Mena Art Gallery Appreciation Month

By Ethan Nahté

It may be difficult to fathom, but the Mena Art Gallery is nearly 80 years old. The Gallery was the site of Mena Mayor Seth Smith signing a proclamation for Mena Art Gallery Appreciation Month last Wednesday, Apr. 26.

Smith read the proclamation prior to signing it, announcing, in part that the Gallery had its beginning in 1945 during WW II. Local artists began gathering in each other’s homes to paint, critique and instruct. Workshops were established and numerous outlying communities were served.

The Gallery was awarded non-profit status in 1982 and served the community in several different locations. In addition to serving thousands of people of all ages, the Gallery also provides thousands of dollars each year to artists in recognition and encouragement for their contribution to the arts. It’s enjoyed by the local community as well as numerous tourists.

In addition to announcing a fundraising drive, upcoming art shows and classes, the Gallery’s new executive director Taye Kaye was introduced. She is taking over for Lisa Keeling.

The Southwest Artists 2023 Small Works National Competition is newly on display through June 23. This is the sixth year for the show. The awards reception is Saturday, May 6.

The Gallery is located at 607 Mena

St., Mena. Regular days and hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Visit menaartgallery.org for news, events schedule, contests, shows and exhibits. For more information contact Taye Kaye at email@menaartgallery.org or call 479-394-3880.

By Richie Lawry

I love music and have for as long as I can remember. As a young boy, I would sit in front of the record player and watch the platter spin around as I listened. I still remember my parent’s records by Perry Como, Brook Benton, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Billy Vaughn, and Trini Lopez.

When I bought my first radio, a small black portable transistor radio, I turned the dial to 950 KIMN and listened to what I was sure was the best radio station in the world. Ode to Billie Joe, Pleasant Valley Sunday, All You Need is Love, Heroes and Villains, and many other songs streamed through my head as I drifted off to sleep with my very own transistor radio under my pillow. I spent every moment I could listening to my radio.

As a teenager, I spent most of my money on music. I bought a stereo for my room. I installed a stereo in every car I drove. I purchased one of the first boom boxes I saw at my local Alco store. When I went to college, I had to study on my bed because my entire desk was covered with the hundreds of albums I owned.

My tastes in music have always been eclectic. During my high school years, I listened to the hard rock of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and Black Sabbath, but I also loved The Carpenters, Bread, John Denver, and Melanie. My favorite music is still pop music from the 60s and 70s.

I spend hours on YouTube listening to music, so the algorithm suggests lots of new music in my favorite styles. As I have gotten older, my favorite music genres are folk, bluegrass, and Americana. One of my favorite YouTube artists is Reina del Cid. Reina posts a new video most Sunday mornings on her series, Sunday Mornings with Reina Del Cid. Each week I look forward to a new video.

Reina often collaborates with other artists on her Sunday morning videos. One Sunday in early 2020, the new video was the song, Delta Dawn. Reina was playing