The Arts

1. 711 Studio
711 Main
Hays, KS 67601
785-625-4895
Hours: Tours available by appointment.
Admission - Free

The studio features the works of local artist Michael Jilg.  On display are his paintings, drawings, lithographs and etchings. A past Governors Visual Artist, Michael has honored his profession with 200 exhibitions and representations in museum collections in the U.S., England and Asia.
 

51. The Artist's at Work Studio
717 Main
Hays, KS 67601
785-650-3998
terri@paulmac.com
Hours: varies
Admission: Free

Located in one of the oldest original buildings in downtown Hays is this unique artists' studio.  This group of five women artists share the building known as the Philip Hardware Store.  The native limestone rock building that the artist call home was built as a dry goods store in 1874. The artists work with various media such as monoprinting, acrylic and oil, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, collage and fiber.
 

9. Commerce Bank Gallery
718 Main
Hays, KS 67601
785-625-6542
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
Admission: Free

Located on the lower level of the bank is The Art Gallery. Featured are paintings, drawings, crafts and a variety of art works from artists from across Kansas.
 

23. Hadley Art Collection - Hays Medical Center
2220 Canterbury Drive
Hays, KS 67601
785-623-5000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily
Admission: Free
www.haysmed.com

The Hadley Art Collection includes over 200 works of art including paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, and fabric by principle Kansas artists.  Currently, there are sixteen Governor's Artists Award winners represented in the Collection. The collecting of original works of art began in 1974 at the Hadley Regional Medical Center and has continued since the merger with St. Anthony Hospital in 1991, which formed the Hays Medical Center.  The collection, located in the public areas of the hospital may be viewed utilizing a self-guided brochure.  Guided tours may be arranged upon advance request by calling 785-623-5890.
 

25. Hays Arts Center Gallery
112 East 11th
Hays, KS 67601
785-625-7522
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Saturdays
Admission: Free
www.haysartscouncil.org

The Center is the home of the Hays Arts Council, Kansas' first such organization.  The Five State Photography Exhibition is held here each February to mid-March. The last Friday of April marks the opening of the Smoky Hill Art Exhibition and the annual Spring Gallery Walk.  The Fall Gallery Walk is held the last Friday in August. A gift shop features art from local and regional artists and other items available to purchase.  Click here for a tentative listing of exhibits for the Gallery Walk.
 

17. Hays Symphony Orchestra
Fort Hays State University
600 Park
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-4226
www.fhsu.edu/music/symphony.shtml
http://www.fhsu.edu/music/

Founded in 1914, it was the first true symphony orchestra in western Kansas.  The orchestra, a community-university ensemble, is affiliated with Fort Hays State University and its members include music professors, teachers, students and musicians from Hays and northwest Kansas. Performances are held in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
 

21. Frontier Park Art
South Main
Hays Parks Department
785-628-7375
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Admission: Free

Unusual works of art are carved in the stumps of trees scattered throughout the park. Frontier Park is a very scenic natural looking recreational area with a creek that winds through the 89 acres of land. The park also features several walking trails, bridges, playground equipment, 3 shelter houses and plenty of large shade trees.
 

17. Fort Hays State University
Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center
600 Park
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-4000
Hours: 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Admission: Free – admission fees for events vary
http://www.fhsu.edu/beach-schmidt/

Sheridan Hall was the former home of a 2,000 seat arena in which FHSU held concerts, basketball games and conventions. In 1987 renovation began on this landmark creating the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, which seats 1,100. The Performing Arts Series, ENCORE, brings events ranging from ballet and opera to musicals and dramatic productions to symphonies and bluegrass bands. It is also the host to many FHSU music department concerts and recitals. The facility is available for rental to both campus and community organizations. For a listing of current ENCORE events visit their web site at: http://www.fhsu.edu/perf_arts/
 

19. Fort Hays State University – Walking tour of art displays on campus
600 Park
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-4206
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Admission: Free

http://www.fhsu.edu/future_students/virtual_campus/map.shtml

Nearly a dozen art sculptures are located on the beautiful campus of Fort Hays State University. The interactive map link above shows the location of the various pieces of artwork including the unique "Pieces of Our World" sculpture located in front of Tomanek Hall.
The first sculpture to look for is "Interlude," located on the south side of Rarick Hall near the main entrance.  "Interlude"—sculpted by FHSU artist Gary Coulter—was dedicated May 5, 1994.  The work is meant to portray the strength found in all women. A grant from the Jean Stouffer Fund at FHSU paid for the molding and casting costs of the 357-pound bronze sculpture.

Across the promenade, located in front of Martin Allen Hall, you will notice "Deeply Rooted." This provocative work was sculpted by FHSU artist Linda Ganstrom and was dedicated October 2, 1999.  The work was influenced by the writings of George A. Kelly, a professor of Psychology at FHSU from 1931-1943 who later taught at Ohio State University and Brandeis University. He became widely known as a personal theorist, clinician, and teacher.  Sculpting and construction costs were paid for by a grant from the Jean Stouffer Fund at FHSU.

Across the street to the south of Sheridan Hall is a sculpture of native limestone by local artist Pete Felten.  It was dedicated in 1997 and is called the Contemplation Garden Sculpture and features a teacher and student.

Another major sculpture is located in front of Tomanek Hall.  "Pieces of Our World," otherwise known as the Dalton/Kellerman fountain, honors two former FHSU administrators, Stanlee V. Dalton and James V. Kellerman who both served as registrar for a combined 57 years and together signed more than 35,650 diplomas.  Mr. Dalton served as registrar from 1936 until his retirement in 1971.  Mr. Kellerman became registrar in 1971 and served in that position until his retirement in 1995.  "Pieces of Our World" represents children's views of science.  It was cast in bronze from original pieces created by over 200 middle school students from the Hays area. FHSU faculty and students cast and welded the bronze pieces to complete the sculpture. The project was supported by the Jean Stouffer Fund.
 

Kansas Post Card Collection
Fort Hays State University
Robbins Center
West Highway 183 by-pass
785-628-5620
Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday-Friday
Admission: Free
Kansas Postcard Collection

The Kansas Postcard Collection was donated to Fort Hays State University and the community of Hays by the Association of Community Arts Agencies in 2006. The display is located in the FHSU Robbins Center and is one of the largest collections of original Kansas Art in the world. There are 635 original artworks presented in 25 framed displays that date from 1978 to 2002.  The artwork is as diverse as the artists themselves and includes nature, people, abstracts, places and just about any style and type of art that you would see in full size paintings and drawings.  

The collection is a result of 25 years of a competition that was open to all Kansas Artists.  The artists could enter three artworks on a flexible backing. The works were limited to the exact size of a postcard and the artists created and submitted their entries on these small sized art versions. The entries were then jurried and the winners were awarded a cash prize, their winning entries were printed and included in a packet of postcards that were sold at Arts Councils and tourist venues across the state. Posters were also printed. The original artworks became the property of ACAAK and were toured around the state for years. The community of Hays has the largest percentage of artists who were postcard winners in the collection. Visitors are welcome to stop at the Robbins Center and view this impression collection of Kansas art.   
 

41. Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art
FHSU Rarrick Hall, 600 Park
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-4247
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
Admission: Free
http://www.fhsu.edu/art/gallerymain.shtml

The gallery is named for two former chairs of the Department of Art at Fort Hays State University - Joel C. Moss and John C. Thorns, Jr. Student and faculty exhibits, as well as traveling exhibits, are presented on a regular basis. The gallery is located on the first floor of Rarick Hall on the northeast edge of the FHSU campus.

In 1953 when the Art Department moved into the new Davis Hall, they had an area dubbed the Lounge Gallery outside a classroom they used for exhibitions. For many years during the 60's and 70's, the Department of Art was spread among several buildings on campus and never really had a formal gallery. In 1969, John C. Thorns, Jr. first presented his vision to the college administration for a regional art museum with educational laboratories to house the Art Department.  After years of planning, a new facility for the department was realized with the completion of Rarick Hall in the spring of 1981.  By this time, the Art Department faculty had grown from three members to eleven full time and one part time faculty. When it first opened, the gallery was called the Visual Arts Center Gallery. It was rededicated the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art on October 11, 1987 during the annual homecoming activities. The gallery was renamed for Joel C. Moss (who was Chair of the Department of Art from 1946 to 1973) and John C. Thorns, Jr. (who was Chair from 1973 to 1990).

The gallery changes shows throughout the year. They include: faculty exhibitions, MFA thesis exhibitions, traveling exhibits, student exhibits, print collections and various other student works.
 

44. Pottery Works
126 W. 9th
Hays, KS 67601                        
785-628-2738
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday
Open until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday
Admission: Free – studio fee plus the cost of your pottery piece.

Imagination and color come to life at Pottery Works, a ceramics workshop where visitors create their own masterpieces by painting and decorating pottery of their own choosing. For a studio fee and the cost of your piece of pottery, you will have the opportunity to create a unique and personal work of art. The studio fee includes the use of all paints, brushes, and other materials, unlimited painting time, the glazing and firing of the piece and as much help as you would like.

Over 150 different pieces of pottery are offered, including plates, mugs, picture frames, vases, teapots, and piggy banks, ceramic animals, and mosaics. Pottery Works provides idea books, stencils, stamps, sponges and many other creative tools to assist you.  

When Teresa Boos and her husband Loren opened Pottery Works in 2002, they thought the people of Hays and visitors would enjoy the opportunity to create their own pottery masterpieces. Teresa and her husband had visited a similar ceramics studio in Missouri and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The new owner, Anne Menendez, who took over in 2005, also believes people will discover they do have an artistic side even when they feel they don't have the talent to create art.

Pottery Works is available for private parties such as birthdays, office parties, bridal and baby showers, field trips, family reunions and holiday celebrations.  The studio can be reserved before, during, or after regular business hours and accommodates over 50 guests. All ages are welcome.

Free guided group tours are welcome with advance reservations. Visitors will see the raw pottery pieces, the design phase, glazing, firing process and finished products from start to finish.
 

49. Stone Gallery
107 ½ West 6th
Hays, KS 67601
785-625-7619
Hours: Guided tours available by appointment.
Admission: Free

Stone comes to life at Stone Gallery, the professional studio for sculptor Pete Felten. Pete "Fritz" Felten, Jr. was born and raised in Hays and is a self-taught sculptor. He was a track star and expert swimmer in high school and spent one year at Fort Hays State College. His interest in arts and sculpting began during his time of service in the U.S. Navy between 1952 and 1956 when he was able to visit art museums along the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After he completed his tour of duty, Pete toured museums in St. Louis, Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Chicago, Boston, Hartford and Baltimore. Before returning to Hays to pursue his career in sculpting, Pete attended an art league school in New York for a month.

Over the years, Pete has become well known for his sculpting and many towns and organizations have commissioned him to create commemorative pieces to pay tribute to events or people of importance in their community. His works have been displayed for more than 40 years. The first of Felten's commissioned work to be displayed - a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody located at the Hays Public Library - was completed in 1961.  Many are located in Hays and the surrounding communities but Felten's sculptures can also be found throughout the Midwest, including "Four Famous Kansans" on view at the State Capital rotunda in Topeka, Kansas (1981).

Though his medium is sculpture, Felten's work is varied, ranging from miniatures to 24-ton monuments. He works with a variety of stone including Carthage Marble, Alabaster, Fence Post Limestone, Texas Limestone, Vermont Blue Marble, Colorado Yule Marble, Kansas Limestone, and Indiana Limestone. Some of Felten's works that are easily spotted in Hays are the "Pteranodon" which greets Interstate 70 travelers on the northeast edge of the city and the "Monarch of the Plains" (buffalo), located at the Fort Hays Historic Site. This sculpture took nearly two years to create and was completed in 1967.  It is 8 feet high, 10 feet long and stands on an eight foot high base. The city of Hays is amply populated with Felten's other creations and a self guided driving tour is the perfect way to view some of these magnificent sculptures.

Visitors are always welcome at the Stone Gallery and you will typically find Pete at work in his studio between 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday or outside working on another project in progress. Guided group tours are available with advance notice.

Citizens of Hays take pride in his creativity and ability as an artist and are glad he chose to stay in Hays to share his talent and work. We invite you to take a driving tour of Hays and enjoy the many sculptures he has created.
 

FELTEN SCULPTURE TOUR

Statue	Location
1. Buffalo Bill Cody - 1961	12th & Main
2. Monarch of the Plains - 1967	Historic Fort Hays
3. Kent State Memorial - 1972	FHSU ­ Memorial Union
4. Boot Hill Man - 1972	18th & Fort
5. Lawman - 1975	16th & Main
6. Hadley Memorial - 1976	201 E. 7th
7. Hereford Bull - 1977	KSU Ag Research Center
8. FHSU Students - 1977	8th St & Campus Drive ­ FHSU
9. Stone Gallery - 1980	107 W. 6th
10. Street Singer - 1981	7th & Main
11. Nun - 1982	2220 Canterbury Drive
12. Elizabeth Polly - 1983	26th & Indian Trail
13. Pioneer Tower - 1985	2900 Hall
14. Wild Bill Hickok - 1989	10th & Main
15. Train Hwy - 1995	40th & Commerce Pkwy
16. Watching the Wagons Come In - 1990	N. Vine St.
17. Teacher & Student - 1997	FHSU-Country Schoolhouse
18. Buffalo - 1998	500 Commerce Pkwy.
19. Pteranodon - 2000	Commerce Pkwy.
20. Small Buffalo	14th & Main
21. Sculpture Garden	16th & Main
22. Christ & Lamb - 2001	27th & Fort
OTHER SCULPTURES IN KANSAS
Statue	Location
1. Pioneer Family - 1971	Oberlin
2. Volga German Family - 1976	Victoria
3. Capuchin Priest - 1976	Victoria
4. Angus Monument - 1977	Victoria
5. St. Francis - 1978	Munjor
6. Golden Eagle - 1978	WaKeeney High School
7. Buffalo - 1980	Atwood
8. 4 Famous Kansans - 1981	Topeka State Capital Rotunda
9. Girl Reading - 1984	Hill City Library
10. Eagle - 1986	WaKeeney Court House
11. Lane Co. Centennial Monument - 1986	Dighton Court House

50. Studio Kuksi
8th & Main-Box 1531
Hays, KS 67601
785-650-4990
kkuksi@hotmail
www.kuksi.com
Admission: Free Guided tours by appointment only

Studio Kuksi is located in Downtown Hays on the top floor of the historic George Philip Hardware building at the corner of 8th and Main Street. This loft serves at the private working studio of artist Kris Kuksi, who earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Fort Hays State University in 2002.  Kris creates art that brings social issues, death and sexuality to light in a dark way. He creates paintings, drawings, sculptures, murals, illustrations, and portraits, some of which are displayed throughout Hays or can be seen by appointment at his private studio. Other pieces can be found at Salon Ten-O-Seven, located at 1007 Main Street. Kuksi's medical art is exhibited at the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic of Western Kansas, located at 2517 Canterbury Drive.  The Ellis County Bar Association displays a collection of Kuksi's paintings at the Ellis County Court House, located at 1204 Fort Street.

He has participated in several international workshops, including "Painting the Fantastic" with Robert Venosa in Italy; "Old Masters New Visions Seminar" with Philip Jacobsen in Austria; and "Painting in Dali's Garden," also with Robert Venosa in Spain. Kuksi's work is represented by the Fraser Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Kris Kuksi's art has been displayed in over 30 exhibitions and was featured on the cover of Direct Art magazine.  He has shown work throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States.

Kuksi describes his work in a statement published on his website: "I felt that to be truest to myself I must accept that I am a creator of abstract ideas and concepts that heavily rely on the dark side of humanity. For years, my darkest experiences have led to works of beauty and passion—works that I have a duty to show to an audience and to society."

While Kuksi's primary vocation is the creation of art for its own sake, he does accept commissions for personal décor, marketing and other purposes. For such inquiries, he can be contacted through his website, email - kkuksi@hotmail.com or at Studio Kuksi. His art may also be purchased through the Fraser Gallery, 1054 31st Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20007.
www.thefrasergallery.com