Submitted by Jo Lindly

The Meadowlark Hills Art Committee was started by an early resident of MLH. Marion Pelton, a retired professor of music at K-State University, gave a gift of money (to purchase art), her personal art collection and two grand pianos saying, “We need beauty around us at every age!” This was in year 2005. In 2006, with plans for remodeling a portion of the first floor (lobby thru offices on west), an Art Committee was formed.

Jay Nelson, owner of Streckler-Nelson Art Gallery in Manhattan, became the first member of the committee along with seven independent living residents. The collective art skill of the residents who volunteered was modest, but enthusiasm was high! Jay tutored us with slide presentations and walks through the gallery, answering questions with patience and good humor.

We set out with a budget, to purchase art works appropriate for current and future residents. We considered paintings, three dimensional art, metal sculpture and ceramics, among others.

One fun experience of the committee was choosing the pictures for the Prairie Star Restaurant. Jay introduced us to Peggy Lyon, artist, who presented a picture with a bright, red Bing cherries, lying on a white cloth with vase background. The committee asked for more samples and she eventually made the 11 water color paintings in Prairie Star. Interestingly, when Prairie Star has remodeled this fall, these pictures remained in there but at different locations and one more painting has be added.

We continue to add pictures, gifts and purchases, to the collection. Watch for them on the

“New Art Wall” just across the Game Room.