2nd Friday Art Night: Eye Candy, Arkansas Times

Detmers, Lykens, Tara-Casciano, Sacran, Hobbs and more

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:45:00 -0500

Tonight's 2nd Friday Art Night downtown art troll — on foot or by trolley — from 5-8 p.m. features art exhibits, demonstrations, music and jewelry-making at nine venues. So much to do and see, so little time, as usual.

Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third, opens two exhibitions, "Reflected by Three: William Detmers, Scott Lykens and G. Tara-Casciano" and "Painting in the Air: Day and Night," work by Jason Sacran. There will be music by the Rolling Blackouts to go with Detmer's photos, Tara-Casciano's sculpture and Lykens' and Sacran's paintings.

The Butler Center Galleries in the Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 Clinton, opens "Arkansas Art Educators Youth Art Show," juried student work, and "Creative Expressions," work by persons served by the State Hospital. Raku artist Kelly Edwards will give a demonstration and the band Mockingbird will perform (singing, no doubt). Michael Jukes' “No I'm Not, He Is: A ‘Flying Snake’ and ‘Oyyo’ Comic Retrospective" is also on exhibit.

Around the corner, the Cox Center at 120 River Market is exhibiting the "Spring Members Show" of the Arkansas League of Artists, and down Clinton at the Courtyard at the Marriott is work by Holly Tilley and other members of the ArtGroup Maumelle.

Christ Church, 509 Scott, is showing "Dream Weavers," work by Sandra Marson. Gallery 221 at 2nd and Center continues the show "Spring Celebration," paintings by Gino Hollander. The jewelry making — making bracelets from found objects — is the event at the Old State House Museum, 300 W. Markham.

Farther afield from downtown but not to be missed: "Beautiful Uprising," woodcuts by LaToya Hobbs at Hearne Fine Art, 1001 Wright Ave., and "From Bauhaus to Your Haus" at StudioMain, 1423 Main. If you don't want to drive, take the trolley. If you don't make it to Hearne this week, you've got to go May 17 and 18, for Friday's reception and Saturday's discussion, "Relevance of Hair."

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Sunny night for 2nd Friday, with mint juleps

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:37:22 -0500

Second Friday Art Night, from 5-8 p.m. tonight, will be unusually festive: The Historic Arkansas Museum, which is showing photographs by 11 members of the Blue Eyed Knocker Photo Club and “Phenomena of Change: Lee Cowan, Mary Ann Stafford and Maria Botti Villegas,” will distract gallery-goers with lessons in how to make a mint julep from David Burnette, bartender at the Capital Hotel Bar and Grill. Jazz musician Tim Anthony will be in concert at the Old State House. Printmaker and Hendrix College assistant professor Melissa Gill will talk about her work, "Prayer for Love," and there will be live music at the Butler Center Galleries of the Arkansas Studies Institute. Marsha Hinson will be the featured artist for the ArtGroup Maumelle at the Courtyard Marriott. Hearne Fine Art is throwing a birthday party for artist Frank Frazier, whose work is on exhibit there. The show “Bridging the Burden: In Their Shoes" continues at the Cox Creative Center and studioMAIN is honoring the late architect Rick Redden.

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Rick Redden Memorial at studioMAIN

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:14:00 -0500

studioMAIN and AMR Architects will host a celebration of the life of the late architect and downtown devotee Rick Redden tonight from 5-9 p.m. The 2nd Friday Art Night event inaugurates studioMAIN's Local Designer Spotlight.

The architectural collaborative space is at 1423 S. Main St.

Redden, 63, died March 27 of cancer. He was a founding member of AMR Architects Inc., designers of Heritage East, Heritage West, Little Rock's Fletcher Library, Little Rock River Market, War Memorial Fitness Center, the Museum of Discovery, the Arkansas Capital Commerce Center, 300 Third Tower and River Market Tower with developer, Moses Tucker.

Redden worked on the ground floor of the Heritage West building, where the Arkansas Times is located, and was always helpful to reporters wanting to know about upcoming projects in the River Market district.

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Art Group Maumelle

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:55:17 -0600

Elisha Alexander-Smith is the featured painter for tonight's 2nd Friday Art Night at the Courtyard Marriott, where The ArtGroup Maumelle shows. There will be painting demonstrations, music and a happy hour; as with all 2nd Friday venues, the event runs 5-8 p.m. The hotel is at 521 President Clinton Ave.

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HAM opens door to Blue-Eyed Knocker club

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0600

The Blue-Eyed Knocker Photo Club of 11 photographers, students of Rita Henry, is showing “Hidden Arkansas” at the Historic Arkansas Museum. For tonight's 2nd Friday Art Night event, Peg Roach Loyd will provide live music.

Exhibiting artists are Cindy Adams, Darrell Adams, Gail Arnold, James Allen, Ann Ballard Bryan, Mary Chamberlain, Ray Chanslor, Susan Crisp, Susan Ebel, Rachel Green and Rachel Louisa Worthen.

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Frank Frazier at Hearne Fine Art

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:05:00 -0600

Frank Frazier's shoe polish and ink take-off on the slaveship Brookes (above) is just one of the artist's simple, lyrical works depicting some aspect of African American life in the exhibition "The Struggle Continues … History Unfolds" at Hearne Fine Art. Hearne will be open for 2nd Friday Art Night from 1:30-3 p.m. (the "matinee") and 5-8 p.m. Frazier will give a talk at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 9.

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Cowan, Stafford, Villegas, EMILE, Dwight

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:42:01 -0600

Here's more on tonight's 2nd Friday Art Night exhibitions from the Art Notes column. Participating galleries are the Courtyard Marriott, Butler Center Galleries, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Old State House Museum, Gallery 221, StudioMain and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. As usual, a trolley will transport gallery-goers between venues.

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Washington's Bibles at HAM

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:19:14 -0600

For two days only, the Bible that George Washington swore upon for his inauguration April 30, 1789, and a Washington family Bible will be on display at the Historic Arkansas Museum. The museum is open 5-8 p.m. tonight for 2nd Friday Art Night.

The Bibles are part of the museum's exhibit "Treasures of Arkansas Freemasons, 1838-2013" in the Study Gallery through July 12, coinciding with the 175th anniversary of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Arkansas.

The Bibles will be at HAM on Saturday all day.

The inaugural Bible is from St. John's Lodge No. 1 in New York, which loaned it to Washington on inauguration day. Other presidents who've use the Bible at their swearing-in are Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. The family Bible is on loan from the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Va., and includes notes in Washington's hand and his signature.

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Printmakers at Butler Center gallery

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:33:57 -0600

Tonight, the Arkansas Society of Printmakers opens what it's calling its “1st Annual Membership Exhibition” in the main gallery at the Butler Center in the Arkansas Studies Institute. Participating in the show are Robert Bean, Win Bruhl, Warren Criswell, Brad Cushman, Sarah Fendley, Melissa Gill, Jorey May Greene, Diane Page Harper, Neal Harrington, Tammy Harrington, Evan Lindquist, Lloyd Litsey, Jesse Perrin, Dominique Simmons, Tom Sullivan, Tod Switch, David Warren and Jane Watson.

The show will offer up examples of printmaking taken to new limits, such as Gill's installation "Prayer for Love," multiple prints hung from the ceiling.

The opening is 5-8 p.m. tonight, with 2nd Friday Art Night. There will be music by Paul Morphis .

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"Bridging the Burden: In Their Shoes"

Leslie Newell Peacock — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:41:08 -0600

The Cox Creative Center, the curved brick building across from the Main Library operated by the Central Arkansas Library System, will open an exhibit Friday of the shoes of Arkansas soldiers who fought and died in Iraq and Afghanistan. The exhibition will be open after hours, 5-8 p.m., for 2nd Friday Art Night, and there will be a reception at 6:30 p.m.

The exhibition is a joint project of students of Lyon College in Batesville and the Coalition of Peace and Justice in Little Rock. Throughout the exhibition, Lyon College students will collect condolence messages for the families of the soldiers. The show, which will also feature artwork from students and Afghan artists responding to the war, will run through April 27.

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Mary Shelton, Sean LeCrone, Rex Deloney, Marty Smith

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:10:33 -0600

Named (respectively) in the headline are just a few of the artists who'll have work at Christ Church, Gallery 221, Hearne Fine Art and the Historic Arkansas Museum at tonight's 2nd Friday Art Night after-hours art event. Also participating: the Butler Center Galleries, with new show "Clinton for Arkansas 1974-1992"; the Courtyard at the Marriott, with members of the ArtGroup Maumelle; and the Old State House, where classical violinist Geoff Roland will play. StudioMain at 1423 Main St. will feature the Pettaway Neighborhood plan.

Other artists whose works are included in Hearne Fine Art's V.I.T.A.L. Collective show “Celebrating Cultures, Liberating Minds” besides Deloney are Melverue Abraham, Ariston Jacks, LeRon McAdoo, LaToya Hobbs and Michael Worsham. Showing with LeCrone at Gallery 221 are Jennifer Cox Coleman, Jennifer “Emile” Freeman, Peggy Roberson, Michael Freeman, Mary Ann Stafford, Laurens Hare, Carolyn Hendrix and Amanda Wyman. “Beyond the Expected: Norwood Creech, Paulette Palmer and Edward Wade Jr.” continues at H.A.M. and the Butler Center Galleries are also featuring the Arkansas League of Artists exhibition and “Solastalgia,” paintings by Susan Chambers and weavings by Louise Halsey.

As always, trolleys will provide free transportation to the various venues tonight.

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Eggnog and art

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:03:53 -0600

The 8th Ever Nog-off at the Historic Arkansas Museum and the "Home(Brew) for the Holidays" at the Old State House Museum should make for some very merry art touring for 2nd Friday Art Night 5-8 p.m. tonight.

HAM's eggnog competition among noggers Bridget Farris, Drue Patton, Bill Worthen and chefs from the Capitol Hotel, Copper Grill and Loblolly Creamery. There will be a people's award and an award bestowed by guest judges. Oh yes, there's art at the HAM, as well: “Beyond the Expected: Norwood Creech, Paulette Palmer and Edward Wade Jr.”; “Jared Hogue: Mini Faces”; “Barbie Doll: The 11 ½-inch American Icon”; and “A Collective Vision,” recent acquisitions. Lark in the Morning will play acoustic Celtic to sway rosy-cheeked to.

The Old State House is serving "holiday beers" from the Central Arkansas Fermenters Club, and will have music by Mark Bileu and Cindy Woolf.

Now well lubricated, head over to other Art Night venues: Hearne Fine Art (work by Kevin Cole); the Butler Center Galleries (Susan Chambers, Louise Halsey, Arkansas League of Artists and works from the permanent collection); the Courtyard Marriott (Vickie Hendrix-Siebenmorgen), and Gallery 221 (Mel Fowler, Glen Ledford, Rae Ann Bayless).

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Cockrill, Creech, Wade, Palmer and apple pie drinks

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:08:24 -0600

There's so much going on between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. tonight downtown that you'll need to fleet of foot or ask the trolley driver to speed. There are new exhibits in the Butler Center Galleries, the Historic Arkansas Museum, Hearne Fine Art, StudioMain, the Courtyard Marriott and Gallery 221. There will be live music at several venues, including the Bernice Sculpture Garden just down from StudioMain, part of SOMA's PopUp event that runs through Saturday. Food, including barbecue at HAM and s'mores at the Old State House. Drink (including a ginger-apple-pie concoction from Rock Town Distilleries at OSH). Are you psyched yet?

Here's the art part of 2nd Friday Art Night: The Butler Center has gone to its permanent collection for a diverse "From the Vault" show, including historical paintings by Donald Draper, works on paper by visionary artist Arthur Grain, sculpture by Mary Cockrill and more. The ArtGroupMaumelle brings "Art to Remember" to the Marriott, and highlights work by Lori Pilkington Weeks.

Works on paper are at Gallery 221 and Hearne Fine Art has two exhibits: “American Spring: A Cause For Justice,” quilts designed around societal issues, and “And the Band Played On,” work by Kevin Cole.

At HAM, “Beyond the Expected: Norwood Creech, Paulette Palmer and Edward Wade Jr.” features multimedia landscapes (Creech), sculpture (Palmer) and watercolors (Wade), and "Mini Faces" features caricatures by Jared Hogue. HAM will also have music by John Cook, barbecue from Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, and booksignings by Kat Robinson and Edmond Davis.

There's s'mores at the Old State House — and kettle corn, hot cider, the aforementioned Rocktown libations and music by the Good Times Ramblers. StudioMain will feature information on the PopUp street design and an exhibition of the AIA 2012 Arkansas design award winners.

On your mark ...

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Kuhl Brown at Christ Church

Leslie Newell Peacock — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Christ Church's new exhibition for the 2nd Friday Art Night gallery stroll is "The Watercolor Series of Kuhl Brown." The show will include the Hillcrest artist's landscapes and other subjects. The show opens Oct. 12 with the 5-8 p.m. Art Night reception and runs through Dec. 14. Don't forget: Rubber-wheeled trolleys will take you to Art Night venues so you don't have to worry about parking.

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Hearne Fine Art: A lesson in art acquisition

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:05:59 -0500

Hearne Fine Art, which will be open from 5-8 p.m. tonight for 2nd Friday Art Night, is exhibiting work by artists contemporary and 19th century, self-taught and professional, nationally known and locally known as part of educational exhibit about art acquisition.

"The Power of Art: Establishing Generational Wealth" examines art as investment and features work by Benny Andrews, Edward Bannister, Ernie Barnes, Richmond Barthe, Dr. John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert Duncanson, Paul Goodnight, Jonathan Green, Latoya Hobbs, George Hunt, Richard Hunt, Clementine Hunter, Dean Mitchell, CE Porter, Henry Ossawa Tanner, TWIN and Ernest Withers.
A press release on the show says:

Many circumstances have led to the collection of work in this show. However, the value remains consistent as the gallery setting provides the most appropriate venue for the preservation and sale of art.

Hearne has a "matinee" reception from 1-3 p.m. for folks who like to do things early.

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Lange at Butler, Krain at HAM, etc.

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:41:55 -0500

Reminder: Tonight is 2nd Friday Art Night, with Depression-era photographs at the Butler Center, Arkansas Arts Council fellows at HAM, a public idea-gathering workshop on downtown design at StudioMain, a Louie Jordan tribute at the Old State House (with music by the Greasy Greens), work by the ArtGroup Maumelle at the Courtyard Marriott, and paintings and more at Gallery 221 at Pyramid Place.

The galleries will be open 5-8 p.m. (5-9 at StudioMain) and there will be free trolley transportation between venues. There is also free parking at 3rd and Cumberland.

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New venue: Curran Hall

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:09:54 -0500

David Bell and Dixie Rogers inaugurate Curran Hall (Little Rock's Visitor Information Center) as the newest venue in the 2nd Friday Art Night art troll downtown tonight, bringing the total participating art venues to 11. Ride the trolley and enjoy the wine.

Also on tonight's trolley route:

The Butler Center Galleries, 401 President Clinton Ave., which has opened "Pattern in Perspective: Recent Work by Carly Dahl and Dustyn Bork," painting and printmaking by the Batesville artist couple.

Christ Episcopal Church, 509 Scott St., which is showing "Art Musings," work by clients of the Creative Expressions program of the Arkansas State Hospital.

The Courtyard at the Marriott, which is showing TheArtGoup Maumelle, with Debby Hinson as featured artist.

Design Inspirations, a new clothing, jewelry and art store at 300 River Market.

Gallery 221, 221 W. Second St., which is showing work by Jennifer Cox Coleman, Catherine Rodgers, Larry Hare, Cynthia Ragan and others.

The Green Corner Store, 1423 Main St., which has postcard art by George Wittenberg.

Hearne Fine Art, 1001 Wright Ave., which is showing work by 24 artists who've been with the gallery for 24 years in "Montage 24."

Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third, where the Blue-Collared Greens will provide music, Diamond Bear Brewery will offer beer tastings and the new exhibit of recent acquisitions, "A Collective Vision," is up.

The Old State House Museum, 300 W. Markham, where "Battle Colors of Arkansas" is on view.

StudioMain, 1423 S. Main St.: The "Main Street Student Competition," designs by UA architecture students for a future Main Street (vote for the People's Choice Award!).

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W. Michael Spain at Zin

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:32:29 -0500

At the Arkansas Times, W. Michael Spain is Mike, and we've known about his other life as an fine artist for a while. Tonight, it's your turn. Head over to Zin Urban Wine and Beer Bar, at 300 River Market Ave., with the rest of the 2nd Friday Art Night trolley trollers, and see our longtime art director's sharp-edged geometric paintings.

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HAM: Tim Imhauser, Jason Powers and Emily Wood

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:18:24 -0500

Sculpture by Tim Imhauser, graphite drawings by Jason Powers and paintings on plywood by Emily Wood go on display today at the Historic Arkansas Museum in an exhibit named "Creating the Elements of Discovery." The 2nd Friday Art Night reception, from 5-8 p.m. tonight, will also feature a book-signing by Jane Hankins, who's given literary life to her three-dimensional figures in the book "Madge's Mobile Home Park," and music by Sean Rock and Roland Gladden on guitar and upright bass.

The rubber-wheeled trolley will help art lovers troll tonight between HAM, StudioMain, the Butler Center Galleries in the Arkansas Studies Institute, Gallery 221, and the River Market. The trolley ends its run at 8:30 p.m.

A news release about the HAM show says "each artist’s approach makes way for a subtle discovery, into object, person and place."

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StudioMain: "Student Perception"

Leslie Newell Peacock — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:16:56 -0500

At tomorrow night's art troll around downtown, get a peek at the possible future of South Main Street at StudioMain, 1423 S. Main St. There, from 5-9 p.m., you'll see "Student Perception," an exhibit of revitalization ideas by architecture students from the University of Arkansas Community Design Center in Fayetteville. Their work is part of a larger redevelopment plan for the 60-block area known as the Pettaway neighborhood.

Also on exhibit at StudioMain for 2nd Friday: the winning entries from the Wine and Design Fashion Show put on April 26 by local members of the American Society of Interior Designers.

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Rockefeller celebrates Rockefeller

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:37:49 -0500

"Rockefeller Elementary Celebrates Governor Rockefeller," an exhibit designed by Rockefeller students and teachers that gives a history of the late governor of Arkansas through photographs, documents and artwork, is on exhibit at the Butler Center Galleries in the Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 President Clinton Ave., which will celebrate 2nd Friday Art Night tonight with a reception from 5-8 p.m. Matt Stone and Friends will provide live music.

Also on exhibit, in ASI's Concordia Hall, is “Making a Place: The Jewish Experience in Arkansas.”

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Nate Powell at HAM

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:16:14 -0500

An exhibit of drawings by celebrated Arkansas-born graphic artist Nate Powell opens today at the Historic Arkansas Museum; the 2nd Friday Art Night reception for the artist is 5-8 p.m. tonight.

"Nate Powell: Cross Sections" includes work from a dozen projects over a 14-year period. Powell is the winner of the 2009 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel for "Swallow Me Whole" and 2008 and 2009 Ignatz Awards for Outstanding Artist and Outstanding Debut.

Powell, who formed the punk ensemble Soophie Nun Squad with artist Michael Lierly and Nathan Wilson, writes about the show:

With this exhibition, I present core samples from more than a dozen different projects over 14 years. The first period of work, from 1998 to about 2005, is defined by focus on failed communication, guilt, transience, and thinly-veiled desire. The second era, lasting until about 2008, is more focused on unassuming depictions of highly subjective experiences and characters, finally exploring dread, menace, selfishness, and loss of control. Works from 2009 to 2012 condense these questions, reintroducing them as more pointed narratives about Southern culture, shifting notions of identity, questionable legacies, and the threat of violence.

The Isaac Alexander Band will play and Sharea Soup will serve soup. Powell's work will hang in the second floor gallery through June 3.

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Harris, Uptigrove, Richard, Massey, Leflar

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:17:43 -0600

Louise Harris is the featured Artgroup Maumelle artist at the Courtyard Marriott tonight, 5-8 p.m. The 2nd Friday Art Night event will feature a painting demonstration and other works by members of the artists' collective.

The Smittle Band will play and wine provided by Crush Wine Bar will be tasted at Historic Arkansas Museum's 2nd Friday event. On exhibit are works by Tom Richard, Bryan Massey, Sarah May Leflar and Amber Uptigrove.

StudioMain at 1423 Main St. has an architectural exhibit, "The History of Our Downtown"; the Green Corner Store next door has "recycled art"; and the Old State House Museum is showing "Things You Need to Hear: Memories of Group Up in Arkansas from 1890 to 1980."

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"Making a Place" at the Butler Center

Leslie Newell Peacock — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:58:33 -0600

An exhibit that focuses on Jewish history in Arkansas opens tomorrow in the Arkansas Studies Institute's Butler Center main gallery. Reception is 5-8 p.m. Friday, for 2nd Friday Art Night.

"Making a Place: The Jewish Experience in Arkansas" will included photographs and other artifacts to that illustrate Jewish immigration, their initial isolation, and eventual assimilation and success in business here.

The Arkansas Studies Institute is an apt place to present the exhibition, given the building's Concordia Hall, which served as a social gathering place for Jewish residents in the late 19th century.

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Slideshow: Coburn, Richard, Stowe, Massey, McKissick ...

Leslie Newell Peacock — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:04:33 -0600

Pictures are more valuable than words, right? So here's a slideshow of some of the work that will be on view tonight at the various 2nd Friday Art Night venues. Read more about the evening's offerings from 5-8 p.m. here.

Also, here's a map I've stolen from the Downtown Partnership! Click on it to get 2nd Friday locations.

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