Author: Kristi Wheeler

Kristi has been with WVPB since May 2022, serving as the Marketing and Communications Manager. Kristi is a WV native, growing up in Jackson County. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Glenville State College (now Glenville State University) and a M.A. in Communications from West Virginia University. Before coming to WVPB, Kristi has worked in marketing, advertising and public relations for various organizations including United Way, Verizon and WV Tech.

WVPB Premieres 'Finding David Riffle, West Virginia Artist' Nov. 21

Our newest production explores the life and work of David Riffle. The hour-long television program will air Monday, Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s TV and YouTube channels.

Updated on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.

CHARLESTON, WV — WVPB Television proudly announces the premiere of Finding David Riffle, West Virginia Artist. The hour-long television program will air Monday, Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s TV and YouTube channels.

“David Riffle is an artist who is humble, fun-loving, non-verbal — but there is more to him than meets the eye,“ states the film’s director, John Nakashima. “With the help of his friends and family, WV State University Art Professor Molly Erlandson, artist Harold Edwards, daughter Nora Riffle, artist and former gallery director at The Art Store, Ellie Schaul and the former Clay Center curator Ric Ambrose, we’re able to learn more about his fascinating work.”

Finding David Riffle, West Virginia Artist — Documentary

Riffle’s art is suffused with a strong sense of place. Most of his early inspiration came from the area around his home of 25 years, a sixty-foot trailer in Poca, Putnam County, where he moved in 1975 after graduating from West Virginia State College. As depicted in his art, this trailer represents a level of security and solitude in a busy, insecure world.

Riffle’s work contains other recurring images as well, including the Great Blue Heron, catfish, the growth of vines, mountains, and water. This imagery sometimes appears in what commentators have called “fantasy” settings. He has also created works depicting landmark architecture unique to West Virginia.

Throughout his work, Riffle reveals a strong connection to his home. Riffle’s artwork is housed in collections at the Clay Center’s Juliet Art Museum and Marshall University, among others.

Praise for “Finding David Riffle, West Virginia Artist”:

Paula Clendenin, Artist:
“A wonderful tribute to an amazing artist and human…so loved it.”

Colleen Anderson, Poet/Writer:
“Wonderful in every way.”

Russ Barbour, retired WVPB documentary-maker:
“Masterpiece.”

'Blue Demons: A West Virginia Legacy' Premieres Oct. 24 On WVPB TV And YouTube

The Northfork High School "Blue Demons" were a force to be reckoned with from 1971 to 1984, setting national records including most consecutive state championships. The small coal mining town in McDowell County received national attention. People wore jackets and hats that had the slogan “Northfork West Virginia — Basketball Capital of the United States."

CHARLESTON, WV — WVPB Television proudly announces the premiere of Blue Demons: A West Virginia Legacy. The half-hour television program will air Monday, Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s TV and YouTube channels.

The Northfork High School “Blue Demons” were a force to be reckoned with from 1971 to 1984, setting national records including most consecutive state championships. The small coal mining town in McDowell County received national attention. People wore jackets and hats that had the slogan “Northfork West Virginia — Basketball Capital of the United States.” The town desperately needed the positive feelings brought on by its success on the basketball court. As jobs in Northfork were really starting to disappear, the high school winning the state title brought hope to the community.

“Blue Demons is a story that has been near and dear to my heart for quite a while,” commented Producer John Hale. “The roots of this documentary started out as an episode of the Inside Appalachia podcast, but I had a greater mission for the film, to tell the story of one of the greatest AA title runs in high school sports history and to highlight the people who made it happen. I always knew about the team itself but to find out the close personal connection that I had to the material and the positive representation of southern West Virginia made it imperative for me to produce this film.”

Blue Demons: A West Virginia Legacy

When Northfork High School closed, it became a middle school. The school was closed permanently in 2002.

The high school sports trophies were moved to the local Northfork Museum. After that building began to fall into disrepair, they were then moved to City Hall. Years of accomplishments remain housed in a tiny bank vault to this day.

“West Virginia Public Broadcasting makes it our mission to tell stories about West Virginians that inspire and reveal who we are,” said Eddie Isom, WVPB Chief Operating Officer. “The story of the Blue Demons goes beyond basketball. It’s a story of hope and triumph that everyone in West Virginia can relate to.”

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