The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art will host the 19th annual Buffalo Festival and Paintout on October 2-4, bringing regional artists to the city for a three-day en plein air event.
More than 1,500 invitations have been mailed to artists across Kentucky and surrounding states. Registration is available online at omfa.us or by calling 270-685-3181. The fee is $20 before September 15 and $35 after.
The weekend will conclude with the Gala Artists Reception on October 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The event will feature more than $3,000 in Merit and Purchase Awards for winning entries, along with thematic cuisine and entertainment by the Bluegrass ensemble King’s Highway. The reception is sponsored by Swedish Match.
Admission to the Gala is $50 per person, or $40 for Friends of the Foundation. Participating artists and a guest will be admitted free. Reservations can be made through the museum by phone or by emailing [email protected].
“The festival’s theme was inspired by the bronze buffalo sculptures in the museum’s Ryan Sculpture Park on Frederica Street,” museum director Jason Hayden said. “The works commemorate the Buffalo Trace, a path that became present-day Frederica Street and led settlers to the Ohio River, where Owensboro was founded.”
The bronzes — Into the Wind and Meadowlands Pair — were created by Texas sculptor T.D. Kelsey. They were gifted to the museum and community by Mary Lou Steele and her late husband Robert Steele, along with former Mayor Ron Payne and his wife Denise.
The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, though donations of $3 for adults and $2 for children are encouraged.
