Arts Council
Kentucky Arts Council awards Fellowships to visual and media artists

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Arts Council has awarded Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship awards of $7,500 each to seven Kentucky visual and media artists.

The purpose of the Fellowship program is to support Kentucky artists engaged in creating artwork of high quality and to recognize creative excellence in practicing, professional Kentucky artists. The fellowship awards are named after retired Kentucky journalist and past arts council board chair, Al Smith.

The six visual artists and one media artist selected from the 92 applicants are:

• Morgan Atkinson, Media Arts, Louisville
• Tina Gebhart, Clay, Berea
• Lori Larusso, Painting, Lexington
• Matthew Maynard, Metal, Lawrenceburg
• Kathleen O’Brien, Mixed Media, Harrodsburg
• Hunter Stamps, Sculpture, Lexington
• Mark Whitley, Wood, Smiths Grove
  

New and emerging artists were also selected in a separate category of awards for artistic excellence. The three visual artists and one media artist receiving the $1,000 awards are:

• Matthew Gaddie, Clay, Bardstown
• Shawn Lind, Media Arts, Jenkins
• Gena Mark, Fiber, Lexington
• Amelia Stamps, Clay, Lexington
  
  

The selection process for the Fellowship Awards and Emerging Artists Awards uses a "blind jurying" system that does not provide the selection panel with applicants' names; the panel reviews the work samples and applications according to application numbers only. Criteria for the awards include artistic excellence, professional achievement and the potential of the award to enhance the artist's development and encourage the continuation of the artist's work.

In alternate years, the Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships and Emerging Artist Awards are available to writers, composers, choreographers and interdisciplinary artists.

For more information about the Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship Program or other Kentucky Arts Council opportunities for artists, contact Individual Artist Program Director Tamara Coffey at tamara.coffey@ky.gov or 502-564-3757, ext. 479.

The Kentucky Arts Council is the state arts agency, creating opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Sample images of work by Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship Award recipients are provided below. Click the thumbnails to download a print quality image. Contact information for artist interviews is available upon request to Ed Lawrence at ed.lawrence@ky.gov. or (502) 564-3757, ext. 473.

Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship Award Recipients
		Morgan Atkinson Media Arts Atkinson is currently working on a documentary of artist/naturalist Harlan Hubbard. The photo of Anna and Harlan Hubbard, circa 1944, is provided courtesy of George Bartnick.
		Tina Gebhart Clay Soft lobed pitcher
		Lori Larusso Painting “Your Pride, My Lioness”
		Matthew Maynard Metal Italianate Railing
		Kathleen O’Brien Mixed Media “Blackbird Fly to the Light of the Dark Black Night, for J. Lennon”
		Hunter Stamps Sculpture - Clay “Velvet Aberrations”
		Mark Whitley Wood Cherry Cabinet on Stand

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