Frances Currey (1925–2012; also known as Grandma Fran and Frances Currey Brown) was an American

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative art, decorative. The makers of folk art a ...

painter.

Early life and education

Frances Currey was born in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

in 1925. She was raised on a farm in

Jennings County, Indiana Jennings County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 27,613. The county seat is Vernon. History Jennings County was formed in 1817. It was named for the first Governor of Indiana and a nine-term con ...

. In the mid-1960s, Currey was a

school teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

, teaching third grade in

Liberty, Indiana Liberty is a town in Center Township, Union County, Indiana, Center Township, Union County, Indiana, Union County, Indiana, United States of America. The population was 2,000 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of ...

. She had earned her master's degree at

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis. On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...

in Elementary Education. She also studied for her

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

, studying

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

Earlham College Earlham College is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. The college was established in 1847 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and has a strong focus on Quaker values such as integrity, a commitment to peace and social ...

. She married and had three children.

Mid-life and career

Currey would remarry, marrying George Brown. In the 1970s, Currey's son, James Clarkson, moved to

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. Currey mailed her 2-year-old granddaughter postcards with drawings on them. Another artist recognized Currey's talent and encouraged her to start painting larger scale works and selling them. Thus, Currey and her husband opened an art studio in Berryville, Arkansas. They both sold their art in the studio. In 1978, "Moving Day," was acquired by the

Smithsonian American Art Museum The Smithsonian American Art Museum (commonly known as SAAM, and formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds o ...

. Around the same time, she submitted her work to a call for artists by

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

. Her work was accepted and was displayed at Carter's cabin. In 1981,

Luci Baines Johnson Luci Baines Johnson (born July 2, 1947) is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the younger daughter of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Early years Born in Washington, D.C., Joh ...

commissioned her first painting from Currey. Johnson visited Currey's gallery while visiting the

Ozark Mountains The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant portio ...

. The work, titled "T.J. Taylor -- Dealer in Everything," "depicts a normal day in the life" of T.J. Turpin, Johnson's husband's grandfather. Currey was commissioned, in 1992, by the

Shiloh Museum of Ozark History The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, located in Springdale, Arkansas, is a regional history museum covering the Arkansas Ozarks. Programs, exhibits, and events relating to Ozark and Northwest Arkansas history are offered by the museum to the public. ...

to create "Decoration Day," which depicts

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

and the decorating of tombstones.

Later life and legacy

Currey was diagnosed as suffering from Alzheimer's disease in 2006. She was placed in a

nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to in ...

in 2009, in

Eureka Springs, Arkansas Eureka Springs is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States, and one of two county seats for the county. It is located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, near the border with Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the city populati ...

. She died in December 2012 and was buried in Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park in

Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2020 census, the city had a populat ...

Work

Currey was a

folk artist Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. The makers of folk art are typically tra ...

who painted depictions of her childhood in Indiana and every day life of living on a farm and small town. She had no formal training. Her work is story based. Currey would tell stories to visitors to the studio to accompany her paintings.

Notable collections

*"Moving Day" - 1978, watercolor and pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Currey, Frances Artists from Indianapolis 1925 births 2012 deaths Ball State University alumni Earlham College alumni Folk artists Painters from Indiana American women painters