Long May It Wave
Oct 22 – Nov 28, 2026
Opening Reception:
Thurs, Oct 22nd from 6-8pm
Dr. Michael Fowler
“Long May it Wave: Lincolnian perspectives on Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence”
“All honor to Jefferson,” Lincoln wrote to a colleague, “to the man who, in the concrete pressure of a struggle for national independence by a single people, had the coolness, forecast, and capacity to introduce into a merely revolutionary document, an abstract truth, applicable to all men in all times, and so embalm it there, that today, and in all coming days, it shall be a rebuke and a stumbling block to the very harbingers to the reappearing tyranny and oppression.”
This exhibition, held during our country’s 250th anniversary, is intended to showcase, through art and artifacts, evidence—both verbal and visual—of the Great Emancipator’s homage to Thomas Jefferson and his Declaration of Independence. During the years before and during his presidency he continued to appeal to the Declaration and the equality clause as a gauge of what was transpiring, and what was at stake for America. At Gettysburg he took the final step in declaring the meaning of the war and of the national purpose that was embodied in the Declaration’s equality clause: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal…”
{CALL FOR ART}
Main Gallery | “Long May it Wave: Local artist perspectives on our American flag”
Local artists share their Patriotic Artistry with original American flag-inspired creations
Aiken Center for the Arts invites our community members to share what the American flag means to you. The exhibition celebrates one of America’s most recognized symbols through art. Join us as honor the history, symbolism, and unity represented by our nation’s flag. Possible ideas of exploration include patriotism, freedom, liberty, identity, democracy, protest, hope and belonging.
Submission guidelines and contract can be found HERE
Submission Deadline:
All artwork should be brought to Aiken Center for the Arts between October 5-9, 2026.
Redemption & Resilience
Dec 3, 2026 – Jan 14, 2027
Opening Reception:
Thurs, Dec 3rd from 6-8pm
Lisa Anne Tindal
Lisa Anne Tindal is an artist inspired by the redemptive themes in the experiences of others. Her paintings of women, seen as angelic, are created in hopes of conveying strength and courage in her figures as well as inviting an emotional response in the viewer. Life experiences, her work with families in need of support, her faith and her belief in the therapeutic value of art are influential in her commitment to painting. Her aim is to “offer hope” to others through her paintings created in a quietly confident way.
In this body of work, she is hoping to convey a sense of inner connectedness through the figures and abstract paintings. We pour into others’ lives. Most often, we are not even aware of the people we influence by our stories, our responses to hardship and even our celebrations. We are all “in this together”, intricately and intentionally influencing one another.
Lisa Anne returned to painting once she retired from nonprofit leadership. Lisa has exhibited her work in the Aiken Artist Guild Shows and as a local artist through the Aiken Center for the Arts. The Scouted Studio and Sunshine Village Art Gallery represent her. She is the Featured Artist for “Art on the Beach” an annual fundraising event held at Sullivan’s Island each November. Lisa Anne authored and illustrated a children’s book, “Look at the Birds” which is available at ACA. Lisa is married to Greg, and has two adult children, Heather and Austin. When she is not painting, she enjoys being “Grandma” to five grandchildren. Her current work and more details of her artist journey are on her website, https://lisaannetindal.art/
Fred Townsend
Fred Townsend is an oil painter in both surreal and realistic styles using language of symbolism, storytelling and metaphor to explore the invisible threads that connect us to ourselves to each other to the natural world and to the unseen.
His work lives in the space between dream memory and the scene and the felt. He is drawn to images that hold tension, the beautiful and the strange, the familiar and the unknown through layered composition, rich color and meticulous detail. He creates visual narratives that invite quiet contemplation, personal interpretation, whether painting, realistically from observation or constructing surreal worlds from imagination. His goal is always the same: to evoke emotion, spark curiosity, and honor the mystery of being human.
As an Art Teacher, he believes creativity is a vital form of connection and self discovery. In the classroom, he strives to empower students to trust their vision, take risks and find their own voice. As a COACH, he teaches the value of discipline, perseverance, and teamwork lessons that shape, both artist and athletes whether he is in the studio, the classroom on the track. He is committed to expiring growth resilience in a deep appreciation for the journey.
