Leeds Arts Council honors January artists with Sunday reception

Published 10:51 am Wednesday, January 11, 2012

On Sunday, January 8 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., the Leeds Arts Council will honor its  January gallery exhibitors, Joyce Byrd and Theresa Peterson, with an opening reception.  The gallery is located in the Leeds Theatre and Arts Center, 8140 Parkway Drive, downtown Leeds.  The public is invited to come meet the artists.  There is no charge; however, the beautiful works of these artists will be available for purchase.

Joyce Cates Byrd has loved art her entire life.  She was encouraged to draw and paint by her high school art teacher.   The artist says that her inspiration comes from God’s beautiful earth, as shown in her landscapes, water scenes, seascapes and flowers.   She enjoys painting with oils, acrylics, watercolors and mixed media.  Although she is mainly self-taught, she has taken workshops from internationally known and local artists including Margaret Hoyback, Dirk Walker, Donny Finley, Bill Cleere, Betty Howell and Carol Weston.  

Joyce has been an exhibitor in many galleries and juried art shows. Her watercolor drawing of “The Donnelly House” was featured in the Birmingham-Hoover Sketchbook.  Her acrylic painting, “Cahaba Lily Duo” won a special merit award in the 2009 Alabama Flora & Fauna Show and her painting “Koi means Love” was awarded first place in Wildlife Art at the 2010 Homewood Small Arts Show.   

Theresa Snell Peterson has been “making art” all her life but began studying art when she attended Troy State University.  Later, she majored in art at the University of Montevallo.  After college, she broadened her skills by participating in workshops taught by Alan Flattman, Bill Carter, Donny Finley, Milton Lenoir, Nancy Honea, Woody Ishmael and others.  She has worked as a portraitist for more than twenty years and has work hanging in collections all over the United States.

Theresa enjoys painting landscapes and figurative art in watercolor, acrylic, and oils.  She also works in pastels and pencil.  Her work was featured in The Birmingham Sketchbook.  She has won numerous awards including 1st Place in Portraits for six Shelby County Art Association Shows and 1st Place in Mixed Media in the 2004 Shelby County Art Association Show, Best of Show in the 2009 Hoover/Shelby Art Association Show and 2nd Place in Mixed Media in the 2000 Vestavia Hills Art Association Show.   She has participated in many other group exhibitions including the Mountain Brook Arts Festival, Brewton Invitational Art Show, Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival, Beaches of South Walton Fine Arts Festival, Eufaula Pilgrimage Arts Festival, and Eufaula Indian Summer Arts Festival.

Both artists live in Alabaster and are members of the Hoover/Shelby Art Association, Vestavia Hills Art Association, Mountain Brook Art Association, and the National League of American Pen Women.  Joyce is also a member of the Watercolor Society of Alabama and Theresa is a member of the Alabama Pastel Society and Hoover Arts Alliance.

For more information regarding this exhibit or other LAC events, call the arts center at 699-1892.   Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.