Neighbor Featured Artist #17: The Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Celebration Collection

In His 200th Year, Andrew Johnson Continues to Inspire

With all the word processing tools available these days to the journalist, it is reassuring that the 5 “W’s” are as useful as they ever were. Very little of interest to the reader can be conveyed without the categories of who, what, when, where, and why. Much of the previous Neighbor Artist column space has focused on the “who, what, and when” that describe the talented folks of this region. The “where” that traces the source of their inspiration and the “why” that attempts to explain it can be more elusive, and tend to vary from artist to artist. But sometimes a broad theme can unite creative individuals across the whole spectrum of artistic media. The Andrew Johnson Bicentennial has done just that for the artists of James-Ben: Studio and Gallery Art Center.
“Greeneville is remarkable not only in the intensity of its history but in the way the community values its own heritage,” says James-Ben Stockton. The director of a regionally celebrated art center, Stockton (and your faithful writer of this column) relocated to Greeneville in 2002. “In finding our niche and relating to our new home in Northeast Tennessee, it seemed natural to present art with historic themes. We did a similar process in 2003 for Greeneville’s 220th anniversary. But the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial celebration has really struck a chord with our artists.” With barely three months of the year-long birthday party for the 17th president having passed, 24 different artists, artisans, and organizations have joined their creative efforts, under Stockton’s direction, into the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Celebration Collection.
The Bicentennial Collection is amazing both for the range of talents taking part and for the variety of creations available to the public. “There are pieces that can be touched, used, viewed, watched, listened to, smelled, tasted, and played with,” says Stockton. The visual artists in the painting media have applied their brushes to Andrew Johnson themes. Greene County natives Barbara Miller and Barbara Bible “Jake” Carter have recreated moments from the Johnson story in acrylics and watercolors. “Jake” in particular has focused on paintings featuring the women of the Civil War era, making poignant use of the women who participate in the annual reenactment of the Battle of Blue Springs. Lynne Olka, with her gift for portraiture, has realized a unique Andrew Johnson story-portrait. Featured in it is not only an amazing likeness of the 17th president but scenes and objects from his life, including the gold watch presented to him by the former slaves of Nashville freed by his proclamation. Other striking images associated with Johnson, including his tailor shop and monument atop the hill in the National Cemetery, have been created from the talents of Greeneville native son Gary Sams, whose drawings of historic sites are local favorites. Another unique approach to the Johnson images springs from the gifted eye of Chris MacAdoo, who has captured Greeneville’s hometown president in evocative wood-block prints. Marilyn Heilman has added to the collection her two pen & ink drawings, “Old Jail Gates” and “The Old Jail Restoration” executed for the Greene County Historic Trust’s Restoration Project. All three artists have these images available in limited editions. Historian Robert Orr, local expert on Johnson’s life and career, who appeared on C-Span’s series featuring the presidents, is known in Greeneville as a man of many talents. He has used that talent to demonstrate his intimate knowledge of Johnson in an excellent biography, “President Andrew Johnson of Greeneville, Tennessee”, as well as in a wonderful video production, “His Faith Never Wavered”, written by Orr and superbly directed by Louise Orr in cooperation with the Greene County Heritage Trust. Middle Tennessee art photographer Barry Stein was so taken with the Andrew Johnson Homestead that he preserved it in his own uniquely styled giclee, also available in limited edition.
Other gallery artists have approached the Johnson story and images in three dimensions rather than two. Well-known local Dell Hughes has added Andrew Johnson to his series of Civil war busts with a marvelous likeness in cold-cast images available both in bronze finish and hand-painted. Mrs. Hughes, Dell’s spouse Jane, has applied her own artistry and whimsy to create the playful Raggedy Eliza and Andy Johnson dolls. From Main Street: Greeneville, and available exclusively from James-Ben: Studio & Gallery Art Center are ceramic replicas of the Andrew Johnson Homestead in the popular series featuring Greeneville’s historic structures. A combination Christmas tree ornament and year-round table top sculpture depicting President Johnson and family enjoying a colorful carriage ride is another exclusive from the gallery, obtained from the White House Historical Association. “These have been extremely popular, portraying Johnson as they do in one of his rare moments of relaxation and fun,” says Stockton. Another playful and unique piece, in the form of edible art, is coming from Jane Wilson of Blue Ridge Chocolates (which make a wonderful excuse for popping by Stockton’s gallery on Main Street). Wilson is creating a gingerbread/dark chocolate house based on the Johnson tailor shop featuring her “Tennessee Truffles” filled with her special molasses cream. For more serious fun, local artist Willadeen Fort has created a specialty chess board with figures from the Civil War. Bisque-fired and hand-painted Confederate and Union soldiers contest the field in more thoughtful combat. For gentler souls, Sharon Collins – “quite simply one of the best stained glass artists I’ve ever seen,” notes Stockton – has called on the talents of the reclusive Eliza Johnson. Collins has created a window hanging based on a quilt attributed to Eliza Johnson found at the foot of her bed. Functional pottery inspired by pieces in the kitchen of the Johnson Homestead have come from the studios of locally celebrated potters. Phil Homes, of Piney Flats, has produced a series of Johnson inspired crocks in his distinctive iron-red glaze. Greenevillian Tim Frain, known for his Appalachian Impressions pieces, has created the look of older salt glazed pieces from the 19th century with a contemporary and more environmentally friendly glaze of his own creation. The pieces inspired by items in the Johnson Homestead collection, including the gold watch element in Lynne Olka’s Johnson story portrait, were brought into being with the help of Kendra Hinkle, museum technician. Hinkle’s father, noted artist and retired Greeneville police detective C. Kenneth Hinkle, is offering through the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial limited edition prints of his oil on canvas board originals. Of particular interest is his depiction of Johnson at work in his tailor shop across the street from his Early Home, a view no longer visible since the tailor shop’s enclosure within the Memorial Building in the 1920’s. An appealing 13 month daily look at Johnson’s life and times can be found through the Bicentennial Calendar, produced by the Nathanael Greene Museum. Ghostly encounters with the Johnson family are part of the regular and highly sought-after tours offered by Appalachian GhostWalks. From James-Ben: Studio and Gallery Art Center itself come the last but not least items in the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Celebration Collection. The gallery studio is producing, in limited edition, sterling silver collectible jewelry featuring the 17th president. And for an entertaining and memorable experience in living history, there is “Tennessee Tailor”, conceived and directed by James-Ben Stockton, available only by arrangement with the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, and featuring your faithful columnist bringing Johnson’s own words and thoughts to life from the pages of history.
Altogether, an amazing collection of talent has brought together the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Celebration Collection. Its inspiration, Greeneville’s hometown president and the “Defender of the Constitution” is entirely deserving of every expression of respect, admiration, and affection. These offerings and others yet to come can be found at James-Ben: Studio and Gallery Art Center in historic Downtown Greeneville.