photo by: Contributed

This painting by Boubakary Konseimbo, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was reported stolen Saturday morning, Sept. 24, 2022, from a tent at Art in the Park.

Updated at 12:01 p.m. Monday

Organizers of Art in the Park were shocked Saturday morning to discover that a number of paintings had been stolen overnight from one of the festival participants at the annual event, and they are offering a reward for the return of the artwork.

Maria Martin, president of the Lawrence Art Guild, which hosts Art in the Park, told the Journal-World Monday that the event had been going on for 58 years and “never have things been stolen like this.”

The paintings — 17 in all — were taken overnight Friday from the tent of artist Boubakary Konseimbo, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who created the abstract paintings in Africa.

Konseimbo, who is originally from Burkina Faso in West Africa, and who exhibits his art in Europe as well as in the U.S., told the Journal-World on Monday that this was his first time at Art in the Park — and it was also the first time that he has had artwork stolen at such an event.

photo by: Contributed

Artist Boubakary Konseimbo at work

The paintings that were stolen were largely “loose canvas,” Martin said, noting that they were scroll-like and might have been rolled up. They ranged in size from 42-by-42 inches to 57-by-42 inches. Konseimbo said his painting bag was also taken from the tent, and he thinks that’s how the thief carried the artwork away.

He said the smaller paintings were valued at $2,500 each and the larger ones at $3,500 each, bringing the total value of the stolen work to more that $51,000.

Konseimbo told the Journal-World that his paintings involved the use of natural pigments from earthy materials like clay, which he extracts himself and then ages — making the creation of a painting unusually time-consuming.

photo by: Contributed

This painting by Boubakary Konseimbo, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was reported stolen Saturday morning, Sept. 24, 2022, from a tent at Art in the Park.

The Guild is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Additionally, Konseimbo has offered to give one of the stolen paintings to the person responsible for the safe return of his artwork — “no questions asked.”

Martin said the theft was especially upsetting because the Guild had hired security so that artists could set up overnight Friday and leave their artwork in the park to be ready for Saturday’s event.

Konseimbo had done just that, only to discover Saturday morning that many of his paintings had been stolen from his zippered tent. Konseimbo notified event organizers, and a police report was filed.

The Guild also notified the private security firm that it had hired and doubled security for the remainder of the event.

Art in the Park is a popular event that attracts artists from all over the region. Martin noted that this year’s event, had it not been marred by the theft, was “a success.”

Despite his bad experience his first time at the event, Konseimbo said he would still return.

“I will come back,” he said, “I don’t blame anybody.”

The Guild is asking that if you have seen the stolen artwork or if anyone tries to sell you one of these paintings to contact the Lawrence Police Department directly at 785-843-0250.

A spokesperson with the Lawrence Police Department, Laura McCabe, said Monday afternoon that an investigation was ongoing but that police did not have “any suspect information to pass along.”

photo by: Contributed

This painting by Boubakary Konseimbo, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was reported stolen Saturday morning, Sept. 24, 2022, from a tent at Art in the Park.