Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts invites patrons to grow their personal art collections through the second annual AMFA Art Market. Held Sept. 12-13 inside the downtown Little Rock museum, this weekend event offers the opportunity to engage with artists and learn first-hand the inspirations behind each work of art. The market follows last year’s successful first event, which drew thousands of people to shop, hear lectures from local gallery owners, and mingle with fellow art lovers.
This year, more than 50 artists fill the atrium and Cultural Living Room with booths displaying paintings, sculptures, fiber arts, photographs, ceramics, and jewelry. Read on to learn more about 10 of the event’s most anticipated artists, and visit arkmfa.org to learn more.
Jenny & Sam Dowd
Dowd House Studios brings together the work of Sam and Jenny Dowd, both trained in ceramics and working as potters and sculptors. Sam explores textures, taking inspiration from the quirky shapes and personalities of animals, while Jenny is drawn to line, pattern, and contour drawings of everyday objects. Together, they create utilitarian pottery designed to elevate daily rituals and bring an extra touch of delight to the kitchen.
Rickie Higgins
Rickie Higgins’ paintings function as a visual memoir, exploring absence, belonging, and human connection. Once known for abstracted faces and solitary chairs, the Alabama-based artist’s current work centers on imagined male figures who serve as stand-ins for the fathers, brothers, and mentors absent from his life. Through the tension between abstraction and figuration, Higgins explores connection and meaning, using color and gesture to express emotional depth rooted in personal story and shaped by faith.
Mark Gardner
Wood is Mark Gardner‘s primary medium. For 40 years he has been inspired by the material, also finding influence in African and Oceanic art along with the clean forms of midcentury modern ceramics. He is drawn to simple shapes that provide a foundation for surface embellishment, allowing the natural character of the wood to become part of each work.
Debra Koertge
An Arkansas native, Debra Koertge returned to the state after 25 years in the Chicago area, where she owned an art gallery and was active in the arts community. A lifelong collector of rare artifacts, Koertge began transforming exceptional finds into jewelry. Since returning to her roots, she has developed a fascination with fire, forging and fusing mixed metals into organic, story-rich works that carry the character and history of their materials.
John Powell
John Powell’s bronze sculptures reflect the longstanding human impulse to record experience, insight, and emotion through visual form. By combining bronze with wood, the artist brings together two contrasting materials, each carrying its own sense of energy; their interplay creates a balance of order and unity while leaving room for the viewer to find personal meaning in the work.
Jon Welborn
Based in Texas, Jon Welborn is a wood artist whose background in forestry informs his deep appreciation for the material he uses. He works exclusively with locally sourced found wood, transforming salvaged timber into sculptural works that reveal beauty and character in what might otherwise be considered waste. Each piece is carved from a single piece of timber, without glue, allowing the natural form and history of the wood to guide the finished work.
Jin Powell
Jin Powell explores the human form through hand-carved wood and vibrant mixed media. Anatomical precision is paired with tactile elements such as rope, gold leaf, and fabric, creating a dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary geometry. The resulting works balance structure and texture, capturing a sense of timeless poise within a bold, tactile world.
Michael Warrick
Michael Warrick’s abstracted portraits explore transformation, meditation, mentorship, identity, and memory as pathways to understanding who people are and who they aspire to become. Each portrait is built through a subtle assemblage of imagery and texture, bringing together fragments of visual narrative to create a singular composition. The resulting works invite viewers to look beyond the portrait itself and consider the layers of experience that shape identity.
Elizabeth Weber
Inspired by nature’s architecture, Elizabeth Weber creates sculptural forms that echo the structures and patterns found in the organic world. Through a combination of techniques and materials, she draws attention to the exquisite beauty that often goes unnoticed—from tiny, hidden wonders to the quiet elegance of decay and the changing character of the seasons. Her sculptures celebrate the intricate beauty of the outdoors and the enduring connection between nature and human experience.
Reian Williams
Reian Williams invites viewers into a world where art reaches beyond the canvas to explore the essence of the human spirit. Through intimate, soulful gazes, each work captures a distinct emotional presence and tells its own story. Williams’ portraits seek to evoke raw emotion while creating a sense of intimacy and connection between the subject and the viewer.
AMFA Art Market is free and open to the public. The weekend kicks off on Friday, Sept. 11, with a members-only preview day. Visit arkmfa.org for full details.
