New exhibit featuring paintings of alumnus Bob Walkenhorst; singer-songwriter to perform Nov. 4

Oct. 22, 2024
| By Kathleen Harner, communication assistant

Bob Walkenhorst, a Northwest Missouri State University alumnus, songwriter and lead singer of a Kansas City-based rock band, will perform next month on the campus in conjunction with an exhibit featuring his artwork.

Bob Walkenhorst’s paintings connect to the songs he writes and feature scenes of farmland, woods, people from the Midwest and his hometown.

Walkenhorst’s two-dimensional paintings will be displayed Oct. 30 through Nov. 17 in the Olive DeLuce Art Gallery at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building, and some of his paintings will be available for purchase. Walkenhorst also will give a musical performance at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Fine Arts Building. 

The exhibit and performance are free and open to the public.

“It’s great for our students to see an alumnus that has lived their adult life as an artist – and then in multiple ways, too, between publishing poetry and music, performing and painting,” said Dr. Debra Brown, the associate chair of Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts and an associate professor of music. “He’s a well-rounded artist.” 

Walkenhorst graduated from Northwest in 1979 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and continued to make art as a career. He went on to be the lead singer of the Rainmakers, a rock band achieving international acclaim.

As a painter, Walkenhorst connects his artwork to the songs he writes, featuring scenes of farmland, woods, people from the Midwest, and his hometown. He also has published books of his paintings, song lyrics and short stories.

“My perspective is rather unique, I think,” Walkenhorst says. “Both visual art and music have served me well, and I have been able to cobble together a livelihood from my efforts and have had some great experiences along the way. Most importantly, I am still in awe of how the creative process works and art’s ability to articulate and communicate so much about life.”

For more information about Walkenhorst and his work, visit www.bobwalkenhorst.com.

The Olive DeLuce Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 1 pm Friday. For more information about the gallery, call 660.562.1326 or email fparts@nwmissouri.edu.