For more information:
• Examples of Warren Brunner’s work online include photos for Sustaining Life and Faith in Appalachia, a 1997 article on Catholic outreach programs in Appalachia from the St. Anthony Messenger.
• Several books on spiritual topics featuring his photos, as well as the annual calendar, are available from Appalachia—Science in the Public Interest. Appalachian Values is available from the Jesse Stuart Foundation.

Producer, videographer, editor: Ernie Lee Martin

Images of Appalachia

photographer Warren Brunner

Warren Brunner has been seeing life through a camera lens for half a century. Through both studio portraits and journalistic field work, the Berea photographer has been capturing evocative images of the people and places of Appalachia for decades, documenting their lives before, during, and since the 1960s “War on Poverty” shone a national spotlight on the region. His photos portray the beauty of the mountains and the strength and dignity of their people.

Brunner is now retired from day-to-day studio work. While his daughter runs the studio, he is focusing on collaborating with writers and others to turn material from his lifetime of work into books, exhibits, calendars, and other projects on favorite themes. Religion and spirituality is a frequent topic. One of Brunner’s photojournalism projects is organized around “old-time” religion in the mountains. Since 1996, his photographs have been featured on an annual calendar from Appalachia—Science in the Public Interest, an organization founded to promote simple living, sustainable forestry, and development of renewable energy by Jesuit priest Father Al Fritsch. And in 1994, Brunner collaborated with author and folklife expert Loyal Jones on a collection of illustrated essays titled Appalachian Values.

For more information:
• Aardvark Woodworks, 1678 Old Highway 11, Beattyville, KY 41311, (606) 464-3697
• Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, Old Capitol Annex, 2nd Floor, 300 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601, (502) 564-3757 or (888) KY-CRAFT

Producer: Joy Flynn
Videographers: Brandon Wickey, John Breslin
Audio: Charlie Bissell, Brent Abshear

A Is for Aardvark—and Art

Aardvark Woodworks

This segment showcases both a small Kentucky craft business and a state government program invented specifically to support such home-grown artisans.

Aardvark Woodworks in Beattyville is a family-run shop that turns out hand-crafted wooden toys, toy chests, and children’s furniture. Some are left plain, while others get colorful hand-painted decoration. Charles and Norma Perdue, the owners, began woodworking as a post-retirement hobby.

Enter the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, which helped them turn it into a business. This state program, started in 1981 as part of first lady Phyllis George Brown’s efforts to promote Kentucky crafts, offers training and networking opportunities for individual Kentucky artisans and marketing and promotional expertise to attract customers for their products. In August 2002, Aardvark was one of three returning Kentucky craft operations featured in the KCMP’s “Kentucky section” at the New York International Gift Fair, a major showcase attended by catalog and store buyers from around the world. Meanwhile, each March, the KCMP’s own Kentucky Crafted: The Market draws thousands of attendees to the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville.

In this visit, we see a toy chest being made at the Aardvark workshop in Lee County and talk to Vallorie Henderson about the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program.

For more information:
• Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, 2525 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205, (502) 459-8184
• The restaurant review at Roadfood.com, written by Gourmet magazine columnist Michael Stern, includes pictures and a mouth-watering list of specialties. Or listen to Layer Cakes at the Pie Kitchen, a feature Stern did for Minnesota Public Radio’s The Splendid Table.

Producer, videographer: Jennifer Belcher
Videographers: Kat Stewart, Chris Mueller

Well, So Much for the Diet ...

the Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen

If you have trouble resisting sweet temptations, then you might want to skip this next segment. It’s a visit to the Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, a Louisville institution where shiny display cases offer row upon row of delectable layer cakes, pies, cheesecakes, cookies, and ice cream creations—all made the old-fashioned way, from scratch.

From Dutch apple pie to Oreo cheesecake to red velvet cake, each of the specialties of the house has its loyal fans. Other regulars, of course, prefer the try-everything approach. (Most guidebooks advise that, as with a major theme park, one shouldn’t try to do too much in one day.) In summer, the hand-dipped ice cream and frozen yogurt treats draw family-oriented crowds to the shop’s cheery interior.

Our behind-the-scenes tour is led by bakery manager Regina Cox and owner and general manager Gina Hester. To sample for yourself, you can visit anytime between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm (ET) Monday-Thursday, 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on Friday or Saturday, or noon to 10:00 pm on Sunday.