Venice, Calif., has a rich art scene, and we found many opportunities to add the works of young and upcoming artists to our small but growing collection when we lived there. One of the most difficult parts of leaving California was putting all our artwork into storage. We thought we might not have many opportunities to enjoy the visual arts out here in America, but there are amazing artists working in almost every place we've visited. One of the best "finds" is Yee-Haw Industries in Knoxville, Tenn..
There are a lot of "living museums" out there, places that revive and reenact the way things used to be done. When people hear about Yee-Haw industries, a lot of them think it's a living museum; it's a place where artisans do things the old way, using outdated technology on a daily basis. There's a big difference between Yee-Haw and a living museum, though, beginning with a lack of admission fee.
Yee-Haw doesn't thrive on tourists or history buffs; rather, it is a competitive business, carving out a niche for itself in the graphic arts. It's also a gallery of sorts, showcasing the artwork of Kevin Bradley, the owner and visionary behind this unique shop.
Kevin's main business is commissioned printing: posters, invitations, business cards, etc.—a process that is painstaking, meticulous and labor intensive. The press seems to call him back for more, though, as he hand carves and prints original works of art that are visually intriguing and full of wit.
For now, our art collecting days are on hold—there's simply no space on Murray for art. In the meantime, though, we'll continue to enjoy places like Yee-Haw and dream about the day when we have a wall on which to hang some of Kevin Bradley's work.
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