Internationally known artist Jay Shinn to present at SAAC
During the month of July, the South Arkansas Arts Center will present a visual art exhibition entitled “Step Forward/Stand Back,” by internationally known artist and Magnolia native Jay Shinn. Shinn’s work, which will fill the Merkle and Price Galleries, includes large-scale graphic abstract paintings, as well as several works incorporating elements of neon light. The exhibition opens to the public on July 1, and closes on Saturday, July 24, with a closing reception at 6:00 p.m.
Shinn, who was born in Magnolia and took some of his earliest art classes at SAAC, now lives and works between Dallas, New York, and Berlin. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and is an alumnus of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Some of his first art education experiences, however, took place at the South Arkansas Arts Center in El dorado.
Known for his large-scale public art light installations of projection paintings and neon,
Shinn has spent his career exploring minimal geometric abstraction through color and light. His works are in many private and public collections worldwide including Houston’s Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport; Texas A&M University’s Zachary School of Engineering Education Complex; and the Kansas City Chief’s Arrowhead
Stadium.
“Step Forward/Stand Back” was created by a distinct moment in time. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought an abrupt halt to all our lives, Shinn’s busy travel and exhibition schedule was instantly interrupted. That great pause, however, created space for reflection, and directed his thoughts back to the South Arkansas Arts Center. The works included in this exhibition represent the strength of his unique voice in color, light, and movement. They also draw a direct connection between his earliest efforts as a student artist at SAAC, an example of which can be seen just inside the gallery door, to his mature work in neon, acrylic, and projection.
The exhibition may be viewed between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the South Arkansas Arts Center, 110 E. 5th St., El Dorado.
For more information, call 870-862-5474, or visit our website at www.saac-arts.org.