Outsider Art

Artist Comments
Artist Jessica JH Roller paints a woman sitting on the ground with her legs crossed. Vibrant wildflowers in pink and red thrive all around her. "Summer is in ...

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"I am fascinated by people surrounded by the things they love," shares artist Johansen Newman. She paints a couple posing proudly with their blue and white stoneware...

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

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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 ...

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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...

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

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Artist Kira Yustak reveals a charming landscape in her recognizable style of primitivism. A prismatic rainbow emerges from the raging waterfall connecting to ...

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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...

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Artist Lee Smith paints a golden-haired young woman walking her lively pup through a neighborhood. “Monica loves getting out in the...

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Artist Johansen Newman shares a portrait of an older man wearing a teal shirt and a straw hat. "Over the years, I've spent a lot of ...

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Artist Johansen Newman displays a detailed portrait of a woman carrying a potted plant. Birds sit on the branches and planter a...

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Artist Lee Smith paints a playful pack of dogs leaping headlong, intent on the fun. Bold linework with teal highlights outlines their rich golden hues. The wh...

Artist Comments
Artist Lee Smith presents a mischievous-looking rabbit in the act of running away. She leaves out the pursuer from the composition, allowing the viewer to create their own narrative. Bold black linework with strategically placed teal accents outlines the patterned golden hues of the charming hare. The gray background allows the subject to take center stage, enhanced with a complex system of white tick marks, which add interest and help create the feeling of action and motion.

About the Artist
Artist Lee Smith combines abstract, expressionist, and gritty contemporary art in her work. “My style is greatly influenced by years spent in CGI production and an unapologetic love for the daily comics,” says Lee. As a keen observer, she finds her inspiration in the social aspects of life. Her work represents human emotions and portrays these emotions by illustrating the animal world, often using those popular companions—cats and dogs. In her long professional career, Lee has worked as a newspaper layout artist, a visual merchandising specialist, a freelance graphic artist, a technical illustrator, and an art director. Lee retired from the corporate world ten years ago to concentrate on her art career. “Although I studied art in college, I prefer to describe myself as 'self-taught.' Years of irreplaceable hands-on experience have provided an extensive and invaluable continuing education in the arts,” says Lee. When building her current home in Oregon, she added a small studio that she keeps organized and clutter-free. She wears her trusty paint-covered denim overall when working, and typically listens to audiobooks or podcasts. “I have dozens of paintbrushes in cans all over the studio, but I have only about 10 favorites that I always use.”

Words that describe this painting: rabbit, bunny, grin, teeth, eyes, pattern, running, run, leap, leaping, animal, ears, feet, legs, jack rabbit, mixed media, playful, animals, mixed media artwork, grey

The Getaway...

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"Yannis was a waiter at one of Milwaukee’s finest Greek restaurants, the Mykonos Gyro and Cafe," states artist Leroy Burt. "His favorite dish was Saganak—Kefa...

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Artist Jodi Dann paints an image of lemons with a contemporary approach. The zesty fruit falls throughout the composition as a literal play on the title. Jodi...

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Artist Libby Ramage takes inspiration from her seventh-grade son's algebra homework. She imposes a sheet of equations on the face of a prince's portrait. Libb...

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In 2016 I inherited an envelope of old photographs my mother had taken at a closed and soon to be demolished icon of my area, Idora Park. This old amusement p...

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Using her signature folk art style, artist Jessica JH Roller captures a tranquil scene of a woman sitting on the shore, looking out longingly at the sea. A q...

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A man collaged out of sheet music sings loudly in a visual stream of maps. His animal companion howls a silent tune. Artist Libby R...

Artist Comments
"The subtle feminine face in this piece displays an expression of definite reluctance to commitment," says artist Sharon Sieben. A woman bathed...