"Many years ago, I saw several paintings by Mose Tolliver and Jimmy Lee Sudduth, and recognized that art is not as complex or as simple as it's made out to be, but rather it comes from your heart and soul, not from your mind."

My paintings, drawings and collages are a process of storytelling - bringing and invoking the past and spirits into people and environments.  They are also about a way of life and the events that have changed our lives.  I focus on contemporary social and political issues which include the complexities of relationships.  Scenes of people at work and play, 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 a time where the simple pleasures of life were important and cherished."

Alabama native Ken Gentle is a self-taught fulltime artist who began painting at an early age as a way of sharing his experiences of growing up in the South. Over ten years ago he began creating multi-media paintings, drawings and collages that include water colors, chimney soot, enamels, and acrylics.  These paintings typically start with a base of "black tar" on wood, tar paper, or cardboard (hence the moniker “Blacktop"). His style of using a mixture of found objects in his assemblages further complements the stories he tells.

At "Atlanta's Slotin Folk Fest" and other art shows across the country his paintings have sparked considerable interest.  Blacktop's work has been referenced or featured in various newspapers and magazines across the U.S.  His work was the subject of a public radio interview in the spring of 2007 as well as a photo shoot and interview for Southern Living Magazine.  His paintings can be found in galleries, businesses and many private collections around the world.  Recently 10 of his works pertaining to the Holocaust were acquired by Appalachian State University, Boone, NC and Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.