Two years ago, Woodcuts Gallery and Framing owner Nate Harris and curator Omari Booker visited Clarksville artist Ludie Amos and found a treasure trove of work. After decades of making art, Amos had her first solo show during the inaugural Jefferson Street Art Crawl, when Woodcuts unearthed her 2-D fabric work and clay sculptures. Now Amos, who might be considered a folk artist by some, is back at the gallery. The octogenarian’s work speaks to idyllic, pastoral scenes of rural life, like her fantastic sculpture of a one-room schoolhouse full of studious African-American children. Other works — like quilted pieces showing African and African-American women dancing, and sculptures of jazz musicians cutting it up — depict cultural traditions. Amos celebrates the things that are important to her: family, spirituality, tradition and pride, all of which make her work accessible to a broad audience. The minute details of these works — actual newsprint quilted onto a newspaper that a grandfather reads, a stone in the corner of the schoolhouse that would have supplied heat — make for a delightful experience that rewards repeated viewing. And best of all, Amos will be present for this show, so we can thank her for her tremendous life’s work. While you’re out and about, grab an art-crawl map and visit other participating venues during this week’s Jefferson Street Art Crawl. ERICA CICCARONE
Ludie Amos at the Jefferson Street Art Crawl
