Opening Night Recap: “All Cooped Up” at Our Art 2026
A 55” gallery screen, 123 hand-drawn chickens, and a packed house at the Alexander Gallery in Fayetteville.
What a night! Hundreds of people packed into the Alexander Gallery for the opening reception of Our Art 2026 (presented by Walton Arts Center), and the momentum behind BizarreBeasts in Northwest Arkansas is officially building.
My piece, All Cooped Up, is mounted on a 55” screen positioned perfectly to be visible from almost anywhere in the gallery, and marks the first-ever animated piece exhibited at the Alexander Gallery.
123 Chickens in the Gallery
It was incredible watching people get completely mesmerized by 123 hand-illustrated chickens moving in an infinite, seamless loop.
Viewers were snapping photos, recording videos, asking about my custom digital rigging pipeline, and diving deep into the creative process behind the artwork. The energy in the room proved what I’ve felt since moving our studio to Bentonville: Northwest Arkansas genuinely loves art and independent creativity.
This is an incredible place to be an artist and founder, and I am more excited than ever to be building BizarreBeasts out in the open, right in the heart of this community.
Key Takeaways from Opening Night
Expanding the Medium: Bringing hand-drawn, software-driven 2D animation out of digital feeds and into traditional fine art gallery spaces.
Building Local Roots: Sharing our studio journey with the regional community and connecting with people over the upcoming BizarreBeasts animated series streaming exclusively on DCP+.
Physical Touchpoints: Handing out physical BIZARRE chicken stickers and sharing rare Hans & Cecil stickers with folks who asked about the show’s deeper lore.
Grateful for the Community
A HUGE thank you to the teams at the Alexander Gallery and Walton Arts Center for hosting such an incredible event and actively championing new art mediums in Northwest Arkansas.
And a huge thank you to my wife, business partner, and studio co-founder, Kate Yarter, who captured all the footage, ran point on logistics, and supported every step of this exhibition opening.
Exhibition Details
We’re beyond excited to keep building right here in Bentonville and NWA. The exhibition is open through December 20, 2026. If you’re in the area, swing through Fayetteville and check out all the incredible regional work on display!
Our Art 2026 (Presented by Walton Arts Center)
📍 Location: Alexander Gallery at Porter Art Warehouse | 212 N West Ave, Fayetteville, AR
📅 Exhibition Dates: September 25 – December 20, 2026
🕹️ Play the game version: allcoopedup.bizarrebeasts.io