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Southern artists: Floyd Shaman
by Beth Boswell Jacks
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Mississippi Delta artist Floyd Shaman and his wife Molly combine the allure of his finely crafted sculpture and their fascinating gallery/home to attract visitors from all over the world. Molly's Bed and Breakfast in Cleveland, Mississippi, is a haven for travelers anxious to explore the Highway 61 world of blues, and nestled in the back yard is Floyd's studio--a place where his imagination runs free.
"I've been a cowboy, a bartender, a truck driver, a carpenter, and a military veteran," he explains. "Just not in my nature to be bossed around in a 9 to 5 job. I wanted to create my wacky art. I'm not trying to make social statements, but I do hate pretension and pomposity. I observe people carefully and constantly. I'm a scholar of the games people play."
The owner of Suite 103 art gallery in Jackson, Mississippi, James Patterson, gives this take on Shaman's sculpture: "In a way, it's a cross between fine crafts and cartooning. His work never gets old. It's offbeat enough to make you keep noticing."
Carol Dickinson of the Denver Rocky Mountain News wrote: "The sculptures of Floyd Shaman are suave, humorous, and technically amazing." Described as a consummate craftsman by his admirers, Shaman chisels, saws, sands, glues, laminates, and polishes each piece until it's perfect. The process can be compared to the assembling of a large jig saw puzzle.
And the finish?
"After all the sanding and buffing, I often varnish with three coats. Sometimes I wax or use oil," he says. "I make use of the broad pallet of color in the woods--ebony, maroon, yellow, red and pink, brown, blue, green, and all colors in between. I try to get different visual effects."
One of Shaman's works is called "Chicken Through A Window" -- a hen bursting through a window pane, feathers aruffle and beak wide open. This amusing piece was commissioned by Delta native Thomas Harris, author of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and HANNIBAL.
Sculptor. Architect. Carpenter. Artist. Humorist. Floyd Shaman will answer to any of those labels.
"I don't take myself seriously," he explains, "but I take my work very seriously. We don't have long to make our statement in life, you know. Granted, the salaried route may have been safer, but I have more fun my way."
Sadly, we must report that our dear friend, Floyd Shaman, died of cancer in the summer of '05. His death leaves a hole in many hearts and lives. Read another great story about Floyd's art at USADEEPSOUTH.
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To view more of Floyd's sculptures, please visit the World Art site and click on the links under Floyd's name. Also, be sure to check out Molly Shaman's fabulous B&B.
Beth Boswell Jacks is a personal essay/humor columnist from Mississippi. Author of 3 books, Jacks has also published over 40 stories and poems in magazines and literary journals. She may be reached at bethjacks@hotmail.com.
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