South Arkansas native Kevin Seymore debuts his first solo exhibition, “Waterland, Paintings from Felsenthal,” at SAAC this November. The show will be on view in SAAC’s Lobby Gallery from November 3 through December 12, with a public artist’s reception on Thursday, November 13, from 5:30 to 7:00pm.
Kevin Seymore was born in El Dorado, raised in Crossett, and spent much of his childhood in Felsenthal visiting his grandparents. It was there that he developed a lasting love for the woods, waters, and wetlands of the lower Ouachita River and the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge. With a professional career in higher education student services and a background in the humanities, Seymore’s art journey began later in life. In his thirties, he began painting portraits of co-workers as Christmas gifts, which soon evolved into landscape painting. This transition allowed him to merge his creative pursuits with his deep appreciation of the outdoors, leading to the works featured in “Waterland.”
The exhibition presents oil and acrylic paintings that capture the seasons, textures, and shifting abstractions of the Felsenthal landscape. Seymore explains that his work is painted with a lifetime of first-hand experience of the landscape, with photo references at his side, and eyes full of years of looking at the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists for inspiration and guidance. Each painting is further enhanced by handcrafted frames, designed and painted by Seymore himself, reflecting his decade-long passion for woodworking. His woodcraft has since expanded to include sculptures, toys, mobiles, and other creations, which he sells both online and at local festivals.
For Seymore, this exhibition is both personal and deeply meaningful. “I could not be more pleased that my first exhibit as an artist is in the town of my birth and naturally at SAAC. It has the feeling of life coming full circle,” he shared. He extends his gratitude to SAAC for the opportunity to exhibit his work, and to friends, colleagues, and family who have supported his creative journey.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, and admission is free.
