The Art of Rebuilding
Alabama artists band together to aid recovery efforts
by Sam George
As we approach the one-month anniver-
sary of the devastating storms of April 27, many
victims are still struggling to recover from the
damage done to their personal property and emo-
tional well-being. It seems but a moment since our
placid sense of security got ripped away, leaving us
vulnerable and frightened. Piles of debris still sit
on curbs waiting for pick-up, and some displaced
residents live in tents while they wait for some
kind of housing alternative. It is clear that the jour-
ney to recovery is going to be something that takes
years, not months.
At the same time, national attention is begin-
ning to slip away from us. Since we were hit, a
number of other major disasters have struck
other towns. The Mississippi River has flooded,
last Wednesday tornadoes tore paths across
Oklahoma and two other states and last Sunday
a massive twister split the town of Joplin, Mo. in
half, killing at least 123 people and becoming the
deadliest tornado on record. As with any disaster,
we can only hope to hold the attention spans of a
fickle national audience for so long.
In the long term, the burden on continuing
to raise recovery funds for our damaged region
will fall to…our damaged region. We need to, each
of us within our own communities, find ways to
bring people to the giving trough, and to do so in
a way that allows people to have fun and step out
from the oppressive atmosphere of a disaster zone,
if only for a moment.
Which brings me to local artists John Lytle
Wilson and Wes Frazer. The two friends and long-
time contributors to the Birmingham art com-
munity began brain-storming ways to bring local
artists together in a way that could benefit storm
relief. Wilson, whose work often involves seam-
lessly painting brightly colored robots and mon-
keys into the backgrounds of existing paintings,
came up with the idea while talking with his wife
about how they could help with tornado relief.
“[We] were talking after the storm about how
one of the local galleries should put on a benefit,”
Wilson says. “We decided that it was something
that I could actually try to make happen. Wes is
A wall full of funds: Some of the art ACME Gallery is preparing for Thursday’s benefit opening. Photo by Sam George.
 may 26, 2011 - june 2, 2011 BIRMINGHAM WEEKLY
one of my good friends, so I pitched it to him for
the next ACME show and he immediately said
yes.  So it was very much conceived as a way to
help those hurt by the storms, and particularly
as a way for artists to help. I know many great
artists in Birmingham.  So many of us are will-
ing to give, but aren’t in a position to just write a
check.  We’ve had a such a tremendous response
from artists.  I’ve been overwhelmed by their
generosity.”
Frazer only recently started over seeing
shows at the newly formed ACME gallery next
to Magic City Motor Scooters. Their first show
took place only five days before the tornadoes
hit. Though he had a second show already in the
works, when Lytle approached him about hosting
the relief show he shelved it immediately.
“I don’t know why I never thought of it,”
admits Frazer. “I already had the other show
planned. It was going to be a motorcycle art show
from various artists along with photographers and
motorcycle builders all over the country. Then
[Wilson] said we should do a tornado show, and
I was like, ‘good idea.’ So I got in touch with all
my people and told them to hold onto their work. Friends in disaster: Artists and friends John Lytle Wilson (left) and Wes Frazer (right) are organizing
We’re going to do this because it needs to be done a benefit gallery exhibit at ACME Gallery on May 26. Photo by Sam George.
first. Then we came up with a letter [and] sent
it to all of my friends who are artists and people
outside of Birmingham whose art I like and pretty permanent.  This is such a marked contrast with There is still plenty of work to be done, and
much all of them said yeah. We have art from all the landscape so suddenly and completely scarred money that needs to be raised if we are to see
over the country.” by the tornadoes.” Alabama through to a complete recovery, but if
One of the artists who responded to the call Both Wilson and Frazer, a photographer by people like Wes Frazer and John Lytle Wilson
for work was photographer, painter and sculp- trade, will also be donating work to the exhibit, continue to rally their peers in creative ways, than
tor William Christenberry, perhaps Alabama’s which is called “REBUILD Alabama.” In fact, we will get there, no matter how bumpy the ride.
most well-known artistic export. Christenberry the two paintings by Wilson were originally pur- The exhibit opening is May 26, from 5-
received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in chased by Richard Scrushy and were reclaimed by 9.p.m., with refreshments donated by Rojo, and
fine arts from the University of Alabama, and the Frazer in Scrushy’s estate sale. Over 80 other art- will run through June 24.
body of his work involves documenting the areas ists are participating in the show, with all proceeds ACME Gallery is located at 1305
of Alabama where he spent his youth, so he has a benefiting Habitat for Humanity. There will be Second Ave. North. For more information
personal connection to our plight, though he now impromptu live music by Taylor Hollingsworth, on “REBUILD Alabama” contact John Lytle
lives in Washington, D.C. Henry Dunkle, Sanders Bohlke, Duquette Wilson at john@johnlytlewilson.com.
“The Alabama depicted in Christenberry’s Johnston and The Great Book of John, as well
photographs is one of little change,” says Wilson. as a live auction at 7 p.m., which will include the Sam George is the managing editor of
“The subjects he shoots have aged slowly over Christenberry piece as well as a number of other Birmingham Weekly. Please send your com-
time, worn away little by little. They seem almost artists. ments to editor@bhamweekly.com