NEA Big Read: Watercolor Workshop at Dunbar Garden

featuring artist and professor Justin Tyler Bryant

As a part of CALS Big Read celebration, we invite patrons to express creativity while drawing inspiration from nature. In this workshop, participants will learn painting techniques in the setting of Dunbar Garden.

Justin Tyler Bryant, Assistant Professor of Visual Art and Curator of the African Art Collection at Philander Smith University, will lead a plein air watercolor workshop in Dunbar Garden. Participants will receive a free copy of the CALS Big Read title Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by poet Ross Gay.

While participation in the class will be limited to twelve participants, Dunbar Garden will be hosting its plant sale at the same time, so people are welcome to attend, receive a copy of the book (while supplies last), and stroll the temporary Poetry Walk that will be set up in the garden.

Dunbar Garden is located at 1720 South Chester Street, Little Rock, AR, 72206. Parking is available at the CALS Williams Library next door to the garden.

CALS Big Read 2026 is a month-long celebration of the poetry collection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay. We are hosting a series of programs to inspire meaningful conversation, explore creativity, and build community. 

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

El proyecto NEA Big Read es una iniciativa del National Endowment for the Arts (el Fondo Nacional para las Artes de Estados Unidos) en cooperación con Arts Midwest.