The 2013 season has begun...

Hello dear folk art lovers, I hope that you have  had a healthy, joyful and adventure filled year.
Over the last couple of months I have had a chance to visit with many of the folk artists whose work I carry and I am happy to report that  everyone seems to have "wintered" well and is looking forward to a successful summer season.
Among the pieces that I  was able to purchase from Bradford Naugler is a   beautiful piece of a women with long black hair ,holding a cat and  sitting on a bright red chair. Somehow  Bradford managed to carve the women and chair out of one piece of wood.   Then I picked up an unusual piece from Peter Rafuse.  It is a piece called "popeye" and is entirely made of pieces of wood with large burls on it.  The burls look like groups of muscles - hence the title. 
I also have a number of pieces for sale which were assigned to me  my by a folk art collector of long standing.  Mostly they are pieces by artists no longer exhibiting at the NS Folk Art Festival.
I have photographs taken of many of the new pieces in the gallery  and I am waiting to receive them from the photographer to download  on to  my website.  Hopefully that will happen within the next couple of  weeks. 
In the mean time, I can talk a little about the pieces that are for sale.   There are four Eddie Mandaggio pieces.  One is a large, elegant, silver fish.  Another is a family of nicely painted ducks.  The Mommy duck has had some neck surgery but she has healed well.  The three little goslings that sit around her  are nicely painted and the entire family  looks very endearing.  Also by Eddie I have for sale two handsome robins.  One of them has a little feather in its mouth ready for nest building.  These robins can be sold separately. 
Another artist is Garnet McPhail who used to live near Wolfville and was a mentor to Peter Rafuse. Garnet taught Peter how to carve and while there is not a similarity between their work, I think that it is fair to say that both artists work/ed in a primitive style.  One of the Garnet pieces is a curvaceous white chicken.  Another is a large duck.  This piece is not dated. It probably was carved in the l990s. Underneath the duck the wood is cracked but as you know, cracks in wooden pieces of folk art do not detract from the pleasure of owning the piece. 
There is a Thomas Rector duck of about the same era.  I think that it is a Mallard duck - but I imagine when I get these images up on the site, someone will email me and correct me if I have mistaken my ducks.
Clarence Aulenback, whom I saw  recently is still working on occasion.  He  is   a wonderful story teller and Audrey his gentle wife is an avid listener. The Aulenback duck that is for sale does not show well in a photograph because it is essentially painted brown. However, the markings in green, maroon and blue are quite exquisite.  Clarence has a wonderful way of applying paint - his conceptualization of design is quite different to any other past or present folk  artist.
Last, there is Bradford's  beautiful tall, upright and  lean black bear with (nail) claws on his front and rear paws.
So my friends, I am now open for the season.  I am looking forward to saying hello to many of you over the next few months.  For the first time in many years Janet will not be working with me.  She has decided to take the summer off and I will be sharing my Spotted Frog time with Hilary who will also enjoy meeting you.  I will chat again soon - enjoy your gardens, beach walks, picnics or wherever else your energy takes you  and above all enjoy  the ones you love.  Inge 

Collection up-date

Hello again, this is very soon since my last post.  I thought that I would let you know that the three Bubby Moores pieces have been sold and the Eddie Mandaggio Oxen painting went as well.  I wish that pieces from the early folk artists would present themselves to me  as quickly as they disappear.  I am happy to say that the collector who bought them lives in Nova Scotia so they are staying in this Province.
If you have any pieces of folk art from the early and not so early artists and you are ready to dispose of them please remember to contact me.  I may well be in the market for what you own.
I and a dear friend of mine, also a folk art lover, are collecting data on some of the contemporary folk artists and we want to publish something on the subject.  Mostly we want t o  highlight the artists and their work.  I will keep you posted as our work progresses.  Also this summer I will have a videographer make a short film The Spotted Frog to post on my website - so things are and will be happening. Be well. Inge

It's May Again...

Hello dear folk art lovers,

It is almost mid May - finally I now have many new pieces of art on my website.  It has been fun meeting up with the artists again. It seems as if everyone is doing well and working hard at being creative.  The milder winter that we have had has made it easier for the artists to be in their workshops during the traditionally cold months of the year.  It seemed to me as if there was more finished work to chose from that other years at this time.

I have pieces of work by artists who are not shown on the website, so if there is an artist whose work you enjoy and you do not see it there, please contact me,perhaps I have a piece of that person's work at the gallery.Rick Brittain is the artist whose paintings have greatly evolved since I began selling his work.  He often paints on found objects or frames his work with found objects.  Many of his paintings depict empathic rural scenes using bright colours and lots of paint.  Barry Colpitts has been able to obtain difficult to secure cultural grants to carve a couple of pieces of work.  Congratulations Barry - your work has a large following.

In addition I have pieces for sale by deceased artist Bubby Moores who was most famous for his large carving of a naked (but not offensive) female named Penelope and she was often seen with her crouching poodle.  Unfortunately, I was not able to get a Penelope but I do have one poodle.  I have a bridal couple carved by him as well as a two foot female dressed in blue.  Then there is an Oxen painting by Eddie Mandaggio as well as a seascape by him.  Eddie has not done any work in many years and these pieces came to me from collectors who were downsizing.  I have a couple of lovely paintings by Leo Naugler.  I saw Leo a couple of weeks ago and he is looking healthier than he has for many years.  I also have a couple of pieces for sale by Don Lewis.

I hope that at some point between now and the end of October when the gallery closes I will again have an opportunity to meet many of you.  Not only are the folk artists familiar faces in my life, many of the collectors are becoming frequent summer visitors.  I will write again in a while.  Enjoy the warmer weather, stay healthy and I hope that you have lots of fun and laughter in your life. Inge

Seasons Greetings

Hello dear folk art lovers, this has been a difficult year for many people on our planet, people on our continent,in our community and in our family.  I hope that it has been a mostly good year for you.

I had intended to pick up all sorts of wonderful new pieces of folk art this fall and then life intervened.  A lovely friend became very ill and hospital visitations took up much of my free time.  However, I expect to dash around the Province in the spring and return with lots of beautiful pieces of folk art - many of which will be posted on the website. I will write again after my visit with the folk artists.   I look forward to seeing many of you at my gallery when I open again in May 2012.  Until then I wish you good health as well as  much joy and well being for 2012.  Inge

Hello Again

It has been a while since I have written anything - not because I have not thought about it - it is more that I have not just wanted to chatter - so here I am chattering. 

We are approaching the 23rd Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival - if you look up the Festival website you will find all sorts of information about the event and the artists.  This is my eighth year of being on the Festival  committee and participation continues to be much fun with interesting challenges.  Such as this year - should visitors be allowed to bring their pooches into the arena.  There have been some complaints that these little souls mistake carvings for fire hydrants - much to the chagrin of the artists and oblivion of the owners.

Each year new artists are added to the list of participants and unfortunately some do not return because of ill health and other personal reasons.  It saddens me when some of the long time participants no longer find it possible to attend.  We always hope that they will be back the following year and sometimes they do return.

Now for my gallery.  This is my tenth year of working, living with and loving folk art.  It has become such an integral part of my life that sometimes I think that I would like to reclaim my summers and not work.  Then each year I recoil at the notion of not driving around the Province picking up a colourful assortment of folk art figures, critters and paintings.  What I look forward to the most is seeing the artists again.  Their honest, genuine connection to their work touches my heart and I feel the artists presence in each of the pieces.

While ten years ago, I thought that I would sell only Nova Scotia folk art and  I have mostly kept that integrity; a few years ago I met a New Brunswick painter Pat Melanson whose work really appealed to me. He is an optimistic and joyful person whose paintings are colourful, humorous and well executed maritime scenes. His paintings have brought joy to those people who have been introduced to his work.  Then there is John Boorman from Ontario who is  a tall, friendly and curious person who loves searching his mind for new creative ideas.  His carvings are humorous, more contemporary in style than most of the work that I carry and also well executed.  For those of you who are familiar with my gallery you will recognize him as the "sardines in a can" artist.

This year I stretched my boundaries a little further.  I am selling a signed print of a seagull, painted by Craig Rubadoux who is a renown Florida/Nova Scotia artist.  In meeting him you would not get the impression that his paintings are in many corporate and Museum collections.  He has a quiet presence and is much more interested in hearing your story than in talking about his own.  I have chosen to sell this print because it fits in wonderfully with anyone's folk art collection. Also the price of Craig's original paintings is out of reach for most people so this is one way of owning a Rubadoux piece.

Then there is Kate Church, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate.  A warm unassuming creator who travels extensively to teach and generously share her skills.  Kate's figures are created out of tinted clay and her drinking vessels are made out of hand rolled porcelain.  For many years now she has produced prototypes and figures for Cirque du Soleil.

I could say lots more about each of these artists and their artistic style but for now this will suffice. By the end of August   I am hoping to have some of their work on display on my website in addition to more works by some of the folk artists whose work I carry.  Thank you for taking so much interest in my website.  Enjoy the joy of summer and all that it offers you. Inge

THOUGHTS ON NOVA SCOTIA FOLK ART

Folk Art or "art from the heart" created by self-taught artists illustrates wit and spontaneity, an imaginative and diverse use of materials as well as a lively and vivid use of colour. This creative art form consistently brings laughter and joy to the viewer.  It is an essential element of Nova Scotia's rich visual culture.

Some believe that the widespread surge of folk art creativity can, in part, be attributed to pensions. Financial freedom gave many individuals  an opportunity to express themselves artistically. It is often reported by the artists that they began carving in their sheds during the winter, offering their creations as gifts to family and friends.  Before long, requests were made by other relatives and friends to receive a carving for their birthday or Christmas. The folk artists often report that they were much bemused by the enthusiasm with which their creations were received and happily gifted their carvings.  Generally, these were not considered as pieces of art by the creator until someone came along and  offered payment.  So what began as a way of pleasantly passing away the cold winter days grew into recognition of artistic merit and a defined style of art. 

Most artists report that whittling away on a piece of wood,often pine, gives them great pleasure.  They feel relaxed and are able to lose themselves in their creation.  At times, the artist looks at a piece of wood and based on its shape has a strong sense of what they are going to make. Other times, inspiration comes from other sources.  The more known artists get specific requests.  Recently, while visiting one of the artists a customer was there picking up a stunning mermaid as a retirement gift for her husband.

Although many artists are retired having worked on the land, fishing or other occupations, the majority of folk artists continue to have employment and work at their creations in their spare time.  It is noted that most carvers are males and most painters are females.  I only know of two women who are presently carving.

The l976 opening of Folk Art in Nova Scotia exhibit at Halifax, which, at the end of its travels, was installed at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, did much to further the acceptance and appreciation of Nova Scotia Folk Art.

First Post

HELLO FOLK ART FRIENDS, I AM WRITING THIS BLOG BECAUSE I SEE THAT MANY OF YOU VISIT MY WEBSITE ON A REGULAR BASIS SO I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IN ADDITION TO THOSE GORGOUS PIECES OF FOLK ART. I WOULD LIKE TO CHAT WITH YOU FROM TIME TO TIME AND KEEP YOU INFORMED ABOUT THE ART AND ITS ARTISTS AS I EXPERIENCE THEM.