Capturing a spirit on paper

Andrew Tyson has a rather lofty inspiration for making art. 

“What draws me to it is seeing the beauty in the world,” said the artist, whose pastel and pencil drawings are currently on display in the lobby of City Hall. “It is music to my soul, and something just had to come out.”

Some of the fruits of Tyson’s inspiration – 17 pieces, with one hanging glass work on view along with the drawings – make up the second exhibit to be hosted by the Homewood Arts Council at the Community Art Gallery since it began this summer.

The drawings allow Tyson to demonstrate his love for Homewood, where he has lived most of his life. He draws freely on his travels and other experiences for subject matter and tries to show off the joy he takes in depicting the essence of a unique human face or personality.

Tyson studied digital media and photography at Virginia College but is largely self-taught. “I work in pencil, pastel, ink, digital media and glass,” he said. 

And while the Homewood resident does a few landscapes or other natural subjects here and there, he knows what he does the best. “My favorite subject matter is people,” he said.

Some of Tyson’s subjects are people he has not actually met or spoken to but merely photographed and drawn later. 

“I will go out with my camera and take pictures of people,” he said.

The chance to give portrait subjects a kind of immortality is part of what drives Tyson to draw so many human faces. 

“These are real people and I feel, in a way, I am capturing their spirit, their emotions and their essence to record for all to see and hopefully have it continue on for generations,” he said. “I guess in some ways I am capturing their essence and blending it with my own personality and putting it on paper.”

Some of his drawings have been based on photos taken at Homewood Central Park, the We Love Homewood Day parade and his own yard.

“For the most part, my art has been the illustration of my personal life, family, travels and experiences,” he said. 

One drawing is of Tyson’s uncle Max, who died the week the exhibit opened. The portrait was to be displayed at Max’s memorial service. Other pieces are based on people he met while traveling in Spain.

“Most of my pieces have stories associated with them,” Tyson said.

A member of the Mountain Brook Art Association, Tyson has shown work at Birmingham’s Art Walk, Brookwood Medical Center and other venues and is represented by Littlehouse Galleries in Homewood.

Tyson’s show will remain on view until the end of January.

The Arts Council plans to host three exhibits each year at City Hall, including a show coming in February, according to the group’s chair, Diane Litsey. 

“Our goal is to feature the work of local artists, not necessarily Homewood artists, and get the community involved,” she said.

For more information, go to facebook.com/homewoodartscouncil.