Artists in Action – May 2026 – Hot Shops Art Center

Our concentration of 100 artists at the Hot Shops has forged a truly unique arts organization, and the work they do enhances the vibrant arts community in Greater Omaha. Check out the impact some of our resident artists have been making recently!

Lori Elliott-Bartle, Art in Embassies Program

Two paintings by Lori Elliott-Bartle were recently boxed up for shipment to Dhaka, Bangladesh, as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, building diplomatic connections through visual art with multi-year loans. This is Lori’s second placement – two large paintings were sent last year and remain on display in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Lori Elliot-Bartle, Sandhills, Oil on birch panels. Currently on display in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Lori Elliot-Bartle, Anticipation along the Platte River, Oil on birch panels. Currently on display in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Charles Kay Jr. in collaboration with Casey Callahan present Resonance at the Fred Simon Gallery, on display May 22nd – July 15th. Together, their works invite viewers to slow down, reflect, and engage with the nuanced transitions of sensation and color. Resonance offers a shared space for personal interpretation, stillness, and renewal.

Casey Callahan & Charles Kay Jr., Resonance

Joseph Giitter presents two documentaries, ANNA and Broken Promises.

ANNA was recently screened at the Benson Film Festival and is slated to screen at several other local and regional venues. Jurors selected it as the Best Nebraska Film at the Iowa-Nebraska Heartland Film Festival.

Broken Promises will be screened next at the Interrobang Film Festival in Des Moines (Held in Conjunction with the Des Moines Art Fair) on June 28th – 30th.

This film explores one of Omaha’s most mysterious citizens--Anna Wilson. The epic story of Anna, Omaha’s leading madame, takes place in a wide-open city during the Gilded Age in America. Her ability to accumulate wealth--only to give it away--made Omaha’s, "Queen of the underworld,” a legend whose legacy still lives on today.

The Omaha Public Power District has the largest customer base in Nebraska, a state that is 100% public power. The utility management has repeatedly promised to retire an aging coal plant located in a low-income community of color--a community that has had more than its share of environmental problems. As the utility prepares to convert the plant to natural gas, the State of Nebraska intervenes with a lawsuit. In addition, there are rumors that a tech giant wants to build a massive data center somewhere in Nebraska. Will the utility buckle under political pressure or keep its promise to the people?

Mell Smith and Greg Macdonald are recognized for their hard work in Omaha Magazine! Together, they create intricately carved figurines, painted by Mell and carved by Greg. Read more about their story on the Omaha Magazine website.

Mell Smith and Greg Macdonald photographed by Sarah Lemke for Omaha Magazine