Birmingham Public Library Finds Art For Art Gallery

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- Beginning July 1st, the Birmingham Public Library will present a month-long display of “Found Abstractions - An Exhibition of Prints and Collages” by John Stewart DeMotte. This art exhibit is the result of using found objects and ideas, to create images that explore the combination of structure and expression. These works draw on ideas from our environment, the way our cities are laid out, the way buildings structure our personal and public space, and design elements we use to make our spaces both functional and appealing.

John DeMotte received his BFA from the University of Montevallo in 1987, where he studied printmaking and photography under Scott Stephens. After graduating, he moved to Washington, DC, where he began his art career painting in his grandfather’s old Capitol Hill studio. While in Washington, he had various opportunities to enrich the development of his artistic style and understanding. At the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Mr. DeMotte taught a class in printmaking that focused on mediums not requiring a press. At the Phillips Collection, he assisted with the installation of the museum’s permanent collection and a retrospective exhibition of Richard Diebenkorn’s works on paper in their newly renovated building. He also had the experience of working as courier and registrar for the Washington/Moscow Arts Exchange, at the Tretyakov Museum, in Moscow in 1990. Since his return to Birmingham in 1991, he has been working at Sheila Atchison Gallery/Village Framers and operating his own art consulting and installation service.

Mr. DeMotte’s prints and mixed/media paintings have been exhibited throughout the Washington and Birmingham areas including the Birmingham Museum of Art, Huntsville Art Museum, the University of Montevallo and Capitol Hill Art Center. His work can be found in corporate collections throughout the Southeast including AT&T, Walker Drug Co., Heckinger’s and in many private collections. Mr. DeMotte is represented by Sheila Atchison Gallery in Birmingham.

The Birmingham Public Library and its 20 branch locations provide the public with the most current collections, as well as providing the most comprehensive research tools in the state. The Birmingham Public Library strives to inform visitors by hosting special programs year round, such as Brown Bag Lunch Series and Alabama Bound, as well as children’s programs from toddlers to teenagers. These programs allow the public to meet and greet guest lecturers, musicians, authors and publishers. For more information regarding the Birmingham Public Library and a list of exciting, upcoming events, please visit www.bplonline.org or call 205.226.3600.