Rock and Steel

The youngest of four brothers, artist Thomas “Bart” Ewonus fs ’94 learned early on how to fend for himself, a talent that came in handy years later when in the late 1970s and a student at Wichita State he faced hostile audiences as the singer for Wichita’s first punk rock bands: The Censors, The Lemurs and The Bradfords. “A lot of the music in Wichita wouldn’t have happened without [his] fearlessness,” Ewonus’ longtime friend Henry Nelson told The Wichita Eagle. After various jobs, including working for his father’s oil company and as a chef for the Wichita Art Museum, Ewonus dedicated himself fully to sculpting — and his boldness and uncompromising independence found lasting expression. Hewn from steel, rock and other rough materials, Ewonus’ sculptures are typically large-scale and rugged, yet naturally graceful and beautiful. Working in partnership with Chris Brunner as “Rock & Steel,” he received contracts from the city of Wichita for a number  of public art projects, including  the railing for the Mount Vernon Road bridge between Edgemoor and Woodlawn, the bike bridge   by Cessna Park, the CityArts  building sign, a large work in the Key Construction building’s atrium, a gazebo south of Eaton Place and the wind organ near Ninth and McLean. Bart Ewonus died Dec. 4 in Wichita after a short illness.