Shafer Gallery focuses on area artists
After exhibiting the works of area high school students, Barton Community College’s Shafer Art Gallery is now showing works by college students. Outside the gallery, last week’s sidewalk art entries can still be seen.
More than 160 Kansas high school students visited the college to get some hands on experience from Barton’s art professionals and participate in a juried art show recently.
The exhibit featured entries in a variety of media, from painting to various 3D entries. The exhibit serves as the framework for Vortex Day, which is designed to stimulate and enhance students’ interest and excitement in the arts. Students participated in various workshops presented by Barton Faculty and staff and ranged from a ceramic workshop to a session on photographic lighting techniques.
The day culminated with an awards show in the Shafer Gallery to recognize the Vortex Exhibit winners in a variety of categories. The Barton Foundation awarded two $500 scholarships to the best in show winners for 2D and 3D.
New show dedicated to Bill McKown
The Barton Student Art Exhibit juried art show opened Friday at the Shafer Gallery and will continue through June 8. The exhibit is dedicated to the memory of Bill McKown, artist and friend of the Shafer Gallery, who died earlier this year. Some of his art will also be included in the exhibit.
Mckown was a talented young sculptor in the early 1970s, and showed great potential during his early years in college. However, a car accident in 1975 left him paralyzed from the neck down, an incident that changed him for the rest of his life.
That still wasn’t enough to hold back his artistic drive. Several years ago, McKown resumed art as a hobby, when it was mentioned to him that BCC might be able to accommodate his needs in a computer graphics class.
“When I broke my neck, I didn’t touch art for a long time,” he said. “Barton was extremely helpful in setting up special adaptive equipment for me.”
Using his mouth to draw on a tablet, McKown was once again able to express himself artistically. He became a familiar face on campus and a regular to the Shafer Gallery opening receptions.
He was recognized with “Best of Show in 2D” for his print of a grape leaf at the 2012 Shafer Art Gallery juried student exhibit.
David McKown, Bill’s brother, said that award-winning piece will be displayed again, along with older art that Bill called “BC” (Before Crash).
“We are donating many pieces of Bill’s art for the permanent collection at the college and gallery and hopefully some will be hanging around campus for a long time, which was one of his specific requests of me to do following his death,” David McKown said.
Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest winners
With the sidewalks outside of the Shafer Art Gallery adorned with chalk art creations ranging from basic to ornate, the only thing left to do was pick the winners, which Barton Art instructors did Wednesday.
The winners are as follows: First, James Johnson, second, Erica Wilhelm and Kaycee Niermeier; and Third, Tayton Pennington. An honorable mention went to Sophie Oss. Each individual winner received $100 cash and the collaborative pair will split their winnings.
Vortex Awards
Painting: First, Jesus Segura, Star Gazing Lily, Great Bend High School; second, Jessica Hanson, Spring Deer, St. John-Hudson; third, Daniel Marshall, Mosiac Sunflower, Great Bend High School; honorable mention, Brandi Hanson, Dailosaur, St. John-Hudson
Watercolor: First, Shianne Perkins, Eye of Roses, Central Plains High School; second, Mikala Vazquez, Canopy of Dreams, Central Plains High School; third, Shelby Letourneau, Blowing in the Winds, Central Plains High School; honorable mention, Jun Rui Chen, The Positive Side, Great Bend High School
Computer imagery & Photography: First, Adreinne Danner, Running Rails, Central Plains High School; second, Jordan Moore, Freedom Not Free, Hoisington High School; third, Estrella Fernandez, Light of Justice, St. John – Hudson High School; honorable mention, Isabella Hernandez, Before the Storm, Macksville High School
Pastel & Charcoal: First, Allison Panning, Homebound, Ellinwood High School; second, Malinda Willard, Rainbow Rose, Central Plains High School; third, Bethany Oeser, Touchdown, Central Plains High School; honorable mention, Mikala Vazquez, Kenny, Central Plains High School
Printmaking & Scratchboard: First, Tanner Swank, Mississippi Kite, Ellinwood High School; second, Ashlyn Hammerschimdt, Darting Frog, Victoria High School; third, Madison Gerhardt, A Change of Perspective, Victoria High School; honorable mention, Jessica Grabel, XOXO, LaCrosse High School
Drawing: First, Jessie Rubottom, In the Shadows, Ness City High School; second, Erin Pfeifer, The Night Stalker, Great Bend High School; third, Courtney Kaler, Graph-ite, Otis-Bison High School; honorable mention, Lexie Broeker, In Depth, Central Plains High School
Mixed and Color Media: First, Logan Evers, Family Traditions, Great Bend High School; second, Megan Rogers, Austin, Great Bend High School; third, Alanna Moses, Untitled, LaCrosse High School; honorable mention, Silvia Lopez, Swirls, Macksville High School
Ceramics: First, Colton Churchill, Straining Waters, Ellinwood High School; second, Chelsea Kaspar, Grapevine, Ellinwood High School; third,
Madison Sandy, Man’s Best Friend, Great Bend High School, honorable mention, Victor Garcia, Crying Box, St. John-Hudson High School
Sculpture: First, Shelby Shelor, Horse “Candy Cane,” Hoisington High School; second, Zak Schidde, My Little Waterfall, Great Bend High School; third, Chance Sherman, A Cold Day Fishing, LaCrosse High School; honorable mention, Austin White, Grease Monkey, St. John-Hudson High School
Fibers: First, Jessica Gabel, Home, LaCrosse High School; second, Madison Wagnor, Duck, Hoisington High School; third, Haily Cedillo, Cry, Larned High School; honorable mention, Amy Lou Fabela, Blary Blast, Great Bend High School
Best in Show 3-D: Chelsea Kaspar, Blue Abyss, Ellinwood High School
Best In Show 2-D: Ansley Herzog, Fierce Feline, Ellinwood High School
