Showing in the Lobby Gallery is El Dorado local artist Spencer Purinton and his exhibition “Mental Gumbo.” There will be an artist’s reception on Saturday, January 6 from 5:30-7:00pm with the exhibition showing beginning January 4 and hanging through February 1 .
Purinton’s exhibit “Mental Gumbo” reflects a period of about a decade of artistic and personal explorations: winding and straight paths, peaks, plateaus, and valleys. The pieces are reflections of different energies, calm and chaos, creation and entropy, nostalgia and hope. They sometimes appear to Purinton in the twilight before sleep and other times when he see or hears a thing that triggers a psychic response in him.
Largely self-taught, Purinton explores themes of the confluence of nature, humanity, and the inner experience. His work is often recognizably influenced by elements of pop-culture, particularly American and European comics, Japanese anime, street art, and graphic design. His hope for the viewer is that they explore within themselves what feelings and emotions the images arouse.
Born and raised on the high desert of California, Purinton’s early pastimes were exploring the desert with his half-wild German Shepard, Wolfgang, reading comic books and watching Saturday morning cartoons, and all-day breakfast at Grandma’s on Sunday. Now residing in southern Arkansas with his wife and youngest son, he takes great delight in seeing them and his four other children, artists all in their own right, strive to accomplish their personal visions. Aside from family, art and nature are his passions, each providing peace and satisfaction in their own way.
Join us on Saturday, January 6 for the artists reception recognizing Spencer Purinton, along with the Open Studio Artists showing in the Price Gallery and sculptor Michael Warrick showing in the Merkle Gallery.
