Folk Art Art

Artist Comments
"Beja was an entertainer at one of the most colorful and notorious bars in Milwaukee," states artist Leroy Burt. "C’est La Vie cater...

Artist Comments
Artist Kira Yustak reveals a diverse perspective of a thriving forest. Inspired by her deep connection with the earth, Kira depicts a large root system below ...

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman presents a contemporary portrait of a young tattooed woman. Her fiery red locks draw the viewer's attent...

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman illustrates a nude portrait of a woman in the deep woods. She uses her unique combination of colors, patterns, and details, presenting a tattooed woman with flowing hair basking in the brilliant sunset light, surrounded by pygmy owls. Johansen draws fascination from the majesty of birds of prey and how they enhance the beauty of the human body. "The peacefulness of the ethereal moment is interrupted by the piercing eyes of the woman and her feathered friends," shares Johansen.

About the Artist
Artist Johansen Newman captures various characters through charming scenes that often weave nostalgia. A reflection of her fondness for edge and funk prevails in her dynamic portrayal of humans with animals and objects of their affection. As a toddler, her mother gave her crayons and allowed her to draw on the walls of her room. She pursued a degree in painting and printmaking, then furthered her education by studying with Bil Baird at his puppet theater in New York, ultimately forming her puppet troupe. Years of crafting puppets, designing scenery, writing stories, and performing shows developed her arsenal of skills—going on to be an award-winning fiber artist exhibiting throughout North America. She integrates these learnings into her current art practice. "My paintings capture fragments of a tale in a time and place that was, is, or has the promise to become," says Johansen. She works at her studio and display gallery at Gorse Mill Studios, a 19th Century textile mill building in Needham, MA. Her woodworking shop doubles as her home studio, where she constantly evolves her compositions to satisfy her aesthetic. Johansen's work has been featured on the cover of local publications, in pictorial essays, and toured museums across the United States. She was a professional and published illustrator for more than 35 years, including two dozen children's books, three of which she also wrote. Besides creating art, she finds herself an enthusiast of vintage collectibles, jukeboxes, signages, tin toys, neon lights, cookie jars, carnival chalkware...

Artist Comments
"The moon and stars twinkle in the night sky while lights from windows create their own firmament," describes artist Pat Forbes. A charming cityscape created with marks, scratches, and drips of color. Irregularly built structures stack up to the starry night sky in a cool monochrome palette. The result is a quirky and captivating piece.

About the Artist
Pat Forbes is an abstract painter whose aesthetic is heavily influenced by her 20 years as a collector and dealer of Middle Eastern textiles. Pat, who lives on the west coast of Florida, uses a neutral palette to present her interpretation of the world around her– from marshes and mountains to stones and spiderwebs. She is drawn to pattern and design, both of which influence the use of balanced repetition in her work. Pat’s muted colors invite pensive meditation, while her deliberate use of line guides the eye through satisfyingly symmetrical compositions.

Words that describe this painting: architecture, night, buildings, moon, stars, windows, city, cityscape,, architecture, acrylic painting, blue

Good Night...

Artist Comments
"This playful reptile rests amongst native flowers and insects," says artist Jessica JH Roller. A happy crocodile comfortably relaxes against a pastel pink ba...

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman paints a portrait of two men with their shaggy-haired dog and two cats. A diverse array of potted plants...

Artist Comments
Two nude figures join hands in artist Libby Ramage's arresting primitive piece. The elderly couple braces themselves going into an uncertain future. "The firs...