The Beat: Garry Bibbs and Allan Richards
In our first episode of Season 2, we delve into the profound influence of mentorship on artistic growth with Garry Bibbs and Allen Richards. With over 30 years of experience at the School of Art and Visual Studies, they share personal stories of how mentors shaped their careers and philosophies. Discover how mentorship not only guided their artistic paths but also inspired them to become mentors themselves, fostering the next generation of artists.
Garry R. Bibbs is a Professor and head of the sculpture area at the School of Arts and Visual Studies. He has taught and created art at the University of Kentucky for 35 years. He was recipient of a Southern Arts Federation, National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship for Outstanding Printmaker in the Southern States. His exhibition history includes showings at the Smithsonian, the Ruschman Art Gallery, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His works are in the collections of the High Museum, Brown-Forman Corporation, The Richard Hunt Collection, Louisville City Fire Department and more. Bibbs a member of the Pew Civic Entrepreneur Initiative, a coalition group in Lexington whose goal is to confront and solve issues relevant to the community on race relations and leadership. He received a BS from Kentucky State University and an MFA from the University of Kentucky before his postdoctoral work at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Allan Richards, a native of Jamaica, is a Professor of art education at the School of Art and Visual Studies. He taught K-12, undergraduate and graduate students in art, mathematics, biology, and agricultural science before joining the faculty at the University of Kentucky over 30 years ago. He was elected world councilor for the North American region of the International Society for Education through Art. Richards has presented scholarships, given lectures and authored books and articles during his career, including “Global Consciousness through the Arts: A Passport for Students and Teachers” and “The Teacher Leader Master’s Program in Art Education” with Gary Schroeder. Richards and his colleague’s research focused on improving the quality of life for persons with dementia and their caregivers through learning in the visual arts. His research also focused on addressing issues of individuals who are deprived of social, political, and economic equality and justice.
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