For the love of Alabama art; Marcia Weber’s journey from collector to gallery owner
Marcia Weber wasn’t supposed to be a gallery owner. Her plan was to teach. But while working at the Montgomery Museum of Art, that plan went by the wayside. The Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C., was planning a landmark exhibition of American black folk art, and the museum curators were having trouble helping Montgomery artist Mose Tolliver prepare. “His vocabulary, his Southern accent, was a little difficult for some of the curators there at the time,” she said. “I was very lucky that I got to go and meet Mose and spend a good bit of time with him.” At a post-show reception, first lady Nancy Reagan let it slip that she had acquired two of Tolliver’s paintings for the private quarters of the White House. A flood of fan mail followed, along with requests to purchase his work. Weber stepped in, continuing to visit Tolliver at his home to help him read and answer mail. (Tolliver couldn’t read.) “I would write on the bottom of the letter what he would tell me to write and send it back to the people and then they would send money to Mose,” she recalled. “In essence, I began to help him, really just as a friend.” Working with Tolliver helped Weber remove her “fine art glasses,” which opened her to the world of self-taught art. It’s a large field, made up of many parts. One is “outsider art,” which is often created by people who live outside of societal norms for reasons ranging from reclusiveness to mental illness. Another is “visionary art,” where an artist may have visions, largely religious in nature, and then create renditions of those visions. And then there’s Weber’s specialty, contemporary folk art. “We, here in Alabama, are lucky to have the cream of the crop of the painters in this particular field,” she said. That includes Tolliver, Jimmie Lee Sudduth, Charlie Lucas, Woodie Long, Howard Finster and Bill Traylor, whom Weber considers to be Alabama’s most important self-taught artist. The Smithsonian is planning a major retrospective of Traylor’s work in 2018. For Weber, focusing on self-taught art was not a decision. It just happened. “I was really drawn to it. I loved the color. I loved their use of composition. It was not contrived. It was very fresh,” she said. “And there was something about academically trained art, at that time, that was beginning to bore me.” So, she began collecting, traveling in and around Alabama and then branching out to other parts of the country. Soon, all of the fine art in her home was replaced by self-taught art. Eventually, Weber started toying with the idea of opening a gallery. Marcia Weber Art Objects was established in 1991. The gallery now carries more than 2,000 pieces and is the largest of its kind in Alabama. Self-taught art was not always seen as viable and valuable, and a lot of it has been lost along the way because of that. Also, many of the artists have died, particularly over the past decade or so. In the beginning, Weber was primarily tasked with selling art to help her clients keep their utility bills paid. Now, she’s more concerned with preservation. “I’m busy trying to save the masterpieces that come my way,” she said. “I’m so blessed to have an opportunity to not only know these artists, but to try to save the very best of what they create. And to hopefully get it into the hands of those who realize what this is and who will always save it.” Weber hosts her annual Holiday Open House at the gallery today, Dec. 7, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. There will be cheese straws. The public is welcome. On view now: “American Self-Taught Masters” and “Saints and Sinners – Latin American Folk Art.” Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Tennessee taps Alabama assistant Jeremy Pruitt as new head coach
The Tennessee Volunteers finally have their new football coach – Alabama Crimson Tide assistant coach Jeremy Pruitt. The school announced Thursday morning the Alabama defensive coordinator will be the 26th coach in program history. Pruitt, 43, takes the helm of the Volunteers program after cementing himself as the nation’s top defensive coordinator during stints at Alabama (2016-17), Georgia (2014-15) and Florida State (2013). Tennessee athletic director and former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said Pruitt meets all the criteria he was looking for in a head coach. “Six days ago, I mentioned several attributes that I sought to find in the next leader of our football program, and Coach Pruitt meets all criteria” Fulmer said in a statement. “I’m certain he appreciates the unique opportunity to lead a program of Tennessee’s caliber. He’s driven to win at the highest level. He will honor our university’s values, operate with integrity and be a role model for our student-athletes. “I know Coach Pruitt will hit the ground running and go to work restoring our program to a championship level.” As an assistant coach, the Rainsville, Ala. native has been a part of four national championship teams — 2009, 2011, 2012 on the staff of the Crimson Tide. And in 2013 as the defensive coordinator during the Seminoles’ undefeated national championship season. The Vols will introduce Pruitt as their head coach at a news conference Thursday evening.
Luther Strange delivers Senate farewell address, calls for bipartisanship
Alabama Senator Luther Strange delivered a farewell address to his colleagues on the Senate floor on Thursday after serving 10 months in the chamber. Titled, “A return to the Marble Room,” Strange urged more bipartisanship and to work across party lines. During his speech, he called attention to the empty Marble Room, once a bipartisan retreat for senators off the Senate floor. “What was once an incubator for collegiality and bipartisanship has become a glaring reminder of the divisions that we have allowed to distract us from the business of the American people… This emptiness symbolizes something that worries me about today’s politics,” Strange said from the Senate floor. “It’s likely both a symptom and a cause of the partisan gridlock that often dominates this chamber.” “Strange continued, When we have each left this great body, I know we would like to be remembered as men and women in the arena, as people who spent themselves in worthy causes. I’m convinced the worthiest cause we can join today is the return to the collegiality, the pragmatism and yes, dare I say, the compromise of the Marble Room.” Strange called on his Senate colleagues to find a “shared cause, shared purpose in the quiet corners,” urging them to “return to the collegiality, the pragmatism, and yes, the compromise, of the Marble Room.” Strange was appointed in February by former Gov. Robert Bentley to fill the seat vacant by Jeff Sessions when he left the U.S. Senate to become President Donald Trump‘s attorney general. In September, Strange lost the Republican primary run-off to Alabama former Chief Justice Roy Moore. Moore now faces Democratic Doug Jones on Dec. 12 in a special election to fill Session’s seat. Kentucky-Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said Strange would be missed greatly. “I know all of our colleagues share the view that the senator from Alabama has made an extraordinary commitment, made an extraordinary difference for Alabama and for the nation during his time here,” said McConnell. “We will miss him greatly.” Excerpts from Strange’s prepared address: “The idea that the chaos and upheaval that we see today are somehow unique falls flat in the face of monumental history. Pundits and politicians are too quick to speak in superlatives, but chaos and change are nothing new. The Senate was designed to endure, and rooms of marble are built to last.” … “Our generation of leaders will be judged by history on whether we strove to heal the divisions of this body and our nation. … And yet, compromise has become a dirty word in American politics, and it’s a serious threat to our hopes of advancing meaningful policy.” … “It is easy for those outside this chamber to insist that they know what should be done. As long as we remain so deeply divided, these outside voices will always win. … “I am convinced – the worthiest cause we can join today is a return to the collegiality, the pragmatism, and yes, the compromise, of the Marble Room.” Watch Strange’s farewell address below:
Kay Ivey joins fellow Governors, urges GOP leaders to pass tax reform
Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced she has joined fellow Republican governors in sending a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, urging Congress to pass tax reform legislation. “President Trump is proposing the largest tax cut for American families and businesses in decades,” Ivey said. “The current tax structure is oppressive to families and businesses alike, and it simply sets us up for failure in today’s global economy. We’ve proven in Alabama, with the lowest unemployment rate in history, lower taxes and less government regulation produces jobs – it’s time Washington joins us in our efforts.” The letter, signed by Ivey and 21 of Republican gubernatorial colleagues, urges both chambers of Congress to accomplish comprehensive tax reform on behalf of all Americans. According to Ivey, our nation’s tax code is outdated and in desperate need of reform. The current corporate tax rate of 39 percent is the highest among industrialized nations and puts American workers and businesses at a major competitive disadvantage. “Tax reform is good for families, businesses and for our country,” Ivey concluded. “Cutting and simplifying taxes is the right thing to do for all Americans, and it is certainly right for Alabama. Thriving small and midsize businesses are essential to spur economic growth and to create new jobs. We need a tax code that propels businesses to success rather than punishing them for their success.” Ivey urged Congress to enact tax policies which encourage businesses to return to the United States, as well as policies which will remove burdensome regulations, resulting in businesses investing in their employees, through higher wages, and in growth to their bottom lines. Read the full letter below:
Ala. National Guard logistics team called to active duty, to deploy to Afghanistan
Roughly 20 Alabama
Steve Flowers: Turnout is key, Roy Moore likely to defeat Doug Jones
The final vote for the remaining three years of Jeff Sessions six-year term in the U.S. Senate will be next Tuesday. The race is between Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Roy Moore. Jeff Sessions is probably sorry he left his safe Senate seat of 20-years to be at the Justice Department in a tentative position with constant ridicule from an irrational, egomaniac as president. It would be highly unlikely that a Democrat could beat a Republican for a U.S. Senate Seat in the Heart of Dixie. We are one of the most reliably Republican states in America, especially when it comes to federal offices. However, this is a special election and not a normal election. That means you have to really want to go vote for either Jones or Moore in the middle of Christmas Season. Most folks particularly 25-45 year olds could not care less who is our Junior U.S. Senator. That group of folks is more interested in how they are going to make their mortgage payment, what they are going to have for supper, and whether their kid got to their soccer game. Therefore, the question is who has the most ardent, fervent, and dedicated followers. Without question, that is Roy Moore the “Ten Commandments Judge.” Polls have consistently shown that 30-percent of Alabamians will vote for Roy Moore come hell or high water and 70-percent will not vote for him under any circumstances. A poll is a picture of the entire electorate. The final poll and the only one that counts is the one where they count the votes of the folks that showed up to vote on Election Day. That poll favors Roy Moore. His followers will show up to vote. They are dedicated to Moore and they are dedicated to voting. They are also older and older people vote with more propensity than younger voters. In addition, white voters vote at a higher percentage than black voters. Our state is essentially divided by racial lines. Most Democratic voters are black and most Republican voters are white. It’s that simple. Politics and political races are about numbers. As a boy, I would spend time with my old veteran Probate Judge. He had been Probate Judge of my county for 30-years, a State Senator, and Sheriff prior to his becoming King of the County. He would give me the very boring task of studying voting returns of boxes in the county. He would say the first lesson of politics is to learn how to count. In the first Republican primary there were 425,000 votes cast in the Senate race. On the other hand, there were 165,000 Democratic votes cast. Moore got over 200,000 votes in the GOP runoff against Luther Strange. Undoubtedly, Moore is a very polarizing figure. Like George Wallace, either you like him or you do not. More sophisticated, urbane voters in the state detest Moore and they will not vote for him. About the time of the Strange vs. Moore runoff contest, a friend of mine hosted a book signing party for me in his Mountain Brook home. There were about 50 upscale Jefferson County people at the event. Almost every one of them came up to me and told me that they were Republicans, but if Roy Moore is the GOP nominee, they will vote for Doug Jones. Indeed, you can drive through upscale neighborhoods of Jefferson County, especially Mountain Brook, Vestavia and Homewood and you will see Doug Jones signs in practically every yard. You can see this same scenario in upscale enclaves of Huntsville, Mobile, and Montgomery. However, be reminded that George Wallace never carried Mountain Brook. The folks in the barbershops and beauty parlors in Opp, Oxford, and Rainbow City elect our governors and senators. Doug Jones is running an excellent campaign. He is a good candidate. However, he is very much out of the mainstream of the majority of Alabama voters, especially on social issues when it comes to guns, abortion, immigration, gay marriage, and transgenders in a weakened military. He is a real national Democrat and he does not shy away from his liberal positions. There is no difference between Doug Jones and Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi. He is proud of his stance. He could run for Senator of California and be in the mainstream and probably be elected. However, not in the Heart of Dixie. Doug Jones may get close, but close only counts in horseshoes. My guess is that the white voter who attends an evangelical mega church in Gardendale is more likely to vote on Tuesday than a black voter in North Birmingham. We will see. Turnout is the key. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
