Living History along America’s Scenic Byways originally published via The Citizen of East Alabama | 2013 Autumn leaves began their parade as the car hugged each curve along the Crooked Road. The Crooked Road is in fact a crooked road which winds its way through Virginia, crossing the Tennessee line near Damascus. In my opinion, it’s one of the best places to take in early fall colors. The colors drift.. Read More

Bookends | Art Walks This morning I began arranging various images, pinning them to the studio wall which flank my latest works in mid-progression. For each new work the studio undergoes a new and different metamorphosis before the painting can begin. Through this “nesting phase,” I collect articles, compose sketches and print selections from my photo journals, and establish a series of related images, all of which appear on this.. Read More

The records are significant. Drop the needle and the first six songs spin. Universally they evoke resonant sentiments for the listeners. Blessed are the songwriters, who wear their heart in their sleeve, also the poets, the artists, and any who sacrifice their own vulnerability for honest artistry. It was Ernest Hemingway who said, “there is nothing to writing, all you do is sit down to a typewriter and bleed.” As.. Read More

Jim Avett Original Writings | Premiere Exhibition A rare exhibition of original writings honoring the release of Jim Avett’s highly anticipated new album,”For His Children and Ours.” On behalf of the Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, I’m honored to present the first exhibition of its kind, celebrating Jim Avett and his masterful gift of storytelling through song. Visit the Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art in May 2017 for.. Read More

The light of the sunrise is softened by sheer curtains; it bathes the ceiling, painted in a hue of powder-blue. Beneath it I feel immersed. The air is cool and the silhouette of nearby ridges are just greening. Winter came and went a week ago. Snow and ice halted Spring’s early blooms. Naked trees expose ground cover, last season’s leaves are dry umber. I toss back the crisp white linens,.. Read More

Tulip borders are abloom, scarlet petals compliment yellow daffodils. Cherry Blossoms and Japanese Magnolia’s lace garden paths. Azaleas proclaim signs of Spring are evident, and I cannot resist this opportunity to savor them. Early days of March are unpredictable. The sun invites one to disrobe, shed the layers and drink in the warmth; while chilling breezes send us right back indoors, reaching for sweaters and coats. Much like the seedlings.. Read More

The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art presents An Evening with Jim Avett –Album Release Day Show– As part of the The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art’s 3rd Annual Cultural Arts Enrichment Event, we are honored to host a return show for our dear friend, and songwriter extraordinaire, Jim Avett. We welcome our community and fellow arts appreciators to join us for An Evening with Jim Avett, Friday May.. Read More

Art Walks  Studio & Sanctuary It is with tremendous joy and appreciation that the Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art is honored to announce a new page in the book that our Art Life is writing. Introducing, Art Walks, a CTV BEAM production in collaboration with Sarah West and The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, Smiths Station, Alabama’s destination for Continued Fine Arts Education. Join Art Walks for a journey into.. Read More

  Another trip around the sun, a planetary orbit shifts. Stars align as I work feverishly into the night. At a frantic pace I write of things as they come. An impending deluge of thought, ideas pour in and I attempt to record them all before they are gone. They are all tied together. Like the magician’s silk scarf, one idea lends itself to another. Seemingly endless is this renaissance… Read More

Have you ever tried to photograph a sunset only to find that the still image doesn’t near capture the essence of the moment as it is lived? In the recent year, I almost given up the notion of photographing a sunset. Instead, I savor the westward drive home. As the sun dips nearer to the horizon, exhilarating hues streak the sky and kiss the trees like Parrish’s brushwork. This time.. Read More