Folk Artist and Memory Painter

“I was horribly depressed. And this presence said that I would receive a gift.”

In the winter of 1981, Linda Anderson’s spirits were at rock bottom. Her daughter, B.J., had suffered a stroke and needed Anderson’s constant care. But, as she sat by B.J.’s bed, Anderson was filled with a sense of hope and her life changed forever. The next morning, Anderson discovered she had a talent to paint, to tell stories from her childhood in colorful resonant images and to connect with a wide audience of art lovers. From moonshine stills to home childbirth, Anderson’s memory paintings depict a North Georgia that has now disappeared.

Anderson was born in Floyd County, in 1941. Her family was poor and the five children worked more than they played or studied. But it was a childhood enriched by community, faith and natural creativity – all of which can be seen in her works, which are filled with action, drama, humor and detail.

Over the years, Anderson has expanded her inspiration to include biblical stories, animals and movie stars. Today, she is considered one of the foremost living memory painters, one of a dying breed of rural folk artists.

Barbara Archer Gallery