Frank R. Cheatham, Fat Man on a Horse, 1989, Distressed hardwood, acrylic paint, string, and brass, 20 1/4 x 20 1/5 x 12 7/8 inches, Courtesy Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection.

Colorful, skillfully made, and wildly inventive toys designed and built by artists were featured in this delightful exhibition. The works on display hearken back to the days before plastic and mass production, when all toys were handmade and, whether simple or elaborate, engaged the imagination of both maker and user. Drawn from a series of annual exhibitions at the Arkansas Art Center, the exhibit highlighted fifty of the best and most interesting pieces from the Arkansas Art Center's collection. The toys vary in theme, materials, and utility. Many are functional. Some wind up; some are made from found objects; others are meticulously crafted from clay, fiber, glass, metal and wood. Also planned for the exhibit was a collection of hands-on toys, to allow visitors the enjoyment of actually playing with toys like the ones they are viewing.

Playing Around was curated and organized by Alan DuBois, Curator of Decorative Arts at the Arkansas Arts Center. The exhibition was toured by ExhibitsUSA. The purpose of ExhibitsUSA is to create access to an array of arts and humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities. ExhibitsUSA is a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1972.

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	Changing and Permanent Exhibits

	In Doylestown: Saving Face: Portraits from the Collection of Robert Infarinato Shifting Ground: Contemporary Landscapes by Paula Chamlee, Alan Goldstein, and Paul Matthews Outdoor Sculpture Program: Barry Parker In New Hope: Claus Mroczynski: Sacred Places of the Southwest