Shira and Shawn Fouste have visited Eureka Springs for many years, and fulfilled a dream when they moved here 13 weeks ago after purchasing the Evening Shade Inn at 3079 E. Van Buren (US 62) on the east side of town. Shawn retired from the Army about a year ago, and Shira has worked as administrative assistant of a YWCA and payroll accountant while doing artwork and crafting in her spare time.
As a graduate with a degree in art with a focus on photography, Shira knows that being an artist doesn’t always pay the bills.
“I love creating art, but it can be a struggle to make a living at it,” Shira said. “Being an artist doesn’t always pay the bills. We have a great place here, a nice inn with luxury accommodations. So, we decided to do what we can to promote Eureka Springs as an art town by inviting artists to come and stay for free in return for leaving a piece of their artwork to decorate the inn. We give them all the amenities we give everyone else, such as afternoon treats and a breakfast basket.”
It can be difficult for artists to establish a reputation, and hard for the average person to afford fine art. Artists put a lot of work and energy into creation, so they have to charge an appropriate amount. The Foustes say swapping art for lodging benefits the artists not just with a free place to stay, but exposure that’s hard to get. And it allows Evening Shade to be able to display unique art.
“If we had to pay for it out of pocket, we wouldn’t be able to display fine art around our facility,” Shira said. “This is affording us a new opportunity. It’s taking us to new level from mass produced art. We live in an inspiring place, and this is a place where artists are welcome.”
Shira said the previous owners did a great job with the inn that has eight units. The Evening Shade Inn has been open since 1992, and has an older Victorian feel. The Foustes are trying to turn it into an artsy, eclectic meld of colors and periods.
“We would like to give visitors something more to see than if they were coming to stay at a standard bed and breakfast,” she said. “We have a large gift shop space that will be open for anyone in the community to come and view the artwork. These are not treasures we are keeping for ourselves. We want people to really enjoy them. We are grateful to have beautiful art pieces to display and add one more cool touch for our community that draws people from many different states.”
They have no specific requirements for the type of artist. An early visitor was Dan Thornhill from Little Rock, who does cubist work. This past week, Sheena Standingbear from Neosho, Mo., and her partner, musician Jazon Brown, visited.
Sheena said she and Jazon frequently come to Eureka Springs for entertainment. They really appreciated the opportunity to stay at Evening Shade while Sheena painted on turkey feathers. While she has sold her nature-themed work to individuals in all 50 states – mostly to hunters and fishermen – she loves the idea of having her art in a boutique setting.
“The whole weekend was really wonderful,” Sheena, who is also a songwriter and musician, said. “It was sweet that we could help each other out. All my art is related to nature. I do artwork from turkey feathers because I’m a bow hunter who harvests turkeys. I also do wood art including imagery of 3-D butterflies.”
The Foustes are enjoying their early days living in Eureka Springs.
“It is a town unlike any other,” Shira said. “I do think that there is something special here. We have met so many cool people. There is a magnetism of sorts that definitely speaks to you. We really want this community to thrive because it’s a treasure. I have been coming here my whole life.”
Shawn said they had long been interested in owning an inn after he retired from the Army. When they came to shop for property in Eureka Springs, Evening Shade was a perfect fit. While most of the properties in town are on small acreages, the Evening Shade’s land encompasses 10 acres and has large oak trees that provide plenty of shade. It is secluded for being right in town.
Shawn said they are one of four new owners of businesses on the east end of town. “It shows Eureka Springs is thriving and offers so much more than just downtown,” he said.
Shira is enjoying being able to interact with other artists.
“We really just wanted to be here,” said Shira, who also plans to spend more time on her artwork between times running the inn. “We’re happy here. This is our paradise. The town is very welcoming. My husband and I have traveled, and he has lived in Germany and had a deployment during his time in the Army to Afghanistan. Neither of us can remember a place where people loved their town so much. I think that radiates. I think that is part of what calls people here to visit.”