LCC Partners With K-State Art Exhibition

Parsons, KS – Seven pieces of Labette Community College’s (LCC) permanent art collection are on loan to the Kansas State University’s Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. The college’s permanent art collection joins work from thirteen other museums and school districts in Kansas to form a unique exhibition that focuses on the history of art in Kansas public schools.

“To the Stars Through Art: A History of Art Collecting in Kansas Public Schools, 1900-1950” explores how art impacted education in the 20th century. The exhibition, organized by Curator Elizabeth Seaton in collaboration with regional scholars and museum curators, contains work by Birger Sandzen, James Whistler, Norma Bassett Hall, Margaret Whittemore-and many other artists-70 paintings, prints, and decorative objects in all.

“One goal of the ‘To the Stars Through Art’ exhibition is to show the vital role American art played -and might play again- in Kansas schools and their communities,” said Seaton. “A prominent theme is the heavy community involvement in the campaign to bring original artwork into Kansas schools. The exhibition also seeks to guide Kansas schools in caring for their collections and using art for educational enrichment.”

“LCC has a nice collection of art pieces in the era the exhibition is featuring,” stated Mike Brotherton, emeritus professor of English and member of the LCC Ed Hendershot Gallery Committee. “The selected pieces on exhibit from LCC are: “Can You Talk?” & “Fox Squirrel” by artist After George Augusts Holmes, “Spring Song” by artist Simon Glucklick, Reproduction from Carnegie Collection, “Proberbios/Disparates,” artist Francisco Jose de Goya, “Temple of the Great Spirit,” artist Birger Sandzen, “Sanctuary,” artist John Steuart Curry, and Carnegie Art Teaching Set -Case of Mounted Photographs.”

The museum is hosting several special events related to the exhibition. The Sue Jean Covacevich Educators Conference: Inspiring Learning Through Art Collecting, the all-day conference for educators, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, 8:30 am – 4 pm.  Reservations can be made by contacting Jennifer Harlan at jharlan@ksu.edu., 785-532- 7718.

Brotherton has been instrumental in working with the K-State Museum to acquire the art pieces from LCC.  He will be one of the speakers at the Educators Conference on Nov. 4.

There will be a livestreamed “Best Practices for the Care of Art in Schools” conversation held on Nov. 16, 5:30 pm, by Nichole Grabow, director of preventive conversation at the Midwest Art Conservation Center, and Sarah Price, collections manager at the Beach Museum of Art.

In-person tours for school groups and adults are available. Virtual school group programs will be available during the spring semester of 2024.

“To the Stars Through Art: A History of Art Collecting in Kansas Public Schools, 1900-1950” can be viewed now through May 11, 2024. For more information about this particular exhibit tours and public programs, go to https://beach.k-state.edu/visit/tours/2023Fall-Opening-New-Doors.pdf.