Kentucky has been widely recognized as one of the leading states for Appalachia-oriented crafts in the country. Folk art and folk crafts are a vital part of the commonwealth's heritage, and the emphasis on the rural and rustic help make Kentucky craft history part of its present. In fact, the Craft Marketing Program is run by the commonwealth for that simple end – to promote, develop, market, and empower the Bluegrass State's artists and craftspeople.
Places to Visit
Berea
One cannot discuss Kentucky crafts without mentioning the city of Berea. Indeed, the city is known as the "Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky." It has been a center for folk arts in the Appalachian tradition for over 100 years, and is home to 25 galleries and working-artisan studios. The city divides itself into three main gallery areas: Old Town Artisans Village, Chestnut Street, and College Square, each with their own unique flavor and atmosphere.
Founded in 1853, the town was established in conjunction with Berea College by the Reverend John G. Fee. By the 1890s, the growing interest in Appalachian culture and tradition inspired Berea College President William Frost to take some of the traditional coverlets, brought by students in exchange for their free tuition, on fund raising trips across the country. These coverlets helped Berea gain attention as a center for folk crafts, prompting Frost to found the first Berea College Fireside Industry. Today, the college routinely ranks as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation and contributes extensively to the city's promotion of Appalachian arts and crafts.
In addition to its many shops, Berea also organizes a multitude of workshops and events open to the public at large. Workshops include instructions in painting, quilting, book binding, and fabric collage. Their calender of events, however, is even more extensive. Throughout the year, various festivals go on that celebrate the folk art world. Some of these festivals include: the Berea International Festival, the Berea Craft Festival, a Quilt Extravaganza, the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fall Fair, the Home and Hearth Christmas Bazaar, and the Berea College Crafts Holiday Sale.
Louisville
Louisville is home to the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, founded in 1981 to support Kentucky's arts and crafts heritage, and to share this heritage with the general public. The KMAC regularly provides workshops and educational programs for school children as well as adults. Recent exhibits have included a Bourbon Barrel Art Exhibition, a tribute to Rude Osolnik, and An Exploration of Polymer Clay. Some of the artists whose works are on permanent display include: Marvin Finn, Minne and Garland Adkins, Alma Lesch, and Wayne Ferguson.
One of the more intriguing studios in the Louisville area is Flame Run, the largest glass blowing facility in the region. Both a studio and a gallery, Flame Run affords the visitor the opportunity to not only see glass blowing up close and personal, but also to interact with the artists to understand the process more in-depth. The Artists in Residence include Brook Forrest White, Jr., Susie Slabaugh, Paul Nelson, Paul Hughes, Devyn Baron, Amy Pender, and Casey McMains. Flame Run also offers lessons in glass blowing and sand casting for groups or single individuals.
Louisville Glassworks also offers a studio and gallery open to the public. In addition to traditional glass blowing, their studios demonstrate techniques of flame working and creating architectural glass projects. Louisville Glassworks also offers classes and workshops, each ranging from four to six weeks and instructing a variety of glass techniques. Guided tours are also available; each tour lasts one hour and is designed with the visitor in mind – to help each person better understand the concept, development, and beauty of glass blowing.
For something really different, try the Objects of Desire Gallery, one of the most notable galleries displaying contemporary art to wear. The gallery displays works of metal as well as wearable fibers, with pieces exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions.
Bybee Pottery
Eight miles east of Richmond, Kentucky, the little town of Waco holds a treasure that is two centuries in the making. In business since 1809, Bybee Pottery is the oldest continually-run pottery company west of the Allegheny Mountains. It's also a family-run operation. The Cornelison family has worked the kilns for six generations, creating handmade pots, mugs, pitchers, plates, and the like. But visitors who tarry in making the journey to Richmond should be warned: the business will not be around forever. While it's here, though, don't miss the opportunity to experience a one-of-a-kind environment.
Ruth Clement Bond
Though perhaps unknown outside of very specific circles, Kentucky native Ruth Clement Bond deserves recognition for her efforts as a civic activist. But she was also well-regarded for her work in the art of quilting, having designed the quilt patterns that later became known as the TVA Quilts. These quilts were sewn by the wives of African American workers on the TVA Wheeler Dam Project in rural Alabama, where Mrs. Bond lived during the project. The TVA Quilts have been displayed in a number of places, including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
Crafts form an integral part of the Bluegrass State's identity. There's always something to see and do, something tangible to feel that relates to Kentucky's past and present. Crafts serve as a living reminder of the commonwealth's Appalachian and folk roots, and bringing an authentic piece or two home is a beautiful way to remember your Kentucky vacation long after you've returned.
