Official Derby Festival Poster Artist
Louisville artist, Kim Perry, who describes her paintings as a love letter to her home state, has been selected as the Festival’s Official Poster Artist for 2025.
A life-long Kentuckian, Perry didn’t pick up her first paintbrush until 2018. It was during a visit to a gallery in Kinsale, Ireland, that a painting by Irish artist, Roisin O’Farrell, caught her eye and sparked her passion for painting. After that trip, she spent two years taking online courses with Roisin and honing her technique. Now, nearly seven years later, she’s an impressionistic realism painter working primarily with oils and using a palette knife to add her own unique touch to her pieces.
“My paintings are a love letter to Kentucky – friendly, confident and inviting,” Perry said. “It is an incredible honor to be named the Poster Artist for the 2025 Derby Festival. This opportunity allows me to contribute to such a cherished event in a meaningful and lasting way. I love every aspect of the Derby Festival and getting to leave my lasting touch on it is so special to me.”
Perry is known for her original Kentucky-inspired pieces that showcase her enthusiasm for her home state, including bourbon, horse racing, landscapes and more. She has done live paintings at Buffalo Trace Distillery and is a juried member of Oil Painters of America and the Louisville Artisans Guild. For more information about Perry, visit KimPerryStuido.com.
Over the years, the Derby Festival’s Official Poster Series has become a unique symbol of the community. Peter Max’s expressionistic “Bluegrass Pegasus” launched the series in 1981, and a stylistic and geographical mix of artists have been showcased over the years. Fans can still purchase most of the previous artwork at KDF.org.