ACB

News release

The Art Center of the Bluegrass continues to develop innovative online programs even as the organization welcomes visitors back to the building for classes and exhibits. On July 29, the Art Center will host a virtual gallery talk with Louisville artists Billy Hertz and Kayla Bischoff.

Hertz and Bischoff are among 14 regional abstract artists whose work is featured in the Open to Interpretation exhibit currently on display at the Art Center. This invitation exhibit showcases non-objective abstract art in a variety of media including painting, fiber art, glass, and metal.

Executive Director Niki Kinkade explains that gallery talks are intended to demystify the artistic process and enhance understanding of the exhibits. “I think it’s good for people to meet working artists,” says Kinkade. “Hearing an artist explain what inspires them or how they create a particular effect in their pieces can provide a much deeper appreciation of that work.”

The mission of the Art Center of the Bluegrass is to connect people to art, culture, and creativity. Kinkade says that offering this gallery talk virtually offers flexibility to both the presenting artists and the public. The online format allows artists from outside of Danville to participate more easily – especially in light of the public health challenges posed by the coronavirus – and also makes it possible for community members to engage with the artists while maintaining social distancing.

Billy Hertz is the creative force behind Galerie Hertz which operates in the Smoketown neighborhood of Louisville. He explains that the abstract paintings he submitted to the show are “actually landscape paintings, which have become far removed from any traditional definition of that genre, yet still maintain a slender but sustaining thread to the concept of representational image.” The color fields of his mixed media pieces are accentuated by collage elements, rendering a dash of topical relief to the “terrain.”

Kayla Bischoff explains that her artwork explores individual and social psychology through a combination of figuration and abstraction. She says, “While my paintings are informed by the anxieties of the zeitgeist, I want them to be playful and approachable, to capture the intertwined nature of life’s joys and woes.” 

Her pieces respond to current events and the realities of contemporary communication. “I think of the crowds as reflecting both real life groups of people and those inhabiting the internet — I want the cartoonish figures to evoke the mob mentality of the online world in the wake of “fake news” and misinformation.”

During the one-hour event, facilitated via Zoom, Bischoff and Hertz will share their creative process and inspiration and answer questions from attendees. Interested community members should email Kate Snyder (kate@artcenterky.org) to request the access link. The Open to Interpretation Exhibit is viewable both in-person and online through August 14. The virtual exhibit is accessible at www.artcenterky.org/open-to-interpretation.