IAC holds "Honey Bear" artist reception"

Jayne Morgan’s exhibition in the International Arts Center (IAC) called "Sweet Dreams” came to a close on Aug. 14. However, before the show ended, the IAC held an artist reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  

An artist talk and refreshments were also available during the event. 

“I think it's just a happy collection,” Morgan said. “I feel like it captures everything that’s been happening in my life right now.”

The work featured in the exhibit had a number of paintings of honey bear bottles, which the artist is well known for. It also featured paintings of flowers, some of which had thick layers of paint, adding texture to the work. This technique is called “impasto.” Impasto is typically achieved by using oil paint, but Morgan utilized heavy-body acrylic.  

A self-portrait within the reflection of the artist’s airstream trailer could also be found, with a prominent neon orange underpainting. 

“The people seem interesting, and there is a lot of socialization that I think is great,” said Sarah Rhodes, a junior nursing major from Deatsville, Alabama. “The variety of the art is really great.” 

Sydnee Pennington photo

Morgan is well known for her paintings of honey bear bottles.

“I really liked the artwork being displayed,” said Jessica Byrd, a junior graphic design major from Enterprise, Alabama. 

During the artist talk, Morgan shared more information about her work. The skirt the artist wore also featured her signature painted honey bear bottles. 

“When I got out of SCAD, an artist I knew from Birmingham looked at all my art,” Morgan said during the artist talk. “I had a couple of honey bear paintings, flowers and some of the kind of stuff I have now, and she was like, “you should be the honey bear lady.” 

“I started painting honey bears like crazy. We always had to have a honey bear on the table. So, honey bears remind me of sitting down to dinner with my family.  

Before you go to college, you sit down to dinner with your family, and then it doesn’t happen again. That’s just a special thing, that honey bear on the table.” 

Morgan has more upcoming events that students can attend off campus. On Oct. 4, the artist will be at the Bluff Park Art Show in Hoover, Alabama. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. More information about this event can be found at bluffparkartassociation.org. 

Morgan and her work can also be found at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This event will be held at Snow Hinton Park on Oct. 11 and 12. More information can be found at kentuck.org/the-festival. 

“I used to be an art student, so it’s cool to see somebody that was in your shoes doing stuff like this,” Morgan said. “Students can also see a living and working artist.” 

More information about the artist can be found at jaynemorgan.com. Her work is also featured on her Instagram page @jaynemorganart. 

The IAC will have another artist reception on Sept. 18 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It will be for “Transience: Trace and Erasure in Lost Landscapes” by Angel E. Fernandez and Winter Rusiloski, as well as "So Near, So Far" by Daniel White.