The Southern Missouri Arts Connection (SMAC) will present the work of College of the Ozarks graduate Olivia Stephens in a solo exhibit, Strange as Ever, at the SMAC Art Center at 7 Downing Street, Hollister, Missouri, September 8 - 30. She has been SMAC’s Artist in Resident for the past year, a position made possible through grants from Community Foundation of the Ozarks and Springfield Regional Arts Council.
An opening night reception for the exhibit will be held on Friday, September 8, 6-9 p.m. Coffee will be available at the Vintage Paris kiosk inside the center, as well as other snacks and refreshments. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.
“The theme of my show,” Stephens said, “is about finding my passion again.” She had experienced post-graduate burnout after completing her fine arts degree. “It’s a love letter to my little me who used to get up Saturday mornings to create art. And it’s a love letter to future me, who is working hard to keep art always in her life.” These “love letters,” are the culmination of work she created during her residency, which ends August 31.
In addition, each month during their exhibits, SMAC highlights one of the many local non-profit organizations that serves the area. This month SMAC is drawing attention to Faith Community Health, a Christian faith-based charitable clinic offering income-based health services in Branson.
Southern Missouri Arts Connection (SMAC), a 501C3 non-profit local center of creativity, art education, innovation, and community partnership, strives to improve the quality of life in southern Missouri by connecting individuals with the arts, for the benefit of all.
