1950–

A native of Jonesboro, Jane Frier Hankins studied at the Memphis Art Academy in Memphis, Tenn., Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock. Inspired by Fannie Flagg’s book, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, she created a series of ceramic sculptures depicting Southern ladies in all their finery set in colorful living rooms.

 “As you can guess, I had a lot of fun working on this series!” said Hankins. “It was a humorous, yet loving tribute to the ‘Blue Hairs’ or ‘Little Old Ladies’ of my childhood. The ‘Grand Dames’ holding court, or whatever, on their thrones of bright florals — overstuffed and a little lopsided as they were . . . And, of course, they never went anywhere without hats and gloves!”

The works appear to be papier-mâché because they don’t have a glossy finish, but they are sturdy, weighty clay sculptures that Hankins finished with careful attention to details such as fingernails and matching jewelry for the ladies’ flowery wardrobes.

Granny Bess in her Favorite Black Hat was one of three of Hankins’ works exhibited at the Arkansas Committee’s 1991 A Personal Statement exhibition at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock and then at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., in 1992.

This piece depicts a woman wearing a black Sunday dress with a white collar, a gardenia pinned to her dress, white gloves and a big black hat while sitting in a brightly colored chair with three white doilies.

“This was a tribute to my paternal grand-mother who lived in Baton Rouge,” said Hankins. “According to my Daddy, Granny Bess would dress up in her best black dress, don her favorite hat, pin a gardenia on her dress and go to New Orleans for the day. They’d have a sloe gin fizz at the Hotel Monteleone and get their fortunes told. I don’t know what came first — the palm reading or the cocktails!”

The New York Times art editor Grace Glueck purchased Granny Bess from Hankins, saying it reminded her of a woman who used to reside in the hotel where Glueck lived.

“I’ve been accused of selling my grand-mother, but knowing her, she would have said, ‘do it’ in a minute,” said Hankins.

“When you have the art editor of The New York Times stand there and say, ‘I love your work. It’s great. I’d like to buy a piece,’ you just scream,” said Hankins. Glueck also gave Hankins a high compliment and a piece of advice.

“She said the neatest thing to me,” said Hankins. “She said it was refreshing to see an artist who didn’t take herself too seriously. And then she said, ‘It can be funny and still be art.’ That gave me a lot of confidence that I needed, and I needed her to say that. It is weird that when you get that affirmation in one area of your life, it kind of flows into other areas.”

Hankins took Glueck’s advice to heart and has kept her art fun and funny for more than 30 years. Trouble with her hands and back led Hankins away from sculpture toward two-dimensional work in recent years. She still has a studio in her back yard, and in the past decade much of her artistic endeavors have focused on paintings and adult coloring pages featuring imaginary worlds and seasonal images.

“I like art that is approachable, and I believe that there is room for all kinds of art,” she said. “A feminine theme is often present in my work. When I use the term feminine, I’m referring to the divine aspects of the word, not just being pretty and acting nice.

“Being in the NMWA show really gave me permission to use my imagination,” said Hankins. “My work is much more fanciful now, and I create a lot of fairies and fantastical creatures.”