art by paco felici

paco's friends

 ALTHEA BARBER (b. 1936)

Althea Barber is a devoutly religious person who has created a wonderful environment outside her modest home. Her front yard is scattered with various religious mementos, including a few plastic crosses and beads nailed onto poles. The most striking works are the many boldly colored signs she produly nails to her front wooden fence. Scripted on these large pieces of scrap lumber and plywood, Althea hails her religious visions. She attests to having seen visions of Jesus Christ; feeling his presence in her home. She also suffers from physical vision loss, which may explain much of her large lettering and strident use of color.

She weaves criptic religious messages onto her signs that are visually stunning and with  inspired phrases that are indeed works of inspired poetry.

Married twice, and living as a single widow for over two decades now, her signs reflect her religious convictions and visions. She now attests that she does not need a husband any longer - and that she is now a bride of God and Jesus.

One of her works, rendered with latex paint on a door sawn in half, proudly hails:

I AM BIbLE
BOOK OF REVELATION
1234567-21-22
I SEE SCROLL
OF BEAUtiFUL
JEWELS
FROM HEAVEN
SKY UNFOLD

Another recounts her vision of Jesus, who appeared to her on the street across her homes, next to where she has mounted her outdoor display:

JESUS BRidE
REVELAtION 1-4-5
67-1921 22
WAtER RUN BOtH
SIdES [ANd thE] MIddLE
I AM CIty OF GOd
NEW JERUSALEM

All images copyright 2002 - 2004 by Paco Felici