The Exhibit at the Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial hospital brought in the New Year with new paintings from a local artist to grace the walls of its main hallway.

Karen Davidson, owner of downtown’s Angel Wing Gallery, was selected to be 2006’s first featured artist.

“This is our second year doing this and Karen kicked it off,” BWWMH’s director of public relations Chrissy Brooker said. “It was a great turnout and it was a wonderful event. We are very pleased.”

Brooker said about 70 visitors signed the guestbook at Sunday evening’s opening, but she believes there were even more guests who didn’t leave their signatures.

“At one point, you could hardly walk down the hall because it was so crowded,” Brooker said.

“It was an enormous turnout,” Davidson said. “I was even a little shocked.”

After sharing the spotlight with other artists and having displayed her work in smaller venues such as the library, Davidson said this exhibit was the “first big one” on her own.

“It just feels nice to be able to share with the people of Demopolis,” Davidson said. “It’s great exposure for my work and for the gallery.”

Davidson also hopes the exhibit will promote the downtown area and bring more visitors to the historic district.

The Exhibit features works from that have been displayed in Angel Wing Gallery and some pieces from Davidson’s private collection.

Brooker said she was pleased with the artist choice because Davidson’s works range from watercolor and oil paintings to acrylics and pen and ink drawings.

“I like to try to be different and plus I get bored using the same medium,” Davidson said.

By reading books, Davidson taught herself how to work with various mediums to achieve the look she wants to achieve.

“When I pick something to work with, it depends on what I’m painting and what effect I want,” she said. “But my favorite mediums are water colors and acrylics. I’m kind of impatient and I like to blend.”

Davidson’s art will be displayed in the hall until March and the majority of her works are for sale unless they are part of her private collection.

Davidson is even willing to part with two of her favorite paintings, as she offers “Incoming Tide” and “Fisherman” to potential buyers.

“‘Incoming Tide’ is my favorite because it is very dramatic and the fly fisherman reminds me of my father,” she said. “It’s very inspirational to me.”

The Prattville native said she uses her family for most of her inspiration, but also looks to books and magazines for people and animals to recreate.

“I love painting people,” she said.

Although the exhibit will be over in two months, art lovers can contact Brooker at BWWMH or Davidson at Angel Wing Gallery for purchasing information.

“We are always said when we have to take down an exhibit, but we are always happy to put up a new one,” Brooker said. “We have a long list of artist to go through this year. This area is filled with talented people.”