Artwork: Elizabeth Russell, Glade of Remembrance, 2026, oil and acrylic paint, wax, glitter on wood panel, 41.5 x 30 inches
Lookout
Elizabeth Russell, Chiharu Takahashi Roach, Jennifer Wallace Fields
March 5 – 21, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 5, 5 – 7 pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, March 14, 3 pm
Elizabeth Russell is an American artist living between Prague, Czech Republic and Birmingham, AL. Originally from Birmingham, Russell brings a southern sense of brooding to her paintings, which are decidedly rooted in surrealism, utilizing both automatic and veristic techniques. Her work is a study of humanity and its strewn landscape of misery and exultation through the ages. Russell’s exhibitions included video installations, photography, painting, collage, and stop-motion animation. Her work has been shown in private galleries, film festivals, and public museums, and it is included in many private collections as well as the Krannert Museum permanent collection in Champaign, Illinois. Russell received her BFA from the University of Montevallo in 1983 and later received a 3-year fellowship to the University of Illinois in Champaign, where she earned her MFA in 1990.
Chiharu Takahashi Roach is an artist from Nagoya, Japan who works in a variety of mediums and formats, such as painting, drawing, mixed media sculpture, and fiber arts. In her work, she explores the spiritual connection between humans and their behaviors and emotions, the material language of her Japanese identity, and the cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan. Often combining 2D, 3D, and mixed media, Takahashi seeks to express themes of memory, spirituality, loss, and humanity with the interdisciplinary nature of her work. Takahashi moved to Birmingham, AL in 2001 and received her BFA from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
Jennifer Wallace Fields is a visual artist whose practice explores memory, identity, and the emotional experience of living within complex social structures. Using ceramics, papier mâché, and found materials, she investigates the intersection of fragility, humor, and connection. Fields creates sculptural narratives that examine the tension between personal emotion and collective experience. Her work reflects on how we navigate joy and grief within systems that often demand endurance over vulnerability. Text appears throughout her practice as a point of access, inviting viewers into shared recognition and empathy. Fields has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout the region, including recent presentations at AEIVA and the Gadsden Museum of Art. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Montevallo and lives and works in Springville, AL.