2022 smoky hill art exhibition

 After graduating from Wichita State University in 1965,  “Skip” Harwick began teaching at Fort Hays State. Though primarily a painter in oils, he also created works in watercolor, intaglio, ink, and various three-dimensional media.   He had many interests and created an artificial marble from which he designed and fabricated jewelry pieces resembling jade or ivory.  Skip continued his teaching career at Fort Hays until shortly before his death in 1981.  

The HAC proudly hosted a retrospective of Skip’s work in the Fall of 2018, His daughter, Kirsten Harwick Mills, has provided for commemorative Smoky Hill Awards in her father’s memory.   

This year, "Cal’s Iron" by Michael Jilg received the award in Skip's honor. 

John C. Thorns, Jr. was a professor of art at Fort Hays State University from 1954 to 1990, becoming department chair in 1973. He was a founder and president of the Hays Arts Council and served on the Kansas Arts Commission’s visual arts advisory panel. He was also instrumental in the development of the celebrated Hadley Foundation Art Collection at Hays Medical Center, serving as the collection’s consultant until his death in 2014.   John was also a prolific artist and garnered numerous awards for his work. FHSU’s Moss Thorns Gallery of Art bears his name and that of his predecessor Joel Moss.

Warren Taylor, a former student of Thorns now living in San Angelo, TX, provides this special annual award in his name.  This year, “Drought Warning” by Danielle Robinson received the award in John’s honor. 

Byrnell W. Figler was a talented classically trained pianist, attending the Bavarian Music Academy in Munich, Germany on a Fulbright grant. After teaching throughout the country, he taught and performed at Fort Hays State University for 20 years. As a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy, he was passionate about the earth and its beauty.

He was also a man of great wit who enjoyed humorous and intellectual repartee. Following his death in 2017, his long-time friend, artist Warren Taylor, made a donation to honor him with “Smoky Hill” awards in his memory.  

So, in honor of his zest for life and love of the outdoors, “Biking in a Sunny Day” by Elena Masrour received this award in his memory.

For twenty-three years, Gordon Sherman was a professor of printmaking in the Fort Hays State University Department of Art and Design. He was also a prolific and award-winning artist whose work was exhibited nationally and internationally. 

Following his retirement last December, we began working with him on his retrospective exhibition. Sadly, Gordon passed away last summer, but with the support of his family and colleagues, we carried out those plans and celebrated his legacy, featuring his work as the highlight of our 2021 Fall Art Walk.

Through the generosity of his family, we’re presenting two awards in his name – one for “Midnight Visit” by Mike Gross and the other for “The Inner Sanctum” by Angelia Perkins.