Arts center’s director excited about position

Amy Tarpley, executive director of the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center in Russellville, left, offers a little hands-on assistance to Madison Pennington, one of the participants in the center’s recent summer art camp. Pennington and her fellow campers used various materials to create abstract organic sculptures.
Amy Tarpley, executive director of the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center in Russellville, left, offers a little hands-on assistance to Madison Pennington, one of the participants in the center’s recent summer art camp. Pennington and her fellow campers used various materials to create abstract organic sculptures.

RUSSELLVILLE — It only takes a few seconds during a conversation with Arkansas River Valley Arts Center Executive Director Amy Tarpley to hear the excitement in her voice as she discusses her job and the Russellville organization’s future.

Fourteen months into her job as director, Tarpley said one of the things she has enjoyed most is building relationships with local artists.

“Getting to meet so many of the local artists in the community and finding ways to promote their art and share their art have really been fun,” Tarpley said. “There are so many people out there with artistic ability.”

Working with Winston Taylor, the arts center’s resident potter, is easily another of Tarpley’s favorite things about her job.

“I get to work alongside an Arkansas Living Treasure, and that is pretty neat,” she said.

Taylor established the pottery program at the arts center and received the Living Treasure honor in 2011 from the Arkansas Arts Council.

The arts center, at 1001 E. B St., has expanded its offerings in several ways during Tarpley’s brief tenure. As an example, a program called Afternoon Artists began this summer, offering youngsters an opportunity to spend Thursday afternoons at the center, learning about and practicing a variety of art techniques.

That program will continue this fall after school resumes, she said.

Also this summer, the center has hosted weeklong summer art camps for youngsters, ages 5-13, once each month.

It is exciting to see youngsters connect with art, just as it is exciting to see adults make the same connection, she said. And in some cases, it is a matter of the adult reconnecting with art, “and sometimes you see a person reinventing himself as an artist in a different form.”

More classes for adults have been added at the center, including classes in charcoal drawing and drawing portraits, Tarpley said, in an effort to balance the needs and desires of local artists of all ages and experience levels.

“We have also added more of what I call ‘crafty’ classes,” she said, such as scrapbooking and pallet painting.

The center is also responsible for the monthly art exhibit at the Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitor Center.

While all those things definitely keep Tarpley busy, she said she has also been spending a good deal of time listening, as well.

“A lot of the first year has been a training [period] for me, a training [period] in getting to know not only what I want for the arts center in the future, but what the artists want to see.”

In terms of long-term goals for the center, Tarpley said she and the board of directors have discussed the need for a larger building.

“And with more space would come more classes, and with a larger building, we could have more artists display their work. I would love to see us have a building big enough where we would have room for various artists to have their own little gallery space and workspace, as well.”

Tarpley said another goal is for the arts center to bring to the community a fall adult musical production, to complement the summer youth offering.

That summer musical is one of the center’s annual highlights and Mary Poppins was the production this summer. More than 90 people of all ages from the River Valley had a hand in the production.

“It was just a wonderful show,” she said. “It was very well received, and I was just so proud of everyone involved with the musical.”

Tarpley has also had some surprises in her first year-plus as director.

“One of the things that still shocks me is how many times I hear someone say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know this [arts center] was here.’ That would be great if I could go next year without hearing people say that,” Tarpley added.

“We want people to know we are here. We want people to know they can come here to take an art class we offer, and we want them to know they can get help here if they are looking for someone who teaches a different technique at one of the other art studios,” Tarpley said. “That is why the arts center is here. We are not in competition with other art galleries or other art-related businesses. We are here to promote art, and if we can help other businesses flourish, then we can flourish, too.”

For individual artists interested in getting more involved in the local art community, the quarterly art walks held in downtown Russellville are a great place to start, she said.

“That’s one of the best ways an artist can get a feel of what’s out there and what the community wants in art,” Tarpley said. “And it’s just a great way for them to expose their art to the residents of the area. It is free to the artists, and they can sell their work, so that is one of the things we really push.”

Those artists could also have the opportunity to have their work exhibited at the arts center. Each October, the schedule for the next year is drawn up, with the main gallery always occupied by local artists. The exhibit may feature an individual artist, the work of an artists group or a collection of work by several local artists.

“We have great members and can always use more members,” Tarpley said. “And we can always use volunteers, if someone just wants to come help out.”

Tarpley pointed out that there is a staff of “one and a half,” which includes a part-time office assistant. That also means Tarpley often finds herself doing whatever is necessary

“Depending on when you catch me, I might be mowing the yard,” she said. “I have changed out the guts in a toilet as the plumber, I have learned how to clean out the fish pond, and then you might find me helping out one of the instructors with a class. So you never know. You just kind of go with the flow, and that’s what is so fun about it.”

Anyone who wants to become involved with the arts center or find out more about its offerings may contact Tarpley at (479) 968-2452 or at rvartscenter@gmail.com.

The center’s current exhibit is a local artist showcase that will remain open through July.

Local artist Boyd Osborn’s work will be on display in the main gallery in August.

The arts center is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

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