Charley Kinney American , 1906-1991

Charley Kinney was a self-taught artist and subsistence farmer from Toller Hollow in Lewis County, Kentucky, whose impressionistic paintings reflect a vivid connection to Appalachian life, folklore, and wildlife. Deeply rooted in his rural environment, Kinney transformed local legends, personal experiences, and American cultural figures into dynamic visual narratives. His work features recurring themes of  animals—both real and mythical—as well as mountain life, moonshiners, and early aviation, often infused with handwritten text and phonetic spelling that lend his artwork a raw, expressive storytelling quality.

Using humble materials and isolated from mainstream art circles, Kinney created haunting depictions of beasts and "haints," legendary spirits that embodied the fears and mysteries of his community. His artistic output also includes scenes of simpler times, such as traveling circuses and small-town gatherings, rendered with a mix of wonder and menace. Kinney's work is held in major regional collections, including the Kentucky Folk Art Center, the Huntington Museum of Art, and the Birmingham Museum of Art, preserving his singular vision of Appalachian identity and imagination.