The Rose City Art Gallery and Gifts hosts the annual Tyler Blooms Art Showcase and Sale, celebrating local talent and the arrival of spring during the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

As the vibrant colors of spring bloom across Tyler, the Rose City Art Gallery and Gifts is celebrating the season with the annual Tyler Blooms Art Showcase and Sale.

This event, held in conjunction with the renowned Azalea & Spring Flower Trail, invites residents and in-town visitors to experience the creativity of East Texas through the work of local artists.

“It’s just a fun time to get to celebrate art and everything blooming in Tyler and do a special event for all these visitors we have coming into town,” said Diane Reis, president of the Palette of Roses Art League (PORAL).

The showcase offers a diverse range of mediums, including acrylics, oils, pottery, mixed media, sculpture, and fiber art. Artists are also presenting works in pencil, colored pencil, pastel, and impasto (an expressive technique using thick, textured paint). Additional highlights include collage, jewelry, and hand-silk-dyed clothing designs, providing something for every art enthusiast.

“The importance of the league and the arts, particularly visual arts, lies in their ability to build community and open doors for education,” Reis said. “Each year, the league supports two high school scholarships, and our largest event, the (Texas) Rose Festival, features a major art show. As artists, coming together as a larger community, rather than working in isolation, gives us a stronger voice and a greater opportunity to showcase the many exciting developments in the arts.”

This year marks the second year the gallery has participated in a special event for the azalea trail.

“The first showcase we did was great,” Reis said. “We partnered with Southside Bank in their gallery, and that was a huge success. It was a month-long showcase. This time, we’re doing just two weeks to time it right with the azalea trail.”

Founded in 1952 by a group of artists with the goal of educating, connecting, and celebrating local talent, PORAL has become a key player in Tyler’s art scene. While membership has fluctuated in the past, the league has been experiencing a resurgence, with growing support reflecting the increasing enthusiasm for the arts in the community.

“We’ve had another 25 artists join the league so we’re over 200,” Reis said. “Some members aren’t actually artists; they are supporters and it means so much to us.”

As a nonprofit organization, the gallery ensures that all commissions from sales go directly to the artists, covering only basic operating expenses such as credit card fees. The gallery’s mission is to provide a platform for local artists, offering them regular exposure by rotating their work throughout the year. One of the perks of being a member of PORAL is the opportunity to have their artwork featured in the gallery’s ever-changing collection.

“As artists, this is a great time for us to celebrate what’s happening in Tyler,” Reis said. “One of our goals as an art community is to support city events. You’ll often see many of our artists participating in nonprofit fundraisers and other initiatives. This event gives us the chance to showcase our talent during a time when Tyler sees a lot of visitors, helping to highlight the city as a great destination for art while also supporting local artists.”

The showcase features work from prominent members of PORAL, including Linda Davidson, Jane Casey, Dorri Ann Cobb, Donna Cariker, Serenity Mitchell, Jane Graham, Georgia Christensen, and Vinny Cookson.

“I just feel very blessed to be involved in the gallery,” Casey said. “The art community in Tyler has grown so much.”

Casey, who dabbles in several mediums, finds particular solace in using colored pencils.

“I like the realism of it and the control I get with it,” she said. “It’s very tedious work and takes a lot of time, but I enjoy it.”

Davidson is excited to be part of the gallery’s growth, which provides a valuable space for local artists to showcase their work and connect with the community.

“I’m just so thrilled that we have our own place now and that we’re part of the azalea festival,” Davidson said. “I know we’re a little late on the blooms, but there are still trees popping out with beautiful azaleas. I think it’s going to be a great festival.”

And fortunately, the blooms are showing out along the trail more and more each day, according to Visit Tyler.

Davidson encourages visitors to tap into their creativity with photography, even if they’re using just a camera phone.

“I would say go in the early morning or late afternoon to capture the best light,” she suggests. “Then get down to eye level, not shooting straight down. When you’re taking pictures, it’s all about lighting, composition, and finding something interesting. That’s all there is to it.”

The showcase will continue to be on display at Rose City Art Gallery, located at 328 S. College Ave. in Tyler, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sunday. For more information, visit their website at rosecityartgallery.com.