Arkansas Testimonials
Fayetteville - George Dombek
George Dombek discovered art while living in Paris. Paris, Ark., that is. He took his first art class in high school and from there went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in architecture and a Master of Fine Art from the University of Arkansas. Over the years Dombek has lived in San Francisco, Ohio, Florida, New York, Italy and Saudi Arabia. He taught classes in architecture at various universities before deciding to return home and pursue painting full time. “Regardless of where I lived I always considered Arkansas my home. Not only because of my family, but I feel northwest Arkansas is one of the most beautiful spots in the country.”
Dombek’s distinctive style of abstract realism combines pleasing colors and attention to detail, reflective of his architectural background. He has found inspiration for his paintings in tobacco barns, river rocks and farm implements. But his true inspiration comes from nature. “This area’s natural beauty is subtle, not dramatic. As a painter and a person this is what I’m drawn to.”
Twenty years ago, before moving to Arkansas, Dombek purchased an open field a few miles outside of Fayetteville. Today, he and his wife, Sandy (also a native Arkansan) live in his self-designed contemporary home surrounded by a lush park-like setting. Dombek likes the fact that in Arkansas it is still possible to live in solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, though close enough to enjoy city amenities. He pointed out Arkansans also appreciate fine art. “The Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock has a wonderful collection of works on paper. And the opening of Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville will give our region a world-class art museum.”
George Dombek’s work hangs in more than 80 museums and corporate offices and in thousands of private collections across the country. He has garnered many national awards and honors, including the Arkansas Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award. When asked what his biggest accomplishment is he replies, “The fact I get to paint everyday and live in a place like this. Though I divide my time between my New York studio and here, I always look forward to coming home to Arkansas. I always have and always will.”
Little Rock - Greg Butts
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Arkansas State Parks system, and as the “Making Memories” theme kicks off, Greg Butts, director of Arkansas State Parks, is remembering some of his own. Greg truly answered the call of the wild to move to Arkansas some 34 years ago from Homer, N.Y., after being offered a park planner position by the Arkansas State Parks system.
“Being a part of and seeing the state park system turn into one of the finest in the nation, thus improving the quality of life for Arkansans, to me is a great achievement,” Butts says.
During his tenure with the parks system, Greg acquired the majority of property that now encompasses Pinnacle Mountain State Park, which now hosts more than 500,000 visitors annually. He also helped pass the 1/8 percent Conservation Tax, which provides “forever” funding for state parks and other conservation agencies.
“Those are two of the things I’m most proud of,” Butts says. “My most important accomplishment, though, is overseeing the employees who make the state park system what it is today…one of the finest in the country. Helping them succeed and watching them mature and grow and reflecting on their dedication, commitment, creativity and contributions to the purposes of state parks, is something all Arkansans can be proud of.”
Greg’s wife, Ann, is the director of Transplant Services at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a singer in the Pulaski Heights Methodist Church choir. They have two daughters and enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities in Arkansas’s beautiful parks. The entire family has fallen in love with the area and moving to Arknasas has been a blessing.
“Little Rock has the best of everything. It’s a metropolitan area with all of the amenities (diverse entertainment, shopping, dining, etc.), yet a small enough that it doesn’t take long to get around. Drive 40-60 minutes in any direction and you can be hiking in a wilderness area, experiencing diverse state parks or fishing where world-record trout, walleye and hybrid bass were caught,” Butts says. “You won’t find a state more diverse in its culture and topography. But it’s the people that make the difference, and you won’t find more friendly folks than right here in Arkansas.”
Diamondhead Community, Hot Springs - Jim and Gloria Lewis
Picture this: two art enthusiasts meet while pursuing their passion of sculpting, become best friends and live happily in a glass house on a lake. While it might sound like the next Hollywood blockbuster, Jim and Gloria Lewis of Hot Springs are living it.
After 30 years in the U.S. Army, Jim retired and found his passion in bronze sculpting. While visiting an art foundry in Royal, Ark., he overheard Gloria saying that she needed some repairs done on her home. Jim volunteered, followed her to her home — a one-of-a-kind Frank Lloyd Wright copy on the edge of the Lake Catherine in Diamondhead — and hasn’t left her side since.
A former educator from Chicago, Gloria moved to Diamondhead 21 years ago. “I visited the area and just thought it was the best thing on earth!” Gloria said. “We are surrounded by beautiful nature, we are not far from town and everything we need is here. If you are a person that loves the outdoors, then this is the place for you.”
Since art is what brought them together, Jim and Gloria cherish the vast appreciation for the arts in Hot Springs. Gloria volunteers with the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in town, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the country, and they both assist with the monthly art walk in downtown Hot Springs.
“Arkansas has everything that retirees look for,” Jim says. “It is scenic, beautiful, has affordable land, taxes are not high, there is high-quality medical care available and you can get away from the big city and live in a place where you can get involved and make friends.”
The Lewises also love that there is always something to do, no matter what the season. When they’re not sculpting, they swim or golf in Diamondhead, visit the gorgeous Garvan Woodland Gardens or sit out on their deck by the lake.
“Come and look!” Gloria says. “It’s wonderful here. You will never leave.”
At Home In Arkansas - Heifer International’s Jo Luck reflects on her passion for her state
As president and CEO of Heifer International, Jo Luck travels extensively to exotic and often dangerous areas of the globe. From Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vietnam to Ecuador, Nicaragua and Nepal, the Arkansas native lends her humanitarian hand to communities in need around the world. But at the end of the day, her favorite place in the world is the balcony of her Little Rock home overlooking the Arkansas River.
“I’ve lived in Japan and 13 states, but I still want to come home to Arkansas,” Luck says. “You know, I always wanted to live at the ocean. I said that to a group of people once, and this woman said, ‘Oh, but you do! Arkansas has oceans of wonderful people!’ And she’s right … we do.”
Luck started her career on the campaign trail for U.S. Sen. David Pryor. She served on Gov. Dale Bumpers’ staff and stayed on when Gov. Bob Riley took over for Bumpers. Luck also served as the first executive director of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, where she “learned the importance of giving voice to those without,” she explains. In 1979, she was appointed by Gov. Bill Clinton to head the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, which she did for more than a decade.
“I was fortunate to be appointed to that role,” Luck reflects. “I learned so much information about Arkansas, the beauty and variety of the state. More importantly, I think, I realized the importance of community. The United States has not preserved a sense of community the way Europe has, but Arkansas has a tremendous sense of community. People are tied to the land and to each other.”
Luck became president and CEO of Heifer International in July 1992 after serving for three years as director of international programs, where she was responsible for Heifer’s global program for sustainable development. Since 1992, Heifer International has grown from a $7 million organization to a $100 million one, and the nonprofit has assisted more than 9.1 million families in 125 countries around the world, including the United States, since its inception in 1944.
Heifer’s vision is “a world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet.” The organization works with communities to end hunger and poverty by teaching people to “pass on the gift.” According to Heifer.org, the simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief caught on and has continued for more than 60 years. As people share their animals’ offspring with others — along with their knowledge, resources, and skills — an expanding network of hope, dignity and self-reliance is created that reaches around the globe.
Luck views herself as an ambassador of sorts for her state. In 2006, she invited the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize winners of the past decade to a meeting at Heifer’s headquarters in Little Rock. The list of winners included humanitarian organizations from the United States, England, Denmark, Costa Rica, Austria and Kenya. “Most of the delegates were shocked,” she recalls. “They couldn’t see what Little Rock could possibly offer as a tourist and business destination. But they came from all over the world. And you know what? They still rave about that trip.”
Luck says she’s constantly amazed at the level of leadership in the state and how well the business communities across Arkansas work together. When Heifer International was considering locations for its headquarters, Luck received offers from Chicago, California, New York and various international cities. But she chose to locate the offices in Little Rock. And a recent survey of staff members, who come to Heifer from countries around the world, indicates their satisfaction with the location. “They love the quality of life here and are thrilled to be a part of the urban development along the Arkansas River,” she says.
That development began with the construction and opening of the Clinton Presidential Center. The Heifer International headquarters followed in March 2006. The building was designed by Little Rock architectural firm Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Ltd., and its “green design” set a new standard in sustainable development. The headquarters is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and has received numerous national and international awards for its design and construction.
Slated to open in 2009, the Murphy Keller Education Center on the Heifer International campus will introduce visitors to the possibility of a world without hunger or poverty. It will provide invaluable resources for all audiences interested in becoming part of Heifer’s mission to build a more sustainable planet.
Designed as a hands-on, global education facility, the Murphy Keller Education Center will be home to ongoing programming and events. The building’s state-of-the-art conference hall will provide a forum for dialogue on important global issues, as well as celebrate cultural diversity. Additionally, the environmentally sensitive design and restored wetlands surrounding the building will demonstrate how to build with future generations in mind.
“My vision for this area is for it to become a humanitarian corridor,” Luck says. And her vision is slowly becoming reality. Lions World Services for the Blind is locating it’s headquarters on land adjacent to Heifer, as is CareLink, a nonprofit organization linking older people and their family caregivers to information and resources that help them stay active and independent.
Luck is full of accolades for her home state and wants anyone and everyone to visit. “You’d be surprised at how many people vacation here and end up buying homes,” she says. “The beauty of this state is unparalleled, from the mountains right down to the Delta. We’re a small state that can out-do just about any other. Once you get a taste of life in Arkansas, you just fall in love with it.”
Eureka Springs - Martin and Elise Roenigk
Martin and Elise Roenigk from East Hampton, Conn., took a tip from a family member and decided to stop by Eureka Springs while visiting Fayetteville. The biggest attraction for this excursion was the Miles Music Museum, which features antique mechanical musical instruments, but when they got there, the Roenigks decided that Eureka Springs was the perfect place to retire.
“We got here and we loved the history, architecture, galleries, shopping, people and the area,” Martin says.
Former chairman and CEO of CompuDyne, Martin wasn’t ready to slow down after his retirement. Charmed by the historic buildings in the area, the couple purchased the Basin Park Hotel in 1997 with the idea of living in an apartment on the sixth and seventh floors. They’ve since purchased the Crescent Hotel, as well.
“I loved the history, character and appearance of the Crescent, and we wanted to save it from the path to ruin that it was on, having deteriorated from years with very little investment,” Marty explains. “We wanted to see it become the focal point of the community again.”
Indeed, the Roenigks have invested in many ways in Eureka Springs and now own the War Eagle Mill, Gavioli Chapel, Brainstem Games and Mechantiques, a 5,800-square-foot building filled with antique clocks and mechanical musical instruments.
In addition to their business ventures, the Roenigks are involved in the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow, Main Stage, and a number of arts and preservation groups. They are also key players in the proposed building of the first hotel-condominiums in Eureka Springs and are currently working with architect E. Fay Jones on a plan for 20 structures on the 11 acres they own next to the Crescent Hotel.
“Eureka Springs is great place to retire for a long list of reasons,” Marty says. “There are very interesting people in the community, great eclectic shops and restaurants. You’re in the middle of the Ozarks with lots of recreational opportunities but close enough to the growth, arts and cultural attractions of northwest Arkansas. We picked Eureka Springs, and we love it.”
Gravette - Radine Trees Nehring
Radine Trees Nehring makes a living writing about a state she loves. Her five-book “Something to Die For” mystery series follows fictional state parks employee Carrie McCrite on adventures to hot spots across Arkansas, including Eureka Springs, Hot Springs National Park and the Ozark Folk Center State Park.
A thorough researcher, Nehring spends hours scouting information about Arkansas and interviewing park employees and local experts to give readers a true sense of the history and culture of each place. Her latest, “A River to Die For,” explores archaeological looting along the Buffalo National River.
Nehring and her husband, John, discovered Arkansas’s appeal in 1978 on a spring camping trip to Beaver Lake. “We came into the campground late one night, it was after dark, and got into our sleeping bags. In the morning we woke up in a grove full of dogwood tress. It was absolutely enchanting.”
A few weeks later the Tulsa couple bought land near Gravette. They named it Spring Hollow and spent most weekends there for about 10 years before leaving high-pressure jobs, moving to Arkansas and becoming permanent residents.
“There’s something about Arkansas, something about the land. Maybe it comes up through the dirt into your feet. It was actually Arkansas and the Ozarks that got me started writing,” Nehring says. “It inspired me so much that it became imperative that I write about it.”
Soon she was selling articles about Ozarks people and places to national, regional and local publications. Nehring published “Dear Earth: A Love Letter From Spring Hollow,” a collection of essays about the Ozarks, in 1995 and debuted her first Carrie McCrite novel, Macavity Award nominee “A Valley to Die For,” in 2002. Nehring has won the Governor’s Award for Best Writing about the State of Arkansas, as well as many other writing awards.
Nehring stays busy speaking at writers’ conferences, conducting book tours for her latest novel and working on future books. “Arkansas to me is, of course, a wonderful place that I love. But it’s also a feeling,” Nehring says. “I’m just kind of an ambassador for Arkansas. That’s how I see myself.”