June 2007 | Alabama Living
If you are looking for a great place to get away or need an inspiring day trip, Black Belt Treasures in Camden is sure to satisfy your creative appetite. Just an hour away, Black Belt Treasures is an art gallery and store showcasing the work of local artists.
Black Belt Treasures was formed when the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Planning Commission began looking at the resources of the Black Belt region from a tourist’s perspective. What they found was that many people were creating quality fine arts and crafts in the Black Belt region. With such a collection of diverse art being created here, the committee began searching for a way to showcase this exceptional talent. The idea of a gallery was suggested as a successful way to display all these hidden treasures, and as a result, Black Belt Treasures gallery was formed.
Black Belt Treasures is located in downtown Camden in the former McGraw-Webb Chevrolet building on Claiborne Street.
The gallery opened in September 2005 with 80 artists’ work on display. Today it exhibits the work of more than 225 individuals within an 18 county region: Pickens, Greene, Hale, Perry, Marengo, Sumter, Choctaw, Wilcox, Dallas, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Clarke, Washington and Bullock. Visitors from 36 states and 10 foreign countries have signed the guest book at the gallery.
“It is very important to us that what we sell in the gallery represents the finest the Black Belt has to offer,” said Sulynn Creswell, Director and Gallery Manager of Black Belt Treasures. “We want everyone to know that there is something great to see here.”
Black Belt Treasures is a nonprofit organization supported mainly by the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Planning Commission, Alabama Rural Conservation Development and the University of Alabama.
One of the charms of Black Belt Treasures is that of many of the artists are from right here in Clarke and Washington Counties, and the surrounding areas: Fruitdale, Thomasville, Chatom, Alberta, Jackson, Hybart and places in between. Your next door neighbors’ quiet hobby might be proudly on display in the gallery.
One in particular is Mrs. Annie Lou Downey of Grove Hill.
Playing with dolls for most girls is a childhood pastime. Dressing up Barbies and rocking their babies to sleep evokes memories of carefree times that are full of imagination and innocence. For Mrs. Downey, she was such a girl growing up in her country home in rural Clarke County. But it was beyond her imagination that she would make a career out of a childhood pastime as a middleaged adult.
An antique cupboard in the front window of Black Belt Treasures is full of carefully displayed porcelain dolls. They each have sweet dispositions and are dressed in clothes that suit their personalities. A small sign tells the story of their creation by Mrs. Downey:
On a whim, Mrs. Downey took a ceramics class in the early nineties and enjoyed the creation process so much thatshe moved on to doll making. After many seminars and classes, she now holds a master’s degree in doll making from Seely Porcelain Studios and is a certified Seely instructor. She has opened her own studio in the home where she was born and raised, and teaches classes in porcelain doll making to students ranging in age from 8 to 80.
Mrs. Downey creates a piece by first pouring slip into molds thus creating green ware. After a soft fire in the kiln, she uses a wet cleaning method that eliminates flying dust. Each piece is placed on silica sand for firing to the bisque stage. The piece is china painted and fired again. Then eyes, wigs, and body parts (either porcelain or fabric) are attached to create the finished doll. Mrs. Downey uses her childhood seamstress training to make fine clothing for the dolls that match the high quality of workmanship in each of these little girl’s treasures.
“I thought, ‘If anyone can learn to do this, then I can learn to,’ ” she said. “I got my slip out and started pouring.”
One of her daughters caught interest as Mrs. Downy was beginning to learn the detailed techniques of porcelain doll making. The two continued to make dolls and began taking the Seely Porcelain classes together in Pensacola.
By that time the porcelain doll making business was booming. Mrs. Downey and her daughter were making the dolls and supplying doll stores with merchandise.
With such a great studio in the house where she grew up (located a few yards away from her present home) she began hosting ceramic classes. Her students would make dolls, baskets, Christmas ornaments and other home décor items.
“I have had a lot of fun making dolls, and we have a lot of fun here in the classes,” Mrs. Downey said.
Sitting for a few minutes in the studio in the old house one can see why many of Mrs. Downey’s students say coming to her classes is therapeutic. The cool temperature, soft sunlight shining through the large windows, and comfort of the old house eases one into a state of relaxation after getting settled in the wide, cushioned chairs.
For many, it is the highlight of their week.
When making dolls, each student picks a porcelain doll mold and begins the process of pouring the slip, firing the piece and choosing\ the color of its eyes and hair. When they are finished they name their dolls and dress them.
On one occasion a student heard that President Bush would be visiting the Mobile area and decided to make two twin dolls with features similar to that of the First Daughters: twins, Jenna and Barbara Bush. It was a likely chance the dolls would reach the girls, but after a few phone calls, the dolls were presented to the President and given to his daughters.
It is the treasures like Mrs. Downey creates that make Black Belt Treasure such a great place to visit. There is a story behind each individual piece.
Black Belt Treasures mission is to provide an economical outlet for local artists to sell their work, and a place to promote arts education. The arts education program teaches classes to adults and school-aged children throughout the year. These classes help preserve the skills of arts and crafts from generation to generation.
Each July Black Belt Treasures’ hosts a Summer Arts Camp for school children.
Creswell beams at the success she has seen in some of the younger students. One child in particular, had some learning challenges and was enrolled in camp. The classes tuned into his creative side, and he began to really excel with the art he was creating. That fall he entered his work in the West Alabama Fair and won three first-place ribbons. Through the arts education program he was able to find a positive outlet where he could channel his energy and build up his confidence.
Pieces of work displayed at the gallery ranges from contemporary to traditional, to pop art and classical art, and everything in between. You’ll find monogrammed koozies, luggage, fabulous jewelry, literary pieces, kudzu baskets, quilts, scrap iron sculptures, oil and water paintings, photography, baby clothes, knitted scarves, painted china plates and much, much more.
When you visit you are sure to find a treasure especially for you.
MRS. ANNIE LOU DOWNEY: Mrs. Annie Lou Downey of Grove Hill pins a dress to one of her porcelain dolls. Many of Mrs. Downey’s dolls are on display at Black Belt Treasures art gallery in Camden.