This year's Autumn & Art Evergy Featured Artist, Sharon Sudduth, is a representational painter residing in Enid, Oklahoma. Sharon, a former Kansan, works from her backyard studio where creativity and optimism bloom. Visit her in her Featured Artist booth at the heart of the festival!

Sharon began painting in 2012 shortly after relocating to Oklahoma with her husband. Mostly self-taught, she discovered the “alla prima” or wet into wet method of oil painting in 2018. She fell in love with the medium and technique which allows her to complete paintings in just a few sessions, meeting her need for spontaneity but also results.

Painting brings Sharon joy as she explores the beauty and wonder around her. There is a liveliness, vibrancy and intuitiveness to her work that is distinct and her love for light, form and color are apparent in her up-close, large scale contemporary flower paintings. Sharon has exhibited and sold her work through juried, group and solo gallery shows in Oklahoma and Kansas and through her website, www.sharonsudduthart.com.

Signed and numbered poster prints of Sharon's "Let's Tango!" are available at The Frame Shop in Bradley Fair. 

The artists listed below have been chosen by our jury to exhibit at Autumn & Art 2021 and are eligible for $7,000 in cash prizes.

2D Mixed Media

 Kayann Ausherman-Haven, Kan.

 Amy Koch-Eureka, Mo.

 Stephen Perry-Wichita, Kan.

 Christina Smith-Fayettevile, Ark.

 Pamela Spika-Parker, Colo.
 

Ceramics

 Sheldon Ganstrom-Hays, Kan.

 Greg Lathrop-Derby, Kan.
 Michael Schlyer-Wichita, KS
 

Drawing
 Gary Bachers-New Boston, Texas

 Randall Case-Dallas, Texas

 Douglas Fulks-Lees Summit, Mo.

 Jon Jahraus-Parkville, Mo.

Fiber

 Pat Teakell-Wichita, Kan.

 Don Tran-St. Louis, Mo.

Glass
 Scott Garrelts-Douglass, Kan.

 John McDonald-Valley Center, Kan.

 Paul Willsea-Naples, NY

Jewelry
 Gary Allen-Omaha, Neb.

 Laura Glen Carlson-Ruston, La.

 Jeff Dawald-Faribault, Minn.

 Brad Egger-Lansing, Kan.

 Melissa Hampton-St. Louis, Mo. 

 Melinda Hutton-North Newton, Kan.

 Stacy Kleymann-Andover, Kan.

 Jon Lee-Lewis Center, Ohio

 Harold Lujan-Wheat Ridge, Colo.

Metalworks
 Thomas LeibLein-Bosque Farms, N.M.

 Chris Swedinski-Ghent, Minn.

Painting
 Cory Carlson-Ruston, La.

 Pamela Covington-Lake Annette, Mo.

 Karen Dreyer-Leawood, Kan.

 Lindsay Hendershot-Wichita, Kan.

 Sandy Hunter-Ottawa, Kan.

 George Jones-Little Elm, Texas

 Denise Marta-Burch-Eureka Springs, Ark.

 Dale Martin-Oilton,Okla.

 Virgil Penner-North Newton, Kan.

 Stephen Smith-Tulsa, Okla.

 Sharon Suddeth-Enid, Okla.

 Scott Swezy-Albuquerque, N.M.

 Ernest V. Wood III-Wichita, Kan.

Photography
 Timm Chapman-Phoenix, Ariz.

 Jean Hutchison-Ottawa, Kan.

 Jesper Johansen-Denver, Colo.

 Bernard Kaiser-Clearwater, Kan.

 John Kennington-Bixby, Okla.

 Kelly Langley-Broken Arrow, Okla.

 Mickey Shannon-Goddard, Kan.

Sculpture
 Mike Dwyer-Loveland, Colo.

 Annette Gordon-Paola, Kan.

 Craig Riches-Fairhope, Ala.

 Peter Rujuwa, Greenwood, Ind.

Wood
 Wes Lewis-Wichita, Kan.

 Carl Peterson, Ponca City, Okla.

 Zack Schaffer-Jetmore, Kan.

MICHAEL AND MARY ANN HOLMES AKA M. ROBINSON

Michael and Mary Ann Holmes are M. Robinson, Evergy Featured Artist at Autumn & Art: An Online Art Fair.

Michael grew up in Glidden, Iowa, and attended Kansas State University, where he studied interior architecture. After graduating, he began drawing with pastels and later transitioned into acrylic painting. This figurative, textural and vibrantly colorful artwork is created under the name Michael Holmes. Michael later developed an abstract line of work, evolving a similar technique. This is the work of M. Robinson, a collaboration with his wife, Mary Ann.

Raised in Kansas City, Mary Ann Holmes earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Arizona State University. Working with a French artist in San Francisco, she learned a myriad of faux finishes and painted in various venues. Returning to Kansas City, she continued painting decorative finishes. When Mary Ann met Michael in 2009, he introduced her to his painting techniques and they have been collaborating ever since.

To create their colorful pieces, the Holmes begin by building boxes with cherry wood. Next, they tint lightweight modeling paste and apply it to the box, pressing objects or drawing images into the modeling paste and leaving impressions. After the paste dries, they paint it with a coat of black gesso, allow drying time, and then layer vibrant, high viscosity paints onto the piece. After the piece cures, they deconstruct the painting by sanding layers off, revealing the tinted modeling paste and gesso in selected areas. Finally, a two-part epoxy is carefully applied in stages, utilizing a torch to remove bubbles and creating the glasslike resin finish.

This year's Featured Artist poster is available The Frame Shop in Bradley Fair at 21st & Rock Road, Wichita, KS.

Rollin Karg is a renowned glass artist from the Midwest who designs and creates sculptural pieces bringing the medium to life through his dynamic use of color. The artist spent the first part of his career as an industrial engineer, photographer, potter and woodworker before becoming a full-time glass artist in 1983. His award-winning work has shown at galleries and in exhibitions throughout North America.

Reuben Saunders began his art-collecting life as a teenager in his native North Carolina. A graduate of University of North Carolina where he studied political science, chemistry and American history, he opened Artworks in 1978 primarily to showcase Kansas artists who, at the time, were rarely represented in Wichita. His gallery and frame shop in the Douglas Design District continues a tradition of superior works by local, regional and national artists in a variety of media.

Patricia McDonnell, Ph.D, the Wichita Art Museum’s executive director since 2012, also served as the director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University. Before coming to Wichita, McDonnell was chief curator at the Tacoma Art Museum and curator of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota. She has more than 30 years of museum experience in a variety of positions; and holds a doctorate and masters of fine arts in art history from Brown University, and a bachelors of arts in German studies from Mills College.

Bob Workman recently retired from the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, where he served as director since 2013. A graduate of WSU, he has overseen many art initiatives on the campus, including a permanent Tom Otterness sculpture installation in progress and a project to digitize works of art in the Ulrich’s collection, slated for completion in 2019. Workman was previously director of Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kan.

Starting in 2011, one artist or artist team has been selected each fall to represent Autumn & Art as our Featured Artist for the season. 
These artists have acted as an ambassador for our event, and we are so grateful that they have generously shared their talents with us!

2011: JD Hillberry, Drawing
2012: Jeffery Cannon, Painting
2013: Pamela Spika, 2D Mixed Media
2014: Prince Duncan Williams, Fiber
2015: Ernest Vincent Wood III, Painting
2016: Barbara Mason, Drawing
2017: Jeff & Judy Goodwin, Jewelry
2018: Chris McCarthy, Glass
2019: John Kennington, Photography
2020: Mary Ann & Michael Holmes AKA M. Robinson, 2D Mixed Media