Dreaming of a wheat Christmas

I'm Dreaming of a wheat Christmas, is the name of the new exhibition at the Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum. It showcases the incredible media of wheat weaving as art form by decorating a Christmas tree entirely with wheat ornaments of various sizes and designs.

The Wichita Wheat Weavers Guild asked to bring this Christmas exhibit to El Dorado after participating in the museum's Kafir Corn Fall Festival this past October. This exhibition has been on display at the Wichita Art Museum for seven years and at various other locations in the Wichita metro area.

These talented artists are master weavers and besides producing educational workshops and outreach programs on the history and techniques of wheat weaving, they love to share their dedication to Kansas' agriculture heritage.

As one woman said about why she weaves, “It helps me stay connected to my farming roots.” Another simply stated, “The sharing brings the greatest joy.”

An exhibit honoring our agriculture past as well as women's handiwork is worth visiting.

Museum's Executive Director, Deborah Amend said, “We are excited to have another agriculture exhibit on display at the museum, especially one that is so unique. Our current Kingdom of Kafir exhibit showcases the crop of the past, while this wheat weaving exhibit honors the crop of today.”

This free exhibit will be on display until January 31, 2007 in the Entrance Gallery of the museum. In addition to the exhibition, there will be various wheat weaving items available for purchase in the museum's gift shop. A wheat weaving is believed to bring prosperity, luck, happiness and health. So take home a bit of luck and prosperity for your home by visiting the exhibition and taking away a unique art piece for your home.

The Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum is a nonprofit educational institution located on 10 acres in El Dorado. Open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Web site: www.kansasoilmuseum.org. Telephone 316-321-9333.