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View Images USA Appalachia

Slade, KY Ernest "Dude" Baker 1920- Carvings

Information: Ernest "Dude" Baker is a member of the generation of Kentucky carvers who lived within the boundaries of the Daniel Boone National Forest, which stretches from the Tennessee border of Eastern Kentucky north to Rowan County near Morehead. The carvers who lived within these borders and who were born between 1900 and 1930 could be called the Daniel Boone School. Dude Baker began carving in January 1989 upon the death of his wife. He never intended to sell his work and didn’t, most of his life, simply setting aside pieces for giving to family and friends. He dated the early ones, but due to his poor eyesight and age, he always said he "worked slow," using a pocket knife with a well-worn, one-inch blade. He has spent his life in Powell County, Ky. He had eight brothers and four sisters; only three sisters survive. Since the mountainous terrain where he lives ruled out farming, the occupational choices were trucking, railroading and lumbering. Baker chose lumbering. Most of his life was spent working a two-man, crosscut saw. When asked about this strenuous activity, Baker replied, "I liked working out-of-doors and enjoyed the day as long as my partner wasn’t riding the saw." Excerpted from an article by R.L. WENSTRUP—Folk Art Messenger

	Reference / Links:
	Folk Art Messenger
	(Detour Art is not responsible for the content of external web sites.)

Bibliography: "20th Century American Folk, Self Taught, and Outsider Art" by Betty-Carol Sellen, Cynthia J. Johnson, Neal-Schuman Publishers, New York, 1993. "Self Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art—A guide to American Artists, Locations and Resources" by Betty-Carol Sellen with Cynthia J. Johnson, 2000. "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.

Credit: baker_dude01.jpg

	Two Female Figuresphotograph by Maggie Wenstrup Credit: Folk Art Messenger
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