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Artists, Galleries, Theater, Fine Dining, Museums in the Cultural Arts Center of Paducah.

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May Events
  • May 3 - Paducah Symphony Spring Chorus Concert, Broadway United Methodist Church, 3 pm
  • May 5-7 - Rhapsody Quilts Workshop with Ricky Tims, National Quilt Museum
  • May 7 & 14 - Adult Drawing Classes, Yeiser Art Center. 7-9 pm
  • May 8 - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale,
    The Carson Center. 9:30 & 11:30 am
  • May 8 - Rudy Holmes Phorfayziss in Excapism, Tribeca Gallery. Reception 5-7 pm. Through July 9
  • May 9 - Second Saturday Gallery Walk, LowerTown Arts District. Noon-8 pm
  • May 9 - Aaron Kleidon: The Body of a Nation, Maiden Alley Gallery. Opening Reception, 5-7 pm
  • May 9 - Brush Making Workshop, Studio Miska. 2-8 pm
  • May 11 - Release of Bee Bop Robot & Friends Coloring Book, Aspire Arts. Noon-8 p.m.
  • May 12-14 - Riverdance: Farewell Performances, The Carson Center
  • May 14 - Chamber of Commerce Power in Partnership Breakfast, The Carson Center. 7:30 am
  • May 15-17 - Purna Yoga Weekend with Ross Berkwich, Paducah Yoga Center
  • May 16 - My Hometown, My Country (Paducah POPS Orchestra), Downtown, near the murals. 7:30 pm
  • May 16 - Downtown after Dinner, Broadway. 7-10 pm
  • Through May 19 - New Quilts from an Old Favorite 2009: Burgoyne Surrounded,
    The National Quilt Museum
  • Through May 19 - Simply Squares and Rectangles, The National Quilt Museum
  • May 23 - DJUK's B-List Birthday Bash, Featuring The Union Suit. Ristorante di Fratelli, Upstairs. 9 pm
  • May 23-24 - LowerTown Art & Music Festival. Visit www.paducaharts.com for a complete listing of events and music
  • May 25 - Willie Nelson, The Carson Center. 7 pm
  • May 30 - The Isaacs, The Carson Center. 6 pm
  • May 30 - RiverTown Reading Series
    Yeiser Art Center, 8 am
  • Through July 6 - Best of Show: 25 Years of Quilting Excellence, The National Quilt Museum
Showing at Maiden Alley Cinema
  • Sunshine Cleaning -
    Friday, May 1 - 7 & 9 pm
    Saturday, May 2 - 7 & 9 pm
    Sunday, May 3 - 4 & 7 pm
    Monday, May 4 - 7 pm
    Wednesday, May 6 - 7 pm
    Thursday, May 7 - 7 pm

    Gomorrah - May 8-10

    Cool Hand Luke - May 11, 6 pm

    Chick Flicks: Pretty Woman - May 19, 6 pm

    Screen on the Green - LowerTown Art & Music Festival. May 23, 8:30 pm
Calls for Entries
Archived Newsletters

       May 2009

      Art & Music Festival Invites Audience Participation
"Music is moonlight in the gloomy night of life." ~Jean Paul Richter

Paducah, KY - With a fresh line up of new music and a variety of LowerTown and other Paducah artists' demonstrations and art workshops, this year's LowerTown Art & Music Festival invites attendees to indulge their creative spirits this Memorial Day weekend. The festival will be held on Saturday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday, May 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Although the festival runs much like the festivals from years' past, with streets lined with original art vendors, some of the country's most talented musicians and a variety of unique food offerings; this year's festival also brings more local flavor than ever before. This two-day event offers more local cuisine, more local art, and more local musicians in its line up of performances and events.

LowerTown and other local artists will serve as hosts to art events in the LowerTown galleries and studios, as well as in the festival booths located on Madison Street, between North 6th and North 7th Streets. Artists have a full line up of demonstrations and art workshops designed to allow festival attendees to create their own masterpieces while attending the festival.

Local culinary favorites, including Cynthia's and Buzzard Brothers, will have food booths on site, while the music performances have been increased in order to introduce the region to more of Paducah's local musical talent. Local performances include Bawn in the Mash, Nathan Blake Lynn, Lew Jetton & 61 South, Solid Rock'It Boosters, and Adam & the H Bombs.

Headlining this year's music portion of the festival, on Saturday night at 8 p.m., from the festival's Main Stage, is Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band (right). This funk band brings "mo' funk fo' ya trunk," inspiring audiences to dance, bounce, and party since 2002. The Booty Band has grown from its roots as a North Carolina trio, into a seven-piece ensemble which mixes reggae, ska, blues, jazz and swing into one smooth sound.

A local favorite, Bawn in the Mash, opens for the infamous Booty Band at 6 p.m. also from the Main Stage, playing an hour and a half of original bluegrass music for fans to enjoy.

The festival boasts a variety of other musicians including original music by Amy LaVere, On the One, Salt of the Earth, Squeeze-bot, Jamie Barnes, Mike Cosper, Dirt Poor Robins, and Brooks Ritter. Samples of original music from these nationally and regionally-acclaimed musicians can be found on MySpace.com.

Visitors should be on the lookout for Juicy Lucy (left), a mobile glass blowing unit traveling from Glassworks in Louisville in order to perform on-site glass blowing. Onlookers will be invited to try their hand at glass blowing, as well. See Juicy Lucy for fees and information on participating.

Flem Chen, a pyrotechnic theatre troupe, performs extreme theater acts, utilizing aspects of circus, dance, stilt-walking and Sock Poi. Deanna Hammond and Rubin Palma will perform Sock Poi, using fire at dusk. The duo also brings workshops for adults and children from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the art of making Sock Poi. Participants should bring a tube sock and a tennis ball in order to participate.

Other attractions include demonstrations by The Paducah Yoga Center, Dixie Leather Works, John Romang and Josh Comley. Terra Cottage entices visitors with handcrafted cookies from the Kookie Bar, while visitors watch artist, Michael Terra, sculpt "on the spot" caricatures from high fire stoneware.

The Paducah Writers' Group not only brings a performance for this year's festival, but also conducts free workshops on writing poetry. The Song Writers' Group offers a free class on the basics of laying down a beat as they teach audiences the fundamentals of song writing.

Trunk shows and unique exhibitions can be found in the LowerTown Arts District during the festival, as well. Artist Julie Shaw showcases a collection of sterling silver and vermeil jewelry created by Jennifer Bauser of Millrift, PA, at Aphrodite Gallery, located at 502 North 7th Street. Abdul Wardak showcases Afghan Tribal Arts at HeArt of Healing Gallery, found at 233 North 7th Street. Shand Stamper creates a selection of fine, hand-crafted jewelry for festival goers to view and purchase at Studio Miska, located at 627 Madison Street.

The works of China born artist, Frank Gee, are on display at Aspire Arts, 611 North 6th Street. His work embodies the Asian philosophy of art, which is built on simple forms, subtle suggestion and natural subject matter. Batik paintings by David Lucht and watercolors by Stefanie Graves will be on display at Cowanga Studio's booth, located on Madison Street between North 6th and North 7th Streets.

Festival goers should make a stop at The Texaco Station, found at the corner of Madison and North 7th Streets, to gather more information on the various performances and events taking place during the festival. A complete listing of demonstrations, workshops, trunk shows, music and other special events are available within the LowerTown Art & Music Festival Program Guide. For more information go to www.paducaharts.com or call 270-444-8649.

       Featured Artists
  • William Renzulli
    Gallery 5
    803 Madison St.


    Come to Gallery 5 during the Festival to see the rich landscapes and vibrant cityscapes that have made Bill Renzulli's Gallery 5 a "must see' stop in LowerTown. His art is a continuing adventure in portraying a sense of place. His recent work explores that theme by allowing the open landscapes of the Great Plains to inhabit his canvases in large washes of color, sometimes soft, sometimes intense. Bill will also be demonstrating his clay monoprint techniques during the festival so be sure to stop in and give it a try!
        Michael Terra
    Terra Cottage
    514 N 7th St.


    Michael Terra works his sense of humor into his pottery with his bare hands. Almost all of his work is hand-built instead of wheel-thrown. Every piece is thoughtful and heartfelt... and a good bit of it is just plain funny. His series of "Reading Glasses" (one of which is seen at the left) are fully functional drinking glasses with the added delight of type impressions that add up to a visual pun. Never one to let a laugh go unnoticed or ungenerated, Michael loves to build a little levity into his artwork, making it "the most emotionally engaging ceramic artwork you'll ever meet." Don't miss the chance during the festival to stop in and see Michael at his new gallery and studio called "Terra Cottage." You'll probably find the experience very enjoyable, maybe even to the point of laughter! And while you're there, you'll have to sample one of his delicious Kookies at the "Kookie Bar!" Who doesn't like a nice warm cookie?
  • Wil MacKay
    Stornoway House Gallery, 513 N. 6th St.

    The Stornoway House Gallery is a delightful mix of fine craft and fine art that makes the perfect stop for those looking to find just the right thing of beauty to enhance their lives. The art that you will find there is the work of one of the co-owners, Wil MacKay. He will be demonstrating his painting techniques at Stornoway House Gallery during the festival. Wil has been painting his remarkable images of our nation's coasts and waterways for many years, making a national reputation for himself in the process. Wil and his wife Carolyn lived in Boston and Wisconsin before making their way to the art community in LowerTown. He has always been intimately involved in the beauty of the landscape that surrounds us and his love for its color and detail impress us each time we encounter the excellence of his artistry.
  • Christi Bonds Garrett
    HeArt of Healing Gallery
    233 N 7th Street

    Local physician Christi Bonds Garrett, owner of Integrative Medicine of Kentucky, believes in the healing power of art. So much so that she opened the HeART of Healing Gallery adjacent to her practice in LowerTown as a way of featuring artists involved in healing through their art. These works of art are from artists around the world and showcase traditional crafts such as molas and Hmong Pandau squares. Christi is also a fiber artist and she creates magical quilts with visual depictions of the tenants of Chinese medicine, one of the specialties of her medical practice. Come to this visionary gallery during the festival to experience the connection between art and healing.
        Carol Gabany
    The Egg & I Gallery, 335 N 6th Street

    Gallery owner and award-winning artist Carol Gabany knows something about eggs. Not in the culinary sense but in how to turn their smooth, thin shells into sculptural works of art. And don't think her source of creation is just the product of some ordinary chicken! She uses exotic eggs in mysterious colors, such as rhea, ostrich, and emu. The eggshell colors range from blue to teal and black, depending on the bird of origin. Carol carefully carves into the surfaces of these eggshells to reveal an image in relief that contrasts with the colors in the layers beneath. In the process she turns out exquisitely detailed miniature sculptures with gossamer qualities. Besides her signature work of carved eggs, Carol also crafts off-loom bead creations such as whimsical purses and necklaces. The Egg & I Gallery also features an eclectic array of artists that includes acrylic and mixed media, collage, wood carving, jewelry, and photography. Among the artists featured are local jeweler, Pam Harrison, and Carol's photographer husband, Steve Gabany.
  • Mitch Kimball and Shand Stamper
    Studio Miska, 627 Madison Street

    Husband and wife Shand Stamper and Mitch Kimball are a dynamic art duo, she crafting metal jewelry out of silver and organic materials by day and he throwing and firing ceramic vessels sometimes late into the night. Their unique artistry is a welcome new addition to the LowerTown Arts District. Shand's jewelry and metalwork is about passage of time. It references not just time itself, but the aesthetics of contemporary and historical objects that mark that passage. Through precise craftsmanship and microscopic detail that often makes reference to moon cycles, numbers, and constellations her work evokes a sense of discovery and remembrance. Using a variety of metalworking and enameling techniques for texture and detail, Shand incorporates various found artifacts to create her functional works of art. Mitch Kimball's earthen vessels are equally organic, with fossil-like patterns imbedded in their surface and salt and raku firings used to create effects of weathering and aging. His ceramic ware embodies a serenity and timelessness that seems both ageless and of the earth.

    Shand's jewelry and Mitch's pottery will be available at Studio Miska during the festival. Mitch will also be doing a wheel-throwing demonstration onSaturday at the Canvas Room, 619 Madison Street, as well as providing a workshop on Sunday at Studio Miska on creating hand-made brushes.







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