Author Archives: Scott

Unknown's avatar

About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

UALR Applied Design Open Studio Today

Posted on by

The UALR Applied Design program will hold its annual Open Studio event from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. today, Wednesday, Dec. 19.

An eclectic mix of student and faculty work will be on display. Pieces will be from such classes as furniture design and woodworking, ceramics, metalsmithing and jewelry, blacksmithing, and contemporary crafts.

In addition to the exhibit, there will be a sale of one-of-a-kind artworks, forging demonstrations, a silent auction, and a raffle.

The Applied Design program at UALR provides students opportunities to learn about and create traditional arts and crafts representative of the South Central region of the U.S., with a particular emphasis on Arkansas.

The Applied Design studio is located in University Plaza. For more information, contact the Art Department at 501.569.3182.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Charles Bussey

Posted on by

Future Little Rock Mayor Charles Bussey was born on this date in 1918.  Throughout his life he was a trailblazer.  He was the first African American Sherriff’s Deputy in Pulaski County and expanded the Junior Deputy program into the African American community.

In 1968 he became the first African American elected to the Little Rock City Board of Directors. He served from 1969-1977 and again from 1979 through 1991.  In 1981 he was selected by his fellow City Directors to serve as Little Rock’s Mayor, which made him the first African American Mayor of Little Rock.

Throughout his lifetime Mayor Bussey championed youth outreach efforts.  He also was active in the Arkansas Municipal League, National League of Cities, West Little Rock Rotary Club, Elks, Shriners and many other organizations.

In 2006 he was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.  The previous year, 20th Street in Little Rock was renamed in his honor.

Little Rock Tree Week – Capital Hotel

Posted on by

IMG_3580As Little Rock Tree Week continues, today’s feature is the Capital Hotel.  In addition to enjoying the tree, visitors to the Capital Hotel can admire Chef Tandra’s gingerbread village as well as musical performances in the lobby.

The schedule for the remainder of this week is:

• Don Roberts Elementary on Tue, Dec 18 at Noon
• Violinists on Tue, Dec 18 at 5:30pm
• Capital String Quartet on Wed, Dec 19 at 5:30pm
• St. Paul United Methodist Bells on Wed, Dec 19 at 7pm
• Booker Arts Magnet on Thu, Dec 20 at 10:15am

Among the groups performing earlier this month have been: Forest Heights Middle School, Horace Mann Magnet, eSTEM, Pulaski Academy, Williams Magnet, Episcopal Collegiate, Mount St. Mary Academy, Central Arkansas Christian, Sylvan Hills High School, Holy Souls School, Bale Elementary, Cabot Middle School and the UCA Hornaments.

The arrival of the tree at the Capital Hotel.

The arrival of the tree at the Capital Hotel.

The tree and other decorations at the Capital Hotel are overseen by Tipton Hurst.  The Hurst family is descended from Little Rock’s first hoteliers, the Peay family. The Peay Hotel stood a few blocks away from where the Capital Hotel was constructed in the 1870s.

The tree arrived on a Friday afternoon. It took several hours to get it raised into place and secured.  It took all weekend for a crew to decorate the tree, which has thousands of lights wrapped around its branches.  The tree was officially lit on Monday, December 3.

Little Rock Tree Week – City Hall

Posted on by

IMG_3635This week, the Little Rock Culture Vulture will highlight some of the Christmas trees found around town in public spaces.  We start at Little Rock City Hall.

The Christmas Tree in the 1908 rotunda of Little Rock City Hall.

Away In An Inflatable Manger

Posted on by

20121216-144639.jpg

This is hardly cultural, but it has become a holiday tradition for me to post this photo. It was taken a few years back (2006 or 2007) at the Kroger store in the Heights. This inflatable nativity scene was for sale. I don’t know if anyone ever bought it.

What makes the photo all the more “special” is that Mary and Joseph are situated between an ice machine and an ashtray for employee smoke breaks. Even to this day there appears to be no room for Mary and Joseph so they are shunned and put in an undesirable location.

You may note a brown item sticking out from under the baby’s swaddling. Best I can tell that is the lower half of Joseph’s staff. It appears to be I adequately inflated and somehow it got stuck under the vinyl cloth that makes up the diaper which Mary is apparently changing.

At least it wasn’t a bouncy house manger.

ASO Happy Holidays Concerts

Posted on by

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs their annual, audience favorite holiday concert this weekend.  The first concert was last night but it repeats tonight, Saturday, December 15 at 8pm and Sunday, December 16 at 3pm. at Robinson Center Music Hall. This is the second concert of the Acxiom Pops Live! Series. This concert is sponsored in part by Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The audience will enjoy traditional Christmas carols, Arkansas stars, and special surprises that are sure to entertain the whole family. Everyone is invited to get cozy with the ASO as we celebrate the most wonderful time of year.

Bring the kids to the Holiday Children’s Fair at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Robinson Center Music Hall main lobby. Touch and play string, woodwind and brass instruments at the Instrument Petting Zoo, visit with Santa and join in on arts and crafts.

Tickets range from $14-$52 and can be purchased online at http://www.ArkansasSymphony.org or over the phone at (501) 666-1761. Thanks to the Entergy Kids Ticket, all kids through 12th grade are free on Sundays with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information, visit http://www.ArkansasSymphony.org.

Under the direction of Maestro Philip Mann, the concert will featured the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra joined by Ballet Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vesper Choir (under the direction of Dr. Michael Bates), the Ted Ludwig Trio, mezzo-soprano Diane Kesling, the Central Arkansas Children’s Choir (under the direction of Dr. Ryan Fisher), Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra musicians and the Two Jewish Guys (the redoubtable Phil Kaplan and Leslie Singer).

8th Ever Nog-Off at HAM

Posted on by

In conjunction with the 2nd Friday Art Night, Historic Arkansas Museum presents its 8th Ever Nog-Off tonight.  It takes place from 5pm to 8pm at HAM and is free.

What started as a friendly competitive conversation between members of two of Little Rock’s oldest families about Egg Nog recipies has turned into an annual holiday celebration.

Historic Arkansas Museum’s 8th Ever Nog-off is a culinary celebration of this favorite holiday drink, and friendly competition for the best eggnog in town. From a 185-year-old recipe handed down 7 generations to concoctions with a modern twist, the only way to determine a winner is for guests to sample them all.

Two awards are given with the prize being bragging rights. The People’s Choice goes to the eggnog that receives the most votes from the Nog-off’s discerning guests who have chosen winners astutely for the past seven years. The Taster’s Choice goes to the nog that gets the nod from celebrity tasters.

The Competitors: Capital Hotel, Copper Grill, Bridget Farris, Loblolly Creamery, Drue Patton and Museum Director Bill Worthen

After sipping Egg Nog, participants can visit any of the numerous other sites of this month’s 2nd Friday Art Night throughout downtown.