ARTIST STATEMENT 

~Abe's Story~ 

This is the folk art of Abe Partridge from Mobile, Alabama. 

I left Mobile when I was 18 in pursuit of a theological education. I attended 4 bible colleges in 4 years... partly because I couldn't follow rules, partly because I knew better. I became a pastor of a small Independent Baptist Church in the Appalachians of Eastern Kentucky at 25 years old. When I was 27 years old I became acquainted with a horrible depression. I left the ministry and turned to Art. I have written songs and made paintings like these for years. Only after joining the military and going to war did I decide to begin sharing my art with the world. I never took a songwriting class, nor have I ever had an art class. I always just thought I was weird... 

"Rethink preconceived notions. 
Question authority. 
Create new methods of survival. 
See beauty." 
- Abe 

~The Process~ 

Abe's artwork is made with roofing tar that is thinly applied to plywood, musical instruments, old damaged vinyl records, and whatever else he can stick tar on. It is cured for 30 days then he carves his images in the tar with a screwdriver or an ice pick. Finally, he paints the tar with acrylic paints and seals it with a clear gloss acrylic sealer. 

ABE WENT PUBLIC WITH HIS ART IN FEBRUARY 2018 
SINCE THEN, HIS ART HAS BEEN IN 

• The Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL 
• The Alabama Contemporary Art Center - “Urban Wild” Exhibit, Mobile, AL 
• Ashland Art Gallery, Mobile, AL 
• Lupercalia Art Society, Mobile, AL 
• The University of South Alabama - Mary Elizabeth & Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art, Mobile, AL 
• Blue Giraffe Gallery, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 
• 621 Gallery - “Art of Resistance” Exhibit, Tallahassee, FL 
• Berea Arts Council Gallery, Berea, KY 
• The Orphanage Gallery, Dayton, OH 
• Healthy Rhythm Art Gallery, Montrose, CO 
• InDo Nashville Art/Music showcase for 2019 Americana Music Festival, Nashville, TN 
• Gallery 378 - “Lost: But Found” Exhibit, Atlanta, GA 
• Documentary on Alabama Public Television's "Monograph" (aired Jan 2020) 
• Lower Alabama Arts Coalition - Andalusia, AL 

AWARDS 

• Best Mixed Media Artist - 2019 and 2021 Lagniappe Readers' Choice Awards 
• First Place winner of Mobile Arts Council’s 2020 “The Throwdown” 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• ART appearance in the 2019 film "Dr. Sleep" (The sequel to Stephen King's "The Shining"). Abe's art, "The Cowboys", was on a t-shirt worn by actor Robert Longstreet. 
• A large scale mural in the old Crystal Ice House in Mobile, AL 
• Art has been on the beer cans of Haint Blue Brewing Co., Mobile, AL 
• Large scale mural at Hatch Camp and Art Farm, Clayton, GA 
• Official poster artist for 2019 South Sounds Music Festival, Mobile, AL 
• Mike Wolfe (American Pickers) - owns 4 original paintings 
• Abe has also been a guest lecturer at high schools across the south, and at Eastern Kentucky University 
• Art on Magic Hollow First Harvest Bourbon and CBD bottles, Irvine, KY 
• Cover Art for Americana Folk artist, Charlie Parr’s forthcoming album to be released on the Smithsonian Folkways label in 2021