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Author Talk – Kathleen Huddle: “Secret Famous Artist Joe Mullen:”
June 22 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Join the Sayre Public Library on the morning of Saturday, June 22nd, at 11:00 to 12:00 a.m. with local author and educator Kathleen Huddle. Huddle will be speaking on her new book detailing the life of her brother, prolific artist Joe Mullen. The January 2024 book, entitled “Secret Famous Author Joe Mullen,” explores the life a talented and profound artist using anecdotes, personal sources, and visual elements of Mullen’s art.
Kathleen will be bringing along a number of books for sale and display, as well as a unique compendium containing images of Joe Mullen’s art. The latter is not for sale. The library looks forward to exploring the life of this unique local figure with you.
For attendance purposes, please register with the library by calling (570) 888-2256, emailing sayre.library@gmail.com, or stopping in.
Read below for details on Huddle’s Book:
Secret Famous Artist Joe Mullen chronicles the life of an enormously talented artist, and is spiced with vignettes demonstrating intelligence, courage, shenanigans, humor, and kindness.
Huddle writes, “My brother marched to the beat of his own drum-oftentimes it played ‘Wipeout.’ Joe Mullen was authentic and lived a principled life while maintaining his personal sovereignty.”
Huddle has rendered a character sketch of her late brother regarding his protest of the draconian dress code when he was a senior at Sayre Area High School in 1971.To call attention to the inequity of the rigid dress code, Mullen went on a public two-day hunger fast, which resulted in opening dialogue between students and the school board. Refusing to leave class because he ‘was not clean shaven, ‘ Mullen sparked a 250-student walk-out when he was escorted out of his Problems of Democracy class by the local police for violating the oppressive dress code. He left quietly with the police, simply stating, “Mahatma Gandhi is my hero.”
The heart of the book recounts a poignant love story between Joe and Maggie, who were gifted with a heartrending relationship in their golden years.
