About Miriam McClung

Miriam McClung is a native of Birmingham and a graduate of the University of Alabama, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Her work over the past twenty years centers around Biblical themes done in oil and pastel. She studied at the Art Students League in New York, under Mark Rothko at the University of Colorado Boulder, and at the Farnsworth School in Sarasota. She also worked under Marshall Davidson, the well-known curator of the American wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Her work as been exhibited in Japan, in Dallas at the Museum of Biblical Arts and throughout the Southeast.

BORN

Birmingham, Alabama in 1935.

FORMAL EDUCATION

Alverson-Draughn Business School. 1960.
Art Students League of New York. Manhattan, New York. 1958-1959.
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 1953-1957.
Undergraduate summer study courses. Professor Mark Rothko and visiting lecturer William de Kooning. University of Colorado. Boulder, Colorado. Summer, 1955.
European Art Tour for Fine Art majors. University of Alabama Fine Arts Department. Summer 1956.
Shades Valley High School. National Honors Society. Birmingham, Alabama. 1949-1953.
Mountain Brook Elementary School. Birmingham, Alabama. 1949.

CONTINUING ART EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Albert Handel Artist Workshop. Highlands, North Carolina. 2021.
Bob Rohm Landscape Workshop. Bucks County, Pennsylvania. c. 1990s.
SEECELO, The Burnsville Painting Classes. Teachers Frank Stanley Herring, John Bryans, Everett Kivette. Burnsville, North Carolina. 1981, 1986.[13]
Mid-coast Maine Watercolor Workshop. Teachers Murray Wentworth and Larry Webster. Port Clyde, Maine. 1983.
Jerry Farnsworth School of Portrait Painting. Farnsworth School of Art. Sarasota, Florida. 1963.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Professional Artist. Drawing on the Promises LLC. 1958-present.
Assistant to Vice President, University of Alabama Medical School. Birmingham, Alabama. 1961.
Assistant to American Wing Curator, Marshall Davidson. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York City, New York. 1959.

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

VOLUNTEER WORK

Teaching. Advent School. Birmingham, Alabama. Sep 1994.
Guest lecture. Pastels. Vestavia Art Association. Birmingham, Alabama. Sep 1990.
Art Teacher. St. Martin’s in the Pines. Birmingham, Alabama. 1985-1989.
Art Teacher. East Lake Methodist Church. Spring 1985.

GROUP EXHIBITS AND SHOWS

Women Take the Walls. Garrett Museum of Art. Garrett, Indiana. August 8 – November 21, 2026.
International Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. September 6 – November 1, 2019.[14]
Briarwood Presbyterian Church Art Show. “God’s Gifts for His Glory”. Birmingham, Alabama. July 24, 2019.
Annual Members Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. Hoover Public Library Gallery. Hoover, Alabama. 2018.[15]
Those Who Weep Show. Inspero. Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church. Birmingham, Alabama. March 21 – June 1, 2018.[16]
National Exhibition: Star Dust. Alabama Pastel Society. Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery. Wetumpka, Alabama. March 13 – June 2, 2017.[17]
Members Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. 2015.[18]
International Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. 2014.[19]
Birmingham Botanical Gardens Show. Birmingham, Alabama. c. 2008.
Member Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. Wright Fine Arts Building, Samford University. Birmingham, Alabama. October 2004.[20]
ONB Magic City Art Connection’s What They’re Doing Now: The Best of 25 Years. “Damascus Gate” by Miriam McClung. Birmingham, Alabama. 2003.
Pastels 2002 – Second Biennial Members Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. Wright Fine Arts Building, Samford University. Birmingham, Alabama. September 21 – October 17, 2002.
Featured Artist of the Month. Tomatino’s. Montgomery, Alabama. 2002.
Alabama State Fair. 1992.
Magic City Art Connection Show. Prize. 1991.
Mountain Brook Art Association Show. 1991.
St. Joseph’s Parrish Religious Show, Redding, California. 1991.
Pensacola Florida Pastel Show, c. 1997.
Second Red Clay Survey: A Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Southern Art. Huntsville Museum of Art. Huntsville, Alabama. September 9 – October 28, 1990.[21]
Sacred Art Exhibition. Chapels on Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville, Alabama. July 21 – 27 1990.
Alabama State Fair. 1990.
Mountain Brook Art Association Show. “Galleria”. 1990.
Art and the Alabama Woman. Juried exhibition. Mobile College. Mobile, Alabama. 1990.
Magic City Art Connection Show. “Catching Birds Eating Alpo” by Miriam McClung. 1989
Pastel Society of the West Coast Show. Pastel Society of the West Coast. California. 1989.
Best of Show. Opelika Art Festival. Opelika, Alabama. 1989.
Mountain Brook Art Association Show. “The Roofers”. Award. 1989.
Alabama State Fair. 1988.
Bluff Park Art Show. 1988.
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Show. 1988.
Mountain Brook Library. 1987.
Mountain Brook Art Outside Show. 1987.
Bluff Park Art Show. President’s Award. 1989.
Birmingham – Hitachi Exhibition of Contemporary Birmingham Artists. The City of Birmingham and Birmingham Museum of Art. Hitachi, Japan, and Tutwiler Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. September 12 – 15, 1989.
Mountain Brook Art Festival Show. 1989.[22]
Birmingham Biennial. Two works: “Day Room” and “Studio Room“. Birmingham Art Association and Birmingham Museum of Art. August 14 – September 29, 1985.[23]
42nd Annual National Competition. Watercolor Society of Alabama. “Rainy Morning” by Miriam McClung. Birmingham Museum of Art. October 3 – November 14, 1982.[24]
Show. Montclair Baptist Hospital. Birmingham, Alabama. February 1969.
Junior League of Birmingham Show. Montclair Baptist Hospital. Birmingham, Alabama. 1961.
Sidewalk Art Show. Birmingham Museum of Art Benefit. Woodrow Wilson Park, Birmingham, Alabama. May 14, 1960[25]

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Unexpected: Encounters with Jesus. Bradford Gallery at St. George’s Episcopal Church. Nashville, Tennessee. August – December 2026.
Portrait of an Artist – Miriam McClung. Carnegie Visual Arts Center. Decatur, Alabama. July 2 – August 22, 2026.
Solo Show. Synergy Medical. Crossville, Tennessee. January – July 2024.
A Collection of Works. Roundhouse Gallery. Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama. October – November 2019.[26]
Views of Birmingham & Alabama. Aldridge Gardens Historical Collections Museum. Hoover, Alabama. June 10 – August 2, 2019.[27][28]
I See Him Everywhere.[29] Webb Hall Gallery. University of West Alabama. Livingston, Alabama. August 23 – December 31, 2018.[30]
Stations of the Cross. St. Peter’s Anglican Church. Birmingham, Alabama. 2018.[31]
The Way of the Cross. Curated and sponsored by Inspero. Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church. Birmingham, Alabama. 2016.
Biblical Paintings. The Joy Gallery. Homewood Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Birmingham, Alabama. February 8 – March 8, 2015.[32]
Drawing on the Promises. Crowe Building. Birmingham, Alabama. November 8 – December 2015.
Israel 2003: Walking in His Footsteps. Webb Hall Gallery. University of West Alabama. Livingston, Alabama. June 1 – July 31, 2012.[33][34]
Scenes from the Holy Land: Israel-Jordan Show. Birmingham Women’s Committee of 100. Birmingham, Alabama. April 17, 2008.
Jesus & Beyond. Stephens Gallery, Walton Fine Art Center. University of the Ozarks. Clarksville, Arkansas, October 1-31, 2002.
The Gardener. East Gallery, Museum of Biblical Art. Dallas, Texas. October 16 – November 24, 1996.[35]
Biblical Paintings and Drawings.[36] Coleman Center for the Arts. York, Alabama. June 28 – August 30, 1992.

DISTINCTIONS AND AWARDS

Birmingham Arts Journal Award. “Umbrella and Flowers at the Gallery” by Miriam McClung. International Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. 2019.[37]
Magic City Art Connection, Celebrated Women Artists in Alabama, 2018[38]
Ampersand Award. “Christ Anointed with Perfume” by Miriam McClung. Annual Members Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society. 2018.[39]
Girault Award. “Doctor and the Fountain” by Miriam McClung. Artist Mercantile Award, “Irish Puzzle” by Miriam McClung. Alabama Pastel Society. Pastels 2002: Second Biennial Members Exhibition. 2002.
Southeastern Pastel Society
Prize. Talladega Art Fair. 1995.
Prize. Alabama State Fair. 1992.
St. Joseph’s Parrish Religious Show, Redding, California.
First Prize. Mountain Brook Art Association Show. 1991.
Second Place Mixed Media, Behold I Stand at the Door. Honorable Mention, The Massacre of the Innocent. Sacred Art Exhibition. Chapels on Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville, Alabama. July 21 – 27 1990.
Dauphin Street Church Religious Works Show. Mobile, Alabama.
Best of Show. St. Joseph’s Parrish Religious Show, Redding, California. 1990.
Best of Show. First Place. Second Place. Alabama State Fair. 1990.
First Prize. Mountain Brook Art Association Show. “Galleria”. 1990.
Merit Award. Art and the Alabama Woman. Juried exhibition. Mobile College. Mobile, Alabama. 1990.
Best of Show. “Catching Birds Eating Alpo” by Miriam McClung. Mixed media. 60″ x 48″. Magic City Art Connection, Birmingham, Alabama. 1989.
President’s Award. Bluff Park Art Show. Birmingham, Alabama. 1989.
Best of Show. Catching Birds Eating Alpo by Miriam McClung. Mixed media. 60″ x 48″. Magic City Art Connection, Birmingham, Alabama. 1989.
First place, mixed media. Mountain Brook Art Festival Show. 1989.
Third Place. Mountain Brook Art Association Show. “The Roofers”. 1989.
Best of Show. Opelika Art Festival. Opelika, Alabama. 1989.
First Prize. Drawing. Religious. Alabama State Fair. 1988.
Second Place, “Backyard View with Ramp”. April 4, 1987.
Alabama State Fair. c. 1986. 1st (Woman with Veil. Watercolor). 2nd (Man. Charcoal). 3rd (Watercolor).
Side Show Gallery Purchase Award. “Rainy Morning” by Miriam McClung. 42nd Annual National Competition. Birmingham Museum of Art and Watercolor Society of Alabama. 1982.
Museum Award. “Boy from Burnsville” by Miriam McClung. 41nd Annual National Competition. Birmingham Museum of Art and Watercolor Society of Alabama. 1981.
Alabama State Fair. 1969. Two third prizes: “After the Rain” and “Cannay Road”
Alabama State Fair. c. 1965. Two second prizes.
Birmingham Juried Show. 1964. “Thanksgiving Day at the VA”. Won prize.
Birmingham Juried Show. 1964. “View Through Backyard”.
Alabama State Fair. c. 1960. Third Prize for “Figure Drawing of Little Girl”.
Student Artist of the Week, University of Alabama. Jan 5, 1955.

COLLECTIONS

The University of Alabama, Sarah Moody Gallery of Art. Permanent Collection.
St. Mary’s School. Alexandria, Louisiana.
Cathedral Church of the Advent. Birmingham, Alabama.
South Trust Bank.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Birmingham, Alabama.
Dominick, Feld, Hyde P.C. Birmingham, Alabama.
First United Methodist Church. Birmingham, Alabama.
Shades Valley Lutheran Church. Birmingham, Alabama.
St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church. Pell City, Alabama.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Birmingham, Alabama.
Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. Ashville, North Carolina.
Private collections throughout the United States.

PUBLISHED BOOKS

McClung, Miriam. The Way of the Cross. Blurb Books, 2011.[40]
McClung, Miriam. Walking in His Footsteps. Blurb Books. 2012.[41]

PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

Christy Williams. "A Tuscaloosa homecoming: Miriam McClung's elephants find a new home at the Graduate Hotel." SoulGrown Magazine, August 12, 2026.
Kerri Lamb. “Miriam McClung. A Lifetime of Color, Creativity, and Courage.” The Glade Magazine, February 2026. pg 24.
HGTV “Who’s Afraid of a Cheap Old House”. Season 2, Episode 4 “Harmonious Home” featured Miriam’s “Orange Abstract” from 1959.
Elizabeth Sturgeon. “City as a Painting.” Mountain Brook Magazine. pages 15 – 23. March 1, 2020.[42]
Leigh Anne Monitor. “Collectors Find Jewels at Art Connection.” Birmingham Post-Herald. Pages C1,C3. April 25, 2003.[43]
“Umbrella and Flowers at the Gallery” by Miriam McClung featured in Birmingham Arts Journal, Volume 16, Issue 1, pages 24-25. 2019.[44]
“Twenty-one at the Beach” by Miriam McClung. The Noble Army of Martyrs,[45] pages 28-29. Beeson Divinity School, Samford University. Birmingham, Alabama. 2018.
Puccetti, Allison. Birmingham-Hoover Sketchbook. Indigo, 2007, pp. 87 and 110.
“The Angel of Death” by Miriam McClung. Red Clay Survey of Contemporary Southern Art[21]. Huntsville Museum of Art. Huntsville, Alabama. 1988.

REFERENCES

McClung, Miriam (January 1, 2024). Interviewed by Frank McClung.
McClung, Miriam. Woman Reading a Bible. 1957. Oil on linen. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. Orange Abstract. 1957. Oil on linen. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. Brown and Blue Abstract. 1959. Oil on linen canvas. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. The Damascus Gate. 2004. Oil on linen. Private collector.
McClung, Miriam. The Shepherd at Galilee. 2004. Oil on linen. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Collection, Birmingham, Alabama.
McClung, Miriam. The Wall in Jerusalem. 2004. Oil on canvas. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. Mary at the Tomb. 2004. Oil on linen. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. The Blue Studio. 1975. Oil on linen. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. Looking out the Playroom Window. 1985. Oil on linen canvas. Private collector.
McClung, Miriam. Brown and Blue Abstract. 1959. Oil on linen canvas. Artist collection.
McClung, Miriam. Overlooking Highland Park Golf Course. 1964. Oil on linen. Artist collection.
Literary Trails of the North Carolina Mountains (Volume 2 of 2) (EasyRead Super Large 18pt ed.). ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 978-1-4587-1603-3.
“APS 2019 International Exhibition”. Alabama Pastel Society.
“2018 Members Exhibition”. Alabama Pastel Society.
“InSpero | What Makes You Weep?”. www.inspero.org.
“Star Dust From The Alabama Pastel Society – The Kelly”. thekelly.org.
“2015 Members’ Exhibition”. Alabama Pastel Society.
Alabama Pastel Society 2014 Exhibition. Alabama Pastel Society.
“Alabama Pastel Society to Hold Exhibition”. Over the Mountain Journal. September 23, 2004. p. 7.
Hiles, Bruce (1990). Second Red Clay Survey: A Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Art, September 9 – October 28, 1990. Exhibition Catalog. Huntsville, Alabama: Huntsville Museum of Art. p. 36. LCCN 90-82769.
Eileen, Kunzman (August 9, 1989). Birmingham Hitachi Exhibition of Contemporary Birmingham Artists (Exhibition Book). p. 23.
Williams, Bitsy (1985). Birmingham Biennial. Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham Museum of Art. p. 28.
Livingston, Jane (1982). The 42nd Annual National Competition of the Watercolor Society of Alabama (Exhibition catalog). Birmingham Museum of Art. p. 2.
“It’s Sidewalk Art Show Day”. Birmingham Post-Herald. May 14, 1960. p. 10.
Kughn, Sherry (October 30, 2019). “Birmingham octogenarian shows work at JSU”. Anniston Star News Journal. pp. 4A.
Miriam McClung Solo Exhibit and Reception. aldridgegardens.com.
“In the Gallery: Artist Miriam Mcclung”. Aldridge Gardens Newsletter: Nature and Art in Balance. June 2019. p. 1.
“Miriam McClung, Artist at Drawing on the Promises Studio”. www.facebook.com.
“Art Exhibit “I See Him Everywhere” at Webb Hall, UWA Campus”. Sumpter County Record-Journal. August 2018.
“Easter Stations of the Cross Exhibit”. Miriam McClung.
“Opening Reception: Miriam McClung”. thehomewoodstar.com.
Char, Smith (June 14, 2012). “Israel 2003: Walking in His Footsteps”. Sumter County Record-Journal. pp. 5A.
Compton, Betsy (June 2012). “UWA has new exhibit at Webb Hall Gallery”. Sumpter County Record Journal.
“Exhibitions and Events”. Angel Tidings (Newsletter). Dallas, Texas: Biblical Arts Center. Fall 1996. pp. 1–2.
Thompson, Dorothy (August 9, 1992). “York gallery was good choice for McClung”. The Meridian Star. pp. C1.
“Alabama Pastel Society 2019 International Exhibition Awards”. 2019.
“2018 SPECIAL EXHIBITION – Celebrated Women Artists of AL”. Magic City Art Connection.
“2018 Members Exhibition Winner’s”. Alabama Pastel Society.
The Way of the Cross by Miriam McClung | Blurb Books. 2011-11-14.
Walking in His Footsteps by Miriam McClung | Blurb Books. 2012-08-20.
Sturgeon, Elizabeth (2020-03-02). “A City as a Painting”. Mountain Brook Magazine.
Monitor, Leigh Anne (April 25, 2003). “Collectors Find Jewels at Art Connection”. The Birmingham Post-Herald. pp. C1, C3.
McClung, Miriam (2019). “Umbrella and Flowers at the Gallery” (PDF). Birmingham Arts Journal. 16 (1): 24–25.
The Noble Army of Martyrs: Beeson Divinity School Samford University Community Worship, Fall 2018. Beeson Divinity School. 2018.

The truth is that I love to draw and paint and have been doing so for over 60 years. The city of Birmingham is a constant inspiration in its landscapes and people. I grew up in Birmingham and attended Mt. Brook Elementary. I loved art from a very young age but because the school was new, they didn’t have art classes, so I took art from Louis Cone on Highland Avenue. Louise Cone taught by copying paintings and drawings. The real lesson was her studio filled with all kinds of objects, antiques, and many portraits. All were in a huge room on the third floor of an old house on Highland Avenue. It could have been in New York.

There was no Birmingham Museum of Art available to us back in the 1930’s and 40’s, there were plenty of good artists around whose work I saw in homes around town. Billy Wilson’s paintings and portraits were all over town. Also, my Father was an avid amateur photographer, and I learned a lot about composing pictures from him. When I was about ten, my father would take me down to Henderson's Frame shop on 3rd Avenue. A young man who worked for him was Gene Smith, who later opened the frame shop and gallery in Homewood originally called “Little House on Linden (Ave)

If my family traveled anywhere, we always went to the museum in the city. I vividly remember going to the Huntington Museum in California and seeing Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy,” so impressive. I went to high school at the then “new” Shades Valley School and was in the first graduating class. There was a wonderful art teacher there, LaNeil Wilson. From her modern teaching I decided to major in art at the University of Alabama.

At Alabama, I was surrounded by some very talented and soon to be well known Alabama artists like my sorority sister Dale Kensington of Dothan Alabama, who’s work would later be shown at many museums across the country. The screens Dale did were the most incredible things I had ever seen. Most inspiring was her dedication to her art and her work ethic of starting painting at 8 a.m. and working until 5 p.m. every day. Dale was an artist that Alabama can be proud of for years to come.

I was also inspired at the University by classmate Bill Chrisenberry who is from near Livingston, Alabama. He created fantastic work with his small Brownie camera, not to mention all his other work at the galleries in Washington D.C.. I had a sculpture class with him, and we all knew what a special artist he was. The University offered several other opportunities to expand my art understanding including an art tour of Europe, where we met renowned Swiss artist, sculptor and painter Alberto Giacometti, and a summer art class at the University of Colorado taught by Mark Rothko. I frankly had never heard of Rothko, until I returned to the University and the professors told me he what a great painter he was. Rothko was kind and patient with all in the class.

After graduating from Alabama, I spent a year in New York City working and attending the Art Students League. I also worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Marshall Davidson, associate curator of the American wing and later noted writer on American art history. I loved the correspondence between him and John Canady telling about Sargent’s “Portrait of Madame X”. Doris Kennedy, a great watercolor artist, was kind to young painters in New York and she included me in a party where I met Salvador Dali.

I moved back to an apartment in Birmingham in 1959 and continued my art. I took classes over the years from Max Helman, Billy Wilson, Lem McDaniels, Arthur Stewart and Billy McVoy ... all talented artists in the city. Max Helman taught a class at Little House, and I learned a great deal of fundamental drawing from him. I spent a lot of my creative energy painting landscapes and scenes around Birmingham. Of particular interest have been Birmingham’s many villages which have grown and changed dramatically over the years. I’ve also been in many shows around Birmingham and the state of Alabama. Particularly enjoyed the Magic City Art Festival and the Mt. Brook shows in my younger days.

In the late 1980s when I turned fifty, I told God so far all my work has been for me, from now on I wanted the work to be His wherever He would take me. Although I’m still painting Birmingham and Alabama, it has become the backdrop for biblical scenes. For example, inspired by an organ concert at my Church, I began to paint the Stations of the Cross. The first Station is across from Highland Park golf course. The old steps there were used in the painting to depict where Christ was condemned. All the Stations wind up Red Mountain.

Another painting depicts Palm Sunday with Christ entering English Village, instead of Jerusalem, on a donkey. I had seen a southeastern show at the Birmingham Museum of Art, and one of the pictures was “Christ Riding into Birmingham”. It caught my attention.

One of my favorite works I’ve done is the “Wedding at the Gardens”. Taking a walk usually every Sunday afternoon I noticed a wedding with about one hundred chairs in the Lily Garden. A couple of rows were filled but the rest were empty. When I came back through the chairs were still empty and the wedding had begun. I thought of the story of Jesus telling a King sent out all the invitations across the country and no one came. He then told his servants to go out and find others to come to the wedding feast and they were the guests. When painting the scene I put the people coming at the gate to fill the chairs.

I’ve also been particularly interested in drawing and painting the places and buildings in Birmingham that were part of the Civil Rights movement. I have been struck by the courage of the little girl who said “I am not afraid of any jail” and the powerful words of Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech. I have a dream too of one day having a Birmingham Biblical Art Center. Perhaps someone in the next generation will start one. I dream of a fast train coming from Atlanta to see our wonderful art museum, the civil rights museum, our beautiful mountains and countryside and lastly a biblical art museum.

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