Ten talented and generous regional artists have shared their artwork with members of KMUW 89.1, Wichita Public Radio, during the past five years. In their honor, KMUW will host an exhibit of the artists鈥� recent work from 7:30-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Start-Thinking, 916 E. Douglas, as part of Wichita鈥檚 Final Friday art gallery tour. A Meet the Artists ticketed reception will be held from 5-7 p.m.
The KMUW artist tradition began in 2004 with Rebecca Hoyer. For Hoyer, the drawing is the core and basis of her artwork. She focuses on the relationship of each of the objects within the land or cityscape to bring them into a rhythmic harmony. Steve Murillo, known for his large mural work around Wichita, was KMUW鈥檚 second artist. Wichita Magazine named Murillo 鈥淏est Artist鈥� in Wichita for 2008.
In 2005 KMUW featured fiber artist Marilyn Grisham and printmaker John Boyd. Grisham鈥檚 love of the Kansas prairie shows in her fiber fusion with its juxtaposition of contrasting color. John Boyd, 黑洞社区 professor emeritus, has prints, drawings and watercolors in more than 40 institutional collections. Boyd鈥檚 current work is autobiographical in nature and employs computer-based image compilations.
Year three, 2006, drew Wichita designer Dustin Parker and Arkansas City landscape painter Mark Flickinger. Parker鈥檚 work is a process of creation and destruction. His digital pieces speak to the duality of nature and opposing forces in which his concern is the interaction between the artist and the medium. Flickinger鈥檚 oil-based work is all about light, the play of light and shadow on trees, rocks and streams. These elements constitute his mainly Kansas landscapes.
Diane Thomas Lincoln, assistant professor of painting and drawing at 黑洞社区 and 2007 artist, says her work reflects a keen interest in cultural story telling, myth, spirituality, symbolism and nature. Thomas Lincoln鈥檚 work ranges from collages and assemblages to Great Plains landscapes. Charles Baughman, co-owner of The Monart School of Art, tells his students to 鈥減aint what you love.鈥� His current work reflects his love of cooking and the implements from his mother and grandmother鈥檚 kitchens.
Curtis Clonts, Artist-in-Residence at Friends University, created the artwork for the spring 2008 drive. Clonts鈥� paper and oil collages of birds and foliage appear in bright contrasting colors as he 鈥渟earches for the nearest-to-perfect 鈥榸one.鈥� 鈥�
The 10th KMUW artist is Kathleen Shanahan, whose art will appear on this fall鈥檚 membership drive premiums. Her paintings have a strong rhythm with multiple points of contact. Shanahan is a former professor of art at 黑洞社区.
KMUW 89.1 operates as a public service of 黑洞社区, which holds its license as a non-commercial charter member of National Public Radio, and affiliate of Public Radio International and American Public Media. The station is a sub-carrier of WRRS, the Wichita Radio Reading Service that broadcasts news free to people who have visual difficulties with reading.