Angie Pickman of Lawrence, KS, a nationally recognized
cut-paper artist has been selected to design the 2018 Smoky Hill River
Festival Print and the 2018 Festival T-shirt.

A native of Atchison, Pickman combines the art of
traditional paper cutting with collage to create intricately
detailed works of art and animation that depict Midwestern
subjects with warmth and whimsy.

A third-generation graduate of Benedictine College,
Pickman was first introduced to cut paper as an art form
while studying for her master’s degree at the Tisch School
of the Arts at New York University, where she discovered
the silhouette work of early-1900s animation artist Lotte Reiniger. Pickman’s
love of nature and the tranquility of the rural Midwest, as well as Reiniger’s
style and technique guided her career choice.

The 2018 Festival Print is entitled “Smoky Hill
Sun Song.” The visual landscape of the Smoky Hill
River valley was Pickman’s primary inspiration for
the print. “I enjoy incorporating birds in my work because through
them, I often portray symbolic
action. In this case, the sun symbolizes the Festival
celebration. The sunflowers are what the artists,
musicians, food vendors, and audience- all
symbolized by birds- bring to it.”

Pickman’s print is based on a cut-paper
collage in which she uses her signature black
silhouette paper, color-glazed Kansas maps and tissue paper on a basswood
base. “If you look closely at the map used for the sun, you’ll see that Salina,
KS is prominent,” says Pickman.
“Many shows I do are celebrations of art, but can be more or less an “art
market” for buyers and sellers. The River Festival is so much more than that,
with the integration of food, music and other activities, all in one special
place.”

Pickman’s other Festival work, the 2018 T-shirt, features a “Kansasy”
design on a heather orange T-shirt and tanks for adults and on heather purple
for youth. Pickman says the use of icons such as a guitar, artist palette, horn, sunflowers and wheat stems convey a sense of summer celebration in a fluid
design, symbolizing the flow of the Smoky Hill River alongside fields and
grasses that sway in the rolling Kansas breeze .

Angie Pickman exhibits at galleries and art fairs across
the U.S., does illustration, animation and design work and
teaches various art classes and workshops. Her work has
been featured in publications including Midwest
Living and Martha Stewart Living. Her animation work
was featured in “Daughters of the Forest,” a 2016 PBS
documentary. A participating Festival artist on and off since 2010, Pickman also created the popular, mandala-
style Festival T-shirt design in 2017. She will exhibit in the Fine Art Show this year.

The Festival Print is currently available for a donation of $100 or more to
the Smoky Hill River Festival. Festival T-shirts can be purchased in advance
at the SA&H offices, 211 W. Iron Ave, online beginning Tuesday, May 1st or
onsite during the Festival at the Festival Information Booths north of Eric
Stein Stage and near Kenwood Bridge. For more information, call 785-309-
5770 or visit riverfestival.com.

The Smoky Hill River Festival, now in its 42nd year, is the flagship event of Salina
Arts & Humanities. A department of the City of Salina, SA&H has served a unique
role in arts advocacy and support since 1966. The Smoky Hill River Festival,
Horizons Grants program, Smoky Hill Museum, Arts Infusion Program in schools,
Community Art & Design, Cultural Connections and the Friday Night Live
performance series are among the programs of Salina Arts & Humanities, located at
211 W. Iron Avenue in Salina, Ks.