Godsman selected as April’s featured artist
The Bella Vista Arts Council is pleased to honor writer Doug Godsman as the April 2022 featured artist.
Godsman will be honored at a public reception from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the Bella Vista Public Library located at 11 Dickens Place.
It took Godsman a long time to unleash his love of writing. Starting with a memoir and now fiction, he is dredging up stories from locations enjoyed during his extensive travels — 55 countries to date.
He was born on a sheep farm in the Borders of Scotland during World War II but left for northeast Scotland and the market town and fishing port of Aberdeen soon after. His school years were marked by scholastic and athletic awards, which led him to the University of Aberdeen where he studied Scots Law and Economics, bawdy songs and rugby.
Godsman immigrated first to Canada in 1966 and then to the United States in 1995. Since then, he has lived in California and Northwest Arkansas as a legal alien.
Ellis Island in New York is one of Godsman’s travel highlights. He visited the fabled halls in 2010 and was immeasurably moved by the immigrant stories still ricocheting the walls there. It’s no surprise that Ellis Island became a major character in his novel Highland Justice, the first volume of a trilogy.
The first two books of this trilogy — Highland Justice and Highland Journey — can be found at the Bella Vista Library or purchased online. The third — Highland Jubilee — is forthcoming.
Godsman lives in NWA with his sweetheart Phyllis, his Schnauzer Max, Phyllis’ Sheltie Conan, and Ziggy the cat. His daughter, son and grandchildren still call Calgary, Alberta home.
The Bella Vista Arts Council, an advisory board to the City Council, was created by the City Council in February 2016 to help promote the arts in Bella Vista. Board members are Demara Titzer (president) and Shelli Kerr, with one board vacancy. The board established an Artist of the Month program, in which selected artists and their work will be showcased and recognized for their achievements.
A committee will choose each month from qualified artists, who must be residents of Bella Vista. Events will be held in a location around the city. Submit nominations via email to artscouncil@bellavistaar.gov.