Michael Watson

A selection of self-taught Memphis artists

Opening Reception: Friday, January 8, 6-9 pm
Performance & Panel Discussion: Saturday, January 9, 2 pm
On view January 7-10, noon-6 pm

Organized by Mary Jo Karimnia & Linda Pelts in partnership with Crosstown Arts & the Church Health Center

Self-taught artists are a hot commodity in today’s art world. In a 2013 article in the Atlantic, Sarah Boxer writes,”[Artwork by self-taught artists] is being enthusiastically embraced—one might say swallowed whole—by the contemporary-art world.”

This fresh and provocative work comes from everywhere: from small towns in Italy to pulpits in Georgia, and our our own Memphis backyard. Hereabouts showcases four artists–Franco Camarillo, Winnie Shields AKA Miisreal, Theolia, and Michael Watson–who make artwork that is genuine to their experiences but without the (sometimes) burden of an arts education. Their work is raw, passionate, and insightful, and brings together experiences near and far. These local visionaries see things and re-present them to us through their own unique lenses.

Ted Norwood aka Theolia  was born in Benton County, Mississippi and raised in Memphis. He left for the bright lights of Chicago as a young, 17 year old, high school drop-out and made a name for himself in the world of high-end menswear. He spent 60 fulfilling years working his way up the ladder at Saks Fifth Ave and Bloomingdale’s on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. After returning to Memphis in the early 1990’s, Theolia was the unfortunate victim of a house fire in 2005 which left him scared and stiff. Through his many adventures Theolia managed to make artwork. He uses mostly oil or soft pastels and his own fingers to create landscapes and scenes from his life, from photos and from his imagination. He works mostly on cardboard pizza boxes and other scrap boards in vivid, life-affirming colors. Currently, Theolia works mostly out of the art room at the local Lewis Senior Center.

Winnie Shields aka Miisreal began creating collages in 2011 from materials that fall across her path including scrap fabrics, tissue boxes and ribbons. She looks for patterns and symbols to inform her work making figures and interior scenes. A common theme is a female or bride image that comes from a spiritual insight and represents her experience as a bride of God. The figures often float in a celestial way and often contain light and heart shapes. She sometimes makes figures of a little girl to represent innocence and her feeling of still being a small child in many ways although she is in her sixties. Shields was born in Senetobia, MS and moved to Memphis as a ten year old. She also writes poetry and books and keeps a close relationship with her family.

Michael Watson has been making artwork for over 20 years out of whatever he can find. He sculpts heads from junk mail, uses old chop sticks for paint brushes and loves to layer collage bits and images under and between layers of acrylic medium. Michael was born in England when his father was in the service, was raised in Jackson, MS and now makes Memphis his home. He is influenced by Italian Zombie movies and his favorite B-movie actresses often appear in his work. He is an expert in hallucinogenic mushrooms and works sporadically doing odd jobs to buy beer and sometimes groceries. His friend Chris Garner from Garner Picture Framing helps Michael store and sell his work.

Franco Camarillo (Franco Florencio Camarillo Villavicencio) was born in 1933 in Oaxaca, Mexico. He grew up on a farm and worked hard from a very early age. He studied Civil Engineering in Mexico City, married and had three children. The family moved to the United States for the children to continue their education. Franco began drawing while earning his bachelors degree and it has been an integral part of his life since. The first drawings he made were “Mascaras” (masks) for the the dancers who make parties very cheerful in his hometown. This early influence can be seen in the faces he continues to draw today. Franco draws on whatever materials he can find including panels cut from cereal boxes. He draws every day with the hope of continual growth.

Image: Michael Watson