KATV Channel 7 - The Spirit of Arkansas: Eggnog Competition Features New Contestant

Eggnog Competition Features New Contestant

LITTLE ROCK (November 23, 2010) – 2nd Friday Art Night, a free monthly event in downtown Little Rock, will be bustling at Historic Arkansas Museum on December 10, 5-8 p.m. The museum's Second Floor Gallery will present a new exhibit, Adrienne Cullins: Black Market Kidney Factory, on display December 10, 2010, through February 6, 2011. The opening reception, with live music by The Smittles, is one activity during 2nd Friday Art Night. The other is the museum's 6th Ever Nog-off, a friendly competition for the best eggnog in town. As part of 2nd Friday Art Night, a free shuttle is available to transport visitors to other Art Night venues. Shuttle service ends at 8:30 p.m.

Black Market Kidney Factory features the works of Adrienne Cullins, who was born in Magnolia and grew up in Jonesboro. Cullins paints abstracted organic forms in vivid color – implying motion through her compositions. Often inspired by her own experiences in the natural world, she also uses microbiology and anatomy books to deconstruct the organisms she encounters.  Real world observations are creatively reinterpreted and given new life through the artist's imagination.

Cullins graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.A. in Art and Anthropology in 2006. In 2007, her work toured throughout Arkansas as a part of the annual Small Works on Paper exhibition for which she received the Purchase Award.  Her triptych, Black Market Kidney Factory, was included in the Texas Biennial held in March 2009 at the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin.  This show received national attention and was featured in Art in America magazine. Cullins currently resides in Austin, Texas.

The 6th Ever Nog-off will be bigger than ever this year, with 7 contestants, including museum director Bill Worthen who will return with his award-winning, historic recipe passed down the family line—a recipe used by his great, great grandfather, Nicholas Peay. Also entering this year will be Capital Hotel Pastry Chef Tandra Watkins who received her culinary degree at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Because Worthen is an expert on the city's land mark, the Little Rock, we are calling this match-up Le Condon Bleu v. La Petite Roche. Also competing this year will be Mary Beth Ringgold of Copper Grill and Tracy Sterling of Java Roasting Express @ Wright and Chester. Kitty Lane and Bridgett Farris will return to try to snatch the title. At a previous Nog-off, Lane regrettably ran out of eggnog before the competition was over, changing her lead to a second place finish. The final entry this year, will be Pauline Hoetzel's Eggnog, prepared by Charles and Becky Witsell and Gordon Wittenberg.

As always, after sampling the various eggnogs, our guests to the free event will choose the winner of the Nog-off. In addition, this year we will have Celebrity Tasters, who in a blind tasting will choose their favorite. The celebrity tasters will be: Phil Brandon of Rock Town Distillery, Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times, and Mary Twedt, host of KUAR's Arkansas Cooks.

Historic Arkansas Museum is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 - 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission to the galleries and parking are free; tours of historic grounds are $2.50 for adults, $1 for children under 18, $1.50 for senior citizens. The Historic Arkansas Museum Store is open 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Historic Arkansas Museum is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, which was created in 1975 to preserve and enhance the heritage of the state of Arkansas. Other agencies of the department are Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and Old State House Museum.