October 22 – November 6
Día De Los Muertos Festival 2021, in conjunction with the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville and Fenix Arts Gallery, are sponsoring an art contest and exhibition to celebrate Dias de los Muertos. Thirty-four works by twenty-three artists were selected for the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) 2021 exhibition at Fenix Arts gallery at Mt. Sequoyah in Fayetteville, which opens on Friday. October 22.
Art Reception & Awards Ceremony
November 6 • 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Jurors Erika Nelson and Zeek Taylor will select a first prize and two honorable mentions from those submitted works, with the winners to be announced at the Dia de los Muertos Festival and Art Reception to be held on Saturday, November 6 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Fenix Arts.
In addition to traditional foods and beverages to be served at the reception, there will be an “ofrenda” (altar) created in the Cottage Circle gazebo, across from the gallery. Mexican folklorico dancers and a giant monarch butterfly will lead a parade from the gallery to the ofrenda that evening.This event will also offer an opportunity for community members to commemorate their deceased friends and family with the placement of memorial flags at the ofrenda.
A selection of “Day of the Dead” art projects created by students at Springdale and Har-Ber High Schools will also be featured in conjunction with the juried exhibition.
Selected Artists:
Lisa Atherton, Jennifer Baugh, Aason Bleidt, Stan Dark, Chuck Davis, Dayna Drake, Melissa AJ Dysart, Annie Edmondson, Terra Falani, Jennifer Fournier, Isaac Helguera, Dan Holtmeyer, Michael L. Jones, Peggy Louise Jones, Patrick Long, Melissa Milton, Martin Morales, Briseida “Brioch” Ochoa, Nicole Samples, Jennifer Smay, Adam Shaw, Gala Reneum Tello, J.N. Ward, and Fawn Wonsower-Potter
Reception & Awards
Over 100 artists and friends of Fenix turned out on November 6 to celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Fenix Art Gallery at Mount Sequoyah. Traditional dancers entertained guests as they enjoyed pan de muerto before joining the beautiful Monarch butterfly in a procession to the elaborately prepared ofrenda (altar) outside. Congratulations to artist Isaac Helguera of North Little Rock, whose oil painting Vida y Muerte was awarded “Best of Show” by exhibition jurors Zeek Taylor and Erika Nelson. Taylor also presented Honorable Mention awards to Stan Dark and Adam Shaw. Many thanks (Muchas Gracias!) to board member Lourdes Valverde and her collaborators at Raices de Mexico for providing a history of Dia de los Muertos for the participants, for designing and installing the ofrenda, and facilitating this fantastic event at Fenix Arts!
Isaac Helguera – Best of Show
Stan Dark – Honorable Mention
Adam Shaw – Honorable Mention
