Museum of Eureka Springs Art
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
(Eureka Springs, Arkansas) — In three different centuries, a quaint little Ozark village in northwestern Arkansas has been recognized as an “arts community”. Most recently, Eureka Springs has been acclaimed as one of America’s “top 15” arts destinations. Today, a portrayal of the 140 year history of this town’s art can be seen in one location, the Museum of Eureka Springs Art. The museum, which officially opened to the public during Eureka’s “May Festival of the Arts-2024”, is located at 44 Kings Highway and is part of the Eureka Springs Community Center Complex.
“The history of our mountain village has been creatively captured by our local artists. One could say their work is the history of Eureka Springs,” said Steve Beacham, museum director. “Our new museum boasts more than 400 iconic art pieces from 150 local artists spanning 144 years of art.”
Featured artists include such names as Lucien Gray, photographer for historic postcard images that he began producing in 1879; Fred Swedlun, a.k.a. Ernest Fredricks; Elsie and Louis Freund, who, in 1939, founded the Summer Art School of The Ozarks; Zeek Taylor; Max Elbo; Larry Williams; Doug Stowe; Eleanor Lux; and Hank Kaminsky… the last seven artists listed have been either recognized by the Governor and the Arkansas Arts Council for their visual arts or have been named as an Arkansas Living Treasure in Folk Arts and Traditional Craft. These are just a few of the nationally and internationally renowned artists who have called Eureka Springs home during their career.
“From 1880 on, Eureka Springs has been like a magnet for those who want to express their creativity in fine art,” added Beacham, “but it was in the 1970s when Eureka exploded with talent when the ‘hippie artists’ moved to town. Since then, it has been a steady flow year after year of new talent moving here to live and create. Our new Museum of Eureka Springs Art proudly displays an array of those creations.”
The museum itself is an artistic adaptive reuse of space. The 3,700 square feet that once was the Eureka Springs High School cafeteria, was transformed into a spacious museum, easy to traverse throughout. As part of the Eureka Springs Community Center Complex, the museum enjoys abundant natural light in addition to expertly placed display lighting for its rolling display walls. There is ample free parking.
“Even though none of our museum display items are for sale, we feature a mini-gallery of current local art that changes every six weeks. These items are available for purchase,” Beacham noted. “We also have a small gift area for museum visitors.”
Admission is free. The museum is funded through donations from visitors and art lovers who appreciate a professional presentation of quality and unique artistic works. Museum docents operate the museum as volunteers.
The museum is open to the public weekly. For exact days and times, one may go to the museum website, museumofeurekaspringsart.net . Special private group tours are available with adequate advanced notice.
“Even though most of Eureka’s artists would probably embrace the term ‘starving artist’,” Beacham noted, “our museum is a cornucopia of artistic delights upon which the public pleasantly feasts.”
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