On Tuesday, January 22nd, over one hundred pieces of outsider art will hit the auction block in New York City at Christie’s annual ‘Outsider Art’ auction. While I may never be able to afford these works, and while the idea of the artists who made these works never seeing the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars that these will sell for next week is a bit of a bummer, they’re are quite a few jaw dropping works that are worth talking about here today.
Two years ago when I first wrote this article what jumped out to me is works by artists like Bill Traylor, Sam Doyle and Minnie Evans that were so unique and different than the oeuvre (I love this word) we’ve come to expect from these artists. This year is no different.
Last year, I found myself at Christie’s to see the works in person and see the inner workings of the auction. While possibly a tad out of place, it was a worthwhile experience that luckily I made it out alive. I was afraid to move a muscle or look at the auctioneer in the eye, especially since the lady in front of me kept bidding up to $63,000 for this Minnie Evans work. I like Minnie’s work but I don’t have $63,000 to spend!
And then there’s the $300,000 William Edmondson.
This year, a lot of familiar names and faces, but a good amount of “never before seen” works that tend to come out of private collections for the first time before they head to a Texas ranch to be enjoyed by no one for a very long time.
While every work up for auction is a beauty and I would kill to own and hang in my office, there are fifteen that really jump out to me and made me audibly exclaim, “oh dear.”
From Bill Traylor to Clementine Hunter, to Raymond Masteron, William Hawkins, and Judith Scott to name a few, these are the can’t miss works at Christie’s outsider Art auction next week.
All artworks listed below are in no particular order with their title, year made, and materials used to create—an estimate of worth per Christie’s.
1. WILLIAM HAWKINS
My favorite artist of all-time, a really fun example of his creativity, exploration of materials and medium, and passion for architecture that William Hawkins so brilliantly interpreted. One day I’ll own a Hawkins but it won’t be this one!
Estimate: $50,000-$100,000 USD
2. CLEMENTINE HUNTER
Clementine Hunter, a self-taught memory painter from Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, painted scenes from her life as she saw it living and working on Melrose Plantation. I have seen wedding scenes and funeral scenes by Clementine, but never “the wake”. Which I love. Don’t you just love the charming lack of depth and perspective combined with the classic simplistic people here on a mission to mourn? I can’t get enough of Clementine Hunter’s work.
Estimate: $4,000-$6,000 USD
3. BILL TRAYLOR
Not your typical Bill Traylor. Normally you’ll see animals, construction sites, people — some drunk, some arguing. But this pitcher and bowl is terrifically simplistic and full of beauty and charm.
Estimate: $20,000-$40,000 USD
4. JUDITH SCOTT
This is one of four Judith Scott works available at auction, an earlier work from 1989 that shows the beginning of Scott’s creative process. While her later works started to encompass many more found materials — bike wheels, shoes, door knobs and if there are flies circling around it, as Tom di Maria told me once, could very well be a ham sandwich. But this work, created only two years after Judith started at Creative Growth in Oakland is a friendly reminder of how things started for one of the greatest textile artists of all-time.
Estimate: $15,000-$30,000 USD
5. FRIEDRICH SCHRÖDER-SONNENSTERN
Freidrich goes so hard and this one is no different! For only a few thousand dollars, this is a steal!
Estimate: $2,000-$4,000 USD
6. ELIJAH PIERCE AND LEROY ALMON
I shared this on social media last week and thought the internet would break. But, as you are aware, the internet did not break and only the real ones saw and hopefully appreciated this work. Elijah Pierce, the mentor of Leroy Almon, often collaborated on pieces, including this carved wood interpretation of the most famous artwork of all-time. Eventually, Almon went his own way but this is an excellent example of two of the best self-taught wood carvers working together. Someone is going to get this and they better hang it in a perfect place and really enjoy the heck out of it.
Estimate: $20,000-$40,000 USD
7. RAYMOND MATERSON
The story of Raymond Materson is incredible. The work of Raymond Materson is even more mind-blowing. A self-taught artist who started making these roughly playing card-sized works of art from sock threads and boxer shirts while in prison. He became famous in prison, trading his works for coffee and cigarettes, he is now out of prison and even more popular where he is representing by Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York City. His work is showcased around the country and sold for more than coffee and cigarettes. Materson is one of the few artists in this auction, along with Dan Miller, who is still alive and art-making.
Estimate: $4,000-$6,000 USD
8. MINNIE EVANS
All of Minnie’s works are so stunningly warm and vibrant with color and expression. This work, great symmetry and imagery is another brilliant example of Minnie Evan’s religiosity come to life in her unmistakable crayon on paper drawings. As mentioned, last year a work by Evans went for over $60,000, this work is a little smaller but striking none the less. We’ll see how high this one makes it this year.
Estimate: $7,000-$10,000 USD
9. WINFRED REMBERT
15 x 15 in.
I don’t know a ton about Winfred Rembert. I know he used hand-tools and shoe dye on leather canvases to create his, at least at the past few Christie’s auctions, very expensive works of art. Not that I don’t like his normal work, scenes from the Jim Crow South as he crew up in 1950’s Georgia and was unfairly arrested and held without charge, I really enjoy the warmness of this work of art. I wouldn’t be shocked if this one sailed north of pre-auction estimate.
Estimate: $20,000-$40,000 USD
10. THORNTON DIAL
Two years ago, Jane Fonda’s work by Thornton Dial went for over $100,000. Last year, his incredibly striking tiger work, nearly an all black canvas with hints of browns, blues, and reds blew me away. Dial, a man who transcended the outsider art category and was fortunate to live long enough to see some success and recognition, has one of the most impressive ouerve of works I’ve ever seen and this one is no different. Why are we not talking about Thornton Dial all day everyday? We are really not worthy of his genius.
Estimate: $8,000-$12,000 USD
1 1. CHARLIE WILLETO
Per the Smithsonian, “A traditional Navajo sheepherder, Charlie Willeto began carving in the early 1960s, only a few years before his death. He used his works as barter—a standard form of trade on the reservation”. As I teach my art history students, art or artifact? You be the judge…
Estimate: $3,000-$5,000 USD
12. DAN MILLER
While Dan Miller’s artwork may not make sense to you, it makes sense to him. And that’s good enough for me.
Estimate: $6,000-$8,000 USD
13. AMOS FERGUSON
Amos Ferguson’s works feel like a vacation. Probably because the late artist created all of his works in and about his native Bahamas, last year Ferguson’s works were another that outpaced expectations with one hitting a $30,000 gavel. These works sure do warm your heart on a cold January day.
Estimate: $5,000-$10,000 USD
14. SISTER GERTRUDE MORGAN
Sister Gertrude Morgan had one mission for her artwork, to spread the Word of God. As a former street preacher from New Orleans turned poet, musician, and artist, Morgan sure did make it happen in her work. This one is not as overtly religious as most works, perhaps a children’s choir singing gospel songs. The composition and colors, and all the faces are so strikingly original and uniquely Morgan. Good luck not feeling the spirit after buying this and hanging it above your fireplace!
Estimate: $8,000-$12,000 USD
15. LAURA CRAIG MCNELLIS
Support living artists!
Estimate: $1,500-$3,000 USD
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