Discovering Ellis Ruley: The Story of an American Outsider Artist

by Glenn Robert Smith

The first published record of the work, life, and mysterious death of Ellis Ruley. Includes all of his 62 known works, plus an introduction by the director of the Museum of American Folk Art. Full color and black-and-white photographs.

Genres: Art

150 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 1993

Reviews

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any interest in folk or outsider art (even someone like Rousseau), you owe it to yourself to know Ruley's art. If you have any interest in unsolved murders and true crime, you owe it to yourself to read the accompanying essay. Absolutely wonderful.

[Jan Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ellis Ruley's work. I hate that his family went through such tragedy at the hands of small minded people.

[Margaret Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fascinating true story of Ellis Ruley, a folk artist who was unknown to me until recently. It tells how the author stumbled upon a painting by Ruley at a flea market, bought it on impulse, and became so intrigued with it that he tracked down the artist's life story and published this book about it. It's a story of an African American man and his attempt to fit into white society. Although it ends with the mysterious death of Ruley, it is really a story of how one man found peace and inner strength by creating art. This true tale was the basis for Wally Lamb's novel "We Are Water." Although "Discovering Ellis Ruley" is out of print, it's well worth tracking down and buying.