Artists Talk with LVA: April 24, 2025

Levi Justice & Christopher St. John open new exhibits at Galerie Hertz this weekend and join us in the studio. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Levi Justice is a contemporary visual artist specializing in large-scale, hyper-realistic oil paintings. At age 12, he began working with wood & various metals, creating sculptures he sold to private collectors. Justice pursued fine art at Kentucky's Centre College.  After graduating, Levi moved to North Carolina, where he began managing art galleries & teaching artistic techniques to his community. Levi currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky.

Christopher St. John received his BFA from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and his MFA in ceramics from Ohio University. He served four years of active duty in the Army. Travel has informed his practice, both in choice of material, appreciation of light and landscape, and adaptability to changing conditions. Christopher has artwork in the permanent collections of both the Museum of the North in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Hawaii State Art Museum. He is always at home in a forest. 

Christopher began his journey with ceramics 5 years ago. He decided to return to graduate school to deepen his understanding of this field and devote himself fully to becoming a teaching artist. He is currently the Resident Artist at Indiana University Southeast. The values and goals of his work lie in support of the challenges human beings currently face on the only known planet that supports life. 

Two Approaches to Portraiture opens at Galerie Hertz Saturday, April 24 with a reception from 1 - 3 pm.

Artists Talk with LVA: January 11, 2024

Aurora Gallery and Boutique opens a dual art show with Ember Crow’s Inside Show and Kara Renee’s Big Feelings and both artists were live in the studio this week. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each week at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Ember Crow is a queer and strange artist based out of Louisville, KY. They make ceramics, assemblages, paintings, sketches, and more that are a mixture of macabre, nature-inspired, and light-hearted. 

Their new exhibit, Inside Show opens Saturday at Aurora Gallery and Boutique

Kara Renee was born in Kentucky in 1986, she is an established painter whose work exhibits attention to detail and captures her subject's emotion, as well as the power of affirmation.

Her new exhibit, Big Feelings, also opens at Aurora on Saturday and there will be a reception for both artists from 6 - 10 pm.

Artists Talk with LVA: November 9, 2023

Julie Schweitzer will be exhibiting Fong Choo: An Artistic Journey in Clay at Bourne-Schweitzer Gallery in New Albany beginning Nov. 18, and both artist and gallery director come to talk about in the studio this week. Tune n to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Fong Choo is a Singapore-born American studio potter and teacher who creates diminutive, sculptural porcelain teapots. He is best known for his use of low-fire commercial glazes, firing them to Cone 6 to achieve luscious, jewel-tone effects. He has taught workshops both nationally at art centers around like Penland School of Arts and Crafts, Arrowmont School of art and craft, and internationally in countries like Israel, Canada and most recently in Singapore.

Over the years, he has also received numerous awards for his work at The Smithsonian Craft Show where he was awarded The Excellence in Ceramics Award in Washington DC. Others include Best of Show at the American Craft Exposition in Evanston, ILand The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in Philadelphia, PA.

"What is so exciting about looking at a sleeping tiger?"

"Nothing. But if you take a stick and poke at it, you will remember that tiger for the rest of your life!"

This is part of a conversation I once had at the Minnesota Zoo.

In many ways, this parallels my attitude towards clay: it requires poking to awaken it. One must push the limits, test waters, search, prod and explore its many boundaries.

For more than ten years my work has been focused on Miniature Teapots. The teapot form continues to challenge and fascinate me. The work shown in this gallery is the result of over a decade of evolution in color, design and form. I invite you into that place.

I feel blessed to be able to pursue the life of a potter -- especially when it requires poking the sleeping tiger…

Fong Choo: An Artistic Journey in Clay is at Bourne-Schweitzer Gallery in New Albany beginning Nov. 18, 2023

Artists Talk with LVA: December 22, 2022

Imuzi Ryzoncity Thompson and Autumn McKay Lindsey talk about their exhibits at 1512 Creative Compound's The Common Gallery. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Imuzi Ryzoncity Thompson is a self-taught artist who was born in Manchester, Jamaica but is now based in Louisville KY. His exhibit, Birth Of An American Beast, is now on view at The Common Gallery at the 1512 Creative Compound.

Autumn McKay Lindsey is a ceramic artist whose newest exhibit, Return to the Beaten Path,is now on view at The Common Gallery at the 1512 Creative Compound.

Artists Talk with LVA: March 31, 2022

Bob Lockhart, Cedric Ballarati, & Lynn Duke join to speak about their new exhibit at Pyro Gallery opening April 1. Tune in to 97.1 FM/Artxfm each Thursday to hear Artists talk with LVA.

Bob Lockhart is an award-winning sculptor whose work is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, the Indianapolis Art Museum, and many others. In addition, Lockhart's pieces have been commissioned by the Louisville Zoo, by numerous churches and schools, and by private collectors.

Cedric Ballaratti was educated in Architecture at Belgium Liege University and in photography at Belgium Liege Art Academy. His works have been exhibited in group and solo shows from 2007 and his first photography book “Terre de chiens” was released in 2019. He is currently living and working in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Lynn Duke was born in Tuscaloosa Alabama. After retiring from a long and successful career as a surgical nurse, she began studying with Laura Ross about 10 years ago and is now a ceramic artist at AA Clay Studios.

Friends: Bob Lockhart, Lynn Duke, Amber Thieneman, & Cédric Ballarati

April 1 - May 1 with reception April 3, 1-4 pm
Pyro Gallery, 1006 East Washington Street