art

This post is currently a work in progress, and I would welcome additions or corrections in the comments below. I’ll try to get a map together after we get the list nailed down. Oh, and I’m very open to anyone who wants to rewrite any of these descriptions.

• Cattle Bank on the East side of the courthouse square in Seward
  • Grain Elevators of Seward County. A collection of 20 watercolors that the bank commissioned Marxhausen to do in the 1970’s. The paintings are displayed in one of the upstairs conference rooms at Cattle Bank. Just let the person at the information desk of the bank that you would be interested in seeing the Marxhausen watercolors.
    
• Jones Bank on the Southwest corner of the courthouse square in Seward
  • A very large and fascinating burnt wood and ceramic tile mural dominates the West entrance to the bank. (image) (video)
    
• Concordia University
  • Holy Spirit / Open Book is a large art installation to the West of Link Library that you can see as you drive past Weller Hall. 1959
  • There is an amazing and very large Marxhausen mural immediately to the right when you enter the Janzow Campus Center through the upper entrance.
  • The intricately carved brick benches in the basement of Weller Hall are Marxhausen’s as well.
  • Concordia occasionally shows items from their extensive Marxhausen permanent collection in the Marxhausen Gallery in Jessie Hall.
    
• The Center for Liturgical Arts is located due South of Concordia University on Columbia Ave, and stands on the location of the former Marxhausen residence.
  • The front door of the center is the original burnt wood mosaic front door of the Reinhold and Doris’ house. Well worth stopping to see.
  • The Marxhausen Studio is on the South side of the property and has been restored to once again be a working art studio (video of the studio when Marx used it).
  • The Center also has several of Marxhausen’s works on display. They would be happy to show them to you.
    
• Masonic Lodge building on the South side of the courthouse square across the street from Jones Bank
  • The entire South side of the building is a huge painted mural by Marxhausen. It was painted with the help of his students around 1980 and was restored around 1998, but could probably use some TLC again. The text is this poem by his friend, William Kloefkorn, who was appointed State Poet of Nebraska 1982:
    
    Nebraska, water and soil and wind, color and light and heat: Something forever plump and firm, above the ground, the itch forever. Of something small but ripening, underneath
    
    
• St. John Lutheran Church located at 900 Columbia Avenue, across the street from Concordia University
  • The stained glass windows that run the length of East and West walls of the church, as well as in the balcony and a central skylight.
  • The communion cross which is generally on the altar during communion services.
  • The liturgically themed processional crosses that are used at various times though out the church year.
  • St. John also has a fairly extensive collection of Marxhausen pieces most of which can be viewed online.
    
• The Law offices next to Red Path Gallery on the North side of the courthouse square
  • There are about 20 Marxhausen pieces on display in the front windows. The pieces are rotated a few times a year. While you’re there, why don’t you stop by Red Path Gallery next door? Have a drink, look at the art, and ask them why they don’t have a little Marxhausen display.
    
• The LCMS Nebraska District Office on the corner of Highway 34 and Columbia Ave.
  • Two stained glass windows in the tower. The windows are more impressive when seen from the inside.
  • In the same room as the stained glass windows is a large burnt wood mosaic. This mosaic was part of an altar that was removed when the building was remodeled.
  • In the lower level conference room is a small metal cross.

Have I missed anything? Do you have any corrections or additions? Just rewrites to make this sound better? Links to photos? Please add them in the comments.