OCTC Art Professor Building Firebird

Owensboro Community amp; Technical Colleges Professor of Art, Monty Helm, is constructing a Firebird out of storm debris. The structure is being built on the peninsula of the lake on the main campus at 4800 New Hartford Road. The culmination of the project will result in the burning of the Firebird on Monday, May 19 at 8 p.m., this is free and the public is invited to attend. In conjunction with this event the Dayman Gallery, located on the upper level of the Learning Resource Center is exhibiting art created by Helm and visiting artist from the Czech Republic, Pavel Forman. The exhibit will feature a painting of OCTC President Dr. Jim Klauber, that Forman has recently completed.

Helm, is director of OCTCs art program, is a painter, sculptor and printmaker whose work has been exhibited internationally. He studied art at the Pratt Institute in New York City, and earned a masters degree in fine arts from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Pavel Forman was born in the former Czechoslovakia, Forman is a figurative and large-scale painter and mixed media artist. In recent years, Forman has worked in Russia, Denmark, Lithuania, Germany, and the Netherlands. His work was honored at the Portuguese Biennale in 2009 and the Moscow Biennale for Young Contemporary Art in 2010. He graduated from Palack University in Olomouc and continued his studies in Berlin at Humboldt University and Berlin University of Art. Forman has also published three collections of poetry.

Below is a summary from the artist about the Firebird project. For more information please contact Bernie Hale at (270) 686-4506 or via e-mail atbernie.hale@kctcs.edu.

Firebird Statement by Monty Helm