SAAC welcomes “Coordinates,” a two-artist exhibition by Little Rock painters April Burris and Holly Tilley, in the Merkle Gallery this March. The exhibition opens March 3 runs through March 26 with a public reception on March 5 from 5:30–7:00 PM. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
The exhibition represents several years of shared artistic exploration as Burris and Tilley traveled and painted together. Working from direct observation, the pair created landscapes, still lifes, and figurative works that document specific moments in time and place. Each painting includes its exact GPS location, grounding every piece in a real-world experience while highlighting how two artists can interpret the same scene in entirely different ways.
Burris describes the collaboration as a visual record of friendship and memory. “No two artists ever see a scene the same way. That’s what makes the pairing exciting. Looking at the collection feels like revisiting our time together, and getting to call those memories our work is a gift.”
Tilley echoes the sentiment, noting that painting side-by-side pushed both artists creatively. Sharing ideas and responding to one another’s work, she said, allowed them to grow beyond their individual approaches and discover new directions in their painting.
April Burris, originally from rural north-central Arkansas, creates impressionistic oil paintings that celebrate everyday life. A nationally recognized plein-air and studio painter, she is known for atmospheric scenes filled with dramatic light, from glowing sunsets to nocturnes, though her subjects range widely. Burris is a juried member of Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and the Portrait Society of America, and her work has earned numerous awards, including multiple Best of Show honors. Her paintings are held in private collections across the United States and internationally.
Holly Tilley, raised in Fort Worth, Texas and long based in Arkansas, transitioned from a career in marketing and advertising to become a full-time visual artist. She manages Art Group Gallery in Little Rock and is active in the Arkansas arts community through the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Arkansas League of Artists, and Arkansas Arts Council. Tilley has taught both children and adults, studied in Civita Castellana, Italy, and has led American painters abroad for plein-air workshops in France.
For more information about the exhibition, contact the South Arkansas Arts Center at 870-962-5474. SAAC galleries are free, open to the public, and are located at 110 East Fifth Street in El Dorado, Arkansas.
