For more than 50 years, Wilma Johnson Bethel has shared her passion for art and creativity with generations of Kentucky students. A native of Mount Sterling, Bethel discovered her love of art at an early age, inspired by a family of makers. From early lessons in observation and imitation, she developed a lifelong belief that every person possesses the spark of creativity.
“I had the privilege of being one of Mrs. Bethel’s students beginning in the 1980s. She was not only my first Black woman teacher, but also my first formal art instructor—an experience that laid the foundation for my studio practice, my confidence as a creative thinker, and ultimately my career as an educator in public schools in New York City and in the West End of Louisville.” — Jabani Bennett, MAT, Ed.D., artist, writer and facilitator
“Upon first meeting Mrs. Bethel, I could feel her warmth and compassion for the arts, her students, and the overall creative cycle. There are those people in this world who humbly spread light, positivity, and creativity every time they walk into a room. Mrs. Bethel is one of the lucky ones with this incredible gift. Her students young and old come up and give her hugs of gratitude, beaming with smiles showing how thankful they are to have been in her classes.” — Julie W. Hohmann, M.Ed. Louisville Visual Art, board member/education chair