Kentuck Showcases Folk Art in Tuscaloosa’s Transformed Queen City Pool House

A uniquely designed building in Tuscaloosa will begin its third iteration as a treasured public space when Kentuck at Queen City opens to the public this weekend.

As the Thread has previously reported, Kentuck partnered with the city of Tuscaloosa last year and announced plans to breathe new life into the historic Queen City Pool House off Jack Warner Parkway near the Tuscaloosa Public Library.

The eye-catching building is absolutely flooded with natural light and was designed by Tuscaloosa architect Don Buel Schuyler, who was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Almost a year after the new project was announced and the Warner Transportation Museum closed, Kentuck at Queen City will open this weekend to show off the brand new Edward Guy Collection.

The stunning trove of folk art was donated by the Tuscaloosa man of the same name, a leader at Kentuck for more than 20 years, including a term as the president of its board of directors.

Guy has donated more than 60 unique pieces from his own collection of southern folk art, including well-known pieces from artists who are part of Kentuck history - Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Theresa Disney, Gregory "Mr. Imagination" Warmack, and Danny "Bucket Man" Hoskinson.

The Thread got a sneak peek at the display earlier this week.

"It is really Guy's hope that this will be the beginning of what will become a folk art museum here in Alabama," said Exa Skinner, Kentuck's executive director. "That's what our hope is as well and that the community will come out and continue to contribute to this collection and that this won't be the end of it."

The launch of the new collection is planned for this Friday from 5:30 until 8 p.m. at the reimagined space. Skinner said the event will feature live music, drinks and more.

"We'll be welcoming people in just to view the collection and enjoy what Edward has gifted our community, Skinner said. "In the beginning, this bathhouse was such a community-oriented space and we really want to make sure that continues in its third life. It needs to continue to be a hub of activity for the community."

Launching the new space with the Edward Guy Collection lets Kentuck show off their own history as well as the history of the folk art craft in this region, Skinner said. Many of the displayed pieces are from artists who displayed at Kentuck or had residencies there and worked in their studios on the other side of the Black Warrior River in Northport.

"Through this art, we look to showcase the importance of West Alabama and what it has done for the art world because many of these artists are collected by the Smithsonian, by the Hyde Museum, by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and so many of them had their first exposure to the public through the Kentuck Festival right here in West Alabama," Skinner said. "It's almost like this is what our community has grown for the world."

After the launch on Friday, Kentuck at Queen City will open for regular hours every Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., with an hour-long closure for lunch from 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sunday, the new art center is open from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Skinner said from there, they hope to eventually open five days a week in the new space.

"We hope Friday, Saturday, Sunday is just the start, Skinner said. "With our proximity to the university, we're hoping that people will drop in on a Sunday after a football game, maybe on their way out of town, and here they'll get to do something a little bit off the beaten path from what they would normally experience but still worth seeing."

Kentuck at Queen City opens to the public at 1901 Jack Warner Parkway this Friday.

For more coverage of news that matters in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.