This Week in Outsider Art

❥ what my student thinks of me

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 10:03:05 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

Sid Howard’s “Mermaid” // Paint on wood; 14 inches tall via Black Sheep Gallery

FELIPE BENITO ARCHULETA Beaver (1981) // Paint on cottonwood; 23 1/2 inches tall via Turner Auctions + Appraisals

MARTÍN RAMÍREZ Untitled (Landscape with Arched Tree) 1953) via Ricco/Maresca Gallery

School Crossing Safety Guard Folk Art Trade Sign

AARON BIRNBAUM Untitled (Landscape with Rainbow) (c. 1980) // Oil, varnish, on masonite, found frame; 13 x 24 in (33 x 61 cm) via Kerry Schuss Gallery

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

ODILON REDON “The eye, like a strange balloon, mounts toward Infinity.” (1882) via Los Angeles County Museum of Art

MAXON SCYLLA “Adam and Eve” Vodou Flag (Drapo) (2010) // Sequins hand stitched on satin cloth; 37 × 33 1/2 in | 94 × 85.1 cm via Espace Lally

GEORGIA SPELLER A Lady Named Georgia Alice Fixing to Get Married and Got On Her Wedding Dress (1987) // Paint and pencil on paper; 18 x 12 inches via Toledo Museum of Art from Souls Grown Deep Foundation

WILLIAM HAWKINS Collage #2 with Virgin Nativity (1988) // Enamel paint and paper collage on Masonite; 60 x 48 ⅛ in. (152,5 x 122,2 cm) via Sothebys

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

JOSH CHEFITZ Skull and Crossword (2023) // Mixed media on denim cotton paper; 24 x 18 inches courtesy the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

ALVA GENE DEXHIMER Untitled (Look For Cat) (c. 1980s) // Pencil and Crayon on Cardboard via Personal Collection

This coming Friday, September 4th from 5pm-8pm come out to Mainframe Studios in Des Moines, Iowa to say hello and see my latest “exhibit” we’re calling KIDS.

I’ve long been in love and fascinated with artwork done by children. Having my own kids, working with kids as a teacher, it’s truly some of the greatest kind of art around. The colors, the imagery, the freedom to create without restraint. It’s almost always just perfect.

Come out to Mainframe studio #228 that I share with my good pal and artist extraorindaire Ashley Mary as I show off some of my favorite vintage children’s drawings from my personal collection as well as some lovely self-taught artwork I’ve procured over the years.

Hope to see you Friday, September 4th!

SHOUT OUT

I’m back at school! And there’s no better way to kick that off than catching up with one of my favorite former students, Dismas Hill. We chatted about school during a pandemic, growing pains in high school and becoming more mature, prison art, as well as some of our favorite action films of all time, like “Hobo With a Shotgun”.

listen now

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

CHRISTOPHER BAME Untitled (Prospector) (date unknown) // Mixed media on paper — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

CHRISTOPHER BAME spent much of his childhood in an institutional setting, being diagnosed as completely deaf and later with Autism, OCD, and developmental delays. He turned to art as a way to communicate, express his needs, and share stories.

available for purchase

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Follow FolkArtwork on INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE and shop original artwork from self-taught and emerging artists across the globe.

Check out the BONUS NEWSLETTER w/BONUS OUTSIDER ART out every Wednesday!

Thanks to everyone for subscribing and supporting this newsletter — it means a lot to me and I love that other people are enjoying this artwork as much as me. If you haven’t yet, consider subscribing to the paid newsletter for bonus outsider art every Wednesday morning.

» free preview of this week’s B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art newsletter «

⌁ paint on cabinets

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 01:47:43 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Colorful Bus by John Mosser via North Pole Studio

ONE OF MY FAVORITE CREATIVE HOT SPOTS IN THE COUNTRY — North Pole Studio!

John is widely recognized for his extraordinary and prolific body of work, centered on dynamic studies of trucks. Evocative of a cubist sensibility, John translates the three-dimensional experience of place and movement into compelling two-dimensional compositions. His seemingly kinetic works reveal a deep fascination with motion and machinery, transforming mechanical subjects into vibrant, expressive forms. (North Pole Studio)

This artwork is available (I think!) for purchase via North Pole Studio.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

Shout out to Ricky Boscarino of Luna Parc for this CBS Sunday Morning feature!!! You can hear my interivew with Ricky here.

listen now

B-B-B💀NUS

❥ back to school

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:00:44 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

ALEXANDRA DUPREZ no. 38 (c. 2025) // Mixed media on found book cover; 8 7/8” x 10 1/4” via PULP

PURVIS YOUNG Artist’s Book (date unknown) // Paint, ball-point and fiber-tipped pen inks, and graphite on various found papers and bound materials via Philadelphia Museum of Art

NOVIADI ANGKASAPURA Untitled (2021) // Ballpoint pen, graphite on cardboard; 10 x 15 inches (25.4 x 38.1 cm) via Cavin-Morris Gallery

Mixtec cast gold alloy finger ring with feline head in relief flanked by two snakes (c. 1200-1521; Mexico) via The British Museum

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

ELIJAH PIERCE Peace with Honor (1973) // Painted wood, glitter; 11 3⁄8 x 18 x 1 1⁄4 in. (28.9 x 45.7 x 3.2 cm.) via Smithsonian American Art Museum

NAN GOLDIN Solome with the young saint (Felicide) (2016) // Oil, graphite, and collage on paper; 11¼ × 8½ inches; 29 × 22 cm via Matthew Marks Gallery

PAM PUCK Flowers in The Gravel (2025) // Oil pastel on paper; 16.5 x 11.5 inches (42 x 30 cm) — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

RUDY WILLIAMS Untitled (date unknown) // Paint on masonite board; 24 x 30 inches via High Tramp

HENRY MCDONALD Henry’s Coffee, Donut, and Pie Quilt (2025) // Mixed media collage on paper; 24” x 18” via SAGE Studio & Gallery

BADASKHAN “BETTY” ZAKOIAN Lost Journey (1958) // Tempera on paper; 20 x 15 in via Intuit Art Museum

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

WREN EYRE Garden of prayer (2024) // Acrylic, pen, oils on paper courtesy the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

William Edmondson, Untitled (Teacher), ca. 1932-1940, carved limestone, 12 × 3 ⁷⁄₈ × 7 ⁵⁄₈ in. (30.5 × 9.8 × 19.4 cm via Smithsonian American Art Museum

Back to School
Back to School
To Prove To Dad That I'm Not A Fool
I've Got My Lunch Packed Up,
My Boots Tied Tight,
I Hope I Don't Get In A Fight
Ohhhh...

That’s right. Summer is over. Le fin. It’s back to school for me and hopefully you won’t see much of a disruption in the posting, newsletters coming out on time, podcast delieveries and whatever else. But if you do notice, bear with me please and thank you — I’m at school teaching and trying not to get in a fight!

SHOUT OUT

Shout out always and forever to the one and only Dean Millien!

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

JORDAN SULLIVAN Love is Rage (2024) // Pencil and Colored Pencil on Found Paper; Framed — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

JORDAN SULLIVAN is a self-taught artist born in Houston, Texas, and raised in rural Ohio and suburban Detroit. In addition to making art that is “dedicated to the underbelly of society”, he has worked as a drug and alcohol counselor at rehabs for adolescents and adults. He lives in Queens, New York.

available for purchase

⌁ me and my boys love...

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:02:58 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

1980s paintings by “S.H.”, a seventh grader via Mad Van Antiques

If it’s a piece of art made by a child and over 40 years old, it’s almost guaranteed to be great.

This artwork is available for purchase via Mad Van Antiques.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

These are a few of my (and my children’s) favorite things…

❥ come see folkartwork

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:01:11 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

Jason fights off the guardian of the golden fleece — scene from “Jason and the Argonauts” (1963; d. Don Chaffey), special effects created by the one and only Ray Harryhausen

Painting by Richard Tennant Cooper representing the effects of chloroform (ca. 1912) via Public Domain Review

MARILENA PELOSI Untitled (2002) // Crayon gras and pencil; 14 × 17 3/5 × 1 1/5 in | 35.5 × 44.75 × 3 cm via Espace Lally

Hitotsume Kozo (2019) // Paper, Glue, Crayola Modeling Magic, Acrylic Paint AND Ao Bozu (2006) // Paper, papier mȃché, clay, Styrofoam, paint

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

BILL TRAYLOR Woman in a Spotted Dress and Man in Blue with Doctor's Bag (c. 1939-1942) via Christies

JOHN HENRY TONEY Christ and the Devil (1997) // Magic Marker on white board; 11 × 14 inches via High Museum of Art

ANTONIO BENJAMIN Untitled (2018) // Acrylic monoprint on paper; 14 x 9.25 inches via Creativity Explored

JESSE JAMES NAGEL The Great Insomniac Chain Smoking Patzer (no date) // Polychromoas and carand’ache pencils on paper; 30x42cm, 11.8x16.1 inches via Jennifer Lauren Gallery

Ulúa polychrome pedestal bowl with monkey heads (c. 700-800 CE) // Ceramic, slip, paints; 3 1/8 × 6 1/4 × 5 1/8 in. (7.94 × 15.88 × 13.02 cm) via Dallas Museum of Art

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

Did you know that the nation’s largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces is located in Des Moines, Iowa?

Did you know I live in Des Moines, Iowa, and I happen to share one of those spaces in the nation’s largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces with one of my favorite artists and people, Ashley Mary?

It’s been a long summer, and a long time out of the FolkArtwork de facto gallery located at Mainframe Studios in Des Moines, Iowa — but now that school is starting back up, I’m gearing up for a fun fall of small shows I’ll be putting up on the Mainframe walls of studio #228.

On the first Friday of every month, our studio doors are open, and hundreds of people gather to celebrate the incredible artwork created and shared at Mainframe. I’ll be there and you should too!

While it’s hard to have regular open hours throughout the week, if you’re ever in Des Moines and want to swing by, drop me a line and I’d be happy to try and coordinate a time for you to come see the space.

Hope to see you at the next first Friday, open studios from 5-8pm on Friday, September 4th!

learn more

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to the Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan for being named to ARTnews’ list of “The 30 Best Art Museums in the US” — coming in at #6, one of my favorite museums and art visiting experiences of all-time. (Up there with the American and International Folk Art Museums to name a few!)

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

PAM PUCK Flowers in The Gravel (2025) // Oil pastel on paper; 16.5 x 11.5 inches (42 x 30 cm) — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

PAM PUCK (b. 1990) is a self-taught artist based in Ferrara, Italy. She works as a teacher and spends the rest of her time sculpting and drawing. Her work combines depictions of monsters, demons, aliens, self-portraits, and imagery from ancient art to create scenes that combat hopelessness with humor. By creating simplified figures, incorporating erotic elements, and using vibrant color palettes, Puck creates a unique symbolic language that’s deceptive in its playfulness.

available for purchase

⌁ look for cat

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 01:02:11 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Jake Plissken, Frontier Psychiatrist (18”x24”) // Paint on panel via Hed Hi Studio

I’m a big fan of Jake Plissken.

Not only is he a great artist, but he’s also a great dude. I really enjoyed meeting him in New York and my talks with him from time to time. His Instagram stories are also very entertaining as well — the life of a construction worker in New York City!

The latest works he created for a solo show in South Carolina are a bunch of bangers, including this doozy, Frontier Psychiatrist.

He mentioned he wasn’t a huge fan of how this was turning out at first, but eventually found it. Rumor has it things were painted, then painted over (except Moscow and barbed wire). I love it. And really glad with how it all turned out. Not that that matters 💁‍♂️

This artwork is available for purchase via Hed Hi Studio.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

❥ affsoongar makes art during war

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:01:59 GMT

Affsoongar talks about making art while living in Iran during a war. Full conversation out now.

learn more

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

PROPHET ROYAL ROBERTSON Fire Dangon Fighting Giant Electric Ell (1980) // Ballpoint pen and paint on posterboard; 28 × 22 1/8 in. (71.12 × 56.2 cm) via Minneapolis Institute of Art

anonymous ex-votosvia Musee LaM

MARGUERITE BURNAT-PROVINS Curiosity (1935) // Pencil and ink on cardboard; 38 x 27,5 cm via Collection de l’Art Brut

REVEREND SAMUEL DAVID PHILLIPS Revelations (c. 1950) // Pencil, crayon, water based paint on oil cloth canvas; 47 x 46 in via Intuit Art Museum

KATHERINE BERNHARDT Steaming Hot Coffee and Cigarettes and Pizza (2013) // Acrylic and spray paint on canvas; 96 × 120 inches (243.84 × 304.80 cm) via CANADA

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

ROSIE HARBOTTLE Night Garden (2025) // Acrylic and collage on canvas; 193/4 x 153/4 in. (50 x 40 cm.) via Scroll NYC

GUNYBI GANAMBARR Yirritja woman (2013) via National Gallery of Victoria

ARTIST NOT RECORDED Grandmother with soldiers (1980; Santiago, Chile) // Cotton, wool, acrylic, jute burlap; 14 15/16 x 17 5/16 in. (38 x 44 cm) via @museumofinternationalfolkart

DILMUS HALL Devil Wheel (undated) // Paint on wood putty via High Museum of Art

PEARL BLAUVELT Untitled (Lanterns and Bulbs) (ca. 1940s) // Pencil on paper; 18 × 16 in | 45.7 × 40.6 cm via The Ruffed Grouse Gallery

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

KIM BOND Don’t Kill Our Trees (2024) // Sculptures via VaultArt Studio

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

One of my favorite artists working now is an Iranian self-taught artist Affsoongar (Farsi for “enchantress”), who I was extremely fortunate to talk to while a few weeks ago. Affsongar lives in Tehran, me here in Des Moines, and despite the constant threat of bombs being dropped on their country, she so graciously joined me to share her story.

On the latest episode of FolkArtwork and Friends podcast, we talk about outsider art inspiring her to make art after dropping out of architectural school, life growing up in Iran, as a kid watching television and not seeing many strong female heroes (other than Kim Possible and Buffy The Vampire Slayer), making art while the United States drops bombs on your country, and the bittersweet emotions of having artwork on display at the Outsider Art Fair but not being able to enjoy it due to living in a digital blackout.

I’m truly honored and grateful for the ability to share this conversation and Affsoongar’s story.

Now that Art Environment Summer is over, it's back to the regular schedule of episodes being released on the first Friday of the month. Continue to listen on your favorite podcast player -- Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

listen now

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to Alan Rivera for creating this fantastic Sonic drawing that now lives on my son’s shelf and thanks to the lovely ladies at SAGE Studio & Gallery for sending it to me!

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

LORENA ELIASEN Frida (2025) // Gouache on papier-mâché; 5.25 inches wide by 7 inches tall — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

LORENA ELIASEN is a folk artist and illustrator living in Saint Augustine, Florida. She has a BFA from Parson School of Design and has worked on Children’s books and Pattern and Packaging Design with companies like Scholastic, Libraries Unlimited Publishing, Richard Leeds, Townley Girl and Vandale Industries in New York City.

available for purchase

⌁ a special conversation

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:15:04 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Malcah Zeldis, Circus, Trapeze Artists, Horse rider and Acrobats (1982) // Gouache on paper; 9 x 11 inches via 1st Dibs

My summer is coming to an end. I know all of ours will eventually, but soon I will be back at school, getting ready for the hundreds and thousands of adoring students who will return and be ready to learn.

Like most summers, I watch as many movies as I can. Not to brag, but my count is 30 in the past 60 days — I’ll take it! To make selecting a movie to watch a little easier, I try to come up with a theme. This summer? International movies and the circus. Please, please, I know, I’m cool.

Two of my favorite films I watched this summer were La Strada (1954; d. Federico Fellini) and Santa Sangre (1989; d. Alejandro Jodorowsky). One, you watch so you can sound sophisticated when you go back to school to tell your high school students what you did over the summer. The other, you watch as your wife walks downstairs while a young man is feeding his mother, pretending to be her arms, and your wife says, “What is wrong with you?”

She knows what’s wrong with me. I’ve made her watch Freaks (1932; d. Tod Browning).

Oh, summer, we hardly knew thee. Off to join the circus of school. Thanks for being here, and watch some circus movies!

This artwork is available for purchase via 1st Dibs.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

Each week for the next few weeks, enjoy bonus clips and previews of conversations I’ve had with artists, scholars, gallerists, and some really incredible people joining me for the “FolkArtwork and Friends” podcast.

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Iranian self-taught artist Affsoongar.

Screengrab from my conversation with Iranian self-taught artist Affsoongar

❥ open this you will

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 11:02:28 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

WILLIAM HAWKINS Yoda (1984) // Enamel on Masonite; 60 x 36 1/2 in. (152.4 x 92.7 cm) via Ricco Maresca Gallery

"William Hawkins was raised on a farm in Kentucky and learned to draw by copying illustrations from horse-auction announcements and calendar pictures. When he was twenty-one, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he painted the cityscapes and fantastic animals for which he is best known.

Hawkins painted his earliest large works on scavenged board, which he found on construction sites near his home. The frames are constructed of cast-off pieces of wood molding nailed directly to the painted panel. In spite of his age, Hawkins retained the vitality and enthusiasm of youthful discovery, and said he drew 'for all the young people in the United States.' As an affirmation of his spirit for life, he signed many paintings with his birthdate, July 27, 1895." (Smithsonian American Art Museum)

KAY LE SEELLEUR ARA The Woman Who Collected Bodies (2024) // Acrylic on Board; 20.125 x 20.125 x .75 inches (51 x 51 x 2 cm) — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

MAMIE DESCHILLIE Cow with calf and spotted dog cutout (date unknown) // Mixed media on cardboard; 20 in. x 26 inches via Mutual Art

RANTEI Skeleton Astride a Skull (c. late 18th–early 19th century; Japan) // Ivory; H. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); W. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); D. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm) via The Met Museum

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

LIONEL Untitled (Toilet-Shaped Monster) (date unknown) // Graphite pencil drawing on spiral notebook paper; 48 x 31.8 cm via Musee LaM

Marvin Bailey Eyeball Jug with Snake (c. 2000s) via Ledbetter Folk Art Auction

GAGETOWN HOOKERS (Ernest and Lydia Scott) “Nude” (date unknown) // Hooked rug; 18” L x 44” W (approx.) via Black Sheep Gallery

LOVE LÉONCE Untitled (2025) // Acrylic on board; 16.25 x 12 inches (41.3 x 30.5 cm) via Cavin-Morris Gallery

Aluminum foil gorilla by Dean Millien (c. 2023) // Aluminum Foil; 9.5 x 6 x 7.5 inches via Summertime Gallery

TERESA WATSON He Just Stares (2021) // Ink & acrylic on illustration board; 16.5 x 22” via Webb Gallery

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

REDA RACKLEY Conjure Woman (2026) // Mixed media, paint on canvas; 16 x 20inches courtesy the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

SHOUT OUT

Shout out as always to self-taught alumnium foil artist Dean Millien! Stay tuned for the full interview coming soon!

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

RENEESHA MCCOY The Fallen Vase (2026) // Acrylic, and Paint Marker on Canvas; 11 x 14 inches (28 x 35.5 cm) — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

RENEESHA MCCOY is a self-taught artist who began her artistic practice in 2019, living and working in North Carolina. Working primarily in acrylics and oil pastels, she often explores various mediums like colored pencil, ink, and paint markers. A central theme in Reneesha’s work is her celebration of life’s consequences and nature. Primarily in relation to the female body, her work is uniquely abstract.

available for purchase

⌁ a blessing for your eyes

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:01:06 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Gagetown Hookers (Ernest Raymond Scott and Lydia E. Clarke Scott), Fighting Pigs (date unknown) // Hooked rug; 18” L x 44” W (approx.) via Black Sheep Gallery

For those keeping track at home, I love hooked rugs (see last week’s paid newsletter) and I love Black Sheep Gallery in Nova Scotia (see probably every newsletter for the past few years).

So when the two of these collide, it’s like a lunar eclipse. Watch your eyes, it’s so beautiful!!!

Honestly, it doesn’t feel like I see many hooked rugs from Black Sheep Gallery, just a lot of beautiful carved wood. Which, don’t get me wrong, if we’re doing power rankings of some of my favorite art — carved wood from Nova Scotia is in the running for some of my favorite art of all-time.

Which is why I was excited to learn about the Cagetown Hookers:

Ernest Raymond Scott and Lydia E. Clarke Scott were celebrated hookers from Gagetown, New Brunswick, whose partnership became one of the most distinctive collaborations in Atlantic Canadian folk art. Married in 1931, they settled on Lydia's family farm in Summer Hill, raising pigs and dairy cattle until 1952, when the Government of Canada expropriated their land to build Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. The loss of their home and livelihood struck hard, especially for Raymond. In the year that followed, as he struggled to adjust, Lydia encouraged him to take up hooking as a way to steady himself. He did, and he never stopped. (Black Sheep Gallery)

If you’re not signed up for Audrey’s monthly newsletter from Black Sheep Gallery, please do yourself a favor and sign up now. You will not be disapointed and if you are I’ll give you a dollar.

This artwork is available for purchase via Black Sheep Gallery in Nova Scotia.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Dean Millien.

Self-taught artist Dean Millien and me at the 2025 Outsider Art Fair.

❥ the most beautiful library ever

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:01:09 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

SARAH THERESA LEE The Lovers (2026) // Acrylic on wood panel; 11 3/4 x 16 1/2 in. (29.8 x 41.9 cm) via Ricco/Maresca Gallery

UNKNOWN Hunting Scene Carpet (c. 1960s; Pakistan) // Hand knotted wool; 24 in x 37 in (60.96 cm x 93.98 cm) via 1st Dibs

JUSTIN MCCARTHY Fashion (Three Figures in Animal Skin Couture) (date unknown) // Oil on Masonite; 25 1/4 x 25 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches (64.1 x 64.1 x 4.4 cm) via Philadelphia Museum of Art

SIMON TOOKOOME Composition (Animal Human Transformation) (date unknown) // Coloured pencil, 29 3/4 x 41 1/2 in via Feheley Fine Arts

JACKIE BRADSHAW Rainbow Row (2026) // Acrylic on Unstretched Canvas; 57 inches x 56 inches — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

BRONISLAW “BRUNO” SOWA Untitled (ca. 1980-1995) // Paint on wood; 8.5 x 26 in via Intuit Art Museum

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

ARTIST UNKNOWN Chicken Fairground Target Panel (c. 1920; Paris) // Papier-mache, Pine; Height: 27 in (68.58 cm) Width: 19 in (48.26 cm) Depth: 4 in (10.16 cm) via 1st Dibs

MARGUERITE BURNAT-PROVINS Asclibour entroué (1929) // Watercolor and graphite pencil on cardboard; 40,3 x 47,5 cm via Collection de l’Art Brut Lausanne

KUKULI VELARDE Grief, Isichapuitu Series (c. 1997-2002) // Clay with mixed media, low fire; 23.5 x 17 x 11 inches / 59.7 x 43.2 x 27.9 cm via Cavin-Morris Gallery

SARA JACKSON The bird woman (2026) // Watercolor paper collage, pastel on cardboard, wire, glue, paper clay, and crocheted pieces with found sea glass courtesy the artist

Original “Body Shirt” depicting the tattoos of legendary San Francisco tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle (1931-2019) // Shirt: 24 x 50 in. (61 x 127 cm.) size medium -- created in New York (ca. 1972) via Bray & Co. Auctions

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

RONAN MCSORLEY The Dilemma (2025) // Oil on linen; 30x24 inches courtesy the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

Too scared to go up to the top of the golden dome but did get to take some pics of the jaw dropping design and architecture of the Iowa State Capital and play hide and go seek with my 5-year-old in one of the most beautiful libraries in the world ❤️

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to the one and only Dean Millien, an incredible alumnium foil artist who is putting on two great opportunities to hear him talk and see him work — including a “Disability Art Chat” on Thursday, July 30th, and the artmaking event “Cats and Rats: Workshop with Dean Millien” on August, 1st!

learn more

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

JAMES ASH The Shuffleboard Champs (2011) // Acrylic on canvas; 15 inches x 20 inches — available for purchase in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

JAMES ASH always wanted to be an art teacher. For various reasons, including addiction, his mental health, and living without internet in the Michigan woods, he never became an art teacher. So he taught himself how to make art. In 2021, James Ash passed away at the age of seventy-one. His daughter, Anna had the task of cleaning out his cabin and deciding what to do with the two dozen large, colorful, surreal, and enigmatic paintings. The goal has always been to share them with as many people as possible.

available for purchase

⌁ the best thank you note

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:27:36 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Armistead Peeler, “Untitled” (2003) // Paint on wood; 7.25 x 13 in. via SHRINE

Double-sided artwork? Check. Hand-painted border? Check. Beautiful colorful imagery that makes you feel warm and fuzzy? Double-check.

Signing your full name and year on the artwork. Bingo. I really like this piece by Armistead Peeler and I hope you do too.

This artwork is available for purchase via SHRINE.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Lee Kennedy.

❥ art environments near you

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:01:50 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

SAM DOYLE Untitled (Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary) (c. 1970s) // House paint on wood; 34.5 x 31.25 in via Intuit Art Museum

PETRA RODGERS The Lazy Shoe with Bees and Flowers (2026) // Pencil, wood; 7 3/4” X 9 1/4” via Pulp

SARAH ANN GARGES Appliqué bedcover (1853; Doylestown, Pennsylvania) // Cotton, silk, wool, and wool embroidery; 98 by 96 inches via American Folk Art Museum

JULES LECLERCQ Five naked people in a forest (c. 1950 - 1964) // Textile artwork, Embroidery. Wool thread, cotton thread on cotton fabric; 52.5 x 62 x 2.5 cm via Musee LaM

UNIDENTIFIED MAKER Amber Mala (Ceremonial Buddhist Object) (date unknown; Tibet) // Amber, Coral, Silver, Glass on String; 14 x 2 x 1 in. (36 x 5 x 3 cm) via Mingei International Museum

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

JEAN WILSON Dogs at the Park (2016) // Acrylic and paper on board; 19 x 24 in via Arts of Life

ELIJAH PIERCE Untitled (Frog Sculpture) (1979) // Carved and painted wood; 6.25 in x 8 in x 3.25 in via The Keen Collection

CLEMENTINE HUNTER Washday (1985) // Oil on Canvas Board; 28.5 x 22 in via Gilleys Gallery

SUSAN DAY Nightbird (2025) // Ceramic, glaze, lustre; 15 × 15 × 8 in | 38.1 × 38.1 × 20.3 cm via Van Der Plas Gallery

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

SUNNY STRADER Unearthed (2026) // Paper mache + wire courtesy the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

In the twelfth episode of the FolkArtwork and Friends podcast, I talk to my good friend and art environment extraordinaire, "Narrow" Larry Harris. I can't remember the first time I met Larry, but I've been going to his website, narrowlarry.com, for years as he has been documenting, scouring maps and encyclopedias, and more to find any and every art environment possible in the United States.

We talk about how his work as an architect influenced his love for these self-taught environments, including his visits to The Orange Show and Watts Towers, which led him to build a replica of the towers, now housed in the Kohler Museum collection.

Visit www.narrowlarry.com to find an art environment near you!

Thanks for coming to art environment summer, new episodes will be back to being released on the first Friday of the month. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

Watch the latest epsiodes of “FolkArtwork and Friends” here.

listen now

SHOUT OUT

The biggest shout out to Jason Busch, Director & CEO of the American Folk Art Museum, for including me in the latest issue of The Magazine Antiques, as well as Cara Zimmerman, head of Outsider Art at Christie’s, for the thoughtful questions heading into America’s 250 and including one of my favorite photos of me getting the best pipecleaner hug from Montrel Beverly!

learn more

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

JACKIE BRADSHAW Rainbow Row (2026) // Acrylic on Unstretched Canvas; 57 inches x 56 inches — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

JACKIE BRADSHAW is a neurodivergent folk artist from Kitchener, Ontario. After the birth of her son, she started a home daycare and began using leftover paint from the children to create mirror-image paintings. Immersed in this process, she began producing hundreds of works and continues to create art to calm her mind and body. Her artwork has been shown across Canada, at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, and in private collections across North America.

available for purchase

⌁ artwork in your backyard

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:22:14 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Jean Wilson, Spiderweb (2018) // Acrylic on Canvas; 20 x 24 inches via Arts of Life

When was the last time you walked into a spiderweb? Mine was today!

This artwork is available for purchase via Arts of Life.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Narrow Larry Harris.

❥ ricky of luna parc's out of this world home

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:01:03 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

ARTIST UNKNOWN Turkish prisoner’s coin purses (c. 1950s-1970s; Central Anatolia, Turkey) // // Glass bead, metal zipper, cotton; approx 2 15/16 x 4 5/16 in. (7.5 x 11 cm) via Museum of International Folk Art

New rug from the Iranian self-taught textile artist “CC” // a collaboration between @fiuzgallery and @galleryoutsiderinn

See more new rugs from CC part of the Fiuz Gallery and Gallery Outsiderinn collaboration

SISTER GERTRUDE MORGAN Jesus is my air Plane (ca. 1970) // Tempera, ballpoint pen and ink, and pencil on paper; 18 x 26 3⁄8 in. (45.7 x 67.0 cm) via Smithsonian American Art Museum

ROSS KEEGAN An Idea Arrives (2026) // Mixed media on paper; 65x55cm courtesy the artist

1930’s Aluminum Dental Phantom with X-Ray Teeth Set via Agent Gallery

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

JANKO DOMSIC Untitled (Goodness) (c. 1970s) // Ballpoint pen drawing on cardboard; 42.5 x 29 cm via Musee LaM

TRUDE VIKEN White Scene # 1 (2026) // Oil on canvas via Ricco/Maresca Gallery

SAVA SEKULIĆ Untitled (1985) // Painting; 20 3/4 inches x 16 1/2 inches

MOSE TOLLIVER A Man On The Mountain (c. 1970s) // Mixed media on wood; 24.25 x 27.75 in via Intuit Art Museum

RENE MEREDITH The Beyutte - From a Planet of Wolf (1981) // Pencil & crayon; 12 x 9 inches via Henry Boxer Gallery

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

KIM BOND Big Foot with Wings (2022) // Mixed media on bristol via VaultArt Studio

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

In the eleventh episode of the FolkArtwork and Friends podcast, I am extremely thrilled to be joined by the one and only Ricky Boscarino of Luna Parc. I met Ricky a few months ago, and was blown away by his generosity to share the story of his one-of-a-kind art environment, and walk me through it for a video tour (check out YouTube!) on a bright and beautiful New Jersey day.

Plus, we talk about the moment he knew this home would be his forever home, his days at NYU film school, traveling across the world, the importance of keeping his home a museum for people to visit forever and ever, and he shows me his final resting place where he plans to be buried… after he turns 106.

Follow Ricky on Instagram and donate to the project or book a tour today.

Stay tuned for a new episode out next week. List on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

Watch the latest epsiodes of “FolkArtwork and Friends” here.

listen now

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to Art Farm Iowa and Steve Hanson who made this amazing place a reality. Go to Art Farm Iowa you will not be disappointed!!!

learn more

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

RENEESHA MCCOY To Be in the Open (2024) // Oil, acrylic and plaster on canvas — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

RENEESHA MCCOY is a self-taught artist experimenting with acrylic paint, oil pastels, colored pencils, ink, and paint markers. A central theme in her abstract work is the celebration of life and nature, particularly in relation to the female body. Drawing from personal experience, she explores the physical and emotional changes of childbirth, and her artistic process involves studying female anatomy and presenting it in new, conceptual ways.

available for purchase

⌁ this is a big one!

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:03:34 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Ashley Mary, Sketch Study - Banana 1 of 2 (2026) // Acrylic paint and crayon on basswood; 4” X 6” via the artist

So a few weeks ago, I was in line at Universal to go on the Minions ride with my boys. We had to watch this really long safety video that was kinda funny, but getting a little long in the tooth. The next thing I know, a “fart machine” lets out some flatulence that smells exactly like a banana. It was miraculous. And then some Minion said “banana,” which was probably once or twice, but I remember it as a dozen times. And for the past few weeks, my boys and I will look over at each other randomly and say — BANANA.

That’s a weird, probably way to get to these really fun little works by my friend and studio mate at MainFrame Studios, Ashley Mary. She makes some really incredible large works that are so striking and lovely, that it’s really fun to see these smaller still life works that she’s making in her signature style.

I’m lucky, I get to see these up close and in person all the time, but I sometimes take it for granted. I wanted to share my banana story and share the works of someone I really admire, whose work makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I hope you enjoy her works as much as me!

This artwork (and many more) are available for purchase via the artist.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Ricky Boscarino of Luna Parc.

❥ jo farb hernández talks art environments

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:01:29 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

ANDRÉ ROBILLARD The bird, the dog, the rooster, the cat (1986) // Ballpoint pen and colored pencil drawing on paper; 46.6 x 55.1 cm via Musee LaM

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit Bishop Castle in Rye, Colorado. Truly, one of the most incredible and unbelievable art environments I've ever witnessed. My son is still mad that I wouldn't let him climb up to the top!

Made by one man, Jim Bishop, who recently passed away, this “intricate and elaborate castle” is full of stained glass, iron, sheet metal, and thousands upon thousands of rocks from the San Isabel National Forest.

Currently, wildfires are ravaging across Colorado and rapidly approaching Bishop Castle. On top of that, Jim's son and the current caretaker of Bishop Castle, Daniel, was seriously injured a few weeks ago while working near the art environment. Now more than ever, they could use your help if you are willing and able to keep this one-of-a-kind magical place open to visitors for years to come. Bishop Family GoFundMe.

MAUD LEWIS Three Black Cats (1955) // Oil on pulpboard; 30.5 x 30.7 cm via Art Canada Institute

SCOTT CSOKE A Concert of Gay Birds (2024) // Acrylic on canvas; 48 × 60 inches via Sargent’s Daughters

BETHANN PARKER Precipice (2026) // Oil on linen; 24 x 30 inches via Fleisher/Ollman Gallery

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

JOSEFINA AGUILAR Untitled (Adam and Eve in The Garden) (20th Century; Mexico) // Painted pottery; 13 3/4” H x 15” W via Case Antiques

ANDREA DEZSO Thirteen (2020) // Sumi ink, watercolor, kitakata paper; 16.5” x 22.25” via PULP

BRONISLAW “BRUNO” SOWA Untitled (ca. 1980-1995) // Paint on wood; 33.5 x 27.75 in via Intuit Art Museum

LEROY ALMON SR. Untitled wood relief (1989) // Carved and painted wood; 11.25” H x 24” W x 0.75”D -- Collection of Marjorie Freed via Rivich Auction

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

JAKE PLISSKEN Tire Swing (2026) // Acrylic & oil pastel on wood panel, framed in teak wood; 12”x15” via the artist

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

FRIENDS WHO NEED YOUR HELP…

Times are tough everywhere. Please support these friends if you are willing and able.

OH WORD?

In the tenth episode of the FolkArtwork and Friends podcast, I kick off art-environment summer with the one and only, Jo Farb Hernández, Director Emerita of SPACES (Saving and Preserving Arts and Cultural Environments) and Professor Emerita at San José State University. Joining me from her home in Spain, we talk about all the incredible work she has done in that country to find and document almost one hundred art environments through the years.

Plus, we talk about her first art environment visited, the work she’s done with Salvation Mountain, and the importance of Watts Towers, stories of visiting the artists who make these one-of-a-kind environments, as well as the weirdest thing she can remember seeing at an art environment, and what we can do to continue to document and advocate for these spaces.

Purchase Jo’s book “Architectural Fantasies: Artist-Built Environments” from Tra Publishing here: www.trapublishing.com/products/architectural-fantasies
Use promo code: AF15 for 15% off!

It’s art environment summer, so there’s more with this came from!

Stay tuned for a new episode out next week. List on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

Watch the latest epsiodes of “FolkArtwork and Friends” here.

listen now

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to Tra Publishing for offering 15% off to anyone who wants to purchase Jo’s new book, “Architectural Fantasies: Artist-Built Environments” — with photos by Fred Scruton. Use promo code AF15 at checkout and enjoy this beautiful book!

buy now

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

NOEL HATFIELD Harriet Tubman (2025) // Oil on canvas — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

NOEL HATFIELD is a seventy-three-year-old self-taught artist from Winterset, Iowa. Working in oil paint on stretched canvas or dibond aluminum, Noel paints in several styles, including Abstract, Expressionist, and Impasto, with a knife and brush. When he is not painting, he’s usually taking care of his adorable grandchildren.

available for purchase

⌁ this newsletter is also very hot

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:01:17 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Artist Unknown, Green Jungle (c. 1960’s; Connecticut) // Mixed media/collage on wood; 24” x 33 5/8” via Powers | Lowenfels

There’s a handful of galleries — I will not try and list them here now in case I forget one of them — but there are a handful of galleries where it doesn’t matter what is on display, what they are showing, whether I’ve heard of it or not, it’s a guarantee I’m going to love what they have.

That is the case for Powers | Lowenfels. Their Outsider Art Booths are always top-notch. The work I got to see last year when I went to visit was stunning. And their latest exhibit, “Folk Art USA: Coast to Coast,” looks like a must-see. (So much so, I’m looking at flights out to NYC right now!).

Steven S. Powers and Joshua Lowenfels just get it. And they do a fantastic job. And you should go see them and see if we bump into each other. I’ll be the guy with drool running down my face.

This artwork (I think is available for purchase) via Powers | Lowenfels.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

LOS ANGELES IS COOL

Last week, I pondered, “Is Los Angeles even cool?”

In fact, it was “cooler” — in terms of the weather and I guess the overall vibe in general — in Los Angeles than here in Iowa. Especially when you get the opportunity to drive your parents to South Central LA to visit Watts Towers!

See more photos on Instagram or folkartwork.art.

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Jo Farb Hernández, Director Emerita of SPACES and Professor Emerita at San José State University.

❥ this artist wants your linoleum

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 11:02:35 GMT

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

Authentic Day of the Dead Parade Outfit sold via Ledbetter Folk Art Auction

Drawing on paper from Mogao Caves, reproduced in the fourth volume of Aurel Stein’s Serindia: Detailed Report of Explorations in Central Asia and Westernmost China (1921) via Public Domain Review

JAMES “SON FORD” THOMAS Untitled (Head) (no date) // Fiber, paint, glass on concrete; 9 1/4 x 5 1/8 x 7 1/8 “ (23.5 x 13 x 18.1 cm) via American Folk Art Museum

PAM PUCK If You Win, It’s Because I Let You (2025) // Oil pastel on paper; 16.5 x 11.5 inches (42 x 30 cm) — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

CHELSEY PETTYJOHN Untitled (Mothman) (2025) via personal collection

» free preview of the “B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter «

SARAH THERESA LEE Self-Sacrificing Solstice Banquet with Satan (2025) // Acrylic on wood panel; 8 1/4 x 11 3/4 in. (21 x 29.8 cm) via Ricco/Maresca Gallery

SIGNED WITH CONJOINED “JF” Folk Art Heart in Hand Rug (1937; New England) // Size: 37 1/2” x 32” via Powers and Lowenfels

JOSEPH PARKER The Road to Enlightenment (2000) // Acrylic paint on canvas; 68 x 51 inches via Andrew Edlin Gallery

ARTIST UNKNOWN Two cats surmounting a box for an animal mummy (c. 664–30 B.C.E.; From Egypt) // Cupreous metal; H. 9.4 cm (3 11/16 in.); W. 8.7 cm (3 7/16 in.); D. 6.8 cm (2 11/16 in.) via The Met Museum

“Bastet was a powerful goddess of Lower Egypt, one who was protective and could bring about great prosperity. In zoomorphic form, she was represented as a cat and cats were considered sacred to her. As a cat, she is poised and alert, on guard against external forces. Here two cats surmount a square box that would have once held an animal mummy. Such mummy boxes were deposited in catacombs alongside linen-wrapped cat mummies, as at the extensive catacombs at Bubastis and Saqqara.” (The Met Museum)

HUGE ROCHA Untitled (128) (2023) // Colored pencil & marker on paper; 24 x 36” via Tierra Del Sol Gallery

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

SARA ERENTHAL Is That What My Butt Looks Like? (2024) // Acrylic, fabric, wallpaper on wood; 20 × 16” courtesy the artist

"Sara Erenthal is a Brooklyn-based multi-disciplinary artist and social justice activist. Drawing on her upbringing in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, her artwork touches on themes of liberation, alienation, and survival. Erenthal uses her practice as therapy to process her difficult past, to navigate relationships, and to empower movements for human rights."

This piece is about the first time she put on pants after leaving her ultra orthodox upbringing.

be featured

Share This Week in Outsider Art

A FEW THINGS…

My friend Maram and her children are still suffering in Gaza and could use your help if you’re willing and able.
I got to see this in LA, pretty wild stuff! Mummies of the World Exhibit Returns to Los Angeles at the California Science Center
Cutting and Pasting a World: The Paper Craft of Henry Darger
Another must-read from Erin Thompson Inside the Mind of an Antiquities Looter
Mayan City, Hidden for More Than 1,000 Years, Is Discovered Intact in Mexico
Just spectacular. This Man Has Been Drawing a Map of an Imaginary Land Since 1963

OH WORD?

Last week, I spoke with the American Folk Art Museum's Valérie Rousseau about their latest exhibit, "Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists". This week, I'm delighted to be joined by an artist whose artwork is in the exhibit, self-taught artist Bill Miller.

In the second part of the ninth episode of FolkArtwork and Friends, Bill Miller joins me to talk about his search for a very large studio, due to his very large piles of linoleum, which he uses in his artworks.

We talked about his upbringing in Pittsburgh’s Industrial Arts Co-op, making art out of recycled materials, showing his work at the Outsider Art Fair, and the story behind creating two album covers for the late Frank Zappa. Then, we dine out on some of our favorite music to listen to while making art, I brag about being named the teacher with the best music at my school, and why Paul McCartney keeps texting us.

Plus, Bill Miller wants your linoleum! Bill’s artwork is made entirely of linoleum, and he has a giant warehouse to store it. So if you have some you want to donate, he’ll take it off your hands! Go to www.billmillerart.com or www.billmillerwantsyourlinoleum.com and get in touch with Bill so he can take your linoleum off your hands and use it in a piece of art. Or follow Bill on Instagram at @billmillerart.

Learn more about “Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists” at www.folkartmuseum.org and follow the American Folk Art Museum on Instagram at @afamuseum. If you’re in New York City, visit the American Folk Art Museum open Wednesday–Sunday: 11:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. -- admission is always free.

A new episode will come out next week, before we start getting back to our normal schedule every first Friday of the month. Continue to listen on your favorite podcast player -- Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

Watch the latest epsiodes of “FolkArtwork and Friends” here.

listen now

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to Grandma Prisbey’s Bottle Village — or what’s left of it! Didn’t get a good chance to walk the grounds or see much of it, but took a few photos through the gate of what still stands of the bottle village up here in Simi Valley.

learn more

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

JACKIE BRADSHAW Vulture Spit Fountain (2026) // Acrylic on Canvas; 7 inches x 5 inches — available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop

JACKIE BRADSHAW is a neurodivergent folk artist from Kitchener, Ontario. After the birth of her son, she started a home daycare and began using leftover paint from the children to create mirror-image paintings. Immersed in this process, she began producing hundreds of works and continues to create art to calm her mind and body. Her artwork has been shown across Canada, at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, and in private collections across North America.

available for purchase

⌁ is los angeles even cool?

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:01:16 GMT

FIND ❤️‍🔥F THE WEEK

Melissa Monroe, Tigers All Around Stool (date unknown) // Tufted wool, foam, wood, vintage legs; 23” x 23” x 14” via HeyThere Projects

How freaking rad is Melissa Monroe? I had seen Melissa’s work online before, but when I saw it in person in New York this spring, I was completely blown away. And of course, she and her partner couldn’t have been nicer and sweeter to talk to and get to know!

Perhaps it’s because we are furniture shopping for our living room, and I could use a really good ottoman, but this Tiger’s All Around stool would fit perfectly next to our new couches and coffee table! My birthday is only 362 days away for anyone looking for ideas!!!

This artwork is available for purchase via HeyThere Projects.

learn more

✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️

B-B-B💀NUS

» Sneak Peek «

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by self-taught artist Bill Miller.