Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale this weekend!

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Scott

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.

Little Rock Look Back: First Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale in 2007

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Scott

After a decade of over 100 sculptures being installed throughout the city, it is hard to believe that the first Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale was only eleven years ago. It took place October 5 through 7, with a preview party on October 4.

Approximately 400 sculptures were on display in the River Market pavilions and in the adjacent area of Riverfront Park. The works featured included all types of media, style, subject matter, and size.

Among the sculptors participating were Gary Alsum, Diana Ashley, Sutton Betti, Shelley Buonaito, Kevin Box, Kathleen Caricof, Chapel, Tim Cherry, Dee Clements, Jane Dedecker, Edward Fleming, Martin Gates, Daniel Glanz, Carol Gold, Bruce Gueswel, Linda Hall, Bre & David Harris, and Denny Haskew.

Other sculptors included Tony Hochstetler, Hank Kaminsky, Kevin Kresse, Mark Leichliter, Gloria Lewis, Jim Lewis, Philip Major, Bryan Massey, Anne Mitchell, Leo E. Osborne, Louise Peterson, Wayne Salge, Ryan Schmidt, Sandy Scott, Margaret Warren, Michael Warrick, CT Whitehouse, and Pete Zaluzec.

A Sculptural Father’s Day

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Scott

Today is Father’s Day. Little Rock has at least five sculptures which reflect the theme of the day.

In Riverfront Park, Jane DeDecker’s THE TIES THAT BIND shows a father helping his son tie his shoes. It was installed in tribute to longtime Little Rock KATV executive Dale Nicholson. He had been an active supporter of Sculpture at the River Market. It is placed near another sculpture by Jane DeDecker, which Nicholson had selected as a memorial to his wife.

Not far from THE TIES THAT BIND is Kevin Kresse’s BREAKING THE CYCLE. Installed in 2013, it shows a son pushing his father in a wheelbarrow. At the time of the dedication, Kresse commented the piece is meant to show a father and son who have decided to “switch things up” for a new perspective on life. Kresse and his son were the models for the piece.

One of the first sculptures placed in Riverfront Park in 2004 was DeDecker’s ANGLERS. It shows a grandfather and granddaughter going off to fish. This sculpture is located near the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center.

The sculpture was dedicated in November 2004 a few days before the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center. it was selected, in part, because it paid tribute to the natural habitat of the area. Since the sculpture was installed, not only has the Nature Center opened, but the Bill Clark Presidential Park Wetlands were created.

Near the Marriott Hotel, in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden, is C. T. Whitehouse’s HUDSON’S VOYAGE. This sculpture is a tribute to his father.

Located near the Arkansas River, it reflects not only the boats and barges which travel by it daily, but is also symbolic of Whitehouse’s father’s service in the Navy and the possibilities that opened up for him.

Lastly, Tim Cherry’s RABBIT REACH is located near the Museum of Discovery. The sculpture is a gift from Whitlow Wyatt and the Carey Cox Wyatt Charitable Foundation. It was given in memory of George Wyatt and Frank Kumpuris. Those two gentlemen were the fathers of Whitlow Wyatt and Dean & Drew Kumpuris.

Mother’s Day Sculpture: PATTY CAKE by Jane DeDecker

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Scott

Happy Mother’s Day!

This sculpture is Jane DeDecker’s PATTY CAKE which is located in Riverfront Park. It was donated by the late Dale Nicholson in memory of his wife, Pat.

Finalists for $60,000 Sculpture Competition Announced

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Scott

The winner of a $60,000 commission to place a sculpture at the Southwest Community Center in 2018 will be announced on Sunday, April 23, 2017, as the 10th Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale concludes.

The three semifinalists for the 2017 Sculpture at the River Market Public Monument Competition were announced Friday night at the conclusion of the Preview Party for the 2017 Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale. The three semifinalists are:

Jack Hill – “On a Roll”
Ted Schaal – “Dropsy”
Stephen Shachtman – “A”

ON A ROLL

DROPSY

Sculpture at the River Market invited all artists participating in the 2017 Show & Sale to submit a proposal for its $60,000 Public Monument Competition. This is the seventh such competition in the ten years of the Show & Sale.

Of the 50 artists in the 2017 Show & Sale, 29 artists submitted a proposal. The proposals of the seven semifinalists were displayed during the event’s Preview Party on the evening of April 21, 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 April 22 and 23, and the 2017 winner will be announced at 3PM on Sunday, April 23. The winner will be installed at the Southwest Community Center in 2018.

The other semifinalists were: Terry & Maritza Bean, Craig Campbell, Jane DeDecker, and Mark Leichliter.

Previous Public Monument Competition winners have been:

2011 – Chapel for The Center installed in Riverfront Park
2012 – Bryan Massey for Nautilus installed in Riverfront Park
2013 – Ted Schaal for Open Window installed in Riverfront Park
2014 – Lorri Acott for Peace installed at 2nd Street and Main Street
2015 – Michael Warrick for Mockingbird Tree installed at Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive
2016 – Clay Enoch for United which will be installed at Central High School in September 2017.

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

Magnificent 7 – The semifinalists for the 2017 Sculpture at the River Market public monument competition

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Scott

Sculpture at the River Market invited all artists participating in the 2017 Show & Sale to submit a proposal for its $60,000 Public Art Monument Sculpture Commission Competition. This is the seventh such competition in the ten years of the Show & Sale.

Of the 50 artists in the 2017 Show & Sale, 29 artists submitted a proposal. The proposals of the seven semifinalists will be displayed during the event’s Preview Party on the evening of April 21, and Preview Party guests will vote for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. All votes will be tallied and the top three finalists will be announced at the end of the evening.

The top three proposals will be juried on April 22 and 23, and the 2017 winner will be announce at 3PM on Sunday, April 23. The winner will be installed at the Southwest Community Center in 2018.

2017 SEMIFINALISTS

TERRY AND MARITZA BEAN – “Unity”

CRAIG CAMPBELL – “On the Bus”

JANE DEDECKER- “Threshold”

JACK HILL – “On a Roll”

MARK LEICHLITER- “Vital Connections”

TED SCHAAL- “Dropsy”

STEPHEN SHACHTMAN – “A”

Happy 2017 from the Sculpture Vulture

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Scott

Several of the sculptures in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden and Riverfront Park have figures which mimic a “1” and a “7.”

To celebrate the start of 2017, here is a look at Seventeen of them. And stay tuned for the 10th Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale on April 21-23, 2017! Who knows, there could be some sculptures in that show that also have the “1” and “7” features.