Hwy. 70

I drove to Forrest City the other weekend for the opening of the 2017 Small Works On Paper Exhibition, a statewide travelling art show that is put on every year by the Arkansas Arts Council. This year, one of my pictures was included in the tour. It was one of 36 pieces selected by artists from across the state. I was very excited to have one of my pictures chosen, and for it to be part of a great collection of art!

I had my camera with me, so after the reception I took the long way home and tried to get a few pictures. I drove through Forrest City and passed by this abandoned building, part of which was condemned after it had partially collapsed.



I headed east on Hwy. 70, through the flat and cold lands of the Delta. It had snowed a few days before, and there were still some traces of snow that hadn't melted yet. It had been below freezing for awhile, and the water in the ditches along the side of road were frozen. I stopped by this dirt road, which was blocked by an old plow at the entrance. Just a little bit of snow still lingers along the road as it curves towards an old building in the distance.



I followed Hwy. 70 as it headed into Brinkley, and I stopped at this old building with a faded ghost sign. The building sits just a few feet from some busy railroad tracks, but it looks like the roof of the building has also collapsed in a few places.



It was getting close to sunset, and I just barely had enough time to make it to Hickson Lake, in the Dagmar Wildlife Management Area. It is a beautiful lake, lined with countless numbers of cypress and tupelo trees. The trees were poking up through a layer of ice that had grown on the lake's surface.



It was a bit chilly out there (about 29 degrees), and I got a few more pictures before hurrying back into the heated car and driving home.



The 2017 Small Works On Paper Exhibition, which is now in its 30th year, will visit 10 cities across the state. Here's the schedule, you should definitely check it out:
January 3-27 - East Arkansas Community College - Forrest City
February 1-24 - Alma Performing Arts Center Gallery - Alma
March 6-27 - Northwest Arkansas Community College - Bentonville
April 5-28 - William F. Laman Library - North Little Rock
May 3-29 - Phillips Community College - Helena
June 3-July 11 - The Arts Council of Mississippi County - Blytheville
July 20-August 26 - Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas - Pine Bluff
September 4-29 - SAU Magnolia - Magnolia
October 5-26 - Ouachita Baptist University - Arkadelphia
November 6-24 - SAU Tech - Camden

And the picture that was taken, which was taken in October of 2015 during our big road trip to Arizona. It was taken in the morning as we drove west along Route 66 in the Texas panhandle.