Art Center Murals
Health Access Tip:
Do you recognize that feeling of happiness and connection when taking part in cultural art activities such as music, theater, galleries, and dance? Being involved in the arts can have a powerful and lasting effect on our overall health and wellbeing. It can increase our feeling of community and protect against a range of mental health conditions. The next time your feeling disconnected, try getting connect to the arts through the multiple arts opportuniites the NOTO Arts & Entertainment District has to offer. Cente
Teeter Courtyard
Created in 2019
Artist: Shelly Bedsaul
Location: NOTO Arts Center
The NOTO Arts Center Teeter Courtyard is a hub for many special events and gatherings. The Teeter Courtyard is an area of approximately 3200 square feet, with a fun geometric design painted by artist Shelly Bedsaul. A canopy of lights covers most of the courtyard and features a 16’ x 7’ stage for performances. This project was created as a beautification project for the NOTO Arts Center, in addition to the painted courtyard, a new fence was updated, and the Organ Grinder Sculpture was added. The courtyard is used regularly for special events, musical performances, busking, school group performances, photo ops, and more!
RagaZagar Mural
Created in 2015
Location: NOTO Arts Center Front Steps
In 2015, through the work of NOTO Arts Place owner Don Snethen, and in partnership with the Mulvane Art Museum, Zagar was invited to NOTO for a 10 day residency to teach a workshop and implementation on his techniques of mural work. During the workshop the 80 foot long mural was created on the side of Kaw River Rusitc and then the addition to the Arts Center front steps was put in place a few short weeks later.
Graffiti Wall
Created in 2015
Artist: Jason Riedel
Location: NOTO Arts Center Front Steps
In 2017 Jason Riedel was approached by the arts district to beautify the flower bed wall, as well as a large garage door at the back of the arts center, in preparation for May’s First Friday Artwalk. Riedel considers his art to be a mix of Andy Warhol and Banksy, an anonymous London-based graffiti artist, street art is about the closest genre to his work.
“I like to put something subliminal in there, a message, that not a lot of people would see,” he said. “I think that’s what street art is supposed to do, get somebody’s attention for a split second with an image and then make them realize that there’s a message too, within the image.”
Riedel began air-brushing when he was as little as six years old. pulilng his insipration from both of his grandparents. His grandfather, Joe E. Williams, created the renowned concrete lion statues that stood at the former Topeka Zoo entrance at Gage Park.
“I think that’s what they were doing was kind of training me to do that (become a sculptor,) because my other cousins were older and I was the only boy that age, but I came to this conclusion much later,” Riedel said.
Williams also passed on another trait to his grandson: his color blindness, which Riedel has always had pride in and incorporates it as part of his work.
