Gallery Plans Two Photography Workshops

Attention photographers! Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your image-taking skills. Learn how to capture dramatic and unique images of Arkansas landscapes and wildlife, as well as amazing close-ups of flowers, bugs, and all things small.

The subject of the first workshop is landscape and wildlife photography. It will be held on Saturday, May 8, at the Arkansas Native Plant and Wildlife Center located at the foot of Rich Mt. Class size is limited, so sign up early.

The subject of the second workshop is macro photography, and it is planned for Saturday, June 12. Location is being decided now and will be announced soon. Cost of both events is $85 each. All proceeds for the May 8 class will go to the Arkansas Wildlife Center. Fees from the June 12 class will go to Mena Art Gallery. Fliers and sign-up sheets are available at the gallery.

Both day-long classes will be taught by award-winning photographer, Corbet Deary of Hot Springs. Two of his wildlife images were featured in last year's Arkansas Wildlife Calendar published by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. For additional information, call Janis Shull at 479-234-2032 or Corbet Deary at 501-624-3243.

Annual High School Show Opens

The artistic talent of area youth was on display at Sunday’s reception for the 23rd Annual High School Show. Over 200 pieces of original art filled the walls of Mena Art Gallery. Schools represented were Acorn, DeQueen, Mena, Umpire, Waldron, and Wicks.

Jesus Orozco of Waldron won Best of Show for his painting titled, “Sunset.” He received $50.00 along with a beautiful ribbon.

Cash awards were presented to other winning artists in each of six categories:

(1) Painting:
1st Place – Kaylee Van Emmerik, Mena;
2nd Place – KC Hansen, Mena;
3rd Place – Yesinia Boix, DeQueen;
Honorable Mention – Latrisha Metcalf, Mena.

(2) Watercolor:
1st Place – Dalton Myers, Acorn;
2nd Place – Tyler Jones, Acorn;
3rd Place – Brenda Balderas, DeQueen;
Honorable Mention – Taylor Barrett, Wickes.

(3) Photography:
1st Place – Ashley Pickens, Waldron;
2nd Place – Austin Stroud, Mena;
3rd Place – Jasmine Wright, Waldron;
Honorable Mention – Jessica Davis, Umpire.

(4) Three Dimensional:
1st Place – Pachia Vang, Waldron;
2nd Place – Abigail Ajuado, DeQueen;
3rd Place – Stephanie Vidrine & Rachel Hinson, Mena;
Honorable Mention – Maria Magana, DeQueen.

(5) Mixed Media:
1st Place – Kaylee Van Emmerik, Mena;
2nd Place – Megan James, Waldron;
3rd Place – Zack Roppel, Mena;
Honorable Mention – Maggie Oneil, Mena.

(6) Graphics:
1st Place – Aleyandra Arroyo, DeQueen;
2nd Place – Jerry Hensley, Mena;
3rd Place – Stephanie Vidrine, Mena;
Honorable Mention – Carlos Maya, Wicks.

Special Merit ribbons were awarded to Carmen Echevarria, Jessica House, Devin Broyles, Kate Self, Kayla Stone, and Kristin Trulock.



Mena Art Gallery wishes to express their thanks to Mena Title Company for providing the cash awards for this show. The art work of these talented young artists will be on display through April 27 and can be viewed during gallery hours: 12 noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

High School Art Reception Sunday

To see the amazing talent of our area’s youth, come to the opening of Mena Art Gallery’s 23rd annual High School Show Sunday, April 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. You will be rewarded with bright, fresh, imaginative creations in a variety of media including: (1) Oil, acrylics, and pastels; (2) Watercolor; (3) Photography; (4) Graphics; (5) Three-dimensional art; and (6) Mixed Media.

Cash awards will be presented to the winners in each of the five categories above. These awards are made possible through the generous support of Mena Title Company owned by Jeremy and Quincy Thornton. The Thorntons share a love of impressionistic art and hope that their sponsorship of the High School Show will be an encouragement to young artists. Refreshments will be served and many of the artists will be available for you to meet and congratulate.

This show will remain on display for two weeks, until April 28, and can be seen during weekly gallery hours – Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12 to 3 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

Dinner at the Mena Mountain Resort

Mena Art Gallery has planned another exciting event—this time it is dinner at the Mena Mountain Resort. This is the second annual dinner where chef Hector Costamagna will work his magic. Hector says, “We want to present Mena with some really elegant dining, and the Mountain Resort has the facilities to do it in style.”

Hector has planned a four-course dinner; the gallery is putting together a silent auction of artwork featuring some of the artists whose work is on display now at the gallery. The event will start at 6:00 pm so that you will have time to wander around and see the Mountain Resort as well as decide which pieces of art you want to bid for. Both are well worth your time!

Tickets are $25 per person and reservations are required as space is limited.

When you go in to the gallery to see the current show (and it is an especially good one), have a look at the grandfather clock that one of the gallery members has donated and purchase a chance to win it.