122:
years old, "'the boll weevils did all of the work' on his family's farm" and
Griffin went bankrupt. After he left the farm, he began to travel without destination around the southeast coast of Georgia. After 5–10 years of traveling and working odd construction jobs to support his children, Griffin resettled in Girard, GA and took a second-shift custodian position at Murray's Biscuit Company. He retained this job for twenty-three years, finally retiring in 1989 to pursue art full-time.
142:, which some believe Griffin was inspired to make because ants were infesting his house and others believed it was an homage to his return at midnight from his shift at the biscuit factory. He was first recognized by an art collector and dealer that had seen his root sculptures displayed in the front yard of his home. His work grew in acclaim from then on and Griffin retired from his factory job in 1989 to focus on sculpting.
150:
Griffin's artistic process was inextricably linked to the
Savannah River that flowed through the outskirts of his property. It was in this river that Griffin found the roots and drift pieces of Poplar that he used to make his sculptures. He would "take a root from the water, have a thought about it,
159:
The roots that
Griffin ultimately chose to paint were ones that he believed contained a "deep feeling." To him, these roots were older than the United States and dated back to the days of Noah's flood. Their primordial spirituality was revealed to him through the Savannah River's clear water, which
202:
spiritual practices. Through black, white, and red paint applications, Griffin "fashioned figures out of tree roots dredged from a river, eliciting the hidden shapes of spirits by way of an idiosyncratic divinatory ritual." Griffin's power to release dormant characters inside of the roots made him
121:
on a cotton farm. He began school at Girard
Elementary School. He attended school until the ninth grade, then began to work full-time on his family's cotton farm. At 22 years old, on January 13, 1947, he married Loretta Gordon and together they raised five daughters and one son. When he was thirty
151:
what it looks like, then paint it red, black, and white, to put a bit of vision on the root." He always began revealing the essence within the root by finding the eyes. "When I get his eye, I can make him come out of it, then make heads on heads. it seems like a dream until I get it made."
167:, Griffins sculptures were more confounding and intimidating than whimsical. The gnarled branches make his figures seem contorted and blur the lines between human, animal, and celestial creature. Some of his works depict indistinguishable monstrous or supernatural forms. Others, such as
160:
he also believed held atavistic qualities. "There's a miracle in that water, running across them logs since the flood of Noah. Them logs-- they been there since Noah's time, when the flood got out all the water. This is the water from that time."
31:
175:, black figures shrouded in what appear to be Klansmen's robes, are a perplexing commentary on semantics and southern race relations. Still others clearly depict the world surrounding Griffin as others also see it, like
203:
known among his neighbors as a conduit or "root doctor." His neighbors would ask him to intuit their dreams or predict winning numbers, but he refused, saying "I don't go that far."
194:
and religious rituals. Griffin's focus on the purifying, shaping qualities of water and the powers of roots to conjure otherworldly characters is a translation of
786:
890:
330:
297:
645:
516:
675:
416:
260:
835:
727:"Pictured in my mind: contemporary American self-taught art from the collection of Dr. Kurt Gitter and Alice Rae Yelen".
905:
245:
Pictured In my Mind: Contemporary
American Self-Taught Art from the Collection of Dr. Kurt Gitter and Alice Rae Yelen.
608:
447:
Coker, Gylbert Garvin; Arnett, William (2001). "Souls Grown Deep: African
American Vernacular Art of the South".
810:
668:
Outsider, self taught, and folk art annotated bibliography : publications and films of the 20th century
313:
407:
Testimony : vernacular art of the
African-American South : the Ronald and June Shelp Collection
594:
118:
47:
900:
895:
622:
232:
490:
274:
264:
534:
472:
326:
284:
582:
355:"Museum of American Folk Art encyclopedia of twentieth-century American folk art and artists".
744:
681:
671:
641:
565:
522:
512:
464:
422:
412:
372:
251:
Testimony: vernacular art of the
African American south: the Ronald and June Shelp Collection.
736:
456:
364:
199:
190:
Many scholars have associated
Griffin's artistic process and inspirations with West African
546:
228:
114:
65:
870:
763:"High's Folk Art Curator Organizes Sudduth Exhibition | The Folk Art Society of America"
702:
405:
884:
562:
Even the deep things of God : a quality of mind in Afro-Atlantic traditional art
164:
76:
105:(1925–1992) was an American sculptor known for his sculptures made from tree roots.
787:"High Museum of Art receives significant gift from the Gordon W. Bailey Collection"
195:
762:
30:
213:
Even the Deep Things of God: A Quality of Mind in Afro-Atlantic
Traditional Art
94:
748:
526:
468:
376:
685:
569:
426:
740:
368:
856:
139:
476:
288:
191:
225:
African-American Folk Art: From the Collection of Dr. A. Everett James
460:
281:
A Cut Above: Wood Sculpture from the Gordon W. Bailey Collection.
325:
Griffin's work can be found in the permanent collections of the
306:
16 Jun.- 30 Dec. 2018, Birmingham Museum of Art. Birmingham, AL.
271:
Our Faith Affirmed: Works from the Gordon W. Bailey Collection.
221:
17 Aug- 27 Oct. 1991, The Museum of York County, Rock Hill, SC.
583:
http://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/artist/ralph-griffin/work/wizar
273:
10 Sep.2014- 8 Aug. 2015, University of Mississippi Museum,
130:
Griffin began making sculptures in 1979 with a piece called
35:
Ralph Griffin with one of his sculptures in Girard, Georgia
640:. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. p. 130.
215:. 18 Aug.- 30 Sept. 1990. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.
703:"On exhibit: 'Soul of the South' at Capitol Park Museum"
304:
The Original Makers: Folk Art from the Cargo Collection.
241:. 1993–1995. Traveling exhibition at various museums.
253:
2001–2004. Traveling exhibition. MI, SC, NY, GA, FL
90:
82:
72:
54:
40:
21:
811:"Revelations: Art from the African American South"
404:
296:3 Jun. 2017- 1 Apr. 2018, de Young Gallery at the
697:
695:
294:Revelations: Art from the African American South.
113:Ralph Griffin was born on September 22, 1925, in
836:"The Original Makers | Birmingham Museum of Art"
609:"John Getting Graduated | Souls Grown Deep"
227:. 18 Oct.- 31 Dec. 1991, Van Vechten Gallery at
638:African Voices in the African American Heritage
247:1995, Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL.
8:
219:Living Traditions: Southern Black Folk Art.
312:. Jul 2018-Jun 2019, Capitol Park Museum,
29:
18:
511:. New York: Routledge. pp. 8, 533.
239:Passionate Visions of the American South
595:"Little Wizard | Souls Grown Deep"
342:
542:
532:
257:The Life and Art of Jimmy Lee Sudduth.
661:
659:
657:
507:Wertkin, Gerard C. Verfasser (2004).
7:
623:"Woodpecker | Souls Grown Deep"
502:
500:
442:
440:
438:
436:
398:
396:
394:
392:
390:
388:
386:
350:
348:
346:
491:"Midnight | Souls Grown Deep"
14:
509:Encyclopedia of American Folk Art
331:Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
298:Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
411:. Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
403:Conwill, Kinshasha H. (2002).
261:Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts
1:
891:20th-century American artists
666:Sellen, Betty-Carol. (2002).
871:"Noah's Ark - Ralph Griffin"
922:
735:(7): 34–3693. 1997-03-01.
560:McWillie, Judith. (1990).
363:(9): 28–4882. 1991-05-01.
28:
564:. Center for the Arts.
449:African American Review
259:15 Jan.- 27 Mar. 2005.
741:10.5860/choice.34-3693
369:10.5860/choice.28-4882
283:14 May- 30 Oct. 2016,
177:John Getting Graduated
729:Choice Reviews Online
357:Choice Reviews Online
321:Permanent collections
119:Burke County, Georgia
48:Burke County, Georgia
636:Kuyk, Betty (2003).
138:is the figure of an
906:American sculptors
545:has generic name (
327:High Museum of Art
285:High Museum of Art
310:Soul of the South
163:Unlike his peer,
100:
99:
62:(aged 66–67)
16:American sculptor
913:
875:
874:
867:
861:
860:
853:
847:
846:
844:
843:
832:
826:
825:
823:
822:
807:
801:
800:
798:
797:
783:
777:
776:
774:
773:
759:
753:
752:
724:
718:
717:
715:
714:
699:
690:
689:
663:
652:
651:
633:
627:
626:
619:
613:
612:
605:
599:
598:
591:
585:
580:
574:
573:
557:
551:
550:
544:
540:
538:
530:
504:
495:
494:
487:
481:
480:
444:
431:
430:
410:
400:
381:
380:
352:
61:
33:
19:
921:
920:
916:
915:
914:
912:
911:
910:
881:
880:
879:
878:
869:
868:
864:
855:
854:
850:
841:
839:
834:
833:
829:
820:
818:
809:
808:
804:
795:
793:
785:
784:
780:
771:
769:
761:
760:
756:
726:
725:
721:
712:
710:
701:
700:
693:
678:
665:
664:
655:
648:
635:
634:
630:
621:
620:
616:
607:
606:
602:
593:
592:
588:
581:
577:
559:
558:
554:
541:
531:
519:
506:
505:
498:
489:
488:
484:
461:10.2307/2903291
446:
445:
434:
419:
402:
401:
384:
354:
353:
344:
339:
323:
314:Baton Rouge, LA
229:Fisk University
209:
188:
157:
148:
128:
111:
68:
66:Girard, Georgia
63:
59:
50:
45:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
919:
917:
909:
908:
903:
898:
893:
883:
882:
877:
876:
862:
848:
827:
802:
778:
754:
719:
691:
676:
653:
646:
628:
614:
600:
586:
575:
552:
517:
496:
482:
432:
417:
382:
341:
340:
338:
335:
322:
319:
318:
317:
307:
301:
291:
278:
268:
265:Montgomery, AL
254:
248:
242:
236:
222:
216:
208:
205:
187:
186:Interpretation
184:
156:
153:
147:
144:
127:
124:
110:
107:
98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
86:Root Sculpture
84:
83:Known for
80:
79:
74:
70:
69:
64:
56:
52:
51:
46:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
918:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
888:
886:
873:. 2019-01-10.
872:
866:
863:
858:
852:
849:
837:
831:
828:
816:
812:
806:
803:
792:
788:
782:
779:
768:
764:
758:
755:
750:
746:
742:
738:
734:
730:
723:
720:
708:
704:
698:
696:
692:
687:
683:
679:
673:
670:. McFarland.
669:
662:
660:
658:
654:
649:
647:0-253-21576-5
643:
639:
632:
629:
624:
618:
615:
610:
604:
601:
596:
590:
587:
584:
579:
576:
571:
567:
563:
556:
553:
548:
536:
528:
524:
520:
518:9780203644485
514:
510:
503:
501:
497:
492:
486:
483:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
443:
441:
439:
437:
433:
428:
424:
420:
414:
409:
408:
399:
397:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
383:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
351:
349:
347:
343:
336:
334:
332:
328:
320:
315:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
295:
292:
290:
286:
282:
279:
276:
272:
269:
266:
262:
258:
255:
252:
249:
246:
243:
240:
237:
234:
233:Nashville, TN
230:
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
211:
210:
206:
204:
201:
197:
193:
185:
183:
182:
178:
174:
173:Little Wizard
170:
166:
165:Bessie Harvey
161:
154:
152:
145:
143:
141:
137:
133:
125:
123:
120:
116:
108:
106:
104:
103:Ralph Griffin
96:
93:
89:
85:
81:
78:
75:
71:
67:
57:
53:
49:
43:
39:
32:
27:
23:Ralph Griffin
20:
865:
851:
840:. Retrieved
830:
819:. Retrieved
817:. 2017-08-04
814:
805:
794:. Retrieved
791:artdaily.com
790:
781:
770:. Retrieved
766:
757:
732:
728:
722:
711:. Retrieved
709:. 2018-10-03
706:
667:
637:
631:
617:
603:
589:
578:
561:
555:
508:
485:
452:
448:
406:
360:
356:
324:
309:
303:
293:
289:Atlanta, GA.
280:
270:
256:
250:
244:
238:
224:
218:
212:
189:
180:
176:
172:
168:
162:
158:
149:
135:
131:
129:
112:
102:
101:
60:(1992-00-00)
901:1992 deaths
896:1925 births
838:. June 2018
767:folkart.org
543:|last=
207:Exhibitions
181:Woodpecker.
155:Inspiration
73:Nationality
885:Categories
857:"Big Bird"
842:2019-08-21
821:2019-08-21
796:2019-08-21
772:2019-08-21
713:2019-08-21
707:inRegister
677:0786410566
455:(4): 660.
418:0810944847
337:References
275:Oxford, MS
95:Modern Art
749:0009-4978
535:cite book
527:999123349
469:1062-4783
377:0009-4978
815:de Young
686:47297681
570:33025274
427:48109126
329:and the
140:anteater
136:Midnight
132:Midnight
91:Movement
77:American
477:2903291
200:Bakongo
192:animism
146:Process
747:
684:
674:
644:
568:
525:
515:
475:
467:
425:
415:
375:
169:Wizard
126:Career
115:Girard
473:JSTOR
196:Kongo
745:ISSN
682:OCLC
672:ISBN
642:ISBN
566:OCLC
547:help
523:OCLC
513:ISBN
465:ISSN
423:OCLC
413:ISBN
373:ISSN
198:and
179:and
171:and
109:Life
58:1992
55:Died
44:1925
41:Born
737:doi
457:doi
365:doi
887::
813:.
789:.
765:.
743:.
733:34
731:.
705:.
694:^
680:.
656:^
539::
537:}}
533:{{
521:.
499:^
471:.
463:.
453:35
451:.
435:^
421:.
385:^
371:.
361:28
359:.
345:^
333:.
287:,
263:.
231:,
134:.
117:,
859:.
845:.
824:.
799:.
775:.
751:.
739::
716:.
688:.
650:.
625:.
611:.
597:.
572:.
549:)
529:.
493:.
479:.
459::
429:.
379:.
367::
316:.
300:.
277:.
267:.
235:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
