Kentuck to Open Charlie Frye Exhibition in Northport

Kentuck Art Center will welcome North Carolina folk artist Charlie Frye to Northport this October for a new exhibition featuring 40 works, an artist talk and two hands-on workshops.

“ODDyssey of the Mind” will open Thursday, Oct. 1, at 5 p.m. in Kentuck Art Center’s Museum Gallery as part of the organization’s monthly Art Night. Frye will give an artist talk at 6:30 p.m.

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The exhibition draws inspiration from Frye’s childhood in the foothills of Western North Carolina, along with Appalachian scenery and animals, people who have influenced him, and his visions and dreams. Frye, a self-taught artist who now lives in Oriental, North Carolina, uses a collection of characters throughout the exhibition to explore the idea of an enduring spirit.

“This show is tinged with hope in humanity, the belief that there is much more than what we see with our own eyes, and that the spirit we carry in our life will endure beyond our earthly confines,” Frye said.

Kentuck Executive Director Exa Cork described Frye as a “visionary and fascinating artist,” adding that his work demonstrates how outsider art continues to evolve.

October’s Art Night will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and is free and family-friendly. In addition to Frye’s exhibition, visitors can see Joslin Thorn’s “Digital Duplicity and the Divine Cosmic Truth” in the Teer Gallery, hear live music from Barbi Moroz and Alex Pieschel, shop local pop-up vendors and participate in a $20 drop-in clay activity.

Frye will return Oct. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. for “Paint a Fall Scene,” an all-ages workshop teaching his colorful painting techniques. Tuition is $70 and includes supplies. Register for Paint a Fall Scene

A second workshop, “ODDyssey of Your Mind,” is scheduled Oct. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. Participants will use layering and dripping techniques to create artwork with a three-dimensional effect. Tuition is $100 and supplies are included. Register for ODDyssey of Your Mind

Pre-registration is required for both workshops, which will take place in Kentuck’s Georgine Clarke Building.