Chanute Art Gallery continues clean up efforts following April vandalism

When a break-in was discovered in April, Chanute Art Gallery Board Member Ruth Ports wasn’t sure just how much damage had been done at the gallery.

Ports said when she walked in, books were scattered, shelves and display cases were knocked over on their sides, computer monitors were smashed. Electronic cords were pulled out in disarray, a yearold copier had been destroyed, and a thick layer of powdery residue from fire extinguishers and shards of glass and ceramic covered the floor.

The vandal is believed to have got in through a window in the kitchenette, Ports said. It is believed they climbed in through a few feet of space above the refrigerator, down onto the stove, then onto the floor.

There have been no suspects named in the case. However, the Gallery is continuing to move forward. At the time of the incident, it was estimated the gallery would reopen in May. However, the clean-up process took longer than anticipated.

The first part of the cleanup was remediating the toxic, powdery, fire extinguisher residue, which has been completed. The gallery is often decorated with silk flowers that coordinate with the artwork. The hundreds of faux flowers had to be painstakingly cleaned of the residue, Ports said.

The storage closet where most of the flowers were kept was damaged; a panel of wood smashed from the door.

The carpet throughout the gallery was replaced in January but will have to be replaced again before the gallery can open, according to Ports.

“With the fiber, you can never get rid of the teeny tiny bits of glass,” Ports said. “Insurance won’t accept the liability.”

In several gallery rooms, hammer strikes have left gouges in the wall, which will be filled before the gallery reopens. Ports said whoever caused this damage picked up the hammer and the fire extinguisher while in the gallery.

Another gallery board member, Alicia Fickel said throughout her time being involved with the gallery, some years have been more difficult than others.

“The thing of it is everyone is a volunteer,” Fickel said. “No one gets a paycheck.”

Ports said the organization is an amazing group of people from diverse backgrounds connected by a love of art.

“This place is a lot of our passions,” Ports said.

Ports said the incident was shocking to gallery volunteers.

“We never expected anything like this to happen,” Ports said.

The damage caused a delay in Youth Art Month pieces being returned to students, as the artwork had to be cleaned.

“It was probably a month before they got their artwork back, and some didn’t get to have their work back because it had been smashed,” Fickel said.

One such piece was a painted vinyl record, which had been turned into a clock. The piece was hit with such force that a hole was left in the wall behind the art.

Ports said seeing that hole brings a flood of sad emotions.

“Seeing that – that’s something that I could cry about,” Ports said.

Of the officers who responded to Port’s call, Ports said they were all very kind, and many had children whose art hung about the gallery during Youth Art Month.

According to Fickel, the Chanute Art Gallery is the largest gallery in southeast Kansas. While more work is yet to be done ahead of reopening, the gallery does have its next exhibit planned. Chanute photographer Jake Villalpando’s work is expected to be displayed late this summer, with an official opening date to be announced later. He owns Manuel Jacob Photography, and the exhibit will feature drone photos taken by Villalpando.

Ports said she missed sitting in the quiet gallery, being surrounded by beauty, and speaking to those who ventured in.

“It’s fun. It is work but it is fun. We miss being in the gallery,” Fickel said. “It is an enjoyable place to be.”

To learn more about the Chanute Art Gallery, visit https:// www.facebook.com/thechanuteartgallery.