It's the most wonderful time of the year: Kentuck's annual Studio Artist Exhibition! Each December, our Studio Artists fill our Museum Gallery with their work from the year. These local, full-time artists rent space from Kentuck Art Center for below market value to help them make a living doing what they love. Kentuck’s Studio Artist Program fulfills all facets of our mission statement: perpetuate the arts, engage the community, and empower the artist.
This year, we have six artists participating in our Studio Artist Program: Neel Alexander, Alana Baldwin, Amy LeePard, Scott McQueen, Abi Brewer and Virginia Shirley. Also, for the first time, Kentuck's teaching artists Amy Smoot and Molly Nelko are participating in this annual show. We would love for you to see this show in-person, but if you're unable to visit the Museum Gallery right now, take a look at the work on display below.
Neel Alexander
"I believe my art performs best when it subtly blends many styles, influences, and media into something unique for that moment. A lot of my work uses themes of nature and historical popular culture references. The mediums I have been using most are acrylics, paint markers, and spray paint. I also enjoy making sculpture. I usually make those out of sculpey or foam and sometimes adhere them to found objects. My main process starts by writing down ideas throughout the day and later revising them into drawings. Depending on the idea in the drawing, I then choose a medium to start working with. When it all goes well, I finish with a fully realized illustration, painting, or sculpture."
Alana Baldwin
“I operate a small-edition letterpress shop and bindery. I work with themes of cause and effect and see to reconnect readers with the exploratory spirit of youth. In addition, I have a BFA in Graphic Design from Auburn University, an MFA in Book Arts from The University of Alabama, and over 9 years of cumulative professional experience working in various creative environments and industries.”
Amy LeePard
Amy LeePard is a book artist and letterpress printer who creates one-of-a-kind and limited edition handmade books and prints. Amy received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Book Arts from The University of Alabama in 2016. Her work incorporates printing processes that span the history of print technology from traditional printmaking to experimental processes for letterpress printing to modern giclée printing. As a hand bookbinder and papermaker, Amy has a special interest in historic book structures and paper sculpture.
Scott McQueen
Scott is an accomplished folk artist who was raised in Fayette, Alabama. He fondly recollects times during his childhood when he observed folk artist Jimmy Lee Sudduth create his now-famous mud paintings. Scott is a graduate of Samford University (B.A.), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div) and Luther Rice Seminary (D.Min). Scott is an ordained minister who lives in Nothport, Alabama. He has exhibited in Kentuck's Hotel Indigo Gallery and the Teer Gallery and can be seen demonstrating at the Kentuck Festival. He attends over 20 festivals every calendar year. He is a minister, and author of Reasonable Doubt — A Case for LGBTQ Inclusion in the Institutions of Marriage and Church.
Abi Brewer
“My paintings are often born out of self-reflection. Through meditating on experiences from my past – be it fairytales I grew up with, Chinese traditions my mother tenderly passed down, or memories from my experiences as a classical ballet dancer- I reference pieces of myself through whimsical portrayals of nature, culture, and the figure. I love the freedom that mixed media allows and how the combination of different materials reflect the concepts behind my work: combining dynamic materials and elements both physically and conceptually to create a harmonious narrative and image."
Virginia Shirley
Simple objects and scenes, such as a pear, a child holding a fish, a farmers field, or fresh cut flowers, hold equal appeal for Virginia, who divides her time between homes on Dauphin Island and in Tuscaloosa. Four categories…landscapes and seascapes, still life objects, figures, and abstracted scenes…provide the inspiration for the majority of her paintings. She is known for her flowing, rich use of vibrant color and lush brush strokes, usually with her subjects containing an element of impressionism and often against an abstracted background. Her award-winning work has been featured in numerous real estate show homes, juried shows, individual gallery exhibitions, and more than a dozen galleries across the South.
Kentuck's Teaching Artists:
Amy Smoot
Amy Smoot is the Clay Studio manager at Kentuck. She is from Carrollton, GA and currently resides in Tuscaloosa, AL. She received her BFA in ceramics from the University of West Georgia in 2015. While there, she was studio technician and research assistant in the ceramics area. In 2019 she received her MFA from The University of Alabama where she first began teaching ceramics as a graduate assistant. Her practice consists of all types of ceramics techniques including mold-making, slip-casting, hand building, and wheel thrown pottery.
Molly Nelko
A native of Mobile, AL, Molly Nelko has joined Kentuck’s staff as our Programming Manager, and has been teaching classes for all ages in studio 2 for three years. She attended Springhill College and received a BA in fine art with a focus on oil painting and printmaking. Her work has been in individual exhibitions from Portland, OR to Hilton Head SC, and can be found online. Molly currently lives in Tuscaloosa with her husband, three children, and cat Quill. She has experimented with many different forms of art, and some of her favorites are encaustic, tessellations, and ink wash. Molly currently works in her studio regularly, but her focus has become more about enjoying creative projects with her children.
Our Annual Studio Artist Exhibition is in Kentuck Art Center’s Museum Gallery until January 31, 2025. We encourage you to visit to see this work in person! See something you're interested in purchasing? Give us a call at 205-758-1257 or email us at kentuck@kentuck.org. Out staff is happy to help! Kentuck is open regular hours—Monday-Friday, 9:30-5:30 and Saturday-Sunday, 12-4. Please see below for our holiday closure.
Kentuck's Gallery Shop Holiday Hours 2024:
December 24: 9:30am-12pm
December 25-January 3rd: Closed
Kentuck Art Center's offices are closed Dec 24, 2024-Jan 5, 2025.
Escorts Service in Delhi provides the luxury of affordability at your doorsteps. Give in to your desires and enjoy the night with our hot Delhi escorts.
We must recognize that the act of searching for these Indian Girls Nude Pic validates the systems from which they come. It is our responsibility to challenge that paradigm. Instead of contributing to the problem, we need to actively promote resources and policies that support those who have been exploited, and to foster more respectful online interactions.
Delhi Escorts offer a discreet and exciting service. Our Escorts in Delhi are handpicked for their beauty and charm. Book now and experience ultimate satisfaction.
IT inventory software has become indispensable in my company’s operations. Total Network Inventory stands out with its ability to scan and organize assets effortlessly. It ensures nothing is overlooked and allows us to manage our IT resources effectively.
Softinventive's network inventory software download was a game-changer for my organization. The installation was smooth, and the software is highly effective in tracking all devices on our network. I can’t imagine going back to manual tracking methods after using this.