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Hutchinson Art Center Features Local Artists in Saturday Morning Sessions

Teri Hansen

22 Jun 2025 • 3 min read

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Art Center is showcasing work from five local artists this week. Featured artists included Darci Barker, Karen Holliday, Aiden Vesper, Kathie Moore and Larry Bolton, who created pieces during the weekly figure drawing session.

The center also announced this is the final week to view "Flora & Fauna," the current Front Gallery exhibition running through June 28. The show features selections from the Hutchinson Art Association Permanent Collection, which includes more than 350 works by local, national and international artists collected over seven decades.

The "Flora & Fauna" exhibition focuses on natural beauty of plant and animal life from around the world, showcasing garden scenes, wildflower meadows and creatures interpreted through various artistic perspectives.

The art center also announced its Front Gallery will feature two Kansas artists next month. Melinda McDaniel of Wichita and Susan Meyer of Hutchinson will display their work from July 3 through Aug. 2.

McDaniel, a Wichita resident since 2013, works across multiple creative disciplines including writing, singing, performing and visual arts. Her fine arts journey expanded around 2020, initially using materials from her applied arts career to express energies from dreams, meditations and visions. She has participated in group exhibitions and published "Lily, Are You Out There?" available on Amazon and eBay. Her work spans acrylics and mixed media, from drawings and acrylic pours to semi-realistic human forms and landscapes.

Meyer has lived in Hutchinson for approximately 3.5 years after previously residing in Southern California and Northern Germany. She operated The Colorweaver business for about 10 years in the late 1990s and 2000s, designing one-of-a-kind Irish Dance competition costumes shipped throughout the United States and eastern Canada. Her artistic practice now includes photography, painting, textile art, weaving and handmade journals, with recent exploration into assemblage art. Meyer performs with her assemblage pieces at Kansas retirement homes.

The art center continues seeking volunteer models for future sessions. Information about modeling opportunities is available on the center's website at hutchinsonartcenter.net/sma-modeling.

This week Margot served as the model for this week's session, posing for the group of local artists.

The Saturday Morning Artists group meets from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each Saturday in a come-and-go format, welcoming both experienced artists and newcomers. Participants pay $8 and bring their own art supplies to join the supportive creative community.

Remote participation is available for artists who cannot attend in person. Those working from home can draw or paint the week's model and submit their artwork by email to media@hutchinsonartcenter.net by 3:30 p.m. on session days to be included in the afternoon social media showcase.

The next Saturday Morning Artists session is scheduled for June 28 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Additional information about the program and other art center classes can be found at hutchinsonartcenter.net/classes.

The Hutchinson Art Center serves the community by providing accessible art education and creative opportunities for artists of all skill levels.