"Stiletto Series 25A" by J Jay McVicker. Photo from the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery via the Lindsborg Convention & Visitors Bureau
Lindsborg Convention & Visitors Bureau
LINDSBORG - Five new exhibitions are open in the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery through March 12.
The exhibitions include paintings by Oklahoma artist J. Jay McVicker (1911-2004), a Jim Turner photographic retrospective, landscape paintings by Randall Bennett, an exhibition of early additions to the Gallery's permanent collection, and art by Smoky Valley High School students.
The Sandzén Gallery, located at 401 N. First Street in Lindsborg is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free, with donations appreciated. Docent tours for groups are available by two-week advance appointment.
About the artists
Midwest Modern showcases the work of J. Jay McVicker from a private collection in Oklahoma. Born at the dawn of the twentieth century, McVicker was first a regionalist in the 1930s, capturing scenes of rural life and landscapes in paintings and prints. Just before World War II, his works began to incorporate dashes of geometric cubism and biomorphic surrealism. At the war’s end, the artist returned home and pushed the boundaries of what art could look like and communicate. McVicker continued to practice in the center of America, gaining recognition from his position at Oklahoma State University as he regularly submitted works to juried exhibitions all over the country for awards and purchase prizes. McVicker was prolific and passionate about his art and this exhibition will showcase works from throughout his career.
Jim Turner has been a staple of the Lindsborg community for most of his life and likely photographed more people, events, and places – all from a multitude of angles – than anyone before him. Although often recognized for his commissions photographing weddings, high school seniors, and the like, Turner's focus goes well beyond that. He writes, "My expressions have grown out of where I live. The plains have an immense beauty that most non-plains living people seem rarely to appreciate. Maybe the reason is that our beauty doesn’t jump out at the viewer like a big mountain or a crashing waterfall. Plains beauty, beside our great storm clouds and wonderful skies during sunset and sunrise, is found in the microcosms of the natural world – grasses, trees, wind, and light."
A Prairie Art Dialogue features work by Randall Bennett of Lawrence. He is a professional artist and owner/director of Tall Grass Museum Services. After earning his architecture degree at Kansas State University, he worked in the architectural profession for a number of years before returning to art school. Afterward, he took a job working in the museum exhibit fabrication industry and has stayed with it continuously. Besides his museum-related jobs, Bennett stays busy with his personal artwork. He currently has six self-published books of his artwork and two of illustrated poetry. He regularly tries new and different styles and media in order to push his own boundaries and improve as an artist.
Early Additions to the Permanent Collection will showcase artworks that came into the gallery's collection from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Curator Cori Sherman North made selections that impacted the holdings and established a well-rounded and diverse collection. A number of works were purchased and donated by Birger Sandzén's daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Pelham Greenough, while others were gifts of the artists or other enthusiastic collectors.
Art by students from Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg rounds out the exhibitions. They will be showing works selected by instructor Gretchen Elliott in a multitude of mediums from paintings and prints to sculpture and ceramics.
For more information about Birger Sandzén, the Gallery, and these exhibitions visit www.sandzen.org or phone (785) 227-2220.