Deborah Goodwin

the Selma Times-Journal

Vernon Spicer has taken pasta and made it a work of art &8212; on a canvas.

The artist is locally known for his recreation of historical sites, residences, office buildings, and renditions of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. After four years of, Spicer has decided to take his art to the next level with country scenes, wildlife and portraits.

His first portrait subject is his wife, Audrey, who has been very supportive of his endeavor.

A recent work, “The Good Old Days,” is a country scene based on life in the Black Belt. The scene is an old shotgun

house with colorful hand-made quilts drying on clothes-line, chickens feeding and children playing in the yard as adults wash clothes and do other chores.

The work is comprised of regular sized spaghetti and angel hair spaghetti, parsley flakes, and dillweed which is colored with enamel paint and coated with an acrylic sealer.

People are usually surprised when they find out the very detailed works are made of items found on grocers&8217; shelves.

Jordan said Spicer has become a member of the guild within the last year and rotates his works on display. One of those works is a rendition of the historic Brown Chapel A.M.E Church on Martin Luther King Jr. St., which was the site of mass meetings during the civil rights movement.

In addition to creating with pasta, Spicer also teaches his craft. He has visited local schools and held classes at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

He is slated to teach a class at the library on July 8.

He will teach other groups based on demand.