Works by NALL, Susan Nomberg McCollough Featured in Free OWA Theater Exhibition During Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival

FOLEY, Ala. — Original works by two internationally recognized Alabama artists, Fred Nall Hollis, known professionally as NALL, and Susan Nomberg McCollough, will be featured in an exhibition and sale at the OWA Theater in Foley next month.

The exhibition opens Monday, Nov. 9, in conjunction with the Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival and continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18. The public can view the artwork for free in the theater lobby, and original pieces by both artists will be available for purchase.

The opening coincides with the festival’s Artistic Social. While the exhibition itself is free and open to the public, tickets are required for the musical performances and catered dining associated with the festival.

Two artists, two very different visions

NALL and McCollough work in distinctly different styles, but both have built careers marked by imagination, experimentation and dedication to their craft, earning recognition far beyond Alabama. Together, organizers say, their work highlights the range of talent the state has contributed to the international art world and gives visitors a chance to compare two very different artistic perspectives side by side.

NALL: five decades across two continents

Born in Alabama, NALL (1948-2024) built a career spanning more than five decades in the United States and Europe, particularly in France and Italy. His body of work included painting, drawing, mosaics, sculpture and porcelain, all marked by intricate detail, symbolism, imagination and exceptional craftsmanship.

His work has been exhibited and collected internationally, and he became known for both his versatility and his unmistakable visual style. His achievements reached beyond galleries and museums to include monumental public installations, architectural collaborations and decorative arts. His willingness to move between fine art and functional design set him apart as an artist who believed creativity should enrich everyday life.

NALL’s artistic and entrepreneurial legacy continues through the NALL Institute at Troy University, where his extensive body of work serves as a foundation for education, artistic innovation and opportunities for future generations of artists and entrepreneurs.

Alabama audiences may be familiar with NALL’s large public works, including mosaics, which brought his detailed, symbol-rich style to public spaces and helped introduce his work to people who might never visit a gallery.

Susan Nomberg McCollough: ‘Susanism’ from Gulf Shores

McCollough, an international artist based in Gulf Shores, is known for an Abstract Expressionist style characterized by vibrant colors and imaginative compositions. The editor of a New York fine art magazine described her approach as “Susanism.”

Abstract Expressionism, a movement that took shape in New York in the 1940s and 1950s, emphasizes bold color, gesture and emotion over realistic depiction, and it remains an influential approach for contemporary painters.

In 2017, McCollough received the “Artist of the Year Award” from an international art magazine. Her work has been exhibited on four continents, and she has been recognized as one of the “Top 60 Contemporary Masters.” Her paintings were also selected for the “ART TITIAN-Master of the New Era” documentary series.

McCollough’s paintings are featured and available through Art Atlante dell’Arte Contemporanea in Rome, Italy, reflecting her long commitment to the international art world.

Part of the Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival

The exhibition is timed to the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, a long-running fall tradition that brings hundreds of songwriters to stages along the Gulf Coast. This year’s festival, the 42nd, runs Nov. 5-15 and features more than 200 songwriters performing at venues across coastal Alabama and Northwest Florida.

Pairing visual art with a songwriting festival gives festival-goers another way to experience the creative culture of the coast, and gives art lovers a reason to visit OWA during one of the region’s busiest cultural weeks.

Exhibition schedule

• Opening and music social: Monday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Daily viewing: Tuesday, Nov. 10, through Wednesday, Nov. 18, noon to 5 p.m.

If you go

• What: Exhibition and sale of original works by NALL and Susan Nomberg McCollough
• Where: OWA Theater lobby, 205-A North OWA Boulevard, Foley
• When: Nov. 9-18, 2026
• Admission: Free and open to the public; tickets required for festival musical performances and catered dining
• Artwork: Original pieces by both artists available for purchase