invites them to slow down and see the city through the eyes of its people. Each painting captures a story–of the natural beauty of Alabama, of faith and of humor.
For Bobo and her team, that is exactly the point: to make the Auburn-Opelika Tourism office feel like more than a stop for brochures. It is a place where community meets creativity, and local artists get the chance to shine.
As Amy Winehouse would say, "why don't you come on over" to the gallery?
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Betsy Nearn, junior majoring in public relations, is from Memphis, Tennessee. She has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the fall of 2025.
