The Idle Class: Spring 2019 - The Fashion Issue (V.1)

THE FASHION ISSUE

TABLE

CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF

WIND IT BACK / PAGE 8

PUBLISHER

DESIGNER

CO-PUBLISHER

INTERNS

COVERS

Cassette tapes have made their way back into the music production world.

Robin Atkinson

DRAG / PAGES 14-17

Suzannah Schreckhise

Bouffants, bodysuits and the healing art of drag. It’s all a part of one local drag family’s life.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia Trupp

Dana Holroyd

Summer El-Shahawy Tuesdae Justis

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Kody Ford

Brenna Collins Carmen Alexandria Thompson

Doctor Dapper discusses his desire to give back through his company’s style and design.

COPY EDITOR

ARTWORK

COSPLAY / PAGE 29

Stacey Bowers Yani Ko Meredith Mashburn Bianca Montoya Caleb Patton K. Samantha Sigmon Hayleigh Worgan

BIGGER THAN SHOES / PAGES 20-21

There is an art to the fashion behind costume play, and some designers have started small businesses to fuel their convention style.

Jenny Vos

CONTRIBUTORS

Gustav Carlson Dillon Dooms Hannah Richey

SALES TEAM

Diane Newcomb Michael Chapman

APRIL 3 - 6 BENTONVILLE NWAFW.COM

use code "idleclassiest" for discount

photo © Miles Witt Boyer Photographic Col ective l

e

PORTRAIT BY JAMIE NAPIER

O

EDITOR’S NOTE

ne of my favorite sayings I’ve heard in the past few years is from local musician Willi Carlisle.

He exclaims, “Boy howdy, hot dog!” and it very accurately describes my feelings about being the new editor for The Idle Class.

Boy howdy, hot dog! And I don’t even have a sweet Southern accent. But what a fun time. My whole body radiates this excitement! That I can confidently exclaim.

Anyways, hi. I’m Julia, and I can’t wait to get to know you this year. I’ve worked with The Idle Class since 2016.

I know the ins-and-outs of writing, designing, copyediting and trying to get this dang thing out on time.

And now I’m all grown up and I get to do it myself (with a little help from some friends, of course). When I’m not working on the magazine, you can find me doing improv comedy with Rodeo Book Club or finding a new favorite coffee around town.

The Idle Class really is something special. The art world is packed with uber talented folks who I have the pleasure of showcasing this year as editor. We’ve got some great things lined up inside these pages, from drag superstardom in Northwest Arkansas to awardwinning shoe design to fashion editorials from our sister organization Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum. Special thanks to the all-mighty Dillon Dooms for his creative genius and hard work on the spreads found on pages 18−19.

So grab your favorite beverage, sit tight and enjoy what we’ve put together for you in the Fashion Issue.

Here’s to us and the magic we will create together this year! Cheers.

Your friendly neighborhood editor,

Julia M. Trupp

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HOT SPRINGS

Arts & The Park 2019 April 26–May 5 hotspringsarts.org The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliances’ Arts & The Park 2019 is a 10-day celebration of the arts in Downtown Hot Springs National Park. The festival, presented by Arvest Bank, will showcase talented local visual artists as well as musicians, dancers, jewelers, poets, performers, authors, sculptors and glass makers from Arkansas and the surrounding states.

The festival will begin with a launch party on April 26, followed by Art Springs, a free two-day outdoor art festival that will showcase fine artists and artisans at Hill Wheatley Plaza in Historic Downtown Hot Springs on April 27–28.

During Art Springs art lovers can indulge in great food and participate in activities for children. The alwayspopular Chalk Walk will expand to allow children and adults to participate in this year’s sidewalk chalk art contest. Gallery Walk will take place May 3 andfeature artist demonstrations at downtown galleries, artist workshops for all ages, poetry readings and concerts.

LITTLE ROCK The 16th Annual Arkansas Literary Festival Apr. 25–28 ArkansasLiteraryFestival.org Featuring a top-tier gathering of statewide readers and writers, the 16th annual Arkansas Literary Festival is set for another year at the Central Arkansas Library System.

The festival offers a variety of sessions including panel discussions, performances, workshops, book signings and opportunities to meet authors. More than 60 authors, illustrators and musicians who have achieved national and international acclaim will discuss genres and topics including adult and children’s publishing, poetry, memoir and biography, women’s history, mental health, religion, politics and social justice. This

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year features presentation by James Beard Award– winning chefs, Pulitzer Prize winners and one of the Little Rock Nine.

A maker’s fair at Library Square is in the works as well.

Attendees can visit MilkDadd, Bang-Up Betty, Crying Weasel Vintage and other artists and makers between sessions. Evening music will feature DOT and Dazz & Brie. The full list of attending authors is available on the Lit Fest website.

“Remembrances: History Seen Through Entrusted Objects” at ESSE Purse Museum Feb. 19–May 5 Essepursemuseum.com “Remembrances” highlights the variety of family donations featuring purses, their contents, hats, shoes, paper dolls, photographs, sewing kits and more. Some items date to the late 1800s and were given to the museum by family members to honor their late loved one’s memory. The exhibit reception will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 14.

A Survey of Paintings & Drawings April 9–June 1 Artists Reception: April 24, 5:30 p.m Barbara Higgins Bond, the first African-American woman to illustrate a stamp for the United States Postal Service, will be celebrated in an exhibition featuring a survey of her illustrative, fine art and stamp-related works. With more than 40 years of experience and various accolades, Higgins Bond’s work has been seen in children’s books, magazines, posters, advertisements and galleries. Hearne Fine Art is partnering with the Arkansas Literary Festival to present this exhibit.

BENTONVILLE “Men of Steel, Women of Wonder” Special Exhibition Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Feb. 9–April 22 Men of Steel, Women of Wonder, Crystal Bridges’ new exhibition, examines fresh artistic perspectives on cultural icons Superman and Wonder Woman. Developed by Assistant Curator Alejo Benedetti, the exhibit features work that ranges from the characters’ Depression-era origins to contemporary interpretations. It features over 70 works by over 50 artists. The artists in Men of Steel, Women of Wonder use Superman and Wonder Woman to explore national identity, American values, social politics, representation and the concept of humanity in an interactive, organized, and thought-provoking exhibition.

Distinguished Speaker Series: Vanessa German Great Hall, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art April 24, 7–8 p.m.

CrystalBridges.org Crystal Bridges will host Vanessa German, a visual and performance artist hailing from the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood, as a part of their Distinguished Speaker Series. German’s artistic themes include the power of art and love as transformative forces in cultural networks such as communities and neighborhoods. Her artwork has been featured in a variety of places from the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art in Atlanta, GA, to the Studio Museum in Harlem, NY. German’s work has also been highlighted on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered and Essence Magazine.

Crystal Bridges will host this event in the Great Hall from 7–8 p.m. April 24. Tickets will be sold at $15 for the general public, $12 for members and $5 for students. Guests can register online or by contacting Guest Services at (479) 657-2335.

EUREKA SPRINGS Music in the Park: Festival of the Arts Kickoff April 20, 6 p.m.

Touring folk singer-songwriter Joe Purdy will perform with The Honey Dewdrops and Smokey & The Mirror at 6 p.m. April 20 in Basin Spring Park. Purdy has recorded over a dozen albums, and his songs have been featured on TV shows and film soundtracks.

Purdy is a self-described hillbilly who has planted his

feet deep in folk tradition on his latest album “Who Will Be Next?” Ticket information can be found at joepurdy.com/tour.

May Festival of the Arts May 1–31 eurekaspringsfestivalofthearts.org Eureka Springs’ 32nd annual May Festival of the Arts is loaded with unique art exhibits, demonstrations, performances, culinary arts and “the wildest street party thrown by artists” – The White Street Walk.

The White Street Studio Walk May 17. 4–10 p.m Historic White Street is the working address of several local artists who will welcome the public into homes and studios to view their latest works. They will be joined by more than 40 guest artists who will showcase weaving, watercolors, oils, pottery, jewelry and stained glass techniques. Among those displaying will be show veterans and organizers: weaver Eleanor Lux; watercolorist (and Idle Class Legacy Award winner) Zeek Taylor; and painter/sculptor Mary Springer.

The event is accompanied by refreshments and music, and is free to the public.

BooksinBloom.org

THE CARROLL AND MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION PRESENTS

14TH ANNUAL BOOKS IN BLOOM LITERARY FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019 NOON - 5PM THE 1886 CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS BOOKS

in BLOOM Literary Festival

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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WIND IT BACK .

WORDS / CALEB PATTON Smart phones. iPods and Zunes. CD Players. Each surpassing its predecessor in quality, compatibility, and comfort throughout the decades. But some still yearn for the nostalgia and energy released by those b-side tunes you can only get from a cassette tape. Kurt Alaska, of Tape Dad, and Joey Lucas, of SLEEPCVLT, are here to fill that need. Tape Dad and SLEEPCVLT are cassette labels local to Arkansas that specialize in producing artists and their music on cassette tapes. Since Alaska began operating out of Fayetteville in late May 2018 and Lucas out of Little Rock in 2016, these labels have offered up eclectic groupings of active Fayetteville, Little Rock, and worldwide musicians working in the genres of punk, pop-punk, metal, folk, americana, trap, dark wave, witchhouse, and much more.

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“I’d really like Tape Dad to be a helpful component [of] our music scene here in Fayetteville,” Alaska said while talking about his plans for Tape Dad. “Ever since I moved to Fayetteville about three years ago, I feel like I’ve always heard folks talking about wanting to start a tape label of some kind. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the cassette tape format is officially back.”

Lucas followed up on his feelings by saying that cassettes are a very cheap and an easier way of releasing music, giving a musician the ability to be creative with the artwork and layouts.

“Cassette tape releases have been on the rise for several years and the proof is in the number of labels and bands/ artists putting out tapes now. I believe it fills a nostalgic void for many older music lovers, as well as giving younger music lovers, who did not necessarily grow up in the heyday of tapes, a chance to enjoy the long considered dead media,” Lucas said.

These two labels in a quickly growing industry continue their journey into the land of cassettes and crisp, clean soundwaves, working with artists like Dylan Earl, The Chads, Witchsister, Colour Design, Ginsu Wives, Princeaus, and many more. As Tape Dad and SLEEPCVLT join cassette labels like Beer on the Rug and Hospital Productions, they continue to act as forward thinkers, pushing back against the record industry.

Quit YOUR

Day Job

WORDS / KODY FORD | PHOTO / MEREDITH MASHBURN

How Matt Buell walked away from the daily grind to become one of the best furniture makers you’ve never heard of.

A

s Matt Buell made his way through the Georgia Dome, something caught his eye that made him stop and gawk for a moment—his own face on a digital billboard. He had been flown in for the International Woodworking Festival (IWF), the largest woodworking convention in the US, by the organizers. This was a huge and humbling moment for him personally and was quite the feat considering that not too long ago, Buell had no idea what he was doing with a hammer, much less a saw.

At the time, Buell worked as a substance abuse counselor at the Washington County jail, often coming home emotionally exhausted. He wanted a productive means of escape, so he began messing around in the carport with woodworking.

He said, “I loved it so much. Within two weeks, I just said, ‘This is what I’m supposed to be doing.’ Then I quit my job, and everyone told me I was nuts. And I haven’t stopped since; I’ve just been unwilling to quit.”

The learning curve was steep. He couldn’t even work a drill in the beginning, nor was he sure how to take a design to fruition, but he dove in head first, working 10–12 hours a day for the first year, missing maybe two days. He started with cheap saws, borrowed drills and pawnshop tools.

Once he cashed the check from his first job, he bought better equipment.

“I had no experience, and I didn’t know how difficult [each piece was], but I wasn’t afraid to do them,” he said. “Break it, do it again, break it, do it again. It came down to that— just the discipline of hanging in there and not quitting. And that was really what got me through the first year.”

Buell finds inspiration in unorthodox places such as music

by Nina Simone and Wu Tang Clan along with fashion designers like Tinker Hatfield and Yoji Yahmamotto. He sees patterns and shapes to incorporate through the subtle use of form in the works of Georgia O’Keefe, the rhythm of basketball offensive plays, even logos on semi-trucks.

Recently, he has begun experimenting with translating sounds into visual forms and patterns.

Early on, Buell told himself that one day he wanted to be considered one of the best furniture makers in the region. In his fifth year, he was named to the inaugural class of the 40 under 40 by the Woodworking Network, which celebrates the top-tier people of the entire wood industry. Innovation Unmatched, the bi-annual publication of Festool, called Buell “the new face of American woodworking.”

Buell’s work is getting also noticed in the art world at galleries in New York, Chicago and Boston. Katrien Van der Schueren, of voila! Creative Studio in Los Angeles, counts herself as a fan.

“Matt Buell’s work is incredibly intriguing,” Van der Schueren said. “As an artist, he uses wood as a medium to translate its qualities into form and functionality. His mastery of refiness is exceptional in his trade. He is like a magician, only his magic is made by brute force of turning a block of wood into elegance and rhythm in a way I have rarely seen.”

Last fall, he collaborated with Fayetteville-based artist Sasha Rayevskiy on the Black Apple awards. He is currently fielding collaboration ideas with other creatives, who are seen as the best in their respective industries.

mbuelldesign.com IG / @m.buell.design W W W.ID L ECL AS S MAG . CO M 9

D

A AWE - A R .CO M

2018

10 FA SHIO N ISSU E 2019

D esign SITTING DOWN WITH BRENNA COLLINS IG / @avvvocado WORDS / K. SAMANTHA SIGMON

for all

Brenna Collins is passionate about the potential of graphic design. “It is art for the people. [...] [It] is constantly learning and growing and I love that,” Collins says.

“Personality can come out in something that is seemingly personalityless; it’s not sterile anymore. [Design is] more and more considerate of other people’s needs and has empathy for people.” In the last few years Collins has been recognized regionally for her creativity. She won the 2018 Black Apple Award for Favorite Graphic Designer and is employed at B-Unlimited as a graphic artist and illustrator. Through any of her projects, Collins’s practice is deeply rooted in striving for community inclusion, uniting craft with outreach and social justice.

The Repaint Hate campaign in 2017 brought Collins’s design into the public eye as signs in Fayetteville. This initiative was a collaboration with several community artists kick-started by signpainter and organizer Olivia Trimble as a response to Bikes, Blues and BBQ, the bike rally that takes place every September in Fayetteville.

Trimble and Collins had previously discussed “the deliberate institutionalized racism that comes with the rally.” Collins says, “we wanted to say, ‘Hey, you don’t have to be an asshole, racist, or creepy towards women.’”

From this conversation, signs were designed by Collins and several other artists and placed in prominent places around Fayetteville, reminding festival-goers about common respect. One of Collins’s signsstated “consent is key” and has been installed outside of the do-it-yourself arts venue Backspace.

Collins uses design to call for societal change in the region. She says of Northwest Arkansas, “I like the sense of community, but I wish we could hold each other more accountable for shitty ideas and actions... We’re progressive, we have ideas, but we don’t have gumption to say what we mean and to help the liberation of all people… I’ve seen women of color and trans people pushed out of the community. [Sometimes it’s] not intentionally malicious, but we won’t get better unless we look at ourselves, what is learned behavior and what we really mean.”

While she is still using her design skills to contribute to the NWA community, Collins follows different types of crafts with continued excitement. She has been honing in on costume design, felting and natural dyeing. On Halloween a few years back, she made a spider costume with paper mache legs that moved. The next year, she made a bird mask out of all black felt and fell in love with the flexibility and durability of the material. She says she has “super secret plans” for the future of these projects, which we will have to wait to see. Of delving into many different types of creative acts, Collins says, “I love working with the arts. Whatever opens itself up to me, I’m down.”

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Carmen Alexandria Thompson’s artwork attracts immense attention, despite her modesty toward the public It’s easy to look for a mirror of her erratic lifestyle within the often-tumultuous subject matter she depicts in print, paint and mixed media. An August 2018 solo exhibition of Thompson’s work at the Thea Foundation included mixed-media pieces showing human forms covered completely or partially in coarse patterns, only their eyes and mouths uncovered; a seemingly dilapidated old house overset with unexpected panels of color and dizzying rings spinning above the roof; a human figure whose face is a smiling white square with butterflies emerging from its head; and other works, mostly including human forms.

“I’ve noticed recently that my work often involves a figure,” she said. “It is often centered and solitary. I’ve been single most of my life, and even when I’ve dated I always feel very detached from the other person, even if I really like them. I hate to think that I’m making art about my dating life, but there is something to be said about being alone and the longest conversations being the ones with yourself.”

WORDS / STACEY BOWERS IG / @carmenalxandria A day in the life of Carmen Alexandria Thompson, called “Allie” by those who know her well, is as unpredictable as the artist’s work. Recently, she was supplementing income from art sales by working at a candy store. She dabbles in perfume sales. She was an adjunct drawing professor at Hendrix College and now she teaches printmaking at the Arkansas Arts Center.

“Every damn day is different,” Thompson said.

“Different wake up time, different goals for the day…

I never have a grocery list. Sometimes I go to work.

Sometimes I work on art. Sometimes I look up YouTube DIY videos. It’s pure chaos.”

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Thompson said she was encouraged from a young age to make art. Her grandmothers taught her to draw, and her family gave her art supplies each Christmas.

“Art and my relationship with viewing it and making it have changed over time,” she said. “For example, when I was younger I was always so obsessed with the end product [...] Now I find myself really kind of inspired by the process. One of my obsessions is looking at paintings and finding this ‘moment’ (that’s what I call it), and it’s usually a line or a cluster of brush strokes, and I have no idea why, but my heart will sort of break in a good way—almost like this one little tiny corner of the world was made for me in that moment in that painting this artist created forever ago.”

When she started college, Thompson intended to pursue politics and African studies. When she found herself ditching those studies to spend more time

reading art books and sneaking into the art building to work on personal projects, she chose to change course.

She earned her bachelor’s in Studio Art from Hendrix College in 2012.

The Little Rock native stayed close to home, working her array of odd jobs, making art and breaking into the local art community. Thompson said “putting yourself out there” is the key to an art career in Arkansas, and she tries to keep a balance of showing her process on social media without being too revealing. She likes to keep a little mystery surrounding her work. Without sharing too many details, she said her next exhibition will be held at Gallery 360 in March. The exhibit will be “all under blacklight” and include several artists.

Despite her modesty toward the public eye, Thompson and her art have attracted a great deal of attention. At 28 years old, she has a solo exhibition, a permanent stay at the Butler Center Galleries and at least four publications (including The Idle Class) under her belt.

“There’s the [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette] cover of the Style section… I have to mention that one because my mom cried,” Thompson said.

Keep up with Thompson’s work through Instagram (@ carmenalxandria) and see her work in person at the Butler Center Galleries at 401 President Clinton Blvd. in Little Rock.

HEARNE FINE ART PRESENTS

Acclaimed children’s book illustrator

HIGGINS BOND

A Survey of Paintings & Drawings APRIL 9 - JUNE 1, 2019 Artist Reception Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 5:30 PM Hearne Fine Art Garbo W. Hearne, Director 1001 Wright Avenue, Ste C Little Rock, Arkansas 72206 501.372.6822 | www.hearnefineart.com Girl In the Flowers by Higgins Bond, Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 30” W W W.IDL ECL AS S MAG . CO M 13

BOUFFANTS, BODYSUITS & THE HEALING ART OF DRAG

WORDS / YANI KO PHOTOS / MEREDITH MASHBURN “It was just like this thing that I had been missing,” said Laura Phillips, who first performed as her diva drag queen persona, Kandy Kakes in 2016. Diva drag queens, also known as “femme queens” or “faux queens,” are drag performers who identify as female in day-to-day life but also display as female in their drag performances. This includes both cisgender and transgender women. “Drag started as a great big middle finger to gender norms anyway,” Phillips said, “as a cis queer woman who does drag I feel like that’s a double middle finger.”

“Kandy Kakes ideally is a kooky 50s housewife,” Phillips said of her drag persona’s aesthetic. “I tend to wear a lot of pink or bright colors - as Kandy and as Laura,” she said. Her favorite performance dress is a neon floral print that she found on clearance at Target and bedazzled with rhinestones. Her bright color palette is reflected in both her costumes and her makeup, which can take Phillips upwards of two hours to apply. She learned how to do drag makeup by watching YouTube videos and observing other performers. Many queens use a glue stick to cement their natural eyebrows down. This way, they can start with a blank area above the eye and achieve a higher or more exaggerated arch. By also using this technique, diva drag queens can blend in more easily with other queens though Phillips has yet to master this skill.

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Phillips was first introduced to drag by her friend and “drag mother” Patty Johnson, who performs diva drag as Lady Kakes. Johnson, a former chef, self-taught seamstress and local activist, hosts a weekly workshopping event known as The Drag Lab at her home. Friends of the drag family, performers, designers, makeup artists and more gather together to assist each other in tasks ranging from stitching costumes and improving makeup techniques to mixing music for upcoming shows.

It is a Wednesday night. An American flag gently wavers in the breeze on the porch of Johnson’s ranch-style home.

Several short shrubs line the modest entrance, a pair of pink lawn flamingos the only indicators of the curiosities beyond. Behind the door, neon wigs and the sheen of spandex leotards light the way through this spectacular, albeit chaotic, crafter’s paradise.

Johnson, who describes her aesthetic as “kitschy and campy,” is the matriarch of the Kakes drag family and is regularly joined at the lab by Phillips, her roommate Israel Rios (who performs as Pankakes,) drag king Andrew Bowlan (who performs as Evan S. Kavali,) as well as friend Sydney Talley and other guests. Some weeks the lab has only a handful of attendees and other weeks up to 12.

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“These two right here—they’re absolutely bigger than these other ones, sweetie,” Johnson says, pointing her pink acrylic nail at two iridescent stones a few millimeters larger than the scores of other jewels lining the leopard leotard.

The difference in size is barely visible to the untrained eye.

Bowlan, who is sipping moscato from the bottle with a straw as he hot glues, removes the two larger stones. He seems skeptical of his mistake.

Rhinestone crisis averted, Johnson turns her attention to the lower half of a white plastic mannequin, the feet of which are clad in velvet kitten heels and upturned toward the ceiling, the legs splayed sharply like a pair of very fabulous scissors. The upper half rests on an ironing board in the middle of the living room and boasts the beginnings of a shiny purple and sheer-paneled bodysuit. Johnson is attempting to make booties on the lower half by covering the kitten heels with silk stockings but is having trouble keeping the shape. “So what was your theory on this?”

Johnson asks Talley, who does not perform but is the Kakes family’s self-proclaimed number one fan. “A pool noodle and a roll of toilet paper,” Talley replies. Johnson nods in apparent comprehension.

Countless craft projects crowd the kitchen table and sprawl onto the pink velvet sofa in the living room. A garment rack holds body suits and boas in the dining area. But

Lounge’s weekly drag nights, Taylor Madison Monroe—says that while fashion is more important to Taylor than it is to Jeremy, he is finding new value in fashion as he matures.

“As I’m growing older and getting more into professional life and teaching, I’m starting to find dressing up in business clothes is a lot more fun,” Stuthard says, “I’m finding suits that are the most amazing thing that I never thought I could pull off.”

just beyond the laundry room awaits the hidden gem of Johnson’s home: a small bedroom turned walk-in closet known as “the drag room.” Bursting with costumes, shoes and what Johnson estimates to be more than 50 wigs, the drag room overwhelms the senses with color and texture.

It is a kaleidoscopic walk down memory lane for Johnson as she flips through gowns created by designers in L.A. and some fashioned at the drag lab. She points out a tentacled Ursula the Sea Witch costume and carefully tiptoes through the madness to pick up a hand-made (by Johnson herself) spiky blue Thing 1 wig.

In a second walk-in closet, Johnson keeps her daily wardrobe which includes fabrics and patterns that seem just as eclectic as her performance attire. “Nowadays, I express [my sense of fashion] a lot more through drag than I used to,” Johnson says.

Many drag performers say that in their daily lives fashion is not as significant to them as it is in their drag life. Jeremy Stuthard—also known as the host of C4 Nightclub &

Other queens find a sense of empowerment in their performance wardrobes that they don’t in their day-to-day.

Enrique Salamanca, performing as Ella DeMarco, says that expression of her Latin heritage is an important element in Ella’s sense of style. “Especially here in Northwest Arkansas, where that’s not on the forefront of a lot of things [...] me being able to express that with drag tells people that it’s not all of me but it’s still a part of me and it’s super important to me.”

For Phillips, the inclusivity of drag and the promotion of body positivity in the community was attractive. “It was a place where I could be like ‘I’m going to wear this thing,’ that ordinarily people would [ask] ‘Why are you wearing that?’” She also reasons that drag has been crucial in her healing after a mental health diagnosis. “This is the thing that I do to get myself emotionally stronger and now I have to give it up for a while,” Phillips says mournfully. Recently diagnosed with breast cancer, Phillips will take a break from drag as she begins treatments.

In the dressing room at C4 Nightclub & Lounge, Phillips gets her makeup done by friend and fellow drag queen Iman DeMarco. She paints a striking blend of bright white and hot pink shadows above her lids and pairs it with a darkly lined lip. A light pink bouffant wig rests on a mannequin head waiting to be donned. Her look lies somewhere between geisha and Marie Antoinette. Pink is the theme tonight and drag is the remedy one last time for Phillips.

Her eyebrows are immaculate this evening, sitting higher on her head than usual and arched to perfection. But DeMarco did not glue them down. “Buddy, I shaved those eyebrows off,” Phillips says valiantly, “I’m going to lose my hair in about two weeks anyway so it’s something I can take control over.”

It is a packed house tonight and fans, friends and family form the circular dance floor. Host Monroe leads the crowd in a unison “We love you!” for Phillips as she takes the stage to perform to her final number, Gloria Gaynor’s defiant “I Will Survive.” In a pair of white leather booties, pink tulle skirt and black tank top, Phillips makes her boldest fashion statement yet. Emblazoned across her chest, in bright pink and rhinestone letters, are two words—“F-CK CANCER.” W W W.IDL ECL AS S MAG . CO M 17

AVANT GARDE / WHERE ART AND FASHION COLLIDE As an artist in Northwest Arkansas, I find myself striving to achieve one single goal. The one goal I have wanted is for all artists of all disciplines to connect.

The process of helping make that occur would probably be attempting to show that different parts of the artistic community share a common bond. All of us (artists) want to create something that gives them a voice. The fashion world and the visual arts world were a part of my first attempt at fusing two visual worlds together and finding a unique hybrid that would develop a connection between these two world. I was fortunate enough to have people take a chance on this project, and I am grateful for them allowing this vision.

PHOTOS & CONCEPT / Dillon Dooms MAKE UP & HAIR / Kirstin Von Dietrich, Veronica Jacquelinne Lopez, & Taylor Baker INSTAGRAM @taylormakenzeeartistry WARDROBE / Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week LOCATION / Record Downtown @recorddowntown

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IMAGE LEFT ARTIST / Kyle Watson INSTAGRAM / @kylewatsoncreative MODELS / (left) Nicole Sizemore (middle) Gelynda Johnson (right) Mykenzie Gordon

IMAGE RIGHT ARTIST / Heather Hil INSTAGRAM / @birdandblade Models / (left) Gelynda Johnson, Mykenzie Gordon (right)

ARTIST / ELIZABETH ARNOLD IG / neonglitterycreative MODELS / (left to right) Alyssa Tomlinson, Gelynda Johnson, Nicole Sizemore, Mykenzie Gordon.

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B IGG ER T H AN SH O ES DOCTOR DAPPER’S dashing take on style and design highlights desire to give back thedoctordapper.com | IG / @doctor.dapper

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to channel these faculties into his designs. His nickname, Doctor Dapper, is inspired by his background of growing up in the church and the dressed-up look that church clothes give.

WORDS / SUMMER EL-SHAHAWY PHOTOS / MEREDITH MASHBURN

E

ric Jones, known by his nickname Doctor Dapper, is the CEO and designer of LFLS Shoes. Though his company’s acronym stands for Like Father Like Son, they offer shoes for both men and women. Jones majored in fashion at the University of Arkansas and said he’s been an artist and creator for a long time. As he channels his talents into LFLS, Jones hopes to expand his luxury brand to encompass everything from suits to sheets. He describes himself as a serial entrepreneur but he’s also passionate about giving back to the community. He says his goal is to grow his luxury brand into a household name and inspire other black entrepreneurs along his journey.

“A degree is important to an extent—you can’t pass a degree down to your kids and expect [them to have] a successful and prosperous life,” Jones says. “But if you have a business and start creating generational wealth, then you have something of value that can be passed down from generation to generation.”

Jones has been selling shoes online since 2015, gradually building his company through social media and local communities. Jones says he has been sticking with a small variety of popular designs since he began selling shoes online a few years ago. “You don’t want to have too wide of a variety while you’re small,” Jones says. “You want to be very niche until you can grow.”

Jones says his artistic process involves looking at what’s in the industry and putting his own spin on popular trends.

He’s largely inspired by the culturally-driven talents and trends of the black community and expressed his desire

“I want to make dress shoes look cool for the black community and tailor it to that fashion-forward, different person that wants to be stylish,” Jones says “Maybe they’ll say ‘dress shoes can be cool, I might want to take off the Jordans, put on the dress shoes for a while and try on a tailored suit.’”

Jones grew up in Helena and his family struggled to make ends meet. He grew up with a close relationship with his grandmother as he spent a lot of time helping his mother take care of her. After his grandmother’s death in 2010, Jones lost both his father and mother by 2016.

As a business man that puts family first, Jones says these losses were overwhelmingly painful, but molded him into the person he is today and are a driving force in his entrepreneurship. He believes there is something bigger behind his life and his company, and feels his father, mother and grandmother living through him each and every day.

Jones says he’s excited for what this year has in store for LFLS, and he hopes that as his business takes off, he can use his many talents to improve and expand the company.

“It takes a lot of time, though,” Jones says. “That’s what most people don’t understand. It’s a whole lot of nights of stress, self-doubt and thinking about giving up.”

Despite the time it takes to be successful, Jones says his goal to own and operate a successful business that he can pass down fuels him.

Although Jones’ business has been online so far, he plans to open a men’s boutique in Rogers this year. The boutique isn’t exclusively for shoes, but will have a curated selection of menswear. The goal is to be a fashion-forward store that offers a cheaper price point than the majority of men’s stores.

Throughout the long nights and stresses of building a business from the ground up, Jones remains positive and dedicated to his brand.

“It’s bigger than shoes—I love inspiring and giving back. I want to have foundations, scholarships, and offer platforms to people that are less fortunate and underrepresented,” Jones says. “Somebody has to come along and break that cycle [of poverty], and I feel like the task was put on my plate to do that.”

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HUNGRY

Like the Wolf

Bryant Phelan of OFaolain Leather has a drive to put the art back in artisan.

WORDS / KODY FORD A handbag can be utilitarian, an expression of self, or just another status symbol. For Bryant Phelan, of OFaolain Leather, a handbag is a work of art. The Little Rock-based artisan first got the design bug as a child.

While his years of education took him into the fields of medicine and mathematics, he eventually found his way back to what he loves—designing and crafting handmade leather bags. These pieces go beyond the utilitarian into the exquisite and imaginative.

“I think anytime you manifest your expression, no matter what the work, you are creating art,” he said.

“It took me years to feel comfortable calling myself an artist because it can come across egocentric [. . .] It brings me great joy to bring my expression into tangible reality. My medium just happens to be leather.”

Each bag is crafted by Phelan himself, although he is considering some small-scale production with a group of artisans based out of New York City later this year.

His process is important for him for a variety of reasons such as quality control and originality.

OFaolain—the pre-Anglicized version of his last name which means the wolf—is making its mark through its founder’s unique designs, attention to detail and passion. For Phelan, the process of creating a handbag varies piece by piece. Maybe he’ll sketch out a pattern, or maybe he’ll take a more organic approach by going to the studio and letting his materials speak to him. It could take a day or a week to see an idea through to fruition.

“Much of what we see coming out of the fashion industry today is from trend-research and producing what is assumed the market at-large currently wants in the most expedient and cheapest way possible.

This is solely about making a buck and has nothing to do with a unique perspective or inspired design.

Sometimes these items are made by skilled artisans but I’m looking to put the art in artisan by bridging my unique expression with high quality craftsmanship.”

OFaolain Leather handbags can be found on the arms of celebrities like Christina Milian and Genuwine; RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Kim Chi and Alaska; and fashion influencers like Faustina Rose (@SoFausti) and Johnny Cassanova (@JohnnyCassanova). Phelan works tirelessly to promote his work through social media. He said, “I want my customer to be able to “feel” the bag as if they were there with it.”

Phelan said that anyone who mentions this article will receive 10 percent off their order. He will be a featured artist at Thea Foundation Art Department with an opening reception on Friday, May 3.

OFaolainLeather.com IG / OFaolainLeather

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SEE ME ROAR: JESSICA HUMERICK Makeup design paints self-expression

Jessica describes makeup as “an expansive word, akin to love and God, hard to categorize, harder to define. Makeup is an expression. I communicate best visually. I like for my makeup, my clothes, my interior design to speak for me before I have to say a word. Whether it’s through any method of art: architecture, sculpture, painting, street art, design, we’re all just wanting to be heard without having to say a damn thing verbally. We want to be felt.”

WORDS / BIANCA MONTOYA Makeup is an art form subdued yet worthy of a gallery and a stage. The fashion world of Arkansas is a bustling mecca for creatives to follow their inner Pantone-flushed compass.

With all the events happening around us we wanted to delve into the world that is professional makeup.

Jessica Humerick, a popular makeup artist around Central and Northwest Arkansas. She’s known in the regional fashion industry for her work in Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week, photo shoots, and she’s even a buzz word in the wedding realm. Her infatuation began in front of their family’s television. “I remember one of the first times I saw ownership of sexuality, power, and freedom, it was waiting until everyone was asleep in the house as a little girl to sneak and watch MTV,” Humerick says. “Madonna, Paula Abdul, the era in the ‘80s, it’s where you pushed all the aesthetic boundaries. I would see the bright lipstick, cat-eye liner, and steal my mother’s makeup. Through that lipstick, I was able to teleport to another world.”

Humerick has been active in the industry for 19 years now, she spent time cultivating her talents working for modeling and talent agency, and cosmetic companies such as Mac & Dior.

“I loved the artistry: it’s hard to truly feed your soul when it’s always about the financial numbers for a Corporation.” She attributes her knowledge to her hands-on experience on set, constantly adapting to new scenarios and techniques when working with an array of models.

Humerick’s career concentration has been with on-set photography makeup and numerous fashion shows, having a similar application method to that of theatrical makeup.

When asked about the challenges of the makeup industry she shared, “Finding a threshold and balance enough to edit your work. There’s an art form when creating Avantgarde looks. You have to know when to stop.”

It’s about the connections and the tribe of like-minded go-getters that she surrounds herself with that keep her motivated. Something that inspires Hummerick is the pressure of working for herself. “Only having myself to rely on, to blame, to hold accountable. I’m fortunate enough to love and surround myself with like-minded friends that are business minded and creatives, so I have a tribe that pushes and supports one another. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed a lot of mornings, but that pressure, that self-reliance is what truly motivates me every morning.”

Adapting techniques and taking on new clients allowed her to elevate her game. “Owning my business: to me, it’s more about the connection I get with my clients/friends. It’s about truly bringing about their beauty, confidence, what they’re wanting to channel for the evening. That’s what it’s always been about for me. And those elements, those connections are what will always keep me focused and inspired. Always.”

Throughout her career, she partnered with like-minded powerhouse women and with that their brands blossomed.

This area may be saturated with artists but the opportunity is ample. With the rise of the creative class and the events, ongoing Humerick applauds the industry professionals out there hustling, adapting, and finding space to collaborate.

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Fayetteville is home to many budding student designers, and while each brand has a different style with differing inspiration, one thing they have in common is their involvement in Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week.

ABBY RAMSEY

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bby Ramsey and Morgan Sherwood, creators of Jam, won the Project Cotton Runway challenge in 2018, and have since been asked to participate in NWAFW this year.

Ramsey said her faith and family come before all else and strongly influence the way she sees the world and how she designs. She said she is excited to be involved in NWAFW because it advertises the best and brightest designers in the area and raises support for these local designers.

While Ramsey’s inspirations used to come from famous designers Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, her biggest inspirations as she’s gotten older have been current events and the world around her. “I design for the everyday woman, and my biggest goal is to translate the art and fantasy of couture fashion to a level where she can understand and enjoy it,” Ramsey said.

In addition to her desire to make fashion attainable for the everyday woman, Ramsey said her success is self-defined. “I am constantly setting a higher bar for myself,” Ramsey said. “If my work is better quality, if it speaks to more people, then I will consider my work and myself a success.”

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akeedra Moore, creator of Dasia Rose said her brand is defined by its originality. “I stay in my own lane. I don’t try to do what other designers do nor do I try to keep up with other designers. I do what I like to do. My brand consists of garments I personally like and would wear.”

Moore is inspired by a multitude of things around her, including colors, people, music and movies. Moore said she feels that NWAFW is a good opportunity because it offers exposure to up and coming designers like herself. She also feels that the event will afford her the opportunity to gain clients, friends, additional support, and knowledge from other designers.

“My goals are to give a great show every chance I get,” Moore said, “I want to be known here in the state of Arkansas.”

ILLUSTRATIONS / Dillon Dooms WORDS / Summer El-Shahawy

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azmine Barnes, from women-empowering fashion brand Robbie’s Era, is a University of Arkansas alumna with a bachelor’s degree in apparel studies.

Barnes has participated in several fashion shows including New York Fashion Week in 2018 and NWA Fashion Week in 2018.

“Fashion gives me the platform to carry on the spiritual life of a loved one through my brand, Robbie’s Era,” Barnes said.

Her inspiration comes from men’s tailored fashion and designers Coco Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Thom Brown. “Coco Chanel broke boundaries for women in not only fashion but status quo, Alexander McQueen dares to be unapologetically different, and Thom Brown always expands my imagination,” Barnes said.

Her definition of success isn’t merely dollar signs, but the ability to give back to the people she loves most.

“My goal is to share my passion and hopefully be an inspiration to someone whether it be in fashion or everyday life,” Barnes said, “Participating in NWAFW gives me the opportunity to share that message, and while I hope the audience falls madly in love with my collection, my true desire is to pour that sense of self love and empowerment into as many souls as I can!”

bby Alba, creator of SkyBlue said she’s been involved in the fashion industry since the young age of 13 when she enrolled in the Arkansas Fashion School. She is currently a junior in college pursuing a double major in marketing and management. As she’s grown in the industry, she has showcased her clothing line in 14 fashion shows across the nation, including New York Fashion Week, while still attending school.

For her fashion inspirations, Alba said she tries to find a theme or concept she wants to represent in each show. “In my most recent collection, I wanted to portray a “Night Out in NYC. I wanted to display classic elegance amongst the romantic reputation NYC has by incorporating color and structure placement within each design.”

Alba said she has mainly focused on showcasing her brand in Central Arkansas and hopes her involvement with NWAFW will help to spread her brand throughout a different region of the state. Her goal is to display her clothing line to potential clients and deepen her understanding of the fashion environment in NWA.

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The creativity of costume-players extends into small businesses to fuel future COSPLAY PROJECTS. WORDS / CALEB PATTON

COSPLAY and FASHION brings fiction to life

For many, the idea of fashion community would rarely conjure the image of men clad in Sailor Scout uniforms or an eight-foot tall tree person shouting, “I am Groot!” More often than not, we picture places like London, New York and Milan.

The world of cosplay, or costume play, takes much more than running to your local halloween shop once a year and buying a pre-packaged wig. In fact, it’s a thriving community of art, ingenuity and collaboration that stretches the imagination of makers and creators everywhere.

Here in Arkansas, cosplayers like Katie Collins, a senior at the University of Central Arkansas, spend their time not only creating stunning outfits for competitions and their own enjoyment, but also building businesses to fuel their future projects.

“I do princess parties for little girls’ birthday parties and it’s taken off from when I made my first costume—Anna from Frozen. A mom said, ‘Oh my goodness, you look amazing. Could you come to my daughter’s birthday party?’ It was so rough that first time, but it’s snowballed into doing multiple parties in one month and it’s amazing. It honestly helps fund the majority of my cosplaying.”

Collins has created much more beyond her wardrobe for her business, Happily Ever After Parties. Her convention pieces include characters from well known games like Bioshock and League of Legends, and shows like Game of Thrones. She hinted that her newest creation would be one from Rapunzel and admitted that though it’s cute, she’s had to bring in her fiance to help finish it.

All across the Natural State, folks like Collins have numerous opportunities to showcase their character and OC (original character) cosplays.

From Glitchcon in Springdale, CALS-Con in Little Rock, to the ever-growing ComicConway, there’s never a dull moment for local cosplayers. It’s at these conventions that people from all across the South and further are challenged to design stunning cosplays and build a community of creators who come together to celebrate their love for nerd and geek culture.

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“A great charity con I like,” Collins stated, “is Heroes and Angels Comic Con in Greenbrier. All of their proceeds go towards kids with cancer, which is an amazing thing.”

The cosplay community in Arkansas is quickly growing, filled with people who not only enjoy the rolling dice and catching up on the latest anime series, but can also appreciate the time and effort that goes into sewing and stitching their own pieces together. Collins stated, “So many people cosplay now, and [they’re] people you would never suspect had any interest in it. Every time someone tells [me] they went to a convention dressed as character A, B or C I’m always so happy to know that it’s not as niche or ‘weird’ as it used to be portrayed as before.”

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C COWARD’S P LAY FICTION / HAYLEIGH WORGAN

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preacher once told me that the bible says, “Fear is the absence of love.”Maybe that’s why I am so afraid to apologize, to remember, to forget, and to forgive Thomas for what he put me through. Because the truth is, I never really loved Thomas, and I don’t think he ever loved himself. If I could rewrite his obituary now, maybe I’d say that instead of the fluffy nonsense about how he would be missed. No one misses that boy, not even his own mother. Sometimes people are so reckless, they awaken demons just for the entertainment. Thomas was one of those people. He was too young, or too stupid, to know what he was doing. He burned all his bridges on the way to hell, just to feel the warmth. A few nights before a search party discovered his body in the swamps, he stumbled up onto my front porch. His blonde hair was crusted with dirt, and he was trembling despite the summer heat. His shirt was torn, but that was nothing new.

It was unusual, however, for him to be missing a shoe. I sighed and placed my book on the porch table.

“What did you get into this time, Tommy?” I asked.

His eyes were wild, red, and puffy. He scanned the front yard as though he were a cat, trapped in a corner.

“How long,” he stammered, “How long have I been gone?”

“At least a week this time,” I replied, studying him closer.

“The sheriff is looking for you.”

He kept one hand on the railing, and slid down to sit on the top stair, facing out into the darkness. Less annoyed than curious, I moved to sit next to him. When I touched his back, he stiffened.

“What did you get into this time?” I repeated.

At first, I thought he wasn’t going to answer. Then, he turned his head to look at me. I’d never seen him so frightened.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy,” he whispered. “Hell, I think I’m crazy.”

“Thomas, you’ve been drinking for days. I smell it all over you. I’m sure you just had some sort of dehydrationinduced nightmare. Why don’t you go inside, shower, and then we will talk.”

“There’s no time!” he shouted and stood. “We are in danger, and it has something to do with those damn coyotes I killed last summer. They’re back, and they brought someone, or something, with them.”

“What do you mean ‘they’re back’?” I asked, incredulously.

“You said you killed the whole pack. I saw the ones you used for bait strung up in the trees by the pond. I smelled the smoke when you burned the rest of the remains. We may have coyotes again, but come on, Tommy, you know they are not the same ones.”

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In the distance, I heard the unmistakable sound of a howl.

It was unusual to hear them in broad daylight. I felt chills rush down my spine.

“They are the same ones,” he said, quietly. “I saw their shadows circling by the pond in the twilight. I’d just woken up, thirsty, and reached for my last beer. I heard a rustling sound in the bushes. When I saw their shapes, I grabbed my gun and fired off a few shots. That’s when I heard the laughter.”He wiped his brow and continued, “I asked the person to show themselves. ‘Come on out,’ I said, ‘unless you’re a coward!’ Then the calmest voice I’ve ever heard replied, ‘I’m no coward, Thomas. I do not run from my mistakes. You, on the other hand, know a little something of running, don’t you?’”

“In the silence, I could only hear the dogs panting and my own heartbeat. Then, the bushes began to move, and a woman came out. At least, I think she was a woman.

I couldn’t see her face. She was wearing a mask made of bones. Her hair was long, tangled, and matted with blood. She had a dog on both sides of her, and these fangs that glistened in the moonlight. I could see them from the boat.”

“Thomas, I…” “No, listen. She said she couldn’t swim, but she invited me to the shore. When I refused, she said she would give me a choice. She called it the ‘Coward’s Play.’ I could pay for the blood I’ve spilled with my life or the life of someone I love. She gave me two nights to think it over. I stayed on the boat until sunrise, and then I came straight here.”

“Thomas, it sounds like you had a hallucination or a bad dream,” I began. “Either way, you need to go see the sheriff to clear up a few things. He had questions about a hit and run on the outskirts of town on the night you went missing. I can’t get you out of this one, kiddo, and neither can some silly ghost story.”

He closed the distance between us, and put his hands on both sides of my face. “This is real, momma,” he whispered. “She’s going to come for one of us.”

Sirens echoed just down the road. He bolted up, my frightened rabbit, and looked at me with a mixture of genuine fear and sadness. He said nothing more before he ran off, back to his sanctuary in the woods.

I waited for the police car, my eyes following him as it pulled into our driveway. Too old to chase my son, and too young to bury him. I sometimes wonder if Thomas was more afraid to live than to die. Either way, he was right.

The coyotes are back. They howl outside my bedroom window every night. In the end, I guess we all pay for our sins. The thing I fear most now is not knowing which ghost will come for me.

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Eureka Springs School of the Arts Workshops:

Felting Leather Appliqué Weaving essa-art.org (479) 253-5384 Idle Class AD For Storytellers.pdf

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Join us in 2019!

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FEATURED READERS:

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OTHER UPCOMING READERS: March 26th - Noelia Young May 28th - TBD June 26th - Doug Shields July 30th - Talya Boerner

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Hear these writers the last Tuesday of each month at Nightbird Books.

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SUZANNAH SCHRECKHISE Vi sual Arti st w ww.S uz an n a h Sch r eckhis e. Art Suzann a h Schr eckh is e@g mai l.c om Faceb o ok @S u z a nn a hSchr eckhi seArt Instag ra m @ S uza n n ahSc hr eck his e.A rt

Over the last 40 years, Ballet Arkansas has positively impacted the lives of nearly HOMAGE TO THEA PERRYS 100,000 Arkansans.

501(c)(3) T a k in g m e an ing fr om the tr ad it ions non-profit organization, Ballet oArkansas f Di a d e M uis e rproud tos a nd to c r eat in g a be the v i su a l e x p r e s s i on r oo ted in the foremost professional ballet s ou th e r n d e p r e s s io n era . company in the state of Arkansas.

featured in the exhibition Come experience the beauty of OUR FRONT PORCH Ballet Arkansas!

Exe cuti ve A r ti st ic Di rector: J e a nni e Fow le r Ro d rigue z-Sto ne C ura ted b y: S ha nn on Di ll ard Mitchel l Tr av el i ng Ar ka ns as I nvitati onal Ex hi bi ti on , This pr o je ct is ge ne rously fu nd e d b y Mi d-A me rica Arts All iance, th e Nati ona l E nd ow m en t f or the Arts, an d t he st ate a r ts age nci es o f Ark a nsa s, Kan sa s, Mis so uri, Ne bras ka, O kl ahom a, a nd Texa s, i ncl udin g the A rk ans as A rts C ou ncil, an age n cy o f t h e Ar kans as Dep artmen t o f He ri tage.

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ARTWORK WILL TRAVEL TO A p ri l 2 7 . , P in e B l u f f L ib r a ry M a y 12 , D ow n to w n L it tle Ro c k A ug us t 1 7 H e l e n a, De lt a C ul tu r al C en te r

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