Magic City Art Connection I - Kick Up Your Heels

"Dancing is the poetry of the foot." 

James Dryden

Not only does the Magic City Art Connection feature over 200 artists, it offers so much more.  Musicians, dancers, art activities for kids, it's a fabulous weekend for our city to come together downtown at Linn Park and spend the day, the weekend, celebrating the arts.  This week, I'll be bringing you images shot over two days.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed capturing them.  Today, the dancers.

Pepper Place Dogs - Snug As Two Pugs In A ...

stroller!

Pepper Place Market

Calories?? Worth It.

My friends Mary and Phil are here visiting from Cincinnati and last night we had a delicious dinner at Chez Fon Fon.  Mary fondly remembered the coconut cake from another trip, and Phil opted for the Tart Citron. We shared the calories and didn't regret a one!

Magic City Art Connection, It's Magic Alright!

 Jayne Harrison

Oh this weekend is one of my favorite weekends in Birmingham.  The Magic City Art Connection will take over downtown's Linn Park and you locals won't want to miss it.  Today I bring you a few photos from past shows.

MCAC
Friday - Sunday 10-6
Linn Park - Downtown B'ham

You Meet Some....

nice friends while reading at Vestavia's Library in the Forest.  These guys are always ready to share their book with a little friend.  Nestled in the woods, this library is open, airy and inviting. More photos to come.

Jake

Little boys and trains.  Made for each other.

Irondale, Alabama

Playing With The Big Boys

It's not every day that a kid gets to do a little batting or pitching practice with a professional baseball player. Well image the excitement yesterday at Vestavia's Wald Park when some of the Birmingham Barons joined up with the Vestavia Civitans to hold a baseball camp for the Exceptional Foundation and many of Vestavia City Schools' very special kiddos.  It was a great day and a good time was had by ALL!

Batter Up!

It's baseball season and I inched my way into the doorway of a few dugouts yesterday!

Sunday Church Series - St. Andrews Episcopal Church

St. Andrews Episcopal Church

Ghost Signs - In Living Color

This ghost sign in Edgewood, brings back some memories for me.  I hate to admit that I was around when color TV made its first appearance.  I love the "Color, Hi Fi, Portables"!

A Fireman's Job Is Never Done!

Vestavia Hills Fire Department

If they're not putting out fires and saving lives, back at the station, when there's some downtime, there's spiffing to be done.

Cuban Art And More

I had the pleasure of visiting one of B'ham's newest art galleries last night.  Avondale Bricks Gallery not only has a fitting tribute to the late  Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, but also a fine collection of Cuban art.  Stephen Humphreys, publisher of Birmingham Weekly and gallery owner is sharing art by eight Cuban artists that he has met over the past 15 years as a frequent visitor to Cuba.  His photographs are a natural addition to the exhibit as well.  Greeting you at the door are the colorful totem inspired sculptures by local artist Dick Jemison.  Today, one of his sculptures with a few of Stephen's photographs in the background. 

Avondale Bricks Gallery

130 41st Street South

100+ Strangers Challenge - Charles Pinckney

Stranger #109

I visited the Art on Ruffner Mountain show recently and this man's smile just stopped me in my tracks. Meet very talented jewelry artist Charles Pinckney from Athens, Georgia.

UPDATE: Charles tells me he'll be at the Magic City Art Connection next weekend. Come on out B'ham readers and meet him in person.

Brain Freeze!!!

But life is  good when you can get blue ice cream from the ice cream truck!

Yard Art

( 4 1/2 feet tall, weighing 70 pounds)

This wonderful piece of sculpture is on display in the front of Naked Art Gallery on Clairmont Avenue. It's just down the street from my house so I get to enjoy it many times a day. I finally parked and took some photographs last week.  The local artist is Lily Reeves and this is how she's titled her piece:

" We wonder sometimes in the life of the light just how daydreams and time do make things,

and we wonder too, still, since the lasting just might be as strange or as quite as it seems."

Dig In!

The Pepper Place Spring Market opened this weekend and as you can see, folks were loading up on bedding plants and eager to get their gardens going. I bought a few herbs to plant myself!

Jumping For Joy!

Quick and Split

The old Quick and Split Bar B Q place has new owners and the line's out the door at lunchtime.  We are happy to see Saw's Bar B Que in the Avondale neighborhood. I ate there last week and it was great!

En plein air

Yesterday as we took a little photo walk around the Birmingham Botanical Gardens,  we happened upon these artists painting en plein air. One artist chose to capture her friends at work.

Look What's Blooming Up A Storm!

Irises, beareded irises to be exact

If You're Lucky Enough...

to get to here for lunch or dinner, I hope it's open!  Chef Frank Stitt's flagship restaurant,  Highlands Bar & Grill   at Five Points South, after hours.

Every Dog Has His Day

And this sweet pooch was no exception.  He/she brought his human to Art on Ruffner Mountain Saturday and there were plenty of nice folks to hand out chin scratches.  Art on R Mountain was sponsored by the East Lake Arts District.

Easter Sunday

Simple Pleasures of Spring

I hope there are many necklaces to be woven!

Prayer Shawl

Today at sundown marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of  Passover.  This beautiful tallit, or prayer shawl was photographed at Temple Emanu-El.

In Your Easter Basket...

When in doubt, just wear your basket!

Le Beau Chapeau

The perfect Easter bonnet.  I might consider it but considering its size, I'm afraid I'd look like as my grandmother would say, " A bug under a collard leaf". Enough said.  I'm sure there's a tall, thin, elegant lady out there that will buy it and wear with great style!

Bagatelle in Mt. Brook Village

Change is Good

I'll admit right here that when I went by Continental Bakery a few weeks ago I was taken aback.  WHAT? Where are the chairs that I've photographed a million times and posted on this blog?  I was a bit bummed, but last week I went back armed with my camera and had a go at the new seating arrangement. Maybe I can love both.

Swinging Into Spring - A Different Twist

There are lots of ways to make a swing work. This little miss was doing it her way! 

Easter Eggs, an endangered species

In various capacities, I'm covering several egg hunts around town this week.  These eggs weren't so well hidden, so the little ones could find them at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church yesterday.  More to come, stay tuned.