Artist-In-Residence

Jerome Bias is a furniture maker and cultural heritage practitioner specializing in reproducing 18th—and 19th-century Southern Furniture using period techniques. He has been making furniture since 2000 and was the joiner for Old Salem Museums & Gardens from 2011-2016.

He has presented for the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Winterthur Museum, and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA).

Currently, Jerome Bias reproduces historic furniture pieces from places throughout the country where his family was enslaved. Through his work, he hopes to explore the question: “How did his ancestors handle the trauma of enslavement and yet maintain the ability to have hope and love?”

Learn the lost art of hearth cooking in this immersive workshop at Locust Grove. This workshop will include lessons on traditional culinary techniques passed down through generations. From stoking the flames to crafting savory dishes over the open fire, participants will master the secrets of cooking with history’s most elemental tool. Following the workshop, enjoy the work of your own hands and savor the flavors of the past in a truly unique dining experience.

Join us for a soiree under the stars as we welcome Locust Grove’s Artist in Residence Jerome Bias for his week of programming entitled A Celebration of Food, Family, & Furniture. This evening will feature delicious passed plates and hors d’oeuvres, custom cocktails, and music. Opening remarks by Locust Grove staff and board members and our featured artist, Jerome Bias, will also be featured at this soiree. The ticket price includes hors d’oeuvres and (1) complimentary drink ticket.

Calling all aspiring craftspeople! Join Artists-In-Residence Jerome Bias for an immersive woodworking workshop for beginners and enthusiasts. During this two-hour workshop, you’ll learn the fundamentals of woodworking under an expert craftsman’s guidance. You’ll gain hands-on experience that will empower you to bring your woodworking dreams to reality. Supplies are included in the ticket price, but feel free to bring your tools depending on your supply and comfort level.

Join Jerome Bias for a special EVENING edition of our lecture series. Bias will present his immense knowledge and study of the work of Thomas Day, a free Black cabinetmaker of the antebellum era. Bias has been a scholar of Day’s life and work for the last 20 years. His work has been presented for the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Winterthur Museum, and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA)

Join the African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky (AAGGKY) for an information-filled workshop on “Researching African Americans in the Antebellum Period.” This workshop will cover basic research strategies and address challenges encountered when researching African Americans from the antebellum period through Emancipation.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced researcher, this workshop offers a supportive and informative space to explore your family’s history and share their stories with the community.

This workshop will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. If you want to learn more, attendees can sign up for the AAGGKY’s additional workshop at 6:30 p.m. entitled “Searching for the Past: Using Post-Emancipation Records,” which will provide additional information to further their research goals! Attendees who register for both workshops will receive a $5.00 discount!                           

Tickets are $20.00 per person, and supplies will be provided. Laptops are encouraged for notetaking but not required.

Join the African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky (AAGGKY) for their genealogy workshop, “Searching for the Past: Using Post Emancipation Records.” This workshop will expand on the information learned in the AAGGKY’s first workshop, “Researching African Americans in the Antebellum Period,” and cover the use of resources such as Feedmen’s Bureau records, US Colored Troops records, census records, newspapers, cemetery records, and more!

This workshop will be held from 6:30-8:30PM. If you are wanting to learn more, attendees can sign up for the AAGGKY’s additional workshop held at 2:30 pm entitled “Researching African Americans in the Antebellum Period” which will lay a strong foundation for starting your family history!  Attendees that register for BOTH workshops will receive a $5.00 discount!                           

Tickets are $20.00 per person and supplies will be provided. Laptops are encouraged for notetaking, but not required.

Experience a truly remarkable dinner as skilled hearth cook Jerome Bias showcases the skill and artistry of the enslaved hearth cooks who changed the face of American food culture. This evening dinner will feature a historic menu of seasonally appropriate faire with Jerome’s own twist and flare.

While our descendants and honored guests will have complimentary admission, tickets to the public are priced at $75.00 per person. This event has limited seating, so reserve your seats today!

Join Jerome Bias for a behind-the-scenes tour of Locust Grove called “Layered Lenses: Black Perspectives of Historic Material Culture.” This tour will highlight Locust Grove as a meticulously preserved historic structure and a piece of Black material culture. It will include discussions of finely crafted furniture, exploring themes such as family, resistance, resilience, craftsmanship, and generational skill. This $15.00 tour will view Locust Grove through multiple lenses and conclude with a Q&A session with your guide and a Locust Grove representative.