By Kaitlin Candelaria
Rosewood Hall in Homewood will soon have some new decor on its walls.
The Homewood Arts Council is hosting its first Faces, Places and Traces photography contest, and the winners’ artwork will be displayed in Rosewood Hall’s Community Gallery.
The contest will also be sponsored by the city of Homewood, Perry Computer and Wolf Camera.
“We are just really excited,” Caroline Hubbard, council chairman, said. “This space is a blank canvas, and we’re really excited about having a central area to showcase and highlight some of Homewood’s talent.”
The area is on the first floor of Rosewood Hall. It is a long hallway with windows adjacent to the blank walls.
The photography contest will run through May with all submissions being sent through email.
The council is hoping to also feature historical photos of Homewood curated by Jake Collins, a teacher at Homewood Middle School. The goal, Hubbard said, is to have a now-and-then theme, with older pictures of Homewood being featured on one side of the space and newer photos of Homewood on the opposite side.
Photos that win first place, second place, third place and best in show will be displayed in the gallery.
Although the Homewood Arts Council, which is funded by the city of Homewood, has been around for quite some time, it had fallen dormant in recent years. Approximately two years ago, the city council decided to address this and after an interview process selected five men and women representing each ward in Homewood to revitalize the council.
The arts council members are Emily Evans, Jeramie Kirkwood, Hubbard, Diane Litsey and Robert Tedrow. They are joined by Jennifer Warren, who occupies the at-large seat, and Jennifer Warren, who serves as a city council liaison.
“We are an entity of the city. Each of our seats is for four years,” Hubbard said. “We regrouped two years ago and really tried to approach (the art council) with a business mindset. The mission is to support and encourage community art experiences for a creative diverse and vibrant Homewood.”
In its first year, the Homewood Arts Council was able to bring many different types of art to Homewood residents, including a music series and a spoken word series. The council also focused on rebranding, which it achieved through hosting a logo competition and creating a mission statement for the council.
“Within the first year, we really just tried to get the council organized and get a direction of where and what we wanted to do as a group,” Hubbard said. “We toyed with all different types of ideas and events to bring the community together.”
In its second year, the council has narrowed its focus to some bigger events, Hubbard said.
“Really what we’ve tried to do is bring every kind of art experience and provide it to our community,” Hubbard said. “We like to use business in Homewood. We’re just new and still fresh, and it’s been exciting.”
The Faces, Places and Traces contest is open to individuals as well as groups, including schools and companies. All submissions must be Homewood-related.
“This competition is going to showcase the talent we have here in Homewood, but it’s also going to bring in outside talent,” Hubbard said. “Those are the goals of this gallery.”
The gallery will be a continuous feature in Rosewood Hall from here on out, rotating pictures periodically.
The opening exhibit is on June 18 from 6-8 p.m. The city of Homewood is partnering with the Homewood Arts Council to host a reception that will include live music and light refreshments.
