Date: January 8, 2025 | Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Photography: Rett Peek |
Life imitates art, you could say, in four drinks inspired by current programming at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Linger in front of the layered colors of an abstract painting and you’ll likely walk away with a slightly different understanding than the person beside you. In the same way, the simple formula called on to create a cocktail—spirit plus equal parts sweet and sour equals a balanced drink—lends itself to a multitude of interpretations. For this issue, we asked a local mixologist and the leader of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts to develop four cocktails that are as complex and layered as the works of art that inspired them.
The Experts
Dr. Victoria Ramirez, Executive Director, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Dr. Victoria Ramirez joined AMFA in 2019 ahead of its extensive renovation, reimagining, and reopening in 2023. “The response from the community since we opened has been incredible,” she says. “When you have a museum that’s closed to the public for some time, you have your hopes up. People have been responding so positively to the building, the programs, and the exhibitions. For us as a staff, it’s been very inspiring and makes us want to do more.”
Dillon Garcia, Mixologist
Dillon Garcia is general manager of downtown Little Rock’s Allsopp & Chapple and founder of Arkansas Mixology Associates, a cooperative of local bartenders. “I love every aspect of being in a restaurant, but where my creativity comes out is making drinks,” he says. He also serves as director of hospitality for the Arkansas Cinema Society, which partners with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts for film screenings throughout the year.
BOHEMIAN BOXCAR
This drink represents “Rivera’s Paris,” a much-anticipated exhibition featuring the impact of the French capital on the career of Mexican painter Diego Rivera. The central work of the exhibit is “Dos Mujeres,” widely considered one of Rivera’s masterpieces and a part of AMFA’s permanent collection since the 1950s. “This really is one of the most important works in our collection because it was the first significant piece by an international artist and an artist who was living at the time,” Dr. Ramirez says.
THE INSPIRATION
To create this cocktail, Dillon started with a base of tequila and agave—Mexican ingredients that represent Rivera’s home—and accented those flavors with cognac and Pierre Ferrand dry Curaçao, which both originated in France. “His time spent in Paris drastically changed his approach to artwork, but he never lost his heritage,” Dillon says of the parallel. A single large ice cube and similarly shaped citrus are nods to the cubist style of the work, which was bold and experimental at the time it was painted in 1914.
Experience the Art: “Rivera’s Paris” is on view February 7 to May 18 in the Harriet and Warren Stephens Family Gallery.
Make the Drink: Combine 1.5 ounces Reposado tequila, .75 ounce Agavero liqueur, .5 ounce cognac, .75 ounce dry Curaçao, and 1 ounce lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain over a large ice cube and serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with fresh citrus.
“Art is such an important part of human expression. To say it’s limited to one form is really not the case.”
—Dr. Victoria Ramirez, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
The Snow Queen
THE INSPIRATION
The Snow Queen is based on a three-dimensional work from AMFA’s permanent collection: “Regal Neckpiece” by Arkansas’s own Elsie Bates Freund. Currently on view with the exhibit “Studio Time + Studio Practice,” this piece was crafted in 1971 using the artist’s unique jewelry-making process combining sterling silver, glass, and ceramics. “For me, this pairing is all about a feeling,” Dr. Ramirez says. “When you drink a cocktail called The Snow Queen, you feel like you’re standing taller. I imagine it might feel the same to wear this neckpiece. We all have our everyday jewelry, but when you put on something that feels a little more elegant, you feel special. It elevates the experience.”
The Snow Queen reimagines a classic cosmopolitan in a way that’s suited to the season. “With the cranberries and rosemary, it looks like a snowy landscape,” Dillon says. “It’s perfect for this time of year.”
Experience the Art: “Studio Time + Studio Practice” is on view through April 20 in the Robyn and John Horn Gallery.
Make the Drink: Combine 1.75 ounces lime-infused vodka, .75 ounce peach schnapps, and 2 ounces white cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with cranberries and a rosemary sprig.
Oscar-Rita
This time of year is busy for Arkansas Cinema Society, which hosts a series of screenings of Oscar-nominated films at AMFA leading up to the Academy Awards on March 2. Dillon drew inspiration from the glitz and glamour of the red carpet for his Hollywood-inspired take on a margarita. “Margaritas are the number one selling cocktail in America. It’s a classic,” he says. “But the gold shimmer makes it really special.”
Experience the Art: Keep an eye on the websites for Arkansas Cinema Society (arkansascinemasociety.org) and AMFA (arkmfa.org) for the line-up of Oscar-nominated films, which should be announced in January.
Make the Drink: Combine 1.5 ounces tequila, .75 ounce triple sec, and 3 ounces of your choice of margarita mix—either pre-mixed or equal parts fresh-squeezed lime juice with simple syrup. Add a dash of edible glitter (available online) and garnish with citrus.
Taste of Red
With more people opting for booze-free beverages and non-alcoholic spirits trending, the modern bar isn’t complete without a few inspired mocktails. Here, Dillon looked to a concert by St. Louis jazz singer René Marie for a spark. He selected ingredients based on the musician’s concept of “pain plus wisdom equals beauty” and named the drink after her Grammy Award-nominated album Sound of Red. “Pain is represented by blood orange juice. And since a sage is a wise person, I made a sage syrup to mix with it,” he says, noting that ginger beer is the perfect balance to these flavor profiles. “And, of course, there’s beauty in the presentation.”
For her part, Dr. Ramirez says the museum’s robust event arts calendar—from artist talks and children’s theater to music and ballet—is all part of enhancing the “full sensory experience” of the museum. “Art is such an important part of human expression. To say it’s limited to one form is really not the case.”
Experience the Art: René Marie takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. on January 30 in the Performing Arts Theater. Tickets are $57 ($52 for members).
Make the Drink: Make sage-infused simple syrup by heating equal parts sugar and water over low heat (should be hot, but not boiling) and adding 3-4 sprigs of fresh sage. Steep as long as desired; Dillon recommends 30-40 minutes for the most flavor. Fill a Collins glass (or pilsner, seen here) with ice; then add 2 ounces blood orange juice and 1 ounce sage-infused syrup and stir. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a sprig of sage.
To spike your Taste of Red, Dillon recommends adding 1 ounce of gin. “I think the botanicals of gin would play off the sage and ginger well,” he says.
Prefer your tipple prepared by the professionals? These cocktails will be available at AMFA’s restaurant, Park Grill, from January 17 to February 28. The restaurant will also have a special Rivera’s Paris-themed menu when the exhibition opens February 7. “Just as the art in the museum is always changing, so is the restaurant,” Dr. Ramirez says.
Visit arkmfa.org for information about these exhibits and more.
Correction: The print edition of this story included cointreau as an ingredient in the Bohemian Boxcar instead of curaçao. We regret the error.
