David Butler (sculptor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Butler
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David Butler with his bike in Patterson, Louisiana, 1982
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| Born | 1898 Good Hope, Louisiana
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| Died | 1997 (aged 98–99) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Movement | Modern Art |
David Butler (1898–1997) was an African American artist from Good Hope, Louisiana. He was known for his unique sculptures and paintings. His art often featured moving sculptures made from recycled tin or wood. He decorated these pieces with bright colors and cool patterns. Today, you can find his work in famous places like the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the American Folk Art Museum.
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Growing Up and Early Life
David Butler was the oldest of eight children. His dad was a carpenter, and his mom was a Baptist Missionary. David grew up in Good Hope, Louisiana. He started learning to sculpt and work with wood from his father. He left school early to help take care of his younger brothers and sisters while his parents worked. This time spent playing with his siblings helped him become very creative.
David worked many different jobs. These were common jobs for people living near the Atchafalaya Basin. He cut grass and sugarcane, worked in sawmills, and later in a box factory. He retired from the box factory after an injury.
The 1960s were a tough time for David. Big changes like desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement made life hard for African American communities in the South. In 1962, David had to retire because of a head injury. In 1968, his wife, Elnora, passed away. These events made him feel very worried.
After retiring, David started decorating his home and yard. He used old tin to make flowers for his garden. He also made window covers he called "spirit shields." He created "whirligigs" that spun in the wind. David was famous for riding his bicycle, which was his only way to get around. He decorated it with spinning objects that moved as he rode. He felt his daily five-mile ride allowed him to share his art with everyone.
David's art quickly caught the eye of art collectors. By the 1980s, people sometimes damaged his yard and home. These problems caused him to move in with his niece. Later, he moved to a nursing home in Morgan City, Louisiana, where he passed away in 1997.
David Butler's Artistic Journey
Local children lovingly called David Butler "The Tin Man." He began making art when he was in his 60s. He mostly used recycled tin and other soft metals he found. He turned these materials into sculptures and flat shapes called silhouettes. These artworks decorated his home and yard. David believed that "used materials have life," which is why he chose to work with recycled items. Even the paints he used were given to him after others had used them for other purposes.
David used simple tools like tin snips, an old meat cleaver, hammers, and nails. He would cut, bend, and shape old roofing tin. He turned flat metal sheets into 3D shapes. He then combined these to make free-standing, moving whirligigs. He painted these sculptures with bright colors and geometric patterns. He also cut out shapes of people, animals, and plants from roofing tin. He put these on his windows. This allowed light to shine through and create cool shadows inside his home. He told a friend that these window covers were "spirit shields." He said they protected him from sad feelings after his wife died.
Many experts connect the symbols in David's art to West African and Afro-Caribbean traditions. These include Kongolese Cosmograms and Haitian popular art. However, David never said these were his inspirations. He always said his work was inspired by and made for God. He claimed to get "dreams from God" that gave him ideas. His strong faith came from his mother, who was a Baptist missionary. Because of his faith, David was not sure about selling his art. In 1983, he said, "I can make things because God gave me a gift. God don't want no one selling what's a gift." He never thought of himself as an artist. He also never went to art shows or galleries.
As David's art became more famous, some people took advantage of him. Collectors would sometimes go onto his property without asking. They would take his artwork and leave whatever money they thought was fair. They did this without asking David's permission. Even his family members sometimes took pieces and sold them without his permission. After David moved to an assisted living facility, his children continued to copy his work and sell it.
Where to See David Butler's Art
David Butler's art has been shown in many exhibitions. Here are some of them:
- Shared Visions, Separate Realities. 1985, East Campus Gallery- Valencia Community College, Valencia, LA.
- Baking in the Sun: Visionary Images from the South. 1987, University of Southwestern Louisiana Art Museum, Lafayette, LA.
- Black Folk Art in America: 1930–1980. 1989, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
- It'll Come True: Eleven Artists First and Last. 1992, Artists' Alliance, Lafayette, LA.
- Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds: built environments of vernacular artists. 2007, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI.
- Outside Art of David Butler. 2011-2012, Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans.
- Shelter: David Butler-- Road Less Traveled Exhibition Series. 2017, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI.
- Outliers and Vanguard Artists. 2018, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
- Vernacular Voices: Self-Taught, Outsider, and Visionary Art from the Permanent Collection. 2019, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans.
You can also find David Butler's art in the permanent collections of these museums:
- African American Museum of Dallas
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- High Museum
- Ogden Museum of Southern Art
- New Orleans Museum of Art
- American Folk Art Museum
- Akron Art Museum
- Museum of International Folk Art
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
Images for kids
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David Butler with his bike in Patterson, Louisiana, 1982
