Pine Bluff, Arkansas – The ARTx3 Campus is welcoming art lovers and community members to a free opening reception for the new exhibition, “Voices in the Space of Time” by renowned artist Maria Botti Villegas. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, at The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, located at 701 S. Main Street in Pine Bluff.
This compelling new exhibition explores the quiet, often unnoticed connections people form with their surroundings. “Voices in the Space of Time” dives deep into the “subtle, often invisible connections between people and their environments,” as described in the exhibition’s theme. Through her art, Villegas pays attention to the unspoken language expressed through body movements—gestures, glances, and even touch—highlighting how people communicate and relate without words.
Her work focuses on the interaction between individuals and the spaces they inhabit. “The artist listens to the unspoken stories revealed through gestures, glances, and touch, exploring the quiet interactions between the body and place.” She then transforms those fleeting, silent experiences into something viewers can see and feel. The pieces emphasize contrasts—such as light and shadow, silence and voice—to evoke emotions of both longing and belonging rooted in memory.
A Celebrated Artist with Deep Arkansas Roots
Maria Botti Villegas, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has lived and worked in Arkansas for decades. A professional muralist, illustrator, and multidisciplinary artist, she has earned recognition across several states including Arkansas and Louisiana. She was honored with the 2023 Governor’s Arts Award for Artist in Education and has spent 30 years teaching at the South Arkansas Arts Center.
In March 2025, Villegas held a solo show at the South Arkansas Arts Center, and her work has also been selected for both the 2025 and 2026 Arkansas Arts Council’s Small Works on Paper exhibitions. She has also designed and painted 30 public murals, adding vibrant visual narratives to communities across Arkansas and Louisiana. Her personal artist website is available at mariabottivillegas.com.
Exhibition Details and Contact Info
The exhibition will remain on display in the Ben J. Altheimer Gallery at ASC through February 21, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit is sponsored by the Kline Family Foundation.
For more information about the opening reception or the exhibit itself, contact Shakeelah Rahmaan, interim curator and programs director, at [email protected] or call 870-536-3375. Full event details are also available at artx3.org/exhibitions/maria-botti-villegas-voices-in-the-space-of-time.
This exhibit offers a rare opportunity to reflect on how we interact with our spaces and each other—often without even speaking.
