|
|
|
Artist Dennis Schiel is something of an oddity: a man who lived in Colorado and moved to Kansas.
Schiel and his wife found themselves looking to make a change when all their children were off to college. They decided to look at towns along the interstate, which would make visits to the kids easier.
"When we got to Hays," Schiel said in a recent interview with the Globe, "I was excited to see how supportive the Hays community was of the arts. As I've traveled around the state, I've come to realize that support of the arts is a state characteristic. Kansas is a hidden treasure for the arts."
Schiel, who has done commissioned art work for such clients as Wayne Newton, John Elway and the Colorado Rockies, is working his way around the entire state in support of his current project.
Schiel is creating a large mural of the state featuring historic sites and famous Kansans. He hopes the mural will eventually hang in the visitors' center of the state capitol.
People and history
Schiel's early work consisted mainly of commissioned portraits. As he worked with each client to determine the design of the painting, he often suggested that the portrait be incorporated into an appropriate background that would help tell the subject's story.
And there was an additional benefit: "A painting will increase in value, but a portrait probably won't," Schiel said.
This process of setting people in a background of their history led Schiel into his interest in the story of his new home state.
Artist and agent
Like many artists, Schiel has found himself spending as much time and creative energy marketing his work as he does creating it.
"The fundraising on this project kind of sells itself, but it takes a lot of time and travel to hit all the bases," Schiel said.
Schiel has completed two of the ten regional panels that will form the 8- -foot by 15-foot mural. He started with the Hays panel, since that history was readily available to him. Then he moved to the far southwest corner panel, which includes Garden City.
He's working on the Dodge City panel now, and he's had several good local sources for history.
"Jim Sherer has been very helpful, as have George Laughead Jr. and Dave Webb," Schiel said.
Schiel does his share of reading and tends to include elements in his mural if they keep appearing as he studies.
"I had to do some extra research in Dodge to resolve the disputes,'" he said.
A home in Dodge City
Schiel is working with officials from the casino and special events center in the hopes of creating a place on the complex for a full-size print on canvas of his finished piece.
In meetings with Dodge City and Ford County officials, Schiel learned that one of the goals for the casino and special events center development, at least from the state's point of view, is to create a destination in Dodge City. Then when travelers come to Dodge City, state tourism officials would use the location to promote other things available in Kansas.
Schiel is offering investors who are interested in the project a chance to sign on in support of either the mural for Dodge City or the state mural. The case statement for the project outlines a number of levels at which donors can participate, along with incentives like tax deductions and limited-edition prints of the mural. The levels range from $1,000 up to $10,000.
Plans are under way for an interactive version of the mural which can be "clicked on" for more extensive information about any person or place depicted on the mural. Schiel said he hopes this tool will be included on several state Web sites and made available to educational institutions.
The Hays Arts Council is serving as the commissioning agency for the project. For more information about the project, or to make a donation toward either the state mural or the Dodge City version, contact Schiel at (785) 639-1220 or Brenda Meder at the Hays Arts Council, (785) 625-7522.
Reach Don Steele at (620) 408-9910 or e-mail him at don.steele@dodgeglobe.com.
Artist Dennis Schiel is something of an oddity: a man who lived in Colorado and moved to Kansas.
Schiel and his wife found themselves looking to make a change when all their children were off to college. They decided to look at towns along the interstate, which would make visits to the kids easier.
"When we got to Hays," Schiel said in a recent interview with the Globe, "I was excited to see how supportive the Hays community was of the arts. As I've traveled around the state, I've come to realize that support of the arts is a state characteristic. Kansas is a hidden treasure for the arts."
Schiel, who has done commissioned art work for such clients as Wayne Newton, John Elway and the Colorado Rockies, is working his way around the entire state in support of his current project.
Schiel is creating a large mural of the state featuring historic sites and famous Kansans. He hopes the mural will eventually hang in the visitors' center of the state capitol.
People and history
Schiel's early work consisted mainly of commissioned portraits. As he worked with each client to determine the design of the painting, he often suggested that the portrait be incorporated into an appropriate background that would help tell the subject's story.
And there was an additional benefit: "A painting will increase in value, but a portrait probably won't," Schiel said.
This process of setting people in a background of their history led Schiel into his interest in the story of his new home state.
Artist and agent
Like many artists, Schiel has found himself spending as much time and creative energy marketing his work as he does creating it.
"The fundraising on this project kind of sells itself, but it takes a lot of time and travel to hit all the bases," Schiel said.
Schiel has completed two of the ten regional panels that will form the 8- -foot by 15-foot mural. He started with the Hays panel, since that history was readily available to him. Then he moved to the far southwest corner panel, which includes Garden City.
He's working on the Dodge City panel now, and he's had several good local sources for history.
"Jim Sherer has been very helpful, as have George Laughead Jr. and Dave Webb," Schiel said.
Schiel does his share of reading and tends to include elements in his mural if they keep appearing as he studies.
"I had to do some extra research in Dodge to resolve the disputes,'" he said.
A home in Dodge City
Schiel is working with officials from the casino and special events center in the hopes of creating a place on the complex for a full-size print on canvas of his finished piece.
In meetings with Dodge City and Ford County officials, Schiel learned that one of the goals for the casino and special events center development, at least from the state's point of view, is to create a destination in Dodge City. Then when travelers come to Dodge City, state tourism officials would use the location to promote other things available in Kansas.
Schiel is offering investors who are interested in the project a chance to sign on in support of either the mural for Dodge City or the state mural. The case statement for the project outlines a number of levels at which donors can participate, along with incentives like tax deductions and limited-edition prints of the mural. The levels range from $1,000 up to $10,000.
Plans are under way for an interactive version of the mural which can be "clicked on" for more extensive information about any person or place depicted on the mural. Schiel said he hopes this tool will be included on several state Web sites and made available to educational institutions.
The Hays Arts Council is serving as the commissioning agency for the project. For more information about the project, or to make a donation toward either the state mural or the Dodge City version, contact Schiel at (785) 639-1220 or Brenda Meder at the Hays Arts Council, (785) 625-7522.
Reach Don Steele at (620) 408-9910 or e-mail him at don.steele@dodgeglobe.com.
