Blacktop (Ken Gentle)
 

Self-taught Southern Contemporary Folk Artist
 

 

My paintings and drawings are about a way of life, about the struggle of life and the events that have changed our lives.  I focus on contemporary social and political issues, including the complexities of relationships.  Rural southern scenes of people at work, old houses, churches, baptisms and the struggles of everyday life are my favorite subjects.  I have a passion for telling the stories of growing up in the south where the simple pleasures of life are important and cherished.

 

About Blacktop:
 

Recent subject of a Southern Living Magazine interview and upcoming feature article, Blacktop’s prominence is growing. His reputation and works are gaining considerable notice and collector’s status. In early 2007, “A Day of Giving” was purchased by a friend of Oprah Winfrey’s and given to her as a gift.
 

Rome, Georgia resident and Alabama native Ken Gentle is a self-taught artist who began painting as a way of sharing his experiences of growing up in the South. In his multi-media paintings he uses water colors, enamels, and acrylics which typically start with a base of "black tar" on wood or cardboard (hence the moniker “Blacktop"). His style of using a mixture of found objects further complements the stories he tells.  He is attracting attention in Folk Art circles as an  Southern Folk Artist to collect.
 

At "Atlanta's Slotin Folk Fest" and other folk art shows across the country his paintings continue to spark considerable interest.  Blacktop's work has been referenced in "Raw Vision", "Dining Out", NY Arts Magazine and in various newspapers.  His paintings can also be found in galleries, businesses and many private collections around the country.