Robert Cargo Folk Art Gallery

Fred Webster (1911-1998)

Following his retirement as a high school principal at Berry, (Fayette County), Alabama, in 1973, Fred Webster decided that he should have something to occupy his time. When his wife retired from her public school teacher position in 1975, together they spent two weeks at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. It was here that Mr. Webster decided to resume the woodcarving that he had done as a boy. Back home, in the true mountain tradition, he took out his pocketknife and began whittling in earnest.

Early, he carved a number of rather large birds, some as tall as 18-20 inches, and life-size ducks. Prior to the large, painted birds, however, he had done various small animals, dogs, cats, rabbits, and the like; horses, unicorns, deer and such, which were left unpainted but given a coat of varnish.

"Proud of his work, Webster soon began carting it to nearby Northport to show in the annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts. There, in the mid-1980s, a folk art collector and dealer named Robert Cargo introduced himself to Webster and complimented him on his carvings.

"Cargo asked Webster if he would carve him a piece depicting the Last Supper. It turned out so well that Webster was now carving his interpretation of the stories of Jonah and the whale, the birth of Jesus, the Crucifixion, and Noah and the Ark. He created choirs of angels and devils, as well as gatherings of religious snake handlers." (From Kemp and Boyer, REVELATIONS. ALABAMA'S VISIONARY FOLK ARTISTS, 1994, p. 200.) .....more below.....

	Angel Choir - wings up $1500			"Snake Handlers" five figures tallest is 10-1/2" $1500

	Daniel in the Lions' Den h.7-1/4 x w.14 x d.7-1/2 $1500			Daniel in the Lions' Den exterior view

	Dream of Boaz h. 18-1/2" $1500			Peter Denies Christ h. 10-1/2" $750

	Possum in Tree h. 12" $750			Statue of Liberty h. 9-1/2" $900

	"Sweet Home Alabama" (Gov. Wallace in wheelchair flanked by state troopers) w. 9-1/2", d.13" $1500			Santas h. 9-1/2" to 12-1/2" $350 each

	Bear Bryant Eighteen piece collection

The subjects of his serious work as a carver dealt primarily with small cartoon figures no more than two to about five inches tall: Popeye, Garfield, Snoopy, Mickey and Minnie Mouse; various historic al figures and contemporary personalities, from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to Coach Bear Bryant, John Wayne, Dolly Parton; and political figures: George Wallace, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ronald and Nancy Reagan; and patriotic icons: Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty.

Fred Webster himself considered his treatment of the well-known Biblical stories his most significant work and seemingly collectors agreed: there was great competition for them as they became known. There are few collectors, however, who have ever seen the earlier work. The artist's reputation thus was built on these carved and painted wooden figures and constructions, generally 8-10 inches tall, of Biblical inspiration. Especially popular with collectors were his Adam and Eve, Jonah and the Whale, Samson and Delilah, Peter Denying Christ, Noah and the Ark, the Last Supper. Probably the most popular of these was the Dream of Boaz.

References:
Kemp and Boyer, REVELATIONS. ALABAMA'S VISIONARY FOLK ARTISTS, 1994.
Sellen / Johanson, both volumes, 1993 and 2000.
Alabama State Council on the Arts, OUTSIDE ARTISTS IN ALABAMA, 1991.