Small Works on Paper kicks off in January, Reception set Jan. 8

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JaZmyn Shambley

Administrative Specialist

501.683.4365 Email JaZmyn

Posted: Monday, November 17th 2025

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The Arkansas Arts Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition and its opening reception, happening 5-7 p.m. Jan. 8 in Pine Bluff.

This year, 40 artists from across Arkansas will be celebrated during the opening reception at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff. The reception includes free artist talks and refreshments.

The judge for this year's show reviewed more than 300 submissions to select the artworks, which will tour to nine additional locations throughout the year. Two works were selected as purchase award winners and will be part of the Small Works on Paper permanent collection. Awardees are Melissa Lashbrook of Cabot and Lisa Thorpe of Little Rock.

The 2026 Small Works on Paper will be on view Jan. 5-26 at the Altheimer Gallery, which is open 10-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The exhibit will then move to Arkansas Tech University starting Feb. 2. Please visit the Small Works on Paper webpage for a full schedule.

Now in its 39th year, Small Works on Paper is the only state-run, juried, visual arts exhibition showcasing artwork by Arkansas artists. The artwork can be no larger than 18-by-24 inches. All sale proceeds benefit the artists.

This year’s entries were juried by Kelli Scott Kelley, an artist and professor of painting at Louisiana State University. Originally from Baton Rouge, Kelley earned her master's degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her mixed-media narrative paintings and drawings have been widely exhibited, including her acclaimed traveling exhibit Accalia and the Swamp Monster (2014), which was also published as a book.

Participating artists in the 2026 Small Works on Paper exhibition are: