Courtesy Photo
Heather Marie, a vocalist living near Branson, Mo., and Paul Price, who plays guitar and harp guitar, will bring a selection of cover songs to the ARC in Bella Vista tonight.
Historic structure now home to music and more
BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
bmartin@nwadg.com
Raised in Bentonville, Sara Parnell remembers the brightly painted houses along U.S. 71 as the original Bella Vista — the resort, not the retirement village or the bedroom community it has become. And that’s what she wants others to see, too. So Parnell is building an “ARC” — an Artist Retreat Center — to carry Bella Vista’s past in to the future.
“There is so much hidden beauty in Bella Vista that I hope to reveal a glimpse of that to people traveling through our area,” she says. “I also hope to create an art community to learn, create, display and someday sell original art made by locals and visitors to our area.”
That’s why Parnell renovated the old Linebarger cabin at the far southern edge of Bella Vista, right beside U.S. 71. Fashioned of field stone and dating back to 1853, it’s now a beacon that says “Look! There’s more going on here than you could possibly imagine!”
Music, she adds, “has historically been a big part of Bella Vista’s social activities — big bands, jazz, gospel, bluegrass. I want to continue the tradition of providing cultural and creative activities for visitors and residents while supporting local musicians and artists.”
Besides, Parnell found out that the ARC has two great performance spaces — one in the old living room, where a fireplace can warm performers in the winter, and a second one upstairs in a new hall built for classes in yoga and art. Tonight, the Third Thursday House Concert will take place in the downstairs space — for its air conditioning, not the fireplace. Performing in the intimate space will be Blue Muse, a duo made up of Paul Price, who plays both guitar and harp guitar, and vocalist Heather Marie. ARC audiences may have met them when Muriel Anderson played there on July 7, but the two can often be heard at establishments like Crabby’s, Foghorn’s and Levi’s Gastrolounge & Bar.
Price grew up in Rogers and returned about four years ago after a musical career that included Walt Disney World, cruise ships, Branson, Mo., and London, his wife’s hometown — England, not Arkansas. He met Heather Marie, a veteran Branson singer, during a jazz gig at Brews in Eureka Springs and recruited her for a Christmas show. The rest is evolving — successfully.
“Since I met Heather, we’ve been as busy as we can be,” Price says.
Courtesy Photo
Heather Marie, a vocalist living near Branson, Mo., and Paul Price, who plays guitar and harp guitar, will bring a selection of cover songs to the ARC in Bella Vista tonight.
FAQ
Third Thursday
House Concert
WHEN — 7 p.m. today
WHERE — Artist Retreat Center in Bella Vista
COST — $10
INFO — 268-6463 or www.artistretreatcenter.com
