Star - Spangled Princess

Star - Spangled Princess
Originally uploaded by dudadaze3

This is so cute!!! A great piece of folk art. Look for it on EBay!!

Houses Birds and a Tree Painting by Karla G

Houses Birds and a Tree Painting by Karla G
Originally uploaded by karlagerard

I found this on Flickr! I love all the colors and the movement in it! I really looks like it is moving! Brilliant!

Very interesting article about collecting folk art

The above link is to an article on folk art that I came across from Steve Slotin
Producer of Folk Fest and Slotin Folk Art Auctions.   Steve gives a lot of direct advice to folk art collectors such as, scouring the south, black folk art, and collecting from handicapped artists.  Steve seems to believe that these areas are great investment opportunities.

http://www.slotinfolkart.com/folk_art/article2.html

Check it out and let me know what you think!!

Crazy for Catherine!!!

This week I want to highlight the works of professional artist Catherine Horvath. 

Catherine's work is one of a kind. It can be easily picked out of any gallery search.  The crisp line and broad use of color sets it apart from the rest.  The lack of small detail makes it accessible to a bigger audience. 

I have noticed a trend emerging in this folk art genre on Ebay. The lack of details, an impressionistic sort of style. It speaks to a more collectors. I believe because the more details an artist includes, the more of a chance of turning a collector off, depending on his personal taste. As for me, I love the details. I think that it holds the interest longer. The viewer sees something new each time he or she looks at it. There is something to be said of keeping it simple.  The thin black line that Catherine uses does create more interest. 

Catherine's work is simply gorgeous. The only criticism that I can find is that she uses the keyword "abstract" in her headline that I don't think it qualifies as. You can find more of Catherine's work by doing a search with the keyword "Horvath" or for the seller "SoloWorkStudio."

"Til we meet again,

Kori

New Painting from My Little Corner

What is FOLk Art?

   When I started to think about this blog, what it was going to be about,  what would drive it.... I decided that it would be important to define for my followers...What is folk art? It seems to me that there is some confusion as to what makes folk art different from the rest of the art out there roaming the world.

According to Webster's Dictionary, folk art is defined as artistic works, as paintings, sculpture, basketry, and utensils, produced typically in cultural isolation by untrained often anonymous artists or by artisans of varying degrees of skill and marked by such attributes as highly decorative design, bright bold colors, flattened perspective, strong forms in simple arrangements, and immediacy of meaning. Unfortunately, I find some problems with that definition.

Although, they are correct in stating the different mediums used in folk art, today's folk artists are highly skilled, some with or without formal training and the colors and arrangements are not primarily bold or simple.   There are many professional artists that made their entire careers using a folk art motif in their works. For example, Charles Wysocki and Jane Wooster Scott. Both artists were formally trained but, their work flourished in a folk art style. 

No I don't believe that folk art can be defined in the same way that it was even twenty years ago. Throughout the last decade, I believe that it has taken on a new attitude perhaps borrowed from it's cousin "outsider art." Folk art can now be defined in much looser terms. For instance, a style that is not influenced by movements in academics or fine art circles and not restrained by the tight grasp that the fine art world may consider art worthy.  

Todays folk artists are totally free to express their love of anything from angels to cute little puppies (yes even cats), whether or not it is deemed appropriate in the mainstream "art world."  That is the folk art that I love.  A true visual expression of thoughts, feelings and ideas of day to day life, a true power to the people story!  Folk art is art of the people, for the people!!!!

just another day in the neighborhood

Blake and I escaped our normal schedule to go to "The neighborhood" at Pittsburgh Mills Mall. There is a lot for him to do for free and some you have to pay for that is totally worth it. Blake told me yesterday that sometimes it is not great to have an art mom because you have to share the computer. It sounds like he needs a day on the outside to me.

Tonight I will finish painting number four. While I watch "the office" special tonight! I can't wait!!!!!

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