FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Eastern Shore Art Center, 401 Oak St. in Fairhope, will hold a reception to debut its February exhibits on Friday, Feb. 5, from 6-8 p.m., during First Friday ArtWalk.

•Trés Taylor’s “Amaze: A Sacred Journey,” originally scheduled to close Saturday, has been extended by popular demand through Feb. 27. Visitors have been “amazed” at the creativity and passionate expression Taylor has poured into this multi-dimensional installation.

Taylor transforms more than 300 square feet of plywood and roofing paper into an emotionally moving journey toward self-illumination. The exhibit is a continuous mural extending 100 feet and tucked within the massive silhouette of one of Taylor’s signature subjects — a monk.

At the monk’s center lies a labyrinth, an ancient symbol representing the expedition into one’s own being and back out into the world.

“While Amaze chronicles an ‘amazing’ personal experience, it also represents the true illumination every person can feel when we make that difficult journey inward,” said Taylor. “The journey into one’s own heart is the sacred pathway to true love and joy. Only by going inside ourselves can we live a truly joyful life.”

The exhibit will be in place through Feb. 27.

•“Walking in the Footsteps of Children” is another Trés Taylor exhibition, which emerged from the children’s workshop following the Amaze opening in January.

Nancy Raia, ESAC community outreach coordinator, invited children with special needs and children from both Baldwin and Mobile counties to come paint with Taylor. More than 100 children attended this hands-on workshop.

On long rolls of tarpaper, using chalk, Taylor drew a road through the middle, and described it as the journey we all travel. Then, also using chalk, the children were invited to add images from their thoughts & dreams.

After the children finished working on the collaborative murals, they were invited to paint an old pair of shoes, which will be used to line the Art Center hallways.

The exhibit will end Feb. 27.

•“A Walk Through the Woods: Wood as a Medium and Muse” is an exhibition of selected regional and local artists whose core art is crafted with wood.

This eclectic show features art that is painted, sculpted, carved, turned or burned.

Some works are traditional quality-crafted turned wood, some sculpted found wood and others, fanciful forms embodying comedic elements embellished by colorful dyes, inlays and carving.

“An inspiration guided by visual or verbal stimuli directs the piece through an evolutionary sequence of discovery,” stated Dale Lewis, “I joyfully create unique, artistic objects, constantly seeking to refine form and make a compelling statement.”

Dug Frederick, an exhibitor and co-curator of the show, said, “Working with wood as a medium allows you to not only appreciate what nature has wrought, but to also create as an artist, your own interpretation of its form.”

Included in the exhibition are James Conlon, Mary Clark, Jan Horton, Dale Lewis, Rex (T-Rex) Turner, William H. Palmer IV, John B. Howell, Lonnie Rich and Brad Swiger.

•“III Mimic, Division, Initiative,” is artwork by Sarah Carroll, Katelyn Hancock and Corinna Ray.

The three emerging artists will graduate from Birmingham Southern College in May. They’ve been working side by side for three years.

Traveling together, working together, interested in similar things outside of art at school these three artists have created art that has taken on divergent themes. It is interesting to examine the work of these smart and strong-willed women with interest in each other’s work but passion for such different things.

They have worked collaboratively and have been preparing these bodies of work as a culmination of their last year under instruction — for a while at least.

Their current work already shows the maturity of established artists.

Hancock explores the construct of identity in the citizens of today’s society.

Carroll processes being an artist when one’s eyes are taken out of the mix and how the mind reacts to a lack of differentiation between the dream and real worlds.

Ray pits propaganda and manipulation against one another to explore the influence of an artist with a strong environmental message as her theme.

“The purpose of an artist is not to convince the audience of a truth. Rather, the artist strives to give the population something to believe in,” stated Ray.

This exhibit runs through March 27.

The Eastern Shore Art Center is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information call (251) 928-2228 or visit www.esartcenter.com.