Art on the Levee tomorrow at Waverly Plantation

Annual DeltaARTS showcase and fundraiser this weekend

By Alex Smith

Art on the Levee tomorrow at Waverly Plantation

DeltaARTS From its location right on the Mississippi River Levee, to its Southern-fried food and welcoming Signature Drink handed out on the front porch, “Art on the Levee” is a unique Mid-South event, and it raises money for one of Crittenden County's most dedicated causes. DeltaARTS will host its annual art auction and fundraising “pARTy” on Saturday, April 29, starting at 5 p.m., at Waverly Plantation, the historic home of Jerri and Pat Crase. Art on the Levee is DeltaARTS' second largest fundraiser of the year, and raises funds to enhance the lives of children and adults through the arts.

Attendees of “Art on the Levee” will enjoy live music, delicious fried catfish and smoked chicken, mac and cheese, black-eyed peas, cornbread, tea, and lemonade from Memphis' popular Soul Fish Café, along with Loretta's famous fried pies from Big John's Shake Shack; self-guided tours of the beautiful home and grounds of Waverly Plantation; complimentary beer donated from Arkansas Distributing Co., and wine; a brand new vodka bar for $5 a drink; a silent art auction featuring 78 pieces with a wide variety and range; and a wine pull offering a broad selection of choices with bottles of up to $80 in value for $20 a random “pull.”

For its sixth year, Art on the Levee is offering some new and exciting features for guests to enjoy. Levee is introducing its new Signature Drink, “Plantation Punch,” which will be given to each guest in an official, keepsake Art on the Levee cup as they arrive, along with the addition of a $5 vodka bar featuring four mixed drink choices: the “Picasso's Porch” (vodka/cran), “Van Gogh & Bid” (vodka/OJ), “Da Vinci Delta” (vodka/tonic), and the “Country Cassatt” (vodka/soda).

Levee is also offering tickets for a chance to win

AWM Prom Promise 2017

Tonight’s Blue Devils Senior Prom will be a time of celebration, but the West Memphis Police Department and local first responders made sure the Academies of West Memphis students received a strong message beforehand about the dangers of drinking and driving with their annual Prom Promise presentation Thursday afternoon. The mock crash gave students a look at the all-too-real dangers of drunk driving.

Photos by John Rech this year's invitation cover piece, Betsy Brackin Burch's “Alluvial Plain,” a breathtaking 42 by 31.5inch framed acrylic Delta landscape. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased by calling (870) 732-6260 or at the door. The winning ticket will be randomly selected at the event, but the winner does not have to be present to win.

The biggest change to the party this year is in the art auction. The auction is now entirely online/mobile and the bidding was opened a week early, so people can bid from home and/or at the event until 8:00 that night (April 29). Bidders can go to deltaarts.org to set up their account, then they can bid from the auction website or text in their bids to a number provided on the website.

This year, Levee boasts 30 Mid-South artists, including Crittenden County favorites such as Chris Archer, Betsy Brackin Burch, Pat Crase, Kathy Sorrels Daniel, Gail Fogleman, Jack Kenner, Antzee Magruder, and Sherri Reid, while welcoming many well-known Memphis artists such as Jimpsie Ayres, Karen “Bottle” Capps, Bonnie Gravette, Mary Long, Jerry and Terry Lynn, Ron Olson, Jeanne Seagle, and Lamar Sorrento.

Since 1972, DeltaARTS has provided arts education and imaginative learning experiences for the Delta region, now serving more than 15,000 students, teachers, families, and senior citizens. DeltaARTS is the 2015 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Award for Excellence in Arts Education.

Tickets are $75 each. Purchase tickets at deltaarts.org or by calling (870)732-6260. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. All proceeds from this event benefit DeltaARTS, except 50 percent of the artwork, which goes to artists.