Tag Archives: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

Youth Artists on display at Butler Center Galleries

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cals youth_art_2015School will be starting back soon in Arkansas.  Through the end of this month, there is a chance to see artwork produced by students prior to this school year.

The Butler Center Galleries are showcasing the State Youth Art Show 2015: An Exhibition by the Arkansas Art Educators.  The exhibit is on display through August 29 in the Butler Center Underground Gallery.

This show features dynamic works of art by talented students across Arkansas, from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The works featured are the Best of Show winners from seven regions of the state. The Arkansas Art Educators is a group of art teachers from around the state who work with the Arkansas Department of Education to provide high quality in-service training and to promote student art.

The John Bush Quintet play at the Ron Robinson Theater tonight as part of Arkansas Sounds

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john_bushTonight at 7pm at the Ron Robinson Theater, saxophonist John Bush and his quintet will play vocal and instrumental jazz favorites.  Seating is General Admission, and tickets are $10.

Jazz saxophonist John Bush’s musical upbringing occurred in Little Rock in the late 1950s and early 1960s, along with jazz enthusiasts John Stubblefield, James Leary, and Claudine Meyers. While Bush’s contemporaries pursued professional careers playing jazz music, he took another direction in that he came back to music later in life.

His aspiration is to uphold the original edict that drove all of the players he grew up with, as well as recognize the same Arkansas jazz traditions and honor the paths taken by musicians like The Original Yellow Jackets, Louis Jordan, Al Hibbler, and Pharaoh Sanders.

Bush is dedicated to playing in the same spirit of those who helped lay the foundations for this rich and beloved genre. The John Bush Quintet includes vocalist Kelley Hurt, bassist Bill Huntington, keyboardist Chris Parker, and drummer Bryan Withers.

Arkansas Sounds is a project of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, a department of the Central Arkansas Library System. Focused on Arkansas music and musicians both past and present, Arkansas Sounds presents concerts, workshops, and other events to showcase Arkansas’s musical culture.

Marcie Cohen Ferris will discuss THE EDIBLE SOUTH at special Legacies & Lunch at noon today

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Marcie Ferris at her home in Chapel Hill, NC. Photo by Kate Medley

Marcie Ferris at her home in Chapel Hill, NC. Photo by Kate Medley

Marcie Cohen Ferris, author of The Edible South, is a professor of American studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ferris’ research and teaching interests include the history of the Jewish South and the foodways and material culture of the American South. The Edible South: The Power of Food and the Making of an American Regionexamines the visceral connection between Southern food and the politics of power from the colonial period to the present.

At this special Legacies & Lunch, co-hosted by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies and the Clinton School of Public Service, Ferris will talk about the power of food to nourish cultures as well as people’s bodies and the way it helps people understand the South – from scholars and chefs to casual consumers and hardcore foodies. Books will be available for purchase, and Ferris will sign copies after her talk.

The Butler Center’s Legacies & Lunch program is free and open to the public and supported in part by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Attendees are invited to bring a sack lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided.

The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies is a department of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS). It was founded in 1997 to promote the study and appreciation of Arkansas history and culture. The Butler Center’s research collections, art galleries, and offices are located in the Arkansas Studies Institute building at 401 President Clinton Ave. on the campus of the CALS Main Library.

2015 Butler Center Genealogy Conference on Saturday

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cals_int_sponsor_butlerTomorrow, July 25, the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies’ 2015 Genealogy Conference will take place from 9am to 4pm at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.  The featured speaker is Lisa Louise Cooke, creator of www.genealogygems.com.

The conference is free and open to the public. Registration is required: http://www.butlercenter.org/conference/.

A lunch break of approximately 1 hour will be provided. Concessions including hot dogs, popcorn, and sodas will be available for purchase in the theater. Conference attendees are also welcome to bring a sack lunch or to purchase lunch at a local eatery, which may be brought back to the Ron Robinson Theater, if desired. Places to purchase lunch within walking distance include Bookends Cafe, the library’s coffee and sandwich shop, located next door to the theater in the Cox Creative Center; the River Market, which offers many dining options; and restaurants along President Clinton Ave.

Workshop topics will include:

Ultimate Google Search Strategies and Tips Google continues to evolve and change every day. In this session, Lisa Louise Cooke will give you an update on the most recent Google changes. Then she will unleash advanced search strategies for genealogy that you probably aren’t using, but are ‘must-haves’ in order to get the best results possible. Here are tips and tricks you can put into practice right away.

Get the Scoop on Your Ancestors with Newspapers Yearning to “read all about it?” Newspapers are a fantastic source of research leads, information, and historical context for your family history. Learn the specialized approach that is required to achieve success in locating the news on your ancestors.  Includes 3 Cool Tech Tools that will get you started.

Google Earth for Genealogy Google Earth is a 360 degree three-dimensional way to view your ancestors’ world!  In this class you will learn how to identify old photos, plot and virtually visit your ancestors’ homestead, and incorporate historic maps. Google Earth has the power to geographically document your ancestors’ lives, and lends itself very well to collaboration with other researchers. It’s one of the best online genealogical tools available, and best of all, it’s free!

How to Reopen and Work a Genealogical Cold Case Become a genealogical detective in this vital session. You’ll learn to track ancestors like a criminal cold case detective, sniffing out holes in your research and getting missing information on the record with cutting edge technology.

A Meet & Greet will be held on today, July 24, 4-6 p.m. in the Arkansas Studies Institute building, room 124, 401 President Clinton Ave. This is an opportunity for genealogists to meet each other and share research experiences. If you plan to attend, please register at: http://www.butlercenter.org/conference/

Final Day of Little Rock Film Festival – Award Winners Abound

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LRFF2015posterToday, the Little Rock Film Festival will be screening the major award winners from last night’s gala.

At 11:00am, the Golden Rock Narrative Feature Grand Prize Winner will be shown at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.  It will be preceded by the World Shorts Narrative Winner. Those films are Applesauce and “The Way Things Are.”

Also at 11:00, the Golden Rock Documentary Feature Grand Prize Winner will be shown at the Butler Center.  It will be preceded by the World Shorts Documentary Winner. Those films are Crocodile Gennadiy and “The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano.”

At 2pm, the film White God will screen at the Ron Robinson Theater.

Also at 2, the “Made in Arkansas” Grand Prize Winners will be shown at the Butler Center. Those include “The Whisperers” (Charles B. Pierce Award for Best Made in Arkansas Film), “The Grace of Jake” (Andrew Walker, Best Performance-Made in Arkansas), and “Perfect Machine” (Jarrod Paul Beck, Best Director-Made in Arkansas).

The final panel of the festival will take place at 4pm in the Filmmakers Lounge.  This one will focus on Music in Film Production.

At 4:45pm, the Cinematic Non-Fiction Grand Prize Winner: Of Men and War will be shown at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.

Also at 4:45, the Arkansas Times Best Southern Film Prize Winner: Uncertain will be shown at the Butler Center.

The final film of the festival will be Turbo Kid at 7pm at the Ron Robinson Theater.

Over 60 films shown at LR Film Festival today PLUS the Awards Gala tonight!

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LRFF2015 longThe Little Rock Film Festival has another jam-packed day today.

At 10am the films are:

  • H. – Butler Center
  • “Made in Arkansas” Shorts Block 6 – The Joint
    • “Go to the Ball with Me, Jenny” (Cole Borgstadt), “Simple” (Scott McEntire), “Stay a While” (Michael Kelley), “Sassy & the Private Eye” (Tanner Smith), “The Whisperers” (Jason Miller) and “Perfect Machine” (Jarrod Paul Beck)
  • “This Life” World Shorts Block – Bill and Margaret Clark Room
    • “The Suburbs Go On Forever” (Mark Day), “The Way Things Are” (Guy Nemesh), “Stella Walsh” (Rob Lucas), “The Youth” (Dehanza Rogers) and “Unmappable” (Diane Hodson, Jasmine Luoma)

Barge starts at 10:30 in the Ron Robinson Theater.

 

The 12:30 lineup includes:

  • Uncle Kent 2 – Ron Robinson Theater
  • The Hunting of the President – Clinton School. Filmmaker Harry Thomason will be present and lead a discussion.
  • Sweaty Betty – Stickyz
  • “Made in Arkansas” Shorts Block 5 – The Joint
    • “Not Interested” (Matt Foss), “The Making of ‘Sensitivity Training’” (Tanner Smith), “’Twas the Night of the Krampus” (Donovan Thompson), “Vampire-Killing Prostitute” (Jordan Mears), “Southern Pride” (Nick Lane), “The Paper Boy” (Thien Ngo) and “I Hate Alphaman” (Hunter West)
  • “Adventure” World Shorts Block – Bill and Margaret Clark Room
    • “Twelve Traditions” (Jonathan Cuartas), “Dust” (Mike Grier), “The Answers” (Michael Goode), “Spearhunter” (Adam Roffman), “The Other Side” (Scott Brown), “Big Boy” (Bryan Campbell) and “September Sketch Book” (Ronnie Cramer)

“Made in Arkansas” The Hanging of David O. Dodd will show at the Butler Center starting at 1pm.

At 2:30 there will be a filmmaker panel on Cinematic Non-fiction in the Filmmakers Lounge.

 

The films at 3:00pm are:

  • Western – Ron Robinson Theater
  • God Bless The Child – Butler Center
  • Cartel Land – Clinton School
  • “Made in Arkansas” Shorts Block 1 – Stickyz
    • “Loser” (Andrew Lisle), “Forsaken” (Krisha Mason), “Monotony Broken” (J. C. Cocker), “Stranger Than Paradise” (Johnnie Brannon), “Rites” (Cody Harris), and “The Dealer’s Tale” (Justin Nickels).
  • “Made in Arkansas” Block 4 – The Joint
    • “The Tricycle” (David Bogard, “What Was Lost” (Romello Williams, “Overgrown” (Bruce Hutchinson, “Pyro” (Cole Borgstadt, and “The Space Station” (Michael Sutterfield)
  • “Explore” World Shorts Block – Bill and Margaret Clark Room
    • “Swimming in Your Skin Again,” “Beach Week,” “The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano,” “Displacements,” “Pequeño bloque de cemento con pelo alborotado conteniendo el mar” and “When I Write.”

 

The last batch of films today are at 5:30:

  • (T)ERROR – Ron Robinson Theater
  • Funny Bunny – Butler Center
  • How to Change the World – Clinton School
  • Applesauce – Stickyz
  • “Made in Arkansas” Block 3 – The Joint
    • “Undefeated” (Nathan Willis), “Little Brother” (Eric White), “Spoonin’ the Devil” (Michael Carpenter), “Meredith” (Scott Eggleston), and “The Town Where Nobody Lives” (Al Topich)
  • “Quirks” World Shorts Block – Bill and Margaret Clark Room
    • “The Department of Signs and Magical Intervention,” “Woman of the World,” “reConception,” “Happy Hour,” “Miss Famous,” “Love in the Time of March Madness,” and “Jake Plays First Base.

 

At 8pm tonight the Little Rock Film Festival Awards Gala will take place at the Old State House Museum.  Winners will be announced for several awards including:

  • Golden Rock Narrative Feature Grand Prize
  • Golden Rock Documentary Feature Grand Prize
  • Made in Arkansas Grand Prize
  • Cinematic Non-Fiction Grand Prize
  • Arkansas Times Best Southern Film

Shorts and Features everywhere in Day 3 of 2015 Little Rock Film Festival

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LRFF2015 longThe 2015 Little Rock Film Festival kicks into high gear today.  At 10am at the Ron Robinson Theatre there is an LRFFYOUTH! Screening of the film “Three Wishes Once Choice” and “Flowers in Concrete.”

Tired Moonlight will be shown at 11:15 at the Ron Robinson Theater. At 1pm, at the Butler Center, the documentary Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey looks at Hal Holbrook’s sixty year career of portraying Mark Twain. Also at 1, the film I Am the People will be shown at the Ron Robinson Theater.

At 3pm the Made in Arkansas Shorts (Block 2) will be shown at The Joint .  The films being shown are “MatchMaker” by Robin Sparks, “Hush” by Kenn Woodard, “Dim the Lights” by Dwight Chalmers, “The Pop N’ Lock” by Jadon Barnes, “Rapture Us” by Levi Agee, “The Ask” by Edmund Lowry and “Contact” by Alexander Jeffery.

“One, Two” World Shorts Block will also screen at 3pm.  It features “Biscayne World,” “one hitta quitta,” “Boxeadora,” “Day One,” “Hunter’s Fall,” and “Bookin’.”  It will be shown in the Bill and Margaret Clark Room on the 3rd floor of the River Market.

The Chinese Mayor will be screened at 3:30 in the Ron Robinson Theater. Also at 3:30, How to Dance in Ohio will be shown at the Butler Center.

At 4:45, the panel “Made in Arkansas: Can I Make a Living Doing This?” will take place in the Filmmakers Lounge.  Local working Filmmakers Bryan Stafford, Daniel Campbell, Brent Bailey, and UCA Professor Bruce Hutchinson discuss the current professional environment for filmmaking in the state of Arkansas. The panelists will share their secrets for making a living in the Industry without moving to the coasts. From producing your own work, to freelancing for the advertising community, to getting work on Hollywood productions in the surrounding states, this panel will help get you on your way to a career in film production right here at home.

At 5:30, Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead will be shown at the Clinton School.  This film looks at three Harvard graduates who started the first national humor magazine for adults, launching the careers of some of Hollywood’s most legendary talent. Also at 5:30, Krisha will be shown in the Butler Center.  And at 5:30 as well, “Made in Arkansas” Shorts Block 1 will be shown.  It includes “Loser” by Andrew Lisle, “Forsaken” by Krisha Mason, “Monotony Broken” by J. C. Cocker, “Stranger Than Paradise” by Johnnie Brannon, “Rites” by Cody Harris, and “The Dealer’s Tale” by Justin Nickels.  These will be shown at the Albert Pike Memorial Temple.

Another round of “Made in Arkansas” Shorts will also be shown at 5:30.  Block 3 consists of “Undefeated” by Nathan Willis, “Little Brother” by Eric White, “Spoonin’ the Devil” by Michael Carpenter, “Meredith” by Scott Eggleston, and “The Town Where Nobody Lives” by Al Topich.  It will be shown at the Ron Robinson Theater.  Another “Made in Arkansas” film, this time the feature length The Grace of Jack will be shown at The Joint at 5:30.

Finally, the last 5:30 slot goes to “Quirks” World Shorts.  It features “The Department of Signs and Magical Intervention,” “Woman of the World,” “reConception,” “Happy Hour,” “Miss Famous,” “Love in the Time of March Madness,” and “Jake Plays First Base.”  This will be shown at the Bill and Margaret Clark Room on the third floor of the River Market.

At 8:00pm:

  • Uncertain – Ron Robinson Theater
  • King Jack – Butler Center
  • Made in Arkansas The Phone in the Attic – The Joint
  • “Made in Arkansas” Shorts Block 4 – Albert Pike Memorial Temple
    • “The Tricycle”-David Bogard, “What Was Lost”-Romello Williams, “Overgrown”-Bruce Hutchinson, “Pyro”-Cole Borgstadt, and “The Space Station”-Michael Sutterfield
  • “Explore” World Shorts Block – Bill and Margaret Clark Room
    • “Swimming in Your Skin Again,” “Beach Week,” “The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano,” “Displacements,” “Pequeño bloque de cemento con pelo alborotado conteniendo el mar” and “When I Write.”

At 10pm, the “Made in Arkansas” Blow Out at South on Main.  The party will feature food from the kitchen of executive chef Matthew Bell and feature cocktails from Mixologist David Burnette. Music performed by Isaac Alexander and band. This party is open to following pass holders: Sponsor, Filmmaker, Press, Gold, Silver, and Student.