A father-daughter duo making a documentary about the father’s storied career as an artist will embark on a cross-country tour to share his story and film the movie next year — and their tour will include a stop in Louisville.
The movie “Follow the Art: The Creative Journey of Tom Woodruff” will chronicle the life of Tom Woodruff, an artist in Michigan. His daughter Lydia Keen Woodruff, a YouTuber and van traveler, wanted to make a movie about his career from a young age. When she was in fifth grade, she made a timeline of his life, which included his past stints as a shrimper, sailor, and merchant seaman.
"I was always fascinated with the science of life - biology, and geology," Tom told LEO in an email. "From the earliest age, I kept illustrated journals. While working on sailboats and shrimp boats I drew pictures of anything that caught my eye. I would draw the shrimp or sharks we’d pull up in the nets. I drew the distant islands and the people we’d encounter. The South was rich with history I’d only known through books and movies, and there I was living it."
As an artist, Tom has worked in stained glass, murals, wood carving, and children's book illustration, among other art forms; he's also spent more than 35 years as a teaching artist in Michigan schools. Even during the pandemic, he kept up his love for art education — he taught virtual drawing lessons and has a number of drawing tutorials on his YouTube channel.
Tom's health issues have caused some delays in the documentary filming process, but now, he and his daughter are ready to get their trip underway.
"No matter the challenges, we are more determined than ever to share this story with the world," said Lydia. "This project has already been an experience of a lifetime because my dad gets to introduce me to his friends, family, mentors, and artists who have inspired him along the way. We finally get to go on the road trip we’ve been talking about since I was little. Every day I feel like I learn something new about his journey, and to piece it all together will be the most rewarding challenge of my life."
As part of the filmmaking process, the Woodruffs will be traveling through the South on a fifteen-city road trip that will include stops in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. As they go, their filming process will include interviews with people who know Tom and his work, footage of Tom teaching drawing lessons, and more. ("We have a structure to our trip," Lydia said, "but we’re open to suggestions and redirections because that's where so much of the serendipity occurs.")
The duo is also looking for viewers to contribute to the project: namely, to send videos or photos of Tom teaching in schools, stories about him from people he’s met, lookalikes to play a younger version of Tom, and "long-lost artwork" that Tom created in Key West but has since gone missing. (If you have any of the above, email [email protected].)
They’re scheduled to be in Louisville on Sunday, Jan. 28, and Monday, Jan. 29, though they don’t yet have a venue; right now, they're looking for a space (possibly "arts organizations, libraries, galleries, or schools") that could accommodate a 90-minute session that would include a drawing lesson and film presentation.
While they're in Louisville, Lydia added, they're looking forward to "exploring the area, sharing our art programs, and visiting the Speed Art Museum!"
The project has a GoFundMe to cover expenses; as of this writing, it’s raised more than $4,300 out of its $10,000 goal.
Once the two have completed their tour, they'll go back to Michigan for more filming and editing next spring and summer, followed by more out-of-state strips and an art show in their city featuring Tom's work at the end of next year. They plan to finish the movie by the end of 2025.
Once the movie is out, Lydia hopes that it will reflect the duo's gratitude for the people who've supported them.
"This movie will share an adventure that has compelled two generations of a family to head out into the world and share their discoveries, and the people we met along the way," she said. "Together we are uniting our skills of filmmaking and art education in this collaborative father-daughter project. Our goal is to celebrate those who have changed or enriched our lives in immeasurable ways. We want to share the importance of art in education and encourage others to follow their passion, collaborate with others, and share their unique gifts with the world."
