Jean Eaton Gay, an accomplished Georgia artist and longtime supporter of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture (GMA), will debut her solo exhibition, Forests and Feathers, from September 6 through December 12.

This exhibition marks a meaningful homecoming for Gay, who first exhibited at GMA in 2016 with Survivorship: The Birth of Courage, a powerful breast cancer series featured in the Heart to Heart exhibit alongside works by renowned Georgia artist Lamar Dodd.

Forests and Feathers represents the culmination of Gay’s unexpected yet inspiring artistic journey – one that began when she enrolled at ABAC at the age of 63.

“As the careers of my contemporaries were winding down, I became reenergized by enrolling at ABAC, leading to a new beginning I never dreamed possible,” Gay said.

She earned a Certificate in Interior Design in 2004 and began studying art under the mentorship of ABAC Professor Donna May Hatcher. Encouraged by Hatcher, Gay launched a second career as a professional artist, earning awards and showcasing her work in galleries and museums across Georgia and the Southeast.

Her work has been recognized at the highest levels. Georgia Governors Nathan Deal and Brian Kemp each selected Gay’s paintings – including Little River Backwaters and Meadowland at Cedar Hills Farms – to hang in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office, reflecting her deep connection to the natural landscapes of South Georgia.

“The work of nature never ceases to amaze me, with its universe of energy, sometimes quiet and reflective, sometimes more active and agitated, each seeking balance within the other,” Gay said. “The ultimate goal of my paintings is to evoke visual excitement and emotion, created with textures, marks, and layers of color on a background. I find that applying color-saturated blobs of paint onto the canvas with a palette knife, creating texture, makes them sing with intensity.”

“Having worked with the late Donna Hatcher for many years, I was familiar with Jean’s work long before she participated in two of our exhibits,” said GMA curator Polly Huff. “Jean’s boundless energy, coupled with her exquisite talent for capturing life as it unfolds, both in beauty and in tragedy, drew me to her pieces. Working with Jean on her literal and figurative return to her roots: ABAC, agriculture, nature, art, and hosting her at the Gallery, was a full-circle moment. I am thrilled to be able to offer her this platform.”

The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, September 6 at 2 p.m., featuring gallery tours and an informal talk from Gay. Sixteen of the 29 pieces will be available for purchase. After opening day, the exhibition is included with daily admission to the GMA, available at the Country Store.

Anyone wanting more information on this and future exhibits can contact Huff at [email protected].