ANA is planning a road trip to the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin on Friday, August 22, 2025. Opening Receptions for both the Watercolor USA & Jeff Legg Alchemy of Light & Shadow Exhibitions are from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm that evening.
We will carpool up Joplin and take in the shows so if you can drive a vehicle for us that would be great. We’ll meet at the Wishing Springs Gallery in Bella Vista at 10:00 am Friday morning. We check out the art at Wishing Springs first and then head to Joplin for a late lunch at the Red Onion. We are looking into other things to do that afternoon (other exhibits that we can see). This weill be a great day trip for ANA.
Event: Trip to Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin for the Watercolor USA & Jeff Legg Opening Reception.
Date: August 22, 2025
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Meet at Wishing Springs Gallery
8862 W McNelly Rd, Bentonville, AR 72712-9026
Carpool: Let us know if you can take a vehicle. (Share on gas)
Watercolor USA moves to Joplin for 2025 Exhibition For the first time since its founding in 1962, Watercolor USA—the preeminent national exhibition of water media painting—will be held outside of Springfield, Missouri. With the Springfield Art Museum undergoing temporary closure for construction, Spiva will proudly host Watercolor USA from August 23 to October 11, 2025, at the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex in downtown Joplin.
This year’s exhibit was juried by Paul Jackson, a prolific artist and ambitious world traveler, who is one of today’s most versatile and visible contemporary watercolorists. Honored by the American Watercolor Society with signature membership at the age of 30, Paul is also a Signature member of the National Watercolor Society and an Honor Member of the Missouri Watercolor Society.
Running concurrently, Spiva will also present Jeffrey C. Legg: Alchemy of Light & Shadow, a solo exhibition by nationally renowned oil painter and Joplin native Jeffrey C. Legg. On view in the Sharon & Lance Beshore Gallery from August 23 to October 25, 2025, the exhibition marks Legg’s homecoming and a major milestone in his acclaimed career. Known for his masterful exploration of the fragile interplay between illumination and obscurity, Legg’s work invites viewers into a world of memory, emotion, and visual poetry.
Born in 1959, Jeffrey C. Legg has been a Master Signature Member of the prestigious Oil Painters of America (OPAM) since 2004 and holds Signature Status with the California Art Club. Known for his dramatic lighting, his work has captivated collectors worldwide, including astronaut Neil Armstrong. His art will even be included in a digital time capsule scheduled to land on the Moon in fall 2025, underscoring the enduring impact of his artistic contributions.
George A. Spiva Center for the Arts makes an undeniable artistic statement, magnificently situated within the architecturally stunning Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex in downtown Joplin. Within this impressive architectural marvel, Spiva serves as a premier destination for visual arts, presenting a continually evolving calendar of world-class exhibitions across its four climate-controlled galleries. From prestigious showcases featuring international artists and nationally renowned competitions like PhotoSpiva, to thoughtfully curated displays by exceptional regional and local talent, Spiva stands as a beacon of artistic excellence, solidifying its reputation as the preeminent fine art hub of the Four States.