Emma Lee Moss Archive

Biographical Note: 

Emma Lee Moss was born on a small tobacco farm in rural Tennessee in 1916. She was the 3rd of eight daughters. Her formal education ended in eighth grade when she went to work as a housekeeper in Clarksville, Tennessee. By 20, she had moved to San Angelo, Texas as a nanny. She began teaching herself to paint in the 1950’s. She had a few private lessons with Tincie Hughs Hedins, then ended up joining her class at San Angelo College (now Angelo State University).

In 1956, she married Tucker Moss, and quit painting for a time. They moved from San Angelo to Dallas soon after. She began to paint again in 1978, only at the encouragement of a friend, after her husband’s death. She remarried in 1984 to James Horne, but kept her artist name as Emma Lee Moss for personal reasons. They moved back to San Angelo. She was able to work daily on her creations at the Old Chicken Farm Art Center. Her first exhibit was in June of 1987 as part of a group exhibit for the Museum of African-American Life and Culture.

In 1990, Moss suffered a third stroke, which left her in a comatose state. Her friend, Agnes Cox Belfour, took guardianship of her until her death on February 18, 1998 at the age of 82.

Her full name is Emma Lee Dunlap Moss Horne.

Descriptive Summary:

Sources: 

Robert Cargo Folk Art Gallery:

http://www.cargofolkart.com/Artist%20Pages/MossEL.htm

Find a Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38053956

Scope and Content: 

            This collection contains materials from and relating to Emma Lee Moss. Includes her personal correspondence, photos from exhibitions and many news articles from her exhibitions. Everything from 1990 and on is from Agnes Cox Belfour, Moss’s friend and guardian after her debilitating stroke.

Organization and Arrangement: Folders are somewhat in chronological order, except when several dates overlap by a year or two. Kept original order of the box except for rearrangement of chronological order.

Restrictions:  The collection is open for research.

Literary Rights Statement:

Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator (s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

All requests for copying of materials must be submitted to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in writing or by email.  Please use the Request Form for Copying Materials sheet.

Index Terms:
Art, American -- Texas -- 20th century -- Exhibitions.

Artists -- Texas.

Folk artists -- United States -- Biography.

Outsider art -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Exhibitions.

Separated Materials:  None.

Custodial History:

Processing Information: Finding aid completed by Erin Grady, 2014 August 5.

Container List:

Series I. Emma Lee Moss Collection

         Includes biographical information, exhibitions, news articles, photographs and some legal documents pertaining to her guardianship.

Series 2. Emma Lee Moss Collection Continued

         Includes biographical information, exhibitions brochures and announcements, news articles, photographs and correspondence.