KELLYBURN BRAES

To the words of a traditional Scottish song telling the universal story of the wife who was worse than the devil (so he returned her to her husband), Evaline Ness has added woodcuts in rue (slate green) and withered thyme (slate brown) to match the refrain: ""Hey and the rue grows bonnie wi' thyme/ And the thyme it is withered, the rue is in prime."" The effect, in conjunction with the artist's characteristic blocks of black, is appropriately craggy, and although the plant patterns obtrude occasionally, the compositions generally catch the verve of the verses. It's easier to read and understand than, say, Always Room for One More, a single joke than anyone can enjoy. The melody is appended.