Official Poster Series
The Derby Festival poster series began in 1981 as a marketing tool designed to generate pre-season interest in the Derby Festival. Over the years, it's become a unique symbol of the community. The Festival's Official Poster Series is nationally recognized and has helped to enhance the careers of artists from around the country.2012 marks the 32nd year of the Official Poster Series. The work of Louisville artist Andre' Foreman was selected as the official art of the Festival's 57th annual celebration.
Foreman is a full-time artist with studio space at the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center. He is a self
-taught
visual artist and sculptor, with an emphasis in oil and watercolor
painting. Foreman's previous
exhibitions include a one-man show at Indiana University Southeast from
1999-2000 and the Madison Art Club in 2003. Notable recent awards and
honors include fourth place in the 2011 Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft
Art Car Hubcab Exhibition."It's a tremendous honor to be selected as the Official Poster Artist for the 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival," said Foreman, a Marine Corps veteran who grew up in Old Louisville and the city's California neighborhood. "I'm interested in everything related to art and I'm excited about people being able to see my work. I worked in the corporate world for a while, but now everything I do comes back to art. Most of what I create is related to everyday life...I try to train my brain to be like a camera."
Past Derby Festival poster designs decorate offices and homes throughout the region. Peter Max's expressionistic "Bluegrass Pegasus" launched the series in 1981, and a stylistic and geographical mix of artists have been showcased over the years. The signed collector editions continue to significantly increase in value, and the quality of the Poster series has been recognized worldwide.
Elements of the 2012 image will grace posters, t-shirts, glasses, television commercials and more than 100 retail items in celebration of the Derby Festival. The Derby Festival Poster is printed by Clark and Riggs Printing.
