Jimmy W. -- Memory Artist

We met Jimmy several years ago by working several shows together.

Jimmy is a memory painter...meaning he paints things that he remembers from his childhood. He was born in 1943 in the small town of Sheffield, Alabama. He started painting at the age of 60 (2004). He expresses his gratitude to be able to do what he does because he had no formal training in art and. hopes he can inspire others that "If I can do it, you can too!" He says people have different reactions to his paintings. Some describe it as simple, naive and childlike. He gets smiles, tears and outright laughter. Jimmy says he wishes somethings were the same as his early childhood days....when kids played outside, made up games, made do with what they had, knew their neighbors and cared about people like the neighbors did back then. He recalls most houses had porches with swings. And the neighbors would sit out on those porches and relax on their swings. He wants his works to convey some of those simple things from back then.

Jimmy was featured in a recent FOLK ART MESSENGER