Gallery Walk gets underway tonight
The monthly Hot Springs Gallery Walk, 5-9 p.m. today, will showcase works of art created by local and visiting artists. Featured artists are often present to discuss their pieces and guests have the opportunity to see a wide range of fine art. The free “first Friday” event and opening receptions are open to the public.
American Art Gallery
724 Central Ave.
Featuring art by Jamie Carter, Jimmy Leach, Ellen Schumacher, Carole Beam and Bill Sorrells. Ernie Bolieu will show jewelry he has made, and Patricia Bailey will show crystal wire wrapped jewelry. New pottery and pine needle baskets by Valerie Hanks-Goetz are also on display, along with books signed by Mike Blythe of Then and Now. Thomas Kinkade Studio work is in Gallery II.
Artists’ Workshop Gallery
610-A Central Ave.
Joanne Kunath and Tony Tabone are the featured artists for Gallery Walk.
Kunath retired to Arkansas from California in 2005. Inspired by the natural beauty of Arkansas and its four seasons, her Featured Artist display for the month of November will showcase colorful landscapes and fanciful flower designs.
Kunath’s knowledge and application of pastel, acrylics and alcohol inks to the paintings allow her to express her love of color. “Color enhances her energy and passion to create God’s peacefulness of nature,” a news release said.
An active member for the last
14 years in the Hot Springs area art community, Kunath displays her paintings at Artists’ Workshop Gallery and at Fit for Life Gym in Hot Springs Village.
Tabone grew up in Tupelo, Miss., where he graduated with honors in Art from Tupelo High School. He moved to Arkansas in 1998.
“Tabone’s love for nature and the outdoors is deeply ingrained in his character and often finds its way into his favorite medium, Scratchboard. He was introduced to this medium in his last year of high school and has worked extensively in this medium for over
20 years,” the release said. Scratchboard is a two-dimensional subtractive art form. The medium typically consists of a white kaolin clay-coated hardboard, covered with black India ink. Various Exacto blades and needles are used to scratch into the clay, to which Tabone then adds color with a brush. He then re-scratches the piece creating work with exceptional detail and realism, a tedious yet gratifying process. Due to the depth of detail Tabone can achieve through Scratchboard, he now works exclusively in the medium.
Artists’ Workshop Gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Blue Waters Fine Art & Design
825 Central Ave.
Blue Waters Fine Art & Design presents earthy pit-fired pottery and elegant hand-forged iron for November Gallery Walk.
“The process of pit-fired pottery is an ancient, primitive method used by the Quapaw and other Native Americans, and in Native cultures around the world. A kiln is not required, but because of the unpredictable surges in temperature, some breakage of the ware is almost certain, so the artist must accept that as a part of the experience. The process is unpredictable, but successful results can resemble ancient artifacts from centuries past,” a news release said.
After the pot is formed and dried for a bit, the leather hard surface is polished with a smooth stone to create a shiny surface that will accept the carbon of the wood ash during the firing. A pit is dug in the ground, and wood is stacked around the pots and lit afire. It will burn then cool until the wood has charcoaled. During the firing, the introduction of earth elements such as iron and copper causes subtle colors to appear in the clay. The type of fuel and various combustibles introduced into the fire also changes the surface of the vessels.
“I try whatever is available at the time: banana peels, coconut coir, fish chow, nutshells, duck feathers, etc.,” Laura Blue Waters says. “Sometimes it is a good idea, and sometimes it isn’t. If whatever it is melts and leaves a mark, it’s great. If whatever it is just sticks to the pot and creates a rough surface, it ruins the piece. Through trial and error, some stellar results were achieved during my last firings.” After the pots are removed from the charcoal, they are cleaned and polished with bee’s wax to enhance the colors and fire marks.
Tri-lakes Ornamental Ironwork artisans made some new pieces for November, including small fall leaves with beautiful patina-enhanced surfaces. Gallery artists include Don Watson with his large oil on canvas paintings, Dave Rhodes and works from his “Duned” series, Dayna Carter’s metal totems from her “Weapons” series, and tiny icons by Romanian artist Daniel Stancu.
Landmark Building HSU-Hot Springs Academic Initiatives
201 Market St.
Visit the “Hot Springs en Plein-air” exhibit at the Landmark Building during Gallery Walk and celebrate the fall season with new paintings that have been added to the exhibit since last month’s Gallery Walk.
Adventure Art Experiences owner and plein-air instructor Andrew Darr will be in the Landmark parking lot with the Adventure Art Experiences camping trailer. Darr takes this trailer on trips across the U.S. conducting plein-air workshops at camping areas. He will demonstrate plein-air painting and will have information about the autumn plein-air workshops that he will be doing in the Hot Springs area. Several of Darr’s Hot Springs plein-air paintings are in the exhibit.
Acoustic guitarist Terry Everson will perform original and other classical guitar pieces. Everson has recently moved back to Hot Springs and is playing at several Hot Springs venues. At 6:15 p.m., a memorial reading of a Bud Kenny poem will be read by a local poet.
Beer tasting from Superior Bathhouse Brewery will be offered. The beers include the Märzen German-style lager Oktubafestbier, the Ohio Club blond ale Madden’s
No.1, the West Coast style IPA Northwoods, and the dark bock Goat Rock Bock.
En plein-air is the French expression for “in the open” and is the term used for artwork painted outdoors instead of in the studio. Hot Springs plein-air artists and Hot Springs National Park Artists-in-Residence created artwork while visiting the national park, city and state parks, various art festivals, and historic buildings.
The exhibit artists are Shirley Anderson, Jan Briggs, M.A. Darr, Hugh Dunnahoe, Catherine Hillis, Dolores Justus, John P. Lasater IV, Camiel Kannard, Alison Parsons, Cynthia Schanink, Gary Simmons, Richard Stephens, Don Watson, Steve Whitfield, Caryl Joy Young, and Longhua Xu.
“Hot Springs en Plein-air” is showing through Dec 6. The exhibit is sponsored by Entergy Park, Henderson State University, Arkansas Small Business of Technology and Development, and Hot Springs National Park. The Landmark Building is open 5-8 p.m. on Gallery Walk night and the gallery is open by appointment Monday through Sunday. Call Donna Dunnahoe at 501-545-0534 or email hsu. landmark@yahoo.com for more information.
Justus Fine Art Gallery
827-A Central Ave.
The November exhibit at Justus Fine Art Gallery, 827-A Central Ave., will feature a selection of sculptures and paintings by Robyn Horn.
A range of Horn’s sculptures from her Millstone and Slipping Stone Series to her Industrial Series will be included in the show, along with new paintings that reflect her interest in texture, movement, and the balance of organic elements with geometric form.
The show will open with a reception from 5-9 p.m. today in conjunction with the monthly Gallery Walk in downtown Hot Springs. The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 30.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment. Call 321-2335 or visit http://www.justusfineart.com for more information.
Legacy Fine Art Gallery
802-B Central Ave.
Legacy Fine Art Gallery will be open during Gallery Walk. “We invite you all to come join us in remembering our friend and local artist, Daisy McDonald at 5:30 p.m.,” a news release said.
Traditional Art Guild
Whittington Gallery and Studios
307 Whittington Ave. Guests can help Traditional Art Guild choose its favorite piece of art. TAG’s 2019 People’s Choice
Exhibition will be for love and “bragging rights.” The top three will be awarded ribbons at 8 p.m. “This is going to be a lot of fun and shouldn’t be missed.” Free parking is available. This art will be available for purchase and will remain displayed in the Lauren Knowles Annex Gallery at the Whittington for the month of November.
Whittington Gallery and Studios
307 Whittington Ave. Whittington Gallery will be open from 5-9 p.m. today. The Tone chasers will be playing music all night and free food and beverages will be served. “Come see the works of our 51 local artists in our 5,000 square-foot gallery,” a news release said. “We have some great Christmas gift ideas! Lots of easy free parking.” The giveaway drawing will be art by new artist Joe Wilcox, self-proclaimed “Idiot with a paint brush.”