'Art and Poetry of the Barada Hills' to open July 13

Nebraska artist John Lokke teamed up with poet Jan Chism Wright to tell a story about the rolling hills of southeast Nebraska in a new exhibition opening July 13 at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Great Plains Art Museum.

“Art and Poetry of the Barada Hills” will be on view through Oct. 20, with an opening reception during Lincoln’s First Friday Art Walk 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 3.

The Barada Hills of Nebraska are found along the Missouri River in Richardson County. The river and the surrounding valley were at one time covered by an inland sea and then a glacier that receded and left a meandering and unpredictable river framed by loess deposits. This remote landscape is paired with poetry that compliments the rolling topography depicted in Lokke’s watercolors. Prior to the creation of Indian Cave State Park in the 1960s, the hills were relatively unknown. The rough terrain of steep hills, forested areas and winding roads keep the area sparsely populated and lend an off-the-beaten-path feel to the artworks.

Lokke is an artist and naturalist from Omaha whose work has been shown in Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. Wright is a writer who has been published in Plains Song Review and “Nebraska Presence: An Anthology of Poetry,” which is 2018’s One Book One Nebraska selection. A book featuring the artwork and poetry will be available for sale in the museum.

The Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., is open to the public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.