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The city of Newport recently hosted the 7th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show which featured 175 booths and over 185 artists in six buildings and tents throughout the downtown area.
The Blue Bridge Center for Delta Arts is an organization based in Newport whose mission is to inspire and cultivate the visual arts in the Delta. The group aims to provide spaces for artists to display and sell their works. Events hosted by the center are welcoming and open to artists at all levels of their career from the emerging artists to the professional and semi-professional artist. The center also hopes the events encourage people from all socio-economic levels to have the opportunity to view art and learn about making art.
This year’s Delta Visual Arts Show attracted 185 artists, mostly from Arkansas, and visitors from all over the state. The event attracted families, individuals, art teachers and art lovers. Some were just browsing while others were there with the sole purpose of purchasing art for a specific rooms in their home. Artwork ranged in price from several dollars to several thousand dollars.
Artists were excited to talk about their craft and many were demonstrating their skills at their booths. There were classes all day for both children and adults covering topics from acrylic painting and drawing to clay and jewelry making.
The Downtown Pie Co. opened a storefront for the day and offered pie by the slice along with a selection of hot beverages. While they normally sell pies to order only, they were alive with customers during the event and offered over 15 flavors of pie plus bread loaves, dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls. I had the peanut butter pie which was heaven in a handmade Oreo cookie crust. The Downtown Pie Co. can be reached by phone at 970-495-3894.
Some of these artists have been attending the show for years while it was their first art show of any kind for others. Some of the artists who displayed and sold art at the Delta Visual Arts Show this year.
Cassidy Pearrow of Bald Knob is an emerging artist and high school student who loves to paint and make art. This year’s art show was her first experience selling her art. She was nervous that people would find her work too simple compared to the other artists. Her work ranged in price based on the size of the piece, but were all less than $50. Her artwork was cute and fun and her price point made it accessible to individuals who wanted to buy art but couldn’t afford the higher prices of some artists. Cassidy made several sales and even made one while I was talking to her. Cassidy isn’t setup online yet, but plans to attend the show again next year.
Paul Sherman creates handmade pens, pencils, kaleidoscopes, bottle stoppers and many other items. He hand crafts each item from wood using a lathe. The item is carefully shaped and then sanded, polished and a decorative finish is added. Paul’s pens are beautiful and would be the perfect gift for the writer in your family. You can connect with Paul online at Paul’s Pens and Things.
Sabina Burnett didn’t start making art until late in her life. Sabina loves to experiment with many different mediums and told me that she loves bright colors. Sabina has taken a few painting classes and loves to practice her craft. She attended the Delta Visual Arts Show with the intention of showcasing her work.
Sheila Skinner creates beautiful and intricate Pyrography (Wood Burning) Art. In her booth, she offered many planks and wall hanging pieces but also does custom work on any wood surface. Her favorite subject matter is nature scenes especially those including pheasants and ducks. This year, Shelia’s piece Delta Slough (pictured above) won 2nd place in the “This is the Delta” Art Contest that took place during the Delta Visual Arts Show. If you are interested in purchasing one of Shelia’s pieces or commissioning a custom piece, you may connect with her on her Facebook page.
Angela R. Green is considered an abstract artist, but her works range in style from portraits to still-life. Angela’s creativity doesn’t end with paint. Angela is a published poet as well as an avid lover of music. She describes her artwork as a creative expression of shape, value and exuberant color. Angela R. Green has sold work all over the United States and even internationally. You can connect with Angela through her website.
The Delta Visual Art Show is certainly fulfilling its mission to expose people of all walks of life to the visual arts. Over the course of the day, I spoke with artists who had only been painting for a year or two to artists who make a living from their craft. If you are an artist or know an artist who may be interested in participating in this or other Blue Bridge Center events, you can contact them via email at director@newportaredc.org. You can also follow their Facebook page.
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