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Prattville, AL Miracle Cross Garden - William Carlton "W. C." Rice 1930-2004 Religious/spiritual

Information: Built: 1976 - late 1990's W. C. Rice, visionary folk figure, was born on February 20, 1930 in Bibb County, Alabama. Rev. Rice was, by his own appraisal, not an artist but a born again man on a mission to save souls and warn others of the dangers of sinful living. His "Miracle Cross Garden" just outside Prattville, Alabama is legendary, filled with rough wood crosses and hand lettered signs with religious sayings, red paint symbolizing the blood of Jesus, and biblical admonitions such as "Hell is hot, hot, hot" which he placed for passing motorists to see and repent. He began erecting his first crosses in 1976 after receiving instructions from God to erect three wooden crosses as a permanent tribute to his recently deceased mother. His crosses and signs were included in the exhibition "Self Made World", Visionary Folk Art Environments in 1998 given by the Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Pennsylvania. Reverend Rice passed away on January 18, 2004 at 4:50 P.M. leaving a rich legacy for future generations to ponder. Southern Visionary Art

	Reference / Links:
	DVD - Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations, "Southern Flavor" "Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations" Interesting Ideas: "W.C. Rice's Cross Garden" The Cross Photos: "W. C. Rice's Cross Garden Gallery" Roadsideamerica.com: "Cross Garden: Hell's Warning Label" Modern Primitive: "W.C. Rice" Narrow Larry NPR—Finding Faith Along America's Highways Southern Visionary Art Detour Art—the Book
	(Detour Art is not responsible for the content of external web sites.)

Bibliography: "Detour Art—Outsider, Folk Art, and Visionary Folk Art Environments Coast to Coast, Art and Photographs from the Collection of Kelly Ludwig" by Kelly Ludwig, Kansas City Star Books, 2007. "Rare Visions & Roadside Revelations" (the book), by Randy Mason, Michael Murphy and Don Mayberger, Kansas City Star Publishing, 2002. On DVD - Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations, "Southern Flavor", KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, 1999-2001. "Self-Made Worlds: Visionary Environments" by Roger Manley and Mark Sloan, Aperture, New York, 1997. "Light of the Spirit : Portraits of Southern Outsider Artists" by Karekin Goekjian and Robert Peacock, University of Mississippi Press, 1998. "Self Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art—A guide to American Artists, Locations and Resources" by Betty-Carol Sellen with Cynthia J. Johnson, McFarland & Company, 2000. "Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations Coast to Coast Travel-o-Pedia" by Randy Mason, et. al., Kansas City Star Books, 2009.

Credit: © Randy Mason/Mike Murphy, "Rare Visions" all rights reserved.

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Randy Mason/Mike Murphy, "Rare Visions"

Credit: Randy Mason/Mike Murphy, "Rare Visions"

Credit: Randy Mason/Mike Murphy, "Rare Visions"

Credit: Randy Mason/Mike Murphy, "Rare Visions"

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

Credit: Narrow Larry—Larry Harris

From the collection of Kelly Ludwig, featured in the book “Detour Art,” 2007. Credit: Kelly Ludwig

	Credit: Mike Murphy
**If you discover credit omissions or have additional information to add, please let us know at
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