The EACC Gallery presents From Rust to Dust, an exhibition by contemporary folk artist Cheryl McMickle of Marianna, Arkansas. The exhibit will run through Friday, October 7th.  The public is invited to meet the artist in the Gallery on Saturday, October 1st at 6:30 p.m. before Trace Adkins' performance in the EACC Fine Arts Center.

A native of western Arkansas, artist Cheryl McMickle is primarily a landscape painter, but loves exploring different media and subjects in her work.  She has been living, teaching, and creating in eastern Arkansas for over 25 years.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Design and teacher certification from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Education degree in Administration, Curriculum & Supervision from the University of Oklahoma.  She has taught art in the Lee County and Forrest City school districts.

The From Rust to Dust exhibit explores the narrative of McMickle's surroundings, especially the nostalgia of scenes and objects that have lived a useful, purposeful existence, but are now entering a different stage of their existence.  "Rust and decay hold a special nostalgic beauty for me.  Maybe it's because I have been married to a restorer of old cars and trucks for nearly twenty years," said McMickle.  "The textures, colors, and the stories told by well-used objects have been an interest of mine for several years," she added.  

The exhibit features the art medium of charcoal, which McMickle uses to create a vast range of shadows and textures.  "Charcoal's smudginess and 'dust' can play a huge role in conveying that feeling of the well-worn while remaining almost beloved," said McMickle.  She also combines charcoal with acrylic and other media while introducing color through many of the pieces.  "This process provides new avenues of creating, and brings whole new opportunities to communicate feelings of nostalgia, memory, and the past through the exhibit," she said.

McMickle is a member of the Arkansas Artist Registry through the Arkansas Arts Council, and her work has been displayed and featured in numerous exhibits throughout Arkansas including the Arts Council's Small Works on Paper exhibit, Delta Des Refuses exhibits, the William F. Layman Argenta Branch Gallery Art Educator exhibits, the Eastern Region Art Educator exhibits, and more. 

The EACC Gallery is located in the EACC Fine Arts Center. Daily hours for the Gallery are Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., or as scheduled for special group tours. There is no charge for admission.