Folk Art in Texas Page: 61
203 p. : ill., ports. ; 29 cm.View a full description of this book.
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AT REST: FOLK ART IN TEXAS CEMETERIES
Figure 14. This gravehouse in the Dallardsville Cemetery, Polk County, Texas, covers two gravesites and is constructed out of wood
with a tin roof. Note also the small wooden gravemarker with a humanoid shape in the lower right-hand corner of the photograph.Cemetery, and the Alabama-Coushatta Indian
Cemetery. Since these crosses were simply
arranged on top of a slab or in the soil on top of
the gravesites, they were often disarrayed and would
require maintenance to retain their original design.
Single shells are also used to decorate graves. Again
these shells might be of any type but are usually
placed on or near the headstone and/or footstone
of the grave.
The gravehouse is an interesting traditional form
of architecture which is still found in some southern
cemeteries. These structures provide a roof over one
or more gravesites, occasionally serving to mark the
site, but usually providing a protective cover over the
gravemarkers and plot as in Figure 14. Most
gravehouses are constructed of wood, but steel frameconstructions are also found. While many of these
shelters are rather plain, some have ornately carved
posts and ornamental fences and gates.
Bricks were used to create an attractive geometric
double border on a gravesite in Walker County
(Figure 15). Curbs and borders are not allowed in
all cemeteries, but where there are no regulations
against them (they are inconvenient to mow around),
they are frequently constructed and can be as
decorative as the gravemarker itself. The curbs are
most often constructed out of concrete and are in-
laid with shells (similar to Figure 13), tiles, or glass.
In observing just a few of the many forms of decora-
tion found in the cemeteries of Texas, it is obvious
that this introduction can only suggest the many
possibilities for creative display. A few general obser-* 61 *
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Folk Art in Texas (Book)
This book describes popular folk art of Texas, including basket weaving, hat-making, yard art, sculptures, murals, cemetery art, quilt-making, tattoo art, and other miscellaneous folk art. The index begins on page 198.
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Abernethy, Francis Edward. Folk Art in Texas, book, 1985; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67647/m1/69/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Press.