A national wildlife art exhibit opening and awards ceremony and a performance by a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter will open the 15th anniversary season at Henderson Fine Arts Center this Saturday.
Ohio Valley Art League is presenting the 2008 Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit for the eighth time. The co-presenter for the exhibit, which includes 73 pieces submitted by artists from 26 states, is the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The reception for the Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit will begin at 6 p.m. Juror Seth Hopkins, executive director of the Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Ga., chose participants and awards totaling more than $11,000.
"The purpose of the Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit is to increase awareness for the preservation of wildlife and to recognize artists who derive inspiration and imagery from wildlife and the environment," said OVAL Curator Jule McClellan.
The exhibit will remain through
The post-reception concert opening the Hendeson Area Arts Alliance performance season will be performed by Nanci Griffith and The Blue Moon Orchestra.
Griffith is best known for writing some of country music's most enduring compositions, including Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson's "Gulf Coast Highway" and Kathy Mattea's "Love at the Five and Dime."
The Blue Moon Orchestra has performed with her since 1986.
Born in Austin, Texas, she started performing at age 13. Her career blossomed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, earning her accolades in Rolling Stone magazine for what was described as her "unique form of folkabilly music" and ability to merge country with folk and pop music.
She has received five Grammy nominations, and earned a Grammy win for her 1993 album "Other Voices, Other Rooms," which was a celebration of other songwriters.
Griffith returned to that formula in 2006, combining material from some of her favorite songwriters with her own compositions on "Ruby's Torch," a collection of ballads.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are $30-$38 and are available at the box office, 831-9800. The performance is being underwritten by News 25, Neel Crafton & Phillips LLP and The Gleaner.
