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.

MOD gets Buggy

Posted on by

Creepy, crawly critters will be the name of the game at the Museum of Discovery May 10-12, 2012 as educators host the annual three-day Bug Out! event, providing visitors the opportunity to learn about insects and the world of entomology.

Jane Jones-Schulz, Education & Information Coordinator for the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, will conduct presentations on tarantulas native to Arkansas and rare and endangered invertebrates that can be seen both in The Natural State and other parts of the United States.

Museum visitors will get to view a live insect collection, learn of the dangers of mosquitoes, the benefits of bees and more. If live bugs aren’t suitable for some, people can build electronic crawlers in the museum’s tinkering studio, and take their “bugbots” home.

The Museum of Discovery has many educational offerings for people of all ages, including three permanent galleries focused on physical, health and earth sciences. The Earth Journeys gallery allows visitors to explore some of our planet’s unique inhabitants, several of which will be highlighted in the three-day event.

Bug Out! Demonstrations and Showtimes:

Thursday, May 10: 10 am; 12 pm; 2 pm

Friday, May 11: 10 am; 12 pm; 2 pm

Saturday, May 12: 11:30 am; 1 pm; 3 pm

Established in 1927, the Museum of Discovery is Little Rock’s oldest museum. Following its 2011 closing and a 10-month renovation, the Museum of Discovery re-opened in January 2012. It is central Arkansas’s leading informal educational resource in areas of science, technology, engineering and math. The museum’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.

Architeaser – May 7

Posted on by

Yesterday’s Architeaser showed a Gothic styled lamp on the exterior of Little Rock’s Christ Episcopal Church. though this building was not standing at the time, this was the church where Douglas MacArhtur was baptized as an infant.

Here is today’s Architeaser. It is another lamp, but of a more recent architectural style than Gothic. It (and it’s twin) may be the only lamps in Little Rock with purple-tinted glass.

20120506-223925.jpg

Architeaser – May 6

Posted on by

Yesterday’s architeaser showed the shadow from a wrought iron balcony cast against a brick wall on the Capital Hotel in downtown.

Here is today’s rather Gothic Architeaser.

Sculpture Vulture: Fred Darragh Jr.

Posted on by

May is Arkansas Heritage Month.  In keeping with that, the Sculpture Vulture in May will feature sculptures of Arkansans.

Today is a sculptural plaque of Fred Darragh, Jr. which was created by John Deering.  It depicts Mr. Darragh in standing in a suit with a wry smile on his face and his hands casually resting in his pockets.

Over his right shoulder is an image of a the earth with a plane circling it.  This pays homage to Mr. Darragh’s status as a pilot as well as his interest in world travel.  It also pays tribute to his belief in a common humanity which unites people of all ages, races, backgrounds, and economic statuses.

Accompanying this sculpture is a plaque which says:

Fred Darragh, Jr.

(1916-2003)

pilot, veteran, businessman, world traveler, philanthropist, civil rights advocate, library trustee, raconteur, supporter of the first amendment, and friend of the oppressed.

The sculpture is displayed near the entrance to the Darragh Center in the Central Arkansas Library System’s main building.

Architeaser – May 5

Posted on by

Yesterday’s Architeaser was in a stairwell at the airport parking deck. The sun was at the perfect angle to center the shadowing.

Here is today’s.

Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestras Concert Tonight

Posted on by

The Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestras program will present a concert tonight at Pulaski Academy at 7pm.

There are four youth orchestras featuring over 150 young musicians.  Each of the orchestras will be featured on the program.

The Preparatory Orchestra, under the direction of Casey Buck will perform British Grenadiers by John Caponegro, Sword Dance by Bob Phillips, and Dragonhunter by Richard Meyer.

The Prelude Orchestra is led Kiril Laskarov and Drew Irvin.  Maestro Laskarov will conduct Del Borgo’s Concertino in G while Maestro Irvin will conduct Joseph Haydn’s Finale from Symphony #47.

The Academy Orchestra is under the baton of Thomas McDonald.  Their selections will be Concerto Grosso in G. Major, op. 3 no. 3 by G. F. Handel; Symphony No. 104 – London by F. J. Haydn; and Chicago by John Kander and Fred Ebb.  Angela Wang, violin and Philip Kim, oboe will be soloists on the first selection.

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Associate Conductor Geoffrey Robson is the conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra.  Under his direction, those musicians will play Bizet’s Carmen Suite, No. 1 and Borodin’s Polovetsian Dances from Prince Igor.

Architeaser – May 4

Posted on by

Yesterday’s Architeaser was the shadows cast by a wrought iron fence along Main Street.  Two sets of street lights created competing shadows from the same fence which caused a hatchwork pattern to appear.

Here is today’s Architeaser.