LITTLE ROCK — HOT STUFF: To celebrate the forthcoming 60th anniversary of Ray Bradbury’s classic novel Fahrenheit 451, Simon & Schuster held a contest to design a new cover for it.
The winner chosen from more than 360 entries? Little Rock artist and designer Matt Owen, an art director at CJRW advertising who also designs minimalist posters based upon classic and modern movies. Owen’s trademark is combining simple images from what he is illustrating.
For Fahrenheit 451, he depicted an object that has matches on one end and a book on the other, complete with a bookmark.
REALITY ROUNDUP: So far, at least three Arkansans are headed to Hollywood to compete as contestants on FOX’s American Idol.
Charlie Askew, 17, of Little Rock; Rachel Hale, 21, of Prescott; and Ann Difani, who received an in-person invitation from judge Randy Jackson during halftime of the Arkansas-Kentucky football game in October. Meanwhile over on ABC’s The Bachelor, Lesley Murray, who grew up in Arkansas, is hoping to woo and win the reality show’s latest catch.
HITCHING THEIR WAGONS: Hollywood actor and former Arkansan Timothy Busfield, 55, (West Wing, Thirtysomething) who attended high school in Conway back in the 1970s, is engaged to actress Melissa Gilbert, 48, best known for her starring role on the 1970s drama Little House on the Prairie, reports US Weekly.
ARGENTA IMAGES: To mark the 50th anniversary of President John F.
Kennedy’s death in 1963, North Little Rock entrepreneur John Rogers is sharing some rare and never-before-seen images of Kennedy in a special photo exhibit in the city’s historic Argenta district.
The free exhibit, “JFK 50 Years Later,” will run March 25-30 and feature about 120 photos displayed in eight restaurants and galleries.
Related special ticketed events include an opening-night celebration featuring a film about Kennedy by Little Rock native and award-winning filmmaker Craig Renaud and a finale on March 30 featuring an auction of works by Arkansas artists.
Proceeds will benefit the Argenta Arts District, a private, nonprofit organization that promotes arts and culture.
Rogers, owner of Rogers Photo Archive and Argenta Images, based in North Little Rock, has amassed a digital library of vintage and historic images totaling more than 180 million photographs and hours of film.
WALTZ THROUGH TIME: The historic Dreamland Ballroom atop Taborian Hall (now Arkansas Flag and Banner) in downtown Little Rock will be featured in an AETN documentary thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council.
The film will explore the cultural significance of the ballroom in Arkansas’ black heritage.
Contact Linda Caillouet at (501) 399-3636 or at lcaillouet@arkansasonline.com
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 02/03/2013