Small Works Great Cause is a showcase of masterpieces from local artists at the Eureka Springs Historical Museum. This exhibit was put together by Robin Bray and is her first attempt at putting together a group art show at the museum. It runs through the end of June.
“I wanted to do something to celebrate the artists of Eureka Springs after May Festival of the Arts,” Robin said. “I’m planning on doing another group show a little later in the year. We’re an arts town and we have a lot of talented artists here. I would love to showcase their work.”
The main point of the exhibit is to promote local artists while preserving history. It features 13 local artists, including Doug Stowe, Mary Springer, Drew and Mary Gentle, Steve Beacham, Jim Nelson, Jana Robinson, Rosie Rose, Fran Carlin, Ruth Mitchell, Nancy Sycamore Brooks, Leigh Valens and Robin Bray.
It is really remarkable how such a small display can contain such diversity of mediums and styles, but that’s Eureka. Steve Beacham’s pottery is represented with an oil lamp, and a wooden box by Doug Stowe has an immaculate grain. Mary Springer inserted a simple and elegantly beautiful mixed media piece. A drawing by Drew Gentle is in colored pencil, and his wife, Mary, chose an acrylic painting.
Rosie Rose is a local fashion designer whose parents were artists in Eureka Springs, as well. She has a textile art, mixed media piece. Fran Carlin, whose art was extremely popular at the White Street Walk this year chose mixed media. Jim Nelson is displaying a digital photo printed on metal.
Ruth Mitchell designed a handmade, intricately woven copper chain and described the process “as knitting strands of copper with pliers.” Jana Robinson did a digital painting, Nancy Sycamore Brooks entered a floral ceramic flower vase, and Leigh Valens created a collage. Robin Bray rounds out the display with a mixed media, found object art piece.
The Eureka Springs Historical Museum is open from 9:30-4 every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Robin Bray works there on Monday and Saturday. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Eureka Springs Historical Museum.