By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Sculptor Pete Felten was remembered by the Hays community during his celebration of life on Sunday.

The event was at the Ellis County Historical Society and began with a public reception featuring Felten exhibits and displays. Attendees visited and reflected on Felten’s impact on Kansas.

Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, opened the tribute by reading several statements on Felten's passing, including remarks from&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/15976726-4296-4743-95e6-b30f1d0674c6">U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran</a>&nbsp;and Gov. Laura Kelly, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d978febe-e1d6-4305-8c11-24284affb882">who awarded Felten with a legacy award shortly before his death.</a>

"He was thoughtful, creative and technically very proficient," Meder said.

Felten died in February at Hays Medical Center, surrounded by family, friends and fellow artists. He was 92.

After graduating from Hays High School and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Felten attended Fort Hays State University but left in 1957 to pursue sculpture, beginning a career that spanned almost 70 years.

His first commissioned work was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody in 1961, placed in front of the Hays Public Library. His most prominent sculptures are the four eight-foot-tall limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper and Dwight Eisenhower in the Kansas Capitol rotunda.

Ellis County alone has about 30 public Felten sculptures. Hundreds of other works are in public and private collections across Kansas and beyond.

Bruce Burkholder, a close friend of Felten and a fellow artist, shared how he first met Felten and recounted a time when Felten intervened during his suicide attempt.

"In 1985, I was going through a personal time in my life. ... Pete came by and saw me with razorblades. He saved my life, and I want to make sure I give back to him," Burkholder said.

Jean Stramel, a friend and supporter of Felten’s work, described him as a historian and documentarian who photographed buildings, churches, schools, animals and events in Hays.

"He has photo albums full of all these pictures. These will either go to the Historical Society or into his archives," she said. "The process of sorting out his house has begun."

Stramel said Felten kept 66 photo albums dating from 1956 to 2018, some documenting trips he took, including one to California. She also shared how she met Felten and became involved in Hays’ local art scene.

Michael Jilg, a fellow Hays artist and friend, acknowledged Felten’s impact on the community and said he hopes the community will give back in return.

Contributions to the Felten Legacy Fund are accepted through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF?__cft__[0]=AZZi369okAhp8AG1kf7bR2tAIFfL9RB9jMd2xLEh5fR_ttlJBlztFKFJaNfctfGcMAxaOF4Fr6kCj2fK1584jfF_TnDX3uBNAgyMQ92oZQI6p2LUsSS09QGKVF3quj_fxEBzEUT1BCq_CxxFUgEdvbDNqOoxIn6fRewKGaps2sHZEA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Heartland Community Foundation</a>. They will be used to turn Felten's Stone Gallery, 107 1/2 Sixth St., and workshop into a museum.

Upon his death, his gallery and workshop were willed to the Ellis County Historical Society.

Donate online here&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEycGozRlRTZG0yQ3ZLcGF1OHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR45AWgG02wsxKnzJyrFi4t5I3Jlvg7wevlbuGsD6jwDuJF3Zfz_5KrfxnS_nA_aem_9SeCaU-eivfC1Zsbt2NcAw" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.

Attendees were also welcome to an open house at the gallery and Felten's studio.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">SEE RELATED STORY: A legacy carved in stone: Hays community remembers artist Pete Felten</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008588227.jpeg" alt="Attendees filling up two floors at the Ellis County Historical Society for artist Pete Felten's celebration of life. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Attendees filling up two floors at the Ellis County Historical Society for artist Pete Felten's celebration of life. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostSculptor Pete Felten was remembered by the Hays community during his celebration of life on Sunday.The event was at the Ellis County Historical Society and began with a public reception featuring Felten exhibits and displays. Attendees visited and reflected on Felten’s impact on Kansas.Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, opened the tribute by reading several statements on Felten's passing, including remarks from&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/15976726-4296-4743-95e6-b30f1d0674c6">U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran</a>&nbsp;and Gov. Laura Kelly, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d978febe-e1d6-4305-8c11-24284affb882">who awarded Felten with a legacy award shortly before his death.</a>"He was thoughtful, creative and technically very proficient," Meder said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137535772.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008706149.jpeg" alt="The last buffalo carved by Pete Felten. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The last buffalo carved by Pete Felten. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008731393.jpeg" alt="A sculpture piece created for the 75th anniversary of Washington Grade School in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A sculpture piece created for the 75th anniversary of Washington Grade School in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008751527.jpeg" alt="Several art pieces belonging to Pete Felten on display at his celebration of life. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Several art pieces belonging to Pete Felten on display at his celebration of life. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Felten died in February at Hays Medical Center, surrounded by family, friends and fellow artists. He was 92.After graduating from Hays High School and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Felten attended Fort Hays State University but left in 1957 to pursue sculpture, beginning a career that spanned almost 70 years.His first commissioned work was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody in 1961, placed in front of the Hays Public Library. His most prominent sculptures are the four eight-foot-tall limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper and Dwight Eisenhower in the Kansas Capitol rotunda.Ellis County alone has about 30 public Felten sculptures. Hundreds of other works are in public and private collections across Kansas and beyond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008854137.jpeg" alt="Four small-sized statues of his well-known 2,000-pound statues of&nbsp;William Allen White,&nbsp;Arthur Capper,&nbsp;Amelia Earhart and&nbsp;Dwight Eisenhower at Topeka. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Four small-sized statues of his well-known 2,000-pound statues of&nbsp;William Allen White,&nbsp;Arthur Capper,&nbsp;Amelia Earhart and&nbsp;Dwight Eisenhower at Topeka. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008822780.jpeg" alt="Several of Pete Felten's art pieces, including his first carving, an Abraham Lincoln portrait that he made in 1957. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Several of Pete Felten's art pieces, including his first carving, an Abraham Lincoln portrait that he made in 1957. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008886812.jpeg" alt="Several replica art pieces made by Pete Felten that can be found in Kansas. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Several replica art pieces made by Pete Felten that can be found in Kansas. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008906351.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten's 1978 Buffalo in Denim. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten's 1978 Buffalo in Denim. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Bruce Burkholder, a close friend of Felten and a fellow artist, shared how he first met Felten and recounted a time when Felten intervened during his suicide attempt."In 1985, I was going through a personal time in my life. ... Pete came by and saw me with razorblades. He saved my life, and I want to make sure I give back to him," Burkholder said.Jean Stramel, a friend and supporter of Felten’s work, described him as a historian and documentarian who photographed buildings, churches, schools, animals and events in Hays."He has photo albums full of all these pictures. These will either go to the Historical Society or into his archives," she said. "The process of sorting out his house has begun."Stramel said Felten kept 66 photo albums dating from 1956 to 2018, some documenting trips he took, including one to California. She also shared how she met Felten and became involved in Hays’ local art scene.Michael Jilg, a fellow Hays artist and friend, acknowledged Felten’s impact on the community and said he hopes the community will give back in return.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773008993196.jpeg" alt="The Stone Gallery. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Stone Gallery. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773009013715.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten's workshop and his father's office. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten's workshop and his father's office. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Contributions to the Felten Legacy Fund are accepted through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF?__cft__[0]=AZZi369okAhp8AG1kf7bR2tAIFfL9RB9jMd2xLEh5fR_ttlJBlztFKFJaNfctfGcMAxaOF4Fr6kCj2fK1584jfF_TnDX3uBNAgyMQ92oZQI6p2LUsSS09QGKVF3quj_fxEBzEUT1BCq_CxxFUgEdvbDNqOoxIn6fRewKGaps2sHZEA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Heartland Community Foundation</a>. They will be used to turn Felten's Stone Gallery, 107 1/2 Sixth St., and workshop into a museum.Upon his death, his gallery and workshop were willed to the Ellis County Historical Society.Donate online here&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEycGozRlRTZG0yQ3ZLcGF1OHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR45AWgG02wsxKnzJyrFi4t5I3Jlvg7wevlbuGsD6jwDuJF3Zfz_5KrfxnS_nA_aem_9SeCaU-eivfC1Zsbt2NcAw" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.Attendees were also welcome to an open house at the gallery and Felten's studio.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">SEE RELATED STORY: A legacy carved in stone: Hays community remembers artist Pete Felten</a>

Hays community pays tribute to artist Pete Felten's legacy

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The iconic Blue Light Lady limestone sculpture created by Pete Felten is set to be moved from its location at 26th and Indian Trail to Historic Fort Hays.

The Elizabeth Polly&nbsp;Blue Light Lady statue sits in green space west of Indian Trail, south of Dairy Queen and east of Centennial Towers in Hays.

The statue has resided there since 1982. The Hays Arts Council spearheaded the statue's placement at the park.

Although there is a small playground area on the east side of Indian Trail, the statue sits alone and is often overlooked by visitors and even residents of Hays.

The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays has raised funds to move the statue to a site at the historic fort, where it will be more visible and can be used to tell Elizabeth Polly's story.

Elizabeth Polly was born in 1843. Her husband was a hospital steward at Fort Hays. She tended to&nbsp;cholera victims at Fort Hays during an outbreak in&nbsp;1867. She contracted cholera and died that same year.

"She was a courageous, young woman who sacrificed her life nursing soldiers suffering from cholera.&nbsp;While she has become a legend through her ghostly hauntings, her actual life is even more inspiring. 

"We&nbsp;want our visitors, adults and children, to leave admiring the woman. Our history is full of sacrifice, which&nbsp;provides us with enduring lessons of strength and perseverance," the Friends of the Fort said.

In addition to the statue, the Friends of the Historic Fort want to place a plaque on a pillar adjacent to it that tells the stories of Polly and Felten.

The fort is also home to Felten's Monarch of the Plains bison sculpture. Felten died on Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">Read more on Felten's life and work HERE.</a>

Adam Conkey, Historic Fort Hays site administrator, said the fort is still in the planning and fundraising stages of the move.

The fort would like to locate the statue near the hospital site. Conkey said the hospital did not exist on that site when Polly was tending the sick. She would likely have cared for soldiers housed in hospital tents.&nbsp;

Polly was buried at the base of Sentinel Hill, but her remains were moved to the top of the hill, said Marla Matkin of Friends of the Fort, who also portrays Polly during reenactments.

"She knew the risk she took in nursing these young men," Matkin said, "but she felt she was providing a very needed service, and she was."

Polly was given a full military funeral service because of her dedication to caring for the soldiers, Matkin said.

There is a monument marking Polly's grave on Sentinel Hill, but since it is on private property, permission from the landowner would be required to visit.

Conkey said some of the Polly story has been told through family legend, and it's difficult to know what is accurate.

According to legend, Poly was buried in a blue dress. Locals have said for generations that they have seen her ghost, cloaked in a misty blue light, wandering the area.

The Friends of the Fort hope to have the statue moved in April and have a formal unveiling of the sculpture at its new site on Sept. 26, Matkin said. 80 Proof Alice will perform at the event.

The Friends of the Fort also has upcoming monthly events, as well as a July 4 celebration to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The fort's period baseball team will play.

This year is also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Reinforcements from Fort Hays were called north to serve after the battle, Matkin said.

George Custer, who spent time at Fort Hays, was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes engaged the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army.

If you would like to donate to the Elizabeth Polly statue project, write a check to the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays, with "Elizabeth Polly statue" in the subject line, and mail it to Historic Fort Hays at 1472 U.S. 183 Alternate, Hays, KS 67601.

Matkin said the Friends of the Fort is always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested, you can visit the fort and talk with Conkey.

"It is a commemorative year," Matkin said. "It's a great time to see some of the stuff and learn some history and maybe get involved and become a part of it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772037586943.jpeg" alt="The Elizabeth Polly statue by Pete Felten near 26th and Indian Trail is set to be moved to Historic Fort Hays in April. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Elizabeth Polly statue by Pete Felten near 26th and Indian Trail is set to be moved to Historic Fort Hays in April. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe iconic Blue Light Lady limestone sculpture created by Pete Felten is set to be moved from its location at 26th and Indian Trail to Historic Fort Hays.The Elizabeth Polly&nbsp;Blue Light Lady statue sits in green space west of Indian Trail, south of Dairy Queen and east of Centennial Towers in Hays.The statue has resided there since 1982. The Hays Arts Council spearheaded the statue's placement at the park.Although there is a small playground area on the east side of Indian Trail, the statue sits alone and is often overlooked by visitors and even residents of Hays.The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays has raised funds to move the statue to a site at the historic fort, where it will be more visible and can be used to tell Elizabeth Polly's story.Elizabeth Polly was born in 1843. Her husband was a hospital steward at Fort Hays. She tended to&nbsp;cholera victims at Fort Hays during an outbreak in&nbsp;1867. She contracted cholera and died that same year."She was a courageous, young woman who sacrificed her life nursing soldiers suffering from cholera.&nbsp;While she has become a legend through her ghostly hauntings, her actual life is even more inspiring. "We&nbsp;want our visitors, adults and children, to leave admiring the woman. Our history is full of sacrifice, which&nbsp;provides us with enduring lessons of strength and perseverance," the Friends of the Fort said.In addition to the statue, the Friends of the Historic Fort want to place a plaque on a pillar adjacent to it that tells the stories of Polly and Felten.The fort is also home to Felten's Monarch of the Plains bison sculpture. Felten died on Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">Read more on Felten's life and work HERE.</a>Adam Conkey, Historic Fort Hays site administrator, said the fort is still in the planning and fundraising stages of the move.The fort would like to locate the statue near the hospital site. Conkey said the hospital did not exist on that site when Polly was tending the sick. She would likely have cared for soldiers housed in hospital tents.&nbsp;Polly was buried at the base of Sentinel Hill, but her remains were moved to the top of the hill, said Marla Matkin of Friends of the Fort, who also portrays Polly during reenactments."She knew the risk she took in nursing these young men," Matkin said, "but she felt she was providing a very needed service, and she was."Polly was given a full military funeral service because of her dedication to caring for the soldiers, Matkin said.There is a monument marking Polly's grave on Sentinel Hill, but since it is on private property, permission from the landowner would be required to visit.Conkey said some of the Polly story has been told through family legend, and it's difficult to know what is accurate.According to legend, Poly was buried in a blue dress. Locals have said for generations that they have seen her ghost, cloaked in a misty blue light, wandering the area.The Friends of the Fort hope to have the statue moved in April and have a formal unveiling of the sculpture at its new site on Sept. 26, Matkin said. 80 Proof Alice will perform at the event.The Friends of the Fort also has upcoming monthly events, as well as a July 4 celebration to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.The fort's period baseball team will play.This year is also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Reinforcements from Fort Hays were called north to serve after the battle, Matkin said.George Custer, who spent time at Fort Hays, was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes engaged the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army.If you would like to donate to the Elizabeth Polly statue project, write a check to the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays, with "Elizabeth Polly statue" in the subject line, and mail it to Historic Fort Hays at 1472 U.S. 183 Alternate, Hays, KS 67601.Matkin said the Friends of the Fort is always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested, you can visit the fort and talk with Conkey."It is a commemorative year," Matkin said. "It's a great time to see some of the stuff and learn some history and maybe get involved and become a part of it."

Felten's Blue Light Lady statue to find new home

Peter
Frederick "Pete" Felten Jr., age 92, of Hays, Kansas passed away
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at HaysMed. He was born April 14, 1933, in Hays,
Kansas to Peter F. Sr and Mabel (Robinson) Felten. 

Among the many cultural icons of Western Kansas, few, if any, have received
more regional attention and notoriety than Pete Felten.
After graduating from Hays High and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Felten
attended Fort Hays State University but left in 1957 to pursue sculpting
full-time for a career that spanned nearly 70 years. Though primarily
self-taught, he briefly attended an art league school in New York and
researched widely in his field.


Regional and national interest in his work &amp; its place in Kansas history
spawned articles in newspapers, cultural &amp; tourism publications, online
blogs, and video documentaries. Most importantly, his limestone sculptures
themselves are what stand as testaments to history, culture, &amp; identity in
city squares, historic sites, parks, hospital gardens, and at the entrances of
churches, schools &amp; libraries across the state.
His first large, commissioned piece, created in 1961, was a bust of Buffalo
Bill Cody, that continues to stand in front of the Hays Public Library.
However, his most prominent sculptures are the four eight-foot tall,
approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen
White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol
rotunda. Selected through a competitive process, the nearly three-year project
began with the delivery of massive blocks of Silverdale limestone from
southeastern Kansas in 1979 and culminated with installation of the sculptures
in July 1981.


Other notable Felten sculptures include his monumental “Monarch of the Plains”
buffalo sculpture on the grounds of the Fort Hays Historic Site. Standing 8
feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, it began with a 24-ton stone and
was completed for the Hays Centennial celebration in 1967. Ellis County alone
features nearly 30 public Felten sculptures. Hundreds of other works are in
public and private collections throughout Kansas and beyond.


In April 2023, the Kansas House of Representatives honored Felten with a
resolution in honor of his 90th birthday and acknowledging his many public
sculptures throughout the state and in the capitol itself. In 2024, bronze
plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for his
"Four Famous Kansans" rotunda portraits. In recognition of “a
lifetime of long-standing, significant impact on the arts in Kansas,” Felten
received the Governor’s “Arts Legacy Award” presented by the Kansas Arts
Commission on February 2 at a ceremony in Topeka.


Pete is survived by his extended family, Niece, Karen Munsch and husband Bob of
Schoenchen and their children, Robert (Kenya), Alex (Cheyenne) Munsch,
Schoenchen, Patricia (Matt) Adornetto, Solon, Ohio; a Grandniece Tina (Jeff)
Crispin, Hays, Grandnephew Chris (Jamie) Stegman of Wamego, Kansas, numerous
Greatgrand nephews/nieces and special friends, Bruce Burkholder, Mick Jilig of
Hays as well as many other friends and fellow artists.


He is preceded in death by his parents; his sister Patricia (Felten) Ward; his
brother In-law Joe Ward; niece Terry Stegman and nephew Joe Ward Jr.

Memorials
suggested to the Pete Felten Legacy fund for the much-needed repair,
preservation, maintenance &amp; celebration of Pete's sculptures, Stone Gallery
&amp; Studio and proposed sculpture garden. Donate online here <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a> Or, mail
your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy
Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.

Arrangements in care of Keithley Funeral Homes and Crematory-Brock's Chapel
2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

Please share memories on Pete's tribute page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Pete
Felten: Celebration of a Life &nbsp; Sunday,
March 8 at the Ellis County Historical Society (100 W. 7th)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1:00pm
~ Reception with exhibits, displays &amp; refreshments&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2:00pm ~ Felten tribute,
followed by an open house at the Stone Gallery &amp; Studio

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770503120403.jpeg" alt="Peter Frederick 'Pete' Felten Jr." />
 <figcaption>Peter Frederick 'Pete' Felten Jr.</figcaption>
 </figure>Peter
Frederick "Pete" Felten Jr., age 92, of Hays, Kansas passed away
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at HaysMed. He was born April 14, 1933, in Hays,
Kansas to Peter F. Sr and Mabel (Robinson) Felten. Among the many cultural icons of Western Kansas, few, if any, have received
more regional attention and notoriety than Pete Felten.
After graduating from Hays High and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Felten
attended Fort Hays State University but left in 1957 to pursue sculpting
full-time for a career that spanned nearly 70 years. Though primarily
self-taught, he briefly attended an art league school in New York and
researched widely in his field.
Regional and national interest in his work &amp; its place in Kansas history
spawned articles in newspapers, cultural &amp; tourism publications, online
blogs, and video documentaries. Most importantly, his limestone sculptures
themselves are what stand as testaments to history, culture, &amp; identity in
city squares, historic sites, parks, hospital gardens, and at the entrances of
churches, schools &amp; libraries across the state.
His first large, commissioned piece, created in 1961, was a bust of Buffalo
Bill Cody, that continues to stand in front of the Hays Public Library.
However, his most prominent sculptures are the four eight-foot tall,
approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen
White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol
rotunda. Selected through a competitive process, the nearly three-year project
began with the delivery of massive blocks of Silverdale limestone from
southeastern Kansas in 1979 and culminated with installation of the sculptures
in July 1981.
Other notable Felten sculptures include his monumental “Monarch of the Plains”
buffalo sculpture on the grounds of the Fort Hays Historic Site. Standing 8
feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, it began with a 24-ton stone and
was completed for the Hays Centennial celebration in 1967. Ellis County alone
features nearly 30 public Felten sculptures. Hundreds of other works are in
public and private collections throughout Kansas and beyond.
In April 2023, the Kansas House of Representatives honored Felten with a
resolution in honor of his 90th birthday and acknowledging his many public
sculptures throughout the state and in the capitol itself. In 2024, bronze
plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for his
"Four Famous Kansans" rotunda portraits. In recognition of “a
lifetime of long-standing, significant impact on the arts in Kansas,” Felten
received the Governor’s “Arts Legacy Award” presented by the Kansas Arts
Commission on February 2 at a ceremony in Topeka.
Pete is survived by his extended family, Niece, Karen Munsch and husband Bob of
Schoenchen and their children, Robert (Kenya), Alex (Cheyenne) Munsch,
Schoenchen, Patricia (Matt) Adornetto, Solon, Ohio; a Grandniece Tina (Jeff)
Crispin, Hays, Grandnephew Chris (Jamie) Stegman of Wamego, Kansas, numerous
Greatgrand nephews/nieces and special friends, Bruce Burkholder, Mick Jilig of
Hays as well as many other friends and fellow artists.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his sister Patricia (Felten) Ward; his
brother In-law Joe Ward; niece Terry Stegman and nephew Joe Ward Jr.Memorials
suggested to the Pete Felten Legacy fund for the much-needed repair,
preservation, maintenance &amp; celebration of Pete's sculptures, Stone Gallery
&amp; Studio and proposed sculpture garden. Donate online here <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a> Or, mail
your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy
Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.

Arrangements in care of Keithley Funeral Homes and Crematory-Brock's Chapel
2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

Please share memories on Pete's tribute page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>Pete
Felten: Celebration of a Life &nbsp; Sunday,
March 8 at the Ellis County Historical Society (100 W. 7th)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1:00pm
~ Reception with exhibits, displays &amp; refreshments&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2:00pm ~ Felten tribute,
followed by an open house at the Stone Gallery &amp; Studio

Peter Frederick 'Pete' Felten Jr.

There will be a celebration of life for artist Pete Felten at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at the&nbsp;Ellis County Historical Society, 100 W. Seventh, Hays.

The event will start with a public reception with Felten exhibits, displays and refreshments. There will be a tribute at 2 p.m., followed by an open house at the Stone Gallery and Studio.

Contributions to the Felten Legacy Fund are accepted through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF?__cft__[0]=AZZi369okAhp8AG1kf7bR2tAIFfL9RB9jMd2xLEh5fR_ttlJBlztFKFJaNfctfGcMAxaOF4Fr6kCj2fK1584jfF_TnDX3uBNAgyMQ92oZQI6p2LUsSS09QGKVF3quj_fxEBzEUT1BCq_CxxFUgEdvbDNqOoxIn6fRewKGaps2sHZEA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Heartland Community Foundation</a>. They will be used to turn Felten's gallery and studio into a museum.

Donate online here <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEycGozRlRTZG0yQ3ZLcGF1OHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR45AWgG02wsxKnzJyrFi4t5I3Jlvg7wevlbuGsD6jwDuJF3Zfz_5KrfxnS_nA_aem_9SeCaU-eivfC1Zsbt2NcAw" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">A legacy carved in stone: Hays Community remembers artist Pete Felten</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137535772.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThere will be a celebration of life for artist Pete Felten at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at the&nbsp;Ellis County Historical Society, 100 W. Seventh, Hays.The event will start with a public reception with Felten exhibits, displays and refreshments. There will be a tribute at 2 p.m., followed by an open house at the Stone Gallery and Studio.Contributions to the Felten Legacy Fund are accepted through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF?__cft__[0]=AZZi369okAhp8AG1kf7bR2tAIFfL9RB9jMd2xLEh5fR_ttlJBlztFKFJaNfctfGcMAxaOF4Fr6kCj2fK1584jfF_TnDX3uBNAgyMQ92oZQI6p2LUsSS09QGKVF3quj_fxEBzEUT1BCq_CxxFUgEdvbDNqOoxIn6fRewKGaps2sHZEA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Heartland Community Foundation</a>. They will be used to turn Felten's gallery and studio into a museum.Donate online here <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEycGozRlRTZG0yQ3ZLcGF1OHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR45AWgG02wsxKnzJyrFi4t5I3Jlvg7wevlbuGsD6jwDuJF3Zfz_5KrfxnS_nA_aem_9SeCaU-eivfC1Zsbt2NcAw" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note “Pete Felten Legacy Fund” in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">A legacy carved in stone: Hays Community remembers artist Pete Felten</a>

Pete Felten celebration of life announced

Sculptor Pete Felten would probably not come to a party thrown in his own honor, his friends said.

He was a humble man, but did what he wanted every day of his life—create art.

Mick Jilg, fellow Hays artist and friend, said, "He told me several times he lived every day of his life and did exactly what he wanted to do, and very few people can say that."

Felten, 92, of Hays died on Feb. 4 at Hays Medical Center.

Just two days prior, he was honored with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor's Arts</a>&nbsp;Legacy Award. Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, and Bruce Burkholder,&nbsp;close friend and fellow artist, accepted the award on Felten's behalf.

Meder said that when Felten won the Legacy Award last week, it was for the whole community.

"I truly feel that everyone who lives in Hays and Ellis County feels that Pete is one of theirs. He is ours. He is part of our family. He's my friend. Everybody had a Pete story," Meder said.

Felten carved almost daily, almost until his death, Burkholder said, even in cold temperatures, in his unheated studio.

Felten's father was a businessman in Hays. Felten Middle School was named for Peter Felten Sr., the artist's father.

Pete began carving in 1957 after leaving the&nbsp;U.S. Navy (1952-1956), during which he visited art museums on the East and West Coasts and in Hawaii. He briefly attended an art league school in New York, but Burkholder said Felten was largely self-taught.

His most prominent work includes the 8-foot-tall, 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981.

However, many examples of his art can be seen publicly in Ellis County and across the state.

Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. 

His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone.&nbsp;

Felten was part of a co-op of artists who created The Arts Cellar at Eighth and Fort in Hays, which eventually became the Hays Arts Council.

"You can go almost anywhere in Hays and find anything that Pete has done," Burkholder said. "It's going to be there forever."

Meder said Felten delved deeply into the story behind each historical figure he carved.

"He was not only one of our community's most interesting citizens, but he was one of our most interested citizens," she said. "He was a lifelong learner. He never tired of learning just a little bit more about this community, tucking away its traditional history and cultural history."

Jilg said Felten could look at a piece of stone and see the carving inside. He had to be fearless because you can't erase a mistake in limestone.

Burkholder said Felten called his carving the suicide method because once you took a piece of stone off, you couldn't put it back.

He was low-tech when compared to today's standards. He never adopted email or social media. He sketched his sculptures on large pieces of cardboard and used them to rough out the sculpture's outlines on the stones.

He knew his tools well, and his body was conditioned for hours of chiseling. Burkholder said he could hear where the rock would split by the way the tools sounded when they struck the stone.

Burkholder credited Felten with saving his life. Burkholder was going through a difficult divorce and had fallen into depression. He said he had taken out razor blades to take his life, but Felten happened to pop by for a visit.&nbsp;

"He said, 'Look, I want you to follow the creative art you've been doing. I don't want to see you like this. I want you to start carving with me.'"

Burkholder carved with Felten for five years, while continuing to pursue his painting.

"To me, Pete is my savior," he said," because I wouldn't be here without that. He was always like a brother to me."

The two had many adventures together, traveling across the country to visit other artists. Burkholder said Felten had a great thirst for knowledge and had a house full of books. He also loved movies and sometimes watched movies while he carved.

Felten would often read to him as they drove on one of their many trips.

Burkholder recalled traveling with Felten and another artist and stopping at a hot spring.&nbsp;

There was another small group of people bathing in the hot spring, and Felten procallimained, "OK, boys, take off your clothes. This is where we're going." The men disrobed and switched places with the other nude bathers.

"Pete taught me just to let it go," Burkholder said. "Don't be afraid of expression that way. It was just the way he was, let your heart and follow your dreams wherever they are, and keep going at it."

Jilg, who has known Felten since the 1960s, said Felten was popular with the younger crowd years ago. He built scaffolding atop his Jeep so he could work on the bison sculpture at Historic Fort Hays.

"If you were one of the cool kids, you rode around in Pete's Jeep," he said. ... "All of the cute girls rode around in Pete's Jeep, so if you wanted to know the cute girls, you had to know Pete Felten," Jilg said, quoting another friend of Felten's.

Jilg said Felten was one of the kindest people you could meet. He was an animal lover and fed many cats at his studio. He had been a force in the humane society.

"I think he liked animals better than people," Jilg said.

Although Felten spent many hours carving alone, Burkholder said he often greeted visitors who stopped by the studio to ask about his work. He was known to stop people on the street and ask to take their picture for reference in a future piece of art.

Felten kept photographs of other artists and their work and would regularly drop by to visit and support them, Jilg said.

"He was an adventure, and he had a very curious mind," Jilg said.

Jilg and Felten met for tea every Tuesday at Augustine's Bakery for 15 years after Jilg's retirement.

"I would learn something every Tuesday," he said. "It was a cheap education. I would buy him a cup of tea, and then I would learn something."

Donations being accepted to establish museum

The Heartland Community Foundation has established a Pete Felten Legacy Fund to support the restoration of his Stone Gallery, 107 1/2 Sixth St., Hays, and workshop into a museum.

Upon his death, his gallery and workshop were willed to Ellis County Historical Society.

Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, said the society would hold the property but intends for the Felten Museum to stand as its own nonprofit entity in the future.

If you would like to donate to the Felten Legacy Fund you can do so online at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note 'Pete Felten Legacy Fund' in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.

Jilg said the community owes Felten a lot for all the tourism that his art brings to Hays.

Jilg and Burkholder said Felten was paid very little for his public sculptures. Burkholder said he created them because he wanted the people to have something to represent this place.

"That's my life's work from here on out to make sure that Pete is remembered and people can see his work and appreciate it," Jilg said.

A celebration of life for Felten is planned for March at the Stone Gallery. More details will be released on that event soon.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/15976726-4296-4743-95e6-b30f1d0674c6">SEE RELATED STORY: Senator Moran on the passing of artist, sculptor Pete Felten</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/40ea6ebd-3971-4c45-adca-48c0ee276a8d">SEE RELATED STORY: NWester Another Felten buffalo roams in hays museum</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ae68b38-bbdc-449c-ac38-ebec80184f2a">SEE RELATED STORY: Film Crew in Hays to produce "Meet Pete" Felten documentary</a>

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/07/24/three-men-share-generations-of-hays-history/">SEE RELATED STORY: Three men share generations of Hays history</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2b536a10-db18-433d-8354-9d7a69999aab">SEE RELATED STORY: Felten train sculpture to have new home at Hays Downtown Pavilion</a>

1993 interview with Pete Felten and Brenda Meder

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646432747393.jpeg" alt="Felten carving a small bison in his studio. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Felten carving a small bison in his studio. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSculptor Pete Felten would probably not come to a party thrown in his own honor, his friends said.He was a humble man, but did what he wanted every day of his life—create art.Mick Jilg, fellow Hays artist and friend, said, "He told me several times he lived every day of his life and did exactly what he wanted to do, and very few people can say that."Felten, 92, of Hays died on Feb. 4 at Hays Medical Center.Just two days prior, he was honored with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor's Arts</a>&nbsp;Legacy Award. Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, and Bruce Burkholder,&nbsp;close friend and fellow artist, accepted the award on Felten's behalf.Meder said that when Felten won the Legacy Award last week, it was for the whole community."I truly feel that everyone who lives in Hays and Ellis County feels that Pete is one of theirs. He is ours. He is part of our family. He's my friend. Everybody had a Pete story," Meder said.Felten carved almost daily, almost until his death, Burkholder said, even in cold temperatures, in his unheated studio.Felten's father was a businessman in Hays. Felten Middle School was named for Peter Felten Sr., the artist's father.Pete began carving in 1957 after leaving the&nbsp;U.S. Navy (1952-1956), during which he visited art museums on the East and West Coasts and in Hawaii. He briefly attended an art league school in New York, but Burkholder said Felten was largely self-taught.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770844342630.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten, center, as his sculptures in the rotunda of the Kansas Capitol were installed in 1981. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten, center, as his sculptures in the rotunda of the Kansas Capitol were installed in 1981. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A master carverHis most prominent work includes the 8-foot-tall, 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981.However, many examples of his art can be seen publicly in Ellis County and across the state.Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone.&nbsp;Felten was part of a co-op of artists who created The Arts Cellar at Eighth and Fort in Hays, which eventually became the Hays Arts Council."You can go almost anywhere in Hays and find anything that Pete has done," Burkholder said. "It's going to be there forever."Meder said Felten delved deeply into the story behind each historical figure he carved."He was not only one of our community's most interesting citizens, but he was one of our most interested citizens," she said. "He was a lifelong learner. He never tired of learning just a little bit more about this community, tucking away its traditional history and cultural history."Jilg said Felten could look at a piece of stone and see the carving inside. He had to be fearless because you can't erase a mistake in limestone.Burkholder said Felten called his carving the suicide method because once you took a piece of stone off, you couldn't put it back.He was low-tech when compared to today's standards. He never adopted email or social media. He sketched his sculptures on large pieces of cardboard and used them to rough out the sculpture's outlines on the stones.He knew his tools well, and his body was conditioned for hours of chiseling. Burkholder said he could hear where the rock would split by the way the tools sounded when they struck the stone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770844205642.jpeg" alt="Felten with one of his massive limestone sculptures. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Felten with one of his massive limestone sculptures. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635440669331.png" alt="Pete Felten pictured with a train statue in 2020 prior to its installation at the Union Pacific Park in Hays. Hays Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten pictured with a train statue in 2020 prior to its installation at the Union Pacific Park in Hays. Hays Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Saving a lifeBurkholder credited Felten with saving his life. Burkholder was going through a difficult divorce and had fallen into depression. He said he had taken out razor blades to take his life, but Felten happened to pop by for a visit.&nbsp;"He said, 'Look, I want you to follow the creative art you've been doing. I don't want to see you like this. I want you to start carving with me.'"Burkholder carved with Felten for five years, while continuing to pursue his painting."To me, Pete is my savior," he said," because I wouldn't be here without that. He was always like a brother to me."The two had many adventures together, traveling across the country to visit other artists. Burkholder said Felten had a great thirst for knowledge and had a house full of books. He also loved movies and sometimes watched movies while he carved.Felten would often read to him as they drove on one of their many trips.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770845436995.jpeg" alt="Felten at a retrospective of his art in Hays. Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, said despite her efforts to persuade Felten to attend the exhibit's opening, Felten shied away from the attention and did not attend. Photo by Bruce Burkholder/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Felten at a retrospective of his art in Hays. Brenda Meder, former Hays Arts Council director, said despite her efforts to persuade Felten to attend the exhibit's opening, Felten shied away from the attention and did not attend. Photo by Bruce Burkholder/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>CarefreeBurkholder recalled traveling with Felten and another artist and stopping at a hot spring.&nbsp;There was another small group of people bathing in the hot spring, and Felten procallimained, "OK, boys, take off your clothes. This is where we're going." The men disrobed and switched places with the other nude bathers."Pete taught me just to let it go," Burkholder said. "Don't be afraid of expression that way. It was just the way he was, let your heart and follow your dreams wherever they are, and keep going at it."Jilg, who has known Felten since the 1960s, said Felten was popular with the younger crowd years ago. He built scaffolding atop his Jeep so he could work on the bison sculpture at Historic Fort Hays."If you were one of the cool kids, you rode around in Pete's Jeep," he said. ... "All of the cute girls rode around in Pete's Jeep, so if you wanted to know the cute girls, you had to know Pete Felten," Jilg said, quoting another friend of Felten's.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770845681915.jpeg" alt="Felten with a resolution from the Kansas House of Representatives honoring him on his 90th birthday. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Felten with a resolution from the Kansas House of Representatives honoring him on his 90th birthday. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A Pete Felten educationJilg said Felten was one of the kindest people you could meet. He was an animal lover and fed many cats at his studio. He had been a force in the humane society."I think he liked animals better than people," Jilg said.Although Felten spent many hours carving alone, Burkholder said he often greeted visitors who stopped by the studio to ask about his work. He was known to stop people on the street and ask to take their picture for reference in a future piece of art.Felten kept photographs of other artists and their work and would regularly drop by to visit and support them, Jilg said."He was an adventure, and he had a very curious mind," Jilg said.Jilg and Felten met for tea every Tuesday at Augustine's Bakery for 15 years after Jilg's retirement."I would learn something every Tuesday," he said. "It was a cheap education. I would buy him a cup of tea, and then I would learn something."Donations being accepted to establish museumThe Heartland Community Foundation has established a Pete Felten Legacy Fund to support the restoration of his Stone Gallery, 107 1/2 Sixth St., Hays, and workshop into a museum.Upon his death, his gallery and workshop were willed to Ellis County Historical Society.Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, said the society would hold the property but intends for the Felten Museum to stand as its own nonprofit entity in the future.If you would like to donate to the Felten Legacy Fund you can do so online at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n">https://tinyurl.com/ywfpju6n</a>&nbsp;or mail your gift to PO Box 1673, Hays, KS, 67601. Please note 'Pete Felten Legacy Fund' in the memo or Pete Felten Memorial.Jilg said the community owes Felten a lot for all the tourism that his art brings to Hays.Felten never lived a lavish life.Jilg and Burkholder said Felten was paid very little for his public sculptures. Burkholder said he created them because he wanted the people to have something to represent this place."That's my life's work from here on out to make sure that Pete is remembered and people can see his work and appreciate it," Jilg said.A celebration of life for Felten is planned for March at the Stone Gallery. More details will be released on that event soon.More on Felten<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/15976726-4296-4743-95e6-b30f1d0674c6">SEE RELATED STORY: Senator Moran on the passing of artist, sculptor Pete Felten</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/40ea6ebd-3971-4c45-adca-48c0ee276a8d">SEE RELATED STORY: NWester Another Felten buffalo roams in hays museum</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ae68b38-bbdc-449c-ac38-ebec80184f2a">SEE RELATED STORY: Film Crew in Hays to produce "Meet Pete" Felten documentary</a><a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/07/24/three-men-share-generations-of-hays-history/">SEE RELATED STORY: Three men share generations of Hays history</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2b536a10-db18-433d-8354-9d7a69999aab">SEE RELATED STORY: Felten train sculpture to have new home at Hays Downtown Pavilion</a>1993 interview with Pete Felten and Brenda Meder<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qXKyT8Hb74k?si=XGNkLjS0cmptPO5n" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

A legacy carved in stone: Hays community remembers artist Pete Felten

From the Office of Sen. Jerry Moran-R-Kansas

Pete Felten, limestone sculptor from Hays, who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years, died this week in Hays. He was 92.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran issued a statement on Felten's passing.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Pete Felten, a native of Hays and a talented artist and sculptor whose work captured the beauty and spirit of Kansas. Pete devoted his life to Kansas art and history, and he served our country in the United States Navy before returning to Hays. To many, Pete was a symbol of Kansas, and he was even depicted as a character in the Western novel, ‘The Last Cattle Drive,’ by Robert Day.

“At 24, he first began to sculpt, a skill he would continue for nearly 70 years, creating landmarks, statues and monuments to honor our special way of life in Kansas. Today, his work can be found across our state: in the Kansas State Capitol, home to his statues of famous Kansans, near historic Fort Hays where his iconic “Monarch of the Plains” monument can be seen and in numerous other locations throughout Kansas. In my office in Washington, D.C., I have one of his pieces – a sculpture of a Kansas bison.

“Pete will forever be a part of Hays history, and his legacy will live on in the sculptures he crafted to represent the state he loved. My prayers are with his loved ones and friends in this difficult time as we mourn the passing of a great Kansan.”

On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Commerce announced Felten as a Legacy winner of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards</a>&nbsp;at its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;ceremony at the Docking State Office&nbsp;Building in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The governor's office described more about the amazing work of Pete Felten.

Felten first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career.&nbsp;

His most prominent work includes the eight-foot-tall, approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981. He won the competitive selection process by creating detailed models of each subject. He chose Silverdale limestone from southeastern Kansas for the Capitol work because he believed it to be “the finest Kansas limestone, uniform and excellent for statues.” Notably, he declined to sign the work, explaining “this is Kansas’ work, not mine.”&nbsp;

Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone. In 2024, bronze plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for the work.&nbsp;

From the Office of Sen. Jerry Moran-R-KansasPete Felten, limestone sculptor from Hays, who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years, died this week in Hays. He was 92.Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran issued a statement on Felten's passing.“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Pete Felten, a native of Hays and a talented artist and sculptor whose work captured the beauty and spirit of Kansas. Pete devoted his life to Kansas art and history, and he served our country in the United States Navy before returning to Hays. To many, Pete was a symbol of Kansas, and he was even depicted as a character in the Western novel, ‘The Last Cattle Drive,’ by Robert Day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137535772.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“At 24, he first began to sculpt, a skill he would continue for nearly 70 years, creating landmarks, statues and monuments to honor our special way of life in Kansas. Today, his work can be found across our state: in the Kansas State Capitol, home to his statues of famous Kansans, near historic Fort Hays where his iconic “Monarch of the Plains” monument can be seen and in numerous other locations throughout Kansas. In my office in Washington, D.C., I have one of his pieces – a sculpture of a Kansas bison.“Pete will forever be a part of Hays history, and his legacy will live on in the sculptures he crafted to represent the state he loved. My prayers are with his loved ones and friends in this difficult time as we mourn the passing of a great Kansan.”On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Commerce announced Felten as a Legacy winner of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards</a>&nbsp;at its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;ceremony at the Docking State Office&nbsp;Building in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;The governor's office described more about the amazing work of Pete Felten.Felten first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career.&nbsp;His most prominent work includes the eight-foot-tall, approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981. He won the competitive selection process by creating detailed models of each subject. He chose Silverdale limestone from southeastern Kansas for the Capitol work because he believed it to be “the finest Kansas limestone, uniform and excellent for statues.” Notably, he declined to sign the work, explaining “this is Kansas’ work, not mine.”&nbsp;Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone. In 2024, bronze plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for the work.&nbsp;

Senator Moran on the passing of artist, sculptor Pete Felten 

Fellow artist and friend Bruce Burkholder announced today that Hays artist Pete Felten died on Wednesday in Hays.&nbsp;

With a heavy heart, my longtime friend Pete Felten passed away Wednesday night at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas. Pete passed away peacefully with friends and me at his bedside. I will be posting more information later about a Celebration of Pete's life.

Watch the Hays Post for more on Felten and his legacy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770328032787.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Fellow artist and friend Bruce Burkholder announced today that Hays artist Pete Felten died on Wednesday in Hays.&nbsp;Burkholder posted on Facebook:With a heavy heart, my longtime friend Pete Felten passed away Wednesday night at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas. Pete passed away peacefully with friends and me at his bedside. I will be posting more information later about a Celebration of Pete's life.Watch the Hays Post for more on Felten and his legacy.

Hays artist Pete Felten dies

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Commerce announced&nbsp;the recipients of the <a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards</a>&nbsp;at its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;ceremony&nbsp;Monday, February 2,&nbsp;at the Docking State Office&nbsp;Building in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Among the Legacy winners was Pete Felten, Hays sculptor.&nbsp;

Pete Felten is a 92-year-old (born 1933) limestone sculptor from Hays who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years. He first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwEW_aOoz3A">Watch Video&nbsp;</a>

“Thanks to the dedicated individuals and organizations in our state who make our communities more vibrant, the arts are thriving in Kansas,” Kelly said.&nbsp;“When creativity is supported and encouraged, we strengthen intergenerational relationships, boost economic innovation, and improve community identity.”&nbsp;

These awards celebrate and recognize Kansas artists, organizations, and communities for leadership in improving quality of life in Kansas and encouraging meaningful creative expression through the arts.&nbsp;

“This group of&nbsp;Kansas artists, art administrators,&nbsp;and advocates we are honoring from across the state&nbsp;continue to&nbsp;have&nbsp;significant and positive&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;on our economy&nbsp;and&nbsp;culture,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and&nbsp;Secretary of&nbsp;the Kansas Department of&nbsp;Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“Kansas is&nbsp;fortunate&nbsp;to have such an array of artists&nbsp;who are eager to take their work to the next level, bringing great benefit&nbsp;and pride&nbsp;to the entire state.”&nbsp;

This year, the recipient of the Governor’s Award, which was presented by Governor Kelly to close out the night, is Joe Walsh, a multi-Grammy Award winning musician and Wichita native who has earned global acclaim for his work with the James Gang, the Eagles, and a successful solo career. In addition to his music career, Walsh founded the veterans nonprofit VetsAid in 2017, which has disbursed more than $4 million to veterans’ services charities to date.&nbsp;

“It’s hard to imagine American rock without&nbsp;the&nbsp;guitar solos,&nbsp;flawless songwriting,&nbsp;and the enduring musical career of Joe Walsh,”&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission Director Curtis Young said.&nbsp;“Joe’s passion for music,&nbsp;paired with&nbsp;his generosity and philanthropy,&nbsp;makes him&nbsp;the perfect recipient for such a prestigious award.”&nbsp;

This year’s award categories and recipients are:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137535772.jpeg" alt="Pete Felten. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of the GovernorTOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Commerce announced&nbsp;the recipients of the <a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards</a>&nbsp;at its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;ceremony&nbsp;Monday, February 2,&nbsp;at the Docking State Office&nbsp;Building in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;Among the Legacy winners was Pete Felten, Hays sculptor.&nbsp;Pete Felten is a 92-year-old (born 1933) limestone sculptor from Hays who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years. He first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career.&nbsp;His most prominent work includes the eight-foot-tall, approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981. He won the competitive selection process by creating detailed models of each subject. He chose Silverdale limestone from southeastern Kansas for the Capitol work because he believed it to be “the finest Kansas limestone, uniform and excellent for statues.” Notably, he declined to sign the work, explaining “this is Kansas’ work, not mine.”&nbsp;Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone. In 2024, bronze plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for the work.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwEW_aOoz3A">Watch Video&nbsp;</a>“Thanks to the dedicated individuals and organizations in our state who make our communities more vibrant, the arts are thriving in Kansas,” Kelly said.&nbsp;“When creativity is supported and encouraged, we strengthen intergenerational relationships, boost economic innovation, and improve community identity.”&nbsp;These awards celebrate and recognize Kansas artists, organizations, and communities for leadership in improving quality of life in Kansas and encouraging meaningful creative expression through the arts.&nbsp;“This group of&nbsp;Kansas artists, art administrators,&nbsp;and advocates we are honoring from across the state&nbsp;continue to&nbsp;have&nbsp;significant and positive&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;on our economy&nbsp;and&nbsp;culture,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and&nbsp;Secretary of&nbsp;the Kansas Department of&nbsp;Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“Kansas is&nbsp;fortunate&nbsp;to have such an array of artists&nbsp;who are eager to take their work to the next level, bringing great benefit&nbsp;and pride&nbsp;to the entire state.”&nbsp;This year, the recipient of the Governor’s Award, which was presented by Governor Kelly to close out the night, is Joe Walsh, a multi-Grammy Award winning musician and Wichita native who has earned global acclaim for his work with the James Gang, the Eagles, and a successful solo career. In addition to his music career, Walsh founded the veterans nonprofit VetsAid in 2017, which has disbursed more than $4 million to veterans’ services charities to date.&nbsp;“It’s hard to imagine American rock without&nbsp;the&nbsp;guitar solos,&nbsp;flawless songwriting,&nbsp;and the enduring musical career of Joe Walsh,”&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission Director Curtis Young said.&nbsp;“Joe’s passion for music,&nbsp;paired with&nbsp;his generosity and philanthropy,&nbsp;makes him&nbsp;the perfect recipient for such a prestigious award.”&nbsp;This year’s award categories and recipients are:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137906094.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770137978863.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays sculptor Pete Felten wins 2026 Governor's Arts Legacy Award 

By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays Post

As the song goes, home on the range is where the buffalo roam. That is, unless it is Pete Felten’s creation, “Buffalo in Denim.”

Felten, the Hays sculptor famously known for his works of art using limestone, created a buffalo made out of denim patches in 1978. He made this particular buffalo for an exhibit at the Hays Public Library.

“I was having a buffalo show inside the library, little things,” Felten said. “I thought I would do something big for the opening.”

The buffalo later wound up in Dodge City, first at a school and later at a restaurant there. The story goes that there was one time when an intoxicated cowboy tried to ride it. When the restaurant changed ownership recently, Felten’s buffalo was destined for the scrap heap.

However, when Michael Jilg, a Hays artist and former art professor at Fort Hays State University, learned of the plan, he arranged for the buffalo to be relocated back to Hays.

“It just fell out of the sky,” Jilg said of the opportunity to save Felten’s creation. “I think there’s only one.”

Now, 47 years later, the buffalo has found a home at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery. The buffalo, which is about 6.5 feet long and 5.5 feet high, was hauled from Dodge City to Hays earlier this month.

The buffalo has a base with wheels underneath it, which were inspected by Felten when it arrived back in Hays. Once it was carried from the van, up the front steps of the museum and into the gallery, the buffalo was easily wheeled into a corner.

“I never knew there was anything he did that wasn’t stone,” said Amanda Rupp, the executive director of the local historical society. “I’m really excited to show it this summer. It’s one of a kind.”

Rupp, who helped carry the buffalo inside the museum, said there was no comparison to how heavy it is in relation to a limestone buffalo of similar size. The denim buffalo has a wire frame with padding inside.

“That’s way lighter,” Rupp said. “It’s top-heavy. It’s not heavy. It’s just awkward.”

Felten, now 92, first started sculpting limestone in 1957. He worked long and hard that summer of ’78 on the buffalo, sewing blue denim patches on the iconic creature that represents the long-ago history of Hays and the American West.

“I had calluses on my fingertips I never had before,” Felten recalled. “I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

The Chamber of Hays had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at the gallery in the museum at 100 W. Seventh, in recognition of a successful fundraising campaign. Front and center was “Buffalo in Denim,” casting a wary eye at curious onlookers.

Leigh Purdy, vice-president of membership at the Chamber of Hays, saw the buffalo for the first time at Friday’s gathering.

Purdy remembered that when she worked at a local restaurant while in high school, she would come home smelling like kitchen grease, and was curious to see if Felten’s buffalo also had kitchen smells from being located in a restaurant all those many years. However, the denim buffalo passed the smell test.

“Honestly, he’s in pretty good shape for not being behind a glass panel,” all those years, Purdy said. “It’s a really unique piece.”

The ribbon-cutting, with more than 50 in attendance, kicked off the gallery’s grand re-opening. Felten’s buffalo, as well as a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum – “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon – will be on display.

The museum’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Smoky Hill exhibit will be on display in Hays until Sept. 28, and the gallery is open to the public at no charge.

Why he chose to create a textile rendition of a bison instead of carving another limestone sculpture is a mystery even to Felten himself.

“I don’t remember that at all, why I would do that,” Felten said, adding he would get material wherever he could find it.

Felten does remember other creatures who enjoyed the denim buffalo slowly coming to life in his studio in downtown Hays.

“My kittens in the studio, they loved it, climbing on it, in it,” Felten said. “I never realized I made a bed for them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445283623.jpeg" alt="Amanda Rupp, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society, prepares to cut the ribbon at a Chamber of Hays event Friday morning at the museum’s renovated gallery, which is now open to the public. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Amanda Rupp, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society, prepares to cut the ribbon at a Chamber of Hays event Friday morning at the museum’s renovated gallery, which is now open to the public. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445331233.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays PostAs the song goes, home on the range is where the buffalo roam. That is, unless it is Pete Felten’s creation, “Buffalo in Denim.”Felten, the Hays sculptor famously known for his works of art using limestone, created a buffalo made out of denim patches in 1978. He made this particular buffalo for an exhibit at the Hays Public Library.“I was having a buffalo show inside the library, little things,” Felten said. “I thought I would do something big for the opening.”The buffalo later wound up in Dodge City, first at a school and later at a restaurant there. The story goes that there was one time when an intoxicated cowboy tried to ride it. When the restaurant changed ownership recently, Felten’s buffalo was destined for the scrap heap.However, when Michael Jilg, a Hays artist and former art professor at Fort Hays State University, learned of the plan, he arranged for the buffalo to be relocated back to Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445446095.jpeg" alt="Those in attendance at Friday’s ribbon cutting were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at Felten’s denim buffalo. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Those in attendance at Friday’s ribbon cutting were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at Felten’s denim buffalo. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“It just fell out of the sky,” Jilg said of the opportunity to save Felten’s creation. “I think there’s only one.”Now, 47 years later, the buffalo has found a home at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery. The buffalo, which is about 6.5 feet long and 5.5 feet high, was hauled from Dodge City to Hays earlier this month.The buffalo has a base with wheels underneath it, which were inspected by Felten when it arrived back in Hays. Once it was carried from the van, up the front steps of the museum and into the gallery, the buffalo was easily wheeled into a corner.“I never knew there was anything he did that wasn’t stone,” said Amanda Rupp, the executive director of the local historical society. “I’m really excited to show it this summer. It’s one of a kind.”Rupp, who helped carry the buffalo inside the museum, said there was no comparison to how heavy it is in relation to a limestone buffalo of similar size. The denim buffalo has a wire frame with padding inside.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445467438.jpeg" alt="Even at 92 years of age, Pete Felten gets down on his hands and knees to inspect the wheels attached to the base of one of his works of art before it is moved into the Ellis County Historical Society museum. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Even at 92 years of age, Pete Felten gets down on his hands and knees to inspect the wheels attached to the base of one of his works of art before it is moved into the Ellis County Historical Society museum. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“That’s way lighter,” Rupp said. “It’s top-heavy. It’s not heavy. It’s just awkward.”Felten, now 92, first started sculpting limestone in 1957. He worked long and hard that summer of ’78 on the buffalo, sewing blue denim patches on the iconic creature that represents the long-ago history of Hays and the American West.“I had calluses on my fingertips I never had before,” Felten recalled. “I didn’t know what I was getting into.”The Chamber of Hays had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at the gallery in the museum at 100 W. Seventh, in recognition of a successful fundraising campaign. Front and center was “Buffalo in Denim,” casting a wary eye at curious onlookers.Leigh Purdy, vice-president of membership at the Chamber of Hays, saw the buffalo for the first time at Friday’s gathering.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445494533.jpeg" alt="Also on display at the gallery’s re-opening is an exhibit featuring a replica of a covered wagon. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Also on display at the gallery’s re-opening is an exhibit featuring a replica of a covered wagon. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Purdy remembered that when she worked at a local restaurant while in high school, she would come home smelling like kitchen grease, and was curious to see if Felten’s buffalo also had kitchen smells from being located in a restaurant all those many years. However, the denim buffalo passed the smell test.“Honestly, he’s in pretty good shape for not being behind a glass panel,” all those years, Purdy said. “It’s a really unique piece.”The ribbon-cutting, with more than 50 in attendance, kicked off the gallery’s grand re-opening. Felten’s buffalo, as well as a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum – “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon – will be on display.The museum’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Smoky Hill exhibit will be on display in Hays until Sept. 28, and the gallery is open to the public at no charge.Why he chose to create a textile rendition of a bison instead of carving another limestone sculpture is a mystery even to Felten himself.“I don’t remember that at all, why I would do that,” Felten said, adding he would get material wherever he could find it.Felten does remember other creatures who enjoyed the denim buffalo slowly coming to life in his studio in downtown Hays.“My kittens in the studio, they loved it, climbing on it, in it,” Felten said. “I never realized I made a bed for them.”

NWester: Another Felten buffalo roams in Hays museum

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The warm weather will perfectly complement the featured exhibit for Friday's annual <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b594ecf6-0b8d-4ba8-bf27-2389a5841f20/summer%20walk%2025%20inside%20ltr.pdf?ver=1750042936043">Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk</a>, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Hays.

"Vanishing Depths" is a collection of paintings and ceramics by Hays artist Diana Unrein, highlighting the nuances of ocean life, on view through Aug. 13 at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.

Unrein is a native of Cyprus, the island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. She's lived in the United States for 40 years.&nbsp;

"The water figures so prominently in her life," said Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director. "It's always been a recurring element historically."

"You can imagine how difficult that would be to paint water. They're serene. They're beautiful," Meder said.

Unrein's figurative ceramics are also large, still telling the stories that arise from the water.&nbsp;

Unrein has won numerous awards and recognitions for her work, ranging from the local to the global level.&nbsp; This will be the largest single exhibition Unrein has ever presented anywhere.

Meder is excited about the wide variety of arts represented in the walk, which includes several hands-on interactions for children.

Drum making and playing by John Makings, along with a chalk arts station courtesy of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be set up in the Downtown Pavilion and Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.

STEM Harvest, 507 Main, will offer AI creative art stations and a glimpse of the building's mural in process by The Brickmob of Wichita.

The musical arts will be featured by the First United Methodist Church's Spirit Ringers at Kat's Hallmark, 1003 Main. The group will perform three concerts at 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Live music will be performed by Martha Miller from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main.&nbsp;

Attendees can get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the musical<a href="https://www.hctks.com/"> "Mama Mia" by the Hays Community Theatre</a>, 121 E. Eighth, which will be performed July 24-26. The group will also host a public karaoke open mic and competition at 8 p.m.&nbsp;

Mother Nature will show off her creations with a little help from K-State Agricultural Research and Cottonwood Extension Master Gardeners open houses.

Tours of the WaterSmart Garden, 601 Main, and the Backyard Family Garden and Perennial/Pollinator Garden, K-State Ag Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m.

Other exhibitions include etchings, jewelry, engraved mirrors, wood sculpture, a book signing of "Soon You Will Be Mine" by Hays author Jeanne Riedel, collaborative art banners by DSNWK arts and Fort Hays State University's community-engaged art program, and the MFA work of FHSU student Kelly Chapin-Hagen at the campus Moss Thorns Gallery of Art from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Ellis County Historical Society, Seventh and Main, will feature a traveling exhibit from the Smoky Hill Museum, Salina, titled "A Place to Call Home" as well as the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/889e1747-e8ab-4501-adf4-35e170981e29">blue denim buffalo sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750259191589.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe warm weather will perfectly complement the featured exhibit for Friday's annual <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b594ecf6-0b8d-4ba8-bf27-2389a5841f20/summer%20walk%2025%20inside%20ltr.pdf?ver=1750042936043">Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk</a>, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Hays."Vanishing Depths" is a collection of paintings and ceramics by Hays artist Diana Unrein, highlighting the nuances of ocean life, on view through Aug. 13 at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.Unrein is a native of Cyprus, the island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. She's lived in the United States for 40 years.&nbsp;"The water figures so prominently in her life," said Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director. "It's always been a recurring element historically."The paintings are large."You can imagine how difficult that would be to paint water. They're serene. They're beautiful," Meder said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261343584.png" alt="Painting by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Painting by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261150152.jpeg" alt="Ceramics by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ceramics by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Unrein's figurative ceramics are also large, still telling the stories that arise from the water.&nbsp;Unrein has won numerous awards and recognitions for her work, ranging from the local to the global level.&nbsp; This will be the largest single exhibition Unrein has ever presented anywhere.<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk is Friday" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=6fx2p-18de89c-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Meder is excited about the wide variety of arts represented in the walk, which includes several hands-on interactions for children.Drum making and playing by John Makings, along with a chalk arts station courtesy of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be set up in the Downtown Pavilion and Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.STEM Harvest, 507 Main, will offer AI creative art stations and a glimpse of the building's mural in process by The Brickmob of Wichita.The musical arts will be featured by the First United Methodist Church's Spirit Ringers at Kat's Hallmark, 1003 Main. The group will perform three concerts at 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.Live music will be performed by Martha Miller from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main.&nbsp;Attendees can get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the musical<a href="https://www.hctks.com/"> "Mama Mia" by the Hays Community Theatre</a>, 121 E. Eighth, which will be performed July 24-26. The group will also host a public karaoke open mic and competition at 8 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750262075463.png" alt="Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners&nbsp; perennial/pollinator garden to support butterflies, native bees, honeybees and other pollinators. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners&nbsp; perennial/pollinator garden to support butterflies, native bees, honeybees and other pollinators. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>Mother Nature will show off her creations with a little help from K-State Agricultural Research and Cottonwood Extension Master Gardeners open houses.Tours of the WaterSmart Garden, 601 Main, and the Backyard Family Garden and Perennial/Pollinator Garden, K-State Ag Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m.Other exhibitions include etchings, jewelry, engraved mirrors, wood sculpture, a book signing of "Soon You Will Be Mine" by Hays author Jeanne Riedel, collaborative art banners by DSNWK arts and Fort Hays State University's community-engaged art program, and the MFA work of FHSU student Kelly Chapin-Hagen at the campus Moss Thorns Gallery of Art from 6 to 8 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261665443.jpeg" alt="Hays sculptor Pete Felten and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture to the historical society. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays sculptor Pete Felten and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture to the historical society. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Historical Society, Seventh and Main, will feature a traveling exhibit from the Smoky Hill Museum, Salina, titled "A Place to Call Home" as well as the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/889e1747-e8ab-4501-adf4-35e170981e29">blue denim buffalo sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750264064256.png" alt="Hays Arts Council&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays Arts Council&nbsp;</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750264136850.png" alt="Hays Arts Council&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays Arts Council&nbsp;</figcaption>
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