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 will be held Friday, July 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with $5 admission at the door.
The exhibition brings together decades of McClung’s colorful, expressive portrait work, spanning oils and pastels created from the 1950s to the present. Known for her impressionistic style that favors color, mood, and emotional connection over strict realism, McClung offers viewers an intimate window into her subjects’ inner lives — many of them family members and loved ones. “Portrait of an Artist” reflects the reciprocal nature of portraiture: in painting others, McClung reveals something of herself.
Born in Birmingham in 1935, McClung earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alabama and studied at the Art Students League of New York before training under noted portrait painter Jerry Farnsworth in Sarasota, Florida, and Max Heldman through the Birmingham Museum of Art. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, her work has appeared in exhibitions with the Birmingham Museum of Art Biennial, the Huntsville Museum of Art’s Red Clay Survey, the Alabama Pastel Society, the Watercolor Society of Alabama, and in an international exhibition of Birmingham artists in Hitachi, Japan. In 2018, the Magic City Art Connection in Birmingham recognized McClung with a lifetime achievement honor as a Celebrated Woman Artist in the Alabama art world. She now lives with her son and family, and continues to paint in Crossville, Tennessee.
Exhibition and Reception Details
- Exhibition: “Portrait of an Artist, Miriam McClung”
- Dates: Now through August 22, 2026
- Artist Reception: Friday, July 24, 2026, 6–7:30 p.m. | $5 admission
- Location: Carnegie Visual Arts Center, 207 Church Street NE, Decatur, AL 35601
- Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Exhibit Admission: Free; donations welcome
- Info: carnegiearts.org | (256) 341-0562
Images Released for Publication
Contact Frank McClung
About the Carnegie Visual Arts Center
The Carnegie Visual Arts Center, located in Decatur, Alabama, presents rotating exhibitions, educational programming, and community outreach dedicated to the visual arts of North Alabama and beyond. More information is available at carnegiearts.org.
Jessica Emrick, Exhibits Coordinator
Carnegie Visual Arts Center
207 Church Street, NE
Decatur, AL 35601
256-341-0562
About Miriam McClung
Miriam McClung is an American artist from Birmingham, Alabama, celebrated for her colorful, impressionistic paintings in oil and pastel. Her portraits, landscapes, and biblical works have been shown in galleries, churches, and museums across Alabama and the Southeast over a career spanning more than seven decades. More information and available work can be found at miriammcclung.com and on Instagram at @miriammcclungart.
Media Contact
Frank McClung
Executive Director for the Miriam McClung Collection
(931) 484-1171
frank at miriammcclung.com