Southern Voices 2016
Southern Voices Festival 2017
A Celebration of Writing, Music and ArtAn Evening With
Rebecca Wells
And the YA-YA Sisterhood
In a new theater work based on her #1 New York Times best-selling novel Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, author and actor Rebecca Wells summons the Ya-Yas, bringing to the stage all of the spirit and energy of the world’s wildest and most beloved chosen-sister tribe. Wells embodies the indelible characters from her novels and transforms theaters into Pecan Grove in Thornton, Louisiana. In between storytelling, Wells shares personal stories and insights into her own creative process, including the real-life inspiration for the Ya-Yas. With honesty and compassion, she openly addresses the challenging topics of feminism, racism and spirituality in today’s world and in her work.
Rebecca, like the Ya-Yas, reminds us that imagination and love are essential to overcoming hardship, that a little humor heals most wounds, and that a good story can literally set us free. After an evening in her world, she leaves the audience repeating the three sweetest words in the English language . . . tell me more.
Authors Conference
Saturday, Feb. 25 - Registration: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - The Library Theatre & The Library Plaza- Book sales and signings will follow the afternoon session. - Lunch on your own
Concert Event
The Art of
Bethanne and Darius Hill
Bethanne Bethard Hill was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and raised in Birmingham. She is a 1985 graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and holds a BFA in painting and sculpture from Birmingham-Southern College. Bethanne works from her studio in the carriage house behind their home, where she paints and illustrates full time. Her interests are driving back roads and listening to bluegrass music. As a young artist, her first great influence was primitive art, specifically Australian Aboriginal art. The bold outlines, patterns and simplified shapes seemed to directly convey the power of the animals depicted. Also of great interest are old barns, churches, houses, cemeteries and animals. All works are acrylic paint on wood, paper or canvas. Some have india ink and colored pencil, as well. Bethanne’s work can be found in cover illustrations and interior art on numerous books and CDs, as well as the permanent collections of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Alabama Power, Children’s Hospital of Alabama and many private collections throughout the country.
Darius Hill is Chair of the Visual Arts Department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. He holds a BFA in printmaking from the Atlanta College of Art and an MFA in studio from the University of Alabama. Hill’s 3D mixed-media pieces are sculptural and architectural. He has earned numerous honors and awards including Operation New Birmingham Best in Show Award at the Magic City Art Connection and was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Darius’s works have been selected by many juried exhibitions such as the Red Clay Survey, Huntsville and the Energen Exhibition, Birmingham, and are represented in numerous museum, corporate and private collections throughout the U.S.
Bethanne, Darius and their three children, Olivia, Esme and Atticus, live in Birmingham.
Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM • Friends Gallery Theatre Level •Free and open to the public