May: “National Photography Month” & “Navigating the Broken Road”

The National Photography Month open call group show instructed artists to “tell us your story,” and showcases the depth and diversity of photographic storytelling. The exhibit invites viewers into the personal and creative narratives of photographers from across the region. Each piece offers a unique perspective and visual voice, showcasing the many ways photography is used to reflect memory, identity, and place. Photography, the art of capturing light to create imagery, is a medium rich in history and emotion used to document, communicate, and express the human experience. From film to digital, portraiture to landscapes, photography continues to shape how we see the world and share our stories. In today’s era of camera phones and instant sharing, this exhibit offers a moment to reflect on photography’s roots and evolution.

Participating artists include Gwen Ainsworth, Jennifer Clifton, Hailey Clifton, James Currie, Walter Dedrick, Richard Dollison, Daniel Domenzain, Vernon Fowlkes, Jessica Jones, Rodney Kilgore, Mike Kittrell, Kandon Kyser, Vincent Lawson, Savannah Mercer, Micah Mermilliod, Cheryl Nicholls, Matt O’brien, Debi Parnell, Michelle Pujols, Lyza Rodriguez, Laurie Schaerer, Nikki Shaw, Katie Thompson.

Navigating the Broken Road exemplifies the power of photography as both a healing process and a storytelling force.

Karen Bullock is a photographic artist living in Alabama. She is known for her documentary-style images of the American South, with a focus on expressions of faith, considerations of home, and the enduring spirit of nature. Primarily lens-based, her practice uses vivid color and light to explore the unheard voice via gesture, sense of place, and mood.

Her photographs have been featured in over 30 exhibitions & various publications including: The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, USM Museum of Art, Alabama Contemporary Art Center (during the Pinky MM Bass exhibition), Float Magazine, Lenscratch, National Geographic Spain, F-Stop Magazine, and in several exhibitions at the Mobile Arts Council. Karen’s is represented by Sophiella Gallery in Mobile, Alabama. Her work is also available at Photographic Gallery-SMA (San Miguel Allende, Mexico).

In addition to photography, Karen enjoys curatorial work and collaborating to create group installations that foster community. She has curated collections from The Do Good Fund, and installed exhibitions on dance, discrimination, and art made with plant-based dyes. These exhibitions have included workshops led by quiltmakers from Gee’s Bend, artist Douglas Baulos, author Watt Key, and others from the local community. Prior to the sale of the property, she volunteered as the curator for art at The Lost Garden downtown on Dauphin Street. Navigating the Broken Road is a deeply personal photographic journey that documents a cross-country road trip covering over 11,000 miles across the United States. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, Bullock embarked on the journey in 2023 with her husband, capturing the beauty and complexity of the American landscape while navigating her evolving experience of life with MS. Her documentary-style photography explores themes of resilience, home, faith, and nature—inviting viewers to witness both a literal and emotional passage through adversity and awe.

These exhibitions will be on display in MAC’s Gallery @ Room 1927 through May 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please contact Sydney Cramer at scramer@mobilearts.org for more information.