Kelly and His Many Friends

A new exhibit is in the works. The Kelly has a large permanent collection, including quite a few paintings not only by John Kelly Fitzpatrick himself, but also by his friends from the Dixie Art Colony. Later this month, those will be on display, along with some pieces on loan, starting on August 23. The reception, sponsored by our good friends at the Alabama Power Foundation, will be on August 25, 5:30-8:00 pm.

At the moment, Curator Jennifer Eifert and her Assistant Alyssa Spaulding are hard at work, taking in loans, making ID labels and hanging paintings, so there’s a whirlwind of activity behind the closed shades. Alyssa has been combing through the old Kelly scrapbooks from the early 1900s we were given, looking for interesting facts, photos and letters to put on display. It should prove to a be a fascinating exhibit for history as well as for art.