by Arlene Wright-Correll

This weekís Kentucky artist is Kate Kenny

We all pass her art at least once a day. Several of us pass it several times a day. It is rarely framed and we usually donít even notice it. Matter of fact we take it for granted. It is just there.

Who thinks a sign painter or a sign creator is an artist? Most of us do not.

Chester Harding an artist in the early 19th-Century countryside started out as a sign painter as did the likes of P. C. Leyendecker, Andrew Loomis and Norman Rockwell. A remarkably high percentage of fine artists have come out of sign shops, advertising agencies and printing establishments. These artists had what I call “the worker’s edge.” Sign painters showed up for work in the morning and painted all day. Steady work habits in the shop made it easier when they moved into their studios. Think of those huge hand-painted movie marquees that were produced in every town and city in the twenties and thirties–colorful, often highly competent, with great likenesses and an understanding of anatomy and chiaroscuro, to say nothing of lettering. And those guys were paid by the hour.

Unfortunately sign painting with a brush is a dying art and there will soon be no one left from whom one can learn the art of brush holding, esoteric brushes, mahl sticks, striper wheels, quills, pounce wheels and pounces, bridges, chalk-snaps, hook and ladder, projectors, grids, cut-awls, the list goes on and on. The need for speed and economy in show-card, billboard and other illustrative forms influenced and freshened does not allow Kate to sit down to work.

To get a good downward stroke or a nicely curved “S” takes more of the body than just a forearm. Pinstripers use their entire body. Sign shops do not have chairs for working. Chairs slow down production and one will not see a chair except at Kateís computer where she allows customers to see for them selves the designs she artistically creates in her mind.

Those of us who know Kate Kenny can identify with the handle of the “Mad-sign-tist” she gave herself a long time ago. Yet the “mad” part can usually be aptly applied to all of us artists and especially those of us who really call ourselves “painters”. Also one would have to be slightly “mad” to deal with all the pressure customers put on sign painters, especially today. I can hardly imagine that kind of pressure being put on me when I decide to sit down and do a commissioned piece of art, yet it is there for sign painters. I have seen Kate there in her studio at the weirdest hours working away, hand painting signs that could not be done with the vinyl lettering that is often used today. Just laying out the designs or artistic illustrations would lay most of us low.

Kate is a painter! Just really look at her work. It is on our town signs, our business signs, our cars, fire trucks, etc. Wherever you look there it is! Her output is tremendous and like most of us new age painters she has many of the “bells and whistles” in her shop that allows her, Marty her husband, Savannah and Luke, their children who work there when school is out, plus her staff to get all our jobs done. Not only done, but done well, fast and artistically correct.

Her latest mural in Cave City is about 12 feet high and 25 ft long and was completely done by hand. A fine piece of artwork! Her signs for the KY Repertory Theater are pure works of art as far as I am concerned. Most of Kateís work out in California, done many years ago, still stands today, beautifully done, part of the local landscape and heritage that are like old masterís works of art.

Kate and her family live in Munfordville off Rowletts Road with cats, dogs, horses, goats, chickens, turkeys, guinea hens and who knows what else. Besides all the things she and her family do to put “beans on the table”, they find time to be good neighbors, do tons of civic things, participate in community activities, care for their place, garden, harvest and preserve their harvest and be a loving family. Whoever drops by, no matter when, is always welcomed with an offer of hospitality.

Kate even has time for a hobby which is stained glass making and she makes amazing panels which can be seen at their place of business.

So the next time you decide to walk into Kennyís Signs, Graphics & Awnings remember you are really walking into one of Kentuckyís best artistís studio and you will be talking to one wild and talented creative artist.

(Contact Arlene Wright-Correll at 270 524 9567 or email her at askarlene@scrtc.com  if you want to be next weekís column of Whoís Who in KY Artís and Crafts)