Best Friends

Date

circa 1989

Century

20th century

Medium & Support

Stone

Dimensions

Support: 7/8 x 12 5/8 x 4 7/8 in.

Style

Outsider Art

Object Type

Sculpture and Installations

Class System

Decorative Arts & Design

Class 1

Sculptural

Credit Line

Gift of Randy Siegel

Accession Number

2002.02.31

Description

Two human figures rolling tobacco carved into gray rock.

The figures are the artist and his best friend, Harvey Lench.

Label History

Coins was a tobacco farmer who carved sculptures out of soapstone found near his home in Westfield, NC. He would go on to create life-size figures out of wood; however, he is best known for his soapstone carvings that vary in size. Coins worked with tools that were rudimentary, which often yielded beautifully simple results. Best Friends represents his view of his community and the simple yet rich life he led, depicting the artist rolling tobacco with his best friend, Harvey Lench. His early works referenced Indigenous sculpture, and this later piece harkens back to that period.

Exhibition Title: Asheville Art Museum: An Introduction to the Collection
Label Date: 2021
Type: Catalogue Entry
Written by: Andrew Glasgow

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Best Friends

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