The Appalachian Whisperer
"Art from the deep dark hills of Eastern Kentucky"
Fascination / Inspiration…
Our featured artist is Mike Ousley. “Ousley records an oral tradition in paint, aligned with the powerful folk tradition he was born into” - Clay Flynn
“Darkness lurks at the edges of Ousley’s painting, giving a dimension of menace and mystery to even wholesome-looking scenes"- Harry Tafoya
Mike Ousley was born the son of a coal miner in Southeastern Kentucky. “Having grown up in a small coal town listening to stories told by friends and family, he credits the visionary artists and rich heritage of the region as his primary influence.”1
See more of Mike Ousley’s art on his website and Instagram: @mike_ousley_art
What’s your reaction to Ousley’s paintings?
On My Easel…
I’m happy to be painting again! I’m working on flesh tones for my figure painting Fish Without Bicycle.You can see tiny try out panels sitting on the giant 4 X 8 foot panel.
Book Update…
Art & Love: My Life Illuminated in Egg Tempera
My copyeditor is working on the final chapters of the manuscript — it should be in the hands of my designer by April.
Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 5- Life in Rural Maine — in which I build and then live in an 18 foot tipi while working as a community health nurse.
One of my patients had a colostomy due to cancer. Her sister-in-law who cared for her had to find me in my tipi when the colostomy was leaking. No cell phones then! Years later I painted “Lovers With Colostomy.”
Click this link to read the excerpt and see more photos from the “Life in Rural Maine” chapter.
On a Personal Note….the wars continue…
I’m still feeling devastated by the wars in Gaza/Israel, Ukraine and other hot spots. If you missed my post, “Can Art Stop War?” click here to see it.
Here’s the PLUS section of Art Blotter Plus:
From My Shade Garden…
The case of the nodding flower….Hellebore
This is a beautiful winter flower but sadly I don’t get to see the flower unless I turn it over. You can buy Hellebore that does not nod- it’s on my garden wish list!
I’m a five minute gardener — it’s amazing how much I can get done in five minutes. My friend Janet takes me to nurseries and advises me on seasonal shade plants to buy. My garden was originally designed and planted by Kinsey Bell of Daybreak Nutrition and Garden — many of the original plants are still thriving seven years later!
Medical Moment…
Some of you know that I’m an artist and an RN.
Do you know FOMITE?
One of my favorite weird medical terms — fomite — sounds like a rabid animal foaming at the mouth. It refers to an object — not a living entity — that can transmit virus particles. Viruses are more transmissible from smooth or shiny fomites. Fabrics and other porous surfaces are not as likely to retain live virus.
A door knob is a classic fomite.
Although Covid2 and the flu3 can be transmitted from a surface, fomites are not a common route of transmission for those viruses. However, the common cold, RSV and Norovirus are highly transmissible from fomites. I try to use my sleeve when opening door knobs, and hand washing is also important in preventing viral diseases.
Amos Art…
My son's got talent! Amos just completed a 13 panel mural at Virginia Garden Walk in Bernal Heights, San Francisco. Here’s a video by Doc Pop interviewing Amos about the mural:
And here’s a recent interview with Amos from SFist magazine which shows more of the completed mural.
See more Amos art and wearables
Survey time!…
It’s helpful for me to know your thoughts about this newsletter. It’s just three questions:
I leave you with a…
Favorite Song from the Great American Songbook...
The Nearness of You4 is a Hoagy Carmichael song with lyrics by Ned Washington. It’s sung here by the celestial jazz singer and pianist Norah Jones.
Trivia alert: Jones is the daughter of famous sitar player Ravi Shankar but all credit goes to her mother, Sue Jones, for nurturing Nora’s talent from age 4.5
Jones is wearing a Golden Girls T-shirt that reads “Stay Golden.”6
I’d love feedback & suggestions on this my 5th post of Art Blotter Plus
Until next time…
Carry On Bravely in these impossible times,
Lora
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34062182/ [covid]. Of course most viruses are spread by aerosol and droplet transmission.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121424/ [flu]
Lyrics: It's not the pale moon that excites me, That thrills and delights me, Oh no, It's just the nearness of you. It isn't your sweet conversation, That brings this sensation, Oh no, It's just the nearness of you, When you're in my arms, And I feel you so close to me, All my wildest dreams came true. I need no soft lights to enchant me, If you would only grant me the right, To hold you ever so tight. And to feel in the night the nearness of you.
She was estranged from her father for much of her life but reconciled before he died.
The “Great American Songbook” is not an actual songbook — it’s the canon of American popular songs and jazz standards from the early 1920s. I love this poignant and clever vocal genre
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Great article!! Interesting paintings!! Glad it's being preserved.
A Mother's Day special.
Thank you everyone who filled out the survey.!I wish the results could be instantly seen by subscribers, but I'll post them (without names) in the next issue.