“Whenever I see people with sad faces because their lives don’t seem too pretty to them, I know what to do. I pull some black paper out of my bag and make little angel pictures.”
Nothing excites a folk art collector more than discovering an artist like Addie James….someone who has been creating in relative isolation. Miss Addie’s paintings are bold and intriguing, and she is not the least bit afraid of strong, pure colors. She uses them to paint everyday goings-on of her family members, especially her grandchildren. These are paintings you actually FEEL. You know instantly that Miss Addie is a woman of great passion when it comes to painting. Joe Adams, President of America, Oh Yes folk art galleries in Hilton Head, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
Art experts define and dissect what’s called outsider or primitive art, art by untrained artists. Definitions are too narrow for Addie James’ gift. Mary C. Curtis, Charlotte Observer.
Addie’s work is bold and evocative and covers themes related to African-American culture, including fashion, music, rural life, nature, family life, religious life, and cooking. Her personal life is as inspiring as her art, and she is known in the community for her generous spirit. Professor Mary Dalton, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, regarding her film documentary Art Unbound featuring Addie James.
Addie James’ paintings are a path to God for me. In this very hard and cynical time, when innocence seems lost, goodness appears to me in Addie’s paintings. They speak of seeing the best in people, of reflecting love by living in our everyday life, surrounded by children, being with those we cherish, working with the earth. Ruth Pittard, collector and author of several children’s books featuring Addie’s art.