Friday, July 26, 2013

The Songs of the Fifty States: Arkanasas

(What is "The Songs of the Fifty States"?)

Arkansas has not been overburdened with ties to well-known artists.  Thanks to IAT Shakespearean Jennifer for helping me
track down these two fine albeit not especially landscapy works by Arkansas painter Jenny Eakin Delony Rice (1885-1949).




Arkansas!

Size: 137,733 km2 (29th)

2012 Population: 2,949,131 (32nd)

Statehood: 1836 (25th)

American Human Development Index: 3.87 (49th)


Art Meccas: There is a great deal of splash and fanfare about the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, an museum that sprang fully-formed in 2011 from the head of one of the Walmart heirs.  It is of course in Bentonville, and has a robust collection (deep pockets) without many well-known works (late start).  

If I had one day in Arkansas, though, I would probably break for Little Rock's Arkansas Art Center, also a relatively new institution (50 years old last year) but with a solid collection of American and European paintings and a special focus on drawings.  Crystal Springs' focus on the United States makes it a specialist institution; the AAC represents a broader tradition and has a better representation of the post-WWII era.



Michael 5000's Arkansas

First Visited: ~April 1, 1992 (13th)
Most Recently Visited: May 16, 2003 (40th)

First Run In: n/a
Best Run: n/a

Have Slept Overnight In: Yes.

Have Admired the Visual Arts In: No.

Counties Visited: 20/75 (20th)
% Complete: 26.7% (32nd)




Mrs. 5000's Counties Visited: 15/75 (37th)
% Complete: 20% (37th)



Atlas of All Roads Travelled


Plans and Aspirations

I have vague plans for a Southeast/Central trip that might happen one of these years.  If it did, I would definitely want to run in Arkansas.

4 comments:

mrs.5000 said...

Oh, man! I was all, like, if we both have 20 out of 75 counties, how come you have a greater percentage? And then I was like, 1,2,3...darn, I only have 15! You've bested me again!

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater said...

Those are some homely Arkansas babes. Now I know they have some finer looking ones than that.

Mrs. Noisewater shares your love of maps. I bought her a t-shirt that says "I Love Maps."

Michael5000 said...

Mrs.: I apologize for the typo.

Dr. Noisewater: Well, I think the left babe has potential. Seems like she could be quirky and mischievous. Mrs. N sounds like a keeper.

pfly said...

I see someone drove through Ponca and Jasper, along the Buffalo River. One of the best parts of my now years ago road trip from Seattle to Appalachia was camping near Japser. There was a trail from the campground into an increasingly "karsty" landscape, culminating in a dramatic cliff overhang cave-like place and, a bit above, a big cave with a sizable stream falling out. I met a very friendly Arkansan who offered to help me explore the cave--he had headlamps and such--but to my surprise I discovered as much as I liked the *idea* of going into a cave the reality of if was rather scary, and I declined, much to my later regret. Later I stopped at Calico Rock on the White River, where there is an old historic inn, and I see you didn't get to, yet.