Art in the Park draws a downtown crowd

 

story and photos by Joel Rafkin
[email protected]

A steady stream of people flowed through the east and west wings of the Riverpark events building on Saturday (Oct. 1) while admiring and purchasing art from regional artists during the final day of Art in the Park.

About 30 artists participated said Patricia Lappin, coordinator for the show. Each artist paid $35 for every three original fine art pieces displayed. The booths, 17 total, were the exception with artists paying a flat fee of $50. Proceeds from the event, including a 25 percent commission fee on sales, benefitted the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum.

Many disciplines were on display. There were wood bowls and vases turned from solid blocks of wood by Wendell Mills. Jewelry from several artists, soaps and candles, photography, handcrafted baskets and quilts, sculpture, pottery, paintings, drawings and even music and literature were featured.

Peter Lippincott of Fort Smith, better known for his pottery at Mudpuppy Studios, was playing music as well as displaying pottery. Lippincott will be releasing his second CD in two years sometime before Christmas. The first disk, “Snake River Reel,” was mandolin music. The upcoming disk, “Making Lemonade,” will be all original songs.

Author and artist Sharon J. Sockey was selling copies of her book "Like a Panther in the Night." For every copy purchased, she included a free CD of her music titled "Daddy if She Only Knew." In addition, each purchase received an entry for a raffle of an original photograph of a panther with book-themed poetry overlayed on the print.

Sculptor Denise Rinkovsky was working in clay while displaying her figure sculptures. She had a few pieces that were already bronzed, a wax mold ready for casting and several in clay. Rinkovsky, of Tulsa, works with a plasticine clay that is oil-based and never dries. Upon purchase, a wax mold is created and then the piece is cast in bronze. Rinkovsky said her work can be made into any size by using 3D imaging and then an exact replica is created from computer sculpted foam which is then molded in wax and finally cast in bronze.

Representatives from a new artist co-op were garnering support for their startup facility. Cre8ive Arts Network, or CAN, has been given about 5,000 square feet of space at a Fort Chaffee barrack to use as both classroom and studio facilities. The first floor will offer classes for the public while the second floor will provide studio space to fledgeling artists.