Columbus Dispatch  (May 10, 1984):  p. 14 A.
“Elijah Pierce, Artist.”

 

Elijah Pierce spent the leisure hours of his 92 years converting pieces of wood into acts of faith.

So skilled were his hands and so individualistic his approach that he had been long known, before his death this week, as one of the nation’s great primitive carvers.

Born in Mississippi, the son of a former slave, Pierce worked for nearly 60 years as a barber on Columbus’ East Side.  With his scissors he earned a living, but with his carving tools he gained a recognized artist’s immortality.  We regret his passing and salute his rare achievements as a honored member of our community.

Copyright 1984 The Columbus Dispatch
REPRINTED, WITH PERMISSION, FROM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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