This August, the Albany Area Arts Council invites the community to travel the length of Georgia without leaving downtown Albany. Georgia Natural Wonders, an exhibition of paintings and drawings by artist Ann Litrel, opens August 3 and runs through August 28 in the gallery of the historic Carnegie Library.

The work carries viewers from mountain peaks and river gorges to hidden barrier-island marshes — Litrel’s rendering of the state’s most iconic wild places. These are the original paintings behind her book, 35 Natural Wonders of Georgia to See Before You Die — the project grew from her art into a full book, co-authored with longtime Atlanta Journal-Constitution science writer Charles Seabrook and published by the University of Georgia Press. In June, the book received a 2026 Georgia Author of the Year Award.

The project began in 2017, when Litrel enrolled in the Master Naturalist program at Atlanta’s Chattahoochee Nature Center. “The program opened my eyes to the amazing breadth of geology, biodiversity and natural history in Georgia,” she said. “I decided to do a series of paintings of our state’s most beautiful places.” What began as a handful of paintings grew into a seven-year venture and more than 100 paintings and drawings, guided by a bucket list of 35 wonders first compiled by Seabrook.

“When I began, I thought the series of paintings would naturally have a consistent feel or style,” Litrel said. “But what I found was that each of these places spoke in a voice that was beautifully and utterly unique. I encountered another world each time I visited a new wonder — and I think you can see that in the paintings.”

“For anyone who has ever loved a Georgia sunrise or a quiet stretch of river, this show feels like coming home,” said Nicole Willis, Executive Director of the Albany Area Arts Council. “Ann spent seven years finding the wild heart of our state, and we’re honored to bring that journey to downtown Albany.”

Georgia Natural Wonders premiered in January 2026 at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville and is traveling to venues across the state through 2027. Litrel created more than 100 paintings and drawings for the project; the Albany exhibition brings together about half of them — some 50 works — free and open to the public during regular gallery hours.

EXHIBITION DETAILS

Exhibition: Georgia Natural Wonders — paintings and drawings by Ann Litrel

On View: August 3–28, 2026 — free and open to the public

Gallery Hours: Noon–4 p.m., Monday–Thursday; closed holidays. Viewing also available by appointment.

Opening Event: Friday, August 7, 2026 — book talk & signing 6–7 p.m., artist reception 7–9 p.m.

Location: Albany Area Arts Council, historic Carnegie Library, 215 N. Jackson Street, Albany, GA 31701