JOHNSON CITY (March 24, 2023) – The life and experiences of artist, author and part-time adventurer William Nealy are highlighted in a new exhibit on display through June 9 at the Reece Museum on the campus of East Tennessee State University.
“Mr. December: The Life, Art and Experience of William Nealy … Illustrator and Outdoor Sports Cult Hero” is presented in association with the Nantahala Outdoor Center and may be viewed Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Two special events are planned in conjunction with the exhibit.
On Saturday, April 1, from 1-3 p.m., ETSU’s Dr. Scott Honeycutt, who curated the exhibit along with Reece Museum staff, will provide guided tours of the exhibit, and Blue Ridge Paddling will be on hand to talk about river paddling. This event is part of the museum’s First Saturday hours, which are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month through May.
Also, Daniel Wallace, author of “Big Fish,” will visit the Reece Museum on Wednesday, April 12, as part of the ETSU Spring Literary Festival. He will participate in a 3:30 p.m. conversation about his new Nealy memoir titled “This Isn’t Going to End Well,” followed by a premiere reading and book-signing at 7 p.m.
During the late 1970s, Nealy began creating a series of hand-drawn river maps and guidebooks that became popular among rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts. The “Mr. December” exhibition features his work and celebrates his lifestyle of adventure through an installation of various outdoor adventure equipment.
“The rivers of the southeastern United States are some of the most important waterways in the entire country,” said Honeycutt, an associate professor in the ETSU Department of Literature and Language. “They are our national treasures, and those of us who love America’s wild heart have a responsibility to share that love.
“I hope people will come to the exhibit and marvel at the way that Nealy was able to capture in pen and ink the vibrancy of our landscape, and I hope that visitors are inspired to spend more time in the outdoors, exploring its rough wonder and advocating for its protection.”
“Mr. December” features over 100 original William Nealy artworks on loan from the Nantahala Outdoor Center, including maps, cartoons, comics, books and sketches. Also on display are large-scale reproductions of Nealy’s art, including an 8-foot-tall map of the Nolichucky River. Visitors are invited to navigate the display using a custom Exhibition Guide that includes a map of the gallery and to participate in a scavenger hunt for a chance to win a unique prize.
The exhibit and associated events are free and open to the public.
The Reece Museum is a unit of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, which is housed in the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies.
For more information, visit etsu.edu/reece or call (423) 439-4392. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.