May Daze

Dizzying variety of art decks Eureka in spring

The month of May barely contains the whopping May Festival of the Arts in Eureka Springs. The annual celebration of the arts actually begins this weekend with signed copies of the official festival poster being offered during the afternoon and evening hours at Sweet Spring Studio. It ends some four weeks later as the last of several monthlong exhibits close in Eureka's many galleries.

A fitting metaphor for the big event is represented in one of of the more unusual -- perhaps even unique -- activities taking place this year. And if it comes to fruition as Jim Wallace plans, it'll land Eureka Springs in the record books.

FYI

May Festival of the Arts

Eureka Springs

Saturday — Signing party for the 2014 festival poster by Barbara Kennedy, 1-4 & 6-9 p.m., Sweet Spring Studio

Through May — “Art As Prayer,” Studio 62

Through May — Big Pot USA, Paradise Pottery

Through May — New work by Mark Rademacher, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Eureka Fine Art Gallery

Thursday — Reception for Edward Robison, 4-7 p.m., Devito’s

Thursday — Magical May Faire, 6:30 p.m., Castle Rogue’s Manor

Thursday — “Form & Function” - works in clay, 6-9 p.m., The Space

May 2 — First Friday Arts and Crafts Fair, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., near the Holiday Island Post Office

May 2 — “Form & Function” - works in clay, 2-8 p.m., The Space

May 2 — Tim Cotterell – The Frogman, 5:30 p.m., Zarks Gallery

May 3 — “Form & Function” - works in clay, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Space

May 3 — Tim Cotterell – The Frogman, noon, Zarks Gallery

May 3 — Van Hollow Pottery, 1-9 p.m., Eureka Thyme

May 3 — Grand opening celebration, 4-8 p.m., Norberta Philbrook Gallery

May 3 — Artrageous Parade — 6-6:30 p.m., downtown Eureka

May 7 — Ribbon Cutting for ESSA’s Heavy Metal Studio, Eureka Springs School of the Arts

May 8 — Bank on Art, 4-6 p.m., Community First Bank

May 9 — Works by Diane Harvey, 5-8 p.m., Gallery 83

May 10 — Spring Arts & Crafts Fair, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Pine Mountain Village

May 10 — Art by Carol Dickie, 1-9 p.m., Eureka Thyme

May 10 — “Artist Impression of The Mother,” 5-10 p.m., The Space

May 10 — Reception for Mark Rademacher, 6-9 p.m., Eureka Fine Art Gallery

May 10 — Ozarks Chorale concert, 7:30 p.m., The Auditorium

May 11 — “Artist Impression of The Mother,” noon-7 p.m., The Space

May 11 — John Two-Hawk’s Mother’s Day concert, 2 p.m., The Auditorium

May 12-16 — Mixed media mosiacs with Kandy Jones, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Eureka Springs School of the Arts

May 12-16 — Portraiture in charcoal, pastel and oil, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Eureka Springs School of the Arts

May 15 — Bank on Art, 5-7 p.m., Cornerstone Bank

May 15 — Poetluck, 6 p.m., Writer’s Colony

May 16 — White Street Studio Walk, 4-10 p.m., downtown Eureka

May 17 — “Tales from the South” writing workshop, 1-4 p.m., Writer’s Colony

May 17 — Art by Sandy Wythawai Starbird, 1-9 p.m., Eureka Thyme

May 17 — Bella Vita Jewelry, 2 p.m., Zarks Gallery

May 20 — Edward Robison III photography workshop, The Sacred Earth Gallery

May 22 — Bank on Art, 6 p.m., Arvest Bank

May 23 — North Main Art and Music Festival, 7 p.m., North Main Street

May 24 — Art by Ken Starbird, 1-9 p.m., Eureka Thyme

May 24 — “Arkansas Fossils: Kate Baer,” 2 p.m., Zarks Gallery

May 24 — Meet artist Janet Alexander, 6-8 p.m., Norberta Philbrook Gallery

INFO — eurekaspringsfestiv…

FAQ

Big Pot USA

WHEN — Through May

WHERE — Paradise Pottery, 320 County Road 210 in Eureka Springs

INFO — facebook.com/bigpot…

Wallace, proprietor of Paradise Pottery just to Eureka's west, plans to make the world's largest pot. Give him some leeway on the definition of pot; what he plans to make is a barrel-shaped clay vessel of very large stature.

Wallace, a potter for decades, has made large pots before. One example serves as the tandoor -- that's an Asian-style oven -- at the New Delhi Cafe in downtown Eureka. But he's never attempted one of the magnitude he hopes to create over the next several weeks.

The specific inspiration for the creation is twofold, Wallace says. He saw a photo of what may now be the recordholder for world's largest pot. He wondered how an artist could have created something of that size. Secondly, he wants to make an artistic statement as America continues to debate the legalization of marijuana, he says.

To eclipse the size of previously made pots, Wallace says his piece will need to be about 10 feet tall and at least 5½ feet in diameter. A vessel of that size will require in excess of 200 pounds of clay. It will also require some ingenuity -- a makeshift kiln will need to be constructed around the pot because traditional kilns cannot accommodate a piece of that size.

"I'm not an engineer, but I kind of play one every day," Wallace says.

The piece is currently in the design phase, and Wallace has created several crowdfunding opportunities to help speed the process along. Details about the project can be found on facebook.com/bigpotusa.

NAN What's Up on 04/25/2014

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