Our Vollis Simpson joined the ancestors last night. From the local paper:
Just last month, the N.C. Legislature, inspired by Simpson’s art, moved toward naming whirligigs as the state’s official folk art. In 2011, he put on a tuxedo and went to Raleigh to accept the state’s biggest honor bestowed on a civilian: the North Carolina Award. And later this year, Wilson is set to open the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.
“We were all very proud of him, and we’re still proud of him,” Jean Simpson said.
I’ve been talking with many friends about it this morning, and my friend Fred Scruton put up this tribute (go there for some great pics of Vollis and his work, too).