“Staying Afloat.” Painting by Diana Afandi.
Diana Afandi at ‘The Edge of Chaos’: Artist’s first North American exhibition opens in Birmingham
When Diana Afandi graduated from boarding school in Kenya, she knew one thing for certain: she did not want to be a teacher. Despite her parents’ wishes, the young Afandi decided to study fashion design and art.
This Thursday evening, the vibrant results of Afandi’s youthful rebellion will be on display at The Edge of Chaos during the opening reception of the artist’s first North American art show, which will be on exhibition through August.
Like her years in boarding school, which were aimed to “instill independence and self-reliance at an early age,” Afandi’s experience creating art is similarly individualized and freeform.
Her body of work is engrossing. Stories, begging to be told, rise from her daring brushstrokes in declarations of crimson, cerulean and gold. Delicate details emerge upon closer examination: lace, flower trains, braids and wispy curls crafted in acrylic with the dexterity of a seasoned sartorialist.
“If I had to define my ‘artist’s statement’ it would be that my artwork is about being spontaneous with color, technique and my subjects,” Afandi wrote. “I have found the stick-to-one-style ‘series’ mentality challenging because I feel it’s confining…”
After studying with artists in Mombasa, Kenya, Afandi met her husband and moved to Alabama. The painter took a brief hiatus from showing art, but continued to paint during her free time while studying accounting.
“I have been surprised by my growth, and the finished result every canvas brings because my technical approach while painting is usually vague, I make intuitive choices while I process the drawing with paint,” Afandi said.
The Edge of Chaos is located on the fourth floor of Lister Hill Library at 1700 University Boulevard. The opening reception will begin at 6 p.m. For information visit, theedgeofchaos.org.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
Fresh Greens and the Glamourpuss Opening — Four Seasons Gallery.
2910 18th St. S. Mary Margaret Binkley will be showcasing her new exhibit in Homewood’s Four Seasons Gallery. A self-taught artist, Binkley’s style is inspired by her late father Robert Thomas McClendon and incorporates gel and acrylic media. The opening will allow guests to meet and mingle with the artist while enjoying complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres. 5:30–7:30 p.m. Free. For more information, visit 4seasonsantiquesandart.com.
Current and Past Conversations Opening — 21st Street Studios. 111 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. S. Peter Prinz, CEO and cofounder of Space One Eleven, curated Current and Past Conversations inspired by the history of 21st Street Studios and the artists who occupy the studio space currently or who have in the past. Local artists like Elizabeth Marie Farr, Dave Matson, Darius Hill and Mary Grace Wolnski will be represented in the exhibit. The opening reception will also be a homecoming for artist and 21st Street Studios owner Sara Garden Armstrong. 5:30 to 8 p.m. Free. For more information, visit 21st Street Studio Artists on Facebook.
ARTFix! — Space One Eleven. 2409 2nd Ave N. Space One Eleven is offering an ongoing figure drawing and portraiture class led by artist Andy Jordan. Participants will experience drawing from a live model. Classes will include demonstrations, discussions and critiques. Thursdays, 6:15–8:45 p.m. $25. For more information, visit spaceoneeleven.org.
The Works of Carolyn T. Goldsmith Opening — The Altamont School. 4801 Altamont Rd. Gainesville, Fla., native and Birmingham-based artist Carolyn Thomas Goldsmith began her career as an abstract artist in the ’70s and grew into the figurative expressionist painter whose work can currently be seen in galleries throughout the Southeast, including Gallery 1930 in English Village. The Altamont School will be holding a reception for Goldsmith’s work, which will be on display through July 23. 5–6:30 p.m. Free. For more information, visit altamontschool.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
Divine Debris Opening — Naked Art Gallery. 3831 Clairmont Ave. S. Birmingham artists Jeff Wells and Pamela Hamby will unveil their scrap metal and glass bottle sculpture pieces this weekend in Divine Debris, a new show at Naked Art Gallery that will be available through July 25. The duo has collaborated to present quirky, environment-friendly creations from post-consumer materials. The opening reception will coincide with Forest Park’s Third Friday in the Park event and feature guest bartender Victoria Robbins. Bar tips will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Saturday, Naked Art Gallery will celebrate Divine Debris with the customary Sugar High and Caffeine Reception. Friday 5–9 p.m., and Saturday 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. For more information, visit nakedartusa.com.
Quilt Fest 2015 — Oak Mountain Middle School. 5650 Cahaba Valley Rd. This juried quilt show brings Birmingham’s quilters and quilt enthusiasts together for a weekend of shopping, demonstrations, giveaways and awards. A special exhibition of Japanese quilts and a silent auction benefitting the Lakeshore Foundation’s Lima Foxtrot programs will round out the event. Friday, June 19 through Saturday, June 20. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $7. For more information, visit bhamquilters.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20
Black Creek Arts Festival — Black Creek Park. Yarbrough Rd., Fultondale. Over 40 artists will compete for prizes and sell their artwork during the Fifth Annual Black Creek Arts Festival. Painter Sandy Mann is this year’s Black Creek Arts Festival Featured Artist, and Raquel Lily, Jessica Webster, Jesse Reece, One Hand Dan and The Wildwood Ruminators will provide musical entertainment. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. For more information, visit fultondaleartscouncil.org.
Woodworking Basics and Shop Orientation — MAKEbhm. 4500 Fifth Ave. S. A prerequisite for using MAKEbhm’s woodshop as a member or during open shop time, attendees will receive an overview of each tool and a guided hands-on in using the tools. The instructor will also introduce newcomers to the community environment of the shop. Students will be able to try their new skills as ticket price includes materials for a project. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. $100. For more information, visit make.frontdeskhq.com.
SUNDAY, JUNE 21
Decoding Black Art — Birmingham Museum of Art. 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. Kelli Morgan, Andrew W. Mellon post-doctoral curatorial fellow of African American art at the BMA, presents the next installment in the African American lecture series, Decoding Black Art. This week Morgan will lead museumgoers through the intricacies of the touring exhibition, Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College. 2–3 p.m. Free. For more information, visit artsbma.org.
ONGOING
Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College — Birmingham Museum of Art. 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. Hale Woodruff was not only a master muralist and painter apprenticed under Diego Rivera, but also a patriarch of African American art. His narrative realism murals, currently on their last stretch of the exhibition’s national tour, depict highlights in the history of Talladega College and the Amistad mutiny and trial. The entire exhibit chronicles Woodruff’s artistic growth through decades of reinvention and will be available through September 6. For more information, visit artsbma.org.
Selma to Montgomery: A March for the Right to Vote — Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. 520 16th St N. The photographs of Spider Martin depict the nonviolent actions taken toward equality during the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. A native of Alabama, Martin’s photography is known worldwide. The BCRI highlights the march from Selma to Montgomery through Martin’s lens. Through June 26. For more information, visit bcri.org.
The Amazing Art of Local Curiosities — Birmingham Public Library (Central). 2100 Park Place. Birmingham artists Cory Casella, Melissa Shultz-Jones and Paul Cordes Wilm share their iconic and unconventional perspectives on life in the South in this exhibit in Birmingham’s downtown library. The exhibit will be available during library hours through June 26. Free. For more information, visit bplonline.org.
Unreliable Flying Objects — Hoover Public Library. 200 Municipal Dr., Hoover. Naked Art Gallery owner and artist Véronique “Véro” Vanblaere, presents her new works at the Hoover Library in the Unreliable Flying Objects features Véro’s quirky cast of interstellar characters, bold color palette and mixed media prowess. Mondays–Thursdays 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m.–6 p.m. Free. For more information, visit hooverlibrary.org.
