Old friends, new art

The Arts Center of the Ozarks is kicking off the month of love with two new exhibits. But while the art may be fresh, the artists are old friends of the galleries.

Zeek Taylor will present "A Life of Color," highlighting recent works from his ever growing -- and ever popular -- collection. And according to Eve Smith, ACO director of visual arts, that popularity may be an issue.

"He's so well liked that he's kind of having a problem getting the works to ACO since they keep selling," she says with a chuckle. "Zeek is wonderful to work with, and we can't wait to have him in our galleries."

And it's about time.

Taylor, while well known for his displays in Sensory Iconoclasts and 5x5, has never held a solo show in the galleries of Arts Center of the Ozarks until now, Smith says.

Taylor's popularity is expected to be a boon for ACO.

"The fact that he does have such a large list of patrons means that some of these fans who will come have never been to the arts center before," Smith says. "Hopefully we'll be seeing people from Eureka Springs and Little Rock at the reception and throughout the show."

Taylor's art will be displayed in the upstairs galleries, which according to Smith makes for a more intimate show. Placing his work in the upper room also opens the larger downstairs gallery up to "Vox Femina: Female Voices in Today's World of Art," which will present works by a number of female artists, Smith says.

"An all female show hasn't really been done a lot in Northwest Arkansas, and a lot of people don't really focus on female artists when creating shows," she says. "Women in the art world don't have one-to-one recognition."

"Female artists have something very much in common, and when they get together, they make an impact," says Autumn Brown, artist, mother and "Vox Femina" curator. "For me, showing all-female artists is not about not getting enough attention or recognition, but it's a way to band together because we come from the same place as females."

Brown sees "Vox Femina" as a positive spin on the camaraderie of women.

"Although our stories may be different, the heart of the female, the passion and strength, is all the same," she says.

And it is those strong emotions Brown hopes patrons take away from "Vox Femina."

"You cannot get away from the emotional aspect of art, but the response to it is on an individual basis," she says. "Hopefully this exhibit challenges people enough that they will continue to participate, enjoy and invest in art in Northwest Arkansas. This project is just a little bit different that what people would usually see, but I think it will leave them satisfied."