By SALINA POST
LINDSBORG - Previously unexhibited works by Lindsborg artist Mike Hartung will be the inaugural exhibition in the new, permanent location for the Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center later this month.
The center will "continue to host exhibits that feature the art and culture of the Smoky Valley," according to information from the Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center (SVAFC).
"The center provides a formal space for artists, craftsmen, and performers to share their work and provides space for lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. The new location will offer more exhibition and workshop space," the center noted.
“A central part of the Smoky Valley’s identity is the unique respect for the arts, crafts, and folklife,” Emily Howe, SVAFC committee chair, said. “The art and folklife of the Smoky Valley are pieces of our living heritage, and the mission of SVAFC is to shine a spotlight on that and provide cultural enrichment for our community. We are grateful to Jim Prugh and Lindsborg Vacation and Executive Rentals, who made room for us and helped our organization get established and we are thrilled to now have a permanent space to carry out our mission.”
The Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center plans to have a grand opening King Knute’s Party from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 14. The center is located at 114½ S. Main Street in Lindsborg.
The Smoky Valley community is invited to the King Knute’s Party, celebrating the end of the Swedish Christmas season, to see the new gallery space, and the Hartung exhibition, the center noted in a news release. Food and refreshments will be served.
Hartung’s exhibition, Not for the Faint of Heart, "reflects the subject matter that the local artist often takes on in many of his works. While some of the artwork is controversial and may be disagreeable to some viewers, it is the work of a prolific artist who uses his medium to journal and document events, politics, and stories — both real and imaginary — of our times," the center noted.
Hartung received a bachelor’s degree in art education from Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia and was soon after drafted to serve in Vietnam. When he returned to Kansas, he began taking art classes and met other local artists Don Osborn and Steve Scott. Hartung moved to Lindsborg in the mid-1970s and has been producing art in his loft studio ever since, according to information from the center.
To learn more about SVAFC or to become a volunteer go to smokyvalleyartsandfolklifecenter.org.