"Gates of Peace" by Kwan WuChina-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship

On May 16, Kwan Wu's 15 ft sculpture "The Gate of Peace" unveiled in Guangzhou of China along with "Kwan Wu Sculpture Exhibition Hall" had an opening ceremony where 70 pieces of Kwan's work is permanently on display in the10 thousand square foot hall. This was another dedication in the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign" project and Topeka is one of four U.S. Cities to be honored with a gift of sculpture. Kwan played an important role in bringing the sculpture "Lantern Light" by celebrated Chinese sculptor Ye Yeshan to Topeka.


SouthWind Gallery has enjoyed many years of bringing Kwan's work to our patrons in Northeast Kansas. We have hosted several one man shows of his work and regularly carry his work. Many of the pieces permanently on display in the new Exhibition Hall has also graced the walls here at SouthWind Gallery. We are truely excited about Kwan's recognition as a worldwide artist as well as our involvement in being able to bring one of the pieces to Topeka.

One of his most unique abilities is to produce a life size bust of a sitting model in about an hour. Pictured left, Charles Haude, Executive Director of the Johnson Atelier Sculpture Foundation poses after he sat for his own bust. Kwan has displayed this talent several times at SouthWind Gallery even creating a bust of Washburn University's Dr. Farley in 2007 and most recently in late 2009 he did a private commission here at the gallery during a First Friday Art Walk. (See a short video featuring this unique talent on our Facebook Page.) Among his other achievements are "The Bill of Rights", a 14-foot bronze monument at the Federal Courthouse in Kansas City was one of his first. Since then, many commissions have followed including the twelve life-sized bronze baseball players for the National Negro League Baseball Museum; the nine-foot statue of Phog Allen at the University of Kansas; a life-sized sculpture of George Brett at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City; and the Children of the Trails memorial in the Johnson County Courthouse Square in Olathe, Kansas.

The" Gate of Peace" (unveiling pictured above)  is one of the eight sculptures created for the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign" project. It was unveiled in Kwan's home town Nanhai, of Guangdong, China.  The project includes four master sculptors from the US; and four from China. Seven of eight pieces sculpture have been installed in the cities of Washington D.C.; Newark, NJ; Atlanta, GA, and Beijing; Shanghai; Changchun; Guangzhou in China. The last sculpture "Lantern Light" by Master Ye Yushan of China will be installed in Topeka Kansas in June 15.
Also pictured right are a few photos of the other sculptures from the "China-United States 30 Year Anniversary Relationship Art and Culture Exchange Campaign"
The ceremony at Atlanta (pictured right) had a wonderful article about the events. Click Here to go to that article.

The Topeka dedication ceremony for "Lantern Light" by Ye Yushan is Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., on the Washburn University campus, northwest corner of Henderson Learning Center in the 1900 block of Jewel. This formal dedication ceremony will be attended by representatives of the U.S. and Chinese Consulates as well as leaders of the Topeka community and the State of Kansas. We hope you also will honor Topeka with your presence at this very special event for our city and the arts.

Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.   

Pat McManus: Featured Artist Paint the Parks100

$10,000 GRAND PRIZE
PURCHASE AWARD WINNER
"Trail Watchers"
Glacier National Park
Patrick McManus
Oil, 20" x 30"

Pat McManus is a wildlife and landscape artist who resides with his family in southeast Michigan. He has been painting since the 1980's and his work has found it's way into many private collections as well as on the cover of magazines and in calendars. Pat's most recent awards include the Grand Prize in the 2009 Paint the Parks Competition hosted by Paint America, and being selected as one of the "Mini 50" winners in this year's Paint America competition also hosted by Paint America.



Paint the Parks100 national touring exhibit is at SouthWind Gallery until July 15, 2010.
Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created  to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can also be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org


Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. SouthWindArtGallery.com

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Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 

Paint the Parks 100

SouthWind Art Gallery in Topeka Is Pleased to Present…

Paint the Parks 100

A National Touring Exhibition

Exhibit runs May 15, 2010 – July 15, 2010
Opening Reception: 

Friday, June 4, 2010, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Paint the Parks is a national touring exhibition of contemporary representative paintings depicting America’s National Parks. The exhibit is organized by PaintAmerica, a Topeka-based, national non-profit organization, created to support and promote the visual arts. As one of the leading traveling art exhibitions in America, it features the works of many of the country’s most recognized contemporary artists, as well as several talented emerging artists. The exhibit is created annually from an international juried artists’ competition, and includes the highest juror-scored pieces from nearly a thousand total submissions. The show can be viewed online at www.paintamerica.org.

The exhibit at SouthWind Gallery will include the Grand Prize Purchase Award painting “Trail Watchers” by Patrick McManus. The oil painting by McManus depicts bighorn sheep on a cliff ledge. Gardner, KS artist Elaine Lierly-Jones’ was named the Grand Prize Winner in the Mini50 portion of the competition for her painting “Arches National Park”

The competition for all painting media was judged by a juror panel of nationally recognized artists Susan Blackwood, Kim Casebeer, and Howard Friedland. Winning paintings were chosen from hundreds of entries submitted internationally, with the winners comprising the traveling exhibition. Other major awards were:

The Region I Award – “Rock Ledges” by Mel Grunau
The Region II Award – “Last Light” by Dan Stouffer
The Region III Award – “Jackson Lake Serenity” by Keri VanderLaan
The Susan Blackwood Juror’s Choice Award – “Birth of a Nation” by Barbara Summers Edwards
The Kim Casebeer Juror’s Choice Award – “Sappharine Cove” by Steven Hileman
The Howard Friedland Juror’s Choice Award – “12 February, 2009” by Lynn Boggess
The Susan Blackwood Juror’s Choice Award (Mini) – “Cactus Flower” by Eileen Nistler
The Howard Friedland Juror’s Choice Award (Mini) – “Morning Mist” by Jonathan Linton

The Paint The Parks exhibit features many different mediums and illustrates a variety of regional painting styles. The SouthWind Gallery showing represents the final stop on the 2009 national tour. The show began at the Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon, AZ; and has toured St. Louis, MO; West Palm Beach, FL; and to the Chicago area before coming to SouthWind Gallery.

See other available work on our online art gallery>>

Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SouthWindArtGallery.com

Framewoods of Topeka Gift Certificate Cards make the perfect gift for any occasion!  Gift certificates are good as cash for anything in the store — custom framing, gifts and even artwork at SouthWind Gallery

Gift cards may be purchased online or at the store in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100. 
 

NOTO - Art spaces for artists in Topeka

NOTO - Art spaces for artists

So many wonderful things happening in the Arts Community in Topeka! The excitement is just blossoming for this new art spaces project. Become a part of the development by attending the artists' symposium on April 24th.

A Press Conference today, today, April 9, 2010, 10:00 a.m. BRADLEY'S CORNER CAFÉ 844 North Kansas Avenue announcing Heartland Visioning Quality of Life Foundation's VISION and PLAN for North Topeka Arts District Hear the Leadership Team, North Topeka residents, and STAN HERD, one of Kansas' Premier Artists discussing the exciting possibilities! If you can't make it, keep an eye on the news.

Below is the information about the Artists' Symposium where the discussion begins on April 24th!

Exciting New Opportunity for Local and Regional/National Artists

ARTISTS’ SYMPOSIUM

Whether you are an established entrepreneurial artist, or an emerging artist, join the conversation.

Location
The Left Bank Room
820 North Kansas Avenue
Saturday, April 24, 2010
2-4 p.m.

www.notoartsdistrict.com

Plans for the NOTO Arts District Topeka, Kansas

• Hear about the plan for developing an arts district in historic North Topeka
• See how you can become part of this exciting project
• Learn about moving expenses, subsidized rent and other benefits for qualifying artists
• Tour potential art studio spaces with affordable rent
• Review the time frame
• Give your ideas

RSVP to: barbara.peters@att.net

Questions: awolgast@cox.net

A project of the Quality of Life Foundation, Heartland Visioning of Topeka

SouthWindArtGallery.com