SILOAM SPRING, Arkansas (Jan. 12, 2026) — John Brown University invites the community to the opening reception for “Painting the Arkansas Parks” on Thursday, Jan. 15.

The opening reception will take place at the Windgate Art West Gallery on the campus of JBU from 6 to 8 p.m. It will include remarks by guest speaker Kayla Gomance with Arkansas State Parks, a live painting demonstration and refreshments. It is free and open to the public.

The exhibit, sponsored by the Heart of America Artists’ Association and JBU’s department of visual arts, features artwork inspired by Arkansas State Parks and will be on display until Sunday, Feb. 8.

Starting in March 2022, the Heart of America Artists Association launched a series of plein air (outdoor painting) events across the five major geographical regions of Arkansas, honoring the state's parks. Starting this January, the “Painting the Arkansas Parks” exhibition will travel throughout the state of Arkansas where artists will exhibit a sizable artwork, along with a smaller étude (study) that inspired it, which they acquired through their participation in one of the park events. These events will be in coordination with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas State Parks.

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