Artist Myrtice Snead West died April 12, 2010 at her home in Centre, Alabama. She was 86 and had suffered a severe stroke in late March. Born in Cherokee County, AL in 1923, West married Wallace West at age 17 and began teaching herself to paint in the early 1950s. For years, she painted rural scenes, riverboats, flowers, and occasionally angels. In 1956, after miscarriages and illness, West gave birth to a daughter, Martha Jane. In the 1970s, West became anxious for Martha Jane’s safety after she married Bret Barnett, who proved to be an abusive man. For comfort, West began painting religious themes.She first attempted a large painting of Jesus ascending into heaven in 1977. Pleased with the results, she started to interpret the New Testament book of Revelation in 1978. Working mostly in the early morning over seven years, West painted the prophetic book in 13 large works. On three of the pieces, she painted on both sides of single sheets of plywood. Others were painted on upholstery stretched over window-screen frames.

The Revelations Series became West’s comfort and passion as Barnett grew increasingly abusive to Martha Jane and their two children. At their daughter Kara’s birthday party in 1986, Barnett shot and killed Martha Jane in Centre. The Wests adopted their grandchildren, and Myrtice turned to religious painting with ferocity.In the late 1980s, West exhibited her paintings at area festivals. She offered her rural scenes for sale, and she also displayed her Revelation paintings to proselytize. The religious works came to the attention of the Alabama State Council on the Arts and appeared in their 1991 catalogue, Outsider Artists of Alabama.