East 18th by Dennis McCann is part of this year's Small Works on Paper exhibit, starting its statewide tour at Laman Library in North Little Rock. 

The 2012 Small Works on Paper art exhibition begins its statewide tour with an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Friday (Jan. 6) at Laman Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock.

The evening will include talks by the artists. Admission is free.

Presented by the Arkansas Arts Council, the exhibition will remain through Jan. 29. Hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

The annual exhibition showcases artwork no larger than 24 x 24 inches by Arkansas artists who are members of the Arkansas Artist Registry, an online art gallery coordinated by the Arts Council.

The 40 works, which will be on display in 10 galleries throughout the state in a year-long tour, were selected from 246 submissions by juror Marcia Goldenstein, a professor of drawing and painting at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Six artists were selected to receive purchase awards totaling nearly $2,000: William Barksdale of Cotter, Ginger Grahn of Paragould, Neal Harrington of Russellville, Dennis McCann and Jason McCann, both of Maumelle, and Mike Means of El Dorado.

For more information on Small Works on Paper click here or e-mail Cheri Leffew at cheri@arkansasheritage.org.