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Photographic essay is an inspiration to many
SIKESTON - Dr. Edwin Smith set out to prove that anything desired badly enough can be achieved.
And he was right. Those who've seen his photographic essay, "Grass-Roots Sculptors in Missouri," say his work is an inspiration to all.
"These artists are phenomena of a particular economic and social situation," remarked Linda Melkersman, a board member of Sikeston Missouri Arts Inc. "These Missourians had the desire to create and had no formal training in art or sculpture. These sculptures derived from the basic human need to create."
Now Sikeston and residents in the surrounding area will have an opportunity to find the same encouragement from Smith's undertaking.
The Southeast Missouri State University art instructor is donating the project to Sikeston Missouri ARTS Inc. Plans are under way for a February showing at the Sikeston Depot before touring the state with the Missouri Folk Arts Program. What sparked the educator's desire to compile the essay was actually a fond memory of animal sculptures in the farm yard of a 60-year-old farmer from Milan. It was years ago, but he never forgot the deer, alligator, frog, birds and human figures made of concrete modeled over reinforced rod and wire permanently placed with bases in the ground. The surfaces were painted with color for a more realistic look.
While working toward his master's degree, Smith returned to the farm where he found the sculptures to be as impressive as he remembered.
"His sculpture work was never exhibited beyond the yard of the farm house and little, if any, recognition was given to his work," Smith said of the farmer in the introduction to his essay. "This caused me to wonder how many individuals there are in Missouri who work in some type of sculpture without formal training in art or sculpture and make these objects because of a need to create something."
Smith spent the following year traveling throughout the state in search of grass-root sculptors who basically taught themselves to sculpt.
The works were then photographed for an exhibition and the end result is what those who visit the Depot in Sikeston will see. Some of the 60 individuals featured in Smith's photographic essay are working people, others work out of the homes or are retired. They range in age from 20 to 100 and are of various sexes, races, education levels and professions.
There's the chemist, the hair stylist and the state school superintendent who all enjoy working with wood, a home maker who prefers concrete and granito, a swimming teacher whose media is clay and a housewife who works with fiber, just to name a few.
Also featured is Don Loyd, former New Madrid city manager, who enjoys working with wood."This is a unique collection that is one-of-a-kind," pointed out Melkersman. "Many years and much time has gone into this collection of Missouri sculptures/sculptors and to have it donated to SMARTS by Dr. Edwin Smith is indeed a blessing for the community."
Smith hopes the photographic essay will prompt viewers to stop and think about the talent involved with being self-taught. "Perhaps you will recall someone who would be classified as a grass-root sculptor," he wrote in his essay.
"There are many besides the 60 I have selected for this exhibition. I hope you will be aware of this type of artist and appreciate not only the trained professional artist but also those self-taught individuals with an inherent desire to create."
For more information contact Terri Matthews, SMARTS administrator, at 471-3888.