Visual art is everywhere but for fans of pottery, sculpture and painting, the Kane and Messenger Fall Show will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Art Alliance Studio, 818 Pike St. Lemont.

Mark Messenger has been a member and teacher at the Art Alliance for 10 years and works in the Potter's guild every day.

"It never occurred to me that I could be an artist," Messenger said.

His primary medium is functional pottery bearing calligraphy and brushwork influenced by the orient.

Jennifer Kane is a teacher and the co-chair of the Art Alliance education committee. Kane will be featuring two bronze sculptures and several of her paintings, primarily Pennsylvania landscapes, at the exhibit.

Kane and Messenger have collaborated in art shows twice in the past.

There is a complimentary and yet contrasting aspect to their work, Messenger said.

Pottery is a three-dimensional art and can easily fill a room while paintings add color and life to the walls.

Messenger's initial interest was in photography, which he studied for the first two years of his college career.

It was not until he took a ceramics and pottery class in college with a great professor that he decided to pursue a career as an artist.

He holds a bachelor's degree in ceramics and printmaking from New England College and a master's degree in sculpture from Penn State.

Messenger has been an active participant in art shows including the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in New York City where he received first place in ceramics.

Kane was encouraged to pursue art as a career from grade school.

She has a bachelor of fine arts in painting and a master of fine arts in costume design from the University of Illinois.

For several years she worked as a costume designer for various plays and operas. There are many steps to costume design and Kane participated in all of them, sometimes focusing on just one aspect, other times creating the entire costume.

Kane returned to painting two years ago and after painting a few personal pieces, found herself "very motivated by making something for someone else."

Both Kane and Messenger have a positive outlook for the show. Messenger said participation in festivals and shows also helps to develop a clientele, which is important when actively making a living out of art.

"I hope a lot of people will come," Kane said, adding that she respects the feedback from people who attend the exhibits.

Each show is a turning point after which she decides what new artistic steps to take.

"I feel good about the work I make (when I sell a piece)," Messenger said.

The Art Alliance is a non-profit organization that promotes the arts and gives local artists the opportunity to exhibit work, said Connie McGeorge, Acting Executive Director of the Art Alliance.