That’s pretty much how I found Shanden Simmons. I posted on Facebook, asking for suggestions of someone to create custom work for the lobby. His mom sent me his information, and the result is the most incredible original artwork with ties to Kentucky Lake nostalgia. 

When I met Shanden at the Inn, the lobby was a wreck and I wasn’t even sure where this piece was going. But I had several old Kentucky Lake postcards that I ordered from Ebay – some with notes and addresses, sent via “AIR MAIL” –  and I knew that I wanted to incorporate them. Shanden took them and ran with my ideas – fusing ideas from several of the old postcards. 

One of the cards had the following written on the back: “Think this trip will help us after all the mess we have been in at home. Maybe we can accomplish more when we get back after such a nice change.” I couldn’t stop thinking – isn’t that what we are all looking for when we plan a lake getaway? To forget the “mess?” 

With this piece, Shanden helped tie everything together that I was trying to accomplish with this project. No more mess.

Thanks, Mom. I owe you one. 

About Shanden: “I’m 32 and I’ve been an artist professionally for 10 years. I have permanent murals and drawings featured throughout the area.” 

About the art: “The charcoal drawing is 36” x 72″ and depicts a scene taken from actual archived photos dating back to the 1960’s on Kentucky Lake of two friends, one water skiing, and the other driving the small boat. Overlaid is a transparent layer of an actual postcard that was written about the particular day and mailed to a friend, showing the author of the postcard on the right side.”