Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
Free Guided Gallery Tour Sept. 10 at Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea will offer visitors and travelers free guided gallery tours through the center’s two current special exhibits on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Sept. 10 is the last day to view the center’s lobby exhibition, LaVon Williams: Kentucky Folk Artist - Works from the Kentucky Folk Art Center at Morehead State University Collection. This exhibit showcases a wide range of carved wood sculptures created by Williams. Remembered by many for his skill and ability as a member of the University of Kentucky basketball team that won the NCAA championship in 1978, Williams creates powerful low-relief, carved wood sculptures.

The tour also includes the center’s exhibition, An Artful Array: Bowls by Kentucky Artisans. This exhibit showcases a wide range of works created by 41 Kentucky artisans working in clay, wood, glass, fiber and stone. Bowls included are both functional and nonfunctional with some works becoming pure sculpture.

These free guided exhibit tours will be led by the center’s Information Specialist Gwen Heffner, who will talk about the exhibitions, the artists and individual works. Heffner will answer questions about the techniques and various processes used to create these bowls. Each 15-minute tour is given at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.

Also of interest on Sept. 10, Cathy Vigor of Lexington will be demonstrating Silk Shibori Dyeing from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located at 200 Artisan Way, just off Interstate 75 at exit 77. The center’s exhibits, shopping and travel information areas are all open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the café from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The center currently features works by more than 650 artisans from 100 counties across the Commonwealth. For more information call 859-985-5448 or visit the center’s website at www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov.

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is an agency in the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.