The Kent Cultural Alliance is pleased to announce the second installment of their new Cultural Expressions program featuring Kent County Artist Kevin Harris. “Life on Life’s Terms” will open on First Friday, February 6 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm with a reception. The Artist’s Talk with Kevin Harris will be held at 6:00 pm on Thursday, February 12 in the gallery. The show will run through Saturday, February 21st.
Kevin Harris was born on Cannon Street in Chestertown and lives in Washington Park. A graduate of Kent County High School, he discovered his love of art under Commercial Arts teacher Mr. Corrigan. Kevin also studied print, film and photography at the Visual Arts Institute. He has worked as a landscaper and also at the old Reynolds and Reynolds printing company in Chestertown (now Vault Storage.)
Kevin experienced a long period in the disease of addiction and didn’t paint or create during that time. However, on his third day of being sober he picked up the brush. “All glory to God. My talent was composed in commercial art class in high school. I didn’t pick up a paint brush or do art again for 30 years, because of my disease. Once I was into recovery I started to paint on glass. The reason I started to paint on glass with acrylic latex house paint was, because that was the only medium I had. My subject matter came out of the darkness of which my disease had put me in. Every step of the way was a learning process which I had to teach myself,” says Harris.
His work for KCA’s Cultural Expressions includes works in Acrylic on Glass. He’s shown regionally at the Kent County Public Library, Chestertown RiverArts, Sumner Hall, Ocean City Art League, and at KCA’s Raimond Center Grand Opening in 2023. His portraits start with the eyes, always the eyes, said Kevin.
Recovery is a place, and a way of life, and as Kevin says, it is “life on life’s terms”.
Join us for this special KCA Cultural Expressions program.
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, February 6, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm
ARTIST’S TALK: Thursday, February 12, at 6:00 pm
Exhibit runs through February 21, 2026
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm
This concert is to benefit the Kent Cultural Alliance’s (KCA) Independent Artist Grants program. Over the years, many local artists have been recipients of this much needed financial help and we hope you will join us on Saturday, February 14th , as we celebrate with an evening of everyone’s favorite songs of love (see ticket info and purchase below).
For a number of years, jazz standards vocalist Sue Matthews and pianist Robert Redd have been paying tribute to the composers, lyricists and performers whose works are part of our Great American Songbook. Matthews, with her silky and at times, smokey, voice, has garnered attention as a gifted interpreter of lyrics and phrasing. Redd’s musicianship is masterful as he shares his own interpretations of the standards written primarily in the 1st half of the 20th Century. Their artistry together, is not to be missed.
Sue Matthews came to the music world’s attention in 1991, when she released the traditional jazz album “Love Dances” She was soon playing clubs and festivals and her next release “When You’re Around” reached the top 20 on the Gavin and R&R Jazz charts. Since then, she has released a number of recordings and become a favorite throughout the mid-Atlantic jazz clubs, concert halls, and jazz festivals. She is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council individual artist award. Matthews continues to be a featured artist at the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Muscle Shoals, Alabama; she’s enjoyed being the featured artist with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Florida Symphony, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Showcase in NYC and the Saluzzo Musical Festival in Italy; for several years was an artist-in-residence for the Jazz Week of the Augusta Heritage Center. As a member of the local Kent County band, ‘Guys & Doll’, Sue worked as an artist-in-residence at the Clifden Arts Week Festival, County Galway, Ireland, for more than 20 years.
Robert Redd tours nationally and internationally as the pianist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. A resident of D.C., for over 20 years Redd was a member of the Wolf Trap Jazz Series (the in-house jazz trio for their educational component); musical director for Kenny Rankin; for many years as an artist-in-residence at the Augusta Heritage Center. He toured and recorded with the legendary bassist Keter Betts, as well as performed with John Pizzarelli, Houston Persons, Melba
Moore and the Artie Shaw Band.
On Saturday, February 14 th , Sue and Robert will be joined by bassist James King. Working mostly in the Mid-Atlantic region, King has performed with many well-known artists: Stanley Turrentine, Buck Hill, Elvin Jones, Marlena Shaw and Ronnie Wells. James has traveled extensively to appear in major jazz festivals in North America and abroad including the North Sea, Montreal and Pori Jazz Festivals.
Seating is limited to 80 and ticket reservations are required. Wine and beer will be available for purchase.