Warehouse offers open studio hours

Lawrence artist Matthew Burke is the first artist-in-residence to work in the newly renovated Salina Art Center Warehouse, 149 S. Fourth Street. Burke will be living in Salina and working at the Warehouse through July 31. Open studio hours at the warehouse will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday.

Burke participated in the 2008 Smoky Hill River Festival as the Art Center's featured artist. He designed and oversaw the creation of a large wooden sculpture by weaving native hardwoods into the shape of a Massasauga snake, a species native to this region. Often using wood as his material, Burke uses nature and ecology as inspiration in his sculpture and design.

During the remainder of his residency, he'll work on similar projects -- creating convex, organic forms from different types of wood.

Burke is an assistant professor of sculpture at the University of Kansas. He is one of four artists whose work will be featured in the Salina Art Center's upcoming exhibition, "About Abstraction: New Approaches by Contemporary Artists," on display Sept. 12 through Nov. 16.

VAAM artists are at Red Barn Studio

LINDSBORG -- Garden sculpture, steppingstones, bird baths, terra cotta masks and plein air landscape paintings will adorn the grounds and studio of the Red Barn Studio Museum, 212 S. Main, as artists of the Visual Arts Alliance of McPherson (VAAM) are in residence from Sunday through July 26.

Photographer Jill Brax will work on photographing nature throughout the week, or developing new mixed media pieces by combining watercolor and collage in bright, bold colors in the studio.

David Brock will create unusual garden art. As a printmaker, Brock has plans to demonstrate his basic serigraph techniques using cut-paper stencils. Many of his pieces reflect his interest in portraying the beauty of local fauna and flora.

Artist Betty Jo Houchen will work in clay, constructing a sun mask and small sculptural forms during the residency.

Louise Hutchison, McPherson, enjoys plein air painting and often paints out of doors when on fishing trips with her husband. She is equally at ease with oils or pastels with landscapes and portraits being her current interests. Her work will be on display all week at the Red Barn.

Geneva Flickner, Mound-ridge, who works in a variety of media will paint in pastels.

Shin-hee Chin, a frequent Red Barn guest artist, works primarily as a fiber artist and combines threadwork, binding techniques, needlework and used materials to create her art forms.

Julie Baldwin, McPherson, works as a painter in both watercolor and oil-based media. She will be focusing on oils during the residency.

Elizabeth Liljegren will continue work on her current project which explores environmental issues, in the medium of watercolor/gouache.

The studio is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Stan Harder to demonstrate work

LINDSBORG -- Courtyard Gallery's "Third Saturday Meet the Artist" will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Featured artist is Stan Harder. He has been doing fine woodworking for over 15 years. Harder sees wood as having a grain and figure pattern that is a three dimensional "fingerprint of God." Bark inclusions, voids and even the bark from the edge of the tree itself is incorporated into his work.

To view Harder's work, visit www.courtyardgallery.com.

Pawnee artwork featured in show

REPUBLIC -- The Kansas Historical Society announced that the Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site will host an art show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26 and 1 to 4 p.m. July 27. The work of six Pawnee artists will be featured, including prints, pottery, beadwork and drums.

The Pawnee Nation was the dominant power of the Central Plains for hundreds of years. The museum tells the story of an 1820s Pawnee village. The museum's centerpiece is the excavated floor of a large 1820s Pawnee earth lodge.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Historical society members, current military and children younger than 5 are admitted free.

World War II survivor to sign books

Ursula Turner of Coffeyville, a member of Kansas Authors Club, will sell and sign copies of her new book, "Sirens," from 2 to 4 p.m. July 19 in the south entry at the Salina Public Library.

She also will sell copies of her earlier books, "Hello There ... Have a Nice Day" and "A Mother's Sins."

Turner was born during the dark hours of war-torn Germany. With her father off at war, her mother, Mutti, as she was called by her daughters, struggled to keep the two children and herself fed, clothed and, most importantly, alive, as bombs were a constant threat, particularly toward the end of the war.

"Sirens" tells the story of the Winter family from the point of view of a child who lived through the horrors of a world war.

Turner left Germany at age 19 to live in America. She and her American husband, Jack, live in southeast Kansas.

Jimmie Lewin to perform at Zoo Brew

Jimmie Lewin & the Kingtones will perform from their repertoire of Chicago and Texas-style blues and rock/blues for Zoo Brew on July 25 at Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. Zoo Brew runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

The after-hours event is designed for adults 21 and older and will feature a variety of specialty beers, including Land Shark Lager from Margaritaville Brewing Co., and happy hour style food.

All "Parrotheads" are invited to wear their favorite Hawaiian shirt for a free gift and to be entered in a drawing for a Land Shark Surfboard courtesy of Vidricksen Distributing Co. Trams will be running to take guests through the zoo while enjoying 2Ôªø1âÑ2 hours of live musical entertainment by Jimmie Lewin & the Kingtones on the Overlook patio.

Admission to Zoo Brew is $10 for zoo or museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Admission includes zoo admission, entertainment, food and tram ride. A $2 per person discount is available for groups of 15 or more by calling 827-9488, ext 114.