A Visionary Vernacular Road Trip

Brad Cushman Gallery | August 16 – October 8, 2021

A Visionary Vernacular Road Trip highlights folk art, self-taught art, and outsider art in three exhibits at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. A Visionary Vernacular Road Trip, Butch Anthony, and The Road Trip Continues curated by Brad Cushman, illustrate the story of unique creative people from across the United States.

This survey features over eighty works of non-conventional artwork created from the1880s to the present, a collection of visionary makers of pictures and sculptural objects inspired by a divine spirit. Their voices engage in spiritual story telling, philosophical, political, and pop culture commentary. Functioning outside the social norms these artists have important messages to communicate. A catalog will accompany this survey.

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Reverend JL Hunter (1905 – 1999)

Big Guy

c. 1990
wood, paint, & mixed media
60″ x 16″ x 18″
Julie and Bruce Webb Collection

TEXAS

)Minnie Evans (1892 – 1987)

untitled, (three figures and angels)

c. 1961/1966
oil paint, crayon collage
19″ x 14″
John Jerit Collection

NORTH CAROLINA

John William “Uncle Jack” Dey (1912 – 1978)

Canal Boat System in Virginia

c. 1995
airplane enamel paint, board, Masonite
21 ½” x 31 ½”
John Jerit Collection

VIRGINIA

Reverend H.D. Dennis (1916 – 2009)

Environment: Margaret’s Store, Vicksburg, MS

Spinning Rabbit

cir. early 2000s
mixed media
16″ x 12 ½” x 8″
Karol Howard and George Morton Collection

MISSISSIPPI

Rev. Johnnie Swearingen (1908 – 1993)

Devil Got the Church on Wheels

c. 1976
oil on board
24″ x 24″
Julie and Bruce Webb Collection

TEXAS

Bill Potts (1936 – 2017)

Preacher, Choir, and Collection

c. 1986
carved wood, paper, paint
11″ x 5″ x 9″
John Jerit Collection

COLORADO

 

Elijah Pierce (1892 – 1984)

Bury the Hatchet

c. 1982-1984
bas-relief, wood with glitter
19 ½” x 26″
John Jerit Collection

OHIO

Eddie Lee Kendrick (1928 – 1992)

Baptism in Front of Buildings with Christ

c. 1978
acrylic, ballpoint pen, pressed paperboard
15 ½” x 29 ¾”
John Jerit Collection

ARKANSAS

Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900–1980)

New Jerusalem

n.d.
paint, paper
14″ x 22″
John Jerit Collection

ALABAMA

Edgar Tolson (1904 – 1984)

In the Cool of the Evening

c. 1972-1973
paint, wood
15 ½” x 24″ x 17″
James McRitchie Collection

KENTUCKY

Leroy Archuleta (1949 – 2002)

Bottle Cap Snake

n.d.
wood, bottle caps
12″ x 12″ x 13″
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

NEW MEXICO

Sam Doyle (1906 – 1985)

Doctor Crow 13

n.d.
house paint, tin
33″ x 25″
John Jerit Collection

WISCONSIN

Sulton Rogers (1922 – 2003)

Haints: Man with Snake in Coffin

c. early 1990s
paint, wood
14 ½” x 25 ½” x 18″ (open)
7 ¾” x 25″ x 14″ (closed)
Karol Howard and George Morton Collection

MISSISSIPPI

Reverend Albert Lee Wagner (1924 – 2006)

Jeremiah

c. mid 1980s
paint, Masonite
48″ x 48″
Donna and Kenneth Fadeley Collection

ARKANSAS
OHIO

Esekiel Gibbs (1898 – 1992)

Preacher and Church

c. 1984
watercolor, crayon, graphite
18″ x 24″
Julie and Bruce Webb Collection

TEXAS

Bill Traylor (1854 – 1949)

Fighting Dogs

c. 1939-1942
pencil, poster paint, sign
19″ x 21″
John Jerit Collection

ALABAMA

Howard Finster (1916 – 2001)

The Dog’s Story of the Bible

c. 1976
house paint, wood, artist-made frame
19″ x 26″
John Jerit Collection

GEORGIA

Bessie Harvey (1929 – 1994)

Whore of Babylon

c. 1980s
paint, sequins, mixed media, root wood
45″ x 34″ x 17″
variable dimensions 
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

GEORGIA
TENNESSEE

Preston Geter (b. 1932 – )

Influential Ladies

n.d.
paint, wood
57″ x 4″ x 2″
John Jerit Collection

GEORGIA

Preston Geter (b. 1932 – )

Influential Men

n.d.
paint, wood
57″ x 4″ x 2″
John Jerit Collection

GEORGIA

Samuel G. French (1818 – 1910)

Bedstead

walnut, cherry
c. 1854 – 1860
93 ½” x 57 ¼” x 81 ½”
From the Permanent Collection of the Historic Arkansas Museum,
Cultural Resources Council Grant Purchase, 2008.1.1
Photography courtesy of HAM

ARKANSAS
MISSISSIPPI

Attributed to Mary Williams

Robert E. Lee at the Grave of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

c. 1860-1900,
oil, canvas
39 ½” x 48 ¼”
From the Permanent Collection of Historic Arkansas Museum, Gift of Dr. Charles Haynie, 75.16
From the Permanent Collection of Historic Arkansas Museum
Foundation Purchase, 2018.36
Photography courtesy of HAM

ARKANSAS
ALABAMA

Winfred Rembert (1946 – 2021)

The Black Cat

n.d.
tooled leather, paint
33″ x 24″
John Jerit Collection

GEORGIA

Jacob Bachley (died 1885)

Flask

c. 1880s
stoneware with cream, cobalt,
and manganese slip
5 ½”
From the Permanent
Collection of the Historic
Arkansas Museum
Foundation Purchase, 2018.36
Photography courtesy of HAM

ARKANSAS

Unknown Maker

Memory Jug

c. late 1800s/early 1900s
ceramic and mixed media
8″ x 6″ variable
Bobby and Brad Cushman

UNKNOWN

Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (1910 – 1983)

 

Number 788
March 17, 1959
acrylic on board
24″ x 24″
John Jerit Collection

WISCONSIN

Clementine Hunter (1886/87 – 1988)
African House
c. 1971
oil on canvas
13 ½” x 17 ½”

Martín Ramírez (1895 – 1963)

Caballero Blowing Bugle

n.d.
gouache, color pencil, graphite, paper
14 ½” x 23 ½”
John Jerit Collection

CALIFORNIA
MEXICO

Frank Jones (1900 – 1969)

untitled

c. 1969
color pencil, paper
21 3/8″ x 21 5/8″
Clara and Steve Smiley Collection

TEXAS

Inez Nathanial Walker (1911 – 1990)

untitled

c. 1973
18″ x 12″
Clara and Steve Smiley Collection

CALIFORNIA
NEW YORK

Mose Tolliver (1925 – 2006)

Self Portrait with Crutches

c. 1973
beer tab hanger, paint, Masonite
23 ¼” x 19 ¾”
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

ALABAMA

James “Son Ford” Thomas (1926 – 1993)

Head with Black Hair,

n.d.
paint, pebbles, marble
9″ x 7″
John Jerit Collection

MISSISSIPPI

Raymond “Pat” Thomas
(son of James “Son Ford” Thomas)

Head with Hair

n.d.
5″ x 3″
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

MISSISSIPPI

The Baltimore Glassman, a/k/a Paul Darmafall (1925 – 2003)

Model

n.d.
glass, mixed media, board
30″ x 10 ½”
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

MARYLAND

The Baltimore Glassman a/k/a Paul Darmafall (1925 – 2003)

Liberty

n.d.
glass, mixed media, board
23″ x 33″
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

MARYLAND

L. V. Hull (1942 – 2008)

Home Sweet Home

c. 2005
paint, glitter, ceramics
13″ x 6″ x 8″
Ellis Widner Collection

MISSISSIPPI

L. V. Hull (1942 – 2008)

Piggy Bank

c. 2005
paint, glitter, ceramics
9″ x 5″ x 6″
Ellis Widner Collection

MISSISSIPPI

David Butler (1898 – 1997)

Fighting Cocks

n.d.
paint, metal, wood
9 ¾” x 17″ x 10 ¼” each
Cindy and Greg Feltus Collection

LOUISIANA

Lonnie Holley (1950 – )

untitled (faces)

n.d.
sandstone
8″ x 9 ½” x 3 ¼”
Private Collection

ALABAMA

Felipe Archuleta (1910 – 1991)

Koala Bear with Tree Trunk,

c. 1976
carved wood, marbles, rubber, broom straw
27″ x 21″ x 20″
John Jerit Collection

NEW MEXICO

Helen Mayfield (1939 – 1997)

untitled (walking figure with two creatures)

c. 1985
ink, paper
13 ½” x 10 ½”
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

TEXAS

Eddie Arning (1898 – 1993)

Spiro Agnew and Judy Agnew (with their dog)

c. early 1970s
pastels, paper
19″ x 25″
Bobby and Brad Cushman Collection

TEXAS

Ladis Sabo (1870 – 1953)

Billiard Parlor

c. 1945
oil, canvas
30″ x 26″
John Jerit Collection

Arthur Lee “Randy” Grain (1963 – 1995)

untitled (seated figures)

c. Late 1980s – Early 1990s
mixed media
13 ¾” x 15 ¾”
Central Arkansas Library System

Georgia Blizzard (1919 – 2002)

Reign of High Justice

n.d.
clay bas relief
21″ x 15″
John Jerit Collection

VIRGINIA

Steven Warde Anderson (1953 – )

The Spanish Dancer – Estelita Rodriquez

c. 1986
tempra, illustration board, handboard
18 ½” x 15 ½”
Collection of Pat Glascock and Michael D. Hall

ILLINOIS

Jane “In Vain” Winkelman (1949 – 2012)

It’s A Long Fall from the Time When Once You Had It All

c. 1991
mixed media, acrylic paint, crayon, matte medium, paper
36″ x 24″
Pierette Van Cleve Collection

NEW YORK
CALIFORNIA

William A. Hall (1943 – 2019)

Two Panel Car

2018
color pencil, paper
35″ x 23″
John Jerit Collection

CALIFORNIA

Charles Dellschau (1830 – 1923)

# 4552

(front / back)
c. 1920
color pencil, watercolor, paper
17″ x 17″
John Jerit Collection

CALIFORNIA

Jerry Coker (1938 – )

Big Daniel – Field Boss

n.d.
hammered tin on wood frame
15 ¼” x 10″ x 2″
Cindy and Greg Feltus Collection

ARKANSAS
FLORIDA

Russell Butler (1943 – ) a/k/a buZ blurr a/k/a Colossus of Roads (railroad moniker) a/k/a Gypsy Sphinx c. 1970s – 1980s

Tank Head

2000
mixed media
50″ x 39″ x 24″
Julie and Bruce Webb Collection

ARKANSAS