Geodesic clown -- Margo Pirkle struts her stuff during last Saturday's ARTrageous Parade. Its "Springs of Inspiration" theme brought out the best in participants who included the Afrique Aye Dance Company, Steve Holst and his dragon and the Psychedelic Marching Band. Photo by Chip Ford

By Don Lee

EUREKA SPRINGS -- The May Festival of the Arts will swing into high gear this week, offering a panoply of events all across town.

  During the entire month, the city will celebrate art from painting and music to dancing and Art Cars.

  The theme of the 2008 Festival is "Springs of Inspiration."

  Exhibitions of Yard Art will continue on display in yards all over town. The winners will be announced Saturday May 17 in Basin Spring Park. Entries are still being accepted at the Auditorium.

Visual art

  Prof. Phil Jacobson and Cynthia Ré Robbins will offer an "Old Masters-New Visions" painting workshop and exhibition in the Misch Technique through Friday, May 16 at The Space gallery at the junction of Pine and Spring Sts.

  The technique was developed in late medieval times and used during the early Renaissance. It involves alternating layers of white egg tempera and oil transparencies to produce extraordinary luminosity, fine detail and brilliant pure colors.

  Zian Fine Art Gallery in Rogers will display an exhibit titled "Cause and Effect," by Eureka Springs artist John Robert Willer. An artist reception will be held in the gallery on Friday, May 9 from 6 -- 9 p.m. and on Saturday, May 10 from 2 -- 5 p.m.

  Carol Peacock and Carol Saari will be the featured artists for the May Fine Arts Festival at the Peacock Gallery. A reception will be held on Thursday, May 8 from 6 -- 9 p.m. Refreshments will be served and live music provided by Gypsy Heart.

  On Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., an artist's reception will be held for Jody Stephenson at Studio 62. Its theme is "Art as Prayer."

  Eureka Thyme, in the Quarter, will host a show to celebrate the new work of Betty "Betina" Johnson in her series of "Old Masters Gone to the Dogs." A reception will be held May 10 from 4 -- 8 p.m.

  Carol Peacock, James Yale and Julie Kahn Valentine will introduce new works at a reception at the Eureka Fine Arts Company on Saturday, May 10.

  On Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m., the galleries around town open their doors and honor artists during the month's Gallery Stroll.

  More than 30 local and regional artists will display 3-D "matchbox shrines" as part of Zarks Gallery's 10th annual Invitational at Zarks Gallery at 67 Spring St.

  The shrines will be on display all day Saturday and ballots will be collected for a "People's Choice Award." The winner will be announced that evening during a reception from 6 to 9 p.m.

  Nationally known writer and illustrator Valerie Damon will be autographing her books and fine art prints and presenting new work at a reception at Iris at the Basin Park on Saturday from 1 -- 4 p.m. and 6 -- 9 p.m. Damon's work runs the gamut from detailed watercolors to sculpted teapots, masks, costumes and children's books.

  Susan Morrison's Signature Gallery will introduce "Baby Snowshoe Hare"

  The Spring Gallery at 120 N. Main St. will feature a retrospective exhibit of watercolors, sketches and paintings created by Glenn Gant.

Music

  Every Saturday and Sunday beginning at noon, live music and entertainment will be featured in Basin Spring Park.

  On Sunday, Native American flutist John Two-Hawks will appear free in concert at the Auditorium at 2 p.m.

Hands-on art

  83 Spring Street Gallery will introduce the "wearable art" of jewelry artist Betsy Stafford.

  Iris at the Basin Park will continue its 6th annual High School Pottery Exhibit. Each year the gallery presents the work of high school art students from Berryville and Eureka Springs high schools.

  This year's theme is the Automobile. The students selected a pre-1980s auto as inspiration for their projects and handcrafted clay models for the exhibit.

  Themed model Art Cars by students from Eureka Springs and Berryville high schools will continue on display at Community First Banks in Eureka Springs and Berryville. The cars are open for view during normal banking hours.

Green art

  Blue Spring Heritage Center will continue a plant sale in the greenhouse on the Heritage Center grounds through Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  The plants available will range from annuals to perennials to herbs.

  The annual Eureka Springs Garden Club plant sale will be held on Saturday, May 10 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Eureka Springs High School. The rain date is May 17.

  The plants are donated by Garden Club members and local nurseries. The club supports city beautification of the city.

Aerial art

  The Aerial Angels will perform free in Basin Spring Park from Friday, May 9 to Sunday, May 11, starting at noon and performing every 90 minutes.

  If it rains, the event will move to the Gem, in the lower level of the Auditorium.

Leisure art

  The Eureka Springs Rotary Club will host its annual Spring Golf Classic Friday, May 9, at the Holiday Island Golf Club.

  A shotgun start will begin at 8:30 a.m. with lunch following the round.

Building art

  The Carroll County Home Builders Show will take place Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 from noon until 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Visitors may receive expert advice from vendors in the convention center at Best Western Inn of the Ozarks.

  Net profits will benefit the Carroll County Home Builders Scholarship Fund, which helps students in Carroll County with scholarships for trade professions.

Kinky art

  Larger-than--life humorist political satirist and musician Kinky Friedman will display his own firebrand wit and wisdom in "You can Lead a Politician to Water, But you Can't Make 'Em Think," on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Auditorium.

  A former independent candidate for Texas Governor, he has a truly unique viewpoint on the folks and issues of our nation and political spectrum.

  A reception and signing of his latest book, You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can't Make 'Em Think, will follow the show in the Gem.

Written art

  Local author Jim Young will be on hand to sign his newly released book Making Love Is at Eureka Thyme from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The spoken word

  The May Poetluck at the Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow on Thursday, May 15 will feature Elizabeth Mack from Omaha, Neb. She is currently completing her book Healing Springs, a collection of personal essays, memoir and travel narratives, which centers around her childhood experiences in northwest Arkansas.

  Also reading at Poetluck will be current colony resident writers Theodora Ranelli of Olympia, Wash., Paul Sampson of Terrell, Texas, and Dr. Joe Cangelosi of Conway.

  The Colony is located at 515 Spring St.

ESSA offers summer workshops

  The Eureka Springs School of the Arts will offer summer workshops June 2 -- 6.

  Mark Rademacher will teach "Hand building with Slab Clay"; Greg Thomas will teach "Wood Bowl Turning."   Scholarships are still available for this class. Carol Peacock will teach "Painting with Oil under Glazes"; Julie Kahn Valentine will offer a class in "Plein Air Architectural Renderings"; and, Marlene Gremillion will teach "Watercolor Collaging."