When the Historic Arkansas Museum reached out to local brewer Josiah Moody a while back to provide the (free) beer for a 2nd Friday Art Night downtown, he was happy to oblige, if they'd just give him one concession -- August.
Why August?
Because his farmhouse ales (or saisons) Aria and Katchiri pair so perfectly with the midsummer heat? No.
Because featured artist Katherine Rutter is an old friend from their days at Vino's and designed his next-generation bottle labels? Yes.
Isn't that how art(ists) and craft (brewers) are supposed to interact?
A number of downtown spaces opened their doors to perambulating aesthetes Aug. 14, including Gallery 221, the Arkansas Capital Corporation Group (artists Greg Lahti, Brennan Plunkett, Robert Bean and Steve Plunkett), the Cox Creative Center (Sandra Marson) and Old State House Museum, and the Butler Center Galleries, which featured works by three paintering friends David Bailin, Warren Criswell and Sammy Peters.
"It always shocks me how well our paintings, drawings and sculpture work together. That shouldn't be a surprise after 30 some years but, while we see each other's work on our web pages or as attachments, we rarely go to each other's studio for critiques," Bailin said.
Mockingbird played a folk set over at the Old State House Museum, while John Willis and the Late Romantics played the Historic Arkansas Museum.
Interesting factoid on beer labels -- they must be approved by the federal government, and the Moody-Rutter collaboration was rejected! Why?
Because the art is just too vernacular and they can't see a spaceship appear when they unfocus? No.
Because Moody had written "A Belgian farmhouse ale" when it must say "A Belgian-style farmhouse ale" lest consumers think they're getting a beer brewed in Belgium? Yes.
-- Photos and story by
Bobby Ampezzan
High Profile on 08/23/2015