Kay Westhues is a photographer who is interested in documenting the ways in which rural tradition and history are interpreted and transformed in the present day. She is co-owner of and curator for Artpost in South Bend, Indiana, a gallery and performance space that specializes in regional contemporary and folk art (www.artpostblog.com).
Kay studied photography at Rhode Island School of Design and has a BS degree in Photography and Ethnocentrism from the Individualized Major Program (1994) and an MS in Instructional Systems Technology (1998) from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Recent exhibitions
Artpost x3: Joe Casey, Jake Webster and Kay Westhues, Atrium Gallery, The Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley, South Bend, IN 2011
The Project, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL 2011
9/11 Inspired, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN 2011
Water/Rock/Wood, 2739 Edwin Gallery, Hamtramck, MI 2011
Well Stories, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN 2011
A Sense of Place: Rural Indiana Narratives, Noyes Cultural Art Center, Evanston, IL 2010
Take a Look: A Selection of Recent Photography Acquisitions, Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 2010
Well Stories, Artpost Gallery, South Bend, IN 2010
Art from the Heartland (Made in the Midwest) Juried Exhibit Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN 2010
Fourteen places to eat: A narrative, Pictura Gallery, Bloomington, IN 2010
Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN 2009
Fourteen places to eat: A narrative, Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN 2009
Grand Prix Fotofestiwal 2009 – 8th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland 2009
The Dream, Good Library Gallery, Goshen College, Goshen, IN 2009
Everyday Mysteries: Photographs by Kay Westhues, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN 2008
Rockford Midwestern, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL 2008
“Beyond Bloomington” Atypical Urbanscapes, through the lens of 7 photographers, Prima Gallery, Bloomington, IN 2008
Focus: Midwest, Midwest Museum of Contemporary Art, Indianapolis, IN 2008
Joyce Elaine Grant Photography Exhibition, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX 2008
Through the Lens: A Photographic Mosaic of Hoosier Life and Landscape, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Lafayette, IN 2008
Mary Beth Creiger Memorial Photo Exhibition, Around the Coyote gallery, Chicago, IL 2007
Photography What Now?, Lexington Art League, Lexington KY 2007
Group Show # 19, Humble Arts Foundation (online exhibit) 2007
7th Harvest Biennial, Arts Place, Portland, IN 2007
Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN 2007
Biennial 24, South Bend Regional Museum of Art, South Bend, IN 2007
Kay Westhues: Photographs of Rural Indiana, Fire Arts Inc, South Bend, IN 2007
Fort Wayne Photographers Invitational, Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery, Fort Wayne IN 2007
Elkhart Juried Regional Art Exhibition, Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, IN 2006
Symbols of Patriotism, Cushwa-Leighton Library, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN 2006
Awards
Indiana Arts Commission Individual Artist Project Grant 2010, 2007
Indiana Artisan Project Grant, 2009
Past Presidents’ Award, Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster IN 2009
Best 2-D award, Rockford Midwestern, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford IL 2008
Merit award, 7th Harvest Biennial, Arts Place, Portland, IN, 2007
Merit award, 64th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, IN, 2007
Best Photojournalism, 2007 Photobloggies Awards
Best Photography, 28th Elkhart Juried Regional Art Exhibition 2006
Bibliography
Robert Hariman, Photographer’s Showcase: A Sense of Place, No Caption Needed, September 3, 2010
Erik Eckholm, “Bubbling Up From the Earth, A Cool, Clear Gift” New York Times, June 7, 2010, A10.
Rhod Sharp, Interview, BBC Radio 5 live, London, United Kingdom, June 7, 2010.
Julie Audery, “Free and Clear: Gathering at Artesian Wells” Daily Yonder, May 11, 2010.
Julie Audery, “Back Home in (Exotic) Indiana” Daily Yonder, October 17, 2007.
Interview, Vocalo, Chicago Public Radio, Chesterton, IN, August 3, 2007.
Photo feature: “Il fotoblog dei ristoranti Usa” La Repubblica.it, May 2006