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A native of the southern Appalachian mountains, Jeff paints from his studio at
the foot of Pine Mountain in eastern Kentucky. His sensitive portraits and images
are highly regarded in the region and have been distributed by galleries in New
York City, Cincinnati Ohio, and Abingdon Virginia.
Sharman Chapman-Crane, Jeff's wife, is also an artist. Evan is their son.
Together they manage the Valley of the Winds Art Gallery in Eolia, Kentucky,
where their current work is displayed. You may contact them by E-mail to
chapmancrane@peoplepc.com.
This is the third book that Jeff has illustrated. The first, Ragsale, won
national recognition for its artistry and its child's-eye portrayal of
Appalachian culture.
When Dick Austin showed him Cranston Stroup's poetry, Jeff responded to its
vital, beautiful spirit. He agreed to undertake illustrations for a book that
might itself become a work of art.
In the spring of 1998, with assistance from the Henry Luce III Center for the
Arts and Religion, Jeff and his family visited southern California sites where
Cranston worked and wrote. There he sketched and photographed flowers mentioned
in Cranston's poetry - some in settings that Cranston himself would have
frequented seventy years previously.
During the three years that he painted for Give God a Flower, Jeff deepened his
meditation upon these poems. Many of the resulting watercolors emerge from
Cranston's own spirit, drawing vitality from the poetry while summoning the poems
themselves to new life. The book is not simply illustrated. It is illuminated.
There were others who also caught Cranston Stroup's spirit - along with Dick and
Jeff's excitement - as they joined with uncommon dedication to produce this book.
David McFarlane of McGrafX in Bristol Virginia, an experienced second-generation
printer, had assisted with previous Creekside Press books. Yet for David this
particular book became a labor of love as he prepared the color images for
printing and guided the book toward publication with an experienced hand. David
has clients throughout the United States, so when you need a printer both skilled
and wise, contact David McFarlane at McGrafx@CharterTN.net.
Over five years, Gray Zeitz of Larkspur Press in Monterey Kentucky, one of
America's foremost letterpress printers, has contributed to the design of Give
God a Flower. Gray and his associate, Leslie Shane, set type for each word by
hand. Gray then hand-fed each sheet (already bearing their color images) through
his iron printing press to produce the deep impressions rarely seen today. Such
printing is also a work of art. Gray Zeitz can be reached at 340 Sawdridge Creek
West, Monterey KY 40359.
David McFarlane searched for months to find an expert bookbinder who could
achieve high quality sewn binding - with images, cloth, and gold stamping - for a
limited edition. Zonne Bookbinders in Chicago, specialists in small editions,
have done stunning work. The eye of the curious will be drawn to the book, then
led inside.
All these joined their craftsmanship and their artistic sensibilities to publish
a book that is, indeed, a work of art. Cranston Stroup once wrote, "Words may
rejoice!" Now his words do so again.
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