On Thursday, September 21 a special screening of the film “Arkansas Living Treasures, Honoring Eureka Springs Artists” was held on the campus of the Eureka Springs School of the Arts (ESSA) in the school’s impressive new Wood Studio.
The Arkansas Living Treasure program annually recognizes an Arkansas artist who excels in the creation of a traditional craft and who actively preserves and advances their craft through community outreach and educating others. In 2013, the Arkansas Art Council and Historic Arkansas Museum began collaborating to produce a series of short films that celebrate the lives and work of each Living Treasure recipient.
The well attended event was hosted by ESSA Executive Director Kelly McDonough, along with Robin McClea, museum and art education consultant, of the Arkansas Arts Council; Caroline Millar, head of the Arkansas Made Research Team with the Historic Arkansas Museum; and Millar’s team members Victoria Chandler and Hattie Felton. Other enthusiastic attendees were ESSA board members and staff, donors, students, and volunteers.
The films are documentaries honoring two of ESSA’s founders, Eleanor Lux and Doug Stowe, and also Eureka Springs artist Larry Williams. This special screening was the debut of the film by Nathan Willis on Eleanor Lux.
The Eureka Springs School of the Arts, in collaboration with the Plein Air Painters of Eureka Springs, also recently hosted its second annual plein air festival (ESPAfest) and anticipates a successful third ESPAfest May 21-24, 2018.
For more information visit ESSA’s website.
This article was featured in PleinAir Today, a weekly e-newsletter from PleinAir magazine. To start receiving PleinAir Today for free, click here.
