Gallery and Studio Exhibition
Gallery Exhibition
Featured Event
Eight women had a dream to build an art center and the dream took flight. We celebrate these visionaries: Ethel Ashley, Norma LaRue, Louise Scroggins, Lenice Gordon, Aline Pope, Wanda Cunningham, Helen Havener, Lena Stall. The dream lives on.
Our exhibition will feature artwork from founding members along with these fine artists: Kay Aclin, John Bell, Lin Chen, Ralph Irwin, Susanne King, Charles Peer, Winston Taylor, Christa Nishmuta, Peter Lippincott, and Barry Thomas.
The Center For Art & Education will celebrate its 35th anniversary on Sunday, August 7th from 1PM – 4PM. The public is invited to join in the party with punch, birthday cake, and hors d’ouevres.
The studio gallery will display the work of many of the founding members and several of the early members Betty Campbell, Helen Hallum, Patsy O’Kelly, Beth O’Neal and others. This exhibition will enclude adult students and their teachers art along with children’s art work from the centers’ Art In Education Projects and Wonderful World of Art will also be on display.
The Main Gallery will have the art work of Kay Aclin, John Bell, Lin Chen, Ralph Irwin, Susanne King, Charles Peer, Winston Taylor, Christa Nishmuta, Peter Lippincott, and Barry Thomas. Each of these artists has created an original work of art for this show, these signature pieces along with other works will be available for purchase.
Kay Aclin
3315 South 27th Street
Ft. Smith, AR 72901
479-785-2431
Kay Aclin is a tried and true Arkansan, born in Hot Springs and residing in Fort Smith for the last thirty years. Northwest Arkansas proved a perfect setting she and her husband, Richard, to raise two daughters and two sons as well as for Richard to carry on a pediatric practice. A busy practice made for many nights of painting.
Exposure to art was always a certainty for Kay. It was what went on at home. Kay always had exposure of one sort or another, but sincere study with professionals began late for her, after her family was raised. She has studied with such notables as Zoltan Zabo, Mary Ann Boysan, Tony Couch, Timothy Clark and Doug Walton.
Kay has developed a mode all her own. One judge recently described her paintings as "possessing humor, style and sophistication. There is a flair and a fresh contemporary approach to her subjects". That suits Kay just fine. She doesn't like to take herself too seriously and loves it when she looks up at one of her paintings and feels a smile, from within, hoping other viewers of her art have the same feeling.
Kay is a member of the Mid-South Watercolor Society and was granted signature status with Mid-Southern Watercolorists in spring 2011. Kay is an exhibitor sponsored by the Museum of Women in the Arts, a member of "Who's Who in Women Artists", 2003, on the Arkansas Artist's Registry, a member of the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum as well as the Center For Art & Education.
Her works are called "Coloured Water" and may be found in many shows, galleries and private, corporate and public buildings throughout the country. Among other locations, her work is currently found in her hometown at, "The Blue Moon Gallery", in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
John Bell, Jr.
104 South 23rd Street
Ft. Smith, AR 72902
479-783-6542
As a child I was shown how to draw stick figures to keep me entertained while my mother went about her chores. This sparked a fascination with the arts that has lasted throughout my lifetime and taken me through several professional careers: illustrator, product designer and fabric designer to name a few.
One of the most interesting projects involved participating on a special committee for the National Endowment for the Arts. Our task was to organize a city-wide art festival, in Washington DC. The exhibit was composed of artists from around the United States to celebrate the inauguration of Jimmy Carter. I was privileged to be one of the exhibitors. 
Although I have visited our country from coast to coast, I was born and raised in Arkansas. I have a keen appreciation for the beauty of our state and the character of her people; and as a result, most of my paintings consist of Arkansas scenery and turn of the century Arkansas cityscapes. Old postcards, early photographs and on site photography are part of the research into each composition.
All of these elements are combined to capture a moment in time that you can almost remember even though you may have never been there.
Lin Chen
9719 Sullivan Road
Charleston, AR 72933
479-674-4435
"When I set up things to paint, I have a vague idea about how I want the picture plane divided depending on the shape and attitude of the figure, still life, etc. After spending a brief time looking at the setup, I establish a vision. All I do after that is geared toward realizing that vision.
Vision is bigger than sight, or, what meets the eye. It can also be fragile and elusive, and paradoxically, can only be made visible through sight. I try to hang on to that vision because it is what has stirred my imagination in the first place. In the meantime I remain open to necessity for revisions, even serendipitous happenings. Not infrequently I find myself, half-way through a composition, stopping to completely revise a setup or color scheme. When the established vision is too forced, or worse, false, I have no choice except to adjust or throw it away and start over upon the realization of it.
Painting from observation requires the process to be dynamic. Sight is physical, empirical to the extent applicable to the structure of the human eye. Vision wants purging, clarification, eventually, crystallization. The painter moves between the tension of the two forces, slowly peeling away and discarding the false and the incidental. An apple must look like an apple, also a globe, a circle, a crucial participant in the poetry of the picture’s totality.
As a painter I am not a rationalist. What’s being purged and discarded are confusion, false notions, melodrama, bravado, etc., not mystery.
I paint to understand who I am, how I relate to the external world, with which I am smitten. But more often than not I paint to overcome boredom, to combat ennui."
Ralph Irwin
1500 North 10th
Van Buren, AR 72956
479-471.5406
Ralph was trained in the classical methods of painting and sculpture. His expertise is working as a multimedia artist creating paintings, sculpture and architectural elements that are blended with the owner’s vision and environment. 
Ralph has been commissioned to produce site specific installations ranging from universities to the corporate marketplace. He is gratified to have the trust of many clients to take to their vision and tell their story in a compelling art form. “It’s always about people. The idea is central and that begins to dictate what materials to use to reinforce that concept.” - Ralph Irwin
Suzanne King
2022 South Z Street
Ft. Smith, AR 72901
Suzanne King is an artist and art educator who lives and works in Fort Smith, AR. Her artwork has been included in the National Women in the Arts "Originals" Exhibit at the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, several "Small Works on Paper" Arkansas exhibits, Arkansas Artists exhibits in Senator Blanche Lincoln's Washington, D.C. office, and group and solo exhibits at the Fort Smith Art Center. Suzanne is married and the mother of three sons. She currently teaches elementary art for the Fort Smith Public Schools.
Peter Lippincott
1400 North 50th Street
Ft. Smith, AR 72904
479-785-2169
Lippincott describes his work as “traditional stoneware but with a contemporary flair.” His work ranges from simple, functional stoneware with Asian influences to dynamic, large-scale vessels. Known for his extraordinary glazes, Lippincott mixes his own clay and glazes and forms his work one piece at a time by hand and or thrown by wheel.
After receiving five years of ceramic education from St. Louis Community College, Lippincott moved to Fort Smith in 1992. “Since moving to Arkansas, pottery has been my vocation,” he said. “Making a living at pottery has been an additional education. To survive, I combine retail and wholesale sales with extensive teaching.”
In addition to running Mudpuppy Studios in Fort Smith, Lippincott teaches private pottery lessons to adults and children. He began teaching classes at Westark Community College (now the University of Arkansas Fort Smith) and he now teaches classes at the Fort Smith Art Center. This is also his ninth year to teach in schools through the Arts Council’s Arts in Education program. In addition, he offers special classes for scout troops, church groups, nursing homes and other organizations.
“Of the more than 400 adult students I have taught, at least 25 have become relatively skillful potters and several continue to practice their craft on a full- or part-time basis,” he said. “This tells me they have developed their own voices as artists.”
Lippincott said he is nourished by the success of his students just as they are nourished by his teaching. “To me, working with student learners is a delight and a real source of energy. This is true of my most advanced students, as well as my 7-year-old granddaughter and all the students in between. The bond between teacher and student is joyous.”
His passion for pottery also inspires him to be an ambassador for the arts. He has served on many boards throughout the state, including the Center for Arts and Education in Van Buren, the Mayor’s Commission for the Arts in Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Art Center, the Arkansas Craft Guild and ArtQuest in Fort Smith. In addition, he teaches pottery at Project Dream Street, a residential camp in eastern Oklahoma for children with serious illnesses.
His work can be found in private collections throughout the United States and in Europe, and it has been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States.
Christa Nishmuta
1350 Shaddowwalk Drive
Van Buren, AR 72956
I like to think that my paintings connect to me to people, the places they like to go, loved ones, memories, or simply pictures that are pleasing to look at in creative spaces. I paint usually because a person inspires me, and I think o9f them while painting. That painting becomes an expression of that emotional connection. I thi
nk we are all created with these connections and art provides us with an imaginary place to share.” I enjoy working in acrylic, ink and charcoal. However acrylic is my favorite because it is flexible, allows for layering and different textures, and provides vibrant colors.
Christa had a solo exhibition at the Center for Art & Education in 2010. She received 2nd place in the 32nd Adult Artist Competition at the Center For Art & Education and also received the People’s Choice Award two years in a row.
Charles Peer
203 E. Tahlequah St.
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-9816
cpeer@jbu.edu
www.charlespeer.com
Charles Peer is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. His paintings are currently represented by Gallery Central in Hot Springs and the Local Flair Art Gallery in Siloam Springs. His work has recently appeared in Best of Worldwide Artists Working in Charcoal, Pastel & Pencil and Best of American Pastel Artists Volume II both by Kennedy Publishing. His paintings have been selected for exhibition in the Pastel Society of America’s Signature Member Exhibit in Bennington Vermont, the Garvan Woodland Gardens Invitational plein air event, “Beauty and the Brush” - 2008 through 2010, the Rockefeller Institute’s Professional Artists Invitational Exhibition, “Art in the Air” – 2008 and 2010 and as the featured artist at the 2008 Fort Smith Art in the Park. He has served as a guest artist for many area demonstrations and as the juror for numerous regional competitions. His painting titled “Colors of the Buffalo” received the 2010 Rockefeller Institute’s Purchases Award. His artwork has also received awards in many competitions including the Ozark Art Alliance Competitions, the Ozark Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, the Spiva Art Competition, the Merriam, MO Heartland Artists Exhibition and the Northeast Pastel Exhibition in Old Forge, New York. Most recently Peer’s painting, “A Perfect Morning” was awarded the Best of Show at the 2011 Richeson 75 Landscape, Seascape & Architectural Competition. The Awards Juror, Ms. Joye Moon, said about his work, "I chose "The Perfect Morning" as the Best of Show because the image visually flew off the wall at me! The pastel painting is fresh, colorful, lively and engaging. The painting is masterfully executed and evokes the atmospheric quality of the day. The color choices are innovative and fun. All in all, a winning painting!"
In October 2009, he was inducted in the Van Buren AR High School Hall of Honor in recognition of his accomplishments in art and in education. His work can be viewed on line at www.charlespeer.com.
Artist’s Statement
The journey’s “the thing”! It is the joy and exhilaration that comes from making those small breakthroughs. It is the discoveries that come from the unexpected turns in the road. My artwork today does not look like my paintings from five years ago nor the work from ten years before that, but when viewed in sequence, there has been a steady progression of artistic growth on the path that has led to the work presented in this exhibit. This development has been my journey. For me there have been many discoveries along this road, some technical, some philosophical and
Winston Taylor
1810 Bradley Lane
Russellville, AR 72802
479-747-8622
Winston Taylor, a clay potter from Russellville, has been named the 2011 Arkansas Living Treasure by the Arkansas Arts Council. Taylor will be honored at a reception from 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 19, at the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center, a nonprofit community arts organization in Russellville. The reception is sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council and the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
Now in its 10th year, the Arkansas Living Treasure recognizes an Arkansan who excels in the creation of a t
raditional craft and who actively preserves and advances his or her craft through community outreach and educating others. A distinguished panel of practicing craft artists and Arkansas Arts Council board members selects the recipient based on the quality of work, community outreach and total contribution to the field of traditional crafts.
Born and raised in Little Rock, Taylor and his family moved to Russellville in 1990, where he has since worked as a pottery instructor at the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center. Taylor organized the center’s first pottery program and assembled a working studio at the center, which makes use of donated pottery wheels and kilns.
The selection committee included Sheila Richmond of Natchitoches, La., a folk life consultant, folklorist and preservationist.; Ed Clifford of Bentonville, Arkansas Arts Council board member; Michael Tidwell of Little Rock, Arkansas Arts Council board member; Jerry Fisk of Nashville, Ark., bladesmith and 1999 Arkansas Living Treasure recipient; John Rule of Minco, Okla., master saddle maker; and Debra Bunting, heritage arts manager for the Nebraska Arts Council, who said of his work: “Impressive artistry, respect for a Native American tradition without trying to mimic it. He makes a complicated technique look very simple.”
Barry Thomas
3805 Ferndale cutoff Road|
Little Rock, AR 72223
501-821-5885
bthomas301@comcast.net
An accomplished artist, Barry Thomas' talents have nurtured a diverse career. Before demand for his fine art made it impossible, Thomas was an acclaimed illustrator and commercial artist. Just one year after receiving his fine arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, Barry was chosen for the Society of Illustration Hallmark Award. That same year he was honored with an award from The Society of Illustration of New York City.
Barry pursued many interests while in college. At the University of Arkansas, he joined the Razorback football team. At six-foot plus, Barry played defensive end for famous coach, Lou Holtz. And even though it meant losing an exceptional player, Coach Holtz helped convince Barry to follow his dream of becoming an artist.
As the audience for his fine art increased, Barry was able to turn his focus to creating his majestic paintings. Sensitive and breathtaking, his work is created using only the colors of Monet's palette. Like Monet, Barry excludes browns and blacks from all his work. The result is bright, enlightened canvases that reflect only the purest hues and colors.
From Aspen and Little Rock, Arkansas; to Dallas and Houston, Texas; to Santa Fe, New Mexico and Hilton Head, South Carolina; collectors can discover Barry's exceptional art at numerous galleries. And many have, including the President and First Lady. It could be argued that Barry's tender, vivid and energizing style comes from his studies. That working with and under the tutelage of artists such as Howard Terpning, Gary Carter and William Reese helped Barry hone his unique skills of catching the beauty of the everyday. However, Barry would say that many times his inspiration comes from his wife, Piper, and their children Kendall, Hannah and Denton. The subject of many of his paintings, Barry's family is all he needs to create some of his most magnificent work.
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