By Abigail Wright
NKyTribune staff writer
Author and curator Jessica K. Whitehead discussed the research, inspiration and personal connections behind her biography, “Driftwood,” which explores the life and legacy of Kentucky artist and environmental thinker Harlan Hubbard.
The Boone County Historical Society hosted the presentation this week at the Main Boone County Public Library.
Whitehead, who is currently stepping into her new role as the Nancy B. Rash Curator of Arts & Cultural Partnerships at the Filson Historical Society, said her work will focus on connecting historical collections with the public.
“My job is to use the Filson’s collection to help community members and other organizations enrich their projects, enrich their exhibits, enrich their programming, and sort of get the history out there into the community,” Whitehead said.
Previously, Whitehead spent 15 years at the Kentucky Derby Museum, most recently serving as senior curator of collections.
A graduate of Hanover College with a degree in art history, Whitehead first discovered Hubbard’s work in 2011 while completing a final curatorial project.
“I started reading about him and just absolutely fell in love,” Whitehead said. “I love nature, I love the river, I love river history, I’ve always lived along the Ohio River.”
According to Whitehead, Hubbard’s wide-ranging interests, such as music, art, literature and living closely with the Earth, made him especially compelling to her.
Published after years of archival research, “Driftwood” examines Hubbard’s upbringing along the Ohio River, artistic development and philosophy of intentional living. Whitehead said one of her primary goals when writing the book was to explore Hubbard’s early life in a way that had not previously been done through scholarly research.
Among her discoveries was Hubbard’s earliest known piece of writing, an essay he completed in 1918 for school credit while working in upstate New York.
“That’s why researchers research,” Whitehead said. “Because they want to have those crazy moments where it’s like a lightning bolt, something makes so much sense because you already see his voice, you see, of course, his handwriting, but you see the things that would preoccupy him for the rest of his life popping up in that 18-year-old’s essay.”
Whitehead also explained the significance behind the book’s title, stating that Hubbard originally wanted his breakout book, “Shantyboat,” to be titled “Driftwood.”
According to Whitehead, Hubbard frequently used driftwood as a metaphor for his own life and personal transformation.
“The idea of driftwood is something that maybe is useless,” Whitehead said. “A dead tree limb drops into the river, and is carried, and shaped, and transformed into something incredibly different, incredibly beautiful, incredibly unique, incredibly strange. And it’s sort of a metaphor for how he saw his life unfolding over the many, many years and his many, many acts.”
Whitehead said Hubbard’s ideas continue to resonate with modern audiences, particularly those searching for alternatives to fast-paced and technology-driven lifestyles.
“I think a lot of people need permission to go against the grain,” Whitehead said.
She noted that Hubbard’s emphasis on living more closely with nature offers lessons that remain relevant today. Whitehead said she and her partner even started a vegetable garden inspired by the lifestyle Hubbard and his wife, Anna, built together at Payne Hollow.
“The ideas of beauty, of respect, of deep interest, of patience, of listening,” Whitehead said, “have been lost because of the way so many of us live our lives.”
Whitehead also emphasized Anna’s central role in Hubbard’s life and work, arguing that his story cannot be fully understood without recognizing her influence.
“You have to tell Harlan’s story with Anna’s story because she was his catalyst. She was his strength. She was, in many ways, the perfect complement to his curiosity and creativity,” Whitehead said.
She also reflected on the pride many Kentuckians feel toward Hubbard’s legacy, describing him as a uniquely versatile cultural figure whose work appeals to a wide range of people with interests in river history, boat building, art, music and sustainable living, saying there is something for everyone in Hubbard’s story.
“I think it’s really special to have a figure like that in our cultural history,” Whitehead said.
Even as modern life pushes people to remain tied to technology and consumerism, Whitehead said Hubbard’s example continues to challenge her personally.
“I know that I am tied to technology in ways that Harlan probably would have been very disappointed in,” Whitehead said. “But I also know that my respect for him and for Anna, and the life that they built together, and the legacy they left, challenges me every day to pause and to think more deliberately about what I do.”
For more information on “Driftwood,” visit https://driftwoodharlanhubbard.com/.