New York City’s street art exploded in the 1970s, though it’s been around for at least 60 years in the US and even longer in other countries.  Chances are you’ve …

Painting public spaces is illegal, so street artists often practice their craft under the secrecy of darkness.  But is that still true? Relatively recently, this art form gained recognition on …

Hidden in the swirling lines of artist Keith Haring’s work is the tag LA II. Haring was an icon of the 1980s and 90s New York art world. He met …

Masks in Mexican folk art are more than just decoration. Worn in folk dances around the country, the masks are an ever-present part of Mexican culture.  Indigenous people used them …

Folk art is essential in indigenous cultures, and Native American ledger drawings are no exception.  Plains tribes kept pictorial records of their history on rocks, hides, and finally on paper …

Have you ever seen Ghana barbershop paintings? Barbershops in Ghana regularly used hand-painted signs to showcase the popular hairstyles of the time.  In the 1970s, these barbershop paintings were collected …

Outsider Art is a refreshing antidote to the “old dead white guy” canon of traditional Fine Art.  The cost of entry isn’t a six-figure student debt load and an art …

Some say Howard Finster introduced millions to the term Outsider Art. A 2021 article by Far Out magazine even called him the master of the genre. But who is Howard …

Merle Locke has conversations with his ancestors. His art tells the story of a time, not so long ago, when warriors and bison roamed the Great Plains freely.  Through the …

Is it vandalism or Mr. Brainwash?  Graffiti is an old practice with examples going back to the ancient Egyptians. It expresses the untamed, provocative nature of a local community.  Mr. …

Outsider artist Purvis Young turned found objects into artwork. His images often represented African-American life in the South.  Young’s rise in the art world is an interesting one. While his …

The saying goes, “Everyone’s a critic,” but Jerry Saltz really is. An art aficionado, coffee addict, and social media influencer, he brings a unique perspective to the creative world.  Never …

Trains, diners, and muscular women characterize the outsider art of Lewis Smith.  His vision gives us a connection to his early twentieth-century adventures. But who was this outsider, and how …

Outsider Art is full of characters, and Libra Patriarch Prophet Lord Archbishop Apostle Visionary Mystic Psychic Saint Royal Robertson fits the bill.  After his wife left him, two distinct styles …

Haitian Folk Art emerged on the international art scene in the 1940s. For such a rich and complex culture, it feels like long-overdue recognition.  But the history of Haiti contains …

Is folk art, painting, wood carving, and quilting? Yes. Is folk art, weaving, drawing, and metalworking? It can be.  These and many other productions express the everyday traditions of non-conventional …

Daniel Johnston was a cult figure in his own right, but he never achieved mainstream celebrity.  However, musicians such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Butthole Surfers, and Sonic Youth considered him …

In the outsider art world, Madeline Donahue is in a grey area. Most argue that artists in this genre must come in untrained.  Donahue certainly has training, having obtained two …

Mose Tolliver was one of the foremost Outsider artists of the 20th century. His work, characterized by bright colors, birds, watermelons, and darkly erotic content, strikes a chord with viewers.  …

R.A. Miller started making art when they took away his driver’s license. A prominent figure in Southern Folk Art, he spent his early years as an itinerant preacher and farmer.  …