Gouache, 1993

Dimensions: 30” x 20”

This is a portrait of Joe Brown and his son, Teddy. Joe and his wife, Linda, raised five children, and they always seemed to see hard times. But whether it meant working odd jobs or picking and selling wild mushrooms or blackberries, Joe never failed to provide for his family.

One of the most damaging stereotypes of Appalachian people is that mountain men are lazy welfare bums who father lots of children and then abandon their responsibility to them. This, of course, is no more true here than in any other region of the country nor among any other segment of the population. One look at Joe with his children dispels that notion.