Stephen Toal has been clean and sober for three years now from alcohol addiction.
Toal has been busy creating artistic murals in parks in Fort Scott.
This spring he painted a mural under the big rock shelter house at Gunn Park, painting over graffiti.
This summer he is working on murals at Riverfront Park.
“Art is a big part of my recovery,” he said. “I think by doing these it helps me and also the community and will hopefully start bringing in more people at the park.”
Art helps him to focus, “When I am doing art, I am in my own zone,” he said.
Toal started focusing on art when he needed to change his life.
He was encouraged to pursue art by a counselor.
“When I went to rehab, a counselor asked me what I like to do,” he said. “I liked to draw. I got into art. I feel that is what I am meant to be.”
“I do photography as well,” Toal said. “I do five to six different art mediums.”
“I really enjoy the outdoor painting,” he said. “I think by painting the murals it’s bringing the community together and showing others the power of art.”
“There will be more (art)to come,” Toal said. ” I am starting on the inside of the tunnel (at Riverfront Park). The tunnel mural is going to be about Fort Scott and Kansas mixed in. I’m currently still doing some research on old businesses here and people that influenced Fort Scott. I am working on the design. And will possibly collaborate with other local artists.”
He does the community art projects for free.
“I don’t like getting into the money side,” he said. “And I have a lot of paint.”
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[Message clipped] View entire message
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Presbyterian Village announces
Art is Ageless® winners
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village recently announced the 2021 winners of the annual Art is Ageless® juried competition on the community Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/FortScottPresbyterianVillage.
“We are honored to exhibit artwork by seniors,” said Megan Brillhart, marketing director. “Art is Ageless is unique in featuring only the works of artists age 65 and older. Our artists prove that art, in any form, is an ageless ambition.”
Winners in the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village Art is Ageless juried competition were:
Best of Show amateur: Helen Nuzum, “Rona Rooster”
People’s Choice amateur: Ruth Bahr, “Awed by Nature”
People’s Choice professional: Paul Milks, “Weedy Sunset”
Judge’s Choice amateur: Barbara Gibson, “Feith”
Judge’s Choice professional: Tony Fornelli, “The Hillbilly”
Christmas amateur: Linda Thompson, “Winter Mittens”
Fiber Arts amateur: Ruth Bahr, “Jellybean Bookmark”
Mixed Media/Crafts amateur: Barbara Gibson, “Feith”
Needlework amateur: Helen Nuzum, “Take a Ride”
Mixed Media/Crafts professional: Tony Fornelli, “In Loving Memory”
Painting amateur: Barbara Stuart, “This & That”
Painting professional: Tony Fornelli, “Dragon Slayer”
Photography professional: Paul Milks, “Weedy Sunset”
Quilting amateur: Earline Foster, “Chubby Chicks”
Sculpture/3D: Tony Fornelli, “The Hillbilly”
Local competition winners will join winners from 14 other Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America communities to be judged at the masterpiece level. Winning entries at the masterpiece level are selected for publication in PMMA’s annual Art is Ageless calendar and note cards.
Art is Ageless is a copyrighted program of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years. Started in 1980, Art is Ageless is an extension of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s wellness programs, which focus on mental, physical, social and spiritual health.
Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s Art is Ageless program encourages Fort Scott Presbyterian Village residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.
For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, 2401 South Horton, Fort Scott, Kan., contact Megan Brillhart at 620-223-5550, or [email protected].
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MANHATTAN, Kansas — The beauty of Kansas agriculture has been celebrated throughout the state’s ag industry, and we encourage photographers to capture that beauty and share it with others through the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s annual photo contest. KDA began accepting photos on June 7, and will continue accepting entries through August 16.
This year’s KDA Photo Contest categories were selected to promote different aspects of Kansas agriculture. Kansas Weather, Celebrating Local Foods, Water in Kansas and Rural Kansas categories will showcase the many places and ways we experience agriculture across the state of Kansas — from the beauty of the Flint Hills and the western plains to the family-run local ranches and colorful farmers’ markets, and the many ways that weather and water have an impact on Kansas agriculture. And for the first time ever, we have added a Video category to showcase drone footage, harvest videos, or other short clips of under 30 seconds. As always, there will be a separate Youth category, for young photographers under age 19. Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each of the six categories.
KDA serves to advocate for agriculture, the state’s largest industry and economic driver. Photos which best capture the categories will be used throughout the year as we tell the story of Kansas agriculture. After submission, KDA is granted permission to use any photograph for publications, social media, websites, displays, etc. without payment or other consideration from the photographer.
Photo entries should be sent in .jpg format to [email protected]. Videos should be sent in .mp4 or .mov format. Entries must include a title and brief description, where and when the photo/video was taken, the photographer’s full name and age, entry category hometown and email address.
Guidelines for the KDA Photo Contest, including deadlines, categories and prizes, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/photocontest. Voting to select finalists will begin on KDA’s social media sites in late August. For more information, contact Heather Lansdowne, KDA director of communications, at [email protected] or 785-564-6706.
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PR – KDA Photo Contest Now Accepting Entries.pdfPh
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Stephen Toal saw some graffiti on the wall of the lower level under the No. 1 Shelter House at Gunn Park and decided to use his artistic abilities and do something about it.
“Someone had written some hate graffiti on the wall and I felt the need to cover it with something positive,” Toal said.
“I had spoken with Josh Jones (Mayor of Fort Scott) about doing the project,” Toal said.
He used his own art materials and spent about 10 hours on the project, he said.
Stephen Toal described himself as ” a long time resident of Fort Scott, a husband, father of three and three step-children.”
Toal also said he is a “recovering addict/alcoholic, who has been clean and sober three years”
“Art is a way to express myself and helps me stay clean,” he said.
The colorful mural is a depiction of springtime, Toal said.
