Shepherd Barrett

Shepherd M. Barrett (c. December 6, 1889 - 1967) was an African-American folk artist sculptor from Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.

Art

Barrett made 225 sculptures over the course of 50 years. His medium of choice was carved wood, more particularly peach stone carvings. These sculptures were created using a variety of instruments such as knives, picks and needle sized manually operated drills and with such practiced skill that a work might be created in as little as two hours. Despite their diminutive size, his works were detailed, such as monkeys with facial expressions, fingers and toes.

Personal life

Barrett also a general artist, and was a player of the violin, cello and viola. His hobbies included being a magician and ventriloquist. He worked as a fireman in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania from approximately 1953 to 1962. He died in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1967.