There are a number of interesting things to see and do in Kentucky in the realm of visual arts. From museums to galleries to a variety of participatory activities that vacationers can enjoy, the Bluegrass State has whatever you're looking for.
Museums
The Speed Art Museum, named after the well-regarded Louisville businessman and philanthropist James Breckenridge Speed, is the oldest and largest art museum in Kentucky. Located on South Third Street, next to the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus, the museum has enjoyed over 80 years of operation, and currently boasts a permanent collection of over 12,000 pieces. The collection spans humankind's existence – from ancient Egypt to more modern pieces, Renaissance paintings to contemporary sculpture. Also, an ever-expanding segment of the collection is devoted to African American and Native American works. And because it's a Kentucky museum, Kentucky artists play a definite role in the displayed works. After a multimillion dollar renovation in 1997, the Speed Art Museum has played host to major exhibitions of photography, sculptures, paintings, and design. Past exhibits have included a video art piece entitled Video Lounge: Promise and Loss and The Best of Photography and Film from the George Eastman House Collection.
Lexington is home to two unique art museums. The University of Kentucky Art Museum, located in the Singletary Center for the Arts on the UK campus, is open Tuesday through Sunday for the viewing public. The museum provides tours for school groups, as well as events for educators and families. With collections including paintings and sculptures, prints and drawing, photography, ethnographic and decorative art, and Native American works, visitors are able to draw on a vast number of sources and influences as they make their way around the museum. The museum hosts a number of events open to the public as well, including the ART@NOON series, held on the first Wednesday of every month – at noon, of course; and the Robert C. May Photography Endowment Lecture Series. These are just a few of the informative and interesting events available to visitors.
In conjunction with the Kentucky Horse Park, the International Museum of the Horse is a fascinating place to find every bit of information one could ever want about horses. Located on Iron Works Parkway in Lexington, a wealth of information is available at IMH. From different breeds of horses to their use in sport and recreation to their impact and legacy, IMH addresses both the history of horses and their interaction with humans through time. A variety of visiting exhibits have emphasized this point. For instance, Imperial China: The Art of the Horse in Chinese History and All the Queen's Horses: The Role of the Horse in British History have explored the ramifications of equine usage at specific moments and locations in history.
There's also the Kentucky Museum, located in Bowling Green on the campus of Western Kentucky University. Far from concentrating solely on paintings and sculptures, the museum holds a significant number of items in the categories of archeology, art, clothing and textiles, furniture, glassware and ceramics, political memorabilia, quilts, and toys and games. As well, folk art is on prominent display – the museum hold several hundred examples. Many of the exhibits have an "Americana" focus, providing viewers with a compelling visual picture of what life in 19th and early-20th century America was truly like. In addition, the museum's quilt collection contains over 130 examples of history as artifact. A number of educational programs are offered including student activities, group tours, and teacher workshops.
Galleries and Studios
Kentucky offers a number of art galleries and studios exhibiting a variety of styles and genres of work.
Lexington
Located in the Downtown Arts Center, the Ann Tower Gallery primarily exhibits folk art and contemporary fine art. Visitors may purchase art pieces if they so wish; pieces sell in a wide price range.
The Cross Gate Gallery is a premier Equine-related Sporting Art gallery. In business for over 30 years, owner Greg Ladd counts as customers such organizations as Keeneland Racecourse, Fasig-Tipton Company, and the Breeder's Cup, Ltd.
The Lexington Art League runs and promotes three different galleries: their flagship Loudon House gallery, open Tuesday through Sunday; the ArtsPlace location, open Monday through Saturday; and the Mayor's Office location, housed on the 12th floor of the Government Center, open Monday through Friday.
The Heike Pickett Gallery offers two locations. The Heike Pickett Gallery at CMW makes its home in Lexington, while the Heike Pickett Gallery & Sculpture Garden in Versailles (about 15 minutes from downtown Lexington) is its main locale. Fine contemporary art is their specialty, and they present exhibitions by artists from around the country.
Factory 15, located in Lexington, is a design studio with an emphasis on metal wall art. Owned and operated by brothers Paul and Tim Hurst, geometric and Eames-style art are of particular interest to the studio.
Louisville
The B. Deemer Gallery is the product of owner Brenda Deemer's more than 35 years of experience dealing with fine art. Around half of the more than 50 artists exhibited in the gallery are from the Ohio Valley region. The gallery is also listed in Art in America magazine's recurring publication, Guide to Museums, Galleries, and Artists.
The E and S Gallery proudly displays renowned African American art, including pieces by the legendary Muhammad Ali. Established in 1989, the gallery includes works spanning from the Harlem Renaissance to popular contemporary artists.
The Higgins Maxwell Gallery features fine art works from both America and Europe. Recent exhibits have included a retrospective on Deward Eades, and one entitled Artists of the Ohio Valley School and the Wonderland Way, 1883-1940.
The Ming Gallery specializes in Asian antiques and art. Established in 1999, they focus on Chinese pottery from the Neolithic period to the Han Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty. Owner Helen Bai Ludwick travels regularly to China to find the most unique and authentic pieces available.
Elsewhere
The Kentucky Folk Art Center, in conjunction with Morehead State University, is one of the premier folk art exhibitors in Appalachia. It displays close to 1,000 pieces by regional folk artists.
Famous Visual Artists
Frank Duveneck was born in Covington in 1848, and became known for helping to paint in opposition to the Hudson River School style of art. His style was denoted by being realistic, dark, and direct. His work helped bring about a new freedom of paint application. Duveneck lived in Covington for the 40 years until his death in 1919, teaching at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Sam Gilliam received a B.A and an M.A. from the University of Louisville. He gained prominence as a Color Field painter, a genre that specializes in abstract canvases with solid colors. His work has also been associated in conjunction with the Washington Color School and Abstract Expressionism. He has been repeatedly honored for his works. The Corcoran Gallery of Art held a major retrospective of his work in 2005, and in 2006 he was named the University of Louisville's Alumnus of the Year.
Born in 1865, Paul Sawyier is regarded as one of Kentucky's most well-known watercolorists. His paintings of the Frankfort region at the turn of the 20th century are considered valuable historical evidence of the Kentucky River during that particular era.
James Archambeault has been an independent nature and landscape photographer for over 20 years. Specializing in photographs of Kentucky, Archambeault has published four coffee table books, all on the beauties of the Bluegrass State. His photographs have appeared in many well-respected publications, including National Geographic, the Smithsonian Guide to Natural America, and Architectural Digest. In addition, his work has been exhibited in many premier art shows around the country.
Kentucky has a wealth of different galleries and museums to suit anyone's taste. The famous artists that have called Kentucky home also help prove that art is alive and well in the Bluegrass State.
