Ke Francis and the Art of Storytelling

Join us for an evening of storytelling and conversation with Ke Francis, celebrated artist and founder of Hoopsnake Press in Tupelo, MS. 6-6:30 pm: Reception 6:30-7:30 pm: Short story reading by the artist and a conversation with Dr. Patricia Lee Daigle, Associated Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Join us for an evening of storytelling and conversation with Ke Francis, celebrated narrative artist and founder of Hoopsnake Press in Tupelo, MS. His illustrated books embody the rich tradition of storytelling in the American South. Laced with humor, wit, and irony, his tales are told through text, images, and sometimes music, featuring a unique cast of characters ranging from a hot sauce connoisseur to a walking pet catfish who forgets how to swim. Reception precedes the talk in the Museum’s rotunda. About the Artist Hoopsnake Press in Tupelo, Mississippi, was founded by Ke Francis (American, b. 1945, Memphis) in 1970, and is run by Francis, his wife, Mary, and daughter, Kerry. There he writes, designs, illustrates, prints, and binds artist’s books along with a group of seven associated artists, and frequently collaborates with artists, poets, and musicians. Francis studied at the Memphis Academy of Arts (1964-1967) and earned his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1969. His work is exhibited nationally and is held in public and private collections including the High Museum, Atlanta, GA; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, among many others.