Local artist painted his way into MONA calendar

Sidney artist Paul Adkinson's painting "Winter's End" has been selected to be in the Museum of Nebraska Art's 2015 calendar. It's featured for the month of March.

Adkinson is a self-taught artist who learned to paint by reading books, experimenting with different methods and mediums and by taking workshops taught by nationally recognized artists.

"I didn't get an education in art," Adkinson said. "It really started as a hobby."

Adkinson's wife, Beverly, said that it was recommended by a doctor that he start a hobby, and that's when he began painting 45 years ago.

"I gave up bowling so I could take an art workshop," Adkinson said while smiling. "I didn't know anything about painting, I started completely from scratch."

After one of the art classes, the instructor Jan Pippitt and Adkinson started the Cheyenne County Art Guild in 1972 to promote the arts in the Nebraska Panhandle.

Although Adkinson didn't have formal training, he has been successfully showing his work in various art shows.

Not only does Adkinson have work at the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney, but his work has been displayed at the American Art Association Regional Invitational Exhibit in Denver at the Governor's Mansion in Lincoln and in the Artel State Show in Omaha.

"My favorite thing about creating art is the process of actually doing it," Adkinson said. "The ideas and experimentation are a big part of the art for me."

Adkinson said he is influenced and inspired by his surroundings and the people he comes in contact with that will lead to an idea for a painting or a manipulated photograph.

"Someone will say something or I will see something and that really sparks an image in my head."

Adkinson has received many awards, including the Museum of Nebraska Art's Purchase Award at the 2009 Association of Nebraska Art Clubs' End in Kearney.

Aside from painting, Adkinson said he enjoys photography and manipulating images by layering serval images on top of each other. Imagination plays a huge role in his paintings, collages and photographs.

"Art should give the viewer a sense of feeling," Adkinson said. He hopes that people "experience the sense of imagination, beauty wonder, and feeling that went into the creative process of an artwork."

His painting "Winter's End" that is featured in the MONA calendar is also one of 13 pieces of artwork from the permanent collection at the Museum of Nebraska Art.

"The calendar is a CD calendar, so when I opened the letter I was confused as to why the MONA was sending me a CD," Adkinson said while laughing. "When I realized what it was, and saw my painting was selected I was excited. It's such an accomplishment for me. It really is an honor."