make art
visible
inspire and empower
at our core we
We celebrate artists and designers in Grant County through hosting gallery exhibits and events to inspire community and empower local artists.
Kennedy
legacy
above, left to right: Bill, Paul, Harriette, Jennie (mother), Ken, Joan, Mercedes, LaCroix. Not pictured: Kenneth James “KJ” (father) and youngest child, Phil
right: Phil pictured with one of his daughters some years later
Our story starts with eight siblings, each incredibly gifted in their creative abilities. Pastels, acrylics, watercolor, poetry, sculpture, jewelry, florals, cartoons, the human voice, pencil, fashion, teaching & business — just the beginning of creative expression. Marks left by one generation are now carried by the next. The Kennedy family makes a strong case for the value and ability of our work to make a mark on the world around us. Since the Kennedy family set their roots in Marion, they have left their mark, from early beauty shops in our downtown, a thriving countertop and cabinet business, education, the arts, and now the Kennedy Art Center.
A paintbrush laden with paint glides across the canvas, a pencil scratches gently on the surface, clay molds to the shape of the potter’s fingers, iambic pentameter reveals itself in the rhythm of a poem, notes swell from the lungs. Each reveals a unique stroke — recognizable to the medium with which the mark is made. And from all these unique marks, unique stories are told by unique artists — showcasing a world once visible only to them. The Kennedy Art Center is where art is made visible — where each stroke before lays the ground for new strokes to come.