Southern folk artist Joe Wrenn transforms the rhythms of rural Mississippi life into striking, narrative-driven paintings. Working largely from memory and intuition rather than formal training, he paints on reclaimed planks of wood—often salvaged from old barns or fallen trees on his family’s farmland—and then frames each piece with hand-hewn boards he harvests himself. This seamless union of medium and subject gives every work a palpable sense of place, as though the landscape itself has been coaxed into art.
Growing up outside Charleston in Tallahatchie County, Wrenn spent his youth learning the crafts of farm life: tending livestock, shoeing horses, and fashioning structures from local timber. These everyday tasks fostered both his practical woodworking skills and his deep affinity for the land’s colors and textures. That background now animates his canvases, which depict river baptisms, cotton fields at sunrise, old homesteads, and spirited hunting parties in bold, unflinching detail.
For decades, Wrenn painted in quiet isolation, layering oils, acrylics, and even house paint to capture scenes both grand and intimate. His breakthrough came when a local arts program brought his work to public view, leading to sold-out shows in Charleston, Oxford, and beyond. Collectors prize his paintings not only for their vivid storytelling but also for the rustic charm of their frames, each bearing the unmistakable grain and character of wood hand-cut from Wrenn’s own land.
This weekend, during Oxford’s Double Decker Arts Festival, Joe Wrenn will exhibit his latest works at 303 West Jackson Avenue. He’ll be on site from 9 AM to 5 PM Friday and Saturday, showcasing a collection of new pieces created specifically for the festival. Stop by to meet Joe and experience his newest Southern scenes in person, or call him at 662-615-2017 for more information.
Beyond the gallery walls, Wrenn’s art serves as a living archive of Mississippi’s rural heritage. By turning scrap wood into vivid tableaux of his community’s rituals and landscapes, he invites each viewer to step into scenes that might otherwise fade from memory. In every painted plank and handcrafted frame, Wrenn offers a celebration of place and perseverance, ensuring that the stories of his homeland endure for generations to come.
