Harlan Hubbard (1900–1988), a Kentucky writer, environmentalist, and artist, spent many years trying to rediscover and revive the vanishing language of landscape in his watercolor paintings. Known ...for their sense of drifting movement and their depiction of the natural way of life fondly associated with Hubbard, they inexplicably remain his least studied artworks, despite presenting some of the best evidence of Hubbard's place in the history of landscape painting. The Watercolors of Harlan Hubbard not only argues for Hubbard's place in the art historical canon but also highlights and analyzes the artist's own voice. In this unique collection, more than two hundred watercolors are interspersed with anecdotes from those who knew Hubbard or drew inspiration from his work, offering a personal meditation on a deeply influential artist and serving as an invitation to those who have yet to discover him.
An intimate and inspiring testament by Kentucky's own Thoreau, Hubbard's journals record a life lived in harmony with nature. The third and climactic volume,Payne Hollow Journal, contains entries ...from the years he and his wife, Anna, lived at their Payne Hollow home along the Ohio River's Kentucky shore.
Winter Harlan Hubbard
Payne Hollow Journal,
02/2015
Book Chapter
December 1Fog this morning, and frostwork on the riverside trees, a brilliant spectacle when the sun broke through. 1965
A wintry night, dark and sleety, a cold wind sweeping down the river. We are ...thankful for shelter and warmth and abundant food, warm clothing; yet all this alone could not give us much satisfaction or happiness. This comes from wood fires, from food almost as natural as wood burning, from the satisfaction of having cut your own wood, produced your own food, built a house just for ourselves. 1966
December 2Late in the afternoon I walked up the
Summer Harlan Hubbard
Payne Hollow Journal,
02/2015
Book Chapter
June 1Last night was the first warm night, and today was quite hot, with a strong, dry wind from SW. The sound of frogs on a summer night. 1961
“To be voluntarily poor is to have rejected what we ...cannot both admire and use.” From Coomaraswamy; see June 2 entry. There is much connected with my life which I do not admire or consider beautiful. I long to get rid of it. 1961
There is a fragrance drifting about. You enter and leave currents of it as you go along the paths. It must be from blooming wild grapes.
Autumn Harlan Hubbard
Payne Hollow Journal,
02/2015
Book Chapter
September 1I have had considerable time of late for work—or puttering in my studio. I paint for consecutive days, or rather afternoons, with more enthusiasm than I’ve felt for years. I tell everyone ...I can about this, it seems a measure of success—to be able to give time freely to such an unprofitable pastime. Today, however, has been mostly taken up with other pursuits. This morning I helped Anna with canning tomatoes and some of her chores. After dinner several loose ends demanded attention, and then the dogs treed a groundhog which must be dressed and put
Spring Harlan Hubbard
Payne Hollow Journal,
02/2015
Book Chapter
March 1When we are away from Payne Hollow, that place does not seem real or possible; when we consider even living here in the way we do, that seems a mistaken gesture; yet on our return here all ...comes into its proper place and perspective, and the rest of the world is feverish and unbalanced. It is hard to explain our situation, to give reasons for our living this way to people who have no understanding or sympathy. Unless they have had some experience or yearning in this direction, they cannot even imagine our life here could be a
