Abe Partridge

herner and the album was chosen to be one of their top 30 albums of 2018. Ranging from the earthy to the surreal, from the spiritual light to the depths of depression, Partridge draws listeners in with a combination of southern gothic storytelling, dark humor and gripping intensity. Savannah Morning News said, “The singer/songwriter has emerged in the last two years as a tour-de-force of a live act, with the DNA of folk heroes named Townes, Bob and John, combined with his own unique perspective of rock ‘n’ roll and his Southern homeland.” Partridge made his debut at The Bluebird Café in Nashville, July 2018 and brought the house down with his passionate performance. He also toured the Netherlands and Belgium November of 2018 and 2019. He performed at the prestigious 30A Songwriter Festival in Santa Rosa, Florida, in January of 2019 and 2020 along with performers such as John Prine, Tanya Tucker, Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, Shawn Mullins, and many more. Artist Statement


~Abe's Story~


I was born and raised in Mobile, AL. When I was 18, I left Mobile in pursuit of a theological education. I attended 4 bible colleges in 4 years... partly because I couldn't follow rules, partly because I knew better. I became a pastor of a small Independent Baptist Church in the Appalachians of Eastern Kentucky at 25 years old. When I was 27 years old I became acquainted with a horrible depression. I left the ministry and turned to Art. I privately wrote songs and made paintings for years as a way to "work out" my internal struggles. Only after joining the military and going to war did I realize that all I had done with my youth was bring negativity and violence into the world. Negativity by the type of preaching I did and violence by participating in a war. I told God, that " if He would let me get home safe from the war, I would begin to share my art and music and for the rest of my days I would do my best to bring beauty into this world." I never took a songwriting class, nor have I ever had an art class. I always just thought I was weird...


"Rethink preconceived notions. Question authority. Create new methods of survival. See beauty."
- Abe



~The Process~


Abe's artwork is made with roofing tar that is thinly applied to plywood, musical instruments, old damaged vinyl records, and whatever else he can stick tar on. It is cured for 30 days then he carves his images in the tar with a screwdriver or an ice pick. Finally, he paints the tar with acrylic paints and seals it with a clear gloss acrylic sealer.




ABE WENT PUBLIC WITH HIS ART IN FEBRUARY 2018
SINCE THEN, HIS ART HAS BEEN IN


* The Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL
* The Alabama Contemporary Art Center - “Urban Wild” Exhibit, Mobile, AL
* Ashland Art Gallery, Mobile, AL
* Lupercalia Art Society, Mobile, AL
* The University of South Alabama - Mary Elizabeth & Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery of Art, Mobile, AL
* Blue Giraffe Gallery, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
* 621 Gallery - “Art of Resistance” Exhibit, Tallahassee, FL
* Berea Arts Council Gallery, Berea, KY
* The Orphanage Gallery, Dayton, OH
* Healthy Rhythm Art Gallery, Montrose, CO
* InDo Nashville Art/Music showcase for 2019 Americana Music Festival, Nashville, TN
* Gallery 378 - “Lost: But Found” Exhibit, Atlanta, GA
* Documentary on Alabama Public Television's "Monograph" (aired Jan 2020)
* Lower Alabama Arts Coalition - Andalusia, AL
* Louisiana Tech University - Bellocq Gallery in the F. Jay Taylor Visual Arts Center, Ruston, LA


AWARDS


* Best Mixed Media Artist - 2019 and 2021 Lagniappe Readers' Choice Awards
* First Place winner of Mobile Arts Council’s 2020 “The Throwdown”


HIGHLIGHTS


* ART appearance in the 2019 film "Dr. Sleep" (The sequel to Stephen King's "The Shining"). Abe's art, "The Cowboys", was on a t-shirt worn by actor Robert Longstreet.
* A large scale mural is in the old Crystal Ice House (HopHounds Brew Pub & Dog Park) in Mobile, AL
* Art has been on the beer cans of Haint Blue Brewing Co., Mobile, AL
* Large scale mural at Hatch Camp and Art Farm, Clayton, GA
* Official poster artist for 2019 South Sounds Music Festival, Mobile, AL
* Abe’s art is in private collections of Tyler Childers, Mike Wolfe (American Pickers), and Rick Hirsch (Wet Willie)
* Abe has also been a guest lecturer at high schools across the south, and at Eastern Kentucky University
* Art on Magic Hollow First Harvest Bourbon and CBD bottles, Irvine, KY
* Cover Art for Americana Folk artist, Charlie Parr’s new album, Last of the Better Days Ahead, released on the Smithsonian Folkways label in 2021