keith Anderson
Chimel Ford
barrel of dreams
The Best of Kentucky
Now 33 years old, Chimel Ford began creating pop art at Pleasure Ridge Park High School when he was 14. “Creating art is my passion. I enjoy painting popular art that is bold and colorful and speaks to the heart.” Chimel is excited about the opportunity and challenge of displaying his art on a barrel for Bourbon with HeART. “I’ve painted art on wine bottles, ornaments, and ceramics, but never on a barrel.” Inspired by everyday things, he loves combining different colors to make art come to life. Sharing his talent with the world is important to Chimel. “I’m happiest when I’m creating art. It’s my gift to anyone needing something to smile about. Seeing Louisville, Kentucky light up with bright, colorful art brings people together.” His mother, Helena, says Chimel is something special. “He has autism, but that doesn’t define him. His art does,” she says as she gestures to several vibrant canvases. “My son is self-taught. I had to watch and see it one day. My son paints with both hands, He’s ambidextrous, and I’ve never seen an artist do that.” Chimel is working to produce a winning design allowing him to split the charitable donation between two organizations, The Hope Village, powered by The Hope Buss, and The Lord’s Kitchen Ministries. He hopes his art “inspires someone to do something they didn’t think they could do.”
From the bottle to the barrel, Keith Anderson is taking on yet another bourbon-related artistic challenge. The Louisville native is the first artist with the distinction of designing the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle for two consecutive years, in 2018 and 2019. Keith is also the first Brown-Forman employee and the first African-American to hold the honor of his artwork appearing on the Limited Edition bottle. Keith sees Bourbon with HeART as another unique opportunity to showcase his artwork and get his name out there for more exposure. But as with any creative project, this one has a more profound significance, “For me, art is my life. Not only do I enjoy art, but it is also therapeutic. It’s like therapy for the mind, body, and soul.” With a hospitality background and fifteen years now with Brown-Forman, Keith assists in overseeing the café, catering, and preparation for bourbon tastings. “I was born and raised in Louisville, and art is Louisville. This city is known not only for the Derby but for its love of the arts. Keith is very thankful for the opportunity to show off his passion for art. “If my barrel design wins, I can close my eyes and pick which nonprofit to donate my prize to because giving to any charity is a huge plus, especially in these times, and as a society, we need to give more!” barrel sponsored by:
barrel sponsored by:
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bourbonwithheart.org
bourbonwithheart.org
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