13 artists added to Kentucky Crafted Directory
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2022) — For artists Kenneth Burney of Lexington and Debra Redden of Stearns, being added to the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Crafted Directory was a signal that they had achieved a new level in their respective disciplines.
“This is an amazing time. Can’t say it any other way,” said Burney, who has lived in Kentucky for 10 years after moving from the Detroit area. In his four-decade career as an artist, he had done graphic design, murals, and even airbrush work on clothing. In recent years, he took his creativity in a new direction, adding painting to his toolbox.
Burney’s work centers around jazz musicians set against colorful backgrounds. His interest in art stems from visits to the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) with his mother starting at age six. He was struck by the work of muralist Diego Rivera.
“I’ve always wanted to paint, from that first moment of seeing those huge murals in the DIA. To now be juried in as a member of Kentucky Crafted all these decades later is amazing.”
Inclusion in Kentucky Crafted, an adjudicated arts marketing assistance program, provides visual and craft artists with arts business training, networking, sales, exhibits and promotional opportunities. Adjudicated visual and craft artists also become eligible to exhibit at The Kentucky Crafted Market, an annual showcase of the best in Kentucky visual art and craft.
Redden, who makes corn shuck dolls, has carried on a tradition handed down to her from her grandmother, who was one of the original members of Kentucky Crafted.
“Because of that, the Kentucky Crafted logo always meant quality. You were putting forth your best work; you’re the best of the best, and not everyone gets in,” she said. “I was originally scared to apply. I never viewed my dolls as being as good as my grandmother’s. She was hard-core, though. If you had rough edges, if something wasn’t fitting right, if the arms were not the right length, she’d let you know. That helped push me.”
Artists who juried into Kentucky Crafted in 2021 are:
- Amelia Arenson (Haunts of Nature), Lawrenceburg, mixed media;
- Frank Barry, Hustonville, wood/sculpture;
- Kenneth Burney (Ken Burney Art), Lexington, painting;
- Sebastian Duverge (Sebastian Duverge Studios), Louisville, mixed media;
- Linda Harbison, Flatwoods, painting;
- Elizabeth Kurtz (Highland Pottery), Louisville, ceramics;
- Debra Redden (Enchanting Corn Shuck Dolls), Stearns, fiber;
- Dawna Scripps (Dawna Scripps Creations), Lexington, mixed media;
- Larry Smith (Reckollect Photography), Pendleton, photography;
- Valerie Timmons, Crestwood, painting;
- Stephen Wiggins (Wiggins Artwork), Lexington, graphics;
- Scott Thomas Wilson, Lexington, wood; and
- Melanie Wisdom (Mel’s Art Works), Lexington, painting.
For more information on Kentucky Crafted, contact Dave Blevins at david.blevins@ky.gov or 502-892-3120.
###
|
