Art from the Heart to feature the Appalachian Region’s top folk artists

The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art will be holding its 45th Annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees from November 13-17 this year. Around 20 different trees will reflect folk art traditions and cultures as part of the museum’s Art from the Heart exhibit.

 

Described as the “best-attended event of the year,” OMFA Director Mary Bryan Hood said the Festival of Trees is comprised of trees created by local schools, organizations and floral designers.

 

There are several reasons why Art from the Heart is a fascinating, meaningful exhibit to check out. It highlights the two- and three-dimensional artwork created by non-academic folk artists from both Kentucky and other surrounding states that make up the Appalachian region.

 

According to OMFA Director Mary Bryan Hood, the museum has around 1,000 different pieces of work from “some of the top, mainstream folk artists in the country.” The museum will display between 200 and 300 of those pieces for its Art from the Heart exhibit.

 

The exhibit will primarily feature wood carvings, paintings and constructions. Hood said the folk art on display will be a wide variety of “contemporary” pieces from a number of well-known artists, including Kentucky’s own Minnie Adkins, who garnered widespread recognition for painted wood carvings of forest animals.

 

The exhibit will kick off with a Festival of Trees Preview Gala on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Hood described the Gala as a major fundraising event that also serves as a “really fun party” for those who attend. Guests can enjoy a cocktail buffet, live entertainment and a variety of fun activities throughout the night.

 

For the first time in the Festival of Trees’ 45-year history, the OMFA will hold an online Holiday Auction to take place from November 1-December 15 through the museum’s website. Hood said there will 30-40 objects that will be auctioned, ranging from fine jewelry to paintings to pieces of furniture.

 

This exhibit is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the Appalachian region’s best folk artists, and at only $3 per person, you really can’t afford to pass it up!