Here's a post about local inspiration I ran across tonight.

Master woodworker, Fletcher Cox was featured on last night's episode of Mississippi Roads on Mississippi Public TV . He showed several of his commissioned works and explained his "Raw & Cooked" series. Read more about Fletcher and the rest of episode .

David Baum sent us a new large painting on canvas of Art Blakey. It measures about 36" x 36". See more by David in his album.

While in D.C. earlier this year we met Lisa Schumaier , a very talented sculptor. We just opened a new shipment of her delightful animals. There are cows, cats, dogs, birds, and more - all made from low fired clay along with other materials. These two fine bovine specimens are about 3 inches tall.

Attic artist, Ellen Langford , of Jackson is featured in the latest issue (July/August) of Deep Magazine - on the stands now. In her interview, Ellen very kindly says, "I love working with the Attic Gallery in Vicksburg because I'm inspired by their sense of community. The owners are also artists, and I'm moved and motivated by the way they think about the world." We like working with her, too.

In a story from the current issue of the Jackson Free Press , Lynette Hanson writes: Holly Perkins has always liked art, but it was a family-weekend adventuring trip with her parents and older sister Katie that changed the almost-a-teen-ager forever. “Maybe two years ago, we went to Vicksburg, to The Attic Gallery . I loved that place,” Perkins told me emphatically, sitting on her daybed in her vivid, eclectically decorated room. “It was so cool. I had not been taught that art can be not perfect and still be good. It opened up a whole new door.” Read the whole story and more in Jackson's terrific weekly.

Elayne Goodman of Columbus, Mississippi has sent us another of her fantastic Elvis pieces. It's fabric, beads, wood, and more; all in her handpainted frame. It measures 26" x 39". Read about Elayne . See more images in her album. There's also a feature on Elayne in the "press clippings" at the bottom of the page.

Kathy Gergo from New Orleans came up this weekend seeking shelter from the storm; and while here, she finished 8 paintings for the gallery.

Ron was in today, and left a new fish painting. It measures 18" x 22". See lots more by Ron in his album...

Lesley, Daniel, Jean, Lucile, and even Chad wish everyone a happy Independence Day. It's worth celebrating!