Artists Talk with LVA: August 27, 2026

Debra Lott & Jamarr Cox will be in the studio to discuss their upcoming exhibit at Pyro Gallery. Tune in to Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM or Artxfm.com.

Debra Lott is an American figurative artist from South Florida, now living in Louisville, KY. Lott completed her undergraduate degree at Palm Beach International University and received her Master of Arts in Teaching Art from Florida Atlantic University. She studied privately under Graham Ingles, EC Comic illustrator.

Lott is among a select group of artists to have their artwork go to the moon (digital and analog technology in time capsules) and the first woman artist to have her painting on the lunar surface. The Lunar Codex is the first project to put the work of women artists on the Moon and also represents the first figurative realist art on the lunar surface. Lott’s work was selected by Samuel Peralta, the payload coordinator and curator for the Lunar Codex.

Expressionistic realism is what painter Jamarr Cox calls his work. That’s shorthand for art that affects the mind and heart as well as the eyes. The Louisville native likes to get viewers “into a mental corner. Not only discovering things about my art, but about themselves as well,” he says. “[It] consists of visuals that don’t always go together, but somehow seem to work well together. If one second, you’re saying, ‘that makes perfect sense’ and then the very next second, you’re saying ‘that doesn’t really make sense,’ well, then I consider that a job well done.”

Embrace by Debra Lott at Pyro Gallery

Debra Lott & Jamarr Cox

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 9, 2026

Jeaneen Barnhart has a new solo exhibit at Kentucky Fine Art Gallery, and she joins us in the studio this week to discuss it. Tune in to Artists Talk with LVA each Thursday at 10 am on 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com

A Florida native, Jeaneen Barnhart started painting at an early age along with her twin sister, Doreen. After receiving her BFA from Alfred University in NY, she joined her sister in Louisville, KY, where they both now reside. They have partnered on several projects together, including the 2010 Kentucky Derby Commemorative Bottle for Woodford Reserve, five Kentucky Derby Festival Posters, and two St. James Court Art Show Posters. Charitable Event collaborations include the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Most recently, Jeaneen was selected as the 2024 artist for the Windsor Charity Polo Cup in Vero Beach, Florida. Her equine and figure drawings are to be considered her signature works. Collectors and commissions include: Brown-Forman, Clarendon Flavors, GE, Papa John’s, Ralph Lauren, University of Kentucky, and Valor Farm.

“Passion, In Retrospect - Art through the years 1994-2026 featuring The Larry Raskin Collection”, is on exhibit now at Kentucky Fine Art Gallery. There will be a reception with the artist on July 16th, from 5- 7 p.m.

Passion, In Retrospect - Art through the years 1994-2026 featuring The Larry Raskin Collection

Jeaneen Barnhart

Online Special: Keith Waits & Martin Rollins on Mary Ann Currier

The Louisville School of Art Reunion Exhibition ran April 19 through May 31, 2026, at Bourne-Schweitzer Gallery in New Albany, Indiana. This interview with Martin Rollins was recorded in Studio B at WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com to be included in that exhibit.

This Louisville School of Art Reunion celebrates the artists connected through a small but influential art school that existed in the Louisville, Kentucky area from 1909 to 1985. Formally established as the Louisville School of Art (LSA) in 1968, the accredited four-year BFA program offered majors in Ceramics, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Textiles.

Originally located in historic homes near the University of Louisville, where it at times functioned as the university’s art department, LSA moved in 1969 to the Life Insurance Building in Anchorage, Kentucky. After twelve years, the school returned to Louisville, relocating to the historic Cloister, a former Ursuline convent.

The LSA played a major role in shaping Louisville’s arts community. This exhibition features work by artists active during the school’s years in Louisville, Anchorage, and the Cloister.

Hosted by Julie Schweitzer (Gallery Director), Art Orr (BFA 1974), and Deane Patton (BFA 1976).

Remembering Mary Ann Currier & Louisville School of Art

Martin Rollins