Artery, a collection of abstract paintings and digital art by Morgantown children's book
author the late Mary Rodd Furbee, will soon be released by South Wind Publishing.
known for her books, historical presentations, and her work as a journalism instructor at West Virginia
University. Her art, however, was shared only with a small circle of family and friends.
"Very few people were aware that Mary painted, and no one had any idea how prolific she was,"
said her husband, Mike Furbee, who edited the book. "Publishing the book lets me share her
images with people who had no idea about this side of Mary's personality."
The hardbound book, designed by Dana Coester of the WVU School of Journalism, is
48 pages long and features more than 40 images in full color. The book will also include a
100-image DVD slideshow, including 60 additional pieces of Furbee's art that do not appear
in the book. "Many artists work a lifetime and don't produce such a body of work as Furbee
did in the two short years before her death," said Coester.
Louise Lamar-Fuller, a well known local artist has called the works “…exuberantly presented—with
overlays of saturated colors: purple and mustard, pink, red, blue in unlikely but happy cooperation
… the effect is of both depth and energy. It is exciting and cheering and intriguing to see these
paintings. Nothing is disguised; everything is in motion.” Read full review here.
Mike Furbee has also created a 55-minute musical soundtrack for the DVD, including 19 of his
original Celtic/Appalachian, jazz and folk-rock tunes written over the past 25 years. He recorded
the music with several friends from throughout the eastern U.S. who had performed together in
the past with such groups as Hickory Wind, The Frothy Band and Curmudgeon.
"It has been a labor of love, and has kept me going since I lost Mary," said Mike Furbee. "We get
to be together again, if only virtually. I think she would be really pleased. The book and the artwork
are beautiful and the music came out well too."
