Arts Council
School children painted colorful canvases for Governor’s Derby Celebration

FRANKFORT, Ky. — In spite of the rains that curtailed the Governor's Derby Celebration, many children across Kentucky managed to capture the Derby spirit. In the weeks before the Derby, they had painted canvases intended to be tablecloths for 50 picnic tables on the Capitol lawn. The picnic tables were transformed into horses with the addition of painted heads and tails, and each table was adorned with a "horse blanket" for the event. Then the rains came, but they couldn't wash away the children's pride in their artwork.

The Kentucky Arts Council had invited schools to participate in the Derby art project on behalf of Gov. Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear, and canvases came in from all over the state.

"I just want all of the school children involved with this project to know how much the Governor and I appreciate their hard work," said First Lady Jane Beshear. "I wish everyone could see how beautiful these canvases are and how much they reflect a love of Kentucky and the Derby."

The Kentucky Arts Council has produced a slideshow of the "horse blankets" that can be viewed online at http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Derby/HorseBlankets/index.html.

Participating schools are:

• Benton Middle School, Marshall County
• Boyd County Middle School, Boyd County
• Bridgeport Elementary School, Franklin County
• Carlisle County Middle School, Carlisle County
• Crittenden County Elementary School, Crittenden County
• Crossroads Elementary School, Campbell County
• Cumberland County Elementary School, Cumberland County
• Frankfort High School, Franklin County
• Frankfort Middle School, Franklin County
• Franklin County High School, Franklin County
• Fulton Independent School, Fulton County
• Good Shepherd School, Franklin County
• Hannah McClure Elementary School, Clark County
• Hartstern Elementary School, Jefferson County
• Heath High School, McCracken County
• Hickman County Elementary School, Hickman County
• Jessamine Early Learning Village, Jessamine County
• Junction City Elementary, Boyle County
• Maryhurst School, Jefferson County
• Mayfield Elementary School, Graves County
• McKinney Elementary School, Lincoln County
• Prestonsburg Elementary School, Floyd County
• Reidland Middle School, McCracken County
• Shelby County High School, Shelby County
• The Kings Center, Franklin County
• West Jessamine Middle School, Jessamine County

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates 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:: Click on thumbnail to download print quality image. Photo: Horse picnic table for Governor's Derby Celebration with "blanket" painted by the 1st grade classes of Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Woods at Hannah McClure Elementary School, Winchester, Ky.

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