Features Editor

The Dale County Council of Arts and Humanities will celebrate the first art show of

2002 with the work of Troy State University faculty member Pam Standridge Allen.

The opening reception,

from 6 until 8 tonight at the Ann Rudd Arts Center in downtown Ozark, will feature "Cool Art and Hot Soup."

"I’m excited about the exhibition," Allen said. "Other than my thesis work, this is my first one-woman show, so that makes it doubly exciting. And the idea of ‘Cool Art and Hot Soup’ is intriguing."

Hot soup will be served to visitors as they enjoy 31 ‘cool’ works of art by Allen.

"The exhibition includes some of my newest work as well as work that I have done during my 12 years at Troy State," Allen said. "The pieces are from different series including paintings from the ‘Blue Moon’ series, pencil drawings from the ‘Bed and Boarder’ series and oils on paper. The exhibition gives an overview of me and my art work."

Allen said the works in the exhibit present a woman’s point of view.

"But, they aren’t feminist statements," she said. "They are views of what’s inside my art and me. The show is a cross section of things I’m interest in. Those who know me might find things in the show that they don’t associate with me. Some pieces go back to 1994, but most of them have never been seen in a show."

Allen discussed the possibility of her being a guest artist at the Ann Rudd Arts Center with the Ozark arts council about a year ago.

"We talked about it and then I forgot about it" she said.

"But when an opening was available on the calendar of the Council of Arts and Humanities, I was contacted and was very excited to be invited to exhibit my work."

The museum/arts center has an extremely large space to fill and Allen was concerned that she wouldn’t be able to fill it.

"The exhibition space is a long, white wall and I wasn’t sure I had selected enough pieces,’ she said. "However, once I started hanging, the space filled up quickly."

Allen said she has been on the "other side" of exhibitions many times before, but being on the artist’s side is a different experience.

"Usually, I would be the one to worry about the soup," she said."This time, I can just enjoy being there."

Allen has been a member of the TSU faculty since 1989. She currently serves as assistant professor of art and design and as director of the university’s Malone Gallery. Her work has been featured in several exhibitions, including the 2001 Regions Bank -Montgomery Art Guild 35th Annual Exhibition, the 2001 Regional Juried Art Exhibition at the Ozark art center and the Cheaha Invitational Exhibition in Talladega. The Goshen resident is a member of the Southeastern College of Art Conference, the Mid-American College Art Association, the Troy Art Guild and the Montgomery Art Guild.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and the Ringling School of Art and Design. Allen received a master of fine arts degree from the University of Mississippi.

"Cool Art and Hot Soup"

will open with a public reception tonight at the Dowling Museum-Ann Rudd Arts Center and continue through

Feb. 9.