Wiregrass Museum of Art

The Wiregrass Museum of Art inspires a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts by providing innovative educational programs that engage diverse audiences through the collection and exhibition of quality works. As a cultural anchor, the Wiregrass Museum of Art inspires creativity to enhance the everyday lives of its community and leads the regional conversation on the importance of the arts.

Exhibits

B22: Wiregrass Biennial
July 22 - September 24, 2022
The Wiregrass Biennial is a juried exhibition open to all artists living and working in the Southeast over 18 years of age. WMA’s call for artists began in December 2021 for submissions of original work completed within the last three years, and yielded a record number of applications from artists, which were juried by three regional arts professionals: Meredith Lynn, curator of the Museum of Fine Arts and director of Galleries for the College of Fine Arts at Florida State University; Tina Ruggieri, assistant curator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts; and Daniel White, director of the Paul R. Jones Museum of American Art, and the director of The University Gallery at The University of Alabama. B22: Wiregrass Biennial is a survey of works being created by artists from across the Southeast region, and the group show strengthens the arts community in the Southeast by bringing regional emerging and established contemporary artists to a local Wiregrass audience. For area residents and visitors, this year’s biennial will continue to build on the museum’s reputation for showcasing work from artists from different backgrounds through diverse mediums – from painting and sculpture, to installation and multimedia, large-scale works, and more – offering visitors the opportunity to learn from and connect with the art and artists of our time.

Mary Ann Sampson: Puppets and Poetry
July 22 - December 31, 2022
Puppets and Poetry is a holistic exploration of “the book.” Artist Mary Ann Sampson gives us a look inside and outside the book, guiding us through her process from conception to completion. From codex books to moveable books, Puppets and Poetry examines the origins and techniques of various book structures and bookmaking styles, encompassing six different types of book techniques and structures. This exhibition relays the prevailing themes that Sampson’s books embody – the puppets that she creates and the cadence of the written word of poets.

Make Others See: Selected Works from WMA’s Teaching Artists
June 8, 2022 - January 1, 2023
Degas once said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” The same sentiment is true of educators as they teach us how to see, how to think, and how to learn. They also make us see our talent and true potential when we have failed to see it in ourselves. This is their greatest gift. This exhibition celebrates the work of WMA’s nine teaching artists: Aimee Burr, Amelia Ferrell, Sarah Ivey, Jennifer McCohnell, Brook McGinnis, Kira Nichols, Brandon Rice, Orran Christopher Scruggs, and Alexandria Turner. This diverse array of mediums and subject matter will inspire you to make others see your creative spirit and, perhaps, to sign up for a class from one of these gifted teaching artists!

Selections from the Permanent Collection
Ongoing
Founded in 1987, the Wiregrass Museum of Art is dedicated to inspiring a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts by providing innovative educational programs, access to its permanent collection, and a diverse schedule of exhibitions each year. WMA’s programs engage a diverse audience of all ages, through the interpretation of the the Museum’s primary collection, which includes American fine, decorative, and design arts from the early twentieth century to the present. With over 1100 objects, the Museum’s Collections consist primarily of works on paper, including pieces by Robert Indiana, Josef Albers, as well as the largest public collection of Frank Stella prints in the State. Prominence is also given to the work of acclaimed Alabama artists, including Dale Kennington, John Kelly Fitzpatrick, Carolyn Sherer, and Scott Stephens, among others. The permanent collection inspires ideas for exhibitions and programs throughout the year, and each program is delivered in ways that reduce barriers towards engagement. Come and find your favorite piece, while learning a little bit more about who we are through our collection.

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