Live music and public art welcome the summer on Lookout Mountain

June isn’t just jamming in Fort Payne — there is a plethora of happenings in the village of Mentone. Following are the Little River Arts Council’s contributions to the jam:

Music for the People

Saturday, June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Music for the People: Summer Music Series features the return of the Black Sedan Band, a favorite for all ages. Put on your boogie shoes, gather your friends and family, grab your camp chairs and blankets, and meet on the grounds of the Mentone Inn behind the Linger Longer Pavilion for a magical night of your favorite cover songs from the 70s to today. Bring a picnic from home or from local restaurants! Fontastic Foods will be on site cooking up slow food made with love.

Sonya Clemons, The ArtLady, will make
her mark on Mentone in June.

Make Your Mark on Mentone

The ArtLady, Sonya Clemons, will be making her mark on Mentone beginning May 30 – 31. She is the next featured artist in our public art project Make Your Mark on Mentone, located at the corner of Alabama Highway 117 and Scenic Drive (on the grounds of the Mentone Inn). This chalk art project is funded in part by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Sonya’s mural will feature flora, fauna, and tracks found on Lookout Mountain.

Known for her informational murals, Sonya teaches the viewer about the mural subject in a whimsical manner. Like the artist, her murals are full of energy.

“I am overjoyed to be working in such a beautiful setting, inspired by all the nature and such!” says Sonya. “And I’m truly honored to have been chosen to participate in this project.”

Sonya earned an Associate of Arts degree from Northeast Alabama Community College and has since become a prolific artist and community leader. Her work has been featured in This Is Alabama, It’s a Southern Thing online store, and AL.com. You can see her painted murals in Madison, Huntsville, Stevenson, Bridgeport, and Scottsboro.

Make Your Mark on Mentone artist Ivann
Garc created a beautiful Mentone mural
for the first chalk art installation in May.

She has produced more than 50 murals focusing on arts in education and community for the Madison County School System. As a resident artist for the Jackson County Drug Court, Sonya started the Pictures of Hope program for people in recovery and their families. She has four painted rockets in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville “Rockets on Parade,” and was the poster artist for the 2022 Panoply Festival.

Join us on location for an official “watch party” on Friday, May 31, at 4 p.m. (rain dates are June 3 and 4), or have your own watch party anytime. Gather with friends and family and enjoy watching art in action!

Little River Art Gallery

The Little River Art Gallery will soon open in Moon Lake Village’s main building, next to Leonard Architects. This gallery and store will feature artwork for sale from member artists of the Little River Arts Council, along with apparel and merchandise celebrating our mission that “we believe art is for everyone.” The gallery and store are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, or by appointment.