PHOTO ESSAY BY
RAIHA BAJWA

Tucked away downtown in Northport Al., The Kentuck Festival of the Arts is an annual event that showcases the work of artists from every corner of the nation. One of the biggest art festivals in the country, Kentuck welcomes nationally and internationally acclaimed artists of all mediums, from paintings and sculptures, to furniture and jewelry, and everything in between, there is something there for everybody. This year the festival celebrated its 43rd year with over 270 artists during a cool October weekend full of self-expression, live music, and good food.

Artist: Kowit Jitpraphai

Artist: Kowit Jitpraphai

Artist Mary L. Proctor started creating her work after the loss of her loved ones. Each piece tells a story from her personal life and hopes to give a message that Proctor thinks people need to hear; a message of hope and peace. She tries to keep the spirit of her grandmother alive through the writing in her work. “I have to write, it’s my passion,” Proctor said. “I grew up writing for my grandmother, to make her happy and I think I’m doing the same thing now.”

Artist Mary L. Proctor started creating her work after the loss of her loved ones. Each piece tells a story from her personal life and hopes to give a message that Proctor thinks people need to hear; a message of hope and peace. She tries to keep the spirit of her grandmother alive through the writing in her work. “I have to write, it’s my passion,” Proctor said. “I grew up writing for my grandmother, to make her happy and I think I’m doing the same thing now.”

Charlie Lucas has been returning to Kentuck for 30 years, bringing with him his work that is created from different scraps and things people might not want. Each year Lucas has set up the same booth in between the same two trees at the park. “I won’t let them move me because I raised my kids in the back, it’s my home,” Lucas said. “I only get it for a weekend but hey, how many people get a home like this.”

Charlie Lucas has been returning to Kentuck for 30 years, bringing with him his work that is created from different scraps and things people might not want. Each year Lucas has set up the same booth in between the same two trees at the park. “I won’t let them move me because I raised my kids in the back, it’s my home,” Lucas said. “I only get it for a weekend but hey, how many people get a home like this.”

Victor Edwards was already making his signature rope swings by the time he was a senior in college and after 42 years he is still a one-man show. Though his designs have evolved since he started, his ideas have always been his own. “I have no employees and never have,” Edwards said. “I don’t want to be a manager, I want to be a craftsmen so that’s what I like.”

Victor Edwards was already making his signature rope swings by the time he was a senior in college and after 42 years he is still a one-man show. Though his designs have evolved since he started, his ideas have always been his own. “I have no employees and never have,” Edwards said. “I don’t want to be a manager, I want to be a craftsmen so that’s what I like.”

Artist Dion Hitchings came to Kentuck as a collector 15 years ago, after which he decided, “it was now or never.” He began his second childhood and began creating things with only children’s arts supplies such as magic markers and crayons. His portraits of animals, and more specifically chickens, started with a present. .”A dear friend gave me this Extraordinary Chicken book and I was just amazed,” Hitchings said. “It just got me going and now I’m addicted, I don’t even have to look at a picture to draw one anymore.”

Artist Dion Hitchings came to Kentuck as a collector 15 years ago, after which he decided, “it was now or never.” He began his second childhood and began creating things with only children’s arts supplies such as magic markers and crayons. His portraits of animals, and more specifically chickens, started with a present. .”A dear friend gave me this Extraordinary Chicken book and I was just amazed,” Hitchings said. “It just got me going and now I’m addicted, I don’t even have to look at a picture to draw one anymore.”

Artist Leif Johansen didn’t enter the art world until two years ago, and this year was the first with his own booth at the festival. What started as a hobby turned into a full time thing. “Things just started picking up steam and getting more and more interesting and quite frankly the more you do it, almost anything you do, the better you get so as my work started improving, the more interest I started getting,” Johansen said. “I was just so busy that going into my restaurant job seemed like a waste of time.”

Artist Leif Johansen didn’t enter the art world until two years ago, and this year was the first with his own booth at the festival. What started as a hobby turned into a full time thing. “Things just started picking up steam and getting more and more interesting and quite frankly the more you do it, almost anything you do, the better you get so as my work started improving, the more interest I started getting,” Johansen said. “I was just so busy that going into my restaurant job seemed like a waste of time.”

Artist Katherine Linn has been printmaking for 25 years, since she was introduced to it in high school. “I loved that it was backwards, because I’m left-handed and I think that helps,” Linn said. “It was cool to my mind, and the idea that you can make more than one of something was exciting to me.”

Artist Katherine Linn has been printmaking for 25 years, since she was introduced to it in high school. “I loved that it was backwards, because I’m left-handed and I think that helps,” Linn said. “It was cool to my mind, and the idea that you can make more than one of something was exciting to me.”

Artist Mary McGinley has been painting for 38 years. She derives her inspiration from dreams and little aspects of real life. This particular piece started with a shadow that to McGinley looked like a bear with a guitar on its back. “It took about two years to manifest,” she said. “I don’t like to do just one of anything so I ended up with three women, then it couldn’t be one bear and three women so he had to get his friends to come in.”

Artist Mary McGinley has been painting for 38 years. She derives her inspiration from dreams and little aspects of real life. This particular piece started with a shadow that to McGinley looked like a bear with a guitar on its back. “It took about two years to manifest,” she said. “I don’t like to do just one of anything so I ended up with three women, then it couldn’t be one bear and three women so he had to get his friends to come in.”

For 30 years artist Steve Shepard has been using color pencils and black ink to create his work. The work on display is done on planks of a cypress tree that washed up near his home during Hurricane Katrina. “It came to us, we didn’t go to it,” Shepard said. “I started working on the cypress in 2007 and here it is in 2014 and I’m just about finished with the tree.”

For 30 years artist Steve Shepard has been using color pencils and black ink to create his work. The work on display is done on planks of a cypress tree that washed up near his home during Hurricane Katrina. “It came to us, we didn’t go to it,” Shepard said. “I started working on the cypress in 2007 and here it is in 2014 and I’m just about finished with the tree.”

Artist Miz Thang has always loved working with her hands, and isn’t afraid of putting anything out there. Many of her pieces feature different rhymes and prose, and showcase an interest in people who might be considered “freaks.” “I like to see who people are, I don’t want you to hide and try to pretend to be something,” Thang said. “And I think that’s why I like the freaks and stuff, they weren’t afraid to show who they are.”

Artist Miz Thang has always loved working with her hands, and isn’t afraid of putting anything out there. Many of her pieces feature different rhymes and prose, and showcase an interest in people who might be considered “freaks.” “I like to see who people are, I don’t want you to hide and try to pretend to be something,” Thang said. “And I think that’s why I like the freaks and stuff, they weren’t afraid to show who they are.”

Artist Henry Warner creates his work by sculpting wood and using unique casts, like that of an alligator head. In the 80’s Warner was studying film and doing music videos before easing into the art world. “I’ve always been an artist, it’s hard not to be,” he said. “When you get to this point, you become comfortable [with your work] and it just becomes your art.”

Artist Henry Warner creates his work by sculpting wood and using unique casts, like that of an alligator head. In the 80’s Warner was studying film and doing music videos before easing into the art world. “I’ve always been an artist, it’s hard not to be,” he said. “When you get to this point, you become comfortable [with your work] and it just becomes your art.”

THE NEXT KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 17th-18th, 2015

THE NEXT KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 17th-18th, 2015