Tag Archives: Arkansas Arts Center

Photographing Everyday Arkansas Architecture the focus of talk tonight by Prof. Geoff Winningham

Posted on by

adn g winningham bookWORKING IN THE EYE OF THE SUN: Photographing the Vernacular Architecture of Arkansas is the title of remarks this evening by Geoff Winningham a Professor at Rice University and holder of the Lynette S. Aubrey Chair in the Humanities.

Arkansas has its share of vernacular architecture, everyday structures built by and for ordinary people, architecture without architects, so to speak. Working in the early eighties with Professor Cy Sutherland of the University of Arkansas School of Architecture, Geoff Winningham traveled throughout the state, identifying and photographing vernacular forms – houses, barns, silos, churches, schools, stores and more. Winningham will share a number of those images with his audience when he talks about Arkansas’s vernacular architecture.

Selections from his collection of black and white images of those structures, plus interviews with people long familiar with them, are the makings of “OF THE SOIL”, a book just published by the University of Arkansas Press. Professor Jeff Shannon of the Fay Jones School of Architecture, served as its editor.

Professor Winningham is presented by the Architecture & Design Network as part of their monthly lecture series. The talk will take place this evening, Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at 6pm. It will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 pm at the Arkansas Arts Center lecture hall.

Supporters of the Architecture and Design Network (ADN) include the Arkansas Arts Center, UA’s Fay Jones School of Architecture, the Central Arkansas Section of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture. All ADN lectures are free and open to the public. For additional information contact ardenetwork@mac.com. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“Well That Was Embarrassing” tonight on Tales from the South at Best Impressions

Posted on by

talesfromsouthWe’ve all done it.  We’ve all felt it.  Embarrassment!

Tonight’s tales from the South explores this universal yet, well, embarrassing phenomenon.

The storytellers for this edition include Grant Rollins and Martin Bauer.

Music is by The Salty Dogs and blues guitarist Mark Simpson.

Tonight’s program is at Best Impressions located in the Arkansas Arts Center.  It has recently been announced that Best Impressions will be the site for Tales from the South on the first Tuesday of the month.

“Tales From the South” is a radio show created and produced by Paula Martin Morell, who is also the show’s host. The show is taped live on Tuesday. The night is a cross between a house concert and a reading/show, with incredible food and great company. Tickets must be purchased before the show, as shows are usually standing-room only.

“Tales from the South” is a showcase of writers reading their own true stories. While the show itself is unrehearsed, the literary memoirs have been worked on for weeks leading up to the readings. Stories range from funny to touching, from everyday occurrences to life-altering tragedies.

Dinner is served from 5pm to 6:30pm, the show starts at 7pm.  Admission is $15.  Dinner can be purchased separately.

You MUST purchase your ticket before the show.

Classic tale THE VELVETEEN RABBIT comes to life at Ark Arts Center Children’s Theatre

Posted on by

aac velvrab“What is real?” the Velveteen Rabbit asks his strange new friend. “Real is something that happens to you when a child loves you for a long, long, time—not just to play with—but really loves you,” the old Skin Horse replies. From this moment on, the timid toy bunny longs for only one thing in the world—to become real.

But how can he become real when the boy doesn’t play with him or even notice him, let alone love him? Then one day, the Velveteen Rabbit is taken from the dark toy cupboard and finds himself in the warm arms of a sleeping child. And so he begins his journey down the long, long road to real.

This is adapted by Keith Smith from the classic story by Margery Williams.

The show opens on November 28 and runs through December 21.  Performances are at 7:00 pm on Fridays, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays.

Little Rock Look Back: Horace Knowlton, LR’s 46th Mayor

Posted on by

IMG_3227On this date in 1872, future Little Rock Mayor Horace A. Knowlton Jr. was born.

In April 1920, he was elected City Clerk of Little Rock.  He served in that position until April 1931.  That year, he was chosen as the Democratic nominee for Mayor, denying incumbent Mayor Pat L. Robinson a second term.  The primary race against Mayor Robinson was close.  When the results were first announced, it looked as if Mayor Robinson had prevailed.  But after challenging ballots, Mr. Knowlton was declared the winner.  Since Little Rock was primarily a Democratic Party city, unsurprisingly Mr. Knowlton was elected Mayor in April 1931 and served two terms as Mayor.

He oversaw the start of some of President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs in Arkansas during his tenure.  In 1934, he negotiated the purchase of Gillam Park for the City which established the first public park in Little Rock for African Americans.  This was a very forward-thinking action at the time.  One of his final acts as Mayor was to participate in the groundbreaking for the Museum of Fine Arts building in City Park (now a portion of the Arkansas Arts Center building in MacArthur Park).

Following his departure from public office, Mayor Knowlton and his wife (who had been an elementary school teacher) eventually moved to Florida and resided in the Tampa Bay area.  His son and grandson (Horace III and Horace IV) have both been lawyers in the Tampa Bay area.  Mayor Knowlton died on February 14, 1965 and is buried in the Oak Grove cemetery in Conway.

Today from 9 to 3, the Arkansas Arts Center Museum School Sale

Posted on by

AAC Mus SaleThe Museum School Sale is the perfect way to stock up on one-of-a-kind holiday gifts or add to your personal art collection!

More than 80 Museum School instructors and students will be on hand selling original artwork at the Museum School Sale.

Plus, enjoy artist demonstrations, food trucks, and drawings for $50 off a Museum School class!

New this Year: a FREE space for children’s art activities! Parents are welcome to drop off their children, ages 4 to 9, at the kids activity area while they shop. The activity area will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will have hands on art activities and refreshments. Space is limited.

The event runs from 9am to 3pm at the ClearChannel Metroplex.

46th Collectors Show at Arkansas Arts Center

Posted on by
Bill Vuksanovich, American (Belgrade, Yugoslavia, born 1938), Sisters I, 2006, color pencil and Nero pencil on paper, courtesy of the artist and Forum Gallery.

Bill Vuksanovich, American (Belgrade, Yugoslavia, born 1938), Sisters I, 2006, color pencil and Nero pencil on paper, courtesy of the artist and Forum Gallery.

The Collectors Show and Sale is an annual Arkansas Arts Center tradition that brings the vibrant New York gallery scene to Little Rock. Arkansas Arts Center Executive Director Todd Herman and curators carefully select the finest drawings and contemporary craft from prominent New York galleries.

This year is the 46th edition.  All works are for sale and vary in price, from $400 to $100,000.  The works also vary in size, styles and media.  This is the perfect time for seasoned buyers to add to their collections and for new collectors to enter the field!

Presented by Landers Fiat; sponsored by Holleman & Associates, P.A.

Little Rock Look Back: The Opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center

Posted on by

wjcopenrainArkansas Globecoming was the name given to the series of events in connection with the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center.  The week had been warm and sunny as Al Franken entertained at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Aretha Franklin performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Senator John Glenn held court at the Museum of Discovery.  By Wednesday, November 17, Little Rock was filled with stars from the political and entertainment fields.  As many dignitaries as were here, there were rumors of even more who were supposedly here.

On Wednesday night, things reached a fever pitch. A reception at the Arkansas Arts Center was literally shoulder to shoulder. A preview tour of the Clinton Presidential Center was only slightly less crowded (because the space was so much bigger). Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership hosted a late night party at Nu.

As midnight approached, things slowed ever so slightly as people realized they had to be on site for the opening ceremony in a matter of hours.

Overnight a storm system came in. Not only did water fall, but so did the temperatures.

Those that did brave the weather had an unforgettable experience.  From performances by a rain-soaked Bono and The Edge to remarks by Presidents Carter, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Clinton, the event was memorable.  It was a Who’s Who of Washington, New York and Los Angeles.  All in Little Rock.

It took several hours for people to warm up and dry off after the event. But everyone agreed it was a memorable day for numerous reasons.