Eureka Springs’ The Great Passion Play Receives Major Art Collection

The Great Passion Play has received a very important collection of original Christian-themed art by American artist Harry Antis. The collection, entitled “A Man from Nazareth named Jesus”, is, in the words of the artist, a series of twelve paintings on “the life, the death, and the purpose of the incredible Galilean man named Jesus.” The Great Passion Play is very excited to display these amazing paintings along with other masterpieces in the Sacred Arts Center.

Harry Antis began his career as a wildlife artist and produced over a hundred different limited edition prints of wildlife subjects. He was a realistic painter of North American waterfowl, big game, and upland game birds. Antis received training at the Society of Arts and Crafts in Detroit, Michigan. His paintings have appeared in many publications such as Audubon, National Wildlife, and Field and Stream. He has been listed in Who’s Who in American Art and was commissioned by the Danbury Mint to design the first set of Damascene Plaques ever made. He was an exhibitor in the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson, “Birds in Art” exhibition and won first place in the inaugural National Wildlife Foundation exhibit in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1978

Among his other accomplishments are winning the 1983 Ohio Duck Stamp competition and being commissioned to design the 1984 Deer Unlimited Stamp Print. He was commissioned to design the 1985 North Carolina Conservation Stamp and Print featuring the white-tail deer. In 1986 he was commissioned by the Wyoming Outfitters Association to paint the Teton elk. A suite of paintings of the four North American Wild Sheep are in the permanent collection of the Dallas Museum of Natural History and a painting of eagles entitled “Courtship Flight” is in the permanent collection of Ducks Unlimited National Headquarters.

Antis’ paintings are often compared to those of the master Renaissance painter, Caravaggio, for his dramatic treatment of light and color. Mr. Antis died on January 30, 2002. His widow, Sandi Antis, and children will be on hand at the Sacred Arts Center on the grounds of The Great Passion Play for the grand opening of the exhibit on Friday, May 26 at 7:00 PM. The Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce will help with the ribbon cutting ceremony and reception.

In conjunction with the grand opening of the Harry Antis exhibit on May 26, many of the artists featured in the Sacred Arts Center will be available on the evening of May 27 in the Sacred Arts Center to sign prints and meet the public. Among those artists are Jack Dawson and O. D. Sherrill along with the Antis family. This is a wonderful opportunity to speak with some of the area’s most celebrated artists and to discuss with them the inspiration for their work.