Barton School and Envision Arts Partnership Continues with New Art Installation
Feb. 29, 2024
By Barton School of Business
About the Barton School of Business
Located in Kansas’ business hub and with significant ties to the business community,
the W. Frank Barton School of Business provides extensive applied learning opportunities.
With in-person and online options, Barton School undergraduate and graduate programs
are tailored to transform the lives of its students. It also holds a double AACSB
accreditation for business and accounting, which puts it in the top 1% of business
schools worldwide. The Barton School was established as the university’s College of
Business Administration and Industry in 1926 and has thousands of graduates around
the world.
Envision promotes advocacy and independence for those who are blind or low vision.
Founded in 1933, Envision is one of the largest employers of individuals with vision
loss in the nation. Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., Envision’s mission is to improve
the quality of life and provide inspiration and opportunity for people who are blind
or visually impaired through employment, outreach, rehabilitation, education and research.
The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has installed a
new art exhibit in partnership with the Envision Arts Program. Gretchen Howarth is
the latest visually impaired artist to be showcased on the third floor of the Barton
School.
“The Envision Arts installation has become a stalwart exhibit at Woolsey Hall,” said
Dr. Duane Nagel, Senior Associate Dean of the Barton School of Business. “It is a
true inspiration to everyone.”
Howarth is legally blind with much of her vision gradually lost to Stargardt, a genetic
eye disorder that causes progressive vision loss. This disorder creates thousands
of holes in the retina. For Howarth, she sees through “a galaxy of tiny dots” and
has no center focus.
In 2019, she began drawing landscapes with pastels. Her repertoire has expanded to
acrylics on canvas. Howarth’s been a featured artist at Wichita First Friday events
several times and has had two exhibits in the Envision Arts Gallery. In 2022, she
received first place in the American Printing House InSights Art contest for the visually
impaired.
“Gretchen’s work is a wonderful representation of her love of nature and life,” said
Sarah Kephart, Envision Arts Senior Manager. “Thank you to the Barton School for creating
opportunities for people with disabilities to shock the community through art.”
The Barton School’s Woolsey Hall art collection and its promotion of visual artists,
which includes the Envision Arts Program rotating installation, is rooted in a commitment
to helping its business students blossom. By developing creative and artistic mindsets,
the Barton School opens its students’ eyes to innovative and inspired solutions.
