Alumni Spotlight – Gary R. Bibbs

 Name: Garry R. Bibbs

What year did you graduate from Kentucky State?

I graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s in fine art.

What have you been up to since graduation?

I have been a professor at the University of Kentucky School of Art and Visual Studies for 28 years. I produce large metal outdoor sculptures and prints as a nationally recognized professional artist. I am up for full professor promotion this year and I am going on sabbatical in the spring of 2019 to travel to Athens, Greece in January for a conference. Then I’m headed to Nairobi, Kenya to teach and produce an outdoor sculpture at the University of Nairobi. Go to garrybibbsart.com for images of my art work.

What is your best memory or memories at Kentucky State?

My best memory was how we poor black students, from all of these cities and places such as Louisville, Lexington, Atlanta, Birmingham, Detroit, Chicago, Jacksonville and Mississippi, coming together as friends and learning how to survive by helping one another as we all struggled to obtain a college degree. And now, we all are doing well with successful families and nice homes, jobs and careers. And, it all started there in Frankfort, Kentucky, at Kentucky State University!

What is the most important thing you learned here?

The most important thing I learned was the importance of hard work, learning, research and education, dedication, self-pride, self-identity,  brotherly love and unity!