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Creativity is an innate expression of the human
experience. Art emerges
from the thoughts and feelings of those who have the heart and soul
of an artist, from those who are willing to share their vision of
the world. Those
privileged to know Lowell Connolly were aware of his love of family,
tradition and most of all, the Kansas soil he grew up on. This inspired his
colorful images of a land filled with both beauty and hardship. Lowell Connolly had the
talent to see the worth of the simplest things; the sunlight hitting
a barn on a summer afternoon, the unusual tints in a flower’s
petals, the clustering of horses on desolate hills. These scenes, so
much a part of his life on the farm, became much more when
translated to canvas.
The simplicity of his life took on a magical, ethereal
quality, depicting a moment in time that still has a unique
resonance today.
The
surviving family members of Lowell Connolly, well-known Sherman
County artist, present this art gallery in honor of the creative
spirit that he displayed through every aspect of his life. Lowell was born in 1917, the
youngest son of Hattie T. and William H. Connolly, pioneer settlers
of Sherman County. He
grew up on their farm Southeast of Goodland, a true son of a time
both tranquil and arduous.
He experienced the life of a pioneer, surviving harsh
realities of day-to-day existence on the plains.
Sometime
after his father died in 1943, he moved from the farm to Goodland
with his mother.
It was at this time that Lowell began to pursue painting,
starting with smaller projects like plaster molds and wall plaques
that he created with his mother and sold locally. Soon he became interested in
portraits and landscapes, complete with the animals he knew best
from childhood.
It soon became apparent that Lowell had a gift as well as a
love for creating art.
Art became his passion, and he soon began sharing this love
with others in art lessons, encouraging others to find their
voice. Lowell taught
many children and adults the value of expressing emotions and
thoughts visually.
Although he never had children of his own, he had an ability
to reach out to younger people, those who were experiencing
difficulties in their own lives and demonstrate that art could
provide its own unique therapy. He never charged much for
lessons, yet they had a profound effect on the lives of the students
he touched.
Lowell Connolly experimented with art therapy before anyone
knew the term.
In the
years after the death of his mother, Lowell met a woman who would
become an inspiration and support his artistic vision through her
time and energy to promote his work. She was an integral part of
the creative process and the success that he achieved. Velma Brown married
him in 1960, and was a faithful companion until his death in
2000.
As a
lifelong resident of Sherman County, Lowell’s success is not now,
nor was it ever measured in monetary terms. He was never completely
supported by his art and worked other jobs within the
community. Like a
true artist, Lowell was a keen observer of people, the changing
facial expressions and behaviors that come from the joys and sorrows
of life.
Lowell
painted in a variety of styles, and found his inspiration in the
work of artists before him.
Some of his earlier art reflects more realism. Later in life, his interest
in impressionism led him into new directions in painting. He also discovered writing
as an additional artistic medium. He wrote short stories and a
great deal of poetry, some of which was published. Regardless of the style or
medium in which he worked, one characteristic always stayed the
same; he never lost his optimism, his ability to see the beauty in
everything; even in the difficult circumstances that emerge from a
life on the endless prairie of Kansas. We hope that as
you view these pieces from his collection you will feel the love
that he expressed for those things dearest to him, his family, his
roots, and the land that he loved like a true Irishman.
ã
Rainbow Trail Creations
2004
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