BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
bmartin@nwaonline.com
Fans of Eureka Springs artists have been walking White Street every May for more than 30 years, getting a glimpse into the workplaces of some their favorites.
On Oct. 14-15, Main Street Eureka Springs is expanding on that concept with its first Open Studios tour. Sixteen creators, working in everything from paint to glass and metal, pottery to sculpture, woodwork and mixed media will host visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
“Our artists work daily in these spaces, and we have not asked them to tidy or make them look different from when they go to work,” says Jacqueline Wolven, executive director of Main Street. “Just that will be a key to the extraordinary worlds the guests are invited in to.
“We have two goals,” Wolven adds. “To shine as the working artist and maker community that we are and have been for over 80 years. [And] as an organization, Main Street Eureka Springs hopes to lift the fundraising effort for the OZ INC Artist + Maker Business Incubator program that we facilitate. The program has significantly impacted our graduates’ lives and businesses, and we want to bring that possibility of growth to more makers.”
Among the featured artists are:
Jordan Haley EuDaly
Jordan Haley Art
6630 U.S. 62 West
“I create colorful abstract expressions using paint, inks on canvas and paper that are celebrations of everyday life and oftentimes inspired from lines and forms found in nature,” EuDaly says. “Others describe my work as ‘happy, whimsical, flowy, joyful, ethereal.’ Especially this time of year I’m enamoured with flowers, this idea of ‘abundance.’ I’m painting in a very maximal style right now, though I do think that will soon change, because I like flowing with the seasons and being present to what Mother Nature is doing.”
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Suzanne Reed
Art-Niks
1242 Carroll County 102
Glass and metal artist Suzanne Reed creates one-of-a-kind pieces of sculpture reflecting a geometric/architectural style.
“I vividly remember my grandmother showing me her cut glass collection,” she says. “She told me all of those beauties would be mine one day. I was mesmerized by the glass and admired them every time I went to visit. That introduction to glass seems apropos to my long-standing work with glass.”
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Edward C. Robison III
Sacred Earth Gallery
15845 U.S. 62 West
“I try to spend a lot of time in nature — hiking, mountain biking, or whatever gets me out there,” Robison says. “It is during those times that I typically capture new images to be used in my work. The last few years it has become very tech-centric, incorporating augmented and virtual reality and a lot of 3-D models. Currently, though, I am experimenting with some historic photographic processes — tintypes — and I hope to create a fusion of old and new processes soon.”
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Janalee Robison
Sacred Earth Gallery
15845 U.S. 62 West
A digital painter, Janalee Robison starts by “thinking about a concept and imagining different ways to express it. I’ll then sketch out various compositions until I settle on my favorite one. At that point, I’ll gather photo references to base my painting on. Many of these references are photos I’ve taken on my travels. When I’m ready to start ‘painting,’ I execute my vision with a ‘digital brush’ (stylus) on a ‘digital canvas’ (tablet) using a painting app called Procreate. When my artwork is complete, I bring my digital painting into the real world by printing it onto a metal or canvas surface.”
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Mary Springer
Mary Springer Art
33 White St.
“I was always the kid in the class that could draw,” Mary Springer, one of the founders of the White Street Walk, says. “Whether working on a jewelry piece or a painting, it is the process that inspires me. I am always pushing to find an alchemy between the paint or metal in my subject and the moment.
“I love having people visit my work space,” she adds, “if they do not get disturbed by creative chaos.”
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FAQ
Eureka Springs
Open Studios
WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 14-15
WHERE — All over Eureka Springs
COST — $35 with code STUDIOARTIST
INFO — mainstreeteurekasprings.org
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FYI
The Artists
Also included on the tour are Teresa Pelliccio DeVito, Regina Smith, Phyllis Moraga, Lorna and Craig Trigg, Dustin Griffith and more.
