Evening in the Gallery will feature Williams today

Published 6:33 am Tuesday, March 6, 2012

There’s a first time for everything and a last time for many things.

Tonight will be the last time to hear Ann Williams discuss her collection of brass rubbings from England and Scotland that are on exhibit at the Johnson Center for the Arts.

Morgan Drinkard, Center interim director, said there has been so much interest in Williams’ brass rubbings and the history behind them that the arts center wanted to provide one more opportunity for the community to spend an evening with her.

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The Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center will host an Evening in the Gallery from 5 until 6 p.m. today at the Johnson Center.

The coffee reception and guest lecture by Williams is sponsored by Troy University.

“Ann Williams will talk about her brass rubbings and the history behind them,” Drinkard said. “She will also tell stories about the efforts that it took to do the rubbings and why these rubbings are almost priceless now. This will be an interesting and educational presentation and also very entertaining.

“The Evening at the Gallery also will be an opportunity to view the Audubon Collection before it comes down on Wednesday. The collection has been on loan to the Johnson Center from the Jule Collins Smith Museum in Auburn.”

John James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist and painter who was known for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds.

“We have 23 pieces of his work on exhibit and they are incredible,” Drinkard said. “He detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats with such intricacy that it was a science.”

Audubon’s color-plate book entitled “The Birds of North America,” is considered one of the first ornithological works ever completed.

“We are very honored to have this Audubon collection at the Johnson Center and hope that the community will take the opportunity to see this exhibition as they join us for an Evening with in the Gallery with Ann Williams,” Drinkard said.

What’s next at the Johnson Center for the Arts is “4 Painters,” featuring painters from Montgomery.

The opening reception for “4 Painters” will be from 2 until 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. The exhibition will run through the end of May. The Troy Student Art Show will be featured in The Studio during April and will be a feature of the TroyFest April 28 and 29.