Old Town gallery a ‘jumping off point’ for artists

WSU senior Beth Post and WSU alumnus Fred Bohn host an aray of the different art pieces that they have created to show at the Final Friday event in old town.

ShiftSpace Gallery gives student artists and recent graduates from Wichita State the opportunity to show their work in downtown Wichita. This gallery is currently home to “Different Strokes” by Beth Post and Fred Bohn.

“Showing at ShiftSpace is a great jumping off point for any growing artist looking to get into the art scene,” Bohn said.

The exhibit opened last Friday with a reception to celebrate the works of both artists. According to Post’s website, this is her fifth showing at the downtown gallery. Bohn has also shown there before, and is happy to be there again.

“I have had shows here [ShiftSpace] before, when I was still at WSU and even as an alumni with Project Run-a-Way, a wearable art show they have every year,” he said.

Though Bohn works in a variety of styles and mediums, he said he prefers to work in oil and graphite. He graduated from Wichita State in 2008 with a BFA in studio arts: painting and knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist.

“I have always been drawing since I can remember,” Bohn said. “My grandpa Edgar Sturtz was an art teacher at Ellinwood High School. He retired before I could take a class from him, but he always taught me different techniques all the time. I think he has always inspired me to become an artist and continue making work.”

His work may seem a little other-worldly to viewers. Bohn said that he reads a lot on capitalism/post capitalism, art history, philosophy and science fiction, and thinks that those influences can be seen in his work. The subjects of his work are generally much more familiar.

“I find inspiration by driving around Wichita, mostly down Douglas,” he said. “I look for the average person walking or riding a bike down the street, empty and decaying buildings, blue collar workers, construction zones, people doing yard work and strange geometric shadows from nature to take photos of.”

Taking the ordinary and making it into something different and individual is one of Bohn’s goals when he works on a piece. He said his most recent painting, one involving various fields of color, is one of his favorites. He also enjoys sharing his work with the public.

“The best part of what I do is the actually process of making something unique and calming to me and then releasing it to the public to infect them in any way possible.”

“Different Strokes” will be on display in ShiftSpace Gallery, located at 800 E. Third Street, until Oct. 13.