Tag Archives: Clinton Presidential Center

Award winning architect speaking Tuesday, October 15

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Kevin_McClurkanTuesday, October 15 at 6pm at the Arkansas Arts Center, award-winning architect and Arkansas native Kevin McClurkan, AIA, will make a presentation entitled THREADS: Ennead Architects’ Recent Works.  This is part of the monthly Architecture and Design Network lecture series.

A founding partner and management principal of  Ennead  Architects, New York-based architect Kevin McClurkan, has Arkansas roots and  continuing connections. An alumnus  of Pine Bluff High School, McClurkan earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where, in 1983, he received the Edward Durell Stone Award for Excellence in Design.

McClurkan has  continued to earn awards – a prestigious national American Institute of Architects Honor Awards among them. His  commitment  to design excellence, supported by  technical innovation,  is the hallmark of his work.  Little Rock’s William J.  Clinton Presidential Center; the Newseum/Freedom Forum Foundation World Headquarters, Washington D.C.; New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts  and  the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law are among the firm’s recent award-winning projects.

Ennead is the name of the firm formerly known as Polshek Partnership Architects. The firm’s  2010 renaming emphasizes  its identity as a group of architects rather than that of a single design leader.  The new name,  which means a group of nine,  reflects the democratic and collaborative culture of the partnership.

Currently working with Little Rock’s  Polk Stanley Wilcox on the redesign of the city’s  Robinson Auditorium, McClurkan  is a member of the  the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture’s Professional Advisory Board.  Of interest to the whole community,  his April talk is  free and open to the public.

For additional information, contact ardenetwork@icloud.com.

ASO Chamber Series Kicks Off Tonight with Brahms the Romantic

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra kicks off the 2013-2014 Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Music series tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The program will feature Mozart’s “String Quintet No. 3 in C major, K.515;” Takemitsu’s “Rain Tree;” and Brahms “Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115.”

Mozart’s piece was completed in 1787.  Like all of Mozart’s string quintets, it is a viola quintet.  That means, it is scored for an extra viola: two violins, two violas and one cello.  Takemitsu’s selection was composed in 1982.  At that point in time, many of his compositions have references to water in the title.  Brahms composed his clarinet quintet in the summer of 1891.  The piece is known for its autumnal feeling (appropriate to be performed on one of the first full days after the autumnal equinox).  The selection is written for a clarinet in A and a string quartet.

Exhibit at Clinton Library pays tribute to March on Washington

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(Copyright Estate of Stanley Tretick LLC)

(Copyright Estate of Stanley Tretick LLC)

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library opened a new exhibit last month in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Entitled, “And Freedom for All: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom,” this exhibit pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of The March on Washington. The March took place in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963.  It was attended by approximately 250,000 people, it was the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation’s capital.

Stanley Tretick was assigned by LOOK magazine to cover the march behind-the-scenes with organizers and program speakers.  The exhibit features his pictures and videos of speeches by Daisy Bates, John Lewis and a performance by Mahaila Jackson.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech is also featured in the exhibit.  President Clinton declared it to be “the clearest clarion call to the more perfect union of America in the 21 century.”

Stanley Tretick was an American photojournalist who worked for United Press International, Look and People (where he was a founding photo editor). He covered every president from Harry S. Truman through George H. W. Bush. For UPI, he followed the Kennedy presidential candidacy.  He resigned when UPI would not assign him to the White House once JFK took office.  The President promised his broad access which prompted Look to hire him.  His photos of the Kennedys helped form the collective iconic images for which the family is now remembered.

The exhibit runs through November 17.

Arts ExtravACANSA is tonight in Clinton Presidential Park.

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acansaEarlier this wee, the newly founded ACANSA Arts Festival announced its inaugural 2014 event.

Charlotte Gadberry, former Little Rock Rotary Club President, founder and current Board President of ACANSA Arts Festival introduced the new visual and performing arts festival that is the result of collaboration with regional arts organizations, local businesses, government and civic groups. She said the festival’s goal is to inspire public appreciation for the arts and enrich the economic and cultural vitality of the region. The festival’s theme is “A Southern Celebration of the Arts” and the Rotary Club of Little Rock Club 99 Foundation is an event sponsor, Gadberry said.

Robert Hupp, Producing Artistic Director of the Arkansas Repertory Theater and Chairman of ACANSA’s Arts Advisory Council summarized the festival’s programming. He said the festival will feature live performances, exhibits, educational opportunities, workshops and other activities throughout Little Rock and North Little Rock over nine days, from Sept. 19-27, 2014.

Additionally, ACANSA Arts Festival Director of Administration, Virginia Young, announced an upcoming kickoff event, Arts ExtravACANSA, to be held Saturday, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on the lawn of the Clinton Presidential Center. Arts ExtravACANSA will showcase a sampling of art and feature gourmet Southern delicacies, a silent auction, and a special musical performance by Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters.

Tickets are $100 and may be purchased through ACANSA Arts Festival by calling 501-663-2287, or emailing admin@acansaartsfestival.org. More information is available at Facebook.com/AcansaArtsFestival/events.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Jim Dailey

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cityoflr_img_board_dailyOn July 31, 1942, future Little Rock Mayor Dalton James “Jim” Dailey, Jr. was born to Dalton and Ellen Dailey.  After graduating from Little Rock Catholic High School, he attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He joined his father in the family business, Dailey’s Office Furniture.

In 1974, Dailey was elected to the City of Little Rock Board of Directors.  He served one four-year term. The last two years of that term, he was the Vice Mayor of Little Rock.

Following that term, he remained engaged in civic activities including serving in leadership capacities in community campaigns.  He also served as president of the National Office Products Association – the first Arkansan to do so.  Dailey also served as the founding chair of Leadership Greater Little Rock.

In 1988, Dailey was elected to return to the City Board.  He was reelected in 1992.  Dailey served as Vice Mayor in 1991 and 1992.  In January 1993, he was chosen by his fellow City Directors to serve a two year term as Mayor.  Under his leadership, the Future-Little Rock goal-setting process took place.

Following a voter-approved change to the City structure, the position of Mayor was changed to be elected by the people while maintaining the City Manager form of government.  On January 1, 1995, Jim Dailey was sworn in as the first popularly-elected Mayor of the City of Little Rock in over 38 years.

cityoflr_img_mayor_01Dailey has served on the Board of Directors for the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Metroplan, Communities in Schools, Arkansas BioVentures and New Futures for Youth. He was appointed to the National League of Cities Board of Directors and the Municipalities in Transition on Public Finance.

As Mayor, he served as Chair of the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission. He was also a member of the United States Conference of Mayor’s Communications Task Force.  He also served as president of the Arkansas Municipal League in 2002 and 2003.

While he was Mayor of Little Rock, he was a strong proponent of the development of the River Market and worked to locate the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock.  He also worked to increase public safety support.  He also oversaw the establishment of Central Arkansas Water, the development of downtown headquarters for Acxiom Corporation and Heifer International, and the creation of Prevention, Intervention and Treatment programs.  In addition, he was instrumental in leading the efforts for the 40th anniversary of the integration of Little Rock Central High in 1997.

Mayor Dailey was re-elected in 1998 and 2002.  His fourteen years as Mayor of Little Rock set a longevity record.  Upon his retirement the City’s fitness center was renamed the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatic Center.  This was in recognition of his lifelong interest in wellness activities.

Since leaving office, he has continued his civic involvement by serving as a member of the Little Rock Airport Commission which oversees the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.  He is also involved in commercial real estate.

Mayor Dailey has been married to Patti Murphy since 1965. They have two daughters, two sons and six grandchildren…a set of quadruplets, plus two.

Last Week of “Jazz Through the Eyes of Herman Leonard”

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Dinah Washington photo by Herman Leonard

Dinah Washington photo by Herman Leonard

Fans of jazz, photography or American popular culture in the 20th Century have one more week to see the exquisite exhibit “Jazz Through the Eyes of Herman Leonard.”  The exhibit, which opened in March, closes on July 21 at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Herman Leonard was a popular and influential photographer well into the 2000s, but is best known for his crisp, high-contrast black and white images of famous jazz performers from the 1940s and 1950s.

The exhibit features the who’s who of this uniquely American music.  If you have a favorite jazz singer, musician or composer, Herman Leonard photographed them – and they are featured in this collection.

Leonard caught the eye of jazz fans around the world, and Bill Clinton is no exception. Clinton called Leonard: “The greatest jazz photographer in the history of the genre” and has several Leonard prints hanging in his office in Harlem.

This exhibit features over 40 large-format black and white prints made and signed by Herman Leonard. To help tell the story of the artists in the images personal objects will accompany the stunning Leonard images.

Washington Tribute at Clinton Center

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Washington's Copy of the Acts of Congress.

Washington’s Copy of the Acts of Congress.

The library focusing on the 42nd President now has an exhibit honoring the the 1st President.  The William J. Clinton Presidential Center has a “Tribute to George Washington” on display through July 12.

It features:
George Washington’s Copy of the Acts of Congress
The volume contains the Constitution and draft Bill of Rights with Washington’s personal written notes as well as an original signature. The volume, dating back to 1789, is on loan from Mount Vernon.

George Washington Correspondence
On loan from the National Archives in Washington, DC, the Clinton Center will showcase two rare documents that helped shape American history during Washington’s administration. One includes a handwritten letter by President Washington regarding the the Jay Treaty with Great Britain. The second document is a letter to President Washington signed by Chief Justice John Jay.

George Washington [The Constable-Hamilton Portrait]
The portrait of George Washington was painted in Philadelphia in 1797 by artist Gilbert Stuart. New York merchant William Kerin Constable commissioned the portrait for Alexander Hamilton. The portrait is on loan from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

The Clinton Center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.