Late 20th Century Williams, Ruth Russell, “Outdoor Baptism” Lithograph Framed Folk Art

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Description

Lithograph Print of “Outdoor Baptism" by American folk artist Ruth Russell Williams.

Artist:
Ruth Russell Williams (1931-2010) was a self-taught … Read more Lithograph Print of “Outdoor Baptism" by American folk artist Ruth Russell Williams.

Artist:
Ruth Russell Williams (1931-2010) was a self-taught artist from North Carolina known for her folk art paintings depicting scenes of rural life and African American culture in the South. In my own words, “Ruth’s art sings a story!”

Born in Vance County, Williams grew up in a close knit farming community. Her parents were sharecroppers and her memories of rural life populate her folk art paintings. Often compared to Grandma Moses, Williams too came to paint later in life. After walking out of an art class, she taught herself how to best tell stories through color and form on a canvas. One of her proudest moments was when her painting, "Outdoor Baptism", was featured on the front cover of a Smithsonian Magazine issue in 1993. She developed a devoted following for her work, selling originals and prints from a tent in her front yard in Henderson, North Carolina. In 2009 an exhibition featuring fifty of her original paintings, Ruth Russell Williams: Master Storyteller, was displayed at the NCCU Art Museum in Durham, NC.

Subject:
"Outdoor Baptism" depicts a traditional outdoor baptism ceremony, a significant event in many Southern communities.

Recognition:
This painting gained notable recognition when it was featured on the cover of Smithsonian magazine in 1993.

Style:
Williams' work is characterized by its vibrant colors, detailed storytelling, and often compared to the style of Grandma Moses.

Early Life of the Artist:
Ruth Russell Williams was born in 1932 in the Vance County community of Townsville. Her parents were sharecroppers. At age 8, she began picking cotton to earn enough money to go to the State Fair. Later, her paintings would portray scenes from this early work and from many other childhood experiences, including memories of going to work with her grandmother to the home of a plantation owner. She developed her talent along a path that took her from these humble beginnings to beauty salon owner and cosmetologist to national recognition as a self-taught artist.

In 1948 she married Odell Russell and they had four children but would later divorce. In 1974 she married building contractor Samuel Williams. Initially drawn to ceramics, she taught ceramics at Vance-Granville Community College. When her children were mostly grown, she began painting, although she initially thought her paintings lacked merit. At an art exhibit at Kerr Lake in 1985, Williams was quite satisfied showing her work to laymen and women, but when she learned that North Carolina A & T art professor James McCoy was nearby, she grabbed her paintings and hid behind bushes, fearful of presenting her work before a professional. McCoy, however, immediately recognized Williams’ unique aesthetic sensibility. He told Williams that she was a gifted folk artist and predicted that she would one day become widely recognized. For the next two decades, Williams produced hundreds of paintings, each one telling a story of life as she saw it, in a simple, straightforward — and vividly colorful — way.

Ruth Russell William’s work is growing in demand with valuations that are anticipated to continue to blossom since her timely passing. Her work is vibrant, bold, and tells the story of her culture, upbringing and African American Folk traditions. Both her original oils and limited hard to find lithographs are of significant art value.

More Information: Tar Hells Traveler has published a lovely and brief tribute video to Ruth. It is worth listening to, along with the singing. See less