Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith, October 9

Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith will give a talk about her traveling exhibit, "Holding Hands With History: The Life and Times of Abraham Lincoln," at 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 9, in Room 116, Borzello Hall, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois.

The lecture is free and open to the public. It is presented by the Galesburg's Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, with support from Knox College, the Galesburg Civic Art Center, and Dick Blick Art Materials.

Smith's lecture will cover her Lincoln Collection of paintings -- vivid watercolors that illustrate the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. The collection is on display October 9 through November 7, 2009 at the Galesburg Civic Art Center, in celebration of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial.

The Galesburg Civic Art Center will host a free, public opening reception with the artist from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 9, at the Galesburg Civic Art Center, 114 E. Main, Galesburg.

Smith began her career as an illustrator. In 1971 she was asked to illustrate a book on the American Revolutionary War period which required her to travel to historic locations to paint the actual scenes. What began as a single assignment has grown over the past 40 plus years into the American Legacy Collection -- the largest collection of American historical-site paintings ever created by a single artist. She has painted each of the 250 works in the Collection on the site of historic monuments, battlefields, landmarks, and national and cultural events.

In 1994, Smith was given a lifetime designation as Artist Laureate of Illinois by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, in recognition of the contribution the American Legacy Collection has made to U.S. heritage and history.