Katie
Jermaine
Cheryl
Sidney
La
Annie
Executive Committee
R. Ripley Bell, Jr., President
Summer Cotten, Vice President
Butler Stoudenmire, Treasurer
Rosemary Hamburger
At-large Members
Lindsay Rohrer Barnhill
Dr. Jeffery Cannon
Dr. Samantha Fields
Meg Gentile
Donald Gray, Jr.
Wayne Gregory
Sheri Hall-Barlow
Dr. Brenda Hodges-Tiller
Meryl K. Joiner
Dr. Jason Langer
Jimmy Lindsey
Beau Sinyard
Carmen Wiggins
Dr. Stephanie Williams
AndrewJamesWulf,Ph.D. ExecutiveDirector
I get asked this question—a lot—and asked sincerely: Why do we need a new art museum? Why now?
The answer is simple. Downtown Albany is in the middle of telling a new story—and we want art and creativity to be part of that story.
Every city should have at least one place where you can hit pause—where imagination is king and where people can gather as human beings in ways that they cannot anywhere else. Not to purchase something or convince someone. Not to rush through.
To be human together in the presence of what artists have created from curiosity, hardship, celebration, memory, and hope.
Our lives don’t pause often. Between work, responsibilities, deadlines, and doomscrolling, we are conditioning ourselves to do more, faster, with less feeling—and, tragically, less meaning. A museum pushes back on that. It offers a place that gives something back: the space to slow down and see clearly, to be with beauty and truth without having to “agree” with it, to be delighted, and to feel that spark of curiosity again. That isn’t ideological; it’s functional. Communities thrive when we have places that recharge our ability to see others as neighbors and that remind us of what unites us across our differences.
That’s why the Albany Museum of Art is building a new museum in downtown Albany.
The heart of our city tells the story of who we are—where we celebrate together and gather for moments of challenge. Where we welcome visitors. Where we say—through the buildings we construct and the public spaces we invest in—what we value.
By investing in a new building downtown, we are proclaiming that art and creativity belong in the center of our lives, not on the outskirts. We are saying that the AMA can be the downtown living room for the people of Albany and the region: a place welcoming and accessible to students and families; longtime residents and first-time visitors; artists—and those who haven’t always thought of themselves as “artsy.” A place where someone can step in on a lunch break, bring a grandchild on a Saturday, or wander in for the first time. A place where all feel welcome.
People call museums “amenities.” I take a different view. Museums are essentials— public goods, like libraries and parks. They lift up a whole community, including individuals who may never be patrons or collectors, but who are still entitled to the work creative people make that helps us feel more alive. Art on our walls and throughout our galleries, from artists of diverse backgrounds and experiences, has the capacity to help us pay attention—to remind us to look again. To open our minds to the possible.
This building isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about keeping the spark alive— and deciding what kind of city we want to be.
We want a city that values belonging and invests in young people—because they deserve places that challenge and stretch their thinking. And we want a downtown that thrives for more than one reason: not just shopping, but places that make people stay awhile. Where it feels normal to drop in—meet a friend for coffee, or spend a little time on your own.
At this writing, we were weeks from breaking ground on our new building downtown. A huge milestone for us, but really just a start. Because our success won’t be measured by an opening date or impressive architecture. Our success will be watching students walk through the doors with minds wide open, returning again and again. Watching families create memories together. Watching visitors experience Albany in a whole new way. Watching neighbors of every background walk in and say, “This feels like my museum, too.”
Allowing ourselves to pause. Being human together. These are the gifts a museum in the heart of the city can give us. We’re grateful to be where we are with this project, and hope you’ll join us in carrying the momentum forward—and in tending the spark that makes a community feel fully alive.
Your friend, Andy
Topleft:KatieDillard,oftheAMA, andCorinneRoth,oftheDeltaFlight Museum,participatedinaroundtable discussionatGAM2026.
Topright:MicheleTurner,oftheGeorgiaMuseum ofArt,andChloeHinton,oftheAMA,presentedon fundraisingideasatGAM2026.
Bottom:GAM Administrative DirectorMicheleRodgerstalks withAMAintern ConnorJennings atGAM2026.
In January, LRA Constructors, Inc., was named the general contractor for the Albany Museum of Art’s adaptive reuse construction project in downtown Albany. In that capacity, LRA is providing preconstruction and construction services for the AMA’s move from 311 Meadowlark Drive to 128 and 146 W. Broad Ave.
At the magazine deadline, plans were underway for a groundbreaking ceremony at the downtown site. The target completion time for the project is late spring 2028.
“As president of the Board of Trustees for the Albany Museum of Art, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the selection of LRA to construct what will become the crown jewel of Southwest Georgia,” R. Ripley Bell, Jr., said in announcing the selection.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to become a partner on this significant project for the Albany Museum of Art and the Albany community,” LRA Constructors President Jake Reese said in the announcement. “The museum and all involved have put in a tremendous amount of work to get to this point, and we look forward to joining this impressive team.”
LRA officials are working directly with Aaron & Clements, the Columbus, Ga., firm that the AMA hired in December to represent the museum through all aspects of the project delivery process.
“It has been a long road to get to this point, but we have traveled it deliberately to ensure that this new museum serves not only today’s Albany and Southwest Georgia, but many future
generations,” AMA Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D., said. “We have the privilege of creating a legacy for our region, and we want to make sure it will stand the test of time.
“Our local governments have shown they have vision for the future of downtown, with the city of Albany providing $4 million in SPLOST funds and Dougherty County, $3 million in SPLOST funds. The Bunzl Foundation has generously donated $3 million, and we have received $1 million in private contributions to date. Historic Tax Credits are an important part of the project’s financing plan.”
Albany Museum of Art staff presented sessions at the Georgia Association of Museums’ 2026 Conference, Conversations and Curveballs: Hitting It Out of the Park in Georgia’s Museums. GAM 2026 was held Feb 4-6 in Cobb County.
AMA Director of Development Chloe Hinton and Georgia Museum of Art (GMA) Director of Annual Giving and Donor Relations Michele Turner co-presented a session on fundraising ideas titled To Gala or Not to Gala at Your Institutions. The program weighed the benefits and downsides of hosting a major, formal fundraising gala at an institution. They also shared ideas on ways to bolster events and make them successful.
AMA Director of Curatorial Affairs Katie Dillard participated in the conference’s Collections Roundtable Discussion, which was led by Delta Flight Museum Registrar and Collections Specialist Corinne Roth. They were joined by GMA Deputy Director of Collections and Exhibitions and Head Registrar Tricia Miller. The trio led informal group discussions about collection concerns, issues, and ideas.
Connor Jennings, an Albany Museum of Art intern, attended the GAM 2026 and was recognized for his volunteer participation. He and two other interns assisted with the conference.
Jennings, an Albany State University student and track and field athlete, has been assisting in both the Development and Curatorial Departments at the AMA this semester. This was his first GAM conference, and it made a big impression on him.
“Attending the Georgia Association of Museums Conference as an intern was a very important experience for me,” Jennings said in reflecting on the experience. “I am a business major at Albany State University and currently the only museum studies minor at my university, so opportunities to be in professional museum spaces are very valuable for me. Since my university does not have a large museum studies program, attending the conference allowed me to step outside of my campus environment and learn directly from professionals working in the museum field.
“During the conference, I attended sessions that covered museum operations, educational programming, and career pathways in museums. These sessions helped me better understand how my business background connects to museum work, especially in areas such as administration, marketing, budgeting, and operations. All of which are very essential to the framework of directing a successful museum, something I hope to achieve in the near future. I was also able to meet museum professionals, interns, and students from other universities, one of whom I was able to exchange information with, which led me to finding a future internship and work experience opportunity. All of which helped me begin building a professional network within the museum community.
“To me, one of the most valuable parts of the conference was just being able to talk with young professionals about how they got started in the museum field and what their day-today work looks like. Hearing their experiences made careers in museums feel more realistic and accessible to me. It also helped me think more seriously about what I want to do after graduation and how I can combine business and museums in my career.
“Overall, attending the GAM conference helped me grow professionally, build connections, and learn more about the museum field. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend as an intern, and the experience made me more confident about pursuing a career in museums.”
Above:AMAExecutiveDirector DevelopmentAndrewJamesWulfandDirectorof ChloeHintonjoinedlocal leadersatAlbany-DoughertyDayat theStateCapitol.(Photo:AlbanyArea ChamberofCommerce)
Right:MetroPower,Inc.,VicePresident DirectorDuaneHowellpresentsExecutive AndrewWulfwitha$15,000 grantfromthePPCFoundation.
Albany Museum of Art Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D., and Director of Development Chloe Hinton attended Albany-Dougherty Day at the State Capitol on Feb 10-11. More than 50 city and county business and community leaders attended the two-day program, which officials with the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce said was the initiative’s largest delegation.
During the two-day event led by the Chamber, participants were able to get direct access to state leaders and key decisionmakers as they advocated for policies and priorities that will benefit Albany-Dougherty County and its region. The Chamber focused on the importance of funding for workforce development, health care, and infrastructure, including $5 million toward the Albany Museum of Art’s expansion and relocation to downtown Albany.
The Albany Museum of Art is one of two recipients in Georgia of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for Celebrating America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes.
The $25,000 grant will support a downtown Albany mural honoring Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, and Albany native Ray Charles. Atlanta artist Shanequa Gay was commissioned to create the mural, which was scheduled to be completed in early May.
“As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts is honored to support communities across the country in recognizing the individuals whose contributions have defined our history, NEA Senior Advisor Mary Anne Carter said. “The Albany Museum of Art’s project in Albany, Georgia, plays a significant role in commemorating these heroes’ legacies while affirming the enduring role of the arts in shaping America’s future.”
“We are thrilled to have been chosen by the NEA to participate in this America250 project and are proud to be representing the great state of Georgia with this award,” AMA Executive Director Andrew James Wulf said. “Public artwork like this increases access to the arts, fosters a greater sense of place, and provides a communal landmark for our community to gather around for generations.”
A $15,000 grant that the Albany Museum of Art received in February from the PPC Foundation will help the museum continue to bring art to Albany and Southwest Georgia through free admission, outstanding art exhibitions, and a strong schedule of art-inspired programming for all ages.
MetroPower, Inc., Vice President Duane Howell, who presented the grant to Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, said that “MetroPower is deeply invested in our people and the communities we serve,” Howell said. “Our commitment goes beyond providing electrical and plumbing solutions—it’s rooted in a genuine desire to give back.” MetroPower is one of five companies owned by PPC Partners, which operates the PPC Foundation to invest in the betterment of the communities it serves.
“We are honored that MetroPower and the PPC Foundation have chosen the Albany Museum of Art as the recipient of this grant, which shows the company’s deep-seated commitment to supporting the communities it serves in real and meaningful ways,” Wulf said.
Dr.JasonLanger(left) andMegGentile(right) areco-chairsforArt Ball2026:TheSurreal.
ArtBall2026:TheSurrealwillbe thelasteventheldinsidethefuture homeoftheAlbanyMuseumofArt untilthemuseumrelocatestothe downtownlocationin2028.
Uniqueartitems,luxury experiences,andmorewill beupforbidattheArtBall 2026liveauction.
A Surrealist artist looks at the world from a different perspective, taking what is familiar and common and transforming it through imagination and talent into something different and extraordinary. With the Albany Museum of Art at the threshold of transforming a vacant department store building in downtown Albany into a vibrant new museum, its annual celebration and major fundraiser, Art Ball, has a particularly appropriate theme: The Surreal.
Art Ball 2026: The Surreal will take place at 6:30 pm on Saturday, May 9, at the former Belk department store at 120 W. Broad Ave. This is the last time Art Ball or any event will be conducted in the building until the new museum opens at the location in 2028.
This year’s co-chairs are AMA Board of Trustees members Meg Gentile and Dr. Jason Langer. Gentile said they “love the theme of the surreal because, in the same way that a surrealist challenges the viewer's experience of reality as we know and perceive it, we get to ask our community to join us in a beautiful vision of what isn't yet but will be.”
“We are going to party together in this unrefined, rough space and literally project our community's bright, shiny future onto
it,” she said. “What a perfect meeting of what is and what will be—and what a great starting point for continuing the museum's bright future!”
Art Ball 2026 will open with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by a gourmet dinner by Canterbury Catering.
After dinner, there will be a live auction. After attendees bid on unique artworks, luxury experiences, and more, they will have the opportunity to participate in the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation Paddle Raise. Donations made during the paddle raise directly support the AMA’s educational programs, including scholarships to the museum’s popular seasonal art camps.
“There's this expression, ‘give until it hurts,’ which I think is supposed to encourage people to donate a lot, but I think it misses the point. My approach is ‘give because it feels good.’ This is a celebration and a commencement. Give because it feels good to support Albany, to support the arts, to support our community, and to support artists and the AMA!”
Much of that critical support comes from Art Ball sponsors. “Without them, we could not have this wonderful event each year,” AMA Director of Development Chloe Hinton said. In addition to the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation, sponsors for Art Ball 2026: The Surreal are The Dream (bar sponsor) LRA Constructors, Inc.; The Illusionist (entertainment sponsor) Colony Bank; The Avante Garde (paddle sponsors)
BMW of Albany and Albany Motorcars-Mercedes Benz; and The Muses (corporate sponsors) Upland Wealth Advisors, Flint Community Bank, the Fred Taylor Company, Inc., Hays, LTI, Phoebe, and Watson Spence, LLP.
After the dinner and auctions, the evening will continue with dancing to the music of Mind Plays, an intense, pop/rock band from Amarillo, Texas, that now calls Panama City Beach, Fla., home.
The ear pick was used primarily by men and was worn alongside a cross pendant around the neck.
The Ethiopian ear pick, or ear spoon, has a special intersection between health, religious practice, and adornment. Ethiopia’s most widely practiced religion is Christianity, which was introduced to the East African country in the 4th century. While displays of faith in Ethiopia are most common in the donning of the cross pendant, the ear pick was an additional facet of ornamentation that only added to this display of religious affiliation.
The ear pick—commonly made of silver, like those in the AMA’s Sub-Saharan African collection—was used primarily by men and was worn alongside a cross pendant around the neck. The initial function of this object is a health tool, used by men to clean their ears. Hot, humid environments like that of Ethiopia can cause one to produce more earwax.
As with many religious and ritual objects, there is also an element of superstition, as it was believed that the ears acted as a window. Therefore, it was recommended to clean the ears before attending a religious service so that one could better understand the teachings or sermons.
Ear picks are commonly designed to mimic those that would also be found on crosses, and were often sold in the vicinity of churches. While prioritizing the importance of receiving the religious message, the presence of the ear pick also shows a value of health and wellness. The intersection of religion and wellness, combined with the adornment practices of ear spoons in expressing the uniqueness and individuality of the user, is quite beautiful. Who knew earwax removal could be such a thing?
—Sidney Pettice, Curator of African Collections and African Diasporic Art
Ethiopianartist, EarPick,20th century,silver,giftofMissStellaE.Davis,80.001.215.
NaotoNakagawa (Japanese-American,B. 1944),RedNails,1971, acryliconcanvas,giftof SheldonE.Krasnow,M.D.,86.003.001.
Naoto Nakagawa is a New York-based painter whose work is a highly distinctive blend of realism, surrealism, and Pop-inflected imagery. Born in Kobe, Japan, in 1944, Nakagawa immigrated to New York in 1962 and quickly became embedded in the city’s experimental downtown art scene, studying at the Brooklyn Museum Art
Unlike the cool detachment of most Pop Art, Nakagawa’s paintings from this era are visually aggressive, often depicting domestic objects in states of tension, collision, or transformation. These works reflect not only the visual language of consumer
culture—definitive features of Pop Art—but also some of his personal background. Nakagawa’s grandfather was one of the most revered traditional landscape painters in Japan, yet he admired painters like Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko. As a teenager, he studied with Kikonami Joji, a leader of the Gutai group, an avantgarde movement in Japan that emphasized action painting and whose influences predated both Conceptual Art and Performance Art in the United States. These early influences from both Eastern and Western origins had enormous impacts on how Nakagawa would approach his artistic practice while living in New York.
In the early 1970s, Nakagawa developed a series of large-scale, sharply rendered paintings of everyday objects: combs, mirrors, scissors, and domestic items, transformed into psychologically charged compositions. In this series, he worked with Liquitex, one of the first acrylic paints made. The paint has high color values that resist dulling, and today—55 years after the work was made—the colors remain vividly alive.
Red Nails (1971) exemplifies this early 1970s practice. The composition features a cluster of hyper-real, brightly colored objects: a glossy green hammer, a paintbrush loaded with green paint, a clothes hanger, and a radial burst resembling fractured mirror glass or an explosive force, organized within a red, circular frame on an eyevibratingly blue background. The titular “red nails” appear as spherical nodes connected to thin rods, evoking both industrial fasteners and molecular structures. The nails don’t seem to serve any purpose in keeping anything together. In fact, the opposite is conveyed as twisted nails emerge from shattering glass. All that is keeping this arrangement together is a slender, frayed red thread, barely visible in the frame of the work, and tied to both the hanger and the slim handle of the paintbrush.
This painting operates on multiple levels. Its crisp edges, saturated palette, and polished surfaces recall commercial illustration and Pop aesthetics, yet the composition resists stability as objects collide, pierce, and overlap in ambiguous spatial relationships. The circular motif suggests containment, but the explosive burst disrupts this order, introducing a sense of violence or rupture. It’s a curious mixture of objects that evokes more questions than answers.
Red Nails becomes a meditation on tension: between construction and destruction, utility and threat. Ultimately, Nakagawa’s early 1970s work reflects a broader cultural moment in New York, one where artists grappled with consumerism, war, and identity. His paintings stand out for their ability to transform ordinary objects into charged, almost mythical forms, revealing the hidden emotional and symbolic weight of modern life in America.
— Katie Dillard, Director of Curatorial Affairs
This painting operates on multiple levels. Its crisp edges, saturated palette, and polished surfaces recall commercial illustration and Pop aesthetics, yet the composition resists stability as objects collide, pierce, and overlap in ambiguous spatial relationships.
May 21 – Aug 29, 2026
Haley Gallery
Vitus Shell: Power of Sight is the first solo presentation of Shell’s work in Georgia. This exhibition of the Louisianaborn-and-based artist’s work focuses on the weight of contemporary Black portraiture and the idea of sightedness. Documenting the likeness of these sitters in his paintings exhibits a certain agency in being—something that Black communities have been denied. Furthermore, his artwork questions and critiques the history of the Black subject in canonical portraiture.
Shell’s body of work, called the Gold Everything Series, will be the focus of this exhibition. In this series, the subjects of his paintings are shrouded in and surrounded by classic golden motifs and filigree found in historic European portraiture.
In addition to his exhibition on-site at the Albany Museum of Art, the artist will produce a mural in downtown Albany. In this way, Shell’s work and the narrative that he represents will continue beyond Power of Sight as a permanent artwork in the Albany community.
This exhibition aims to question how the perception of a subject in portraiture not only has historical resonance, but it demands Blackness, Black culture, and the Black experience be placed at the forefront, now hyper-visible.
May 21 – Aug 29, 2026 East Gallery
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, the Albany Museum of Art presents a first-of-its-kind exhibition connecting local history and visual art. Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA will focus on the notion of place and the historical sites that exist around us.
The Negro Motorist Green Book, written by Victor Hugo Green, was created out of the need for safe travel guidelines for Black people. The Green Book allowed Black people to navigate areas—especially in the Jim Crow-era South—with caution. It included safe gas stations, rest areas, restaurants, hotels, and tourist homes.
In Albany, from its first edition in 1937 to around 1945, four women registered their homes as tourist homes. Mrs. Aurelia Bentley, Mrs. Lula Davis, Mrs. Virginia Ross, and Mrs. Callie Washington opened their homes to travelers for lodging and refuge. While these four historic homes no longer exist or function as the homes they once were, the legacy of these four women as activists in their own right remains and deserves to be recognized.
Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA will feature photographs of the sites where these homes once stood, highlighting the history that surrounds us. Working with well-known community
leader and photographer Adrian Jenkins, the AMA aims to bring pride to our local history, which spans from the pre-Civil Rights era to today.
Opposite page: The former home of Virginia Ross at 514 Mercer Ave. in Albany is one of the sites that were listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book. (Photograph by A.E. Jenkins, Jr.)
May 21 – Aug 29, 2026
Hodges Gallery
This oral history project, a partnership between the Albany Museum of Art and the South Georgia Archives at the Thronateeska Heritage Center, highlights several accounts of Albany through the narratives of key local historians and community organizers. The screening of these interviews on display at the AMA is intended to accompany the exhibition Sense of Place
These oral histories will be permanently housed at the South Georgia Archives,
placing further emphasis on the need and importance of preserving these stories.
The AMA and South Georgia Archives thank Patricia Chatmon Perryman, Pamela Chatmon Washington, Michael Harper, Angelia Gibson Jones, and Adrian Jenkins for offering their stories and expertise. Videography for the project was provided by Billye Sands, of BillYAY Films.
Opposite page: Patricia Chatmon Perryman is one of the participants in the collaborative oral history project. (Photography by Billye Sands, BillYAY Films)
May 21 – Aug 29, 2026
McCormack Gallery
Works by Rylan Steele
Rylan Steele is a photographer and professor based in Columbus, Ga. The body of work on view in The Middle Way came to fruition after the Columbus State University associate professor of photography reread the Pulitzer Awardwinning novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). The Southern Gothic novel, which spawned an Oscar-winning movie, explores race, gender, and class while also telling the story of childhood and the pivotal parts of growing up.
This led Steele to his project of photographing his son, Owen, over the past nine years. Steele makes it known that he and his son are collaborators in this
body of work, with the documentation of The Middle Way series constructed from conversations they’ve had. Most recently, Owen shared with his father that he feels the title The Middle Way speaks to the way he chooses to go about life—taking the middle path.
Each image offers a glimpse into Owen’s boyhood, what his room looked like, who his friends were, what his responsibilities were, and what or who he was learning from. For Steele, through the perspective of fatherhood, rereading To Kill a Mockingbird made him question who his son would become in his adult life. These images documenting his evolution from
child to teen to young adult almost act as a recounting, something that can be revisited and remembered.
Steele is one of two artists who were selected for solo exhibitions in the AMA’s second annual juried open call for artists.
Opposite page: Rylan Steele, Sand, 2017, archival pigment print. Courtesy of the artist.
May 21 – Aug 29, 2026
West Gallery
Works by Jessica Ambadipudi
Jessica Ambadipudi is from India, but currently lives in Leesburg, Ga. Her arts background began in animation before she transitioned into illustration and visual storytelling. The dynamics of her beginnings in graphic design and illustration have deeply informed her practice and the creation of works like those exhibited in The Home of Birds
Ambadipudi thinks about the deeper symbolism of the bird, a migratory being that is able to create a home anywhere. After coming to the U.S. to pursue her
MFA at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she was drawn to the notions of homesickness and questioning what exactly home is after being away from hers. Through immersive exploration of the star, bird, and home motifs, textural color, and dynamic worldbuilding, the artworks in The Home of Birds encourage close looking and reflection.
She is one of two artists who were selected for solo exhibitions in the AMA’s second annual juried open call for artists.
Opposite page: Jessica Ambadipudi, Haus of Birds, Living Room (detail), 2024, gouache on paper. Courtesy of the artist.
FOR KIDS
TODDLER TAKEOVER
Tuesday | May 5, Sept 1 | 10:30-11 AM
Designed for children ages 15 months through 3 years, Toddler Takeover engages the curiosity and creativity of children by incorporating different themes each month related to artwork on display at the Albany Museum of Art. The 30-minute sessions keep toddlers alert and engaged as they visit a gallery, listen to a story, and make art to take home. The program is familyfriendly, so siblings are welcome.
Schedule Note: Toddler Takeover takes a break from June to August because of the heavy schedule of AMA summer art camps.
Cost: $7 ($5 for AMA Artist Guild donors; free for Reciprocal and higher-level donors).
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/toddlertakeover/
Thursday | May 14, Sept 10 | 10-11:30 AM
Homeschoolers in K-5th grade meet each month during the school year to learn in the galleries and then work together on a take-home project in the AMA Classroom. The Albany Museum of Art provides a rich visual environment that addresses a wide variety of topics, including cultural awareness, understanding, critical-thinking skills, and the application of literature, math, history, geography, science, and language arts.
The program also sparks creativity as students learn new art techniques, refine and develop fine motor skills, and grow social interaction skills. The art-based curriculum complements traditional homeschooling methods, enhancing understanding.
Schedule Note: Homeschool Day takes a break from June to August because of the heavy schedule of AMA summer art camps.
Cost: $15 ($10 for AMA donors).
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/homeschoolday/
Elementary School Students: Tuesday | Aug 25, Sept 29 | 3:30-5 PM
Middle & High School Students: Wednesday | Aug 26, Sept 30 | 3:30-5 PM
A new season of After School Art Clubs starts in late August and will continue through April 2027. Each month, students are introduced to different media and techniques as they improve their art skills and learn new ones.
Club meetings for elementary school students are usually held on the last Tuesday of the month, with middle and high school students meeting on the last Wednesday. Some meetings are conducted earlier in the month when they conflict with holidays or other programming.
Cost: $15 ($12 for AMA donors).
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/art-club/
YOGA IN THE GALLERY
Saturdays | May 9, June 13, July 11, Aug 8, Sept 12 | 10-11 AM
Led by yoga instructor Renea Miller on the second Saturday of each month at the Albany Museum of Art, Yoga in the Gallery combines the energy and harmony of yoga with the inspirational atmosphere of art to provide a unique, blended experience that leaves participants recentered and reenergized.
The classes are for all skill levels, from novice to expert. Participants should dress comfortably and bring a mat to the session.
Cost: $10 ($5 for AMA donors).
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/yoga/
Tuesday | May 19, July 21, Sept 15 | 5:30 PM
Every other month, an eclectic group that loves art and books gets together on a Tuesday evening at the Albany Museum of Art to share wine and snacks while discussing a biography, novel, historical account, or other work of nonfiction or fiction that touches on art.
There is no formal membership, and the meetings are open to everyone. Participants are asked to RSVP online to ensure adequate seating at the meetings, which are usually held in the Willson Auditorium.
The club will conclude its seventh season on May 19 with a discussion of The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World In his rich, beautifully written biography, Paul Fisher places Sargent in the broader cultural, aesthetic, and social world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Season eight opens on Tuesday, July 21, with a discussion of A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue. Dean Job wrote this true crime caper set in the art and jewel-theft world of the Jazz Age.
Cost: Free, but RSVP.
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/book-club/
Thursdays | June 25, Aug 20 | 5:30-7:30
Grab your spouse, a date, or a friend, or paint solo and create a masterpiece at the bimonthly Corks & Canvases Painting Party at the AMA. You can enjoy a glass of wine and snacks while you get step-by-step instructions on recreating a famous work of art.
This class is for all skill levels. Even if you have never used a paintbrush, you will go home with an original artwork, one that you will be proud to hang on the wall at your home or office. The paint, brushes, canvas, and refreshments are all included in your registration.
Participants have created their interpretations of works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gustav Klimt, and others.
Paintings that will inspire the summer workshops are:
June 25: The Fourth of July, 1916, a painting by Childe Hassam; Aug 20: Butterflies and Poppies, an 1889 painting by Vincent van Gogh.
Cost: $35 ($30 for AMA donors).
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/corks-andcanvases/
Campers can bring a brown-bag lunch, or parents can opt for the AMA to provide lunch for an additional fee of $10 per day. All campers enjoy free pizza at lunch on Fridays.
Registration links and camp descriptions are at www. albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/summer-art-camps/
• Camp hours are 9 AM-Noon.
• Early drop-off and late pick-up are not available for Littles camps.
Littles I Morning Camp
June 8-12
Littles II Morning Camp
June 22-26
The AMA's youngest campers forge new friendships, play, and learn in the AMAzing Space children's activity center. Preschoolers dive into the colorful world of art through activities like mixing paints and creating collages. It's a week of creative adventure.
Cost: $135 ($120 for AMA donors at the Reciprocal and higher levels).
• Camp hours: Full-day hours are 9 AM-4 PM.
• Half-day options are 9 AM-Noon and 1-4 PM.
• Free early drop-off at 8 AM and free late pick-up at 5 PM are available.
• Full-day week cost: $240 ($220 for AMA donors at the Reciprocal and higher levels)
• Half-day week cost: $165 ($150 for AMA donors at the Reciprocal and higher levels)
June 1-5
This camp is for young sleuths who become museum investigators. Campers will solve mysteries hidden within art, artifacts, and ancient lore. Throughout the week, they will uncover clues, decode symbols, and piece together a story woven throughout the AMA galleries.
Each day, young detectives will create art inspired by their discoveries—experimenting with painting, sculpting, printmaking, and mixed media—while learning how artists tell stories, preserve history, and leave behind visual clues.
June 15-19
Art in Action Camp lets participants step into the world of superheroes, comic adventures, and epic stories as they unleash their creativity by creating bold, colorful artwork inspired by comic books, superheroes, and action-packed tales.
Campers will experiment with dynamic techniques like painting, drawing, collage, and mixed media—learning how to make characters leap off the page, scenes explode with color, and stories come alive through art. Each day is packed with hands-on projects, interactive challenges, and playful missions that let imagination run wild.
June 29-July 3
This camp leads into the 250th anniversary of America by celebrating our nation’s richness as campers explore the many cultures, communities, and stories that make our country vibrant and unique. Through hands-on art projects, campers will express their creativity while learning about the diversity of traditions, perspectives, and voices that shape America today.
Campers will create paintings, sculptures, drawings, and mixed media projects inspired by people, places, and ideas from across the country—discovering how art can tell stories, build understanding, and celebrate community. By the end of the week, every camper will have a colorful collection of artworks honoring the 250th birthday of America and the wide range of voices that make it strong.
July 20-24
Campers will pack their imagination and hop into the time machine for a creative journey through history. Each day, young artists will create paintings, sculptures, collages, and mixed media projects inspired by the sights, colors, and ideas of the past—then put their own imaginative twist on history. Along the way, campers will play, explore, and even take gallery “field trips” to see how real artists captured the world around them. By the end of the week, every camper will have a collection of original artworks that travel across time, showcasing their creativity, curiosity, and unique artistic voice.
• Camp hours: 9 AM-4 PM
• Half-day options are 9 AM-Noon and 1-4 PM.
• Early drop-off and late pick-up are not available this week.
• Full-day week cost: $240 ($220 for AMA donors at the Reciprocal and higher levels)
• Half-day week cost: $165 ($150 for AMA donors at the Reciprocal and higher levels)
July 13-17
A perennial favorite for AMA campers, Kid Artrepreneurs is for business-savvy kids with a passion for art. It offers the perfect blend of creativity and entrepreneurship. During the week, students form teams to develop and launch their artbased businesses. They design personal business cards and logos, brainstorm and produce unique products, set pricing, create marketing strategies, and craft eye-catching packaging and displays.
The week culminates in an exciting Friday marketplace (noon1:30 pm on July 18) where students will sell their creations for cash, gaining real-world experience in sales and customer interaction. It’s a hands-on opportunity to turn creativity into commerce.
• Camp hours: 9 AM-4 PM
• Early drop-off and late pick-up are not available this week.
July 8-12
Led by Heather Ashberry of Beatrice Wormwood Ink, teens will step into the world of fashion as they take control of the design process, experiment fearlessly, and create bold, wearable art that’s all their own. This hands-on camp is a crash course in fashion design with a twist: printmaking, fabric manipulation, and boundary-pushing creativity.
Throughout the week, campers tackle exciting, unconventional challenges inspired by real-world fashion, exploring pattern, form, and function while mastering techniques like fabric painting, weaving, dyeing, block printing, and screen printing. There’s no “right” way to design here—just ideas, experimentation, and fearless self-expression. By the end of the week, every participant will have one-of-a-kind creations that show off their skills, style, and personality.
Cost: $230 ($210 for AMA donors)
June 22-26
This is a week for teens ready to explore the art of human expression through drawing, painting, and sculpture. Students will create bold, compelling images and three-dimensional sculptures of people and faces, inspired by the works in our summer exhibition featuring Vitus Shell.
Campers will experiment with a variety of materials—from clay and wire to pencil, ink, and paint—while studying proportions, gesture, and expression. Each project challenges students to push beyond realism, exploring style, abstraction, and personal voice, all while gaining hands-on experience with professional art techniques. By the end of the week, participants will have a portfolio of striking portraits and sculptures that capture the human face in all its complexity and creativity.
Cost: $250 ($230 for AMA donors)
Thursday | June 4 | 5:30-7 PM
Join the celebration for the opening of five summer exhibitions. Debuting at the opening reception will be Vitus Shell: Power of Sight in the Haley Gallery, Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA in the East Gallery, and Moments in The Good Life City: An Oral History of Albany, GA in the Hodges Gallery.
Exhibitions of works by the two winners of the Albany Museum of Art’s 2nd annual call for artists will also open. The Middle Way, photography by Rylan Steele, will be in the McCormack Gallery, and The Home of Birds, works by Jessica Ambadipudi, will be in the West Gallery.
RSVP: www.albanymuseum.com/event/summer-2026reception/
Cost: Free for Reciprocal or higher donors; $10 for Artist Guild donors; $15 for the general public.
Saturday | June 6 | 10 AM-5 PM
Families can join in the celebration of the opening of the summer exhibitions with a special art project in the AMA Classroom from 10 AM to 1 PM. Families can go on scavenger hunts in the galleries and enjoy creative play in AMAzing Space all day.
Cost: Free
Friday | June 19
A special downtown Albany celebration is planned for two Albany Museum of Art mural projects that were to be completed this spring.
Shanequa Gay, an Atlanta artist, is creating a work that is part of the NEA’s Celebrating America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes program. Exhibiting artist Vitus Shell, of Monroe, La., is creating the second mural. Both were murals scheduled to be completed in late April.
The time and full details for the Juneteenth Downtown Block Party were not available at the magazine deadline.
Thursday | July 23 | 5-6:30 PM
We will have a special event at the conclusion of this summer’s art camps at the Albany Museum of Art to recognize the great work the campers create in the nine camps. Details will be available ahead of the event on the AMA website and social media.
Jump into spring with your dream car at Albany Motorcars and BMW of Albany! Hit the road and enjoy the outdoors in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz or BMW—the perfect way to experience everything our incredible community has to offer.
This year, we’re proud to announce the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation as a sponsor of the Albany Museum of Art’s annual Art Ball. As an active member of the Albany, Leesburg, and Tifton communities, we’re honored to be the go-to choice for drivers in the area. We’re committed to providing customers with not only high-end vehicles but also a high-end experience that continues well beyond the sale.
This spring, discover fresh destinations, go the extra mile, and experience more in style with a luxury vehicle from Albany Motorcars and BMW of Albany!
A non-profit organization cannot fulfill its mission without operational support. The funds raised through the Annual Fund directly support staff, programming, infrastructure, and building needs. There are tiered levels starting at $1, with giving circles that suit the donor’s level of engagement. The AMA is deeply grateful for all our donors, whose contributions are 100% tax-deductible within the limits permitted by law.
To become an Annual Fund donor online, visit www.albanymuseum. com/support/annual-fund and choose the level you find comfortable. If you have questions, please contact AMA Director of Development Chloe Hinton at 229.439.8400 or at chloe.hinton@albanymuseum.com.
Artist Guild — <$125/year
• Attend one (1) opening reception per year for free for all household members, with discounts on other opening receptions.
• Discounts on Toddler Takeover, After School Art Club, Homeschool Day, Corks & Canvases Painting Parties, and AMA Meet-Up Trips (art camps are not included).
• Digital Communications, including the AMA’s weekly email newsletter, event invitations, and access to the digital magazine.
• Active military and their families may contribute at this level and receive Reciprocal Level benefits.
• 10% discount at the Lamp Shade.
Reciprocal Level — $125-$249/year
You receive all benefits of the Artist Guild Level, and:
• Print copies of event invitations, AMA Magazine, and special AMA announcements mailed to your preferred address.
• Reciprocal membership to hundreds of museums across the United States through the North American Reciprocal Membership (NARM) program and the Southeastern Reciprocal Museum (SERM) program.
• A discount on all camps and classes.
• A discount on birthday parties.
• Attend two (2) opening receptions per year for free for all household members, with discounts on other opening receptions.
• Toddler Takeover sessions are free.
Contributor — $250-$499/year
You receive all cumulative benefits through the Reciprocal Level, and:
• Annual recognition in AMA Magazine
• Attend all opening receptions for free.
• Free admission to AMA Meet-Ups
• Priority registration for special events.
Enthusiast: $500-$999/year
You receive all cumulative benefits through the Contributor Level, and:
• Invitation for two (2) to The Year in Art luncheon, a free, invitation-only event reflecting the closing fiscal year and looking forward to the coming year.
• A complimentary Reciprocal Level donorship for you to give to someone as a gift.
• Recognition on the Year-End Donor Wall in the AMA Lobby.
Advocate: $1,000-$2,499
You receive all cumulative benefits through the Enthusiast Level, and:
• A private tour for up to 10 people guided by the AMA Director of Curatorial Affairs.
• 20% off one auditorium rental.
Champion: $2,500-$4,999/year
You receive all cumulative benefits through the Advocate Level, and:
• One free annual limited-edition print.
• 50% off auditorium rental.
• Monthly updates on all things AMA.
Philanthropist: $5,000 or more/year
You receive all cumulative benefits through the Champion Level, and:
• One free auditorium rental.
• Exclusive travel opportunities to the Southeastern Museum Conference (SEMC), the Alliance of American Museums (AAM) conference, and Museum Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., along with other invitations to travel with the AMA Executive Director.
$125-$249
Joyce Barlow
Ann Cannon
Dr. Janice Coats-Hardy
Terry Griffith
Beth and Steve Hall
Sandra Hancock
Blanchette Herbert
Len and Jim Horne
Catherine Johnson
Michael Mallard
Dee Maret and Michelle Valente
Ron and Liza Register
Heather and Jay Sharpe
Millie and Stephen Sample
Cary and Phillip Stoudenmire
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Thomas
Keith Walker and Lindsey Cotton
Staci and Alex Willson
$250-$499
Angie Barber
Sheri Barlow
Cheryl Buford
Patricia Chatmon
Carolyn Custer
Harrison Greene and Chloe Hinton
Susan and Carroll Harper
Cheryl and Jim Hendricks
Brenda HodgesTiller
Betsy and John Holman
Genevieve and Scott Marcus
Soraya and Mark Miller
Chinyelu Ofodile
Pat and Ronald Simpson
Neely and Dunn Stapleton
Mr. and Mrs. Francis McDonald Wakeford, III
$500-$999
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Beta Omega Zeta
Marianne and Jeffery Cannon
Margaret and Jim Deal
Bronwyn Hinton
Dr. Lynn and Mr. Richard Kennedy
Anita and Jimmy Lindsey
Mr. Ray Pierotti and Mr. Walter Lewis
Pam and Frank Middleton
Marsha Taylor
Marian White
$1,000-$2,499
Albany Internal Medicine
Rip Bell
Lindsay and Whitcomb Barnhill
Dr. and Mrs. William H. Buntin
Carlton Foundation
Hope and Bruce Campbell
Nancy and Thomas Chambless
Jennifer and Jack Davis
Patti and John Dixon
Laura and Clifton
Fay
Dr. Samantha Fields
F&W Forestry
Flint Community Bank
Robin and Don Gray
Elaine and Hal Gurley
Jeanette and Jeffrey Hoopes
King Randall
Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores
Phoebe Putney Health System
Dr. Alan and Mr. Archer Seely-Wilson
Joyce and Mark Shoemaker
Helena and Jose Tongol
Terri and Mike Wetherbee
Smith and Bob Wilson
Nicole and Charles Williams
Stephanie Williams
Andrew James Wulf
$2,500-$4,999
Rebecca McCathern
Meghan Gentile
Hays, LTI
Camille and Beau Sinyard
Vine Vision
Beverly and Larry Willson
$5,000-$9,999
E. Haley Endowment Suzann Hagins
The Larry and Ashley David Foundation
LRA Constructors, Inc.
Sue and Jerry Prchal
$10,000-$24,999
MetroPower, Inc.
Mr. James Womack
$25,000-$49,999
Georgia Council for the Arts
$50,000-$74,999
C.R. Hodges, Jr. Trust
Walter and Frances Bunzl Foundation
$75,000-$149,999
W.B. Haley Foundation
$150,000+
James M. Barnett Jr. Foundation, Inc.
The Albany Museum of Art gratefully recognizes the people, businesses, and organizations whose contributions to the Annual Fund support the museum’s mission. The donations listed are for the period of July 1, 2025, to April 20, 2026.
Capital Campaign and all Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Fund donations will be recognized in the fall edition of AMA Magazine in September.
9 Yoga in the Gallery 10-11 AM
Ar t Ball: The Surreal 6:30 PM
14 Homeschool Day 10-11:30 AM
19 Ar t Lovers Book Club
5:30-7 PM
25 The AMA is closed for Memorial Day
1-5 Mysterious Art Camp
9 AM-4 PM
4 Exhibitions Opening Reception
5:30-7 PM
6 Family Opening Day
10 AM-5 PM
8-12 Littles Art Camp I
9 AM-Noon
Runway Riot Art Camp
9 AM-4 PM
13 Yoga in the Gallery 10-11 AM
15-19 Pow! Art in Action Camp
9 AM-4 PM 19 Juneteenth Downtown Block Party TBA
22-27 Littles Art Camp II
9 AM-Noon
Face to Face: Portrait & Sculpture Camp
9 AM-4 PM
25 Corks & Canvases Painting Party
5:30-7:30 PM
29 Colors of America Art Camp
9 AM-4 PM
1-3 Colors of America Art Camp
9 AM-4 PM
4 The AMA is closed for Independence Day
11 Yoga in the Gallery 10-11 AM
13-17 Kid Artrepreneurs Camp
9 AM-4 PM
17 Kid Artrepreneurs Marketplace Noon-1:30 PM 20-24 Artistic Time Travelers Camp
9 AM-4 PM
21 Art Lovers Book Club
5:30-7 PM
23 Summer Camps Closing Reception
5-6:30 PM
8 Yoga in the Gallery 10-11 AM
20 Corks & Canvases Painting Party
5:30-7:30 PM
25 After School Art Club: Elementary School 3:30-5 PM
26 After School Art Club: Middle & High School 3:30-5 PM
1 Toddler Takeover 10:30-11 AM
7 The AMA is closed for Labor Day.
10 Homeschool Day 10-11:30 AM
12 Yoga in the Gallery 10-11 AM
15 Ar t Lovers Book Club 5:30-7 PM
29 After School Art Club: Elementary School 3:30-5 PM
30 After School Art Club, Middle & High School 3:30-5 PM
