Portersville Revival Group


THE BAYOU PAINTERS: SOUTH ALABAMA’S ART COLONY (1946-1953)
 
The Bayou Painters were an important and lively art colony active in Coden and Bayou la Batre, Alabama in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Dr. Lynn Barstis Williams, Special Collections Librarian at Auburn University is considered the national expert on the works of this group. Their art depicts the moss laden oaks and rambling bayous of Coden and Bayou La Batre of the French Coast located in South Mobile County, Alabama.

The Bayou Painters evolved from an earlier colony of artists who referred to themselves as the Dixie Art Colony. The Dixie Colony was established by J. Kelly Fitzpatrick and Sallie B. Carmichael. It first began as a group of congenial artists who would find a house to rent in central Alabama for weeks at a time to paint the beautiful scenery. By 1937, the Dixie Art Colony had a permanent site on Lake Jordan.

Genevieve Southerland is credited as the founder of the coastal branch of the Dixie Art Colony which would become known as the Bayou Painters. Southerland is the mother of Nell Weston, formerly of Coden, and grandmother of Genny Bosarge of Irvington.

The Bayou Painters utilized brilliant colors to encapsulate in their art the essence of the area. For locals , especially dear is the painting by Carlos Alpha "Shiney" Moon capturing the scene of the old Coden post office. Amazingly, this building can still be found on Coden Belt Road in "Old Coden" but is in much need of repair. Others will recognize and smile sentimentally at "The Blessing of the Fleet" and numerous other paintings of bayou scenes.

The group’s first retreats were held in Bayou La Batre but later moved to the Oleander Hotel along the banks of Bayou Coden. From the Oleander Hotel, the group was afforded views of picturesque Bayou Coden and the world renown sunrises and sunsets over Portersville Bay.

Their works feature many intriguing scenes from along the banks of local waterways and captures the essence of the special history of the French Coast of Alabama. The work entitled "Pirate’s Oak " by William Bush is of particular appeal to historical interests. "Pirate’s Oak " most certainly depicts the scene of Copeland’s Bayou at its convergence with Bayou Coden.

Local artist George Bryant was an active member of the Bayou Painters and is also well known for his tales of the French Coast. His lore certainly was a factor which could have been the inspiration behind "Pirate‘s Oaks". Copeland’s Bayou is reportedly named after the Copeland Gang . One local legend is that this waterway was utilized by Copeland’s group as a hiding place for their loot.

The French Coast is likewise said to be within the lair of several of the Baratarian Pirates. Bryant was known to repeat tales of Jean Lafitte’s crew being welcomed by locals who also were of French Lineage. Rumors also exist of Spanish coins found buried in an ancient chest near the convergence of Bayou Coden and Copeland’s Bayou.

The City of Mobile Art Museum and the efforts of Dr. Williams made possible a local exhibition of the works (January 6- March 26, 2006) .The Exhibition is also presented in The American Art Review, February, 2006 Issue
In producing the exhibition, Dr. Williams drew upon her research (Gulf South Historical Review, Spring 2000, and Alabama Heritage, Summer 1996 and Winter 2003) and served as guest curator under the guidance of Dr. Paul Richelson, Assistant Director and Chief Curator at the Mobile Museum. Dr Williams searched throughout Alabama for paintings in private collections and museums. The Portersville Revival Group was afforded the pleasure of aiding Dr. Williams in in the identification of paintings in the possession of local families of the French Coast.

Special thanks is given to Martha Moon Kracke of Daphne. Martha is the only child of Shiney Moon. Martha has also carefully preserved her father’s information regarding the Colony and liberally contributed to the research of Dr. Williams. The Bayou Painter’s Exhibition captured in time many scenes of the area which have been lost due to the destruction attendant to Hurricane Katrina.