Virtual Community Discussion: Artist in Conversation with Local Faith Leaders

Get to know the people and communities behind the art! We invite you to join a virtual community circle discussion with Minister Monique Jones, Pastor Reggie James, artist Aaron Turner, and Curatorial Assistant Jayson Overby. Inspired by the exhibition This is the Day, this discussion will explore themes of faith, resilience, and the role of the church as community center.

The discussion will open with a showcase of Aaron Turner’s work to spark discussion, followed by examples of the outreach and community service being done in Northwest Arkansas by St. James Missionary Baptist Church Food Pantry and Christian Life Cathedral. Join the conversation, and get inspired to help shape your own community for the better.

Minister Monique Jones serves as the Director of Outreach for the Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville, AR. Monique graduated from Northwood University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Business Management. She leads one of the fastest growing food pantry operations in Washington County. She also serves as the First Vice President of the Northwest Arkansas National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Vice-President on the Arkansas Support Network Board, and Vice-President of the Fayetteville Housing Authority Board of Directors as a Federal Commissioner.  She recently started her own business, CPR NWA, offering Life Coaching and Case Management to provide training, coaching and life mapping through authentic business principles. Even though she has been recognized by many, her most celebrated award is being a wife to her husband Minister James Jones for sixteen years, a proud mother to her seven children and grandmother to her seven grandchildren.

Reginald James is a 1997 graduate of the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics. He completed a M.S. in Education in 2004 from Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee. Reginald is a pianist and organist, and enjoys playing a wide variety of music from jazz and country to R&B, but his passion is church music. He has performed and shared the stage with gospel music greats including Kirk Franklin, Walter Hawkins, Point of Grace, Ben Rector, Dorinda Clark-Cole, O’Landa Draper and The Associates to name a few. For over 30 years, Reginald has been involved in Music Ministry, and directed several local, regional and national bands and choirs. In 2007, he joined the Christian Life Cathedral staff in Fayetteville, Arkansas as the Worship and Arts Pastor.

Aaron Turner is a photographer and educator currently based in Arkansas. Aaron received his M.A. from Ohio University and an M.F.A from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. He was a 2018 Light Work Artists-in-Residence at Syracuse University, 2019 EnFoco Photography Fellow, a 2020 Visual Studies Workshop Project Space A-I-R, and a 2020 Artist 360 Mid-American Arts Alliance Grant Recipient.

Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Once registered, you’ll receive a link to join the Zoom meeting in your ticket confirmation email.