01/17/2025
I have a deep passion for art. If a piece is too large for my home, it’s perfectly suited for the store. The moment I met Sam Ezell, I was captivated by him. He has shared incredible stories about the talented folk artists and painters he has met, discussing their lives and their art. It has been amazing to gain such insight from him.
Sam Ezell was born in Mebane in 1953. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to help support his mother and four sisters. Raised in Durham, North Carolina, he now calls Hillsborough home. Ezell painted his first work at the request of folk artist Bernice Sims, who lived in Brewton, Alabama. This meeting developed into a close relationship, where he assisted her in selling her paintings, repaired her screen door, and sometimes covered her water bill.
Ezell’s artwork features large, vibrant colors in shades of orange, yellow, red, and blue, painted on canvases that he built and stretched himself. And of course an occasional black and white piece. # # #