Oral Histories: Arkansas Folk Artists

Interviewee: William Luther Collier

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 30, 1973

Throughout his life, William Collier has been interested in different forms of art such as playing music, drawing, and writing poetry. However, in 1965 when he was 66 years old, Collier began to focus his interests on painting. Although he had no previous training, he has successfully painted many unique works of art.

 

Interviewee: Margie Dillon

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 10, 1973

Margie Dillon began painting in the 1960s when she was around 40 years old. She has painted several paintings, many of which deal with the subject of nature and religion. She exhibits her work at the Mountain View Folk-Festival and sells her paintings as well. Not only does she paint, but Dillon also plays instruments such as the piano, accordion and organ and writes poetry.

 

Interviewee: Virgie Fiveash

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 9, 1973

Virgie Fiveash began to become a serious painter in 1970 at the age of 55. Fiveash mainly uses oil paints in her artwork. She has entered her paintings in art contests and she also sells her work.

 

Interviewee: Jimmy Elizabeth Martin

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 2, 1973

Jimmy Martin began painting in 1950 at the age of 22. She has exhibited her paintings at the county fair in Mena, Arkansas and at the Arkansas Artists Exhibition in Little Rock, Arkansas. She teaches art lessons to several neighboring children and passed down her artistic talent to her son.

 

Interviewee: Emma Morgan

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 10, 1973

Emma Morgan was always interested in painting, but didn’t start seriously painting until 1948 when she was 42 years old. Most of her paintings are created using oil paints. Morgan also does a modest amount of clay sculpturing.

 

Interviewee: Eldon Alladean Reed

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Oct. 27, 1973

Eldon Reed first became interested in painting in 1965 at the age of 37. She mainly paints with oil paints.

 

Interviewee: Florence Shank

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 2, 1973

Florence Shank has been interested in painting since she was the age of 10. However, she did not completed her first painting until 1972 at the age of 71. She has exhibited her work at the Scott County Fair.

 

Interviewee: Essie Ward

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 9, 1973

Essie Ward became interested in painting as a child. She created her first picture at the age of 4 and finished her first oil painting at around 1962 at the age of 60. She has exhibited her paintings at the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, Arkansas and she sells her paintings in places all over the world.

 

Interviewee: Dorothy Weisenberger

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 3, 1973

Dorothy Weisenberger began painting in 1969 at the age of 55. She has sold a few of her works and has also won a few ribbons when exhibiting them. In July of 1973, she also held a one-woman show for her art at a bank in Hope, Arkansas.

 

Interviewee: Dr. Harold Bell Wright, M.D.

Interviewer: Dr. Jerry Dwayne Poole

Date of Interview: Nov. 2, 1973

Dr. Harold Wright began painting around 1963 at the age of 44 when his daughter gave him a set of oil paints for Christmas. Since then, Wright has painted numerous paintings, many of which are of lighthouses and antique buildings. He has sold one of his paintings and given several away.