Art experts around the state honor Fort Smith artist as a ‘Living Treasure’

That the bubbly personality of Peter Lippincott and his contributions to art were being praised by Arkansas art officials while the sound of champagne corks popped in the background was as appropriate as it was unplanned.

Second Street Live! was the site of a festive celebration Tuesday night (May 11) as the Arkansas Arts Council and the Department of Arkansas Heritage recognized Lippincott as the 2010 Arkansas Living Treasure. Lippincott, a Fort Smith-based artist, is the ninth person to receive the prestigious recognition.

Joy Pennington, director of the Arkansas Arts Council, explained that art experts from around the state reviewed numerous candidates to compare them based on the quality of their work, their efforts to preserve and promote their respective craft, and their community outreach. Lippincott, Pennington said, rose to the top in the 2010 comparison.

Also attending the ceremony was Cathie Matthews, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Pennington and Matthews praised Lippincott for his broad success, noting that his pottery is part of private collections throughout U.S. and Europe. Pennington also praised Lippincott’s efforts to promote the craft he first explored when he was 38-years-old and living in St. Louis. She said those efforts include working with more than 400 adult pottery students during his career.

The first speaker was Ken Kupchick, volunteer head of the Fort Smith Arts Alliance. He said Lippincott is part of a growing movement to “add to the brand of Fort Smith” with a “far-sighted outlook for the arts.” He noted that quality of place is important, “but we want to create a love of place” across all generations.

“We need to reassure college and high school graduates that Fort Smith is the right decision for their lifestyles,” Kupchick explained.

Lippincott used his acceptance speech to focus on progress toward a new Fort Smith Art Center. The center, which is scheduled to open in early 2011 in a new location at 1601 Rogers Ave., is changing its moniker to the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum. The group has raised $1.3 million toward a $2 million goal to fund renovations and operations at the new location, Lippincott said.

(Read more about Lippincott, the May 2010 The City Wire Person of the Month, at this link.)