Straight Arrow, works by Marc Bosworth

Straight Arrow – Marc Bosworth @ Gallery One Nine
Greteman Group’s own Marc Bosworth introduces multi-layered works that take on themes such as role models and gender stereotypes. In his works you can find references to such styles as abstract expressionism and pop art.

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
@ Gallery One Nine
125 N Market St, Wichita, KS (18th Floor)

Judith French Millard – In Memoriam @ Gallery XII
A long time member of Gallery XII, the venue, her friends and husband will being paying tribute to her art in a memorial showing this Final Friday. Judith was a Kansas native, WSU Grad and an award winning artist in oils and pastels.

6:00pm
@ Gallery XII
412 E Douglas Av, Wichita, KS

Negative – Ryan Moran
Artists at Old Town will be presenting works by innovative artist Ryan Moran. Created using a unique technique, he begins by stapling several layers of paper together, and then cuts away layers to create his pieces.

6:30pm
@ Artists At Old Town
412 E Douglas Suite C, Wichita, KS

Reminiscing – Karen Scroggins and Trinity McKown @ Riney Fine Arts Center
A mother and daughter collaboration, this exhibit features mixed media works produced by Scroggins solo, with additional works in which she is joined by her six year old daughter.

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
@ Riney Fine Arts Center – Friends University
2100 W University St, Wichita, KS

Paintings by Elly Fitzig, Elizabeth Rowley and Hugo Zelda-Romero @ Bob Schwan Studios
A painting exhibit by three talented, local painters.

6:00pm
@ Bob Schwan Studios
111 S Ellis St, Wichita, KS

Cre•a•tiv•ty
Planning for CREATIVITY began with the announcement that USD 259’s art departments were at risk for severe budget cuts. It was organized to raise awareness for the arts, as well as a fund-raiser attempt for the art department.

6:00pm
@ The Diver Studio
424 S Commerce, Wichita, KS

New Footprints: 5 Destinations at Fiber Studio
Novelene Ross, Marilyn Johnson and Kathleen Shanahan will present new paintings, Ginger Tarrer will show mixed-media and Marilyn Grisham will exhibit her fiber works in this group show that promises great things from five great artists. You can see some of the pieces by clicking the thumbnails below.

6-10 p.m.
Fiber Studio
Commerce Street Arts District
418 Commerce

Bob Schwan Studios
Bob Schwan, who has had some success in Santa Fe, will once again open up his local studio and gallery for Final Friday, showing his own work as well as paintings by Brian Hinkle, photos by Michael Roach and sculpture by David Murano.

6-10 p.m.
Bob Schwan Studios
111 S. Ellis

Have any shows captured your attention this month?

Here’s my pick for this month’s Final Friday.

Lee Shiney at The Art of Healing
Lee Shiney has found a good use for all those art magazines that he’s subscribed to over the years: He’s making art out of them. “Old News: Experimental Works on Paper,” will showcase new paintings that include shredded bits of old art magazines layered over newspapers, topped off with Lee’s trademark concentric circles.

The Art of Healing
130 N. St. Francis
7–10 p.m.

Be sure to check out some of these in-progress shots from Lee’s blog. Click the thumbnail to view the full-size image.

Are there any shows you’d like to recommend?

Sometimes it’s good to spread things out. Here’s my pick for this February Final Friday and another great show to see at next week’s First Friday.

Doug Billings at Gallery XII
Doug Billings creates mysterious visions of Wichita as though he is looking through the eyes of an early 20th century Italian Surrealist. Doug, who teaches printmaking at the Wichita Center for the Arts, will be showing paintings, hand-pulled original prints and handmade books based on his experiences and reflections as a resident of Wichita, Kansas.

Gallery XII
412 E. Douglas
Friday, Feb. 26
6–10 p.m.

Doug Billings, "Wichita Melodrama #1," Lithograph

Doug Billings, "Wichita Melodrama #2," Lithograph

Doug Billings, "Wichita Melodrama #3," Lithograph

Next Friday, March 5 – Pulp: Works on Paper at Butler County
Paper is a material that we often take for granted. But many artists appreciate its tactile beauty, versatility, immediacy and warmth and use it to great effect in their work. Guest curator Matthew Hillyard brings together former professors, some fellow art students now out of the classroom, and a number of local area artists with whom he has an aesthetic connection. The diverse works in the show are all created on or with paper.

Erman B. White Gallery
Butler Community College
901 South Haverhill Road, El Dorado, Kansas
Friday, March 5
6-8 p.m., Curator’s Talk at 6:30 p.m.

Scott Brown, "Passing," Linoleum block print

Annette Gaspers, "A Perspective on the Moving Point," Installation detail

Cheri Lee Charlton, “Trigger Happy,” Graphite, marker, ink, watercolor on paper

What shows have caught your attention this month?

To cap off a dreary January, perk yourself up with some cheerful hues this Final Friday.

Mary Werner and Brenda Jones at Steckline Gallery
Mary Werner joined Newman University in 2003 as Director of Visual Arts, where she has been building a vital program by employing her wisdom, charm and dedication to her work. Her colorful paintings combine animated dresses, floral and plant patterns and journal entries. For this show, Mary is joined by fabric artist Brenda Jones, who often sews dresses and aprons from maps and other found materials. Shown together, their works will transport you to a warmer place and most likely stir fond memories of your mother or grandmother.

Steckline Gallery
De Mattias Fine Arts Center, Newman University
3100 McCormick Avenue
5–7 p.m.

Grandma Buster’s Hot Plate by Mary Werner

Willa’s Milky Way by Brenda Jones

Sandra’s Ethiopian Wedding Dress by Mary Werner

This month, making the rounds for Final Friday will be a good way to work off that extra Thanksgiving dessert. To help you plan your evening, I offer this list of must-see shows for November (and another art event right around the corner).

Red Girl by Jo Quillin Tomson Jo Quillin Tomson at Watermark Books and Cafe The title “The Traveling Mystical Gal and Moon Show” pretty much sums it up. Prepare to be thoroughly enchanted by Jo’s latest playful and intricate collage paintings. Watermark Books and Cafe 4701 E. Douglas 6–8 p.m.

Horse Shoe Canyon, Photography by Randy Bradbury 2 ¼” at Center Gallery This group exhibition by local and national photographers will celebrate the medium format camera, with photos by artists from Oregon to Maine, as well as work from our very own Randy Bradbury. Center Gallery 111 Ellis 7–10 p.m.

Next Friday, December 4: Kelly Moody Benefit at Tangent Lab
As owner of Firehouse Gallery and frame shop, Kelly Moody has been a good friend to the local art scene. Kelly recently underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor and is currently receiving expensive follow-up treatment for cancer. Please come out and be generous as you bid in the silent auction on work donated by more than two dozen of Kelly’s talented friends.

Tangent Lab
143 N. Rock Island, Third Floor
7-10 p.m., Friday, December 4

Any shows you’d like to add to the must-see list?

This Final Friday converges with Halloween, and many will be prowling the streets in full costume. To help you plan your evening haunting Wichita’s galleries, I offer this list of must-see shows for October.

Painting by David Friday

Be sure to click the thumbnails for a larger view of the images.

Elly Fitzig and David Friday at Commerce Street Gallery
Candy colors and expressive marks unite the works by these artists, so expect a really fun show by two of Wichita’s nicest people.

Commerce Gallery at the Go Away Garage
508 S. Commerce
7:00-10:00 p.m.
Visit the Go Away Garage website.

"The Multidimensional Deconstruction of Meditator" by Victor Rose

Victor Rose at Riney Fine Arts
Victor’s work is as intellectually challenging as it is soulful. As he describes it, his new works have “figures and objects that are abstracted into completely flat shapes, then presented in a raised but flat sculptural relief and also painted in a different position than the relief.” If that’s not entirely clear, just know that the work will play with your eyes and your mind – in a good way!

Riney Fine Arts Center Gallery
Friends University
2100 W. University
5:00-7:30 p.m.

Painting by Curt Clonts

Curt Clonts at Diver Studio
Curt has been keeping busy, and will be showing almost 50 new works on paper, paintings and sculpture. According to the artist himself, “you will find MUCH color, happiness, edginess and humor in these new works.”

Diver Studio
424 S. Commerce
7:00-11:00 p.m.
Visit the Diver Studio website.

Which shows are you treating yourself to this month?

Pop culture followers that we are, the design team was excited to hear that this year’s ArtAID theme would be “Heroes & Villains.” Almost immediately, we developed the AA mark, which doubles as a mask – an essential part of every hero or villain’s costume. Rather than drawing on inspiration from classic comic books and Pop art, the design for this year’s 16th ArtAID follows the more recent tradition of graphic novels, with bold colors and an urban grittiness. A stylized cityscape and atmospheric textures provide further context and offer a nod to the theatrical nature of ArtAID’s runway show. The design suggests that sometimes the line between hero and villain is thin and murky.

Art Preview Party TONIGHT!
A large part of ArtAID’s success has always been money raised from art donated by local artists. In addition to knowing that it is an extremely worthy cause, local artists know that many of the same people who attend and bid on art at ArtAID, are the same people who attend local art shows and buy work. So artists are compelled to donate some of their very best work to the event. Tonight’s free art preview party, from 5-9 p.m. at Harris & Co. Frame Shop/Diver Studio on 424 S. Commerce, will be a great chance to see the donated art before the event, and may well be one of the best group shows you’ll see all year.

Of course, don’t miss ArtAID this coming Saturday evening, Oct. 10 at the Cotillion Ballroom. For information about tickets or to see photos from prior shows, visit Positive Directions’ site.

What’s been your favorite ArtAID theme?

To help you plan your next Final Friday in Wichita, I offer this list of must-see shows.

Kevin Mullins at Fisch Haus
Kevin has completed a series of paintings and prints entitled “Tales of Brave Ulysses” that explore mythological narratives.

Fisch Haus, 524 S. Commerce, 7–10 p.m.
Visit FischHaus.com.

Dustin Parker at CityArts
Dustin’s “The Last Honest Man” will open in the main floor hallway gallery.
CityArts, 334 N. Mead, 6–10 p.m.
Check out some of Dustin’s work.

“Fresh Squeezed Ink” at Tangent Lab
I have a few prints of my own in this show, but I’m excited about it for other reasons as well. Featuring local fine artists and graphic artists, Fresh Squeezed Ink will present art prints, gig posters and multimedia works created with the use of screen printing. Many artists, including Jeff Eaton and our own Chris Parks, will show work. Several national studios, including Aesthetic Apparatus in Minneapolis and Methane Studios in Atlanta, also will be represented.

Tangent Lab, 143 N. Rock Island, 3rd Floor, 7–11 p.m.
Get some more info about the show.

Any shows caught your attention this month?

(Click the thumbnails below for full-size images.)

Kevin Mullins, Outside the Gates of Cerdes, 2008, diptych, mixed media/screenprint on Aluminum

Dustin Parker Studio, shot of work in progress

Lance Henne, Mixed media