Redefine Success

The NOTO Art Beat

A snapshot of exhibits, events & creative life in NOTO

About the Art Show On the Appalachian Trail, photography by Tobias J. H. Schlingensiepen October 2026 By Dennis Etzel Jr., poet, writer, and educator at Washburn University

You might see Sir Snail on his walks throughout Topeka with his unique black wool hat everyone complements him on. “I have no idea what kind of hat it is, but I love it,” he told me. “People keep wanting to know where I bought it. I can’t remember. It’s wool, so cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

              Many who see him recognize him as Kansas State Representative Schlingensiepen. Others know him as Pastor Tobias from First Congregational Church. Now we can add Tobias J. H. Schlingensiepen as artist as his first art show On the Appalachian Trail is the featured Art in the Vestibule space at NOTO Arts Center through the month of October.  

              His eleven photos on display are an eclectic representation of his 2025 summer spent hiking the famous Trail. From the toad hanging out in Kent, Connecticut, to the series of ethereal photos taken at sunrise on Mount Bromley in Vermont which seem like oil paintings, this collection shows its audience snapshots of a natural world both far removed and resembling the possibilities for beauty in our Midwestern lives.

A Convergence Point

              “I climbed into a fire tower and just looked out as the sun rose,” Tobias modestly admits about the Mt Bromley series as I point out how I love the third one in particular, the mists of the orange sky touching down on the tops of the mountainous range coated in fog.

              Two other photos-at-sunrise are the Mount Killington set: “Summiting . . . “ and “Sunrise on . . . .” :Summiting: Mount Killington captures a range of black, white, and all of the possible greens because of the way fog was settling at almost 5am in the morning. With a fellow hiker he met on the trail, a Harvard software engineer that is now a great friend, the light from his head lamp and Tobias’s head lamp converged to create an unexpected result in lighting.

              “It's a rock scramble,” Tobias said. “Our headlamps converge here,”

Tobias points out, “so that makes this really interesting effect. We were enshrouded in this cloud and we couldn't see anything.” As Tobias noticed a small orange light emerged, phone as camera in hand, he quickly aimed it in the direction of the light for another wonderful photo: “Sunrise on Mount Killington.”

“This was all that could be seen for less than 8 seconds. And I just happened to have my phone on it. So all you see here is a bit of the rocks down here, and then it looks like a Japanese woodcut, right? This was just kind of like a situation that I was just luckily able to see.”

The Harvest of the Journey

Tobias’s collection shows us how one’s close attention, looking for the moments of beauty in life, and being ready to take a photo with whatever tool is on hand can lead to the work art creates. “One aim was just to get in shape and put myself in a better physical place so that I could do my work better and develop a healthy kind of habit,” he answered when I asked why he chose to hike the Appalachian Trail. “Another part was grief work. When you're accompanying all kinds of people to the edge of life, it does wear on you. I just wanted to walk and allow their lives to mean something to me, reflect on them, and cry if I wanted to and not have to worry about anybody seeing me.”

“This was a huge transformational journey in lots of different ways. I'm still trying to unpack, and this [photography show] is part of the effort to unpack a little bit of that. These are just a little harvest of some of the things that impressed me along the way.”

As it is October, it is fitting that Tobias shares his harvest with us. As his attention to people matches his attention to photography, we are lucky and extremely grateful to have him on our respective hikes through life.

Note: All proceeds from art purchases of this exhibit go to The Top City Trail Alliance made of volunteers who work countless hours making sure the trails throughout Topeka remain safe and hikable.

Through October 2026 at NOTO Arts Center

924 N Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66608

Hours: 9 AM through 10 PM Tuesday through Saturday

Dennis Etzel Jr is a poet, writer, and educator at Washburn University. Every October and April, they co-host Ichabods Speak Out with Dr Jericho Hockett, a Topeka community event of open-mic poetry reading to lift up survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in collaboration with the YWCA and Washburn’s URGE and Counseling, Advocacy, and Prevention Services. Dennis leads writing workshops throughout Kansas and offers a paywall-free Substack for poetry prompts and rituals: dennisetzeljr.substack.com. They live with their spouse and children in Topeka, Kansas.

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Turn Intention Into Action

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Make Room for Growth

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.