In a previous article, I discussed the Huntsville Museum of Art and what a wonderful experience my visit there was. However, if you are an art lover planning a visit to Huntsville you might be searching for other art studios to explore. Lowe Mill Art & Entertainment is your one-stop shop for art nirvana.
In most areas of life the ability to follow rules is a good thing. Society highly prizes those who travel a well-worn path and acquire a traditional version of success. There is, however, one wonderful exception. In the art world, those who (quite literally) color outside the lines are revered.
If you ask art lovers about their favorite art enclaves in America, they name New York City or perhaps a community or two in the Southwest. Few though, name the deep South. With its strong movement towards adaptive reuse of historic buildings for commercial and artistic purposes, Huntsville, Alabama is emerging as an art enclave that refuses to follow the rules. In fact, the city boasts several revitalization projects centered around large, defunct factories. One of the largest of these, is the massive Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment complex.
The History of the Art Studios
The Lowe Mill complex bills itself as the largest, privately owned arts facility in the southern United States. In 1901, the complex started as a textile mill and over the generations served as a cotton warehouse and a shoe factory (manufacturing the majority of the “jungle boots” worn by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War). Eventually, in 2001, Jim Hudson purchased the property and envisioned an art community on the site. Today the property is home to over 150 artist studios, seven galleries, four performance venues and nearly a dozen places at which to sample the culinary arts. Looking for a place to participate in art? Lowe Mill has that too. Visitors can sign up for craft classes, pottery classes and private art lessons from a variety of vendors.
Throwing Out the Rule Book – Kana Clark
The studio’s door stood open and I could see a petite woman making gentle strokes with a paintbrush. At the same time, she chatted animatedly with a friend across the work bench. I stepped gingerly inside and asked what “encaustic” meant. The studio is called “Melty Space Case” and the sign out front declares that the specialty is encaustic and mixed media. Artist, Kana Clark, said that it comes from the ancient Greek. It is a method of painting in layers, coating each layer in hot wax and then moving on to the next layer.
Don’t let Clark’s small stature fool you; she’s a big personality. In response to my next question of whether she studied the encaustic method in art school, Clark said she did not.
“Partially because I don’t follow rules well and partially because it is not considered a main discipline, which is kind of funny since it is one of the oldest methods of painting.”
In the next five minutes, we had a laugh about the fact that the artist who doesn’t follow rules well married a Marine and moved to Huntsville. On her journey to becoming a professional artist, she tried nearly every medium she could think of to find the one that was right for her. She experimented with acrylics, scrapbooking, making purses, making cupcakes, oil painting. Clark took classes. She read books.
“Nothing felt like my jam,” she said.
Then one day, she met a photographer who coated his photos in wax and was enamored by the look of the work. She “bought all the books” and got a mentor, with whom she’s been working with for two years now.
The multiple layers of paint and wax swirl together. This arresting method lends itself to space-themed pieces and the occasional foamy surf representation. When I asked how she knows where to place each color or even in what order to paint the color layers, she said, “Art isn’t perfect. We need to give ourselves permission to not be perfect. I try it and see how it comes out.”
Clark makes her own paint which, she admits, is difficult and time-consuming. Her husband just got his own bees, so her ultimate goal is to someday follow the natural process from beginning to end. Begin with homegrown beeswax and other necessary elements and end with a one-of-a-kind canvas suitable for framing.
With newly fresh reminders about giving myself permission to avoid rules and not seek perfection, I continued my explorations of this massive complex of art studios.
A Love of Tools – Cara Moss
As a lover of silver jewelry, the dainty silver earrings and necklaces in the window intrigued me. They drew me in. As I struck up a conversation with jewelry designer Cara Moss, I learned that many of the studios were empty on this day because it is festival season. Many of the artists travel to art festivals around the country to show their work. Moss, though, chooses not to do so. She is the mother of a toddler and relishes her studio time.
Using eco-conscious recycled gold, silver and natural gems, Moss fashions minimalist designs that are both elegant and classic. Like her pieces, Moss is understated and soft-spoken. We chat about how strange it is to think that for her two-year-old son, masks and social distancing are simply what life looks like.
She explains that she started her business at her kitchen table 10 years ago. It grew from there. In 2016, she moved into a studio at Lowe Mills Arts & Entertainment complex. Having a separate studio space means you can have more tools,” she said with a mischievous chuckle.
Her next purchase will be the tools to make permanent jewelry.
“Have you heard about this trend?” she asked. I had not.
In her vision for the future product, she said she lays out a selection of simple chains and charms. Customers choose the items they want. Then, she calculates the correct length for a bracelet, anklet or necklace. Using an induction welding tool that does not produce heat, she can weld the chain closed permanently while the customer wears it.
“They never have to take it off. They shower with it and everything. I’m so excited about the possibilities,” she said. We are too, Ms. Moss. We are too.
A Final Word
With its exposed ductwork, scarred floors and “caution bats” signs, the Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment complex is a unique adaptive reuse architectural project. The property doesn’t follow the rules and neither do its artists. It’s a match made in art heaven. The complex is open for visitors Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00am until 7:00pm, not including when there are special events. Travelers are making a mistake if they follow the traditional wisdom of looking for art studios and galleries only in big northern cities. In reality, Huntsville, Alabama breaks all the rules with its continuous string of revitalization projects. In fact, it will have most travelers and art lovers wondering why we needed rules in the first place.
My favorite home away from home in Huntsville is the Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center. Make your reservations here.
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