{ Clementine Hunter December 1886 or January 1887 – January 1988 Louisiana’s Most Famous Folk Artist

, image used with the permission of Whitfield Jack, Jr. of the Cane River Art Corporation Bowl of Zinnias, c.1939, oil on corrugated board, 20-1/2 inches x 16-3/4 inches, image used with the permission of Whitfield Jack, Jr. of the Cane River Art Corporation This is most likely Clementine Hunter’s first painting. It is painted on cardboard with leftover paint given to her by an artist visiting Melrose. Clementine was in her 50s when she began to paint.

Window Shade -- c.1950s, oil on canvas shade, 35" x 40“, image used with the permission of Whitfield Jack, Jr. of the Cane River Art Corporation Clementine’s paintings are simple. The style is known as naive or folk. "Naive" meaning innocent and inexperienced; "folk" meaning the way ordinary people would paint.

Clementine Hunter next to her house. When she first began to paint, Clementine sometimes sold her paintings for 25 cents. When she first began to paint, Clementine sometimes sold her paintings for 25 cents. She preferred to give them away. She preferred to give them away. She did not like to keep a painting once it was finished. She did not like to keep a painting once it was finished.

Panorama of Baptism on Cane River

Picking Cotton/African House, 1955

Africa House Murals, Melrose Plantation

Wedding, painted in the 1950’s

Wash Day with Clementine, ca. 1965

Nativity Scene, painted around 1970, oil on paperboard. (Thomas N. Whitehead Collection)

Chicken Pulling a Wagon of Zinnias, painted about 1980, oil on canvas board

Zinnias in a Blue Pot, oil on board, 22 1/2in. x 15 1/4 in Hunter was motivated to make art until the last few months of her life. “God gave me the power. Sometimes I try to quit paintin’. I can’t. I can’t”