Art Cards

Kelley Naylor Wise has added more goodies to her solo show in the form of about 60 beautiful note cards on heavy archival stock. She combines handmade decorative papers with foils and objects, signs them and pairs them with envelopes in glassine sleeves.  Each is a unique work of art priced at a very reasonable six dollars each.

Come in early for the best selection.

Kelley Wise Speaks Art

Kelley Naylor Wise sat down with me and spoke of her love for art.  My intention was to record what she had to say and then transcribe it, but her enthusiasm demanded that her voice be heard.  So, listen here to Kelley with a sound bed by Explosions in the Sky.

Kelley with friend

Open Code

The opening for Kelley Naylor Wise's 'Code' was some fun.

Byron Werner and Donavan Suitt,

aka Rural War Room, 

provided the sound mix.

The art will be up through the end of the year.

Come on by.

'Code' Opens November 23rd

Our second exhibition is 'Code,' featuring paintings by Kelley Naylor Wise. It goes up next week.

Kelley's acrylic and mixed media paintings are bold and energetic abstracts.  Each is a nebula of emotion, evoking passion, joy, struggle and exploration.  The language of the natural world is always speaking to Kelley and her interpretations are spot on.

The opening is on Friday, November 23rd, from 7 to 10 p.m.  Music will be provided by Rural War Room.  Naturally, it is free and open to the public. The show will run through the end of the year.

Come by and be sucked into Kelley's universe.

First Opening

Thanks to everyone who came by for our first opening Thursday for "Dia de los Muertos."  We started at 6 pm and by 6:30 the room was completely filled with people.  We were very pleased and not a little surprised at the turnout.    

One little Little Rock art supporter poses for a photograph.

Main Altar

Sabrina Zarco's community altar is the centerpiece of "Dia de los Muertos."  Above it is "Women of Juarez."

Join us on the evening of November 1st as we celebrate the holiday and the spirit of creation.  It all  gets underway at 6pm.

"Elvis Is In the Building"

by Kelley Naylor Wise

"Entourage"

fabric art by Sabrina Zarco

Two of the outstanding pieces in "Dia de los Muertos," continuing through Nov. 11th.  Come to our open house on the night of November 1st.

Dia de los Muertos is Up and Running

"Señora" y "Señor"

fabric monsters by Catherine Zacchino

(aka JunkerJane) 

Gallery 360 invites you to come see our first exhibit, Day of the Dead, running through November 11th.  And mark your calendars for our open house on Thursday, November 1st, 6pm to 10pm.

The following artists have contributed work to the show, from altars to paintings to sculptures to fabrics:

Patricia Anders

Steph Brouwers

Nina Culpepper

Danette Devlin

Lynn Frost

Chris Gladney

James Hayes

Jay King

Art McCobb

Donna Peterson

Byron Werner

Kelley Naylor Wise

Wade Wise
Catherine Zacchino

Sabrina Zarco

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm.  We're located at 900 South Rodney Parham Road in Little Rock, just south of the Mississippi Avenue & I-630 interchange.

It's a Sign!

Finally, our sign is up.  

That's Brother Jim. whose expertise made it happen.  

Thanks, Jaime.

Day of the Dead Workshops in Hot Springs

Short notice, I know, but I just learned of 3 workshops centered around Dia de los Muertos that are to be held tomorrow, October 13th, at the ArtChurch Studios in Hot Springs.  "Dia de los Muertos in the Classroom: A Workshop for Teachers," "Collection of Calacas," and "Altar Boxes" will take place throughout the day.  They are coordinated by Jessica Manco of the Mattie Rhodes Center in Kansas City.  More info here.

Bring Out Your Dead

Gallery 360 is preparing for its first showing and you are invited to submit artwork for display.  The theme:  The Day of the Dead.  

The end of October and the beginning of November is traditionally the time to remember, honor and celebrate the dead.  Whether it's the bonfires of the Gaelic harvest festival of Samhain or the spooks and ghouls of Halloween or the sugar skulls and cemetery picnics of Mexico's Dia de los Muertos, it is a time of both reverence and fun, a party for both the living and the dead. 

What would you make to celebrate?  A shrine for a friend or relative who passed away?  A dancing skeleton, perhaps?  A portrait of the coming zombie apocalypse?  Anything dead related, from traditionally decorated calacas y calaveras to the coming zombie apocalypse are acceptable.  The only requirement is originality.

We will consider showing work that is 'not for sale,'  but we encourage folks to put a price on their work.  A portion of sales will go to the Central Arkansas Food Bank, but artists will retain 60%.   

The show opens October 13th, with a celebration on the Day of the Dead (November 1st).  The art will be up through November 11th.

Bring your creations to Gallery 360 / 900 South Rodney Parham Road in Little Rock, the earlier the better.  You can email Jay at audiolingo@gmail.com or call him for more info.  (501) 663-2222 or (501) 993-0012.

What are you waiting for?  Get busy!

photo credit: Our Exquisite Corpse

August classes

Stained Glass
Debra Young will be teaching a two session class on stained glass. It is geared toward beginners or those wanting to take a 'refresher' course.  Classes will be held on successive Sunday afternoons, August 19th & 26th, from 1:30 to 5:30 pm.  Cost is $90 and includes materials.  Email Debra for more info: glassconcepts101@yahoo.com.

UPDATE:  The stained glass class has been moved back a week.  The first session will now be on August 26th and the second one will be on September 2nd.  That gives you an extra week to sign up!

Glass Fusing
Debra is also offering a fusing workshop on August 23rd, from 6 to 8 pm.  Cost is $35.  Bring a friend and get $5 off.  All materials are included.  More info: glassconcepts101@yahoo.com.

Metal Clay
Kelley Naylor Wise will teach a beginner class in textured metal clay.  Students will be making a pair of fine silver earrings.  Cost of the class is $90, which includes materials.  Tools will be available for use or purchase. Class to be held Saturday, August 25th, from 1 to 5 pm.  Call or email to register.  766-9944; kelley.naylor@yahoo.com.

Mosaics
Donna Peterson is arranging to teach several mosaic classes, dates and times unknown at this point, but you can call Donna at 551-0948 or email her at peterson.donna@att.net for information.

Space is limited and you must register before the scheduled dates.

Teachers Wanted

Are you an artist?  A maker?  A crafter?
Is there something you're good at that you think others might like to learn?  Chances are someone would pay money to learn some of the things you know.
We can make the space available for you to teach one-off workshops or returning classes.  We'll help promote you, too.  Sessions are $30 for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour.  Reduced rates for returning classes.  We will also consider offering our space for free to teachers who do not charge for workshops.
Most sessions are being scheduled for weekends and early evenings, but we're open to daytime hours as well.
If you have an idea for such a class, call Jay at 663-2222.

Metal Clay Class Deadline Friday 6/22

There's still time to sign up for Kelley's second metal clay workshop.  It's for Saturday, June 30th.  Details are three posts down.  Kelley says there's five people signed up and there's room for one or two more.

Update:  So you missed that one. No problem; Kelley's workshops continue to meet in July.  She's signing folks up for Saturdays on July 7th & 14th, 2 to 5 PM.  Call her at 766-9944.

Mosaic Workshops

Mosaic is the one of the oldest (5,000 years) and most durable functional art forms.  It uses different types of materials - tile, stones, marbles, glass - to produce an image. Gallery 360 is gearing up to present workshops on MOSAICS – a class where not only is it okay to break things, it is expected !!  Instructor Donna Peterson is developing various workshops that will introduce beginners to the basics of mosaic making including the cutting and laying out of a variety of materials and adhesion and grouting processes.  Projects will include stepping stones, crosses, birdhouses, trays, wall hangings, or other items the student wishes to mosaic.  Check back for specific dates, costs, etc.

Get on a waiting list to receive further information, email Donna at peterson.donna@att.net.

mosaic by  Margaret Almon (Nutmeg Designs)

Finton Shaw 1946-2012

We were saddened to hear recently of the passing of Conway sculptor Finton Shaw.  He was kind and generous and supportive of the arts.  His bronzes and assemblages are unique creations of a man who proved to be a pioneer and a true iconoclast.  He will be missed.

A memorial services is to be held today, Saturday June 9th, 3pm, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Conway.  He will be honored by the Faulkner County Library with a Lifetime in the Arts Award on Sunday, details of which can be found here.

Finton Shaw's obituary is here.

Make One of These

More importantly, learn the art of metal clay.  Kelley Naylor-Wise is a certified instructor in the material. That means she's studied and worked the hell out of it.  She wants you to know that whatever you can imagine can be made out of metal clay.  It's like magic, really; sculpt it in clay, turn it into silver.  Not silver-colored clay. Silver.  I'm hoping she follows up with classes in bronze, copper and steel.  I'll leave it to the 1% to take the gold class.

Anyway, Kelley teaches her next metal clay class at the end of this month, Saturday, June 30th, to be exact. 2 to 5 PM at Gallery 360.  An advance payment of $80 is required by June 20th, so call her at 766-9944 to find out more or reserve your spot.  Or email her at kelley.naylor@yahoo.com.

Our Next Project

This is our sad sign.  Needs some work, don't you think?  Well, it's next on the list of projects.  We'll be saving the structure and the 'gallery' sign at the top, but the 'B' (or what's left of it) will be replaced with an 8 foot square sign showing our 'interstate' 360 logo.  Below that will be a changeable sign on which we can announce shows, classes and workshops.

Thanks to everyone who helped paint the walls inside.  At some point we'll be throwing another painting party for the outside of the building, but nothing's scheduled yet.  If anybody would like to volunteer to help with the sign or the outside painting, please (pretty please?) get in touch.

First Meet Up

Friends of Gallery 360 got together yesterday for the first time.  I thought it would go well if we were there for an hour.  I left nearly three hours later, inspired and convinced we have assembled a core group of talented people.  Most were strangers to each other going in; now it seems we've known each other for a long time.  There were lots of good ideas batted around.  I feel confident now that things are moving in the right direction.  Many thanks to Chris, Donna, Kelley, Jim and Bobbi.

A Call To Artists: Be Apart!

Face it; most artists are anyway. We're a bit left of center. We're out in right field.  We're all over the map. At any one time, we don't know where we are other than outside the mainstream.  But all the time we're working. Creating. Plugging away with our paint or our scissors, our saws, our chisels... until... something emerges.  Then what?

Hopefully, we bring our finished creations someplace where they can be seen by others, appreciated, and maybe even purchased.  A gallery. 

We have one of those.  It's called Gallery 360.

Presently it's a bit rough around the edges and in need of a fresh coat of paint, but it's ours.  We intend to fill it with the best art we can find, invite one and all to come see it, and promote the artists to the best of our abilities. We also intend to use the gallery as a place of learning, with workshops, classes and various events scheduled year round.

I will not attempt to describe the type of art we're seeking other than to ask that it be outside of the ordinary.  Our artist/gallery split is 70/30.

In addition to artists looking to show and sell, we are looking for those who wish to teach others about their art or craft.  If you have a class or workshop idea, get in touch.

Finally, we are looking for volunteers who would like to help us get the space in shape and ready to open.  Minor carpentry, painting, and cleaning are the main tasks before us.

Want to be a part?  Contact us.

Write and send pictures of your work:  audiolingo@gmail.com

Phone: (501) 663-2222

Or come by:  900 S. Rodney Parham, Little Rock 72204  (It's the funky building just south of where Mississippi Ave., Rodney Parham & I-630 come together.  It's the former home of ACAC & Gallery B.)

Coming Soon

Stay tuned.