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O, Appalachia: Artists of the Southern Mountains
A tribute to 17 self-taught artists and craftsmen who live in the mountains between Virginia and Alabama. The book contains interviews with these people and examples of their art. They include sculptors, painters, carvers and weavers who together maintain the traditions of folk art.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 16, 2025
“Creating a jubilation out of scrap metal, Charlie Lucas is singing.”
This reminds me of one of those PBS/History Channel documentaries that your art teacher plays on the little roll in tv that was made in the 80s. It’s so full of endearment and joy that you can’t not like it.
As someone who (technically) grew up in and connected to Appalachia, with my grandma living in what is basically the Chattahoochee National Forest (BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS REPRESENT 🤑), my mom growing up in West Virginia and North Carolina, and my dad growing up in New Jersey (which is weirdly not considered a part of Appalachia even though the Sparta mountains- where he grew up- are a part of the Appalachian mountains. Idk anthropology is weird) I’ve never really appreciated it. No matter how many Sorghum festivals and Dahlonega mine visits and hiking trail walks we went on, you could not get me interested in it. Like at all.
However, diving into the deeper stuff, like this book, really helps me appreciate what I wasn’t paying attention to for so many years.
I LOOOOVE how every introduction into the artists’ lives brings to light what it means to live in Appalachia; the interconnected-ness of art with God, with feminism, with race, with the very ground they walk on. I know art doesn’t always need a ‘why?’ but to see an answer is special.
It’s also very sobering knowing that most, if not all, of the artists whose work is shown are dead now. The majority of those who were sculpting, painting, carving, they were adamant about the fact that they didn’t make art to be popular, that just the creation and presentation of it to those around them was enough. I still can’t get the thought out of my head, though: were they satisfied? To have the 11 people of Goodreads read this book, was that enough for them? For most of them art was a collaborative work; they did it and, in turn, their kids started, too. Once they passed, did their kids continue to make it? If so, for how long? Were they happy with what they accomplished? None of these artists were rich; most of them were making art ALONG with doing something else (preaching, farming, teaching). Each and every one of them struggled just to have the ability to make art, so I’d guess that would be enough. They all seemed happy to live in Appalachia, as tough as it may be. Their hardships are forged into something new, something shining with layman’s pride.
Art got me spiraling bro
This reminds me of one of those PBS/History Channel documentaries that your art teacher plays on the little roll in tv that was made in the 80s. It’s so full of endearment and joy that you can’t not like it.
As someone who (technically) grew up in and connected to Appalachia, with my grandma living in what is basically the Chattahoochee National Forest (BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS REPRESENT 🤑), my mom growing up in West Virginia and North Carolina, and my dad growing up in New Jersey (which is weirdly not considered a part of Appalachia even though the Sparta mountains- where he grew up- are a part of the Appalachian mountains. Idk anthropology is weird) I’ve never really appreciated it. No matter how many Sorghum festivals and Dahlonega mine visits and hiking trail walks we went on, you could not get me interested in it. Like at all.
However, diving into the deeper stuff, like this book, really helps me appreciate what I wasn’t paying attention to for so many years.
I LOOOOVE how every introduction into the artists’ lives brings to light what it means to live in Appalachia; the interconnected-ness of art with God, with feminism, with race, with the very ground they walk on. I know art doesn’t always need a ‘why?’ but to see an answer is special.
It’s also very sobering knowing that most, if not all, of the artists whose work is shown are dead now. The majority of those who were sculpting, painting, carving, they were adamant about the fact that they didn’t make art to be popular, that just the creation and presentation of it to those around them was enough. I still can’t get the thought out of my head, though: were they satisfied? To have the 11 people of Goodreads read this book, was that enough for them? For most of them art was a collaborative work; they did it and, in turn, their kids started, too. Once they passed, did their kids continue to make it? If so, for how long? Were they happy with what they accomplished? None of these artists were rich; most of them were making art ALONG with doing something else (preaching, farming, teaching). Each and every one of them struggled just to have the ability to make art, so I’d guess that would be enough. They all seemed happy to live in Appalachia, as tough as it may be. Their hardships are forged into something new, something shining with layman’s pride.
Art got me spiraling bro
November 11, 2013
One of my top books on folk art. The art in this book pulls on my emotions so profoundly. A very enjoyable book to re-visit many times.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews