WINTER 1983 Vol. 3, No.1 In this issue: KANSAS THREE Exhibition 1 Theatte Conference Set . 2 Visual Arts Fellowships ....... 2 Kansas-Paraguay Crafts Exchange .. 3 Kansas Touring Program, 1983-84 .. 4 Recent KAC Grants . 6 Folk Arts Program . 7 Short Subjects ...... 8 KANSAS Kansas Artists' Postcards 9 A R S Visual Arts Competitions 11 d COMMISSION zl Franz Schulze chooses KANSAS THREE exhibition ARTWORKS BY 55 KANSAS ARTISTS, 43 of them painters or printmakers and 12 of them sculptors, have been chosen as finalists in KANSAS THREE, the annual statewide visual arts competition sponsored by the Kansas Arts Commission. Juror Franz Schulze, Professor of Art at Lake Forest College in Chicago, made the selections from among 493 slides entered by 211 artists. KANSAS THREE will be exhibited at the Mulvane Art Center, Topeka, February 6-26. Schulze will view the accepted artworks in Topeka before choosing the winners of the $2,050 in prizes to be awarded at the exhibition opening, February 6. Following are the artists whose works will be exhibited in KANSAS THREE: Michael Broadfoot, Laurie Culling, Valerie Dearing, John Denning, Lyn Dwyer, Juli Frank, Beverly Frazier, Barbara Hawkins, Margie Kuhn, and Richard Varney, all of Lawrence; Maria Franz Schulze Photo by Rob Kuehnle Alfie, Donna Beattie, Mary Cannon, Betty Francis, Lois Kellogg, Mary Ann Klotz, and Michael Savage, of the Juror's statement '\ Kansas City area; Kimberly Bartlett, IF MOST JURORS' STATEMENT$ tend tO sound (though we cannot always identify them >' James Bartz, Don Coons, Joan the same, it may be that most jurors' because we are sometimes unconscious of Danneberg, Barry Hylton, Michael experiences and, believe it or not, them), but we would rather let the artist Nicholson, and Sherry Nickell-Land, criteria, tend to be more alike than speak to us than impose our views on of Wichita; Rebecca Alston, Edward different. I have rarely watched or him. Guydos, Y oshiro Ikeda, Margo Kren, worked with a juror who frankly and Some works are confused as to what Rex Replogle, and Lindsay Smith, of consciously favored only one or several the artist is trying to say in them; some .Manhattan; James Bass, David Hartley, styles in making his selections for an say it, but with flawed technique or Mike Henry, Philip Hershberger, and exhibition. inept craft; some oversay it, or undersay Michael Stowe, of Topeka; Lee Becker Most of us want to be as catholic as it, or talk with their mouths full. Some and Nicholas Hill, Lindsborg; Don we can be, responding mo.stly to the exhibit a kind of taste, for want of a Dernovich and Janet Johannes, Hays; urgency and articulateness with which an better word, which we cannot abide. Sue Adamson, Moline; John Bacon, art work is expressed-independent of its Those are the pieces that tend to be Wellington; Craig Boyers, Gas; Barbara generic manner-and seeking wherever excused from a show. Their opposite Cleary, Paola; Patricia Dolan, Junction possible to keep our prejudices in check. number-the ones that somehow need to (see KANSAS THREE, page .3) We have those prejudices, of course (see Juror's statement, page 2) Juror's statement, from page I Call for KAC funding update be painted or drawn or sculpted-that are fitted to their form and style rightly artist applicants and persuasively; that are done with THE DECLINE IN STATE REVENUES in Kansas regard to sound physical presentation, has mandated a reduction in the current ARTIST APPLICANTS in the areas of Visual tend to be accepted. This is true in expenditures of state agencies. An overall Arts, Music, Literature, Film and Video, Topeka, in Milan, in New York, and 4% reduction has meant that Kansas Theatre, Dance and Architecture are points in between. Arts Commission expenditures in state needed to fill residencies for the Artists It is always well to remember, too, funds for programming and in Education program during the that the exhibition a juror picks on administration are now projected at 1983-84 school year in thirty or more $414,134 as compared with the initial Monday may look rather different from Kansas communities. the one he selects the following level of $430,623. By not filling one Thursday. He is as imperfect as many of March 1 is the deadline for receipt of position, the KAC has been able to the works he throws out. Juried shows applications at the KAC office, Suite absorb a substantial portion of the are at best "democratic," and Winston 401, 112 West Sixth, Topeka 66603. reductions through reduced Churchill admitted democracy is a pretty Artists in Education Coordinator DiAnne administrative costs. It has been possible, poor form of government. He added: Damro can be contacted there, or by therefore, to fulfill all obligations made "But it's the best we've got." telephone at 913/296-3335, for further to KAC grant recipients. Franz Schulze information about how to submit an During the November KAC meeting, Lake Forest, Illinois application. approval was given for a plan providing Residencies to be filled will run from for additional contingency funds in case AKT conference set one week to a full year, with the state's revenue situation should compensation to the artist set at $12,500 further deteriorate. Again, this plan THE ANNUAL CONVENTION of the for nine months, or at $6,250 for four would have no effect on funds already Association of Kansas Theatre will be and one-half months. granted for projects. held at Emporia State University, March The initial Division of the Budget 11-13. A special highlight of the The nationwide Artists in Education recommendation for FY 1984 is for convention will be induction of William program places professional artists in $405,623 in state funds. This would Gibson into the Kansas Theatre Hall of elementary and secondary school systems, provide for the same level of state Fame. Playwright Gibson is perhaps best colleges, and cultural and social funding for arts programming grants known for his play, The Miracle Worker, institutions to enable students and the ($193, 768) and administration about the struggle of Helen Keller, born community to be directly involved in the ($211,854) but would not include the deaf, blind and mute, to learn to creative arts. The artists teach classes and Challenge Grant funds which were first communicate under the guidance of her maintain active studios. approved for FY 1983 at a level of teacher, Annie Sullivan. Funding for the program comes from $25,000. In addition to state funds, the Monday After the Miracle, Gibson's new the National Endowment for the Arts, a KAC should receive federal funds in the play which opened on Broadway in federal agency, and from the Kansas amount of approximately $350,000, December, is about Annie Sullivan's Legislature through the Kansas Arts since Congress has given its approval to marriage to John Macy and the Commission, a state agency. All grants funding for the National Endowment for subsequent strain on the relationship must be matched by the participating the Arts at the expected level of (see AKT conference, page II) local sponsors. $143.875 million. Visual Arts Fellowship grants to Kansans THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS To compete for the fellowship, Margo of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced the award of two Kren submitted slides to the NEA of a is designed to encourage the creative $5,000 fellowship grants to Kansas series of drawings. She is using the development of professional artists by visual artists: Margo Kren, a painter, fellowship funds to produce a series of enabling them to set aside time to printmaker and assistant professor in the lithographs based on the drawings, pursue their work and to purchase Art Department at Kansas State working with Michael Sims at the materials and equipment. Deadlines for University, and Eileen G. Senner, a Lawrence Lithography Workshop. Kren, fellowship applications are: sculptor from Partridge, KS, who earned who earned her MFA degree in painting Painting 2/04/83 her BS degree from Bethel College and and drawing at the University of Iowa, Printmaking/Drawing/Artists now teaches a sculptural fiber course at is serving this year as president of the Books 3/04/83 Scripps College in Claremont, California. Kansas City Artists Coalition. Critical writing 1/04/84 The fellowship grants are awarded to Eileen Senner took her MFA degree at Photography 1/26/84 highly-qualified artists who have Claremont Graduate School, then taught Sculpture 2/15/84 demonstrated outstanding talent and for several years in Oregon, at the Crafts 3/15/84 ability in their field. This year's grants University of Arizona, and now at For further information, contact Visual went to 3 3 7 artists of exceptional talent Scripps. She won the NEA fellowship for Arts Program/Visual Artists Fellowship across the country, according to NEA her work in mixed media sculpture. Guidelines, NEA, Washington, D.C. Chairman Frank Hodsoll. The Visual Arts Fellowship Program 20506; 202/634-1566. 2 Kansas-Paraguay crafts exchange Kansas Arts & Crafts Fairs 1983 will information about their methods and be available for public distribution in the techniques with craftspeople in Kansas. latter half of February. The Kansas Arts Matthews, an Adjunct Professor of art Commission will again provide the at Friends University, is known booklet, which describes the dates, nationally as a goldsmith and enamelist. deadlines, locations, character and She says she believes the exchange will sponsors of well over 150 Kansas arts lead to greater appreciation of the arts and crafts fairs, free of charge upon between the two Americas. request. This year, however, the KAC Carlyle H.