Multi-award winning artist and broadcaster Marshal Bailey and his daughter Sara Wilson are the featured artists for Studio Friday on March 6 at Colby Community College. 

In addition to a distinguished broadcasting career, Bailey is a professional painter, selling paintings and prints of his work at art shows.

“I have always had an interest in art,” said Bailey.  “Even as a child in school, I got into trouble often for sitting and drawing in my notebook instead of paying attention to what was going on in class.  In those days, it was largely Superman and dead trees.”

Bailey developed his skills as a cartoonist and teamed with a fellow artist in high school to print a publication called Drums Unlimited, which was similar to Mad Magazine.

In the mid-70s, Baily landed a contract with Bow Hunter Magazine doing cartoons and later paintings and how-to articles which he illustrated.  He also did line drawings and cartoons for other archery magazines which led to other opportunities with other publications.  His works have been published in many outdoor and equestrian-related magazines and catalogs.

“I took up oil painting in the late 70s, studying Walter Foster books, which in those days were $1.50 each,” said Bailey.  “Later, there were lots of different television shows with art instructions, and although I never opted for anyone’s painting style, I almost always learned something from each program—an insight to each artist’s way of thinking.”

In the mid-90s, Bailey developed an allergic reaction to the solvents in oil paint and took up acrylic.

“That was a God send because that’s when I found my niche,” said Bailey.  “I have worked with acrylic paint since that time.  My favorite all-time artist is John Seery-Lester who lives in Florida and is a world-renowned wildlife artist.  I became familiar with his work in various outdoor magazines and art publications.  Through Facebook, John and I became friends and he invited me to a Master Class that he was conducting in Shreveport.  At that class I posed for a painting that he was doing depicting Grizzly John Addams and his bear Ben.  The painting is in John’s book, Campfire Tales. From John I learned the joy of using water color pencils which are now one of my favorite mediums.”

Bailey no longer illustrates for publications.  He stays busy painting professionally, selling paintings and prints of his work and attending art shows.

In addition to art, Bailey has been broadcasting western swing across the High Plains for over 25 years.  He recently received the 2014 Academy of Western Artists Award of Appreciation.  He can be heard on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the High Plains Public Radio network.

Wilson is a self-taught artist.  She drew comics for her high school newspaper and had a comic published in the local newspaper, The Montezuma Press.  Wilson stopped drawing after high school and picked it up again several years later after being contacted by a friend who owned a publishing company about illustrating children’s books.

“I began getting back into practice drawing cartoons and found it to be very therapeutic,” said Wilson.  “I wanted something more challenging and fulfilling so I began to delve into learning to draw portraits.”

Although she received a scholarship to the Colorado Institute of Art as the most promising student, after graduating from South Gray High School she attended and graduated from Dodge City Community College.

“I do what I do because every face has a thousand stories to tell, if only we would listen,” said Wilson.  “In this world of fast food, smart phones and drive-through everything, how often do we stop to study the faces of those around us?  How often do we stop to care and to connect?  The objective of my work is to move people to take notice of and connect with one another and the world around them.”

She is currently living and working in Dodge City as a Library Clerk at the Dodge City Community College Library.  She is a member of the Dodge City Area Arts Council.  She and her husband have two sons.

Wilson will be displaying her art at the Art Walk on April 17 from 5-9 p.m. in Goulash located on Franklin Avenue.  She also will be bringing works completed by her dad.

Studio Friday will be held from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in the Art Studio located in Ferguson Hall.

For more information contact Colby Community College art instructor Rebel Jay at 785.269.7065.