Sheldon Tapley is a popular artist that is best known nationally for his still-life paintings. After being born in Maracaibo, Venezuela in 1959, Tapley spent most of his childhood being raised in Europe before moving to North America. He attended college and got his bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Shortly after graduating, Sheldon Tapley attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he would receive his Masters in Fine Arts degree. In 1983, he received a job opportunity from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky where he is still a professor today.

While maintaining a teaching position, Sheldon Tapley has never lost focus on his true passion which is being an artist. Before finding his love of realism, Tapley worked in the areas of abstraction and also being a landscapist. Nowadays, his art depicts familiar objects in lively, yet complex compositions. His work has received notable awards such as the Al Smith Fellowship Award from the Kentucky Arts Council in 1998 and also the Martha & Merrit deJong Memorial Artist-in-Residence Award presented to him in 2004 by the Evansville Museum in Indiana. According to an article written by Bill Creevy for the American Artist magazine, “Tapley masterfully blends the discipline of a hard-earned classical technique with a vision that is thoroughly modern and personal.”

Most of Sheldon Tapley’s time outside of the studio these days is devoted to the teaching of his students at Centre College. He often assists his students by working alongside of them, painting or drawing from a figure. In the past couple of years, the figure has become a more important subject in his work. “Working with students and seeing things through their eyes keeps drawing fresh for me,” says Tapley.

To learn more, come join the Lexington Art League on Friday, January 29th, as we host Sheldon Tapley at our event: A Figure Study. Not only will his pieces be on display but he will also be in attendance to give a painting demonstration to the attendees.

Written by Chase Bisig, LAL Intern, University of Kentucky ISC student

At Artist Potluck, artists of all ages will come together to share ideas and fellowship over a community-centered meal. Just bring a friend, your creative mind, and your favorite dish!
 
The Loudoun House will serve as a casual gathering place for artists in the area to come together. The beauty of this event is that everyone will learn new ideas. Young artists will learn about the classic styles and techniques from older, more experienced artists while the older artists may pick up tips on how to use social media from the younger artists.
 
Psychologist Rollo May once said, “Communication leads to community. That is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.” The exchange of ideas and creativity will fill the air as local artists get acquainted with one another. This is a great way to network and learn how to market your art if you are a new or upcoming artist.
 
During the second hour of the event, attendees will experience the musical sounds of Will Solomon. Will is a Lexington artist that focuses on folk, soul, and bluegrass music. There is no better way to celebrate local artists than to hear the sounds of the bluegrass state.
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Will has a special connection to the Loudoun House as he attended art classes here as a young boy. His art filled the house then, as it will at this event. This fits with Artist Potluck’s theme of art connecting everyone at every age.
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Come join us for Artist Potluck on Thursday, January 28th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Loudoun House!
 
​Written by Blair Johnson, LAL Intern, University of Kentucky Journalism student
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Resolving to grow in self-confidence and awareness is a wonderful way to start the new year. This is exactly what the first exhibition of 2016 will focus on. Entitled Artist: Body, artists and the audience will examine themselves through the world of self-portraiture in contemporary art. The art and experience will allow them to step back and analyze their own images.
 
To kick off Artist: Body, the first event is called Fourth Friday: A Figure Study. This event will be held on January 22nd and will include an evening-long painting demonstration and participatory drawing classes, all accompanied by the live music of The Swells.
 
Sheldon Tapley, an artist and Professor at Centre College known for his still-life paintings, will lead the painting demonstration. His work has been shown in places such as Louisville, Sacramento and New York. According to his biography, Tapley works alongside his students, drawing or painting from a model. His focus on the figure makes him a great artist for A Figure Study.
 
Martin Beck will lead the participatory drawing classes. He focuses on the figure in many of his collections, including one called Modern Romance. Jerry Stein from the Cincinnati Post commented on his work by saying, “In some of his pictures, figures seem to be coming out of the paintings to join the living.”
 
The audience will turn into the artists in the Miriam Woolfolk gallery. Mirrors will cover the room and guests will have the opportunity to create self-portraits of themselves.  
 
Audience interaction will continue with selfie sticks that will be available near the band. These bring the idea of self-portraiture into the technology world and open up another layer of self-exploration.
 
The Swells is a band from Lexington known for taking their listeners to another time and place. Attendees at A Figure Study will hear the band’s blues, jazz and swing sounds float through the Loudoun House as they explore the different eras and mediums of self-portraiture. The Swells’ latest album, called Public Domain, covers music by Mississippi John Hurt, Erroll Garner, Marty Robbins, and many others.
 
These artists, as well as a cash bar and appetizers provided by Bella Notte will make A Figure Study a night to remember.
 
Come out to experience A Figure Study on January 22nd from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Loudoun House. 

Written by Blair Johnson, LAL Intern, University of Kentucky Journalism student