ENTERTAINMENT
The University Daily KANSAN April 13, 1984 Page 17
The Continental Sculture Hall — The only one of it kind in the world . . . carving from 3 varieties of rock, approx 450 pieces, 31 years of work . . . every work in color. A tour thru the hall as thousands have said will never be forgotten.'
From the Continental Sculpture Hall billboard
(Top left) Inez Marshall, sculptor and owner of the Continental Sculpture Hall in Portis, adjusts the head of a pioneer in a covered wagon. Many of Marshall's statues are of post events, and most of the limestone works have movable parts.
(Top) The 76-year-old woman takes a break and surveys the room that is full of her life's work. Her most treasured possession, a memorial to John F. Kennedy, stands at the front of the room.
God shines through stone into a sculptor's life
PORTIS — Unless God tells her to, Inez Marshall does not work.
Parts of a life-size limestone Harley-Davidson motorcycle gather dust in the back of her studio converted from an abandoned gas station — which is 76-year-old sculptor's creative spirit to return.
She indicates the source of the ideas and inspiration for her work by paying close attention to what others tell her.
Mashall believes that God saved her from death when she was a young woman. Therefore, she says, her mission became the creation of divinely inspired sculptures.
"The fact is that the Lord gave it to me," she says. "I was sick for a long time, and I don't know how many doctors told my folks that there was no hoo whatsoever."
THAT WAS IN 1931. Fifty-three years and many sculptures later, Marshall has lead thousands of visitors through the Continental Kansas town population 175.
A deteriorating handmade sign with the letters falling off marks the old stone hall. A long billboard boasts that the sculpture hall is the only one of its kind with more than 450 painted carvings from three varieties of rock.
The onboard also says that thousands of people from the United States, Canada and many foreign lands have taken the tour that will never be forgotten.
Marshall began carving sculptures in 1931, when a truck accident that broke her back forced her to stay in bed. After she recovered, she continued with the sculpture. She was invited to be the Continental Sculpture Hall, in 1963.
About 1,000 visitors a year come to Portis to see Marshall's work at Bluelight Smith, a friend of the author.
Marshall makes a point to personally greet and speak with each visitor before beginning the 30-minute tour.
Roger Macy, mayor of Portis, says, "She never met a stranger."
THE KUART DEPARTMENT and the Kansas Grassroots Art Association are not strangers to
the Continental Sculpture Hall, and the find the 4½ hour trip from Lawrence to Portis worth the effort. Every fall the group sponsors a folk art tour of the state, and the hall is always one of the stores.
Marshall proudly wears a sheriff's badge on
her plaid flannel shirt. It's a memento from the garden, and she wears it as a pleasant companion of our visit.
Richard Gillespie, associate professor of art, says that folk art is important because the people who create it have decided to make a statement about their lives. He describes Marshall as one of the most interesting folk artists in Kansas.
"She's an inspiration," he says. "She doesn't do it for her." She marshals and takes her deserve recognition.
MARSHALL'S SCULPTURES provide an interesting, unique and humorous view of life.
Marshall says that she never uses pictures to guide her and that she works without the aid of power tools. She doesn't know what her sculpture will look like until it is finished.
One sculpture, four feet tall, is of an old country church. Inside, the preacher leads a half-fall congregation. In a pew near the front, a child can comfort a wailing baby with a bottle of milk.
"You see that one lying down?" Marshall asks.
"He's crying. And this other one that's not much bigger is trying to make him quit crying. And right back here mammay and pappy are, and they don't pay a bit of attention."
SUNSHINE HOSPITAL SITS next door to the church. The fully equipped hospital includes an operating room, dining room, waiting room and a lobby. In the hospital, a man waits impatiently to use the restroom in the lobby while a backlog of impatient, sick people fidget in the waiting room.
"That's just about the way it is, too," says Marshall who has been an evangelist, a truck driver and a minister.
Not all her sculptures are of buildings and people; some are replicas of things of the past. For example, she created a limestone 1914 Model T complete with doors that open, functional headlights, and tires and a steering wheel that turn.
Some other sculptures have deep meaning to Marshall. At the front of the hall, a memorial dedicated to former president John F. Kennedy stands like a shrine in the center of the room. It was the most difficult project she ever undertook, she says.
MARSHALL ASKS VISITORS to sit in one of the church pews in front of the memorial so she can play a tape-recorded message explaining the meaning of the sculpture.
In a nearly inaudible tone, the message says,
"The table was carved under deep inspiration."
It later explains that the memorial symbolizes peace, faith, hope and charity.
The sculpture is actually a table with arches that reach up and meet in the center. The surface is inlaid with 28 Kennedy half dollars. Twisting grapevines wrap around the table and meet at the top of the arch, where a dove of peace sits.
Leading up to the dove are three steps, labeled faith, hope and charity; the three steps
follow.
Marshall hopes to keep using the inspiration that brought the Kennedy memorial and her other sculptures to life. Her 77th birthday is in May, and she has no plans to retire.
"I hope I keep going," she says. "There were nine kids in my family, and I was the strongest. I'm gonna try my best to stay a long time yet."
Story and Photos by Stephen Phillips
(Right) Marshall says that the Continental Hall "the only one of it kind in the world."
(Bottom) The life-size sculpture of the Lincoln family took Marshall more than five years to complete. The statue of Abraham Lincoln alone weighs more than 500 pounds. Marshall has sculpted several images honoring past presidents, including Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Kennedy.
KANSAN File Photo
BY BERKE BREATHED
KU's Oscar winner chosen; draw breaks a four-way tie
By the Kansan Staff
Mark McKenzie, Lawrence senior, won $50 after his name was drawn to break a four-way tie in the University Daily Kansan's second annual "YOU PICK 'EM: THE OSCARS COMPETITION."
McKenzie was one of four contestants who guessed all but four of the 17 categories.
The categories contestants most often missed were Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay.
Although no contestant was able to correctly predict winners in all the categories, the four finalists scored considerably higher. The average entry had 4 incorrect answers
A total of 124 qualifying entries were received.
BUT KU STUDENTS who entered the contest did agree with the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to attend the night's awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
"Terms of Endearment" was a clear favorite in the category of Best Picture. A total of 107 contestants out of 124 predicted that the movie would win.
"Terms" also received a majority of the votes in several other categories, including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.
Ninety students correctly predicted that the award for Best Original Song would go to "Flashdance . . . What A Feeling." A majority of the contestants also correctly said that "Yen!" would win for Best Original Song. Score or Adaptation Score.
But contestants strongly disagreed with the judges' decisions in the Best Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Sound, and Sound Effects Editing categories.
Robert Duvall also was heavily favored for Best Actor in "Tender Merces."
FIFTY-EIGHT STUDENTS thought "The Big Chill" was the Best Original Screenplay, Ironically, "Tender Meries," which won the award, received only 16 votes.
"Return of the Jedi" was heavily favored
to contain in the Best Art Direction.
Soundtracks by John Williams.
Votes were badly split when it came to the categories of, for example, supporting Actress, Social Scientist and Cook.
IN THE BEST SUPPORTING Actress category, contestants voted most often for Cher, Glenn Close and Amy Irving. Linda Hunt, who won the award for her performance in "The Year of Living Dangerously," received only 16 votes.
BLOOM COUNTY