By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The opening of the 41st-annual 5-State Photography Exhibition at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th, will anchor the 2024 Hays Art Council Winter Art Walk from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
"The show is very popular," said Brenda Meder, executive director of the arts council. "It has 150 amazing photographs chosen by the juror from 588 outstanding pieces submitted by photographers in Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Colorado.
"It's going to be an amazing show," she said.
Dan White, Kansas City, was a first-time juror for the competition.
The internationally published photographer has won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, for his work on the Kansas City Star newspaper team covering the 1981 collapse of the Hyatt Regency Hotel skywalks. White continues his 30-year commercial fine art photographer career and was recently inducted into the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame.
Most of the 18 stops on the art walk are in downtown Hays businesses. Student collections are also exhibited at Fort Hays State University.
"There are features from a senior BFA exhibition as well as an MFA exhibition at the university. Community artists are also featured in showcases," Meder said.
Meder says the day can be topped off with Christmas Past at Old Fort Hays that evening.
"It is another way to show the incredible creative and cultural spirit across the community, truly from morning until night," Meder said.
Meder said the host locations share diverse art, including art made by children.
The Cottonwood Extension District Office will highlight children's artwork from local home, group and child care centers.
Make-and-take LEGO printmaking for all ages with FHSU art education students and instructor Brian Hutchinson will be hosted at eyeSMILE Vision and Dental, 1300 Main.
The literary arts and the FHSU English Department will be represented at the Hays Public Library, 1205 Main, with host Eileen Veatch, the FHSU poet laureate.
Attending the art walk and viewing the exhibitions is free. Below is a complete list of host locations and featured artists.
