Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Local notes
VETS INVITED TO SHOW ART
Current and former military servicemen and women in a four-state area — Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas — are invited to submit artwork for an exhibition to be held at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum in 2021.
“Creative Forces: Honoring Heroes” will be a fourmonth exhibition lasting from May 21 to Sept. 19. Entries — visual art of any medium — are due April 2. See the website for submission guidelines.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, it is estimated that 10-18% of the approximately 3 million U.S. service members deployed from 2001 to 2018 returned home with PTSD. The fear, depression, negative moods and nightmares connected with post-traumatic stress disorder interrupt their daily lives.
The mental health issues exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic — social distancing and unemployment — are especially hard for people with depression and PTSD.
The aim of the RAM exhibition is to raise awareness about PTSD, help alleviate the symptoms and give servicemen and women a venue to tell their individual stories. All works in the group exhibition will be for sale and will benefit the participating artists and RAM’s Art4Healing Program.
Information: fsram.org.
DAIRY HOLLOW HOSTS COOMER
The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow will present, “The Artful Writer: Exploring the Connection between Image and Word,” Sept. 11-13, instructed by Sandy Coomer, poet, artist and WCDH veteran.
This three-day, two-night workshop is a mix of writing
and hands-on art. Participants will discover new ways of experiencing their unique creativity by practicing ekphrastic writing in the genre of their choice, delving into color theory, and writing in response to colors. In addition, each student will create art in the style of acrylic pour paintings.
This workshop is appropriate for all adults. Absolutely no prior experience is necessary, only an adventurous and creative spirit, curiosity and willingness to try new things. Attendance is limited.
Information: writers colony.org or (479) 253-7444.
HOPE CANCER OFFERS SUPPORT
• Free Tobacco Cessation Program: Hope Cancer Resources’ certified health education specialist is available to support members of the community who are looking to quit smoking with nicotine replacement therapy and counseling.
• Emotional Support Through Cancer Battle: Hope Cancer Resources’ team of counselors and social
workers are supporting cancer patients and their families every day with a focus on emotional health, no matter the circumstance. • Virtual Wellness Classes For Cancer Patients and Caregivers: The Wellness Center for Hope at Hope Cancer Resources has created a yoga and fitness class schedule via Zoom and Facebook Live.
Information: (479) 3615847.
DATES SET FOR GRANTS
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program announces deadlines for the newest round of grants. These grant programs include the division’s popular County Courthouse Restoration Grants and Historic Preservation Restoration Grants.
Letters of intent are due on Nov. 13. A free application workshop will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 3 via Zoom. RSVPs for the workshop are required.
Additional deadlines include the Courthouse Grant application to AHPP on Jan. 29 and the Historic Preservation
Restoration Grant application due March 5. Applicants must create a free login/password through the online portal atwww.arkansas preservation.com/programs/ funding/grants-programs. Winners are usually announced in June during a public ceremony.
Information: (501) 3249883 or email Joia.Burton@ arkansas.gov.
OLLI OFFERS NEW CLASSES
The Osher Lifelong Institute at the University of Arkansas has announced the following classes for the upcoming week:
Sept. 8: “The Last Supper, Deconstructed” Leonardo da Vinci was a master of optical illusion. Methods used in The Last Supper were executed so cleverly and with such mathematical precision that they are unnoticed by most observers, as they are transported
instead to the deeper meaning of the work. Did you know that the implied lines in the painting converge at a single point? Why is this point just behind Christ’s right temple? What do the figures, expressions and foods symbolize? Did Leonardo utilize hammers, nails and string to lay out the design? Did his experiments with fresco cause the painting’s deterioration? Were Napoleon’s horses also to blame? Are the mysterious claims in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code fantasy or fiction? Designed for all ages, this course deconstructs this famous work, with instructor demonstrations of aerial and linear perspective, and a selection of short videos from sources with high academic credibility, such as the Smithsonian Institute. Finally, participants are provided materials to attempt Leonardo’s techniques, with instructor guidance. $49
members, $64 nonmembers.
Sept. 9: “A Preview of Coming Attractions: TheatreSquared, UA Theatre, and Trike Theatre,” $19 members, $34 nonmembers.
Sept. 9: “Drinking in the Ozarks: Ozark Brewing Company,” $29 members, $44 nonmembers.
Sept. 10: “The Early Christian Church before Christendom” (virtual and in-person), $35 members, $50 nonmembers
Sept. 11: “Arkansas’s Most Endangered Historic Places (Virtual and In-Person)” $55 members, $70 nonmembers.
Information: (479) 5754545 or olli.uark.edu.
Send news about local events, charity fundraisers and family or class reunions to ourtown@ nwadg.com. Deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday for Sunday publication. Please include a phone number or email address for publication.