Denzil Goodpaster

Denzil Goodpaster started carving after he quit farming in 1968. His neighbor, who made “snake canes,” inspired him to create walking sticks with carvings of animals wrapped around the shaft. Goodpaster made canes with alligators and snakes for handles, and even decorated some with images of cowboys, nude figures, and musicians. During the 1980s, he won fellowships from the Kentucky Arts Council and the Southern Arts Federation in Atlanta.