Kansas Public Radio displays students’ art
Fall exhibit includes all types of drawings, paintings, photography
For about a month now, Kansas Public Radio has asked listeners to submit to the station works of art to hang as part of an exhibit in its Conference Room. The station has received more than 60 submissions, including photographs and a certain kind of “insect art.”
By Jeff Deters
Wednesday, October 10th, 2007
Katie Jennings is trying to launch her new online business Insect Art, and with a little help from Kansas Public Radio, she might accomplish that.
About a month ago, KPR began asking listeners to submit to the radio station various works of art that could hang on a wall as an art exhibit. Phil Wilke, media manager for KPR, said the station had received more than 60 submissions, including work from University of Kansas students. The exhibit will be displayed in the Conference Room in the KPR building until the end of November. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Wilke said the station hoped to soon have pictures of the gallery online.
“These are very talented kids,” Wilke said.
Jennings, Lawrence native and 2005 KU graduate, said she enjoyed working with dried insects. She submitted to the exhibit a piece entitled “‘Jewel’ Beetles.” The piece is a display of plain beetles following behind a more elegantly decorated “jewel” beetle.
Jennings studied anthropology at the University and said she enjoyed working with beetles because they had cultural significance. She said ancient Mesoamerican societies decorated living beetles with gold and jewels.
“I like to work with beetles because they hold a worldwide mystical value,” Jennings said.
John Counts, Auburn, Ala., graduate student, first heard about the art show while driving and listening to KPR. He is studying geology and has done photography work for the last seven years. He submitted to KPR’s gallery a photo of a record player in a barn in Alabama.
Counts said he submitted his work because the show gave him the opportunity to locally showcase his work, which was more convenient.
“I’d like to exhibit more, but I don’t have time to search for upcoming exhibitions and get my work ready for display,” Counts said.
Counts said that while he enjoyed photography, it’s not a career he wanted to make a living doing.
“But I enjoy it, and I think I will always be involved with photography to some degree,” he said.
—Edited by Chris Beattie
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