Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Justin Hunter
The Walker County Arts Alliance (WCAA) hosted an opening reception on January 9 for a new exhibit featuring local artist Kay Doyle White.
WCAA Director Kate Gurganus says, “Kay is a local artist and has been dabbling in art her whole life, but she has really kicked into her oil and acrylic mediums in the past couple of years. The work she has produced over that time is incredible.”
Kay is constantly creating new pieces in her farmhouse in Smith Lake and has only recently begun commissioning and selling her artwork. Her acrylic and oil paintings depict striking landscapes, some based on places Kay has traveled to with her husband.
The exhibit is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and will close on January 31, 2024. The paintings displayed show Kay’s progression as an artist, from her earliest pour technique creations to her latest acrylic and oil landscapes.
“I did not paint for the public until about a year ago. I started using the pour technique and had so much fun with it. I remembered painting 35 years ago with a brush, and I thought I would try that again. So, once I went back to that, I just kept going, and I haven’t stopped,” says Kay.
Though Kay painted when she was younger, she lost the hobby through raising a family and working a full-time job. However, over the past couple of years of returning to this passion, Kay has found herself wrapped up in the joy she experiences while unleashing her creativity. Today, she continues commissioning custom artwork and selling completed artwork in stores in Cullman, Arley, and Hartselle.
“When I’m painting, it’s something different every day. It’s a surprise. The idea that people want something I’ve created in their home is very gratifying because it means they connect with it. That’s what it’s all about,” says Kay.
Be sure to stop by the Walker County Arts Alliance to view Kay’s exhibit and see her progression from painting as a hobby to utilizing new techniques and sharing her gift with others. WL
The Walker County Arts Alliance is located at 1500 Indiana Ave, Jasper, AL 35501, on the Jasper Campus of Bevill State Community College.
