Category Archives: Visual Art

May 8 at South on Main — SESSIONS :: THE ART OF TIM WEST & THE MUSIC OF RUNAWAY PLANET

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Sessions :: the art of Tim West & the music of Runaway PlanetM2 Gallery is curating May Sessions at South on Main by highlighting connections between music and visual art.

For the second Wednesday in May, they invite you to experience a posthumous showing of the art of Tim West and the photography of him by Diana Hausam. We’re pairing the evening with a concert from Runaway Planet. Don’t miss this chance to see one of Tim’s favorite bands while seeing some of his art that has never been available!

Tickets for this event are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Music begins at 8 pm. You may reserve a table for dinner by calling (501) 244-9660.

ABOUT M2 GALLERY
M2 Gallery is located in SOMA and offers a large selection of original artwork from both established and emerging artists. With a wide range of style and price, M2 Gallery is sure to fill your art needs. M2 also works with a large network of galleries throughout the country so that we can make sure to find exactly what our clients are looking for. Gallery director Mac Murphy has over 15 years experience, and has been the driving force behind M2 Gallery winning the Platinum Service Award for several years.

ABOUT TIM WEST
Tim West was a reclusive, college-educated artist from Winslow, Ark., who produced unique art for 60 years. Producer and photographer Diana Michelle has documented West for the last 6 years. West’s art, as well as Michelle’s portraits of him, will be featured in this short documentary. West had what should have been an auspicious start when at 18 he mailed a print and had it accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and he later sent a pair of works to the Louvre in Paris, where they were also accepted. Personal demons over the years led West to return to Winslow and live nearly anonymously until Michelle found him.

ABOUT RUNAWAY PLANET
Runaway Planet, a four piece acoustic band based in Little Rock, Arkansas, has a lot to offer, and brings over a decade of experience as a band, having played their first show together in the fall of 2001. The group has been compared to Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled By Turtles, The Avett Brothers, Yonder Mountain String Band and others for their modern spin on the traditional bluegrass sound.

Runaway Planet’s members say their style and sound have been heavily influenced by the founding fathers of bluegrass as well as the likes of The Seldom Scene, Old and In The Way, New Grass Revival and Old Crow Medicine Show. With two full-length albums under their belt, many accolades, high-profile appearances at major festivals and events such as South By Southwest and the opening of the Clinton Presidential Library, as well as internationally broadcast radio and television appearances, Runaway Planet offers a level of professionalism and talent unparalleled among bands in the state of Arkansas.

Winner of 2019 Sculpture at the River Market public monument competition is Theresa Dyer for LITTLE ROCK

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­­­­­ Theresa Dyer was named as the recipient of a $60,000 commission on Sunday at the conclusion of the 2019 Sculpture at the River Market. The name of her sculpture is LITTLE ROCK.

It will be installed in spring 2020 adjacent to Little Rock City Hall, at the northwest corner of Markham Street and Broadway Street.

Dyer’s piece will stand ten feet high, be twelve feet wide, four feet deep, and sit on a concrete base which is eight feet in diameter. It will be made of silicon bronze, stainless steel, and cold-rolled steel.

In submitting the proposal, Dyer said,

“I see this sculpture as a testament to the future of Little Rock. Two children looking up in openness, wonder and hope. They are positioned back to back looking up at the same star. This will provide interest at all viewing angles. One of them points upwards with his arm at an angle of 23.5 degrees, this exact angle being the tilt of the earth. The earth is represented by an arch of stainless steel and an arch of cold rolled steel. They are supported by the 8’ dia. base of poured concrete.

“Along the edge of the base will be inscribed the coordinates of the City of Little Rock. At the top of the circumference is a stainless steel pin fixture that will become illuminated at night adding interest from dusk until dawn. The shaft of light points in two directions, one toward the sky and the other, down on the boys faces. The children are positioned in the center of the implied circle and the boys arm continues the line of the earths tilt. The piece is orientated toward the bridge and provide views from both Broadway and Markham Street. The two figures acknowledge the existing sculpture of the two figures across Broadway in front of Robinson Auditorium, creating a gateway toward Broadway Bridge.

Sculptors who were juried in to participate in the 2019 Show and Sale were invited to submit proposals for the new commission. A committee reviewed the 37 submissions and narrowed them down to seven semi-finalists. The semi-finalist proposals were on display Friday, May 3, during Sculptacular, the preview party. Guests at the party had the opportunity to review the proposals and then to vote. Following that, the three finalists were announced. A panel of judges selected the winner from the three finalists. The other two finalists were Nnamdi Okonkwo and Charles Strain.

Dyer will join eight other sculptors who have been recognized previously with the commissions through the Sculpture at the River Market’s Public Art Monument Sculpture Competition.

  • The 2011 winner was Chapel, whose work The Center was installed near the Junction Bridge.
  • In 2012 the recipient was Bryan Massey, Sr.’s Nautilus. This was installed to the north of the Marriott Hotel near the younger children’s spray fountain.
  • The 2013 winner was Ted Schaal for his piece Open Window which was placed near the La Petite Roche plaza and First Security Amphitheatre.
  • Lorri Acott’s Peace was the 2014 commission winner; it is sited at the southeast corner of Main and 2nd Streets.
  • Michael Warrick’s Mockingbird Tree, the 2015 winner, is installed at the corner of Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive.
  • Clay Enoch’s United, which won in 2016, was installed at Central High School.
  • Stephen Shachtman’s Arkansas ‘A’, the 2017 winner, sits at the entrance to the Southwest Community Center
  • Carol Gold’s Infinite Dance, was recently installed in Riverfront Park where the Broadway Bridge pedestrian ramp meets the Arkansas River Trail.

3 Finalists for 2019 Sculpture at the River Market public monument competition; winner to be announced this afternoon

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The winner of a $60,000 commission to place a sculpture at Little Rock City Hall in 2020 will be announced on Sunday, May 5, 2019, as the 11th Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale concludes.

The three semifinalists for the 2019 Sculpture at the River Market Public Monument Competition were announced Friday night at the conclusion of Sculptacular, the preview party for the 2019 Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale. The three finalists are, alphabetical order:

  • Theresa Dyer – LITTLE ROCK
  • Nnamdi Okonkwo – UNITY
  • Charles Strain – THE GATHERING

Sculpture at the River Market invited all artists participating in the 2019 Show & Sale to submit a proposal for its $60,000 Public Monument Competition. This is the ninth such competition.

The proposals of the seven semifinalists were displayed during Sculptacular, the event’s preview party on the evening of May 3, and Preview Party guests voted for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice.  All votes were tallied and the top three finalists were announced at the end of the evening.

The top three proposals will be juried on May 4 and 5, and the 2019 winner will be announced at 3PM on Sunday, May 5.  The winning sculpture will be installed at the northwest corner of Markham Street and Broadway Street adjacent to Little Rock City Hall in the spring of 2020.

The other semifinalists were: Clay Enoch, Joe Norman, Ryan T. Schmidt, and Basil Barrington Watson.

Previous Public Monument Competition winners have been:

  • 2011 – Chapel, THE CENTER installed in Riverfront Park near the Junction Bridge
  • 2012 – Bryan Massey, Sr.,  NAUTILUS installed in Riverfront Park next to the Arkansas River near the Margaret Clark Adventure Park.
  • 2013 – Ted Schaal, OPEN WINDOW installed in Riverfront Park between the First Security Amphitheatre and La Petite Roche Plaza.
  • 2014 – Lorri Acott, PEACE installed at 2nd Street and Main Street
  • 2015 – Michael Warrick, MOCKINGBIRD TREE installed at Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive
  • 2016 – Clay Enoch, UNITED installed at Central High School
  • 2017 – Stephen Shachtman, ARKANSAS “A” installed at the Southwest Community Center
  • 2018 – Carol Gold, INFINITE DANCE installed in Riverfront Park near the Broadway Bridge

More information is available on the web at http://sculptureattherivermarket.com/.

2019 Young Arkansas Artists exhibition now open at Arkansas Arts Center

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Image result for 2019 young arkansas artistsThe 2019 edition of the Arkansas Arts Center’s Young Arkansas Artists exhibition is now open.

In 1961, the Arkansas Arts Center hosted the first statewide Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition to ensure learning, inspiration, and creative expression. Now in its 58th year, the annual Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition showcases artwork by Arkansas students to celebrate the artistic talent and achievement of Arkansas students.

An annual crowd-pleaser, Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition features works by Arkansas students – from kindergarten through 12th grade – in a wide range of mediums and techniques.

“The Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition fosters arts appreciation throughout the state,” said Rana Edgar, Arkansas Arts Center Director of Education and Programs. “By providing a platform to celebrate creative expression, the Arkansas Arts Center reinforces the important role art plays in every classroom and every community.”

This year, 500 works in a variety of media were entered by 145 public and private school educators, homeschool educators and private art instructors from all corners of the state. Following submission, a panel of art professionals selected the top works from each grade to be exhibited at the Arkansas Arts Center. The panel selected 79 works for the exhibition, representing 47 schools across the state. From those works, one Best in Class and two Honorable Mention awards will be chosen for each grade by a grand juror. The juror will also select recipients of the Mid-Southern Watercolorists Award for Achievement in Watercolor and Ray Smenner Award for Achievement in Painting. Members of the Arkansas Art Educators Association will also select one Teacher’s Choice award from each grade level.

Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale this weekend!

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Little Rock residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to see and purchase works by leading sculptors when the Sculpture at the River Market Invitational Show and Sale takes place at the River Market pavilions on May 4 & 5

Over 700 sculptures will be on display in the River Market pavilions and in the adjacent area of Riverfront Park on these two days. The works featured will include all types of media, style, subject matter, and size.

The 2019 sculptors include: Lorri Acott, Serena Bates, Terry Bean, Jeff Best, Kelly Borsheim, Craig Campbell, Kathleen Caricof, Leslie Daly, Darrell Davis, Jane DeDecker, Michael Dunton, Theresa Dyer, Clay Enoch, Denny Haskew, Felipe Jimenz, James Keller, Edwad LaBonne, Jackie Mild Lau, and Bryan Massey.

Other participating sculptors are: Darren Miller, Ken Newman, Joe Norman, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Ed Pennebaker, John Powell, Timothy Roundy, Emelene Russell, Wayne Salge, Ryan T. Schmidt, Adam Schultz, Gene Sparling, Charles Strain, Bilhenry Walker, Michael Warrick, Basil Barrington Watson, CT Whitehouse, Russell Whiting, and David Zahn.

Sculpture at the River Market will be open in the River Market pavilions from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4, and from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, May 5.

On Saturday, Alex Palmer from the Museum of Discovery will offer activities for children at 12 noon and 2pm adjacent to the River Market pavilions.

On Sunday, two food trucks will be on site with food available for sculpture guests to purchase.  Nach’yo Nachos and Rock-Brick Oven Pizza will both be present from 11am until 2pm.

On Friday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m., a Preview Party will kick off the weekend.  With food provided by Copper Grill, beverages provided by Southern Glazer’s and Stella Artois, it will be a festive atmosphere offering guests the first chance to purchase sculptures as well as visit with the sculptors.

Also that night, guests to the Preview Party will be able to vote for their favorite sculpture in the 2019 Public Monument Competition.  The winner, which will be announced on Sunday, May 5, at 3:00 p.m., will be placed adjacent to City Hall at the corner of Markham Street and Broadway Street in 2020.  The seven semifinalists are: Theresa Dyer, Clay Enoch, Joe Norman, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Ryan T. Schmidt, Charles Strain and Basil Barrington Watson.

61st Annual Delta Exhibition opens on May 3

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The Arkansas Arts Center’s 61st Annual Delta Exhibition presents a vision of contemporary art in the American South. Founded in 1958, the exhibition provides a unique snapshot of the Delta region.

The Delta Exhibition reflects the region’s strong traditions of craftsmanship and observation, combined with an innovative use of materials and an experimental approach to subject matter. Guest juror Kevin Cole will select the artworks to be exhibited and assign the $2500 Grand Award and two $750 Delta Awards. Additionally, a $250 Contemporaries Award will be selected by the Contemporaries, an auxiliary membership group of the Arkansas Arts Center.

The exhibition is open to all artists who live in or were born in one of the following states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Art must be original, completed in the last two years, and not previously exhibited at the Arkansas Arts Center.

This year’s juror was Kevin Cole.  He is a contemporary artist best known for sculptural works, paintings, and intentional use of color. An Arkansas native, Cole’s artwork has been featured in more than 475 national and international exhibitions, including the 42nd Annual Delta Exhibition (1999) at the Arkansas Arts Center. His work can be found in notable private and public collections around the country. Among his public commissions are a fifteen-story mural commissioned by the Coca-Cola Company for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and a twenty-foot high by fifty-five feet long sculpture commission at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta. Cole was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2018.

The artists selected to participate in the Delta this year are:

John Ahlen of Little Rock, Ark.
Joshua Asante of Little Rock, Ark.
Carrie Ballinger Porter of Little Rock, Ark.
Loren Bartnicke of Auburn, N.Y.
Kenneth Baskin of Lake Charles, La.
Zachary Blair of Little Rock, Ark.
Kim Brecklein of Harrison, Ark.
Cynthia Buob of Columbus, Miss.
Debra Callahan of Jonesboro, Ark.
Olevia “Libby” Caston of Russellville, Ark.
Julie Darling of Memphis, Tenn.
Karen DeJarnette of Little Rock, Ark.
Virmarie DePoyster of North Little Rock, Ark.
Dylan Eakin of Seattle, Wash.
Ivy-Jade Edwards of Memphis, Tenn.
Scinthya Edwards of Helena, Ark.
DebiLynn Fendley of Arkadelphia, Ark.
Bryan Frazier of Little Rock, Ark.
Janet Goodyear of Eureka Springs, Ark.
John Green of Little Rock, Ark.
Alice Guffey Miller of Monticello, Ark.
Heather Christine Guenard of Cabot, Ark.
Pam-ela Harrelson of Dallas, Texas
Carol Hart of Fayetteville, Ark.
Amber Imrie of Sunnyvale, Calif.
Sherry Leedy of Kansas City, Mo.
Mark Lewis of Tulsa, Okla.
Jason McCann of Maumelle, Ark.
Keith Melton of North Little Rock, Ark.
Daniella Napolitano of Little Rock, Ark.
Dale Newkirk of Hammond, La.
Kevin O’Brien of Ocean Springs, Miss.
Mark Payne of Pine Bluff, Ark.
Rashawn Penister of Pine Bluff, Ark.
Yelena Petroukhina of Little Rock, Ark.
Jason Rankin of Little Rock, Ark.
Zachary Roach of Memphis, Tenn.
Jay Sage of Oklahoma City, Okla.
Ray Scott of Little Rock, Ark.
Sandra Sell of Little Rock, Ark.
Hunter Stamps of Lexington, Ky.
Laura Terry of West Fork, Ark.
Holly Tilley of Little Rock, Ark.
Mabry Turner of Little Rock, Ark.
Katelyn Vaughan of Monroe, La.
Michael Warrick of Little Rock, Ark.
Laura Welshans of Little Rock, Ark.
Nancy Wilson of Little Rock, Ark.
Emily Wood of Little Rock, Ark.