The Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery in Lindsborg has been in full swing celebrating their 127th Annual Midwest Art Exhibition and there is still time to experience its art masterpieces, before it ends for the year.

Since 1899, the Midwest Art Exhibition has been a Lindsborg favorite and this year it features two Kansan artists and an established New York organization that is filled with gifted artists. According to the museum, the exhibition includes “Rearview Mirror,” a retrospective by McPherson painter Wayne Conyers; “Enigma,” paintings by Brian Hinkle of Wichita; Selections from the “Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) 89th Annual Members Exhibition” in New York and the “Sandzen-Greenough Family Print Highlights” from the Permanent Collection.

Museum Director Ron Michael tells KSAL News, they have received nothing but positive feedback on the amalgamation of shows that have occurred since the exhibition opened.

“This exhibition features an exciting array of artists and the varied shows we have had are all loved by the community” said Michael.

Wayne Conyers has been an artist for his entire life and has been pushing the boundaries of watercolor for as long as he has been creating art. Michael stated that Conyers’ commitment to the medium along with drawing and ceramics, has elevated art in the North Central Kansas region. Conyers retired after teaching for 45 years and 35 of those being at McPherson College. He earned degrees from Bethany College, the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Fort Hays State University.

Wichita artist, Brian Hinkle has been an active artist for decades. His works can be found throughout the U.S., Germany and Sweden. Hinkle has received an M.F.A. (Masters of Fine Arts) from Wichita State University and has been steadily painting ever since. He was also the former gallery director at Wichita Center for the Arts, which is now “MarkArts.”

From the New York, the SAGA 89th Annual Members Exhibition features printmakers from around the country. According to Michael, Birger Sandzen was an active member during his lifetime and the museum felt it was appropriate that the show travels to the Gallery named in his honor.

The Midwest Art Exhibition was founded in 1899 by three local Lindsborg artists – Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotave and G. N. Malm as a complement to the annual Messiah Festival held at Bethany College. Today, it represents as the longest running annual art exhibition in Kansas and primarily features works by artists invited by the Sandzén Gallery or from the Gallery’s permanent collection.

You can visit the 127th Annual Midwest Art Exhibition at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery on 401 N. 1st Street in Lindsborg, KS.

Hours are 10 am – 5 pm, Tuesday – Saturday and 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Sunday. Admission is free to the public, with donations appreciated. The exhibition ends on Easter Sunday, April 20th.

For more information, visit www.sandzen.org or call (785) 227-2220.

Photos by Nicolas Fierro, KSAL News: