Artist and home:

 

Barry Colpitts, East Ship Harbour, NS 

 

Background & Occupation: 

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Born and raised in Nova Scotia.  Lived here all my life. I didn’t graduate from High School but I did go. I worked at pumping gas, cutting meat, fixing small engines, cutting survey lines, unloading trucks , cutting  firewood, construction, factory work, jail guard, orderly, nurses assistant.

 

Artist Inspiration & Influence:

 

I was working at the old jail in Sackville in the 1980’s and started carving because I needed something to calm my nerves.  I seen my uncle Fred carve ox yokes when I was young and different people carve and things so I figured I’d try woodcarving. I didn’t sell them at first but put them around the yard and on my house.

A guy kept coming around trying to buy the things in my yard that I carved.  To get rid of him I said he could hae one for fifty dollars but he surprised me and took it. He kept coming around wanting more and since I wasn’t working at the jail anymore because of my nerves and I needed the money.  I decided to try and make my money by selling my Folk Art.

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Art Methods & Techniques: 

 

I used to carve a lot of women and mermaids when I was in my 20’s and 30’s and I worked very hard at making them smooth.  When I got older I lost interest in making so many women and started making other things that  didn’t have to so smooth like animals.

 

P.S, Bettianne and me are catholic and sometimes you can tell  when you look at some of the things I make.

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Artistic Recognition: 

 

Tons of them.

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