Prior to a stint in the Air Force, Georgia-born Roy Minshew held a number of positions, including fireman, trucker, sheet metal fabricator, machinist, and shoe repairman. The custom leather work involved in repairing shoes was the catalyst that initially gave shape to his creative energy.
In 1981, putting shoe repair behind him, he decided to pursue art as a career. He set up shop, hired employees, and began doing production carvings to ship worldwide. Two years later, feeling he was no longer being creative, he embarked on his adventure as a folk artist.
Since 1989, Roy has been at home in his shop, creating the kinds of pieces that give shape to his philosophy of life and art. He works in wood and mostly carves animals, including dogs, goats, horses, and pigs, ranging in size from one to five feet.
Roy's animals are formed with great imagination, exaggerating physical characteristics to create a mood and to foster an emotional reaction from the observer. He also does carvings and paint-carving combinations on religious and political themes.