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| Contemporary Folk Artists |
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With Bud’s background in aeronautics, and his and Suzi’s love of ornithology, history, art, and literature, the two have combined their talents to imagine, design, build, and paint these pieces based on historical aircraft, dioramas from literature, and vignettes from life’s whimsical episodes. The Richards have each been involved in a lifelong love of art and its production since childhood.
At the age of ten, Bud began to fabricate wooden marionettes and carve caricactures. At fourteen, he began art classes with Louise Cone, who was known for her portraits of Alabama governors, and a local portrait painter in the Birmingham area. Suzi drew from nature as a child and later took art classes from Lila J. Wells at Banks High School. Each of the Richards studied drawing, printmaking, painting, art history, and sculpture. Upon completion of their degrees, Bud returned to work in aeronautics and electrical engineering. Suzi, following the advice of Dr. Virginia Rembert, went on to complete a teaching certificate. Because of her interest in creativity, she pursued a Masters degree in Special Education in the area of Gifted and Talented. For many years she taught English to gifted and talented students and looked for ways to incorporate art experiences into the English curriculum for those special students.
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| Photo by H.L. Richards |
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| Black Bear |
| Bears have been our most popular automata in the mountains. Our latest bear is almost life size and is caught eating wild blueberries as he rolls his eyes and wiggles his ears. |
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