Group Exhibition

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Anderson Johnson (1915–1998) began his spiritual journey after a powerful lightning strike during a violent thunderstorm in a cornfield in Lunenburg, Virginia, an event that he believed marked his calling. A child prodigy, he began pastoring a church in Vineland, New Jersey, at the tender age of twelve. Just a few years later, he joined the Ivy Avenue United House of Prayer in Newport News, Virginia, where he became a protégé of Bishop Charles M. Grace. Over the years, Johnson established places of worship stretching from New York to Florida for the United House of Prayer.

As he matured, Anderson Johnson became not only an exceptional evangelist and musician but also a remarkable self-taught artist who boldly professed his unwavering faith in God. This book chronicles Johnson’s journey from his humble beginnings in Virginia to his solo expeditions across the United States. As a free-spirited traveling evangelist, musician, and gospel singer, Johnson spent over four decades spreading the word of God through song, preaching, and personal testimony.

After more than forty years of travel and ministry, Johnson returned to Virginia, reflecting on his life and reassessing his spiritual path. He came to realize that his faith had been his constant source of strength and guidance. With this newfound clarity, he decided that his next mission would be to teach others how to live by faith. He founded the Faith Mission, a sanctuary where he gradually filled the space with thousands of his paintings. Ultimately, Johnson became an accomplished self-taught artist, inspired by God to support himself through the display and sale of his art.

Z.B. Armstrong (1911 - 1993) was born in McDuffie County , Georgia near Thomson Georgia. He attended school until eighth grade when he left and began working in the local cotton fields. He married Ulamay Demmons in 1929 and had two daughters. After his wife died in 1969 he claimed to be visited by an angel who warned him saying, "Our time has gone to waste...Judgement day will come and at what hour only God knows." After this vision, Armstrong became increasingly reclusive. He became increasingly focused on The Book of Revelation and the idea that time was coming to an end. 

He began to make calendars, in the form of three-dimensional wooden sculptures, that would help predict the date on which Judgement Day would start. Armstrong would add grids to these calendars drawn in black, red and blue permanent marker. Armstrong referred to this process as "taping with time." He would also write dates and scripture passages on the calendars in order help further discern the date of Judgement Day. Armstrong went on to construct almost 1,500 box calendars with the aim of trying to determine the exact date of the approaching doomsday. 

These calendars were built in Armstrong's hand-built two room home. While one room served as his living space, the other room served as his workspace. In that space, he kept not only the calendars and the materials for building the calendars but also many other things that he had built himself. One of the major features of the room was a large box that Armstrong kept on his mantelpiece that held the cards that Armstrong would use to help decide what dates to put on the calendars.

Born in (1943 - 2010) in Miami, Florida, Purvis Young’s mother encouraged her son’s artistic talents. His grandparents immigrated to Miami by boat from the Bahamas and settled in Overtown. Although he did not complete high school, Young educated himself as an adult by watching documentaries and reading. He spent hours at the Miami-Dade Public Library, and books became an important part of his life and work.

As a child, Young enjoyed drawing, however, it wasn’t until adulthood that he embraced painting. He spent hours looking at books filled with imagery by El Greco, Rembrandt, Paul Gaugin, and Vincent van Gogh. In the early 1970s, Young began painting regularly, and he created a visual language reflective of life in Overtown. Although adversity was constant, Young’s neighborhood inspired him, and he strove to paint positive imagery. Angels with halos dominated his work and represented the good he admired in people. He revered pregnant women and holy men and painted this imagery in a range of configurations. While he supported his community, he also acknowledged its struggles. 

Butch Anthony is a self-taught artist, builder and picker of things. Using various media and techniques, Anthony alters found and natural objects, crafting them into one-of-a-kind masterpieces. In the last 20 years he has developed his specific genre of work, which he calls intertwangleism—an ism of his own creation. The artist explains: "It is how I look at people and break them down to their primordial beginnings. Almost like x-ray vision, seeing through a person’s clothes, through their skin, and muscles and veins and bones, even their shadow.”

To create the works Butch purchases antique portraits from thrift stores and flea markets. These ancestral portraits, dating as early as the 1860s, were discarded by their former owners. The sitters are muted, stiff and nameless. Anthony challenges the order of life and death as he manipulates and reworks the portraits with skeletal motifs. The superimposed bone imagery and text, drawn from phrases Anthony has heard around his Alabama home, destroy the silence of the forgotten paintings, renewing their relevance as works of art. 

If you've been seeing a lot of "hellhounds" lately, you might not have the Devil to blame. It may just be that W.D. Harden's "Hellhound" folk art is everywhere! Following the tradition of folk art heroes like R.A. Miller, W.D. has created a signature character who makes frequent appearances in his artwork. As Blues fans know, there is a legend that blues guitarist Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his extraordinary musical talent. Hellhounds were sent out by the Devil to enforce the evil bargain. So it is with reverence to Miller, Johnson, and perhaps the Devil, that W.D. has taken on "Hellhound" as his subject, the unrelenting collection agent when there is indeed "Hell to pay". And if you're seeing Hellhounds, you are likely also seeing Elvis, who also turns up almost as frequently in W.D.'s art. There are other subjects - portraits & critters & cityscapes - all painted in bright colors on scrap wood or metal in bold primitive style.

Anthony Joseph Salvatore (1938–1994), a self-taught "outsider" artist from Youngstown, Ohio, once remarked that the only "steady job" he ever had was "painting in the service of the Lord." His creative output surged dramatically following a life-changing automobile accident in 1973. Salvatore's work is characterized by a vivid color palette, with rich greens and blues that evoke a sense of depth and vibrancy. He employed a unique technique of layering wax and paint to build up the surface, creating an almost translucent effect where light seems to emanate from within the pieces themselves. His mystical religious and biblical illustrations are a significant contribution to contemporary folk art, offering quiet yet profound messages that set him apart from other twentieth-century biblical artists. Salvatore's technical proficiency, particularly his mastery of color and illustration, establishes him as a skilled and innovative artist in his field.

"Artist" Chuckie Williams (1957 – 2000), a self-taught artist from Shreveport, Louisiana, embarked on an unconventional path to his artistic career. His first art show unfolded in his front yard during an arson fire that consumed a building near his home in the Queensboro neighborhood. When firefighters asked him to evacuate, Chuckie famously responded that he had millions of dollars worth of paintings inside. In response, the firefighters helped him carry the artwork outside, which captured the attention of a reporter and sparked the beginning of his recognition as an artist.

Born in 1957, Chuckie began painting in the 1980s after experiencing a profound emotional breakdown, which led to his hospitalization. During this time, he had a life-changing vision in which he felt a divine calling, as though God instructed him to create art. In the vision, he was promised that his work would be loved by people of all ages and celebrated worldwide, a prophecy that would forever alter the course of his life.

Chuckie’s artistic materials were often sourced from discarded objects found in vacant lots—plywood, cardboard, sheetrock, oil drum lids, paper bags, boxes, and chunks of wood. Using these unconventional materials, he created vibrant masterpieces that featured bold, double-sided portraits, often painted with thick layers of bright acrylics. His signature technique included deeply etched pencil lines, making his pieces truly unique. Over the course of his career, Chuckie painted portraits of legendary figures like Michael and Janet Jackson, Magic Johnson, and the New Kids on the Block, along with animals, landscapes, and his favorite subject: Jesus. His signature—often including variations like "Artist Chuckie," "Painter Chuckie," "Psychic Talent," "Christ True Genius," or "Ghost Talent"—was a staple of his artwork.

Mark Anthony Mulligan, a Kentucky outsider artist and beloved Louisville street personality, passed away on November 28, 2022, at the age of 59. His art was a vibrant, energetic, and original celebration of the urban environment, challenging traditional notions of self-taught art in a state better known for its rural folk art traditions. As a self-designated "Sign and Logo Artist," Mulligan’s work was a joyous, positive reflection of his surroundings, standing in contrast to his lifelong struggle with mental illness. Through his art, Mulligan sought to live life on his own terms, finding acceptance and support from the community that embraced his creative vision.

Born in Louisville in 1963, Mulligan grew up near Rubbertown, a working-class industrial area filled with the towering sights of oil storage tanks and chemical refineries. The bold, "happy" corporate logos of the area became a significant theme in his work. While many criticize the commercialization and overwhelming signage of contemporary cities, Mulligan found them visually stimulating, comforting, and imbued with spiritual meaning.

A typical Mulligan piece is a bustling cityscape, often rendered in colorful markers. The artist frequently adopted a bird’s-eye perspective, as though benevolently hovering above the scene, naming the world he created, and usually completing the piece in a single session. He was meticulous, obsessively signing, titling, dating, and noting the materials used and the time it took to complete each work. In addition to his cityscapes, Mulligan created an array of other captivating pieces, including imaginary maps filled with invented street names, intricate seek-and-find puzzles, and color photocopy experiments.

Mark Mulligan’s work remains a testament to the power of personal expression, the beauty found in the everyday, and the resilience of the human spirit.

"Coal Miner Jack" Savitsky, born in 1910 in New Philadelphia, northeastern Pennsylvania, is regarded by many as one of America’s finest self-taught painters. Raised in a family of nine, Savitsky’s formal education ended at the sixth grade, and he soon found himself working in the coal mines. Despite the demanding and grueling labor, he harbored a deep desire to create art, often using chalk to draw pictures on the walls of the mines. At times, he would trade his drawings for a pint of whiskey, a pack of cigarettes, or a few gallons of gas. After 35 years of mining, and suffering from black lung disease, he retired in 1960 and began to dedicate himself fully to his art.

Savitsky’s work predominantly focuses on the lives of coal miners, their families, and the rural communities they inhabited. His paintings offer heartfelt, unpretentious portrayals of the people and scenes he knew intimately. With a charming warmth and gentle humor, he captured the essence of what was closest to his heart and soul. Though his subjects may appear simple—miners, farmers, working men and women, children, homes, and small towns—his works transcend the mundane, reflecting the true spirit of the American experience. Rich in humanity, Savitsky’s art is simple yet profound, portraying the everyday lives of ordinary people with sincerity and grace.

Reverend Albert Wagner (1924–2006) was a prolific folk artist whose diverse body of work filled every corner of his three-story home in East Cleveland. On his 50th birthday, he experienced a profound spiritual revelation that would forever change his life and his path as an artist. While preparing for his birthday party, he descended into his basement and discovered an old board on the floor, speckled with paint drips. In that moment, the seemingly ordinary piece of wood began "speaking" to him. It was as if God communicated directly with Albert through the board, revealing that painting would offer him salvation.

That very night, Albert began working with the images that emerged from the wood, creating a fiercely expressionistic piece titled Miracle At Midnight. From that point on, he painted with unwavering devotion. As he later reflected, "All my life I wanted to paint. I just didn't know how. God gives directions, and you have to follow them."

Following this epiphany, Albert completely transformed his life. He walked away from his business, stopped his past reckless behaviors, became an ordained minister, and dedicated himself to his art, his faith, and his family. His spiritual calling had not only given him a new sense of purpose but also led him to fully embrace his role as an artist—a role he had long dreamed of, but never fully understood until he answered the divine call.

Joe Simms, from Orange County, overcame years of isolation and personal challenges to find expression and connection through art. Born with a mental disability, Joe lacked formal education and lived a sheltered life under his mother's care. His journey into art began with makeshift supplies and evolved when local artist Megan Marlatt recognized his raw talent and provided him a space to work. Today, Joe's vibrant and imaginative paintings—featuring whimsical animals and bright colors—are celebrated in galleries, including a recent exhibit in New York City. His art not only showcases his creativity but has also helped him become more independent and sociable, proving that passion can transcend barriers.

Alabama folk artist John Henry Toney, born in 1928 in rural Russell County, Alabama, lived a life shaped by hard work and deprivation. He attended elementary school for just six years before leaving to pursue a life of farming. Toney remained in Seale, Alabama, until his passing in 2019 at the age of 91. A deeply religious man, he was affectionately known locally as "Mustache Jesus." Despite his early life of hardship, he never considered himself an artist until the age of 66.

As a young man, Toney was once fired from a job after creating a drawing of his boss. However, it was a life-changing event in 1994 that reignited his creative spirit. While plowing a field, Toney discovered a turnip in the soil that appeared to have a face. Believing it to be a divine sign, he picked up his drawing tools once more. Self-taught, Toney’s art quickly flourished. He worked with a variety of surfaces, including board, poster-board, and cardboard, bringing them to life with his distinctive style. His tool of choice—paint pens or markers—was wielded with a swift, confident, yet untrained hand.

Toney’s drawings often featured whimsical animals, exaggerated female forms in fanciful clothing, vehicles, and various other subjects. His works were also infused with personal details, such as his birthdate and phone number. These elements were not mere decoration; they were significant markers of his life and identity, imbuing each piece with a personal narrative. For Toney, the stories he told through his art were just as important as the images themselves, offering a window into his soul and the world he inhabited.

Adam Hines (b. 1985) is a founding member of Project Onward. A prolific artist who has over 10,000 individual pieces. Hines depicts in color pencil and marker what he has coined “The World Tour” – an extensive listing of places, people, animals and “global phenomena.” His artwork also literally serves as a road map by including directions to his featured sites via road, air and public transit. Another of Hines’ popular series catalogs his vast internal databank of famous people, grouping them in large-scale drawings according to category – in a grid of guilelessly rendered figures with their names and titles.

Based in Richmond, California, NIAD Art Center’s visual art program promotes meaningful independent living by artists with disabilities—while its artists create remarkable contemporary art. In a unique open studio environment, and with the guidance of qualified staff, NIAD artists acquire new skills in artistic practice and in independent living. 

Reuben A. Miller (1912–2006) was born and raised on the rural land of Georgia, where he spent much of his life working as a farmer, cotton mill worker, and preacher at the Free Will Baptist Church. Due to illness, Miller retired from these occupations and turned to art as a means of spiritual expression and outreach.

Drawing inspiration from his surroundings, he transformed his hillside property into a vibrant landscape filled with whirligigs and tin cut-outs of devils, angels, animals, and even local figures like the iconic "Oskar." Reverend Miller repurposed discarded gutters, flattening them with a hammer to create silhouettes of animals and figures, which he then painted with enamel. He also used markers on Masonite to craft cave-like drawings of dinosaurs, further expanding his unique artistic vision. Through his work, Miller sought to communicate his faith and connect with others, using found materials to create deeply personal and spiritual expressions of his beliefs.

S.L. Jones was a master of wood sculpture, creating early works from black maple, walnut, and soft yellow poplar. His small, expressive figures—often depicting farmers, hunters, fiddlers, and preachers—were characterized by foreshortened torsos and intricately carved heads. Jones meticulously refined every detail of both human and animal forms, initially using a bowie knife and later incorporating a chisel and rasp to perfect his craft.

In addition to his sculpture, Jones explored drawing after taking a painting class at the YMCA before his retirement. He created vibrant works in ink, graphite, pastel, and crayon, capturing the same depth and emotion found in his wood carvings. In a 1989 interview on The Today Show, he remarked, "I just love to do the work... I meet lots of people," reflecting the joy and connection he found in his artistry.

As Jones grew older and his physical abilities limited his carving, he shifted his focus to pastel and pen drawings, often depicting faces, cats, pigs, and horses. His works, marked by their attention to detail and emotional depth, continue to inspire. Jones passed away in 1997 at the age of 96, leaving behind a lasting legacy of craftsmanship and a unique artistic vision that continues to resonate today.

As a self-taught artist, Jake was introduced to painting in more ways than one. Around 1984, he observed women taking painting lessons at the Hawes Paint Store near his home, and was inspired to try it himself. McCord also recalled when he bought a 1967 green and white Chevrolet for $600, in the trunk someone had left a half-covered board with an unfinished painting. “I couldn’t make out what they were drawing,” McCord said, “so, I figured out what I wanted to paint on it.” McCord decided on a spotted dog, the type he would often see when cutting grass in Westview Cemetery, which became a source of inspiration.

 Each of McCord’s paintings tell a story in vivid, brash color, and features flat, two-dimensional figures conjured while working or watching television. Many of his favorite subjects are unapologetically ordinary, such as houses, animals, or women with big hairdos. Although most of his figures look menacing or terrified, with teeth bared and wide-open eyes, McCord argued that his subjects were in fact “jolly” and smiling. Feeling a need to dress-up a figure, he would often add “extra touches” or “accessories” to his subjects, such as purses, wristwatches, or a leashed pet.

Jake liked to “showcase” his art on his front porch and he was immovable about the amount of time a piece needed to be displayed before it could be sold. No one ever successfully persuaded him to sell a painting before “it was ready to go.” That policy included movie stars who came to see him and often left empty-handed.