Capitol hallways an ever-changing gallery of Kentucky works by state’s artists

More than 50 Kentucky artists, including 12 from Lexington, have their work on display in the State Capitol building in Frankfort.

The second exhibit in the Team Kentucky Gallery, which comprises two of the main hallways in the Capitol, opened at the beginning of January and will run until June 30. Hanging in the gallery means the works are now being seen daily by state legislators and visitors to the Capitol during the 2022 legislative session.

The gallery was created to foster, “a sense of connectedness and feelings of pride in our commonwealth in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic,” according to a news release from the office of Gov. Andy Beshear.

“As I walk the halls of the Capitol each day, I find myself pleased by and proud of the fantastic artwork that Kentuckians have shared with us,” Beshear said in the release. “Our people contribute every day to helping one another, and this is just one more example of how these folks, by sharing their stories through their art, can lift the spirits of their fellow Kentuckians and provide the rest of us with windows into their worlds.”

There are natural scenes of Kentucky throughout the exhibit, such as the lush “Springtime in Kentucky” by Kathleen Esser of Lexington, “Hills of Home” by Linda Fifield of McKee, and “Harrod’s Creek Reflections” by Kathleen Sauer of Prospect. There are also tributes like “Buddy,” Chris Thomas’ environmental portrait of his wife’s grandfather, and “Nick Coleman,” Kevin Osbourn’s painting of a a late Henry County farmer known for working his farm with draft horses. Of course, there are plenty of horses in the exhibit, along with abstracts, still lifes, and other styles from Kentucky’s diverse community of artists.

Folks who cannot get to Frankfort for the exhibit can see it online at governor.ky.gov/gallery, but it is always most satisfying to see art works in person. You can also see the pieces in the first Team Kentucky exhibit there. The Governor’s office said information on submissions for the Fall 2022 exhibit will be posted on the gallery page soon.

Six Kentucky organizations receive NEA grants

Two Danville entities and two Lexington groups are among the six Kentucky recipients of American Rescue Plan Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Art Center of the Bluegrass and Pioneer Playhouse in Danville each received $50,000 grants. Lexington’s Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning received $50,000 and the Central Music Academy received a $100,000 grant. Frankfort’s Josephine Sculpture Park received $100,000, and Louisville’s StageOne Family Theatre received $150,000. Nationwide the NEA awarded almost $57.8 million to 567 arts and cultural organizations to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK Opera returns to Opera House stage

The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre returns to the Lexington Opera House stage for its first fully staged opera performance since the pandemic began with Giacomo Puccini’s “La Bohème” for four performances March 3-5. The opera should strike an interesting tone as the leading woman, Mimi, is dying of tuberculosis, such a dreaded disease in the 19th century it figured into the plots of several operas. “Bohème” was the basis for Jonathan Larson’s iconic 1990s musical “Rent,” in which the AIDS epidemic was pivotal to the story. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. March 3 and 4 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on March 5. Visit lexingtonoperahouse.com or call 859-233-3535 for tickets.

Calling all CKYO alumni

The Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras are gearing up to celebrate their 75th anniversary in the 2022-23 season, and they want to hear from Alumni. At ckyo.org/alumni-survey the orchestra wants to get current contact information as well as memories of your time in CKYO and interest in participating in alumni orchestras. You can also contact CKYO at 859-254-0796 or mailto:ckyo@ckyo.org.

Want to nominate someone for Lexington’s Arts Awards?

Arts Connect is soliciting nominees for its second annual edition of Lexington’s Arts Awards. Last year, the winners were LaVon Van Williams Jr. for the Arts Impact and Contribution Award in Visual Arts, Jenny Fitzpatrick in for the Arts Impact and Contribution Award in Performing Arts, Katerina Stoykova-Klemer for the Arts Impact and Contribution Award in Literary Arts, Larry and Vivian Snipes of Lexington Children’s Theatre for the Arts Educator Award and Kathy Plomin and Jennifer Mossotti for the Arts Benefactor Award. Nominations are open through April 11 in the same categories and the awards will be presented July 21. Visit artsconnectlex.org to find out more and submit nominations.

Crystal Wilkinson wins NAACP award

Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson, of Lexington, has won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry for her book “Perfect Black.” The book is an homage to Wilkinson’s rural roots in Southern Appalachia and was published by the University Press of Kentucky. “Perfect Black” also received the Thomas D. Clark Medallion Award.

Rich Copley is a former arts writer and editor for the Herald-Leader who continues to enjoy Lexington’s arts and culture.