artCentral · 417.358.4404 · PO Box 714 · 1110 East Thirteenth Street · Carthage · Missouri · 64836
  artCentralCarthage
  • HOME
    • HOURS.DIRECTIONS.MAP.COVID-19 PLAN
    • GALLERIES
    • POTTERY HOUSE
    • MEETING VENUES
    • LIBRARY
    • BOARD of DIRECTORS
    • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-CURATOR
    • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-CURATOR'S WISH LIST
    • COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS
    • CONTACT
  • GIVE4ART! FUND
  • EVENTS
    • 2021 CALENDAR
    • NEWSLETTER
    • PHILIP LEDBETTER · PAINT IN MOTION · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION · 2 APRIL - 15 MAY 2021
    • artCAMP 2021 · SCREEN-FREE 3rd SATURDAYS
    • 2021 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EXHIBITION 21 AUG-19 SEP
    • VIRTUAL SUMMER ARTS CAMP 2021 · July 13-17
    • JRAC · KALEIDOSCOPE · EXHIBITION · 5 FEB-13 MAR 2021
    • MARCH 24 · GIVE4ART! · GIVE CARTHAGE DAY
    • INA NIDAY & MARY DATUM - 2 FRIENDS EXHIBITION
    • 2020 SMALL WORKS | GREAT WONDERS - AUCTION FUNDRAISER
    • 2020 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EXHIBITION 21 AUG-19 SEP
    • AT HOME RESOURCES for FAMILIES
    • 2019 ARTIST of the YEAR
    • JRAC · HEART & SOUL · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • 2019 HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE @ HYDE HOUSE · DEC 5·6·7
    • JODIE SUTTON · ENCAUSTIC AUTUMN - LANDSCAPES · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL · FOUR STATE PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • CARTHAGE HUMANE SOCIETY · MEET & GREET · Sep 8 · Sun · 1-5 pm
    • 2019 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EXHIBITION
    • artCAMP 2019
    • JRAC · ARTI GRAS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • CONNIE MILLER CONVERSATIONS IN COLOR EXHIBITION · RECEPTION STUDIO WORKSHOP · MAY 11
    • * ART.A.FAIR CARTHAGE * 13 APRIL 2019
    • 2019 CALENDAR
    • 2018 CALENDAR
    • The ART of QUILTING · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • GLASS ORNAMENTS WORKSHOP
    • JRAC · ART SPEAKS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • JOSIE MAI · EAT ART · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION · WORKSHOPS
    • 2018 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EXHIBITION · ARTIST SUBMISSION INFORMATION
    • COLORS OF AUTUMN · FOUR STATE PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • BETSY PAULY RETROSPECTIVE
    • MICHAEL STEDDUM EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • LOWELL & APRIL DAVIS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION >
      • WORKSHOPS >
        • GLASS ORNAMENTS WORKSHOP 2018
    • SUSIE BEWICK · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • JRAC LOVE LANGUAGES· EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • 2016 CALENDAR
    • ** HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE ** @ HYDE HOUSE
    • ARTISTS of GRACE · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • Membership Exhibition 2016 - Artist Entry
    • KATIE & MADDIE · BOYLAN ART & WRITING AWARD WINNERS · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • RADIANT 88 · MSSU Art Faculty · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • SANDRA CONRAD · WINGED WOMEN · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • JRAC Sparkle and SHINE EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • Membership Exhibition 2016
    • ** HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE ** Call for Artists
    • DOUG RANDALL · MINDSCAPES · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
    • EDWARD LEE · EAST MEETS WEST · EXHIBITION · RECEPTION
  • JOIN
    • ONLINE MEMBERSHIP
    • MAIL-IN MEMBERSHIP
    • PHONE-IN MEMBERSHIP
    • BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS & UNDERWRITERS
    • FRIENDS
  • BOUTIQUE
    • UPSTAIRS
  • BLOG

ART NOTES from Alice Lynn Greenwood-Mathé in The Carthage Press and The Joplin Globe

1/19/2019

0 Comments

 
ARTIST-of-the-YEAR CELEBRITIES and ARTI GRAS
Picture
Andy Thomas, pointing to his original sculpture-enhanced oil painting explained: “Lowell, that’s you and me that night I came out and visited. This is the world you created with all your art work!” to which Lowell Davis choked back a sob to exclaim, “Wow!”
As Executive Director-Curator of artCentral I have the very unique privilege of serving you—all of Carthage and our surrounding neighbors—in the only non-profit art center venue in Carthage. With this privilege come some great opportunities to know the art stars of Carthage and the region.

​At the recent annual Carthage Chamber of Commerce banquet, I was thrilled to share the stage with our local artist hero Andy Thomas. Not only has Andy won international acclaim and mega media coverage for his wonderful artistic gifts and his amazing artistic accomplishments, but in doing so he’s cast a shining light on our beloved Carthage and all of us who are blessed to live in this magical town. For all the good and positive and art-centric attention he’s brought to us we say a happy, hearty “Thank You!” to Andy. 
I asked Andy to be artCentral’s evening presenter for the “Artist of the Year” award, because Andy has very, very special connections with our award recipient. I knew Andy’s comments would be perfect and poignant. I knew the award recipient’s response would be equally so, even if a little shocking. Placing my iPhone on the podium, I opened my voice memos app and word for word recorded their tearful and touching onstage conversation. With great pleasure I share their heartfelt moments with you.

Andy: “Tonight’s recipient has done a lot more for Carthage than I have. I’m going to tell a quick story. Back in 1975 I desperately needed a job and I wanted to pursue a job in art. Nobody believed I would find a job in the art world. I didn’t even think I would, but I was going to give it a try.

I was told to go visit with this man and I spent three hours with him. 1975! In an old farmhouse—cold and drafty. He was so enthusiastic, when I left that farmhouse two people in Jasper County believed I could be an artist.

He’s done so much for Carthage! His work has depicted farm life in America. Thousands and thousands of people from across America have come to Carthage to visit him. They still visit him. You can’t go out and visit without being interrupted by someone who wants to meet him. He is in my eyes the greatest artist I have ever known. He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever known, and I’ve known some great people.

And so I’ve done a special piece of artwork (that I hope you get a chance to come over and look at) to commemorate the great, the great!—Lowell Davis.”
​
With four hundred people rising to their feet and clapping with waves of enthusiasm, Lowell Davis slowly stood from his seat beside his wife, the beautiful and wise Rose. Leaning lightly on his cane, accompanied by my husband, artCentral’s Prepitor, David Greenwood-Mathé, Lowell made his way down front, up the steps and onto the stage. Beckoned by Andy’s firmly insisting “You have to come up Lowell,” he stopped some distance back from the podium. With my hand placed in the center of his back and giving him a very gentle nudge forward, Lowell just stood planted there as tears coursed down his weathered cheeks and Academy Award winner’s music blared over the loud speakers. Competing applause continued until a surreal hush of expectant silence fell as though waiting and listening for words from this great Carthage treasure.
Andy spoke again, pointing to his original sculpture-enhanced oil painting explaining: “Lowell, that’s you and me that night I came out and visited. This is the world you created with all your art work!” to which Lowell choked back a sob to exclaim, “Wow!”
​
Andy: “Say something, Lowell.”

Lowell: “Can’t! I can’t!”

Andy: “Yes you can. I risked cryin’. You can, too.”

Composing himself, Lowell finally leaned forward and began to speak softly and clearly with conviction.
Picture
Lowell Davis with his Artist of the Year award - an original sculpture enhanced oil painting created by Andy Thomas.
​Lowell: “Let me tell you a little story. When I got out of the Air Force I went to the Dallas-Fort worth area as an art director for a big ad agency.” His voice breaking with more tears, “Excuse me…for a big ad agency and after fifteen years I couldn’t stand the big city anymore,” more tears, “so I moved back to Carthage and Andy would come out and see me. And he’d ask me questions about art, and I’d try to answer them. But if I’d known then that he would turn out to be…” more tears coming, voice breaking, “a much better artist than me…” sobbing, “I would have broke his fingers!”

​Andy: “That is Lowell!” The crowd roars with laughter and rises again clapping madly as these two great men leave the stage together with Andy’s amazing painting between them.
***************************************
For more art world excitement come to Hyde House Friday, February 1, 2019, 6:00-8:00 p.m. for the free-to-the-public Opening Reception for “Arti Gras”, a blockbuster mixed media extravaganza presented by the talented artists of the Joplin Regional Artists Coalition. Call (417) 358-4404 for more information.
***************************************
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ​​

    ​

    ​​

    ​Author
    ALICE LYNN GREENWOOD-MATHÉ
    Executive Director-
    ​Curator


    artCENTRAL
    for the love of Art &
    ​
    for the love of Artists

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

HOME      EVENTS     JOIN     GIVE! 4ART FUND     BOUTIQUE      BLOG

© 2014 artcentralcarthage.org · All Rights Reserved · artCentral · 417.358.4404 · 1110 East Thirteenth Street · Carthage · Missouri · 64836