Artists Talk with LVA: October 16, 2025

Darren Harbour is many things, actor, wrestler, physical therapist, and accessibility consultant, but he joins us this week to discuss the Clifton Multisensory Art Project. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM / Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Darren Harbour, also known as Darren The Inspirer, is a theatre and performing artist, as well as the founder of Imagine Blind Players. and a Disability and Inclusion Specialist. He is also a massage therapist.

Through my work, Darren promotes authentic inclusion, creates reputable art for all artists, and challenges the limitations uniformly placed on people with disabilities.

The Clifton Multisensory Art Project is a culmination of the collaboration between three artists and long-time residents of Clifton: Liz Richter, Kristen Falkirk, and Darren. 

Artists Talk with LVA: March 6, 2025

Jamarr Cox opens an exhibit at Kore Gallery on March 7 & Suzanne Sidebottom opens one at Pyro on March 8. Both will join us this week. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Dreaming in the Dark and Beyond by Jamarr Cox, opens Friday from 6 - 8:30 pm at Kore Gallery.

Jamarr Cox was one of the artists in the 2023 Art in City Hall exhibit. Cox is a Louisville native who has been creating art as far back as he can remember. He holds a degree in Commercial Art and is currently a web / UI developer by day. 

Pyro Gallery opens Just Imagine, from Suzanne Sidebottom &. Beth Sharpe. There will be a reception Friday from 5:30-8:30 pm, and an Artist Talk Saturday, March 8, from 2-3 pm.

Suzanne Sidebottom is a trompe l’oeil clay artist. The artworks are not real, yet they still evoke a memory of time and place for the viewer. Everyday objects are realistically crafted from clay and printed with underglazes using antique and artist-designed printing blocks and artist-made decals. These objects are rich with texture and make the viewer want to reach out and touch them as if they are real. She has exhibited across the U.S. over the past seven years in over 60 juried and invitational exhibitions; had two solo exhibitions; and was published in “500 Prints on Clay: An inspiring Collection of Image Transfer Work.” Her sculptures are in numerous public and private collections.

Artists Talk with LVA: February 27, 2025

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritageexhibits “From Red Earth to Prophetic Creations: James G, Bennett Paintngs 1976-2024” and the artist and his daughter, Dr. Jabani Bennett, joined us this week. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

James G. Bennett is a seasoned and self-taught interdisciplinary artist, whose creative journey spans over four decades. A master of diverse mediums, he experimented for decades while working full-time as a chemical technician for industrial plants in Rubbertown, Louisville’s district.

As a community photographer, he was mentored by the legendary Bud Dorsey and a cadre of unsung local photographers. His deep-rooted connection to the city is further cemented by his role as a co-founder of the groundbreaking Black-led modeling, entertainment, and photography collective, Black Exposure (1970s-1980s.) 

Artists Talk with LVA: June 20, 2024

On June 28 The Speed Museum will open Louisville's Black Avant-Garde: William M. Duffy, a solo retrospective of Duffy's work. Duffy and Speed Curator fari nzinga will join us in the studio to talk about this important exhibit. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

LOUISVILLE'S BLACK AVANT-GARDE: WILLIAM M. DUFFY

June 28 through September 29 at The Speed Museum

William M. Duffy is a lifelong resident of Louisville, KY. After graduating from high school in 1971, he enrolled in the Louisville School of Art in Anchorage, KY to pursue his interest in drawing and painting. Upon graduating with a B.F.A. in Painting in 1976, 

Duffy has always shared his talents by teaching, and over the past 40+ years he has taught all ages from every social and economic background. In February 1997, he received an official commendation from the Board of Education for "sharing his outstanding artistic gifts with students and staff in the Jefferson County Public Schools". In 2018, Duffy was one of the first artists to be awarded Imagine Greater Louisville 2020 grants. One for his "Portraits of Pride" project, working with the West End School students on paper collages. The other, he received for his "In My Community" project, working with the New Albany, Indiana Griffin Community Center children on paper collages.

Duffy was the recipient of the Louisville Visual Art 2022 Legacy Award.

Dr. far nzinga is Curator of African and Native American Collections at the Speed Museum. She was most recently a visiting professor and scholar in residence at the Bell Hooks Center at Berea College. She brings experience as a curator, educator, and cofounder of the Color BLOC, an information-sharing network for emerging artists and arts professionals/workers of color. nzinga has been tasked with reinterpreting the displays of the Native American and African art collections, bringing them in line with DEAI initiatives and expanding connections to the Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs. She has previously held positions at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and Kalamazoo College, and received her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University.

The recording begins during Dr. nzinga’s remarks in response to the 1st question, which was how The Speed came to develop the Louisville Black Avant-Garde series of exhibitions.

Artists Talk with LVA: October 12, 2023

As Open Studio begins we speak with 2 of the artists, Ton'nea Green & Victor Sweatt. Also in the studio will be J. Barrett Cooper talking about "The Weir" at Bunbury Theatre. Barrett & Victor were my 1st guests on this show as we celebrate being on WXOX/Artxfm.com for 10 YEARS! Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

J. Barrett Cooper is an Actor, Director, Fight Director, Dialect & Acting Coach, Former Prod. Dir.-Savage Rose Theatre Co. he has worked with Kentucky Shakespeare, Bunbury Theatre, CenterStage at the Trager JCC, Constellation Stage & Screen in Bloomington, IN, and recently appeared in the feature film White Noise, directed by Noah Baumbach. Currently, he is directing The Weir for Bunbury Theatre, which opens tomorrow and runs through October 28.

Ton’nea Green, a recent recipient of a Black Artists Fund grant, is a talented portrait artist. With this grant, Ton’nea aims to create beautiful paintings that reflect the lived experiences of children during this global pandemic. As a mother, Ton’nea wants this project to capture the complicated emotional experiences that many children have had to go through during this difficult time. Ton’nea will be participating In Open Studio Louisville this Saturday, October 14 at Mellwood Art Center.

Victor Sweatt is a Louisville-based, self-taught painter and muralist. Sweatt was born in Louisville. He has shown his work in both group and solo exhibitions and appears in public and private collections throughout the United States. Sweat is a signature member of Louisville Visual Art, the Kentucky Artist Pastel Society, and the Kentucky Watercolor Society. Victor is participating in Open Studio Louisville at the LVA Studios on October 14 & 21