Outsider Art

Artist Comments
A boy and a bear sit back to back on a boat, one reading a book and the other blowing bubbles to a duck. Their quiet moment shows that friendship is a special k...

Artist Comments
This painting vividly captures an old, abandoned farmhouse in disrepair, its weathered wood a testament to time. Beside it, a rickety outhouse leans, equally ne...

Artist Comments
During her stay in South Florida, artist Jessica JH Roller visited the beach daily and painted on the calmer mornings. She created this piece during the trip, capturing the short-eared bunnies that emerged from the dunes each day, alongside the emerald and turquoise waters of the Atlantic coast. The folk art style, with its bold colors and black outlines, gives the piece a vibrant and playful quality.

About the Artist
Artist Jessica JH Roller paints whimsical and playful compositions of animals and people, marked by bold colors and primitivist linework. She distills a scene into a few simple shapes, using color to create contrast and vibrancy, often choosing palettes that reflect pop culture. "My adopted kittens, Tony and Larry, opened my eyes and unleashed the artist inside me," shares Jessica. "After, I started to notice birds, trees, color, everything." Jessica brings to life her dynamic creations in the comfort of her studio in her century-old home. She enjoys listening to music and audiobooks while painting with her 18-year-old acrylic-covered easel. When not painting, Jessica cherishes time with her family and five cats, teaches yoga, and enjoys cycling along the river.

Words that describe this painting: ocean, tropical, sea, folk art, rabbits, bunnies, dune, beach, shore, animals, primitive, acrylic painting, green

Beach Bunnies...

Artist Comments
The magic of fireflies fills the field, tempting three clever foxes to chase and capture them. They intend to use the glowing insects for various important pu...

Artist Comments
A colorful scene of a carnival in Rochester, Minnesota, with two young people strapped into their seats waiting for the ride to start. "I love the tawdry splendor of gaudy carnival attractions," says artist Leroy Burt. "Flashing lights and bright colors. One often sees the most unlikely combinations of people who might never meet except during those moments when they sit next to each other on rides."

About the Artist
Artist Leroy Burt paints playful, offbeat landscapes and portraits based on his experiences living in Milwaukee, New York, Costa Rica, and currently Rochester, Minnesota. "I think of my paintings as short stories," he says. As a young child, Leroy faced a number of obstacles. His parents divorced when he was four years old and he was raised by his grandparents in a three-room shack without running water or electricity. Leroy worked hard to pull himself out of poverty. He studied graphic design and painting, which led to a 30-year career in graphic design - five years at WMVS, the PBS television station in Milwaukee, fifteen years at city hall in Milwaukee, and ten years at WNET, the PBS station in New York. In 2015, Leroy retired to focus his energy on painting. Today, he works from a tiny studio filled with half-finished paintings stacked against every wall. "There are photos and sketches for future paintings taped everywhere," says Leroy. "My windows are filled with orchids. There are books, films and music CDs in every corner. And the room is dominated by a black and silver Andy Warhol silkscreen print of Marilyn Monroe."

Words that describe this painting: David Hockney, Edward Hopper, carnival, lights, excitement, colorful, folk art, people, representational, primitive, acrylic painting, blue

Carnival Ride...

Artist Comments
Everyone said the old dragon was grouchy, grumpy, and mean. Some even said he was dangerous and should be left alone. "A monster!" others cried, warning their...

Artist Comments
"Rosemary and her cat dad need one another to feel completely relaxed," says artist Jessica JH Roller. "Both are so gentle, so kind and if her cat dad sits do...

Artist Comments
Towering red mountains rise under a yellow sky, their peaks brushing against the passing clouds. A pathway winds through the landscape. Walking amongst Colora...

Artist Comments
Part of Rachel's Rodeo Tarot series. A playful interpretation of The Sun card. The sun hovers above the landscape with a slight smile. Twin girls reach for each other behind the bottom rays and the scene is bordered by prancing horses. The base layer of the painting is acrylic gold paint as a symbol of the heat and fundamental life giving force of the sun. The eyes of the sun are gold acrylic paint. "This sun painting is my version of the Tarot card and influenced by my horse obsessed childhood and my childlike interpretation of the solar being, the childlike sense of completion, openness, and light and my newly linked connection with Tarot," says Rachel.

About the Artist
For Rachel Srinivasan, an idea is worth putting on a canvas only if it still feels exciting after a few days. Rachel enjoys mulling the idea over in her mind for some time before creating an artwork. She hopes viewers will engage with her work and wonder about the subject matter, shapes and colors. "My current work is all about creating a connection between the person on the canvas with the viewer," she explains. She prefers large paintings and sometimes even makes her own canvases. She currently lives in Arizona and enjoys baking rhubarb pies, reading, running and going to art museums.

Words that describe this painting: sun, solar, Tarot card, cosmic, stars, horses, daydream, twins, equine, fantasy, representational, primitive, oil painting, yellow

The Sun Tarot...

Artist Comments
"On hot summer afternoons on the East Side of Milwaukee, a young man could often be seen carrying his pet Tegu lizard to Bradford Beach so it could bask in the sun," says artist Leroy Burt...

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
Vibrant purple irises with their deep green leaves capture the height of spring. Tucked between a sidewalk and a parking lot in artist Valerie Berkley’s nei...

Artist Comments
Artist Jessica JH Roller spent time in South Florida Beach, where numerous species of crabs roam on the shore, lagoon, and bike trail. Jessica depicted them i...

Artist Comments
Delicate blue butterflies flit across a softly textured neutral background. Subtle black outlines define their fragile forms, while their rhythmic repetition cr...

Artist Comments
Artist Libby Ramage presents a modern expressionist piece collaged from abandoned students' works. She comes up with a composition clamoring in joy. Cartoonis...

Artist Comments
A lone figure sits at the end of a wooden dock, quietly waiting for a catch. A small boat gently floats nearby and casts its reflection on the calm water. The l...

Artist Comments
In this uplifting garden view, artist Drew Noel Marin combines a bright palette with soft, rhythmic strokes to set a warm summer mood. Orange and pink blossoms ...

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
A colorful scene of a busy street in San Jose, Costa Rica on a hot January morning. "One of the fascinating things about San Jose is the contrasts between the old and the new," says artist Leroy Burt...