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Empowering Your
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
FROM THE EDITOR SPRING 2020 | VOLUME 14, NO. 2
Editor Nathan Pettengill Art Director Jenni Leiste Designers Jenni Leiste Alex Tatro Copy Editor Leslie Andres Advertising Representatives Sunflower Publishing Angie Taylor ataylor@sunflowerpub.com (785) 832-7236 Peterson Publications, Inc publish@petersonpublications.com (785) 271-5801 Ad Designer Alex Tatro Photographers Nick Krug Bill Stephens
Photograph by Nick Krug
Welcome to the spring issue of Topeka Magazine. We are excited to begin a new year of publication with stories about Topeka homes, artists, recipes and personal histories connected to the city. Some of these stories, such as Megan Lindquist’s remembrances of the West Hills neighborhood in the 1960s and 1970s, recall with nostalgia the time when kids spent their days exploring sandbars and racing down hills on their skateboards. Other stories, such as Megan Phelps-Roper’s remembrances of growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church complex, paint a more ambivalent portrait of Topeka childhood defined by both familial warmth and hostility. By their nature, personal histories are distinct. Each one of us will have vastly different experiences and memories, even if we grew up near one another and still reside here as neighbors. These are differences that shape us and will continue to define our beliefs and lives. But sharing a city also defines us. And in this magazine, a publication devoted to covering everything and everyone within Topeka, we focus on personal histories, interests and achievements as celebrations of Topekans who share a common space, have the opportunity to attend the same events and, in some way, overlap with one another in daily life. We hope you enjoy this selection of stories and information about Topeka, about our shared identity and about all the inspiring variations within it.
Writers Marsha Henry Goff Jeffrey Ann Goudie Carolyn Kaberline Susan Kraus Nick Krug Christine Steinkuehler Michelle R. Terry Barbara Waterman-Peters Subscriptions $27 for a one-year subscription, including Topeka SR; order at sunflowerpub.com
Please contact us at topekamagazine@sunflowerpub.com for all comments, subscription and editorial queries.
Topeka Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of Ogden Publications. Production Manager: Jenni Leiste Director: Bob Cucciniello Ogden Publications 1503 SW 42nd St Topeka, KS 66609
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
WHAT’S INSIDE SPRING 2020 | VOLUME 14, NO. 2
TOPEKANS 08 THE FARRIER
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Topekan Alan Eggenberger preserves the oldworld art of shoeing and caring for horses CULTIVATING GENEROSITY
Megan Phelps-Roper talks about breaking with her Westboro family and starting a new one TAKING IT TO THE PORCH
These three Topeka drink recipes will help welcome in the longer days of spring
PLACE 22 A PERFECT SPRING ROUTE
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Runner and fitness trainer Michelle R. Terry concludes a yearlong series on the best seasonal running routes with this tour of Iliff Commons A DREAM LANDSCAPE FOR THE GENERATIONS
A wooded lot in West Hills became the ideal site for a home and garden with more than a half-century of family connections THREE SPRINGTIME TRIPS FROM TOPEKA
All under a two-hour drive, these trips focus on fascinating personal histories of fellow Kansans
I N E VE RY I S S U E 32 WHAT’S HAPPENING
Selected Topeka events for the spring
F E AT U R E S 36 JUSTIN… HE’LL SAVE US
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A medical doctor and her exuberant Labrador retriever prepare for their next deployment to any emergency across the nation
RAW ARTISTRY
The intuitive, self-taught assemblages of Ptr Sponseller represent masterful displays of anatomy and motion
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On the Cover
Brew Bank bartender James Lucatero relaxes with his restaurant’s special spring drink, the Indian Paintbrush. Photograph by Nick Krug.
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TOPEKANS
TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020 STORY BY
Carolyn Kaberline |
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Bill Stephens
The
FARRIER Topekan Alan Eggenberger preserves the old-world art of shoeing and caring for horses
Alan Eggenberger begins the process of cleaning and shoeing the hoofs of Whitney, who stables at CJ Quarter Horses in Topeka.
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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EAST
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or more than forty years, Alan Eggenberger has worked around Topeka as a farrier—the person who provides the equine equivalent of essential pedicures and leaves his horses with customized shoes. It’s an increasingly rare, oldworld profession and one that Eggenberger more or less stumbled into as a result of some teenage cunning. “If I were growing up now, I’d probably be diagnosed with ADD. School was hard for me, and I wanted to graduate early,” Eggenberger says. “So I used reverse psychology on my mother. I told her if she’d let me graduate early—by the end of February, I would go to farrier school. At that time, farrier school was only two weeks long, so I figured I’d be back in time for bass season, which began the middle of March, and could get a lot of fishing in.” Eggenberger’s mother agreed to the scheme, but it turned out she might have been the mastermind psychologist in the family. “Mom lined up clients, all her friends and everyone she knew, so when I got home, I had lots of work to do,” Eggenberger explains with a chuckle. By the time Eggenberger was around 21, he knew he either needed to make a career out of shoeing or find something else to do. So the reluctant student decided to pursue more education in animal care and farrier work and fully embrace his profession. While some farriers specialize in working with certain types of horses or disciplines, Eggenberger says he enjoys being a generalist who is able to shoe horses for distinctly different sports such as reining (where the horse will slide and make sharp turns) or dressage (where the horse is run through a series of complicated steps). “I shoe horses of all disciplines; it keeps the job from becoming monotonous,” he says. That versatility helps him work at various ranches and stables around Topeka, where he keeps a regular circuit for clients. “I know where I’ll be each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday—Tuesday at Rocking V, Thursday at the Roundup Club and Friday at R&D,” Eggenberger says. Having that experience and working with a regular group of horses who are familiar with him makes the job less dangerous. But even the most experienced farriers will run up against an injury considering the size of the horses and the fact that some of their clients are not entirely trained. “I’ve been very lucky,” Eggenberger says. “I’ve only been to the ER twice as a result of shoeing, and those were for cornea scratches due to a tail hitting an eye. Now I wear safety glasses and a hat while shoeing and grinding.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
TOPEKANS
OLD-WORLD SKILLS, MODERN COSTS The services of a skilled farrier are expenses that reflect the farrier’s education plus the rising expenses of maintaining a mobile workstation with some $10,000– $15,000 worth of equipment. Currently Alan Eggenberger charges $50.00 plus tax for a full trim, $140 to start with for full shoes, with some corrective work running more than $200 if pads, packing and epoxy are used. “A percentage of everything taken in goes for expenses,” says Eggenberger. “Nails are now 7 cents apiece; I used to buy them by the pound. Shoes can run from $3.50 to $35.00 a pair. When I started in 1980, I charged $6.00 to trim, $17.00 to reset and $21.00 for new shoes. Gas was 85 cents a gallon and a new truck was about $10,000.”
But even with the safety concerns and the sometimes less-than-glamorous conditions (imagine, says Eggenberger, “those long, hot days in the summertime when even the best-trained horse won’t always stand still due to the flies”), being a farrier has been a satisfying job for the boy who originally chose it as a get-out-of-school option. While he has cut back on the area he serves—he mainly stays in Shawnee County now—Eggenberger still travels about 20,000 miles per year. At home, Eggenberger sets his own hours and takes more time for his own farm while still doing the job he loves. “I start earlier in hot weather and try to quit a bit earlier than I did 10 years ago. I have 80 head of cattle—mother cows, calves, bulls and replacement heifers—to care for now, so I try to be home by 3 or 3:30,” Eggenberger says. “I enjoy being outside on nice days. I like taking a horse that’s moving badly, correcting him and helping the owner achieve his or her goals whether riding in the posse, trail riding, reining, and so on. As physical as this job is, I was originally planning on retiring in my 60s; now I’m thinking of my 70s.”
About the Writer: Carolyn Kaberline is a teacher and journalist whose writing appears regularly in Topeka Magazine.
Farrier Bob Grady of Burlingame says that while some non-horsemen may consider the $100 he charges for a regular trim and shoeing to be expensive, he notes that he has approximately $3,500 invested in tools, spends an average of $6,000 per year in shoe and nail supplies, and has annual fuel costs of some $5,000 plus the expense of a new work vehicle every six or seven years. Brian Barnett, who works as a farrier out of Winchester, turns to time-tested wisdom to explain the costs—and argue that experienced farriers are still a bargain: “There is an old saying from the horse and buggy days that the price of shoeing a horse should be eight times the price of a haircut. My wife cuts my hair with clippers, so we would be do-it-yourselfers, but I imagine if you got your hair done at a salon, it would probably be $50 or $60,” meaning a farrier service should cost $400–$480 dollars, rather than the comparatively affordable rates Topeka farriers charge.
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
TOPEKANS STORY BY
Cultivate
Jeffrey Ann Goudie
GENEROSITY Megan Phelps-Roper talks about breaking with her Westboro family and starting a new one
Megan Phelps-Roper holds her child, Sølvi, alongside her husband, Chad Fjelland. Photograph courtesy Megan Phelps-Roper
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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nyone who has lived in Topeka since 1991 will be familiar with Westboro Baptist Church’s homophobic pickets. These once-ubiquitous protests garner less publicity now, but their power to intimidate in the early 1990s—long before legalized same-sex marriage and the evolution of public opinion and policy regarding the LGBTQ community—can’t be overstated. As a newspaper columnist, first for the Topeka Capital-Journal, and later for the Topeka Metro News, I wrote critically about Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) and found myself a target of the church’s venom. Members of the Phelps family—nearly the entire church congregation was part of a single extended family— sent out personalized, graphic and profane faxes. Over the years, criticism of the WBC grew, and it was officially recognized as a hate group by organizations such as the AntiDefamation League. The WBC’s picketing of military funerals also caused national outrage and prompted multiple municipal and state lawmakers to enact laws protecting mourners from being directly confronted by the WBC demonstrations. There were also defections from within the WBC family, and I was delighted when, in 2015, Megan Phelps-Roper reached out to me and my husband, writer Tom Averill (also a target of WBC faxes), through Eric McHenry, Photograph courtesy Megan Phelps-Roper a Washburn University English professor. Over pizza at a local restaurant, Megan and her younger sister Grace asked how the faxes and pickets affected us. I understood that they were seeking to understand people once considered enemies. Later, I learned from Eric that Megan had written a powerful memoir about leaving the church; she was in negotiations with Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a New York house that also has published former Topekans Ling Ma, Ben Lerner, and Cyrus Console. A possible movie deal was also in the works. The movie has yet to emerge, but the book Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church, was released in 2019 and tells—in clear, thoughtful and candid prose—the story of Phelps-Roper’s loving but harsh childhood and adolescence in the fundamentalist church. She writes of her awakening to the hurt the church’s hate-mongering messages inflicted, especially as the group began to picket the soldiers’ funerals. Twitter served as an eye-opener when Phelps-Roper jousted with outsiders, most notably a Jewish blogger, and later, with a lawyer who became her husband. Phelps-Roper now lives in a small South Dakota town with her husband and their daughter. She graciously agreed to answer a dozen questions about Unfollow on the heels of a whirlwind tour of the book.
Q&A Jeffrey Ann Goudie (JAG): As a Topekan who witnessed the pickets of the Westboro Baptist Church, and who was the subject of faxes as a newspaper columnist who wrote critically about the church, I found the first part of Unfollow hard to read. This is another way of saying that the writing is quite authentic. When you begin to flirt with the outside world, I breathed easier as a reader. Was the first part of the book harder to write than later parts? Megan Phelps-Roper (MPR): It was definitely harder. I still experience an intense “split-screen” effect when I think about my years growing up: I remember what it felt like as I lived it, when I understood Westboro to be righteous and essentially unquestionable—but I am also often appalled and flabbergasted to reconsider our actions now as an “outsider.” It’s disorienting to feel both a sense of complete normalcy and horrifying regret about the same set of actions. JAG: Your mother, Shirley Phelps-Roper, and your aunt, Margie Phelps, certainly did not conform to the Old Testament model of the submissive wife. At one point you refer to your mom and “her power-walking sisters.” How was it growing up with these strong women? MPR: In spite of all the hurtful things I learned at Westboro, I am profoundly grateful to have been surrounded by so many strong, capable women. A huge part of the strength it took for me to leave the church was derived from the example of those women. They knew what they were about; they were passionate and dedicated; they played to their strengths, and they were—for many years—the loudest voices at Westboro. It was empowering and inspirational for me.
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
TOPEKANS
Photograph courtesy Farrar, Straus and Giroux
MPR: I was 23 when I joined Twitter, and I did love it. I still believe that we can choose to engage on the platform with more empathy and consideration—that it can still be a place for genuine connection with strangers—but because of the way outrage and cancel culture function on the internet now, it’s much harder to have public conversations on any sort of difficult topic. We have to find a way to cultivate generosity with respect to how we interpret the words of people with whom we disagree.
JAG: You and your eleven siblings attended Topeka Public Schools rather than being home-schooled. Likewise, you were not shielded from access to movies, books, television, music and other popular media. How did this pop culture exposure affect your development? MPR: For a long time, I thought it didn’t affect me much at all, because I had viewed everything and everyone through the lens that Westboro had given me (which is to say, it never made me consciously question the church). I recognize now, though, that that exposure was important—because it showed me what was possible. It wasn’t until I started questioning the church’s doctrines that I started to re-think my view of outsiders and their ideas. But if I’d never had that exposure in the first place, I wouldn’t have had viable alternatives readily available to help me find a different perspective. JAG: You became the social media voice for WBC at an early age. You seemed to enjoy swimming in the snark-infested waters of Twitter. What is your current thinking about Twitter?
JAG: You made a brave decision to leave the confines of WBC because of the unfair treatment of your mother and your sister, Grace. A former high school teacher served as a friendly sounding board and guardrail during this period. Could you describe his influence? MPR: I could not be more grateful for Keith Newbery. I had him for one class at Topeka West High School, but because of the way he treated me— fairly, kindly, generously, unafraid to openly discuss Westboro—I understood that he had good intentions. His openness bred trust, and when I left the church, his friendship was so much more than I could have hoped for. He directed me to books and ideas to broaden my perspective, helped me see where Westboro’s thinking was tripping me up, and gave me a safe place to express myself without judgment. Friend, mentor, therapist, and very funny—Newbery filled a lot of roles. JAG: Who are your other mentors? MPR: There are several—people I met while at Westboro and new friends I’ve made since leaving—but another essential mentor is Eric McHenry, a professor at Washburn University. He’s an incredibly thoughtful person who has a deep understanding of Westboro
and its history in Topeka. That knowledge and experience give him a unique perspective that has helped me in many ways, and Unfollow wouldn’t exist without his encouragement and assistance in writing about all of it.
“We have to find a way to cultivate generosity with respect to how we interpret the words of people with whom we disagree.” JAG: Has there been any reaction to Unfollow from your family members, or other members of WBC? MPR: There has been some reaction from WBC, all negative of course. I’ve even been the subject of a Westboro fax myself recently. I expected the negative words, of course, but I’m heartened by a brief conversation I had with my uncle (a Westboro elder) on Twitter, which included a small admission that they may have done some things wrong. It may seem small, but that acknowledgment gives me hope.
JAG: What is it like to return to Topeka now that you are no longer allowed to visit your family at the WBC compound? MPR: It used to be almost exclusively painful and awkward. It’s still both of those things, but to a much lesser
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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degree—and those feelings sit alongside a much deeper appreciation of Topeka than I ever had while I was at WBC. I miss life there sometimes, not just my life at Westboro but the city itself, and many people who live there. I just found myself typing, “I enjoy coming home now.” I think I’ll always think of Topeka as home.
JAG: Your future husband seemed to take a very cautious approach when you started expressing to him your desire to leave the church. How was this helpful to you? MPR: It was important that I come to my conclusions on my own—that I be intentional and deliberate and learn to stand on my own two feet. I had never had any real independence at Westboro, never really had to do my own thinking, and it was a skill I desperately needed to learn. JAG: When you first fled the church, you and your sister immersed yourselves in books. How did books help you in the aftermath of leaving the church? MPR: Books helped me in all the ways that they help everyone: They give us a broader sense of other people’s experiences and help us see ourselves in them. They help us to feel like we’re not alone. They give us language to articulate things we’ve felt but didn’t have words for—and may not have even been totally conscious of. They offer us different ways of understanding and interpreting the world. Books are everything. JAG: Have you been surprised by the attention your book has received, with reviews in the New York Times Book Review and on NPR, among others, and an interview on Terry Gross’ “Fresh Air”? MPR: I have been floored by the responses I’ve been getting. I never expected anyone to care much, and it has been so gratifying to think anyone would take the time to read and think about my book—let alone give it space in these incredible outlets. JAG: What is life like for you now as mother of a toddler in a tiny town in South Dakota? MPR: It’s still hard to believe my life is what it is now. I spent a long time thinking that I’d never get married or have children, and I think that’s made me appreciate my husband and daughter to an utterly overwhelming degree. It also amazes me that I have any real control over my life at all; I always joke that I still get excited to go to the grocery store without permission, and it’s still true!
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
APPETITE STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Nick Krug
Taking it to the
PORCH These three Topeka drink recipes will help welcome in the longer days of spring
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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W
hen we talk about spring cocktails, we think of moving away from the fireplace, throwing open the screen door, taking in the smell of somebody else’s freshly-cut grass and plopping ourselves down on the steps with what Topeka bartender Brittany Miller refers to as a “sittin’ on the porch sippin’ drink.” Along with Miller, two other mixologists, James Lucatero of Brew Bank and Dakota Davis of The Blue Moose, have also presented their optimal spring cocktails. All of them lively, fresh, floral and sure to bring you out of winter hibernation. Cheers!
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Burger Stand DRINK: Spring in Your Step INGREDIENTS: 1.5 ounces of Hendrick’s gin, .25 ounce of Crème de violette, muddled fresh cucumber and lemon, lavender sparkling water for topping. Garnish with a cucumber peel and rosemary.
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While developing this cocktail, Miller says a coworker envisioned himself drinking a pitcher of it while mowing the lawn. Although she doesn’t recommend doing that, Miller agrees that it has a lighter, refreshing taste. “I feel like people tend to lean toward warm, smoky flavors in the fall and winter, and then come spring, people like a lot of floral notes,” says Miller. “This is a really nice, light drink to introduce people to gin.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
APPETITE
Adam Clary and James Lucatero
Dakota Davis
Brew Bank
The Blue Moose
DRINK: Indian Paintbrush
DRINK: Dark and Stormy
INGREDIENTS: 1.5 ounces CH Distillery vodka, .75 ounce of fresh grapefruit juice, .5 ounce of simple syrup, two to three dashes Peychaud’s bitters. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
INGREDIENTS: 1.5 ounces of Goslings Black Seal rum, one can Gosling’s ginger beer. Garnish with a lime.
This drink, designed by Adam Clary for Brew Bank, shares the same name and color of the vibrantly red wild flower found in Texas, and growing farther south into South America. Clary created the drink as his own variation of a cocktail known in Austin, and bartender James Lucatero mixed it up for us. “It’s a very well-balanced drink,” says Lucatero. “It touches a little bit of everything in the palette as far as freshness, sweetness, bitter and sour.”
Dakota Davis of The Blue Moose says the Dark and Stormy is a tribute to the extreme contrasts of spring weather—after all, without rain and showers, there wouldn’t be any beautiful wildflowers dotting the landscape.
AT
“I was really blown away by the simplicity of it,” Clary adds. “The addition of the rosemary and simple syrup gives it another layer of depth. We like to taste what we smell and when we smell the rosemary and dive into this martini … it’s beautiful.”
AT
“It is refreshing because it has a little bit of carbonation, but it still has the rum in it to keep you warm as well. Visually it’s very appealing. I love the light and dark contrast on it, and I love the barrel glass that it’s served in.”
About the Writer: An independent photographer, Nick Krug has also photographed 14 seasons of KU basketball. When not with camera in hand, he is working on his house in central Topeka or spending time with his beautiful wife and children.
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PLACE
TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020 STORY BY
Michelle R. Terry
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Bill Stephens
A Perfect
SPRING ROUTE Runner and fitness trainer Michelle R. Terry concludes a yearlong series on the best seasonal running routes with this tour of Iliff Commons
Douglas Iliff runs along the trail of Iliff Commons with two of the trail’s most frequent visitors, Gabby and Loki.
T
here is so much to like about Iliff Commons: its views of the Capitol, the native grass and wildflowers along the course, its dog-friendly status, and its sense of being in an isolated preserve (while still being close to central Topeka). For all these reasons, plus the history and spirit behind this little-known gem of land, Iliff Commons is my choice for the region’s top spring running spot. Even if you don’t agree with me that it is the best spring route, I think you’ll be captivated by it if you make the time for the short trip just west of K-4 on NE 31st Street. Iliff Commons is a 1.5-mile loop trail with woods, a rolling prairie, creek
crossings, and a pond. A metal sculpture of a bison stands guard on the grounds while several smaller sculptures can be found hidden among the groves. Used often as a course for the state’s Sunflower Games, Iliff Commons is a private plot of land, but the owners open it to the public from sunrise to sunset, with ample parking a the north end of the trailhead. Regular visitors such as Ashley Cain, a Topeka-area yoga teacher and Reiki healer, call Iliff Commons a haven close to home. “I go there to talk out loud to Mother Nature,” she says. “It’s a beautiful place, and I hope others find solace here as well.”
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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Our Route Guides
Planning the Run
The land’s owners, Douglas and Dorothy Iliff, have worked to restore native plants and grass onto their patch of prairie through reseeding and controlled burns. “The wildlife is responding,” Dorothy says. “There are over 53 different kinds of birds.” So that they could enjoy these views of natural Kansas, the couple also created a small trail for running and walking, and then created a series of three looped trails: one for walking or running, one for mountain bikes and one for mixed use recreation. The trails are open to the public and often used for events during the annual Sunflower Games. But you can still come across the owners when you visit. Dorothy regularly chops away the brush and undergrowth and maintains the entire property herself with a walk-behind mower and wood chipper. She calls the work rewarding and therapeutic, but it is unquestionably intense. “She walks at least eight miles every time she mows,” notes Douglas. A Topeka physician, Douglas practices the healthful living he advises by regularly running on the trail, most often with his two dogs. “I encourage exercise in my practice, and this is a great place to do it,” he says.
Spring running in Kansas is as unpredictable as other seasons, just a bit windier and wetter, so take these precautions when heading out to Iliff Commons this season. 1) Dress in layers Depending on the duration of your run, your body temperature can change, particularly since this area has both open meadows and wooded areas (which are shady and a few degrees colder than at the trailhead). Be ready to shed layers in the sun, but have cold gear options for the woods. 2) Check the weather Spring in Kansas brings thunderstorms and tornados. There is no storm shelter on the premises, and the woods will not protect you from lightning strikes. 3) Hydrate As always, drink water before, during, and after a run. There are no water sources on the property, so bring your own. 4) Consider the wind This course winds through some wooded areas that will block the winds, but you’ll encounter headwinds and tailwinds across the meadows regardless of your start point. 5) Bring your gratitude Iliff Commons is open to the public because of the generosity of its owners. Return their goodwill by leaving the grounds better than you found them. Haul out your trash, pet waste, or recyclables; and the sunrises and sunsets will welcome you back every time.
The Rundown Location: Exit Topeka to the north on K-4 and turn west on NE 31st Street; just 50 feet past the intersection will be a driveway on the south; follow this driveway to the trailhead entrance. Trail distance: Among the three separate trails, Iliff Commons has mapped 3k, 4k and 5k courses for runners.
Iliff Commons
K-4
Parking: Ample parking provided Water: Runners should bring their own water Restrooms: None Pets: Dogs allowed
Hwy 24
Safety: Exercise with a buddy and be mindful of wildlife. There have been two species of snakes identified in the woods, neither of which are poisonous, but use caution to prevent yourself or your pet from being bitten. Hours: Sunrise to sunset
About the Writer: Michelle Terry is a writer and registered dietitian. When she’s not working or wrangling her family, she is running, doing yoga, or managing an unruly garden.
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PLACE
TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020 STORY BY
Christine Steinkuehler |
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Nick Krug
A Dream Landscape for the
GENERATIONS A wooded lot in West Hills became the ideal site for a home and garden with more than a half-century of family connections
M
Marge Murphy and Megan Lindquist stand in front of the West Hills home and garden that has been passed on from one generation to the next.
egan and Dan Lindquist’s Californiacontemporary home of cantilevered extensions perches over a wooded ravine in their West Hills neighborhood. The home was customized for this pocket of natural beauty, and the land and gardens around it have developed with the site, cared for and passed on to a new generation.
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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Megan grew up in this house. She and Dan had talked to her parents for years about buying the house from them. Megan’s parents, Tom and Marge Murphy, had bought the property from its original owner and builder—former governor Alf Landon. They had arrived from New York in the early 1950s and built a house in the neighborhood, just down the street from the large, wooded corner lot that would eventually become theirs. “As our family kept getting bigger and bigger, [my father] knew we would need another house,” recalls Megan. Her parents had kept a 1959 issue of Ladies Home Journal that showed plans for a dream home they thought would be perfect for the empty lot they had their eye on. After obtaining the plans from the publisher for five dollars, the Murphys slightly modified them—they chose not to paint the brick and woodwork and they edited out the swimming pool—and were ready to begin building their dream house once they bought the lot in 1962. The home still looks very much like the original plans; the big adaptation was the yard. When Marge and Tom finished their home, it was one of only four or five houses in the neighborhood full of wooded lots. Marge tells the story of how families sent out older kids to these lots to watch over and protect the trees from being needlessly cut down when work crews started in on a new property. In order to create a garden for this wooded location, the Murphys contacted Skinners for their original plantings, which included an euonymus hedge, crabapples, lilacs, globe juniper, honeysuckle and perennials. Marge’s mother also brought little starter plants as well as ivy to help prevent erosion. “My mom and I finally got the garden started, and the funny part about that was I was pregnant as usual, as always, and so I could kneel down but I couldn’t bend over and she helped me plant,” recalls Marge. “She loved being in the garden.” Some of the original trees have not survived. Unfortunately, two big willow trees and a few other smaller trees had died by 2013, when Megan and Dan moved in. So they removed the dead trees and replaced them with 21 new trees, which now stand next to original giants such as the lot’s original burr oak. “When we were kids, we played and climbed in the trees,” says Megan, who loves being able to keep her windows open in mild weather to hear the wind blowing through the leaves. “There is something about being around all these trees, that energy.” Marge says that the trees and the yard are now in superior gardening hands, but Megan says her mother definitely knows more about flowers and that her dad brought a “reckless” boldness to the yard. “He would just throw stuff in, but it was a beautiful design.” Some of the modifications have also been dictated by time. The original ivy, for example, began spreading everywhere and wearing down anything in its path, so Megan and Dan have put in more rocks, sedum, low-maintenance plants and a berm to prevent erosion. But the spirit of the house, a home surrounded by nature, remains the same, which is exactly what Megan and Dan wish to preserve and enjoy. “Nature does something to you,” says Megan. “Living among trees and working in the dirt change you. Mom stayed so healthy and in shape taking care of this big house and hill. So many friends and neighbors give me plants, and I so appreciate it and I love them all.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
PLACE
Growing up in West Hills “We grew up with 10 kids in the sixties,” recalls Megan Lindquist. “There were times when all 10 kids were living at home; several rooms had multiple beds. I slept in a crib pretty long because there was not a bed available for me. I always say that we put the ‘fun’ in dysfunction. We were very passionate, very opinionated, strong people, so you can use your imagination.” Now, Megan shares the home with her husband, Dan, but the memories of childhood and the events within the home surround her. For instance, when they hosted a 95th birthday party for Megan’s mother, Marge, she recalled all of the parties that Marge—who often acted in local productions—had hosted in previous decades. “Mom had a lot of theater parties. This house was meant for parties, and she did a lot of theater cast parties. And almost all of my siblings did theater, so many people have said that they came to parties here.” The home was also well known throughout Topeka because of a promotional film that can still be found and viewed on YouTube, “Topeka Is a People Place.” The early 1970s film chronicles a boy following a talking mynah bird across the industrial, cultural and commercial sites of town—all set to a groovy soundtrack by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra. “A milkman walked in and left milk in the fridge during the filming,” recalls Megan “There were all these people working and all these lights. I remember coming home from school and watching them film. We really did not have to move too much stuff around. “It is a little dorky,” Megan adds, a verdict that most modern viewers would likely share. But the spirit was true, she says. Topeka was a place of adventure for a child at that time, especially in their neighborhood during the free hours between school and family supper.
About the Writer: Christine Steinkuehler is a Topeka educator who frequently contributes articles on gardening.
“We got to watch all these houses being built. We played in the houses while they were building them. The dangers! There was a big skateboarding craze in the 1960s and people would come to the West Hills to skateboard. Everybody went down the hills—lots of bloody faces. When it would snow, we would call this “the black hole.” You could not get up this way or that way, you were just stuck. We sledded on our property. We walked to the governor’s pond in our ice skates. The governor’s pond was so fun; this was a great neighborhood to grow up in. Some kids had rules from their dad that they were not to go down to the river, but we went together down there and all of our kids were in the water. We didn’t really ask permission; things were different in those days, kind of free.We knew that was dangerous, but we played on the sandbars. We came back for dinner; we had a dinner bell, so we knew to come back for dinner.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
PLACE STORY BY
Susan Kraus
Three Springtime Trips
FROM TOPEKA All under a two-hour drive, these trips focus on fascinating personal histories of fellow Kansans
Photographs by KDWPT and Nathan Pettengill
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Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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A
ll history begins with personal stories. Insights into someone’s life are hooks that pull us, and our children, into wanting to know more about that individual’s time and surroundings. Personal stories make history relevant and real. So, here are some personal history hooks for you to consider and enjoy this spring.
Amelia’s Atchison Explore the Kansas roots of the globally celebrated pilot, Amelia Earhart, at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. The stately home on the bluffs of the Missouri River preserves several artifacts of Earhart’s life, everything from photos to her silk scarf designs. It’s a tribute to the soaring spirit of a daring Kansan. If the weather is welcoming during your visit, then be sure to spend time strolling along Riverfront Park with its informative Lewis & Clark Pavilion and Veterans Memorial Plaza. For food, Atchison offers several original options, such as the Italian Paolucci’s, in its historic downtown area. If you want a river view, you can sit outside with the grill at the River Shack Smokehouse.
Osa’s Chanute In 1910, in Chanute, a 16-year-old girl named Osa Leighty fell for and quickly eloped with a 25-year-old man named Martin Johnson. Neither set of parents was happy, especially Martin’s parents, as they’d wanted him to settle down in Chanute and take over the family jewelry store. But, the lovestruck couple took off for years of adventure in Africa and Borneo. They were the first Americans to send back photos and film of gorillas as well as other natural habitats and indigenous peoples of several regions. Their travels and personal stories are now retold at Chanute’s Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum. Set in a historic depot, the museum is filled with artifacts and anecdotes of the Johnsons’ travels, from a time when there were no cell phones, when adventure was intrinsically dangerous and entailed being cut off from the rest of the world. Parts of the museum reflect the bias and attitudes toward tribal peoples that were common during the Johnsons’ time, which makes this an even more complex walk through history. This spring, a renovated gallery hall will open to feature a large collection of West African art. Wondering how a 16-year-old girl navigated such an unconventional life, and seeing the results of the couple’s explorations, makes for a fun and even inspirational day trip. After visiting the museum, get a taste of the 1930s with a stop at the soda fountain in the Cardinal Drug Store (lunch daily, with special dishes on Wednesdays and Thursdays). I find it an essential stop, if only for the adventure of a malt, ice cream soda or homemade fudge.
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REFERRAL PROGRAM
Ike’s Abilene If you haven’t been to Abilene this past year, now is the time to go. Fresh from a major renovation and expansion, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, along with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Boyhood Home, explores the complex and competing truths between the adage that “anyone in the U.S. can grow up to be president” and the remarkable legacy of the small-town Kansas kid who did. You can easily spend most of the day at the Eisenhower sites, but there is certainly a case for leaving time to explore other attractions such as the Abilenebased C.W. Parker Carousels, an essential part of what was once the largest amusement touring company in the country. You can ride a Parker Carousel at the Heritage Center Museum (one of 12 carousels in the U.S. designated as a National Landmark by the National Park Service.) Afterwards, if the kids (or you) love dogs, the Greyhound Hall of Fame provides a comprehensive history of the breed and its racing heritage (plus, you get to pet the museum’s designated greeters—greyhounds). For dinner, I recommend a meal at the Brookville Hotel (family-style chicken since 1915) or Mrs. K’s Farmhouse (formerly Lena’s, an Ike favorite, it really is in a farmhouse).
About the Writer: Susan Kraus is an award-winning travel writer and the author of a Kansas-based mystery series.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SPRING
MARCH FEATURED EVENT
I DREAM A WORLD
March 1–June 13
Mulvane Art Museum displays photographs from the book I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women who Changed America. The images by the late Brian Lanker include portraits of Rosa Parks, Gwendolyn Brooks, a young Oprah Winfrey and many others. Lanker, who won the Pulitzer photography prize in 1973 for his black and white images of natural childbirth in Topeka, worked for many years as a staff photographer at Topeka Capital-Journal. His immersive approach to documenting his subjects is reflected in this series of portraits of women who convey a sense of comfort in front of the camera as well as inner poise, confidence and immense determination. The entire series of 75 photographs enters into the permanent collection of the Mulvane, but can be seen now—in its entirety—during the inaugural showing. This is a monumental collection of art whose relevance and significance resonate into contemporary culture.
March 6–28
March 20
We Will Rock You
Sounding Light
Topeka Civic Theatre presents a musical tribute to legendary rock band Queen. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at topekacivictheatre.com.
Chorale director, organist and composer Tom Trenney leads arrangements of Bach’s motets and more as part of Grace Episcopal Cathedral’s Sacred Spaces concert series. For more information, go online at greatspaces.org.
March 8 19th Amendment Panel The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library hosts a panel focusing on the 100-year anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment and how women of color shaped and continued to respond. For more information, go online at tscpl.org.
March 21–22
March 9–13
March 28
Spring Break Camp
I Dream a World Family Day
Topeka Zoo hosts a week of activities focusing on up-close encounters with the animal residents. For more information about this and other upcoming school-break/summer camps for youth, go online at topekazoo.org
ArtLab and Mulvane Art Museum invite young students for an afternoon of crafts and activities inspired by the ongoing exhibit of Brian Lanker’s groundbreaking photographs documenting the struggles and triumphs of African American women. For more information, go online at washburn.edu/mulvane.
March 12 The Illusionists—Live From Broadway Family-friendly performance from a national touring troupe of performers. For more information, go online at topekaperformingarts.org.
March 2
March 14
Around the Globe
Topeka St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Topeka Festival Singers present an international lineup of traditional songs from Ireland, Italy, Jamaica and more. For more information, go online at topekafestivalsingers. orgFor more information and ticket reservations, go online at topekaperformingarts.org.
The parade starts at noon and rolls through Downtown Topeka, and crowds will also form for the Bed Race, the Mater Dei Irish Fest 5k run, the Irish song sing-along, the beer garden and buffet and a golf tournament. topekastpats.com.
Photographs courtesy Mulvane Art Museum (Brian Lanker, from the permanent collection), Shutterstock, The Illusionists
Paw Patrol Live Stormont Vail Events Center hosts a musical presentation by the pup-heroes and their new pirate friends. For more information, go online at pawpatrollive.com/city/ topeka-ks-gpa
March 28–29 SCCA Solo Heartland Motorsports Park hosts two days of autocross competition, the sport where traffic cones are placed to create mini racecourses for cars of all types. For more information, go online at heartlandmotorsports. us/events.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Spring 2020 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SPRING
APRIL FEATURED EVENT
“REFLECTIONS” AT SABATINI GALLERY April 6
We’ve missed you, Alice C. Sabatini Gallery! Since August 2019, the free gallery inside the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library has been closed for a major renovation project— and now it is set to open its doors on two galleries and an expanded space with studios and workrooms. The opening exhibition, “Reflections,” will highlight items from the gallery’s extensive permanent collection (much of which can also be viewed online at sabatini.tscpl.org/ eMuseumPlus). The renovation was made possible with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, along with additional funding from The Library Foundation, Jerry and Judy Reed and the family of Alice C. Sabatini. Look for more information about the gala opening celebration online at tscpl.org/gallery.
April 2–4 WIFI Film Festival Washburn University opens a new film festival focusing on films by and about women. Free showings are held at White Concert Hall and Jayhawk Theatre. For more information, go online at washburn.edu/wifi
Photographs: Courtesy Topeka Civic Theatre, Nick Krug and Shutterstock
April 3
April 17–May 2
First Friday Art Walk
As You Like It
As with the first Friday of each month, Topeka’s galleries and art studios open for special showings, artist meet-andgreets and performances. For a full schedule of events, participating venues and special transportation routes, go online at artsconnecttopeka.org.
Topeka Civic Theatre presents Shakespeare’s tale of mixed identities and true love featuring one of his strongest female comedic leads. For more information, go online at topekacivictheatre.com.
April 13 Chicago Topeka Performing Arts Center hosts legendary rock group. For tickets and more information, go online at topekaperformingarts.org.
April 18 Bridge 2 Bridge 5k run/walk The city’s annual urban USATF-certified run/walk kicks off from Kansas Avenue in Downtown Topeka. For registration and more information, go online at visit. topekapartnership.com.
April 19 April 4
Huascar Medina
The Great American Road Trip
The Kansas poet laureate presents a free reading and discussion at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. For more information, go online at tscpl.org and humanitieskansas.org.
Topeka Symphony Orchestra presents an evening of music inspired by road trips and American highways, such as Michael Daugherty’s “Route 66.” For tickets and more information, go online at topekasymphony.org.
April 25 Paws in the Park
April 10 Tulips at Twilight Old Prairie Town is illuminated by more than 30 lighting displays highlighting the beds of tulips. The event is part of nearly month-long Tulip Time seasonal display of tulip blooms planted at various locations throughout the city and particularly at Lake Shawnee. For more information, go online at parks.snco.us.
The Helping Hands Humane Society hosts an afternoon gathering of animal product vendors and pet lovers. For more information, go online at hhhstopeka.org.
April 25 Roar and Pour Wine Festival The Topeka Zoo hosts its annual evening fundraiser of music, wine and wildlife. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at topekazoo.org.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Spring 2020
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SPRING
MAY FEATURED EVENT
COUNTRY AND FOOD TRUCKS
May 9
The city concludes a series of Downtown community concerts with an evening of country music and food trucks. The evening of live country music begins at 4 p.m. for a family-friendly evening. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and pets (if on a leash). There is no entry fee for the event, and dinner and drinks can be purchased from one of the 20+ food trucks. For more information, go online at visit. topekapartnership.com/events.
May 8
May 16–17
Wicked Kansas
SCCA Solo
Author Adrian Zink appears at the Kansas Museum of History to share tales of murders, crooked politicians and other ne’erdo-wells from the otherwise law-abiding and friendly state of Kansas. For more information, go online at kshs.org/p/kansasmuseum-of-history-events/18982
Heartland Motorsports Park hosts two days of autocross competition, the sport where traffic cones are placed to create mini racecourses for cars of all types. For more information, go online at heartlandmotorsports.us/events.
Memorial Day Weekend
February 14–16 Topeka Home Show The Topeka Area Building Association hosts the annual showcase of new home features and essentials at the Stormont Vail Event Center. For more information, go online at topekahomeshow.com.
May 9
May 1–10
Laugh Lines
Story of My Life
Topeka Civic Theatre hosts evening of comedy by its resident improve group. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at topekacivictheatre.com.
Musical drama about childhood friendships. At the Helen Hocker Theatre. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at helenhocker.com.
May 23–26 Veterans honored with Memorial Day Tribute Wall at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery. For more information, go online at penwellgabelcemetery.com.
May 28 Golden Giants opener Loaded with a roster of hometown talent, Topeka’s summer collegiate ball team opens its season with a home game against the KC Monarchs. More information and a full summer schedule are available at topekagoldengiantsbaseball.com.
May 29–June 13 May 16
Miracle on South Division St.
May 2
Work Party
Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale
The Shawnee Yacht Club prepares its boating season with an annual work party ahead of sailing season in June. For more information about the club’s 2020 boating and sailing lessons throughout the summer, go online at shawneeyachtclub.org.
Topeka Civic Theatre presents a dramatic comedy about a working-class family from Buffalo and their connection to a miraculous event. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at topekacivictheatre.com.
Buy seasonal starter plants and hear advice from some of the area’s most experienced gardeners at Agriculture Hall. For more information, go online at stormontvaileventscenter.com.
May 4 POPS: Star Wars Topeka Symphony Orchestra features John Williams’ compositions for the Star Wars film franchise. Costumes welcome. For ticket reservations and more information, go online at topekasymphony.org.
Photographs: Courtesy Topeka Civic Theatre and Shutterstock (2)
Coming soon to Theatre Lawrence February 28 - March 8 Lyrical music enhances the story of Anne Frank
April 17 - 26 The empowering story of astronomer, Henrietta Leavitt
June 5 - 21 The popular musical that follows the story of strong-willed matchmaker, Dolly Gallagher Levi
(785) 843-7469 | www.theatrelawrence.com | 4660 Bauer Farm Drive
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T S JU S U E V A S L L HE ’ A medical doctor and her exuberant Labrador retriever prepare for their next deployment to any disaster across the nation STORY BY MARSHA H. GOFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK KRUG
N I T
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W
ithin minutes of the May 28, 2019, tornado that carved a mile-wide path of destruction through parts of northeastern Kansas, Lillian Lockwood and Justin, her yellow Labrador retriever, were deployed as part of the Kansas Task Force to locate any survivors who may have been trapped in the rubble. Lockwood, an emergency medicine physician at hospitals in Topeka and Kansas City, also serves as a medical team manager for the new medical component of Kansas Task Force. In 2012, even before she acquired Justin, Lockwood began training with Kansas Search and Rescue Dog Association (KSARDA) and successfully completed the rigorous Search and Rescue Technician Testing program through the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR). She feels fortunate to have obtained Justin from Ann Wichmann, owner of Jenner’s Run Kennel in Colorado, because Wichmann is a well-known K9 handler who, with her own K9s, is a veteran of many disaster responses, including the 9-11 terrorist attack in 2001. For Justin, the training and practice for search and rescue can be a game. As he runs through his drills to simulate finding a victim buried in rubble ten or more feet deep, he exudes enthusiasm, energy and charm. But these sessions are all in preparation for an emergency, the chance that Lockwood and Justin might be called into an environment where Justin has to close off the distraction of other dogs and scents and focus on finding a person in a rubble pile. Reaching trapped victims as quickly as possible is essential to saving lives. If a dog can quickly identify a victim, then medical problems such as heat stroke, hypothermia, crush injury, or complications such as high blood sugar due to lack of medication may be lessened or completely avoided. But Justin has been trained for more than earthquake or tornado rescue. In October, Lockwood coordinated a highly successful mock-disaster event in Denver that simulated an airplane crash over a wilderness area. Dogs were used to locate victims, including one trapped
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TRIBUTES under an airplane wing and a parachutist caught in a tree. Presumed victims with realistic injuries were scattered throughout the park. Lockwood’s team has also been deployed to Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian to provide medical and humanitarian support. When Florida no longer required assistance, they headed home but were diverted to North Carolina. In the small town of Plymouth, they arrived at an evacuation shelter where those managing the hurricane emergency were overwhelmed and exhausted. Some of the evacuees had serious medical problems that the shelter was not equipped to handle, so Lockwood helped them devise a triage plan where those with serious medical needs were sent to hospitals able to deal with their injuries. Although Lockwood may be deployed without Justin as part of her medical team manager duties, Justin will never be deployed without Lockwood; Lockwood cannot work with any other handler’s dog and Justin cannot work with any other handler. Lockwood works hard to ensure that Justin becomes familiar with whatever he may encounter in the field of disaster work. She took him to Nebraska for helicopter training, knowing that transportation via helicopter may be necessary in wilderness and other disaster areas when road travel is impossible. Most recently, Lockwood and Justin trained for wilderness search and rescue: the test consists for that consists of a 140- to 180-acre day search of two missing persons to be completed within four hours and an 80-acre night search for one person who must be found within two hours. For Justin, all of that training is just another round of fun, but it also deepens his skills so that he is prepared—at any time—to come to the rescue in one more emergency situation.
The working partnership and bond between Lillian Lockwood and Justin lie on the foundation of other important relationships in Lockwood’s life. She says that she first became interested in canine-assisted search and rescue work because of her memories of Buddy, her family’s German shepherd. Lockwood says Buddy “enlightened me through his day-to-day interactions with me about how intelligent, intuitive and helpful a dog can be.” Justin’s name is an even more emotional tribute to a loved one, Lockwood’s 16-year-old nephew who died while on a 2011 trip to Costa Rica with his McLouth High School Spanish Club. “We miss him dearly” Lockwood says. “I knew that I was going to name my dog after him to honor his memory and perhaps one day this very special dog, Justin, will be able to save the life of someone else and reunite them with their family. You can’t change the past, but perhaps we can build a better future.”
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STORY BY BARBARA WATERMAN-PETERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL STEPHENS
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THE INTUITIVE, SELF-TAUGHT ASSEMBLAGES OF PTR SPONSELLER REPRESENT MASTERFUL DISPLAYS OF ANATOMY AND MOTION
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Ptr Sponseller jokes that he “collects skills like other people collect items.” At least you can tell this is meant to be a joke from Sponseller’s impish grin, but there is a lot of truth behind it. Originally from South Carolina, Sponseller made his way to Kansas via Oregon, picking up odd jobs along the way. He has been a metal worker, baker, carpet layer, mechanic and musician. It was music that helped him establish himself as an artist in Topeka. A gig with a band at JJ’s Tavern and Gallery in NOTO led to an opportunity for that venue to feature some artwork he had created. Because, of course, amid all those skills, Sponseller had picked up art as well. Drawing, actually, has been an interest since childhood. Sponseller sketched characters from cartoons, comic books, science fiction stories and Japanese monster features. In addition, mythology, the macabre, and various warrior cultures such as the Vikings fascinated him and inspired him to body jewelry, piercings, ear and nose rings as he grew older. His first show at JJ’s featured steampunk themes and motifs in media of skulls, bones and metal. Other exhibits followed, particularly at Amused Gallery in NOTO, which began to call attention to Sponseller’s art. And, it is the uniqueness of his art that continues to spark interest. Created from every conceivable type of metal, most of which is broken or discarded, Sponseller’s sculptures elicit fascination and even a frisson of fear. The animal pieces especially have a quality of life and movement. “I try to fool people into seeing strength and action that aren’t really there,” Sponseller explains. Capturing that gesture, that essential essence of the animal, is difficult even for a trained artist; however, the largely self-taught Sponseller seems to have an intuitive command of anatomy and motion. Add to that his choice of material—gears, bolts, ball bearings, wire, cutlery, chains, and other assorted metal detritus—and you have a totally remarkable vocabulary of forms. “I don’t like wasting things,” he says, referring to this use of oddly disparate bits and pieces. Welding, another one of Sponseller’s collected skills, is his primary means for assembling his works, but he also built a smelter, a “devil’s forge,” by himself so that
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he can cast metal. These castings are often the faces of his creatures. His birds and large animal sculptures feature these roughly textured faces, providing an intriguing contrast with the smoothness of other components. And therein lies part of the magic of Sponseller’s work: contrasts, not only in textures, but in subtle color differences brought out in the metal by polishing or other treatments, or by playing various metals against each other. For instance, a
sinewy, shiny copper wire might be laid over a flat gray gear. A surprise is the openness, the airiness of the work. By using gears and other pierced bits of metal, Sponseller almost defies the expected gravity of metal sculpture. By repurposing machinery elements, imbuing them with a new life, he addresses not only the original functional beauty of their engineering, but incorporates it as a major means of expressing his idea.
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Arc of Hope Through a partnership with national nonprofit The Gilbert Foundation, Ptr Sponseller shares his expertise and tools with military veterans in his NOTO studio, Clover Gear Reclaimed Art. He describes the goal of the program as helping veterans to reconnect to the community, learn new skills, return to employment and broaden their vision of possible job opportunities. They will also, Sponseller promises, “create some awesome art.� Veterans can learn more about the program at clovergearnoto. com/veteran-empowerment.
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