Gravity and Gesture : Paintings by Mike Howard
December 11, 2025 - April 30, 2026
Reception February 5, 5-7 p.m.
INTRODUCTION
Mike Howard's Gravity and Gesture presents a bold and expressive body of work in which
movement, meaning, and material experimentation intertwine. His gestural surfaces
carry both emotional and physical weight—“gravity” referring not only to the seriousness
of his subjects but also to the downward pull of paint that becomes part of the imagery
itself. A selection of Howard's works are painted on huge, unstretched canvases that
hang loosely in space, inviting viewers to step close, feel enveloped, and almost
walk into the imagery itself.
Symbolism runs throughout the exhibition. Floating fast-food imagery appears alongside
references to the deaths of important artists; a depiction of the Lorraine Motel reflects
on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; portraits of people significant
to the artist share space with leaping fish, shipwrecks, and other visual metaphors
that explore memory, loss, humor, and cultural history.
A small selection of banners reflects Howard's occasional collaboration with his wife,
Mary Howard, an acclaimed scenic designer known for her work with leading photographers.
Gravity and Gesture invites viewers into a space where symbolism, spontaneity, scale,
and storytelling meet—revealing an artist deeply attuned to both the weight and the
restless energy of painting.
ARTIST BIO
Mike Howard grew up in Phenix City, Alabama before moving to New York City in the
early 1970s.
After serving as a machine gunner and NSA in the U.S. Marine Corps, Howard attended
the University of Georgia. During his studies he was accepted into the coveted Whitney
Museum Independent Study Program in New York City. He received his Master of Fine
Arts from New York's Rutgers University in 1974.
Howard's works have been exhibited throughout the United States, from Hurtsboro, Alabama
to New York City. Notable exhibitions include The Whitney Museum, P.S. 1, the High
Museum in Atlanta and recently in the Rubell Family Collection Museum in Miami, Florida,
where a large portion of his collection resides permanently with the Rubell Museum.
He has been reviewed in The New York Times, New York Times Magazine, New Yorker and
Artforum.
He splits his time among Brooklyn, New York, Hurtsboro, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia.
We gratefully acknowledge artist Mike Howard for his generous gift of a significant collection of paintings to the Troy University Permanent Art Collection.
Wild and Holy Things: Recent Works by Kitty Smothers
May 14 - August 28
Reception August 20
STATEMENT
My work is rooted in a lifelong connection to the Southern landscape.
From an early age, I was drawn outside—gardening alongside my grandparents, playing
in the dirt, and finding a sense of belonging in the natural world. That early closeness
shaped not only how I see the land, but how I experience it.
In a life increasingly shaped by noise and technology, I believe we've grown disconnected
from that grounding presence. For me, nature is a place of return—where I feel most
centered, most at peace. Even in difficult seasons, simply stepping outside and feeling
the sun has had the power to steady me.
I'm drawn to quiet, easily overlooked scenes—a fading field, an old house, the hush
of trees. Rather than painting a place exactly as it appears, I focus on how it feels,
using muted color, softened edges, and layered texture to evoke stillness, memory,
and time.
The more I pay attention, the more I notice the wild and holy things woven into the
everyday—small, easily missed moments that feel almost sacred. I'm known to whisper
encouragement to my growing flowers, and quiet thank-yous for the gift of their beauty
and company. The sound of the river feels like music to me.
Through this work, I've come to experience God not as distant or overwhelming, but
as near and gentle—present in light, in movement, and in stillness.
Based in Troy, Alabama, my paintings are an invitation to slow down, to look closely,
and to rediscover the quiet wonder and presence woven into the natural world.
BIO
Kitty Smothers is a painter based in Troy, Alabama, whose work is rooted in a deep
connection to the Southern landscape. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Studio Art
from Troy University and a Master of Science in Counseling and Psychology and spent
25 years working in higher education before transitioning into full-time studio practice.
She also apprenticed under the late internationally known artist Nall Hollis.
Raised in a creative family, with a father who was both a painter and musician, Smothers
grew up surrounded by art and music.
For more than 27 years, Smothers has painted and sold her work professionally, with
a primary focus on portraiture. This foundation in capturing likeness and presence
continues to inform her current work, lending a quiet sensitivity and structure to
her landscapes.
Working primarily in acrylic, she is known for atmospheric paintings that balance
expressive texture with restraint. Her work often explores overlooked rural scenes—fields,
gardens, aging structures, and tree-lined horizons—capturing not just the appearance
of a place, but its mood and presence.
In addition to her studio work, she is recognized for her live wedding paintings,
where she captures both the likeness of her subjects and the atmosphere of the moment
in real time.
She currently lives in South Alabama with her husband, one daughter, and two dachshunds.