Book Talk and Signing by Jessica K. Whitehead
Saturday, July 12 at 6 p.m. CT
黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Historic New Harmony is proud to present听Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard听on display at the Atheneum Visitors Center.听The engaging, traveling exhibit on maverick northern Kentucky artist and writer Harlan Hubbard (1900-88) is on display now听through July 12, with a closing talk and book signing at 6 p.m.听Saturday, July 12. The exhibit is free and open to the public.听听
Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard听paints a vivid portrait of Hubbard and his wife, Anna, who are revered for the example they set for those who wish to create a simple life that embraces ecological consciousness and connection to place. While some may have heard of the Hubbards鈥� shantyboat journey on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, or their search for a quiet life at their home of Payne Hollow, few know the entire story.听听
Hubbard published two books about his countercultural life:听Shantyboat听(1953) and听Payne Hollow: Life on the Fringe of Society听(1974). Some of his journals and other writings were published posthumously. Known best as a writer and early environmentalist, Hubbard considered himself an artist above all. His artistic practice encompassed watercolor, oil, acrylic, pencil sketches and woodcut printmaking. He focused on pastoral subjects, notably those found in the rural landscapes around Kentuckiana and the Ohio River.听听
Harlan and Anna Hubbard鈥檚 practice of simple and sustainable living has resonated with many people, including poet, writer, environmentalist and farmer Wendell Berry. In 1997, Berry published the biography,听Harlan Hubbard: Life and Work, which introduced the Hubbards鈥� story to a wider audience. Over a decade later, curator Jessica K. Whitehead learned about Harlan Hubbard as a student at Hanover College in Indiana, which has 31 paintings donated by the artist in its archives. Her fascination with his life and work led her to curate multiple exhibits about the Hubbards and to write the introduction to听The Watercolors of Harlan Hubbard听(2021). In February 2025, Whitehead released a new biography,听Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard, that uses published and unpublished journals, letters, manuscripts and artwork to offer new insights about his character and legacy.听听
The traveling exhibit coming to New Harmony shares the essential narrative of Jessica K. Whitehead鈥檚 biography alongside images of Harlan Hubbard鈥檚 artwork and historic photographs.听The Atheneum is the latest stop on its tour, which is booked through 2026. The exhibit will next travel to the at the in Lexington, Kentucky, in late July. It will also be displayed in 2025 at the in Cadiz, Kentucky.
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled Historic New Harmony can display听Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard听at the Atheneum Visitors Center this summer,鈥� says Diane Sanders, Assistant Director of Historic New Harmony. 鈥淭here are numerous connections between New Harmony鈥檚 history and Harlan and Anna Hubbard鈥檚 story as they attempted to create their own version of utopia featuring simple living, environmental sustainability and the arts. We鈥檙e especially excited to host the exhibit inside the Atheneum, featuring views of New Harmony鈥檚 historic sites and the bank of the Wabash River, which will provide visitors with a relevant context for exploring the content of the exhibit.鈥澨�
About Jessica K. Whitehead
Jessica K. Whitehead is the senior curator of collections for the Kentucky Derby Museum, where she has recently written , published in 2024 by the University Press of Kentucky, and , published by the Press in 2025. Outside of the Derby Museum, Jessica has studied Harlan Hubbard since her student days at Hanover College (Class of 2011), curating multiple exhibits in the region and providing the introduction to , released in 2021.
About the Sponsor/Designer of the Exhibit
This traveling exhibit is sponsored by Payne Hollow on the Ohio.
Driftwood was designed by Brooks Vessels of the Filson Historical Society.
