You are invited to view the Encaustic Transfer Exhibition by students in OLLI’s recent workshop taught by artist Zdenko Krtić. Ten artists will exhibit their work at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center (JDCAC) from March 3-18.
Join us for the opening reception on March 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in JDCAC's Gallery II. This exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public. The Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center is located at 222 E Drake Ave in Auburn.
Zdenko Krtić is a Croatian-American artist whose work spans drawing, collage, photography, painting, and installation. A graduate of the University of Zagreb (BFA) and the University of Cincinnati (MFA), he taught studio art at Auburn University for many years before retiring in 2019, and is a 2024 Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship recipient.
OLLI will host visiting artists in partnership with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, and the Alice M. Leahy Memorial Endowment Fund for Excellence. Each artist is expected to offer a public presentation along with a hands-on workshop experience. Final schedules and registration links will be available below as details are finalized.
Textile Artist Aaron Sanders Head
March 24–25, 2026
Artist Website: http://www.aaronsandershead.com/textiles
Aaron Sanders Head’s work centers on Southern textile traditions, hand-stitching, and natural dyes, drawing from rural Alabama heritage and lived experiences. He will present a public lecture, “Alabama Quilts,” and a hands-on workshop on Folded Log Cabin (Manx) quilt blocks.
Fiber Artist Nadene Mairesse
April 9–10, 2026
Artist Website: https://www.idyllwilde.co/about
Nadene Mairesse blends natural dye practices, handcraft, and sustainable studio methods. She will present a public lecture, “19th Century Textile Production and Natural Dye Practices in Alabama,” and a workshop on Plant-Based Dye techniques.
Photographer Will Jacks
Anticipated Dates: June 22-26, 2026
Artist Website: https://whjacks.com
Will Jacks is a process artist best known for his photographic work. His research examines the blurred areas between art and journalism, individual and collective, and the impact of each on the other. Plans include a public presentation and a photography workshop and critique.
Collage Artist Billy Renkl
Anticipated Dates: August 3-7, 2026
Artist Website: https://billyrenkl.com
Artist and illustrator Billy Renkl is a graduate of Auburn University now teaching drawing and illustration at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. His work highlights his view that art can be made from anything. Plans include a public lecture and a hands-on collage workshop.
OLLI Presents: Alabama Quilts with Aaron Sanders HeadMarch 24, 2026 | 5 p.m.
Pebble Hill, 101 S Debardeleben St
In this illustrated lecture, Aaron Sanders Head examines quilts from throughout Alabama’s history, exploring them as artistic, social, and cultural documents. This talk is free and open to the public.
Folded Log Cabin (Manx) Quilt Block Workshop with Aaron Sanders Head
March 25, 2026 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunny Slope Annex, 1031 S College St
Fee: $35 (OLLI membership required)
In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn to create a folded Log Cabin, or Manx, quilt block - a distinctive interpretation of the traditional log cabin design. This method utilizes a series of simple measurements based on the hand of the maker, ensuring that each block is uniquely shaped by its creator. Traditionally, fabric was torn rather than cut. A straightforward folding technique gives the block a rich, textural finish while allowing it to come together quickly. Participants will leave with one to two finished quilt blocks.
No prior quilting experience is required. Those new to quilting do not need to bring anything—core materials will be provided.
Materials Provided:
Muslin foundation squares, crewel embroidery needles (size 3 or 4), neutral button or craft thread, glass-head pins, cutting tools, and select naturally dyed and vintage fabrics. Irons will be available for shared use during the workshop.
Optional Items to Bring (for those who already sew or quilt):
- Fabric scraps (up to 3 inches wide and 2–10 inches long)
- Several half-yards of assorted fabric (if desired)
- Small quilting ruler
- Personal scissors
- Preferred hand-stitching thread
- Sewing lamp or magnifier (if typically used)
Participants may also bring backing fabric for foundation piecing if they prefer something specific; otherwise, neutral muslin will be provided.
About the Presenter
Aaron Sanders Head is a Southern, Alabama-based textile artist raised in rural Grady and Hope Hull, Alabama. The youngest of three children of an artist mother and an agricultural worker father, Aaron developed an early appreciation for both art and the rhythms of rural life. His grandparents, both rural mail carriers, often took him along on their routes—experiences that deepened his connection to rural communities and sharpened his powers of observation.
That sense of place, combined with inherited family traditions of textile work and agriculture, informs the unique visual language Aaron practices today in quiltmaking, handwork, and natural dyes. He creates quilts and hand-stitched, naturally dyed textiles that explore the lived experiences of rural Alabamians.
OLLI Presents: 19th Century Textile Production and Natural Dye Practices in Alabama with Nadene Mairesse
April 9, 2026 | 5 p.m.
Pebble Hill, 101 S Debardeleben St
This lecture explores Alabama’s 19th-century textile traditions, focusing on plant-based dyes, local materials, and hand processes that shaped daily life and culture before industrialization. This talk is free and open to the public.
Plant-Based Dye Workshop with Nadene Mairesse
April 10, 2026 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunny Slope Annex, 1031 S College St
Fee: $35 (OLLI membership required)
Participants will learn traditional dyeing techniques using native plants such as Osage Orange, Staghorn Sumac, and Black Walnut. All equipment and materials are provided. No prior experience required.
Nadene Mairesse works with natural fiber textiles and plant-based dyes in her Florence, Alabama studio, Idyllwilde. Nadene worked as an apparel designer in Los Angeles for over a decade before obtaining her bachelor’s in interior architecture from Auburn University. She worked in architectural design and community development before opening her studio in 2013.
