WORDS / JAYME HUFF
PHOTOS / EVE SMITH

The Arts Center of the Ozarks, located at 214 S. Main in Springdale, opened two shows this November. A solo exhibit of abstract paintings by Fayetteville artist Duane Gardner utilize a rich impasto, a limited color palette and text to create paintings that celebrate the life of his son Jensen. The show is aptly titled “About a Boy.” The paintings serve as a bridge between cultures and generations. Gardner, who is bi-cultural, is learning Spanish and his mother served as his translator for the text written in a childlike scrawl across the surface of the paintings. The largest piece is a blue beauty entitled “Jensen’s Arullo,” or “Jensen’s Lullaby.” A flash of light erupts from the night sky while the text in Spanish describes Gardner’s feelings for his son, Te amo hasta que se acabe el mundo, which translates as I love you ‘til the end of time. Gardner has painted in the abstract style for 20 years and studied at the University of North Texas in Denton before moving to Fayetteville 14 years ago.

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ACO’s other show is the annual exhibition of the Ozark Pastel Society, which includes works of developing artists and some gems by masters of the pastel medium. The standouts are Charles Peer, Julie Mayser, Judy Hunt and Julene Baker-Smith. Charles Peer, an art instructor at John Brown University, has a few large landscapes that employ a rich use of color and a miniature work entitled “August Light” that imbues a free feel for composition. Julie Mayser, President of the Pastel Society, has several works in the show that demonstrate a remarkable use of light and transparency in the pastel medium. In the miniature, “One Winter Evening” by Judy Hunt, the artist has created a loose, fresh approach that lends a spontaneous feel to the scene. The show stopper is “Garden Party,” a floral pastel by Julene Baker-Smith. The work depicts gladiolas in a carefully rendered rhythmic composition, which features a sensitive use of color.

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The Ozark Pastel Society’s show and Duane Gardner’s solo exhibition are on view Monday through Friday 9-5 and Saturday 9-3 until November 27th at ACO.