For Shirley Konz, art and nature merge
Panora artist paints on many surfaces.
Shirley Konz makes a wide variety of art.
By Rich Wicks | Panora Times, November 2025
Shirley Konz of Panora discovered long ago that she enjoyed painting, and she has never stopped.
“I started back in the 1970s and 1980s with oil painting, watching Bob Ross on TV. We had a family friend that encouraged me,” Konz said. “At that time, I had a greenhouse and a big garden, so I traded her some plants in exchange for letting me come over and paint with her.”
Obviously, most any hobby is bound to evolve over the decades. That is certainly true with Konz’s painting.
“Most people start with oils and then move on to other things. Blending colors is good with oils,” Konz said. “Now I do acrylic and watercolors. I no longer do oils much because of the chemicals involved in oil painting — the turpentines and solvents.”
Besides the change of paints, Konz has also painted on many surfaces.
“Through the years, I’ve painted on a lot of things. Back in those early years, we were painting on cream cans, coffee pots and all of the tin in the kitchen and saw blades,” she said. “I always said if it didn’t move, I could paint on it.”
For Konz, when two hobbies are combined, the result is even more satisfying.
“I’ve always had big gardens and greenhouses, so now I’m kind of combining that with my art,” Konz said. “I’m not doing as much painting as I once did, but I’m trying to combine that with my pressed flowers.”
For the past seven years, Konz has displayed some of her artistic creations for sale at Art on State in Guthrie Center. She also offers her creations at many local vendor markets, but she stresses that she is not in it for the money.
“I pretty much stay local,” Konz said. “It’s a hobby, not a business.”
One of Konz’s most recent angles is incorporating dried pressed flowers and leaves into her art. She said pressing flowers is simple but takes patience.
“The timing is important. You want any dew dried off of them, but you also want them fresh, before they would wilt,” she said. “I’ve always found that freshly opened flowers work best.”
Konz continues to paint on many items other than just canvas.
“I’ve been doing a lot of reclaimed wood. At one time, I painted on driftwood,” Konz said. “I have a lot of friends that bring me leaves and barn boards and things.”
Although Konz does some custom art, most of her creations are simply ideas that come to mind. But, she admits seeing others’ art helps inspire her, too.
“One thing just leads to another,” Konz said. “And, I’m inspired by the other vendors. Right now, I’m planning to focus more on the painted feathers, the painted leaves and the pressed flowers.”
Konz admits that non-canvas painting creates a challenge due to the unique surfaces.
“Feathers are probably the most difficult to paint on, because they move,” she said.
For Konz, creating art is only half of the fun. She truly enjoys interacting with customers at vendor events, as well as the chance to socialize with other artists. Because she stays mostly in the local area, she sees many familiar faces at the events she attends.
“We’re almost a family,” she said.
Anyone interested in Konz’s art can email her at shirleykonz@netins.net or look for her at many of the holiday and vendor events in and around Guthrie County.
Konz has advice for anyone who hasn’t yet found an artistic outlet. She pointed out that painting is an easy way to begin.
“Try it. Just jump in and do it. Acrylic is the easiest. You can do wonders with just the little bottles of acrylic paint,” she said. “You don’t have to invest a lot. My investment is the time.”
Shirley Konz shows her flower press.
Shirley Konz’s leaf art is popular at vendor fairs.
Feather art is a recent addition for Shirley Konz.
Shirley Konz makes many pressed flower art pieces.
A barn painting on a board from an old barn.
