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USA
South
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New Orleans, LA
Big Al Taplet's Shoeshine Stand and Folk Art House - Al Taplet
1932-
Painting (oil or water-based)
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Information:
Alfred "Big Al" Taplet originally began adorning old pieces of slate with paint and glitter to advertise his New Orleans shoe shine stand. His heavily stylized and exuberant drawings of shoes of all types are typically accompanied by such proclamations as "Shines with a Smile" or "I Make Them Shine as if They were Mine." Taplet, who hangs his shoe art in the trees and along the fences around his stand, has developed a loyal following among both his shoe shine regulars and art collectors. His works have recently branched out to include more than shoe imagery, offering a more spiritual social commentary and a decided dash of humor.
Post Katrina - Word is that Big Al has relocated to Houston.
Ginger Young Gallery: "Big Al Taplet"
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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 Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art—A guide to American Artists, Locations and Resources" by Betty-Carol Sellen with Cynthia J. Johnson, McFarland & Company, 2000.
"Contemporary American Folk Art - A Collector's Guide" Chuck and Jan Rosenak, Abbeville Press, 1996.
"Souls Grown Deep: African American vernacular Art of the South", Vol 1, Arnett, et al, 1995.
"American Self-Taught Art: An Illustrated Analysis of 20th Century Artists and Trends with 1,319 Capsule Biographies" by Florence Laffal and Julius Laffal, 2003.
"Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations Coast to Coast Travel-o-Pedia" by Randy Mason, et. al., Kansas City Star Books, 2009. |
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