The statewide traveling exhibit Arkansas Champion Trees: An Artist's Journey has returned home to Hot Springs.
The exhibit by local artist Linda Williams Palmer has traveled Arkansas for the past two years.
Hot Springs National Park will host the exhibit starting this weekend at the Ozark Cultural Center on Bathhouse Row.
The exhibit features color pencil drawings and photographs by the artist who has chronicled some of the more than 125 trees designated as "champions" by the Arkansas Forestry Commission, a news release said.
"We are very excited to be hosting the exhibit and are inviting the public to join us to see the artwork," said Josie Fernandez, Hot Springs National Park superintendent.
Friends of Hot Springs National Park will hold an opening reception from 3-6 p.m. Jan. 17 at the cultural center. The event will include a panel discussion featuring Palmer, Matthew Voskamp of the Arkansas Forestry Commission, and Carole Adornetto, AETN director of production.
The discussion will be followed by a screening of the original 60-minute documentary "Champion Trees" produced by AETN.
The film explores the state's natural wonders and how they influence and inspire people.
"'Champion Trees' is perhaps the most cinematic film we've produced," Adornetto said.
The documentary was recently picked up by the Public Broadcasting Service for national distribution. The original broadcast was in March.
Plans are also underway to host another event in the summer to include Gabe Mayhan, the documentary's filmmaker, whose filming schedule prevents him from attending the January festivities.
The forestry commission recently identified two trees within the national park -- a bass wood and a magnolia -- and given them the "champion" title, Fernandez said.
"We are making plans to place markers near the trees so they are easily identifiable," she said.
The exhibit will remain at the cultural center through August. It showcases large and detailed drawings and documentary photographs of 18 trees.
Palmer's research and documentation of the champions began in 2007.
The exhibit is the culmination of five years of work and more than 10,000 miles of travel across the state.
Exhibit Curator Barbara Satterfield, of Conway, says the "family friendly" exhibit includes anecdotes and stories to encourage multigenerational conversations.
"The goal is to bring people together to enjoy Arkansas' greatest natural resources -- its land and its people."
Local on 12/19/2014