Wonder & Whimsy: Art Mingle Fundraiser Benefits Memory Program

By Becky Fitzgerald on March 29, 2023

After a hiatus in 2022, Meadowlark Foundation’s art-related fundraiser returns this spring. Mark your calendars for Friday, April 28! Meadowlark staff have joined with several Manhattan community members to present Art Mingle: Wonder & Whimsy, which benefits the Meadowlark Memory Program. The fun begins at 6 p.m. at Prairie Star Restaurant and Event Venue.

Guests are invited to mingle with friends amid the colorful and varied artwork at Prairie Star. Fabulous food, lively libations, toe-taping tunes, and art appreciation also are part of the plan for this 5th celebration. Most all areas of the restaurant and event space will be utilized for food and/or beverage stations, art exhibits, and displays of silent and live auction items.

This year’s theme is a nod to our two featured artists: Kristin Goering of Fairway, Kan., and Nancy Teague of Lincoln, Neb. Goering’s landscapes and Teague’s abstract expressionism are a contrast of styles, but their shared use of energetic brushstrokes and dynamic color palettes convey thoughts of wonder and whimsy. Seeing their work, we may wonder about the visual elements or stirred emotions that prompted their paintings, and we may be reminded that a life with whismy can be rich and exciting.

Minglers won’t want to miss the Artist Showcases, featuring Goering and Teague. These two women, sought-after members of the regional art scene, will be greeting fans and making new friends while surrounded by examples of their work. A rural Kansas native, Goering graduated with a fine arts degree from Bethel College in 1992. Her early career was spent as a freelance artist and illustrator with the Mennonite Press and Hearth Publishing in Newton Kan. Teague graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s in education, then subsequently taught three years in the Lincoln public schools before beginning her art career that has spanned four decades.

Party-goers at previous Art Mingle events raved about the array of eye-catching and tasty hors d’oeuvres, and Meadowlark chef John Gasser promises more palate-pleasing offerings. Two specialty cocktails, one called Wonder, the other Whimsy, will be added to the beverage selections, and live music will be provided by Colton and Samantha Jones, who play and sing as Tandem Moons.

Art Mingle 2023 offers silent and live auctions, featuring original art from our Showcase guests and other well-known artists, as well as jewelry, wine and spirits, experiences, and much more. Leaning into the Wonder portion of the theme, one of the live auction packages and the raffle prize feature an element of mystery. See photos of auction items and the raffle prize soon on the Art Mingle events page at www.meadowlark.org.

Keeping the event’s worthy cause in mind, guests are invited to visit the Manhattan Room to view an exhibit of paintings created by memory program participants.

Tickets to Mingle are now available at $75 each. In addition to all-you-can-enjoy food and beverages, attendees receive a thank you gift. Cocktail or business casual attire suggested; lean into the theme, if you like, by wearing something colorful and/or whimsical. Purchase tickets by contacting a Hospitality team member at (785) 323-3847, or purchase online at www.meadowlark.org.

Community First National Bank again is the event’s presenting sponsor. Steel & Pipe Supply and WTC are the Artist Showcases and Dine & Drink sponsors, respectively. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of SNW Gallery & Custom Frames.

Questions about the event? Please contact Becky Fitzgerald, Development Director, at (785) 323-3843. As indicated, proceeds from Art Mingle benefit Meadowlark Memory Program, now in its seventh year. The program provides FREE education and enrichment opportunities for persons affected by memory or cognitive changes and their care partners. Program services are open to anyone in the Flint Hills region.