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 List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

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 c ...

. 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. w ...

, teaching third grade in

Liberty, Indiana Liberty is a town in and the county seat of Union County, Indiana, United States, located about west of the state's border with Ohio. The population was 2,000 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The Liberty post office has b ...

. She had earned her master's degree at

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State or BSU) is a public research university in Muncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Fishers, Indiana. The university is composed of seven aca ...

in Elementary Education. She also studied for her

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

, studying

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

Earlham College Earlham College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, 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 Quake ...

. 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 U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

. 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 (SAAM; 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 one of the world's lar ...

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

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

. 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., ...

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, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover ...

. 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 died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...

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 older people, senior citizens, or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as care homes, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms ...

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 popula ...

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

Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city and the county seat of Pinellas County, Florida, United States, west of Tampa, Florida, Tampa and north of St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies T ...

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 everyday 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 American folk artists Painters from Indiana American women painters