Envision Arts Center unveils quilt-themed new mural
The mural, a collaboration between those involved with Envision, is now on display at the new 535 W. Douglas Ave. location.
When Envision Arts moved across the river from downtown Wichita to Delano, it inherited a mural. An axe-wielding Carry Nation made sense for axe-throwing bar Blade and Timber, the suite's previous tenant; less so for an art center and gallery dedicated to artists who are blind or low vision.
The new mural is a design collaboration between Envision Arts staff and both Heartspring and Envision participants, whose paper quilt blocks are on view in the front galleries.
"Inspired by the rich tradition of quilting, each square reflects an individual voice while contributing to a larger story of connection, creativity, and belonging," reads the accompanying gallery text.
Envision Arts staff incorporated some of the designs into the border of the mural, titled "Envision Your City."
The center blocks of the "quilt" feature icons that reference landmarks around town: Delano's clock tower, the Sedgwick County Zoo, Botanica, Wichita's industrial corridor, the Riverside Park Pagoda, and Wichita State's outdoor sculpture collection, among others.
Envision Arts gallery coordinator Eva Cummings received an Arts Activation grant from the City of Wichita for the project, which is in a high-traffic location: The art center is just north of Equity Bank Park. Naturally, the mural includes a reference to the home of the Wichita Wind Surge-slash-Turbo Tubs. — Emily Christensen
This article was originally published in our newsletter. Sign up for weekly emails and stay informed about Kansas art and culture.
Support Kansas arts writing
The SHOUT is a Wichita-based independent newsroom focused on artists living and working in Kansas. We're partly supported by the generosity of our readers, and every dollar we receive goes directly into the pocket of a contributing writer, editor, or photographer. Click here to support our work with a tax-deductible donation.
❋ Derby man has the kind of voice that turns heads — and chairs
❋ Socializing while sober: how some Wichitans are cultivating alcohol-free communities
❋ As a small creative business closes, the owner mourns
❋ Painting through it: Autumn Noire on 20 years of making art
❋ How a guy from Wichita resurrected 'Dawn of the Dead'
❋ Bygone Friends University museum housed curious collections
