Art House 310 First Friday – Bart Wilcox & Jeffrey McKay
July 3 - July 26
Art House 310 First Friday – Bart Wilcox & Jeffrey McKay
Opening Reception | First Friday July 3rd, 2026 | 6-10pm
This event is free to attend and open to the public. Show hangs through July 26th, 2026.
Art House 310 is located at 310 S. Laura. Two blocks SE of Douglas & Washington in downtown Wichita.
NOTE: Open gallery hours throughout the exhibition are generally Tuesday and Thursday, 6-9pm and Sunday, 1-4pm.
BART WILCOX
Waking State
I’ve been painting since 2023, starting at age 70. If I am to have a career in the plastic arts, then, it will have to be meteoric. So, thanks for giving your urgent attention to my work.
I would say that I am self-taught, but every work I look at teaches me something. I have been awakened to so much greatness in so many mostly unknown painters that my heart feels as if it will burst after a good day of looking at art. Here’s what you’ll see in Waking State:
A waking state is changing trains between the conscious and the unconscious. Also, I am just waking and my guard is down; I’m impressionable. My mind steers toward the figurative, despite my intention to work in the abstract. If I had more years as a painter behind me, I would think that I would have landed on a thing, a style. Maybe that’s coming. Right now, I’m just putting down what feels good. I think maybe abstraction makes me feel more serious or intellectual. (I hope that was good for a laugh.)
The verse accompanying most of the paintings comes from the same place as the artwork, but takes a slightly different route. These are sometimes the genesis of the painting, sometimes vice versa, usually the two form and inform together. My writing has a much longer history, but of painting and poetry, painting is the most direct route to my unconscious. You will have to find your own way back.
See more of Bart’s work on Instagram: @Wilcox_Bart
JEFFREY MCKAY
Jeffrey McKay is a Wichita-based visual artist whose work explores identity, energy, and transformation through a fusion of Afrofuturism, abstraction, and contemporary digital techniques. Working under evolving styles such as AfroNova and Quiet Nova, his pieces balance bold cosmic expression with moments of stillness and reflection.
His work often combines vibrant color, layered textures, and symbolic elements—bridging traditional artistic influences with modern digital creation. Each piece is designed to evoke both movement and meaning, inviting viewers to interpret their own narrative within the work.
Through his art, McKay aims to create more than imagery—he creates atmosphere. Whether energetic and expressive or calm and meditative, his work reflects a continuous exploration of creativity, culture, and inner space.
See more of Jeffrey’s work on Instagram: @Bla.ckMagic75 , Threads: @Bla.ckMagic75 , and on TikTok: @JeffreyMcKay82