ON GOING ISSUE: Ja Morant has been barred from participating due to the recent events…

Alicja Trout has delved into the rock-and-roll scene, embracing its risks, touring, managing merchandise tables, and even designing album covers and band T-shirts. However, her involvement in music doesn’t overshadow her commitment to visual art, a passion she has recently rediscovered. This Sunday, she will unveil her new artistic endeavor titled “Understory” at Brantley Ellzey’s Summer Studio in Memphis.

Ellzey, who assisted in curating the show, was surprised to learn about Trout’s painting skills only this year. He anticipates that many Memphians primarily associate Trout with her music. Nonetheless, upon seeing her paintings, he was eager to showcase them in his studio. He explains his focus on multidisciplinary artists like Trout, whose visual artistry might not be widely recognized but who are familiar figures in other realms within Memphis.

Trout, known as Alicja-Pop in Memphis for years, initially pursued music over art after completing her master’s in fine arts at the Memphis College of Art. She explains that her preference for music stemmed from a desire for social interaction, as she feared isolation while working alone in a studio as a visual artist. However, despite her focus on music, Trout intermittently engaged in artistic endeavors, creating items like dresses for her daughters and small paintings. Her friend termed this sporadic creativity “maintenance art.” While she cherished art and found inspiration in museum visits, the demands of music eventually felt burdensome, leading her to seek a hiatus.

The onset of the pandemic in 2020 provided Trout with the opportunity to take a break from music and delve into visual art. She began with simple graphic linework on small canvases, gradually progressing to larger landscapes and experimenting with various styles, departing from realism.