Explore the work of Alabama artist Miriam McClung — from scenes of Birmingham, the Southeast, and beyond. Over seventy-five years of influential Southern art to be acquired, researched, and enjoyed.
The Carnegie Visual Arts Center is presenting “Portrait of an Artist, Miriam McClung,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Birmingham, Alabama native Miriam McClung, on view now through August 22, 2026. A public reception with the artist will be held Friday, July 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with $5 admission at the door.
We are excited that the Bradford Gallery at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Nashville, TN will be showing her faith-centered works from Sep -Dec 2026 in their main gallery. We will post more information when it is available.
We are honored to participate in the annual Women Take The Walls group show featuring women artists from across the country. Learn more at the GMoA website.
Art is an expression of self — each work contains something of its creator. This exhibition reveals Miriam McClung through her colorful, expressive portraits. By capturing the expressions and moods of her subjects, she offers a window into each person’s inner life. The process is reciprocal. Just as we perceive the people in our lives through the lens of our own experiences, McClung brings something of herself to each work. Her portraits of others are, in this sense, also a portrait of the artist. The paintings are consistently evocative — the viewer feels what the subjects feel. This is particularly true of her portraits of family members, where McClung’s deep personal connection to her subjects is unmistakable.
A reception for this exhibit will be held on Friday, July 24.
Miriam McClung’s work stands as a visual chronicle of the American South, told through the eyes of a woman who witnessed—and translated—its transformations across more than seven decades. Rooted in Birmingham, Alabama, McClung captured the region’s intimate beauty and deep contradictions, painting its landscapes, people, and spiritual undercurrents with an unflinching yet sensitive gaze. Her early realist style evolved into visionary interpretations where biblical narratives and local environments converge, revealing the South as both sacred ground and human theatre.
In every phase of her practice—from her abstract explorations of the 1950s to her deeply personal biblical allegories of the late 20th century—McClung paints not just what she sees, but what the South remembers and hopes for. Her work is at once documentary and devotional, an artist’s lifelong reckoning with place, time, and faith. Through her art, McClung becomes both witness and storyteller of an era of significant change in Alabama’s cultural and spiritual history.
We are pleased to make available a selection of Miriam’s early works on paper. Some were done while she was studying at the University of Alabama in the late 1950s, and others while she attended the Art Students League of New York City from 1958-59. All are available for acquisition.
She studied under Mark Rothko one summer, but didn’t realize he was famous. And she once met Salvador Dali at a party in NYC.
Miriam’s art career spans over seven decades. Here is a biographical résumé of her education, shows, and exhibits.
Miriam’s Birmingham Alabama, studio location served as her primary creative space from the late 1970s until 2021. Like many artist studios, it has a unique history.
DECATUR, Ala. — The Carnegie Visual Arts Center is presenting “Portrait of an Artist, Miriam McClung,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Birmingham, Alabama native Miriam McClung, on view now through August 22, 2026. A public reception with the artist
Can you imagine sitting in a college art class, sketching away with no idea that one of those drawings would inspire the design in a boutique hotel nearly 70 years later? That’s exactly what happened to Miriam. In the spring
We take the job and process of authenticating Miriam’s work seriously so that you as a collector can have confidence in the foundational value of the work you purchase. This recent case illustrates our commitment to you as a collector
Transitions: On Sunday you are hailed as a king, by Thursday you are condemned as a heretic and criminal. That’s quite a transition that Jesus experienced according to the gospel accounts. This work depicts Jesus condemned by Pilate and is
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, we thought we should introduce Miriam’s mother, Ellen Maddox Jackson, and her impact on Miriam’s art. Ellen (b. 1904) was one of five siblings and grew up in a small town and farming community (Easonville)
It’s “Teacher Tuesday” — a day we’ve totally made up to explore the art teachers and influences throughout Miriam’s career. Let’s jump to 1955— specifically the summer between Miriam’s sophomore and junior year at the University of Alabama where she
If you are on this newsletter list, you probably want to know more about Miriam and her art. And you probably like art in general. What you probably don’t like is reading about Supreme Court case rulings, regardless of your
Why would you collect and hang a portrait of someone in your home that you do not know? Consider this—most of the most valuable, appreciated, and well-known works of art in the world are portraits of people that know one
Painting in the winter months without a studio can be very challenging. The weather in Tennessee, especially on the Plateau where Miriam lives, continually changes from rain to wind and even snow. Sunny days become cloudy in a hurry, leaving
We had a good run on Etsy for exposure, the height of which was an Etsy pick of NY White Abstract which led an HGTV and Magnolia network producer to reach out to us. Miriam’s later work was on HGTV’s
Can you imagine sitting in a college art class, sketching away with no idea that one of those drawings would inspire the design in a boutique hotel nearly 70 years later? That’s exactly what happened to Miriam. In the spring
This “Meet the Artist” feature from Neighbors of The Glade (February 2026) profiles Miriam McClung, a 90-year-old artist living in Cumberland County, Tennessee. Background: Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Miriam developed her love of art early, encouraged by her parents and