By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
A group of St. Joseph residents will celebrate an artist central to the ornamentation of City Hall and the Missouri Theatre with a future exhibit at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art.
Waylande Gregory came to St. Joseph in 1926 and designed ornaments for city hall out of a makeshift studio on Tenth and Frederick. Out of that studio he also designed ornaments for the Missouri Theatre.
Centennial Committee Chair Lori McAlister says after leaving St. Joseph, Gregory went on to become one of the most prolific ceramic artists in the country.
"And we had him here, so just by way of introduction to people of his work we thought those of us who had been collecting pieces would get them together and do just kind of a little show and tell, to get people excited," McAlister tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Friends of the Missouri Theatre founder Frank Polleck says they hope that by showing these pieces they can show people that Gregory was an artist
"And not just somebody that came in and did some plaster work 100 years ago," Polleck explains. "And so, we want people in St. Joseph, and everywhere, to realize what they have here and realize he is an artist, and this is not just a theatre venue it's really a museum of his work."
The works from Gregory that be on display at the Albrecht are part of a celebration of the centennial celebration of St. Joseph City Hall and the Missouri Theatre.
McAlister says there's excitement building around the centennial, and hopes this exhibit helps introduce people to how great an artist Gregory was
"And then I think that helps people understand why this building and City Hall are so special, and the fact that the city has maintained them, and we still have them is no small accomplishment" McAlister says. "So, we've got a lot to be proud of and excited about."
The locally collected pieces of Gregory will be on display at the Albrecht Kemper beginning in June.
Another collection that will feature pieces on loan from the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State will come next year.
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