Lindsborg Posten: What to Do

Lindsborg in Bloom

April 27

Celebrate Spring in groovy 60's style in Lindsborg!!

Let your inner flower child out by busting out your hippy inspired clothes. Spend the day exploring Lindsborg merchant's sidewalk sales, swaying to funky tunes, and eating yummy food. The day will be filled with fun things to do: store and food specials, henna and face painting, crochet with Tamara Kingery-Gonzales, children's activities, and more!

The day begins at 10:00am in downtown Lindsborg. Check out the Visit Lindsborg website or Lindsborg in Bloom Facebook page for specifics.

Lindsborg in Bloom is also the same day as Bethany College Commencement which is why businesses will be decked out with blue and yellow. Congratulations, Bethany grads! Keep Lindsborg in mind as you go forth and BLOOM!

Lindsborg in Bloom: Crazy Cool Crochet

Tamara Kingery-Gonzales

Article by Kathy Richardson; Photos by Jim Richardson

It started in downtown Lindsborg in 2019 with one storefront window display: a lime green fat-tire bicycle with wheels fitted just so with colorful crocheted yarn coverings.

Four years later, the vivid crochet fantasies of Wichita’s Tamara Kingery-Gonzalesnow covers every inch of that green bicycle and has spilled into other Lindsborg front windows — and also out onto Lindsborg’s Main Street street. 

“Tamara’s crazy cool installations are exactly what we support in Lindsborg — creativity with some out-of-the-box attitude,” said Molly Johnson of The Good Merchant. Johnson was Kingery-Gonzales’ first collaborator on the bicycle project and has welcomed back the crochet maven in April every year since.

Kingery-Gonzales grew up around crocheting and crafting family and friends. Her sense of adventure is ignited by yarn’s cheery colors and crochet’s playful textures.

“My friends say that if somebody stands in one place long enough, I’ll crochet around them,” said Kingery-Gonzales. “They call me The Crochet Lady.” 

Starting in mid April, Kingery-Gonzales will likely begin wrapping her crocheted creations around Lindsborg tree trunks in the 100 block of North Main Street. By the time Lindsborg in Bloom rolls around (Saturday, April 27), the entire installation will be on display, covering objects as varied as tables, benches and chairs, several tricycles, a trash bin cover and even a vintage tuba. 

This year, Kingery-Gonzales also will add five playful new additions to the Lindsborg lineup: sleek dresses with fanciful necks and hems. They will be displayed on dress forms up and down the street.

Kingery-Gonzales says she rises most days to design and crochet well before she leaves for her full-time job. The reason for her drive is simple. “I do it to create awareness of the art of crochet,” she said. “It makes me happy.”

See more of Kingery-Gonzales' colorful creations on the Visit Lindsborg blog.

Prairie Sea

Open House

March 30

Catch the artist from Ketchikan in Lindsborg! Prairie Sea houses Ray Troll's "unique blend of art and science." Troll's creations, described as "obsessively detailed scientifically accurate artwork along with his offbeat, quirky sense of humor" have shown up in books, on t-shirts, and hanging in museums.

Explore science, art, and mystery at Prairie Sea, located at 108 S. Main Street. The open house is Saturday, March 30, 10:00am-5:00pm with a book signing and talk by Troll at 7:00pm.

Jennifer Burkhead, Artist-in-Residence

Red Barn Studio Museum

April 2-14

Jennifer Burkhead of Lawrence, will be the Artist-in-Residence at the Red Barn Studio Museum, April 2-14.

Inspired by satellite photographs, Burkhead embarked on a journey of creativity, painting with acrylics on wood panels and interpreting the images in her distinctive style. While her pieces bear a resemblance to the satellite images, they also exhibit characteristics of non-figurative abstract art.

Initially drawn to the natural beauty depicted in the satellite photos—such as water, grasses, and tree canopies—Burkhead's exploration led her to observe human interventions like roads, highways, and buildings. She found that incorporating these elements expanded the palette of colors she used and introduced geometric and symmetrical constructions, highlighting the contrast between nature's beauty and the negative impact of human activity, such as mining and development. Jennifer's artwork is open to interpretation, aiming to spark conversations and discussions among viewers.

Burkhead joins Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center on April 6 as guest instructor for Saturday Morning Makers, a workshop for children aged 6-9. Please register your child by clicking on this link.

A reception for Burkhead at the Red Barn Studio Museum will be Friday, April 5, 5:00-7:00pm.

The Red Barn Studio Museum is located at 212 S. Main Street. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm and Saturday-Sunday, 1:00-5:00pm. The Raymer Society's Artist-in-Residence program is sponsored in part by the Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, contact the Red Barn Studio Museum at 785-227-2217 or raymer@redbarnstudio.org.

Dweller on the Threshold Exhibition

Smoky Valley Arts and Folklife Center

April 5-28

Passage by William Counter

A new exhibition at Smoky Valley Arts and Folklife Center explores the transcendental function of art. The exhibition, “Dweller on the Threshold,” by artist William Counter, opens April 5 and continues through April 28, with a closing reception on Sunday, April 28. The artist will give a gallery talk at 2:30pm.

Counter is based on his family farm outside of Chapman and is a 1999 graduate of Painting-Printmaking from the Kansas City Art Institute. Primarily a studio artist, he has painted several murals in Abilene.

His new body of work is mystically inspired paintings that delve into the psychological spectrum of ‘boundary’ experiences ranging from illumination to madness. He uses the portrait as a symbolic landscape to express the inner quality of the sacred or Holy, often referring these figures to certain actions or events. The presentation of the paintings is enhanced by an elaborate framing technique that lends itself toward the devotional or venerated object.

“The paintings are really directed toward what might be described as the transcendental function of art rather than representational or descriptive,” said Counter. “I hope that the impact on the viewer will be a slowing down or suspension of time, an opportunity to encounter a transcendent moment.”

Smoky Valley Arts and Folklife Center's gallery hours are Friday - Sunday, 1:00pm-5:00pm. Location is 114 1/2 S. Main Street. SVAFC is supported by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, the McPherson County Community Foundation, and the Raymer Society.

Chamber Music Featuring Amy Guffey, Keith & Meagan Dodson, & Tyler Boehmer

Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery

April 6

A special chamber music performance with Amy Guffey on clarinet, Keith Dodson on saxophone, Meagan Dodson on cello, and Tyler Boehmer on piano will take place at the Sandzén Gallery on Saturday, April 6 at 2:00pm. The group will be performing a variety of selections.

Amy Guffey serves as Instructor of Clarinet at Kansas State University. She holds degrees from Shenandoah University, Ball State University, and Florida State University.

Dr. Keith Dodson is currently an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Studies at Bethany College. Additionally, he is the founding music director and conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley, a professional orchestra based in Lindsborg.

Meagan Dodson is currently the instructor of cello at Bethany College in Lindsborg. Meagan has performed as a member of the Hutchinson Symphony Orchestra, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Festival Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley, and the Bethany Oratorio Society Messiah Festival Orchestra.

Internationally acclaimed for his technique and artistry, Dr. Tyler Boehmer is a passionate and devoted organist. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Kansas, graduating with honors. Recent solo performances have taken him to five cities throughout Russia, the Washington National Cathedral, and the 2016 AGO Houston Convention. He has also been active in many national and international competitions.

More information about each musician is found on the Visit Lindsborg blog page.

The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery is located at 401 N. First Street. There is no charge for the concert, however, donations are appreciated. For further information, please call the Gallery at 785-227-2220 or email sandzengallery@gmail.com.

April Showers Bring Beautiful Art!

Courtyard Gallery

Summer Evening by Stephen Perry

Art is blooming at The Couryard Gallery during the month of April. New art is displayed weekly!

Quench your thirst for beauty at The Courtyard Gallery, located at 125 N. Main Street. Winter hours are Wednesday-Thursday, 11:00am-4:00pm and Friday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm.

The Courtyard Gallery is also open for large groups of shoppers at times of their convenience, and small group art education tours are available. Contact the gallery at 785-450-5050 for information.

Spring Music Opportunities

Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery

Spring holds a number of musical events at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery. Reserve these dates on your calendar:

• Saturday, April 6, 2:00pm--Chamber music with Amy Guffey, Keith and Meagan Dodson, and Tyler boehmer
• Sunday, April 14, 2:00pm--Veronique Matthew's String Quartet
• Sunday, April 21, 2:00pm--Chamber music with Amy Guffey, Colleen White, and Amanda Arrington
• Sunday, May 12, 2:00pm--Chamber music with the Aglow Trio of Manhattan

The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery is located at 401 N. First Street. There is no charge for the concert, however, donations are appreciated. For further information, please call the Gallery at 785-227-2220 or email sandzengallery@gmail.com.

Red Barn Studio Museum Calendar

April Events

• Jennifer Burkhead, Artist-in-Residence: April 1-14
• Reception, Jennifer Burkhead: April 5, 5:00-7:00pm
• Workshop for Saturday Morning Makers: April 6, 10:00am-12:00pm (for 1st-5th graders--registration required)
• Raymer Society Consignment Art Auction Exhibition: April 16-25
• Raymer Society Consignment Art Auction: April 27, 11:00am with doors open at 9:00am (held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 224 S. Main Street)

Events are held at Red Barn Studio Museum unless otherwise noted.

For more information about the residency program, call the Red Barn at (785) 227-2217. The Red Barn Studio Museum is located at 212 S. Main Street. Hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm and Saturday and Sunday, 1:00pm-5:00pm.

Funding for the Red Barn Studio Museum Artist-in-Residence program comes in part from the Kansas Department of Commerce Creative Arts Industries Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley

April 21

Sunday, April 21, the sounds of Debussy, Dvorak, and Beethoven will fill Presser Hall. The Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley is proud to prove the program for the concert:

Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

Serenade for Strings in E Major by Antonin Dvorak

Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven

The concert begins at 4:00pm. Presser Hall is located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street. There is no cost for admission, but a donation is appreciated.

126th Annual Midwest Exhibition

Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery

Through April 21

Swing Town by Scott Brown

Four exhibitions comprise the 126th annual Midwest Art Exhibition at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery through April 21. The shows include a retrospective by Hutchinson painter Don Fullmer; paintings by Patricia Scarborough of Geneva, Nebraska; mobiles by Scott Brown of Hutchinson; and New to Us: Recent Acquisitions to the Sandzén Gallery's Permanent Collection.

The Midwest Art Exhibition was founded in 1899 by three local Lindsborg artists – Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotave, and G. N. Malm – as a complement to the annual Messiah Festival held at Bethany College. Today, it represents the longest running annual art exhibition in Kansas and primarily features works by artists invited by the Sandzén Gallery or from the Gallery's permanent collection.

Hutchinson, Kansas native Don Fullmer is a painter whose works are the creative culmination of a lifelong quest and desire for knowledge. Fullmer's education includes a 1974 B.F.A. from the University of Kansas, as well as a 1976 M.A. and 1977 M.F.A. in painting from the University of Iowa. He has used this formal training as a starting point to create a long career as a working painter.

Nebraska native Patricia Scarborough has focused on painting the shapes and shadows of the Midwest since she made her way through Kearney State College, graduating eventually with a degree in Fine Art. She has studied with many fine artists and considers life to have been her finest teacher.

Scott Brown also hails from Hutchinson and is a former art instructor at Hutchinson Community College. He and his wife, Michele, founded Big Nasty Press over a decade ago. Through that group, they have organized an annual print portfolio with other regional artists. They currently operate Arkanoe, a kayak, canoe, and tube rental and shuttle service serving the Arkansas River in Reno County, Kansas.

For the current exhibition, Brown will be showing mobiles made from reclaimed prints and positioned on jars recovered from the Arkansas River. 

The final exhibition features recent additions to the Sandzén Gallery's permanent collection and includes art by pen maker David Oscarson; painters Alba Malm, Elizabeth Liljegren, John Blake Bergers, Raymond Jonson, Hannah Swensson, Thomas Klocke, Anna Keener, Steve Scott; ceramists Ray Kahmeyer, John Kudlacek, Carol Long, Steven Hill; and more.

To discover more about the artists and their inspiration, go to the Visit Lindsborg blog.

The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery is located at 401 N. First Street. Hours are 10:00am-5:00pm, Tuesday-Saturday, and 1:00-5:00pm on Sunday. Admission is free, with donations appreciated. Docent tours for groups are available by two-week advance appointment. For more information about Birger Sandzén, the Gallery, and these exhibitions visit the website or phone (785) 227-2220.

TACOL

Treasure waiting to be discovered!

Has your spring cleaning created some room for more goodies? Love to do some thrifting, antique shopping, or flea market browsing? Come to TACOL and discover your newest treasure!

Lindsborg's thrift store TACOL is an acronym for The Associated Churches of Lindsborg and they, as an organization, provide the Smoky Valley area with community services such as children's concerns, Christmas food baskets, assistance to those in need, and senior concerns. The money they make from donations of clothes, dishes, blankets, furniture, books, (and the list can go on and on), goes directly back into the Lindsborg community. The store is run by a staff of tireless volunteers. 

Looking for a cute vintage apron? Check. Funky glassware from the 40s? They have it. Needing a modish beaded necklace to tie that new outfit together? Hundreds to choose from! And most of this will be under $3.00. It's the best kept secret of Lindsborg and waiting for a fashionista like you!

TACOL is located at 509 E. Swensson Street. Hours are Wednesday, 12:00-7:00pm; Thursday, 10:00am-5:00 pm; Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm; Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm.

Midsummer's Festival

June 15

Make plans now to be in Lindsborg to celebrate Midsummers!

Lindsborg Midsummer's Festival takes place on June 15 at Riverside Park beginning at 10:00am. The procession to Heritage Square and Midsummer dancing begins at 6:45pm.

Food trucks, crafters, kids area (including two bouncy houses!), and the barrel train are all on the agenda for the celebration. Plus the return of the Viking groups! Most activities are free!

Midsummers is less than 80 days away! Make plans to be in Lindsborg on June 15!

Coming Soon!

Mark those calendars!

• Big Kansas Road Trip, May 2-5
• Millfest, May 4
• Citywide Garage Sale, May 4
• 4th Annual Coronado Heights Kite Fly, May 18

Five Star Stays!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This is a beautiful house with lots of history. The attention to details in the reservation makes this place spectacular!" --Anna-Lena M

Don't just take Anna-Lena's word, dive into this article from Only In Your State to hear about Stenhuset, which means “Stone House'' in Swedish.

Stenhuset is bursting with modern-day amenities, while retaining its historic

19th-century charm. Built in 1877 by Swedish stonemasons, this historic home embraces its Swedish heritage, as does Lindsborg itself.

No matter where you choose to stay in Lindsborg, a five-star stay awaits!

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