by Terra Osterling
When Reverend Gail Serratt arrived to pastor Ogden Baptist Church in early 2011, she brought with her from Dallas the idea to use art to re-engage people in Bible scripture. From August 29 through September 15, Ogden Baptist Church will host the traveling folk art exhibit “Cardboard Chronicles: The Biblical Art of Rudolph Bostic.”
The exhibit, owned by Bowden Collections of Massachusetts, is a collection of 23 paintings by self-taught Savannah folk artist Rudolph Bostic. Done in enamel and house paint on cardboard with a glossy finish, the collection has traveled to churches, seminaries and educational institutions throughout the United States, most recently on display in Seattle, Washington.
“Cardboard Chronicles” begins with The Creation of Adam, Adam and Eve Naming the Animals and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, then turns to the colorful story of Noah. Many more of Bostic’s paintings in this exhibit portray the life of Christ.
“We are excited to offer another way to open up scriptures and have a dialogue,” says Rev. Serratt about engaging both the church members and community through this exhibit. Revealing alternative viewpoints and sparking new conversations about familiar Bible stories are goals of this unique program.
The exhibit will also bring to Ogden and surrounding communities the opportunity to experience the vibrant art of an important self-taught southern Folk Artist who finds inspiration in the Bible and in the works of Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Rudolph Bostic’s style has attracted the attention of serious folk art collectors. His work was featured in the inaugural exhibit of the Hurn Museum of Contemporary Folk Art and his pieces can be found on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the American Folk Art Museum in New York and at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
Born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1941, Bostic began to draw as a child. While working at the Derst Baking Company in Savannah in 1979, he noticed the smooth surface of discarded cardboard boxes. Taking home these makeshift canvases, Bostic would work into the early morning hours using leftover cans of house paint, later expanding to use enamels, acrylics and metallic paints.
Bostic begins by sketching his subjects on cardboard with a felt-tip pen, then developing the images with bold brush strokes of contrasting tone and color. This special “chiaroscuro” style of painting was inspired by his home study of the Great Masters of Western Art.
One distinctive feature of Bostic’s art is his use of framing devices ranging from simply decorated painted black borders to attaching richly decorated cardboard frames and sometimes rows of white dots, resembling strands of pearls, to frame each subject on his panels in a cartoon-strip style.
To accommodate this exhibit, Ogden Baptist Church is transforming their Fellowship Hall for the event by bringing in divider walls to display the art exhibit and planning coffee to create a true gallery experience.
“We want as many folks who are interested to come in and see it while we have it, and hope that this will be the first of many engaging exhibits,” says Rev. Serratt.
The “Cardboard Chronicles” exhibit is August 29 through September 15 at Ogden Baptist Church, 721 Washington Street, Spencerport. Admission is free (donations accepted).
Public hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays after worship until 12:30 p.m. Groups are welcome to contact Ogden Baptist Church to schedule a private viewing at other times (585-352-1077 or ogdenbaptist@rochester.rr.com).
