Art Stories
Tales of inspiration and creativity, behind-the-scenes glimpses at art-making, in-depth arts features, and narrative portraits of LAL artists.
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I can’t believe I’m typing this out, but we’re almost at the end of 2020! It would be an understatement to say that this has been a historic year and for local businesses and arts organizations, 2020 has been everything but easy. Here at the Art League, we’ve had to make some tough decisions, cancel a few events, and re-evaluate the ways things are normally done. But despite it all, we’re still here, we’re still adapting, and we’re still advocating for central Kentucky’s thriving arts scene. Our current exhibition, The 2020 Biennial Lexington Art League’s Members Show, is a celebration of our region’s art and artists. Curated by Assistant Director Faville Donahue, fellow intern Blake Borwig, and myself; The Member’s Show was a challenging but incredibly rewarding project to collaborate on. Months of preliminary brainstorming, planning, and writing led up to a solid week of hanging and installing artwork. We had many artists submitting work, and we were able to accept just over 120 pieces. Not a space in the house has been left empty as each room and each wall hosting several of Kentucky’s unique and individual creative voices. The diversity of the artworks exhibited reflect the diversity of our artistic community, and it was such a pleasure to place these works into conversation with each other. A wide variety of styles, mediums, and methods are represented: from expressive abstract paintings to traditional portraiture, photography and video art, to basket weaving and ceramic sculpture.
For me, one of the joys of curating this show was picking up on the passion and energy behind these works. I don’t know if it’s because this year has felt so negative or if it’s because the end-of-semester hustle has thrown me off, but something about being around these works was really uplifting. I think that the passion and love that an artist has for their practice is reflected in their artwork, and for me at least, it’s both energizing and joyful to be around that. It’s like being at a concert where the musicians are totally absorbed in their instrument, or at a performance where the dancer is really feeling a movement... the passion of one body can affect another body. Art is able to affect us in ways that are both conscious and unconscious. The care that an artist has for their work can, I believe, project from the work. So, as you can now tell, I highly recommend a visit down to the Loudon House to see The 2020 Biennial Lexington Art League’s Members Show. As we wrap up this rough year, this exhibition is a great way to transition to 2021. It’s a colorful, lively, and most of all joyful assemblage of artworks. It’s a testament to the necessity of art at a time when things seem bleak and a reminder that there’s always something to celebrate. It was such a pleasure to help put this show together, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it. The 2020 Biennial Lexington Art League’s Members Show runs November 20, 2020 to January 16, 2021. We look forward to seeing you!
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies.
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We hope that everyone has a wonderful day! We are here at the house spending the day folding and stringing dragons for our 1000 Dragon Challenge community art project. You can download and print this coloring page drawn by our talented intern Aurora. Have fun, y'all!  
We’ve had a busy couple of months here at the Art League. Planning for the Northside Festival, installing new shows, hosting concerts by the Lexington Philharmonic, and getting ready for the upcoming Member’s show has kept us all scrambling to make things happen! However, that doesn’t mean that we don’t want you stopping by to say hey and check out the amazing art we’re currently showing. In fact, there’s nothing we’d like more! We have three great shows going on right now by three very different but talented artists. All three exhibits feature a wide array of artistic mediums: print, painting, sculpture, photography, and video art.  Ken Howl, American Exceptionalism, Degenerate Counterculture, and the 100 Seconds Till Midnight, September – November 2020 American Exceptionalism, Degenerate Counterculture, and the 100 Seconds Till Midnight features a series of paintings and digital works by Lexington-based artist Ken Howl. This highly charged show interrogates notions of patriotism, nationalism, and Americanism in our current moment. Howl’s work expresses the anxieties and fears that plague contemporary America using images and sounds that are as abstract as they are chaotic. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, his show is an apt illustration of everything that’s happened over the last several years.  Kristina Arnold, It’s Probably Not Contagious, 2013 Ink, graphite, cut paper, stitching 10” x 14” x 2.5” $550 Just across the hall from Howl’s show is Manifesting Presence, a group show featuring work by Kristina Arnold, Leslie Nichols, and Yvonne Petkus. This is the first time that the three artists have exhibited work as the ‘Critique Collective’; an artists’ group they started in Bowling Green six years ago. Manifesting Presence explores the ways in which we hold space: both as individuals and as groups. The show asks: what does it mean to hold space? And how do biological, psychological, historical, and social environments shape this process? The works shown in this exhibit feature a variety of different mediums, reflecting the many ways that space can be held. Arnold’s installations use cast glass, mixed fiber media, paper and ink; Nichols plays with text-based work through manual typewriters and a letterpress printing press; and Petkus makes sculptural paintings using plexiglass, mylar, panel, and canvas.  Leslie Nichols, Siobhan (Parliament 1882), 2016. Typewritten ink on paper 16” x 16” $800  Yvonne Petkus, Tensile/Release, 2020. Oil on canvas 42" x 42" x 2" $4,400 And finally, Being in the Land is on view in the Neal Sulier Gallery. Featuring a series of photographic artworks by artist Robyn Moore; Being in the Land visually expresses the intangible and inaccessible forces that dwell within our world. Using two distinct processes, pinhole photography and photopolymer gravure, Moore explores how the Land carries within it a biological and historical significance that is immaterial but present. In the small gallery adjacent to the Neal Sulier, Moore is also showing work from a related series called Embodied Knowledge. This series develops and expands on the ideas that undergird Being in the Land. These works reflect on ‘embodiment’: the philosophical/psychological theory that knowledge is something that we experience through our physical body. Knowledge is, as the name implies, embodied. Together, Being in the Land and Embodied Knowledges reflect on the unseen forces within nature that effect and shape us in ways that we often don’t recognize.  Robyn Moore, Osprey Nest, Chesapeake Bay VA), 2016 Archival pigment print from 4x5 inch pinhole negative 16” x 20” $800 These three shows, though quite different from one another, offer an exciting and fascinating juxtaposition. I think that, together, these shows ask us (maybe even force us) to consider our relationship to the world(s) we’re enmeshed in. Howl’s show confronts us with the anxiety and discomfort of many Americans at this time. We’re forced to consider (even feel) the oppressive forces that the governing authorities inflict on people every day. Manifesting Presence explores the revolutionary potential of presence and shows us the many ways that it is expressed. Finally, Moore’s work contemplates the ways that presence can be embodied and the ways in which we embody forces larger than ourselves.
American Exceptionalism, Degenerate Counterculture, and the 100 Seconds Till Midnight, Manifesting Presence, and Being in the Land are on view at the Loudon House until November 6. We encourage you to stop in and see them or take a virtual tour of the exhibitions. These can be found at http://www.lexingtonartleague.org/current.html. Author: Aaron Reynolds Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies.  Herself Exhibition Photo One of the interesting parts about programming and curating a gallery space is facilitating conversations: between both people and artworks. In the gallery space, works of art not only respond to and inform each other of their meaning, but exhibitions do the same. Our experience of an exhibition is marked by what we have seen and what we will see. Curating recognizes that no art object and no art space exists in a vacuum. Simultaneous art shows don’t always have to complement each other, but they should enhance each other. Last week, the Lexington Art League closed two major shows: Herself and Unsought Discoveries. In Herself, we saw how 17 different artists explored female experiences from multiple perspectives and dimensions. A series of sculptures, paintings, and multi-media art pieces examined the various and complex ways in which the feminine experience is embodied. In Unsought Discoveries, we saw artist Benjamin MacKethan explore the materiality and possibility of woods and ceramics. MacKethan demonstrated how art objects are the result of a collaboration between the artist’s aims and a medium’s limits.  Ben MacKethan "Ascension" When I was reflecting on these shows this week, I was thinking about the Feminist theories course I’m currently taking. At the beginning of this course, we focused on Standpoint Theory:
the idea that an individual’s perspectives are shaped by their social and political experiences. Standpoint Theory recognize that each point of view is unique and multifaced; informed by a person’s class, race, sex, gender expression, and ability. No two points of view can ever be the same, meaning that every point of view is an essential and necessary part of a broad understand of the world. From a Feminist perspective, Standpoint Theory recognizes that women’s experiences, while traditionally de-valued, are vital. It proposes that women, because of their historical oppression within a patriarchal system, are better equipped to understand the system. Herself amplified women’s experiences and showed how each woman’s experience is uniquely embodied. Unsought Discoveries showed how the creation process is defined by conscious and unconscious actions. In my experience, both shows reflected who we are as individuals. Each of us is the unique result of a negotiation between our own desires, our own limits, and the visible and invisible systems we’re enmeshed in. Because of this, each of us (but especially women and the historically marginalized) have perspectives that can and must be heard. Addendum: After writing this, I started to reflect on the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. As I think about the necessity of women’s perspectives, I am grateful for people like Ruth Bader Ginsberg who demonstrated that justice for women means justice for everyone. As a champion for women’s rights, she showed how listening to the experiences of those historically marginalized is vital for a just society. Author: Aaron Reynolds Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies.  Photo Owned By, Faville Donahue
Greetings everyone! My name is Faville Donahue and I am the new Assistant Director with the Lexington Art League. I officially joined the staff this May after having been an intern with the League last fall during my final semester of graduate school. My road to the Loudoun House and the Art League was certainly not a straight line and was not where I thought I would be when I was 20 years old and jumping around majors in undergrad. I grew up in Salvisa Kentucky with two parents who instilled a life-long love of the arts and I cannot tell you how many hours I spent putting odd little things together in my father’s woodshop. When I first started college at the University of Kentucky in 2001 I wanted to get an art degree, then I thought that I would pursue forestry, then biology, and then I just wasn’t sure so I was undeclared. No matter what, I was always taking art classes. Then life intervened and I had to leave school without having finished a degree. But, things have a way of working out. It took three rounds of undergrad (and 16 years) and I finally finished a degree in sculpture. I found that I just was not going to be happy doing anything else and that the arts are where I am meant to be. Most of my personal artwork is made from various metals and I typically utilize forging, fabrication, and foundry techniques to make what I envision. I also like to work with leather, weaving, and laser-cut wood when I want to work with materials that do not require that I set things on fire. Though, I really do like working with fire. Funnily enough, my father (the woodworker) has always been bummed that I fell in love with metal working as he has a beautifully equipped woodshop that I have very little use for. Anyways, as soon as I finished my bachelor’s degree I applied to the Arts Administration graduate program at UK and, despite my less than stellar major-hopping transcript, I was accepted and graduated summa cum laude in December 2019. It is my greatest desire to further the arts in Kentucky and to be the best advocate that I can. I love working with the Art League and I am glad to be a part of Art for Everyone! Other fun tidbits: I love science fiction (Star Trek is the BEST), my son is named after one of my favorite sci-fi authors, I live way out in the country with a veggie garden and lots of flowers, we have two dogs (a 1 ½ year old english setter and a geriatric walker coon hound), we also have two lazy cats, I got married last fall and it has been a blast so far, I love making spaghetti sauce from scratch, I recently fell into the black-hole that is Animal Crossing, I have a house full of spider plants that are all from one plant that I bought about 18 years ago for my first apartment, and we have more books than fit on our bookshelves. Author: Faville Donahue Assistant Director of the Lexington Art League  Graphic by, Aurora Noctua Happy Women’s Equality Day, readers! Exactly 100 years ago, the 19 th Amendment was certified; ensuring that state and federal government cannot deny a citizen the right to vote based on their sex. This was the result of a large-scale civil rights movement that (formally) began in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The 19th and 20th century women’s suffrage movement was a massive, international struggle composed of activist groups as far away as Australia and as local as Lexington, Kentucky. (Fun fact: I just recently discovered that my great-grandmother was a suffragette from Somerset, Kentucky!) Around the world, organized groups of women rose up and demanded that their governments recognize them as full human beings under the law. The Movement for Women’s Suffrage highlighted structural inequalities that have further marginalized women and silenced their voices throughout history.  Suffragists from Madison, Fayette, and Franklin Counties. In honor of Women’s Equality Day, I want to highlight a few late 20 th and 21 st century women artists that I find particularly interesting. Since today honors the American Women’s Suffrage Movement, I’ve chosen American artists (or in the case of one, an artist working in America). Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven (1874-1927) Popularly known as “the Baroness,” this larger-than-life artist was a major figure in New York’s Dadaist art scene. A sculptor, performance artist, and poet; Freytag-Loringhoven is often credited as the inventor of the “ready-made” – a sculpture pulled from the materials of everyday life. Born in Germany, the Baroness moved to the US in 1910 after helping her second husband fake his own death. (Interestingly, Kentucky was the first place they lived when they immigrated to the US.) She was famous for her absurd sense of humor and her boundary-pushing definition of art. In a letter to fellow artist Sarah Freedman McPherson, the Baroness wrote “Sarah, if you find a tin can on the street, stand by it until a truck runs it over. Then bring it to me.” Though long ignored in the history of art, Freytag-Loringhoven is now recognized as being an important influence on the work of Marcel Duchamp. One scandalous theory claim that Duchamp’s most famous work, The Fountain, was made in collaboration with the Freytag. Though the jury is still out, The Fountain bears a remarkable similarity to Freytag’s work which was often bawdy, sexual, and otherwise unseemly.  Baroness Elsa Von Freytag-Loringhoven Nancy Elizabeth Prophet (1890-1960) This important but too-often-overlooked American sculptor was the first women of color to graduate from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. Prophet’s career was marked by a deep commitment to creative independence that saw her move from New York, to Paris, and finally to Atlanta. She’s most famous for her figurative sculptures and busts, which convey an intense but restrained emotional response to feelings of depression, loneliness, and isolation.  Nancy Elizabeth Prophet During her life, she moved between periods of relative to fame to relative obscurity. Often unable to hire live models to sculpt, she worked mostly from her imagination. Her figures are often ethnically ambiguous, reflecting what some scholars see as her complicated relationship to her African and Native American heritage. Describing her artistic philosophy, Prophet wrote “The principles of the arts which are form, rhythm, harmony; and the abstract qualities, some of which are poise and courage, are factors which no civilized man who aspires to be educated can live successfully without attaining.”  Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, Discontent, 1929 Carrie Mae Weems (1953-Present) Carrie Mae Weems is a multi-media African American artist working with text, fabric, audio, digital images, and video installation. She’s best known, however, for her work in photography. Since the mid 1980s, Weems has used visual and verbal narratives to address the black experience of racial and gender stereotyping here in the US. Her work explores possible methods for black women’s liberation and self discovery by engaging African American folklore as well as American culture at large.  Carrie Mae Weems, From The Kitchen Table Series
One of her most famous works, The Kitchen Table Series, documented the artist sitting at her kitchen table in various scenarios. Throughout the course of about two years, we follow Weems through her relationships with her lover, her friends, and her daughter. The series intimately repositions and reimagines how the black experience has often been depicted in mainstream American culture. It explores the intersection of blackness and womanhood in contemporary American culture. Reflecting on the series, Weems writes “I use my body as a landscape to explore the complex realities of the lives of women,” and “At the end of the day, it has a great deal to do with the breadth of the humanity of African-Americans who are usually stereotyped and narrowly defined and often viewed as a social problem.” Though I’ve only talked about three artists within the vast story of feminist art history, I hope that it inspires you to do your own research. On this Women’s Equality Day, let’s express our gratitude for the women throughout history that have raised their voices (both audibly and visually) to envision a more just society. To see contemporary work by local women artists, consider checking out our virtual Herself Exhibition at: https://lexingtonartleague.wixsite.com/herself Sources: UofK Archive, and Artstor Author: Aaron Reynolds Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies. Photo owned by Annie Kane
Hi! I'm Annie, an intern for the Lexington Art League. I’ve been working with the League since June 2020, both at the Loudon House gallery and from home. Since joining I’ve worked with local artists to create virtual gallery tours and artist talks for audiences who are unable to visit our gallery. I’m currently an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in film and media studies and astronomy. Being from Lexington, I’ve been aware of the Lexington Art League for a long time. When I was little I’d save up for months each year for the chance to buy something small from the Woodland Art Fair. I always loved the sense of community I would see at these events and when visiting the gallery. A lot of what I saw inspired me to pursue art in middle school, after which I tried out and got into SCAPA. From there my passion for the arts only grew, and soon after I discovered my love for film and new media. I also realized that I love the arts for it’s communities and the number of lovely people you can connect to. I love film for this same reason --It allows us to make connections through storytelling. If you ever see me at the gallery feel free to come say hello and tell me some of your favorite films. I'm a huge science fiction fan, I love star trek, star wars, x-files, etc. and one of my all time favorite movies is 2001: a space odyssey. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCRT3PCWL02DfELPbyU4o4w?view_as=subscriber https://annierose.net Author: Annie Kane Annie is one of our undergraduate interns this summer. She's currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh studying film and media production and astronomy and hopes to one day direct her own films/documentaries.  Photo owned by Aaron Reynolds
Hi reader! As part of our ongoing ‘Meet the Team’ series, I’ve been asked to write a little about myself. My name is Aaron Reynolds, and I’m an intern here at the Art League. I’ve been helping out since June and I’ve enjoyed getting to work both in the gallery and from home. Outside of LAL, I’m a grad student at the University of Kentucky working towards my MFA in Curatorial Studies. I’m also a TA in the School of Art and Visual Studies where I teach Intro to Visual Studies. Before starting grad school, I was an undergrad at UK. I majored in Art History and minored in German. I wish I could think of an interesting story or a definitive moment in which I knew I wanted to go into the arts, but I don’t think that I can. Growing up in Lexington and being a ballet student at SCAPA, going into the arts seemed just as natural as going into science or engineering. Though I’m not an artist in the traditional sense, I like curation because it allows me to express myself both creatively and academically. I see curating as a creative partnership between curators and artists, and I’m glad to work somewhere like the Art League where collaboration is so valued. When I manage to carve out some free time, I enjoy long distance running. There’s nothing I enjoy quite like a 10-mile run on a hot and humid Kentucky day. I had been training to run my first marathon last April, but like everything this year, those plans had to change. It’s an exciting (albeit anxious) time to be in the arts, as the pandemic has forced me to nix some old plans and develop some new ones. However, one cool thing to come out of all of this has been the opportunity to try new things. I’m grateful to be at the Art League, where everyone has encouraged me and (gently) pushed me to learn new skills (like blogging and website building!) I’m excited to continue learning and continue growing with the help and support of everyone at LAL. Author: Aaron Reynolds Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies.  Photo owned by Emily Neat As humans, we mark important moments of our life with rituals of transition and celebration. It goes without saying that the pandemic has drastically changed how we mark these milestones. For many high school seniors, their graduation memories will be defined by the cancellations and last-minute modifications that COVID-19 has required. For the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, one modified ritual has been their yearly Finale. This exciting concert, normally held in May, concludes the school year and celebrates the Orchestra’s graduating seniors. Since the 1970s, the concert has ended with the final movement from Josef Haydn’s Farewell Symphony as a tribute to the graduating class. The symphony is famous for the myth behind it, and the theatricality of its performance. In 1772, Haydn and his orchestra were staying at the summer palace of their patron, Prince Nikolaus I. When the composer’s musicians approached him with their desire to return to their families in Austria, Haydn worked their request into the composition of the symphony. It’s not clear on why he didn’t just bring this up to his patron, but his solution reveals his ingenuity. During the final adagio each musician stops playing, turns off their stand-light, and exits the stage so that at the end, only two muted violins are left playing. It’s a dramatic and striking end to a beautiful piece of music, and the metaphor is quite fitting for those leaving the orchestra.  Since the concert couldn’t be held in May this year, the Orchestra collectively decided to hold it in August as an outdoor performance. This allowed for safety regulations to be properly followed (social distance, fresh air, mask requirements, etc.) as well as the chance to enjoy a mild summer evening.
The Finale was a beautiful and moving tribute to CKYO’s talented graduates and a fitting end to a hot summer. The Lexington Art League was happy to host this event, and we’re grateful that we could offer a safe venue for this special event. As we grapple with the ever-changing landscape of our pandemic-stricken world, we believe that creative solutions will require interdisciplinary collaboration. The Art League believes that a thriving community is built on a thriving arts scene, and we’ll continue to be an advocate and partner for Lexington’s artists – performers, musicians, craftspeople, and writers. Author: Aaron Reynolds Aaron Reynolds is the curatorial intern for the Lexington Art League. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and visual studies from the University of Kentucky, and is now working towards an MFA in curatorial studies.  Photo owned by Emily Neat
Greetings! Emily Neat (not messy) here! As an intern at the League since January, I’ve been managing our social media accounts and keeping content flowing even when we’ve closed gallery doors, so I like to think I’ve been in communication with you, lovely reader, all along! This job has included creating tutorials and educational videos, being the legs of our mural hunt series, overseeing the creation and promotion of virtual gallery experiences, and more. I studied mathematics at Transylvania University, thinking art was behind me after my high school career. Then, a semester in Italy and a couple of classes with Jack Girard (also an Art League-r) later, my passions were rekindled! I wound up also earning a studio art minor, with a personal emphasis in painting. My long term objective is pursuing an MFA to become an university art instructor myself, though before then, my goal is to travel and teach English in Italy. I love it there so much! I’m so thankful for my time at the League. It has brought me many formative experiences, opportunities to self-start, and so many cool acquaintances. In fact, my favorite part about working with this organization is being surrounded by fellow artists. We’re all a little crazy! In a creative way! P.S. in my spare time (which is rare, no matter how hard I try?), I play golf and lead tours at Transy. I also just recently discovered playing “Rasputin” on Just Dance, which I cannot recommend more highly. Author: Emily Neat Emily Neat is an intern for the Lexington Art League. She is also a current student of the Transylvania University. |
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All Lexington Art League programs are made possible through the generous support of LexArts. LexArts allocation of $50,000 represents the largest single donation to the operations of the Lexington Art League.
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The Kentucky Arts Council, a state arts agency, provides operating support to the Lexington Art League with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by Lexington Parks & Recreation.
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