Folk center book's about time
by Paul McDonald
The Courier-Journal
March 6, 2000
TO COMMEMORATE the end of the 20th century, Adrian Quinn, curator of the Kentucky fok Art Center in Morehead, asked several Kentucky artists, writers and poets to share their thoughts on what he called, "the ubiquitous millennium issue." The result was an exhibition for the center along with a book of art and verse titled "Time All Over."
This small but impressive book features the work of some of the finest wordsmiths in Kentucky, such as Wendell Berry, Richard Taylor, Sarah Gorham, Ron Whitehead, Nikky Finney, Ed McClanahan and James Still, among others.
Time, of course, is the central theme, but instead of turning a corner or arriving at a destination, time is perceived as a constant unfolding of awareness. James Baker Hall, in his poem "Prayer for the New Year," watches every moment connect like a line of string wrapping around each finger. Kent Fielding contemplates his dreams of a world longing for redemption. James Still gives us his wishes for heaven upon his arrival, and Jeffrey Skinner reflects on a late afternoon in the 20th century: "The dusk in Creason's Park comes on, slowly, and the parents reel their children in on the soft hook of their names, and they all drift toward their cars and thoughts of food and sleep."
For the most part, the artwork manages to convey its original vibrancy. Calvin Cooper's "Y2K Bug" is clever, and we get a glimpse of the brilliance of Norma Young's acrylic "Face to Face."
Unfortunately, Hazel Kinney's mixed media, "Prepare to Meet God," is too complex to be properly appreciated in such a limiting format. Nevertheless, "Time All Over" is a rare gem of Kentucky artists and poets coming together at a pivotal moment in history.
The exhibition at the Kentucky Folk Art Center runs through April 8. The book costs $6 and can be ordered by calling the center at 606-783-2204.
