For more information, contact Megan Benitz, 620-792-9342.

January 8, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by: Linda Jerke

Barton Community College art instructor Bill Forst and his wife, Ginger Mayfield, differ distinctly in their artistry, yet they complement each other in collaborative works.

They will present their artwork in an extensive exhibit titled “Forst & Mayfield: Paintings and Ceramics,” opening Sunday, Jan. 10, with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m. at Barton’s Shafer Gallery. The show continues through Feb. 21, according to Shafer Gallery Director Megan Benitz.

“The exhibit offers a wide range of visuals,” said Forst. “People coming to the show will see New Mexico landscapes and a fantasy world of our own creation.”

Although the exhibit does include pieces the two produced separately, many of their works in the show are the results of their collaborative efforts. Mayfield’s distinct style of painting can be seen on many of Forst’s pottery pieces.

A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, Forst earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Wichita State University. Mayfield earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and a Master of Art Education degree from WSU where the two met in the late 1980s, thus forming a unique partnership.

An art instructor at Barton for the past 10 years and former Shafer Gallery director, Forst teaches general art courses, including art history, and specializes in teaching ceramics. He describes his work in ceramics as “functional as well as decorative.” Before joining Barton’s faculty, Forst was associate professor of art at Sterling College, and earlier was an adjunct instructor for Hutchinson Community College, Sterling and Barton.

Mayfield, described by her husband as “an artist extraordinaire,” has taught art at Hutchinson High School since 1988. She paints mainly in watercolor, acrylic and oil, and works in each of those media are included in the show. Mayfield previously taught at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

For the Shafer Gallery exhibit, the two have borrowed some of their pieces from collections of various owners. Kris and Dr. William Davis of Hutchinson have loaned their extensive cowboy dinnerware set, which is a collaboration of the two artists. On Forst’s pottery, Mayfield has painted Western images of cowboys, cowgirls, coyotes, lariats, toads, cacti, etc.

Teddy and Doc Gingerich of Hutchinson also loaned paintings by Mayfield on Forst’s pottery of fantasy architectural scenes. Painted images on one of the larger platters on loan are a tribute to Matisse by Mayfield. Other pieces, owned by Jill and Mike Chisolm of Hutchison, have whimsical fantasy images painted on pottery. Forst said they also have borrowed some of their works from the Hutchinson Art Association for the exhibit.

Forst and Mayfield reside in Hutchinson and they spend time every summer in Taos, N.M., creating works influenced by their Southwestern surroundings. Pieces in the show include Mayfield’s large expressionistic painting of the Grand Canyon, Taos landscapes and other Southwestern art. The show also includes some personal pieces dealing with the couple’s pets.

None of the borrowed works, of course, but most of their other works in the show will be for sale with pricing ranging from $50 bowls up to a dressing room screen by Mayfield priced in the thousands, Forst said.

All Shafer Gallery exhibits are presented in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The gallery is closed on Saturday. Group tours can be arranged by calling the gallery, 620-792-9342.