Painting with a Purpose Event at UA to Honor Tornado Victims

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Ferguson Center Student Union and art department at The University of Alabama will host a painting session on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. in remembrance of Morgan Sigler, one of the UA students who died in the April 27 tornado.

Sigler was an art student at the University from Bryant.

The session will be held in the Ferguson Center Ballroom and directed by Caleb O’Connor, the nationally recognized artist who has been in Tuscaloosa to paint the murals for the new federal courthouse. Event participants will paint a design of the state created by O’Connor to honor tornado victims.

After the tornado, Sigler’s family created the Morgan Sigler Fund in her honor. Sigler was passionate about traveling to foreign countries and using arts and crafts to serve other communities. The fund will be used to donate art supplies to needy children abroad.

“We want to use our resources and partnerships to raise awareness about the charity Morgan’s parents have created. It means a lot to us, and we want to make this event a success,” said Jordan Buff, who was Sigler’s roommate.

The event is free and open to the public; donations will be accepted. Light refreshments and TCBY yogurt will also be provided before the painting instruction begins.

UA students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences’ restaurant, hotel and meetings management program who are interning at the Ferguson Center Student Union this semester are also helping to host the event.

For more information about Painting with a Purpose, contact LaToya Scott at 205/348-7525, scott060@sa.ua.edu.