"Enchanted Rider" by Bob Thompson, oil on canvas, 1961
LVA is seeking nominations to celebrate those who have made a significant impact in our visual art community. At the Louisville Visual Art Honors the Stars Among Us... inaugural luncheon on March 1, 2018 at KY Center for African American Heritage, the awards will presented to those selected from the categories listed below. Award Recipients must be available to attend the ceremony on March 1, 2018.
Final selection of award recipients will be made by a select panel of judges.
Rising Star Award - In Memory of Bob Thompson
Thompson was a Louisville-born African-American figurative painter known for his bold and colorful canvases, whose compositions were appropriated from the Old Masters. He was prolific in his eight-year career, producing more than 1,000 works before his death in Rome, Italy, in 1966. The Whitney Museum in NYC mounted a retrospective of his work in 1998.
The Rising Star Award is an annual recognition of an emerging artist in the Kentuckiana region. The artist receiving this distinction will be considered a new and/or up-and-coming artist; however, age will not be a determining factor. The winner of the award will separate them self from the rest of the candidates by demonstrating a widely acknowledged expert skill set in their respective field. Commercial success will help in distinguishing candidates - however, it will not be the most determining factor. The Rising Star Award-winning artist will be an individual whose future is bright both in terms of commercial success and in impacting the local visual arts community.
Visual Art Educator Award - In Memory of Anna Huddleston
Huddleston was born in Louisville, where she taught elementary school for 19 years with Louisville Public Schools and then was a junior high school art teacher and consultant for 20 years. She was also president of the Kentucky Art Education Association and the first African American to receive the Milner Award.
This award will be given to an individual in the Kentuckiana region who has had a longstanding and important impact on developing, teaching, and inspiring artists. This individual will be recognized for their dedication to enriching the lives of students of all ages by meaningfully and continuously educating people in the world of visual art.
Benefactor of the Year Award - In Memory of Charlotte Price
Price was a gifted sculptor and painter committed to supporting the arts in the community, especially Louisville Visual Art (formerly the Art Center Association).
This award will be given to an individual who has gone above and beyond in giving back to the local visual arts community. Whether it be through funding education initiatives, sponsoring events, or through personal/familial/estate gifts, this individual has left a lasting impact on the visual arts community over the past year.
Legacy Award - In Memory of Julius Friedman
Friedman was a Louisville-based graphic designer, photographer, artist and design studio owner who was one of Kentucky’s most influential artists and an invaluable part of the Louisville arts community.
The Legacy Award will be given to an individual who has positively impacted and improved the visual arts community in many different ways for a time period spanning decades. This individual truly represents what it means to leave the world a better place than you found it, and their positive impact in the visual arts community will be felt, seen, and remembered for generations to come.
The deadline for suggested nominations is December 29, 2017.