Congratulations to Rawlin Richter for his trophy catch on Lake Brittany! Rawlin caught this monster with worm bait right off the dock! At only 8 years old, we are really excited to see the fisherman that Rawlin develops into. We hope to see talented Rawlin at our upcoming Fishing Derby! Way to go Rawlin, here’s to many more trophy catches!
BELLA VISTA, Ark. – The Bella Vista Arts Council is pleased to honor photographer Douglas Keck as the December 2021 featured artist.
Keck will be honored at a public reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15 in the Club Room at the Bella Vista Country Club, 98 Clubhouse Dr.
The below information on Keck’s life and art is courtesy of Bella Vista writer BJ Tassin, who interviewed Keck:
Photographer Douglas Keck resides in Bella Vista with his wife Teresa of 26 years. He and Teresa are originally from Kansas and share a blended family of six grown children. They are both employed right here in their hometown.
As a boy in 1972, Keck moved with his family to Arkansas from St. Joseph, Mo., when his family started a business in housing construction. After college, his three siblings moved on, but he stayed close to his parents, Larry and Sandra.
Keck has been snapping pictures for the better part of 30 years. What started out as fun took on a more serious approach professionally about 15 years ago.
When asked what it was that originally triggered his interest in photography, he said it was a three-day backpacking trip to Colorado on the Continental Divide.
“I was using one of those little disposable cameras where you only get one use and one chance to get it right,” he said. “I was trying to capture the famous Colorado aspens as they were turning in fall. It was a bit disappointing to see that those photos did not come out as good as I remembered seeing that forest with my own eyes. Still, I was glad I could record some kind of memory of it, but it made me want to find a better way to do that. It all seemed to evolve from there as the mediums continue to change.”
As a self-taught photographer, Keck continued improving his skills and expertise by reading books and magazines. In the beginning, the hobby was costly because of developing film. From there, the industry offered more progressive floppy discs and digital cameras. It seemed that was going to be the least expensive way to take multiple photos then edit for best shots and angles later. He also found the quality was clearer.
It wasn’t until after he purchased his first pro-am camera that Keck ventured into portrait and wedding photography, thinking it would help support what had become his expensive passion.
“Eventually,” he says, “I realized that this type of photography was removing the fun from the hobby and became more like work.”
Nature photography seemed to be more Keck’s style. He found himself pulling to the side of the road to capture a spectacular sunrise that he knew most people wouldn’t see. In the evening he was cloud watching at sunset. On such occasions, his wife did the driving so he could try to capture it out the window of the vehicle on a drive home.
“Sometimes it’s not easy to focus (the camera) when she can’t drive slow enough in traffic,” he said, adding most people tend to miss the good ones because everyone is too busy at those times of day. We hustle to get the family up, dressed, fed and off to school or work. In the evening we’re getting them all back home, fed and ready for bed. By that time many have missed it.
So, Keck tries to catch it for them when they get time to stop and relax. Exploring just about every lakeside in Bella Vista, he finds amazing water shots that often include plant and animal life.
“As a storm spotter for KNWA, I find the weather a really fascinating subject to shoot, especially lightning and storms. If there is a storm brewing, I will usually be out there trying to capture what mother nature throws at me,” he said. When asked how his wife felt about his dangerous position: “The worst part is not me being out in the storms but her at home when the bad ones hit,” adding if they are too bad, he will head home.
Spring and fall are Keck’s favorite times to shoot, as flowers are blooming and trees are budding in the spring, and colors are changing in the fall. Fall and winter bring the eagles, which are an awesome sight to see and try to capture on camera. He recently has been trying his hand at bird photography after putting up some feeders in the backyard and has had more than 25 different species right on the back deck. He has been published in the Weekly Vista, the Bella Vista City Guide and the Names & Numbers phone book.
Keck continues to improve his photography skills through research on what is new in the industry but mostly by exploring what is new out there on the other end of his camera. As a member of the Bella Vista Photography Club, he took his turn as steward and served as the club’s president for five years. The club is where local photographers gather to learn, share ideas, and show off their work to others that appreciate this avenue of art.
When asked what it was that he’d like to see people draw from his photography skills, with sincerity and gratitude he said, “To take a moment out of the busy lifestyles we have today and enjoy what mother nature has to offer us. I also like to provide through the lens of my camera the experiences that I enjoy to those who are unable to get out there.”
Has Keck gone back as a professional to try to recapture those beautiful aspens that started it all?
“Not yet,” he said.
For more insight on this artist’s work, check out his website: https://drkeckphotography.zenfolio.com.
BELLA VISTA, Ark. – The Bella Vista Arts Council is pleased to honor photographer Quin Warsaw as the October 2021 featured artist.
Warsaw will be honored at a public reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 in the Club Room at the Bella Vista Country Club, 98 Clubhouse Dr.
Warsaw is a young nature photographer, naturalist and bird lover who has Autism and lives in Bella Vista. He has been documenting nature through his photography for four years. He has two birds named Bella and Vista.
Warsaw also goes by the name “Snappy” and his photography is shared on the Facebook group Snappy’s View, which has over 600 followers. He participates in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Wings Over Arkansas program, with a twist of only counting those he has been able to photograph. He has photographed over 150 bird species in NWA.
He is a member of the Bella Vista Photography Club, Bella Vista Birders, Bella Vista Bluebird Society and Arkansas Master Naturalists. He also enjoys a round of golf and volunteers at tournaments. Warsaw regularly contributes nature photography throughout NWA and enjoys sharing his appreciation for nature in the community, helping to inspire and educate others of all ages. He also volunteers at Horses for Healing, where he’s been a student for four years.
His online gallery can be viewed at https://snappysview.shootproof.com and photo greeting cards are available locally at The Bluebird Shed in Bella Vista.
The Bella Vista Arts Council, an advisory board to the City Council, was created by the City Council in February 2016 to help promote the arts in Bella Vista. Board members are Demara Titzer (president), Sharon Wynegar and Shelli Kerr. The board established an Artist of the Month program, in which selected artists and their work will be showcased and recognized for their achievements.
A committee will choose each month from qualified artists, who must be residents of Bella Vista. Events will be held in a location around the city. Submit nominations via email to vog.r1680344426aatsi1680344426valle1680344426b@lic1680344426nuocs1680344426tra1680344426.
One of the most popular trails in Bella Vista is home to a unique species – at least in this part of the country.
A small garden of Prickly Pear Cactus has been thriving recently along the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail thanks to a group of 20 POA volunteers who discovered it and continue to maintain it for visitors to enjoy.
“While working on maintenance duties with volunteers we found the cactus approximately three to four years ago,” Tanyard Creek Nature Trail Volunteer Ray Matkowski said. “It was overgrown with weeds, shading the cactus. I love cactus and we try to keep the weeds from overtaking it and keeping the are neat for visitors.”
Randy Hamm, chairman of the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail Volunteers, says the hard work is paying off.
“Ray and Jerry have taken a special interest in the cactus, which, as far as I know, grows in just this one area of the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail,” Hamm said “Under Ray’s leadership, these two have opened up this area to sunlight and kept the underbrush mowed down so the cactus can thrive. As a result of their efforts, this summer we’re seeing blooms for the first time. It’s worth a short side trip off the main trail to see it.”
According to fellow Tanyard Creek Nature Trail volunteer Jerry Butler, the cacti are a remnant of a glade, a natural formation once common in the Ozarks.
“Our glade, strictly speaking, no longer exists, but the cactus has survived,” Butler said. “Glades once formed on the tops or upper reaches of rocky elevations, created by fires sweeping up to the hilltops, making clearances devoid of shrubs and trees. Most of the soil washed away over time with no plants to hold it in place, but prairie grasses, wildflowers, and prickly pears would sprout and hold on.”
Since the prickly pear was discovered, the volunteers have knocked down surrounding shrubs, mowed weeds and have turned what was a cactus patch into a garden.
“Where we can see the plants thrive and blossom – a memory of a glade,” Butler said.
Matkowski said while prickly pear might be considered a nuisance in some areas of the country, area residents love it.
“The blooms are beautiful,” he said. “Make sure you visit our cactus patch!”
Country Club & Highlands Golf Courses
May 23-28, 2022
Beginning with the inaugural tournament in 2017, net proceeds from the tournament for distribution to local Bella Vista charities have increased year-over- year. Over the 5-year history of this event, charitable distributions over $160,000 have been awarded to the Bella Vista Animal Shelter, Bella Vista Courtesy Van, Benton County Boys & Girls Club, BV Community TV and the Rotary Club of Bella Vista (to share with their charities).
BELLA VISTA, ARKANSAS – Berksdale Golf Course has achieved designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. Wendy Barnes, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, completed the effort to obtain sanctuary designation on the property. Berksdale Golf Course is one of over 900 courses in the world to hold the title of Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
“Berksdale Golf Course has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Christine Kane, CEO at Audubon International.
“To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas,” explained Kane. These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management. Berksdale Golf Course’s accomplishments include:
Wendy Barnes says, “Audubon International gave a framework for building on our vision of the course as an integral part of the local ecology. The guidance they provided allowed Berksdale to focus on priority projects, such as increasing buffer zones around waterways. AI’s resources aided in identifying additional practices easily integrated into our maintenance routine, like leaving brush piles undisturbed for wildlife cover. The challenge of achieving certification has been exceptionally educational and rewarding.”
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia have achieved certification in the program.
Berksdale is uniquely situated as one of Bella Vista’s seven popular golf courses, as well as connecting with the burgeoning trail system in Northwest Arkansas. Berksdale evolved throughout the certification process, moving from an 18 hole to 9-hole course after extreme flooding of Little Sugar Creek. The North Nine has been restructured, lending a more historical ambiance to the game, while the South End invites casual recreation. The native diversity of flora and fauna has thrived under Audubon International’s sanctuary guidelines, enhancing the outdoor experience for golfers and other lovers of nature.
Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Troy, NY. In addition to golf courses, Audubon International also provides programs for businesses, schools, communities, and new developments with the purpose of delivering high-quality environmental education and facilitating the sustainable management of natural resources. For more information, call Audubon International at 1-844-767-9051 or visit www.auduboninternational.org.
The POA is proud to announce the Country Club building has been designated on The National Register of Historic Places. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, protect America’s historic and archeological resources and help qualified historic properties receive preservation benefits and incentives. The BV Country Club is the work of famed architect E. Fay Jones, an Ozarks favorite son known for his fascinating, stunning, and recognizable organic approach to design of cathedrals, homes, and other buildings throughout Arkansas and beyond. Although often mentioned as a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright, Jones was, from when he was young, an artist with his own voice.
The Bella Vista Country Club is an excellent example of the passion and meaning Jones brought to his craft–a building hewn from the stone and timber of the Ozark Mountain plateau, seemingly sliding effortlessly into it’s environment, while elevating the human experience of just being in the space. The Country Club is nestled into a low rolling hill so typical of the Bella Vista terrain. The approach to the building is ceremonial and a bit mysterious, down and then down again before opening up to a huge sky and vistas of the Country Club golf course as it continues to spill through the Ozark hills. As is evident in many of his designs, the Country Club explores Jones’s lifelong fascination with dark and light, caves and tree tops.
If you are not yet a fan of architecture or specifically the work of E. Fay Jones, the Bella Vista Country Club is a great introduction to one more dimension of Arkansas’ “natural beauty.” And here, you can play 18 holes of golf and stoke up with an excellent lunch and a cocktail or two in the BV Bar and Grill.
Bella Vista Country Club
98 Clubhouse Dr., Bella Vista, AR
Golf website | Restaurant website
NOTICE: The POA facilities/offices will be closed today, Wednesday, February 10.
We received a text from the City of Bella Vista that their offices are closed, 2nd dose vaccines canceled, plan to come at same time Thursday or Friday.
