Stauth Memorial Museum

Art Hang-In Artist’s Reception
2018-06-24 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Stauth Memorial Museum, 111 N. Aztec, Montezuma, KS, 67867, United States
The Western Kansas Art “Hang-In” exhibit will close with an Artist’s Reception at 3:00PM on Sunday, June 24th. This reception is for all of the artists who participated in the exhibition and for anyone who might want to meet them. A People’s Choice Award certificate will be give to the artwork which received the most votes from Museum visitors during the exhibition.

Refreshments will be served and we wish to extend an invitation to everyone to come meet the artists and share in our appreciation of the arts and the very talented artists in western Kansas.

Artists will be able to take their artwork home after the reception and the following Monday.

Quilt Drop Off
2018-06-25 - 2018-06-27
Delivery hours to drop off quilts to be displayed in To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions, will be from 10:00am-12 Noon and 1:00pm-5:00pm Friday, June 22nd thru Wednesday, June 27th. We will not be accepting quilts on Sunday, June 24th as that is the day of the Artist Reception for our current exhibit, Western Kansas Art “Hang-In” 2018.
If you are unable to bring your quilt at those times, special appointments for an evening delivery time may be arranged. If you have not received a call to set up your quilt delivery after we should have received your Information Sheet, please call (620)846-2527 to set up your delivery time.
For more information about having your quilt displayed in the upcoming exhibit, please read the guidelines, download the Quilt Information Sheet and review the Sample Loan Agreement here.

To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions
2018-07-08 - 2018-09-30
Of the many North American Indian expressive art forms, perhaps one of the least well known is quiltmaking. This exhibition celebrates quilting within diverse communities and pays homage to the artists who have expressed their cultural heritage and creativity through this art. Quiltmaking in Native communities was first learned through contact with Euro-Americans. Native peoples became adept at quilting and began to use quilts for purposes unique to their own cultures. Quilts have been used as bed and shelter coverings, infants’ swing cradles, weather insulation, and as soft places to sit on the ground. In some communities, quilts play important roles in tribal ceremonies, such as in the honoring of individuals.
To Honor and Comfort has 29 quilts from all over the country, including examples by Cherokee, Sioux, Navajo, Ojibway and Native Hawaiian quilters. Other components of the exhibit include hands-on activities, a listening station where visitors can listen to tape-recorded stories from some of the quilters, videos of quilting activities in two Native communities, and a series of panels with photographs and explanatory text. A companion book is also available.
Developed by Michigan State University Museum, To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions is based on an exhibition originally created by Michigan State University Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, in collaboration with Atlatl, Inc., a national service organization for Native American arts (Phoenix, AZ). A board of museum specialists working in both Native and non-Native museums across North America were instrumental in helping to design this version specifically created to tour to smaller museums, tribal museums and cultural centers.
Kansas quilts are also on display to enhance the exhibition and to showcase the talent and creativity of Kansas quilters.
BRIGHT STAR | by Paula White, Ojibwa | 1996 | Bena, MN
INDIAN BOYS AND GIRLS QUILT | by Tsali Manor Sr Sewing Club, Cherokee | c1990 | Cherokee, NC
Exhibit provided by the Traveling Exhibit Services of the Michigan State University Museum.
The press release for this exhibit is available here.

Quilt Pick Up
2018-10-02 - 2018-10-04
After the exhibit, To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions closes on September 30th, please remember you will need to make arrangements to pick up your quilt. You may come in anytime on Tuesday, October 2nd, Wednesday, October 3rd or Thursday, October 4th between 10am-12pm and 1:30pm-4:00pm to pick up your quilt. If you are unavailable during these times, please call the Museum at 620.846.2527 to schedule a specific quilt pickup time.
We do not have a place to store the quilts while we prepare for the next exhibition, Christmas Traditions of Southwest Kansas 2018 that will open on October 14, 2018. All quilts must be picked up no later than 5:00 on Wednesday, October 4, 2018. Again, no one other than the owner will be allowed to pick up the quilt from the Museum.
Thank you for your participation in our exhibit!

Christmas Traditions of Southwest Kansas 2018
2018-10-14 - 2018-11-26
This very popular biannual exhibit presents a fun way to enjoy Christmas, get decorating ideas and share in the joy and wonder that is the season before getting bogged down with all the promotional hype of the Holidays. Southwest Kansas individuals, clubs, groups, organizations, and merchants created 12-15 mini-exhibits featuring holiday themes, collections, family heirlooms, homemade family mementos, and more to share with YOU! These exhibits bring back fond memories of Christmas’ past, show you where to find the newest trends in holiday decorations, and inspires ideas for fun ways to create new memories. These exhibits are created and decorated by southwest Kansans thus bringing the traditions and spirit of “Christmas in Southwest Kansas” to the museum and its visitors. This beautiful, uplifting exhibit is a must see, memorable experience for all ages.
The exhibit will close with the NINTH annual Twilight Holiday Happening on Monday, November 26, 2018, from 7:00PM-8:30PM. The evening will feature Christmas fun, treats and giveaways. You don’t want to miss out on this exhibit or this great event celebrating Christmas in our community!

Twilight Holiday Happening
2018-11-26 19:30 - 20:30
More information coming soon!

Norman Rockwell and the American Family
2018-12-06 - 2019-01-19
Norman Rockwell and the American Family
On Display December 6th, 2018 – January 19, 2019
The Norman Rockwell Museum presents Norman Rockwell and the American Family, part of a series of traveling exhibitions celebrating the art of Norman Rockwell. “The traveling exhibitions extend the Museum’s print and archival collections beyond our walls to audiences who may not have the opportunity to visit the Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.” says Museum Director Laurie Norton Moffatt. This exhibit will be on display for a short 6 week exhibit period over the Christmas holiday, making for a great outing with family and friends and a wonderful way to pass these amazing images onto the next generation!
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, commissioned illustrator Norman Rockwell to create scenes reflecting American family life for its national advertising campaign. These popular images appeared in leading publications such as The Saturday Evening Post, Time, and Newsweek, with text that inspired readers to consider purchasing life insurance. Many of Rockwell’s Stockbridge neighbors, and the artist himself, appear as models in the series. The images constitute the largest group of works created by the artist for any single commission.
For more information about this exhibit, click here.
You can view the press release for this exhibit here.

Small Wonders: Insects in Focus
2019-01-29 - 2019-03-16
Small Wonders: Insects in Focus

On Display January 29, 2019 – March 16, 2019
In the air, water, and even under foot, insects inhabit every domain of our daily lives, performing essential functions that balance our fragile ecosystem on earth. By using cutting-edge technology and custom methods, artist Bob Sober created this exhibition of breathtaking beauty that allows viewers to see this hidden world like they’ve never seen it before. It aims to inspire, in an artistic way, our natural curiosity to understand the form, function, and diversity of nature. Creating human-scale images of insects, with resolution so high that every hair, dimple, and tiny structure is clearly revealed, was impossible prior to the technological advancements of the past ten years. High-resolution digital cameras, fast personal computers, economical digital storage, and powerful software applications capable of assisting with the assembly of hundreds or thousands of individual photographs create the opportunity to capture accurate images of insects as they truly exist. These new ways of seeing confront viewers with the idea that insects display the elements we attribute to good design or beautiful artwork. These tiny creatures are indeed artwork, in every sense of the word. The exhibition is organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.
We are expecting many tours for this exhibit so please call in advance for groups of 5 or more! Tours/groups welcome by appointment, contact 620-846-2527 for information or to set up a tour. Business hours for the Stauth Museum, 111 N Aztec Street, Montezuma KS are Tue -Sat 9-12 1-4:30. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted to help pay for this incredible exhibit!

This exhibit is partially funded at the Stauth Museum by a grant from The Arthur and Cornelia Scroggins Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of Southwest Kansas.

You can view the press release for this exhibit here.

100 Faces of War
2019-04-02 - 2019-06-22
100 Faces of War
On Display from April 2nd, 2019 – June 22nd, 2019
Don’t miss out on this exhibit that showcases the American experience of war from the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition at the Stauth Memorial Museum.
The American military in the 21st century is diverse and reflects the complexities of the country and the current times. “100 Faces of War,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian, presents the stories of those who served the U.S. in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
“100 Faces of War,” organized in collaboration with artist Matt Mitchell, features 100 oil portraits of Americans representing a cross-section of home states, military branches, jobs and backgrounds. Each painting includes a candid, unedited, firsthand account of war. The statements take many different forms, including emails and letters to loved ones and poems and words written specifically for this exhibition. The portraits symbolize 100 different and highly personal ways of looking at valor, sacrifice and the human experience of war.
From 2005 to 2014, Mitchell, who did not have any connection to the military, felt compelled to connect with veterans in a meaningful way when he read an article in a local newspaper about an Iraq veteran coming home. He started painting the portraits of those who served and collecting their personal statements. Through this exhibition, visitors will come to know the veterans’ courage, fears, warmth and humanity. More than 2 million Americans have served in the theaters of war in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 through 2014.
100 Faces of War is an exhibition organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition descriptions and tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.
We are expecting many groups for this exhibit, so please call in advance to schedule groups of 5 or more. For more information contact (620)846-2527. Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & all major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.

The press release for this exhibit is available here.

America’s Road: The Journey of Route 66
2019-07-09 - 2019-10-05
America’s Road: The Journey of Route 66
On Display July 9th, 2019 – October 5th, 2019
Route 66 is emblematic of the American experience. Nearly every aspect of 20th century United States history is reflected in the story of the people and events along the Mother Road. Those who take the journey down Route 66 today can still explore the Main Street of America. Nearly a hundred years of highway culture can be found, whether a thriving relic or decaying ruin.
Thousands of people from around the country and around the world drive all or portions of the Route each year. The highway stretches 2,448 miles and crosses through eight states, tracing the migration of people from the Midwest to the Pacific coast. It showcases the stories of people, places, and events from 1926 until today. The topics are relevant to anyone who wants to learn more about our country and its history. Themes that run through the exhibit include the history of Route 66, evolution of automobile travel, innovations, communities and populations, as well as accounts of travelers and more. The exhibit guides visitors to a greater understanding of Route 66 and its role in American history. The narrative travels from 1926 through the present day. Interactive displays include a map showing how the population changed over time, a drive-in theater experience, and more. An exceptionally well-maintained, original and non-restored Ford Mustang travels with the exhibit. This car was used on a Route 66 road trip during the summer of 2010. The Mustang hails from the heyday of Route 66 and captures the spirit of the road. America’s Road also features a photo essay created by photographer and author, Russell Olsen. Olsen researched and photographed 75 classic Route 66 service stations, motor courts, cafes, etc. and has compiled them into two volumes, from which images and text are used for the exhibit. The sites and structures are shown both as they appeared during the mid-20th century and as they appear today. The marvelous visual and descriptive elements comprise a unique, state-by-state look back at America’s Main Street. Exhibit developed and toured through NRG! Exhibitions.

This exhibit is partially funded at the Stauth Museum by a grant from The Arthur and Cornelia Scroggins Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of Southwest Kansas.

Entry Form For Quilt & Textile Art To Accompany Wandering Spirit Exhibit Due!
2019-09-24 08:00 - 16:30
If you are interested in showcasing your quilt or textile art in the next exhibit, Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints, the entry form must be submitted by 4:30pm today! Entry form, guidelines and more information can be found here.

Deliver Quilts & Textile Art That Will Accompany Wandering Spirit Exhibit
2019-09-27 - 2019-10-09
Please schedule a time to deliver your quilts or textile art to be showcased along with the next exhibit Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints sometime between September 27th through October 9th. To schedule your delivery, call the Stauth Museum at 620.846.2527 or email the director atstauthm@ucom.net.
Delivery hours will be from 10:00am-Noon and 1:00pm-5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, September 27th through October 9th. We will not be accepting any ITEMS on Sundays unless no other day can be arranged. If you are unable to bring your ITEMS at those times, special appointments for an evening delivery time may be arranged. If you have not received a call to set up your delivery after we should have received your Information & Registration Form, please call 620.846.2527 to set up your delivery time.

Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints
2019-10-22 - 2019-11-30
Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints
On Display October 22nd, 2019 – November 30th, 2019
Batik is a Javanese word that refers to a traditional technique of wax-resist dyeing, in which a pattern is made on both sides of cotton fabric with warm liquid wax applied by a tjanting, a small brass cup with a spout. After the wax cools and solidifies, the cloth is dyed with a primary color and the wax is then removed, revealing the pattern where the wax had once been.

J.B.T. Prévinaire, a Dutch cotton printing mill owner, was instrumental in developing a machine that could print imitation batiks industrially. In 1854, he unveiled “La Javanaise,” a converted French printing machine that could print an imitation of the Javanese batik using resin instead of wax.
Despite the technological advance, “La Javanaise” produced imperfections in the print that did not appeal to the Javanese buying public, so the European printers found themselves looking for new markets around the world. After many years of transcontinental exploratory travels and investigations, they identified Africa as the new potential market for their wax prints.
The success of the wax prints on the African scene is driven by many factors, such as the culture, taste, and desires of the African consumers. Clothing in Africa serves an important means of communication, sending secret messages and retelling local proverbs. Clothing also depicts a person’s social status and position, political convictions, ambition, marital status, ethnicity, age, sex, and group affiliations. The names and stories associated with the fabrics differ from country to country and region to region. One fabric may have different names in different countries, depending on the symbolism that the consumer can read in the fabric.
The history of the African wax print is a history paved along colonial trade routes and globalization in the post-colonial era. Though not originally African, these textiles have become ingrained in African culture and society, and loved and identified as their own. A program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance with The Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

This exhibit will also feature quilts and textile art from local Kansans. If you are interested in having your quilt or artwork displayed with this exhibit, review the guidelines and find the entry form here.
This exhibit is partially funded at the Stauth Museum by a grant from The Arthur and Cornelia Scroggins Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of Southwest Kansas.

Pickup Quilts & Artwork Provided For Exhibition During Wandering Spirit Exhibit
2019-12-03 - 2019-12-11
Please make arrangements to pick up your ITEMS from 10:00am-Noon and 1:00pm-5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, December 3rd through December 11th. Evening appointments may be arranged as well.
We have changed our pickup policy, if the owner cannot come in person to pick up their ITEMS, they may send a representative to pick up their ITEMS. These arrangements must be pre-approved by the Director.
All ITEMS must be picked up no later than 5:00PM on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 as we do not have a place to store the quilts and we will be preparing for the next exhibition, Best In the West: The Art of Ronald Smith, Colleen Sternberger and Robin Valenzuela that will open on December 11, 2019 and be on display until January 18, 2020.
For questions or more information call 620.846.2527 or email the Director at stauthm@ucom.net.

Best In the West: The Art of Ronald Smith, Colleen Sternberger and Robin Valenzuela
2019-12-10 - 2020-01-18
Best In the West: The Art of Ronald Smith, Colleen Sternberger and Robin Valenzuela
On Display December 10th, 2019 – January 18th, 2020
The West Comes to Life in Art Exhibit
The Stauth Memorial Museum of Montezuma is proud to announce an amazing exhibition of three exceptional Garden City artists. Best in the West: The Art of Ronald Smith, Colleen Sternberger and Robin Valenzuela will be on display from December 10, 2019 through January 18, 2020 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery.
Ronald Smith creates 3-D images with abalone shells, as well as wood, metal, turquoise and Native American beaded rosettes and medallions. As a self-taught artist he feels his art is a gift from God. Mr. Smith has no Native American heritage, but he has developed a kinship with many who do, discussing and sharing beliefs and legends. Every object in nature has a spirit, according to some Native American beliefs. Ron tries to convey that spirit in his art linked to the tribes of the Plains and Southwest. His images include historic shapes such as turtle, bears, geckos, buffalo, thunderbirds, and Kokopelli, the flute player figure of ancient petroglyphs.
It is believed that turquoise brings good fortune, strength, and helps overcome illness. Turquoise got its name from Levantine traders call “Turks”; these were the people who brought the stone to Europe from Persia via Turkey centuries ago. The turquoise Ron uses in his art comes from the American Southwest.

Ron’s interest in abalone (paua shells) dates back over 50 years, when he was first introduced to the brilliance of the shells. Abalone shells have been treasured by many ancient tribes throughout the world as a magical gift from the sea and are believed to stimulate fertility of the mind and body; as well as providing protection against negative attitudes and actions. Ron started collecting shells with the dream of someday creating breathtaking pieces of art. After putting his artistic ability on hold to provide for his family, he has revitalized his artistic talents and has fulfilled his interest and passions as shown in his Southwestern art. Appreciating the beauty of God’s creations is a part of Ron’s life.
Colleen Sternberger is a fine art photographer who specializes in photographs of The American West.
It seems she has always had a camera in her hand – Kodak Instamatic or Polaroid to start with – snapping away on family vacations and gatherings. She came late in life to the world of Fine Art Photography, but has embraced it with a passion. Mostly self-taught, her inspiration comes from the places she travels to and the people she meets along the way.

Using her digital darkroom she elevates her photographs with painterly qualities. “I want to guide the viewer of my images toward the “story”, the one I found hidden away waiting to come to life,” says Colleen. Adding depth and dimension with light and shadows it draws the viewer into the image. Her work has won numerous awards and is included in private and corporate collections.
Robin Valenzuela has practiced as a professional artist since 2008, showing at Kansas area galleries and multi-state juried art festivals. Being mostly self-taught, Robin currently utilizes acrylic paints, particularly using the blending powers of high flow acrylics. She loves how the colors combine to create organic shapes and how they flow together to make textural values.

Robin comes from a very creative background, with family members who made sure she experienced art, photography, and writing. She is a product of her family’s influence, having been given the many tools as a youngster to be creative. Robin has two associate degrees, one from Garden City Community College and one in Apparel Design & Illustration from Wade College, Dallas. She now works full time in her dream career as an artist, artrepreneur, and freelance graphic designer.
Prior to 2017, she worked (over 15 years) as a graphic designer and pre-press expert for a small printing company. There, she learned a great deal about the printing process and now incorporates that skill to reproduce many of her artworks, along with digital art, into other products for your home. She is an active member with Garden City Arts and keeps a retail display within the downtown gallery. She also teaches several art workshops throughout the year. Robin has a colorful presence on social media and loves to follow other artists around the world.
Be sure to see this once in a lifetime group of Western Artists from southwest Kansas. We should all be very proud to have three such amazing, gifted artists in our area. The Stauth Museum feels it is our mission to provide cultural enrichment to the community not only through art but by sharing new experiences that they cannot find anywhere else. It is important to support the arts, encourage and promote area artists, and be proud that they are from southwest Kansas. This is a great exhibit to share these three artists’ unique art and very special talent with family and friends who visit for the holidays.

Western Kansas Scholastic Art Competition & Exhibition 2020
2020-01-28 - 2020-02-20
Western Kansas Scholastic Art Competition & Exhibition 2020
Western Kansas Jr. & Sr. High Art Students
Enjoy award winning works of art from extremely talented Western Kansas students. The TWENTY- FOURTH Annual Competition and Exhibition will include over 240 art works of all kinds; photography, sculpture, metals, glass, drawings, paintings, ceramics, graphics and much more. American Vision will be awarded for best of show, Gold Key, Silver Key and Merit Award winners will be displayed. The exhibition will culminate with an Awards Ceremony/Closing Reception for the winning students at 1:00PM on Thursday, February 20, 2020 at the South Gray High School. Please come enjoy the award winning art work of these talented young people from Western Kansas.
The WKSA Awards contest is open to students in grades 7-12 from the following counties: Cheyenne, Clark, Decatur, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Norton, Rawlings, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, and Wichita.

K is for Kansas: Exploring Kansas from A to Z
2020-03-10 - 2020-08-15
This exhibit leads visitors on an alphabetic journey across the Sunflower State, from “aviation” to “Z-Bar Ranch.” The exhibit was developed by Kauffman Museum, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas.
“K is for Kansas” uses the letters of the alphabet to illustrate significant features of the natural and cultural history of Kansas. Composed of big alphabet blocks that surround a large-scale carpet map of Kansas, the exhibit seeks to increase appreciation of the unique people, places, animals, plants and everyday things of Kansas.
Each of the 26 alphabet blocks provides in-depth coverage of a word meaningful to Kansas. These words are represented in various ways from maps and historic photographs to the real object. Preschoolers can play with an ornate box turtle shell or a toy Sante Fe locomotive. School children can learn about James Naismith, the inventor of basketball and first University of Kansas basketball coach, by playing a mini-game at the “N” block. Everyone will appreciate the breeze of the Vornado fan invented in Kansas, and a carving of an upland sandpiper by Newton artist Ray Cook.

The exploring theme is also reflected in the exhibit’s design, said Rachel Pannabecker, Kauffman Museum director, “In-depth information about grasshoppers is hidden until you lift flippers marked ‘pests?’ and ‘partners?’ while the definition and picture of a free state ‘jayhawker’ is revealed only when you push a slider.” Discovery packets with activity suggestions are available to orient families with children to the exhibit.
Hundreds of words were considered while developing the exhibit. “The exhibit reflects where we are and who we are–an exhibit team of parents, designer, teachers, scientists, artists and carpenters who, after a combined 200 years of living here, have come to love Kansas,” said Kauffman Museum exhibit designer Chuck Regier.
The words selected by the exhibit team included personal favorites that point to the quirky and fun sides of Kansas. For example, Dalton Gang, Dexter helium wells and dogbane are listed ad D words. But the exhibit also supports social studies and science standards established by the Kansas Department of Education including Kansas symbols and words such as dust bowl.
A 28-page, folding booklet featuring the Kansas alphabet provides the complete list of words included in the exhibit. The “K is for Kansas” booklet a bookmark and two postcards are available for free with the exhibit.

Material Pulses: Seven Viewpoints
2020-09-01 - 2020-10-10
Material Pulses: Seven Viewpoints, an exhibition focused on the art of quilt-making, presents seventeen works by seven fiber artists representing the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Curated by internationally renowned artist and teacher Nancy Crow, Material Pulses contributes to the dialogue of contemporary textile arts. Says Crow, “Material Pulses is the culmination of my mission to bring back the majesty, strength, and energy of textile works, particularly large quilts.”

Crow has seen trends in the medium follow a track of smaller quilts in more neutral colors, and asked, why? The pull of quilting lies in its large, forceful presence and the freedom to use color joyously. Making a quilt is a physical activity, involving piecing parts on working spaces that can span entire walls.
The exhibition features quilts, mixed media, and installation work. Quilts of up to 101 inches high will be featured, for dramatic scale of an art form that is often relegated to its functional qualities. The artists investigate color, pattern, and size through traditional and experimental quilt-making applications. The curator balances a focus on shapes with oversized works, exploring excellence in machine quilting and surface design.
The exhibition’s artists bring their techniques and vision to realizing this celebration of contemporary textile arts. Among them, Elizabeth Brandt balances large geometric and organic shapes, while at the same time flirting with a demanding dark palette. Jayne Willoughby’s work on one side seems contemplative, while the other spouts riotous color systems. Mary Lou Alexander has been exploring shibori (a Japanese dyeing method) for decades, and utilized this technique to exemplify the beauty of mark-making. Barb Wills printed her fabrics, both cotton and silk, with original woodcuts created from Shina wood, using cutting tools from Japan.
The exhibition artists are Denise L. Roberts, Albright, WV; Claire Benn, Surrey, England; Jayne Willoughby, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Mary Lou Alexander, Hubbard, OH; Christine Mauersberger, Cleveland, OH; Barb Wills, Prescott, AZ; and Elizabeth Brandt, Holland, MI.
Curator Nancy Crow has taught quilt-making as an art form in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United states. She is the cofounder of Quilt Surface Design and Quilt National. The exhibition is organized by Mid-America Arts Alliance and ExhibitsUSA.
Please be aware of and adhere to state mandated guidelines for COVID-19 while visiting the museum. Some staff members have compromised immune systems. Please practice social distancing, sanitize your hands properly and stay home if you don’t feel well. Do your part to make your visit safe for yourself, other visitors and our staff.
Please call in advance to schedule groups and tours of 5 or more so we can make sure the museum is fully staffed for you to have the best experience during your visit. Tours/groups welcome by appointment, contact 620-846-2527 for information or to set up a tour. Business hours for the Stauth Museum, 111 N Aztec Street, Montezuma KS are Tue-Sat, 9am-12pm & 1pm-4:30pm. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted to help pay for this amazing and future incredible exhibits!

Garage Sale Fundraiser
2020-10-31 09:00 - 16:30
Closets cluttered? Drawers stuffed? Storage space full? Kids outgrown their clothes? The Stauth Memorial Museum is hosting a community Garage Sale Fundraiser with all proceeds from this sale to help fund the Museum, it’s exhibits and programs. This sale will take place in front of the Museum on Saturday, October 31st from 9-12. Well this is a great way to clean out all that clutter and make a donation to the museum at the same time. If you have any items you would like to donate for this garage sale, please bring them by the Museum during our regular business hours Tuesday thru Saturday 9-12, 1-4:30.
THEN make sure to stop by for the Garage Sale on Halloween morning to pick up some winter clothes, get decorations for your home, find some great buys on kid’s clothes, household items, glassware, etc. The museum is free to all of you who come all year to see our amazing temporary and traveling exhibits that are displayed here, most of which would not be available to Montezuma, Gray County or southwest Kanas if not on display here. Be generous as all donations and proceeds of this sale will gratefully accepted to cover the rising costs of rental fees and shipping expenses of traveling exhibits! Please give generously to support this gem of southwest Kansas and to continue to keep the legacy of Claude & Donalda Stauth’s visions of bringing the world and its cultures to Montezuma. With your help we can keep it surviving and thriving into the future and for generations to come.

Considering the Commonplace: Prairie Towns Through the Lens of Bob Regier
2020-11-01 - 2020-11-28
Considering the Commonplace: Prairie Towns Through the Lens of Bob Regier is organized around eight themes: elegance, entrances, light & shadow, locomotion, sacred space, sentinels, signs & lines, windows & walls. The exhibit will be on display at the Stauth Museum until Saturday, November 28, 2020.

This exhibit features digital photographs by Kansas artist Bob Regier, Bethel College professor emeritus of art and Kauffman Museum senior design consultant. For twenty years, artist/teacher Bob Regier of North Newton, Kansas, traveled the main streets and backroads of Kansas with his wife Vernette and friends Keith and Aldine Sprunger. Regier’s photographs focus primarily on the built environment of the central Great Plains, particularly the common places of small Kansas towns, and reveal his training in modernist aesthetics and printmaking through his use of abstraction and color fields.
In this installation the artist and exhibit designer experiment with photo production techniques to creatively play with size and format of the digital prints and thereby move beyond the limits of conventional framed photography shows. The exhibit contains sixty-six photos, including large scale banner images.
Bob Regier – Regier studied at the School of the Chicago Art Institute and holds the master of fine arts degree in painting and printmaking from the University of Illinois. He retired from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, after teaching art for 32 years. Regier’s primary studio interest has been printmaking, preferably monotypes, and he also has actively pursued graphic design and photography. Since 1985 he has been part of the Kauffman Museum exhibit team, winning numerous awards for exhibit and graphic design. You can learn more about Regier and his artwork at BobRegier.com
For more information contact (620)846-2527. We are expecting many groups and tours during this exhibit, please call in advance to schedule a tour if you are planning to come with a group of 5 or more! Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & major holidays including Thanksgiving Day. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Please note that we require mask wearing and social distancing while inside the Museum to help keep staff members and other visitors safe. If you feel that you are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days please save your visit to the museum for another time.

40 Chances: Finding Hope in A Hungry World, The Photography of Howard G. Buffett
2020-12-16 - 2021-03-06
Newseum Traveling Exhibits
In this powerful exhibit featuring the photography of Howard G. Buffett, 40 photographs document the world hunger crisis as part of a global awareness campaign. Traveling to more than 137 countries, Buffett turned his camera lens on the powerful forces that fuel hunger and poverty.
A philanthropist and farmer, Buffett believes that each of us has about 40 chances to accomplish our life goals, just as farmers have about 40 growing seasons to improve their harvests. His photography is a call to action to find lasting solutions to the world hunger crisis.
The compelling photography in the exhibit illustrates the causes and effects of hunger on five continents and reflects Howard G. Buffett’s belief that hunger is intertwined with poverty, fear, war and conflict, and the lack of opportunity for women.
The exhibit also includes an original Newseum film featuring Buffett and his work, and a tactile display that reveals the leading causes of death worldwide. Visitors can use a touch-screen kiosk highlighting five organizations working on solutions to world hunger and conflict to learn how they can be a part of Buffett’s 40 Chances campaign.
If you had the resources to accomplish something great in the world, what would you do? Legendary investor Warren Buffett posed this challenge to his son in 2006, when he announced he was leaving the bulk of his fortune to philanthropy. Howard G. Buffett set out to help the most vulnerable people on earth – nearly a billion individuals who lack basic food security. And Howard has given himself a deadline: 40 years to put more than $3 billion to work on this challenge.
Each of us has about 40 chances to accomplish our goals in life. This is a lesson Howard learned through his passion for farming. All farmers can expect to have about 40 growing seasons, giving them just 40 chances to improve on every harvest. This applies to all of us, however, because we all have about 40 productive years to do the best job we can, whatever our passions or goals may be.
In his new book; 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World Howard captures his journey. Beginning with his love for farming, we join him around the world as he seeks out new approaches to ease the suffering of so many. It is told in a unique format: 40 stories that will provide readers a compelling look at Howard’s lessons learned, ranging from his own backyard to some of the most difficult and dangerous places on Earth.
The exhibit and book present a way of thinking that speaks to every person wanting to make a difference. It’s a mindset, providing reasons to hope and actions to take. It offers new approaches that are desperately needed. 40 Chances gives us all inspiration to transform each of our limited chances into opportunities to change the world.
“40 CHANCES: Finding Hope in a Hungry World”
was developed by the Newseum in collaboration with Howard G. Buffett Foundation The Newseum is an affiliate of the Freedom Forum, whose mission is to foster First Amendment freedoms for all.
freedomforum.org

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation is the exclusive sponsor of the “40 CHANCES: Finding Hope in a Hungry World” exhibit.
www.thehowardgbuffettfoundation.org
For more information contact (620)846-2527. We are expecting many groups and tours during this exhibit, please call in advance to schedule a tour if you are planning to come with a group of 5 or more! Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Please note that we require mask wearing and social distancing while inside the Museum to help keep staff members and other visitors safe. If you feel that you are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days please save your visit to the museum for another time.

Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War
2021-03-21 - 2021-05-01
Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War
On Display March 21st, 2021 – May 1st, 2021
Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War is a traveling exhibit that remembers the witness of peace-minded people against the First World War 1914-1918. This witness included men and women, religious believers and secular humanitarians, political protesters and sectarian separatists. They resisted U.S. involvement in the war, the enactment of military conscription, the war bond drives, and the denial of freedom of speech under the Espionage and Sedition Acts. For this resistance many suffered community humiliation, federal imprisonment, and mob violence at the hands of a war-crusading American public. This exhibit lifts up the prophetic insights and the personal courage of World War I peace protesters, and suggests parallels to the culture of war and violence in our world today.
The exhibit is organized in ten themes that encourage exploration and reflection. The theme modules surround a recreation of an Alcatraz Prison cell, the site where Hutterite conscientious objectors were punished for refusing military participation. Text and quotes provide interpretation and raise provocative questions for viewers while large-scale graphics and photomurals immerse visitors in the historical experience of witnessing for peace during “total war.”
A collaborative team of historians and museum professionals developed Voices of Conscience at Kauffman Museum. The exhibit is based on Kauffman Museum’s 30 years of experience in designing and building award-winning projects with a specific focus on innovative approaches to traveling exhibits.
Voices of Conscience: Peace Witness in the Great War is a traveling exhibit developed by Kauffman Museum, which remembers the narratives of peoples of faith who opposed the war.
The exhibit examines key questions such as:

Who speaks for peace in times of war?
What am I willing to fight for?
What am I willing to die for?
Is paying for war participating in war?
How would I respond to violence?
Who are the voices of conscience today?

Stories of the death of the Hutterite Martyrs of Alcatraz and the tarring and feathering of Mennonite farmers in Kansas provide examples of stalwart faith in the face of terror perpetrated by war advocates.
Download the Discussion Guide here.
For more information visit VoicesOfConscienceExhibit.org

Western Kansas Art “Hang-In” 2021
2021-05-11 - 2021-06-12
Western Kansas Art Hang-In 2021

On Display May 11th – June 12th

Artists from Hugoton, Meade, Garden City, Sublette, Ulysses, Montezuma, Dodge City and many other western Kansas towns have their artwork on display to create this one-of-a-kind exhibit.
Designed specially to give the many talented artists in Western Kansas a time and place to showcase their work. Amateur and professional participants will display beautiful 2 an 3 dimensional art including paintings, drawings, woodcarving, metal arts, mixed media, sculpture, photography, ceramics, textiles & fiber art, computer art, graphic design, drawings and more! This is not a juried (judged) art exhibit, but just a fun way to showcase the many exceptionally artistic and gifted people in western Kansas. Come see the talent western Kansas has to be proud of and vote for your favorite piece. Art will be displayed from artists from many western Kansas communities.
A People’s Choice Award will be given to the artist who received the most votes from visitors during the exhibition.

For more information contact (620) 846-2527. We are expecting many groups and tours during this exhibit, please call in advance to schedule a tour if you are planning to come with a group of 5 or more! Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Please note that we require mask wearing and social distancing while inside the Museum to help keep staff members and other visitors safe. If you feel that you are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days please save your visit to the museum for another time.

Dorothea Lange’s America: Photographs of the Great Depression
2021-06-29 - 2021-08-21
art2art is proud to present a focused exhibition of original lifetime prints by the legendary documentary photographer Dorothea Lange. Highlighting this show are oversized exhibition prints of her original portraits from the Great Depression, including White Angel Breadline, Migratory Farm Worker, and, most famously, Migrant Mother – an emblematic picture that came to personify pride and resilience in the face of abject poverty in 1930s America.
Lange herself had known adversity early in life. At age 7 she was stricken with polio, which left her with a lifetime limp. And at age 12 her father disappeared from the scene, leaving an impoverished household behind. Every day she would ride the ferry with her mother from Hoboken to lower Manhattan, to a roiling working-class neighborhood teeming with immigrants. During that period Lange talked her way into photo courses with a range of teachers as diverse as Arnold Genthe and Clarence White
In 1918 she moved to San Francisco where she befriended the photographers Ansel Adams and Imogen Cunningham, and, through them, the celebrated Western painter Maynard Dixon, who became her first husband. She soon opened a thriving portrait studio that catered to San Francisco’s professional class and monied elite. But with the crash of 1929 she found her true calling, as a nomadic chronicler of the many faces of America, old and young, urban and rural, native-born and immigrant, as they dealt with unprecedented hardship, sometimes with resilience, often with despondence. Her immortal portraits seared these faces of the Depression era into America’s consciousness.
This is an expanded version of the exhibition with 55 photographs, in which Lange’s work is supplemented by that of other notable social documentarians of the era, including Walker Evans, Ben Shahn, Wright Morris, Mike Disfarmer, and others. Exhibit toured by art2art Circulating Exhibits.
This exhibit also displays western Kansas residents’ Depression Era photographs, household items and family heirlooms. These artifacts and the exhibit images are a reminder of how much the Great Depression and Dust Bowl are Kansas stories.
We are expecting many visitors for this exhibit. Please schedule a tour in advance for groups of 5 or more by calling the Stauth Memorial Museum at (620) 846-2527 or by emailing stauthedu@yahoo.com. Please follow all CDC guidelines to protect the museum’s employees and other visitors.

Fiendish Autumn Decor
2021-08-31 - 2021-10-09
Fiendish Autumn Decor
On Display Now through October 9th, 2021
Whether you call it Autumn or Fall, this exhibit presents a fun way to enjoy how your friends and neighbors decorate for Autumn, Fall and Halloween! See the latest trends and get decorating ideas for your home or business. There are 13-16 mini-exhibits decorated to bring the spirit of Autumn, Fall and the Halloween holiday to the museum and its visitors. Exhibits are themed by tradition and decorated by businesses, individuals, clubs or groups to share this special time of the year with the museum and its visitors.

This exhibit is inspired by previous exhibitors and visitors to our bi-annual Christmas Traditions of Southwest Kansas exhibit that had mentioned for several years now that they wanted us to host a fall and Halloween exhibit using the same dynamic.
Stop by to see all the great decorations and get ideas for your own Fall, Autumn and Halloween decor!
Please schedule tours in advance for groups of 5 or more by calling the Stauth Memorial Museum at (620) 846-2527 or by emailing stauthedu@yahoo.com. Please follow all CDC guidelines to protect the museum’s employees and other visitors. Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated!

Child in A Strange Country: Helen Keller and the History of Education for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
2021-10-26 - 2022-01-22
Explore Low Vision Education with Child in A Strange Country: Helen Keller and the History of Education for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. This exhibit, on loan from the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky, will be on display from October 26, 2021 to January 22, 2022 at the Stauth Memorial Museum.

Bring your gently used eyeglasses to donate to Lion’s Club International when you visit the museum to see this exhibit.
In 1891, teacher Anne Sullivan described her famous student, Helen Keller: “For the first two years of her intellectual life she was like a child in a strange country,” wrote Sullivan, realizing that for Helen, no learning was possible until she could overcome the communication barrier posed by blindness and deafness.

“Child in a Strange Country” explores four primary subjects: Reading, Science, Math, and Geography. Using Helen’s educational journey as a lens, “Child in a Strange Country” uncovers the roots of modern education for children with vision loss. The exhibit is designed to be fully accessible, and each section concludes with a sit-down touch table with interactive games and activities which spur the sensory imagination.

In the Reading and Writing area, Museum guests can try writing braille by hand using a slate and stylus or use the Braillewriter. The Scientific Study panels include a tactile model of the human eye, a relief picture of the eye, and natural specimens that can be explored by touch. It also includes an APH Light Box which was invented for low vision students to help develop awareness of light, color, and visual discrimination.
In the Mathematics area, guests can use an abacus to add and subtract. With stationary pins and rubber bands, geometric shapes can be constructed. A Talking Scientific Calculator provides a prime example of how technology plays an important role in helping blind and low vision students learn mathematics today. Textured relief maps, a relief globe, a Talking Tablet, and a modern geography puzzle round out the Geography section.

For more information or schedule a tour call 620.846.2527. We anticipate many visitors for this exhibition. We kindly ask that for groups of 5 or more, please schedule a tour to ensure adequate staffing and the best possible visit to the Museum. Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & all major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated to help with the costs to host this and other amazing exhibitions.

Dr. Eric Fry – Fry Eye Associates Presentation
2022-01-18 08:00 - 17:00
Final date coming soon! Check out our Facebook page for more details!

Western Kansas Scholastic Arts 2022
2022-02-08 - 2022-03-05
Enjoy award winning works of art from extremely gifted Western Kansas students. The 26th Annual Competition and Exhibition will include over 200 works of art in a variety of mediums: photography, sculpture, metal works, glass, drawings, paintings, ceramics, graphics and much more!
The American Vision Award will be given to the project deemed Best of Show, and Gold Key, Silver Key and Merit Award winners will be displayed. These are among the best of the best young talents in our region, so please come and support them! The WKSA Awards contest is open to Western Kansas Junior and Senior High students in grades 7 – 12 from 31 counties in the western part of our state.
We anticipate many visitors for this exhibition. We kindly ask that for groups of 5 or more, please schedule a tour to ensure adequate staffing and the best possible visit to the Museum. For more information or to schedule a tour call 620.846.2527. Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & all major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated to help with the costs to host this and other amazing exhibitions.

Prairie Visions: The Works of Leah Johnson
2022-03-22 - 2022-05-14
Stauth Memorial Museum is honored to bring the works of one of Montezuma’s most talented former residents back home!

Here is your chance to view private collections of paintings by the late Montezuma resident, Leah Johnson. Leah Johnson was a self-taught painter from Montezuma who learned to paint to support her family after her husband passed away. She specialized in painting Western Kansas landscapes and the sod houses (or soddies) that dotted the area when she was a child. Leah created her own technique of mixing soils native to each homestead into her oil or acrylic paints to give each piece texture and a 3-dimensional appearance.
Her pieces gained popularity with people of this area, and with travelers passing through the area. She is known for painting canvases of homesteads, but each piece also contains her vivid interpretations of the Western Kansas sky. Johnson painted from memory, and considered herself a historian of sorts as she documented the places of her youth. She once said “As an artist, I feel more closely drawn to things of my childhood and earlier… In a sense, I’m cataloging history.”

The Stauth Museum is honored to present this exhibition of Leah Johnson’s works that showcase pieces throughout her career. The exhibit includes pieces owned by many people of the area, including her son Lynn Johnson of rural Copeland, and the Clawson family of Plains; who were avid collectors of Leah’s works. Stauth Memorial Museum is also displaying a barnyard-painted coffee pot from Geraldine Koehn’s collection and a soddy painting that was donated by the Shelden Family of Wichita.
The Sheldon family painting is on permanent display at the museum and is the anchor of what we hope to be a Leah Johnson Collection within the Stauth Museum. If you have a Leah Johnson piece that you would like to donate to grow our Leah Johnson Collection, please contact the museum at (620) 846-2527 or stauthm@ucom.net.

We kindly ask that for groups of 5 or more, please schedule a tour to ensure adequate staffing and the best possible visit to the Museum. For more information or to schedule a tour call 620.846.2527. Business hours for the Stauth Memorial Museum are: Tue – Sat 9-12, 1-4:30. Closed Sundays, Mondays & all major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated to help with exhibit costs.

Storms of the Plains: A Closeup View with Mike Umscheid
2022-05-24 - 2022-06-18
Inspired by Atmosphere, Earth and Wildlife, meteorologist Mike Umscheid has combined his passion for digital photography with his love of storm chasing and the natural scenery of the Western United States. View powerful images of storms on the Plains, as well as calmer moments with vistas of Western landscapes and wildlife.
Focusing on the finer aspects of each, Mike’s photographs draw in the audience to experience a singular moment “It all became about capturing that perfect moment in time, whether it be the spectacular sky…over a golden wheat field in sunset light, or the intense drama of a tall tornado on the High Plains.” – Mike Umsheid
Additional prints will be available for purchase. Please see museum staff for more information!
Special Thanks to the following groups for funding our mission through the years!
