David Rose

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Stranger in a Strange Land 

By David Malcolm Rose When I moved to Arkansas, well over 50 years ago, my knowledge of the South was primarily derived from watching the Andy Griffith show. There were some differences between the show and reality, but for me, the transition was fairly easy. At that time, Southern culture was, even in urban areas, rural culture, and I was brought up country. Once clearing the language barrier, it was relatively smooth sailing.   It delighted me

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Get Your Kicks on Route 66 

By David Malcolm Rose It winds from Chicago to LA, more than 2,000 miles all the way, and this year is the 100th birthday of Route 66. It’s often referred to as the Main Street of America, the Mother Road, and is, without a doubt, the most fabled highway in this country.  From Steinbeck’s Okies to Bobby Troup’s song to the 1960s TV show, no road has captured the American imagination like 66. Dorothea Lange photographed

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Ghost in the Machine 

By David Malcolm Rose |The information I get from most of my body parts is reliable. If my feet tell me they’re cold, they are. When my nose tells me the carton of milk that has been sitting in the back of the refrigerator since before Christmas has turned, there is no need to ask my tongue for a second opinion. If my hand tells me the dish in the microwave is hot, you

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Gigi Gaulin Creates Steeple Adornment for Unitarian Universalist Church 

Unitarian Universalist Church has a brand-new steeple perched atop the church, created by Gigi Gaulin, a Hot Springs artist.  By David Malcolm RoseFor many years, the modest steeple of the Unitarian Universalist Church at 1701 Spring Street has gone without adornment. It has long been in need of a chalice and flame, the symbol of the U.U.s.  The symbol was created in 1941 by Austrian artist and refugee Hans Deutsch

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The Artist Within You 

David Rose  By David Malcolm Rose“Do you teach art?” It’s a common question I’ve been asked.  “Teach art? Can’t be done,” is my standard reply. “But if there’s an artist within you, I might be able to help you look.”  Here are a few things – things that I have learned over the years that may possibly help aspiring artists. Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. To produce good

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Time 

By David Malcolm RoseI suspect that at one time, New Year’s Day aligned with the winter solstice, which made some sense. The solstice is a real thing and not just some date on a man-made calendar. And yet I wax cosmic with the dawn of each new year.  Time may be a man-made construct, but New Year’s Day always seems to impact me like no other day does. I lie

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DON’T YA KNOW? 

By David Malcolm Rose  Many years ago, I went up into the Ozark Mountains to have my fortune read. The seer sat in a chair facing me and scanned my aura by holding her hand up, palm outward, and moving it in a hypnotic circle in front of me. She punctuated nearly every statement by saying, “Don’t ya know.” It was not a question but an observation.   She revealed that

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Stop Making Sense 

By David Malcolm Rose Several years ago, my son came home from school with an observation. It was probably junior high because they had been studying WWII. At any rate, he informed me that Hitler had been a failed artist.   “Just like you.” He said, and then quickly added. “All in all, I think you’ve handled it much better than he did.”  So, even on days when there seems to be

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Fly Catching, Vinegar vs. Sugar 

By David Malcolm Rose As I sit here trying to write my monthly column, I’m being distracted by a fly buzzing around my monitor. Under normal circumstances, I’d put off writing for a few days or weeks and wait to see if this fly doesn’t die of natural causes. But I can’t do that. I’m on deadline and have no idea what the average life expectancy of a house fly, Musca

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It’s Pumpkins All the Way Down 

By David Malcolm RoseDo you remember that house your parents told you not to trick-or-treat at? Well, in my neighborhood, that’s my house.  I’ve been here quite some time now and, although they put up some resistance at first, my neighbors are now nicely broken in. They no longer give me side-eyes when I leave my garbage can out by the curb for days after the garbage truck’s arrival becomes

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Why Am I Doing This? 

David Rose, artist and author.  By David Rose “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates  “A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age.” Jim Steinman  I’m going to have to go with Jim on this one, and yet, as an artist, I do tend to examine my work, and that always leads to examining my life, and that always leads to the same question

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ART-SPEAK 

By David Malcolm Rose“Art is the greatest tool mankind has ever developed to view the human spirit.” Jerry Saltz.   Saltz is an art critic. I think I just saw your eyes glaze over. I know mine did. Saltz, who won a Pulitzer for his work, came to the craft in an unorthodox way. He began not in art school but as a long-distance truck driver.  His approach is refreshing as

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“Moku Playland”   Photo of Kate Zunick Courtesy of Hot Springs Sister City  Kate Zunick relaxes in one of the most beloved features of the Moku Playland exhibit — a giant wooden “hot springs” tub filled with hundreds of smooth wooden balls inspired by the bubbling thermal waters of Hot Springs.  Hidden somewhere among the

A One-of-a-Kind Wooden Play Experience Arrives in Downtown Hot Springs 

Moku Playland Pop-Up Opens June 1 with Interactive, Screen-Free Fun for Families  Families and visitors to downtown Hot Springs will have the opportunity to experience a unique style of hands-on play this summer as Moku Playland opens June 1 for a special month-long pop-up at 831 Central Avenue.  Open Thursday-Tuesday

World Championship Bathtub Races Set for June 6 

The Hot Springs Fire Department entry nears the finish line in the 2025 Running of the Tubs. — Courtesy Visit Hot Springs  The lineup is complete for the 2026 Stueart Pennington World Championship Running of the Tubs bathtub races through historic downtown Hot Springs. The race starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday,

Yoga: Two Months at The Yoga Place 

Where are we?” Missy Conry and Melissa Stevens  By Missy Conry & Melissa StevensCan you spot where we took this picture? Take a selfie in front of the same mural and text to 501-651-0545 for a free drop-in class! You can also text us for hints if you need a clue.  As we reflect