The prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters has announced Fayetteville architect Marlon Blackwell among its newest inductees. As principal of Marlon Blackwell Architects, the honoree is known for his award-winning designs across Northwest Arkansas as well as out of state; you might recognize his work from the Crystal Bridges Museum Store and Coop Ramen in Bentonville, the Harvey Pediatric Clinic in Rogers, or the Steven L. Anderson Design Center at the University of Arkansas, among many other local projects.

Founded in 1898, the American Academy of Arts and Letters comprises an exclusive group of the country’s leading architects, visual artists, composers, and writers, including such well-known past members as Mark Twain, Georgia O’Keefe, Duke Ellington, and fellow architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Blackwell is one of this year’s 29 new members, along with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and film director Spike Lee, who will be officially inducted May 19 during the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ virtual ceremony. “You are welcomed into a fellowship of esteemed American artists who are making a real impact, and your work is acknowledged by these folks who are operating at the highest level of excellence in the discipline. It’s amazing, and it’s amazing to be part of this accomplished group—I’m very humbled,” Blackwell says of the honor. “This also provides a platform for me to advocate for the good work and the many talented individuals in the arts here in Arkansas and in the middle of the country.”

Blackwell is also a professor at the University of Arkansas’s Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. He was named 2020 Southeastern Conference Professor of the Year and received the 2020 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects. For more information about Marlon Blackwell Architects, visit marlonblackwell.com. Tune in to the American Academy of Arts and Letters 2021 Ceremonial on May 19 at artsandletters.org.

This story originally appeared in the May 2021 issue of At Home in Arkansas.