HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Evelyn Burrow Museum at Wallace State Community College announces a new exhibition featuring the work of the late Brother Jude Johnston.
Johnston was a lay brother of St. Bernard Abbey who worked artistically under the name “Nov Ontos,” meaning “new being.” He passed away on June 19, 2025, at the age of 92, leaving a collection of his work to the Evelyn Burrow Museum, where he had been instrumental in organizing several regional sculptors’ exhibitions.
“Brother Jude Johnston was a true polymath — a brilliant scholar of architecture, engineering, sculpture and art, and an extraordinary artist, as well as a cherished friend and longtime supporter of the Evelyn Burrow Museum,” said Kristen Holmes, of Wallace State and the Evelyn Burrow Museum. “His generosity and belief in the power of art to transform lives and deepen understanding endure through his art. It is an honor to share the remarkable body of work he entrusted to us, and we are grateful to celebrate his legacy through this exhibition. His vision, creativity and devotion to the arts will continue to inspire our community for generations.”
The exhibition reflects Johnston’s extensive formal training in philosophy, civil engineering and sculpture as well as relentless spirit of creativity and innovation. His work draws from geometry, structural engineering, music and philosophy, with a focus on the underlying principles of form, structure, balance and transformation.
The exhibit features numerous drawings, architectural forms and additional works spanning more than 70 years of artistic exploration. Many of his computer-generated architectural and graphic design works were done after his eyes no longer allowed him to achieve the intricate degree of detail he desired by hand in drawing and sculpting. He continued this work using CADD and in architectural modeling into his 80s and 90s.
Wallace State students Ivory Chaviers and Hayden Hovater assisted with installing the exhibition and shared their reflections on Johnston’s work.
“When reviewing Brother Jude’s work, what stood out most to me was his design matrix,” Chaviers said. “It is a hand-drawn piece he created himself. Seeing such a thoughtful and meticulous work opened my eyes to something truly remarkable. You can tell how intentional he was with every stroke. It is one of my favorite pieces, and it was an honor to help install it.”
“I was especially drawn to his exploration of form, concept and meaning,” Hovater said. “Even in this portion of the collection, you can see how his work returns to a mathematical foundation. Many of the pieces are bright and expressive, conveying deeper ideas and evoking strong emotion. The piece that held my attention most was ‘Stormwinds.’ It captures a raw, visceral sense of nature’s fury, rendered with such precision and care that the result is quietly breathtaking.”
The Evelyn Burrow Museum is also exhibiting photography by the late William Sharpton, a former resident artist at Wallace State. The collection includes a variety of landscapes and regional landmarks.
Admission to the Evelyn Burrow Museum is free. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit www.burrowmuseum.org or call 256-352-8457.
