family photos from southeastern Kentucky

post #330
       Every once in a while I reach out to share photos by other photographers. Last week, in the great digital photography class at Morehead State that I'm TAKING, I was curious and asked to see Rachel Cook's work for our second project in the class - environmental portraiture. We were assigned to produce 80 photos as contact prints and then choose 6 - 8 of them to print.
        I thought her work was so evocative. It spoke to me. I asked her if I could post some of those photos and she said yes. Thank you, Rachel! 
       The photos were made at her home in Letcher County, Kentucky, over the spring break. They all live in her grandmother's house. It's a special kind of challenge to be making photos in such an intimate location where the people there have to sort of ignore what one member of the family is doing -- to say nothing of how hard it is to work with available light. I know this is the age of everyone taking photos of each other, but to show a slice of family life and family feeling is a whole other accomplishment. At least that's how I see it. Since I have this handy blog, I now hope visitors here can experience this slice as well, including the putting away of groceries and the caring for one another.

      My political plea for the week: the arts are so valuable in expressing who we are and the world we want to have. Please speak up for Arts Funding, and this includes the Kentucky Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and our brave and visionary citizen artists, like Rachel and the other members of our photography class. Seek truth and celebrate it.

celebrating Harlan, Kentucky's, hometown hero, George Ella Lyon

post #282
               Greetings from Harlan, Kentucky! I have been here this weekend for the home town celebration of Kentucky's current poet laureate, George Ella Lyon. Despite plentiful rain, the 3 - 8 p.m. gathering worked out so well.  Congratulations to Robert Gipe and all the folks who worked so hard to making this proclaimed George Ella Lyon Day a beautiful one for her and us all.  There was a one day art exhibit, that took weeks to organize and pull together. There was a short play based on one of George Ella's [45] books, readings by students of her poems and of "Where I'm From" poems, music from an amazing adult choral group and from The Troubadors, as well as tributes that included George Ella's 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Unthank, and the previous Kentucky poet laureate and mentor Gurney Norman.  The community provided a delicious potluck dinner as well!
       I hope these photos I made will give a further feel for what the occasion was like.  Don't worry, I am just able to show about 30 of them. The light in the big room was challenging for me, as was my wanting to visit with everyone. [Please remember this post was prepared the morning following the George Ellabration, and added to throughout the day as I returned home 5 hours away.]

A rainy, foggy Saturday in Harlan, Kentucky

which we left to enter into a large room of light and food and art and music and celebration of a hometown writing girl who has made a big difference.

George Ella with Mrs. Unthank, longtime fan, former GEL teacher

more art show panels

Kentucky art -- with a heart (Harlan County)

GEL and Bruce Florence

on-going art work at the event, by hard workers!

       Two young actors were impatient last night for their play to start, though I am sure they may often be impatient. The whole group did a great job. The book they are acting out is George Ella's Five Live Bongos.  And the mannequin arm that was part of their show became a feature in many of the future photos of folks using the podium.  Love it.

   Sunday morning: These are only some of the photos I will be posting - this motel is not equipped with the fiber optic I am used to at home, in northeastern Kentucky, and the time fast approaches to START for home so this is the first version of this post. 
    ....And now it is later, and I am at home, so here are some more photos!!

The Troubadors

George Brosi, books, books, books!

Jillean came from Berea, Richard Hague from Cincinnati!

Bravery in action to read a poem to a crowd of strangers - bravo to all! 

waiting to be the next to read

a moving reading of George Ella's poem "She Let Herself Go"

 

a commissioned painting by Skye Brosi

a reading by Misty Skaggs, who did the major share of gathering up art for the show!

BFFs

surround sound at its best

Ann Schertz, musical director

memories of illustrator and artist Paul Brett Johnson

Gurney Norman, former poet laureate, and an early supporter of George Ella (shown with that reaching mannequin arm....)

Thank you, Mrs. Unthank, for letting me take your photo during this happy occasion. And thank you for your early support of George Ella and her poetry, in the fourth grade!

Photos have the first say on this third of May

post #240
       By first say, I mean, of course, what images most capture my fancy -- before I determine what will be in the week's blog post.  The verdict just now is that it's gonna be PEOPLE.  In my view, the change of seasons wouldn't be as beautiful without them. 
       Recently I showed the trillium on the rock photos. I saw them first with Karen and Doug on 4/18/15 (see post #238).  Today's photos are on 4/28, ten days later.  I am with Debbie and Lucy, all three of us way into photography.  

trillium still blooming, ten days later!

tricky lighting, patient friends

       I do prefer to show anything in context, a witness to where I am at the time and patient with the lighting.  This inclination of mine must have something to do with my over-active curiosity gene!

 These great guys cleared a majorly clogged drainage pipe during those days of heavy rain and saturated ground.  Jason and James, thank you for a job well done!  They are both juniors in high school.  Here is what it looked like before they were called to the scene: 

       My next people are gathered in a dry inner space -- within the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol.  My friend George Ella Lyon is being inducted as the next Poet Laureate of our state, for a two year term!  The Kentucky Arts Council orchestrates the ceremony; the governor speaks and six former P.L.s get to read a poem.  George Ella gave the main address, and soon after we all went outside because of a fire drill!  Congratulations to all, especially when poetry can rule for the day, Kentucky Writers Day, April 24th every year, the anniversary of the birth of Kentuckian Robert Penn Warren in 1905.
      

Frank X. Walker, the "retiring" P.L.

      Now two photos of George Ella -- I am sharing the first one EVEN THOUGH it is not what it could be. I love her expression, but I did not hold my camera still enough to capture it with the clarity I would have preferred.  However, she is acknowledging her family at the beginning of her remarks, and I think she looks loving and happy, so I am not able to dismiss this photo entirely.  The second photo of her could also be sharper, but it is the only one I took at that time.  (Gosh, honesty can be interesting but also difficult to own up to.)

      Last set of photos today: my neighbor Natalie was showing me her baby goats, especially this chocolate one.  She and I have just been to a community theater performance, but she was in her barn outfit in a flash so she could show me the new goat.  I love it.  Thanks for coming with me Sunday, Natalie, and letting me take your photo with the baby goat and the baby rabbits.

CUTE - and quick!