K
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cademy of
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ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE 2016
First edition 2016
State of the Art|KAOP Copyright @ 2016 by Kansas Academy of Oil Paintiers. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of KAOP artists.
Library of Congress Control Number:
Managing Editor: Dennis McKay Editor: Ron Adame Editor: Shari Bevan Editor: Adria McKay
Printed by: Mennonite Press Inc., 532 N Oliver Rd, Newton, KS 67114
Cover painting by Chuck Roach “Lady in the Yellow Dress�
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 3
Introduction
Page 4
History
Page 5
KAOP 2016 Executive Board
Page 6
KAOP 2016 Board Members
Page 7 - 90
KAOP Artists in Alphabetical Order
Page 91
KAOP Associate Members
Page 92
Artist Index Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w2
INTRODUCTION
Here we present a collection of original art by Kansas Academy of Oil Painters artists. Some of the artists are highly trained, others are self taught but each has skillfully created his or her own artistic vision. Some chose a realistic style, some chose impressionistic, and some preferred abstract, edgy, or another stylistic effect. The mediums used include oils and acrylic. KAOP is pleased to present unique beauty through the eyes of the artists.
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HISTORY Kansas Academy of Oil Painters (KAOP) began in 1985 at the urging of the Wichita Center for the Arts, formerly the Wichita Art Association, which had been sponsoring an annual small oil painting show for several years. The annual show at the center was a national competition of oil paintings varying in size from 5 x 7 inches to 16 x 20 inches. Kansas artists were encouraged to found an organization to further stimulate an interest in oil painting for both the artist and the viewer/collector. In order to ensure a standard of high quality work, the Kansas Academy of Oil Painters was formed in 1985 with 52 members, all of whom had been accepted in three of the Wichita Center for the Arts National Small Oil Painting Competition by three different national jurors. When the National Small Oil Painting Competition was discontinued in 1995, the members of KAOP determined it necessary to revise the by-laws to allow new members to be accepted by submitting ten slides or photographs of current work to be judged by the board of directors of the organization. The membership of KAOP includes prize-winning artists, most of whom are proficient in many other areas of art from sculpture to pastels, stained glass, graphics, and photography. In recent years, the National Small Oil Painting Competition was reinstated as a biennial event at Wichita Center for the Arts. Currently, membership in KAOP can be gained by either submitting 10 photographs or a CD of the artist’s work to the Board of Directors for judging and approval, or by having been accepted in any three separate National Small Oil Painting Competitions. As KAOP has evolved, the principal goal has been to encourage each other to achieve excellence in painting through Member interaction, sharing of information, and painting demonstrations. Anyone wishing to join us in celebrating this beautiful age-old medium is encouraged to apply for membership
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Phyllis Abraham Artist
Phyllis Massad Abraham was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was the only daughter in an extremely artistic family. As a teenager, she developed a creative eye and a love for color. It was no surprise that she sought a major in Art at Oklahoma State University as well as Oklahoma City University with an emphasis in oils and pastels. Her artwork was displayed at the Oklahoma State Fair. While attending OKC University, Phyllis met and married Dr. Francis Abraham and moved to Wichita, Kansas where they raised three children.
Oils and pastels have always been a large part of her life. She shared her love of art with students by teaching art techniques at local Girl Scout meeting and helping girls earn their art badges. She studied under Judy Hull, Rita Buettel, and is presently studying under Brian Hinkle. Phyllis is a member of the Midwest Artists Organization and Kansas Academy of Oil Painters.
She enjoys diverse outdoor settings including international architecture, landscapes, seascapes, all works of nature, and still life painting. Her unique painting style demonstrates light, dark, and shadows through the utilization of oils. In addition to her focus on the landscapes of Kansas, Phyllis has always had an interest and special appreciation of the architectural design in Greece, Europe and the Middle East.
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Phyllis Abraham Paintings
Saifi Village in Beirut
Passage
Paradise
Breakfast in New York Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w8
Ron Adame Artist
I started my painting experience at the Center for the Arts in 2012. My only instructor has been Virginia Glass Simmons. I very much enjoy painting landscapes. I think it’s always fun to learn something new. Of course, it is sometimes frustrating, but I’ve still got both ears. I appreciate art more now than I ever thought I would and that is good. There are so many great people at the Center I look forward to next fall’s classes.
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Ron Adame Paintings
Black Water
Smokey Mountains
Serenity
Distant Mountains Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w10
Shari Bevan Artist
As a native Wichitan, my artistic father fostered my love of painting. At the age of three, he presented me with my own drawing board and a place to paint in his commercial art studio. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, my father continued to encourage me to draw and paint. I was challenged with various art classes including several with the renowned Betty Dickerson of Wichita.
Since that time, I have studied with local artists Brian Hinkle, Mary Binford Miller, Mark Flickinger and Kandy Tate and refined my painting skills in workshops with nationally known artists Dan Gerhartz, David Leffel, Ralph Oberg and Kim English.
In 2000, I was awarded third place (from 13,900 entries) in the landscape category by The Artist’s Magazine. Another of my landscape paintings hangs in the office of a local bank. A recent painting has been selected for the National Small Oil Painting Exhibition 2014 at the Wichita Center for the Arts and was awarded with Honorable Mention.
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Shari Bevan Paintings
Sicilian Cheese Maker
Poppies
Flint Hills Family
Latte Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w14
Jo Harris Artist
I love to paint and have either taken or taught classes all of my adult life. It was my husband, Larry, who dusted off my oil paints, handed me my brushes, and encouraged me to renew my passion. After I retired, I found my painting friends and haven’t stopped yet. Every day I find inspiration with what God created. How can I find a way to capture the never ending landscapes that embellish our world? It is only with God’s gift that I paint with passion. I have taken classes from Kandi Tate, Rita Beuttell, Mary Binford Miller, and Brian Hinkle. All these talented artists continue to be an inspiration. I am an active member of Kansas Academy of Oil Painters and currently serve as Vice President and Membership Chairman. I have participated in exhibits at Botanica, Century II, City Arts, Center for the Arts, Art is Ageless, and several one woman shows at galleries. I have been awarded blue ribbons, Best of Show, People’s Choice, and recently in the calendar for Art is Ageless 2016. I have been so blessed to share my paintings with friends and family and people like you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have loved painting them.
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Jo Harris Paintings
Misty Morning
Winter Stillness
Amy Elevator
Get Out of My Way Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w36
Dennis McKay Artist Dennis McKay is an artist who enjoys painting Portraits, Landscapes and Still Life in his favorite medium, “Oils”. He is well known for his brilliant palette and bright paintings. Dennis was born in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in Kansas. Dennis began drawing when he was in grade school and began attending watercolor and oil painting classes around 1959. He continued to draw and do oil paintings on his own until 1961 when he began Wichita Heights High School where he spent four years studying drawing, watercolor, oil painting and sculpturing. In 1969 Dennis studied at Longstreet Commercial Art School and completed the one year course in 1970. Dennis continued painting at home until 1983, painting a few oil paintings for family and friends, when his children’s activities began to take up most of his free time. Since retiring from Cessna in 2006 Dennis has had more time to explore other interests in his life. He had a renewed passion for art and started taking oil painting classes, studying with Marty Ferguson, Mary Binford Miller, Jim Clements, Virginia Grass Simmons, David Vollbracht and Brian Hinkle and attended work shops with Jim Clements, Kaye Franklin, Phil Starke 2013, 2015 and Larry Degraff. Dennis is a member of Kansas Academy of Oil Painters and Kansas Art Guild. Dennis’ work has won numerous awards over the past few years with paintings he has exhibited at The Wichita Garden Show, Wichita Century II, Wichita Center for the Arts, Gallery 12, Mead Gallery, Vintera Gallery, Presbyterian Manor, Masonic Home, Russell’s Original Art Review, Kansas State Fair and National Small Oil Painting Exhibition (awarded an Honorable Mention).
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Dennis McKay Paintings
Ethan’s Sunflowers
Millers Creek
All That Jazz
The Crossing Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w52
Marilyn J. Schmidt Artist
After full retirement in 2010, I was finally able to pursue an interest in oil painting. I’ve been a life-long hiker with great interest in nature and scenic wonders of our country. My husband and I have travelled and hiked extensively in the United States. I’ve always wanted to be able to paint the wonderful places we have seen. In the summer of 2010, I enrolled in the Essentials of Oil Painting class taught by Virginia Simmons at the Wichita Center for the Arts. I’ve been taking classes every since and enjoy it very much. I feel like I have learned a tremendous amount. After that first summer class, I was encouraged to enter the Student Faculty Exhibition. I did enter my very first painting and was pretty much hooked. I couldn’t believe how good it looked hanging in the Gallery! Since then, I have participated in: All Student Faculty Exhibitions since 2010 R.O.A.R Exhibit in Russell, KS in October of 2011 Mead Street Gallery in Wichita Small Oil Exhibits several times Gallery XII, Wichita “Crazy 8’s” Exhibits several times Larksfield Place Wichita Exhibits Presbyterian Manor Wichita Exhibits City Arts Wichita Small Works Exhibit Bob Schwan Gallery Wichita Exhibit “Art is Ageless” Exhibit at Presbyterian Manor in March 2016 where I won a first place and a third place
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Marilyn J. Schmidt Paintings
Cape Blanco Lighthouse
Grandpa’s Barn
Autumn Splendor Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w72
Virginia Grass Simmons Artist
Virginia Grass Simmons is a native Kansan who has been commissioned for many works of art. She enjoys landscape painting in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas. She spends as much time as possible plein air painting in this inspiring area. She has been accepted into many juried shows, both regional and national. Her painting, “Flint Hills Glory” was chosen as the winner of the Symphony in the Flint Hills juried art show and commemorative print, 2016. Other shows and exhibits include the “America the Beautiful” show at Southwind Gallery in Topeka, 2016; the “American Bison Show” at Beauchamp Gallery in Topeka, 2016; Daughters of the Prairie, 2013; Southwind Gallery, Topeka; National Small Oils, 2012, 2014; Kansas 150, Southwind Gallery, Topeka 2012; American Plains Artists, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015 and Salon International, San Antonio, TX 2004. Virginia is an oil painting instructor at the Wichita Center for the Arts since 2008. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, Kansas Academy of Oil Painters and Wichita Women Artists. She serves as the program director for the Kansas Academy of Oil Painters since 2008 and is represented by Southwind Gallery in Topeka, Kansas.
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Virginia Grass Simmons Paintings
The Weaver
A Stream in the Tetons
Sunflowers
On the Move Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w76
Melinda J. Weis Artist
I came to painting later in life. I started out tole painting when I was in my mid 30’s. I got tired of sanding (sneeze, cough) and I had a friend who encouraged me to take the plunge and study painting at WSU. Thus began my adventures in making art! I studied painting from Jill Eggers, Mary Morgan and Ron Christ at Wichita State University. I have studied locally with Mary Binford Miller, Jim Gross, Matthew Hilyard and Brian Hinkle at the Wichita Center for the Arts. I have also attended workshops by Phil Starke, Jim Clements and Carol Marine (yes, THE Carol Marine!). I have been blessed to have exhibited in the juried National Small Oils Exhibition (awarded an Honorable Mention and 2nd Place), Art from the Heartland at the Coutts Museum (Regional level), Butler County Community College (National level) in El Dorado, and the Arts Council Annual Juried Exhibition in Wichita (awarded 3rd Place). You can currently see my work at Gallery XII. I tend to work in a series, most recently painting crows. I love them, they have so much personality! However, it doesn’t matter what I’m painting, I am always inspired by God’s beautiful creation. I currently live in Derby, Kansas. I have two tuxedo cats who join me in my studio. (It’s nice to have company!) Along with painting, I enjoy photography, graphic arts, playing the piano and listening to Michael Buble. Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w85
Melinda J. Weis Paintings
Sara Smile
Buckner & 63rd
Rock Me Gently
Staged Redux Kansas Academy of Oil Painters w86
ARTIST INDEX
Abraham, Phyllis
7
Hutchison, Louise
39
Schmidt, Marilyn J.
71
Adame, Ron
9
Kiehl, Caroline
41
Schoen, Janette
73
Aikins, Mary
11
Klassen, Jan
43
Simmons, Virginia Grass
75
Bevan, Shari
13
Kreibach, Henry “Skip”
45
Sirmons, Skeet
77
Boone Lori
15
Leiker, Sharon
47
Stromberg Jill
79
Brooks, Alan
17
Littou, Linda
49
Sundquist, Christine
81
Carrick, Shirley
19
McKay, Dennis
51
Swearingen, JoAnn
83
Clements, Jim
21
Miller, Mary Binford
53
Weis, Melinda
85
Coe, Deb
23
Moody, Lori
55
Whitaker, Nancy
87
Coffin, Anne
25
Moss, Naita
57
Zaudke, Rita
89
Denver, Carolyn
27
Mull, Jeanette
59
Ewing, Vesta
29
Myer, Cheryl
61
Fellows, Susan D.
31
Newby, Curtis
63
Forsberg, Maleta
33
Partridge, Sharon
65
Harris, Jo
35
Price, Becky
67
Hull, Judy
37
Roach, Chuck
69
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K
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A
cademy of
O P il
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ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE 2016