Category Archives: Visual Art

Exhibit celebrating the work of sculptor Jose Sacal opens at Clinton Center

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José Sacal: A Universal MexicanA new exhibit is now open at the Clinton Presidential Center.  José Sacal: A Universal Mexican is presented in celebration of the CCIX Anniversary of the Independence of Mexico and National Hispanic Heritage Month

This exhibit is displayed in partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock and the José Sacal Micha Foundation.

José Sacal is undoubtedly one of the most prominent representatives of contemporary sculptural art. Known for his experimentation and freedom, Sacal recognized no boundaries in his sources of inspiration and was not afraid to find new meaning in old forms.

José Sacal: A Universal MexicanJosé Sacal: A Universal Mexican includes two groups of the artist’s work: sculptures inspired by other works of art and portraits of historical figures. In his works, Sacal finds the essence of each character or work. It can be a detail or an object, but the rest is something deeper. By recreating them, Sacal gives them a new meaning and establishes an artistic dialogue at a higher level. In his intelligent observation of art and history, Sacal reveals himself as a universal Mexican.

José Sacal: A Universal Mexican is sponsored locally by Arvest Bank, Arkansas Tech University, Centennial Bank, Hope Credit Union, ISTI Plant Services, Morelos Supermercados, Bank of America, First Community Bank, First Security Bank, and The Ramirez Law Firm, PLLC.

The Arkansas Arts Center Artmobile receives grant from Kum & Go

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The Arkansas Arts Center received a $7,500 grant from Kum & Go to support the Artmobile’s 2019–2020 touring season. 

The Artmobile – the Arkansas Arts Center’s “gallery on wheels” – is one of very few mobile museums in the country, and the only program of its kind in Arkansas. This unique gallery space features themed exhibitions of works from the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection.

The Artmobile’s current exhibition, The Spirit of Independence, takes its name from Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence, commissioned in 1976. The exhibition presents a selection of works from the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection that reflect on American history and ideals. The featured works explore movements and moments in American history, from the Great Migration to the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements. Other works explore the American experience through the symbols most often associated with the country. Through these works, Artmobile visitors are invited to reflect on their ideas of freedom, democracy and equality.

The Artmobile travels with an onboard educator will help visitors engage with the art and invite discussion in the context of visual arts, geography, economics, English language arts, environmental science, and technology. A curriculum guide offers a wide range of activities that fulfill Arkansas State Standards and frameworks – from quick-start activities to comprehensive lesson plans designed for K-12 audiences. Community Nights provide schools with an opportunity to invite the greater community into the gallery outside of normal school hours.

The Artmobile will be visiting libraries, community centers, fairs, and festivals throughout the state during the 2019-2020 season. When the Artmobile isn’t touring throughout the state, it will also be available for scheduled tours at the Arkansas Arts Center’s Riverdale location.

For more information, follow the Artmobile’s journey online at arkansasartscenter.org/community or on Twitter at twitter.com/ArkArtmobile.

The Arkansas Arts Center was formally established on Sept 6, 1960

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Architectural model of the original Arkansas Arts Center which would open in 1963.

On Tuesday, September 6, 1960, the City of Little Rock Board of Directors adopted ordinance 11,111 which formally established the Arkansas Arts Center.

In July 1957, the City Council of Little Rock granted the Museum of Fine Arts the authority to solicit and receive funds for expanding that museum’s physical plant.  During that process, it had been decided that the museum needed an expanded mission and a new name.  By the summer of 1960, the museum supporters had raised sufficient funds to proceed with constructing the new facility.  Therefor the new ordinance was prepared and submitted to the City Board.  (In November 1957, the City Council had been replaced by a City Board.)

Ordinance 11,111 set forth that the Museum of Fine Arts would be known as the Arkansas Arts Center and that the previous museum’s board would serve as the board for the new museum.  The Board of the Arkansas Arts Center was given the authority to have the new building constructed in MacArthur Park and the existing building modified.  As a part of the planning for the new museum, the City committed $75,000 for the capital campaign.

The groundbreaking for the new museum would take place in August 1961.  Mayor Werner Knoop, who signed Ordinance 11,111, took part in the groundbreaking.

Media attending the September 6, 1960, City Board meeting were more interested in discussion about a potential leash law for dogs within the City limits.

Arkansas Arts Center Goes to China – Sept. 1, 1975

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TIna Poe, Raida Pfeifer and Jeane Hamilton at the Great Wall of China (photo from collection of Jeane Hamilton)

On September 1, 1975, a group from the Arkansas Arts Center left Little Rock for a study tour of China. This was the first non-governmental group from the United States who had been authorized to tour the People’s Republic of China.

Fred Poe, of Poe Travel, and Jeane Hamilton were the organizers of the trip.  It was part of the annual travel seminars the Arts Center  would take to locations throughout the world to learn more about art and culture.  It took many months of planning as wells as mounds and pounds of paperwork to get this trip underway.

Persons interested in the trip had to apply and be approved by the Chinese government in order to participate in the trip.   The Chinese government selected eighteen AAC members from submitted applications and the group visited Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, Kweilin, and Guangzhou.

The AAC Traveling Seminar participants in front of Mao’s birthplace. (Photo from the Jeane Hamilton collection.)

Registration is open for Arkansas Arts Center Museum School classes

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Art classes and workshops continue this fall at the Arkansas Arts Center’s Riverdale space and select offsite locations. The Museum School offers classes and workshops in painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, metals, glass, jewelry and woodworking for all ages and skill levels. Registration for new students opens August 19, and classes begin in September.

At the Arts Center’s Riverdale location, Museum School students will find more than 15,000 square feet of studio space to create and learn. The Cantrell Road location will also offer convenient and secure parking and new amenities for students.

Select Museum School classes will also be held at offsite locations. Select drawing classes will be held at CALS Main Library in downtown Little Rock. At the Old Mill in North Little Rock, students will find a weekend painting workshop. Bookbinding and letterpress printing classes will be held at Yella Dog Press in downtown Little Rock. Youth studio art and theatre classes will be found at the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center. Select youth studio art classes will also be held at Maumelle and Terry libraries.

“It is so important that our Museum School students have the creative space they need to continue pursuing their work while our MacArthur Park building is under construction,” said Rana Edgar, Director of Education and Programs. “The Riverdale space and our partnerships with organizations across Central Arkansas have allowed us to do just that.”

The Museum School’s temporary move to Riverdale is just one aspect of the Arts Center’s commitment to remaining accessible to the community while its MacArthur Park facility is under construction. Construction on the MacArthur Park building is scheduled to begin this fall. The Museum School will move back to the Arts Center’s renovated MacArthur Park building upon its completion, scheduled for early 2022.

Registration for Fall Quarter classes opens August 19 for new students. Members of the Arkansas Arts Center get a 20% discount on classes and workshops in the Museum School. Class schedules and registration details can be found at arkansasartscenter.org/museumschool or call 501-372-4000.

Looking at five canine sculptures in Little Rock

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August 26 is National Dog Day!  To mark this occasion, here are five sculptures found in Little Rock which feature dogs.  Two are in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden, one is in the Bill Clark Wetlands, one is at the Little Rock Animal Village, and the newest one is in the Heights roundabout.

Ken Newman’s FOREVER READY was donated in 2009 by the Sculpture at the River Market.   It is sited in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden.  Mr. Newman is a member of the National Sculptors’ Guild.  One of Mr. Newman’s specialties is animals.  Cast in bronze, Forever Ready depicts a Labrador.  Here is Mr. Newman’s artist statement on the piece.

So, ‘Forever Ready’ is that reflection of the breed (hunter, companion and teacher)…Capturing its intense nature with discipline and loyalty, I have set the lab on edge so intense, that if not given the command to go, it will just fall off. But, it is able to maintain balance – wet and ready to go again. The lab’s shadow is cast in the water below, for a I cannot think of a lab without water.

A few yards from Forever Ready, another dog stands inquisitively.  Commissioned in 2010 and unveiled in 2011, Dan Glanz’s BORIS is a likeness of Boris Kumpuris, the dog and companion of Mary and Dr. Dean Kumpuris.

Glanz captures the friendly and inquisitive nature of Boris in this work, which can be found in the Vogel Schwarz sculpture garden. Most weekends Boris can be seen with Dean as the two walk through Riverfront Park and the River Market. Boris explores and inspects the park along with Dean. Each year during the Sculpture at the River Market show, Boris visits with Dean and meets all the sculptors.

The sculpture was donated by longtime Kumpuris family friend Margaret Clark. She and her late husband Bill were two of the earliest supporters of sculpture along the Arkansas River. They donated another piece in honor of their grandchildren. A sculpture in memory of Bill was stands in the wetlands park which bears his name.

The Bill Clark Wetlands is actually the location of the third dog.  It is Chloe, Bill Clark’s faithful hunting dog.  She stands next to Bill in Clay Enoch’s sculpture STEADY.  Dedicated in 2011, it was a tribute to the man who helped build the Clinton Presidential Library.

This tribute to Clark shows Bill and Chloe in an early morning duck hunt scanning the horizon.  It is also positioned so that Bill is also gazing at the Clinton Presidential Center. His firm was the contractor on that building, and he spent thousands of hours walking in the area looking at the building during the construction.

A portion of the ground he trod during construction has been set aside as the Bill Clark Wetlands, and STEADY is placed in the wetlands as a memorial to Bill.

In 2015, the Little Rock Animal Village unveiled Lorri Acott’s WHO RESCUED WHO.  Located at the entrance to the Little Rock Animal Village, it depicts a person and dog looking at each other. They are sharing a bond of respect, admiration and love.

The human figure has Acott’s trademark extended length legs. These represent the ability to overcome obstacles and rise above adversity.  This is even more apt when considering the role that pets can play in our lives, as well as the role humans play in “adopting” rescued pets.

The sculpture is dedicated to the memory of Jack Adcock. It is given by his family, which includes longtime City Director Joan Adcock, their two children, eleven grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Little Rock’s newest canine sculpture is Ken Newman’s Taking Attendance. It is installed in the new roundabout at Kavanaugh and McKinley.

In discussing the sculpture, Newman says:

The forms, shapes and gestures of my sculptures are expressions of external and internal influences, and influences not necessarily from models or photographs. This sculpture signifies the moments when I have encouraged my dog to walk in front of me unleashed, as it fosters confidence in our relationship.