Mena Art Gallery( Formerly South West Artist)

Mena Art Gallery, with the cooperation of Polk County Judge Ray B. Stanley, has developed a sculpture garden that is displayed on the Polk County Courthouse grounds in Mena, Arkansas. Sculptors from Arkansas and across the United States are invited to submit designs for work they would like to have displayed in Mena. All designs will be evaluated by the Mena Art Gallery’s Standards Committee together with a representative of Polk County. The finished sculptures for the 1st year have been unveiled on the Polk County Courthouse grounds and are on display and will remain for one year.

Mena Art Gallery, part of the SouthWest Artists, Inc. in Mena, Arkansas invites you to enter our second annual competition and exhibition. We are seeking American artists who create outdoor sculptures. This exhibit will last one year.

The exhibit site is in Mena, AR, on the Court House grounds located on the Talimena Drive (a 50-mile highway through the Ouachita Mountains between Mena, Arkansas and Talihina, Oklahoma, which was recently designated as a National Scenic Byway).

We will be able to accept between six and fifteen finished sculptures for the exhibit which will replace the existing sculptures.

All work accepted for the exhibit may be for sale by the artist, but the artist must agree to leave their work on display for a period of eleven months(from April 15, 2009 through March 31, 2010). There will be a commission of 20 percent of the sales price due Mena Art Gallery for any sales of these works made while on display at the Mena Sculpture Garden.

There is an application fee of $20 per entry which must accompany each entry. Each sculptor may enter up to three designs. Each design must have either a detailed drawing or a photograph and each must include height and diameter.

If interested print out the Sculpture Garden form:

Sculpture Garden Application Form

For more information call the Mena Art Gallery at 479-394-3880 or email: Mena Art Gallery .

The Filly Sculpture

Mena Art Gallery Filly Sculpture News

With a goal of education and promotion of and for the city and its citizens, SOUTHWEST ARTIST, INC. is sponsoring an on-going project to honor various outstanding segments of the community. Spearheading the project is Mary Dixon. Mary says; “With this project, we focus not only on parts of the community that has made an impact, but we are using local talent, as well. We hope to give the people of Polk County something of which they may be proud, to place quality art within the community that will endure for generations.

We want to bring yet more interest and uniqueness to the area for both its citizens and visitors.” First of these projects is centered around the horse with the creation of a life size bronze horse filly sculpture that will ultimately be placed in a public area. Chosen to create these sculptures is resident Barbara Lewis.Barbara was chosen not only for her talent as an artist, but for her vast knowledge of human and horse anatomy.Not only is Barbara an artist, but is also a breeder of world class Arabian horses. The creation of a monumental bronze is a long and expensive process.It begins with the artist creatinga clay model that will later be enlarged for the finished monumental piece.In this case the model has also been cast in bronze in its actual size.This smaller, table top size sculpture is being sold as a fund raiser for the completion of the larger model.Other projects will follow. Twenty percent of the purchase of either the table top bronze, or a life size garden version for your garden is tax deductible.

Donations are fully tax deductible. You may see the sculpture and purchase them at the MENA ART GALLERY, 607 Mena Street, Mena, Arkansas 71953. Their hours are: 12 to 3:00 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 1 to 4:00 on Sundays. Donations may be sent there also, tagged for the SCULPTURE PROJECT. For information, you may email the artist at: sculpture@barakafarm.com or phone Mary Dixon at 479-394-6052. Meanwhile, if you have questions, please call Mena Art Gallery at 479-394-3880 or send your questions and contact information to: SWArtists@sbcglobal.net .