A great American artist and a kind human being, Jimmie Lee Sudduth passed away on September 2, 2007 in his life long home town of Fayette, Alabama.
Jimmie Lee Sudduth is truly the reigning Godfather of Contemporary American Folk Art. He turned 97 in 2007 and only recently had to retire from painting. He was inspired at an early age by the durability of Alabama red clay mud. He found that by mixing it with the likes of sugar, syrup, even cola, he could make a binding mixture, that when applied to wood, set fast and held indefinitely. His earliest paintings were created from purely organic materials. Leaves, grasses, mud, ash, and berries were used to give the works their natural tones. In later years, along with the natural ingredients, he began using acrylic paints for the brighter colors you see in many of his paintings. Jim’s simple studio in Fayette, Alabama was always open and welcoming to visitors. He would often chat, play his harmonica and demonstrate his creative painting techniques. Jim has a big heart and is an amazing talent. Although Fayette is off the beaten path it’s worth the trip to see Jimmy’s early works at the Fayette Art Museum.
