Permanent Collection Gift of Vernacular Art from Lou & Calynne Hill

In November, 2009, the Gadsden Arts Center received a generous gift to its Permanent Collection: 15 pieces of Vernacular art and 2 historically significant works from the prestigious collection of Lou and Calynne Hill. Ten of the sixteen works included in the gift were exhibited in the Vernacular Art from the Hill Collection exhibition on display at the Arts Center in fall 2009. Donated works include the infamous Godzilla sculpture by O.L. Samuels, four works by the nationally acclaimed artist, Thornton Dial, Sr., an early watercolor painting by Dean Mitchell, and a tapestry painting by Chief Oloruntoba.



In addition, Lou & Calynne Hill have loaned 15 works of art to the Arts Center and have scheduled the loan to be gifted to the Center in 2010.  The next gift includes works by Mose Tolliver, Henry Speller, Joe Light, Edward Mumma, Lonnie Holley and Ronald Lockett. By the end of 2010, the Gadsden Arts Center will steward a 33-piece collection of Vernacular art to package and travel to art museums around the country. Our sincere thanks to Lou and Calynne Hill for this generous contribution to our region’s cultural community! To learn more, visit our Collections page.