Everyman Jack: Stories & Illustrations by Gail E. Haley

Image Credit: Gail E. Haley. My Kingdom For A Dragon, 1962. Courtesy the artist.

December 3, 2016 - March 25, 2017 | Atwell & Fort Galleries

The hero, the storyteller, and the listener: according to Gail Haley, these are the triumvirate of storytelling. Tales of “Everyman Jack” came overseas to the states by settlers from The British Isles, Germany, Scandinavia, and Russia, though the origins go back even further than that. The idea of the “Everyman” is that the hero, the storyteller, and the listener can come alive in all of us, and the character “Jack” is one of the classic folk heroes whose stories and adventures have become entwined with our mountain history and culture. Haley’s stories inspire us to be the listener, see ourselves as the hero, and eventually serve as the storyteller, passing down age-old tales that have connected us with people and traditions over thousands of years.

The exhibition, Everyman Jack, takes a detailed look at over one-hundred original prints and illustrations created by Haley for the production of several of her books, including My Kingdom for a Dragon, Mountain Jack Tales, and A Story, A Story, among others. Over her career, Haley has written and illustrated more than 40 books retelling many classical stories. She is the only person to have been awarded both the Caldecott Medal and the Kate Greenway Medal. Haley’s inspiration for the Mountain Jack Tales in particular came to fruition during her fifteen-year residency at Appalachian State University. She resides today in the mountains of North Carolina.