All things homemade will come together tonight at the grand opening of Tuscaloosa’s new art collective, the Alabama Art Kitchen.

The event will take place from 6-9 p.m. with a gallery of work from all 14 of the founding members. The Alabama Art Kitchen is located downtown on University Boulevard.

“It’s our grand opening, so it’s going to be exciting to open the doors to the public to see what people think and let people share in the beginning of this great thing with us,” said Allison Milham, one of the two founders of The Kitchen.

The show, Groundwork, will have all different kinds of art that showcases the talents of each of the 14 members. Some examples of what will be shown are book art, photography, sculpture, video art and watercolor.

“We really wanted to make it so there would be a variety of mediums, whatever people felt like they wanted to show without censoring them or editing them in any way,” said Claire Siepser, the other founder of The Kitchen.

The gallery will rotate shows on a monthly basis, showcasing talent from all over Tuscaloosa.

The Kitchen is much more than just an art gallery; it is also a place where art can be created.

Milham said the Kitchen is going to be a hub for artistic activity in Tuscaloosa. They will provide materials and machines to create just about anything one’s imagination can conjure. The Kitchen offers a number of artistic resources, including a darkroom, bindery, letterpress and studio space.

Most of these materials will be offered to paying members only, but the members of Alabama Art Kitchen don’t plan to exclude anyone. They will be offering art classes ranging from figure drawing to taxidermy to the art of fermentation.

They also plan to hold events such as poetry readings and local music.

“We really want people from all the community, kids and adults, with no access to this kind of thing,” Siepser said.

They specifically chose to stay within the Tuscaloosa community because they felt as though Northport already has a good art scene, and Tuscaloosa was lacking the outlet.

“There’s not a lot of communal space here, as of now we are one of a kind,” Milham said.

Creating a communal workspace also creates an atmosphere conducive to meeting other artists from around Tuscaloosa, one of the goals the two founders had in mind when they started the Kitchen.

The two met while doing an internship in Portland, Ore. Milham mentioned her idea to Siepser but was not sure exactly how she would go about creating it.

It was Siepser who found the Victorian home and the two have been working nonstop on the project since they moved in Aug. 15.

“I feel like there is a kind of good buzz right now in Tuscaloosa in thinking about the local community,” Milham said. “People are supporting local businesses, restaurants, and farmers markets. It’s a good time to bring people together around this focus.”

They said they hope the mix of artwork, homemade snacks and the raffle bring a lot of people to the reception Thursday to see what the Kitchen is all about. Admission is free to everyone but donations are appreciated.

“It’s just an awesome place for anyone to come, learn about art, take classes, and try to just expand their world,” Siepser said. “And to be a part of a really fun and creative community.”