Local artist Josh Bunch unveils latest work to benefit Kentucky charities

Local artist Josh “Spanky” Bunch unveiled his latest artwork Monday night that will be auctioned off for charity as part of the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala.

Bunch, who works as an arson investigator for the Kentucky State Police, is providing artwork for the event for the third year.

His 2018 work featuring a jockey riding a horse down the backstretch at Churchill Downs, raised more than $5,000 when it was auctioned.

The proceeds from the auction go to a variety of charities across the Commonwealth including Blessing in a Backpack, a program similar to the Corbin Backpack Club that provides food to children in need who may not otherwise eat outside of school, the Kentucky Arts, Kentucky State Police Trooper Island Camp, and Miracle League, which is a Little League baseball league geared toward children with mental and/or physical disabilities.

Rodney Brewer, a member of the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala Board of Directors, said in nine years of fundraising, the event has generated more than $4 million to benefit these and other charities.

While there are large ticket items including Bunch’s painting, tickets to the final round of the 2020 Masters golf tournament, a visit to the set of the Today Show, a NASCAR VIP experience at Kentucky Speedway, a visit to the taping of the “Men Tell All” episode of ABC’s “The Bachelorette, and a VIP package to attend a Dallas Cowboys football game, Brewer said there are a variety of smaller ticket items such a bourbon barrel type crafts that are priced at $20-$30.

“We run the gambit,” Brewer said.

Bunch said his newest work, entitled, “All Out,” features two horses nearing the finish line of a race at Churchill Downs.

The work is more than just Bunch applying paint to a canvas.

While the original is hand painted by Bunch, it is then transferred to a translucent material to give it its unique look.

“If I were to paint something in a classical style, I wouldn’t be very successful,” Bunch said crediting Hinkle Printing for processing his work to its final finish, and Southeast Apparatus, which is known for its fire trucks, for creating the framing for the work.

“It is more of a statement about the local artists than Josh as a painter,” Bunch said.

Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus thanked all of the people who took time out of their schedules Monday to come out and support Bunch and his fundraising effort.

“I love it!” Razmus said of Bunch’s work.

“Josh is not only on the fast track himself, but he is bringing people with him,” she said.

More information about Unbridled Eve and the auction is available online at http://www.unbridledeve.com.