Amped Up Artistry is inspired by the vibrant legacy of Greater Owensboro and envisions the city as a canvas to reflect our community’s distinctive identity and leave a lasting impression on all who visit.
This program highlights the works of talented local artists in a unique way, by placing them on traffic signal boxes along Second Street. These pieces feature different aspects of our community from bourbon to the bridge, from Bluegrass music to the natural beauty of our area.
Entries were submitted by several local artists, with five pieces selected included in this initial phase.
The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals launched the project through a novel partnership with the City of Owensboro, GO Chamber of Commerce, Owensboro Municipal Utilities, and community sponsors.
To become involved in Amped-Up Artistry as an artist or a sponsor, call the Chamber of Commerce at 270-926-1860.
Starry Owensboro by Brittany Samsil
My name is Brittany Samsil, owner of Art by Brittany. I was born in Vero Beach, Fla., grew up in Evansville, Ind., and currently reside in Owensboro. Growing up I was surrounded by artists. My mother was a painter and photographer, and my father was an artist in his own right. I started painting when I was 6 and began selling paintings at 12.
I am now 33 and have been working as a full-time artist since 2020. I have sold paintings to people in every state and several countries. I specialize in portrait paintings and charcoal pencil drawings.
About the art: “Starry Owensboro” was influenced by Van Gogh after visiting the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in the Spring of 2023. When I came back home to Owensboro, I wanted to do a combination of his masterpiece with the blue bridge.
Sponsored by Owensboro Municipal Utilities
The Boro by Will Evans
I loved to draw from an early age, and all through my teenage years. I had a family early on, and I put art down for many years. In 2020, I was at home a lot due to the pandemic, and my family encouraged me to get back into art. Since then, I’ve been published in magazines, selected for the inaugural Team Kentucky Art Gallery Exhibit, and raised money with United Way of Ohio Valley at Barrels for HeArt. Currently, this painting, The Boro, is on display at the Governor’s Derby Exhibit in The Capitol Building in Frankfort. My next projects are a mural at Kendall Perkins Park, and two free art camps for kids this summer.
About the art: A vibrant, colorful collage of Owensboro featuring the world’s largest Sassafras tree, with background features our very own Blue Bridge, Green River Distillery, and local Bluegrass legends Randy Lanham and Chris Joslin. There are even a couple of Kentucky-themed animals in the clouds.
Sponsored by Fraternal Order of Eagles
Kentucky Voices of Literature by Petra Mulligan
Petra Mulligan is a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from Ary, Kentucky. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree majoring in Illustration from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Petra moved to her husband’s native Owensboro at the start of 2024, following a series of jobs in the arts industry, including painting animatronics for theme parks, providing special effects and fabrication for independent horror films, and album art and poster design for numerous musicians. Petra is excited for her future in Owensboro, personally and artistically. More of her art and contact information can be found on Instagram: @petramulliganart and @necrodisco.
About the art:
I chose to celebrate the wide range of authors Kentucky has provided to the world. There were many to choose from, but in the end, I settled upon Silas House, Barbara Kingsolver (not a native, but has lived here most of her life), bell hooks, Robert Penn Warren, and Hunter S. Thompson. These authors span the spectrum of literature from fiction to journalism to poetry, each with a unique voice. I wanted to create a dynamic, colorful composition that would make people curious about the people portrayed and their work.
Sponsored by Owensboro Health
Sunflowers by Rex Robinson
String Instruments by Rex Robinson
Rex W. Robinson is a nationally known visual artist with more than 50 years of producing mostly vivid acrylic paintings in three portfolios: National Wonders, Biblical Truths, and Commissions (including 140 murals) of which 100 originals are available at the Senior Community Center 1650 W 2nd St. His work is in numerous museum, corporate and private collections, and has received many awards including “Bluegrass Visual Artist” and “Best Bill Monroe” from the International Bluegrass Music Museum. Robinson is featured in many news and art publications including American Artist, Canvas Rebel, and Art Voices plus documented by KET, PBS, and Owensboro Public Schools Public Access. Several murals and 25 originals of the Mayor’s Christmas Card are at the Owensboro Science & History Museum.
Certified K-12 with MAE, WKU, and BAE, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Robinson has conducted 15 years as “Artist In Resident” for the Kentucky Arts Council, 14 years with Owensboro Public Schools, art workshops, and live painting exhibits as sermons across Kentucky and the South.
Sunflowers sponsored by Greenwell Chisholm
String Instruments sponsored by the City of Owensboro