You can’t help notice it as you walk down the hallway from the church office toward Fellowship Hall. First you’ll probably see the lighted wall plaque. Then, as you turn left at the corner by the stairs, you’ll finally take it all in -- FUMC's Gallery 1551. What was once a rather dim and unwelcoming hallway space has been beautifully transformed. And you will be, too, as you view each of the ever-changing exhibits.

To inaugurate Gallery 1551, a community-participation show was developed, entitled "Blocks of Love." These expressions of personal sentiment by over 250 people, ages 4-94, were produced and displayed on 3x3x1 wood tiles. As you stood back and glanced down the entire exhibit, the images blended into outbursts of artistic color, family homage, God-scapes, and personal tributes.

A few months later we produced our first one-person show, which featured the collage designs of Paula Peterson, and then during the holiday season we featured a color-themed exhibit, called "Red." New shows are produced regularly, which follow the pattern similar to the original show rotation: community, solo, theme. See the Roseleaf for news of our latest show.

CAMAB's (Creative Arts Ministry Advisory Board) goal for Gallery 1551 is to feature a wide variety of interesting exhibits, keeping them in place for only about two months. In most cases, art shows are available for public viewing solely at the Montgomery Campus. When possible, though, special art shows, like Blocks of Love, will be shared at both the Montgomery and Stony Point campuses.