TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama alumna Helen Altman will open an art exhibit, “Patch of Blue,” in the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, which will run from Sept. 2 – Sept. 26. An opening reception will take place on Sept. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the on campus gallery.

Altman’s large torch drawings and quilts emphasize the fragile balance of nature through the variety of domestic and wild creatures that inhabit the open spaces of her work. The effect is one of enclosure, pointing to the control that man has over his fellow creatures.

Altman challenges the viewer to consider the benefit, humor, and beauty of the world. Her awards include the Engelhard Award and a National Endowment for the Arts grant. All works by Helen Altman are courtesy of the artist. Her work is in the collections of the Dallas Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Funding for the gallery is provided by the department of art and the College of Arts & Sciences at The University of Alabama. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday. Contact the gallery, located in Garland Hall, at 205/348-1891 for further information.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest public liberal arts college in the state, with approximately 5,500 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students. The College has received national recognition for academic excellence, and the College’s students have been selected for many of the nation’s top academic honors, including 13 Rhodes Scholarships, 15 Goldwater Scholarships, seven Truman Scholarships, one Udall Scholarship and 16 memberships on USA Today’s Academic All-American teams.