Chris King’s exhibit opens at UAM
“Average Class Size,” an exhibition by Chris King, will be in the Glassblock Gallery in the Fred J. Taylor Library and Technology Center at the University of Arkansas at Monticello through March 11. The exhibition opened Tuesday and is free for the public to attend.
The artworks in this exhibition are mixed media pieces that address issues of the role of an artist and educator in this era of school violence, according to a news release.
King is a multimedia artist and educator based in Louisiana and originally from Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture and art education degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, followed by his Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts.
His work explores themes of displacement, injustice, immigration and social ailments through painting, sculpture, printmaking and drawing. King’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, and the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, La.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In 2010, King was commissioned by the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library in Indianapolis, Ind., to create several large paintings celebrating the author’s life.
In 2021, King collaborated with Nigerian artist Oba Moyosade during a virtual residency program connecting eight American artists with eight artists from around the world.
In 2008, after working in Los Angeles for 15 years, King moved to Natchitoches, La., where he lives today and is the head of the Visual Arts Program and gallery director at the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts.
Council member sets meet, greet
The community is invited to a meet and greet with Pine Bluff City Council Member Lloyd A. Holcomb Jr. from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at 2400 E. Harding Ave. Holcomb is seeking re-election to his Ward 1 council seat, according to a news release. Details: (870) 489-3030.
DRA grants healthcare support
Delta Regional Authority announced nine additional healthcare facilities have been chosen to participate and receive technical support through the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program, including a local agency.
In Arkansas, the recipient will be Baptist Health Medical Center Stuttgart. The center is a prospective payment system hospital that serves Arkansas County, according to a news release.
PBHS slates Entrepreneur Fair
Pine Bluff High School will host a Student Entrepreneur Fair in McFadden Gym in observance of National Career and Technical Education Month on Friday. The community is invited to attend from 9:30-10 a.m. and students from 10-11:30 a.m. by buildings.
Goods offered for sale or by appointment include gourmet foods, custom sportswear, jewelry, lashes/nails, accessories, original art, candles, lotion and hair, according to a news release. The Arkansas Department of Education will showcase the state’s Computer Science program. The event is free to attend.
State certifies minority, owned agencies
In 2023, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission certified 50 businesses as minority- and women-owned business enterprises through the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Certification Program.
Several are from southeast Arkansas, according to a news release.
MWBE-certified businesses receive access to a statewide network of support services, including workshops, B2B networking, and notification of bid opportunities, as well as opportunities to do business with local, state, and federal governments; higher education institutions; lending institutions; and the private sector.
The newly certified minority-owned business enterprises include:
Shekinah Services LLC (Monticello);
Master Floor Cleaning Inc. (Pine Bluff);
Vivian Wright & Associates, Inc. (Pine Bluff).
Details: https://www.arkansasedc.com/community-resources/Minority-and-Women-Owned-Business-Enterprise-Resources.
Pine Bluff Quilter’s Guild to meet
The Pine Bluff Quilter’s Guild will meet at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 20 at First Baptist Church, 6501 S. Hazel St. The program will be on “Log Cabin Blocks,” according to a news release.
Members are reminded that dues must be paid by Feb. 27 to be listed in the club directory. Plans for the guild’s participation in the Home and Garden Show, to be held April 20, will be discussed.
At the January meeting the members voted to move the sew days to the Tuesday and Wednesday following the meeting, beginning on Feb. 27.
Show-and-tell, along with fat quarter and door prize drawings will be held after the business meeting.
Members, with a birthday in February, are asked to bring a door prize, which should be related to quilting or sewing. Door prizes are given out at the end of the meeting and all winners must be present.
Everyone is encouraged to bring a fat quarter (18 by 22 inches) of 100 percent cotton for the monthly fat quarter drawing. Green is the featured fabric for February. At any time white or white on white is also acceptable.
The quilter’s guild’s annual membership fee is $20. Anyone interested in learning the art of quilt making is welcome to come, visit and become a member, according to a club spokesman. Membership is open to all who are interested in quilting, no prior experience is needed.
The purpose of the Pine Bluff Quilter’s Guild is to insure the continuity of the craft by teaching the techniques of quilting, and to encourage, and promote an interest in quilting to the public.