Lexington Art League's WITNESS Project Paints a Real Life Picture of Domestic Violence & Abuse

LAL’s WITNESS Project Paints a Real Life Picture ofDomestic Violence and Sexual Abuse


Every 15 seconds, a woman in the United States is battered [1]. Every two minutes, someone in this country is sexually assaulted [2]. These staggering statistics are personalized in the LAL’s upcoming exhibit Witness, a creative collaboration between artists and women who have experienced violence that opens during the Nov. 20 Gallery Hop at J. Allen Studio + Spa.


“Witness is an example of the way in which arts and activism can come together and affect social change,” said LeTonia Jones, vice-president of the LAL Board of Directors and the Advocacy Programs Administrator for the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association. “The artists, who were carefully screened and uniquely trained for this type of work, can creatively help survivors find another way of expression that’s different from counseling or journaling, which are typical approaches to treatment. And the survivors, or storytellers as we are calling them, can feel empowered by sharing their story and encouraging others to take action for themselves or on behalf of others in these dangerous situations.”

Witness is sponsored in part by the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and LAL has partnered with Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA), Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program (BDVP), Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center (BRCC), Third Street Stuff and Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth (KUMH) to develop and produce the program, making this project one of the most comprehensive visual arts activist efforts in Lexington.

“This is an uncomfortable subject to talk about, and it can elicit a very emotional response, but Witness is an accessible way to bring it out, make it less furtive and talk about it,” said Maria Almario, a member of the Witness work group, an activist and UK Ph.D. candidate concentrating on human trafficking. “By coming together for this program, in such a visible way, the organizations participating in the project, the artists and the participants have a much stronger voice, resulting in what we hope will be a big, positive impact on the community’s knowledge of how to work to end the violence.”

Almario, Jones and other work group members recruited and screened many artists and storytellers before choosing the final 20 women for the project. After training and orientation sessions, one artist was paired with one storyteller and the creative process began independently. Artist Jennifer McLamb and storyteller Leah Carpenter are one of the pairs, and both have found the experience powerful and rewarding.

“Telling someone’s story visually comes with an intense amount of concern, especially when dealing with subjects like domestic violence and sexual assault, but it has also been a tremendous privilege,” said McLamb, who primarily works in glass and jewelry. “One can not go into this with only part of themselves, it requires the entire person. I’ve been amazed to discover that even in a situation fraught with pain, there is also joy and strength and tenderness.  It’s been incredible as an artist to work with Leah to develop a visual representation of this complex issue.”

For Carpenter, the collaboration has been a chance to reflect on her experience and work through emotions in a unique and empowering way.

“I’m grateful to be participating in Witness,” she said. “Not only did I want to share my story and help others know they’re not alone, but I wanted to find a new technique for working through some of my lingering issues. Working with Jennifer let me do that, and it was comforting to have her guidance and her support through the process.”

McLamb and Carpenter’s piece, along with artwork from nine other couplings, will embark on an extensive tour Lexington in the coming months. After Witness’s debut at J. Allen Studio + Spa (527 S. Upper) on Nov. 20, it will move to Griffin Gate Marriott for the 11th annual Ending Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Conference from Nov. 30-Dec. 3. A comprehensive schedule of the tour is being finalized and will be available at www.lexingtonartleague.org.

“Witness signifies a new, innovative, and valuable direction for the LAL,” said Paula Anderson, president of the LAL Board of Directors. “Part of our mission is to illuminate the role of visual art in contemporary life, and Witness is doing just that. The collaboration between artists and storytellers has been eye-opening on both sides, and by putting the exhibit on tour, we’re using visual art to inspire community dialogue around this very important issue.”


[1] UN Study On The Status of Women, Year 2000


[2] Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) calculation based on 2000 National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice


Concurrent LAL Exhibits:


LAL @ Loudoun House – Generously Odd: Craft Now chronicles the unique territory currently being examined by today’s avant-garde craft artists. The exhibition, curated by artist, woodworker, and Lecturer of Art at Eastern Kentucky University Travis Townsend, focuses on contemporary craft objects that engagingly experiment with material, form and concept. Work explores abundant decoration, obsessive techniques, and peculiar narratives or concepts.



LAL Project Space – They Call Me Theirs, by Catherine Forster (Crystal Lake, Ill.) is a multi-media installation that creates an immersive environment, reversing the experience of the outdoors.
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