The Civic Arts League, Inc., in a joint venture with Grace Episcopal Church, will host the dedication of the Bobbie Crow Gallery at the church on Monday, Oct. 2, from 6-8 p.m. The public is invited to the free event and it will feature original works by members of the Civic Arts League, as well as light refreshments.
During the dedication of the Bobbie Crow Gallery in celebration of Ms. Crow’s life and work, the artists of the Civic Arts League will showcase their own original works commemorating their personal experiences with Ms. Crow and remembering all that her influence meant to them. Following its dedication, the new gallery space will be open to the public during weekday church business hours and on Sundays. The gallery will serve as a venue for a variety of ongoing community art exhibits throughout the year. Current artists’ work will be available for sale during the month following the dedication.
Bobbie Brooks Crow was born in Cleveland in 1931 and spent her adult life in Chattanooga. The local art community and the congregation of Grace Episcopal both lost one of their most beloved members and friends when Ms. Crow passed away in March. The Bobbie Brooks Crow Gallery will stand as a memorial to her memory.
Art was always a part of Ms. Crow’s life and she delighted in encouraging other artists to express themselves through their creations, and to exhibit their art for others to enjoy. She loved to watch other artists draw, paint, and sculpt. To further encourage artists in our community, she founded the St. Catherine’s Artist Guild at Grace Episcopal Church. The church is currently the meeting place of the Civic Arts League of which Ms. Crow was an officer and active member. In past years she was also artist-in-residence at numerous schools in Chattanooga and Georgia.
Ms. Crow’s own pieces have been exhibited over the years at such venues as the Walnut Street Bridge, the campus of UTC, the Creative Discovery Museum, Miller Plaza, the River Gallery Outdoor Festival and the Catoosa County Library. Her paintings were often done on a grand scale, and represented her love of vibrant colors and bold shapes. She often referred to her work as “spiritual art.” Her personal favorites included evocative abstract images and her paintings of angels and animals.
The Civic Arts League, Inc. is a non-profit organization consisting of multi-talented artists dedicated to the stimulation of the creative arts and the promotion of its cultural and educational interests in our area. Members meet the first Monday of every month (except in July and on some holidays), at 6 p.m. at the Grace Episcopal Church at 20 Belvoir Ave. in the Brainerd Area of Chattanooga. To inquire about membership or to host an exhibit, please contact President Sandra Babb at 277- 9464, or Art Director Cynthia Pennington at 619-8959.
Work by Lynne Mayer for Bobbie's show