Show and sale set to begin at SouthWind GalleryBy Ann Marie Bush
The Capital-Journal
Published Monday, April 16, 2007
Photo: Anthony S. Bush / The Capital-JournalFrom left, Tim Royer, Patsy Barnes, Martin Weishaar and Michelle Leivan frame artwork Friday at SouthWind Gallery. The art was completed by Auburn-Washburn fifth- through 12th-graders during the Artist-in-Residence program this school year.
Auburn-Washburn students' artwork will be on display and for sale beginning Friday thanks to SouthWind Gallery at Framewoods of Topeka, Target Corp. and the Auburn-Washburn Public Schools Foundation.
About 275 pieces of artwork — everything from watercolors to pottery — were created through the district's first Artists-In-Residence program and will be displayed at SouthWind Gallery, 3074 S.W. 29th.
The Artist-in-Residence program, which was started this school year, enabled local professional artists to visit Auburn-Washburn schools to work with and inspire students.
Work from the artists, as well as Auburn-Washburn art faculty, also will be on display at the gallery.
Michelle Leivan, a Topeka artist who took part in the program, serves on the foundation board and is assistant gallery director for SouthWind. She has been working alongside other foundation board members and Martin Weishaar, communications coordinator for the district, to mat and frame several of the pieces during the past several weeks.
On Friday, Leivan, Weishaar and foundation board members Pam Brandsted, Tim Royer and Patsy Barnes spent a few hours cleaning glass, matting artwork and attaching hardware to the frames.
Gary Blitsch, president of SouthWind Gallery, helped in implementing the program and donated $500.
"The business of cultivating future artists and patrons of the arts starts at the grade school level," Blitsch said. "Any time you have art and kids in the same sentence, I turn into a softie."
Target Corp. donated $1,000 toward the project. The foundation allocated $2,000.
The foundation raises funds throughout the year. Funds are distributed directly to teachers by way of classroom grants each year, Weishaar said. The Artist-In-Residence program is the first time the foundation has directly managed a student program.
Many of the art pieces will be available for purchase for $25.
"While we hope to make enough money on the event to break even, the real goal of the project is to teach our students about different artists, artwork, styles, techniques," Weishaar said. "We have provided an opportunity for hundreds of students to be exposed to artists and art methods that they might not otherwise encounter. With the gallery show, we are giving these students the chance to display their talents in a professional setting."
Local artists who took part in the project are Barry Busch, watercolor; Leivan, oil painting; Ed Miller, print making; John Kudlacek, pottery; and Barb Reser, watercolor.
The show will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at SouthWind Gallery, and will continue through May 11. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. On Friday, May 4, the show will be part of the First Friday Art Walk, and the gallery will be open until 8 p.m.
Superintendent Brenda Dietrich said the project is a wonderful opportunity to bring experts into the classrooms.
"The Artist-in-Residence program was a perfect opportunity for kids to be able to access professional artists and learn from their experiences," she said.
Betsy Pederson, a 16-year-old 10th-grader at Washburn Rural High School, said she enjoyed working with artists. She worked with Kudlacek and has a slab mug pottery piece in the show.
"He gave a lot of advice and helped out with technique," Pederson said. "I think it's pretty neat."
