Art in the Park
Grace Phillips
Ashland Beacon
Nearly five years ago Gail Kirtz saw a need in our area for local area artists to meet up and have the opportunity to work collaboratively to have exhibits and art events in the area. The group was originally named the Ohio Valley Artists, but the name was later changed to Ashland Kentucky Area Artists (AKAA).
The Ashland Area Kentucky Area Artists will hold their second annual, “Fall Art in the Park” event on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. -4 p.m. The event will be set up on the 17th Street side of the park as well as in the center and is free to the public. Michelle Alford-Tyler shared there are over 15 artists confirmed for the event. These artists include potters, landscape photographers, oil and acrylic artists, quilters and many others.
It was at their event last year that she became involved with the group. This past summer Gail Kirtz needed some time off, so Michelle has now taken on a larger roll in the group. Alford-Tyler said, “For me, being a part of groups like AKAA give me a chance to help others that want to be a part of the arts in our area, but often don’t know where to start or think that they aren’t ready or skilled enough yet.” She continued, “Theres’ a lot to starting into your art and hoping to make it into a business … and I hope that I can find a way to help make that easier for others in the long run …. and to really build up our arts community overall.”
A large part of the group’s focus has been to promote and expand the arts in the Tristate area. Alford-Tyler says events such as Fall Art in the Park is one way to meet that goal. They also have monthly meetings to discuss ways in which they can help each other grow through networking, offering each other advice for professional development and more. The meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at the Boyd County Public Library on Central Avenue in Ashland and open to anyone who wants to grow as an artist.
When asked if she felt there had been an increase in the number of artists since the pandemic Alford-Tyler replied, “Most definitely. I think the pandemic gave a lot of folks the free time to explore their artistic and even entrepreneurial ideas.”
There are several exciting possibilities for the future. Michelle said she has been working with some people from the Tamarack Foundation in West Virginia. They are in the planning stages, but the hope is to build up that program in Southern West Virginia. She continued, “I hope that it will provide us with a great working template to provide similar opportunities through the Tristate.” The AKAA group is also working closely with the Flatwoods Public Library to set up a small exhibit in October.
If you would like to learn more about AKAA, you can follow their Facebook page. They post area arts related events and news to help their artists stay updated on upcoming opportunities.
There are a few remaining spots for Saturday’s Fall Art in the Park. Anyone interested in participating can go to the AKAA Facebook page and use the Google sign up form.
For more information about AKAA or Fall Art in the Park contact Michelle Alford-Tyler on Facebook or by email at michellesgieekery@yahoo.com.
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