Righteous Art for Righteous Artists: The Art
Church
---David Hughes
Some time around 1991, Marc Menefee and his family landed
in Hot Springs. Originally from El Dorado, Menefee returned
to the area after 15 years in Colorado. Around 2007, Menefee and
his family began looking for a home in town that could also serve
as a studio.
The New Haven Methodist Church sat idly by, overlooking
Whittington Avenue, just off the main drag in Hot Springs. Established
in the 1890’s as an African American church, the building
was vacated for a new location and remained empty for several
years. It was close to being condemned and torn down when a
Maumelle family purchased it and did some cleanup and put a
new roof on it.
Eventually, Menefee and his family would purchase the
building in July, 2007, and create The Art Church. With the building
badly in need of tender loving care, Menefee set to work,
doing most of the renovations including replacing widows, electrical
wiring, heating and air, plumbing, working on the floors,
walls and ceiling and generally doing any minor renovations that
needed to happen. Financial and marital struggles have led to a
change in the direction and focus of The Art Church, a focus that
includes a more rounded approach to the arts in Hot Springs,
including music.
“We bought the building to be an art studio and home,” says
Menefee. “The music has evolved.”
The building continues to overlook Whittington Avenue
but it is now adorned with art work and a sign proclaiming it
to be The Art Church. The Art Church is a non-profit entity that
houses and promotes artists and their work. Some of the current
house artists include Anna Jordan Williams, Zeke Ezekiel, Michael
Schaeffer, Jerry Hillis, Thomas Petillo, Amy Dufresne, Angie Gammil,
Gene Sparling, Shawn Newton, Doc Ray and Menefee. The
work on display ranges from jewelry, wood and metal to painting
and photography. Also included in the offerings are instrumental
and vocal music. The Art Church houses a private collection of
folk art compliments of Dr. Gary Meek.
The building itself still holds that feeling of an old church
building. Lots of rooms, some cavernous, that are connected
through various paths within the building. The former sanctuary
contains the large organ that once played spirituals, bathed in
the soft, kaleidoscope of light offered by two beautiful pieces of
stained glass that remain on the north and east sides of the sanctuary
walls. With the capacity to hold a couple hundred people,
the sanctuary is filled with original wood on the floors, the high
signature ceiling and brick walls. The vibe in the sanctuary turned
performance stage is warm and inviting.
Work areas, an office, living quarters and a number of
studios populate the building. Shingles announcing the various
artists who display their work or practice their craft hang outside
the door to the basement area. The office is adorned with photos
and posters of art and music shows that have been produced over
the past three years.
The first show that was offered up to the public, Widows
Garden, came in April, 2008, followed with the monthly Gallery
Walk in May. A number of music shows have been held in the
church including performances by Dana Falconberry, Matt Bauer,
Nick Charles, Nora O’Connor, Andrew Anderson, Andy Tanas,
Chuck Dodson, Joe McMahon, Holly Cole and Memphis Dawls.
Nicole Hale, Frans Schumna and the Hot Springs Flute Ensemble.
The change in direction toward music and the performing
arts began to take shape when house artist Doc Ray stepped in to
take on the Director’s position for The Art Church.
“Something needed to happen,” Ray says. “We needed to
add something to the mix to get people interested. Once they were
here, they loved it.”
The Art Church has added a number of classes and is available
to the public to use for meetings, fundraisers, private events
and artists space. To date, The Art Church has hosted classes in
painting and drawing, ballroom, tap and belly dancing, musical
theater and theater groups, yoga, various seminars and a practice
venue for the newly formed local burlesque troupe Foul Play
Cabaret. For their efforts in promoting the art community, Menefee
and Ray have had the distinction of The Art Church being
named as a runner-up in a readers poll in Savvy Kids magazine as
one of the best places for art classes in Arkansas.
“We’ve had seminars for a seed swap put on by the University
of Central Arkansas and North Texas State,” Ray continues.
“...a seminar on synergetics. We serve as an incubator and hub for
non-profits, giving them a place to start.”
The Art Church has served as a starting spot and host for the
Spa City Co-op, an on-line, local natural food store, Free Greens
Community Garden and Arkansans for Compassionate Care. The
building also has its share of paranormal activity and has been
visited by the Arkansas Paranormal Group a couple of times.
Like all businesses and non-profits, The Art Church has felt
the impact from the economy. It manages to hold on through donations
and fundraisers. However, the core group is restructuring
and making plans for a bit of a renaissance. Anna Jordan Williams
has hung her shingle on the art church and is stepping in to assist
Ray with the operations and events planning. Williams offers vocal
and instrumental training as part of the expansion of offerings
from The Art Church.
“There is so much potential here to make an impact on the
entire art community,” Williams stated. “We need to make people
aware of what they have right here and put it to use.”
“Cross pollination of marketing is my motto and I stand by
it. It works for everyone. We want other groups in the area to be
able to take advantage of what we have here. We all benefit when
we work together.”
The focus of The Art Church will still include art, the core on
which it was founded. It will be expanding its focus to be a more
multi-faceted organization by creating and sponsoring shows in
art, theater and music. Some of the events on the calendar include
Handmade for the Holidays, a local arts and crafts fair, scheduled
for November 12-13.
“This has been a successful event for us,” Ray stated. “We’ll
have local crafters here displaying and selling their hand made
wares. It should be a good turnout for everyone.”
Also on the schedule is a Rent Party on December 16 to help
raise funds for general operating costs and to, well, pay the rent.
Future events include music performances, art shows, a St. Patty’s
day activity and a casino night. The building is available for
private parties, concerts, art shows and any number of public and
private events and activities.
Like any non-profit, it takes involvement and funds to keep
things afloat. The Art Church is a great asset to Hot Springs and
to Arkansas. Set in a historic building, operated by a group of
excited and motivated individuals and ready to provide multiple
exhibitions of the arts, The Art Church is looking to the future to
continue supporting and promoting arts in all forms.
For more information on events at The Art Church or to find
out how you can get involved, contact (501) 463-9890 or go to
www.artchurch.org.
---DH
http://www.nightflying.com/new/harvest2011/Page23.pdf
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I love the part where he says "Some of the current
house artists include Anna Jordan Williams, Zeke Ezekiel, Michael
Schaeffer, Jerry Hillis, Thomas Petillo, Amy Dufresne, Angie Gammil,
Gene Sparling, Shawn Newton, Doc Ray and Menefee." especially considering the fact that Anna told Me "
- Im a musician...I can barely paint the wall. thats a talent I wish I had...so perhaps you will spare me in your hunt. I do propose that we make an alliance thought, becuz you have something to say and I wanna hear it, you know the landscape here I dont...so I mean you no harm...what I need is your faith, i can change something...
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- ...and she posted that after alluding to being Benini's Apprentice. See these people lie so much that they can't even keep track of their own lies. Do you really want to give someone like that money to try to sell your Art for you? The only selling agenda they have is selling Artists Wall Space.
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Anna Jordan-Williams
November 4Anna Jordan-Williams- Im look'n forward to learn'n more about you. Youre name is familiar...did you attend Henderson State? I just recently moved back from Dallas, been gone awhile and I agree with you...
Hot Springs just went to hell...
Its not the same at all as when I left it several years ago...I was under the wing of Benini. And grateful for it...
Im a musician by trade, but find myself in the middle of stirr'n up the pot of the art scene here, on all levels, wow!
seriously, I ask: what happen'd?
Lazy in the mind & spirit is what Ive come across and I aim to change that!
I hope we can meet up sometime...until then...kick ass & take names!
*peace* :o)
