Hot In Little Rock » Art

Expanding Horizons

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:19:48 +0000

Expanding Horizons

August 4, 2010

We were extremely lucky growing up. We were blessed with the luxury of having a music teacher for a mother and a technically trained thespian for a father. And not only that – we always attended schools where art was on a level playing field with math and science and all the other academics.

But not everyone has the luxury of growing up surrounded by people who make the arts an important part of life. The THEA Foundation is trying to change that – one student at a time. The research is there – that the other academic disciplines thrive when art is allowed to be fostered as well.

And for the last six weeks, The THEA Foundation has been playing host to 25 kids from Butterfly Ministries to inspire and educate them in the arts. Throughout the six weeks, these kids have been exposed to lessons in charcoal, watercolor, clay and photography. They received some art history and art theory lessons as well.

And now it’s your chance to marvel in their experience by visiting The THEA Foundation and seeing these students’ art on display. There will be an artist reception and awards ceremony on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. You can also view the exhibit during business hours through August 12.

Come be inspired. Learn something new. And appreciate and admire the work that The THEA Foundation is doing right here in our own community.

The THEA Foundation
Summer Art Program Exhibition
August 5 – 12, 2010
401 Main Street, Suite 100
North Little Rock
www.theafoundation.org

Come Together

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:05:49 +0000

Come Together

July 28, 2010

We love it when people come together for the common good. And this weekend, a group of artists has come together to put on an art show – appropriately called: “the art show.”

Who are these artists? “We are a group of artists who have come together in the spirit of prosperity. Our love for art, our community, and each other has brought us together!” This group of talented Arkansas artists includes Ray Wittenberg, Teresa Smith, Virmarie DePoyster, George Wittenberg, Michelle Renee, Elizabeth Weber, Tod Crites, Liz Noble, Kelly Edwards, Emily Moll Wood, and Robert Bean. They will be showcasing their talent in the new Riviera Condominiums – so you can check those out as well.

Not only will you get to see some great art and some great condos, but ten percent of the ticket price goes to Our House for their program to buy bus passes so folks can find jobs, get to those jobs, and get back into the community. Plus, there will be food, entertainment and a drawing to will a piece of art of your choice – up to $300!

This is going to be a fun event. When people come together to make something happen that’s important to them, it’s always a treat to see what great things happen. Join them.

the art show

July 30, 2010: 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
July 31, 2010: 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10 (for both nights)

The Riviera Condominiums
3700 Cantrell Road

Do You Hear the Call?

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:54:12 +0000

Do You Hear the Call?

July 21, 2010

Are you an artist? Whether you show your work in the best galleries in town, or you just create for the pure pleasure of it – now’s the time to get out your art supplies and start creating.

The call for entries for both the Delta Exhibition and the Toys Designed by Artists have gone out! If you are an artist and you were born or are living in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas you are eligible to enter the 52nd Annual Delta Exhibition.

The Delta Exhibition is always a prestigious and impressive exhibit that showcases the best and brightest artists from the South. Last year’s show was one of the best in recent memory, and we can’t wait to see who will be chosen and who will win the Grand Award. Maybe it’s you!

The Toys Designed by Artists is an international competition and open to all artists. These toys can be functional – or not. You decide. After all, you’re the artist, right? There are purchase awards totaling $2,500 – so get those creative juices flowing and see what kind of toys you can create.

Each artist can submit up to three pieces for each exhibition. The work must be original and you must have completed it in 2009 or 2010. Want all the rules? Visit www.arkarts.com.

Call for Entries
52nd Annual Delta Exhibition
and
37th Toys Designed by Artists

September 13, 2010: deadline for submissions.
December 17, 2010: exhibition opens.

Hearing Voices

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:22 +0000

Hearing Voices

July 14, 2010

Every two years something really cool happens at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre: Voices at the River. This is a unique and nationally recognized program to support the work of African American and Latino playwrights, not only in Arkansas, but across the nation.

So, what happens? Playwrights from all over the country submit their plays for consideration. Five were chosen this year, including one by Hendrix student Michael Chavez. These plays will be read by local and national actors for public viewing and comment this upcoming weekend.

It’s always exciting to be a part of a reading of a play. All of the theatrical aspects like costumes, staging, and lights take a backseat to the actors and scripts. The purpose it to put the emphasis on the words themselves, as these plays are read aloud for the first time. Then, afterward, the audience is encouraged to provide feedback. It’s a great way to see how a play begins its life.

And as part of this experience, The Rep will honor playwright Ed Bullins with the Voices at the River Legacy Award tonight at the Clinton Presidential Center. If you want to join in the celebration and have a wonderful dinner, you can still make reservations for tonight’s award ceremony.

This is an exciting week of theatrical experiences – and one we encourage you to take part in.

Voices at the River
Legacy II Awards Dinner
July 14, 2010
William J. Clinton Presidential Center
6:30 p.m. $60 per person
Contact bhilkert@therep.org for tickets.

Public Readings
July 16 & 17, 2010
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Free.
Click here for complete schedule and times.

Feelin’ Groovy

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:53:56 +0000

Feelin’ Groovy

July 7, 2010

Are you a child of the sixties? Do you wish you were? Some of us may have missed that decade, but we still have an affinity for the free-spirited way of life that captured the nation.

Now’s your chance to relive – or just admire – some of the art that made up that era. UALR is exhibiting the Groovy Summer Show 2010 in one of its Fine Arts Building galleries. Did you know that UALR has a permanent art collection that includes over 120 pieces of psychedelic posters from the 1960s? You know the ones – with the crazy imagery and bold colors that every teenager plastered all over their walls (and many still do today).

You’ll see posters advertising concerts for The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Velvet Underground, and many more. Who knows … you might have even been to one of these concerts or have picked up your own version of one of these groovy posters yourself.

There are some other great artists on display in this fun and funky exhibit as well – including Francoise Gilot (Picasso’s lover for 9 years) and Elsie Freund. So don’t miss out on seeing (and maybe even experiencing) some great work from a bygone era. Can you dig it?

Groovy Summer Show 2010
Gallery III in the Fine Arts Building
UALR
Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For more information, contact
Brad Cushman at (501) 569-8977.

Blast Off with Fun

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:01:18 +0000

Blast Off with Fun

June 30, 2010

Are the kids getting restless? Are you looking for something new and fun to keep them occupied for a couple of weeks this summer? Well, we’ve learned about a great new camp at Wildwood for rising third through fifth graders that will keep everyone happy.

Wildwood Park for the Arts has started a summer arts camp. This is a great extension of what they already do at Wildwood – and something we can’t wait to see grow with each passing year. They finished up their first session for younger kids with a bang – and now it’s time for the older ones to get a chance to join in on the fun.

July 12 – 23, Wildwood will host its Summer Arts Blast on its beautiful grounds in West Little Rock. This camp is designed to promote literacy through the arts. So what does that mean? That means there will be lots of hands on fun, so the kids can experience all of the arts with all of the senses. What a great way to grow!

Your kids will be exposed to many different types of arts – literary, culinary, horticultural, musical, visual, and theatrical – over the time frame of this camp. And at the end, you’ll be able to celebrate with them with a stage performance that highlights all the fun they’ve had while at camp.

So don’t delay – the first camp was sold out. This is the perfect way to expose your kids to all of the many facets of the arts. And who knows, they might just teach the rest of us something new, too.

Summer Arts Blast
Wildwood Park for the Arts
July 12-23, 2010
$200
Click here for more information.

Musical Tour

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:49:41 +0000

Musical Tour

June 23, 2010

Last week we gave you a bit of a sneak peak into our busy week ahead. Well, now we’ve completed our theater tour, and we are pleased to report that both Smokey Joe’s Cafe and The Wizard of Oz lived up to our expectations.

First, we took the ministaffers to The Rep’s final production of the season, Smokey Joe’s Cafe. What fun. As promised, the cast performed such beloved songs as “Hound Dog” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Love Potion #9.” And then there were even more, like the nostalgic “Neighborhood” and the empowering “I am a Woman” and the hilarious “Don Juan.”

The cast had extraordinarily high energy – which is needed in a production where the music and dancing never stop. And, of course, the casting was spot on. That’s something we’ve come to (almost) take for granted when we see a production at The Rep. This is certainly a production for all ages – and one that you simply cannot miss seeing on the stage of The Rep.

Our next show we saw this week was The Wizard of Oz at Robinson Center Music Hall. This is the last production for Celebrity Attractions’ current season – and we must say – probably the best. This production is based on the movie we’ve all come to know and love, and everyone involved with this production, from the director, to the cast and crew, did an outstanding job. Even Toto got all his lines right.

The special effects were simple yet effective. One of our favorite effects was using reversible clothing to change the dancing poppies from red to white when the snow hit them. This simple effect brought about “wows” from all around us. Robinson is sometimes a hard venue to enjoy because of it’s acoustics – but this production sounded – and looked – perfect. It was a very worthwhile and fun evening, and we highly recommend you see it today or tonight for it’s last day here in Little Rock.

These two productions are both family friendly and worth every penny for the cost of admission on these hot and sticky nights during an Arkansas summer. Enjoy.

“Smokey Joe’s Cafe”
Through June 27
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Call (501) 378-0405 for tickets.

“The Wizard of Oz”
June 23 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Robinson Center Music Hall
Call (501) 244-8800 for tickets.

Upcoming Fun

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:43:55 +0000

Upcoming Fun

June 16, 2010

We love the theater. And we probably need to give most of that credit to our parents – one a music teacher and the other a theater major – who brought us up in culturally vibrant Boston and took us on regular trips to New York City. And now we have lived in Little Rock for 14 years – joyfully watching as the theater here has just gotten better and better.

That’s certainly the case in the days ahead. We’ve got tickets to see “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” and “The Wizard of Oz.” And we couldn’t be more excited.

“Smokey Joe’s Cafe” is playing at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre through June 27 and “The Wizard of Oz” is here, courtesy of Celebrity Attractions, for only three days next week. So both of these shows aren’t going to be around long – and it’s time to make your plans to see them.

We had the privilege of seeing a few numbers from “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” during Passion for Fashion on Monday night. We had our fashionista ministaffer with us – and now she can’t wait to see the show either. The energy was high, the songs were fabulous, and the audience enthusiasm was palpable. What more can you ask from a great musical revue?

“The Wizard of Oz” is a timeless production that brings back wonderful childhood memories. We’ve never seen it on the stage in a live performance, so we’re really looking forward to this experience. And yesterday on KTHV, the “munchkins” performed! For this touring production, each stop utilizes local children – and the dancers at Shuffles & Ballet II are helping out here in Little Rock. If you missed the segment, click here.

Needless to say, we’re excited about the upcoming week and the theater we get to enjoy right here in our own backyard. Tune in next week for our reviews, but don’t wait until then to get your tickets. We can already tell these are going to be great productions.

“Smokey Joe’s Cafe”
Through June 27
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Call (501) 378-0405 for tickets.

“The Wizard of Oz”
June 21-23
Robinson Center Music Hall
Call (501) 244-8800 for tickets.

Hot Times in the City

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:41:18 +0000

Hot Times in the City

June 9, 2010

Yes, it is hot and muggy outside. Summer has certainly arrived earlier than usual this year. But there’s something even hotter coming to the Arkansas Repertory Theatre on Monday night: Passion for Fashion.

This is (in our opinion) the hottest fashion show in town – and one where the styles on stage compete with those worn by the party-goers themselves.

Barbara Graves Intimate Fashions takes center stage for this fun and always in demand fundraiser for The Rep. The styles are fresh, hip, and yes, maybe even a little sexy. And it all takes place on the MainStage with the Smokey Joe’s Cafe set making a very cool backdrop.

This fashion show is never ordinary. It really is a production – conceived and directed by The Rep’s own Nicole Capri. You will be entertained by the sounds of Mr. Happy and some very talented local actors. And you might even get to see a special performance from the cast of Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

This event is not just for women. Each year, more and more men are in attendance – and that’s a good thing. So don’t miss out on the hottest fashion show around – coming to The Rep this Monday night.

Passion for Fashion
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Monday, June 14, 2010
6:30 p.m. Cocktails
7:30 p.m. Style Show

Tickets: $75 per person
Call (501) 378-0445 ext. 203

On the Silver Screen

hotinlittlerock — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:21:38 +0000

On the Silver Screen

June 2, 2010

This is an exciting week in Little Rock – and it all starts today. The 4th Annual Little Rock Film Festival kicks off tonight with an Opening Night Reception at Cajun’s Wharf, a showing of “Winter’s Bone” at Riverdale Cinema with the filmmakers, and an after party at the Terry Mansion. And that’s just the first night!

The Little Rock film festival began in 2007 with the purpose of promoting the film industry in Arkansas and helping continue the growth of downtown Little Rock. It features the best in Narrative, Documentary, and Short films from not only Arkansas, but from around the world.

These films are interspersed with workshops, talks, and, of course, parties – all of which compliment the films being showcased this week.

You’ll never be at a loss as to what to do during the Little Rock Film Festival. There are films to watch, lectures to attend, and people to meet almost every hour of the day through Sunday. It’s a good thing that the Little Rock Film Festival’s website keeps you up-to-date on all the times and locations!

No matter your taste – if you love films or are interested in the film industry – you will find many different venues to learn more about them and have a good time. Plus, it’s the best deal in town – the $30 pass gets you into all the movies, lectures and parties. So create your own schedule; meet a few celebrities; and enjoy it all right in your own front yard: Little Rock.

4th Annual Little Rock Film Festival
June 2 – 6, 2010
Visit www.littlerockfilmfestival.org for a complete schedule of events and locations.