By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – Mose Tolliver, who began painting after an accident at work and came to be known as the self-taught artist Mose T, died of pneumonia after years of declining health. He was 82. Family members and friends said Tolliver died Monday at a hospital in Montgomery. He gained a reputation for simple yet interesting images painted on cardboard or wood, often in muted colors. Hangers for his pieces were often created from dental floss or the pop-tops from drink cans. Tolliver began painting in the 1970s after being injured while working in a furniture factory. His works were among those that helped create wide interest in what was then called folk art in the 1982 show ``Black Folk Art in America: 1930-1980'' at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D-C. Tolliver's works sell for thousands of dollars today, but collectors say it can be hard to find an original since his relatives adopted a similar painting style and signed Mose T' to their art as his fame grew. Mose T's art is in permanent collections in art museums across the U-S. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.