The Big Tent

2014 featured Big Tent Artists Daniel Graham (left) and Darrell Kincer (right).

The Woodland Art Fair presented by Nancy Barron and Nancy Barron & Associates has become a staple event for Lexington in the summer.  This year marks the 40th anniversary of celebrating 200 artists along with live music, food, and community activities.  Beginning in 2013, a new tradition was added to the fair: The Big Tent.

The Big Tent is a one-of-a-kind experience for local artists that have yet to be introduced into the Woodland Art Fair.  Each year, four artists are selected to participate in the “Big Tent.”  We, at the Lexington Art League, choose artists that would be a good fit for the fair and would greatly benefit from this learning opportunity.  These artists are given the chance to sell their individual work without paying the application or booth fees; they are also omitted from the jury process and ineligible for awards.

In the past, Big Tent Artists have included: Elizabeth Foley, Sarah Heller, Darrell Kincer, Margaret and Josh Smith at Dovetail, Daniel Graham, Rachel Elliot, Cricket Press, and Lennon Michalski.  Some of these artists enjoyed their experience as a Big Tent Artist in the past and have applied to be artists featured at this years Woodland Art Fair.  You can also find some of these artists on our website or at the Community Supported Art (CSA) Shop.

The Woodland Art Fair never has a shortage of talent and the Big Tent is no exception.  The Artists chosen for the 2015 Big Tent are: Matthew Cook of Borderstate, Dronex Inc, David Kenton Kring, and Sarah Jane Sanders.

Matthew Cook began his company, Borderstate Made, right here in Lexington, Kentucky.  Each piece is individually crafted by hand using materials specifically selected for wear and tear.  When an item has reached completion, a six-digit number is stamped on the piece to reflect the date, a guarantee of durability and longevity. 

If you’ve taken a stroll through Lexington before, you may recognize this group of artists featured in the Big Tent this year.  Dronex Inc is an artist collective that was founded in 2004.  Their work hopes to inspire a wide range of audiences to recognize and embrace the absurdity in our reality.  Whether in a gallery or on the side of a building, the artists of Dronex Inc take advantage of providing art in any surrounding.

Lexington resident David Kenton Kring works with ceramics and mixed media.  Kring fell in love with creating by hand when studying at Transylvania University.  He often uses dark humor and storytelling in his figures.  Kring takes advantage of a wide range of human emotions through facial expressions in his work.  His goal is to portray a deeper connection with the viewer through narratives.

Finally, we have Sarah Jane Sanders.  She is a local food and editorial photographer and is currently featured at the Loudoun House as a part of the FEAST: Pleasure + Ritual + Hunger Exhibit.  After being mentored by a local photographer, Sanders began to understand her strengths as a visual artist through the lens.  Her style is simplistic, natural, and will probably have your mouth watering.

Visit each of these artists at the 40th Anniversary of the Woodland Art Fair presented by Nancy Barron and Nancy Barron & Associates in the Big Tent located in the central-most part of the park on Saturday August 15th and Sunday August 16th.