A woman searches for unknown Cape Girardeau artist

The 1960s were the beginning of the counterculture revolution, when a new wave of music and artwork swept the nation.

Musicians such as Bob Dylan sang anti-war songs and artists like Sol DeWitt created new art forms like minimal and conceptual art.

A local artist followed this movement and painted a collection that owner Kim Leggett is proud of. But the collection has left Leggett with one major question: Who is the artist?

She bought the collection of about 250 pieces of artwork from an antique dealer in 2006. The dealer told her that a woman from the Cape Girardeau area painted the collection. That's all Leggett has found out.

The artwork features color-contrasted geometric designs painted on barn doors, table tops and other miscellaneous pieces of wood.

"She sometimes selected the use of unusual material, even a crate top that coffins were shipped in," Leggett said.

Some of the collection was already made into tables and side tables, but Leggett said the artist was obviously more obsessed with the art than the furniture making.

"Many of the pieces are attractive as art on the wall," Leggett said. "They have a fabulous design to them and they are very dimensional. The artist had the sensibility about her to create that dimension and give it a geometric design."

The quality of the artwork and the mystery of the artist keep Leggett looking for answers.

"If it was just your everyday amateur art, it would not be as important," she said. "She was very skilled at what she did, so it would great to know her name and hopefully learn more about her."

Leggett has sold some of the pieces to friends who loved the artwork as well. She said they would like to see them exhibited at an in-state museum.

"It would great to have it displayed, but museums don't usually do that without the full name of the artist and more information, because that makes it more interesting for people visiting," she said.

Until she can find the name of this mysterious painter, Leggett said she will remain in search of an artist.