Rudolph "Rudy" Bostic

We Say Goodbye to Folk Art Legend, Rudolph Valentino Bostic

August 4, 1941 – June 4, 2021

As many of you have heard, we lost another cherished artist this summer-Rudolph Valentino Bostic. I received an announcement from his sister, Carolyn Allen:

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"On June 4 the world lost a gentle giant, the talented, world renowned Rudolph Valentino Bostic. Mr. Bostic set the world on fire with his vibrant, religious art works.  He will be sorely missed."

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Thank you for loving him & his art I met Rudy in the late 1990s while visiting family in Savannah.  I remember climbing spiral stairs to his fourth floor studio off of Bull Street. Stacks and stacks of jewel tone paintings leaned against the walls.

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Working the night shift at a bakery he found his medium of choice.  He cut up card board boxes that were used to ship flour and sugar.  Preferring enamel paint, his subject matter was the Bible.

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His paintings illustrate biblical themes from Genesis to Revelations-Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, Moses and the Burning Bush and a personal favorite, the Raising of Lazarus.

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His work is included in the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum - Washington D.C., the High Museum - Atlanta, the Hurn Museum - Savannah, GA., the Mennello Museum of Folk Art-Orlando and a multitude of private collections around the world.