Barney Smith (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barney Smith
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| Born | May 25, 1921 Eastland, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 23, 2019 (aged 98) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | plumber museum curator |
Barney Smith (born May 25, 1921 – died July 23, 2019) was an American master plumber and a very creative artist. He was famous for his special museum, called the Toilet Seat Art Museum. This museum was in his own home in San Antonio, Texas. It showed more than 1,000 pieces of art. People from all over the world came to see his unique collection.
Early Life and Beginnings
Barney Smith was born in Eastland, Texas on May 25, 1921. His father was a plumber, just like Barney would become. His mother was an artist who worked with fabrics. Barney went to a Bible training program in Tennessee. Later, he worked at the college as a maintenance engineer. He also worked as a pastor for a short time in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1961, he moved to San Antonio, Texas.
The Toilet Seat Art Museum
Barney Smith started his amazing art collection in a funny way. He attached a pair of deer antlers to a toilet seat as a joke. This gave him an idea! He visited a plumbing supply warehouse. There, he found many extra or slightly damaged toilet seats. He took them home to turn them into more art.
In 1992, Barney opened his unique museum right in his house. His collection grew to include many surprising pieces. For example, he had a toilet seat with pieces of the Berlin Wall. Another one had a piece from the Space Shuttle Challenger. He even had a seat with barbed wire from Auschwitz.
Barney also received some very special toilet seats as gifts. One was said to belong to Saddam Hussein. Another was supposedly used by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on an airplane.
In 2017, Barney's museum was sold. Its new owner moved the entire collection to The Colony, Texas. Barney Smith was there to cut the ribbon at the new location in May 2019.
Personal Life
Barney Smith was married for 74 years to his wife, Velma Louise. She passed away in 2014. Barney died on July 23, 2019, in San Antonio. He was 98 years old.
A book about Barney's life and his special art was published in 2017. It was called King of the Commode: Barney Smith and His Toilet Seat Art Museum.
