Liberty Worth is an artist, poet, teacher and traveler. Gathering inspiration from the natural world and stories of healing, she uses life and memories to guide her artmaking and writing. An avid journal keeper and sketchbook filler, Liberty lives in Los Angeles, CA where she practices as a commissioned visual artist, public speaker and part time high school art teacher.
Gentry Warren is an acrylic and mixed media artist, storyteller, and poet currently living in Pittsburg, KS. His work is full of color, emotion, and most importantly, pieces of himself and his lived experiences. As someone who has always felt the peaks and valleys of life deeply, finding a way to create from those feelings has been and continues to be transformational for him. As with life, his process and style are ever changing. His work is full of stories and depictions of interactions and observations from every corner of the country. He deeply enjoys combining his paintings with stories for the viewer to enjoy in tandem. Through his words and work, Gentry hopes to evoke understanding and compassion, while offering new perspective and vantage points.
Master Artist Class
Work with textile artist Liberty Worth to give new life and artistic outcomes to old fabric scraps. We will be “painting” (no paint involved) with fabric to create new objects d’art.
Sweet Country Farm is a three generation family living and working the land just south of Fort Scott. They specialize in farm fresh produce, berries, herbs and eggs. They also provide handmade soaps, felted wool art, specialty cards and a variety of paper products. For special occasions and parties, you can contact them on their Facebook page Sweet Country Farms to place a special order for eggs, cookies and pies. Come out to the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market and meet them this Saturday morning!
Ann Tebbets and Ruth Hawkins have been long-time craft vendors at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. These ladies make beautiful bird feeders and wind chimes that are sure to dress up any front porch. Come out and visit with one of our favorite vendors this week!
Mrs. Yoder has been a long-time part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. She is well known for her beautiful hand-made baskets and delicious baked goods. Mrs. Yoder can be found on Saturday mornings in her usual spot in the shade. Come find her this weekend!
Cathy Ramirez has been hand crafting her knitted treasures nearly her entire life! She offers delicious baked goods and you can see her in action as she knits in all her spare time. Cathy has been part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market for many years and is always happy to share a smile!
Emma Stone Is the owner of Cutecrochtecritters and one of our new vendors this year! She hand crochets all her cute and cuddly stuffies and toys and has made several special order commission pieces for very satisfied customers. Emma is booked for the next year at local craft fairs as well as having a full time spot at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. Find her here on FB as well as Instagram and TickTock. Don’t forget to visit her online store on Etsy. This girl has it going on!
Camren Lamb plays guitar to draw people in to his booth to view his artwork at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3, 2023.
This is first in a series of young entrepreneurs in the community. The series aims to highlight youth who are venturing out in their own businesses.
Please submit names of other recommended young entrepreneurs to be featured to [email protected]
Camren Lamb, 9, heard about entrepreneurship in January 2022, at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Dare to Dream program, an adult entrepreneurship event.
Camren is the son of Melanie and Larry Lamb, rural Fort Scott.
Melanie attended the event and Camren came also.
“I asked if I could make a picture, so I sold my first art,” Camren said.
He sells artwork and plays a newly purchased guitar as part of his business.
Dacia Clark, with the Small Business Development Center, taught him and others in a April 2022 childrens workshop about developing a business plan, and other marketing basics, Rachel Carpenter with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team said. The SBDC is housed in the HBCAT office at 104 N. National Avenue.
“Acton Children’s Business Fair provided the curriculum, and HBCAT helped coordinate the efforts,” Carpenter said.
In addition to selling his artwork, he plays music requests on his guitar for passersby.
“I played ukelele first, then guitar,” he said. The guitar was purchased from money he earned at the Children’s Business Fair in April 2022.
He doesn’t charge for for playing, he said.
“I use it to draw people (in to look at his artwork),” he said. “I take requests and tell them songs are free but I had a basket for artwork sales and people started putting money in for the music.”
He was selling at the Fort Scott Farmers Market for the first time on June 3. “This is my second time selling, the first time was at Buck Run Community Center at the Children’s Business Fair.”
Most recently he played guitar at the Shead Farm Festival, the Fort Scott Christian Heights Country Store and at the Friday Night Free Concert at the gazebo downtown.
He took ukelele lessons from Bob Solomonson and guitar lessons from Stephen Moses, he said.
Camren said this year his earnings will go to help the Show Me Christian Youth Home and he is also saving money for church camp.
A historic mural project commemorating the African-American troops that fought in the Civil War is moving forward in Fort Scott.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown Division applied for and received a Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity grant for $5,250 to have a mural painted on the building that faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site on Skubitz Plaza.
This mural will be replaced with a new one depicting African-American troops who served in the American Civil War.
“The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry mural will be facing the Fort Scott National Historic Site,” Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison said. ” It commemorates the infantry that was stationed at the fort.”
The grant application was made through a new Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is a 501c3 entity, she said.
Rachel French, who is on the FS Chamber Downtown Division committee, served as the project coordinator, assisted by Taton Majors, with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc. Other members of the downtown Chamber committee are Cathy Bishop, John Crain, Bailey Lyons and Angela Simon.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Committee 2021. Submitted photo. From left: Bailey Lyons, John Crain, Rachel French and Angela Simon. Not pictured is Cathy Bishop.
Deadline for proposals from artists interested in designing and painting the mural was May 31.
Selected artists proposals will be sent to Kansas University Professor of African American Studies, Randal Jelks, to ensure that all drawings are culturally sensitive, French said.
“Then he can make recommendations for possible revisions for design, after that, a local panel here will judge,” French said.
Names will not be attached to the art proposals for judging, to ensure fairness.
The local judges panel includes Trent and Kate Freeman, owners of a local art shop; Whitney Beth, a local art teacher; Katie Hueston, who has been involved in the coordinating of murals in the last two years in the historic downtown area; Kirk Sharp, executive director of the Gordon Parks Museum; Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at Fort Scott National Historic Site; and Jerry Witt, owner of the building on which the mural will be painted.
“After they select a winner, we will reach out to the winner personally,” French said. “We will then make the announcement on Facebook and do a press release on June 19. After that, the artist can start and has to be done by September 1.”
According to French, other community stakeholders in this mural project are Rob Harrington with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.; Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin; Fort Scott City Commissioners Matthew Wells and Josh Jones; Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp; Fort Scott National Historic Site Superintendent Jill Jaworski, and Brenner, also with the fort.
The following is from the press release announcing the grant awards from the Kansas Department of Commerce:
“Awardees are in communities across the state with less than 15,000 population. The murals will highlight community gathering spaces and tourist attractions – and provide a welcome message for visitors and residents alike. Each of the projects requires a 1:1 match from the community, with the smallest of communities allowed to match the grant with in-kind donations. Seventy-five percent of the grant funding will be gifted upfront as several of the city projects plan to start in the next few weeks.”
Do you Love the look of Pens & Ink? Do you enjoy watercolor art and illustration? If so, we have the perfect class for you! Join artist Phillip Ortiz for a Pen and Ink and Watercolor Class at The Artificers! Whether you are a beginner at drawing and watercolor or want to grow your skillset, Phillip will show you some exciting techniques for beautifully combining ink and watercolor.
Phillip is an artist, illustrator, and brand designer living in Kansas City with his wife and four children. He has worked in a variety of creative industries for over 25 years. He has had the privilege of collaborating with award-winning brands, illustrating ten children’s books, and often painting commissions. Phillip earned his graphic design degree from the Southwest University of Visual Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Phillip has a passion for creativity and a desire to encourage others in their God-given expression of creativity through art.
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The Bandera Stone company building is on the north side of Uniontown’s square.
The City of Uniontown received a $2,250 grant from the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity to have a mural painted in the town.
The grant for the mural was initiated by Mary Pemberton, who with her husband owns Bandera Stone, a dimension stone business in town.
Recently, they renovated a brick building on the north side of Uniontown’s square, at 103 Third Street.
“I have been considering a mural since we started renovations on the building,” she said. “I always notice murals when I travel and I think this location by the park is a perfect place to bring a little art to Uniontown.”
Mary Pemberton stands in front of the east side of the Bandera Stone building, where the mural will be painted.
The Bandera Stone building has a large exposed eastern side, which can be viewed from the city park, across the street.
Pemberton read about the grant opportunity from the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity and at first she wasn’t interested.
“But the promotion they do for the winners would get Uniontown some attention, not only locally but state-wide, so I decided to apply,” Pemberton said.
Danyell Miles, Fort Scott, is the artist selected by Pemberton to design and paint the mural.
Pemberton said they are finalizing all the details on the design but that it includes Bourbon County and Kansas iconic images with a special feature that pays homage to local authors.
“I have always been an avid reader so wanted to do something to incorporate books into the mural,” she said. “You’ll have to wait until the mural is finished and come see it in person to find this special feature. The mural is designed with a lot of elements that require you to spend a few minutes and look closely to really understand the significance of the details. The mural is also designed with selfie (photo) lovers in mind and will have one 3D element for photo opportunities. Danyell deserves all the credit for taking my unorganized ideas and putting them together to design a very unique and interesting mural.”
“Painting should start in late June,” Pemberton said. “We expect to have it completed in time for a grand reveal during the final Music in the Park event at Uniontown city park on August 11th.”
To prepare for the mural, the Pemberton’s had the brick wall tucked pointed and cleaned, plus put lighting along that side of the building.
The Grant
“Awardees are in communities across the state with less than 15,000 population,” according to a press release from Kansas Governor Kelly’s office. “The murals will highlight community gathering spaces and tourist attractions – and provide a welcome message for visitors and residents alike. Each of the projects requires a 1:1 match from the community, with the smallest of communities being allowed to match the grant with in-kind donations. 75% of the grant funding will be gifted upfront as several of the city projects plan to start in the next few weeks.”
Uniontown, in the western part of Bourbon County, has a population of approximately 300 people.
Fort Scott also received a grant for a mural through this program.
That story will be featured in an upcoming feature on fortscott.biz.
Governor Kelly Announces 14 Rural Communities Receiving Funding for New Murals
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced 14 communities will receive funding through the Office of Rural Prosperity’s Rural Mural and Public Art grant program. The $76,071 in grants awarded will allow communities to create 38 new murals and public art projects that engage community residents and create a place for the community to gather and enjoy. Since 2021, the Office of Rural Prosperity has funded more than 43 murals in 25 communities.
“Our Rural Mural program continues to gain momentum as a way to showcase and celebrate small towns across Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “My administration will continue supporting local community efforts to enhance their sense of place and quality of life.”
Awardees are in communities across the state with less than 15,000 population. The murals will highlight community gathering spaces and tourist attractions – and provide a welcome message for visitors and residents alike. Each of the projects requires a 1:1 match from the community, with the smallest of communities being allowed to match the grant with in-kind donations. 75% of the grant funding will be gifted upfront as several of the city projects plan to start in the next few weeks.
“The Rural Murals already completed have added a unique attraction that communities are proud to display,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “As tourism in Kansas is on the rise, particularly in rural areas where visitors increasingly go to get off the beaten path, these new murals will encourage people to experience more great locations across the state.”
The organizations that are being awarded for FY 2024 include:
The Arts Center, Inc.; Anthony and Attica; $7,500
City of Cedar Vale; $1,500
City of Cheney; $3,603
Fort Scott Area Chamber Foundation; $5,250
Northwest Kansas Technical College; Goodland; $4,250
5.4.7 Arts Center; Greensburg; $7,368
Graham County; Hill City; $7,500
Wichita County Economic Development, Inc.; Leoti; $4,500
Vesper Community Club, Inc.; Vesper Township; $7,500
City of Lyons; $7,500
The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation; Blue Rapids Community Action Team Fund, Blue Rapids; $2,350
City of Smith Center; $7,500
City of Uniontown; $2,250
Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Winfield; $7,500
“The innovation and creativity that these communities demonstrated in their applications was phenomenal,” said Director of the Office of Rural Prosperity Trisha Purdon. “We can’t wait to see how these new murals and public art projects will help energize these communities and increase tourism and community engagement.”
Do you Love the look of Pens & Ink? Do you enjoy watercolor art and illustration? If so, we have the perfect class for you! Join artist Phillip Ortiz for a Pen and Ink and Watercolor Class at The Artificers! Whether you are a beginner at drawing and watercolor or want to grow your skillset, Phillip will show you some exciting techniques for beautifully combining ink and watercolor.
Phillip is an artist, illustrator, and brand designer living in Kansas City with his wife and four children. He has worked in a variety of creative industries for over 25 years. He has had the privilege of collaborating with award-winning brands, illustrating ten children’s books, and often painting commissions. Phillip earned his graphic design degree from the Southwest University of Visual Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Phillip has a passion for creativity and a desire to encourage others in their God-given expression of creativity through art.
