Never judge a book by its movie.

J. W. Eagan

News

Gee's Bend Quilters and Other Artists Featured at the Alabama Book Festival

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—In addition to author appearances, book signings, writing awards presentations and an exciting children's area presented by Alabama Public Television, the Alabama Book Festival on April 17 will include a collection of Gee's Bend quilts on display in the Old Alabama Town reception center, next to Kiwanis Park, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The quilt show, "Tinnie Pieces with Minnie Designs: Gee's Bend Quilts from the Pettway Collection," features vibrant quilts crafted by two Gee's Bend residents, sisters Tinnie and Minnie Pettway. Tinnie Pettway will be on hand to discuss the quilts and sign copies of her new book, "The Gee's Bend Experience." The event is free and open to the public. 

Irene Latham, author of "Leaving Gee's Bend," will also be at the book festival. She will discuss the young adult novel, set in Alabama during the Great Depression, at 3 p.m. Latham has published more than 120 poems in various books, journals, and anthologies, including a full-length collection, "What Came Before," which was named the Alabama State Poetry Society's Book of the Year and earned a 2008 Independent Publisher's Award. 

Additional artists participating in the festival include printmaker Amos Kennedy of Kennedy Prints, who will be demonstrating his letterpress throughout the day, and self-taught artist Charlie Lucas, who will discuss his new book "Tin Man" at 2 p.m. The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts will be crafting mosaic bookmarks in the children’s activity area and the University of Alabama Book Arts program will be in the exhibits area with hand-built books and paper items. 

More than 50 authors are participating in the 2010 Alabama Book Festival, including Oprah Book Club author Pearl Cleage, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Bragg, 2010 Harper Lee Award recipient Carolyn Haines, Alabama Poet Laureate Sue Brannan Walker and Daniel Wallace, whose novel "Big Fish" was turned into a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton. For a complete list of authors and activities, visit www.alabamabookfestival.org.

Sponsors of the Alabama Book Festival include the Alabama Humanities Foundation, Alabama Library Association, Alabama Public Television, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Alabama Writers’ Forum, Capitol Book and News, Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities at Auburn University, City of Montgomery, LWT Communications, Montgomery City-County Library System, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery Prime, Montgomery Parents, NewSouth Books, Old Alabama Town/Landmarks Foundation, Regions Bank, River City Publishing, and Troy State University-Montgomery. 

Media Contact

Buffy Lockette
334-240-4617
b.lockette@oldalabamatown.com

back to home >

top >