52 Paintings for 52 Strangers is an art series comprised of 52 small (6 x 6 inches) paintings that were created Auburn artist Bay Kelley and inspired by his encounters with strangers in the Auburn community. The project celebrates individuals and their nuances, models actively seeking connections in our daily encounters, and attempts to open new channels of dialogue with unfamiliar “others.”

As a community art project 52 Paintings for 52 Strangers has been endorsed by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission as an official bicentennial project. It perfectly exemplifies the bicentennial's themes of "Honoring Our People" (2018) and "Sharing Our Stories" (2019). To celebrate the project and its reflection of these themes, the project will culminate with an exhibition of the artwork at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center in Auburn beginning on September 12 until October 11. The exhibition will feature community discussions, music performances, and the gifting of the portraits to the strangers to officially conclude the project.

For more information visit https://www.highergroundsociety.org/52-for-52/.