Lawrence.com

Final Friday March 27th, 2015 Event Contact: Molly Murphy, molly@lawrenceartscenter.org Submit an event by the 15th of each month: www.lawrenceks.org/finalfriday

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * SEEDCO STUDIOS l OPEN STUDIOS l RESIDENT EXHIBITION Month * March Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Website http://www.seedcostudios.com

Business Location
720 E 9th St #7 Lawrence, KS 66044 United States :::OPEN STUDIOS l RESIDENT EXHIBITION:::

Open studios and an exhibition of works created by the Fresh Produce Art Collective and resident artists of SeedCo Studios.

SeedCo Studios is a group workspace currently based in the Warehouse Arts District in East Lawrence, Kansas, founded and run by members of the Fresh Produce Art Collective. Aiming to provide a space to create and collaborate through a multitude of platforms, primarily visual, sonic, and performance-based art forms. Although the styles range from contemporary mixed media to pop surrealism, 'outsider' and neo-classical realism, the unifying factor among the visual work represented is the depth to which each individual has committed to their own personal vision. Somehow, within this diversity, threads of similarity seem to weave through the pieces when collected and shown together. A sense of rhythm and intention apart from any singular expression emerges, like companion plants interacting, co-creating harmony within the garden, making the whole, as they say, greater than the sum of its parts.

www.seedcostudios.com The Fresh Produce Art Collective is a self-organized group of art makers based in and around Lawrence, KS. More than any specific members, the collective exists as a kind of starter culture for creating and sustaining an artistic awareness within the community. There are shared themes that find their way into the work-reclamation of forgotten remnants, an appreciation for the peripheries of visual communication, a certain amount of commitment to eloquence and craft, and many shared processes and mediums-only natural with shared studio space- but each member of the collective brings their own distinct point of view. It is through this expression of individuality that the influence of the group far surpasses the sum of its parts, allowing ideas and experiences to transcend preconceived boundaries, and translate into an understanding of how to build a more meaningful reality. More important than the philosophy of art-making, the practice of production is the true test of the collective mindset. Shared studio and shop spaces have developed an inherent sense of collaboration as well as personal responsibility for each piece. Rarely looking backward too long, the collective mentality emphasizes the immediate, if anything looking forward at what is just beyond sight, while still retaining unifying elements of style and innate composition. Beyond the hive-mind, each artist is individually fully engaged in their own elemental vision quest, rarely satisfied with what has been created, but always willing to embrace the challenge again. This energy breathes life into otherwise inanimate objects and surfaces, allowing them to be activated, to speak, to tell a story, and it engages any willing to listen. As Fresh Produce has grown and evolved into a self-sustaining contributor to the local artistic infrastructure, its ideals and direction have become more crystallized and nuanced, and its ability to infuse the community with contemporary cultural art events is just beginning to be explored. Art fills a distinct void in our current society, where so much is intangible, invisible that we forget how natural it is to express something that absolutely, certainly exists, whatever that something may be. The regeneration of awareness and creative engagement is an ongoing process, the limits of visual and material manipulation have yet to be reached, and the collective unconscious still seeks a mouthpiece through which to reassure us that we are not alone.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * The Processed Picture l Louis Copt & Michael McCaffrey Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Cider Gallery Fine Art Business Website http://cidergallery.com/

Business Location
810 PENNSYLVANIA STREET LAWRENCE, KS 66044 United States

The Processed Picture Louis Copt & Michael McCaffrey

In the hands of a painter once a photograph is taken, it rarely stays the same. The representational works in this exhibition are sourced from either a single or a series of photographic images. When an artist uses a photograph as reference material for a painting the original photograph is changed, manipulated and transformed in different and unexpected ways, a synthesis of mediums occurs. Photographic images have changed ways of seeing and expanded ideas about composition, stretching the boundaries between appearance and reality.

For the artist, photography can be a tool for painting as well as an end unto itself. Our current work with photography, combined with painting, is a way to explore the crossroads between observation, fantasy and personal expression.

The processed picture is a two-person exhibition of works by Michael McCaffrey and Louis Copt. In this exhibition both artists examine the intersection between photography and painting through similar but different processes. :::Michael McCaffrey::: Currently, my subject matter is dictated by a desire to capture the people, places and things in my life as I observe them now. I am driven by a desire to capture the truth of these people as they are now because the truth is, the truth changes. Primarily I am interested in how the persona of the self undergoes constant shifts as it adapts to ever changing physical and psychological realties.

One year ago I returned home to teach at the University of Kansas as a sabbatical replacement, since then I have been creating paintings, drawings and photographs of my 75-year-old father; for a much longer time, I have been documenting the glacially slow change in his environment. These portraits are derived from a close study of a habitat and its inhabitant. Returning home has spurred growth and necessitated a more representational shift in my work. This recent work strives to balance perceived form with painterly invention developed during the painting process. My color has changed from bright synthetic hues representative of computer monitors to the neutrals that I associate more frequently with my father and his home.

More of Michaels work can be found at www.michaelmccaffreystudio.com :::LOUIS COPT::: Artist Louis Copt was born and reared in Emporia, Kansas. He graduated from Emporia State University in 1971 with a degree in art.

Copt began his career as a full time artist in 1985 after returning from a summer of study at the Art Students League in New York City. The focus for Copt’s art includes landscape, portrait, figurative painting, sculpture and photography.

Louis has taught at the Lawrence Arts Center for over 14 years and has led travel and painting workshops to France, Spain and Italy. He has also taught classes at the University of Kansas.

His work has been featured in two recent exhibits at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri and the Sabatini Gallery in Topeka, Kansas. His work has been published in American Artist Magazine and numerous scholarly publications including The Great Plains Quarterly.

Copt has also exhibited work in national competitions such as the National Oil Painters of America and the Kansas Watercolor Society. His work is in several museum, corporate and private collections throughout the United States.

:::Figurative Statement::: The majority of the photographic and painted images in my portion of this exhibition are from work done at a three-day photographic workshop at the F. Holland Day Retreat Center near Ried State Park in Maine. The rest of my works are from images made at various locations in the Kansas Flint Hills. I have found it both challenging and inspirational to work with the figure and the landscape combining the beauty of nature with the beauty of the human form.

Historian Kenneth Clark states in his classic study “The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form” that “in the greatest age of painting, the nude inspired the greatest works: and even when it ceased to be a compulsive subject, it held its position as an academic exercise and a demonstration of mastery.” It did so, he explains, because the nude as a conceptual and artistic category always involved the notion of an ideal abstracted from the reality we confront in our everyday lives. As such, we may add, the nude in art plays a role similar to that of hero in epic: it provides the means and occasion to figure forth what a society takes to be greatest excellence. The nude therefore “is not the subject of art but a form of art”. It was the Greeks by their idealization of man, who turned the body into an incarnation of energy. Two paintings made in 1907 can be taken as the starting point of twentieth-century art. They are Matisse’s “Blue Nude” and Picasso’s “Demoiselles d’Avignon”. Both of these revolutionary pictures represented the nude.

The early Christians emphasis on chastity and celibacy discounted depiction's of nakedness. In this climate, there was little motivation to study the nude, and unclothed figures are thus rare in medieval art. Among the notable exceptions are Adam and Eve where their nakedness casts undress in the ominous light of shame and original sin.

My depiction of the nude is not to project an image of a huddled and defenseless body, but a balanced, prosperous and confident body. I have found that drawing and painting the human form has helped me in all other artistic pursuits from abstract to landscape painting. I consider rendering the human form one of the most difficult and challenging things an artist can do. Working with the figure forces me to slow down and observe and strive for an ideal of perfection. Aristotle said “Art completes what nature cannot bring to a finish. The artist gives us knowledge of natures’s unrealized ends”.

More of Louis’ work can be found at www.louiscopt.com

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * "Spring Fling", Artwork by Kathleen Anderson, Laurie Culling, Dian Hauser, Leta Strom, Peggy Mohr Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name EXTRA VIRGIN Business Website http://www.extravirginoilsvinegars.com

Business Location
937 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, KS 66044 United States Kathleen Anderson is a Lawrence resident who has been painting in watercolor and oil for the past 14 years. She loves color in all its brilliance and subtleties with subject matter that includes landscapes, city scenes, seascapes, flowers and animals. She is a member of the Lawrence Art Guild, the Greater Kansas City Art Association, and the Missouri Valley Impressionist Society. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections and has been displayed in 1109 Gallery in Lawrence, SouthWind Gallery in Topeka, and Images Gallery, Buttonwood Gallery, and ARTichokes Gallery in the Kansas City area. www.kathleenhelenanderson.com, www.artkc.com/anderson_k.htm

Laurie Culling is a visual artist and active visual artists' advocate, living in Lawrence. Ranging in style from realistic to abstract, her art explorations feature a variety of mediums including acrylic on canvas, mixed media on gypsum, monotypes, watercolor, pastels, hand-made paper collage, fabric and beads. Her artwork has been exhibited locally, regionally and nationally and she has received numerous awards including Lawrence's prestigious Phoenix Award in Visual Arts (2002). Her works are in many private, public and corporate collections. Laurie is a former Lawrence Art Guild co-president and vice-president, the co-founder of the Phoenix Gallery (1982), a founding member of the F.A.N. Club (1987) and Artist for the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center (1988). Laurie volunteered as art exhibit coordinator on behalf of the Lawrence Art Guild for the Lawrence Public Library for 20 years. She was the volunteer Assistant Director of the Lawrence Art Guild's 1109 Gallery in Downtown Lawrence. www.laurieculling.com, www.convergenceart.com, www.lawrenceartguild.org Dian Hauser is a mixed media artist living in Oskaloosa, Kansas with her husband and 14 turkeys (among other animals). She received her MFA from the University of Kansas in 2000 and has been happily making art ever since. Her artwork references stories, verbal and written, that have a metaphysical basis. Dian uses metal and wood as a ground for her collage/ drawing/ painting explorations. She has exhibited her work locally and regionally. Dian’s art hangs in corporate and private collections. Dian was the Lawrence Public Library Art Liaison until 2013 and has had the pleasure of working with many Lawrence artists. www.dianhauser.com

LETA STROM BACKDOOR PHOTOS During her travels with her husband Steve, Leta Strom utilized traditional and modern photographic techniques to create canvas pieces that capture the charm and distinctiveness of various locales in Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Her photo company, “Backdoor Photo,” takes its name from the approach that Steve and Leta chose in planning their European adventure. Rather than visiting a great many large cities, they chose to enter the countries through the ‘backdoor,’ wandering along winding cobblestone streets, becoming lost in the centuries-old charm of the villages and falling in step with the daily lives of locals. It is Leta’s hope that as you view her photos, you may become lost in the enchanting appeal of these European spots. Leta Strom has been involved in the Arts and working with young people for over twenty-five years. She taught high school drama and students with special needs. Leta resides in Lawrence, Kansas with her husband, Steve, and enjoys spending time with her daughters, Lauren and Kristin. Peggy Mohr Though new to acrylic painting, Peggy has expressed her creativity in many ways since young. Music, dance and sewing were a major part of her growing up years, yet she always wanted to paint. She transferred to KU in 1975, graduated, married and raised her children in Lawrence, KS., where she currently resides with her husband, Larry. She worked for a local water color artist for many years yet never tried painting for herself. In 2008 she divinely came across a sketch she had done of her “brother’s mind” when she was in junior high, in Southern California. This was the kick she needed to pursue art for herself. After taking various classes at the art center she made the decision to focus on painting. For her, this had been a growing process, releasing a renewed love of the arts and gratefulness to God for His faithful “nudging”. http://peggymohr.com

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Micky McKillip Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Ten Thousand Villages - Lawrence Business Website http://facebook.com/tenthousandvillageslawrence

Business Location
835 Massachusetts St Lawrence, KS 66044 United States I am a dreamer, I have always been a dreamer, my dreaming has conjured up numerous ideas that have become creations for all to see, the possibilities are vast and endless.

Nature has long been a love of mine, I find inspiration in the change of seasons and wide open, wild spaces. Wildflowers, vines, stones, feathers, driftwood, bones, and the bloom on the branch, are all so intriguing to me and inspire my designs.

As a collector, a wide variety of things catch my eye. I'm drawn to texture, shape and color, sometime just the way light reflects off an object sparks an idea for me. I love re-using found or castoff items, leftovers. I could poke around flea markets, estate sales and small town antique shops for hours, it's all brain food. That pile of old, broken, and tangled jewelry left forgotten in the bottom of a jewelry box. A stash of aged bottles found in the river, that old gravy boat, a pair of used up cowboy boots, or a collection of fifty year old perfume bottles. I find all of these little treasures so inspiring and useful to me in my creations. Once I have gathered a pleasing collection I will assemble or re-imagine it into something of interest, wonder and beauty.

Flowers are my passion! So many fragrances, colors and shapes, all so interesting and pleasing. Flowers are never static, constantly changing with the season. Flowers delight the senses, they can make people smile or pause for a sniff. I grow gourds and a wide variety of flowers and forage wild flowers and vines to use in my floral creations. It's consuming and fun and feeds my soul. You can see my eclectic bouquets on display in found and recycled containers at the Lawrence farmers market on Saturdays. I am also available for any and all occasion deliveries, weddings or events. I strive to make unusual, interesting, and uniquely personal bouquets.

We inspire and help each other achieve our goals and make our ideas become a reality. Whether it is a sculpture at the river made of driftwood and trash or iron butterflies commissioned at the city library or a tree for the festival of the trees charity benefit, we are all in it together.

The Harrison Art Collective:

This is my family: Brian Harrison Ripp Harrison Gus Harrison Micky McKillip

Welding is a skill that has been passed from father to son in our family. Brian has made crazy, cool sculptures from castoff metal parts and pieces. Fish, flowers, spiders/bugs, dinosaurs and butterflies, you can see all of these works around the region. Gus has become a welder by trade and has used horseshoes and tools to make hearts and sea creatures. He's our strong man who helps everyone and is beginning to explore his creative side. Ripp, the high school art teacher and coach, takes it up a notch. He is a people watcher and likes to make you look twice to be sure you saw what you think you did! He is a pencil and paint kinda guy, but also uses clay, wood, metal, and cardboard to empty his vivid brain. We are all available to consider custom commissions upon request.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Edible Books Festival Starting Time 6:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Lawrence Public Library Business Website http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/

Business Location
707 Vermont St. Lawrence, Kansas 66044 United States

Simple or complicated, create an edible work of art based on the form, title, or content of a book. Register as an individual or a team at 785-843-3833 by 5:00 pm Thursday, March 26. Bring entries between 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm on Friday. No registrations are required to view the submissions and vote!

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Lesa Weller Starting Time 6:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name The Brewhaus, North Lawrence's Coffee Bar Business Location
624 N 2nd St 624 N 2nd Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

The Brewhaus, located at 624 N 2nd St in Lawrence, will be presenting the works of Lesa Weller between the hours of 6-9PM on Friday, 27 March 2015.

Lesa Weller’s art tells her story of survival while encouraging people with mental health issues to find acceptance and solace inside of themselves. In 2004, the amnesia Lesa had experienced since childhood finally made sense in an amazing way. Today, through her art, she knows wellness and peace.

Colorful and arresting art is created by different personalities who share Lesa's reality. As she learns, grows, changes and finds courage through her art, each part of her influences and guides each movement, each stroke, and every imagining that accumulates into her life’s work.

Lesa draws with media which help her realize the color saturations and moods she wishes to explore. Each personality has their own favorite way of capturing feelings, thoughts and experiences. She works in markers, pencils, ink, pastels, watercolor, oils, crayons and any colorful medium she can find.

Her work is seen world‐wide through her website on Fine Art America and locally in art displays and galleries. Collectors are drawn to her artwork because of the variations in style, mood, emotion and color they each possess and the frankness with which she describes them.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Geoffrey Benzing Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 8:00:00 PM Business Name The Roost Business Website http://www.920mass.com

Business Location
920 Mass Lawrence, Ks 66044 United States

Watercolors from Another Galaxy

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * March Final Friday at the Phoenix Underground Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Phoenix Underground Business Website http://www.phoenixgalleryart.com

Business Location
825 Massachusetts Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Phoenix Underground is proud to host the second Juried University of Kansas Visual Arts Student Exhibition.

Studying the history of art is fundamental to any artist's training as it highlights the rich development of themes and techniques and examines the role of art across time and culture. Therefore, for the 2015 Juried Student exhibition Phoenix Underground is asking students to find inspiration from the "textbook greats." Titled "With Gratitude to the Greats," students were asked to create an original work that is highly influenced by a particular time period, genre, style, or artist.

The judges will be local artist Kris Kuksi, visual arts coordinator Grace Peterson, and Art History professor Sherry Fowler. Upon the announcement there will be three winners who will receive prizes. The opening reception will be Final Friday, March 27, 2015 from 5-9 pm and the announcement of winners will be at 7:00 pm.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Phoenix Gallery Final Friday Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Phoenix Gallery Business Website http://www.phoenixgalleryart.com

Business Location
825 Massachusetts Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

During the March Final Friday at the Phoenix Gallery, we will be hosting several local artists; JoAnne Renfro, Cecilia Labora and Ingrid Alexander. Come by and meet the artists!

JoAnne Renfro is a free-lance artist, living in Lawrence, Kansas. Born and raised and proud of it! She graduated from KU 'several' years ago with a fine arts degree. She uses color, pattern and whimsy in her art, along with a sense of humour developed through raising three kids, several dogs, numerous cats and a pot belly pig named Matilda. Joanne will be bringing in new works for the evening!

Cecilia Labora has always been fascinated by the beauty of beads and the opportunity that they offer to express creatively. As a small child she strung seed beads or as they were known to her in her native Mexico, 'chaquira'. In 2003 she learned about making handmade glass beads, also known as flameworked or lampworked glass beads, and her love affair with molten glass began. Her passion for this art form continues with every bead she makes. Her beads range in color and style from colorful and funky to more organic neutral tones with classic designs. Ingrid Alexander will be featured in the Vermont Street Gallery. Originally from Nicaragua, a small country in Central America full of lakes, volcanoes and tropical rainforests, she has been imbued with its great artisitic tradition. She visualizes a tropical paradise with its colors, shapes and sounds. Her interest in other cultures, ancient and indigenous to the American and African continents, has intrigued her since her childhood. The colors, patterns and motifs in her paintings come from the textiles, ceramics and mural arts of these cultures. She paints with oils, acrylics, watercolors and mixed media on everything from canvas to barns.

Phoenix Gallery is delighted to have local singer and artist Maria Anthony providing music for the evening. Join us for food, libations and music this Final Friday!

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Textile Demonstrators: Celebrating Women's History Month at the Watkins Museum of History Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 8:00:00 PM Business Name Watkins Museum of History Business Website http://www.WatkinsMuseum.org

Business Location
1047 Massachusetts Street 1047 Massachusetts Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Join us to celebrate women's history month and meet textile and fiber artists. Meet spinners, weavers, quilters, needle workers, and an angora rabbit! This event is in conjunction with the museum's temporary exhibit: A Stitch in Time: Lawrence History Through Textiles which will be on display on the museum's 2nd level through April 11, 2015. Free. To participate in this event, contact Jan Shupert-Arick, Public Programs Manager, at 785-841-4109.

*Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Emily Markoulatos "Spring Sprang Sprung" Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 AM Business Name The Bourgeois Pig

Business Location
6 E. 9th Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Emily Markoulatos makes paintings that tell their own story while communicating emotion to the viewer. She believes visual art is an important form of communication which goes beyond what can be described through words alone. Emily uses vivid colors, in her abstract canvases, and creates texture with the use of different tools, including pallet knives and oil bars. In her wood pieces, she uses a wood burner to create a subtle texture. These works are often representative of the beautiful Kansas landscape. Emily graduated with a BFA from Iowa State University, and is currently seeking a Master's degree in Art Education from the University of Kansas. She sells her paintings through her website at www.emilymarkoulatos.com.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Emily Eakes - LOVE | HATE Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Essential Goods Business Website http://www.facebook.com/essentialgood...

Business Location
825 Massachusetts Street Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Please join us at the opening reception for artist Emily Eakes on Friday, March 27th from 5 to 9 pm. Emily's show, LOVE | HATE, will be up through the third week in April.

Working from her home studio in Lawrence, Emily Eakes crafts hand-carved, hand-printed, hand-embroidered ready to hang original artworks. Subtle and subversive, Eakes' work combines traditional printmaking with images of stereotypical "women's work" to create thought-provoking home decor pieces. "I'm inspired by culture and by the notion that what for some is bad and wrong, for others is good and normal. I like making beautiful things that are subtly subversive".

Born in Missouri, but raised in Northeast Kansas, Eakes has called Lawrence home for the past several years. She earned her bachelor of fine arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute and has taken additional credits in K-12 art education at Washburn University. Making art for over 30 years, Eakes knows that the drive and need to create is within her. "I knew by the first grade that I was going to be an artist".

In addition to creating fine art, Eakes is a full-time graphic designer under the business name, filthEdesign. She has taught art classes at the Mulvane Art Museum and continues to create and exhibit fine art across the country. To see more of Eakes' work, visit filthedesign.com

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * 2015 Lawrence Arts Center Benefit Auction Exhibit Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name The Lawrence Arts Center Business Website http://www.lawrenceartscenter.org

Business Location
940 New Hampshire St. Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

The Benefit Art Auction is the primary funding source for the Exhibitions Program at the Lawrence Arts Center and features original artworks generously donated by local and national artists. It is an excellent opportunity to purchase art, support the exhibitions at the Arts Center, and learn more about the artists. Established by artists in 1981 as a way to fund a not-for-profit gallery, the auction provides funding for the exhibitions program now occupying five spaces in the Arts Center and enriched by Art Talks, films, and more. This is a community opportunity to support the Exhibitions Program at the Lawrence Arts Center. Approximately 150 pieces generously donated by artists will be on exhibit for four weeks to be auctioned during the April 11 auction event. Visitors to the exhibition may make bids on both live and silent auction items; all bids start at 50% of retail value. Patrons may purchase pieces before the auction for buy-out bids of 200% of retail value.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * “Women’s History Month: “Tell Mama” Story Quilts by Marla Jackson Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Lawrence Percolator Business Website http://facebook.com/lawrence.percolator

Business Location
913 Rhode Island St. in the alley north of the Lawrence Arts Center (south of East Ninth Street, between New Hampshire and Rhode Island). Look for the green awnings. Lawrence, Kansas 66044 United States

The Percolator Art Space is proud to present, “Women’s History Month: “Tell Mama” Story Quilts by Marla Jackson. This exhibition will be on display at the Percolator Art Space from March 27, 2015-April 17, 2015. Marla will be available to speak with visitors at Final Fridays on March 27th between 6-8 pm.

This exhibition of 10 quilts reflects the stories of notable women in Marla’s personal life, as well as personal heroes. Included in the exhibition are two story quilts never before displayed for the public. The works include:

Tell Mama Royalty Middle Passage Tina Turner Celia Cruz

Marla Jackson is a world-renowned visual narrative artist and quilter with an art studio and teaching gallery, and is the director of the African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy in Lawrence, KS. Marla is a community-based visual art educator. Her works have been exhibited in over thirty-five national and international venues, including the American Folk Art Museum, The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. One of her most famous works is part of the permanent collection, at Smithsonian's Anacostia Community. Her narrative quilts are inspired by the oral histories of her ancestors and the Kansas region. Her work has been featured in the Kansas History Society Quarterly, Threads of Faith, MS Magazine, Speaking Out of Turn Magazine, PBS programs, local and regional syndicated press, as well as exhibit catalogs. Marla's company, Marla Quilt's Inc. African American Museum and Textile Academy is an impetus for developing artistic skills, enhancing individual and communal expression and furthering intellectual awareness. Marla donates art supplies and her expertise to Liberty Memorial Central Junior High School, in Lawrence Kansas.

Marla Jackson: “Quilting allows me to access a place deep within my soul where absolute peace is present. I am a quilting poet, whose intention is to provide opportunities to challenge common beliefs, promote questioning, and to inspire others to change their world to be a better place for all people. Quilting has brought me to a greater understanding of my family history, as well as the broader histories of the African American experience. I am particularly drawn to stories and images depicting slavery and freedom, specifically as it resulted from efforts of the Underground Railroad. Often I wake up in the middle of night with my mind full of images. I immediately begin sketching what my mind’s eye conceptualizes. These midnight drawings are then realized through the quilting process. My desire is to continue to have opportunities to share my work, my vision, and our collective narratives and histories.” Marla recently received funding from the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council to create a dye garden and from these dyes; she made quilts depicting the story of Maria Martin, a slave-era quilter who lived in Lawrence in the 19th century. This project is called Turkey Red after the color of the dye producing a rich and incredibly color fast cool (blue-ish) red color for cloth. Working with students from Liberty Memorial Central Junior High School students, Marla created quilts that tell the story of Maria Martin. These quilts are currently on display at the African American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy. Please visit the website at www.marlaquiltsinc.com for times when the museum is open or to book a tour.

The Lawrence Percolator is the project space of the Lawrence Corporation for the Advancement of the Visual Arts. LCAVA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing new art and cultural events to audiences in Lawrence and Douglas County Kansas. The Percolator is a community-based exhibition and performance space accessible to all members of the community. The Percolator is located at 913 Rhode Island St, in the alley north of the Lawrence Arts Center (south of East Ninth Street, between New Hampshire and Rhode Island). Look for the green awnings. The gallery space is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-6 pm.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Lawrence Creates Art Party Starting Time 5:30:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Lawrence Creates Business Website http://www.lawrencecreates.com

Business Location
512 E. 9th St. (9th & New Jersey) Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Featuring member art and craft exhibitions, live music, food and drink.

Featured Art: kinetic metal sculptures by Nick Schmiedeler.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Art Emergency Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 10:30:00 PM Business Name Art Emergency

Business Location
721 E. 9th st Lawrence , Ks 66044 United States

Art Emergency, in association with Kate and Karl's blacksmith and stone carving presents Creative Collection! A jubilation of local creativity featuring live musical guest, The Band Band. They will be keeping the vibes light and the music right all night while the greatest art warehouse in town exhibits local art! Celebrate creativity with Sculptures, Prints, Paintings, Stone Carvings and much more!

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * || Night Characters || Jonah Gray Starting Time 6:00:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Henry's Coffee Shop + Bar

Business Location
11 East 8th Street Lawrence, Kansas 66044 United States

Please join the Henry's family this Spring-filled March Final Fridays in welcoming local young artist, Jonah Gray. Jonah is a spirited young adult who has been raised by a community of artists and will be exhibiting his first show this month. Don't forget to grab a delicious iced coffee or a Manhattan from the bar on your way out!

|| Night Characters || Jonah Gray ||

Opening : March 27th, 6-9 pm

Bio: Jonah Gray is a self-taught artist from Lawrence, KS. His work explores the boundary between perception and imagination, capturing the energy and essence of his subjects. From zombies to robots to Abraham Lincoln, his characters encompass the past, present and future with equal aplomb and vitality.

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * Spring Cleaning: An Original Art and Fine Print Super Sale Starting Time 5:00:00 PM Ending Time 10:00:00 PM Business Name Wonder Fair Gallery Business Website http://www.wonderfair.com

Business Location
803 1/2 Massachusetts St (Above the Burger Stand) Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

This April Wonder Fair celebrates its seven-year anniversary as a Downtown Lawrence destination; wow! In that time, we've seen the birth and growth of Final Fridays and have filled our vaults with great original art and fine prints. Final Friday, we'll share the wealth and our thanks with a spring cleaning sale and anniversary celebration! For a limited time, enjoy savings of 10%-50% off throughout the shoppe and gallery. Featuring work by Wonder Friends Justin Marable, Yoonmi Nam, Tugboat Printshop, Tonja Torgerson, Adreena Cook, Sean Starwars, Nick Perry, Charley Forsyth, and many more!

Artist Name or Exhibition Title * "Vibrations" art by Stephanie Weiss Starting Time 7:15:00 PM Ending Time 9:00:00 PM Business Name Be Moved Studio Business Website http://www.bemovedstudio.com

Business Location
2 E. 7th St. Lawrence, KS 66044 United States

Artistically and personally, I've always been really inspired by the cosmos, space, dreams, consciousness, yoga, etc. I'm beginning to understand that all of the things we use our 5 (or 6) senses to perceive are, at their very base, a vibration, including colors, smells, sounds, and even thoughts. These pieces are my attempt to understand this better and I did so specifically, by connecting the Om symbol, the Chakras, the Earth (trees) and the Heavens (a starry sky.)