Deck Your Halls with Art from Open Studio

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 25, 2009) - The University of Kentucky Department of Art throws open its doors again this holiday season and invites the Bluegrass community to discover the university's talented young artists at the popular Open Studio event. The public is invited to check out what the students have been up to and make this a part of their holiday shopping experience from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Reynolds Building Number 1, located at 349 Scott Street.

Open Studio marks the one evening a year the public is invited to visit UK student and faculty artists' studios in the huge former tobacco warehouse located on Scott Street. The event gives individuals an opportunity to see artwork, finished and in progress, created by UK’s undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Media on display will include metalwork, fiber, paintings, photographs, drawings, ceramics, plaster casts, printmaking and woodwork.

Open Studio is a wonderful event for holiday shoppers interested in purchasing art as gifts, as a large portion of the student artwork exhibited is for sale. Other festivities scheduled for Open Studio include the following:

·         the Carey Ellis Juried Student Art Exhibition, featuring work by graduate and undergraduate art students;

·         creative activities for kids presented by students in the UK Art Education program;

·         a ceramics production demonstration;

·         a metal casting demonstration;

·         art demonstrations and displays of students' new and original works;

·         performances by the UK Department of Theatre;

·         an art sale, including the popular ceramic bowl sale; and

·         live music and performances and refreshments.

The awards program for the winning art in the Carey Ellis Juried Student Show will be presented during the Open Studio event at approximately 8 p.m., in the facility's Barnhart Gallery.

A donation of $5 to the UK Department of Art is suggested for entry to Open Studio. Proceeds go to various programs provided by the Department of Art. Free parking for individuals attending Open Studio can be found nearby on both Broadway and Scott Street. To find out more about Open Studio, contact Dmitry Strakovsky, assistant professor of intermedia, via e-mail to dmitry.strakovsky@uky.edu, or Willie Robertson, president of the Art Graduate Student Association, via e-mail to willierobertson@uky.edu.