David, originally from Joplin, has traveled through the world’s continents as an artist, musician and chef. After living most recently in Kansas City where he owned the Upstart Crow Gallery, he’s settled in Lamar making of his home a creative garden paradise filled with his art and his companions both feathered (laying hens) and furry—“Ding” the ancient feline ruler and “Chiquita” his ever exuberant Wheaten Terrier/poodle.

A longtime practitioner of Qi Gong and Tai Chi, David is donating his time and knowledge to offer and share with us the benefits of these art forms that nurture and sustain the vitality of body, mind and spirit.
 
Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention. The word Qigong (CHEE KUNG) is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced “chee” and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.

Consider Tai Chi (TIE-CHEE), if you're looking for a way to reduce stress and enjoy tranquility. Often described as meditation in motion, tai chi promotes serenity through gentle, flowing movements.
 
Should you doubt the benefits of these ancient Chinese practices, just look to the everlasting vigor of artCentral’s October guest artist, the amazing Mr. Edward Lee, 97, who begins each of his studio painting days with his personal Qi Gong practice.
 
Autumn at artCentral will be splendid with Mr. Lee’s “East Meets West” Exhibition. The free Opening Reception takes place, Friday, October 7th, 6-8pm, with Mr. Lee giving a demonstration of his elegant splash-ink painting techniques—expressions of elegant and heightened vigor balanced with stillness and serenity.
 
Autumn at artCentral is magical balance.
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​We use the term “monkey shines” to describe pranks and other playful debauchery. We think of “monkey business” as mischief, misbehavior, mischievousness, devilry, devilment and tomfoolery.

Lately there have been some monkey shines popping up serendipitously in my life. The first appears as three wee monkeys ringing around the lidded bowl given to me as a gift by my artist-musician beau. Each of the three seated characters sports sticking out Dumbo ears, a burgundy vest and matching tasseled fez, highlighted with gold. The large container, carved and painted to look like a woven basket, is decorated with lush leaves, gilded in gold like the beaded band encircling the container’s circumference.

The three monkeys on my bowl are quite petite. Looking like yogis, they appear in a relaxed state of collective contemplation. As though preparing for their breathing asanas, they all strike the same posture-perfect, seated pose—pads of feet pressed together, palms resting on bent knees, eyes wide open and gazing forward.

Perhaps my contemplative, yogi monkeys are visioning and knowing that I will soon meet their contemporary when my beau and I bike on the bimmer to Jasper’s famous Judy’s Truck Stop for fried chicken livers, vegetables sides and a piece of pie. (Peach is our favorite).
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Satisfied and ready to head home, on the glass checkout counter by the cash register, whom should we encounter but a singular large yogi monkey, dressed and gazing out the same as my three wee ones. He’s proffering a large bowl of after dinner minutes. The motifs on his carved bowl are the same as those on mine—gilded leaves and beaded band around the circumference. His posture is upright and somewhat majestic. We marvel at the serendipity knowing his wee counterparts are waiting for our return. 

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After much pondering, I finally decide to let Eric color my hair. “I trust you”, I always tell him. Always he gives me cause to be delighted. I love the way he approaches my coif like a canvas, colorfully weaving my strands into a lively abstract of gold and honey and amber and auburn underpainted with bass notes of rich chocolate. 

After I sit beneath Eric’s genius, when my artist-musician beau comes to fetch me for dinner, being the painter that he is, he takes great relish in lifting one lock then another admiring and exclaiming over the richness of Eric’s artful painting.  When David pronounces the results and me “very beautiful”, I’m blissed, for truly I’m a lucky woman having men in my life who know how to make and appreciate the richness of art in many, many expressions, even on my head.

Richness is an ever present theme in my life, especially at artCentral. Richness of art and artists. Richness of opportunity. Richness of support. Richness of making a difference in our hometown we love so dearly.
Richness abounds the evening of Doug Randall’s Opening Reception for his “Mindscapes” Exhibition filled with his fifty-six landscape and floral paintings—an abundance of beauty masterfully created from his nimble brushes and rich oils. Rich is the conviviality with Doug in his kilt and his charming wife Suzy greeting guests and patrons. Rich with pleasure are the happy patrons who purchase favorite selections from Doug’s astounding collection.

Rich is the table bedecked with David Matthews’ installation of twigs, cannas and cattails plucked from the natural abundance of our local waterways. Rich are the chords of his guitar and voice softly singing. Rich is the abundance of delectables spread for our enjoyment—Judy Goff’s pulled pork sliders, pungent cheese spread and gourmet brownies  and Lora Waring’s plethora of cookie confections. Rich are the memories of an evening with the new moon waxing above beautiful Hyde House as autumn’s first chill breezes caress guests visiting on the porch.

The richness of “Mindscapes” remains at artCentral for your viewing pleasure through the 25th of September. Weekend gallery hours are Friday and Saturday, 12-5, and Sunday, 1-5. Enrich your day. Enrich your life. Visit artCentral and see the richness abounding on our gallery walls waiting to give you pleasure.

line foliage, my artist-musician beau looking up responds, “I’m not sure they’re geese. Oh! They’re egrets—white egrets.”

​We count them. Six white egrets like a snowy dream—like phantom ballerinas fluttering across summer’s ending, making magic, circling, settling, rising, shifting, and settling again into the cluster of tree tops softly calling their goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
 
Yes, a very good night as dark descends and we lift “Ma Cherie” into the back of the van and make our winding journey to artCentral at Hyde House where we look up to admire the new gallery railings restored above the porches—startling white against dark green roofs—as lovely as snowy egrets coming home to roost.
 
Crossing artCentral’s new water green porch we go inside to anticipate the installation of Doug Randall’s “Mindscapes” opening this Friday.
 
Like our magical evening sighting of six ephemeral egrets, Doug’s landscape and floral paintings are as magical as his life tucked into the Ozark highlands of northwest Arkansas. With carpenter’s tools, Doug builds the sprawling hobbit house, studio and Rocky Creek Art Gallery he shares with his wife, Suzy, and their furry companions. With artist’s brushes, paints and palette, Doug paints the “Mindscapes” that appear behind his eyes—composites of places and experiences that evoke emotion before he brings them forward and gives them life on his canvas where colors compliment and play to create art that’s impressionistic, abstract and traditional, too.
 
Doug’s an outsider. Known to wear a kilt, he dances to his own drum and choreographs his days to suit his creativity. From a first success in 1993, when he entered a painting in his first juried exhibit, the awards continue to fill Doug’s lengthy, impressive resume including his exhibit at the Off Broadway Gallery in London, England.
 
With great pleasure artCentral welcomes Doug Randall and his splendid “Mindscapes” to the autumn galleries of our elegant Hyde House. All are invited to the Opening Reception for “Mindscapes”, Friday, 9 September, 6-8 pm.
 
When you arrive, remember to look up at the gallery railings—as white as egrets in treetops—announcing you are entering a realm of magic.
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