Wrasslin’ with the Devil: Paintings by John Haywood
on view April 4-April 27, 2008 in the 2nd floor gallery
Born in a holler in Eastern Kentucky in one of the poorest counties in the country, John Wezley Haywood saw life differently than children who grew up in more economically developed areas. He lived in an isolated community called Risner that was named for his Mother’s family. During this time both Haywood and his community were being changed by outside influences which came into the area by means of mass communication and corporate development. Many of the traditions that had been handed down in the Eastern Kentucky region were forgotten. For a kid, these influences ellude from a magical city where hopes and dreams could come true. Chasing these dreams brought Haywood to Louisville where the culture shock instilled in him a new appreciation for his Appalachian heritage.
Today he paints the real Kentucky. His artwork pays tribute to lifestyles that make Kentucky and Appalachia one of the most unique and celebrated places in the entire world. The paintings tell stories of hell-raising hillbillies, hardened mine workers, mountain musicians, and more.
“I feel my background allows me to incorporate varied Kentucky experiences into my work. I also intend not to depict a romantic or watered down version of this life. I create my pieces from my experience or the situations of those close to my heart, with an element of story telling. Someone once called me the “white trash�? painter. I didn’t quite know how to take that. I portray real people - both good and shady, all trying to make a life for themselves and their families however they have chosen to do it. I see beauty in that, something to be respected.�?
Writers and critics have referred to Haywood as being a folk artist, but what you get with Haywood is a mixture of folk art and classical painting. The images come straight from his head but with a very sophisticated understanding of color, space, and composition. He focuses on the impact of the image, arranging his characters like actors on a stage.
His work has been collected by a variety of folks in an out of state. Environmental biologists, college professors, famous banjo players, disc jockeys, and tattoo artists are all proud owners of Haywood’s paintings. As the list grows so does the demand for his artwork. “I think that with the way things are today, people are looking for work that will connect them to something or someplace. As our culture becomes more and more homogenized, we are loosing many of the characteristics that make us unique,�? he says.
Haywood currently resides in Louisville with his wife, Kelli Brooke Haywood, and his daughter Deladis Rose Haywood. He is also a tattoo artist and an award winning old time banjo player.
-from the artist’s website
