about the show
The West Nebraska Arts Center, with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the National Endowment for the Arts, is pleased to present The Nebraska Poet Project by Stephanie Meisterling and Visual Poetry. The reception will be Thursday, April 30 at 5pm –7pm.
We are honored to host these two amazing exhibitions. With these shows we are celebrating poets in Nebraska. The Nebraska Poet Project is a collection of 12 oil paintings that celebrate Nebraskan poets visually, appealing to a wide audience about the relevance and uniqueness of Nebraskan poetry. The Nebraska Poet Project showcases the legacy of Nebraskan poetry as it continues to evolve with the growing state-wide poetry community. In collaboration with this show we are having a group show Visual Poetry. Visual Poetry combines visual art with the written word. These are from community members. We included all media for this show. Artists created a piece of visual artwork from original poems. At the reception for these shows we will have live music by the Prairie Fiddlers, and an open mic opportunity where the exhibiting artists can perform their poems!
On May 16th we will be having a presentation of former Nebraska State Poets, Twyla Hansen at 2pm and Matt Mason at 3pm. Other Nebraska State Poets may come as well! The event is 2pm – 5pm. It is a free event and open to the public! All this art will be on display until May 29th. Our reception is free and open to the public.
According to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2017, while around 12% of the general public reported reading poetry in that last year, 24% reported attending a museum or gallery. This exhibition creates an intersection between visual and literary art, striving to make poetry more accessible and encourage new readers. Each participant in the project has had a unique journey with creative writing in Nebraska, and the various settings of each portrait reflect the places they are inspired by in their daily lives. The poses and faces of each poet are reflective of candid reference photographs, selected based on the way they represented the characters and demeanors of each person. These portraits are meant to encompass these poets, not just as writers but also as parents, teachers, grandparents, cowboys, musicians, complex individuals. The goal of this exhibition is to honor the lives and writings of Nebraskan poets to foster a wider appreciation for such an invaluable facet of Nebraskan Humanities.
Many thanks to Matt Mason, Sarah McKinstry Brown, Todd Robinson, JV Brummels, Twyla Hansen, Maritza Estrada, Trey Moody, Michele Desmarais, Zedeka Poindexter, Brad Modlin, for sharing their time and talent to help assemble this multi-disciplinary exhibition. Especially, thank you to Deb and Tim Carpenter-Nolting, who, in addition to participating in the project, have made the statewide tour of the exhibition possible.
about Stephanie Meisterling
Stephanie Meisterling is a second-year law student at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She received an undergraduate degree in Studio Art at Creighton, and her creative work includes oil painting, charcoal drawing, poetry, and ceramics. In 2022 and 2023, her artwork was featured at the Albrecht Kemper Museum’s National Undergraduate Juried Exhibition in St. Joseph, Missouri and was the featured artwork in the juried exhibition, Uncovered, at the Hot Shops Gallery in Omaha. Her Nebraska Poet Project has led her on a journey all over the state, interviewing and painting portraits of Nebraskan poets. In 2024, the project appeared at the Blue Cat Gallery in Wayne, NE. In 2025, it was displayed at the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library in Scottsbluff, NE and in 2026 at the Neihardt Gallery in Bancroft, NE.
special thanks
Special thanks to volunteers Laura Clark and Karen Mecklem for their assistance in the gallery. Also thank you to the West Nebraska Arts Center Board for bringing food to the reception.
about WNAC
The West Nebraska Arts Center is a 501c3 cultural non-profit organization committed to education, awareness, and excellence in the arts, serving the North Platte Valley Region. WNAC is located at the corner of 1st Avenue and 18th Street in Scottsbluff, NE. Visit the gallery free of charge Tuesday through Friday, 10 to 5, Saturdays from 1 to 5. We are closed on Sunday and Monday. You can also visit our website for upcoming attractions at www.thewnac.com. Also, find us on Facebook and Instagram.
show your support
WNAC is supported by local businesses and individuals who value having the Arts Center in our community. Do you support WNAC with an annual membership gift? If not, please consider joining our efforts. Members of the West Nebraska Arts Center receive first notification of our events. Members also receive gallery postcards, a monthly newsletter, discounts on gallery and gift shop purchases, as well as classes, workshops, fundraiser tickets, and other special events. You will also receive the WNAC newsletter and invitations to special events. Activate or renew your membership online at www.thewnac.com, by visiting the Arts Center office, or call 308-632-2226.
