FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Featured August artist Maxey Andress was named “best emerging artist” in Creative Loafing, the Atlanta arts, entertainment and culture newspaper. Andress lives and works in Atlanta. Raised in Satsuma, Ala. and a graduate of Auburn University, his work has been shown across the Southeast.

Andress work is now on exhibit in the Courtyard Gallery.

Joining his beautiful works will be Into Daylight: An Anthology of Poems & Art, “Alabama Prison Arts & Education Project, Writing Our Stories and Creativity After the Storm, all sponsored by the Farmers’ Insurance Group/Malone Insurance.

• Into Daylight: An Anthology of Poems & Art Alabama Prison Arts & Education Project, Writing Our Stories:

This collection of poems and art reminds the view how writing and art can beautifully express creativity, anxiety, fears and forgiveness.

It is cathartic and therapeutic. It is a connection to the world outside their prison walls. Both APAEP and Writing Our Stories began as projects of the Alabama Writer Forum.

Creativity After the Storm will open Aug. 1, and will remain on display through Aug. 29.

In recognition of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Creativity After the Storm celebrates rising above the devastation and creating works of beauty, compassion, criticism and hope.

“In the aftermath of destruction there is an urge to create. Artists who, also with thousand of others along the Gulf Coast, had lost everything including their livelihood, struggled to rise above the rubble and sometimes used the rubble to represent and interpret the scenes and events following the devastation,” says local artist Bancroft Brabner.

Works in the exhibition include paintings, sculpture and pottery from many notable regional artists. Some of those participating in the exhibit are Bruce Larsen (Fairhope), John B. Howell (Fairhope), Lillian Range (New Orleans), David Holcombe, Alexandria, La.) Luz-Maria Lopez (New Orleans), Diego Laruia (New Orleans) and Cindy Badinger (New Orleans).

For more information, contact the Eastern Shore Art Center, 401 Oak St. in Fairhope, visit www. esartcenter.com, or call (251) 928-2228.