An Artist's Perspective

Ian Stewart's work is to local art what Iggy Pop's music is to rock and roll. Place yourself in its midst and you'll get a full dose, right in the face.

Painter Jack Wilson was recently overlooked for the fine, just-published book Wichita Artists In Their Studios. One or two things may be possible here: Jack Wilson often flies under the radar, and Jack Wilson and his work may be too cool for such a book.

My wife, Taeko, and I include photography in our small art collection at home. I believe photography is often under-appreciated in fine arts circles in America. Thankfully, we have a photographer-artist in Wichita who devotes her life to the fine art of photography. She's Linda K. Robinson, owner of the Midwest Center for Photography, on Franklin Street in Riverside.

I received my monthly art publications in the mail this week and I found myself first rifling through them, looking at images, and identifying all the crap. Maybe I'm just grouchy this week, but I'm sick and bored of "art-as-trend."

Dear Sam,

When I lived away from Wichita and I would come home to visit, I would always take some time and drive Douglas Avenue from Oliver to the river. My beloved Douglas is the artery with the real pulse in Wichita.

More than 100,000 Iraqi refugees have resettled in the United States in the past decade.

Chuck Dooms and his cell phone camera are to photography what the 4-track recorder is to rock-and-roll.

David Lee Quick is a painter, film maker, photographer, and writer.

In this week's ?An Artist's Perspective, KMUW Art Reviewer Curt Clonts reviews the work of artist/illustrator Kylie Millward, and also interviews her in the KMUW studio. Here's both:

I moved back to Wichita and started making my art here in 1991. I was very lucky to find and surround myself with many artists who were searching and fighting to make a mark with their work like I was. We pushed ourselves and fought to get our names out there in every possible way. The energy was rock and roll, the art scene became electric and new collectors began to buy. This energy phoneme beca...

According to Johns Hopkins researchers, in a study entitled "Neuroeducation: Learning, Art & the Brain" students with arts education excel at a greater rate in all studies and stand a far better chance of graduating and going on to college.

Connie and John Ernatt's sculpture and painting exhibition titled: "New Works" is an epic, colossal triumph of the first order that deserves our attendance, full attention, and appreciation.

I do not wish to be another of the hangers-on over the sad news of David Bowie's death. Like many others, his music has meant the world to me. I even tried to emulate him during his Thin White Duke period, only to realize that I couldn't afford the wardrobe and wasn't hip enough to carry it off, anyway.

There has been a quiet, brilliant force taking place at the hands of Wichita painter, digital artist, and graphic designer Dustin Parker. Since April 2007, Parker has been publishing an online blog known as Proteus Mag, and the results have been extraordinary.

A new exhibit by artist Ann Resnick titled "Local and State" is on view now at The Steckline Gallery at Newman University, and features what I believe is her strongest work to date.

A new exhibition at the Wichita Art Museum called Dialogue: Drawings from the 20th Century is a must-see for several reasons.

Well friends, this is my last segment as KMUW’s arts commentator. Over the past 5 years, it’s been my immense pleasure to take in an incredible array of art exhibitions and meet some of the finest artists I’ve ever known.

Think of a mechanical pencil and the cylinder of graphite peeking out of end—just a half-millimeter thick. Now, imagine a long, white sheet of paper, unfurled in front of you. Where do you make the first mark? It’s daunting to think about drawing this way, but this is what artist Robyn O’Neil is known for.

The Ulrich Museum on the WSU campus is featuring several important dialogues on race, history, poverty and suffering this winter.

This winter, you have many opportunities to learn more about Kansas photographer Gordon Parks.

This art review originally aired on October 14, 2015.

“Best of” lists are popping up everywhere, so here is my top 5 local art shows of 2015.

The Wichita Art Museum is currently displaying the exhibition, Scenery, Story, Spirit: American Painting and Sculpture from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. This selection of art on WAM’s second floor presents an overview of mostly 19th century landscapes, still life, genre paintings and portraiture.

Adult coloring books are a gaining popularity, including here in Wichita. This phenomenon has been the topic of nationally published articles, many of which claim that the soothing activity of coloring decreases stress and anxiety, and helps adults practice mindfulness.