1/7/2015 – 2015 DERBY FESTIVAL POSTER ROLLS OFF THE PRESSES

IMAGE TO BE PART OF ‘FESTIVAL UNVEILED’ ON FEB. 26 

January 7, 2015 Louisville, KY.  The 2015 Kentucky Derby Festival Poster rolled off the presses this morning at Clark & Riggs Printing in Louisville.  This year’s Festival poster image is designed by Louisville native, Karen Boone. There will be both an Official and a Limited edition version of the poster.

Boone’s images will be officially released at KDF’s first event of 2015  – “Festival Unveiled” Presented by Citizens Union Bank and Four Roses Bourbon. In addition to unveiling the official poster, other exciting elements of the 2015 Festival will also be announced.  The event is set for Thursday, February 26, at The Ice House on East Washington Street.  Tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, January 9th.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door.  They can be purchased online at www.kdf.org or by calling the Derby Festival Office at (502) 584-FEST.  All guests receive a complimentary goodie bag.

“I love being the Kentucky Derby Festival poster artist,” said Karen Boone. “Growing up in Louisville, I have always enjoyed the community aspect of the Festival. It’s an honor to have my artwork represent KDF once more.”

Karen is a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and University of Louisville. She received her Master’s degree from Basel School of Design in Switzerland. She has worked in Amsterdam, for Pentagram in New York and San Francisco, and in Tokyo, Japan. Karen’s current painting work is about exploring nature with all natural paints. The 2015 Kentucky Derby Festival poster art was painted traditionally with organic oil paint, created by mixing real earth pigments with organic walnut oil.

Citizens Union Bank and Four Roses Bourbon are Presenting Sponsors of Festival Unveiled.  Contributing Sponsors are Clark & Riggs Printing, Crushed Ice Events and Kentucky’s Soft Drink Ale-8-One. Media Sponsors are LEO Weekly and New Country Q103.1.

Over the years, the Derby Festival’s Official Poster Series has become a unique symbol of the community. Past designs decorate offices and homes throughout the city. 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. The signed collector editions continue to significantly increase in value, and the quality of the Poster Series has been recognized worldwide.