Jim Sudduth (American, 1910-2007). "Milking the Cow" painting (house paint and sand on plywood) n.d. Hand signed on lower left. A large and endearing painting by self-taught master Jim Sudduth (also known as Jimmy Lee Sudduth) depicting a farmer milking a cow - catching the fresh milk in a bucket. Sudduth's artworks were inspired by the life he lived as an African American in the rural South, and he painted this scene with his signature folk art style and bold color palette. Shades of brown, green, black, and white work in concert to present this humble theme. An outsider artist, Sudduth began by painting with his fingers, because as he stated "they never wore out". He also experimented with binders such as sugar and syrup. Interestingly, in this composition, sand was mixed with pigment to create the cow's gritty texture. A charming scene painted on a large piece of found plywood by this master of southern art, set in a custom wooden frame that complements it perfectly. Size of sight view: 35.75" L x 47.5" W (90.8 cm x 120.6 cm) Frame: 42.375" L x 54" W (107.6 cm x 137.2 cm)

Jim "Jimmy Lee" Sudduth was raised on farm in Caines Ridge, Alabama. His interest in creating art began during childhood. Jimmy Lee enjoyed making hand-carved dolls and drawing on tree trunks or in the dirt. He continued to develop his artistic expression by finger painting on found objects - doors, signs, and plywood boards - creating pigments from plants and the earth, using house paint, and mixing in unusual binding agents like sugar, sand, and syrup. Also a blues musician, he played harmonica and banjo.

Sudduth's works have been exhibited and collected by many museums such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the High Museum of Art, the Corcoran Gallery, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Among numerous honors, Sudduth served as an artist-in-residence at the New Orleans Museum of Art, appeared on "60 Minutes" and the "Today Show", and was invited to exhibit his art and play harmonica at the Smithsonian Institution's Bicentennial Festival of American Folk Life. In 2005, the Birmingham Museum of Art honored the artist with a solo exhibition, and Sudduth's painting entitled, "Self Portrait with Banjo" is exhibited at the Smithsonian Luce Foundation Center.

Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010

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#173159

Signed by the artist on the lower left. Painting has a few scratches as shown, otherwise excellent. Custom frame has a few scuffs/abrasions but is otherwise also quite nice, with attractive pseudo-wormholes to add to its vernacular charm. Wired for suspension and ready to display.