Jimmy Lee Sudduth

We met Jimmy Lee Suddth back in 1992 there in his old house in Fayette, Alabama when he had the original dog Toto. There were at least one or two others.

Jimmy is such a great man with such charm, humor, wit, and talent. I don't think I have ever met anyone as vivacious as Jimmy Lee Sudduth.

I recall going into Jimmy's house with the distinct smell of dog pee and mud. He would greet you with that big smile and something funny to say, followed by his roaring laughter.

He loved to tell of working with the colors of various muds and grasses. He was always quick to dip his finger into a bucket of mud or scrub some grass on a piece of wood to demonstrtate. In fact he was not shy about experimenting with all kinds of color , from nut shells to coal or berries.

I don't think Jimmy is painting any longer and I hear that he is currently in a nursing home. I am sure he is the star wherever he is living. He would always tell jokes, sing and start up on a harmonica tune just as easy as he would demonstrate his painting.

Never have I met anyone who loved to paint and had more fun doing so as Jimmy Lee Sudduth. He did alot of paintings through his years. I know we visited probably 30-40 times through the years and purchased many paintings from him.

Jimmy tended to paint fast using his fingers or little sponges and there are some unbelievable pieces that he has done to leave behind. He has such a great sense of color and texture.

I don't think Gauguin or Matisse had anything on Jimmy Lee. They only paved the way for a man who had extreme confidence in his talents and couldn't have had more fun with it.