Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Holiday Shopping Blossoms With Fine Art In The Garden
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and Art Ventures Northwest Arkansas (formerly Underground Fayetteville) are partnering to offer holiday shoppers a chance to support local artists — and cross off some items on their gift list — at a Fine Art Market from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. A portion of the proceeds will benefit both the garden and Art Ventures.
Some 15 local artists will be offering their work for sale in mediums that include photography, sculpture, oil painting, blown glass, pencil drawing, watercolor and mixed media. Participating artists include Karen Ahuja, Cheri Bohn, Heather Chilson, Amy Eichler, Celestine Eichler, MJ Fentis, Tom Flynn, Elizabeth James, Eloa Jane, Shabana Kauser, Neon Glittery, Linda Sheets, Kenneth Siemens, Kathleen Siegfried and Joelle Storet.
Liz Atwell, BGO communi-cations coordinator, says the idea came up after the garden’s successful partnership with Art Ventures this summer for the Art & Cocktails in the Garden event, where local artists’ work was displayed outdoors on the BGO grounds.
“I feel like art and nature sort of go hand in hand,” says Atwell. “The garden shows off the beauty of nature and the outdoors, and this is another way to showcase beauty — by highlighting local artists. And a lot of these artists focus on nature in their mediums so there’s kind of an overlap of the two.”
For the summer event, art work was displayed outside, in the garden. Atwell says for the winter event, however, the event hall will be used to display the art — with one exception.
“We will have a few pieces outside,” she says. “Tom Flynn does kinetic sculpture with reclaimed metal. He makes bugs and different kinds of creatures, and there will be a few pieces like that outside, illuminated so that they can be seen.”
The BGO is extending its regular hours to 7 p.m. for the event, and access to the garden, the Fine Art Market, and the garden’s gift shop is free on this day.
“We’re hopeful folks will be excited about the opportunity to shop local and support local artists,” says Atwell. “We’re excited to be supporting them in this way.”