February Kentuck Newsletter

Dear Supporters, This month, we invite you to join us on Feb. 7 for Art Night to enjoy paintings by Joni Gruber and Amy Swartz, and to make one-of-a-kind glass heart pendants with Linda Munoz. On Feb. 16, you can take your children on a cultural trip to Ghana --- complete with drums, dance and jewelry making --- during our Kentuck for Kids event. And don’t forget about workshops! Lorrie Lane will provide a model for local artists during the second session of her “It Figures” class, and people can sign up for Emily Mitchell’s March “Painting Pet Portraits in Acrylics” class. Members of the Clay Place community clay studio can take a glazing workshop from resident artist Kerry Kennedy. Be sure to “like” the Kentuck Museum Association on Facebook to get updates about what’s new in programming and in the Gallery Shop. I hope to see you soon!

Calendar of events Kentuck Art Night

Thursday, Feb. 7th, 5-9 p.m. at The Kentuck Art Center We open “Earth and Beyond” by Joni Gruber in the Main Avenue Gallery and “Corpus Sylva” by Amy Swartz in the Georgine Clarke Gallery. Gruber creates semi-abstract encaustic paintings of landscapes and celestialscapes.Swartz considers her mixed media work to be a combination of low brow, Southern folk, and fantasy genres. Come listen to guitar by Ian Bittner and see work by Clay Place members Joe McComb and Kay Smith. Guests can make glass heart pendants in a workshop conducted by Linda Munoz (cost $15 plus tax), and have them ready for Valentine’s Day. See more workshop details under “Upcoming workshops.”

About Kentuck

NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS BIG DOG Jack & Emily Leigh MUSEUM Lisa LeCount & John Blitz ART CENTER Kenneth and Pat Kuntz Kathy R. Grissom Bill & Becky Smith Jean Spruill & Benton Gup Stacy Morgan GALLERY Mr. & Mrs. Scott M. Phelps Mr. & Mrs. Eric Wilson Bobby & Cathy Wooldridge Mr. Chipper Hoyt Ernie and Betty Shipe STUDIO Greg & Kim Pearson Dr. David Nelson Ms. Harriette B. Crunk

503 Main Avenue, Northport, Alabama 35476 www.kentuck.org, Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday

Kentuck for Kids - Ghana

Saturday, Feb. 16th, noon-3 p.m., at the Kentuck Art Center

CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT

The Kentuck for Kids International Series continues its world tour with a stop in Ghana. The UA African Drumming Ensemble will do a demonstration/workshop 1-1:30 p.m. and 2-2:30 p.m. Children can learn dance steps, make beaded bracelets using authentic handdyed beads from Ghana and create masks. No registration required. Visit www.kentuck.org for more details.

Children attending the international series receive passports for the yearlong journey, to be stamped at the event each month. 10 stamps will result in a prize at the end of the year. Free admission.

Upcoming workshops “Don’t Break My Heart! Make Your Own Glass Art Valentine”

Looking for a special Valentine’s gift? How about a handmade glass heart? Make an original one with glass artist Linda Munoz at Kentuck on Art Night. Finished pendants will be ready to pick up at the Kentuck Gallery Shop on Feb. 9.

When: 5-8 p.m., Feb 7 (during Art Night) Where: The Georgine Clarke Building Registration: None required, quantities are limited.

Instructed by: Glass artist Linda Munoz Cost: $15 plus tax ($16.35)

“It Figures”

Non-instructional drawing/painting sessions with clothed model.

When: Mondays, Feb 11-25, 6:308:30 p.m.

Where: Georgine Clarke Building, Led by: Kentuck resident artist Lorrie Lane.

Cost: $45 Registration: Call Lorrie at 292-3177 to register, or email lorrieslane@gmail.com.

“Demystifying Glazes”

Workdays to learn about glazes, open to Clay Place members only Instructed by: Kentuck resident artist Kerry Kennedy.

When: Sundays, Feb. 3-24, 2 - 5 p.m.

Cost: $5/class (includes supplies) Registration: Call the Kentuck office at 205758-1257 or email kentuck@kentuck.org.

“Painting Pet Portraits in Acrylics” Learn to paint a dog and cat that are currently up for adoption. Acrylics on canvas.

When: Saturday, March 2 (cats) and Saturday, March 9 (dogs), 9 a.m.-noon Where: Georgine Clarke Building Instructed by: Emily Mitchell.

Cost: $35 per session, $70 for both sessions (includes supplies) Registration: Call the Kentuck office at 205-758-1257 or email kentuck@kentuck.org by Feb. 23rd.

MEET THE ARTIST: Lorrie Lane Lorrie Lane, became a Kentuck studio artist in Dec. 2010. Before that, she volunteered with Kentuck and had been friends with the other studio artists. Back in 1994, when she was a partner at the Renaissance Gallery, she teamed up with Craig Nutt and Steve Davis to plan the first Art Night. You can normally find her in her studio Monday-Friday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Visit www.lorrielane.com and “like” Lorrie Lane Studio on Facebook.

Q: Where are you from and what brought you to Kentuck?

A: I grew up in upstate N.Y. I went to college in Massachusetts, where I met my husband, Alan Lane.

We moved to Tuscaloosa in 1986 when he accepted a job teaching Chemical Engineering at UA. I looked for art activities and found Kentuck soon after we moved here.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I’m working on some larger-scale still life paintings and continuing my series of landscapes of the area by the Black Warrior River. I’ve also been completing several portrait commissions.

Q: Tell us about your “It Figures” class.

A: My figure class is finished for Jan.. The next series of 3 sessions begins Feb. 11 with a new model. We had a good turn-out for the class and hope to continue through the spring.

Q: Which artists inspire you?

A: I am inspired by many artists, including Maxfield Parrish, Degas, Chardin, John Twachtman, Wayne Theibaud, Janet Fish, and William Morris. I admit that that’s a strange list! I also am inspired by all of the art and artists at Kentuck.

Q: How did you become an professional artist?

A: Like many artists I began painting as a child and then never quit. I became a professional artist gradually. I painted part-time while my children were young, and have been painting full-time for several years.

Q: What do you listen to when your are painting?

A: I like to listen to music while I paint, particularly instrumental. I often have on jazz or classical music.

Sometimes when I become involved in a painting, I start humming along to the music -- I hope no one hears me!

Q: What do you like to do when you are not painting?

A: When I’m not painting, I love to garden. Just give me a shovel and some plants and I’m happy. I read a lot, too. Even though my children are older, they still need my attention, so I have plenty of ‘Mom’ things to do. My daughter, Liz Lane Bryan, is working at an art gallery in Birmingham (Four Seasons) and represents my paintings there. She has been painting some of her own as well. My son, Charles, is at Northridge High School and is an avid movie maker. I’m often driving him to film locations, or “catering” for his film crew.

Copyright © 2012 Kentuck Art Center, All rights reserved.