When I first came to Harding as a freshman in the fall of 2011, I thought all there was to Searcy was Harding. The city of Searcy itself did not matter other than to be a large playground for me and my peers. In my mind, the Harding community and its campus was the heart of Searcy and the city’s purpose was to serve us. I now realize how ignorant I was.
I had the pleasure of visiting the Searcy Art Gallery located in the historic Benjamin Clayton—Black House. Driving up to the house I was stunned by the house’s beauty. There are very few places in Searcy that have this style of architecture. The house appears to have been plucked straight out of the18th century, and the design inside goes along with that theme very well. The house is littered with antique furniture and tons of artwork. There are three rooms dedicated to the current exhibit, and each one is beautifully designed to draw attention to the art. The other three rooms are dedicated to the history of the house as well as to the city of Searcy.
As I walked from room, to room I was overwhelmed by my senses. My eyes were seeing gorgeous paintings alongside impressive black and white pictures; each artwork was beautifully lit by a combination of natural sunlight and warm overhead lights. Each one of my steps was met with joy. In some of the rooms, a very soft carpet cushioned my steps as I glided from art piece to art piece. While in other rooms, I walked on a hardwood floor that made a creaking that sounded like it was straight out of a movie. In the rooms dedicated to history, I was amazed and bewildered by all there is to Searcy outside of Harding. Black and white pictures depicted people from the community attending plays, playing baseball and dancing. Old newspaper clippings telling stories of the communal happenings hung on the walls. The main purpose of most art galleries is to showcase its artists’ works. Not only does the Searcy Art Gallery show off their artists’ works well, but it also teaches about all the wonderful history of Searcy.
The home that the gallery is housed in is a beautiful two story yellow Victorian style pre-Civil War home commonly called the “Black House.” The house, originally belonging to the mayor of Searcy, Benjamin Clayton Black, was built in 1874 with only two rooms. In its entire existence, only members of the Black family have ever lived in the home. In 1979, the last surviving member of the family, Lorena Black passed away at the age of 101. The home and the surrounding land were then purchased by Dr. Porter Rogers and his wife. The Rogers donated the Black House to the City of Searcy, and since 1999 the Searcy Art Gallery has been housed in the Black House.
The feeling I got from visiting the Black House was surreal, and hard to put into words. I felt like I was in a museum while at the same time I felt like I was in a home. I love the Searcy Art Gallery and the Black House. It taught me that there is more to Searcy than meets the eye. My favorite part about the gallery was the employee who greeted me upon my entrance and made my experience very personal. She walked with me from one room to another, explaining each art piece and telling me the story of the house. It is really nice to learn a little something about the city I have been living in for the past three years, and I highly recommend that you make an effort to learn as well. I hope that you get the chance to visit the Black House sometime in the near future. It is a wonderful and eye opening experience and is one of the hidden gems of Searcy.
The Searcy Arts Council maintains and operates the Searcy Art Gallery. The gallery is free for everyone to visit, and is located at 300 E. Race St. It is closed Sundays and Mondays but open Tuesday through Friday 1—4 p.m. as well as on Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Searcy Art Gallery hosts six major exhibits every year featuring local professional and aspiring artists. The current exhibit features Arni Anderson and will run through Sept 27. Starting in November, Suzanne Waggoner’s work will be showcased at the gallery.
