By Katie Miller

The self-proclaimed “Three Impressionists of Lower Alabama” will hold their first art exhibit at the Foley Art Center in March.

“Our show is called ‘Alabama Paintings’ and features all our plein air works from areas throughout lower Alabama — Foley, Elberta, Magnolia Springs, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan, Gulf Shore’s West Beach, Orange Beach and scenic spots in between,” said Jan Polk, from Kentucky and one of the three “Impressionists.”

Joanne B. Hall, of Arkansas, and Barbara Grey, from Vermont, complete the artist group of winter residents, which was formed in 2007.

“We met in 2004 as members of the Orange Beach Art Center and discovered we were all plein air painters and have been painting together ever since,” said Polk.

This show will be the first the group has presented together, and all three are passionate about the area they’ve been painting.

“L.A. is such a unique and beautiful place. I can’t seem to paint it fast enough,” said Hall.

Each of the women use different mediums and tools to create their pieces.

“It is very interesting to see how the same scene can be interpreted three different ways by our three very different styles. Jo uses mostly a paint brush, Barb uses a paint brush and pallet knife combination, and I use strictly a pallet knife,” said Polk.

All three women have traveled down different paths, and each has their own story about becoming an artist.

Jan Polk was inspired by a neighbor that she met in the late eighties. Mary Bunning was the first artist Polk had met and Bunning grew to be a close friend and mentor. After that, Polk began taking classes at Northern Kentucky University then the Baker Hunt Foundation, and studied specialties with her favorite artists.

“She has been painting for 20 years now, and has developed a unique style.

“I am a plein art painter which is a French term for ‘outdoors,’” said Polk. “My personal style, with oils, has evolved into a ‘peek-a-boo’ style where you can see through the paints and count the layers as well as looking into the paintings which capture atmosphere, light, form and rhythm.”

Barbara Grey enjoys the activity that painting provokes, and although she had a Masters Degree in Art Grey didn’t begin painting until 10 years ago.

“Several friends and I decided to travel to Tuscany and there take painting instruction. It bit me like a snake, and I never stopped painting. Those first works were terrible.”

Grey said that landscape is her passion, and uses the same impressionistic approach to paint the sceneries.

“It is my response to light and color and the beautiful, and sometimes not so beautiful, world around me.”

Joanne B. Hall began her journey as an artist while in college, but her career was spent working in clinical laboratories. Hall, a single mother at the time, began painting and teaching watercolor classes to help with “extras” for her children. She would take vacations to painting workshops and has been afforded the opportunity to study a vast amount of painters which has helped her develop her painting method.

“I now paint mostly in oil, using a loose impressionistic style to describe the light on the real subjects; hopefully to share with the viewer a spirit about the subject that speaks to me on several levels,” said Hall.

The exhibit will feature paintings from all three artists, and will have note cards, prints and original oil paintings for sale. Polk will also have prints from her signature collection, the Great American Flower Collection (GAFC), available. The GAFC is a series of watercolors that are meant to signify respect.

“The images symbolically carry the message to treat yourself and others with respect,” said Polk.

The opening reception for “Alabama Painting” will be March 3 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The exhibit will run through the month of March at the Foley Art Center, 119 West Laurel Avenue. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Meet the Artists” night will be Thursday, March 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information contact the Performing Arts Association, 251-943-4381.

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