ARTS & ARTIFACTS
Exploring the creative pulse of our region, from the fleeting energy of gallery exhibits to the enduring presence of our public monuments and landmarks.
The Uncut Lineage: "Pressed, Pieces, and Presence" at the Carriage Factory (director’s cut)
This full-length, unedited Director's Cut dives deep into the artistic lineages of Joshua Cross, Karen Holliday, and Rachel Epp Buller and explores how the spatial memory of an 1883 blacksmith forge actively charges the artwork on its walls today.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, August 2026.
Forging a Safe Haven: JJ Krehbiel's Factory and Newton's Multi-Generational Arts Legacy
This feature traces a century-long arc, mapping how an 1883 fortress of Kansas limestone and blacksmithing forges evolved into a resilient, multi-generational visual arts outpost under the savvy direction of Mary Lee-McDonald today.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, August 2026.
Concurrent Currents: Four Exhibits at the Sandzén
This extensive feature records a sensory pilgrimage to "Little Sweden," mapping the thick-layered landscape geometry of Birger Sandzén's cottonwoods alongside an impromptu, live classical piano sonata echoing through the exhibition wings. The entry groups four concurrent summer exhibitions at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery: Go Figure, The Big Pretty, All Encompassing, and House Plants.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, July 2026.
Little Sweden, Big Textures: An art-saturated Sunday in Lindsborg
An art-saturated Sunday drift through the creative outposts of Lindsborg, Kansas. This dispatch tracks a full afternoon itinerary exploring the impasto canvases at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, a personal tour of the upcycled folk-art remnants at the Lester Raymer Red Barn Studio, and the essential main street culinary refueling stop at the White Peacock Tea & Coffee Company.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, July 2026.
Ecologies of the Self: Emily E. Ritter at Clayton Staples Gallery
This Director's Cut of my earlier review places Ritter's work in context: I look beyond the gallery walls to explore how the "frequency" of McKnight Art Center anchors Ritter's environmental signal and how her work builds on a legacy of artistic resistance.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, May 2026.
Apocalyptic positivity: A journey through Emily E. Ritter’s 'Ecologies of the Self'
Can discarded plastics bloom? In Ecologies of the Self, Emily E. Ritter transforms our 'footprint' into resilient, vibrant sculptures that imagine nature's next evolution.
Art exhibit review for The SHOUT, April 2026.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Ernest Trova's "GOX #4"
Discover the story behind Ernest Trova’s GOX #4, a significant evolution of his famous 'everyman' figure. This towering steel sculpture waits to be rediscovered next to our historical museum
Public art retrospective for The SHOUT, April 2025.
Beyond Pixels: Friends University's "Analog & Alternative" bridges photography's past and future
What happens when you trade Instagram filters for coffee-based chemicals and sunlight? This invitational at the Riney Fine Arts Gallery showcases 30 artists reviving "alternative" techniques like cyanotypes and Polaroid emulsion lifts.
Art exhibit review for The SHOUT, February 2025.
The Ephemeral Persistence of Materials: Joelle Ford at the Coutts Museum
This Director’s Cut of my earlier review explores the 'domestic reclamation' of Joelle Ford within the historic architecture of the Coutts Museum of Art. I also place her work in the context of artists Louise Nevelson and Betye Saar.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, December 2024.
The ephemeral persistence of materials: Joelle Ford at the Coutts Museum of Art
Can a collection of plastic milk carton caps or discarded golf tees be fine art? Joelle Ford shows it can. In her exhibit at the Coutts Museum, Ford transforms everyday "trash" into vibrant, textured compositions that honor her family's Depression-era philosophy: "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Art exhibit review for The SHOUT, December 2024.
Point of View: Sur- and Sous-veillance at the Salina Art Center
How do we watch, and how are we being watched? This review of Christina Olejniczak’s curated show at the Salina Art Center explores the tactile tension of surveillance through the work of Alicia Kelly, Becky Hyberger, and Candace Hicks
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, August 2023.
A Resonance of Care: Curtis Haynes at The Clayworks
Discover a space where the venue's mission and the beauty of the art are perfectly in sync. This review explores the 'purpose-built harmony' of The Clayworks in Hutchinson and the interactive, light-shifting genius of Curtis Haynes.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, July 2023.
VERSE & VOLUME
Engaging with the language of the Great Plains through poetry, hybrid prose, and small-press literary review.
Meadowlark Press enters its 11th year of publishing voices from the Great Plains
Uncover the hidden gems of the Meadowlark Press catalog. This review celebrates the tactile beauty of small-press publishing and the profound power of local poets to capture the spirit of our region.
Poetry review for The SHOUT, February 2025.
Prairie Fire: Volatile Growth (a haibun)
In this personal dispatch, Skyler Lovelace explores the 'controlled burns' of the Kansas Flint Hillsas a metaphor for professional reset. This haibun—a blend of prose and poetry—records a time of upheaval and the raw, scraped textures of renewal.
A dispatch from the Frequencies of Place series, September 2023.
