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