Distinguished Louisiana Lithographer to Illustrate Lennon Fictionalised Biography

by Jenn Vanderslice, http://www.moonglowpr.com

Enoch Doyle Jeter

Enoch Doyle Jeter, Instructor in Fine Arts Printmaking at the University Of Louisiana at Monroe who recently led a one-day Lithography Seminar at Cork Printmakers in Cork City, Ireland has produced a series of 14 original lithographs expressly for Jude Southerland Kessler’s new work on John Lennon, She Loves You.

She Loves You is the third volume in The John Lennon Series (http://www.johnlennonseries.com) and covers Lennon’s life from May 1963 to August 1964: The British Invasion of America years. It includes The Beatles’ rise to #1 in England, Europe, and America; their appearance on the Ed Sullivan program; the making of their second LP “With the Beatles,” the production of their first movie, “A Hard Day’s Night,” and the progress of their 1964 America Summer Tour. “But most of all,” Kessler stated, “it examines the complicated relationship between John and the women who loved him: his fans, his Aunt Mimi, and above all, his wife, Cynthia.”

In volume 2 of The John Lennon Series (Shivering Inside) Kessler devoted over 40 detailed pages to the making of The Beatles’ first LP, “Please Please Me.” But this time, the story of the second LP is told completely through the artistry of Jeter’s unique, detailed lithographs.

“If a picture paints a thousand words,” Kessler said, “then Doyle has supplied us with 14,000! He has created one original lithograph for each song on the LP, capturing not only the gist of the lyrics, but the rich history of the boys behind each one.”

“Never before in literature,” Kessler went on, “has a chapter been created completely by artistic illustration with no words to supplement it. Doyle’s work is its own chapter in the book. It stands strongly on its own.”

Jeter, who teaches and lectures on lithography in America and Ireland, has a special connection with Kessler. The two met when Jeter invited her to participate in the longest-running John Lennon Birthday Celebration in America, held at Jeter’s pub in Monroe, Louisiana, Enoch’s Irish Pub (http://enochsirishpub.com/) Doyle and his wife, Yvette, have lived in Monroe for 34 years. With their children, John and Molly, they have formed a close band of friends who share in the Lennon party.

The celebration – which has been ongoing since 1980 – is held each year on 9 October and has twice received the blessing of Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono. Last year, Kessler read a tribute to John and cut the birthday cake for the festivities.

But the ties between the author and artist go even deeper. “I was reared in the lower East Side of New York City but spent my high school years, the formative years, in Bucks County, PA.” Jeter smiles. “And oddly enough, Jude lived in Bucks County as well…in Morrisville, PA. Other than Louisiana – which we both cherish – it’s the place we call home.”

Furthermore, both Kessler and Jeter are deeply Irish, and treasure their Irish roots. And therefore, both take part in Jeter’s Northeast Louisiana Celtic Fest, held every October in West Monroe, LA. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northeast-Louisiana-Celtic-Festival/241816832524980)

“To pull a line from an old Everybody Loves Raymond show,” Kessler grinned, “I guess Doyle and I working together was ‘meant to be’!”

Jeter has won numerous awards for his intriguing, cutting-edge lithography. His lithographs and etchings grace many private collections in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. Furthermore, several of Jeter’s works grace permanent museum collections, such as the Santa Fe Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Anderson Museum of Fine Arts in Roswell, New Mexico.

Doyle and his family ran a second location of Enoch’s Irish Pub in Shreveport from 1987-1990, the city where Kessler once taught high school English and where she and her husband now reside. We have so much in common,” Kessler said, “it’s spooky! Doyle and Yvette were just destined to be our friends.”

Kessler’s book will be out in late autumn 2013 and is in pre-sale right now at http://www.johnlennonseries.com.

Anyone preordering a book will receive the unique photography work of Kessler’s artist husband, Rande Kessler. “Rande did a gorgeous photographic art poster of ‘The Doors of Liverpool,’” Kessler explained, “capturing the front doors of each Beatle, each pub they frequented, and each important landmark. It’s really a collector’s item! It’s worth ordering the book, just to get that poster!”

The first 200 copies of She Loves You will be signed and numbered and are sure to become collector’s items with Jeter’s impressive work to tell the story of With the Beatles.