Chicago - Folk Art

Vintage Carved African/Jamaican Bob Marley Style Rasta Live Edge Wall Sculpture This vintage carved wall sculpture embodies the essence of African and Jamaican artistry, featuring ...

Characterized by its open shape capped with geometric ends, this bracelet is but one form of the many types of body adornments favored the Fulani people of West Africa. The thick des...

Full of charm and personality, this mid-20th century American iron bootscrape takes the form of a cheeky rooster—one foot lifted mid-strut, tail feathers slightly ruffled, and a know...

A striking early 20th century Navajo blanket with a bold all-over diamond pattern woven in crimson, white, gray, and black wool.

A large 19th century Central American wooden mortar with a beautifully hand-hewn texture and a well worn finish. Mortars like these were used to crush grains, spices, herbs, and othe...

Exhibiting a rich patina and a beautifully irregular pattern of pitted wear, this petite redware olla vessel shows many telltale signs of Pre-Columbian pottery. The vessel has a glob...

Vijaypath was a Bollywood action hit in 1994. It's critically acclaimed soundtrack topped charts across the world and became one of the most recognizable in India's history. The film's international success is evident in this hand-painted advertisement...

This extraordinary 20th century Emberá-Wounaan basket is a testament to the remarkable craftsmanship of the indigenous Emberá-Wounaan people of Panama a...

A fantastic 19th century Afo culture wrought iron spade currency piece mounted on custom steel stand. Currency pieces like these were used for large purchases including land or lives...

A wonderful early 20th century Mende handwoven Country Cloth composed of twelve narrow strips of indigo and cream dyed cotton and arranged to create a checkerboard pattern, and hand ...

A captivating and intriguing early 20th century Southern American folk art panel, found in Mississippi, depicting a figure with what appears to be African tribal headgear, and wearing a white collared shirt with black suit jacket. The line work and attention to detail is extraordinary and mysterious, with the artist choosing to incorporate a natural knot in the board to form the mouth of the figure, and the left half of the drawing showing shading, but seemingly left unfinished. The frame is not terribly old, and is constructed from splatter-painted boards...

This hand-turned ash wood bowl, found in Wisconsin’s Door County, is a celebration of natural form and craftsmanship. Carefully shaped by a local artisan, it retains its organic edge...

These wooden sculptures are stringed instruments known as ligombo, a form of elongated trough zither attributed to the Nyamwezi people of Tanzania and greater East Africa. Originally...

This petite hand-formed vessel bears a richly textured surface of worn red clay slip and dark smoke marks. Likely intended for everyday use, the simple bottle-form vessel reflects th...

This wonderfully strange boulder—carved into the unmistakable form of a dragon’s head—is equal parts folk art, artifact, and mystery. With a wide toothy grin, eyes on either side, an...

A wonderful and thought provoking pair of early 20th century American Trench Art candlesticks made from the spent brass casings of naval artillery shells.

Celebrate the whimsical charm of American Folk Art with this hand-carved pine sculpture resembling a baguette, a delightful fusion of creativity and ...

An incredible early 20th century Makenge hand-built ceramic palm wine pot with a graceful shape including a narrow neck and a wide belly. The pot is covered ...

So as not to muss their intricate hairstyles while sleeping, Ethiopian women would traditionally rest their heads on these petite wooden stands. The combination of conic base and con...

This vibrant vintage Indian hand-embroidered textile draws inspiration from Persian Suzanis, reinterpreted through a distinctly South Asian lens. A grid of large, bold floral medalli...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of found steel is reworked whi...

An Italian cherub, carved from linden wood wood. This graceful and exceptionally well-carved figure was likely part of an altar ensemble. The eyes and face are particularly well-form...

A special and whimsical pair of early 20th century American hands-carved wood Eider Duck decoys with black and white painted bodies and eyes.

A lovely example of the 1960's sculpture by celebrated artist Cleo Hartwig. This is her iconic peace dove that was reproduced by Sculptor Collectors. This piece was signed "in mo...

A stoneware sculpture created by artist David Gill for Bennington Potters. It features a head with imprinted numbers, made of two halves attached to a leucite stand. In the 1950s, Gi...

A whimsical 19th century American string holder in shape of a ball of string. The weight of the holder keeps it in place, but opens up when picked up. We have a similar one in our ki...

This rustic wooden container dates to the early 20th century and was once used to store dry goods or household items in a provincial home in Yunnan province. Hollowed from a single t...

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn...

A pair of wonderfully sculptural early 20th century handwoven wicker shields from the Tamberma people of Togo, mounted on custom steel stands.

This 20th-century Italian wild boar shooting target is a bold and rugged piece of history, crafted from half-inch iron to withstand decades of use in the field. Originally designed for target practice, it would have been placed outdoors, challenging marksmen to test their skills against its lifelike silhouette. Its durable construction has weathered the years, leaving behind a patina that adds character and speaks to its authentic past. Today, this heavy-gauge iron target...

A provocative late 20th century Kuba cloth panel with a bold zigzag and diamond pattern woven in black and natural cut pile raffia surrounding a tongu...

Equisite pair of cast brass Carnivale masks mounted on black marble plinth bases. Very nicely patinated.

A wonderful and charming early 20th century American bush plane model constructed with painted canvas stretched over a wooden skeleton, and mounted on a custom steel mount.

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has welded together various washers and cyl...

A 1940s French male bust, hand-crafted from solid stone. This quietly impactful piece is rendered with meticulous detail, from the textured curls of his hair to his defined facial fe...

A fascinating and truly unique early 20th century American Folk Art box with the most wonderful Greek temple design with eight blue painted Doric columns around the perimeter and wit...

A wonderful set of five early 20th century iron phallus figures from Togo. Fertility figures like these were planted in the ground of a farmer's fiel...

Own a piece of Wisconsin's history with this early 20th century hand-painted sign from an early 20th-century chiropractor's office. The sign, found in a barn in the heart of Wisconsi...

To ward off evil and exert positive influences on the spirit world, the Baule people engage in a daylong masquerade known as the Goli. A sequence of four masks are donned during the ...

A chic modernist early 20th century Dan Peoples stool from Ivory Coast, carved from one piece of wood with a simple hourglass form, and the most wonderful p...

Jim Rose Standing found industrial objects 41h x 10w x 10d in 104.14h x 25.40w x 25.40d cm JR0355 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2006 27th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2006 Containers of All Dimensions, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2005 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2004 Right at Home: American Studio Furniture, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. 2004 American Collections, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2004 More Than Drawers-Wisconsin Cabinets, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2004 Objects of Wonder, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI 2003 Planting, Potting and Pruning, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI 2003 Men at Work, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2002 Case Pieces: Contemporary Studio Furniture, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Univ of WI-Madison 2002 Sitting Pretty: Contemporary Wisconsin Chairs, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2001 Anything with a Drawer - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2001 23rd Annual Contemporary Crafts - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2000 New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 2000 Who Knows Where or When, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 1999 The End is Near! Artists look at the 20th Century, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI Selected collections Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona The Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Kohler Company, Kohler, Wisconsin Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, Indiana The Chipstone Foundation, Fox Point, Wisconsin Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin Publications “Selected Artists of Door County” Stonehill Publishing, 2016 “Galvanized Chest” Door County Living Magazine, Autumn 2012 “100 Artists of the Midwest” Schiffer Books, 2012 “Piecework” American Craft Magazine, February 2012 “Hiding Places, Memory in the Arts” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, June 2011 “Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary” Museum of Arts and Design, NY, August 2008 “Studio Furniture” Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, DC, May 2008 “Discoveries by Designers” Architectural Digest, December 2005 “Contemporary Metal Furniture” Metalsmith Magazine, Winter 2003 “Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” American Craft Magazine, October 2002 “Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” Elvehjem Museum of Art, 2002 “Chicago Style...

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. Thes...

This petite hand-formed vessel bears a richly textured surface of worn red clay slip and dark smoke marks. Likely intended for everyday use, the simple bottle-form vessel reflects th...

This remarkable 19th-century American Folk Art vessel, expertly carved from a natural burl to resemble a horse's hoof, is a quintessential example of Folk Art's imaginative and uncon...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire. This colorful example of African beadwork...

Imposing and evocative, this large stone bust captures the stoic intensity of Emperor Caracalla, one of ancient Rome's most infamous figures. Created in 1940s France, the sculpture e...

Composed of fifteen miniature heads welded onto a circular form, this intricate necklace is styled after the prestige collars worn by royalty of the Kingdom of Bamum, a pre-colonial ...

A bold and striking 20th century American blacksmith's sign with an arm swinging a hammer against a block of metal on an anvil, and with sparks flying from the impact. We've had this...

Marked by the telltale Bamileke rounded disc seat and base, this stool features a group of pondering human figures as its vertical supports instead of the more common abstract carvin...

A wonderful early 20th century hand-woven oak splint gathering basket with a single bent oak handle, a double banded rim, and a lovely wonky shape. Found in Wisconsin.

Antique French Double Seater Carousel Rocker Horse Beautiful antique French double seat carousel rocking horse. The horse is carved wood and h...

Ovoid pots were an elegant storage solution in African tribal life. This beautifully balanced example is attributed to the Toussian people of Western Burkina Faso. Masterfully made to protect its contents from the elements, pots such as this one were coiled by female ceramists to hold food or personal...

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida (Ivory Coast) hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched frame. This kerchief was not woven on ...

Known for his steel furniture, Jim Rose was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has paired various repurposed finds together to create...

Stamped and cut polished metal tribal mask. Foliate headdress, pierced and plated lower lip with pierced ears joining together in a necklace. Three dimensional with lacquered black b...

A wonderfully sculptural Kirdi leather shield from Cameroon, with a beautiful geometric pattern that's been 'stamped' into the leather resulting a raise...

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched board that floats off the wall in the shape of the k...