Hank Bishop

Hank Bishop (or The Woodfire Warhol) is a contemporary figure in Midwest American folklore. Originating in the late 1960's, the figure of Bishop was based on the true story of a young man from small-town Michigan. He has come to represent the transition of the Midwest lifestyle from conservatism and traditional values to liberalism and tradition-breaking artistic pursuits.
History
The true story upon which Woodfire Warhol is based took place in New Lothrop, Michigan, and involves the unsolved disappearance of Hank Bishop.
As the legend goes, some time in the early 1960's, a young man named Hank Bishop rebelled against the conservative values of his family. During Hank's youth, his father (Bill Bishop) often attempted to raise Hank's interest in hunting, fishing, and the Methodist Church; however, despite Bill's efforts, Hank spent much of his time indoors, oil-painting and practicing the hammered dulcimer. While Bill strongly encouraged his son to attend a large state-school for university, young Hank secretly applied and was granted admission to a small liberal arts college across the state. One day, while his father chopped firewood in the forest behind their house, earnest Bill went out, accompanied by his trusty dulcimer, to sing his father a song and break the news about his college decision. Enraged, Bill is believed to have mercilessly axed his son to death, discarding the body somewhere on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Early References
Carl Washburn made the first known reference to what would become "The Woodfire Warhol" in his 1967 book, A Fire Burns Within My Soul: Art in the Conservative Midwest. Although Washburn never directly referenced the story of Hank Bishop, he drew strong parallels between Bishop and the narrator of his poem, An Axe to Grind With God:
"My father holds the axe,
oh but I've the axe to grind.
My oils drip like spilling wax
and tears for him to find.
A song of hope and changing times
I now, for him, will sing,
and maybe with these earnest rhymes,
a heart, for him, I'll bring.
But oh! the edge is swinging now,
his anger's ne'er to quell.
If only I could turn his brow
and turn his soul from Hell.
For all is lost; at such a cost,
My oil's turned to blood.
With splintered skin and hope within,
Await the lake to flood. "
Washburn's book, which also chronicled the stories of other liberal midwestern trailblazers, soon became a local bestseller and, within months, the tale of The Woodfire Warhol was being shared in coffee shops and children's books all across the midwest. In 1968, a popular children's television program entitled Can I Have Another? with Johnny Badger featured a character called Woodfire Warhol, who played the hammered dulcimer and sang educational songs.
Current References
Today, the figure of Hank Bishop is referenced throughout the midwest by means of tall tales and folklore. Liberals typically speak of The Woodfire Warhol as a generous spirit who magically inspires young artists with bursts of courage and creativity. Conservatives, on the other hand, relate The Woodfire Warhol as an evil ghost; lazy and ungrateful, he will hover around campfires stealing food and bludgeoning young ill-behaved children with his tiny hammer.
Visual Depiction
The Woodfire Warhol is typically depicted based on what is known about Hank Bishop; tall and sturdy, with long black hair and varying degrees of conspicuous facial hair. He is usually shown wearing common rural midwestern attire, some combination of denim and camouflage, with at least one unusually liberal accessory, such as an ironic hat or flamboyant bandana.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu