Description
Rooted in Kentucky is an original scratchboard by Lindsey Kiser of a mink swimming among exposed tree roots. Rooted in Kentucky was juried into the Governor’s Derby Exhibit to be on display in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, Kentucky from April 20 to May 16, 2023. In addition, Rooted in Kentucky was awarded the Memorial Award by the International Society of Scratchboard Artists at their annual art exhibition at the Kentucky Artisan Center in 2019.
The idea for the scene came to me while attending a Stream Science Workshop presented by the Boone County Conservation District at Middle Creek Park in Boone County, Kentucky. I find myself continually being drawn to the unusual forms and the detailed tendrils of exposed tree roots. Of course, tree roots literally are the foundation upon which trees stand and draw their strength. For me, God, my family, and my family’s farm are my foundation. In my outdoorsy family, it was a requirement to learn all of the names of Kentucky’s indigenous trees, regardless of the season. My father cut wood to heat the home he built with his own hands, built furniture from the walnuts he cut, and made maple syrup from the sap we collected. So, to me, trees are the perfect symbol of resilience. Trees stand strong on their roots in all sorts of weather and their branches bend when the wind howls. Trees are living proof that we can be resilient too, no matter our circumstances, so long as we remember to stand strong on our foundations.
Rooted in Kentucky is 9″ x 12″ unframed, but comes framed in a black floater frame made by Ampersand. Lindsey Kiser is an elected board member and an active member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists. Click here to learn more about scratchboard.
