Team Kentucky Digital Art Gallery

Portraiture allows me the opportunity to express the truth and beauty that I see in each individual. In the drawing of this child, I invite the viewer to step into a quiet moment and feel the sweetness and honesty that innocence offers.

As a native Kentuckian with five generations from Frankfort, stories of the Capital and a mother who served as a Page in the Senate (in 1948), it is a great honor for this portrait of my daughter, Micaela Lynn, to represent our family in the Team Kentucky Gallery.

From the age of four, I remember the fun of drawing people. This young desire progressed into painting commissioned portraits. Over the last 35 years I have worked in the private sector from my home, in Louisville, Kentucky. The majority of my education has come from reading, observing, studying the masters’ paintings in museums, drawing from life and just being at my easel.

I feel so blessed to express my passion for people through the art of portraiture!

"This painting was done for my Nanny, who is one of my biggest supporters. While offering the peace of an elephant’s spirit, I also added in the bright colors to represent the LGBTQ community for pride month. The finished product became one of the best pieces I have done to date. It is an honor to be chosen for this gallery!"

Izabella is 11 years old and attends school at Second Street School in downtown Frankfort. Art has always been something she loved. At the age of 4, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she always said, “An artist!” Her love for art and her skills have only continued to grow. She is a self-taught artist who has been supported by local artist Sarah Morgan.

To me, landscape painting is an expression of my emotional connection to nature. I am a self taught artist and am attracted to the visual vocabulary of the deep woods.

I live on the Elkhorn Creek near Peaks Mill Kentucky. I have spent many hours near water, wondering the woods, and working as a professional aquatic biologist. This familiarity launches many of my paintings.

Because I paint in locations near and on my own land, I experience a very deep knowing of this landscape. From this familiarity, many of my works are created.

I love the land and feel a need to live where fields are fertile and trees can grow old. There is the connection I seek when I am outside. I use painting as a vehicle for this connection.

I have studied at Artist Attic in Lexington, attended Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg Tennessee, Three Pines Studio in Cross Village Michigan, and most recently, Peggy Townsend Atelier In Chattanooga Tennessee.

I attended Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Balleycastle Ireland in 2017 and 2018.

I was born in Graves County and grew up on the birthplace of former Vice-President of the United States Alben Barkley. I am married with three children and four grandchildren and my hobbies are archaeology, antiques, and art.

Very close to my home is the community of Fancy Farm which is famous for its annual Fancy Farm Picnic. Most people know of the political speakers who come to Fancy Farm. But I wanted my painting to represent the people who work so hard to make this event so successful, barbecuing 20,000 lbs. of meat .Yes, you read that right – 20,000 lbs. on pits longer than a football field.

Based on a photo by Tyler Gerth, taken during the Black Lives Matter uprisings in Jefferson Square in Louisville in the summer of 2020. Prayer, songs and worship characterized the gatherings as people grieved the death of Breonna Taylor and asked for justice. Tyler captured the spirit of the movement in his photos. We grieve the tragic loss of this brave young man and dedicate this artwork to his memory.

I am fascinated with all of nature, but especially the human countenance. I have lived in Africa, Europe, and the United States, and I enjoy painting the beauty and dignity of various cultures. I love working with oils and oil pastels, emphasizing textures and colors. I also paint with oils en plein air. The colors and changing lights I experience in an outdoor setting are an endless source of inspiration for me that cannot be duplicated in a photograph.

I have always lived in Kentucky and as long as I can remember, I have always been an artist.

Although I have held many positions in a number of educational settings, (from working with children at Western Kentucky University to teaching art at a Public School) for the past decade I have been the owner/operator of Art Matters, a gallery and community studio located a block away from the town square in Bowling Green. I was the curator and the publicist, a mentor and opportunity provider to local artists and perhaps most importantly, an artist who taught children, who attended, in small groups, the after-school and summer art classes I provided at my gallery.

I was very happy... And then came COVID. The gallery closed. The school shut down.

I could have simply retired. I could have decided it had been a nice run, but I would retreat to my home in the woods, on the outskirts of town and make my own art. But my husband and I had done this for a decade, and our attachment to our young artists would not allow us to give up so easily. We decided instead to retreat to the home in the woods and start The New School. We built a screened in porch and invited the children to come to our outdoor classroom. We abided by Covid restrictions, supported our Governor’s recommendations and followed CDC guidelines, shutting down our classes, at times when schools shut down, and providing virtual art activities for children online. We retained 30 young students, (serving them in small groups) and we stayed close to their loyal families who brought them to us during our year of Covid.

Art proved to be very therapeutic for me and for the art students that I served. Our entire family, (three daughters and two teenage grandchildren) helped us to create The New School and we have enjoyed our young students and found joy and inspiration in our own wooded backyard.

We have loved sharing it with children who were experiencing a lack of social interaction and engaging activities. After not teaching our summer art sessions for children in 2020, as we had for nine years, this summer our little school filled up right away, with more than 50 children coming to our outdoor classroom in small groups.

The painting American COVID was inspired by the unit I taught about the American artist Grant Wood. One of the students took a photo of me and my husband, Michael Gramling, (retired WKU faculty,) who stayed busy building things for The New School and keeping our acre of land a beautiful place that allowed our displaced children to discover and to engage in nature activities. I believe that the painting represents how many of us felt during a most difficult and unusual time, as struggling Kentuckians, in a historic time for all of the planet. Like Grant Wood’s’ American Gothic couple, we are a little upset, a bit disoriented, but defiant in holding on to our home, our school and our family. As the dangling masks and hand sanitizer indicate, we are also resilient. The painting is also a bit tongue-in- cheek. I think it shows that although the disruption was difficult we retained our sense of humor, and that although Covid has been difficult for all, tragic for many, there have nevertheless been silver linings.

Art Matters Community Studio and Gallery

Nationally acclaimed pointillism pen and ink artist, Pem Pfisterer Clark, meticulously draws from real life in her own unique style, capturing the warmth and essence of her subjects in exquisite detail. Growing Together “At Market”, is the last in a series of four pen and ink drawings set on a family farm in Kentucky that follow the life cycle of a small boy and tobacco seedlings.

Ms. Clark’s pen and ink illustrations have been sold in national retail outlets across the United States and marketed in 17 foreign countries. Her most notable commissions include the United States Senate and House Chambers and the President's Oval Office in Washington DC.

Pem Pfisterer Clark is a professional artist, nationally syndicated radio show host, television personality, and author, illustrator of children’s books, retailer, teacher, ordained minister and inspirational speaker. Ms. Clark regularly conducts children’s art workshops in elementary schools throughout the region, participating in both local and federal programs promoting art in schools.

“One of the most rewarding experiences of my life was working in Kentucky’s agricultural industry, representing tobacco growers for 24 years on behalf of the Stemming District Tobacco Association and the United States Department of Agriculture. This is where I gained my love for Kentucky agriculture and a deep respect and awe for people in the agricultural industry.”

Officially self-taught since December 2020, Chris had a brush between her fingers painting away during a long, very needed 2-week vacation. For once in 20+ years, she had an actual "vacation" from work, and all she did was paint. Chris painted away, watching and learning from the web, painting fruits and animals, landscapes and flowers, holiday wreaths, and Christmas trees. She was at her happy place, a home office where magic and creativity occurred. The painting, A Starry Night in Appalachia started as a simple painting project with some of her family engagement students, a Perry Promise Neighborhood project at the Hazard Middle School. She didn't want the painting to be just a copy of Van Gogh's famous Starry Night painting. Chris incorporated several Perry County landmarks in her piece – The Mother Goose, The Challenger Learning Center, the local Pantry Shelf convenience store, the La Citadelle resort motel famous in the 1960s and 1970s, their very own Hazard Country Club, and last but not least, her home church, the Bowman Memorial United Methodist Church.

Chris has called the mountains her home since 1999 and has raised a beautiful and very supportive family there. She also has had tremendous support and encouragement from her friends and colleagues in Appalachia and is grateful and blessed for every one of them. Chris continues to paint occasionally and has had the opportunity and privilege to lead several painting sessions with children of all ages. She aims to bring happiness and well-being through painting and to cultivate joy along the way.

This painting depicts the various cycles cotton goes through to become the valuable item we have built America’s wealth and prosperity. However, it also asks the question, “At what cost?”

Not only has this particular industry inflicted so much trauma to slaves and their descendants, it has crafted a grossly inequitable system that is pervasive, and is still influencing American life. The raven represents the numerous Indigenous tribes that were ripped from their land to create the cotton fields. In some Indigenous lore, the raven is seen as the creator of all, but his creations were done only for selfish reasons. He is known as the trickster.

The Bay Breasted Warblers are reminders of America’s infancy when the boreal forest was plentiful along with many birds and animals living in them. However, with first Industrial use, deforestation, and now extreme climate fluctuations the boreal forest is in rapid decline, which in turn the birds and animals that live in it are also disappearing.

Sabra L Crockett has been a professional artist in some form or other for the past 25 years. She has created large public murals, to small, intimate animal portraits. Trained as a scenic artist, Sabra took her talents into the decorative painting industry, and started her own business painting custom murals, vintage signs, and elegant wall finishes. She has worked in many prominent homes and businesses throughout Kentucky, and the US. In 2016 she left the theatre, and started painting full time in her studio. She has created a series of paintings mostly focusing on song birds of Kentucky. She is a proud member of the Kentucky Crafted Program, and Salon International. When she's not painting, Sabra is out enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds her in her Louisville home.

This painting is a loose take on the 1977 Fleetwood Mac song by the same name. The gold dust (which was flicked over top of the wet paint) symbolizes that which is superficially beautiful or exciting, but which can ultimately overwhelm and consume the person underneath. Like in the original song, someone’s “gold dust” could be drug abuse or toxic relationships. It can also extend to obsessions with material gain and cosmetic beauty.

Janet Dake is a painter from Versailles, Kentucky. She graduated cum laude in 2020 from the University of Louisville with a double major in Art and Political Science. Dake works primarily with oil paints on canvas, though she also employs a number of other mediums, including acrylic paint, graphite and charcoal, textiles, and gold leaf. She is an up-and-coming muralist, having most recently completed a 3,000 sq. foot project in Midway, Kentucky.

Major themes that resonate throughout Dake's work include feminism, the empowerment of women and girls and expression of femininity and masculinity in Western society. She is particularly interested in challenging the traditional portrayal of women in oil paintings, which is historically one of delicacy and domesticity.

Ilda Gruber was born in April 1927 and died at the age of 92 in 2019. Ilda painted the Autumn Interlude while in high school in the mid-1940s, just as World War II was beginning. She married in 1951 and raised eight children in Northern Kentucky. Although she encouraged artistic pursuits in her children, Ilda never found time for herself to pursue her artistic talent further. Her daughter, Jane Simon, was also selected to display a painting in the Team Kentucky Gallery.

My painting, Bardstown Doorway, is of the front of the McClean House in Bardstown, on the list of historic houses in this town. The vine which twines around the doorway and across the front of the house was very striking to my eye on the sunny day I painted it. It looks as if it is as old as the house and still thriving.

I am a retired Interior Designer, born in Louisville to artist parents who taught me from the age of 4 to paint in different media. After I retired in 2008 and took up my paint brush again I decided to paint in watercolor only. It is a versatile medium, very portable for plein air work, and dries quickly. It is very satisfying to me to see the finished product quickly, sometimes in just minutes. I am a long-time member of the Kentucky Watercolor Society, Central Kentucky Art Guild, and have won prizes for my work in their exhibitions as well as the KY State Fair. I also sell my own work and sometimes do paintings to order.

This painting is my father in 1954 when he joined the navy. He and my mother married soon after that and I was born in 1957. I began painting with the intent to be a better artist in 2018, at 61. In 2019, I moved back to Louisville from Chicago to be closer to my parents who were in their mid 80s. My mother is a watercolor artist and she has been very helpful to me in learning how to to paint, plan and see as a better artist. While this painting is not grayscale, it is very nearly so and was intended to be a work on shade and tone of color. It was done from a black-and-white photograph but done in shades of blue. I like doing portraits, but doing a portrait of someone you know and love well is very tough to get right. I chose this piece because, despite being from Indiana originally, dad located to Louisville with mom in 1962 – where mom was born and raised – and worked for several Kentucky distilleries, eventually becoming a Master Distiller at Bartons and inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame for his contributions to the art and science of bourbon making. He's a true Kentuckian and a good addition to the gallery.

I've sold a few of my paintings and consider myself still learning the art. I enjoy the outdoors, birds and animals and portraits. In retirement, I have had much more time to pursue my artistic talent, after a lifetime of engineering and academic work. I find it relaxing and a great way to record my life beyond the written word. I'm very honored to have my portrait of my father included in this showing. I hope to submit many more works!

The piece I submitted for the Team Kentucky Gallery features a study of Creation Falls I did in our beautiful Red River Gorge, and is part of a series of Kentucky landscape series I'm working on. The Red River Gorge is a very special place to me; I occasionally do volunteer work as a Paramedic for RedSTAR Wilderness EMS, where I found myself lost in the beauty of the Red. Deeply inspired by it, the natural beauty of the Red yielded many fine subjects and has translated positively in my work.

I make my living in a busy Emergency Department as a paramedic, where I have worked full-time on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been tough – as it has for all of us – and my art has been the perfect therapeutic outlet for the stresses of my line of work. The pandemic has also served as catalyst for my art; it had a subtle way of rekindling folks' connection to nature (everything was closed for the most part, with the exception of our forests). I hope that shift back to nature continues for all of us. Our forests have provided me with great comfort in what has been the hardest trials of my own life thus far.

I continue my painting series featuring Kentucky Landscapes. My work can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.  

My painting, Spring Race, represents to me one of the many treasures of living in Kentucky. I live in Lexington, the epicenter of the Thoroughbred racing industry. As a Louisville native, I grew up loving art and horseback riding. It wasn’t until I moved to Lexington that I was immersed in horse racing through jobs with equine publications and my husband’s career. When I became a full-time painter in 2016, racing was a favorite subject and has remained so. Attending Thoroughbred events in Europe and across the country has provided inspiration for many paintings that I have sold from my studio at Artists’ Attic in downtown Lexington.

I grew up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky and currently reside in the knobs of Casey County. I have been a nurse for 33 years. I decided to teach myself to draw about six years ago and started painting about five years ago.

My painting, LOVE, is of a man I work with and his father. I have had a lot of positive response to this painting. I think it resonates with all of us at some time in our life. Thank you for this opportunity to display my painting in the capitol.

Harbor House is an Adult Day Center in Louisville. At Harbor House, our vision for the future is formed by the needs and dreams of the participants and families we serve. The founding parents of Harbor House envisioned an organization that would provide their sons and daughters with challenging, enjoyable and productive work. In the same way, the current Harbor House leadership seeks to provide a growing array of support and services that will ensure participants have appropriate choices for self-fulfillment while making a meaningful contribution to society. In implementing our mission of enhancing the lives of people with disabilities through employment, self-determination, education and community building opportunities, we are continuously leveraging limited resources in new and creative ways while staying at the forefront of positive trends.

Together, as a family, our individuals created Spare Hands. We used a collaborative and inclusive approach in order to create a unified whole. Working as a team, Harbor House believes that Kentucky can achieve anything and overcome all hardships. This is embodied in the creative process and finished imagery represented in “Spare Hands” as multiple pieces came together to form a completed project. Our individuals were excited to create this piece for the Team Kentucky Gallery for all to enjoy.

In my watercolor, Historic Midway, I wanted to highlight the intricate beauty of our state's small towns and historic streetscapes. I am fascinated by the architectural embellishments and details that have lasted in these historic towns for so many years. In my painting, I attempted to create an accurate, detailed depiction of a real place, but also add a bit of whimsy with small adjustments of unexpected color. I hope to continue to paint more of Kentucky's historic downtowns in the future! 

Jim is a native Kentuckian who began working with watercolor painting in 1973 as a hobby.

After retirement in 2000, he began to engage in art workshops sponsored by the Kentucky Watercolor Society.

His favorite painting subjects are people and dogs and, occasionally, landscapes. Jim has donated dog portraits to charity auctions as a way to give back to his community. He chose Chief Wolf as a subject after seeing a variety of old photographs depicting his interesting profile. Jim says he spent a full week just on the face. Chief Wolf shows his pride in his life in spite of the unjust ways his people were treated and sent to Oklahoma reservations. His demeanor and tribal robe reflect his attempt to maintain his native culture while coping with the white man’s influences.

Waitin' On The Mantrip is a 36 x 48 inch drawing rendered in charcoal on acid-free paper. Charcoal is an artistic medium I love and is challenging for some to work with. It is an excellent medium to create art pieces that convey a “moody” feeling. It was the perfect choice for this particular project.

This artwork on exhibition is one of three I created in the Waitin' On The Mantrip series. I designed all three of them to be exhibited together as one composition. The one displayed is the centerpiece. The other two can be seen in Wayne Hensley Artist on Facebook.

The image depicted shows a miner inside a coal mine. He is waiting on the mantrip to come by and take him outside to go home to his family. He is very tired after a hard shift. Being a 20-year veteran of deep mining, I fully understand how he feels. By definition, “The Mantrip” is the transportation system used to take crews of miners in and out of the mine during shift changes. Mantrip systems are done in various ways from equipment on railroad tracks to battery powered mining equipment modified for this purpose.

I understand mining very well, having come from a long line of Eastern Kentucky coal miners in my family lineage. My great grandfathers and grandfathers were all lifelong coal miners. My father was also a miner and was killed in a roof-fall accident in 1972 at 38 years old. I was 18 years old at the time. It was a tragedy I'm still recovering from. I worked in deep mining for 20 years myself.

Living my life in Eastern Kentucky and 20 years of mining experience has influenced my artwork in dramatic ways. I am a lifelong Southeastern Kentuckian and very proud of my family heritage. I was raised near Hazard, Kentucky, and currently reside in Williamsburg with my wife, Lee.

Daily I see many creative ideas for artworks that reflect our great state and Appalachian culture. I am proud to have the God-given ability and skill to document as many of them as I can. In some way I hope to make a difference and help others perceive our rich culture in a positive fashion.

Going back as long as I can remember, we have gone to College Corner for the Easter Egg Hunt. The Hetrick Farm has been our families’ Saturday-before-Easter destination for over a century.

In the early 1800’s, David S. Hetrick settled in Bath Township, Franklin County, on a land grant farm. In 1903 it was his grandson, Charles, who purchased and moved onto what would become Hetrick Farms in Union County, West College Corner, Indiana. Charles Hetrick farmed and bred sulky harness racehorses for the county fair circuits in Ohio and Indiana. As well as crops and animals, Charles and his wife Florence raised their family: Pearl, Mable, and Harry. All three attended Union School in College Corner, whose unique feature to this day is that half the school is in Indiana and half in Ohio. There are two front doors with “Indiana” over one and “Ohio” over the other. When Harry was ten, the old farmhouse burned. It was replaced by the present house, seen in this painting, in 1915.

Harry attended Purdue University, graduating in 1926. He met and married Ceacle Whitton, whose family had moved from Scott County, Kentucky to Rush County, Indiana. My Uncle Harry and Aunt Ceacle settled on the farm in 1928 and modernized farming by replacing horses and mules with tractors and mechanized equipment. They also raised hogs and beef cattle, and three children. Donna, Linda, and Charles attended Union School. All three graduated from Purdue University and chose careers in teaching or industry. Harry retired from farming in 1976 allowing others to plant and harvest the corn and soybeans. He died in 1990, and Ceacle (the lady in the blue dress and white apron by the back door in the painting) a year later. Charles bought his sisters’ shares in the farm, acquiring 2/3 interest in the farm.

Florence VanNess Hetrick was my great-grandmother, and Pearl Hetrick Fudge my grandmother. Pearl Fudge maintained 1/3 interest in the farm, which was sold to Charles upon my mother’s death. Coming full circle, a “Charles Hetrick” owns Hetrick farms. Presently, the efforts of the McDill family allow the property to remain a working farm.

Charles Hetrick has since worked with Purdue University Department of Forestry’s Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center to plant tree seedlings. A total of 10,000 have been planted in order to study pollination and growth patterns over a 15-year period. In 2014, 132 acres of wooded and untillable land, including the hardwood research tree plantings, were acquired by The Nature Conservancy as part of their Forest Bank Program.

This picture reminds us that the family farm has been a part of this nation’s well-being for many generations. The cornerstones of faith and family have held this nation together through war and famine: a nation’s strength is only as strong as its basic unit—the family. I was one of the lucky ones. Six generations, maybe seven, have celebrated the Easter egg hunt at Hetrick Farms. The families of my grandmother, my mother, my three girls, and my grandsons have all attended this annual event with me – representing five generations in my lifetime. This picture paints the fond memories of families united by love of God, love of country, and love of others. Our family has been blessed by the family farm. America has been blessed by our farmers!

My inner child loves to play with pinwheels and I volunteered with CASA which has the Pinwheel Project as a fundraiser, so I had to paint one.

As a retired registered nurse, I paint for fun and relaxation. Going into my studio and putting on my uniform, now a painter's smock, I smile as I look at the blank piece of board or canvas. I visualize what the finished product will look like after being massaged with brushes and oils. After 38 years of nursing people back to health, I now apply that care and tender touch to my paintings. Each painting is special, just like my patients were, with its own special needs. I have to step back to study and diagnose what would bring more beauty to the piece – a little stroke of color here or a bold push of texture there. And when it's finally “well”, I take joy in sending it out into the world.

You can see more of my work at caroljonesart.com and click the link to hear “I’ll Paint a Picture For You” song written by my husband!

Sallie Clay Lanham, an award winning artist and art educator, is a resident of Frankfort, Kentucky. She is a graduate of the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her work has been exhibited at many juried shows and galleries throughout the United States.

The oil painting Harvest Time was a result of a trip to Lover's Leap Vineyard in the fall. I showed the dedication of the men and women who work many hours in the hot sun for little pay so that we can enjoy the wine produced from these grapes. Throughout the United States this year, farmers have had to turn under millions of acres of vegetables because they cannot get help to pick the produce. We must honor these field workers.

When I visited the vineyard, so many paintings were done on site of the many changing fall colors of the grape leaves and grapes plus the harvest. These 12 paintings were exhibited at Capital Cellars in downtown Frankfort.

I am an artist working primarily in oils on canvas and chalk pastels. I currently reside in Nicholasville, but I am originally from Cincinnati, where I lived until I moved to Kentucky in 2005. I attended D.A.A.P College at the University of Cincinnati, earning an Art Education degree in 1992.

I have had a life-long interest in nature, and grew up as a tomboy playing in the woods and creek that ran through the neighborhood where I grew up. No insect or small animal escaped my attention, and I often brought home anything I could catch and keep in my room for a while in order to watch, study and interact with. I owe a huge debt to my mother for allowing me to bring home even creatures she was not fond (afraid) of. It wasn’t until my 20s that my passion for plant life was ignited. While I’d always been at home in forests and outdoors in general, I’d never had the love for nor curiosity about flora as I’d had with fauna. Through the years since, my growing understanding of how the two are interdependent – and how we fit into the mix – has guided me to a love of organic gardening. Plants are often a subject of my artwork, where I hope to shine a light on them and spark an appreciation, respect and curiosity within the viewer.

I share the concern of many regarding pollinators and the broader view that we need to change our behavior and attitudes towards all living things. We are the only species that willfully and knowingly destroys its own environment, and we are the only species that can change the course of the Earth.

This painting was voted by viewers as the People’s Choice for the City of Lexington’s Art by Nature exhibit in 2019, whose focus that year was on the parks and medians the city had restored and planted with native species and species that benefited wildlife. I chose a bed of flowers just outside the Visitor’s Center at the U.K. Arboretum and Botanical Garden. It was bustling with all sorts of pollinators that summer’s day, visiting the Coneflowers and Zinnias by the score. It not only inspired this painting, but I have increased the number of both flowers in my own garden ever since. I hope to convey the sense of joy I feel when in the presence of such stunning beauty with the viewer, and perhaps inspire them as well.

My name is John Logan, born and raised in Frankfort. I picked up painting and drawing in 2000 as a way to pass the winter months. Though it’s only been a hobby of mine, it’s been the most rewarding pastime I’ve endeavored in. The painting that’s been submitted is of my favorite subject – my family. Many of my paintings are of my family being together and living life, none of which were ever scripted or modeled – just me taking pictures while they weren’t looking. This scene was in Elkhorn Creek on a day we were just wading and enjoying the day. Other examples of my work can be seen at johnloganart.com. Thanks for looking! 

I am 15 years old and homeschooled. I started exploring different types of visual arts a couple of years ago. I haven’t had any professional instruction except for some Bob Ross videos, if that counts. I really love to paint and have mostly done landscape paintings. I wanted to try something a little different. This was my first attempt at an abstract painting. I was inspired by my sister, who is a ballet dancer. I am very honored to have my painting chosen to be a part of the first Team Kentucky Gallery exhibit.

One of the heartbreaking residual effects of the pandemic has been the heightening of domestic abuse, particularly childhood trauma and violence against children, as well as uncertainty and displacement. This piece speaks of the strength and resilience of a child and is meant to bolster their confidence as well as move us as adults to make their world more peaceable, their home the joyful haven it should be, and inspire them to hope and dream of a better future.

As an artist, I have never been busier than in this past year and a half of lockdown. My art comes from the strong desire to get out and experience new horizons and people as well as revisit the familiar and comfortable places and faces from my past.

I took the reference photo at Churchill Downs just before the pandemic shut everything down. I enjoyed watching the people proudly walking their horses back to their stalls after the race was over. Everyone looked as if they were having a great time, and many of them were socializing along the way. I wanted to paint a more dramatic scene, so I changed the sunny skies to gray and added the suggestion of a desolate landscape. Even though I normally work in pastel, I knew I would be adding a lot of detail, so I painted it in oil.

My artwork expresses my fascination with the equine subject, whether it be thoroughbred, quarter horse, Arabian, or any other breed. Although I was a portrait artist for many years, I have become well respected for my equine art. I have studied horse anatomy, conformation, and motion so that my paintings capture their power and natural grace. I also am fascinated with the ways that horses communicate with people. Although horses are nonverbal, they eloquently express their emotions by a twitching their ears, squinting their eyes, or opening their mouths. Ask any horse lover and they will tell you that horses are extremely communicative animals, and the best equine artists and equestrians are people who understand their body language.

Art has been a passion for Marianna McDonald since she was 13 years old when she taught herself oil painting. After receiving a BS in art with an emphasis in painting and graphic design from Murray State University, McDonald began her career as an artist which included 14 years as a graphic designer at the Lexington Herald-Leader. Downsized from that job in 2001 freed her to concentrate on pastels and oils. She now participates in art fairs and teaches pastels to adults. Her work appears in corporate collections including Owensboro Regional Hospitals, St. Joseph Hospital, UK Medical Center and hospitals in Ohio.

"I’m a landscape artist using soft pastels and oils. I create images from actual places preferring to use nature's information and inspiration for my resource.

"At Murray State University I trained in oils with a concentration on the figure, but as soon as I graduated in 1971, I focused exclusively on landscape. When I bought my first set of pastels for plein air sketching I was instantly hooked on the brilliance of the color, the versatility of the medium and the immediacy of the pastels.

"I want my drawings to express to the viewer the peace I feel when I view this land. I paint what I see, but distill the details of nature to focus on the essence of the landscape, adjusting the color to emphasize the light and shadow. I hope the viewer connects to the sense of place that attracts me to the scene.

"MeadowView Mowing is an actual hiking trail at Shaker Village which is only 30 minutes from my house and I visit often. I created a small "on location - Plein Air” pastel sketch of this scene and then created the larger studio piece. To me the hiking trail is not only an obvious path but represents the journey of life both for me as an artist but also for the previous residents – The Shaker Community."

www.mcdonaldfineart.com

“I am an abstract painter. I explore the fluid movement, emotion, and energy of color by observing both the static and dynamic elements of nature, the changing colors and hues in water, and light changes among rock formations and vegetation. I am inspired to produce a rich tapestry of colorful abstractions capturing the moment in time.

“Color moves me. When I paint, my creative energy flows in abundance, creating layers and depth, and I am in the moment. It is my hope that others will be drawn to my paintings and experience the same emotion, energy, and suspension of time,” says Marcia.

Marcia was one of only four artist selected for the 2019 National Park Service artist-in-residence program at Fire Island National Seashore, located south of Long Island, New York. Over the two-week residence, she painted a series of 24"x24" paintings during her stay capturing the colors, layers, and depth of Fire Island and seashore.

McMillen attend the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. During her years at Michigan, she studied under “colorist” Vincent Castagnacci.

About Myriad – "Nature is full of rich complexities, some only lasting a brief second. With this painting, I wanted to capture those unique patterns, colors and textures that one might see in Kentucky." The painting is acrylic on canvas 24"x30".

To see additional paintings or to contact Marcia, visit her website www.MarciaMcMillen.com.

In October 2015, I took a big step and opened my doors as a professional artist. My studio and gallery sit atop the McClure Building, overlooking historic downtown Frankfort, Kentucky. I have long been inspired by the beauty my home state. Kentucky is to me one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is an endless source of inspiration for painting. While I keep irregular hours at my studio, I am available to meet and visit with anyone who would like to stop by.

McWilliams Art Studio
306 West Main Street Suite 714
Frankfort KY 40601
502-545-0198

With permission, I drew this image of Versailles, Kentucky taken in the 1950s. This was drawn for a "How To" book for drawing in colored pencil. It was a challenge and it took me 700 hours to complete. The unique part of this drawing is that all the buildings are still standing after 135 years. The businesses are not the same, buildings have been re-purposed and such, but today, you can stand across the street and see the same configuration of buildings. The turret disappeared on the light-colored building (Ben Franklin 5 & 10) sometime after 1960 and now is back in 2017; the top triangular facade at the top of this building is now on the Lexington Street side. The building next to the barbershop, part of the Colonial Inn, was reconfigured with a doorway sometime in the late 1950s or early 60s. The small building between the diner and the barbershop was torn down and now is a walkway/alley again. Hope you enjoy viewing.

Mornin' Chores is an acrylic on canvas painting by Eastern Kentucky artist Lora Arnold Parks. Lora Arnold Parks is a multi-disciplinary artist from Red Fox, Kentucky (Knott County). Parks works full-time in healthcare but has always loved the process of creating art. Her art provides a stress-relieving outlet for the difficult times (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic).

The inspiration for much of her work centers in celebrating Kentucky culture. Mornin' Chores celebrates the self-sufficient and hard-working Appalachian woman hoeing her garden as part of her morning routine. Parks has other works with a similar theme, including Appalachian Harvest, which depicts her grandparents' small homestead in Hale's Branch, Kentucky, in the the 1960s. The catalyst for these works stems from Parks' fond memories of her grandmother, Lora Adams, planting, raising and harvesting her garden each year.

The strong-minded resilience and self-reliance of the Appalachian people and culture is celebrated and revered in Parks' work. The mountain values of hard work, independence and simple living resonate in her paintings.

Parks graduated from Morehead State University with a Bachelor of Science – Nutrition and is a certified specialist in gerontology. She is current board chair for Kentucky's Licensure for Dietitians Board and works in long-term care.

Her daughter, Kelsie Jacobs, (also an artist and a Registered Emergency Room Nurse) joined forces with Parks three years ago to create the art business Happy Lemon Artistry.

They sell locally and also have an Etsy shop. Their work has been purchased and shipped all over the United States. Over 300 Happy Chairs – whimsical hand-painted chairs – have been purchased to date.

Parks' most recent artistic venture was designing and building a rental cabin at Red River Gorge named "Walden's Wonder." The cabin is an ode to Henry David Thoreau and his 1854 book, Walden, with the theme of nature as a source of wisdom and spiritual nourishment and the joys of living simply. Parks has created many artistic works that are displayed in this unique artistic rental cabin.

You can connect with Lora Arnold Parks on Facebook or visit the Happy Lemon shop on Etsy.

A Louisville native and professional artist in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for 40 years, I toured the parks and waterways for many summers, camping with my youngest children. Drinking in rich scenery of historic sites and wildlife as well, we collected photos and memories. The collage embodies my favorites from across the Bluegrass, representing all compass points. State-designated trees (as a child I believe the redbud was named) now the tulip poplar, goldenrod (state flower), cardinal (state bird), state flag, and state song (represented by "My Old Kentucky Home" Federal Hill) are included, as well as a message of unity and peace. www.chalicegallery.com

"I frequently paint the rural landscape and rolling hills of central Kentucky. My painting, Apricot Sky, represents the view from the back of our home and one I’ve painted numerous times--as the view is constantly changing. I’m lucky to often witness gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and am always drawn to interpreting them through my own artwork. The medium of pastels lends itself beautifully to this imagery allowing me to capture the luminosity, softness, movement of clouds, and brilliance of colors in the sky. For this painting, I chose to make the clouds the focal point and emphasize their color, softness and grandiosity in comparison to the land and the horizon."

Fran’s love for the visual arts started at a very young age. From her earliest years and throughout high school she excelled in drawing and painting, won awards, and was encouraged by her high school art teacher. Fran Redmon graduated with a BFA in commercial art and a studio concentration in weaving from Western Kentucky University in 1977. Her first career position was as a graphic artist in the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Public Information Department. Later, as a marketing specialist, she became one of two employees charged with pioneering the Craft Marketing Program in the newly formed Department of Arts. Fran was promoted to Program Manager in 1987 and directed the award-winning Kentucky Crafted program until her retirement in 2007.

In retirement, Fran has returned to her first love of creating her own art. Raised in rural Woodford County, Kentucky, as the daughter of a tobacco and cattle farmer, her heritage in agriculture and love of the natural beauty of rural Kentucky is at the root of her inspiration. She took up pastels, which she feels best enables her to depict her love of nature and the pastoral scenes of Kentucky. She has been producing and selling her pastel paintings since 2014. She has exhibited in numerous local, statewide and national exhibits. She currently sells work via the Kentucky Artisan Center, Berea, Kentucky and Completely Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky. Four of her paintings are the in the collection of St. Joseph East Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky. Fran has also completed commissioned works.

For more information on purchasing and other works, visit franredmonfineart.com.

I can still remember watching the airshow as a child; the fluidity of the planes spiraling motion would place me into a state of transcendence. The feeling of the wind blowing through my hair and the warmth of the sun kissing my cheek only intensified this feeling. Throughout my life, memories like these have embolden me, strengthen my inner being and even brought life to new ideas. My memories of Thunder Over Louisville, and my love for Kentucky is what continually drives me to create Kentucky focused artwork. Through my oil paintings I hope to encourage a connection between viewers, possibly bringing up past memories or emotions. With my painting on display at the Team Kentucky Exhibition I wanted to emphasize the way the lights twinkle and reflect off the Ohio River. Thus showing the Louisville Skyline from a different perspective, while also focusing on color and capturing the beauty that is often overlooked.

Follow more of my work: Brittney Rice Studio

When I moved to Kentucky from Rhode Island more than a decade ago it was important for me to get to know the Bluegrass State. It is not always easy to leave the familiar for a new home but I have met wonderful people, and discovered a vibrant, creative and welcoming community. This painting explores the concept of “home, sweet home” and was inspired by the challenges faced by citizens of Kentucky, the United States and the world during the pandemic. In an unpredictable world there is a fine line between security and menace. The saying, “There’s no place like home” for example took on a new meaning when there was literally nowhere else to go. Using bright colors and a whimsical style the comforts of home are juxtaposed with a darker reality. While it’s true that some of us are privileged to have shelter, certain material amenities, and to be well informed, those elements of the painting only tell half the story. The viewer will also recognize a sense of loss and the presence of a very real threat.

Although I was born in Dover, New Jersey, my mother grew up in Kentucky. I have lived in Kentucky for over 40 years, and currently reside in Washington County. Every summer, we visited relatives in Jessamine County, and Kentucky was my second home. I love the woods and hiking, and I especially enjoy places with a rocky creek and rushing water. My painting “A Place in the Woods” depicts a stream with mild rapids, small waterfalls, and fallen logs which form natural bridges for animals. I have included a mother raccoon with babies’ crossing over a fallen tree. I always feel at peace in the woods and am never happier than when I am exploring, sketching, and taking photos in a place like this.

Here is a little bit about me and my art:

Jeanne Filler Scott is an internationally recognized artist specializing in painting animals, both wild and domestic, and nature subjects. Several of her paintings have been published as limited edition prints, three of which are sold out. Her work has also been published on greeting cards by Leanin’ Tree and has been the subject of feature articles in publications such as Equine Images, Wildlife Art, and Chronicle of the Horse. Jeanne’s work has been shown in both national and international exhibitions, including the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, the National Wildlife Art Show, Artists for Conservation, the Society of Animal Artists, and in several shows at the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park. Her art is sought after by collectors from around the world.

In 2010 she authored and illustrated the book Draw and Paint Realistic Horses published by North Light Books, which demonstrates how to draw and paint horses in acrylics, oils and pencil, and includes chapters on anatomy, horse colors, basic art materials and techniques, and comparison of different breeds. Other books by Jeanne include: Wildlife Painting Basics: Small Animals (2002); Painting Animal Friends (2005);) Painting More Animal Friends (2008); and Draw and Paint 50 Animals (2013). Her publisher, North Light Books, has also featured her artwork in numerous other books, including Sketchbook Confidential 2.

Jeanne is a signature member of both the Society of Animal Artists and Artists for Conservation (formerly the Worldwide Nature Artists Group). She lives on a farm in Washington County, Kentucky, with her husband and son, surrounded by rescued dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, and other animals, and a lot of wildlife which inhabit the woods, fields, ponds, and the Beech Fork River, which borders the land. More about Jeanne’s paintings and books can be found on Facebook, and at natureartists.com.

Hello, my name is Joseph Seidl. I am the artist of Kentucky Country Home you have before you. This simplistic yet undeniably remarkable piece has a very unique story nestled within the canvas it was crafted on. I am a Kentucky native, born and raised. Due to unforeseen life events, I was uprooted and found myself in uncharted territory of Pennsylvania. I spent six long years away from my home here in Kentucky. Every night I spent lying awake, I had created a fixed image in my mind, to remind me of the home I longed to which I would be reunited with. That instilled image, is now permanently fixed within this wooden frame, for the entire world to view. I hope you are graced with the same comfort this image has always brought to me.

The ice house is located on the Gabriel Gaines property circa 1841 in Burlington KY.

The house has been designated by the Kentucky Heritage Commission as a Kentucky landmark. My sister, Laura Dorsey, and her husband, Jim Smith, have owned the property for 30+ years and have worked to restore and preserve the home and grounds including the ice house.

The painting is hung above the home's dining room fireplace and the actual scene of the ice house can be viewed directly from the window next to the fireplace.

I've been painting in oils for about 35 years. Mostly self-taught, I paint for pleasure and give the paintings away to family and friends. My deceased mother, Ilda Dorsey, also painted.

Inspired by the rhythms and patterns of leaves and branches, landscapes are a subject I frequently turn to as a means to regroup. I love the outdoors. The scent of autumn leaves, a warm spring rain, or the sound of a twig snapping on a cold winter morning are invigorating. It is through the nuances of color and light found in nature that I reacquaint myself with the very reasons I became an artist. It is my hope the viewer will enjoy the refreshing beauty of nature as well.

Residing in Columbia, Kentucky since 1992, Tim Smith participates in juried exhibitions and has work in corporate art collections. His designs are often adapted for the creation of site specific commissioned work and public art projects. Awards have included funding from an Arts Build Communities Grant, the Appalachian College Association, and an Individual Artist Project Grant from the Kentucky Arts Council. Tim Smith received an MFA from the University of Mississippi and currently is a Professor of Art at Lindsey Wilson College.

I have always loved Kentucky’s Old State Capitol. As I child, I visited its grounds with my parents. As a young adult, I learned about its architectural significance, rich and colorful history. The subject is not only beautiful but challenging. It is plain but somehow intricate in the way it casts shadows and reacts to light. I have painted it several times and each time I see something different and more beautiful about this Kentucky icon.

After retiring from my position as Cabinet Secretary for the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet in 2013, I found a whole new world opened up for me through art. Watercolor is my preferred medium. I love the way the paint moves on paper. With only a pad of paper, paints and brushes, I can expand my horizons every day.

I had a very satisfying career in the tourism industry for 40 years and have been married to the best person I know for nearly 50 years. I have three fine children and five beautiful grandchildren. I been very fortunate in life and art has certainly added to my fortune.

Flat Footin’ is a remembrance to Friday night gatherings, barn raisings, harvests, birthdays, and family reunions within the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. A joyous, music-filled tribute to the days when family and friends gathered to celebrate each other and to honor those who paved the way for each of us to proudly be among them. It was not a time to brag about wealth or status; it was a time of respect. A salute to our heritage, traditions, and to our community as we gave thanks for all the good and bad that we share. The image can be broken down into three parts: the barn and the fiddle; the dance; and the front porch jamboree. When seen together, they create a view of happiness and community. The work is done with watercolor and overlaid with black ink.

Jason Sturgill was born in Wise, Virginia, the son of a coal miner and an independent business woman. Both learned early on of their son’s passion for art as he liked to scribble and doodle on every surface he could find. He attended college for his undergraduate work at Morehead State University in Eastern Kentucky. After a few years of intense focus as an instrumentalist, he shifted his educational career towards visual art. He focused on drawing, graphic design, and printmaking. He graduated from MSU in 2002 with his art education certification as well as an additional studio art degree and a degree in music. In the fall of 2002, Mr. Sturgill accepted a middle school art teaching position in Central Kentucky. During this tenure, Mr. Sturgill completed his Master of Arts degree in Education from MSU. After a few years of teaching, Jason took a high school teaching position in Fayette County, Kentucky. He is currently teaching classes in traditional drawing and computer art, including illustration, painting, graphic design, digital sculpting, animation, and game design. Over the past five years, Jason has been working on branching out of education into freelance, gallery, and publication work. He is currently a member of Kentucky Crafted and the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen. Jason is a juried exhibitor at St. James Art Fair, Francisco’s Farm, Waveland and the Kentucky Market at Woodland. Mr. Sturgill lives in Lexington with his wife, Alyssa.

This pastel painting is special to me because it is a portrait of my dear artist friend, Grette Herrick, who died of cancer a few years ago. We went to college together, painted together, spent vacations together, and were soul mates. She still inspires me and I dedicate this painting and honor to her. I worked from a black-and-white photo and chose the colors as I remembered them and as I see them from my studio on beautiful Kentucky Lake. I prefer to paint portraits from life in oil and sometimes pastel, but am often asked to paint a portrait from photographs which I take myself. Sometimes people ask me to paint a portrait of their loved one with a photograph they supply, which I do if the photograph will lead to a good portrait.

Art has always been interwoven in my life. After receiving a Master's degree in Art and English Literature, and after a fulfilling career as a college professor and later as successful technical communications manager, I decided to return to my first love – art. After a friend encouraged me to study portraits with master artist Daniel Greene, I fell in love with portrait painting. While working in California, I was founder and president of the Portrait Art Society in San Francisco, the charter chapter of the American Society of Portrait Artists. This allowed me to develop my skills while introducing other artists to portrait painting. Since returning to Kentucky, the birthplace of both my parents, I have dedicated myself to painting portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. I have won awards in various national and local juried exhibitions and sold paintings in several galleries. For a portrait commission or to purchase any of my paintings, please visit my website: www.artistruby.com.

Painting brings me joy and sharing that joy with others brings me complete happiness.

The painting Big Rock was inspired by a location dear to many people in Louisville. Over the years it has become a landmark of some sort. From an artist's point of view, it has all the components of the classical landscape: water, rocks, and trees – something very typical for the Olmsted parks. My goal was to find and paint such places to showcase the beauty of our state of Kentucky.

Charles VanMeter is a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he was born and raised. From an early age, Charles has admired the Bluegrass, with its rolling hills, barns, horses, and trees. In his painting, Hay Bales, he depicts his family's farm in the early summer, when the scenery is at its most verdant. He is excited to move to Texas shortly, where he will continue to study the expansive landscape of the American south.

Born in Bogota, and growing up in Mexico City and Monterrey, Ivan provides his art thru Ivann LLC in Louisville. His philosophy is “Innovation, Creativeness, and Balance”. Growing up, Ivan was the local artist at his schools. However, athletics, rock-and-roll percussion, and researching the Vietnam War became significant influences in his early life. In his college years, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and earned a commission after graduating from York College of Pennsylvania with a BS in marketing. In 2004, he earned an MBA in international business at the University of Miami Herbert Business School. York College exhibits Globalization Echte-Welt 2020 and UM exhibits five of his Hurricane Football National Championship paintings produced in 2003. It was during this time Ivan produced the painting Home. The art was witness to his growing family in his absence as he travelled extensively throughout the Americas and Europe. At the same time, Ivan’s daughter, Sydney Anne, produced The Hearts from Loveland, which envisions the virtues of American Football with her team and imagination. Sydney graduated from EKU in American Sign Language in 2018 and currently interprets for Sorensen in San Diego, California. Ivan’s eldest daughter, Andrea, and her husband, Luke, are expecting their first child in October. The painting Home will be handed from generation to generation. Ivan’s wife, Dana, is a University of Louisville graduate with a Masters in teacher leadership and currently teaches ESL at Jefferson County Public Schools. Their youngest son, Ivan, is a Ballard High School and Florida State University graduate and currently resides in Ocean Beach, California, employed by Circa.

See notes for Home by Sidney's father, Ivan Villalba.

Emily Webb is an artist based in Brooks, Kentucky. She graduated from Spalding University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in digital media and painting. Webb creates art through paintings, photos, drawings, and films. With many different mediums at her disposal, she is able to create art that ranges from intricate small pieces to larger-than-life ones. Through her art, she creates intense personal moments for the viewer through color. Her recent work revolves around the impact color has on people and their subconscious.

Intricate Blues is one of many spray-painted pieces Webb has created. However, this work was created with Kentucky in mind, with its blues interacting in ways that entrap the viewer in a vibrant and eye-catching display. For Webb, this is more than a superb interaction between favorite blues, but rather also an interpretation on the interconnectedness that Kentucky conveys through rough and unexpected times.

JC White has been creating art for over sixty years and works mostly with oils and acrylics. He is passionate about the subject matters of land, sky, and water. Pandemic Panorama focuses on these aspects, and combines them with a yearning to escape. The color in this composition was motivated by his interest to learn about painting in an analogous band of color between blue and yellow. Though the landscape seems familiar, it is actually a fabrication of a place where there is a sense of normalcy. Originally from Maine, JC White has been living and working in Owensboro, Kentucky, for the last twenty-seven years. As a practicing artist and above-avid learner, he continues to take challenging art courses through Owensboro Community & Technical College.

I have no formal training in art and am basically self-taught. What began as a stress-relief outlet from work (teaching college English) and a need to cover blank walls in my home, has become more of an obsession over the years. I have always been interested in and fascinated with art, and I have always been drawn to color. I have dabbled in painting and drawing now for about twenty years, but it is the last six or seven years that I consider to be transformative for me as a budding artist. For me, art is like a puzzle. Trying to figure out the various layers, what needs to come first, how a subject should be laid out – all of these puzzle pieces are endlessly fascinating to me. With just one subject, there are endless ways to depict it depending on theme, mood, context, and the message one is trying to convey – much like writing. I suppose in that sense art is a natural extension of my former teaching career.

Reflective White Squirrel was inspired by a photo taken at Lost River Cave in my hometown of Bowling Green. The white squirrel is an unexpected and fairly common sighting in Bowling Green and represents both the beauty of nature and wildlife in our area.

This painting was inspired by a photograph I took in Carlsbad Caverns. Nostalgia is referenced in the use of decades old fabrics for the base of it. This reference to the past is then partially hidden by layers of screen printed and hand painted images. The layering suggests the passage of time and accumulated memories, alluding to the fact that we are all part of a larger realm measured in geologic time.

I am continually drawn to the idea of creating something unique out of something unexpected, finding inspiration in objects and visions everywhere from travel adventures to the view outside my bedroom window. One such inspiration brought me to the idea of pyrography and woodwork, and my current focus is a result of experiments with that material in combination with what I’ve been doing for years – dabbling in color. Each step of the process in these pieces is essentially irreversible, from the cutting of the wood to the burnt-in design to the stains applied to the wood. The process is organic in this way, for there is only movement forward. There is no reversal of a misstep with the hot metal tools or the permeating stains of color. An attempt to cover or paint over is impossible without some sense of the underneath still peeking through. In that way, the work is meant to feel natural, a product of a colorful human experience, a reflection of who we are as perfect, yet imperfect people. More information is available at youreawesomedesigns.etsy.com and @yadmachine on Instagram.