Pine Bluff’s rich history in arts spans the formal displays of art centers and galleries as well as the walls of its storied downtown murals. I hope you’ll treat yourself to multiple visits of Pine Bluff art displays; to start, try these to whet your appetite:
One exhibit worth visiting at the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (ASC) is by Pine Bluff native Kevin Cole: “Here.” His works are part of the “African American Art from the Permanent Collection of the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas.” The Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas was founded in 1968 and provides exhibits and educational programs in fine and performing arts and science.
Or visit the Hathaway/Howard Fine Arts Center at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) to view displays at the Leedell Moorehead-Graham Gallery. As of the writing of this post (fall of 2016), the paintings of local artist Rex Deloney are on display. The Hathaway/Howard Fine Arts Center, completed in 1968 as well, was named for Isaac S. Hathaway and John M. Howard; it mission is to develop the arts and talents of its students at UAPB. The Center also provides stunning art exhibits such as this one by Rex Deloney and, along with the Arts and Science Center is key to the rich history of Pine Bluff art displays.
For the murals, it is best to visit downtown Pine Bluff. They are not only arts in Pine Bluff, they are literally arts on Pine Bluff, on some its downtown buildings, at least. These outdoor Pine Bluff art displays were born of the Murals on Main project, started in 1992 by the nonprofit Pine Bluff Downtown Development, Inc.
