The Arkansas Arts Council and Historic Arkansas Museum have collaborated to present Small Works on Paper: From the Permanent Collection, a retrospective exhibition that features selected artwork from the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2006-2023 annual Small Works on Paper touring exhibitions.
The exhibition opens on Friday, June 13, 2025, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. The artwork will be on display in the Trinity Gallery at the Historic Arkansas Museum located at 200 E. Third St. in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Small Works on Paper is a popular annual juried art exhibition sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council. The Small Works on Paper exhibition was developed in 1986 to highlight the talent of Arkansas visual artists, and it began touring the state in 1988. It was coordinated by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's College of Fine Arts until 1995 when it became a program of the Arkansas Arts Council. This year marks the 39th year for the program. The Small Works on Paper exhibit travels up to 10 different venues across the state annually, introducing artwork made by Arkansans to patrons all over the state.
“We’re really excited to share this collection of artwork from past Small Works on Paper exhibitions,” said Arkansas Arts Council Director Patrick Ralston. “There’s so much energy and talent packed into these pieces, and our permanent collection is full of visual surprises. It’s a real treat to team up with our friends at the Historic Arkansas Museum to bring some of these works out of the vault and into the spotlight.”
Each year, an esteemed out-of-state juror selects a maximum of 40 pieces of artwork for display and also chooses a limited number of works for purchase awards. Since 2006, nearly 150 pieces of artwork designated as purchase awards have been added to the Arkansas Arts Council's permanent collection.
“Small Works on Paper is well-known across the state and has stood the test of time," said Historic Arkansas Museum Director Stephanie Wade. "This upcoming collaborative exhibit with the Arkansas Arts Council will give visitors a glimpse into the history of the program and the quality work of Arkansas artists over the past four decades.”
This special exhibition features 40 pieces chosen as a limited-retrospective to represent the history of the program in quality of work, diversity of media and range of subject matter over the years.
Artists in the retrospective exhibition are:
- Ann Downs
- Lisa Burton-Tarver
- Suzanne Waggoner
- Adrienne Cullins
- John Bridges
- Miranda Young
- Don House
- James P. Bell (deceased)
- William Barksdale
- Jason McCann
- Jason Stark
- Tom Richard
- Houston Fryer
- Penny Jo Pausch
- Carrie Waller
- Cindy Wiseman
- Ben Krain
- Dennis McCann
- Matt Kaye
- Clark Galusha
- Daniella Napolitano
- Terry Lynn Dushan
- Rex Deloney
- L.S. Eldridge
- Dan Snow
- Kathy Attwood
- Melissa Foster
- David Rackley
- Cary Jenkins
- Jane Rockwell - deceased
- Brian Wolf
- Martin Balsam
- Diane Harper
- Dewana McIntosh
- Susan Chambers
- Lynn Reinbolt
- Equilla Walker
- Terra Fondriest
For more information, please email [email protected]. Learn more about the exhibit and submit an entry on our website at ArkansasArts.org.
Historic Arkansas Museum
Historic Arkansas Museum (HAM) is the agency of Arkansas Heritage responsible for protecting and preserving our state’s territorial past. HAM is located inside two historic city blocks in downtown Little Rock and includes the oldest building in the Capitol City and an 1850s farmstead. The museum also serves the state as its primary collector of Arkansas Made decorative, mechanical and fine arts. Historic Arkansas Museum is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. You can reach the museum at 501-324-9351. HAM is located at 200 E. Third St., Little Rock.
Arkansas Arts Council
The Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of Arkansas Heritage, advances the arts in Arkansas by providing services and supporting arts endeavors that encourage and assist literary, performing and visual artists in achieving standards of professional excellence. In addition, the Arkansas Arts Council provides technical and financial assistance to Arkansas arts organizations and other providers of cultural and educational programs. Arkansas Heritage is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
Arkansas Heritage
Arkansas Heritage was created in 1975 and is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. There are eight agencies with unique heritage focuses under the umbrella of this division: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Arkansas State Archives.
Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural, cultural and historic assets, contributing to a thriving economy and high quality of life. It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage and Arkansas Tourism.