It is believed that JR Carmax is J. Carpenter-Stovall
She is a carver and painter.
“Art has always been a part of my life, and I am pretty sure it always will be. For as long as I can remember I’ve had a pencil, brush or crayon in my hand. When teachers would ask what my favorite toy was I always said, my pencil. My favorite colors, yellow and blue, the colors of our sun and sky. My favorite smells, ummmmmmmmmmmm a new box of Crayola Crayons and a new baby. The things I love most in life, my family, the earth and creating art.
I enjoy painting, working with clay, and working in wood. I love the feel of the clay, the feel of the paint and the feel of the fresh new clean wood in my hand. I love being about to take a blank canvas, a lump of clay or a plain piece of wood and turning them into something beautiful. I love creating.
I am of Native American heritage and am very proud of that. One of my great grandmothers Elizabeth Poindexter was the daughter of Chief Donnaho she worked with George Washington. From her farm in VA she would watch the English troops. She took the information she was able to gather sewed it into the hem of her daughters skirts and allowed them to travel past the enemy lines. There is a statue honoring Elizabeth in VA on her farm. She is never far from my heart especially when I am creating Southwestern art.
Painting and carving fish decoys might seem like a odd couple, but not really, fish decoys were first created by the Native Americans and learning to carve fish decoys has been very rewarding for me.
I love nature and I love the human figure. To me its God’s most beautiful creation. Painting it is one of my passions. I enjoy bringing bright and vivid color to the figure.
My love of fish and fishing started back when I was just 3 years old. My father, saint that he was, used to carry me and my brothers across river after river. With one child on a hip, one on his back and one under his arm, they would all slip and slide across the rocky rivers of Utah. Fishing from early dawn till near dark each and every weekend. Making fish and wildlife a natural subject for my art. To see some fun fishing photos of the early days, click below. Well, that’s a little about me. I hope you enjoy my art as much as I have enjoyed creating it.”
JR eBay ID jrcarmax
jrcarmaxfishcarver@yahoo.com
J.R. is the girl in the pictures
1310 Wendover Drive.
West Leigh, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Photos courtesy of Rob Kunzelman 2007