I love folk art. Mostly it’s the eyes. One’s bigger, or missing, or just crazy. Or the face: confused, stunned, snaggle-toothed – it doesn’t matter so long as it’s not quite right in the context in which it appears. Something’s got to be slightly off or funny, some element of life as we know it somehow turned upside down.
My parents instilled this fascination. They mix bizarre animals into their collection of artifacts from all over the world, and these creatures, in their weirdness, highlight the more classically stunning pieces in their house. Every time I go to there, I find myself walking up to at least one nutty character and admiring it anew. Here's dog on sheep, which hangs quietly and brilliantly in their dining room.
And from Ukraine:
My parents gave us crane, one of my favourite things in our house.
And I got us this rat, by Ottawa artist Gwendolyn Best.
One of the things I like best about some folk art is that it looks as if it might have been done by a child. Get the eyes and silliness right, and you might have created something fun. That's all I aspire to in my paintings and drawings, and I've spent countless hours just playing, not having to do anything perfect. The kids join in more often than not (with Gwendolyn Best, too!) and we spend time together that way. Here are some of our creatures.
Comments