Arkansas Made: Our State’s Rich Artistic Traditions

Legacies & Lunch August 2026

Victoria Chandler and Jennifer Carman will explore Arkansas’s creative legacy through a series of fine and decorative objects from prehistory to present from the Arkansas Made project. Free lunch provided!

The Arkansas Made project began in the early 1970s as a challenge to the backwoods, hillbilly, Arkansas Traveler stereotype that had long characterized the state. Dedicated to documenting the state’s artists and artisans, along with the objects they created, the Arkansas Made team has unearthed a kaleidoscope of creativity over the years that disproves those long-held notions. Through the Arkansas Made volumes, curated exhibits, collections, and social media, Arkansas Made continues to shed light on the state’s creative legacy while discovering new artists and their work. 

We are excited to offer a lunch including a sandwich, chips, a cookie, and a drink to in-person attendees in 2026, courtesy of the CALS Foundation. Meals are limited and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. We cannot accommodate dietary restrictions or allergies, and registration does not guarantee lunch will be available.    

Victoria Chandler is the Curator of Collections and head of the Curatorial Department at Historic Arkansas Museum (HAM). Chandler oversaw the production of the recent additions of the Arkansas Made volumes and contributed to multiple chapters. She continues the work of Arkansas Made and curates its exhibits, programs, and collections.  

Jennifer Carman is an art historian who co-authored the revised and expanded Arkansas Made Fine Art edition, which chronicles over 1,000 painters, printmakers, and sculptors who called Arkansas home. For more than twenty years, Carman has been an accredited appraiser of fine and decorative art and an enthusiastic collector of works by Arkansas artists.  

About and Attendee Information 

Legacies and Lunch is a free monthly program of the CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, focusing on Arkansas-related topics. This is a hybrid program offering participants the opportunity to attend either in person or virtually via Zoom. To participate in person, join us at the Darragh Center on the 5th floor of the CALS Main Library (with elevator access). Parking is available in the surface lot (accessible from 2nd St.) and the CALS parking deck (accessible from Rock Street). Parking will be validated. To participate virtually, register for the webinar using the button above.  
 
All abilities are welcome. ASL interpretation is provided. To request other accommodations, call 501.918.3069 or email hzbinden@cals.org seven business weekdays before a program. 
 
This program will be live-streamed to YouTube, and the recording will be available immediately following the event. 

Past Legacies & Lunch Events