25 Years of Scrap Metal: Lee Washington Turns Cotton Spindles Into Delta Sculptures
The Rolling Fork teacher and Army veteran has built a collection of hundreds of figurines from discarded machinery parts, now displayed across the state.
By Ariana Flores ·
Lee Washington began his artistic career in a quiet South Delta High School classroom in 2021. The agricultural power and machinery teacher used discarded cotton-picker spindles to create a stickman figure during spring break. That prototype launched his Lee’s Cotton Picker Art brand. He has since refined his technique to produce hundreds of sculptures.
Washington, an Army veteran, now operates a shop and gallery at 219 Walnut Street in Rolling Fork. He moved out of his classroom workshop seven years into his career. His sculptures depict animals, religious symbols, musical instruments, and human figures. He repurposes materials that represent Black labor in the Mississippi Delta into new forms.
Sharkey County was founded in 1876 and had a high population of enslaved African Americans before the Civil War. The 1880 census recorded that 77 percent of the county's population was Black. Washington uses metal from agricultural machinery to honor this history. He designs each piece mentally before beginning construction.
"I don’t put anything on paper; everything I put out comes from my head," Washington said. He often envisions pieces while driving or resting. He emphasizes the importance of his emotional state before starting a project. "I like to feel good about it," he said. "The only way I can feel good about it is I got to be feeling good before I even start."
Washington has created specific figurines for prominent visitors. He made a sculpture of Jesus carrying the cross for Congressman Bennie Thompson. He also created a piece depicting an angel with a hand on President Obama’s shoulder. His work has been displayed at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2008. Collections in Greenville and Jackson, Mississippi, feature his sculptures, including an 18-piece blues band set.
Elizabeth Montambault, director of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi in Ridgeland, has known Washington since 2013. She described his background as a teacher, military officer, and artist in an October 20 email. "He possesses a great talent for transforming scrap metal and tractor parts into intricate sculptures of flowers, marching-band members and insects," Montambault wrote. Washington has been a guild member since 2002.
Washington’s wife, Barbara, has been a fan of his work since the beginning. She noted that his early figures were realistic despite lacking facial features. He created a collection of figurines wearing hats to resemble her grandmother. Barbara often purchases pieces from the gallery to give as gifts to family and friends.
Washington is scheduled to return to the Craftsmen’s Guild from November 12 to November 14. He will share new pieces at the 50th anniversary of the Chimneyville Arts Festival. The event takes place at the Bill Waller Craft Center in Ridgeland. Preview tickets for Thursday cost $40, while general admission for the main festival is $10.
