It is almost time for Double Decker and to get in the spirit of the annual festival that celebrates art, music and community, the Yoknapatawhpa Arts Council is hosting a reception on Tuesday, from 6-8 p.m. at the Powerhouse. This reception will honor both the artwork in the Powerhouse Gallery by Becky Zee as well as the new sculptures that are installed as part of the Yokna Sculpture Trail.

Rebecca Ziemer is an artist from Memphis who had an idea last year. It was a leap year and she would create a different creature each day of the year which ended up being 366 since it was a leap year.

During 2016, creating creatures daily became her signature and garnered her a following on social media. Luckily for us, she is kicking off a three-gallery tour at the Powerhouse here in Oxford. This stunning exhibit, “Becky Zee’s 366 Days” features photographs of each creature and groupings including each creature in exhibit cases throughout the space. So, you can really look at the detail in each beautiful photograph and then see the actual creatures in their little “habitats” celebrating with all the other creatures.

The photographs are hung in order of the dates they were created, so you can see the year in a glance getting a real feel for the process she undertook to amass this large collection of creatures. This is one of the most engaging art exhibits shown at the Powerhouse Gallery in recent years, and that is saying something as the quality of work is always good. This is definitely one not to miss, and the children will love it too. Don’t worry about them breaking the art as they are all encased in display cases keeping them safe from little hands but visible to curious eyes.

To see more online go to www.beckyzee.com to see Becky’s latest creations, check out behind-the-scenes snapshots on her Instagram page at BeckyZee38104, or follow her on Facebook at PotsWithPersonality.      

Also at the Powerhouse on Tuesday night, the Yokna Sculpture Trail will celebrate the addition of 11 new sculptures for the 2017-2019 exhibit cycle.

After viewing Becky Zee’s creatures in the gallery, you can take a guided tour along the trail sites aboard a Double Decker bus. Featuring a rotating exhibit of 18 large-scale sculptures by locally, regionally and nationally renowned exhibiting artists, The Yokna Sculpture Trail has been a pioneer for outdoor sculpture programs in North Mississippi.

Ten sculptures are located at Pat Lamar Park; four pieces are featured at the Powerhouse Sculpture Garden; four sculptures are located at Rebel Sculpture Park in front of Meek Hall, and a new location has been added in front of the University of Mississippi Museum.

So, get thee to the Powerhouse on Tuesday night for pre-Double Decker fun.

ANDI BEDSWORTH is owner of Art To Go, which brings free art opportunities to children in the community.