Friday will conclude the final showing of artist Amy Feger’s exhibit “Local Journeys,” held in the Sarah Moody Gallery. The exhibit opened on July 6 and has had success during its showcase of the graduate student’s artwork.
“I believe the quality of the work in the exhibition is very successful and looks great in the space,” Vicki Rial, exhibition coordinator of the Sarah Moody Gallery, said.
“‘Ode to Our Web’ is my favorite piece.”
Feger was born and raised in Louisville, Ky. She went on to receive her bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Louisville in 1997. Her interest in art, however, did not develop until her sophomore year of college. Following graduation, Feger was employed in non art-related jobs until she realized she wanted to pursue her passion through graduate school.
Feger will be completing her MFA coursework soon, and coincidentally, heard about an opening in the Sarah Moody Gallery.
“I approached Bill Dooley, Director of the Sarah Moody Gallery, with an exhibition proposal,” Feger said. “I am honored that he approved.”
The exhibition contains both oil and acrylic paintings inspired by the artist’s journeys between Montevallo and Tuscaloosa.
Feger moved to Montevallo in 2002 when her partner, Kelly, accepted a job teaching at Montevallo University. She began attending graduate school at the University of Alabama in 2009. Feger splits her time between the two cities, traveling back and forth from her house in Forest Lake to her home in Montevallo.
“Relocating and commuting for employment and education has immersed me in a lengthy journey composed of ritual road trips from home to home,” Feger said. “I describe each painting as an archeological remnant of a reconstructed memory.”
The concept of a “local” has also been inspiring to Feger.
“When ‘local’ is used to describe a person, a place is tied to the individual’s identity,” she said.
“The place that is tied to my identity is Alabama. The paintings explored the conceptual and narrative potential of the map as a means of describing the conditions of and my experiences in the place that I call home.”
Through her paintings, Feger strives to convey the presence of landscapes and places beyond the names found on a map.
“These metaphoric landscapes propose that I am part of the local landscape not previously represented in road maps, both the natural and built environment, and the landscape is part of my individual and local identity,” she said.
The Sarah Moody Gallery is located in Garland Hall on the University of Alabama campus and is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, with Friday being the last day for the exhibit. For more information, visit art.ua.edu.
