What do you do when you want to buy a painting for the library but aren’t sure how? Hold an art show, of course.
At least, that’s what the Friends of the Emporia Public Library did. And the results were impressive. Sixty pieces of art from across Kansas were submitted. Twenty-six made the cut to be in the show. All got a fancy introduction to the public with a Saturday night gala at the Emporia Arts Council.
“This has been an incredible experience,” said Ann Coulson, president of the Friends of the Library. “Instead of just buying a piece of art, look what happened!”
The juried art show was the suggestion of Elaine Henry, an art professor at Emporia State University. To her surprise, Henry found herself tabbed as the judge. To her dismay, she was traveling in China when the pieces were submitted.
No matter. Sarah Roemer of the Girl Scouts of the Flint Hills e-mailed a “photo bucket” of the entries to Henry. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it worked.
“I had no knowledge of size or anything, so it was a challenge,” Henry said. “But I think it turned out all right.”
Entries were solicited through a mass mailing by the Girl Scouts, who assisted the art show as part of their “Challenge and Change” program.
First place went to a baroque glass bowl with maroon waves and swirls, created by Boyd Schneider of Hamilton. Before the awards were announced, the piece was purchased by Matt and Valerie Zimmerman.
Schneider said that he and his wife had only started taking courses in glass work about four years ago.
“She’ll take a class and I’ll take a class, and we’ll come back and teach each other what we learned,” he said.
The friends of the library, meanwhile, gave their own vote to an abstract painting, an oil by Marck Drennan of Emporia called “Primo Spiritus.” The wild mix of colors, dominated by a red horizon interrupted by gold, suggested the world’s creation to some, or a fire on the prairie to others. Nobody at the gala passed it without at least a glance.
“It’s hard to pick one to choose,” library director Sue Blechl said of the works. “They’re all so neat and interesting.”
The exhibit, titled “Celebrating With Art,” will be on display through July 14 at the arts council, 618 Mechanic St.