I carved pictures of cows, hogs, dogs, indians with a bow and. Elijah wood born january 28, 1981 is an american actor, voice actor, film producer, and dj. The piece entitled angel with mother and child in the garden is perhaps the best example of the dual nature of elijah pierces vision of the compatibility of eternal salvation and social citizenship. The exhibition was on view at the canton museum of art, 1001 market avenue, north, canton, ohio 44702, from november 24, 2017 to march 4, 2018. Elijah pierce 18921984 was born the youngest son of a former slave on a mississippi farm. Elijah pierce was born the youngest son of a former slave on a mississippi farm on march 5, 1892. Oct 09, 2012 a humble barber, dedicated lay preacher and master woodcarver, elijah pierce 1892. An american journey the folk art society of america.
The essential elijah pierce, louisville events yelp. The exhibition was on view at the canton museum of art, 1001 market avenue, north, canton, ohio 44702, from november 24. Elijah pierce artist, fine art prices, auction records for. Your life is a book and every day is a page, and one day that book will be read to you and you cant deny it because youve written it. This catologue is from an exhibition from the columbus museum of art that displayed elijah pierces works in 1973, eleven years before his death. Instead, he wandered in the woods surrounding his home and carved. Elijah pierces art reflects a stillrelevant viewpoint. The book of wood was the first type of carving pierce ever made differing from his typical small sculptures. In 1993, that museum held a retrospective exhibition of his work, elijah pierce, woodcarver. This sculpture of renowned woodcarver elijah pierce holds one of his wise. Feb 01, 2018 pierces masterwork, the book of wood 1932, which opens the canton exhibition, has 33 scenes chronicling the life of jesus. In unbreakable, a security guard named david dunn willis survives a horrific train crash with. In the book you will see his tribute in wood to sports heros too like football player archie griffin or boxing legend joe lewis. He ran away as a teenager and traveled the country by hopping freight trains.
Elijah pierce grew up in a farm family near baldwyn, in northeastern mississippi. Pierce was a prolific african american wood carver known for his brightly painted. Elijah pierce, cv highlights 20172018 elijah pierce. Elijah pierce was born on march 5, 1892, into a farm family near baldwyn, in northeastern mississippi. Its a 14 page book, all in black and white of elijahs works as a wood carver.
The national museum people wouldnt even put a price on this book, pierce said proudly, and its my favorite thing in all my work. He began carving at a young age using a pocket knife. Also included, but not shown is a small brochure from gallery 200 and an exhibit in. Folk artist elijah pierce tells stories of his life in wood. Your life is a book and every day is a page smithsonian. Cornelia and elijah would hold sacred art demonstrations to deliver the book s tale of sacrifice and salvation to those who needed to hear. After settling on the origin story, shyamalan wrote the screenplay as a speculative screenplay with willis already set to star in the film and jackson in mind to portray elijah price. The book was originally carved as individual scenes and tells the story of jesus carved in basrelief. At the age of 92 elijah pierces own book was finally read to him. Described as a sculptural storyteller, he did carvings of africanamerican sports heroes, biblical subjects and political and social issues. He is best known for his portrayal of frodo baggins in the lord of the rings film trilogy 20012003 and in the hobbit.
The book, a basrelief series originally carved as individual scenes, tells the story of jesus. Renowned folk artist and wood carver, elijah pierce 18921984, the youngest son of a former slave, was born on a cotton farm in baldwyn, mississippi. Carved and painted wood with glitter on wood panel. I know hanukkah is over this year, and christmas is over for those of us on the new calendar. Elijah escapes the mob woodcarving from the columbus museum of arts exhibit elijah pierce, an american journey according to elijah pierce, every day god gives everyone a page in lifes book. This is a booklet from an exhibition in 1973 of elijah pierces wood carvings. Elijah pierce and leroy almon the good luck gallery. Elijah elisha the mantle for s people by rus m stendal. Elijah pierce 18921984 horse and rider paul revere, circa 1970s the carved and painted wood figure modeled as a man in a cornered hat mounted on a galloping spotted horse with rhinestone eyes atop a glittered, grassy knoll, pencil inscription to underside.
Under the instruction of his uncle, lewis wallace, elijah learned to carve wood at the young age of 7 using a pocketknife that his father gave him. Trailer for carolyn allports 1974 documentary on the african american woodcarver elijah pierce. Cornelia and elijah would hold sacred art demonstrations to deliver the book s. This wood carving is one of the church carvings, ones. When elijah was 9, his older brother tom gave him a pocketknife. Hundreds of people must remember going to elijah pierce s barbershop on long street, seeking pierce. This catologue is from an exhibition from the columbus museum of art that displayed elijah pierce s works in 1973, eleven years before his death. Elijah pierce statue columbus state community college. Elijah pierces sculptures are broken down into various categories including free standing carvings, religious reliefs, secular reliefs and autobigraphical works. Elijah pierces book of wood page a and b we wanted to represent pierces entire body of work, to show the range of his achievement and how he uses.
Pierces favorite work of his own was the book of wood, quite literally a large wooden book that pierce carved into. In 1932, pierce completed the book of wood which he considered his best work. Elijah pierce has left a legacy that should not be missed as it reflects the everyman qualities of the american spirit. The best place, by the window, is reserved for elijahs most prized work. Elijahs angel is, according to the front of the book, a story for chanukah and christmas. An american journey, canton, oh, canton museum of art. An american journey, a major exhibition opening tonight at the canton museum of art, celebrates the life and work of selftaught folk artist pierce 18921984, one of the most. I carved pictures of cows, hogs, dogs, indians with a bow and arrow shooting. Pierce was honored with the national heritage fellowship for his art. His uncle, lewis wallace, inspired and instructed him in. Before the evening opening, i walked into the spacious open gallery, and was greeted by pierces most famous group of carvings, the book of wood 1932, which. Elijah pierce biography columbus state community college.
Born in 1892 on a cotton farm in baldwyn, mississippi, son of a former slave, elijah would. In 1932, he started carving a series of pictures to illustrate the life of christ. He began carving at an early age when his father gave him his first pocketknife. Elijah pierce cscc librarys art collection library at. Described as a sculptural storyteller, he did carvings of africanamerican sports heroes. You must find this book to see all the exquisite works of art this master woodcarver created, it will astound you in its simplicity, varied subject matter and asthetic qualities. Elijah pierce 1892 1984 was a prolific african american wood carver known for his brightly painted sculptural panels illustrating biblical stories, moral lessons, historical events, and images from popular culture a landscape of wood carved art that is unlike any in. Elijah pierce s sculptures are broken down into various categories including free standing carvings, religious reliefs, secular reliefs and autobigraphical works. Elijah pierce was one of the first african american wood carvers to receive significant recognition during his lifetime. Elijah pierce, your life is a book and every day is a page, 1973, carved and painted wood with glitter, smithsonian american art museum, gift of herbert waide hemphill, jr. He first started carving animals because of his prior life of growing up on a farm. Pierce was the youngest in his family born from a former slave on a farm in baldwyn, mississippi on march 5, 1892. Elijah pierce was the secondyoungest child of a former slave. Elijah pierce, elijah pierce woodcarver, columbus museum of art, 1992.
Cornelia and elijah held sacred art demonstrations to explain the meaning of the book of wood. Elijah pierce elijah pierce was a renowned master woodcarver, a humble barber, and a beloved lay minister. Night shyamalan, and starring bruce willis, samuel l. Folk artist elijah pierce tells stories of his life in. Aug 26, 1979 the best place, by the window, is reserved for elijahs most prized work. A folkart carver of bas reliefs, elijah pierce created works that are considered to be among the most important american folk carvings of the 20th century. Folk art exhibit features historic woodcarvings by elijah. His was a kind of performance art lodged in the routine of his daily life. Pierce became known for his wood carvings nationally and then internationally for the first time in the 1970s. Moe elijah pierce and the african american tradition of wood carving regenia a. Elijah pierce and leroy almon the good luck gallery artsy. A humble barber, dedicated lay preacher and master woodcarver, elijah pierce 1892. Buxton by christopher paul curtis elijah elisha the mantle for s elijah pierce the book of wood. Elijah pierce artist, fine art prices, auction records.
Elijah pierce 18921984 was a renowned wood carver throughout the 1900s. Panels from the book of wood are currently on display at the columbus museum of art. Aug 24, 2012 trailer for carolyn allports 1974 documentary on the african american woodcarver elijah pierce. John moe, is comprised of 40 select carvings by elijah pierce, created between 19251975. Elijah of buxton by christopher paul curtis scholastic. At the age of sixteen he opened a barbershop, and after many years straining against his religious upbringing, finally embraced his traditionalist christian vocation. Instead, he wandered in the woods surrounding his home and carved animals, figures, and names into tree trunks betty garrett, elijah pierce. He made space to exhibit many artworks, densely populating with relief carvings and threedimensional figuresintheround the walls and surfaces of his shops duplex, a mirror image second room immediately adjacent to. Elijah pierce described himself as a peculiar child, because he did not want to work on his fathers farm like his brothers. Pierces masterwork, the book of wood 1932, which opens the canton exhibition, has 33 scenes chronicling the life of jesus.
Pierce was a master storyteller and his narrative carvings came to be regarded as important additions to american folk art. Slavery time, elijah pierce carved and painted wood. Dec 04, 2012 in 1932, pierce completed the book of wood which he considered his best work. He would go on to make many more carving similar to the book of wood, each with its own story and universal theme. Elijah pierce paintings for sale elijah pierce art value. It is the first installment in the unbreakable film series a. Unbreakable is a 2000 american superhero thriller film written, produced, and directed by m. The book of wood elijah pierce carved and painted wood reliefs on wood paneling.
See more ideas about outsider art, art and african american artist. Two years later, pierce died of a heart attack in columbus. The curator recalls being led into the room adjacent to the barbershop where pierce kept his lifes work, including the book of wood, from which pierce tested halls knowledge of the bible. The essential elijah pierce february 1 march 16, 2014 member reception, january 31, 68p second floor gallery organized by the columbus museum of art, ohio the kentucky museum of art and craft kmac is pleased to exhibit one of the most significant selftaught artists of the 20th century, elijah pierce.
See more ideas about african american artist, outsider art and cotton plantations. Elijah, your life is a book, and every day you write a page, and when you are done you wont be able to deny it because you wrote it yourself. Elijah jordan wood was born on january 28, 1981, in cedar rapids, iowa, to warren and debbie wood. Elijah wood is an american actor best known for portraying frodo baggins in peter jacksons blockbuster lord of the rings film trilogy. He led a transient life at first that included working as a barbers assistant in baldwyn, then traveling as a laborer throughout the mississippi river valley after the death of his wife and eventually obtaining his license as a baptist preacher. By age seven, elijah pierce began carving little wooden farm animals. I usually pray over a piece of wood before i ever put a knife into. Before this time, hed just been the elijah pierce who used his art as visual aids to communicate moral lessons and his own personal passions. This wood carving is one of the church carvings, ones that were made for people in elijahs congregation. The largest collection of work including the book of wood series is at the columbus museum of art in columbus, ohio. John moe, is comprised of 40 select carvings by elijah pierce, created between 19251975 the exhibition was on view at the canton museum of art, 1001 market avenue, north, canton, ohio 44702, from november 24, 2017 to march 4, 20. Jackson, robin wright, spencer treat clark, and charlayne woodard. In addition to reprising the role in the hobbit series, wood also played ryan in the fx television comedy wilfred 2011 and voiced beck in the disney xd animated television series tron.
Accompanying a major exhibitionat the barnes foundation, philadelphia, this publication seeks to revisit the. Pierce was a master storyteller and his narrative carvings came to be. He has an older brother zack and a younger sister hannah wood. Shyamalan organized the narrative of unbreakable to parallel a comic book s traditional threepart story structure. Jan 29, 2016 the piece entitled angel with mother and child in the garden is perhaps the best example of the dual nature of elijah pierces vision of the compatibility of eternal salvation and social citizenship. An american journey, a major exhibition opening tonight at the canton museum of art, celebrates the life and work of selftaught folk artist pierce 18921984, one of. Elijah pierce, lion, 1973, painted wood carving signed, 8. Among his artwork used for that purpose was the book of wood. He brought soul and skill to carvings of religious narratives, africaninspired fables, african american heroes, current events and a veritable noahs ark of animals. Folk art exhibit features historic woodcarvings by elijah pierce. Slavery time, elijah pierce carved and painted wood relief.