FRANK WISE - 2011 MEMBERSHIP GIFT PRINT ARTIST

2011 Museum Members who join at the $50 or greater level will receive an original linoleum print titled "Early Butler Oil Field" by El Dorado artist, Frank Wise. There is a limited number of 125 prints. The first memberships in will receive the prints!

Frank Wise retired from full-time teaching in 2007 though he has definitely not retired from creating art. Frank became interested in art when he was a high school student. He attended Emporia State University where he received his BFA in Printmaking in 1976. He went on to receive his Teaching Certification in 1978 and an MA in Painting in 1987. Frank taught drawing, design, illustration, painting (acrylics and oil), jewelry, ceramics and Intro to 2-D Art classes for 27 years. He continues to do protrait work of people and animals and any other subjects that become of interest to him. He works mainly in pencil, colored pencil, ink, scratchboard, oils and acrylics. He also stays busy substitute teaching. We are grateful to Frank for creating this membership print for the museum. He and other artists who have made membership prints receive pay for their supplies and donate their time and skill in producing the prints. We appreciate Frank's support of the museum!

LOSS OF A FRIEND

It is with great sadness that I acknowledge a true frined of mine personally, as well as a staunch supporter of the museum, Larry Scott, who recently passed away.

For many years Larry created the banners which hung on the front of the museum announcing our exhibits, membership drives and special events. He also painted our museum building sign and our billboard on 12th Street. I could always count on Larry too have great ideas for his signs and decided a long time ago to leave the "creativity" up to him instead of trying to tell him what to do. After all, he was the artist.

With Larry, a particular breed of sign artists is just about extinct due to the development and advancement of computers and printers.

Even more special than the talent he possessed as a sign artist is the genuine friendship we shared through our many talks during his visits to the museum. I'll also miss him on our yearly bus trips. He was a fixture that always sat on the very back seat of the bus, I think so he could take a nap. He found out the first year that a nap wasn't going to happen! A mutual friend said it just right, "Larry was bigger than life!"

LAURENCE COFFELT PAINTING DONATED TO THE MUSEUM

The museum nas been the recent recipient of an oil painting titled "The Mustangers" by Laurence Coffelt (1910-1976). The gift was given by David Lowe who received the painting from the widow of Galen F. Morley. He felt the painting should be hung where more people could enjoy it. Galen F. Morley was an avid student of the Flint Hills Region and authored a book on the grasses of the Flint Hills. This was the last painting in his collection.

Laurence Coffelt rememberd first-hand stories of the cowpokes who endured the hardships of trailing cattle in the merciless sun, eternal dust and wind, and the bawl of thirsty cattle sensing water ahead. He remembered their stories of night-herding restless cattle in thunderstorms and caring for motherless calves, most times with only an occasional cup of cold coffee.

It was from those memories and from seeing the cattle driven to and from the Flint Hills at the little town of Cassoday that Laurence had the firm conviction that one day he would paint those scenes on canvas.

Even then, Laurence was sketching cattle, horses and cowboys on anything handy and, not having any formal art training, his only textbooks were prints of paintings by Western artists. Because of his acquaintance and close association with working cowboys, his work is very authentic in every detail.

Coffel't paintings cover a wide scope of Western life, from the vanishing breed of the old time cowhand to the modern day cowboy and rodeo contestant.

Individual collectors and lovers of Western art from corporations and businesses in more than half of the 50 states have purchased his paintings and sculptures.