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Art on the River, Elba, AL (2026)

09/03/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: DINA CHAMBLEE

If you saw our post earlier celebrating Dina Chamblee being named Artist of the Month, now we’d love to introduce you to the artist behind all that color. ❤️

Dina at Artsy Daisy - DRC Art is a self taught artist whose work is bold, layered, wonderfully uninhibited, and driven much more by instinct than rules.

She describes her mind as living in a constant world of chaotic color, and when she paints, she allows that color to lead. Rather than relying on traditional color theory, Dina says she prefers to “measure with her heart.”

And looking at her work, you can see exactly what she means.

Working primarily in acrylics with occasional mixed media, Dina builds paintings through color, texture, and layers. She doesn’t try to hide the mess of the creative process. She embraces it. For her, those layers mirror life itself: experiences accumulate, change us, and remain part of the person we become.

Although creativity has always been part of Dina’s life, she only fully immersed herself in the art world about three years ago and began seriously dedicating herself to painting during the last year and a half.

For years, fear of judgment and self doubt kept much of her artwork private. Choosing to finally share it meant trusting the creative voice she had always known was there.

And something unexpected happened along the way.

Animals began finding their way onto her canvases. 🦎🐒

Dina is drawn to their honesty and instinct. Animals simply exist as themselves, without apology or pretense, and that freedom connects beautifully with what she is exploring through her own work.

Color. Chaos. Courage. Authenticity. Freedom.

Her paintings invite us to stop trying to control every layer and see what might emerge when we allow ourselves to create a little more freely.

And Dina has even more to celebrate right now! She has been named Artist of the Month at The Edge Coffee House & Roasting Company in Crete, Illinois, where 23 pieces of her work are currently on exhibition. 🎉

This October, we’re excited to bring Dina’s work to Elba, Alabama, as one of the 47 artists represented in Art on the River.

🥂 Collector Preview Gala
Friday, October 23 | 6–9 PM
The Elba Theatre
Be among the first to experience the complete exhibition and have the first opportunity to purchase from the collection.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

🖼️ Gallery Day
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
The Elba Theatre | Free Admission

🏆 PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Dina is also competing for the Art on the River People’s Choice Award!

Every $10 entry gives 10 votes to the artist you choose AND enters you for a chance to win a two night stay at the Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

❤️ Love Dina’s work? Give her your vote.
👀 Have another favorite among our 47 artists? Find them and help shake up the race.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

Come see what happens when an artist stops measuring by the rules and starts measuring with her heart. ❤️

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

09/02/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SHANDA DANNER

For Shanda Danner, retirement didn’t mean slowing down. It opened the door to an entirely new creative chapter.

A self taught artist from Dothan, Alabama, Shanda began painting just a year and a half ago after retiring from Jeffers Inc., where she dedicated 27 years of service. What started as something new to explore quickly became a passion for telling stories through color, texture, and unexpected materials.

Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, Shanda sometimes incorporates embroidery directly into her paintings, adding another layer of texture and dimension to her work.

Her goal is simple: make you stop.

Shanda wants viewers to pause in front of a piece, look a little longer, and wonder about the story behind it. And if you ask? She loves sharing the inspiration and meaning that led her to create it.

This October, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Shanda’s work as part of Art on the River alongside 46 other artists in our Fall 2026 exhibition. ❤️

🏆 AND THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE RACE CONTINUES...

We’re not revealing rankings today. 👀

With 47 artists in the exhibition, there is plenty of room for this race to change.

Can your favorite artist break into the Top 5?

Every $10 entry gives you 10 votes for the artist of your choice AND an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

The winning artist receives a full feature and interview in the May 2027 issue of Art on the River Magazine.

Vote for Shanda or another Art on the River artist here:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

The next ranked Top 5 is coming Sunday. 👀

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

09/02/2026

🥂 THE FIRST LOOK AT THE FULL ART ON THE RIVER COLLECTION

Before Art on the River opens to the public, there is one night when the entire October exhibition is revealed for the first time.

The Collector Preview Gala. 🎨

In the weeks leading up to the exhibition, we’ll offer a limited online presale featuring select works from participating artists. It’s a glimpse of what’s coming.

But on Friday, October 23, the doors to the Historic Elba Theatre open and the full collection is revealed.

✨ AND WE HAVE A LITTLE UPDATE...

We’ve been saying 46 artists, but Art on the River has grown by one more!

47 artists will now be represented in our October exhibition. ❤️

Different mediums. Different styles. Different stories and perspectives. All brought together for one curated exhibition.

Gala guests will be the first to experience the complete collection as it was meant to be seen: installed, curated, and together inside the Historic Elba Theatre.

And if you discover a piece you can’t stop thinking about, Gala night gives you the first opportunity to purchase from the full collection before Gallery Day opens to the public.

🏆 AWARDS

Opening night is also a night to celebrate our artists, with awards announced throughout the evening, including the highly anticipated People’s Choice Award.

By then, our public People’s Choice leaderboard will have gone dark and voting will be complete. The final results stay secret until we reveal the winner that night. 👀

🎁 MYSTERY BOXES + ART BASKETS

We’re adding something especially fun to Gala night this October.

Guests will have opportunities to win Mystery Boxes and Art Baskets packed with surprises, art inspired goodies, and more.

And our exhibiting artists are helping make them pretty incredible.

Many have donated small original works of art and other special items to include, which means some of these boxes and baskets will hold original pieces created by artists whose work you’ll see in the exhibition. ❤️

You won’t know exactly what is inside until it’s yours. That’s part of the fun.

We’ll be sharing more peeks at these as October gets closer. 👀

🥂 FOOD, DRINKS & AN EVENING AT THE GALLERY

Enjoy appetizers, beer and wine, our signature cocktail and mocktail, and an evening surrounded by original art.

Explore the collection. Discover a new artist. Talk about the work. Find the piece you want to take home.

📖 AND THE MAGAZINE LAUNCHES, TOO

October 23 marks the official debut of Volume 1, Issue 1 of Art on the River Magazine.

Our inaugural issue goes beyond the exhibition to celebrate artists, collecting, creativity, young artists, and the stories behind the work.

Gala guests will be among the first to see it in print.

47 artists.
The complete collection.
Awards.
Mystery Boxes and Art Baskets.
Food and drinks.
The inaugural magazine.
One opening night. ❤️

🥂 COLLECTOR PREVIEW GALA
Friday, October 23 | 6–9 PM
The Elba Theatre
Tickets: $35

Tickets are limited.

Reserve Your Collector Preview Gala Tickets:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

Come for the first look. Stay for the experience. You may leave with something you never expected.

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

09/01/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ROSETTE DOYLE

From expressive folk style paintings to fine art photography and tiny ACEOs, Rosette Doyle has found more than one way to capture the beauty and stories she sees around her.

A mixed media artist and fine art photographer, Rosette draws inspiration from nature, storytelling, and the beauty found in everyday life. Working primarily with watercolor, acrylic paint, and markers, she creates colorful, imaginative pieces filled with organic forms, warmth, and heartfelt simplicity.

But painting is only one side of her creative life. 📷

Rosette is also an accomplished fine art photographer whose work has been featured in several art festivals, displayed in a local gallery, and collected by area businesses.

And this year, she decided to go even smaller.

In March, Rosette began creating ACEOs, original works of art measuring just 2.5 × 3.5 inches. The miniature format has given her a new creative challenge and another way to turn small moments and ideas into collectible original art.

Her story also extends well beyond the studio.

Before pursuing her artistic path more fully, Rosette enjoyed a long career as a nurse. Today, she works as a newborn photographer in a hospital, capturing some of the very first moments in a family's story. ❤️

That combination of art, photography, compassion, and an eye for meaningful moments is woven throughout her creative work.

We’re excited to welcome Rosette Doyle to Art on the River this October, where you’ll be able to experience her work in person.

🥂 Collector Preview Gala
Friday, October 23 | 6–9 PM
The Elba Theatre | $35

Reserve Gala Tickets
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

🖼️ Gallery Day
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
The Elba Theatre | FREE

📖 You’ll also find Rosette among the artists featured in the inaugural issue of Art on the River Magazine, debuting this October.

Volume 1, Issue 1 goes beyond the gallery walls to introduce you to the artists, their work, and the stories behind what they create.

Reserve your copy for $15 before the exhibition. Copies will be $20 at the event, and our first printing is limited.

Reserve Art on the River Magazine
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/reserve-my-copy-art-on-the-river-magazine

🏆 PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Yesterday we revealed our first ranked Top 5, but this race is far from over.

With 46 artists in the exhibition, your votes can still change the standings. Every $10 entry gives 10 votes to the artist of your choice AND an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

Cast Your People’s Choice Vote
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

Come discover Rosette’s work and the stories behind the artists of Art on the River. 🎨❤️

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

08/31/2026

🏆 THE TOP 5. THE RACE IS ON! 🎨

For the first time, we’re revealing the actual rankings in the Art on the River People’s Choice race. 👀

You’ve seen the Top 5. Now you get to see where they stand.

As of August 30, 2026:

🥇 #1 — Layne Peters
🥈 #2 — Emma Petree
🥉 #3 — Evelyn Haggerty
🎨 #4 — Schoen Heier Bonura
🎨 #5 — Brennan Ellis

But these rankings are anything but final, and they're SO close!

Votes continue to come in, positions can change, and with 46 artists in the October exhibition, there is plenty of room for another artist to climb into the Top 5.

Not seeing your favorite artist here? This is exactly when they need you. ❤️

Every $10 entry gives you 10 votes for the artist of your choice AND an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

And there’s something pretty special waiting for the artist who ultimately takes the People’s Choice Award, too.

🏆 The winning artist will receive a full feature and interview in the May 2027 issue of Art on the River Magazine.

We’re keeping the actual vote totals under wraps. From here, you’ll see the rankings, but not how close the race really is. 👀

Cast Your People’s Choice Vote:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

📖 MAGAZINE SNEAK PEEK

While the People’s Choice race is heating up, Volume 1, Issue 1 of Art on the River Magazine is coming together behind the scenes!

Our inaugural issue will take you beyond the gallery walls with artist features and interviews, Collector’s Corner, Curator’s Notebook, Grounded Contemporary, young artists, and more.

Reserve your copy now for $15. Copies will be $20 at the event, and our first printing is limited.

Reserve Your Copy of Art on the River Magazine:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/reserve-my-copy-art-on-the-river-magazine

The Top 5 are in position.

Now let’s see what happens next. 👀🏆

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

08/29/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: DESIREE MOUSER

For Desiree Mouser, art is more than something she creates. It is part of a story of healing, hope, faith, and redemption.

Desiree is the artist behind Hues of My Dimensions, where bold color and expressive subjects become a way to transform some of life’s most difficult experiences into something meaningful and alive.

A recovering addict, Desiree shares openly about the role her journey with Jesus has played in changing the way she sees both pain and beauty. Art has become a place for her to process life’s hurts, habits, and hang ups while expressing the freedom and grace she has found through faith.

Desiree holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and her work is deeply influenced by emotion, resilience, and restoration. Her colorful animals and other subjects seem almost to vibrate with personality and life, but beneath that color is a deeper story.

Each piece is an opportunity to take something difficult and create something beautiful from it.

For Desiree, that is part of the message: even during life’s darkest seasons, there can be restoration, purpose, and beauty from ashes. ❤️

And when she isn’t creating? Desiree is also a very proud dog mom to three pug mixes who bring plenty of joy, comfort, and companionship to her everyday life. 🐾

We’re excited to have Desiree and Hues of My Dimensions as part of Art on the River this October.

🥂 Collector Preview Gala
Friday, October 23 | 6–9 PM
The Elba Theatre | $35

Reserve Gala Tickets
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

🖼️ Gallery Day
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
The Elba Theatre | FREE

🖍️ Brooke Chapman Memorial Young Artist Gallery
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
Elba Public Library | FREE

🏆 AND TOMORROW...

It’s time for another People’s Choice update. 👀

We’ll reveal the latest Top 5 tomorrow, Sunday.

With 46 artists in the exhibition and voting still open, those standings can change at any time. If there’s an artist whose work you love, now is a great time to put some votes behind them!

Every $10 entry gives 10 votes to the artist of your choice AND an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

And for the artist? The People’s Choice winner receives a full feature and interview in the May 2027 issue of Art on the River Magazine.

Cast Your People’s Choice Vote
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

📖 RESERVE ART ON THE RIVER MAGAZINE

Volume 1, Issue 1 launches this October. Reserve your copy for $15 before the exhibition. Copies will be $20 at the event, and our first printing is limited.

Reserve Your Copy — $15
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/reserve-my-copy-art-on-the-river-magazine

Come experience Desiree’s work and discover the stories behind the artists of Art on the River. ❤️🎨

And check back tomorrow to see who made the new Top 5! 👀

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

08/29/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SHAWNA LEWIS

There is a beautiful meeting of structure and nature in the work of Shawna Lewis.

Trained as an architect, Shawna brings an eye for balance, composition, color, and pattern to an artistic practice deeply inspired by the natural world. Flowers, landscapes, animals, and the quiet rhythms of nature become opportunities to explore not only what we see, but how those moments make us feel.

Her work is also shaped by more than 15 years spent living in Japan, where she developed a deep appreciation for Japanese aesthetics, philosophy, and culture. The elegance of simplicity, the beauty found in imperfection, and a reverence for the changing seasons continue to influence the way she approaches both art and life.

In Shawna’s work, intentional design meets organic beauty.

For her, creating is also a grounding and restorative practice. Art becomes a way to slow down, pay attention, practice gratitude, and reconnect with the environment around us.

That idea feels especially meaningful in a world that so often asks us to move quickly.

Shawna hopes her work gives viewers a reason to pause and notice the beauty that already exists in ordinary moments. ❤️

We’re delighted to have Shawna Lewis exhibiting with Art on the River this October and can’t wait for you to experience her work in person.

🥂 Collector Preview Gala
Friday, October 23 | 6–9 PM
The Elba Theatre | $35

Reserve Gala Tickets
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

🖼️ Gallery Day
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
The Elba Theatre | FREE

🖍️ Brooke Chapman Memorial Young Artist Gallery
Saturday, October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM
Elba Public Library | FREE

🏆 PEOPLE’S CHOICE

You can also support your favorite Art on the River artist before the exhibition! Every $10 entry gives 10 votes to the artist of your choice and an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

The winning artist will receive a full feature and interview in the May 2027 issue of Art on the River Magazine.

Cast Your People’s Choice Vote
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

📖 RESERVE ART ON THE RIVER MAGAZINE

Volume 1, Issue 1 launches this October. Reserve your copy for $15 before the exhibition. Copies will be $20 at the event, and our first printing is limited.

Reserve Your Copy — $15
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/reserve-my-copy-art-on-the-river-magazine

Come discover Shawna’s work and the work of more than 45 artists this October. 🎨

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

08/28/2026

🎨 FROM TIKTOK TO ART ON THE RIVER

Some of the artwork coming to Art on the River this October has already been making its way across TikTok. 📱🎨

Take a peek at Nelya creating ACEOs! ❤️

Nelya is part of a wonderful community of artists who connected through TikTok and are now coming together to exhibit their work at Art on the River.

They live in different places, work in different mediums, and have their own unique styles and creative voices. Online, they’ve been able to follow one another’s work, share their creative processes, encourage each other, and build community.

This October, some of those online connections are making the jump from the screen to the gallery walls of the historic Elba Theatre.

Here are some of the artists from that TikTok community who will be exhibiting with us:

📱 The Cozy Corner Art Studio — Mary Rhodes
📱 Artandmorebysandra — Sandra Acevedo
📱 Art of Nelya — Nelya
📱 Warpaint — Jess Johnson
📱 Stacey Kohl Art — Stacey Kohl
📱 Hues of My Dimensions — Desiree Mouser
📱 The Starry-Eyed Reader — Maricela Gonzales
📱 Gemini Arts — Lucia Solis LuciasolisIllustration
📱 sunflowerandblueberry — Trish Gladbach
📱 Vertigome — Rosette Doyle
📱 Lin — Lindsey Calina
📱 MashupMonster_ArtistknownasAng — Angela Sciaroni-Rogers
📱 Debra T Artistry — Debra Tucker
📱 KSDurhan Art Studio — Khadijah Durham

And there may be even more!

If you’re one of our October artists and we missed you, drop your TikTok name in the comments so everyone can find and follow you. ❤️

One of the things we love most about this is watching an online art community become a real world one.

Social media can introduce you to an artist. But then you get to do something entirely different at Art on the River.
You get to stand in front of the original.

And in Nelya’s case, some of those tiny works you’re watching being created right here will be coming to Elba as ACEOs for the exhibition. 🎨

🥂 Collector Preview Gala
October 23 | 6–9 PM | The Elba Theatre
🎟️ $35

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala

🖼️ Gallery Day
October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM | The Elba Theatre
🎟️ FREE

📖 And while you’re getting to know the artists, reserve Art on the River Magazine.

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

08/26/2026

🎨 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: BRENNAN ELLIS

Some artists discover their medium early. Others find their way back to art after years away.

For Brennan Ellis, that return happened after a 17 year hiatus.

Born in Dothan, Alabama and raised in a working class family in Pike County, Brennan began formal art training at just eight years old and continued through AP Art in high school. At 35, he rediscovered his passion and aptitude for drawing and found his artistic voice in colored pencil.

And what he can accomplish with colored pencil is remarkable.

Brennan is drawn to the medium for its rich pigmentation, sharp contrasts, creamy texture, meticulous detail, and ability to create warmth. His work is heavily rooted in storytelling, capturing moments that can feel immediately familiar while carrying something deeper beneath the surface.

Influenced by the narrative realism of Edward Hopper, Terry Redlin, and Norman Rockwell, Brennan explores the full spectrum of ordinary human life: victory, joy, childhood innocence, humor, loss, grief, aging, depression, and the passage of time.

Since mid 2023, he has completed 57 works, focusing primarily on portraits of people and pets as well as architectural subjects. Alongside commissioned work, he intentionally creates deeply personal pieces each year, allowing space for his own experiences and artistic expression to remain central to his practice.

And art is very much a family affair. Brennan and his wife, Elizabeth, have been married for 13 years and have two young daughters who are talented artists themselves and, according to Brennan, make their daddy very proud. ❤️

We’re excited to welcome Brennan and his storytelling through colored pencil to Art on the River this October.

📅 October 23–24, 2026
📍 The Elba Theatre

🥂 Collector Preview Gala | October 23 | 6–9 PM
Reserve Gala Tickets
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/collector-preview-gala
🖼️ Gallery Day | October 24 | 10 AM–5 PM

Free and open to the public

🏆 PEOPLE’S CHOICE VOTING IS OPEN!

Brennan is currently among our People’s Choice Top 5, but the standings can change with every vote.

Every $10 entry gives 10 votes to the artist of your choice AND an entry into our drawing for a two night stay at Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

The artist who ultimately wins the 2026 People’s Choice Award will receive a full feature and interview in the May 2027 issue of Art on the River Magazine.

Cast Your People’s Choice Vote
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/viewers-choice-voting

📖 RESERVE YOUR COPY OF ART ON THE RIVER MAGAZINE

Meet the artists beyond the gallery walls in the inaugural issue of Art on the River Magazine, celebrating art, artists, collectors, and the communities that bring them together.

Reserve your copy now for $15. Copies will be $20 at the event, and our first printing is limited, so preordering guarantees your copy.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/reserve-my-copy-art-on-the-river-magazine

Every May. Every October. Always Original.

Art on the River

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

08/26/2026

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