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Blue Man with a B on his Back

“Charles Shannon recognized

the power of Traylor’s images and
Woman with Handbag and Umbrella Spanish Man
was intrigued by the strong
and his enormous output impressed Shannon, cardboard shapes he painted on to guide him,
who encouraged him by bringing him better geometric shapes that portrayed sometimes accentuating a flaw or tear in the
paper, pencils, and poster paints. Day after day, so much movement and life.” paper to incorporate it into his story. He had a
Shannon returned to watch Traylor work, gift for juxtaposing form and background that
occasionally talking to him about his images. To reveals a wonderful sense of proportion. His
this day, most first-hand information about with alcoholic beverages. There are many ebullient images capture the essence of the tale
Traylor’s life and work comes from the depictions of inebriated men that convey a sense he is telling.
dialogues he had with Charles Shannon on the of abandon, especially in how the figures are Traylor rejected most of the materials that
street in Montgomery. Frank Maresca and almost whimsically animated on the paper, as if Shannon and others brought him, preferring to
Roger Ricco’s book, Bill Traylor: His Art, His in a whirl of action. His subject matter included work in primary colors, not mixing paints, and
Life, contains much of this discourse between domestic disputes, chases, possum hunts, some rarely overlapping images. His “signature”
Shannon and Traylor, giving us insights into his nightmarish images, and abstract constructions cobalt blue flat poster paint is extremely powerful
visual storytelling. that may or may not have been inspired by because it is spare, yet it still conveys whimsy,
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And tell stories he did! Many of his works actual images. Whether or not these scenes were energy, and emotion. He added cross-hatching
appear to be influenced by visual memories. imagined or witnessed, they tell distinct stories and different patterning to many of his works,
Farm animals, which he must have seen during that resonate with us all. Likewise, Traylor incorporating details of design that are
his time on the plantation, are depicted often. played with depicting indoor and outdoor space, reminiscent of basket-weaving patterns.
Traylor’s acute powers of observation show the balancing elements artistically that had no sense Although Bill Traylor never learned to write,
relationships between animals, men and animals, of balance in the real world. Tiny men leading someone taught him how to sign his name, and
human interactions, and domestic and religious large animals, women and men carrying small his signature appears on some of his paintings.
gatherings. His renderings connote an exposure valises, huge snakes appearing next to abstract His social observations are animated, poignant,
to life and his vivid imagination which interpreted forms, men bent over carrying what appear to be and express a joy of movement even in the
those relationships and gave them dimension large letters on their backs … all of these fanciful silhouette forms he created. He uniquely
and texture. images reflect Traylor’s views of the world depicted depth, often placing two eyes on the
Much of Traylor’s storytelling is about around him. His sense of composition was same side of a profiled head, evoking volume
human foibles, particularly man’s relationship extraordinary, and he seemed to use the and dimension.

Green Critter Black Dog Running Blue Cat

30 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles