Montgomery woman makes Alabama’s architectural history exhibition a reality
Melissa B. Tubbs for years has dreamed of an exhibition that showcases Alabama’s architectural history. The pen and ink artist finally got her chance with an exhibition tied to Alabama’s bicentennial that debuted Jan. 5 in Gadsden. The exhibition, “Celebration & Preservation: Drawing Alabama’s Architectural History,” features 25 detailed pen and ink drawings of architecture from throughout the state, beginning with the 1820 Ivy Green House – the home of Helen Keller, and ending in 1997, with the Goat House — an Auburn Rural Studio Project. The exhibition will travel throughout the state from January 2018 through June 2019. Tubbs began laying the groundwork for the exhibition in 2008. “I wanted to show the variety of architecture that has been built in and around the state,” Tubbs said. “We have almost every architectural style you can think of … from Victorian and Mid-Century Modern, to Art Modern and Art Deco.” With the support of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission and the endorsement of the Alabama Architectural Foundation, Tubbs reached out to the public on social media to solicit ideas for the buildings she would include in the show. While Tubbs is a long-time Montgomery resident, her query garnered suggestions for buildings and places she would have otherwise not known about. To help organize the selection process, Tubbs divided the state into five areas and chose five buildings in each of those areas to feature in the exhibition. “I did not necessarily want to choose buildings that were well-known and on the National Register of Historic Places,” said Tubbs. “However, it turns out that a good many of them are, which was a good way to find out information.” Tubbs chose a variety of buildings, including homes, churches, courthouses, businesses and even a jail. Each city hosting the exhibition has a building featured in the show. Tubbs’s pen and ink career began about 20 years ago, when her sister asked her to complete her first official pen and ink drawing of her father-in-law’s home. “I never knew how much I loved architecture until I drew it,” Tubbs said. “I really like working in black and white. I like seeing the values. … It doesn’t matter what color anything you see is, it’s the values – the shadows behind something or cast by the sunlight on a building that gives depth to everything and volume.” A lifelong artist, Tubbs graduated from Auburn with a degree in visual design, and worked in magazine production for nearly 25 years. However, about six years after the house drawing for her sister, the number of commissioned works Tubbs received equaled that of a full-time job, so she chose to leave magazine production to pursue her own art career full-time. “I never regretted it,” Tubbs said. “It is not always easy … but I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different things.” Tubbs’s work includes designing the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Fine Arts awards, the 2011 White House Christmas ornament, as well as two different drawing pad covers for Strathmore artist papers in 2011-2012. While the pen and ink medium has been around for hundreds of years, it is not a common art medium. “It’s a hard medium to use, because you can’t erase,” Tubbs said. “You either start over or find a way to incorporate it into you drawing. Tubbs likes the challenge since she can’t make it easy on herself. “Pen and ink is a case of practice makes perfect,” Tubbs said. “I’ve gotten better with more that I’ve done. It is a medium that I think requires that … you get to a higher level at using the medium.” Her attention to detail, showcased through layers of delicate lines, captures every aspect of architecture that makes each of the buildings in the exhibition unique. Regarding her drawings, Tubbs has had people tell her that “each time they go back and look at the drawings, they see something they didn’t see before,” something that she hopes visitors to the exhibition will also experience. For Tubbs, preparing this exhibition was a labor of love, as she merged her love of art with her appreciation of history. “You can’t look at one without the other – art, architecture and history. … I love finding out about buildings – who built them, when, why they were built, and what materials were used,” Tubbs said. She incorporated her research into the exhibition catalog by recording the technical information about the building, as well as historical information and family history. For example, Tubbs discovered that the Holman House in Ozark was built by Jessee DeCosta Holman, a prominent businessman who sold horses and mules in the early 20th century. “When he built the house in 1912-1913,” Tubbs said, “he had a horse carved on one side of the living room mantle, and a mule carved on the other side, representing what he did to make the money to be able to build the house.” Another interesting story she uncovered after the exhibition catalog had been printed involved the Bashinsky Home in Troy. Tubbs spoke with the granddaughter of L.M. Bashinsky, who had been the cashier of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Troy in 1902-1903, and learned that members of the Bashinsky family used the Troy home as a refuge from “the polio season” during the summers in Montgomery. “Architecture is always influenced by what’s going on in the rest of the country, and world, at times,” Tubbs said. “It ties together all kinds of history and makes a community.” “Drawing these buildings and celebrating 200 years of different architecture in the state is a way of drawing people’s attention to these buildings that are worth saving,” said Tubbs. “We need to remember history … whether it’s architecture or anything else… For people to know and realize how important it is to appreciate the people who came before us… It’s made us who we are and makes Alabama what Alabama is.” To learn more about Tubbs,
Terri Sewell-backed plan to restore Civil Rights-era historic sites funding passes U.S. House
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell ended her week in Congress on a sweet note — the third-term Democrat successfully amended this year’s federal Department of the Interior‘s Appropriations Bill to include an additional $7 million in funding for the department’s Civil Rights Initiative, which funds the restoration and maintenance of historic sites and markers related to the era. “National treasures like the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site tell the story of the struggle for civil rights. It is our obligation to preserve these sites for future generations,” said Sewell, the first African-American woman to represent Alabama in Washington, in a statement. The overall appropriation given to the initiative — $16.5 million including the funds in Sewell’s amendment — still falls considerably short of the $40 million requested by President Barack Obama. “Reduced funding severely limits our ability to protect sites that belong to the National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks,” continued Sewell before enumerating her amendment’s effects. Per a release, her budget amendment: Restores $2.5 million for the rehabilitation and preservation of significant historic properties on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Increases funding by $2.5 million for documenting and preserving civil rights history, and Increases funding by $2 million for competitive grants for underserved communities under the Historic Preservation Fund. Sewell said she was glad of the progress the House made in its budget for Civil Rights sites, but said there was much more to be done. “On the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we should be investing in National Park Service sites associated with the Civil Rights Movement, not cutting necessary funding,” Sewell concluded. Sewell, was born in Selma, represents Alabama’s 6th Congressional District, including much of the state’s “Black Belt” and parts of Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa. She is the state delegation’s sole Democrat.
Alabama senator Del Marsh gets free hotel for promise to renovate
Alabama Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh is a handy man to have around the Alabama State House. During the 2015 legislative session, the state’s top senator tore down walls known as filibusters, swept the floor of unwanted bills and drew a blue print for bringing gambling to Alabama. For his next project, in his home district and far away from the Statehouse, Marsh will remake a mansion. Marsh Properties, operated by Marsh, R-Anniston, has acquired downtown Anniston’s historic Victoria Inn from the Anniston City Council. The city council, which voted on Monday to transfer the property to Marsh Properties, is giving away the historic inn for free under the condition that the new owner spends at least $1.5 million on renovations. The city has sought someone to take over the Victoria Inn since soon after it acquired the property from Jacksonville State University Foundation in 2013. In an interview this week, Marsh said the city issued a request for proposals but didn’t receive a single response. The city then issued a second request, with Marsh Properties as the only contender. “It’s not something I would have typically taken on, but my wife and I are in position to take it on and we’re excited about it,” Marsh said. “We think it’s an important historical facility for the area and we want to maintain it.” Marsh said the company plans to rename Victoria Inn as Hotel Finial, named after the 19th Century finial atop the main house. According to the Victoria Inn’s website, John Mckleroy – a Confederate veteran, state school superintendent and two-time candidate for governor – built the structure in 1888 as his home on a hill. Nearly 100 years later, Anniston developer Earlon McWhorter and architect Julian Jenkins restored the home and in 1984 the National Park Service listed it on the National Register of Historic Places. Neither Anniston’s mayor nor the city’s manager responded to multiple requests for comment about the property transfer. Marsh said he plans to leave the outside of the Victoria largely same, while making a number of changes to the interior. Marsh Properties will renovate “every single room,” changing the decor of the 19th century structure to give it more of a contemporary feel that is “comfortable and suitable” for the present time. The renovated Victoria Inn will not have a full-scale restaurant, although it will maintain a bed and breakfast. The goal, Marsh said, is to have guests visit area restaurants. Marsh said he expects renovation costs to exceed $1.8 million, adding that he’s ready to spend “whatever it takes.” The goal is to be operational by February 2016, he said. “We think that the Victoria Inn is historic to Anniston,” Marsh said. “It’s the only hotel left in Anniston, and we just think that it’s important that it survive and be brought back to its potential.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
