Art league to showcase native’s work
The Pine Bluff Art League will host an art exhibition featuring work by Pine Bluff native Melissa Abernathy in May at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave. The league invites the public to attend an open reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday. Refreshments will be served, according to a news release.
Abernathy is a Pine Bluff High School graduate and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in fine arts and photography at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“She has a history of connecting with the local arts community. From The Little Red Firehouse art classes in her youth, once located in Pine Bluff, to photography and watercolor workshops at the Arkansas Art Center as an adult, she has found ‘Photography and any art really is about learning how to see what is right in front of you. Even the smallest of things can have beauty,’” according to the release.
As an art league member, she is learning, taking workshops and meeting like-minded people. She currently serves as the chairman of the art league’s annual Juried Exhibit.
Abernathy has won several awards for her work from the art league, the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the Grand Prairie Art Center at Stuttgart.
She and her husband, Scott Abernathy, have been married 39 years. They have two sons, Christopher and Nicholas. Scott Abernathy worked for Union Pacific and Little Rock, and she worked part time. Both of them volunteered at their children’s schools and at church. The Abernathys enjoy volunteering at ASC.
The Pine Bluff Art League annual membership dues are $40 until March 15. Afterwards, membership is $45. Checks for dues can be mailed to to Pine Bluff Art League, Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Building, 211 W. Third Ave., Box 8, Pine Bluff, AR 71601.
Members may have their work shown at the Arts & Science Center at the league’s Juried Exhibition. Details: pbal.org or contact PBAL member Vickie Coleman at (870) 540-9975 or mediapinebluffartleague@gmail.com.