Throughout the near 40 years of existence, Southern Heartland Art Gallery has taken on different forms and names. It started with 13 artists and has grown to approximately 150 members. 

In 2004, though, Southern Heartland moved into its current location on the historic Covington Square on Monticello Street.

Elise Hammond, one of the founding members of Southern Heartland, explained the significance of the move. 

“Since we started in 1985, we never had any place to call our own. No place we could meet,” Hammond said. “We met at libraries and such, but we always wanted a place to show our art to be able to have classes and hold our meetings, and even offer our space to other groups to meet in.” 

Southern Heartland is a non-profit organization that serves as the source for the visual arts community in Newton County. It also reaches people in surrounding areas such as Walton, Morgan and others. 

Though Hammond highlighted the 2004 move as a success, it has not always been smooth sailing. 

Southern Heartland has weathered the 2008 economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic that lasted for a significant amount of time. Nevertheless, the artists have persevered through it all. 

Hammond credited the foundational pieces of Newton County that have provided great assistance. 

“We get a lot of support from the community. We used to have people that would come in who lived here forever, and they had never been here,” Hammond said. “Because they just would notice it. And then once they came in and saw what we had, then they started coming back here for their gifts and all because everything was unique and original.”

Featured on the walls and shelves of Southern Heartland are a plethora of art options. It offers acrylic, water color, mosaics, metal smithing, jewelry, beading, glass, textiles, pottery, sculpture, photography and much more.

Thanks to Covington being considered the “Hollywood of the South” —  with shows like The Dukes of Hazzard, In the Heat of the Night and Vampire Diaries being filmed on location — people from all over have visited Southern Heartland. 

Hammond remembers people visiting from Japan, France, Italy, China and various other places. 

Cindy Murphy, another artist who is a part of the gallery, believes that the quality of the work helps Southern Heartland and its success. 

“The art has to speak to a person. It has to make a connection,” Murphy said. “It stirs like an emotion or a memory in somebody when they see it.” 

Southern Heartland hosts different events throughout the year, too. 

It has the Christmas Market, the patriotic contest from Memorial Day to July 4, a spring show called “Art and Bloom,” and a photo club showing. Coming up next is the 17th annual Artful Harvest, which is from Monday, Sept. 11 to Thursday, Oct. 12. 

In addition to the events, Southern Heartland gives out scholarships to a local graduating senior going into the field of fine arts. 

Artists who are a part of Southern Heartland host classes and workshops as well Tuesday-Saturday. 

On Tuesday, Jackie Kelly holds an Open Studio session from 1-7 p.m. Hammond teaches Youth Art Class from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays as well as a multimedia class on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to Noon. 

Every Friday there is a Paint Party with Donnie Williams from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is free and a part of Southern Heartland’s giving back to the community. Lastly, at 11 a.m. on Saturdays, there is a class called “Exploring Acrylics” with Margaret Warfield. 

Hammond believes that Southern Heartland is “supposed to be here” and called it a “God thing.” 

But now, closing in on 40 years of existence as well as 20 years being on the Square, Hammond continues to enjoy everything Southern Heartland has to offer. 

“Someone will come in and they’ll be admiring your work and you’ll engage them in conversation. And the next thing you know, they’ll have commissioned you to do a painting for them,” Hammond said. “Being able to meet the public face-to-face is rewarding on many levels. So to me, it’s a win-win situation.”