April 13, 2012
Mobile, Alabama is vibrant city with a rich culture.  Each spring, Mobile has the Arts Alive! festival in the Cathedral Square Arts District in downtown Mobile.  The 2012 Arts Alive! event is scheduled for April 13, 14 and 15, showcasing a variety of art genres, including theater, film, visual, music and dance.  Visitors can shop for beautiful artwork and participate in hands-on activities that allow them to interact with the artists and their art.  Two of the highlights of the Arts Alive! event is the LoDa ArtWalk and the Street Art Festival. The LoDa ArtWalk will take place Friday night, April 13, 2012 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. with over 25 galleries participating, including: Blue Velvet Studio, The Host Gallery, Robertson Gallery, Kangal Gallery, Mobile Arts Council, and more. At Blue Velvet Studio, visitors can view the subaquatic-themed black-light show, “Under the Sea.” The artists at Blue Velvet Studio created a black light show called "Under the Sea" during which the gallery gets turned into a three-dimensional underwater scene.  Visitors walking through the gallery view a three-dimensional underwater scene with schools of fish and sea creatures such as the octopus, shark, lionfish, sea turtle, and even a mermaid.  The walls and floors of the studio will be lined with coral reef, star fish, sea clams, and sand dollars. Don’t forget to look up to see waves a school of jellyfish. More than 20 artists and volunteers created artwork for “Under the Sea.”  For those to can’t make it to the studio on Friday night, “Under the Sea” will be open all weekend during Arts Alive! hours.

Image: "Under the Sea" at Blue Velvet Studio

On Saturday and Sunday, visitors can check out the Street Art Festival, a juried Art Show of more than 30 local and regional artists.  There will be a variety of interactive art events throughout the day for visitors to participate in, including hands-on pottery exhibitions by the University Of South Alabama School Of Art; children’s art experiences by the Mobile Museum of Art; and interactive painting with artist Loren Chavez.  Nancy Raia will host a demonstration, “Painting with Feeling”, working with sensory-impaired children.

Image: Arts Alive!

Enjoy every moment of Arts Alive!  When it’s time to get your new purchases home, trust the AIM Mail Center in Mobile, Alabama to help safely pack and ship your art – across town or across the country. Schedule of Events: Friday 13th: 5pm - 9:30pm – LoDa ArtWalk & SoAl Film Festival Scramble Saturday 14th: 11am - 7pm – Street Art Festival & Interactive Art Activites Sunday 15th: 12Noon - 5pm – Street Art Festival & Arts & Music Picnic in the Park