"Willard Gayheart, Appalachian Artist" by Willard Gayheart and Donia S. Eley
(McFarland & Co., Pub., 2003, 199 pages, ISBN 0-7864-1661-0)
$35.00

You will look at a pencil with respect from now on! In the hand of pencil artist William Gayheart everything he portrays becomes a work of art worth studying and enjoying. Each page of this handsome book evokes emotion from the reader. We smile, study the details of a face, admire the texture of old trousers, marvel at the gleam of wood of a musical instrument, nod in remembrance at domestic scenes of homemaking or crafts rarely seen anymore. Shopkeepers, blacksmiths, quilters, moonshiners, musicians galore, children and their pets, and coalminers are among the people and activities exquisitely drawn that will hold your attention and pique your own memories of life in Appalachia, then and now. A biography of the artist, the portfolio of his work, and notes about his techniques and what inspires him to draw make this a book to read for its written content as well as its art. Donia S. Ely, living in Pulaski, VA, and Gayheart, in southwestern Virginia have done a beautiful job here of giving us a book to treasure. Here is Appalachian culture shown with the dignity and respect it deserves. Sharpen your pencil now.
Better yet, think awhile about Gayheart’s skill in transforming faces and scenes with pencil and paper. This book is also available at the Blue Lady Bookshop in Rocky Mount. (540) 483-3692.

Ibby Greer lives in Rocky Mount, and is the author
of "Moving Day: A Season of Letters."