Artist Began Painting As A Child

LINCOLN — Marye Jone Huckins cannot remember a time she didn’t like to paint pictures.

“When I was a little I had a watercolor paint set and would paint pictures,” Huckins said. “I’ve always loved art but really got into professionally in 1984.”

Huckins has an artist studio in her Prairie Grove home but plans to join other artists in a new studio above the restored A. R. Carroll Drugstore in Cane Hill.

“I can’t wait until it’s ready for us to use,” Huckins said as she revealed a painting of the front of the drugstore she was working on during demonstration painting day last month at the Lincoln Public Library.

Huckins also brought a few of her finished works of art to display for library visitors as they stopped by to watch Huckins and other local artists work.

“My inspiration for art is a love of color,” Huckins said. She paints still- lifes, portraits and landscapes.

A large and colorful landscape painting was resting on an easel at the front of the library. An example of Huckins’ still- life artwork sat on a medium size easel. It featured a colorful table cloth with a bowl of red apples.

Huckins said when she paints still-life, she lights it from one side. “It’s so I can get a good feeling for the light and shadows.”

When she pa in ts portraits, she has a person sit for the painting once or twice and then takes a photograph.

“With real life, I have someone sit for a portrait so I can get a feel for the light, their personality and coloring,” she said. She then completes the portrait using the photograph.

Huckins has had exhibitions at Acapulco, Mexico at its Cultural Center and other galleries in Mexico.

“I have shown there every year until the last four years,” she said.

She also has exhibited her art a couple of times at the Arkansas Apple Festi- val held at Lincoln and the Prairie Grove Clothesline Fair.

Huckins paints for her own enjoyment but also sells some of her paintings. She can be reached at 479- 846-2362 if anyone is interested in a portrait or purchasing her artwork.

PAT HARRIS ENTERPRISE-LEADER Marye Jones Huckins of Prairie Grove “loves art” and it shows in the many paintings of still-lifes and landscapes she paints. Huckins also does individual portraits.

PAT HARRIS ENTERPRISE-LEADER Marye Huckins brought an unfinished painting of the A.R. Carroll Drugstore in Cane Hill to the Lincoln Public Library so library patrons could watch Huckins and other local artists demonstrate how to paint. The library was holding a painting...