Happy August! We here at the Arts Association hope you have had a wonderful summer so far!
The first Summer Off the Square performers for August is BootCut! BootCut hails from Macon, MO and will bring Southern Rock to the Square this Friday!
Bring your chairs, blankets, and picnics! It’s going to be an energetic and great concert!
BootCut is brought to us by our wonderful sponsors: Lovegreen Ford, The City of Kirksville, Kirksville Tourism, Sparklight, and the Missouri Arts Council.
Red Barn is coming up soon!
We are still taking exhibitor applications, and well as food vendor apps! We also have advertisement and sponsorship opportunities! Please reach out to us for more information — we would love to have you!
The date for Red Barn is Saturday, September 24th from 9AM to 4PM. Mark your calendars!
(660) 665-0500 | kirksvilleart@gmail.com
August also brings workshops! Another reminder to check out our upcoming workshop: Intermediate Canvas Painting! We are very excited about this workshop, as it is new to KAA! Be a part of history, and sign up today! (and tell your friends)
August is also the last month to stop by the Sue Ross Arts Center and see our current exhibit: Thank You For Your Service. This exhibit honors those who served in the US Armed Forces.
Feel free to check out the exhibit during our SOS BootCut concert on Friday!
Check back with us soon for more updates! Have a wonderful August!
Hello Kirksville! July is ending soon, so what a better way to send it off than with Pumptown Family Band!
Pumptown hails from Elliston, IA, and brings us a high energy, eclectic mix of new and old with a beat! Summer Off the Square couldn’t be possible without our sponsors: Sparklight, the City of Kirksville, Kirksville Tourism, and the Missouri Arts Council.
Pumptown Family Band bringing their “Drum infused country sound”
Pumptown starts at our usual SOS time, 7:00 PM outside of the Sue Ross Arts Center at 215 S Franklin here in Kirksville. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy your Friday!
This is also the last week to see “A Family Affair” with Andrew Gooch and his grandmother Diane Apa. Their exhibit is upstairs in our Gaber Gallery, and will be here until the end of July!
Our current exhibit on our Ellebracht gallery, “Thank You For Your Service,” will be here until August 31st.
We currently still have open spots to sign up for our current workshop: Intermediate Canvas Painting. This workshop will be August 13th, from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Register at SRAC by August 10th to reserve your spot!
Kirksville Arts Association is proud to present a new workshop available for sign-up!
Intermediate Canvas Painting with Larissa Fajkus, BFA. This workshop will be on August 13th, and run from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM.
KAA Members will be able to sign up for a $45 fee, and non-members at $50. Want to become a Kirksville Arts Association member? Find more information here!
Sign up today by sending us an email at kirksvilleart@gmail.com, or giving us a call at (660) 665-0500.
There will be no Summer Off the Square concert this Friday, out of respect of the NEMO Fair. However, be sure to come by the following Friday (July 29th) to catch Pumptown! You won’t want to miss it!
Ever wonder how Kirksville Arts manages to stay open on Saturdays? It’s because of our wonderful docent volunteers!
On Tuesday, KAA held a Docent Thank You Luncheon to show our appreciation for the continued dedication our docents provide. The meal was held in the beautiful Clara Straight room on the second floor of the Sue Ross Arts Center.
Interested in being a Docent on Saturdays? Give us a call at (660) 665-0500, or email us at kirksvilleart@gmail.com
This week will be your last chance to sign up for our Card Making for Beginners workshop! This workshop will be July 16th, from 9AM to 12PM at the Sue Ross Arts Center at 215 S Franklin here in Kirksville.
There are only two days left to secure your spot! Call or email us today to grab your spot before they’re gone!
Students will make fun, detailed cards that can be used for any occasion! You will also get to take home four (4) cards made during the workshop!
If you missed it, last week for Summer Off the Square we welcomed Mercy’s Bridge! Mercy’s Bridge brought us uplifting gospel music to enjoy. Our Sponsors who made this possible are the VFW Auxiliary, City of Kirksville, Sparklight, Kirksville Tourism and the Missouri Arts Council.
This Friday, our sponsors City of Kirksville, Sparklight, Kirksville Tourism and the Missouri Arts Council bring us the Kirksville Community Band!
Bring your lawn chairs and refreshments, and help us welcome a local favorite!
Kirksville Community Band is comprised of local musicians, as well as school band directors from area schools and their top students. Brad Hudson and Dan Peterson will again be directing the band.
Be sure to join us right outside of the Sue Ross Arts Center (215 S Franklin) at 7PM on Friday!
The art gallery will be open for visitors, so be sure to stop by to cool off and visit our current exhibit: Thank You For Your Service: A Photography Exhibit Honoring Veterans in the Ellebract Gallery, and A Family Affair upstairs in the Gaber Gallery!
The Kirksville Arts Association is proud to present Andrew Gooch and Diane G Apa’s art in our upstairs Gaber Gallery!
“A Family Affair” opens today, July 1st, and will be available for viewing until July 31st. Be sure to head upstairs when visiting our “Thank You For Your Service” exhibit.
Diane and Andrew are also both selling post cards of their art work! There are limited quantities, so be sure to stop by!
We hope you enjoyed last Friday’s Summer Off the Square band, No Apology!
We almost had to call a rain day, but we made it through unscathed! We even got to enjoy the outlaw honky-tonk to a beautiful rainbow at one point.
We were able to host No Apology with the help of our sponsors — without whom, none of these would happen! Thank you to Sparklight, The City of Kirksville, Kirksville Tourism, and the Missouri Arts Council.
We have a new workshop available for sign-up! Our quilling for beginners class has evolved into Beginner Card Making!
Join us at SRAC on July 16 to learn how to create and take home 4 self-made cards! The class will run from 9AM to 12PM noon. Reach out to us via the web, phone, or email to sign up today!
Our upcoming performance for Summer Off the Square is The Aaron Russel Band! Aaron Russel Band is brought to us by Chariton Valley, in addition to Sparklight, the City of Kirksville, Kirksville Tourism, and the Missouri Arts Council.
The Aaron Russel Band is a local favorite, and brings us Country from the 60s thru the 90s, Classic Rock, and a bit of Gospel. Be sure to see them this Friday, July 1st, at 7PM! We are still right outside SRAC at 215 S Franklin!
Before we enjoy Aaron Russel Band, we also get the pleasure of having the Kirksville Community Band play at 5:15 for the All American Red White and Blue Festival!
Follow the link above to learn more about the Festival activities going on this weekend!
We hope you are ready for our next band in our Summer Off the Square Series: Keota!
Keota at a previous SOS!
Keota hails from Macon, MO, and brings us Americana, Bluegrass, Country, and Classic Rock! Be sure to have your chairs and refreshments ready by 7PM on Friday for our next big show!
We are still located at the same place — the lawn next to the Sue Ross Arts Center at 215 S Franklin St.
Our Summer Off the Square concert series is brought to you by Sparklight, Missouri Arts Council, The City of Kirksville, as well as Kirksville Tourism!
A few updates for our members! We have changed the dates of some of our upcoming workshops.
Quilling for Beginners has evolved into Cardmaking for Beginners! This will now be hosted on July 16th, 9AM – 12PM.
Intermediate Acrylic Canvas Painting has also been moved, and is now August 13th, 12:30PM – 4:00 PM.
We also plan on having Mommy and Me: Jewelry Workshop in September! This will be a super fun activity that parents and their little ones can equally enjoy. Be sure to stay tuned for more!
More updates on these to come! Be sure to spread the word that KAA is hosting more workshops — we want you involved! We have so many fun activities planned for the rest of the year, and we can’t wait to share them with you. Feel free to reach out to us via email, phone, or our site!
I hope you are ready for our second Summer Off the Square performance, Blue Velvet! Blue Velvet hails from Macon, Missouri, and they are ready to bring you Big Band Era Standards.
Blue Velvet is brought to you by our sponsors Sparklight, City of Kirksville, Kirksville Tourism, and the Missouri Arts Council.
See you there at 7PM, outside of the Sue Ross Arts Center located at 215 S Franklin. Bring your chairs for a comfortable viewing experience!
KAA also has open registration for two upcoming Workshops! We are currently offer a Beginner’s class in Quilling, as well as Intermediate Acrylic Canvas Painting.
Not sure what quilling is? Not a problem — quilling is a type of ornamental craftwork involving the shaping of paper, fabric, or glass into delicate pleats or folds. You will receive a beginner’s kit when you sign up for the workshop, and you get to take it home with you when you are done! This workshop is June 18th, and runs from 9AM to 12PM noon.
Our newest workshop brings Larissa Fajkus, BFA to SRAC. Using the top paintings as examples in the flyers, students will learn to hone their artistic skills and refine their brushwork. Students are encouraged to bring their favorite brushes, if they would like. This workshop is June 25th, and runs from 12:30 to 4:00 PM.
Stop by the SRAC to sign up, or call / mail to reserve your spot! Reach us at (660) 665-0500 or kirksvilleart@gmail.com
And of course be sure to stop by our current exhibit – Thank You For Your Service. This is a wonderful photography exhibit featuring military veterans from the area, including 4 WWII veterans!
Know a veteran? We are looking to do this exhibit again next year — give us a call for more information!
Reception is still upcoming, on June 14th, 5:30 – 7:00 PM – Flag Day! Be sure to stop by to enjoy the gallery, partake in some refreshments, and even meet some of the veterans themselves.
Join Amy Posterick in learning quilling techniques that you can take with you into the future.
Not quite sure what quilling is? No problem! This will be a basic beginner workshop, and you can take your quilling kit home with you when you are done!
Be sure to stop by KAA to register! This workshop will be on June 18th, from 9AM to 12 PM. The fee is $50 for KAA members, and $55 for non-members.
Create beautiful works of art with us, and enjoy the great company as well! Limited class size available; please register no later than June 11 at 4PM.
There are lots of fun and interesting things happening here at Kirksville Arts, as well as around Kirksville!
This upcoming Friday (June 3) is action-packed! First, there is the Kirksville Art Walk starting at 4:30 PM. Kirksville Arts is proud to host the Splintered Spool this Friday!
The Splintered Spool creates wonderful works of art in both woodworking and quilt making. They even have their own Etsy shop! Be sure to stop by SRAC while you are perusing the art downtown and check them out.
From the Splintered Spool website
Once you are done seeing the fantastic artwork that Kirksville has to offer, be sure to head back to us for the premiere of our free concert series, Summer “Off” the Square! We kick off our series with Fully Loaded! Fully Loaded hails from Kirksville, and boasts music skills in the genres of 90s Country, Classic Rock, Blues, and Alternative Favorites. There will definitely be something for everyone! Fully Loaded is brought to us this week by Maxwell’s Bar and Grill, as well as Sparklight, the City of Kirksville, and Kirksville Tourism!
Our concerts begin at 7:00 PM on Friday (and every Friday)! We will be located on the lawn next to KAA. Parking will be available in the lot behind the SRAC across the rock alley. Be sure to bring your chairs and refreshments!
Fully Loaded
If you can’t make it to Fully Loaded, no need to worry! Check out our full Summer off the Square schedule here! We will be going every Friday all summer.
Finally, we have a new upcoming Exhibit! We will be offering a “Thank You For Your Service” photography exhibit opening on Friday, June 3rd! Yes, this means you can check out our new exhibit while enjoying the Art Walk and the concert series. The SRAC will be open during the concert, so feel free to stop by!
This exhibit will be running all summer, from June 3rd to August 31st. We will be offering a Reception on Flag Day — Tuesday, June 14th. There will be food, drink, and quilts presented by our Hands of Friendship Quilt Guild. You will not want to miss it!
Take a peek at the map below for more Art Walk information.
Friday, June 3rd from 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm! Businesses will be hosting local artisans of all types downtown, as well as offering specials and sales during the event.
This is a free event anyone can attend. Make your way downtown and enjoy our local talent, as well as do some shopping! KAA is joining The KV Chamber of Commerce in promoting this worthwhile event!
If you are interested in joining the Chamber as a business or artist- registration is OPEN!
Businesses may find their own Artist (Ages 16+), or the Chamber committee will pair you with an artist (if applicable)
Space will be limited for those located off of the downtown square. Due to Adair County Courthouse renovations, off-site businesses will be set up in the Bank Midwest Parking Lot.
If artists have a Missouri Sales Tax I.D. they may sell their art during the event!
While you’re downtown, be sure to stop by our Summer on the Square free concert! The concert will be held in the lot next to the Sue Ross Arts Center, located at 217 S Franklin. This will be the new “Square” while the courthouse is under construction.
The opening band for Summer on the “Square” is Fully Loaded! Fully Loaded is sponsored by Maxwell’s Bar and Grill here in sunny Kirksville! Extra thank you to Sparklight as well for sponsoring the entire upcoming series! Fully Loaded starts at 7:00 PM, and it is free to attend! Their style is 90s country, Classic Rock, Blues, and Alternative Favorites. Can’t wait to see you there!
Interested in sponsoring a band (or the entire summer) of Summer on the Square? Reach out to us at 660-665-0500, or kirksvilleart@gmail.com
We welcome seven Truman artists as they present their final capstone project on display at the Sue Ross Arts Center. Seven students will have their work displayed from May 1st until May 6th, with a reception held on Friday, May 6th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
There is a total of 225 hours put into this display by the students! Come visit the gallery in person to see all the hard work up close.
Peek a sneak preview below of some of the amazing work you will find!
Sign up today at the Sue Ross Arts Center to participate in this super fun upcoming workshop! Spend a Saturday morning here with Debbie Burbee and Rita Hutchins learning how to beautifully create your own jewelry set.
Each participating artist will get the opportunity to create a necklace, bracelet, and earring set!
Note: KAA cannot currently take any credit or debit cards at this time. Please be ready to provide cash or check. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Sue Ross Arts Center is now proud to display some of the best upcoming talent from Kirksville’s area High School. Come stop by and take a look at some very talented inviduals!
The High School exhibit will be on display until Saturday, April 30th! There will be a reception hosted by the school on Saturday, April 23rd, from 12 PM – 2PM.
Check out our Exhibits pagefor a small preview of what you can expect to see!
A new gallery exhibit has premiered in our gallery for the month of March! David Garrison is an internationally recognized pastelist with over 50 years of experience. He is a professional artist who has shown his work on three continents. His paintings appear in galleries and private collections throughout North America and Europe — and now in Kirksville! Keep reading below for more information on Garrison and his works.
David Garrison
David Garrison
Garrison has exhibited extensively in both North America and France. His work has been shown twice in China. It was featured as part of a traveling exhibit of oil landscapes. The show traversed Asia, ending in the Grand Museum of Art in St. Petersburg, Russia.
During these international shows, Garrison has earned several very prestigious awards. He won first place in the Hudson Valley Art Association’s annual exhibit in White Plains, New York. Garrison is the only American to ever be awarded the Lead Crystal award for “art excellence” in the exhibition of contemporary artists sponsored by the City of Bueil, France. He was awarded the “Master of Light” and “Master Pastelist” titles by the Societe Pastellistes de France (Pastel Society of France).
Garrison was elected to the American Artist Professional League. He has exhibited in the league’s headquarters at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. He has been asked to teach workshops by both the Societe Pastellistes de France (the oldest and most difficult to be elected to in all of Europe) and the Pastel Society of America (New York City).
His murals are currently displayed in some of the finest hotels along the eastern seaboard, as well as the midwest. These include Marriot Hotels, Hampton Inn and Suites, Hilton Gardens, and Holiday Inns. Some of Garrison’s murals adorn public welcome centers around Iowa. They can be seen in both Burlington and Fort Madison. Iowa’s Governor gave the address at the public unveiling of the Fort Madison mural. His work can also be found in the private collections of some of the leading political figures in Iowa. They have been bought by classical entertainers and collectors of fine art on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
City of the Pope (Pastel)
artist statement
I believe that a painting is not just an illusion in two dimensions, but it is also a moment in life captured on canvas. Painting is a language varying in mood and atmosphere, which is one of the three things I teach in my workshops. The other two are quality and knowing when to bring the painting to an end to avoid overworking the art. If you keep adding to it you lose the beauty of what you originally intended it to be. My workshops concentrate on teaching the artist to tap into their skill, to focus their desire, and to add the techniques and products to their own art to reflect the diversities of life itself. There are two important distinctions to hold close: “Paint what you love and paint what you know”.
I enjoy the challenges of capturing various subjects; not only through the smaller choices but also through how I elect to portray those subjects. Allowing the viewer to interpret parts of the painting is more interesting than if the painting is spelled out for them. I want the viewer to see the use of the medium, the end of the brush stroke, the spontaneity, and the freshness of a new painting. If I can give the viewer an impression of the atmosphere, a sense of light and deep shadows, if I can open their eyes to the simple beauty around us, then I have accomplished a great deal.
Ballerina (Oil)
awards
2014 “Master of Light”, Societé de Pastellistes de France 2010 “Master Pastelist”, Societé de Pastellistes de France 2008 Andrew Marlo Award, Pastel Society of the West Coast 2005 Lead Crystal Award, 19th Salon de Peinture, France 2003 Lead Crystal Award, Contemporary Artists Exhibition, Bueil, France 1998 Hudson Valley Art Association Annual Exhibit, White Plains, NY
bibliography
Stéphanie Portal, “Cécile Houel et David Garrison”, Pratique des Arts, September 2016. 76-80. Alex M Jones, “Bringing a Mood Into Focus”, Southwest Art, July 1977. 70-75. “The Agony and Ecstasy of a Living Artist”, Pastel Society of America, Pastelagram, 2002
publications
“Make Your Landscapes Glow”, The Artist’s Magazine, March 1998. 70-73.
special honors
2013 Elected to Covington International “Who’s Who” for “Master of Light” 1986 Listed in Who’s Who in American Art
Education
1987 BA, Iowa Wesleyan College, Mt. Pleasant, IA 1969 American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL (Special Instruction with Bill Parks of the American Academy of Art)
