Museum News (March 3, 2025)

One of the most endearing qualities of fiber artist and instructor Marsha Jensen, beyond her incredible talent, is her deep love for the plains. Growing up in Nebraska, she is a proud product of the Great Plains, and as a fiber artist, she actively incorporates natural fibers such as native grasses from this region into her work.

Since 2022, the Hansen Museum has employed Marsha to teach basket weaving, and more recently, a needle felting class. Marsha resides in Manhattan, Kansas, which is technically still part of the Great Plains region, but she dearly loves coming to Logan because it reminds her of her childhood stomping grounds. When speaking to her friends in Eastern Kansas about her trips to the Hansen Museum, she enthusiastically shares that great things are happening out here on the "prairie." Her description of the Museum as being out on the prairie feels like a warm embrace—quaint and inviting, like a comforting hug.

Last Saturday, Marsha introduced eleven participants to the art of needle felting, a fiber art technique that involves using a barbed needle to interlock and compress wool fibers into a solid, sculpted form. Unlike traditional wet felting, which relies on water and agitation, needle felting is a dry process that allows for precise control and intricate detail. The technique can be used to create various items, including small animal sculptures, decorative figures, and even jewelry. During the class, participants started with simple shapes before progressing to a landscape piece.

One of the most appealing aspects of needle felting is its accessibility to beginners while offering opportunities for growth and creativity. Each participant received a basic supply kit containing wool roving, felting needles, and a foam pad to use as a work surface. Photos from the class, showcasing the beautiful works created under Marsha’s guidance, can be found on the Hansen Museum Facebook page. Keep an eye out, as Marsha will be returning to the prairie to teach again.

It was especially fitting that Marsha, with her love for the prairie, taught this class on the opening weekend of the Museum’s current exhibition, A Place to Call Home. This remarkable exhibition, created by the Smoky Hill Museum in Salina, Kansas, explores why pioneers chose central Kansas as their home. With limited land-owning opportunities in the East, many pioneers looked westward for land, adventure, or a fresh start. While different factors drew settlers west, thousands ultimately chose to stake their claim in Central Kansas. The exhibition features firsthand accounts, including diary entries and newspaper articles, providing insight into their decisions. A Place to Call Home will be on view in the Hansen Museum gallery through June 17.

The Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday and holidays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. We are closed on New Year’s Day. The Museum is fully handicap accessible, and admission is always free, thanks to the generous support of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.