The John Brown University Visual Arts Department, in partnership with the Heart of America Artists Association, debuted the “Painting the Arkansas Parks Exhibition” on January 15, 2026, marking the first stop of a two-year statewide tour.
The gallery opening attracted more than 80 attendees, including students, faculty, community members and several of the featured artists. The exhibition is the culmination of a project that began in March 2022, when local artists responded to an open call for participation in plein air (outdoor painting) events across the five major geographical regions of Arkansas to honor the state’s natural beauty.
Todd Williams, executive director of the Heart of America Artists Association, and John Lassater, the organization's marketing and design lead, greeted guests at the opening. The duo co-founded the organization and collaborated on a book of the same title, which was available at the event.
Williams explained that the project was inspired by a similar series he completed in Nebraska and a previous Arkansas Territory collection that also premiered at JBU in 2021.
“As artists, we get the pleasure and honor of sitting in that place for three hours to just examine this one scene and capture it on canvas. It’s really about having a moment in time. We thought, ‘Why don’t we go to the state parks and a couple of the national parks and do these paintings?’” Williams said.
The exhibition features 25 artists selected through an open call. Each display pairs a large-scale studio artwork with the smaller “étude,” or study, created on-site that inspired the final piece.
Following the gallery viewing, guests gathered for a "park talk" by Kayla Gomance, the Assistant Chief of Interpretation for Arkansas State Parks. Gomance’s presentation focused on the educational and economic importance of the state’s park system, ranging from well-known hiking trails to lesser-known features like a weekly public radio program.
“The mission of Arkansas State Parks is to enhance the quality of life through exceptional outdoor experience. Really, what I want you to know is that these are your state parks,” Gomance said.
Gomance noted that the project received high-level support from state leadership.
“Shea Lewis, the Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, I’ve learned this evening, has had a good hand in this project,” Gomance said.
The exhibition is coordinated with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas State Parks. After it’s done at JBU, the collection will travel throughout the state for the remainder of 2026 and 2027.
The exhibition will remain up and open to the public in the Windgate Art West Gallery until February 8, 2026.
Photo Courtesy of Hope Brittenham
