House of Blues is home to the largest permanently displayed collection of folk art, often called Southern Vernacular art, and what we like to call “Visual Blues.” This collection includes more than 150 self-taught predominantly African-American artists who with their art have played an integral role in helping us curate our venue spaces for over twenty years with pieces that advocate for human expression, racial equality and spiritual harmony. In honor of Black History Month, we want to introduce you to some of these notable individuals who have created artifacts celebrating unity in diversity
ARCHIE BYRON: Root Sculpture and Functional Art
American sculpture, painter, U.S. Navy veteran, small business owner and city councilman, Archie Byron was born February 2, 1928 in Atlanta’s downtown Buttermilk Bottom neighborhood.
Byron was a man of many talents who owned multiple small businesses, including the first African-American owned private investigator firm in the United States, a bait and tackle shop, a security guard training school, and a gun repair shop to name a few. By 1981, Byron had begun to involve himself in the political affairs of his neighborhood and decided to run for Atlanta City Council, ultimately winning a seat and serving as a member for eight years.
Byron’s inspiration to begin creating folk art came from an uprooted piece of wood that reminded him of a gun that he encountered while working as a nighttime security guard on a construction site. He took it home, shaped and sanded it, and proudly hung it on the wall. He quickly became enraptured with roots scouring various lakeshores, riverbeds, and the woods near his home for interesting wood formations to create functional pieces of art. One day in the shop, Byron discovered piles of sawdust that he repurposed and used for various paintings and life-size statues that often reflected his interest in social and racial issues, as well as his pride in his cultural heritage.
Our collection is lucky enough to include many pieces from Byron, including: Anatomy, Lakeside, Puzzles, Tall Boy, and several more.
INTERESTING FACT: Archie Byron was a childhood playmate of Martin Luther King Jr., but never marched with him during the civil rights era, stating that he would not do so unless he could carry his shotgun.
PURVIS YOUNG: Contemporary Urban Painter
On February 4, we celebrate the birthday of the late Purvis Young. Raised in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, he was first introduced to art as a young man teaching himself incredible techniques by studying various artists from the shelves of the Miami public libraries. Influenced by American history and spiritual folklore; his visual vocabulary was vast.
He often focused on utilizing discarded materials he collected for his paintings because “recycling is good for the environment” he said. Young, inspired by the South Side Chicago’s Wall of Respect, started painting various murals and forms of civic art of his own in protest of war, poverty and racial indifference.
Featured above is the “Freedom Fence” originally located outside of the House of Blues Orlando, that has since been carefully disassembled into smaller pieces of art now located inside of House of Blues Houston. Other notable Young pieces in our collection include: Tigrett and Young, Truck, Watching Over, Come Together, and more.
DR. RUTH MAE MCCRANE: Visual Storyteller
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, McCrane dedicated her early life to teaching others about art. Growing up she was extremely curious and eager to learn more. McCrane held three degrees including a Master's in Art Education, another Masters in Secondary Education, and a Doctoral Degree. After she spent three decades teaching, she decided to retire and continue her journey with art and began painting herself.
The inspiration behind her art came from her past. Each painting shares a unique memory in specific detail, typically revolving around her life growing up in rural Texas in the 1930’s and 40’s. Her work features bright and bold colors to keep the viewer visually stimulated and to offer a festive atmosphere to her pieces.
Displayed throughout our venues, you can find many McCrane pieces, including: Blind Musician, Even the Children, Gypsy Woman, Trio, and more!
RICHARD BURNSIDE: Chef to Folk Artist
Baltimore-born and South Carolina raised, Burnside joined the Army early in life where he served as a cook. After the army, he continued his career in the culinary arts as a Chef, creating soul food that was so good, it would “make your stomach hurt with wanting” he said.
There is no clear explanation as to why he started painting, but it’s well-known that his pieces were stylized interpretations of things he had seen; inspired from works of art to objects of daily life and even his dreams. From Burnside’s visions of ancient times, he created an Africanized mythology from biblical stories, folktales, and even nursery rhymes in his work.
Burnside’s paintings regularly depict kings and queens wearing crowns that are adorned by small marks that are to signify their royalty. Each element in his paintings all have a very particular meaning, from dots that represent different tribes, to halos that distinguish a “good” king or queen from one who may not be. Some notable pieces featured in our House of Blues collection include King and Two Queens, King with Aqua Crown, and more.
JIMMY LEE SUDDUTH: Hands-On Folk Art
Born and raised in Alabama, Jimmy Lee Sudduth’s love for art started at an early age. This interest came from his mother who would gather various herbs and roots in order to make natural medicine.
His first memory of painting came from when he was three years old where he would draw in the dirt or on various tree trunks around his parents’ home using elements, he could get his hands on. He noticed his mud paintings would always wash away quickly, but one day he accidentally mixed together mud and honey and painted on a tree stump. Three days later, the image remained and both he and his mother knew this was good. He began using this mixture for his art (later introducing clay and paint) while tinting it using grass, berries, or even lawn-mower exhaust.
Sudduth’s paintings include self-portraits and major city skylines, but predominantly scenes from his everyday life in Alabama. Notable pieces from our collection include: Log Cabin with Blue Roof, Soul Train, Man on Bicycle, many self-portraits, and more.
MR. IMAGINATION: Visionary Artist
Gregory Warmack, otherwise known as Mr. Imagination was the third child in a family of nine; he grew up in the Chicago area and had no formal training as an artist, though he began making art objects in his childhood. Ever since he can remember, he was using many different creative outlets for his artistic skills. He spent his younger years making jewelry and inspiring kids to make their own art.
At 30, Warmack suffered a near-death experience that changed his style of art dramatically. During his hospitalization, he had a spiritual vision which he described as “very peaceful, almost as if I was traveling through history and looking at ancient civilizations.” Once he was back to creating, he focused on giving new life to discarded materials like trinkets, memorabilia, or bottle caps, which he called “magical material.” Mr. Imagination is best known for his sandstone self-portraits, often depicted as an ancient pharaoh, highlighting his visions from his traumatic experience.
Two very notable Warmack pieces in our folk art collection include the Unity Arch at House of Blues Orlando, and the Mr. I. Throne at House of Blues Las Vegas. Both using items like discarded paintbrushes, shards of glass, pins, keys, name plates and more, to create these extravagant textured pieces.