By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Thirteen years are coming to a close for Shafer Gallery Executive Director Dave Barnes, who is retiring from the gallery at Barton Community College on Aug. 31. On Tuesday, Barnes went before the Barton Board of Trustees one final time to give a state of the gallery as it changes hands.
"The Shafer Gallery is back," Barnes said. "I felt like for the last couple of years, we, along with a lot of public institutions, have been kind of in hibernation mode. But we are back."
This year the gallery hosted several national-level exhibits. More than 300 visitors attended receptions, and 570 visitors signed in for the 11 exhibits. More than 1,000 community members participated in events at the gallery, and more than 300 students were reached via workshops. Barnes and staff have built an online following on social media with more than 1,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram. Trustees Chairman Mike Johnson expressed appreciation for what Barnes has done.
"As a board, we obviously appreciate the work you've done here," said Johnson. "Many times, when we see individuals retire and transition out, we think back when they were hired or came on. When you replace someone who has done a really good job, as you did, we always wonder, are they going to fill those shoes?"
Associate Gallery Director Alyssa Bliven has nine years of gallery experience and will take over the role of director on Sept. 1. The Shafer Art Gallery was opened on the Barton campus in 1992, and Barnes has served as the gallery's executive director since 2010.