Local preservation group looks to keep Helen LaFrance’s artwork to sell at auction local

MAYFIELD, Ky. — The artwork of Helen LaFrance, a Mayfield native and historical folk artist known for depicting southern life in Graves County, will be sold at an online auction on Saturday, May 11. 
The auction will feature pieces painted between 1960 and 1980. Some of the paintings depict landmarks in the city of Mayfield, such as the courthouse and the Presbyterian church that were devastated by the December 2021 tornado.  
James R. Cash Auction in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, will sell 30 of LaFrance’s original oil paintings. Jay Cash, auctioneer for the collection, considers it the most extensive gallery sale of LaFrance’s oil paintings.
Crystal Fox has lived in Mayfield since she was 7 years old. She said that growing up, she would learn about LaFrance’s work and see them in museums.
Fox considers LaFrance an influential figure because of her resilience and will to teach herself to paint by memory. 






Crystal Fox

Crystal Fox



“Things like this inspire me,” Fox said. “You can be just a regular person with a passion and then find out your life calling.”
That’s why Fox is dedicated to rallying the community to ensure that some of LaFrance’s pieces stay in western Kentucky.






Helen LaFrance - Mayfield Courthouse

Helen LaFrance’s painting of the Mayfield Courthouse that was blown away by the December 2021 tornado. This painting was done in 1998. 



“It’s not often that someone of her status becomes so famous for art, and to be from western Kentucky, I mean, it’s wonderful,” Fox said. “So, to be Black and African American and to have those pieces remain in Western Kentucky would be great for our students.”
Fox said she is happy to see people interested in LaFrance’s work but does not want the artwork to be too far from home.
“We don’t want those pieces to go across the world and get lost from this area because once they get lost into those collections, we won’t be able to possibly get them back,” Fox said. “So please bid on those pieces, and don’t just hide them in your home. I say if there’s an opportunity for us to display them into a museum in our area, put them on a display so we can have our students get out and see her work.”






Helen LaFrance - First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield painting

An Oil Painting of the First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield, which was destroyed by the December 2021 tornado. James R. Cash Auction suspects this piece was done in the late 1990s.



James R. Auction will have a public viewing of the pieces on Thursday, May 9, at Independence Bank in Mayfield.

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