Hays Arts Council has much to offer

By STACIE R. SANDALL

Hays Daily News

Whether it's painting, sculpture, photography, art galleries, dance, family theater, creative writing contests or arts-in-education residencies, the Hays Arts Council has always attempted to “foster, promote, encourage and increase the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts.”

From make-shift galleries to elegant exhibitions, the HAC has continued to progress it its mission to bring the arts culture to the people.

The month of February was an extremely busy time for those at the Council. The five-state photo competition and exhibition promised to be quite the adventure this year.

Nearly 500 pieces were entered into the 21st annual show and competition, which is open to anyone from novice to expert from Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Colorado.

“People have told us this is the finest regional competition in this part of the country,” said Executive Director Brenda Meder.

A total of 176 pieces were chosen for the final cut by Keith Davis, director of Hallmark's fine art programs. Each artist received a keepsake exhibition catalog from the show, which was held in conjunction with the winter gallery walk.

Those diverse pieces of work were exhibited at HAC until Mar. 18.

HAC also runs one of the state's only juried fine art exhibition, called the Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, coming up April 29.

Judging is done via 35mm slides by Jan Schall, Sanders Sosland Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

Any Kansas artist is eligible for the competition.

HAC was the first arts council formed in Kansas over 35 years ago, and host free exhibits of various types year-round.

“The Hays Arts Council celebrates not only established artists, but also young talented artists on the rise,” Meder said.

Meder said that HAC, partnered with several other entities, also spends a large amount of time cultivating and enriching the lives of area children.

Some of the events or programs HAC has put on for the youth includes sponsoring a Chinese martial arts and acrobatics troupe performance, creating dramatics workshops, holding Kansas day celebration storytelling sessions with music and artifacts, and much more.

They are also responsible for bringing Hays the Kansas City Lyric Theatre, as well as the KU Theatre for Young People.

Just a few events planned for this year are creative writing contests, professional musical theater, St. Petersburg Ballett Encore professional ballet presentation, and the “Famous Figures” project, where students research, write and perform the part of a famous character from history.

But Meder says the council doesn't need to spark an interest in art, the Council needs to bring the art to the awaiting community.

“We're not trying to create an interest, we're trying to fill it,” she said. “I am proud of the way this community truly values and appreciates the arts and cultural experiences.”

As Meder says, it's all about quality of life, quality of spirit, quality of creativity and quality of expression.

With each season, established and amateur artists come out of the woodwork to exhibit their masterpieces for the spring, summer, fall and winter gallery walks.On June 17, the summer gallery walk will delight art enthusiasts and the fall walk will be Aug. 29. The winter gallery walk took place on Feb. 18.

On April 19, those artists will set out their work for the community to see during the spring edition. Those wanting to take in the arts culture can easily go to other art studios and galleries such as Salon 1007, or the Artists At Work Studio. The Artists At Work StudioÀis run by seven women who work and display theirÀpaintings, ceramics, sculptures and photograph in the studio.

There is also the art gallery on the lower floor of Commerce Bank, 718 Main, thatÀfeatures paintings, drawings, crafts and a variety of other works.

Pete Felten's Stone Gallery is one of the most popular places during the spring and fall walks, said Meder. The nationally-known artist not only does paintings of local churches and stone buildings, but is most famous for his work with stone. Felten uses a variety of stone, including carthage marble, alabaster,Àlimestone posts, Texas limestone, Vermont blue marble, Colorado yule marble, Kansas limestone, and Indiana limestone.

“Pete's such a cultural icon. He's just wonderful,” Meder said.

Felten's gallery on Sixth Street is open to the public. His indoor gallery displays his own work and work of other area artists, both upstairs and down. He has been participating in the gallery walks since their inception.

“I think they have been highly successful. Some people don't go to galleries because they aren't sure what to do, but having the walks gives them more comfort and they are more likely to come out,” Felten said.

Michael Jilg, who runs Studio 711 at 711 Main, often opens up his studio for the gallery walks.

“People are welcome to come in and look around,” Jilg said. “I'm usually around in the evenings more than any other time.”

On display are his paintings, drawings, lithographs and etchings. He is a Governors Visual Artist,Àand hasÀrepresentations in museum collections in the U.S., England and Asia.

Studio Kuksi atÀ719 Main, owned by Kris Kuksi, does free guided tours by appointment.

“I've been at this studio almost one year now,” Kuksi said. “The walks are a lot of fun. It's a nice social gathering and a nice cultural thing in Hays.”

Kuksi has showcased hisÀpaintings, drawings, sculptures, murals, illustrations and portraits around the world and the United States, includingÀthe Sternberg Museum

The museum,Àanother wonderful place to take in the Ellis County art experience, has suffered decreased enrollment since the 9-11 tragedy, but they are dilligently working to improve attendance.

Museum director Jerry Choate said that they went from admission of 150,000 prior to 9-11 to 50,000, but they are trying to do the best they can in bringing in art exhibits of natural history to increase attendance.

Some of their ongoing and upcoming work featuresphotographs of an Africa safari called “Journey to South Africa: An Exhibit Experience,” paintings by Dan Varner that depict Kansas during the age of dinosaurs, and a photography exhibit by Robert

Lindholm which are paired with a famous speech attributed to Dunawish Indian Chief Seattle.

Moss Thorns Gallery of Art at Fort Hays State University, is named for two former chairs of the Department of Art, Joel Moss and John Thorns.ÀStudent and faculty shows or traveling exhibits are regularly displayed there and are open for the walks.

The area lost one gallery this year, a regular participant in the walks, said Meder. The owner of The Studio Gallery on Main Street moved to Oregon to be with her fiance late last summer.

Local businessesÀfrequently display the work during the walks and at other times, including Corner Garder, Hays Public Library, The Mad Matter framing shop, Tumbleweed Crossing, Ellis County Historical Society, Hays City Mercantile, and ARC of the Central Plains. ARCÀexhibits art expresses the personal thoughts and expressions of artists with mental disabilities.

The Hadley Art Collection at Hays Medical CenterÀincludes over 200 works of art including paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, sculpture, and fabric by principle Kansas artists. The collectionÀisÀlocated in the public areas of the hospital.

Reporter Stacie Sandall can be reached at (785)

628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at

ssandall@dailynews.net.