THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART
FEATURED ARTIST
OH WORD?
I had the great pleasure a few weeks back of hearing Bill Swizlow, founder of Cars.com and expert on America’s great roadside attractions, share his knowledge on the great hidden gems across the country. From art environment’s like the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa to Calvin and Ruby Black’s Possum Trot and beyond, it was a thoroughly insightful and enjoyable way to spend a Tuesday night.
Now, watch it any night of the week, as Society for Commercial Archeology and in partnership with the Intuit Art Center in Chicago has uploaded the recording to YouTube.
Join SCA board member, Bill Swislow, as we look at some of the country’s oddest roadside attractions, the ones so eccentric that calling them works of art is the only way to do them justice. These places of intense creativity, whether a sculpture-filled yard or an immersive environment where every foot of space is covered with art, are most often the work of individuals who create solely for the sake of their own pleasure or obsession. But some of these environments also have a commercial or other public dimension, even if it only evolved after tourists started stopping to gawk. We’ll explore the most interesting of these sites and their creators.
via Society for Commercial Archeology
HAPPENINGS
GO SEE:
NEW YORK
- Andrew Edlin Gallery: Ray Materson: Embroideries, 1990–2023 // Feb 04 – Mar 18
- Cavin-Morris Gallery: The Go-betweens: New Work by Christine Sefolosha, and Sylvain and Ghyslaine Staëlens // Feb 02 – Apr 01
- Ricco/Maresca Gallery: UN/RELATED: Christine Hughes, Kate Berry Brown, Lisa Ivory // Dec 08 – Feb 18
- SHRINE NYC: Cécile Lobert: Unspoken // Jan 06 – Feb 18
CHICAGO
LOS ANGELES
- SHRINE LA: Death of an Outsider // Feb 14 – Mar 18
- Including works by Hayley Barker, David Butler, Minnie Evans, Frank Jones, Rob Ober, Bill Traylor + More
PHILADELPHIA
TEXAS
- SAGE Studio: By Design // Opening Feb 04
- Webb Gallery Waxahachie: Margaret Sullivan Jewelry & Paintings by Teresa Watson + Webb’s Fair & Square in Fort Davis: Garden Party // Paintings & Cutouts by Jackie Dunn Smith + Decanters by Adam Shrewsbury
WISCONSIN
- Art Against The Odds: Wisconsin Prison Art Exhibition at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design // Jan 19 – Mar 11
- John Michael Kohler Arts Center: Creative! Growth! // May 21 – May 19
- Milwaukee Art Museum: Playing Favorites: Spotlight on the Petullo Collection // Oct 08 – Apr 02
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Introducing The FolkArtwork Collective
- David Bowie Drew Inspiration From Legendary Outsider Artist Daniel Johnston
- Jane Fonda, Collector of Outsider Art, Auctioning 14 Works at Christie’s
- The Best in Outsider Art from 2022
- The Greatest List of All-Time for Must-Watch Documentaries on Outsider Artists
- Art Environments in the Midwest: Photos, Videos, Info, and more!
- Looking for a good book on Outsider Art? Look no further!
- Change Makers: Stories that Inspire: Life & Work with Adam Oestreich
FROM THE COLLECTIVE
And check out original artwork for sale at the FolkArtwork Collective
Thank you <3