L. Brent Kington
Encyclopedia
L. Brent Kington is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
) is a visual artist working in blacksmithing and sculpture. He is also an art educator.
"L. Brent Kington is frequently hailed as the man responsible for the start of the blacksmithing revival of the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a product of the studio craft movement in jewelry and hollowware, teaching at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he mentored and entire generation of metalsmiths including, especially, Gary Lee Noffke. His works have been displayed at various galleries, including the Southern Illinois Art & Artisan Center, the Illinois State Museum
Illinois State Museum
The Illinois State Museum is the official museum of the natural history of the U.S. state of Illinois. The headquarters museum is located on Spring and Edwards Streets, one block southwest of the Illinois State Capitol, in Springfield, the state capital...
's Chicago and Lockport Galleries. A major exhibition is scheduled to begin in March 2010 at the Illinois State Museum's main facility in Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
. He served as the first president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths
Society of North American Goldsmiths
The Society of North American Goldsmiths was founded in 1969. It is an international nonprofit organization that serves as the primary organization of jewelers and metal artists in North America. Anyone interested in the related fields may become a member...
in 1969.
Kington has received fellowships from The National Endowment for the Arts (1975 and 1982) and the Illinois Arts Council
Illinois Arts Council
The Illinois Arts Council is a government agency of the state of Illinois formed to encourage development of the arts throughout Illinois. Founded in 1965 by the Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Arts Council provides financial and technical assistance to artists, arts organizations, and...
(1985).
He has been awarded the Gold Medal from the American Craft Council
American Craft Council
The American Craft Council , was founded in 1943 as a national, nonprofit, educational organization to support and foster interest in the crafts in America. The council sponsers national craft shows, publishes American Craft magazine, and has an extensive awards program...
.