New Post Feb. 2019
Mountain Portraits and Writings
It has always been my approach to see humanity openly,
more in a state of awe or wonder, accepting,
Accepting without labeling or judging.
As an artist portraying our fragile mortality,
acknowledging whatever humanity is before us,
without categorizing.
This has always been my pursuit.
—Shelby Lee Adams
Coal Miner, 1993, Little Leatherwood
Anne with Pigeon, 1995
Anne with her son Richmond, 1989
To view as slide show or to enlarge any image, click on images.
Sam Mullins and Wife, Sam was 102 years old when photo was made, 1988
"Your pictures, they are about culture, showing how different people live, how one person is just different than another. You got to learn how to deal with all people. It's just like black people and white people. You know some racist, they look at it different. Not me, I look at it totally different. That's what your tryin' to show people, to me.
That's a part of our church and everything here, in Eastern Kentucky, about God. There's love and kindness in all things and take a man, as who he is. I'm more accepting of all peoples, denominations in church, races and whatever you want to call it. I see good in all people. I've seen your ways, from growin' up under you; you're tryin' to teach people.
I've watched you. You're showin' they's somethin' good in all of us, as individual people. It don't take a well knowledge'd person to understand the feelin' of love and kindness, when you see it in someone and their works, you feel it."
—Terry Riddle, Viper, KY, October 2007
That's a part of our church and everything here, in Eastern Kentucky, about God. There's love and kindness in all things and take a man, as who he is. I'm more accepting of all peoples, denominations in church, races and whatever you want to call it. I see good in all people. I've seen your ways, from growin' up under you; you're tryin' to teach people.
I've watched you. You're showin' they's somethin' good in all of us, as individual people. It don't take a well knowledge'd person to understand the feelin' of love and kindness, when you see it in someone and their works, you feel it."
—Terry Riddle, Viper, KY, October 2007
Rachel, Jerry and Hooch-A-Pap, 1987
Portraits from the Mountains
Rachel Riddle, one of his best holler friends, who he's known and photographed for about 28 years, describes the financial and moral support Adams has provided, whether it's helping to drill a well or replace a stove that's burned up.
"He's not trying to make something that it ain't. Makes it come out just like it ought to be. I really appreciate everything he's done for me. He's helped me out many different ways. He's like family. He's always been that way. One of these day's, I'll be a part of history. Long after I'm gone, the photographs will still be here."
—Rachel Riddle
Black & White Magazine, 2010
Rachel Riddle, one of his best holler friends, who he's known and photographed for about 28 years, describes the financial and moral support Adams has provided, whether it's helping to drill a well or replace a stove that's burned up.
"He's not trying to make something that it ain't. Makes it come out just like it ought to be. I really appreciate everything he's done for me. He's helped me out many different ways. He's like family. He's always been that way. One of these day's, I'll be a part of history. Long after I'm gone, the photographs will still be here."
—Rachel Riddle
Black & White Magazine, 2010
Kizzie, 2008
Merle, 1985
John and Teresa, 2008
“Most mountain people, among ourselves are just open and loving to each other, we expect everyone to see us as we do—more caring, but some never here before, misunderstand, label and see us all unfairly.”
—Rachel Riddle, Leatherwood, Kentucky
—Rachel Riddle, Leatherwood, Kentucky
Coal Pile, 2005
Lonnie and Leddie [Sisters]
Dan
Is it not one’s socio-economic-political status in life that grants one’s visibility as something more important or less significant? In portraiture and human representation, faced with the inconsistency or incompleteness of a person’s form, some feel entitled to say dispassionately, that face is unsightly and unimportant, especially those who look poor. If given a chance, cannot any form of humanity be elevated, redeemed and transformed by a faithful artistic portrayal?
—Shelby Lee Adams
Belinda and Martha, 2007
Vedessa and Robert, 2005
Ted and Friend, 2004
Minerva and Jimmy
Prayer at River Baptism
The New Bicycle, 2004
Polly, 1997
Dan and Jip, 1991 [father and son]
Dan and Jip, 2012
Granny with Jesus, 1992
Leonard's Back Porch, 1992
105 Year Old Woman, 1986
Aunt Glade, 75
Travis, 2004
David, Bad To The Bones, 1985
Dressed Up Stove Pipe, 1994
Tools
Sight
Singularly, sight alone can be taken for granted, it often bounds our feelings and restricts our relationships to those so like ourselves, because we don't always want to work exploring our diverse cultures and peoples, remaining in our comfort zone.
The experience of an affirmative touch, a reassuring look, one's scent, a supporting hug all creates positive bonding—developing relationships, no matter what one's appearance, color or clan.
Acceptance begins with sight, then touch and an expanding heart together, all unifies us, making whole.
Yet, many resist when they see arduous differences. I have experience overcoming fears of the different, learning to keep myself flexible in the presence of others diverse. It takes practice sometimes with those more difficult.
Remaining indifferent and distancing implies the inability to connect with or acknowledge how another is, feels or perceives.
—Shelby Lee Adams
Copies of salt & truth are still available.
Published 2012, Candela Books, Richmond, VA.
https://store.candelabooks.com/store/salt-truth
No Country For Old Men
Below not a mountain writer but an important message by
Robert F. Kennedy.
The experience of an affirmative touch, a reassuring look, one's scent, a supporting hug all creates positive bonding—developing relationships, no matter what one's appearance, color or clan.
Acceptance begins with sight, then touch and an expanding heart together, all unifies us, making whole.
Yet, many resist when they see arduous differences. I have experience overcoming fears of the different, learning to keep myself flexible in the presence of others diverse. It takes practice sometimes with those more difficult.
Remaining indifferent and distancing implies the inability to connect with or acknowledge how another is, feels or perceives.
—Shelby Lee Adams
Copies of salt & truth are still available.
https://store.candelabooks.com/store/salt-truth
Truth
“The Stories get past on and the truth gets passed over. As the sayin goes. Which I reckon some would take as meanin that the truth cant compete. But I don’t believe that. I think that when the lies are told and forgotten the truth will be there yet. It don’t move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt. You cant corrupt it because that’s what it is. It’s the thing you’re talking about. I’ve heard it compared to the rock-maybe in the bible-and I wouldn’t disagree with that. But it’ll be here even when the rock is gone.”
“You were doin something for folks that couldnt do it for theirselves.”
“I think the truth is always simple. It has pretty much got to be. It needs to be simple enough for a child to understand. Otherwise it’d be too late. By the time you figured it out it would be too late.”
Cormac McCarthy
“The Stories get past on and the truth gets passed over. As the sayin goes. Which I reckon some would take as meanin that the truth cant compete. But I don’t believe that. I think that when the lies are told and forgotten the truth will be there yet. It don’t move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt. You cant corrupt it because that’s what it is. It’s the thing you’re talking about. I’ve heard it compared to the rock-maybe in the bible-and I wouldn’t disagree with that. But it’ll be here even when the rock is gone.”
“You were doin something for folks that couldnt do it for theirselves.”
“I think the truth is always simple. It has pretty much got to be. It needs to be simple enough for a child to understand. Otherwise it’d be too late. By the time you figured it out it would be too late.”
Cormac McCarthy
No Country For Old Men
Below not a mountain writer but an important message by
Robert F. Kennedy.
All photographs and text copyrighted - © 2004-20 Shelby Lee Adams, legal action will be taken to represent the photographer, the work taken out of context, subjects and integrity of all photographic and written works, including additional photographers published and authors quoted. Permissions - send e mail request with project descriptions.
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