Support & Appreciation


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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Art @ Peace Park


Meet Bob

Art enthusiast, handy man, community builder, husband to a really smart chic.

Why am I writing about some dude named Bob, who is apparently a 6 foot guy eatin' chicken? Thank you for asking. I'll be happy to fill you in!

Last Saturday (3/29) as I was on my way to the laundry, it was a really nice day and I wanted to get out of the house so I decided to go to the laundry rather than doing it at home, I passed what appeared to be a little gathering or party of sorts at Mobile Memorial Park. If you live in or are familiar with Mobile, it's where Airport & Government meet. There was a band on stage, tents set up and people milling about what appeared to be art on display.

I love art and music and it was also absolutely gorgeous outside so I pulled into a nearby parking lot and walked over to check out what was going on.

What I found was Art @ Peace Park


Bob is one of the cool guys who helped organize Mobile's Art @ Peace Park.

Bob is the also the artist alternatively known as - B Yobe


Here is a piece of his art
"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile." Matthew 5: 29-30 The Message


Heather Pettersen is the gal responsible for organizing Art @ Peace Park. She is also the mastermind behind Alabama Art with Heart, a really cool non-profit organization that among other totally fantastic things, holds free creative workshops for schools and promotes local artists and assist other non-profits in raising money through the arts.

There were numerous booths displaying the work of various local artists. The artists themselves were present, manning their booths/tents and creating new works of art for our viewing pleasure. I took pictures and will introduce some of them throughout this post, but first I want to share some other interesting stuff!

1st Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Stand


Notice the soap boxes? Bob's one pretty fart smeller. I mean smart feller.

Next to the 6 foot man eating chicken (Bob), visible from the road, were these signs.


I love how it says 9ish-6ish. That cracked me up.


I wish I could find more info online about this park. At the top of the stage it says something about in honor or memory of mother's of soldiers. It was beautiful. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get a better picture so you could see.


Here is the fountain in the middle of the park. You can see the tents set around the park where artists were painting and displaying their art.


This picture is of a little girl who was just sitting by the fountain trailing a stick in the water. For some reason the image seemed so sweet and peaceful.

Ha! Until I just put up this pic, I didn't even notice the lady to the right trying to hold down her skirt that's blowing in the wind. How funny!

This... I just don't even know what to say about this next picture. Fried WHAT?!?


I visited Boston a few years ago and walked through Boston Common. It was like something out of a movie. People were laying out on blankets listening to music, sitting under trees reading & doing homework, walking their animals and feeding the squirrels. It was beautiful. I've been trying to think of what certain areas of Mobile reminded me of and that's it. I'm sure anyone who's from or lived in Boston would call me crazy but there are places in Mobile that have the same feel. Granted it's on a much smaller scale but living here I've found a similar ambiance that I felt in Boston. It's a very community oriented place. Here are a couple photos that show what I'm talking about.

Here's a couple walking their dogs next to the park. This is something you can see pretty much any time of day. It may be no big deal to most, but to me it's really neat.


This is a guy just laying out on the grass enjoying the weather and the music. As I was walking by him he called out "Beautiful weather isn't it?".


This is Lucas. Lucas is 3 and loves Nemo, but Bruce not the shark. Bruce scared him. He was swimming in the fountain.


Now on to the artists.

I have pictures of most of the artists and am linking their names to their e-mail (per their permission). If you like what you see or would like to know more about them or where/how you can purchase their art please send them an e-mail. Or just drop them a note to let them know you saw their art on my blog & want to compliment them on their extraordinary talent!

Artist Leah Nichols. You can see more of her art on her MySpace

Leah has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from University of West Alabama. She's currently working on her masters in Liberal Arts at Springhill College.

Melissa K. Shaver



Lee Stockman - Abstract Art (251) 583-9658



This is Terrell

Terrell can do some extraordinary things with aluminum foil! I asked him how he got into molding tinfoil as an art form, he replied "Just a gift God blessed me with"


He said as a kid he used to take the tin lining from his mom's cigarette packs and twist them into people figures to play with, then he discovered that aluminum foil was more pliable and maintained shape better. He's been creating works of art ever since!

One of the coolest things I saw there were kids showcasing their drawings and sketches.
This is
Zach DePolo, artist & art instructor with 3 of his students.

One of these young men's name is Darius. He had a table with sketches and drawings. If his work is any indication, Zach has some extremely talented young artists in his classes!

Dorothy Parker quilting extraordinaire.

In addition to being a needle working diva, Ms Dorothy is an organizer of the First Annual Southwest Alabama Antique and Art Fair being held in Uriah, Alabama June 7, 2008 from 9am-4pm. Artists from all over Southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida will be showcasing their art. There will be handcrafted quilts, antiques, original fine art, folk art & pottery. The fair will also feature a bake sake, auction, music, classic car show and BarBQ! Proceeds from the fair will be used to build a memorial for Servicemen from South Monroe County who gave their lives in WWII. Contact Dorothy at 251-377-4667 for more information!

Crandell Brock from Noug Screen Printing

I didn't get a photo of his work, he was just so sweet & funny I took a picture of him instead. But if you need something printed on a t-shirt, he's the guy you should call! 251-454-1289

and last but not least

Jim Maurer - The Jimini Collection
Shadows of Greatness

Jim and his wife Naomi are also the hospitable owners of MY Victorian Bed & Breakfast in the heart of Historic Downtown Mobile. Built in 1899, MY Victorian Bed & Breakfast is a classic Victorian "Painted Lady", tastefully decorated to reflect an era of days long past.
excerpts from http://www.myvictorianbedandbreakfast.com/

I have to say it's events like this that only add to my enjoyment of living in Mobile and act as a balm to soothe the sadness I feel from missing living in Michigan so much.

I love art, I love music, I love nature, I love history and movie'esq neighborhoods. I love seeing families walking with each other and couples biking together and knowing you can expect to see neighbor Joe out walking his dog at the same time every morning. I've found all of those things aplenty in Mobile, AL. I'm not saying it's perfect here, no place is, but if I have to live in the south I think here is where I'd choose to be.

Be sure to check out some of the artists pages that are linked above or if they don't have a link drop them a line to let them know how much you enjoy and appreciate their talent. I certainly did!

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