9/23: Kindly Mirrors Exhibition

Ricky Cox, Alice Slusher and Catherine Pauley, exhibit curators for the gallery showing Kindly Mirrors, will be giving a talk about the photographic works of Richard Miles “Dick” Shank & Gertrue Vest Shank at Glencoe Mansion on Tuesday, September 23, at 5:30 PM. The talk will be followed by a traditional Appalachian “Pickles and Cake Reception.” The talk is in conjunction with the showing of the collection of photographs at Glencoe Mansion, on display now through October 29.

The thirty-two photographs in this exhibit were taken between 1912 and 1917 by “Dick” and Gertrue Shank who were living in Floyd County at the time. Using a Brownie camera that Gertrue Vest owned before she married Dick Shank, the Shanks preserved their landscapes, joys, and day-to-day lives in images that appear almost contemporary. The photographs offer intimate moments: a lamb being bottle fed, a child playing hide and seek, a baptizing.

The speakers will explore the history and artistic merits of this amazing collection of photographs that were nearly lost to time. Ricky Cox is a retired instructor from Radford University’s Departments of English and Appalachian Studies. Alice Slusher and Catherine Pauley are the president and vice-president respectively of the Old Church Gallery, which created the exhibit.

The talk will be approximately an hour, including time for questions, and will be followed by a “Pickles and Cake Reception.” The tradition of serving sweet pickles and cake runs deep in this region and pays homage to one of the images in the collection showing a gathering in Floyd where a spread of pickles and cake can be seen. The reception will run until 7 PM.

Come explore this amazing piece of art and history. The talk and reception are open to the public, and there is no admission charge.