MARCIA WEBER / ART OBJECTS 1050 Woodley Road Montgomery, Alabama 36106 (334) 262-5349 Fax: (334) 567-0060 weberart@mindspring.com

Myrtice West

Myrtice West has painted some of the most passionate and important work in the field of contemporary folk art. Her life story and how it has affected her work is a most fascinating one. When asked, Myrtice West eagerly explains what is symbolized and why in each painting. The interpretation of her religious art is a responsibility that she takes more seriously than eating or sleeping at times.

"Musical Angels" circa 1992, oil on canvas in artist's frame, 20" x 16", $350 (1105)

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Myrtice West was born in l923 in Cherokee County, Alabama. She has lived most of her life within a few miles of her birthplace on a farm in the foothills of north Alabama She married at an early age and within a few years was told that she could never bear a child. Unhappy, she began to paint and draw for therapy. She spent years painting scenes from her area on whatever she could find, often painting over old discarded paintings. She was fascinated with photographs and sometimes would paint over them. Then after seventeen years, she became pregnant. “We were like Sarah and Abraham, having a baby at our age. But God answered my prayers.” When a daughter was born, she began painting some religious scenes.

"Ezekiel 29-30", oil on wood, 37" x 49.5", $4000 (4519) Detail below:

It was not until years later that Myrtice was “called to paint Revelations.” This occurred in a series of night visions, according to Myrtice. She prepared the largest surface she could find. Myrtice says that her hand did not draw that first painting of Revelations that was created in the middle of the night. “I was as surprised as my husband when the sun came up and we seen what I painted all night!” She was driven, obsessed, to paint these oil paintings, often working six hours a day. When one was completed, another chapter of Revelations followed.

"Moses Parting the Red Sea" oil on canvas in gold leaf frame 24" x 36" $700 (6972)

"Jesus on the First Palm Sunday" oil on canvas 18" x 24" $375 (6973)

								Tragedy struck soon after she began painting Revelations --her daughter was brutally murdered. “Revelations manifested itself in my life.” Her two young grandchildren became Myrtice’s responsibility. Through it all, the urge to paint was not ignored. After eight years of work Myrtice completed two series of works: depicting the story of Revelations-- One set to be kept together, another set to be separated, “just as God wanted me to.”
		"Noah's Ark Come to Rest", oil on canvas, 27" x 35", $900 (4309)
			Myrtice continued to paint series from the Bible during the 1990’s, including the whole books of Ezekiel and Daniel. She has been honored by the Alabama State Arts Council several times and has been widely exhibited in galleries and museums. In early 2000 tragedy struck again. The antebellum home that Myrtice had lived in for most of her adult life burned to the ground. Only a few of her paintings that were in her possession survived. ---Marcia Weber
						"Moses on the Mountain", oil on canvas, 20" x 24", $600 (4672)

		Myrtice West