Juanita Rogers 1934-1985

Juanita Rogers ,Self-taught Outsider Artist, was born near Montgomery, Alabama, and began "making mud" as a child. Using cast-off materials and objects natural to her surroundings such as mule and cow bones, fossil shells, and mud she dug from the woods near her house, her primitive existence was reflected in her work. Although Juanita firmly denied any connection with voodoo or hooddoo, perhaps in her work she unconsciously nurtured a dwelling place for a spirit, giving it an identity and personality. She treated her mud work with an unwavering sense of mission, even though her eccentric ways and compulsive urge to create segregated her from the outside world.

Anton Haardt discovered and promoted Ms. Roger's work first in 1981. Her work gradually became included in many collections such as the Outsider Archives in London and L'Aracne Museum in Paris. She was the first American woman to be included in the Art Brut Museum of Lausanne, Switzerland.