Earnest Patton (folk artist)

Earnest Patton is a wood carver from Kentucky. This weathered, bearded, rugged mountain man was cousin to folk artist sculptor Edgar Tolson. Earnest and his wife in the 1970s made frequent visits to Edgar’s home which is where he learned the essentials of wood carving. Though his style and content are similar to Edgar, his figures are twice the size and hold a different feeling, emphasizing different aspects of the structures.