Folk Arts
Posted in Decorative Art Ideas on 03/21/2011 12:08 am by admin
Capturing the Soul of Folk Art
Some folk artists have the innate ability to do this with little time and effort but most strive to achieve this through hard work and patience. For some it can take years of trial and error before they’ve honed their craft to the point where their genuine originality shines through. Do not be discouraged. If you have more than just a passing interest in creating beautiful and sometimes traditional works of folk art you do not need formal art training to become a thoughtful folk artist.
Generally folk art styles can be passed down from generation to generation. Through the years, families have handed down their techniques to loved ones to carry on the tradition of creating homemade items usually made with a specific purpose in mind like a wooden toy or ceramic dishes. This folk art was designed out of necessity where the artist or their family could use the piece from day to day. Other folk art is created out of pure enjoyment, made to decorate the family home or give as gifts to other families and friends.
Popular folk art usually expresses a joyful emotion. The piece may contain basic color schemes such as works done by Maud Lewis. While she lived she could only afford certain colors and her work always seemed to portray cheerful scenes cut from her life’s experience such as oxen pulling a cart or people skating over a frozen pond in winter outside of a small village sprinkled with evergreens and local fauna. Since then her work has gained worldwide renown for its simple yet effective style. Maud Lewis really had the raw talent to capture the soul of her subject consistently. Over the years her output was prolific and that’s part of the reason she’s so celebrated today. It’s because she just kept at it!
Many people have studied Maud Lewis and others like her to gain inspiration for producing their own art. Many artists have followed in their predecessors footsteps to recapture subjects using various forms and mediums. Some have even gained recognition in this field. Some names of note in the Nova Scotia area are Joe Balcom, Maureen Newman, Joe Norris, the Nauglers of Camperdown, and Joe Sleep.
To have a look at some of this author’s delightful original compositions check out http://www.skyefolk.com. Or you can view and acquire customizable prints of my work at http://www.zazzle.com/skyefolkstore. Happy trails in your quest to capture your own soul with folk art.
About the Author
Philippine Folk Arts Theater Group’s Himig Kayumanggi ’83
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