Calendar

From organizers:

Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will host an exhibit about the African American experience in the Ozarks during Black History Month in February.

Titled “African American Heritage in the Ozarks,” the traveling exhibit curated by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) will be on display Feb. 1 through March 31 at the center inside the Garnett Library, 304 West Trish Knight St., on the MSU-WP campus.

The exhibit will highlight the voices, memories and history of African American people who call, or have called, the Ozarks home, according to organizers.

In 2021, the SHSMO received an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Missouri Humanities for an interactive exhibit which was on display at the SHSMO Art Gallery last year. SHSMO officials also created a smaller traveling exhibit for use by other Missouri communities, organizers said.

For more information about the presentation, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.

“OZARK WOMEN” EXHIBIT TO FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOYCE MC MURTREY

West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host an exhibition entitled “Ozark Women” by Mountain Grove photographer Joyce McMurtrey in the Gallery at the Center, West Plains Civic Center from February 10 through March 14, 2024. The Gallery, on the mezzanine, is open to the public during regular Civic Center hours.

“Joyce McMurtry’s work captures real people sharing their own stories and images with their own voices. It is also rooted in a sense of place. We learned this through her “King of the Ozarks” exhibit which delved into the lives of a special family from her hometown. Her treatment of “Ozark Women” promises to be equally engaging with thought-provoking nuance and depth. I can think of no better way to honor and celebrate women and Women’s History Month,” says Kathleen Morrissey, President of WPCA.

Artist statement: “I finally feel like an Ozark woman.”
“I knew this place was different when I was in the 5th grade and came to visit from Columbia with my dad, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Missouri. My interest in grape growing stems from him, but my love of the Ozarks is due in large part to the women I’ve met since I moved here in 1976. Tough. Resilient. Rugged. Beautiful. These are words that describe both the Ozarks and the women who make their home here. For this project, I have chosen to photograph women who have lived in the Ozarks for at least thirty years. I believe it takes that long for life and this landscape to create an Ozark woman.

“Ever since I saw the photography of Dorothea Lange, I’ve wanted to take pictures like that. I hope I’ve come close to that with these images of Ozark women.”

WPCA will host a Meet the Artist reception Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 2-4 p.m., in the Gallery at the Center. McMurtrey says, “I’ve asked five women to join me. Each of these women participated in this project. Three will share their stories, one will share her mother’s story, and the fifth will talk about what it’s like to be a young woman working and raising a family currently in the Ozarks.”

All are invited to attend, meet the artist and speakers, and discuss her work. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the West Plains Civic Center and West Plains Council on the Arts, with partial funding provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Photo courtesy of Joyce McMurtrey

ART DISPLAY AT OZSBI FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF JANEY HALE

JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2024

Local artist Janey Hale’s artwork will be featured on OzSBI’s first floor from the beginning of January through the end of March 2024. The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) have partnered to bring quarterly art displays to the incubator.  Visitors may view the display at the incubator during OzSBI’s business hours, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Artist Statement:

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in creating. My earliest memories are of making things out of everyday objects, matchboxes became covered wagons, doll beds and treasure chest.  Going to school in the 50’s and 60’s I didn’t have formal art lessons.  A touring show of Old Master Painting was my first experience with “real” art. That show and an older high school student were the encouragement I needed to want to learn more.

Fast forward to college I majored in business because I didn’t know one could teach art much less make a living painting.  I married, had three boys, and worked various jobs that utilized my business background. When my sons were in school, I returned to college to major in art education.  College was a wonderful opportunity to experience and be exposed to artists both past and present.

I spent the next 28 years teaching high school students that art is what makes our life richer.  I was fortunate to have several gifted students along the way that I believe encouraged me as much as I did them.  I retired from teaching in 2016 and have since devoted my time to painting both in the studio and en plein air.  I still can’t imagine a time when I won’t be creating.  Art has truly made my life richer, through the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been, and of course the process of creating.

I don’t have just one thing I like to paint. Could be the sun shining through a tree behind a chicken coop or an abandoned piece of farm machinery.  I hope my works tell a story or evoke a memory.  I feel so blessed to have this gift that I hope it blesses others when they view my work.

A Meet-the-Artist event will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in OzSBI’s lobby at 408 Washington Ave. in West Plains. The public is invited to attend to meet Hale and view and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Madison Sutterfield madisonsutterfield@ozsbi.com

at OzSBI or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott <audrey.scott@zizzers.org>

The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and West Plains Public Library (WPPL) will partner to bring quarterly art displays to the library. Students from West Plains schools, along with Southfork students, will contribute to the display to be featured January 12 through mid-March 2024. Visitors may view the display at the library during open hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Displayed works will include pieces from the classes of Tiffany Bryce, Kathy Grigsby, Mary-Louise Grisham-Nash, Karen Pitts, Audrey Scott, and Terri Tomlinson.

WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott says, “We are incredibly excited to be able to display these young artists’ work! It is inspiring to see their technical skill level and commitment to their work, as well as their fresh perspective on artmaking and their unrestrained imaginations at play.”

A Meet-the-Artists event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 10a.m. till noon at the library, 750 W. Broadway, in West Plains. The public is invited to attend, meet the young artists, view, and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Greg Carter greg.carter@westplains.gov at the library or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott audrey.scott@zizzers.org

Artwork by Emily Ritter, WPHS

One-on-one help for students and parents filing FAFSA for scholarships and other forms of financial aid for college. Contact cade.tremain@dhewd.mo.gov for more information.

from organizers:

CASTING CALL! OPEN AUDITIONS!
Join us for our first show of our 2024 theatrical season!
To audition, please go to this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/…/9040A4FAAA929A0FD0…

The Arts on the Avenue presents: William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

Viola is separated from her brother in a shipwreck and needs to provide for herself. As a solution, Viola disguises herself as a man, calling her new persona, “Cesario,” as she begins to work for Duke Orsino. Quickly, she falls in love with him, but Orsino, who only knows “Cesario” is in love with Countess Olivia. Yet, Countess Olivia, when she meets Viola, falls in love with her thinking she is a man. So the fun begins!

While Shakespeare’s plays may SEEM intimidating, they were written for the common people. Twelfth Night is full of laughs and both the audience and the cast will have a great time!

Auditions are open to the WHOLE community. With a cast size of 14, there are ensemble opportunities for kiddos 13+!

The show will run May 16th with eight performances ending on May 26th

For more information on the show, go to: https://tinyurl.com/TwelfthNightAvenueTheatre

From organizers: Create an adorable Bee Porch Leaner at this workshop in March! West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host the workshop, conducted by local artist Tara Shahan. Price for the workshop is $50, all supplies included.

Spring is right around the corner and birds will be chirping and bees will be buzzing as the temperatures begin to rise. Join us in painting this adorable Bee Porch Leaner to welcome your guests to your home this Spring. Measures approximately 4’ tall and painted with acrylic paint on pine board. Your choice of sentiment.

Space is limited. Reserve your spot through the Eventbrite page “Bee Porch Leaner” or text Paula at 417-293-2325.

Coordinator Tara Shahan was raised in a small town in the Appalachian foothills of southern Ohio until about the age of 12 when her family moved to Missouri. Her upbringing included being a member of 4-H, where most of her projects consisted of food, sewing and crafts taught by her mother, a 4-H leader. Tara won ribbons for her work at local and state fairs. Her love of arts and crafts continued throughout her adult life and now she teaches workshops in the local area including north-central Arkansas. Her art includes acrylic painting on canvas and wood as well as other craft projects such as doorhangers, wreaths, faux stained glass and glass etching to name a few. Tara now lives in West Plains and has conducted local art and craft workshops for the West Plains Council on the Arts for about 5 years.

From organizers:

Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will host an exhibit about the African American experience in the Ozarks during Black History Month in February.

Titled “African American Heritage in the Ozarks,” the traveling exhibit curated by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) will be on display Feb. 1 through March 31 at the center inside the Garnett Library, 304 West Trish Knight St., on the MSU-WP campus.

The exhibit will highlight the voices, memories and history of African American people who call, or have called, the Ozarks home, according to organizers.

In 2021, the SHSMO received an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Missouri Humanities for an interactive exhibit which was on display at the SHSMO Art Gallery last year. SHSMO officials also created a smaller traveling exhibit for use by other Missouri communities, organizers said.

For more information about the presentation, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.

“OZARK WOMEN” EXHIBIT TO FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOYCE MC MURTREY

West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host an exhibition entitled “Ozark Women” by Mountain Grove photographer Joyce McMurtrey in the Gallery at the Center, West Plains Civic Center from February 10 through March 14, 2024. The Gallery, on the mezzanine, is open to the public during regular Civic Center hours.

“Joyce McMurtry’s work captures real people sharing their own stories and images with their own voices. It is also rooted in a sense of place. We learned this through her “King of the Ozarks” exhibit which delved into the lives of a special family from her hometown. Her treatment of “Ozark Women” promises to be equally engaging with thought-provoking nuance and depth. I can think of no better way to honor and celebrate women and Women’s History Month,” says Kathleen Morrissey, President of WPCA.

Artist statement: “I finally feel like an Ozark woman.”
“I knew this place was different when I was in the 5th grade and came to visit from Columbia with my dad, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Missouri. My interest in grape growing stems from him, but my love of the Ozarks is due in large part to the women I’ve met since I moved here in 1976. Tough. Resilient. Rugged. Beautiful. These are words that describe both the Ozarks and the women who make their home here. For this project, I have chosen to photograph women who have lived in the Ozarks for at least thirty years. I believe it takes that long for life and this landscape to create an Ozark woman.

“Ever since I saw the photography of Dorothea Lange, I’ve wanted to take pictures like that. I hope I’ve come close to that with these images of Ozark women.”

WPCA will host a Meet the Artist reception Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 2-4 p.m., in the Gallery at the Center. McMurtrey says, “I’ve asked five women to join me. Each of these women participated in this project. Three will share their stories, one will share her mother’s story, and the fifth will talk about what it’s like to be a young woman working and raising a family currently in the Ozarks.”

All are invited to attend, meet the artist and speakers, and discuss her work. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the West Plains Civic Center and West Plains Council on the Arts, with partial funding provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Photo courtesy of Joyce McMurtrey

ART DISPLAY AT OZSBI FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF JANEY HALE

JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2024

Local artist Janey Hale’s artwork will be featured on OzSBI’s first floor from the beginning of January through the end of March 2024. The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) have partnered to bring quarterly art displays to the incubator.  Visitors may view the display at the incubator during OzSBI’s business hours, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Artist Statement:

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in creating. My earliest memories are of making things out of everyday objects, matchboxes became covered wagons, doll beds and treasure chest.  Going to school in the 50’s and 60’s I didn’t have formal art lessons.  A touring show of Old Master Painting was my first experience with “real” art. That show and an older high school student were the encouragement I needed to want to learn more.

Fast forward to college I majored in business because I didn’t know one could teach art much less make a living painting.  I married, had three boys, and worked various jobs that utilized my business background. When my sons were in school, I returned to college to major in art education.  College was a wonderful opportunity to experience and be exposed to artists both past and present.

I spent the next 28 years teaching high school students that art is what makes our life richer.  I was fortunate to have several gifted students along the way that I believe encouraged me as much as I did them.  I retired from teaching in 2016 and have since devoted my time to painting both in the studio and en plein air.  I still can’t imagine a time when I won’t be creating.  Art has truly made my life richer, through the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been, and of course the process of creating.

I don’t have just one thing I like to paint. Could be the sun shining through a tree behind a chicken coop or an abandoned piece of farm machinery.  I hope my works tell a story or evoke a memory.  I feel so blessed to have this gift that I hope it blesses others when they view my work.

A Meet-the-Artist event will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in OzSBI’s lobby at 408 Washington Ave. in West Plains. The public is invited to attend to meet Hale and view and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Madison Sutterfield madisonsutterfield@ozsbi.com

at OzSBI or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott <audrey.scott@zizzers.org>

The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and West Plains Public Library (WPPL) will partner to bring quarterly art displays to the library. Students from West Plains schools, along with Southfork students, will contribute to the display to be featured January 12 through mid-March 2024. Visitors may view the display at the library during open hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Displayed works will include pieces from the classes of Tiffany Bryce, Kathy Grigsby, Mary-Louise Grisham-Nash, Karen Pitts, Audrey Scott, and Terri Tomlinson.

WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott says, “We are incredibly excited to be able to display these young artists’ work! It is inspiring to see their technical skill level and commitment to their work, as well as their fresh perspective on artmaking and their unrestrained imaginations at play.”

A Meet-the-Artists event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 10a.m. till noon at the library, 750 W. Broadway, in West Plains. The public is invited to attend, meet the young artists, view, and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Greg Carter greg.carter@westplains.gov at the library or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott audrey.scott@zizzers.org

Artwork by Emily Ritter, WPHS

From organizers:

Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will host an exhibit about the African American experience in the Ozarks during Black History Month in February.

Titled “African American Heritage in the Ozarks,” the traveling exhibit curated by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) will be on display Feb. 1 through March 31 at the center inside the Garnett Library, 304 West Trish Knight St., on the MSU-WP campus.

The exhibit will highlight the voices, memories and history of African American people who call, or have called, the Ozarks home, according to organizers.

In 2021, the SHSMO received an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Missouri Humanities for an interactive exhibit which was on display at the SHSMO Art Gallery last year. SHSMO officials also created a smaller traveling exhibit for use by other Missouri communities, organizers said.

For more information about the presentation, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.

“OZARK WOMEN” EXHIBIT TO FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOYCE MC MURTREY

West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host an exhibition entitled “Ozark Women” by Mountain Grove photographer Joyce McMurtrey in the Gallery at the Center, West Plains Civic Center from February 10 through March 14, 2024. The Gallery, on the mezzanine, is open to the public during regular Civic Center hours.

“Joyce McMurtry’s work captures real people sharing their own stories and images with their own voices. It is also rooted in a sense of place. We learned this through her “King of the Ozarks” exhibit which delved into the lives of a special family from her hometown. Her treatment of “Ozark Women” promises to be equally engaging with thought-provoking nuance and depth. I can think of no better way to honor and celebrate women and Women’s History Month,” says Kathleen Morrissey, President of WPCA.

Artist statement: “I finally feel like an Ozark woman.”
“I knew this place was different when I was in the 5th grade and came to visit from Columbia with my dad, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Missouri. My interest in grape growing stems from him, but my love of the Ozarks is due in large part to the women I’ve met since I moved here in 1976. Tough. Resilient. Rugged. Beautiful. These are words that describe both the Ozarks and the women who make their home here. For this project, I have chosen to photograph women who have lived in the Ozarks for at least thirty years. I believe it takes that long for life and this landscape to create an Ozark woman.

“Ever since I saw the photography of Dorothea Lange, I’ve wanted to take pictures like that. I hope I’ve come close to that with these images of Ozark women.”

WPCA will host a Meet the Artist reception Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 2-4 p.m., in the Gallery at the Center. McMurtrey says, “I’ve asked five women to join me. Each of these women participated in this project. Three will share their stories, one will share her mother’s story, and the fifth will talk about what it’s like to be a young woman working and raising a family currently in the Ozarks.”

All are invited to attend, meet the artist and speakers, and discuss her work. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the West Plains Civic Center and West Plains Council on the Arts, with partial funding provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Photo courtesy of Joyce McMurtrey

ART DISPLAY AT OZSBI FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF JANEY HALE

JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2024

Local artist Janey Hale’s artwork will be featured on OzSBI’s first floor from the beginning of January through the end of March 2024. The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) have partnered to bring quarterly art displays to the incubator.  Visitors may view the display at the incubator during OzSBI’s business hours, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Artist Statement:

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in creating. My earliest memories are of making things out of everyday objects, matchboxes became covered wagons, doll beds and treasure chest.  Going to school in the 50’s and 60’s I didn’t have formal art lessons.  A touring show of Old Master Painting was my first experience with “real” art. That show and an older high school student were the encouragement I needed to want to learn more.

Fast forward to college I majored in business because I didn’t know one could teach art much less make a living painting.  I married, had three boys, and worked various jobs that utilized my business background. When my sons were in school, I returned to college to major in art education.  College was a wonderful opportunity to experience and be exposed to artists both past and present.

I spent the next 28 years teaching high school students that art is what makes our life richer.  I was fortunate to have several gifted students along the way that I believe encouraged me as much as I did them.  I retired from teaching in 2016 and have since devoted my time to painting both in the studio and en plein air.  I still can’t imagine a time when I won’t be creating.  Art has truly made my life richer, through the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been, and of course the process of creating.

I don’t have just one thing I like to paint. Could be the sun shining through a tree behind a chicken coop or an abandoned piece of farm machinery.  I hope my works tell a story or evoke a memory.  I feel so blessed to have this gift that I hope it blesses others when they view my work.

A Meet-the-Artist event will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in OzSBI’s lobby at 408 Washington Ave. in West Plains. The public is invited to attend to meet Hale and view and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Madison Sutterfield madisonsutterfield@ozsbi.com

at OzSBI or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott <audrey.scott@zizzers.org>

The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and West Plains Public Library (WPPL) will partner to bring quarterly art displays to the library. Students from West Plains schools, along with Southfork students, will contribute to the display to be featured January 12 through mid-March 2024. Visitors may view the display at the library during open hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Displayed works will include pieces from the classes of Tiffany Bryce, Kathy Grigsby, Mary-Louise Grisham-Nash, Karen Pitts, Audrey Scott, and Terri Tomlinson.

WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott says, “We are incredibly excited to be able to display these young artists’ work! It is inspiring to see their technical skill level and commitment to their work, as well as their fresh perspective on artmaking and their unrestrained imaginations at play.”

A Meet-the-Artists event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 10a.m. till noon at the library, 750 W. Broadway, in West Plains. The public is invited to attend, meet the young artists, view, and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Greg Carter greg.carter@westplains.gov at the library or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott audrey.scott@zizzers.org

Artwork by Emily Ritter, WPHS

From organizers:

Pub Trivia format! Trivia is usually on the 2nd Thursday and 4th Friday of every month at 6:30ish PM. All questions are written by Trivia Master Nicholas Haring!

HOW IT WORKS
*Play solo or as a team
*Play inside or outside

2ND THURSDAY TRIVIA
*4 rounds of 5 trivia questions each
*Pub Trivia format
*FREE TO PLAY
*drink specials
*First place receives prizes of brewery swag and sometimes more

4TH FRIDAY TRIVIA
*4 rounds of 10 trivia questions each
*Answer Sheet format
*$5 optional buy-in for cash prizes
*Top 3 players/teams receive prizes of cash, brewery swag, and sometimes more

Trivia Night 2nd Thurs March 14 at 6:30 p.m. on Facebook.

Alternative Country/Folk/Americana/Southern Rock/Blues. Anthony Garner Live at Colton’s-West Plains on Facebook.

From organizers:

Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will host an exhibit about the African American experience in the Ozarks during Black History Month in February.

Titled “African American Heritage in the Ozarks,” the traveling exhibit curated by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) will be on display Feb. 1 through March 31 at the center inside the Garnett Library, 304 West Trish Knight St., on the MSU-WP campus.

The exhibit will highlight the voices, memories and history of African American people who call, or have called, the Ozarks home, according to organizers.

In 2021, the SHSMO received an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Missouri Humanities for an interactive exhibit which was on display at the SHSMO Art Gallery last year. SHSMO officials also created a smaller traveling exhibit for use by other Missouri communities, organizers said.

For more information about the presentation, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.

“OZARK WOMEN” EXHIBIT TO FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOYCE MC MURTREY

West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host an exhibition entitled “Ozark Women” by Mountain Grove photographer Joyce McMurtrey in the Gallery at the Center, West Plains Civic Center from February 10 through March 14, 2024. The Gallery, on the mezzanine, is open to the public during regular Civic Center hours.

“Joyce McMurtry’s work captures real people sharing their own stories and images with their own voices. It is also rooted in a sense of place. We learned this through her “King of the Ozarks” exhibit which delved into the lives of a special family from her hometown. Her treatment of “Ozark Women” promises to be equally engaging with thought-provoking nuance and depth. I can think of no better way to honor and celebrate women and Women’s History Month,” says Kathleen Morrissey, President of WPCA.

Artist statement: “I finally feel like an Ozark woman.”
“I knew this place was different when I was in the 5th grade and came to visit from Columbia with my dad, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Missouri. My interest in grape growing stems from him, but my love of the Ozarks is due in large part to the women I’ve met since I moved here in 1976. Tough. Resilient. Rugged. Beautiful. These are words that describe both the Ozarks and the women who make their home here. For this project, I have chosen to photograph women who have lived in the Ozarks for at least thirty years. I believe it takes that long for life and this landscape to create an Ozark woman.

“Ever since I saw the photography of Dorothea Lange, I’ve wanted to take pictures like that. I hope I’ve come close to that with these images of Ozark women.”

WPCA will host a Meet the Artist reception Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 2-4 p.m., in the Gallery at the Center. McMurtrey says, “I’ve asked five women to join me. Each of these women participated in this project. Three will share their stories, one will share her mother’s story, and the fifth will talk about what it’s like to be a young woman working and raising a family currently in the Ozarks.”

All are invited to attend, meet the artist and speakers, and discuss her work. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the West Plains Civic Center and West Plains Council on the Arts, with partial funding provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Photo courtesy of Joyce McMurtrey

ART DISPLAY AT OZSBI FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF JANEY HALE

JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2024

Local artist Janey Hale’s artwork will be featured on OzSBI’s first floor from the beginning of January through the end of March 2024. The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) have partnered to bring quarterly art displays to the incubator.  Visitors may view the display at the incubator during OzSBI’s business hours, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Artist Statement:

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in creating. My earliest memories are of making things out of everyday objects, matchboxes became covered wagons, doll beds and treasure chest.  Going to school in the 50’s and 60’s I didn’t have formal art lessons.  A touring show of Old Master Painting was my first experience with “real” art. That show and an older high school student were the encouragement I needed to want to learn more.

Fast forward to college I majored in business because I didn’t know one could teach art much less make a living painting.  I married, had three boys, and worked various jobs that utilized my business background. When my sons were in school, I returned to college to major in art education.  College was a wonderful opportunity to experience and be exposed to artists both past and present.

I spent the next 28 years teaching high school students that art is what makes our life richer.  I was fortunate to have several gifted students along the way that I believe encouraged me as much as I did them.  I retired from teaching in 2016 and have since devoted my time to painting both in the studio and en plein air.  I still can’t imagine a time when I won’t be creating.  Art has truly made my life richer, through the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been, and of course the process of creating.

I don’t have just one thing I like to paint. Could be the sun shining through a tree behind a chicken coop or an abandoned piece of farm machinery.  I hope my works tell a story or evoke a memory.  I feel so blessed to have this gift that I hope it blesses others when they view my work.

A Meet-the-Artist event will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in OzSBI’s lobby at 408 Washington Ave. in West Plains. The public is invited to attend to meet Hale and view and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Madison Sutterfield madisonsutterfield@ozsbi.com

at OzSBI or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott <audrey.scott@zizzers.org>

The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and West Plains Public Library (WPPL) will partner to bring quarterly art displays to the library. Students from West Plains schools, along with Southfork students, will contribute to the display to be featured January 12 through mid-March 2024. Visitors may view the display at the library during open hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Displayed works will include pieces from the classes of Tiffany Bryce, Kathy Grigsby, Mary-Louise Grisham-Nash, Karen Pitts, Audrey Scott, and Terri Tomlinson.

WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott says, “We are incredibly excited to be able to display these young artists’ work! It is inspiring to see their technical skill level and commitment to their work, as well as their fresh perspective on artmaking and their unrestrained imaginations at play.”

A Meet-the-Artists event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 10a.m. till noon at the library, 750 W. Broadway, in West Plains. The public is invited to attend, meet the young artists, view, and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Greg Carter greg.carter@westplains.gov at the library or WPCA Coordinator Audrey Scott audrey.scott@zizzers.org

Artwork by Emily Ritter, WPHS

From organizers: Warm up from the early spring chill Friday, March 15, at the annual Friends of the Garnett Library chili supper.

For $7.50 per person and $5 for students ages five and above, area residents can stop by and have a hot bowl of hearty chili or potato soup with all of the fixings. The price includes a drink and dessert. Children aged four and under will eat free. Carry out orders will be available for $10.

In addition to the meal, organizers plan to host a bingo game from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Many fun prizes will be available.

Tickets for the chili supper may be purchased in advance at the Garnett Library, 304 W. Trish Knight St. They also may be purchased at the door. Organizers encourage attendees to purchase tickets in advance, even though walk-ins will be welcomed. Proceeds will go toward supporting the Garnett Library.

For more information about the chili supper, call the Garnett Library at 417-255-7945. For more information about the Friends of the Garnett Library, visit WP.MissouriState.edu/FriendsofGarnettLibrary or call 417-255-7940.

From organizers: Like vinyl records? We do too! Let’s listen and socialize!

WHEN: Friday March 15th 5pm to close! This one features a theme of “Women of Rock”. So only music featuring women!! PLUS this evening includes Ladies Night Out with happy hour and complimentary charcuterie!

Every 1st Friday of the month (and often 3rd Fridays), host Nicholas Haring brings his record player and a selection of LPs. PLUS, you can bring YOUR records too!
Folks pick a side, it goes into the queue and gets played!

Women of Rock Vinyl Night at Wages Fri March 15 on Facebook.

The American Legion hosts a breakfast on the third Saturday of every month as a fundraiser. All you can eat and lots of options at a bargain price!

“OZARK WOMEN” EXHIBIT TO FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOYCE MC MURTREY

West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) will host an exhibition entitled “Ozark Women” by Mountain Grove photographer Joyce McMurtrey in the Gallery at the Center, West Plains Civic Center from February 10 through March 14, 2024. The Gallery, on the mezzanine, is open to the public during regular Civic Center hours.

“Joyce McMurtry’s work captures real people sharing their own stories and images with their own voices. It is also rooted in a sense of place. We learned this through her “King of the Ozarks” exhibit which delved into the lives of a special family from her hometown. Her treatment of “Ozark Women” promises to be equally engaging with thought-provoking nuance and depth. I can think of no better way to honor and celebrate women and Women’s History Month,” says Kathleen Morrissey, President of WPCA.

Artist statement: “I finally feel like an Ozark woman.”
“I knew this place was different when I was in the 5th grade and came to visit from Columbia with my dad, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Missouri. My interest in grape growing stems from him, but my love of the Ozarks is due in large part to the women I’ve met since I moved here in 1976. Tough. Resilient. Rugged. Beautiful. These are words that describe both the Ozarks and the women who make their home here. For this project, I have chosen to photograph women who have lived in the Ozarks for at least thirty years. I believe it takes that long for life and this landscape to create an Ozark woman.

“Ever since I saw the photography of Dorothea Lange, I’ve wanted to take pictures like that. I hope I’ve come close to that with these images of Ozark women.”

WPCA will host a Meet the Artist reception Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 2-4 p.m., in the Gallery at the Center. McMurtrey says, “I’ve asked five women to join me. Each of these women participated in this project. Three will share their stories, one will share her mother’s story, and the fifth will talk about what it’s like to be a young woman working and raising a family currently in the Ozarks.”

All are invited to attend, meet the artist and speakers, and discuss her work. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the West Plains Civic Center and West Plains Council on the Arts, with partial funding provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Photo courtesy of Joyce McMurtrey