Illustration by Richard Courtney

Buzzlewic Mixed Media by Tricia Courtney

Peyton McPheron Photo Courtesy/Mark Norris

Dinosaur puzzle from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon

Dara Restivo Photo Courtesy/Mark Norris

Acrocanthosaurus, Polystyrene, polyester resin by Marv Dahmen

There’s a low rumbling. The earth shakes. No bones about it…the dinosaurs are here! Through August 26, Spiva’s Main Gallery becomes prehistoric territory where science and art together inspire wonder and amazement in the DinoStories/DinoArt summer exhibit.

At the core of this hands-on, interactive exhibit is DinoStories, created and circulated by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. Children and adults may crawl into a life-sized dinosaur nest, sit in chairs the size of actual dinosaur heads, unearth prehistoric dinosaur “bones,” do a fossil rubbing, or piece together 3-D skeletons of a T. Rex or stegosaurus rendered in wood.

Complementing the scientific aspects are the artistic, sculpted “fossil” works of Carl Junction artist/educator Marv Dahmen and the brilliantly hued dinosaur renderings by Joplin resident Richard Courtney, a professional freelance book illustrator.

Dahmen’s castings and sculptures range from reinterpretations of scientific findings to fanciful and playful imaginings of paleolithic creatures. A retired educator, the artist now works as a freelance commercial sculptor and designs jewelry using stones, metals, and fossilized dinosaur bone. Selected jewelry pieces will be available for purchase in Spiva’s Gift Shop.

Along with the artworks created for this exhibit, Dahmen fabricated the “skeleton” for Leonard the Spivasaurus, an assemblage dinosaur that will debut at Boomtown Days and then be displayed at Spiva for the summer run of DinoStories/DinoArt.

In addition to downtown dinosaur exhibits, the Joplin Holiday Inn will display Dahmen’s life size Columbian mammoth, a replica of a mammoth skeleton discovered near Carl Junction in 1892. Standing an impressive 13 feet tall and twenty feet long, the sculpture will be on view in the hotel’s atrium for the duration of the exhibit.

Richard Courtney is contributing several original dinosaur illustrations published in educational children’s books. Born in Tulsa, Richard pursued an education in graphics and commercial illustration, earning a Bachelors degree in commercial art from Oral Roberts University. He has worked in book publishing for over 25 years with well known publishing houses such as Random House, Grosset & Dunlap, Simon & Schuster, MacMillan, Scholastic, Disney Press, and Golden Books. Signed books and originals by Richard will be available for sale in the Gift Shop.

The local appearance of DinoStories/DinoArt is sponsored by Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Co. with assistance from the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. “We’re very fortunate that Cardinal Scale chose to sponsor DinoStories, and that the project qualified for support from the CVB community grant program,” commented Jo Mueller, Spiva’s Executive Director. “It’s hard to imagine an exhibit that would be more fun for children and adults!”

Also opening to the public on June 3 is Tricia Courtney: Land of the Buzzlewics in Spiva's upstairs Regional Focus Gallery.

Many know the Joplin native as a fine art oil painter who paints landscapes and floral works with a style that’s bold and bright with highly textured strokes reminiscent of Van Gogh. Others are familiar with her work as Editorial Graphic Artist for The Joplin Globe, where she has worked for 23 years. Fewer still know her as the creator of Buzzlewics, fanciful characters which she has been creating since high school—doodling in her notebook rather than taking notes in class.

This exhibit takes viewers on a tour of the whimsical world Courtney has created over the years. Decked out in bright colors with gentle smiles on their faces, the Buzzlewics seem to be a happy, friendly lot, busily enjoying life.

And just where do Buzzlewics come from? Taking pen in hand, the artist begins a simple line drawing that within minutes becomes a Buzzlewic creature. “I don't really start with an idea in mind,” she says. “I just follow the line.”

Noting that children (and adults!) find her characters appealing, the Buzzlewic creator admits that she enjoys seeing the smiles and happy responses from those who see her work. Already Buzzlewic character puzzles have been produced, with new giclée reproductions made available for this exhibit. Looking forward, Courtney hopes to publish an educational book series for children that encourages stewardship, tolerance, and peace.

Both exhibits preview at a reception for artists, sponsors and Spiva members Friday, June 2. Host for the evening event is Sprouts Soup and Garden Bar, with music by guitarist Tim Snider.

Spiva Center for the Arts is located at Third and Wall in downtown Joplin. Spiva galleries and gift shop are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am–5pm and Sundays, 1–5pm. Admission to the Main Gallery is by voluntary contribution. Suggested donations are $2 for adults, $1 for students. For additional information, please call 417.623.0183.