"A perfectly amazing little book—part toss-it-in-the-backseat tourist’s guide and part scholarly tome filled with amazing facts and trenchant observations about some ninety-odd works of art embellishing various public walls, silos, grain elevators, and culverts scattered from one end of Kansas to the other. . . . The examples illustrated in all their luscious, technicolor glory run the gamut . . . . This delightful romp through the heart of the Great Plains beloved by Benton and Tomlinson and Gude—and all the others honored here."—Great Plains Quarterly
"From the Kansas prairie comes a guidebook to the many murals that dot the state, indoor and outdoor, ranging from folk-inspired projects executed by schoolchildren to works by international art stars such as Joan Miro. This book, organized into geographic regions, gives each project a good color illustration and a discussion of the mural’s creation and place in the community. These murals are colorful, historical, decorative, whimsical, didactic, and often inspiring. This is site-specific art that is usually accessible to a wide range of viewers. Whether the work is painted on a silo or is an elaborate mosaic at a church or museum, the authors—mural project artists and organizers themselves—give it a place of honor in this useful and helpful book."—Bloomsbury Review
"The authors are muralists who know their stuff. . . . Together, they traveled thousands of Kansas miles during half a decade to discover hundreds of murals. . . . Kansas Murals is an exciting addition to travel guides of the Sunflower State."—Kansas Traveler
"There are art treasures hidden in plain sight all across Kansas. A new book will help you find them. The authors bring an insider’s appreciation to their descriptions and an enthusiast’s excitement about the subject."—Wichita Eagle
“As much a book on Kansas land and history as about its mural art, this is a portrait of a place and its people. From beloved clichés to unexpected innovations, Jost and Loewenstein’s selections take us from a wild-eyed John Brown to the ‘ornate box turtle capital of the world,’ from silos to post offices, covered wagons to rocket ships, graffiti to ‘architectural heaven.’ Read this even if Kansas is not on your itinerary.”—Lucy R. Lippard, author of Lure of the Local
“Makes me want to jump in the car right now and go look at those marvelous murals!”—Marci Penner, author of The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers
“An essential book for every traveler in the Kansas art-scape.”—Charles C. Eldredge, author of Tales from the Easel