Norman Spencer - Black In Bluegrass - Artist Reception

Venue: Garner Narrative

Reception with the artist: Saturday, Dec. 4, 2-4 p.m.

As a child, self-taught artist and native Louisvillian Norman Spencer was told, “Black people don’t hike—the woods are dangerous for Black folks” and only in early adulthood did Spencer access natural spaces beyond inner-city parks.

Nature is now central to his life and creative practice. In Black in Bluegrass, Spencer responds directly to these frightening generational narratives by lifting up the possibility and reality of Black joy in the wild spaces of the Bluegrass state.

Spencer’s block prints are based on photos, memories, and stories of many prominent Kentucky parks and landmarks. As a 2021 Regional Artist in Residence at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Spencer developed new work while immersed in nature. Spencer says, “I have had a love for Bernheim since I was first introduced to the Arboretum, and I always felt welcomed here. I want to share that feeling with others who look like me.”

Special thanks also go to the Fund for the Arts, for a 2020 Black Artist Fund Grant.