The next edition of KET’s Kentucky Life, hosted by Doug Flynn, highlights the creative talents of Kentuckians, with profiles of Berea artisans Neil and Mary Colmer, Caneyville luthier Bryan England and Lexington’s David Stephenson, better known as “The Pigeon Photographer” on Instagram. The program airs Saturday, April 16 at 8/7 pm and Sunday, April 17 at 4/3 pm on KET and Monday, April 18 at 7/6 pm on KET2.

First, the program travels to Weaver’s Bottom Craft Studio in Berea, where artisans Neil and Mary Colmer create and sell handcrafted woven rugs, bedspreads, placemats and other linens as well as corn husk dolls, elf houses and stuffed bears. But, in addition to these more traditional crafts, the duo are also avid creators of digital artwork, via their active presence within the video gaming world of Minecraft.

Through her Minecraft avatar Bacon_Mom, Mary creates intricate worlds popular for their incorporation of butterflies, flowers and quilt-like designs. With a following of thousands, Mary live streams to fans all over the world almost daily as she creates her Minecraft landscapes; she has even created a popular annual calendar of some of her most popular Minecraft designs. Kentucky Life showcases Mary’s Minecraft creations and talks with her about how the unique platform allows her to share her love of traditional design with a young and modern audience.

Then, Kentucky Life spotlights Bryan England of Caneyville, in Grayson County, as the second in its series of profiles highlighting Kentucky luthiers – or makers of stringed instruments. England’s shop, Custom Inlay, offers a full line of mandolins and guitars, and his instruments have been used by country superstars including George Strait and Brooks & Dunn. Known for his intricate inlay work, England is also renowned for his use of exotic materials, including fossilized walrus jawbone, wooly mammoth ivory and unusual woods.

Finally, the program spotlights Lexington photographer David Stephenson, a photojournalist who also breeds and raises pedigreed pigeons. Known as “The Pigeon Photographer” on Instagram – a platform on which he has thousands of followers – Stephenson produces a popular calendar each year with his photos, revealing the beautiful plumage and graceful flight of these often-unheralded birds.

Kentucky Life is a KET production, produced by Brandon Wickey. Segment producers for this episode are Matt Grimm, Gary Pahler and Steve Shaffer.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, serving more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization on Twitter @KET and facebook.com/KET and at KET.org.

Contact:

Todd Piccirilli
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
859-258-7242
tpiccirilli@ket.org