A&E Advisory for Aug. 1-7: Dogs, zombies and a chance at Arkansas-Alabama tickets

Aug. 1-31
Art: Exhibit features father and son’s paintings
FORT SMITH— A collection of paintings by a pair of late Eureka Springs artists — Ernest Fredericks (also known as Fred Swedlun) and his son, Glenn Swedlun — will be on display through the end of August at the Fort Smith Public Library.

This special collection is on loan from the Ashworth Collection of Native American and Western Art, owned by Dr. Chris Ashworth of Fort Smith.

The story of the lives of these two men is as interesting as the paintings themselves.

Fred Swedlun was born of Swedish parents on a Kansas farm in 1877. The farm life did not appeal to him so he headed to Chicago to study and exhibit at the Chicago Academy of Fine Art. It was there that he created the pseudonym Ernest T. Fredericks and became well-known for his regional landscape paintings. Glenn Swedlun was born in Illinois in 1902 and grew up in Chicago. At age 27, he gave up a professional baseball career to become a painter like his father. The elder Swedlun taught the younger not only how to paint but also to appreciate the natural things of our environment that provide an artist with the necessary beauty to put on canvas. His paintings are almost entirely landscapes, woodland scenes in the brilliance of autumn, the bright lights of summertime, the freshness of spring and the snow-laden burden of winter. In later life, Fred discovered the majestic beauty of the Ozarks and returned to Chicago, describing it as an “artist’s gold mine of color and composition.”

In 1950, Fred and his wife along with his son and his wife moved to Eureka Springs, where Fred and Glenn painted and taught art classes in the Ozarks until their deaths. Fred died in 1959 followed by Glenn in 1982.  

There’s no charge to see the exhibit. More info can be had by calling (479) 783-0229.

Aug. 1
Music: Distinguished Artists Series tickets on sale
FORT SMITH — Individual tickets go sale Wednesday for the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith’s Academy of the Arts 2012-2013 Distinguished Artists Series.

Two events the academy is particularly proud to bring to campus: A performance by the Singing Men of Arkansas on Oct. 25 and 4 Pianos & Some Kids — A Musical Folly on Feb. 8.

The Singing Men of Arkansas, a robust group of talented male vocalists noted for bringing crowds to their feet, will perform A Tribute to the Oldies. The 4 Pianos group includes Rosilee Walker Russell, Gini Law, Jonathan Story and Scott Carrell. The quartet will perform a little classical, a little Broadway and promises “a whole lot of fun.”

Concert times are 7:30 p.m. in Breedlove Auditorium on campus.

Tickets for each event are $12. To order, call  (479) 788-7300 or buy online here.

Aug. 3
Impact: Who let the dogs out?
FORT SMITH — Cause for Paws, Le Bone Appetit, a fundraiser for the Sebastian County Humane Society, sounds like a hoot and a half and is sure to draw every pet lover and sympathizer from miles around.

The affair Friday at the  Holiday Inn City Center starts with happy hour at 6:30 p.m (people only, no dogs), followed by the Fur de Lis Fashion Show at 7 p.m. (for dogs, no people). A buffet dinner, live and silent auctions and music by Larry B are also on the agenda. Special guests will include 10 shelter dogs.

Tickets are $35 each or $500 for a table. Call (479)783-4395 to get in on the action.

Watch The City Wire for Ruby Dean’s coverage of this event.

Aug. 3
Fun: Zombie lock-in
VAN BUREN — Zombies are popular people — er, creatures — these days, and local teens have the chance to be one for at least 12 hours.

The Van Buren Public Library is hosting a zombie lock-in from 7 p.m. Friday to  7 a.m. Saturday as a part of a national zombie lock-in at public libraries all over the country.
The local event, for ages 10-18, will feature crafts, games, food and contests with other libraries via the Internet.  Space is limited, so junior zombies are encouraged to sign up in advance. And, of course, mommy and/or daddy zombies have to give their permission for kids to attend.

More information is available by calling (479) 474-6045.
 
Aug. 4
Impact: Fundraiser for slain officer
FORT SMITH — Need tickets to the sold-out Arkansas-Alabama game? Chances to win a pair will be available at Blaze’n Burrito at Central Mall, during an all-day fundraiser for the FSP Officer Daniel Martinez Memorial Scholarship fund.

The Mexican food eatery will also donate a portion of sales Saturday to the scholarship fund for Martinez, who was shot and killed while trying to help a mother retrieve her child from a residence in 2007.

Call or text (479) 883-2349 for more information. Details about the scholarship fund can be found here.

Aug. 6&7
Theater: FSLT auditions for Hallelujah Girls
FORT SMITH — Feeling sassy?

Fort Smith Little Theatre is holding auditions for the Southern hit comedy Hallelujah Girls, directed by Angela Covey.

Hilarity abounds when the feisty females of Eden Falls, Ga., decide to shake up their lives. The action takes place in SPA-DEE-DAH, the abandoned church-turned-day-spa, where this group of friends gathers every Friday afternoon. After the loss of a dear friend, the women realize time is precious and if they are going to change their lives and achieve their dreams they have to get on it right then,

Covey is looking for a cast that includes six women ages 35-65 and two men age 35-60. Auditions are at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The show runs Sept. 13-22.