The Bella Vista Arts Council honored JoeRay Kelley as the June Artist of the Month.

Kelley's art will be available for viewing through Sunday, July 15, at the Artist's Retreat Center (ARC) located at 13467 Lookout Drive in Bella Vista. A public reception will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, with refreshments provided by Java Dudes Coffee Hut.

Born in the Midwest, Kelley loves the four seasons, nature and the majestic results of the changing weather systems. He became serious about fine-art painting after a 40-year career in meteorology. He is a self-taught painter using acrylic and oil to create a large diversity of subjects. After much trial and error, he is not afraid to try new styles and techniques. He tries to paint every day, if possible, in his studio.

His work has been well accepted throughout the U.S. and rewarded in many regional, national and international juried art shows and exhibitions, including the Biennale Internazionalle Dell'Arte Contemporanea in Florence, Italy.

Kelley is a signature artist awarded by the National Oil and Acrylic Painter's Society, the International Society of Acrylic Painters and the National Society of Artists. He is a proud member of the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic, the Arkansas Arts Council and Artists of Northwest Arkansas. He is also an honorary lifetime member of the National Oil & Acrylic Painter's Society. He has been active in many of these art societies for the last 20 years, serving in many roles including president, chairman and executive director.

The Bella Vista Arts Council, an advisory board to the city council, was created by the city council in February 2016 to help promote the arts in Bella Vista. The board established an Artist of the Month program, in which selected artists and their work will be showcased to the public. Three volunteers serve on the selection committee -- Sara Parnell of the Artist Retreat Center; Pearl Williamson, president of Wishing Springs Gallery; and Demara Titzer, curator of several galleries in Bentonville.

The committee will choose each month from qualified artists, who must be residents of Bella Vista and have their work displayed somewhere in the city.

To submit a name or other nominations for consideration, contact Parnell at the Artist Retreat Center, 479-268-6463, or email [email protected].

General News on 06/13/2018