Artists Talk with LVA: October 22, 2026

Kayt & Annabella

Annabela Cockrell, & Kayt Robarts came to discuss Material Obsession at KMAC. Tune in to Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM or Artxfm.com.

Annabella Cockrell earned their MFA from the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute in 2025. They are a mixed media sculptor working from a foundation of fiber art but incorporating metal and other elements into the forms. She works at Wheelhouse Art LOU.

Kayt Robarts graduated with a BFA in drawing from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. From 2001 to 2023, they lived in Japan, teaching English, studying, performing, and teaching dance. As a dancer, she took on the stage name of Ozma. She blogged and shared her dance musings, her art, her writings, and her life in Japan under the name Ozma of Japan. In April of 2023, she returned to America to focus more on her visual art.

Material Obsessions: Micro Macro opens October 22nd, 2026 at KMAC Museum.

Material Obsessions Micro Macro at KMAC

Annabela Cockrell, & Kayt Robarts

Artists Talk with LVA: September 24, 2026

Teri Dryden joins us to talk about her new exhibit at KMAC. Tune in to Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM or Artxfm.com.

Teri Dryden is a collage artist based in Louisville, KY. After studying performing arts at Towson University, she traveled as a clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus, living on a train and performing in every contiguous U.S. state. This extensive journey, enriched by indelible impressions from the garish to the gorgeous, nurtured her wanderlust and transformed her into a mindful observer whose artistic process reflects the concept that life is in a constant state of impermanence, revealing the profound connections between place and identity. Her work, exploring this unique perspective, is included in both private and public collections and has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally. Teri has been awarded professional development grants from the Great Meadows Foundation for artist residencies in Japan, Italy, and New Orleans. She is represented by Wheelhouse Art in Louisville and Lexington.

waited spaces by Teri Dryden is on exhibit at KMAC through October 25, 2026. There will be a reception with the artist on October 1st, from 5 - 8 pm

waited spaces exhibit at KMAC

Teri Dryden

Artists Talk with LVA: July 30, 2026

Jessica and Bette in the WXOX studios.

Bette Levy & Jessica Beels join us to discuss their new exhibit at Pyro Gallery. Tune in to Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM or Artxfm.com.

Tangents, a wandering off course, is an apt title for an exhibition by good friends Bette Levy and Jessica Beels. The title demonstrates how both artists diverge from traditional treatments of materials and processes in creating innovative artwork. But, despite using different techniques, both are fascinated with found objects, bought, given, or stumbled across. Additionally, while both artists often work on a large scale, Tangents presents smaller, more intimate work.  The opening reception is Friday, July 31st from 6 -9 pm.

Bette Levy is interested in adapting historic handwork techniques. By pairing vintage tools and other objects with crochet, she honors various modes of production. Her work contrasts men’s work with women’s, physical with sedentary, outdoor with indoor, gross motor with small repetitive gestures. Although hand- and tool-work skills have been largely replaced by technology, Levy wants to examine history and respect for family and gender. Her approach results from her interest in maintaining craft skills in an increasingly technological/virtual world.  

A dedicated collector of odd bits, Jessica Beels repurposes discarded materials to make small sculptures. The recycled bird series addresses paper and packaging waste with a whimsical eye.  Unusual juxtapositions draw observers in to take a closer look and reconsider their assumptions about how we value the utility, beauty, and worth of the things we encounter in our everyday lives. Beels hopes to spark a sense of wonder as well as encourage people to be more mindful about how their decisions impact the planet.

Tangents at Pyro Gallery

Bette Levy & Jessica Beels

Artists Talk with LVA: July 23, 2026

Kris, Britany, Luckett, & Tatiana

Girl Crush opens at KMAC soon, and this week, Kris Thompson, Brittany Baker, Tatiana Rathke, and Luckett Davidson join us in conversation about it. Tune into Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com.

Kris Thompson is the Development & Special Projects Manager at  KMAC Contemporary Art Museum. Girl Crush opens on July 30th, with a ticketed reception from 5 - 8 pm.

Tatiana Rathke is an interdisciplinary visual artist and photographer based in Louisville, Kentucky. She is currently creating work around connection, collaboration, and nature. She graduated from Bellarmine University with a degree in Communication and a minor in Art, and has worked professionally as a Product Photographer, Design Assistant, and Project Coordinator in Film Production. 

Britany Baker attended Xavier University in Cincinnati on full scholarship and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. Since then she has trained in scenic arts and has worked for theater, film, and corporate clients. In the fine art realm, she has received multiple grants, maintains a studio practice, exhibits regularly, and spends time with art wherever she goes. She has been a designer and creative director in media and agencies and is currently the creative director for WingspanRPM.

Luckett Davidson works in a variety of media: embroidery, fiber collage and figure exploration; watercolor; colored pencil; ink; creek stone, and digital media. She studied fiber with Alma Lesch and Lida Gordon and received her MA in fiber from the University of Louisville in 1994. She is also a leadership development coach, illustrator, and writer. Her college guide series “Stand Strong” is available from Carmichael’s and Amazon.

Girl Crush exhibit at KMAC

Kris Thompson, Brittany Baker, Tatiana Rathke, and Luckett Davidson

Artists Talk with LVA: July 10, 2025

This week, we talked with Licia Priest, the winner of the 2025 Bill Fischer Award for Visual Art. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Licia Priest: I Am We Crafting Community in Paper Tole is at KMAC Museum through August 17th, 2025

Priest is a bold interdisciplinary artist whose work blends painting, photography, digital media, sculpture, and even scent and sound. Rooted in personal reflection and cultural reclamation, her vibrant, layered pieces draw on childhood memories, travels to Zimbabwe, and a deep connection to textiles.

This body of work is an ongoing investigation into identifying and analyzing African & African-American cultural similarities & differences due to the African Diaspora.  Priest’s artistic practice explores perceived views versus the realities of Africa. Through an onsite immersion in African culture, similarities & differences are captured through photography.

Intrigued by traditional “craft” techniques, Priest utilizes them to express ideas, feelings and vision thereby creating “fine art” that appeals to the mind and touches the emotions . African art does not draw such a clear delineation & thus she, of African roots seems more drawn inherently to that way of viewing art, despite being a product of African-American heritage.

The process used in this body of art is called, Paper Tole. First comes  photographs, then manipulation of the imagery through color changes, merging imagery, altering line, space & shape. Next duplicates of the image & use of up to 40 layers occurs, cutting each layer out by hand , stacking shaping & coloring the edges & then assembling the work. This is a fresh new approach to a very old “craft”,  to create a level of depth & complexity in the work that echoes the depth & complexities of African & African-American cultural norms.

2025 Fischer Award Winner/I Am We exhibit at KMAC

Licia Priest