Mary Tillman Smith
Images from gallery: Mary Tillman Smith

View of Fence with Billboards Behind
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-mts/288
About Mary Tillman Smith
Mary Tillman Smith was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1905. Born to a large sharecropper family, Smith had a hearing impairment which caused her to feel isolated from other children as well as her 12 siblings. Smith completed school up to a fifth-grade level, which was well-educated for a poor woman of color at the time.
Smith began painting in the 1980’s; her paintings were displayed in her yard outside of her house in Hazlehurst, MS and covered the landscape. This concept was known as a ‘yard show’ which was a way to express personal beliefs that were previously hidden from the public. This became more popular following the assignation of MLK Jr. which opened the residents of the south to be more willing and push for their voices to be heard. Smith used this as an opportunity to express herself and ideas she had since childhood. She was a wonderfully independent woman that knew what she wanted and went after it which shows throughout her pieces and determination to work through the difficult times in her life.
Her art displayed both personal and spiritual themes and was often created on corrugated roofing tin found nearby. Smith also used many different styles throughout her art by using only black paint sometimes and then others were sprinkled with bright colors. She even created and used her own painting language throughout despite her ability to write. This could have been a jab at those in her community who assumed that she was ignorant and crazy, despite her ability to spell and even write in cursive.
She had many muses throughout her art. She at first painted and created herself in her art but then later branched out to paint neighbors and family members as more of a diary for herself publicly in her front yard. Smith’s faith was very important to her and therefore was also in the forefront of many of her pieces. She worked hard throughout her career to depict many different scenes from the Bible, the Christian Trinity, and many different phrases sharing her faith.
Smith found commercial success quickly and her work was in high demand even in her lifetime. Smith had a stroke late in her life which reduced her artistic output, and she stopped painting entirely a few years before her death.
Mary Tillman Smith died in 1995 at the age of 91. She left behind a prominent legacy. She lived a life of exception; for a disabled black woman of humble beginnings to reach her level of fame and notoriety was an arduous task. Her original installation site is no longer in existence, but her art is highly coveted and is now mostly in the hands of museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as well as private collectors.
Image is provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Fence Post with Paintings
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-mts/287
About Mary Tillman Smith
Mary Tillman Smith was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1905. Born to a large sharecropper family, Smith had a hearing impairment which caused her to feel isolated from other children as well as her 12 siblings. Smith completed school up to a fifth-grade level, which was well-educated for a poor woman of color at the time.
Smith began painting in the 1980’s; her paintings were displayed in her yard outside of her house in Hazlehurst, MS and covered the landscape. This concept was known as a ‘yard show’ which was a way to express personal beliefs that were previously hidden from the public. This became more popular following the assignation of MLK Jr. which opened the residents of the south to be more willing and push for their voices to be heard. Smith used this as an opportunity to express herself and ideas she had since childhood. She was a wonderfully independent woman that knew what she wanted and went after it which shows throughout her pieces and determination to work through the difficult times in her life.
Her art displayed both personal and spiritual themes and was often created on corrugated roofing tin found nearby. Smith also used many different styles throughout her art by using only black paint sometimes and then others were sprinkled with bright colors. She even created and used her own painting language throughout despite her ability to write. This could have been a jab at those in her community who assumed that she was ignorant and crazy, despite her ability to spell and even write in cursive.
She had many muses throughout her art. She at first painted and created herself in her art but then later branched out to paint neighbors and family members as more of a diary for herself publicly in her front yard. Smith’s faith was very important to her and therefore was also in the forefront of many of her pieces. She worked hard throughout her career to depict many different scenes from the Bible, the Christian Trinity, and many different phrases sharing her faith.
Smith found commercial success quickly and her work was in high demand even in her lifetime. Smith had a stroke late in her life which reduced her artistic output, and she stopped painting entirely a few years before her death.
Mary Tillman Smith died in 1995 at the age of 91. She left behind a prominent legacy. She lived a life of exception; for a disabled black woman of humble beginnings to reach her level of fame and notoriety was an arduous task. Her original installation site is no longer in existence, but her art is highly coveted and is now mostly in the hands of museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as well as private collectors.
Image is provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Three Red People
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-mts/286
About Mary Tillman Smith
Mary Tillman Smith was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1905. Born to a large sharecropper family, Smith had a hearing impairment which caused her to feel isolated from other children as well as her 12 siblings. Smith completed school up to a fifth-grade level, which was well-educated for a poor woman of color at the time.
Smith began painting in the 1980’s; her paintings were displayed in her yard outside of her house in Hazlehurst, MS and covered the landscape. This concept was known as a ‘yard show’ which was a way to express personal beliefs that were previously hidden from the public. This became more popular following the assignation of MLK Jr. which opened the residents of the south to be more willing and push for their voices to be heard. Smith used this as an opportunity to express herself and ideas she had since childhood. She was a wonderfully independent woman that knew what she wanted and went after it which shows throughout her pieces and determination to work through the difficult times in her life.
Her art displayed both personal and spiritual themes and was often created on corrugated roofing tin found nearby. Smith also used many different styles throughout her art by using only black paint sometimes and then others were sprinkled with bright colors. She even created and used her own painting language throughout despite her ability to write. This could have been a jab at those in her community who assumed that she was ignorant and crazy, despite her ability to spell and even write in cursive.
She had many muses throughout her art. She at first painted and created herself in her art but then later branched out to paint neighbors and family members as more of a diary for herself publicly in her front yard. Smith’s faith was very important to her and therefore was also in the forefront of many of her pieces. She worked hard throughout her career to depict many different scenes from the Bible, the Christian Trinity, and many different phrases sharing her faith.
Smith found commercial success quickly and her work was in high demand even in her lifetime. Smith had a stroke late in her life which reduced her artistic output, and she stopped painting entirely a few years before her death.
Mary Tillman Smith died in 1995 at the age of 91. She left behind a prominent legacy. She lived a life of exception; for a disabled black woman of humble beginnings to reach her level of fame and notoriety was an arduous task. Her original installation site is no longer in existence, but her art is highly coveted and is now mostly in the hands of museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as well as private collectors.
Image is provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Five People on a Board

Garden Visible Over Fence

4 Red, 4 Black

Here is 1986

Painted Restroom

Figures in the Foreground, Figures in the Background

MTS Walking out from Under Awning

MTS Working on Her Art

MTS Wearing a Hat

Mary Tillman Smith

MTS Working on a Painting

MTS Smiling

Dont For Get the Lord

MTS Sitting Under Awning

Yard with Shed Visible

Arch near Barn

Man Painted on Corrugated Metal, Leaned Against Fence

Gaz Man in Yard

MTS Standing Amongst Her Work

MTS with Hand on Sign

MTS With Cat in Yard

MTS in Foreground, Laundry and Art in Background

Art in the Foreground, Laundry in the Background

Painted Hubcap on a Tire

MTS's Yard

Painting in the Corner

MTS Walking

Rest Room Diagonal View

Dog on Sheet Metal

Green Fence

The Lord is Good Table

Table in Foreground, Art in Background

I am Back sign and Yellow Man

Decorated Fence Post

Three Red People

Metal Roofed Awning

Blue and Red Dog in the Yard

Three Horizontal Lines

View of Works Along Fence

ABCDEFGHI

Eight People on Red Metal

Painted Metal in the Corner

We Can Get Job

Lord You is Ever Where

The Way to be Good

Three From New York

A Dog Bark Sign Atop Green Fence

HEAR I AM

THIS IS MR TORNBAR

THIS IS MR TORNBAR (wide view)

Corrugated Outbuilding

1985 HER LORD

MTS House with Billboards Behind

Keep to Right

Red Man on a Tree

Two White Chairs

Three Small Paintings on Chair

Paintings on White Chairs

The Lord Sign on Tree

Red and Green People

I Like a Garden that is

Yellow Headed Stump

Corrugated Headed Scarecrow

Red Tin Scarecrow

Two Cats in the Yard

MTS Sitting by the Road

Fence Post Art

Yellow and Green Man on a Fence

Somther Around

Yard Art

Angled View of Yard

Art Garden

Big Dog, Little Man

Table in the Yard

Diagonal View of Yard with Barn in the Background

Little Outbuilding

MTS Under Awning

MTS Under Awning, Close-Up

Archway near Barn

Archway

I Wont to Eat

Side of House

The Lord is for Me Outbuilding

Summer Time Hot

Art Behind the Awning

Decorated Sheet Metal Fence Post

We Or At Church

We Form New York

Hear I Am Do You See Me

We Form New York, Diagona

Close Up View of Yard, House, Outbuildings

View of House, Fence

View of Porch, Yard Art

The Lord is Good I Love Him Alternate

View of Driveway

Paintings on a Tree

Strange Totem

Strange Totem, Close-Up

Shirt by Tree

View of Art in Yard

Mary Tillman Smith Conversing Under the Awning

Man Armed with a Ray Gun

View of Yard, House, Outbuildings

Mary Tillman Smith Working on a Painting (Dup)

Four Red, Four Black

Outhouse

Garden Lineup

Mary Tillman Smith Working on a Painting

Mary Tillman Smith Closeup Smiling

Mary Tillman Smith Working

Clothes on a Tree

One Through Twelve at Sunset

Scrapheap American Gothic

Painting of a man on Scrap

McGinnis

Look on to the Lord

Fence Post

I Thank the Lord all the Way He is Mine Amend

Mary Tillman Smith Standing in Her Yard

Mary Tillman Smith in Motion

Mary Tillman Smith Sitting on Bench

Milk

Painting of Man on Corrugated Metal

View of House and Porch

Gaz

October 1986

Holding Hands

Hoge

Paintings of People

We Form New York Closeup

To Bee Good

Lord You is Ever

Rest Room

A Dog Bark Smother Around Look Out

Dog on Scrap

Mary Tillman Smith in White

Laundry on the Branches, Paintings in the Yard

Painted Found Objects in Yard

Painted Jug

Painted Yard

Painting of Dog in Yard

Corner View with Red and Blue Dog

Ho is You

New Year

Tell us where we Can Get Job?

Kant

I Want Go Some Wher

Mary Tillman Smith Sitting Near Some of Her Work

Mary Tillman Smith Standing Near Her Work

Chair with Three Paintings

I Love to Work

One Through Twelve

What is That

The Name or The Lord

I Like a Garden

Stump Scarecrows

Long Haired Person with Walking Stick

Black Cloaked Man

Keep Clear

Painted Fence

Fence with Yellow Man

Closer View of Yellow Man

Three Red People on a Fencepost

Close-Up of Fence Post

Help Not

Red Man

Hazlehurst

Chairs

View of Porch

March 1986

All be Dorn One Day in the Name of the Lord

This is Mr Tornbar

Barn

Man in a Yellow Jacket

I Thank the Lord

Outbuilding

Thank the Lord All the Way

Mr A Mrs B

Me an my Wife

Dog my Name Bettie

Painted Post

I am for Good None fore Baide 1985

Red Mule

Mr Tall is Hear

Mr No One

Wor Day an Night

I am Back

Scool

The Lord is for us All

I Dont

The Lord is for Me

He Wont Water

Mr Blue

Put Somth on Table to Eat

View of Decorated Shed

I am Man I look Onto Lord

I am a Low Man

Smith Standing with Her Work

Gallery of Faces

America's Most Wanted Car

Diagonal View of Yard, House, and Outbuilding

Four Faces

Two Works on the Small Hill

The Lord My Hart

Scarecrow

Multi Faced Scarecrow

Four Faced Scarecrow

Decorated Garden Walls

View of Decorated Walls

Mary Tillman Smith Sitting and Speaking

George

A Dog Bark

The Lord is Good I Love Him

I Love to Go to School

Kids Can Help

Front of Home

Spring Rain

Hear i Am

Driveway

Gaz Man

Yard View

I Love the Name or the Lord

Cow Fence

Red Blue and White Decorated Sheet Metal

Decorated Sheet Metal and Two Benches

Two Billboards and Two Benches

Stacked Benches and Decorated Sheet Metal

Red, Gray, and Brown Decorated Sheet Metal

Panels with Writing on Fence

Mary Tillman Smith's House, Billboards, and Art

One Through Twelve at Sunset (Dup)

Painting of Man on Scrap (Dup)

Mary Tillman Smith Working on Garden Lineup Painting

1985 Fall Or The Year Sign and Bench

Full View of Garden Line Up

Gate with Writing

Full View of Mary Tillman Smith Working on a Painting

Mary Tillman Smith Adjusting Art

Mary Tillman Smith's House with Red Truck in Yard

Side of Mary Tillman Smith's House With Structure and Garden in Background

Side of Mary Tillman Smith's House with Cats and Garden Line-up Paintings

Close Up of One Through Twelve

1985 I Thank the Lord Painting and Others on White Structure

Bench and Gallery of Faces

Corner Garden Surrounded by Paintings

Close Up of Figure and Dog Paintings

Full View of Figure and Dog Paintings

Red and Black Figure Paintings

To Bee Good Fence Painting

Jesus Died Sign

Jesus Died Sign Close Up

One Through Twelve with Various Sculptures and Paintings

Paintings of Faces

Bench and Dog Paintings

One Through Twelve with Red and Green Figure Paintings

Close Up We Form New York Painted Figures

I Am Figure Paintings

What is That (Dup)

Mary Tillman Smith Standing Next to Paintings of Faces

I Am Back - Two Figure Paintings on Fence

Close Up Paintings of Faces

Side View Paintings of Faces

Painted Panel, Bottle, and Hubcap

Slighty Closer Wide Shot of One Through Twelve

Full View of I Thank the Lord all the Way He is Mine Amend Structure

Hanging Laundry Surrounded by Dog and People Figure Paintings

Mary Tillman Smith Sitting in Shade of I Thank the Lord Structure