Dori DeCamillis

Elk River Sleigh Ride Skiing with Bro, Sis, Daughter and Sis-in-Law Santa in the Cabin

Shots of Holiday Show 2010, December 6. Show is open until Dec. 18. Kids in Thursday afternoon class preparing the decorations Adam, Sara, and friends Liz and Ryan Scott before Scott after Beverley with Shannon's jewelry Mary Kay with her work Dori's Fish Boxes

Artworks from students and friends of Red Dot Gallery. Show is open until Dec. 18. Adam Sterrett Pottery Gidge Black Ceramic Necklaces Liz Rhoades Pottery Scott Bennett Ceramic Wall Installation Jane Marshall Ceramic Tile Erin Hardin Oil Painting Laura Kimes Oil Paintings Beverley Phillips (and friends) Oil Paintings Shannon Brooks-Hamilton Mixed Media Jewelry Mary Kay Culpepper Block Prints Saman Khaled Pottery

When I first moved to the South, I was astounded by the abundance of Christian churches. I learned that Alabama has a church for every 360 people, more than double the national average. Anyone living in Alabama is well aware of the prominence of religion in everyday life, and representing it in my series seemed a must. I explored many churches in Birmingham in my first years in the state, and found them all lovely. I labored over the choice of which church to feature in my piece, wondering whether to make my decision based on political, religious, or historical reasons. Ultimately, I chose to be as non-confrontational as I could. I chose Saint Paul’s because it is my church. Founded in 1871, the same year as Birmingham, Saint Paul’s was the city’s first Roman Catholic Church. Its face has changed over the past century and a quarter, but renovations in the past 20 years have rendered it one of the most beautiful and revered buildings in the city. Saint Paul’s interior splendor is know...

Holiday Show at Red Dot Gallery Art at a good price, food, wine, really nice people, and some pretty Christmas lights. Please join us.

These tiles gave me more trouble than any others in my Exhibit A series. I had to re-fire them three times, and then my trusty husband, Scott, sand-blasted them for hours. Ultimately, they came out with an authentic brick look I was happy with. Booker T. would shake my hand if he were here. I like the confusion of which part is 2D and which is 3D. More here about the painting "Working for Peanuts"

I learned about Tuskegee Institute in elementary school, but did not grasp the inspiring story behind the place until my first visit there: Two men spent their lives dedicated to the betterment of their people and their region. The most striking thing about Tuskegee Institute, at first glance, is the buildings that make up the campus. I was overwhelmed by all the gorgeous, rich, red brick and white trim buildings in different architectural styles. I learned that the students and faculty made the brick from Alabama clay and built many of the buildings themselves. Booker T. Washington, a former slave, came to Tuskegee in 1881 as its first principal. He was only 25 and, in the face of the unbelievable dangers of the racist South, spent the rest of his life dedicated to the school. He believed self-sufficiency should be learned along with a scholarly education, and students had to learn practical skills that they could take back to their communities, such as farming, carpentry, brickl...

If you can't read this, click here: Steep: The Teapot Show

My daughter, Annabelle, is volunteering at a local non-profit farm this summer. She picks vegetables all day long (a couple days a week) to help Jones Valley Urban Farm (JVUF) get ready for the following days' farmer's markets. My two preceding blog posts tell all about JVUF and their fine work. I thought that when I picked up Annabelle each day I would find her spent and bedraggled from the 98 degree/98 humidity we've had in Alabama for the last few weeks, but, on the contrary, she ends her days looking like a little Buddha--serene, gentle and happy. For years I've filled her head with the benefits of getting outdoors, helping in the community, supporting local food growers in any way possible. I extolled these virtues with a "do your duty" attitude, and didn't dare hope that when she actually did these things she would find it uplifting, fun, and desirable. I am a happy, proud, surprised, and really excited mom. Here is an article from the Birmingham New...

This painting is a tribute to all Alabama small, sustainable farms. I buy fresh food from local farmers whenever possible, and believe this practice to be important for the future of me and my family, our community, and our planet. Sustainability refers to farms that are healthy for the environment, can support themselves financially, and are socially conscientious. I chose Jones Valley as the representative farm for this painting because it thrives in busy downtown Birmingham, setting a good example of healthy farm practices to many who normally don’t get out in the country or aren’t exposed to the benefits of fresh, organic food. Jones Valley is a non-profit organization that provides outreach programs for students and the local neighborhoods, teaching people first-hand where their food comes from, how to grow it, how it is prepared, and how it tastes. Small garden plots are offered to nearby residents, and money is raised through donations and by selling produce and flowers at ...

41” x 48” In 2006 I was commissioned to paint a historically accurate painting of a Creek Indian village. In researching the subject I found that much of Creek cultural artifacts have been lost, due to the shameful Trail of Tears. With a lot of help from Miriam Fowler (who put together the life-size Creek village at the Birmingham Museum of Art) I gathered the information I needed and found images of Creek patterns in rather obscure places. I delivered the painting nine months after the piece was commissioned, and felt like I lived in the little village I’d painted. Because of my familiarity with the Creek culture, it was a natural choice of subject for one of my depictions of Alabama places. I knew immediately that my portrayal would include the Creeks’ wonderful patterns, which I only got to use on a small scale in the village painting. I chose Horseshoe Bend as the place to represent the Creek culture because it is the most accessible site designated to observance of Creek cu...

Join Red Dot Gallery Friday, June 4 for the opening of The Flower Show, 5-9 pm. Amazing works of art and nature celebrating the radiance of bloom. Flower bedecked cupcakes from our favorite bakery, Dreamcakes. Explosive flower arrangements by Rene Sears. Real daylilies from national hybridizer Scott Bennett. Flower inspired art by: Frank Fleming, Annie Kammerer Butrus, Cam Langley, Janice Kluge, Jon Martinez, Bethanne Hill, Beth Maynor Young, John Wathen, Mary Kay Culpepper, Dori DeCamillis, Scott Bennett, Vincent Serbin, Laura Brookhart, Guadelupe Robinson, Lynette Hesser Here are some images of work by exhibiting artists. Laura Brookhart (above) Digital Photographs Annie Kammerer Butrus Paintings Vincent Serbin Photography